Happy New Year 2023

It seems appropriate to start the new year with a Bill Wall Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game featuring play all over the board - followed by a Queen sacrifice leading to a nifty checkmate. 

Wall, Bill - Smithey

Internet, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.O-O Ne7 

Black intends to put his Rook at f8 and castle-by-hand his King to g8, so this Knight move (more often seen is 8...Nf6) is designed to not block the f-file.

9.f4 N5c6

Instead, Wall, Bill - Guest2614882, PlayChess.com, 2017 (1-0, 16) continued 9...N7c6.

10.Qf2 Rf8 11.Nc3 Kg8 12.h4

Aggression, anyone?

This pawn takes center stage for a while, then disappears in the wings, only to return and have a starring role in the final act.

12...a6 

Black is not impressed. 

13.h5 Qe8 14.h6 g6 

End of story?

15.Be3 Qf7 16.Rad1 Bg4 17.Rd2 Be6 18.Qg3 Bxa2 

Black plans to return his extra piece for three pawns. The action turns to the Queen's wing, where the question is: are the 3 connected passed pawns strengths or targets?

19.b3 Bxb3 20.cxb3 Qxb3 21.Rc1 Rae8 22.f5 Qa3 23.Ra2 Qb4 24.Ra4 Qb3 25.Bg5 b5 26.Rxa6 Ne5 27.Rb1 Qc4 28.Bxe7 Rxe7 29.Rxb5 c6 30.Ra4 Qf7 31.Rba5 Kh8

Parts of the Queenside have gone up in smoke. White's pieces remain there, while Black's have been reassigned to the Kingside.

The game is in balance.

32.Qh3 gxf5 33.exf5 Rg8 

Stockfish 15 does not like this move, suggesting that Black needs to get his passed pawns rolling.

I find its recommended line of play - ending with Black sacrificing the exchange in order to then draw by repetition of position - hard to follow; perhaps White's attacking possibilities balance Black's promoting possibililties? One thing is clear, that White's pawn at h6 creates some back rank checkmate threats. Anyhow: 33...d5 34.Ra8 Ree8 35.Rxe8 Rxe8 36.Nd1 Qf6 37.Nf2 Qg5 38.g4 Qf6 39.Kg2 Rg8 40.Kf1 Nf7 41.Qg3 Nxh6 42.Qc7 Qc3 43.Ra7 Rg7 44.Qc8+ Ng8 45.Ra8 Qc4+ 46.Kg2 Rxg4+ 47.Nxg4 Qxg4+ 48.Kh2 Qe2+ 49.Kh3 with a draw coming.

34.Ne4 Rd7 

Again, the computer's preference leads to an endgame that is probably a lot clearer to Stockfish than humans (but still better for White?): 34...Rb7 35.Ra8 Rb1+ 36.Kh2 Rbb8 37.Rxb8 Rxb8 38.Qh4 Qxf5 39.Qf6+ Qxf6 40.Nxf6 Nf7 41.Ra7 Rf8 42.Re7 c5 43.Kh3 c4 44.Nd7 Kg8 45.Nxf8 Kxf8 46.Rd7 Ke8 47.Rc7 Nxh6 48.Kg3 Kd8 49.Rxc4 Ng8 50.Kf4 

35.Ra8 Rdd8 36.Rxd8 Rxd8 37.Nxd6 Qd5 

Again, the back rank threats appear, and Black cannot afford to capture the Knight because of 38.Ra8+, etc.

38.Qg3 

Threatening 39.Qg7 checkmate. 

38...Rg8 39.Qxe5+ 

Nice. The Queen sac crowns White's attack.

39...Qxe5 40.Nf7 checkmate