If you are a chess player who enjoys mixing it up in unclear positions - at blitz speed - then the Jerome Gambit is just what you are looking for.
And - if your opponent tries the Blackburne Shilling Gambit? Try the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, of course!
sahistonline - PlatinumKnight
5 0 blitz, FICS, 2017
What makes this game particularly interesting is that both players have over 100 games in The Database - playing both Black and White.
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
Of course, White has other alternatives, such as 4.Nxd4, 4.0-0, 4.c3 or 4.d3, but the text, in my opinion, is the most fun. Not recommended is 4.Nxe5?! which is bodaciously met with 4...Qg5!?
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4+
Here we see the major theme of the following play: Black is a piece up, but his King is in the center, in danger, facing White's extra pawns. Gobbling pawns will be dangerous; retreating the King to safety should be Black's plan.
7...Kxd4
Maybe just one, Black decides.
Safer was to start the journey home with 7...Ke6. As we shall see, neither player is commited to anything as boring as "safer".
8.Qa4+
There are 71 games in The Database with this move. White scores 43%. Black can be a bit comfortable if he remembers that he has faced this line before. Not too comfortable, though: he lost that game.
Instead, Stockfish 8 recommends 8.Qb3 followed by 9.Nc3. It should be noted that there are exactly 0 games in The Database with these moves. Largely uncharted territory.
8...Ke5 9.f4+
White has also offered the e-pawn with 9.d4+ Kxe4 10.Qc2+ Kd5 11.Nc3+ Kd6 12.O-O Nf6 13.Nb5+ Ke6 14.Nxc7+ Kf7 15.Nxa8 Bd6 16.d5 Re8 17.Bg5 Kg8 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.Nc7 Bxc7 20.Qxc7 d6 21.Rac1 Qg6 22.Rc3 Bf5 23.Rg3 Qe6 24.Qxb7 Qf7 25.Qb5 h6 26.a4 Kh7 27.Qc6 Bd7 28.Qxd6 Bxa4 29.Qb4 Bc2 30.d6 Bf5 31.Rc3 Bd7 32.Rc7 a6 33.Qa5 Ra8 34.Qb6 Qe6 35.Qb7 Rd8 36.Qxa6 Qd5 37.Qa7 Qxd6 38.Rc3 Bc6 39.Qa5 Qg6 40.Rg3 Qf7 41.Qxd8 Black resigned, yogasanjay - PlatinumKnight, FICS, 2014.
For a few ideas in this wilderness, playable alternatives include 9.Nc3!?, 9.O-O!? and 9.Qb3!?.
9...Ke6
Prudent. The pawn is poisoned: 9...Kxf4 10.d4+ Kg4 11.Qd1+ Kh4 12.Qf3 Bb4+ 13.Kd1 d6 14.g3+ Kh3 15.g4+ Kh4 16.Qg3 checkmate.
10.f5+ Ke5
Goading White? Surely 10...Kf7 was safer. But, see the note to Black's 7th move. We have a full-fledged battle, here.
11.Nc3
First of all, development.
Stockfish 8 recommends wilder play, starting with pawn checks: 11.d4+ Kf6 12.e5+ Kf7 (of course not 12...Kxf5, i.e. 13.O-O+ Ke6 14.d5+ Ke7 15.Qb4+ d6 16.Qh4+ Ke8 17.Rxf8+ Kxf8 18.Qxd8+ Kf7 19.e6+ Bxe6 20.dxe6+ Kxe6 21.Qxa8) 13.O-O Be7 14.Qc4+ Kf8 15.Nc3 b5 16.Qxb5 c6 17.Qd3 d5 18.Ne2 Nf6 (it is helpful, but not saving, to give a piece back)19.exf6 Bxf6 20.Nf4 Qb6 21.Ne6+ Kg8 22.Nc5 h6 23.Qe3 Kh7 24.b3 Qb4 25.Bb2 Bg5 26.Qd3 Qd2 - and White is better.
11...d5
Black's idea: strike back at White's pawn center.
12.d4+
Also to be considered was the dual-purposed 12.O-O!?
