While I think that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is ideal for blitz play - where the defender often does not have enough time to effectively construct a defense - I know a number of players have been successful with the opening at much slower time controls.
In the following game (time control: one day per move), White faced an opponent who was familiar with the Jerome Gambit, and who did not panic or foolishly over-rate his chances. As the game ground on, the Gambiteer kept alert for his chances, even as the scales begin to tilt against him. Still, he showed faith in the "theory of infinite resistance".
Just at the point where Black reached what the computer, post mortem, mischievously assessed as a "mate in 26" Black slipped - and, with a couple more sacrifices, White reached a drawn endgame.
If you do not laugh out loud (or, at least, chuckle) at White's 47th move, you are taking this whole Jerome Gambit thing too seriously.
Anonymous - Anonymous
1 d / move, Chess.com, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.f4 d6
Ah, yes, "the annoying defense" or the "silicon defense". The line is the choice of a number of computer programs, with the idea of giving back one of the sacrificed pieces while leaving Black's King relatively safe - White's attacking chances relatively diminished. Annoying.
8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Nc3
This move is solid, if somewhat rare, according to The Database. Interestingly enough, 4 of the 7 previous games with the move were played by the computer program Comet B48 in a computer vs computer tournament in 2009. White scored 2 - 2, reasonably enough.
9...Nf6 10.Qe2 c6
A novelty, according to The Database.
11.d3 Rf8 12.Rf1 Kd7 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.Qxe3 Qb6 15.Qxb6 axb6
White's plan for the middle game is a basic one: to develop solidly, create weaknesses in the opponent's position while avoiding over-reaching. Wasn't it Steinitz who said that if you have the advantage, you must attack - or risk losing the advantage. So, White reasons: let Black attack - let him make the mistakes.
16.O-O-O Kc7 17.h3 Be6 18.a3 b5 19.g4 h6 20.Ne2 Nd7 21.Ng3 Rxf1
One recommendation I learned long ago was "When you are ahead in material, exchange pieces; when you are behind in material, exchange pawns." For a while, Black seems to be aware of this.
22.Rxf1 Rf8 23.Rxf8 Nxf8 24.Nh5 g6 25.Ng3 h5
Eliminating the Kingside pawns has to be helpful for White.
26.gxh5 gxh5 27.Nxh5 Bxh3
28.Kd2 Ne6 29.c3 Nf4 30.Ng3 Kd6 31.Ke3 c5 32.d4 cxd4+ 33.cxd4 Ng2+ 34.Kd3 Nf4+ 35.Ke3 Ne6 36.dxe5+ Kxe5
White is hanging on. Black is better, but there are not that many pawns to get rid of now.
37.Ne2 Nc5 38.Nd4 Bg2 39.Nxb5 Bxe4 40.b4 Bc6 41.Nd4 Ne6
42.Ne2
Swapping the Knight for the Bishop would make things worse, as after 42.Nxc6 bxc6 Black would be able to retreat his Knight to c7 and control White's pawns.
42...Kd5 43.Kd2 Kc4 44.Kc2
I mean no disrespect for the player of the white pieces, as I quote from the very interesting The Complete Chess Swindler, by David Smerdon
I completely agree that a player should try to play the best moves - but I disagree that "best" always equals the engine's first choice. The computer evaluates a position assuming that our opponent will play perfectly at every turn; it doesn't (and cannot) consider the myriad of important human factors in a contest, such as fatigue, time pressure, risk-aversion complacency, frustration, impulsiveness... the list goes on.
44...Nd4+ 45.Nxd4 Kxd4 46.Kb3 b5
Nailing down White's a-pawn. But - wait!
47.a4
The move of the game, surpassing even 4...Bxf7+.
47...bxa4+ 48.Kb2 Kc4 49.b5 Bxb5 50.Ka1 Kb3 51.Kb1 drawn
Yes, indeed. The game has reached the notorious "Rook pawn + wrong Bishop" ending, which is drawn because White's King can control or occupy the pawn's Queening square, and the enemy Bishop is of the wrong color to chase him out.
Very well played!
When winning with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), it is always tempting to attribute our success to the brilliance of the attack. Sometimes, however, the defender contributes as well. In the following game, Black does quite well - until he doesn't.
uwuweweosaas - HellBear
3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.c3
Now 8...Nd3+ would cause the most problems.
8...g6
It is always attractive to attack the enemy Queen.
