BSJGD: It's Complicated

The following Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit Declined game becomes so complicated that I eventually turn the comments over to Stockfish 14.1.

Basically -

Black declines the gambit so White immediately gets a better game

Black starts an attack against White's King which should not work

White is better up until the point where Black crushes White

Typical Jerome-ish game, right?

moimoibubu - Tolcho0812

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Ke7 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit Declined.

Recently discussed in the game Raynier29 - Floppy-Bischer, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022 (1-0, 9), the line leads to an advantage for White that Stockfish 14.1 assesses as more than a Rook. 

Instead, Black should take the Bishop.

5.Nxd4 exd4 6.Bb3 

White retracts his offer of a Bishop. He is a pawn ahead, and Black's King is poorly placed - in the center, blocking the action of his Bishop and Queen.

6...d5 7.Bxd5 Nf6 8.Qf3 

Reinforcing the Bishop, and developing the Queen to a square where it could help with the attack on the enemy King.

Still, retreating the busy Bishop with 8.Bc4 was probably better. Then 8...Nxe4 would be met by 9.Qe2.

8...Bg4 9.Qb3 

This looks natural, and pairing the Queen and Bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal is an idea that shows up in a number of openings, for example the Evans Gambit. However, a closer look reveals that White has already achieved most of what that battery hopes to do, anyhow - capturing the f-pawn and displacing the enemy King.

Stockfish 14.1 thinks the Queen should stay on the Kingside with 9.Qg3. 

9...c6 

Feeling the pressure on the Queenside. Still, he should snap off the Bishop with 9...Nxd5.

10.Bc4

This is fine, although the computer suggests that White could go in for complications with 10.Qxb7+ Bd7 11.Bxc6 Rc8 12.Bxd7 Qxd7 13.Qb3 Nxe4 14.O-O Nc5 15.Qf3 d3 16.Nc3 Kd8 17.cxd3 Be7 18.d4 Rf8 19. Qe2 Ne6 20. d3 Nxd4 21. Qe4 Re8 22. Qxh7 Bf6 23. Be3 Nc2 24. Rab1 Nxe3 25. fxe3 Rxe3 

analysis diagram

Not the kind of thing that everyone wants to persue in a blitz game.

10...b5 11.Bd3 Ke8 

12.O-O 

This reasonable move turns out to be quite risky.

12...Be7 

Stockfish 14.1 recomments, instead, 12...Nd7 13.Bxb5 (huh?) cxb5 14.h3 Bh5 15.d3 a6 16.Qd5 Bf7 17.Qxd4 (White has 4 pawns for his sacrificed piece) Rc8 18.Qe3 Rxc2 19.Nd2 Bc5 20.d4 Bb6 21.e5 Bg6 22.Ne4 Nxe5 23.Nc5 Bxc5 24.Qxe5+ Be7 25.Re1 Kf7 26.Qe6+ Kf8 27.Qxa6 Qd7 and assesses Black as slightly better. Messy.

13.h3 h5 

Black plans to "develop" his Rook at h8 by sacrificing the Bishop. The computer is skeptical, but in human vs human blitz play, the idea has its benefits.

14.e5 

How long do you think it took for White to decide not to capture the piece?

14...Nd5 15.Bg6+ Kd7 16.hxg4 

White judges that the capture is safe now, and "objectively" it is - but the storm clouds gathering over his Kingside are more concerning when you tae into account his undeveloped pieces.

16...hxg4 17.Bf5+ 

Instead, Stockfish recommends 17.g3 Rh3 18.Be4 Qh8 19.a4 b4 20.Nc3 (did not see that coming) dxc3 21.Qc4 Rf8 22.dxc3 Rf3 (White's Bishop protects h1) 23.Bxf3 gxf3 24.Qg4+ Kc7 25.Qxf3 (Black's exchange sacrifice does not look so good now) g5 26.Bd2 bxc3 27.Bxc3 g4 28.Qg2 Bc5 29.Rae1 Kb7 30.Bd2 Qh7 White has buttoned up his King's position and is better. 

17...Kc7 18.Bxg4 Rh4 

19.Bh3 

As will quickly be seen, the Bishop belonged on f3. With an eventual g2-g3, it would protect h1.

19...Qh8 20.Qg3

How else to defend? 

The computer offers the pathetic 20.Na3 (development of a sort) Nf4 21.Nxb5 (sad, but necessary to activate the Queen) cxb5 22.Qxb5 only to be met by 22...Rxh3 23.gxh3 Nxh3+ when 24.Kg2 Nf4+ 25.Kf3 Qh3+ 26.Ke4 (26.Kxf4 Rf8+ leads to mate) Ne6 leads to a position where lack of King safety is the issue, despite White's advantage in material.

analysis diagram

20...Nf4 

The attack will finish the game.

21.e6 Bd6 22.Re1 Nxh3+ 23.Qxh3 Rxh3 24.gxh3 Qxh3 25.d3 Rh8 White resigned

Checkmate is forced.