12...Kf6 13.Nxd5+ Kf7 14.Qc4 g6
Cold-bloodedly looking to make a safe square for Black's King, while trying to undermine the White pawns. The computer suggests 14...b5!? 15.Qb3 Qh4+ 16.Kf1 Qxe4 17.Nc3+ Be6 18.Nxe4 Bxb3 19.axb3 Ne7 although White would still be better.
Hardly an easy position to play with the clock ticking.
15.Nxc7+ Kg7 16.Ne6+
Either seeing something, or not seeing something. This settles the game down a bit, although still being better for the first player. In a slower game, 16.Bf4!?, continuing to build tension, could have been explored.
16...Bxe6 17.Qxe6 Qxd4
Both Kings are at risk, and neither army is developed, except for the Queens!
18.f6+
This looks a lot like a time slip. Now Black can do more than cover up. The protective 18.Bd2 followed by 19.O-O-O might lead to an edge for the second player.
18...Nxf6 19.Rf1 Bb4+ 20. Ke2 Rae8
White resigned
It's been a while - well over a year - since I've played a Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, and I knew that I was a bit rusty (and a lot forgetful), but I had no idea I had such a horrible game in me - until I played the following. To be fair, my opponent wasn't on his best game, either.
You would do just as well to check out the first six moves, then move along.
perrypawnpusher - michon
blitz, FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. Black is just dying for White to play 4.Nxe5, so he can counter-attack with 4...Qg5!?
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. Of course, White can also play 4.Nxd4, 4.0-0, 4.d3 or 4.c3.
4...Ke7
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, Declined; more of a psychological ploy than a move sustained by analysis. I have likened it to a "Jedi Mind Trick".
There are 451 games in The Database with this move, and, not surprisingly, White wins 70%.
5.Bxg8
5.Bc4 was seen in perrypawnpusher - PlatinumKnight, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 9); perrypawnpusher - zadox, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 14); and perrypawnpusher - vlas, blitz, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 84).
5.Bb3 was seen in perrypawnpusher - Roetman, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 12).
5...Rxg8
Or 5...Nxf3+ as in perrypawnpusher - zadox, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 49); and perrypawnpusher - zimmernazl, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 30).
Or 5...Ke8 as in perrypawnpusher - zadox, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29).
6.Nxe5
And, seriously, folks, the following moves are for historical (not hysterical) purposes only. Feel free to ignore them. (You can find them in The Database.)
6...Kd6 c5 8.Nxd4 cxd4 9.Qh5 h6 10.Qd5+ Kc7 11.Qxg8 Qe7 12.Qc4+ Kd8 13.Qxd4 d6 14.Nc3 g5 15.Nd5 Qe8 16.Qf6+ Be7 17.Qxe7+ Qxe7 18.Nxe7 Kxe7 19.d4 Bg4 20.f3 Bh5 21.Be3 Re8 22.0-0 Kd7 23.c4 Kc7 24.c5 g4 25.cxd6+ Kxd6 26.Bf4+ Kd7 27.Rac1 gxf3 28.Rc7+ Kd8 29.gxf3 Bf7 30.Bxh6 Bxa2 31.Rxb7 Bc4 32.Rb8+ Kd7 33.Rxe8 Kxe8 34.Rc1 Be2 35.Kf2 Kf7 36.Rc7+ Kg6 37.Be3 Bb5 38.Rxa7 Kh5 39.Ra5 Kh4 40.Rxb5 Kh3 41.Rh5 checkmate
I'm always up for a Jerome Gambit, if my opponent allows it.
Well - almost always. Sometimes my patience falters.
But that doesn't mean that I can't still play cheesy chess.
perrypawnpusher - kanidonara
blitz, FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
Side-stepping the Jerome Gambit for the Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0
Hoping for 4...Bc5 and a chance at the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.
4...Nf6 5.Nc3
Okay. Looking for 5...Bc5 and the ability to play the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...a6
My opponent holds off on his ...Bc5. I've fussed about this before, in "Are We There Yet?"
6.d4
Giving up on the Jerome Gambit.
Previously I prevaricated with 6.a3 and then my opponents allowed me my wish by playing ...Bc5: perrypawnpusher - cinamon, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28); and perrypawnpusher - Olito, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 35).
