Despite what different masters are reported to have said, it is not true that "Chess Is Life". Sometimes it appears that "life" is what keeps us busy, and occasionally from playing chess, though...
perrypawnpusher - mnoori
blitz, FICS, 2014
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.Qe3 Qf6
10.Nc3
The is one move among many possible.
Bill Wall has played 10.d3, as in Wall,B - G3LC, PlayChess.com 2011 (1-0, 22).
Louis Morin has show an interest in 10.d4, as in mrjoker - Igor77, Internet Chess Club, 2008 (1-0, 70), guest2199 - guest401, Internet Chess Club, 2004 (1-0, 87) and MrJoker - Melbourne, Internet Chess Club, 2011 (1-0, 13).
I've varied with 10.0-0, as in perrypawnpusher - TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25).
10...Be6
Possibly better was 10...c6, as in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 28), perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0,59) and MrJoker - ZICO, Internet Chess Club, 2012 (1-0, 34).
11.0-0 N8e7 12.f4 Bd7
In this kind of position, I usually see things differently during the game than Houdini sees afterwards. I think "tactics" and play f4-f5, "kicking" Black's Knight, hoping to chase him to e5 when I can "kick" it again with d2-d4. Houdini "thinks" "position" and chooses d2-d4 instead, suggesting that Black respond to a later f4-f5 by withdrawing his Knight to g8.
13.f5 Ne5
In all fairness, had my opponent played 13...Nf8 here instead, I would have followed up with 14.d4.
14.d4 Nc4
My opponent prefers to play actively, but 14...N5c6 was probably better, with and edge to Black.
15.Qd3 b5
I was pretty sure during the game that Houdini would want me now to play 16.a4, but I couldn't figure out what would be wrong with Black simply defending with 16...c6. After the game Houdini showed me 17.e5 dxe5 18.Ne4!? with a sharp attack - good for you, Readers, who figured that out!
I was unhappy with the possibility of 16.a4 b4 as well, although, again, after the game Houdini said "no worries" after 17.Nb5 Bxb5 18.axb5 and White will eventually capture the pawn at b4. Well, okay...
16.b3 Nb6
After the game Houdini again pointed out that if 16...b4, White would have the familiar 17.e5 dxe5 18.Ne4!? I think I would have answered 16...b4 with 17.bxc4 bxc3 18.Qxc3 and been happy with my broad pawn center.
17.Nxb5
At this point my opponent seems to have disappeared, and Black forfeited on time. Quite likely, "life" intruded; I hope nothing bad.
Instead, after 17...Bxb5 18.Qxb5+ Nd7 19.Bb2 White would have a comfortable game, with three pawns for his sacrificed piece, and possibly a small edge.
The following game shows White surviving his unsound opening, moving gradually to an even position; later, taking advantage of Black's tactical slips to obtain an advantage; later, still, mis-playing his advantageous middlegame into a better endgame; and, further, almost frittering that endgame advantage away... before winning.
perrypawnpusher - strobane
blitz, FICS, 2012
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.Qe3 Qf6 10.Nc3
Or 10.d3 as in Wall,B - G3LC, Playchess.com, 2011 (1-0, 22); or
10.0-0 as in perrypawnpusher TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25); or
10.d4 as in guest2199 - guest401, ICC, 2004 (1-0, 87) and mrjoker - Igor77, ICC, 2008 (1-0, 70).
10...N8e7
Also played: 10...c6 in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 28); and 10...b6 in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 59).
This is familiar territory, so the moves are coming relatively quickly, which is useful in blitz.
11.0-0 Rf8 12.d4 Kf7
Black castles-by-hand. The game is sliding toward roughly equal.
13.f4 Kg8 14.f5 Nh8 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Qb6
A reasonable, even scientific idea: exchange Queens to blunt any possible White attack; and consider returning a piece for the "Jerome pawns" with an even game.
17.g4 Qxe3+ 18.Bxe3 Bd7 19.Bc5 Rae8 20.f6
After the game, Rybka 3 preferred 20.e6, but at the time that looked too static for me.
20...gxf6 21.exf6 Bxg4
I am guessing that this was just a blitz oversight.
22.fxe7 Rf5 23.Rxf5 Bxf5 24.Rf1 Bg6
Okay, the advanced "Jerome pawn" has become quite powerful. Take a few moments to plan out White's winning plan.
25.Rf8+ Kg7 26.Bd4+ Kh6 27.Rxe8
IF you saw 27.Nd5, headed to c7 or f6 to harass the Black Rook and fight for the e8 square, good for you.
27...Bxe8 28.Bxh8 Kg6
A piece ahead, I was happy with my game, but I never really developed a "winning strategy" from this point, so the game soon turns into an oddly psychological wander.
