One of the identifying themes of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is that of an active (some would say, over active) Queen. In the following game, Her Majesty finds herself temporarily stranded on the Queenside, with danger looming. However, an exchange allows her to safely observe the rest of the game and discuss the possibilities with her counterpart.
Eelco_Niermeijer - msapiencia
10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.f4 Nc6
There are many ways to return one of the sacrificed pieces. This is one of them. (See "Jerome Gambit: Winning Strategy #1")
8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qc3
White's Queen eyes the dark squares and the long diagonal, while having access to the adjacent light squared one, as well. She must be wary, however, after 11.d3, of being locked into the Queenside.
10...Nf6 11.d3 Kf7 12.Qb3+ Ke8 13.O-O
Black has a piece for two pawns, but his King still sits in the middle of the board, while White's is tucked safely away.
13...Nd4 14.Qa4+ Nc6 15.Nc3 Bd7 16.Qb3
Courting danger. An alternative shows both the problem and one solution: 16.d4 Qb8 (planning a pawn advance) 17.d5 Ne7 18.Qd4.
16...b6
Oddly, Black had 16...Nd4 for choice, when 17.Qxb7 a5 (threatening to trap and win the Queen) 18.Nd5 Bc6 19.Qxc7 Bxd5 20.Qxd8+ Kxd8 21.exd5 Nxc2 would lead to a busted pawn structure and 17.Qc4 c5 would require 18.a3 or 18.a4 to give White's Queen escape against a coming ...Be6.
17.Qc4 Qe7 18.Re1 Qe6 19.Qxe6+ Bxe6
Black is happy to get the powerful enemy Queen off of the board, while White is at least pleased to not have her to worry about - besides, he has his eye on the enemy King.
20.e5 dxe5 21.fxe5 Nd5 22.Nxd5 Bxd5 23.c3 Ke7 24.d4 Raf8
White has a protected, passed pawn, and can look forward to extending his pawn chain with b2-b3, c3-c4, d4-d5 and e5-e6.
25.Be3 h6 26.b3 Rf7 27.c4 Be4 28.d5
28...Nxe5
Tempting, but perhaps Black did not have enough time to think this move through; unfortunately for him, White did.
29.Bd4 Kd6 30.Rxe4 Re8 31.Rae1 Rf5
32.g4 Rg5
Black misses 32...Nf3+ 33.Kh1 Nxe2 34.Rxe8 Rf1+ 35.Bg1 Nf3 36.Re6+ Kd7 37.Kg2 Rxg1+ 38.Kxf3 when he could try his luck in a pawn-down Rook and pawns endgame. He eventually finds the Knight fork, but it doesn't save the game.
33.h4 Rxg4+ 34.Rxg4 Nf3+ 35.Kf2 Nxe1 36.Rg6+ Black resigned
I suspect that time was a factor in Black's resignation, but he also was facing being a pawn down in an ending where White's Bishop was stronger than his Knight, and where White's King was more active than his own.
modified graphic from Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"
Danger!
When facing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) it can be relatively easy to wander into trouble, especially if you underestimate the attacker's chances in that "refuted" opening. In the following blitz game, Black's chances collapse when he overlooks the dangers to his King along the e-file.
baurke - PLGreen
10 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 Qe7 9.Qd4
White's centralized Queen cannot be chased away by Black's Queen's Knight, as it resides on g6. Kicking the Queen with ...c5 is possible, but it will leave Black's d-pawn backward.
