Of Two Minds

Facing a scary, unorthodox - refuted - opening, puts me of two minds, both Uh oh and Yay.

Kind of like my opponents, facing my Jerome Gambit.

Oh, well...

perrypawnpusher - bot

play vs bot, Chess.com, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 

What's this? The Busch-Gass Gambit? Shades of deja vu, given the previous post. 

See "Worth a Second Look... (Part 1, 2, 3)".

By the way, it is probably best to point out, right away, that my play in this game is often not best. 

3.Bc4 

I know, the main line is 3.Nxe5, but I was hoping to transpose to a Jerome Gambit, if my opponent were to now play 3...Nc6.

3...Bxf2+ 

Uh oh.

Bots always make me nervous.

Just how tactically powerful is this electronic beast?

4.Kxf2 f6 

The bot transposes to a form of the Damiano Defense?

Yay.

How does the addition of ...Bxf2+ change things?

Actually, after the main line Damiano, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6, then 3.Bc4 is okay, if not as forcing as 3.Nxe5, but, then, the best response for Black would be 3...Nc6, not 3...Bc4, because...

5.Nxe5 

This tactic cries out to be played.

5...fxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

After the game, Stockfish 16.1 preferred 6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Qxe5+ Kf8 10.Rf1 Nf6 11.Kg1 Nc6 12.Qg3 d5 13.Bxd5, but White's attack against the King would still be strong. 

7.Qxe5+ Qe7 8.Qxh8 Qxe4 

White is ahead a Rook, with more material to come.

It is sad to note that the computer sees exchanging Queens instead, here, with 8...Qf6+, as best for Black.

As things are, in the mainline Damiano Defense, Black's capture of the e-pawn would come with check - but in this game he has given up a Bishop, making that not possible.

9.Qxg8+ 

Missing the simple 9.Re1, winning Black's Queen, but the move still promises an upcoming checkmate.

9... Ke7 10.Qf7+

Patzer sees check, patzer gives check.

Again, 10.Re1, instead, would win the enemy Queen (and lead to mate).

10...Kd8 

Here, 10...Kd6 is punished by 11.Qf6+. 

11.Qf8+ Qe8 12.Qxe8+ Kxe8 

I am pretty sure that a human, playing Black, would resign here.

13.Re1+ Kf8 14.d3 Kg7 15.Nc3 

Like I said, bots make me nervous. No need to rush into things.

15...d6 16.Nd5 Kf8 17.Nxc7 Kg7 18.Nxa8 

18...Nc6 19.Bf4 Nb8 

Sure. Why not?

20.Re7+ Kf8 

21.Rae1 

Timid to the very end. Instead, 21.Rf7+ Kg8 22.Bh6 d5 23.Rf8 mate

21...d5 22.Bh6+ Kg8 23.Bxd5+ Be6 24.Bxe6+ Kh8 25.Re8 checkmate