Also seen recently:
8...Bb6 9.d4 Nd3+ 10.Kd2 Nxc1 11.Rxc1 Qf6 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Rf1 c6 14.Qe5+ Qxe5 15.dxe5 d6 16.f4 Nh6 17.h3 Rf8 18.Na3 dxe5 19.f5 g6 20.g4 gxf5 21.exf5 Bc5 22.Nc4 Nf7 23.f6+ Ke6 24.h4 Nd6 25.Nxd6 Kxd6 26.g5 Bh3 27.Rf3 Bg4 28.Rff1 Rae8 29.b4 Bb6 30.Rae1 c5 31.a3 cxb4 32.axb4 Kc7 33.f7 Re7 34.c4 Bd4 35.Re4 Rexf7 36.Rxf7+ Rxf7 37.Rxg4 Rf2+ 38.Kd3 Rf3+ 39.Ke2 Rc3 40.c5 Rc4 41.Kd3 Rxb4 42.h5 Bxc5 43.g6 Rxg4 44.gxh7 e4+ 45.Kc4 Bd4 46.Kxd4 Kc6 47.h8=Q Rg5 48.Qf6+ Black resigned, romansroad - Swan93, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; and
8...Ne7 9.Qh3 c6 10.d4 Bb6 11.dxe5+ Kxe5 12.Qg3+ Ke6 13.Qg4+ Kd6 14.Bf4+ Kc5 15.b4+ Kc4 16.Qe2 checkmate, ibloodyuser - daughtdaught, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020.
9.Qf4 g5
It is always attractive to attack the enemy Queen. Oddly enough, Komodo 10 recommends, instead, that Black return his King to e6.
10.Qg3 Bxf2+
Rather than allow the pawn fork d2-d4.
11.Kxf2 Qf6+ 12.Ke2 Qf4
To exchange Queens, a sound strategy.
13.d4 Nc4
One of those kinds of oversights that happen in 3-minute games.
14.Bxf4+ gxf4 15.Qxf4+ Ke7 16.Rf1 Nd6 Black resigned
The well-rounded Jerome Gambit player knows his opening, but he also knows how to play the middle games that could arise, and he is ready to carry the fight into the endgame.
The following game shows the "1-0" arising from the threat to promote a passed pawn in a Rook and pawns endgame.
bgl001 - Kelv60.
5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
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.Qd4
The Queen often retreats to e3, in the process preventing 9...Qg5. Here, she eyes the dark squares.
9...Nf6
Recently played: 9...Qe7 10.Nc3 c6 11.d3 h6 12.O-O Nf6 13.Re1 Qe5 14.Qe3 Ng4 15.Qg3 Rf8 16.Qxe5+ N6xe5 17.f3 Nf6 18.Bf4 g5 19.Bg3 h5 20.d4 Ng6 21.Bxd6 Rf7 22.e5 Nd5 23.Nxd5 cxd5 24.e6 Rh7 25.Re2 Nf4 26.Bxf4 gxf4 27.Rae1 Ke7 28.Re5 b6 29.Rxd5 Bb7 30.Rd7+ Black resigned, DropBearMKJ-brianthehammer, Chess.com, 2020.
10.d3 Kf7 11.Bg5 Be6
Black is happy to further his development, but this Bishop placement, along with the Knight at g6, encourages White's next move.
12.f4 h6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qxf6+ Kxf6
Black captures with his King to keep his Kingside pawns intact.
15.f5 Nf4 16.fxe6 Nxg2+ 17.Kf2 Nf4 18.Ke3 Nxe6
The game is balanced. White is going to have to out-play his opponent. This is a 5 minute game, and the surprise and strangeness of the Jerome Gambit may have given him a lead on the clock.
19.Rf1+ Ke7 20.Nc3 Raf8 21.Nd5+ Kd7 22.a4 c6 23.Nf4 Nxf4 24.Rxf4 Rxf4 25.Kxf4 Rf8+ 26.Ke3 Ke6 27.Rg1 g5 28.h4 gxh4 29.Rh1 Rh8 30.Rxh4 h5
Black's h-pawn has no future. The game is still even, and it is hard to know if White is disappointed because he doesn't have a checkmating attack, or relieved that he is no longer down two pieces. In any event, he presses on.
31.Kf4 Kf6 32.d4 a5 33.e5+ dxe5+ 34.dxe5+ Kg6
35.e6
Premature, but he gets away with it.
35...Rf8+
Forcing White's King to go where he wants to go. Black would have all the chances after 35...Kf6.
36.Ke5 Rf5+ 37.Kd6 Rf6 38.Kd7 c5 39.e7 Rf7 40.Kd8 Black resigned
If White is looking to play a wild attack in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), how much of a victory is it for Black to deny him that? What is the appropriate "price" to pay?
