Crime and Punisher

One nice thing about this blog is that people around the world read it.

Another nice thing is that not everybody reads it.

So, less than a week ago I played, analyzed, and posted a Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit game (see "Gorilla Chess") and today I played the same opponent in the same line and used my "improvement" – which readers would be aware of – confidently.

perrypawnpusher - PunisherABD

blitz FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6

6.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Kxd4

We've been here before, PunisherABD and I.

8.d3

This is my improvement over 8.Nc3, which my opponent had answered with the uncomfortable 8...Qg5.

The next few moves were pretty easy to work out.

8...Ke5 9.Qh5+ Ke6 10.Qf5+ Ke7 11.Bg5+ Nf6 12.e5

Black's King has returned safely from his journey, and now, after 12...Kf7 13.exf6 gxf6 White will have a small edge in the position – not much larger than if the first player had played the more traditional 4.0-0, 4.d3, 4.Nc3 or 4.Nxd4. 

The difference is one of comfort. When a player is uneasy about a position, he is more likely to make an error, regardless of the "objective" evaluation of his situation.

12...Ke8

This is what I mean. Trouble follows quickly.

13.exf6 Kf7

Black could have chosen to go down swinging with 13...Bb4+ 14.Kd1 Rf8, although if White has faith in his advanced pawn and supports it with his Queen, all will be well: 15.Qe4+ Kf7 16.Qxh7 Rg8 17.Qh5+ g6 18.Qh7+ Ke6 19.f7, etc.

analysis diagram





Back to the game...

14.fxg7+ Kf7 15.Bxd8

I thought that this would be enough to end the game, but PunisherABD is made of stronger stuff. I kept collecting material and he kept playing on.

15...Kg8 16. Bf6 Bg7 17.Qg5 Kf7 18.Qxg7+ Ke6 19.Qxh8

19...b6 20.0-0 Bb7 21.Re1+ Kd6 22.Be5+ Kc6 23.Qf6+ d6

24.Na3 Re8 25.Rac1+ Kd7 26.Qf5+ Kd8 27.Bf6+ Black resigned

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, The Wizard of Draws

Gorilla Chess

The general view of gorillas is one of lots of muscle and perhaps less of intellect. The following game, played this week, shows that adding Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+) ideas to the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4) can produce some powerful chess – even if occasionally brawn triumphs over brain.

perrypawnpusher  - PunisherABD

blitz 5 12, FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit, a frequent visitor to these pages (see "Jerome Gambit: Reeling Sequel", "Keep the shilling...", "Aaarrrgggh!", and "My Turn Again" for recent mentions).

4.Bxf7+

Specialty of the House.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6

6.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Kxd4

When I checked my database for this position after the game, I was surprised to see that, of six games, White won three and Black won three. After study, I came to the conclusion that despite the dangerous position of Black's King, the game is still roughly even.

8.Nc3 Qg5

This is really not a good time to start monkeying around with the position. Rybka suggests that Black focus, instead, on safely retreating his King and returning some material. After 8...c6 9.d3 Kc5 10.Qb3 Kd6 11.Bf4+ Ke2 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.e5 d5 14.0-0 Kf7 15.exf6 gxf6 – the moves are not difficult to find after the strategic plan is clear – and the game is in balance.

Analysis diagram





9.0-0

This move keeps White's advantage, but the computer took me to task for missing the tricky 9.Qa4+ Ke5 10.f4+ when the capture of the pawn by either Black piece is met with 11.d4+. Nice.

9...Ke5

This is disastrous. Time was not an issue, but rather a bad case of "shock and awe".

10.f4+ Qxf4 11.Rxf4 Kxf4

12.Qf3+

Repeat after me, Class: When you see a good move, sit on your hands, there might be a better one...

I hate having missed the picturesque 12.d4 checkmate. 

12...Ke5 13.Qf5+

13...Kd4 14.Qd5 checkmate