I also "passed" with 6.d3, getting a chance to sacrifice my Bishop as well, in perrypawnpusher - tschup, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 18)
Bill Wall played 6.a4 and scored with 6...Bd6 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qe2 Re8 9.Qc4+ Kf8 10.Nh4 Ne7 11.d3 b6 12.f4 a5 13.fxe5 Bxe5 14.d4 d5 15.exd5 Bd6 16.Bxh6 gxh6 17.Rxf6+ Kg7 18.Raf1 Ba6 19.Nb5 Be5 20.dxe5 Qxd5 21.Qg4+ Kh7 22.Rf7+ Kh8 23.Qg7 checkmate, Wall,B - Kamyar,K, Chess.com, 2011.
6...exd4 7.Nxd4 Bc5
8.Be3
I suppose that I could have still tried 8.Bxf7+, (although there are no examples in The Database) but I wanted to play this not-very-deep "trappy" move, as it was easy to guess my opponent's routine response.
8...0-0
Routine, but trouble.
9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Bxc5
My opponent resigned a few moves later.
Here are a couple of similar examples, by long-time Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member PlatinumKnight.
PlatinumKnight - strawks
blitz, FICS, 2005
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bxc5 Nxe4 9.Bxf7+ Kxf7 10.Qf3+ Nf6 11.Bd4 Qe7+ 12.Kd1 Re8 13.Qb3+ d5 14.Nd2 Qe2+ 15.Kc1 Qe1+ 16.Rxe1 Rxe1 checkmate
PlatinumKnight - warehouse
blitz, FICS, 2005
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Nxc6 Bxe3 9.Nxd8+ Rxd8 10.0-0 Bg5 11.e5 Ng8 12.Qf3+ Ke6 13.Re1 c6 14.Nc3 b5 15.Ne4 Ne7 16.Nxg5+ hxg5 17.Qg4+ Kd5 18.Qxg5 g6 19.Rad1+ Kc5 20.e6+ Kb6 21.Qxe7 a5 22.Qxd8+ Kc5 23.e7 Bb7 24.Qxd7 Bc8 25.Qc7 Bf5 26.Re5+ Kb4 27.c3+ Ka4 28.Qxc6 Rb8 29.Rd4 checkmate
The following game, my most recent Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, is the kind of encounter where I made a move, then my opponent made a move, then I made a move... Afterward, Rybka criticized most of them. It's a lazy game.
perrypawnpusher - zimmernazl
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Ke7 5.Bxg8
Of course, it is also possible to retreat the Bishop with 5.Bc4 as in perrypawnpusher - zadox, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 14), perrypawnpusher - PlatinumKnight, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 9); and perrypawnpusher - vlas, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 84); or with 5.Bb3 as in perrypawnpusher - Roetman, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 12).
5...Nxf3+
More routine is 5...Rxg8 as in perrypawnpusher - TheProducer, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 16) and perrypawnpusher - issamica, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 8).
Downright strange was 5...Ke8 6.Nxe5 (6.Bb3) Qg5 7.Nf3 Qxg2 8.Nxd4 Qxh1+ 9.Ke2 Qxd1+ 10.Kxd1 Rxg8 as in perrypawnpusher - zadox, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29).
6.Qxf3 Rxg8 7.Nc3 g6
Or 7...d6 like in perrypawnpusher - zadox, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 49).
8.d4 Ke8 9.Be3
At this point I realized that I was just making moves, and so decided to focus on development and King safety, trusting that my extra pawn and my opponent's unsafe King would decide the game.
9...Bb4 10.0-0 Bxc3 11.bxc3 exd4 12.cxd4 Rf8 13.Qe2 d6 14.f4
In the "Jerome pawns" we trust.
14...b6 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Bb7 17.Rxf8+ Kxf8 18.Rf1+ Kg7 19.Qf2 Qe7 20.c3 Ba6 21.Qf6+ Qxf6 22.Rxf6 Rf8 23.Rxf8
A little to routine. With 23.Bh6+ I could have won the exchange and made the endgame easier.
23...Kxf8 24.Kf2 Ke7 25.Kg3 Bb7 26.h4 c5 27.dxc5 bxc5 28.Bxc5+ Ke6 29.Bxa7 Kf5 30.Bd4 Black resigned
My guess is that my opponent resigned here when he noticed that he was just making moves here, too, and could have played 29...Kxe5, instead. It would have made a difference.
