BSJG: The Pieces Do Not Fit

Some openings have thematic moves that have to fit together if they are going to be effective.

The following game shows a time where the pieces did not fit.

pablosko - ChessFever73

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6

The Queen check. The pawn block. The Knight sacrifice. All pieces of the BSJG.

7...Nf6 

Clever. Black does not want to play 7...hxg6 and let his Rook hang.

The problem is that taking the Knight is the right move, nonetheless.

8.Qe5+ Be7 

Developing a piece and preparing for 8.Qxd4 hxg6 when Black would be better.

Buckling up with 8...Ne6 was the way to go, although it would cost the Rook with 9.Nxh8.

9.Nxh8

Capturing the Rook after all.

Stronger play by White allows Black to threaten to capture a Rook, as well (another piece in the BSJG puzzle): 9.Nxe7 Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Qxe7 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 12.Kxc2 White is better.

9...Nxc2+ 10.Ke2 d6 11.Qg5 

The game has shifted. Black has the advantage, especially after he captures the a1 Rook - although 11...Be6, protecting the g8 square, would be prudent.

11...Ng4 

Unleashing the power of his two Bishops against the enemy Queen. However, White shows that there are still safe diagonals.

12.Qh5+ Kf8 

Ooops.

Stockfish 15 suggests that the game should play out 12...Kd7 13.Qxg4+ Kc6 14.Qg7 Bf6 15.Qxh7 Qxh8 16.Qxh8 Bxh8 17.d4 Nxa1 18.Be3 Kd7 19.Kd2 c5 20.dxc5 Bxb2 21.Nc3 dxc5 22.Rb1 Bxc3+ 23.Kxc3 Kc6 24.Rxa1 The Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame is not enough to save Black.

13.Qf7 checkmate