29.Bd4 Kf7 30.Bxa7 Kxe7 31.Nd5+ Kd6 32.Nf6 Bg6 33.Be3 Bxc2 34.Kf2 c6 35.Kf3 Ke5 36.Ng4+ Kf5 37.Nf2 Bb1 38.a3 Ba2 39.Nd3 Bd5+ 40.Kf2 h5
Ideas for White? Now 41.Bb6 would put a nice cramp on Black's position.
41.Nc5
I had decided that the only thing that I could do with my extra piece would be to exchange it for two pawns. That would leave me in a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, and I would have to use my knowledge, skill and experience there to make something of the drawish situation.
That would be a pretty sad outcome for what seems to be a "won" game.
Black's next move introduces another possibility: White can work to advance his a-pawn and create a passer. I overlooked that possibility totally.
41...b5 42.Kg3 Kg6 43.Kh4 Bf3 44.Nd7 Kf5 45.Nb8 Kg6 46.Na6 Kf5 47.Nb4 Kg6 48.Bd2 Kf5 49.Nxc6 Bxc6 50.Kxh5 Bg2
Here is a rather annoying thought for White: even if he were able to create a passed a-pawn with b2-b3 and a3-a4 (something that Black can prevent by either covering b3 or getting his Bishop to d1 in a timely fashion) leaving himself with two Rook-pawn passers, Black could afford to sacrifice his Bishop for the h-pawn, as this would leave White with a drawn RP + Bishop of the wrong color endgame!
51.h4 Bf3+ 52.Kh6 Ke5 53.Kg6 Be4+ 54.Kg5 Kd5 55.h5 Kc4
A very surprising slip after 30 decent moves of defense. Black's King and Bishop were doing a good job of defending against White's hopes to advance his h-pawn. Now the monarch goes too far away, to attack pawns that are easily defended.
56.h6 Kb3 57.Bc3 Bh7 58.Kf6 Be4 59.Kg7 Bd3 60.h7 Bxh7 61.Kxh7
61...Kc4 62.Kg6 Kd5 63.Kf5 Kc4 64.Ke4 Kc5 65.Bb4+ Kb6 66.Kd4 Kc6 67.b3 Kb6 68.Kd5 Black resigned
I believe that it was GM Andy Soltis, long ago, who wrote that it can be difficult to decide, when there is a choice of either Rook to move to a square, which one to choose. He even humoursly suggested that, regardless of which one the player chooses, the annotator would be able to to kibitz "Wrong Rook".
That assessment is at the heart of this game (even though, here, it is a matter of choosing which of two Rooks should be moved, each to a different square), but it probably should be written "WRONG ROOK!" and placed against the background of a ticking clock...
perrypawnpusher - pitrisko
blitz, FICS, 2011
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.Qe3 Qf6
In a game that we played 3 days earlier (see "Like the Big Boys"), my opponent had tried the very reasonable 9...Nf6.
10.Nc3
I've played a couple of games with 10.0-0; see perrypawnpusher - TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25).
Louis Morin ("mrjoker") has played a couple with 10.d4; see guest2199 - guest401, ICC, 2004 (1-0, 87) and mrjoker - Igor77, ICC, 2008 (1-0, 70).
10...c6 11.0-0 N8e7 12.f4 Rf8
This is Black's idea: with the King Knight on e7, he can double the heavy pieces on the f-file. He will have four pieces trained on the f5 square.
13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc4 15.Qd3 b5
I've seen similar Knight vs Queen face-offs, for example perrypawnpusher - saltos, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 28).
16.b3 Nb6 17.Bb2
I liked this move, both kicking the enemy Knight and preparing to put my Bishop on the long diagonal.
Yet, Rybka 3, after the game, preferred the same move that I've been wrestling with, in different settings, recently (see "What does the Jerome Gambit deserve?" and "Like the Big Boys"): 17.e5
The main idea is the clearance sacrifice, 17...dxe5 18.Ne4. The secondary idea is that if Black advances his Queen, instead, with 17...Qh4, White will advance his pawn with 18.f6. There is also the ugly 17...Bxf5 18.exf6 Bxf6 19.cxd3 Rxf6 20.Rxf6 gxf6 Ne4 where White will have an edge in the endgame.
I guess when I better understand e4-e5, I'll have a better handle on the Jerome Gambit.
17...Kf7
It's never to late to castle-by-hand.
18.Ne2 Nd7 19.Rae1 a5 20.Nf4 Kg8
Things seem to be going as planned: I have plenty of development as compensation for my sacrifice, I am about to drop a knight into an outpost at e6, and my opponent is running short of time.
21.Ne6 Rf7 22.e5
Give yourself credit if you saw the Bishop-and-Knight-tour: 22.Bc1 h6 23.Nc7 Ra7 24.Ne8 Qh4 25.Nxd6 winning a pawn.
