Jerome Gambit: Time to Give Back

It can be argued that in some of the famous attacking games that we all grew up enjoying, at least a few of the times the defender "helped" his demise by playing less-than optimal moves, like hanging onto sacrificed material too long.

Of course, it is hard to play your best when facing an opponent bent upon your destruction.

The following blitz game brought all of this to mind.

ZeKnightRider - Pippi999

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.Nc3 

Bringing in another piece, instead of the standard 8.f4.

8...Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.d3 Bd4 

Black assesses that the attack is over, the Queens are off the board, and he is two pieces up, so another exchange is in order.

He is largely correct.

Stockfish 16.1's recommendation is difficult to understand, although, of course, it also keeps Black's advantage: 10...Kc6 11.a4 b6 12.a5 d6 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.fxe3 a6 15.axb6 Kxb6 16.Kd2 Kb7 17.Rhf1 Rb8 18.b4

11.Nb5+ 

White immediately forks the enemy King and Bishop.

If Black remembers that he is two pieces ahead, he should now calmly retreat his King to e7 and surrender one of them.

11...Kc5 

This move is okay - as long as he notices a wrinkle in the position.

12.Nxd4 Kxd4 

He doesn't see it.

13.Be3 checkmate

Before capturing the Knight at d4, Black really needed to give back one of his pieces with 12...Nxd3+ 13.cxd3  when 13...Kxd4 would leave him better (a piece for a pawn) - and with an escape square at e5 - although he would still need to be careful for his King.