In the following game the defender might have felt pleased that he was not over-run by enemy pieces, but he still had a game to win - or draw. By the time he had made any progress on that goal, it seems he might have tripped over his clock, in which case, White was quite happy to show how to secure the win, and it only cost Black a full point.
Eelco_Niermeijer - sobhandavoodi2
10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6
7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Nf6
Usually the counter-sacrifice at f2 is followed by an exchange of Queens, to reduce White's attacking chances, even if that means that Black is, in effect the one offering a gambit.
A few recent alternatives to the text:
8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ Kxf6 (10...Nxf6 11.Nc3 (11.Rf1 Re8 12.d3 Ng4+ 13.Kf3 d6 14.Kg2+ Kg7 15.Bf4 c6 16.Nc3 Be6 17.h3 Nh6 18.Bxd6 Rad8 19.e5 Nf5 20.Rae1 h5 21.Ne4 h4 22.Bc7 Rd7 23.Nd6 Rf8 24.Nxf5+ Bxf5 25.Bd6 Re8 26.g4 Be6 27.Rf2 Bd5+ 28.Kh2 Bxa2 29.b3 b5 30.Ra1 Bxb3 31.cxb3 Kh6 32.Ra6 g5 33.Rxc6 Black resigned, alex836 - Greg11, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 11...Rf8 (11...d6 12.d4 Bg4 13.Bg5 Rhe8 14.Rae1 a5 15.Kg2 Ra6 16.Rhf1 Re6 17.e5 dxe5 18.dxe5 Rac6 19.Bxf6 Bf5 20.g4 Bxc2 21.Bd8+ Ke8 22.Bxc7 Rxc7 23.Nd5 Rc5 24.Nf6+ Ke7 25.Re2 Bd3 26.Ng8+ Ke8 27.Nf6+ Ke7 28.Ng8+ Ke8 29.Nf6+ Ke7 drawn, NN - NN, 1 0 lightning, 2020) 12.Kg2 d6 13.d3 b6 14.Bh6 Re8 15.Rhf1 Re6 16.Rf4 Kg8 17.Raf1 Nd7 18.Rf8+ Nxf8 19.Rxf8 checkmate, Eelco_Niermeijer - brewek, 2 1 blitz, Chess.com, 2020) 11.Kg2 (11.d4 d6 12.Nc3 Kg7 13.Nd5 Nh6 14.Nxc7 Rf8+ 15.Kg2 Rb8 16.Bf4 Rf7 17.Nd5 b6 18.Rhf1 Ba6 19.Bxh6+ Kxh6 20.Rxf7 Re8 21.Re1 Rc8 22.c3 Bb7 23.Rxb7 Black resigned, Packersuck - Aidar_Khusnutdinov, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 11...Nh6 12.Nc3 Rf8 13.d4 Kg7 14.Bxh6+ Kxh6 15.Raf1 Rxf1 16.Rxf1 b6 17.Nd5 Ba6 18.Rf2 Re8 19.Nxc7 Bb5 20.Nxe8 Black resigned, shubhxo - ilPerozzi, 5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020;
8...Nh6 9.Rf1 Rf8 10.Kg1+ Kg8 11.d4 Rxf1+ 12.Kxf1 Qf8+ 13.Kg1 Ng4 14.Qg3 d6 15.Be3 Bd7 16.c3 Bb5 17.Nd2 Re8 18.h3 Nf6 19.c4 Nxe4 20.Nxe4 Rxe4 21.cxb5 Qe7 22.Bd2 Re2 23.Re1 Rxe1+ 24.Qxe1 Qxe1+ 25.Bxe1 Kf7 26.Bf2 Ke6 27.a4 c6 28.bxc6 bxc6 29.b4 Kd5 30.Kf1 Kc4 31.b5 cxb5 32.axb5 Kxb5 33.Ke2 a5 34.Kd3 Kb4 35.Bg3 Kb5 36.Bxd6 a4 37.Bf8 h5 38.Ke4 Kc4 39.d5 Kb5 40.Ba3 Kc4 41.d6 Kb5 42.d7 Kc6 43.d8=Q Kb5 44.Qg5+ Kc4 45.Qxg6 Kb3 46.Qxh5 Black lost on time, milomallaby - Darkwarriorofthenite, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com 2020;
8...Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.e5 Ng4+ 11.Ke1 Nxe5 12.Rf1+ Kg7 13.d4 Nc6 14.Bg5 Re8+ 15.Kd2 Nxd4 16.Bf6+ Kg8 17.Bxd4 d6 18.Nc3 c5 19.Bf2 a6 20.Rae1 Bf5 21.h3 b5 22.g4 Be6 23.Ne4 Bxa2 24.Nf6+ Kf7 Black resigned, amazonriver17 - Nguyenxuanhieu47, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020.
