Showing posts with label Padalino. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Padalino. Show all posts

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Deja Vu for Me (not U)

In this game it was nice to find myself with a familiar opening, a familiar arrangement of pieces – and a familiar "optical illusion" plaguing my opponent...

perrypawnpusher - Padalino
blitz, FICS, 2010

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 Opening.

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4


8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1


A typical position for this variation: Black has castled-by-hand while White's Rooks back up his "Jerome pawns". White does not have full compensation for his sacrificed piece.

13...Nb4

A typical blitz oversight for this kind of position: the temptation to "kick" the Queen is too much for Black, as has been seen in:

perrypawnpusher - amirelattar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50)
perrypawnpusher - Angstrem, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 35)
perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 32)

I am sure that under slower time controls, none of my opponents would have made this error.

14.Qc4+ Be6 15.Qxb4 b6 16.h3 Bf7 17.Qd4 a5 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.exd5


Black is down a pawn, but the open e-file and unblocked a1-h8 diagonal offer a way to exchange the heavy pieces, after which the Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame has serious drawing potential. With this in mind, Black might now try 19...Qf6.

19...Qc8

Quickly highlighting the difference between a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame and a Bishops-of-opposite-colors middlegame:  the former is drawish, the latter gives the attacking side the advantage.

20.Bc3 Black resigned


It will cost Black a Rook to block the checkmate at g7, but White will have other mates available soon after 20...Re5 21.fxe5.