I was willing to go into the notoriously drawish Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, and 3 pawns up, I think White would win; but 2 pawns up, I think Black had a draw...
My opponent laid down two challenges in the following game, one in the opening and one in the endgame. I was very glad to take each of them up.
perrypawnpusher - zadox
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Ke7
I have classified declining the Bishop in this way, followed by returning the Black King to e8 (with the hopes of luring White into complacently playing Nxe5), as some sort of "Jedi mind trick".
My opponent may simply have been unwilling to go along with my plan, playing a psychological gambit ("if you want me to take the bishop, I won't take the bishop").
In any event, The Database has 11 games with zadox playing this move; showing a single win for Black (a time forfeit when White was a bit better). Perhaps it is time to move along to another line of play?
5.Bxg8
Also possible was 5.Bb3, as in perrypawnpusher - Roetman, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 12) and 5.Bc4, as in perrypawnpusher - vlas, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 84), perrypawnpusher - zadox, blitz, FICS 2010 (1-0, 14) and perrypawnpusher - PlatinumKnight, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 9).
5...Nxf3+
This was a switch from 5...Ke8 in perrypawnpusher - zadox, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29) and 5...Rxg8 in perrypawnpusher - TheProducer, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 16).
6.Qxf3 Rxg8
Here is the first challenge: we are playing neither a "normal" Jerome Gambit nor a "normal" Blackburne Shilling Gambit, can I make something of the extra pawn.
I think so.
7.Nc3 d6 8.Nd5+ Kd7 9.Qh3+ Kc6 10.Qxh7 Be6
Okay, it is nothing spectacular, but I am now up two pawns.
11.d3 Be7 12.Nxe7+ Qxe7 13.Qh5 b6 14.Bg5 Qf7 15.Qxf7 Bxf7
The outline of the second challenge is forming: do I think that I can take the game into a Bishops-of-opposite-colors ending and find more than half a point?
I think so.
We both raced through the next series of moves.
16.0-0-0 a5 17.b3 b5 18.Kb2 a4 19.Be3 axb3 20.axb3 Ra6 21.Ra1 Rga8 22.Rxa6+ Rxa6 23.Ra1 Rxa1 24.Kxa1
It is well-known that this kind of ending is very drawish, and an extra one, two, or even three pawns may not be enough for White to win.
In this particular ending, however, I was confident that I could convert. Readers are asked to point out a defense for Black that holds.
24...Bh5 25.f4 exf4 26.Bxf4 Bd1 27.Kb2 Be2 28.Kc3 Bd1 29.d4 d5
This is part of a strategy to get all of Black's pawns on the light squares, the same color as that of his Bishop, so that the drawish nature of the endgame can be enhanced; but the result, here, is a White pawn at e5 that is both passed and protected.
Might it have been better to hold the Black d-pawn back and wait for White to play e4-e5, exchanging at e5 and leaving the resulting passer without pawn protection?
30.e5 Kd7 31.Kd2 Bh5 32.h3 Ke6 33.g4 Bf7 34.h4 g6
Black's King very effectively blockades the e5 pawn.
To win, White needs another passer.
35.Bg5 c6 36.b4 Be8 37.Ke3 Bf7 38.Kf4 Be8 39.Bd8 Bf7 40.Kg5 Be8 41.h5 gxh5 42.gxh5
42...Kd7 43.Bf6
This move wins, as planned, but I was amused later to see that I could have simply played 43.h6 and continued to advance the pawn to the end line. Better for Black would have been 42...Kf7, but White would still succeed.
43...Bf7 44.h6 Bg8 45.Kg6 Ke8 46.h7 Bxh7+ 47.Kxh7
Mission accomplished.
47...Kf7 48.Kh8 Ke6 49.Kg7 Black resigned
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4!?) is supposed to lead to exciting chess for the second player, but when White responds in Jerome Gambit style (4.Bxf7+!?) there is excitement for both players (as GM Lev Alburt pointed out in his March 2011 Chess Life column, "How to Trick the Trickster").
If Black tries further psychology with 4...Ke7?!, either as a form of "Jedi mind trick" (search "mind trick" on this blog, or start here) or out of contrariness, it is up to White to claim his advantage.