Also seen recently: 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.Nc3 c6 11.O-O d5 12.e5 Nd7 13.d4 c5 14.Nxd5 cxd4 15.Qxd4 Qxe5 16.Qxe5+ Ndxe5 17.Nc7+ Kf7 18.Nxa8 Bf5 19.Nc7 Bxc2 20.Nd5 h5 21.Nf4 h4 22.Nxg6 Nxg6 23.h3 Ne5 24.Be3 a6 25.Rac1 Be4 26.Rfd1 Rg8 27.f3 Bc6 28.Bg5 Ng6 29.Rd8 Rxd8 30.Bxd8 Ke6 31.Kf2 Kf5 32.g4+ Kf4 33.Rc5 Bxf3 34.Rf5+ Ke4 35.Rxf3 Ne5 36.Re3+ Kd5 37.Rxe5+ Kxe5 38.Bxh4 Kf4 39.Be7 b5 40.Bf8 g5 41.Bh6 a5 42.h4 Kxg4 43.Bxg5 Kh5 44.Ke3 a4 45.Kd4 b4 46.Kc4 b3 47.axb3 axb3 48.Kxb3 Kg6 49.Kc4 Kf7 50.Kd5 Ke8 51.Kc6 Kf7 52.b4 Ke8 53.b5 Kf7 54.b6 Ke6 55.b7 Kf5 56.b8=Q Ke4 57.Qf4+ Kd3 58.Kc5 Kc3 59.Qe4 Kb3 60.Qc4+ Ka3 61.Kb5 Kb2 62.Qd3 Ka2 63.Qc3 Kb1 64.Qd2 Ka1 65.Kb4 Kb1 66.Kb3 Ka1 67.Qb2 checkmate, Eelco_Niermeijer - adb1993, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020
9...Nf6
Also reasonable was 9...d6 10.O-O Ne5 11.d3 h6 12.Nc3 Be6 13.f4 Nc6 14.Qf2 Bf7 15.Re1 Kd7 16.d4 Re8 17.d5 Nb4 18.Re2 b6 19.a3 Na6 20.b4 Nb8 21.Bb2 Nf6 22.Nb5 a6 23.Nd4 Qf8 24.e5 dxe5 25.fxe5 Nxd5 26.e6+ Rxe6 27.Nxe6 Bxe6 28.Qxf8 Rxf8 29.Bxg7 Rg8 30.Bxh6 Kc8 31.Rxe6 Nf4 Black resigned, Cam531-dyarmolovich, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020.
10.O-O Nxe4
This capture is a mistake, but Black's next move compounds his troubles. He should have acknowledged the error with 10...Kd8, surrendering the Knight, hoping to play on, a pawn down.
11.Re1 Qh4
This move only works if White now captures with his Queen, as the subsequent exchange of Queens would limit White's advantage. However...
12.Rxe4+ Qxe4 13.Qxe4+ Ne7
Down a Queen for a Rook, Black's only chance is a time forfeit - which does not happen.
14.Qe5 Rg8 15.d3 d6 16.Qe4 d5 17.Qe2 b6 18.Bg5 Be6 19.Qxe6 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
Opponents facing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) would do well to be prepared. Even if the opening is officially "refuted", any old response will not do. The following game is a good example of how things can quickly go bad for the defender.
The games in the notes provide additional proof that Black needs to be careful.
Eelco_Niermeijer - CatharWitch
2 1 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 d6 8.Qxh8
Here, Black resigned recently in Martynas-S - OkKidA, 5 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020.
8...Qe7
Also seen, lately,
8...Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.Nc3 (10.d3 Ng4 11.f3 Ne5 12.Bf4 Nc6 13.c3 Bd7 14.d4 Bb6 15.Nd2 Re8 16.O-O-O Na5 17.d5 Kf6 18.b4 g5 19.Bg3 Be3 20.bxa5 h5 21.Rhe1 Bc5 22.Rf1 h4 23.Bf2 Ba4 24.Rde1 Ba3+ 25.Kb1 Ke5 26.Nc4+ Black resigned Nobody_WhtSoEvr - CASHDAVIS, 5 5 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 10...Be6 11.a3 c6 12.O-O Rf8 13.b4 Bd4 14.Bb2 b5 15.d3 Kg8 16.Nd1 Bb6 17.Bxf6 Rxf6 18.Ne3 d5 19.exd5 cxd5 20.Rae1 Rf8 21.Nd1 Bg4 22.Nc3 d4 23.Nxb5 a5 24.Re4 Bd7 25.Nxd4 axb4 26.axb4 Kh8 27.c4 Ba4 28.Ne6 Rf6 29.c5 Bc6 30.Re3 White won on time, Atti0130 - Narsin, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020;
8...d5 9.Qxh7+ Kf6 10.e5+ Kf5 11.O-O Kxe5 12.Qxg6 Bf5 13.Re1+ Kd4 14.c3+ Kd3 15.Qxf5+ Black resigned, HadesNoir - Ingerboi, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020;
