It has been fun following the games of many Jerome Gambit players, including, recently, DANNYALBERTO at the online site FICS. In the following game, he forgets the best line that he had once discovered - but manages to pull off a win in under a dozen moves, anyhow, proving, once again, that "Jerome Gambit + blitz chess = exciting play".
DANNYALBERTO - boggus
3 0 blitz, FICS, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
The Database has 69 with DANNYALBERTO playing White in the position; he scores 64%.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3 Qg5
Black plays the thematic move in the Blackburne Shilling Gambit! Best, however, even with the increased risk to his King, was to take the Knight, 6...Kxe5.
7.cxd4
A bit too casual was 7.O-O, which was followed by an uneven game: 7...Qxe5 8.cxd4 Qxd4 9.d3 Bb4 10.Qb3+ Ke7 11.Be3 Qd6 12.d4 Ba5 13.e5 Qb6 14.Bg5+ Ke8 15.Qc4 h6 16.Bh4 Ne7 17.a3 Qc6 18.Qd3 Qd5 19.b4 Bb6 20.Rd1 d6 21.Nc3 Qf7 22.exd6 cxd6 White lost on time, DANNYALBERTO - Steftcho, 3 0 blitz, FICS, 2016.
7...Qxg2
Black's Queen threatens mayhem on the Kingside!
The game is soon to be over - but not as Black plans.
8.Rf1
Forgetting this from last year: 8.Qb3+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc6 11.Qd5 checkmate, DANNYALBERTO - boggus, 3 0 blitz, FICS, 2019.
He had also played the very reasonable 8.Qf3, which brought victory after 8...Qxf3 9.Nxf3 Nf6 10.Nc3 c6 11.d3 d5 12.Ng5+ Ke7 13.b3 h6 14.Nf3 Bg4 15.Ne5 Bh5 16.Rg1 g5 17.Ba3+ Ke8 18.Bxf8 Rxf8 19.exd5 cxd5 20.Kd2 Ke7 21.Rae1 Kd6 22.Nb5+ Ke7 23.Ng6+ Kf7 24.Nxf8 Rxf8 25.Nd6+ Kg6 26.Nxb7 Rb8 27.Nc5 a5 28.Re6 Kf5 29.Rxf6+ Kxf6 30.Nd7+ Kf5 31.Nxb8 Kf4 32.Rg3 Bg6 33.Nc6 h5 34.Ne7 Bh7 35.Nxd5+ Kf5 36.Ne7+ Kf4 37.Nc6 h4 38.Rg1 g4 39.Nxa5 Bf5 40.Nc4 Kf3 41.Ne3 Bd7 42.Nxg4 Bxg4 43.a4 Bc8 44.Rg7 Kxf2 45.d5 h3 46.d6 Be6 47.b4 Bd5 48.a5 Bg2 49.d7 Kg1 50.d8=Q Kxh2 51.Qd6+ Kh1 52.Qg3 h2 53.Qxg2, checkmate, DANNYALBERTO - fluters, 3 0 blitz, FICS, 2019.
He also experimented with (got away with) the dangerous 8.Qh5: 8...Qxh1+ 9.Ke2 Qxe4+ 10.Kd1 Nf6 (10...Qxd4 11.Nf3 Qf6 12.Nc3 d5 13.Qxd5+ Ke7 14.d3 c6 15.Qb3 Qxf3+ 16.Kc2 Qxf2+ 17.Bd2 Nf6 18.Re1+ Kd6 19.Qf7 Qf5 20.Ne2 Be6 21.Bf4+ Kc5 22.Qxb7 Bd6 23.Be3+ Kd5 24.Qb3+ Ke5 25.Bd4 checkmate, DANNYALBERTO - boggus, 3 0 blitz, FICS, 2016) 11.Qf7+ Kd6 12.Nc4+ Kc6 13.Ne5+ Kb6 14.Qb3+ Ka6 15.Qa4+ Kb6 16.Nc4 checkmate, DANNYALBERTO - fluters, 3 0 blitz, FICS, 2019.