9.Rf1 Rf8 10.Kg1 Kg7
Both Kings have castled-by-hand, a wise choice. White's edge is clear.
11.b3 d6 12.Qd4 c5 13.Qe3 Ng4 14.Rxf8 Qxf8 15.Qf3 Qxf3 16.gxf3 Ne5
Perhaps Black was happy here, as he could hope for a transition to a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors ending. As the game goes on, the clock seems to make itself felt.
17.Bb2 Kg8 18.Kf2 Be6 19.Nc3
Developing a piece, but leaving his pawn at f3 vulnerable.
19...c4
Missing his chance for 19...Rf8.
20.Rg1 cxb3 21.axb3 Rc8 22.Ra1 a6 23.Ke3 Rf8 24.Rf1 Ng4+
25.Ke2 Nxh2 26.Rf2 Ng4
It is unclear if Black was trying (mistakenly) for a repetition of moves here (if so: the clock) or if he just overlooked 26...Nxf3, since 27.Rxf3 would have been met by 27...Bg4.
In any event, White is happy to exchange places, as it were - he will now have the extra piece for a pawn, with more material to come.
27.fxg4 Bxg4+ 28.Ke3 Re8 29.Nd5 Be6 30.Nf6+ Black resigned
When putting together a Jerome Gambit repertoire, it is useful to have access to both "objective" evaluations - say, from a computer chess engine - and "subjective" evaluations - as from a collection of games that can tell you how successful a line has been. Often a move that is not "objectively" best may score very well in actual play. The following game, and its notes, illustrate this.
Anonymous - Anonymous
5 8 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit, a tricky, trappy line that Black hopes comes as a surprise for White.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, which usually comes as a surprise for Black.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6
Black often plays 5...Ke8, encouraging White's Queen, as several recent games show: 6.Qh5+ g6 (6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ (7.d3 Nf6 8.Qh4 d6 9.Bg5 dxe5 10.Nc3 Nxc2+ 11.Kd1 Nxa1 12.Nd5+ Kf7 13.Nxf6 Be7 14.Qh5+ g6 15.Qh4 Bxf6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qg3 Rf8 18.f3 Kg8 19.Kd2 Qf4+ 20.Qxf4 exf4 21.Rxa1 Be6 22.Rd1 Bxa2 23.Ke1 Bb3 24.Kf1 White resigned, Akash_12345 - lord-stanly, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 7...Kd6 8.Nc4+ Kc6 9.Qd5 checkmate, Akash_12345 - Oliv99, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 7.Nxg6 hxg6 (7...Nxc2+ 8.Kd1 Nxa1 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Nc3 Bg7 13.Qf7+ Kd6 14.Qxg7 Nf6 15.Nf7+ Black resigned, Akash_12345 - me_am_emson, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 7...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.Nf7+ Ke7 10.Ne5 d6 11.d3 dxe5 12.Bg5 Nxc2+ 13.Kd1 Nxa1 14.Bxf6+ Nxf6 15.Qxe5+ Kf7 16.b3 Bb4 17.Qxa1 Bg4+ 18.f3 Be6 19.Qd4 Be7 20.Qe3 b6 21.Qf4 Bd6 22.e5 Be7 23.exf6 Bxf6 24.g4 Ke7 25.Qxc7+ Bd7 26.Re1+ Be5 27.Rxe5+ Black resigned, Akash_12345 - dibeantonio, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 8.Qe5+ Ne7 9.Qxh8 Black resigned, brunchess34 - Anonymous, Chess.com, 2020, 9...Ng8 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2020.
For the record, The Database has 1,788 games with 5...Ke8, with White scoring 60%.
6.Qg4+
The Database has 121 games with this move, with White scoring 42%.
Also recently seen: 6.Qh5 Nf6 7 Qf7+ Kxe5 8.f4+ Kd6 9.e5+ Kc6 10.exf6 Qxf6 11.Qc4+ Kb6 12.O-O a6 13.d3 c5 14.Be3 Be7 15.c3 Nc2 16.Qb3+ Nb4 17.cxb4 Kc7 18.bxc5 Kb8 19.Nc3 d6 20.Nd5 dxc5 21.Nxf6 Black resigned, angelcamina - luquitas2018, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020. The Database has 155 games with 6.Qh5, with White scoring 57%
White's strongest move, "objectively", is 6.c3. The Database has 392 games with 6.c3, with White scoring 62%.
6...Kxe5 7.f4+ Kxe4
One of the reasons White plays 6.Qg4, is so that if Black grabs the Knight, he can offer more material with 7.f4+, because if Black grabs the e-pawn... What happens next??