8...Qg5 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.O-O Nh6 11.d4 Qg4 12.Qxh6+ Kg8 13.dxc5 Qxe4 14.Nc3 Qxc2 15.Be3 Qxb2 16.Bd4 Black resigned, gabrielebattaglia - FDACH00, 15 10, lichess.org, 2020;
8...Nf6 9.Qxd8 Black resigned, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020 9...Nxe4 10.Qxc7+ Ke8 11.Qxh7 Nxf2 12.O-O Ng4+ 13.Kh1 Nf2+ 14.Rxf2 Bxf2 15.Qxg6+ Kd8 16.Qf6+ Ke8 17.Qxf2 Be6 18.Nc3 Rd8 19.d3 d5 20.Bg5 Rd6 21.Qxa7 Black resigned, akosimike - Dadlani_Harsh, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; and
8... Qh4 9. O-O (9.d4 Qxe4+ [9...Bh3 10.Be3 Re8 11.dxc5 Nf6 12.Qxe8+ Kxe8 13.gxh3 Qxe4 14.Rg1 Qxc2 15.Nd2 dxc5 16.Rg5 b6 17.Rd1 Qxb2 18.Nf3 Qxa2 19.Re5+ Kf7 20.Ng5+ Kg7 21.Re7+ Kg8 22.Rd8+ Black resigned, penguingim1 - sutcunuri, .5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020] 10.Be3 Qxg2 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Rf1 Bh3 13.Nd2 Nf6 14.Bh6+ Ke8 15.Qh8+ Kf7 16.Qg7+ Ke6 17.dxc5 Rg8 18.Qxg8+ Nxg8 19.Be3 Kf7 20.cxd6 Qc6 21.dxc7 Qxc7 22.Rg1 Bf5 23.c3 Qc4 24.Nxc4 Black resigned, penguingim1 - sutcunuri, .5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 9... Qxe4 (9...Nf6 10.Nc3 Bh3 11.Qxa8 Qg4 12.g3 Qf3 White resigned, flash_ahaaa - thefinalzugzwang, 2 1 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 10.Nc3 Qf4 11.Nd5 Qg4 12.Qxh7+ Kf8 13.d3 Qg5 14.Bxg5 Black resigned, Jelks_Cabaniss - alessandrochiesa, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com 2020.
9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxe7+ Kxe7 11.O-O Nf6 Black resigned
Interestingly enough, the same moves were played in youngrema - Stella-chan, lichess.org, 2020.
The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has become popular with club players, of late, and certain lines have become very popular. The following game is an example of the kind of attack that can develop, but there are some good recent games in the notes, too, that are worth playing over, as well.
gumman - utku_rome
1 0 bullet, 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
Or 8...Nf6, which could transpose: 9.Nc3 d6 10.Qe3 Be6 11.O-O Qe7 12.d4 Bc4 13.Re1 Ng4 14.Qg3 Be6 15.Bd2 Rf8 16.Nd5 Qf7 17.f3 c6 18.fxg4 cxd5 19.exd5 Kd7 20.dxe6+ Qxe6 21.Rxe6 Kxe6 22.Bb4 Rad8 23.Re1+ Kd7 24.Qxd6+ Kc8 25.Qe6+ Kb8 26.Bd6+ Rxd6 27.Qxd6+ Kc8 28.Qxf8+ Nxf8 29.Re8+ Kd7 30.Rxf8 g5 31.Rh8 Kc6 32.Rxh7 Kd5 33.Rxb7 Kxd4 34.Rxa7 Ke4 35.a4 Kf4 36.a5 Kxg4 37.a6 Kf4 38.Rc7 Ke3 39.a7 Kd2 40.a8=B Kc1 41.b4 Kb2 42.b5 Ka3 43.b6 Kb4 44.b7 Ka5 45.b8=N Kb6 46.Rh7 g4 47.Nd7+ Ka6 48.Ne5 Kb5 49.Be4 Kb4 50.c3+ Kxc3 51.h3 gxh3 52.Kf2 Kd4 53.Rxh3 Kxe5 54.Bf3 Kf5 55.g4+ Kf6 56.Rg3 Kg5 57.Ke3 Kh4 58.Rg1 Kh3 59.g5 Kh2 60.g6 Kh3 61.g7 Kh2 62.g8=N Kxg1 63.Ne7 Kh2 64.Nd5 Kg3 65.Be4 Kh4 66.Kd4 Kg5 67.Ke5 Kg4 68.Kf6 Kg3 69.Ke5 Kg4 70.Ne3+ Kg5 71.Ng2 Kh6 72.Kf6 Kh5 73.Ne3 Kh4 74.Kf5 Kg3 75.Ng4 Kh3 76.Kf4 Kh4 77.Bg6 Kh3 78.Ne3 Kh2 79.Bf5 Kg1 80.Kf3 Kh2 81.Bg4 Kg1 82.Kg3 Kh1 83.Bh3 Kg1 84.Nc2 Kh1 85.Ne1 Kg1 86.Nf3+ Kh1 87.Bg2 checkmate, Blundersunder - gnocigb, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020
(In this game, White practices his Knight + Bishop endgame checkmate skill!)
