Saturday, April 30, 2022

Jerome Gambit: Battling to the End



Some Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games are battled to the end. 

A few examples of draws.


Hala_ali - Ahmed, 10 0 blitz, lichess, 2022



oaitseziom - CVIO, 10 0 blitz, lichess, 2022




emv1 - Weirco, 1 0 bullet, lichess, 2022





Zacosilva - joaocustdiano, 5 0 blitz, lichess, 2022



vinit626 - morries01, 1 0 bullet, lichess, 2022


Friday, April 29, 2022

Jerome Gambit Draw

 



The ending of a long battle...



fathoney - javad2578, 3 0 blitz, lichess, 2022

Here, the game was drawn, most likely by repetition of position, on the 75th move. That is a lot of moves for 3 minutes!

For games with more time on the clock, it is helpful to know that in Queen vs pawn endgames, play against advanced Rook and Bishop pawns should end up in a draw, while advanced Knight, Queen, and King pawns should not be enough to escape checkmate.

In this position, White had: 75.Qc2 Ke1 76.Qe4+ Kf2 77.Qd3 Ke1 78.Qe3+ Kd1 79.Kc5 Kc2 80.Qe4+ Kc1 81.Qc4+ Kb2 82.Qd3 Kc1 83.Qc3+ Kd1 84.Kd4 Ke2 85.Qe3+ Kd1 86.Kc3 Kc1 87.Qxd2+ Kb1 88.Qb2 checkmate  

The pattern of using the Queen to force the enemy King in front of the pawn, giving time for his King to take a step forward before repeating the pattern, eventually getting the King in place for chekmate, is worth remembering.


Thursday, April 28, 2022

Jerome Gambit: It Is A Matter of Conservation



If you are playing blitz, and you get into a lost position, do you want to play on - and on, and on - with the hope of salvaging a half point, or do you conserve time, resign, and start another?

The following game sparked some consideration.

minhsuper14. Cliffe481
10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+


 
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6 


Black protects his Knight - he thinks - but winds up surrendering two pieces.

7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf8 9. Qxc5+ d6 Black resigned


White has recovered his two sacrificed pieces, which means he is two pawns ahead.

Another way of looking at it is that Black has sacrificed two pawns, for negative compensation - his King cannot castle.

Komodo 12.1.1 rates White 2 1/2 pawns ahead.

The Database has 604 games with this position, with White scoring 67%.

If you are playing Black, do you hang in there, or do you surrender and start another game?

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Jerome Gambit: Juggling Tactics

Players good with tactics enjoy the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). They also enjoy blitz games.

So it stands to reason that they would enjoy ther Jerome Gambit played at blitz speed.

In the following game, both players have chances to uncover the tactics imbedded in different positions. Ultimately, White is more successful.


Choner - Jaggerjuice

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 Qe7 9.Qe3

An ordinary Jerome Gambit position - The Database has 123 games with it. Black decides to give a hypermodern treatment.

9...b6 10.Nc3 Bb7 11.O-O Nf6  


So far things have progressed scientifically for Black. He has a piece for two pawns, and Komodo 12.1.1 assesses him as a bit more than 3/4 of a pawn ahead.

12.e5 

The kind of aggression you sometime see in a 3-minute blitz game: more bark than bite. Black can simply grab the intruder. Instead, he falls prey to a typical Jerome Gambit temptation.

12...Ng4

Attacking the White Queen is often a distraction. Here, the move still maintains Black's advantage, but the straightforward 12...Nxe5 was more to the point. 

13.Qg3 N4xe5 

You see, the advanced Knight not only attacked the enemy Queen, it threatened to capture the pawn at e5. 

Alas, the retreat 13...Nh6 was the right idea, preserving Black's advantage. 

14.Re1


White pins the enemy Knight to the Queen, and, behind her, the King. He plans a pawn strike to win the piece. 

He was probably not aware that this leads to a checkmate in 10 - for Black.

14...d6 

This is solid, and sufficient, but it misses 14...Nf3+ 15.gxf3 Qxe1+ 16.Kg2 Rf8 17.Ne4 Bxe4 18.d3 Bxf3+ 19.Qxf3 Nh4+ 20.Kg3 Rxf3+ 21.Kg4 Qg1+ 22.Kxh4 Qg2 23.Bg5 Rh3 checkmate.

Brutal. 

15.f4 

Attacking the pinned Knight, per plan.

Surprisingly enough, Black can now just grab this pawn, as well.