Don't worry. White was asked this question 24 times in The Database, and only scored 50 %.
Wait until next time! That's why I analyze games and share them.
8.d3+ Kd5 9.c4+ Kc6 10.O-O Nc2
There is nothing exactly wrong with this move, but shouldn't Black be thinking about safeguarding his King, not grabbing more material? If I were White, even though I was down 2 pieces, I would feel a stirring of hope.
11.Qf3+ Kb6 12.Qf2+ c5
Proof that Black considers the game already won. Otherwise, what move would he have played that definitely would have produced "resigns"?
13.Qxc2 Qf6
Amazingly enough, now, with 14.Nc3 (with the plan to go to d5) White would equalize.
14.Qb3+ Kc7 15.Qa3 d6 16.Nc3 Qd4+ 17.Kh1 Qxd3
Time error?
18.Nb5+ Black resigned
Ow.
White never gave up.
The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is largely known for its wild "Bashi-Bazouk" style of attack. However, in the following game, Bill Wall, with over 950 games in The Database, shows he can play the Jerome slow and easy, as well.
Wall, Bill - Guest190971
PlayChess.com, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nc3
This is one of the "modern" Jerome Gambit variations. The "classical" lines continue with 5.Nxe5.
5...d6
Bill has also seen:
5...Nf6 6.Qe2 d6 (6...Rf8 7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4 Qe7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4 12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2 14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 17.Qf7 Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010) 7. Na4 Nb4 8. Qc4+ Ke8 9.a3 b6 10.axb4 Bxb4 11.Qxb4 Bg4 12.Nc3 c6 13.d4 d5 14.Nxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest153817, PlayChess.com, 2018; and
5...h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 (8...Kf8 9.Qxc5+ N8e7 10.f4 d6 11.Qf2 Nc6 12.d4 Qh4 13.g3 Qh3 14.f5 Nge7 15.f6 Nf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Nd5 Rhf8 19.Nf4 Rae8+ 20.Be3 Qg4 21.h3 Qg5 22.O-O-O Nb4 23.Qd2 Qxg3 24.Nh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Jllib976, Chess.com 2010) 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qa3 N8e7 11.O-O Nh4 12.d4 Neg6 13.f4 Rf8 14.Be3 Bg4 15.Qb3 Rb8 16.f5 Ne7 17.Bf2 Nexf5 18.exf5 Nxf5 19.Rae1+ Kd7 20.Qe6+ Kc6 21.d5 checkmate, Wall,B - Mbgmx, Chess.com 2010
6.d3
Or 6.O-O Bg4 7.d3 Nd4 8.Nxe5+ dxe5 9.Qxg4 Nf6 10.Qd1 c6 11.Na4 Bd6 12.Be3 Ne6 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.Nc3 Rad8 15.Ne2 Rhf8 16.Qc3 Kg8 17.Qb3 Rde8 18.Bxa7 Kh8 19.Be3 Ng4 20.Bb6 Qb8 21.h3 Nf6 22.Ng3 Nd4 23.Qc4 Nd7 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Qxd4 c5 26.Qa4 Rd8 27.Nf5 Nb6 28.Qb5 Qc7 29.Ne3 Qc6 30.Qxc6 bxc6 31.a4 Ra8 32.a5 Nd7 33.Nc4 Be7 34.e5 Rfb8 35.b3 h6 36.f4 Bd8 37.a6 Nb6 38.Na5 Rxa6 39.Nxc6 Rxa1 40.Rxa1 Rc8 41.Nxd8 Rxd8 42.Ra5 Ra8 43.Rxc5 Ra2 44.c4 Rd2 45.e6 Rxd3 46.e7 Re3 47.Re5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Rahman,N, Chess.com 2010
6...h6 7.Na4 Bb4+ 8.c3 Ba5 9.O-O Nf6
10.h3 b5
Black believes he has trapped White's offside Knight. He is mistaken. In his attempt to hold things together, he surrenders his advantage.
11.Qb3+ d5
Bill suggests 11...Kg6 12.Qxb5 Qe8 and White has grabbed the pawn, but he still has work to do.
12.Qxb5 Qd6
This move doesn't work. Why not?
13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Qxc6 Qxc6 15.Nxe5+ Ke6 16.Nxc6 Bb6
White is now ahead 3 pawns, and Black's Bishop pair and slightly better development are not adequate compensation.
17.Bf4 Nd5 18.Rfe1+ Kf5 19.Re5+
This looks like a simple attempt to exchange his Bishop for the Knight, but it is more than that.
19...Kxf4 20.g3+ Kf3 21.Nxb6 axb6 22.Nd4 checkmate
Very nice.
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"