9.Qe3 Nf6
10.O-O
Also played
10.f4 Bg4 11.h3 Bd7 12.g4 Qe7 13.Nc3 c6 14.d4 d5 15.e5 Ng8 16.f5 Nf8 17.e6 Bc8 18.Qe5 Qf6 19.Nxd5 Qxe5+ 20.dxe5 cxd5 21.Bg5 h6 22.e7 hxg5 23.exf8=Q+ Kxf8 24.e6 Nf6 25.O-O-O Ke7 26.Rd3 b6 27.Rhd1 Ba6 28.Rc3 Rac8 29.Ra3 Be2 30.Rxa7+ Kd6 31.Re1 Bb5 32.e7 Rhe8 33.Re6+ Kc5 34.b4+ Kxb4 35.a3+ Kc3 36.Re3+ Kd4 37.Re6 Bd3 38.Ra4+ Kc5 39.Ra7 Kb5 40.a4+ Kb4 41.Rxb6+ Kc3 42.Rb3+ Kd4 43.Rxd3+ Ke5 44.Re3+ Kf4 45.Re6 Kg3 46.Re3+ Kf4 47.Rd3 Ke4 48.Rb7 Ra8 49.Rb4+ Ke5 50.Re3+ Kd6 51.Rb6+ Kc5 52.Rb5+ Kc4 53.Kd2 d4 54.Re6 Ra7 55.Rc6 checkmate, EVG-MOOSE4 - bakeenan, 3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020;
10.Nc3 c6 (10...Kf7 11.d4 Re8 12.O-O Kg8 (12...c6 13.f4 b6 14.f5 Ne7 15.Qg5 h6 16.Qg3 Rg8 17.Bf4 Ne8 18.Rae1 Bb7 19.e5 d5 20.e6+ Kf8 21.Be5 Nf6 22.Ne2 Ba6 23.Nf4 Bxf1 24.Ng6+ Nxg6 25.Qxg6 Bc4 26.Qf7 checkmate, visey - ishar, 3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 13.f4 d5 14.e5 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Qxe4 Rf8 17.f5 Bxf5 18.Rxf5 Rxf5 19.Qxf5 Qxd4+ 20.Qf2 Qxe5 21.Be3 Rf8 22.Qd2 Qxb2 23.Rd1 Qxa2 24.Bc5 Re8 25.Qd7 Qe6 26.Qxc7 b6 27.Bf2 Qe2 28.Qd6 Rf8 29.Qd5+ Kh8 30.Rf1 Qxc2 31.h3 Nf4 32.Qd6 Ng6 33.h4 h6 34.h5 Rxf2 35.Rxf2 Nh4 36.Rf8+ Kh7 37.Rf2 Qb1+ 38.Kh2 Qe4 39.Qg3 a5 40.Rf4 Qe7 41.Rxh4 b5 42.Qg6+ Kh8 43.Re4 Qc7+ 44.Kh3 Qd7+ 45.Kh4 Qd8+ 46.Kh3 Qd7+ 47.g4 Qd3+ 48.Kh4 Qd8+ 49.Kg3 Qd3+ 50.Kf4 Qd6+ 51.Re5 Qd4+ 52.Qe4 Qf2+ 53.Qf3 Qh2+ 54.Kf5 Qc2+ 55.Re4 Qc5+ 56.Re5 Qf8+ 57.Ke4 Qxf3+ 58.Kxf3 a4 59.Rxb5 a3 60.Ra5 a2 61.Rxa2 g6 62.hxg6 Black resigned, kcork - anfff, 5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; 10...Ng4 11.Qg3 Rf8 12.O-O Rf6 13.d4 Kf7 14.Bg5 Nf4 15.Qxf4 Rxf4 16.Bxd8 Be6 17.Bg5 Bc4 18.Bxf4 Bxf1 19.Rxf1 a5 20.Nd5 Re8 21.h3 c6 22.hxg4 cxd5 23.exd5 Re4 24.Be3 Rxg4 25.c3 h5 26.a3 h4 27.Kh2 Re4 28.b4 Black abandoned the game, Morgz6908 - Halhekail1, 30 0, Chess.com, 2020) 11.O-O Be6 12.d4 Kd7 13.f4 Ne7 14.f5 Bc4 15.Rd1 d5 16.e5 Ne8 17.b3 Ba6 18.Na4 Nxf5 19.Nc5+ Kc8 20.Qf4 g6 21.g4 Nfg7 22.Qf7 Qc7 23.Qf4 Ne6 24.Nxe6 Qe7 25.Nc5 Rf8 26.Qg3 g5 27.Ba3 Qg7 28.Ne6 Black resigned, odoaker2015 - popsulin, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; and