15...Nf3+

A move too late, and out of place.

Instead, the stronger 15...Nxf4 has to be met by 16.d4, again hitting the pinned Knight, because 16.Qxf4, instead, would fall to 16...Nf3+ 17.Qxf3 Qxe1+ 18.Qf1 Qxf1+ 19.Kxf1 when Black would be the exchange ahead.

Stockfish 14.1 suggests that 15...Nxf4 16.d4 Nxg2 17.Rf1 Rf8 18.Bg5 Nf3+ 19.Rxf3 Rxf3 20.Bxe7 Rxg3 21.hxg3 Kxe7 22.d5 b5 23.Nxb5 Kd7 24.Kxg2 Bxd5+ 25.Kg1 Rb8 26.Nc3 Bc6 27.b3 Re8 would be better for Black. That is a lot to figure out quickly, however.

The text move should not work - and doesn't - because White's Rook is protected, another result of White's last move.

16.gxf3 Ne5 

Throwing himself in the line of fire in a vain attempt to protect the Queen.

17.fxe5 dxe5 18.Rxe5 Black resigned




Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Jerome Gambit: Captain's Log


One way to learn an opening variation is to play over a collection of games by someone who has explored the line extensively. That can be a lot of work, but the effort will likely be rewarded.

An example is the effort of PedrosF1, playing at lichess.org, to shed light on a sideline in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). 

PedrosF1 - Raphcobra37

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.c3 

PedrosF1 has explored in depth this alternative to 8.f4. 

8...Nh6 

He has also met

8...Nd3+ (the choice of Komodo 12.1.1, by a very slight edge) 9.Ke2 (9.Kd1 Nxf2+ 10.Kc2 Ne7 [10...Nxh1 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ d6 13.Qg5+ Kf8 14.Qf4+ Nf6 15.d4 Kg8 16.Qf1 Nxe4 17.Qxh1 Bf5 18.Kb3 Qd7 19.g4 Qb5+ 20.Ka3 Bd7 21.b3 Nf2 22.Qg2 Nd3 23.Be3 Qa5 checkmate, PedrosF1 - IhsanAbsi, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021] 11.Qf4+ Kc6 12.Rf1 Rf8 13.Qg3 Nxe4 14.Rxf8 Qxf8 15.Qh4 d5 16.d4 Qf1 17.dxc5 Nxc5 18.Nd2 Qd3+ 19.Kd1 Nf5 20.Qh3 Ne3+ 21.Ke1 Bxh3 22.gxh3 Rf8 23.b4 Nc2+ 24.Kd1 Rf1 checkmate, PedrosF1 - OptimusRook, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) (9.Kf1 Nxc1 10.Qd5+ Ke7 11.d4 Bb6 12.Nd2 Nd3 13.Qg5+ Ke8 14.Qxg7 Qf6 15.Qg3 Nf4 16.e5 Qf7 17.Re1 d6 18.exd6+ Kf8 19.Ne4 Bxd4 20.cxd4 Qc4+ 21.Kg1 Ne2+ 22.Rxe2 Qc1+ White resigned, PedrosF1 - fatihdennis, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) 9...Ne7 10.Qd5+ Nxd5 11.exd5 Kxd5 12.Kxd3 d6 13.Kc2 Bf5+ 14.d3 Re8 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.fxe3 Rxe3 17.Rd1 Re2+ 18.Nd2 Rxg2 19.h4 Qxh4 20.Rf1 g6 21.c4+ Kc6 22.Kb3 Rxd2 White resigned, PedrosF1 - NeroeJ, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021; and 

