I was pleased with this game until I played it over afterward. Then I felt like someone who had given a nice speech which kept the audience's attention, only to discover after it was over that I had been up in front of everyone with a giant stain on my shirt or pants...
perrypawnpusher - Fendertele
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.
6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Re8
This line was seen not-so-long-ago in my game against Frele.
9.dxc5 Kg8
9...d6 while it was still easy to play, was seen in perrypawnpusher - louarn, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 49).
Instead, 9...b6 also attacking the White c5 pawn right away, was seen in perrypawnpusher - catri, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2-1/2, 42).
Rybka has a third suggestion, 9...Qe7.
10.f4 Nc6
10...Nc4 was punished in Wall - Santiago, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28) with 11.e5 Nh7 12.Qd5+ Kh8 13.Qxc4.
Rybka suggests the discrete 10...Nf7.
11.e5 Nh7
12.Ne4
I admit that I played 12.Qd5+ in perrypawnpusher - Frele, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 26) with the hope that Black would blunder with 12...Re6, but I had to find another way to win when he answered with the sensible 12...Kh8.
12...Nxe5
Nifty thinking: he returns the piece for two pawns and a roughly even game.
13.fxe5 Rxe5 14.Qd4 Qe8
Material is even, but White's c5 pawn continues to exert pressure on Black's game.
15.Ng3 Re1
Leading to trouble. Black should have challenged White's annoying pawn with 15...b6.
16.Bf4
After the game Rybka pointed out what I had missed, that 16.Bxh6 (linking White's Rooks like the text, but also grabbing a pawn and attacking Black's King) was much stronger. Then 16...Re5 would be answered by the simple 17.Bf4; while 16...Qe5 would see the Queen sac 17.Qc4+ Qe6 18.Raxe1; and 16...gxh6 would be crushed by the same 17.Raxe1.
16...Rxa1 17.Rxa1 c6
Saving the c-pawn, but emphasizing the cramp in his Queenside. Black would have done better to simply give up a pawn with 17...d6 18.cxd6 cxd6 to free his development.
18.Nf5 Qg6
A slip. However, I was so enamored with the positional strength of my next move that I totally missed a much stronger tactical move.
19.Nd6
Owwww...
Everyone together: 19.Ne7+ would win the Queen!!
How awkward.
19...Ng5
Maybe my opponent saw what was coming, but he should have routed the Knight along a safer path: 19...Nf8 20.Re1 Ne6.
20.Bxg5 Qxg5 21.Re1
Black will lose a piece.
21...Kh7 22.Qe4+ Qg6 23.Qxg6+ Kxg6 24.Re8 a5 25.Rxc8
25...Ra7 26.Rc7 a4 27.Rxb7 Ra5 28.Rxd7 Rxc5 29.Ne4 Rxc2 30.Rd2 Rc1+ 31.Kf2 Rc4 32.Kf3 Kf5
Another slip, but this was my day to miss Knight forks. Sigh...
33.g4+ Kg6 34.h4 h5 35.g5 Kf5 36.Nd6+
Saw it this time. Consequently, Black resigned.
I really like this game, but I have to admit that my attack was made possible by my opponent keeping his d-pawn un-moved for too long. After the game, Houdini and Rybka also criticized me for leaving my f-pawn still – true, but when I pushed it, things really started to move!
perrypawnpusher - Frele
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5
The Semi-Itlian Four Knights Game.
6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Re8
One of a number of "okay" defenses in this line (solid strategic idea, keeps Black's advantage) that still are not "best". Black develops his Rook and prepares to castle-by-hand.
9.dxc5 Kg8
Black immediately went after the forward White c-pawn with 9...b6 in perrypawnpusher - catri, blitz, FICS, 2010 (½-½, 42) and with 9...d6 in perrypawnpusher - louarn, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 49).
10.f4 Nc6
This retreat seems okay to me, but after the game Houdini preferred 10...Nf7. The advance 10...Nc4 proved unfortunate after 11.e5 Nh7 12.Qd5+ Kh8 13.Qxc4 in Wall - Santiago, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).
11.e5 Nh7 12.Qd5+
I admit that I was mostly looking for the cheapo 12...Re6? 13.f5 with this move; but the check does little harm.
