BSJG: Danger Comes

A major risk for Black in the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit is an unsafe King - if he wanders too far from home, he risks being checkmated.

On the other hand, sometimes even when the King is careful, danger comes for him. As in the following blitz game.

alrivz01 - DBOMB

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit .

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3 

We looked at 6.Qh5 in "BSJG: Generosity Rules".

6...Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Ke6 

Black avoids the temptation of 7...Kxd4. Can the King remain safe?

8.d5+ Ke7 9.O-O d6 10. d4 Nf6 

White's 2 extra pawns, their central control (with attacking possibilities), and the unsafe Black King are compensation for Black's extra piece.

11.Nc3 Bg4 

Hoping to forestall f2-f4. 

12.Qb3 b6 

The b-pawn is not the issue. Stockfish 14.1 looks at 12...Kf7 13.h3 Bc8 14.e5 Ne8 15.f4 Bf5 16.g4 Qh4 17.Ne2 Bxg4 18.hxg4 Qxg4+ 19.Kf2 Be7 20.Qf3 h5 21.f5 Bh4+ 22.Ke3 Rd8 23.Nf4 Bg5 24.Qxg4 hxg4 25.Ke4 Bxf4 26.Bxf4 Nf6+ 27.exf6 Rde8+ 28.Kd3 and White comes out on top.

13.e5 dxe5 14.dxe5 Nd7 15.Qb4+ Ke8 16.Qxg4 Black resigned

The Black King is relatively safe at home, at least for the moment, but White is ahead in material.