22...dxe5
pitrisko's time was running out, so he overlooked the better 22...Qh4, which left White with only a small edge.
23.dxe5 Qh4 24.Rf4
All together now: WRONG ROOK!
Of course, after 24.Re4, Black's Queen is in danger of being trapped, and his best move, 24...Qh5, allows 25.Nf4 followed by 26.e6.
What a sad way to mess up a relatively well-played game by White!
24...Qxe1+ 25.Rf1 Qh4 26.Nc7 Nxf5 27.Nxa8 Nc5 28.Qc3
Here, much to my relief, Black forfeited on time.
Another example of the equalizing injustice of chess.
Sometime after the first Queen check, those who defend against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) realize, either in laughter or in tears, that White's moves are planned and part of a whole attack (unsound, perhaps, but an attack nonetheless).
If White is willing to toss a piece or two into the fire, would he further sacrifice an exchange or a Rook as well?
I think that question ran through my opponent's head in the following game, and it allowed me enough room to wriggle toward a draw. When Black relaxed one move too soon, I was able to run away with the whole point.
perrypawnpusher - LeiCar
blitz FICS, 2010
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.Qe3 Qf6
The move ...Qd8-f6 is seen more often in the 6...Kf6 line of play and is a bit unusual here. Still, it fits in with Black's plan to play his King Knight to e7, rather than f6.
10.0-0
A couple of previous games continued: 10.d4 N8e7 (10...Nh6 11.h3 Qh4 12.0-0 Bd7 13.Nc3 Bc6 14.Bd2 Rf8 15.f4 b6 16.f5 Ne7 17.Rf4 Qh5 18.Raf1 Kd7 19.Qg3 Rg8 20.d5 Bb7 21.Rh4 Qf7 22.Rf3 a6 23.Ne2 Qf6 24.Bc3 Qf7 25.Nd4 c5 26.Ne6 b5 27.Bxg7 Nhxf5 28.exf5 Bxd5 29.Rd3 Nxf5 30.Nxc5+ Kc6 31.Qe1 Rxg7 32.Rg4 Rxg4 33.hxg4 Kxc5 34.Qc3+ Kb6 35.gxf5 Qxf5 36.Qd4+ Kc6 37.Rc3+ Kd7 38.Qg7+ Bf7 39.Rf3 Qc5+ 40.Kh1 Qh5+ 41.Kg1 Qc5+ 42.Rf2 Re8 43.Qxf7+ Re7 44.Qf5+ Kc7 45.Qxc5+ dxc5 46.Rd2 c4 47.c3 Kc6 48.Kf2 h5 49.Kg3 Re4 50.Kf3 Rg4 51.g3 a5 52.Rh2 Rg5 53.Rh4 Kc5 54.Kf4 Rd5 55.Rh2 b4 56.Re2 bxc3 57.bxc3 a4 58.Re5 Kd6 59.Re4 Kc5 60.Re5 Kd6 61.Re4 Kc5 62.a3 Rd3 63.Re5+ Kb6 64.Rxh5 Rxc3 65.Rh6+ Kc5 66.Rh5+ Kb6 67.Rh6+ Kc5 68.Rh5+ Kd4 69.g4 Rxa3 70.g5 c3 71.g6 c2 72.Rh1 Rb3 73.g7 Rb8 74.Kf5 Kd3 75.Kf6 Kd2 76.Rh2+ Kd1 77.Rh1+ Kd2 78.Rh2+ Kc1 79.Rh8 Rg8 80.Rxg8 Kb2 81.Rb8+ Ka3 82.Rc8 Kb2 83.g8Q a3 84.Qc4 a2 85.Qxc2+ Ka3 86.Rc3+ Kb4 87.Qb3+ Ka5 Black resigned, guest2199[Louis Morin/mrjoker] - guest401, ICC, 2004) 11.0-0 b6 12.f4 Nc6 13.c3 Ba6 14.Rf3 Kd7 15.f5 Nh4 16.Rh3 Rae8 17.Nd2 d5 18.e5 Qxf5 19.Rxh4 g5 20.Rh6 Rhf8 21.Qh3 Qxh3 22.Rxh3 Rf7 23.b3 Ref8 24.Ba3 Rh8 25.Rf3 Rxf3 26.Nxf3 h6 27.Re1 Ke6 28.h3 Bd3 29.Re3 Be4 30.Nd2 Bf5 31.g4 Bg6 32.Rf3 Rg8 33.Rf6+ Kd7 34.Nf3 Be4 35.Nd2 Bg6 36.e6+ Ke8 37.e7 Nxe7 38.Re6 Rg7 39.Bxe7 Rxe7 40.Rxg6 Re1+ 41.Kf2 Ra1 42.Rxh6 Rxa2 43.Ke3 Kf7 44.Rh7+ Kf6 45.Rxc7 Ra1 46.c4 dxc4 47.bxc4 Ra3+ 48.Ke4 Rxh3 49.Rxa7 Rh4 50.Kd5 Rxg4 51.Ne4+ Kf5 52.Rf7+ Kg6 53.Rf6+ Kh5 54.Rxb6 Rf4 55.Nf6+ Kh4 56.Ke5 Rf1 57.d5 Re1+ 58.Kd6 Rf1 59.Kd7 g4 60.Nxg4 Kxg4 61.c5 Rf7+ 62.Ke6 Rh7 63.d6 Rh6+ 64.Kf7 Rh7+ 65.Kg6 Rd7 66.Rb4+ Kf3 67.Rd4 Ke3 68.c6 Rd8 69.c7 Ra8 70.Rb4 Black resigned, mrjoker - Igor77, ICC, 2008.
