Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Tactics

William Faulkner wrote, "The past is never dead. It is not even past".

The tactical cut-and-thrust of early chess masters such as Anderssen and Morphy can be found echoed in modern online blitz play.

The following game is a fun example.

mir252 - Pranep

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. Of course, White has alternatives, such as 4.Nxd4, 4.c3 and 4.0-0 (as well as 4.Nxe5, which is what Black is hoping for), but the Bishop sacrifice sharpens things immediately.

The Database has 7,030 games with this move. White scores 56%

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Black is not convinced that the attack is valid.

The "standard" continuation now is 6.c3, which leads to an edge for Black, but, instead, White decides to offer more material.

6.Qg4+ Kxe5 7.f4+ 

7...Kd6

Not 7...Kxe4 8.Nc3 checkmate. It could happen in blitz. 

8.e5+ Kd5 9.Nc3+ Kc6 10.f5 Nxc2+  

The a1 Rook is available, too.

11.Kd1 Nxa1

This is going too far. 

Stockfish 15.1 suggests 11...a6 12.Kxc2 Kb6 13.d3 Ka7 and Black's King has stepped away from danger, although play can continue actively.

12.Qc4+ Bc5 13.Qb5 checkmate