8...Qf6 9.Qxf6+ (9.d4 Qxf5 10.dxc5+ Kxc5 11.exf5 Nd3+ 12.Ke2 Nxc1+ 13.Rxc1 Kc6 14.Nd2 b6 15.b4 Kb7 16.a4 Nf6 17.a5 Re8+ 18.Kf1 d6 19.c4 Bxf5 20.h3 Ne4 21.Nf3 g5 22.g4 Bg6 23.h4 gxh4 24.Nxh4 Nd2+ 25.Kg2 Re4 26.f3 Rxc4 27.a6+ Kc8 28.Rd1 Rc2 29.b5 Nb3+ 30.Kg3 Nxa1 31.Rxa1 Kd7 32.Ra4 Rb2 33.Rf4 Rxb5 34.Nxg6 hxg6 35.Rf7+ Kc6 36.Rg7 g5 37.Rf7 Re8 38.f4 Re3+ 39.Kf2 gxf4 40.Rxf4 Ra3 41.Rc4+ Rc5 42.Rxc5+ dxc5 43.g5 Kd7 44.g6 Ke7 45.g7 Kf7 White resigned, PedrosF1 - mega_auditor, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) 9... Nxf6 10. d4 Bxd4 (10...Nd3+ 11.Kd2 (11.Ke2 Nxc1+ 12.Rxc1 Bb6 (12...Bxd4 13.cxd4 Nxe4 14.f3 Ng5 (14...Nf6 15.Nc3 Re8+ 16.Kf2 Ke7 17.g4 c6 18.g5 Nd5 19.Ne4 Kf7 20.h4 Nf4 21.Nd6+ Kg8 22.Nxe8 Nd3+ 23.Kg3 Nxc1 24.Rxc1 d5 25.Re1 Bd7 26.Nd6 b5 27.b4 a5 28.a3 axb4 29.axb4 Ra4 30.Re7 Ra7 31.h5 Kf8 32.Rf7+ Kg8 33.h6 g6 34.Rg7+ Kh8 35.Nf7 checkmate,  PedrosF1 - flamboyanes, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) 15.Nc3 c6 16.h4 Re8+ 17.Kf2 Nf7 18.Ne4+ Kc7 19.b4 a6 20.a4 d5 21.Nd2 Bf5 22.g4 Bd7 23.Nb3 Nd6 24.Nc5 Bc8 25.b5 axb5 26.axb5 Rxa1 27.Rxa1 Nxb5 28.Rd1 Rf8 29.Kg3 b6 30.Nd3 Nxd4 31.Nf4 Nc2 32.Rc1 Nd4 33.h5 Rxf4 34.Kxf4 Ne2+ 35.Ke5 Nxc1 36.g5 Nd3+ 37.Kd4 Nf4 38.Ke3 Nxh5 39.f4 g6 40.Kf3 c5 White resigned, PedrosF1 - Naurizbai, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) 13.e5+ Ke6 14.exf6 Kxf6 15.Nd2 Re8+ 16.Kf1 Kf7 17.Nf3 Kg8 18.b4 d6 19.a4 c5 20.a5 Bc7 21.dxc5 dxc5 22.b5 b6 23.a6 Bg4 24.Ng5 h6 25.Nf3 Bxf3 26.gxf3 Rf8 27.Kg2 Rae8 28.c4 Rf6 29.Rd1 Rd8 30.Re1 Rff8 31.Re7 Bb8 32.Rae1 Rd4 33.Re8 Bf4 34.R8e7 Rxc4 35.Rxa7 Rb4 36.Ree7 Be5 37.Rxe5 Rf7 38.Re8+ Rf8 39.Ree7 Kh8 40.Rxg7 Rg8 41.Rxg8+ Kxg8 42.Kg3 Rxb5 43.Rb7 Ra5 44.a7 c4 45.Rb8+ Kh7 46.a8=Q Rxa8 47.Rxa8 c3 48.Rc8 b5 49.Rxc3 b4 50.Rb3 Kg6 51.Rxb4 h5 52.h4 Kf5 53.Rb5+ Kg6 54.f4 Kf6 55.f3 Kg6 56.f5+ Kf6 57.Kf4 Kf7 58.Kg5 Kg7 59.Kxh5 Kf6 60.Rb6+ Kxf5 61.Rb5+ Kf4 62.Kg6 Kxf3 63.h5 Ke4 64.h6 Kd4 65.h7 Kc4 66.Rh5 Kd4 67.h8=Q+ Ke4 68.Qe8+ Kf4 69.Qe5+ Kg4 70.Qe4+ Kg3 71.Qg4+ Kf2 72.Rf5+ Ke3 73.Qf4+ Kd3 74.Rd5+ Kc3 75.Qd4+ Kb3 76.Rb5+ Ka3 77.Qb2+ Ka4 78.Qb4 checkmate, PedrosF1 - thebigeasy, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) 11...Nxc1 12.dxc5+ Kxc5 13.Rxc1 d6 14.Na3 Nxe4+ 15.Ke2 Nf6 16.Kf1 Bd7 17.b4+ Kb6 18.Nc4+ Ka6 19.a4 b6 20.b5+ Kb7 21.a5 Bxb5 22.axb6 axb6 23.Rxa8 Rxa8 24.Rb1 Bxc4+ 25.Kg1 Ra2 26.h3 Ne4 27.Rb4 d5 28.f3 Nxc3 29.Kh2 Ne2 30.Rb1 Nd4 31.Rd1 Nxf3+ 32.Kg3 Ng5 33.h4 Ne4+ 34.Kg4 Rxg2+ 35.Kf3 Rf2+ 36.Ke3 Re2+ 37.Kf4 b5 38.h5 h6 39.Rg1 Rf2+ 40.Ke3 Re2+ 41.Kd4 Rd2+ 42.Ke3 Rd3+ 43.Ke2 Rg3+ 44.Ke1 Rxg1 checkmate, PedrosF1 - Rick_Koziolek, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) (10...Nxe4 11.dxe5+ (11.dxc5+ Kxc5 12.Be3+ Kc6 13.O-O d6 14.Na3 Bf5 15.f3 Nc5 16.b4 Ncd3 17.b5+ Kd7 18.f4 Ng4 19.Bd4 Nf6 20.c4 Rhe8 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Nc2 Re4 23.Rad1 Rxc4 24.Ne3 Rc5 25.Nxf5 Rxf5 26.Rxd3 Rxb5 27.a4 Rb4 28.a5 Ra4 29.Rd5 Re8 30.Rfd1 Ree4 31.f5 Ra2 32.h3 Ree2 33.g4 Rg2+ 34.Kf1 Raf2+ 35.Ke1 Rh2 36.R1d2 Rxd2 37.Rxd2 Rxh3 38.Kf2 Ra3 39.Rd5 c6 40.Rd2 Rxa5 41.Kg3 Rd5 42.Rh2 a5 43.Rxh7+ Kc8 44.Rf7 a4 45.Rxf6 a3 46.Rf8+ Kc7 47.Rf7+ Kb6 48.Rh7 Rd1 49.Rh2 Kc7 50.f6 Kd7 51.g5 Ke8 52.g6 Rf1 53.g7 Kf7 54.Rh8 Rg1+ 55.Kf2 Rg6 56.Rf8+ Ke6 57.g8=Q+ Rxg8 58.Rxg8 b5 59.Rg6 a2 60.Rg1 b4 61.Ra1 b3 62.Ke2 c5 63.Kd2 c4 64.Kc1 d5 65.Kb2 Kxf6 66.Kc3 Ke6 67.Kd4 Kd6 68.Kc3 Kc5 69.Kb2 Kb4 70.Kc1 Ka3 71.Kd2 b2 72.Kc2 bxa1=Q 73.Kd2 Qb2+ White resigned, PedrosF1 - BeratEfendi, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) 11...Kxe5 12.O-O Rf8 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.fxe3 Rxf1+ 15.Kxf1 Ng5 16.Nd2 d5 17.Re1 Bf5 18.h3 Rf8 19.Kg1 c5 20.g4 Bd3 21.b4 c4 22.a4 Nf3+ 23.Nxf3+ Rxf3 24.h4 Rg3+ 25.Kf2 Rxg4 26.h5 Rh4 27.a5 Rxh5 28.b5 b6 29.axb6 axb6 30.Ra1 Rg5 31.Ra6 Rg6 32.Ke1 h5 33.Kd2 h4 34.Ra8 Rh6 35.Re8+ Kf5 36.Rf8+ Kg6 37.Re8 Kf7 38.Rd8 Be4 39.Rd7+ Kg8 40.Rd8+ Kh7 41.Ke2 h3 42.Rf8 h2 43.Rf1 Bd3+ 44.Kf2 Bxf1 45.Kxf1 h1=Q+ 46.Ke2 Rh2 checkmate, PedrosF1 - SufjanR, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) 11.cxd4 Nxe4 (11...Nf7 12.e5+ Nxe5 13.dxe5+ Kxe5 14.O-O Re8 15.Nc3 Ke6 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bxf6 Kxf6 18.Nd5+ Kg6 19.Nxc7 d5 20.Nxe8 Be6 21.Nd6 Black resigned, PedrosF1 - Luwanganba, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) 12.dxe5+ Kxe5 13.O-O Kd6 14.Bf4+ Kc6 15.Nc3 Nxc3 16.bxc3 d6 17.Rfe1 Bf5 18.h3 Rae8 19.Rec1 Re4 20.Be3 Rhe8 21.c4 R8e6 22.c5 dxc5 23.Rxc5+ Kd7 24.Rxf5 Black resigned, PedrosF1 - Flennamir, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; and 