The following game ends quickly, as Black realizes that he is simply down two pawns, and those are odds that he did not want to give.
perrypawnpusher - issamica
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Ke7
I admit, the first time that zadox played this move against me, in a sort of "Jedi mind trick" (how else to explain my strange chess behavior?), it left me quite indisposed. Readers of this blog should not fall for such a thing, though.
Defenders who decide "if you want me to take the Bishop, then I won't take it" must also live with the consequences of such a position.
5.Bxg8
There is nothing wrong with 5.Bb3 as in perrypawnpusher - Roetman, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 12); or 5.Bc4 as in perrypawnpusher - vlas, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 84), perrypawnpusher - zadox, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 14) or perrypawnpusher - PlatinumKnight, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 9).
5...Rxg8 6.Nxe5
It is also quite possible to play 6.Nxd4 or 6.d3.
6...d6
Or 6...Ke8 7.d3 d6 as in perrypawnpusher - TheProducer, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 16).
7.d3 Ke6
8.Nf3
Playing it safe and sitting on my two pawn advantage.
Adventurous readers would no doubt prefer to offer a piece that cannot be taken, with 8.Qg4+ Ke7 (8...Kxe5 9.Bf4+ Kf6 10.Qg5+ Kf7 11.Qxd8; 8...Kf6 9.Bg5+ Kxe5 10.f4#; 8...Nf5 9.Qxf5+ Ke7 10.Qf7#) 9.Qh5 when White's threat to win the Black Queen with Bg5+ is too much to cope with.
My plan was equally unpalatable to my opponent.
Black resigned
Exploring an opening variation has its excitements and its drawbacks. Often it is best, once the end of the trail is reached, to reflect on the path travelled – in case you go that way again.
AMITAF - aditikalpesh
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.f4
Common, but perhaps not best. This move allows Black chances that he does not take advantage of in this game.
6...Bd6
An odd sideline that puts Black at great risk. He needed to play 6...Qh4+ 7.g3 Qh3 with possibilities of infiltrating on the Kingside.
7.c3
Solid.
Next time White can come armed with 7.Qg4+ Kf6 (or 7...Ke7, jamci - tpg, FICS, 2009 [1-0, 26]; Handlangari - PlatinumKnight, FICS, 2007 [1-0, 9] and bushytail - PlatinumKnight, FICS, 2009 [1-0, 9]; or 7...Nf5 8.Qxf5+ Cyberkid - PlatinumKnight, FICS, 2009 [1-0, 8]) 8.Qg5+ wayaut - tomcatx, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 8] and Pandolfl - screaminghead, FICS, 2005 [1-0, 15]
7...Nc6
Lost.
Better: 7...Bxe5 while he has the chance. (Hint: White's best response would be 8.0-0, and he would be worse.)
8.d4
Again, the short cut next time would be 8.Qb3+ Ke7 9.Qf7 checkmate
8...Nb8
Danger.
Again, 8...Bxe5 was the choice, with White only slightly better.
9.f5+
This leads to White's advantage.
So, too, would 9.Qb3+ Kf6 10.Qf7 checkmate.
9...Ke7 10.Bg5+ Nf6
The brutal pin on the Black Knight at f6 and the possibility of forking the Knight and Bishop with a pawn (once White's Knight is out of the way after 11.Ng4) give White a clear advantage.
11.Nd2 h6
Certainly Black should have tried to remedy the ills mentioned above with 11...Kf8 12.Nd3 Be7 13.e5 h6 14.Bh4 Nd5 15.Bxe7+ Qxe7 16.Qf3 Qf7 17.0-0 Nc6 18.Rae1 Kg8, although White would still be for choice.
Now the wilderness swallows him up.
12.Ng6+ Kf7 13.Qb3+
13...Ke8 14.Nxh8 hxg5 15.Qf7 checkmate
If a chess game is like a puzzle, the following contest shows that my opponent and I could find only pieces of it, never quite putting together the full picture.
perrypawnpusher - richiehill
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5
The Italian Four Knights Game.
5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+
Last year my opponent tried his hand with this opening and scored quickly: 6.Ng5+ Ke7 7.d4 exd4 8.Nd5+ Nxd5 9.exd5 Kd6 10.Nf7+ Black resigned, richiehill - SullenKhan, FICS, 2009.