10.d4 Qe7 (10...Rf8 11.O-O Kf7 12.Qb3+ Be6 13. d5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Nf4 15.dxe6+ Ke7 16.Bxf4 Rxf4 17.Qg3 Qf8 18.Nc3 Kxe6 19.Rfe1+ Kd7 20.Qh3+ Kd8 21.Qg3 c6 22.Qg5+ Rf6 23.Rad1 Kc7 24.f3 h6 25.Qg3 Rd8 26.Nb5+ cxb5 27.Qf2 Re8 28.Rxe8 Qxe8 29.Qxa7 Qc6 30.Re1 Rf7 31.Qa5+ Kb8 32.Qd8+ Ka7 33.Re8 Qc5+ 34.Kf1 Qc4+ 35.Kf2 Qd4+ 36.Kg3 Rxf3+ 37.Kxf3 Qf6+ 38.Qxf6 gxf6 39.Re6 d5 40.Rxf6 b6 41.Rxh6 Black resigned, Cricket334 - zare13, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 11.Nc3 c6 (11...Kf7 12.Bd2 Re8 13.f3 Bf5 14.exf5 Qd7 15.fxg6+ Kxg6 16.Ne4 d5 17.O-O dxe4 18.fxe4 Rxe4 19.Rxf6+ Kxf6 20.Rf1+ Black resigned, e4isrefuted - andychess19, 45 45 classical, lichess.org, 2020) 12.h4 h5 13.Qg3 Kf7 14.f3 Bd7 15.Bg5 Qe6 16.O-O-O b5 17.d5 Qe5 18.f4 Qe8 19.dxc6 Bxc6 20.Rxd6 Rd8 21.Rhd1 Rxd6 22.Rxd6 Nxe4 23.Nxe4 Qxe4 24.Qb3+ Kf8 25.a3 a5 26.Rd8+ Be8 27.Kb1 Nxf4 28.Qxb5 Qe1+ 29.Ka2 Qe6+ 30.b3 Ng6 31.Qb8 Ne7 32.Rxe8+ Black resigned, marti1998 - ajamigo37, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020.
10...Qe7
10...Kf7 11.f4 (11.Qb3+ Be6 12.Qxb7 Rf8 13.Nc3 Kg8 14.Qxa8 Qxa8 15.d3 Qe8 16.f4 d5 17.Be3 dxe4 18.dxe4 Bc4 19.Rf3 Nxe4 20.Nxe4 Qxe4 21.b3 Ba6 22.c4 Bb7 23.Raf1 Qc2 24.R3f2 Qe4 25.Bd2 Ne7 26.Bb4 Rf7 27.Re1 Qc6 28.Rxe7 Rxe7 29.Bxe7 Kf7 30.Bb4 Qe4 31.Bc3 Qb1+ 32.Rf1 Qxa2 33.Be1 Qxg2 checkmate, Eelco_Niermeijer - Young_nikm, 2 1 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; 11.d4 Re8 12.Nc3 Kg8 13.f4 Bf5 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 Bxc2 16.Qf2 Bd3 17.exf6 Bxf1 18.f7+ Kh8 19.fxe8Q+ Qxe8 20.Qxf1 Qc6 21.Be3 Rf8 22.Qd3 Nh4 23.Qe2 Qg6 24.Rf1 Re8 25.Qf2 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 11...Qe7 (11...Re8 12.Nc3 (12.Qb3+ d5 (12...Kf8 13.d3 b6 14.c4 c5 15.Nc3 Kg8 16.Bd2 Rf8 17.Rab1 Nh5 18.f5 Ne5 19.Qd1 Qe8 20.Nb5 Qe7 21.Qxh5 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2020)13.Nc3 c6 14.d3 Kf8 15.f5 Ne5 16.d4 Ned7 17.e5 Ne4 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Qg3 Qb6 20.f6 g6 21.f7 Re7 22.Bh6# Anonymous - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2020) Bf5 