8...Ne7 9.Qf4 (9.Qh3 Bb6 10.d4 Nc4 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qf3+ Kb5 13.Na3+ Nxa3 14.bxa3 a5 15.Qd3+ Kc6 16.Qe4+ Kb5 17.Qd3+ Ka4 18.Qc4 checkmate, PedrosF1 - subhankardas, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) 9...Rf8 10.Qg3 Bxf2+ 11.Qxf2 Rxf2 12.Kxf2 Nd3+ 13.Ke3 (13.Ke2 Nxc1+ 14.Rxc1 c5 15.Na3 a6 16.Nc4+ Kc7 17.b4 d6 18.d4 Bg4+ 19.Kd2 Nc6 20.bxc5 dxc5 21.d5 Qg5+ 22.Kc2 Rd8 23.dxc6 Kxc6 24.Na5+ Kc7 25.Rab1 Qd2+ 26.Kb3 Be6+ 27.Ka3 Qxa2 checkmate, PedrosF1 - genakrokodil555, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) 13...Ne5 14.d4 Ng4+ 15.Kf3 h5 16.Bf4+ Kc6 17.Na3 Qf8 18.d5+ Kb6 19.Nc4+ Kc5 20.b3 b5 21.Nd2 b4 22.cxb4+ Kxb4 23.a3+ Kc5 24.b4+ Kb6 25.a4 Kb7 26.a5 a6 27.Rhb1 c6 28.dxc6+ dxc6 29.Nc4 Be6 30.Nd6+ Ka7 31.h3 g5 32.hxg4 gxf4 33.gxh5 Rd8 34.Rd1 Rd7 35.e5 Qh6 36.Ne4 Qxh5+ 37.Kxf4 Qf5+ 38.Ke3 Qxe5 39.Rh1 Nd5+ 40.Kf3 Rf7+ 41.Ke2 Qxe4+ 42.Kd2 Qxg2+ 43.Kd3 Nxb4+ 44.Kc3 Nd5+ 45.Kd4 Qg4+ 46.Kc5 Bd7 47.Rhg1 Qb4 checkmate, PedrosF1 - Jaquecadepotra, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021 

