Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Be Careful

In the following game, Black introduces an interesting offer of a pawn, only to be met with an offer of a piece.

The defender must be careful, and, when he isn't, open lines facilitate White's attack.

HenriDepraz - sds_slothv2

2 1 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

 4.Bxf7+ 

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 6.c3 Nc6 7.Nxc6+ dxc6 

Black - with a piece for two pawns - has an edge, but, with his King at risk, he must be careful.

8.d4 Nf6 

This is asking for the Knight to be kicked. Stockfish 16.1 prefers 8...Kf7. 

9.e5 Nd5 10.Bg5+ Nf6 11.exf6+ gxf6 

12.Qe2+ 

Earlier in the year HenriDepraz tried 12.Be3 Kf7 13.Qh5+ Kg8 14.Nd2 Be6 15.O-O Bf7 16.Qf3 Bd6 17.Ne4 Kg7 18.Qg4+ Bg6 19.Ng3 Rg8 20.Nf5+ Kh8 21.Nxd6 Qxd6 22.Qf3 Rae8 23.Rfe1 Be4 24.Qf4 Rxg2+ 25.Kf1 Reg8 26.Ke2 Qe6 27.Kd2 f5 28.Rac1 Qxa2 29.Qe5+ R2g7 30.Bh6 Qxb2+ 31.Ke3 Qb5 32.Bxg7+ Rxg7 33.Qxb5 cxb5 34.Rg1 Re7 35.Kf4 a6 36.f3 Bd3 37.Rce1 Rxe1 38.Rxe1 a5 39.Re3 Bc4 40.Kxf5 a4 41.Kf6 h6 42.Re8+ White won on time, HenriDepraz - shekibkhan_2023, 2 1 bullet, lichess.org, 2025. 

12...Kf7 13.Qh5+ Kg8 14.Be3 Bd6 

Missing a chance to exchange Queens with 14...Qd5.

Black's King has moved out of the center - but not for long.

15.O-O Be6 16.Nd2 Bf7 17.Qg4+ Kf8 

Having brought back his light-squared Bishop to chase the enemy King away, he should have put it to further use by blocking the check with 17...Bg6.

White now uses open lines to continue his attack on the King.

18.Bh6+ Ke8 19.Rfe1+ Be7 20.Ne4 Rg8 21.Nxf6 checkmate