The Path to Advantage Is Narrow

In the following game, Black has a path to advantage, but he mis-steps, and his chances evaporate.

rajasthan - Viroo

3 0 blitz, FICS, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+

The Abrahams Jerome Gambit.

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ 

The path to advantage for Black is now narrow.

4...Ke6 

Black now has an edge, according to Stockfish 17.1 (35 ply), of about 2/3 pawn.

The best response was 4...Kf8, with play similar to that of the regular Jerome Gambit.

5.Qf5+ Kd6 6.Nf3 Qf6 

A Queen exchange would spike the attack.

7.d4 

Well done!

7...Bxd4 

This is okay, but the finesse 7...Bb4+ helps a bit more, i.e. 8.c3 Qxf5 9.exf5 Ba5 10.dxe5+ Ke7 with an equal game.

8.Nxd4 Qxf5 

Better than 8...exd4, played the same day: 9.e5+ Qxe5+ 10.Qxe5+ Kxe5 11.O-O c5 12.c3 d3 13.Bd2 Nc6 14.Na3 d5 15.Rae1+ Kd6 16.f4 Bf5 17.h3 Nf6 18.g4 Be4 19.f5 Ne5 20.Bf4 Rae8 21.Nb5+ Kc6 22.Bxe5 Rxe5 23.Na3 Rhe8 24.c4 a6 25.b3 b5 26.g5 Nh5 27.h4 Ng3 28.Rf2 Nxf5 29.cxb5+ axb5 30.Nb1 Nxh4 31.Nd2 Rxg5+ 32.Kh2 Rge5 33.Nxe4 Rxe4 34.Rxe4 dxe4 35.Rf4 Nf3+ 36.Kg3 g5 37.Rf6+ Kd5 38.Rb6 b4 39.Rh6 d2 40.Rh1 Ne5 41.Kf2 c4 42.Rd1 c3 43.Ke2 Ng4 White forfeited on time in a lost position, rajasthan-Viroo, 3 0 blitz, FICS, 2025.

Now, White's Knight chases the enemy King. 

9.Nxf5+ Ke6 10.Nxg7+ Kf6 11.Ne8+ Ke7 12.Nxc7 b6 13.Nxa8 Kd6 

White's Knight will not escape, but, even so, the first player will be ahead the exchange and a pawn or two.

14.b3 Bb7 15.Bb2 Bxa8 16.O-O Bxe4 

White is better in this Queenless middlegame - the computer puts him over two pieces better.

17.Nd2 Bxc2 18.Nc4+ Kc7 

The final slip. Time pressure? It is a 3-minute game.

19.Bxe5+ Black resigned