10...N8e7
Or the questionable 10...Bh3 11.Qxh3 Nf4 12.Qf3 Kd7 13.d3 Rf8 14.Qxf4 Qxf4 15.Bxf4 Rxf4 16.Nc3 Nf6 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 h5 19.c4 h4 20.Rae1 h3 21.Re4 Rf6 22.Rfe1 c6 23.Re7+ Kc8 24.dxc6 bxc6 25.Rxg7 Rhf8 26.Re2 R6f7 27.Rxf7 Rxf7 28.gxh3 Kd7 29.Re3 d5 30.cxd5 cxd5 31.Kg2 Kd6 32.d4 Kc6 33.h4 Rf4 34.h5 Rg4+ 35.Rg3 Rxd4 36.h6 Rh4 37.Rh3 Rg4+ 38.Kf3 Rg8 39.h7 Rh8 40.Ke3 Kd6 41.Kd4 Ke6 42.b4 Kf5 43.Kxd5 Kg4 44.Rg3+ Kh5 45.Rg7 Kh6 46.Rxa7 Rxh7 47.Rxh7+ Kxh7 48.b5 Black resgined, perrypawnpusher - TJPOT, blitz FICS, 2009
11.f4 Bd7
After the game, Rybka suggested that Black could maintain an edge by rearranging his pieces (and preparing to exchange Queens): 11...Rf8 12.f5 Nc6 13.d3 Nge7 14.Nc3 Qd4 15.Rf3 a6 16.Rh3 h6.
analysis diagram
12.f5
This move looked attractive, in light of my past experiences chasing Black's Knights to e5 and then beyond; but it did not take into account the special changes to the position that the Queen on f6 makes. Later, Rybka counselled patience: 12.d4 Rf8 (a very useful move) 13.Nc3 Kf7 14.f5 Kg8 (White's f-pawn is pinned) 15.Qd3 Nh4 16.Be3 d5 17.g3 Nhxf5 (returing the piece for two pawns) 18.exf5 Bxf5 with an even game.
analysis diagram
12...Ne5 13.d4 Ng4
Here Rybka preferred 13...Ne5-c6. I don't think I'm ever going to understand the proper Knight, pawn, and Queen placements!
14.Qd3 a6 15.h3 Bb5
What is strange about this position is that neither my opponent nor I saw the natural response 16.c4, which would win a piece for White.
16.Qc3
I remember getting all panicky when this move was played, thinking: How did this happen? This has never happened to me in a Jerome Gambit before!
Of course, nothing had "happened" except that I overlooked a strong reply.
16...Bxf1 17.hxg4 Bb5
Well, I've got my "Jerome pawns" in exchange for... a Rook. As they say in cards, I might as well "play them like I have them."
18.g5 Qf7 19.Qxc7 Rc8
This is an active, developing move, but it only leads to equality. Rybka recommended in the post mortem: 19...Nxf5 20.Qxf7+ Kxf7 21.exf5 Rhe8 22.Kh2 Re1 23.Nd2 when White has two pawns for the exchange, but Black has much better piece placement and the advantage.
analysis diagram
20.Qxd6 Qc4 21.f6
Well, it is clear that somebody's King is in danger!
21...Qf1+
After 21...Ng6 22.fxg7 Rg8 the position would be very unclear.
22.Kh2 gxf6 23.gxf6 Ng6
Black's attacking Queen is no longer around to defend.
24.Qe6+
A Rook down, I was comfortable with a draw. Had I tried for more, say with 24.Nc3, Black had 24...Qf2, setting up his own repetition-of-position with checks at h4 and e1.
24...Kf8
An unfortunate slip: 24...Kd8 25.Qd6+ Kd8 26.Qe6+ etc. was the draw.
25.Bh6 checkmate