13.d3 Bd7 14.d4 a6 15.f5 Ne7 16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 Ng4 18.Qg5 Bxf5 19.Rxf5+ Nxf5 20.Qxf5+ Nf6 21.exf6 Qxf6 22.Qd5+ Re6 23.Bd2 Rae8 24.Rf1 Qxf1+ 25.Kxf1 Kf8 26.h3 c6 27.Qc4 Rf6+ 28.Kg1 h6 29.Ne4 Rfe6 30.Bb4+ Kg8 31.Nd6 Kh7 32.Nxe8 Rxe8 33.Qf7 Re1+ 34.Kh2 Rc1 35.Bc3 Rxc2 36.Qxg7 checkmate, angelcamina - golfprowanabe, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020) 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Qxe5 14.Qb3+ Qd5 15.Rxf6+ gxf6 16.Qxd5+ Black resigned, Atti0130 - prafultewari, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
11.d4
11...Ng4
Or 11...Kf7 12.Nc3 c6 13.f4 Re8 14.e5 (14.Qf3 Nxe4 15.f5 Nh4 16.Qh5+ Kg8 17.f6 Nxf6 18.Qxh4 Bd7 19.Bd2 Ne4 20.Qf4 d5 21.Rae1 Rf8 22.Qe3 Rxf1+ 23.Rxf1 Rf8 24.Rxf8+ Kxf8 25.Qf3+ Kg8 26.Bf4 Nxc3 27.Qxc3 Qf7 28.g3 b6 29.a3 Qe7 30.Qd2 c5 31.dxc5 Qxc5+ 32.Kg2 d4 33.Qb4 Bc6+ 34.Kf1 Bb5+ 35.Kg2 Qxc2+ 36.Kh3 Qc5 37.Qxc5 bxc5 38.Kg2 d3 39.Kf2 c4 40.Ke3 Kf7 41.Kd2 Kf6 42.b3 Kf5 43.Be3 a6 44.Kc3 Kg4 45.bxc4 Bc6 46.Kxd3 Kh3 47.Bd4 g6 48.Be5 Kxh2 49.Kd4 Kh3 50.Kc5 Be8 51.Kd6 Kg4 52.Ke6 h5 53.Kf6 h4 54.gxh4 Kxh4 55.c5 Kg4 56.Bd4 Kf4 57.Ke6 g5 58.Kd6 Ke4 59.Be5 g4 60.Bg3 Kf3 61.Bh4 g3 62.Bxg3 Kxg3 63.c6 Bh5 64.Kc5 Bg4 65.Kb6 Bc8 66.Kc7 Bf5 67.Kb6 Bc8 68.c7 Kf4 69.Ka7 Ke5 70.Kb8 Bg4 71.Kb7 Kd6 72.Kxa6 Kxc7 73.a4 Bc8+ 74.Ka5 Kb7 75.Kb5 Ka7 76.a5 Kb7 77.a6+ Ka7 78.Ka5 Bxa6 drawn, gabrielebattaglia - Alcalmisov, lichess.org, 2020) 14...Nd5 15.Nxd5 cxd5 16.f5 Nh4 17.e6+ Kg8 18.Qg3 Nxf5 19.Rxf5 Qxe6 20.Rf1 Bd7 21.Bf4 Rac8 22.Rae1 Qg6 23.Qb3 Rxe1 24.Rxe1 Qxc2 25.Qxd5+ Kh8 26.Qxd6 Bc6 27.d5 Bb5 28.Qe6 h6 29.d6 Qc5+ 30.Kh1 Rd8 31.Be5 Qb4 32.Qxh6+ Kg8 33.Qxg7 checkmate, JackPetrosyan - Nemrahsen, lichess.org, 2020
12.Qg3 h5 13.Nc3 Rf8 14.h3 Nf6 15.Bg5
15...Kd8 16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Rad1+ Bd7 19.Rfe1 Re8
20.Bxf6 Qxf6 21.Nd5 Qc6 22.Rxe5 Rxe5 23.Qxe5 Kc8
24.Ne7+ Kb8 25.Nxc6+ bxc6 26.Qxg7 Kb7 27.Rxd7 Re8 28.Rxc7+ Kb6 29.Rxa7 Kc5 30.Qc3+ Kd6 31.Ra6 Kc7 32.Qxc6+ Kd8 33.Ra8+ Ke7 34.Qxe8+ Kf6 35.Ra6+ Kg5 36.Qb5+ Kf4 37.Ra4 checkmate
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"