12...Kh8
White has locked down Black's d-pawn, and that is why most of Houdini's post mortem suggestions for the second player included playing ...d7-d6, anyway, even if it required temporarily sacrificing a pawn. Black cannot afford to play the game without his Queen Bishop and Queen Rook.
13.Bd2 Ne7
While Houdini holds that this still gives Black an edge, it prefers 13...d6 14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Qxd6 Qxd6 16.exd6 Bf5 17.Nd5 Rad8 18.Rfe1 Nf6 19.Nxf6 Rxe1+ 20.Bxe1 gxf6 21.Rd1 Bxc2 when Black's extra piece outweighs White's two pawns.
analysis diagram
14.Qd3 Rf8
The recommendation was still 14...d6.
15.f5 Nc6
The loss of time with this Knight gives White tactical chances.
Still, against both 15...b6 and 15...d6 White now has 16.f6!? with an even game, maybe a bit more.
16.Rae1
Houdini suggested, instead, 16.f6 – a move that I was preparing, something that I didn't want (like in earlier games) to rush into.
Its analysis shows White taking advantage of a lead in development and the available tactical nuances – to achieve a winning endgame: 16...gxf6 (here, the computer dismissed the pawn grab that attacks my Queen, 16...Nxe5, with 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Qg3+ Ng6 19.Nd5 vacating c3 for the dark-squared Bishop Ng5 20.Bc3+ Kg8 21.Qd3 Nh4 22.Kh1 Ne6 23.Bf6 Qe8 24.Ne7+ Wow) 17.exf6 d6 18.Nd5 Be6 19.Bxh6 (the real reason behind 16.f5-f6) Rf7 20.Rad1 Qd7 21.Bg7+ Rxg7 22.fxg7+ Qxg7 23.cxd6 cxd6 24.Nf4 Rg8 25.Rd2 Bg4 26.h3 Ne5 27.Qc3 Bc8 28.Rxd6 Ng5 29.Ng6+ Nxg6 30.Rxg6 Qxc3 31.Rxg8+ Kxg8 32.bxc3.
analysis diagram
Um... sure... right...
Okay, I guess that proves I'm not a computer... Back to the game.
16...Ng5
My opponent hurries to reposition his Knight at f7, for defensive purposes.
You can imagine that Houdini, as a computer, was doubly horrified: Black doesn't play the necessary 16...d6 (leading to only a slight edge for White) and his move allows for the killer 17.f6.
(Silicon Dude! This is a blitz game between two club players! Relax!)
17.Nd5
Of course, everyone saw that 17.f6 again forced a winning endgame, right? After 17...gxf6 18.exf6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6 Qxf6 20.Re8+ Kg7 21.Nd5 Qd4+ 22.Qxd4+ Nxd4 23.Nxc7 Rb8 24.Bc3 Kf7 25.Bxd4 Ne6 26.Be5 Nxc7 27.Rh8 Ra8 28.Bxc7 Kg7 and there you have it...
17...Nf7 18.Bf4
Protecting the e-pawn so that I can play f5-f6, but this was unnecessary, as after 18.f6 Nfxe5 19.fxg7+ Kxg7 20.Qg3+ White's attack would be strong.
18...Re8 19.f6
If it could sigh, I sure that Houdini did when I finally played this move.
19...gxf6
After the proper defense 19...Rg8 White can apply pressure with 20.Qg6 although after 20...Qf8 it would take another tactical mele, starting with 21.Nxc7 to demonstrate my advantage (eventually finding my way to an ending where my Rook and several pawns outweights Black's two extra Knights).
Sometimes it feels that if it were not for mistakes, chess would be too hard.
20.Nxf6
The correct recapture. My 17th move not only kept Black's Queen at home with the threat of Nxc7, it also strongly supported the (eventual) advance f5-f6. Now White's pieces will swarm the Kingside.
20...Kg7 21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.Bxh6+ Ke7 23.Nd5+ Ke6 24.Nf4+
A little nervousness, missing the mate in one, but it did not get away, and I saw it the second time around.
24...Ke7 25.Ng6+ Ke6 26.Qxf7 checkmate