9.Qh3 Ke7 

Stockfish 14.1 prefers 9...Bxf2+ 10.Kxf2 Rf8+ but the text is fine, as Black returns one of the sacrificed pieces for a pawn, disturbing White's King in the process.

10.d4 d5 11.Qg3 Rg8 


Just like that, Black goes from winning to losing. The Jerome Gambit is a strange thing.

Better was either 11...Nef7 or 11...Nhf7. 

12. Bg5+ Black resigned

Black will lose his Queen, when White will have a Queen and two pawns for two pieces.


Monday, April 25, 2022

BSJGD: Embrace the Chaos



Following up on the previous post, "BSJG: It's Complicated" here is another Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit Declined - declined, I suppose, because the defender wanted a less complicated game than his opponent had planned for. However, things do not turn out that way.


NN - NN

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2022


1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Ke7 


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. 

5.Nxe5 Kd6 

The difference between "brave" and "foolish" differs according to the time control. Black decides to throw caution to the wind. 

The more sedate 5...d6 was more likely to help him survive.

6.Bxg8 Kxe5 7.c3 Qg5 


Pieces are hanging as Black plays the thematic move in the Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

As it turns out, this is not a safe place for the Queen.

8.cxd4+ Kxd4 9.Qa4+ 

Rather than worry about his Bishop on g8, White looks toward checkmating the advanced enemy King.

9...Ke5 

10.Qb5+ 

This will do.

White overlooks the thematic move 10.f4+, which will show up in the notes again, as well as 10.d4+. Both moves are designed to win the Black Queen.

10...c5 11.O-O 

Preparing 12.f4+, a move which could actually be played right away: 11.f4+ Kd6 (11...Qxf4 12.d4+) 12.fxg5 

11...Rxg8 

Reminder, this is a 3 minute blitz game, where the rule often is If you can't quickly think of anything else, grab material.

12.Qc4 

Sneaking around the c-pawn and attacking the enemy Rook. White is still winning. (Of course, 12.f4+ and 12.d4+ were also playable.) 

12...Rh8 13.Nc3 

Solid.

(13.f4+ and 13.d4+, also come to mind.

13...d6 14.d4+ Black resigned


(Yes, the fork 14.f4+ was also still on, and some Readers will no doubt see that the strongest - but, from a practical point of view, unnecessary - move was 14.Qf7, threatening a checkmate in 6 moves)


Sunday, April 24, 2022

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.