Jerome Gambit: Cooperation Helps

When pieces cooperate, in an attack or on defense, they are more likely to be successful in their task.

One of Black's difficulties in the following game is that his pieces do not always cooperate. 

That is enough for Bill Wall to make his way to victory.

Wall, Bill - Bansal

internet, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 N8e7

Interesting, but not as strong as the more routine 9...Nf6.

10.d3 

Instead, 10.O-O Ne5 11.d4 Nf7 12. f4 was seen in Wall,B - Godoy, internet, 2022 (1-0, 29). 

10...b6 11.O-O Bb7 12.f4 Rf8 

White's pawns look like they are ready to advance toward Black's King, still stuck in the center.

Black has an extra piece for those two pawns, however, so the game is pretty well balanced.

13.f5 Ne5 14.Na3 

The Knight starts on a tour.

14...Rf6 

The first start of castling-by-hand!

15.Nb5 Kf8 16.Qg3 Kg8 

17.Nd4 

White also had 17.Bg5, but his Knight wanted to continue its travels. 

17...Kh8 18.h4 c5 19.Ne6 Qg8 20.Nc7 Rc8 21.Nb5 a6 

22.Nxd6 Rxd6 23.Qxe5 Rd7 24.f6

Chasing the annoying Knight.

To open the f-file for his Rook.

24...Ng6 25.Qf5 gxf6 

An oversight, the kind of thing that can happen when under pressure.

Black could have tried to hold on with Stockfish 15.1's suggestion of 25...Rf7, but the following possible line of play is not encouraging: 26.fxg7+ Rxg7 27.Bh6 Nxh4 28.Qf6 Ng6 29.Rf2 Rc6 30.Bxg7+ Qxg7 31.Qd8+ Qg8 32.Qd7 Qc8 33.Qf7. White's Rook and 2 pawns are worth more than Black's two pieces. 

26.Qxd7 Bc6 27.Qd6 c4 28.Bh6 Black resigned

Black's pieces are still not cooperating.