He also had a successful go with the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, richiehill - PlatinumKnight, FICS, 2009.
6...Nxe5 7.d4
7...Nxe4
An interesting defensive idea that I've looked at in "Nothing Much Happened" and "Navigating On One's Own".
Most often seen is 7...Bxd4 and best is 7...Bd6.
My opponent once tried 7...Bb4 8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Qxe4 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 d5 12.Qf4+ Kg8 13.0-0 c6 14.Qg3 Bf5 15.Bg5 Qd7 16.f4 Bxc2 17.Qe3 Bf5 18.Rf3 Re8 19.Rg3 g6 20.Bf6 Kf7 21.Bxh8 Rxh8 22.Qd4 Re8 23.Qxa7 Be4 24.Qe3 Kg8 25.Rg5 Rf8 26.Rf1 Ra8 27.c4 Rxa2 28.cxd5 cxd5 29.Qb3 Rc2 30.Re1 h6 31.Rg3 Qc6 32.Rxe4 Rc1+ 33.Kf2 Rc2+ 34.Re2 Qc5+ 35.Rge3 Rxe2+ 36.Kxe2 Black resigned, jfhumphrey - richiehill, FICS, 2009.
8.Nxe4 Bb4+
This is actually better than either 8...Bxd4 (yorgos -josephjorkens, FICS, 2009, [1-0,45]), 8...Be7 (perrypawnpusher - sdockray, blitz, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 28] or 8...Bb6 (perrypawnpusher - BallsOfFire, blitz, FICS, 2010, [aborted by adjudication, 9]).
9.c3 d5
10.Ng5+ Kg6
The King would be safer at g8.
11.dxe5 Bc5
Since Black removes a piece from danger and points it at f2, it is not immediately clear that this move makes his situation worse.
After the game Rybka suggested 11...h6 12.Nh3 Bxh3 13.gxh3 Bc5 14.Rg1+ Kh7 15.Qd3+ Kg8 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.Qxe3 c6 18.0-0-0 Qe7 when White is stll better, but his advantage is less than after the text.
12.h4
I was so happy with the "boldness" of this move that it took me a while to realize that I had actually moved the wrong pawn.
After 12.g4, Black has no time for 12...h6, as 13.Qd3+ Bf5 14.Qxf5 is mate. His best defense, 12...Qf8, still would lose a piece to 13.Qc2+ and after 13...Bf5 White can even throw in the gnarly 14.h4! just to see if Black is paying attention.
analysis diagram
Of course, if Black now takes the Queen it is 15.h5 mate. However, after 14...h5 the King is okay for the moment, and White has to settle with winning the Bishop after all with 15.gxf5+.
12...h5
13.0-0
Rybka prefers 13.Qd3+ but there are still some fireworks left in the position.
13...Bg4
My opponent understandably guards against dicovered checks.
Again, Rybka, which, after the game, understood more than either richiehill or I did, suggested 13...Bf5. After 14.Qf3 Be7 White has the leap 15.Nf7 which either wins the exchange or, after 15...Kxf7 16.Qxf5+ Kg8 allows White to build the pressure with 17.Bg5.
analysis diagram
14.Qd3+ Bf5 15.Qg3 Bg4
Again, the Bishop shields the King. Against what? Rybka gives a peek: if instead 15...Qe7, then 16.Bf4 Rhf8 17.Ne4+ Kh7 18.Bg5 Bxe4 19.Bxe7 Bxe7 and White has won the Queen for two pieces.
16.Be3
Still worrying about that Bishop on c5!
It turns out that there was another Knight leap available to White: 16.Ne6 Qe7 17.Nxc5 Qxc5 18.Be3 Qe7 19.f3 and the shield (Black's Bishop) has become the target!
16...Qe7 17.f4
Hoping to get something going by advancing the "Jerome pawns", but Black's heroic Bishops can again thwart much of that with 17...Bxe3+ 18.Qxe3 Bf5.
17...c6
Taking a breath to shore up his position, Black lets the pawn distract the powerful prelate...
18.f5+ Bxf5
If 18...Kh7 then 19.f6 rips the position open. The text move finally allows a discovered check, winning a piece.
19.Ne4+ Black resigned