8...Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2
Material is even, and White has an advantage in development, but his pawn structure is a mess. Komodo 10 gives Black about a pawn advantage, provided he addresses his need for development.
Instead, Black sees the opportunity to go pawn hunting with his now relatively safe King - but he has overlooked something.
10...Kd5 11.Nf7 Black resigned
I have written here before about Rodolfo Pardi (see "Blackburne Shilling Gambit Investigator")
Recently I received a request for The Database from Rodolfo Pardi (librarian, Italian Chess Federation chess instructor and tournament director), the author of a good number of chess books, including A dreadful Chess Trap: Blackburne Shilling. He said he had been frequently meeting the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+), and wanted to know more about it.Of course, I sent the (compressed) PGN file right away!
In a recent email he said he had updated his book about the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, adding a section for the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit and noting
As my book is aimed to the player with Black, I put a link to the following file, containing 600 games from your database [The Database] where Black plays Ke6 and ends winning. http://scacchi.vecchilibri.eu/partite/jeromeke6.html
Wow.
Rodolfo was referring to the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 and I thought I would take a closer look at it. The following game holds a lot of analysis and ideas - and also shows the practical side of the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, as complications bring the clock into play.
hanslenz - raidrunner
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. The Database has 5,337 game examples. White scores 56%. (Only 2% of the games are draws.)
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6
Black's most enterprising response. Here The Database has 1,434 games, with White scoring 53%.
6.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Ke6
Wise. Black avoids a whole lot of trouble by declining the d-pawn and the e-pawn. Trust me. Or check out the wild analysis, below.
After 7...Kxd4?! 8.Qb3 we enter a line that shows up in exactly 0 games in The Database, and which has complications galore.
Stockfish 8 recommends 8...d5 (instead, grabbing the second pawn makes matters dangeously worse for Black: 8...Kxe4?! 9.d4! Bb4+!? 10.Nc3+!? Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Qe7 12.g4!? Qe6 [12...Kf3+ 13.Be3 Kxg4 14.Rg1+ and mates] 13.c4 Qxg4 [13...Kxd4+ 14.Be3+ and mates] 14.Qc2+ Kxd4 15.Qb2+ Kd3 [15...Ke4 16.f3+!? Qxf3 17.Rf1 Qxf1+ 18.Kxf1 and wins] 16.Be3 Ke4 17.h3 Qg6 18.0–0–0 Qf6 19.Bd4 Qf4+ 20.Kb1 Kf5 21.Bxg7 d6 22.Bxh8 Ke6 23.Rhg1 and White is winning) 9.Nc3 Ne7 10.Nb5+!? (Or 10.exd5 Ke5 11.0–0 Kf6 12.d6 Kg6 [12...Nc6 13.Ne4+ Kg6 14.Qg3+ Kf7 15.Ng5+ Kf6 16.b4 Bxd6 17.Bb2+ Be5 18.Bxe5+ Nxe5 19.Ne4+ Kf7 20.Qf4+ Kg6 21.Qxe5] 13.dxe7 Bxe7 14.Re1 Re8 15.d4 Bd6 16.Bd2 h6 17.Nd5 c6 18.Nf4+ Bxf4 19.Bxf4 Rxe1+ 20.Rxe1 Qd5 21.Qxd5 cxd5 22.Re7 Kf6 23.Rc7 g5 1.52/27 ) 10...Ke5 11.Nxc7!? Rb8 (11...Qxc7? 12.Qg3+ Kf6 13.Qxc7) 12.d4+ Kf6 [only move] 13.Bf4 dxe4 14.0–0 h6 15.Rae1 b5 16.Be5+ Kg6 17.Ne6 Bxe6 18.Qxe6+ Kh7 19.Bxb8 Qxb8 20.Rxe4 Qc8 21.g3 Qxe6 22.Rxe6 Nf5 with the advantage to White of R+2P vs N+B.
If Black tries 7...Kxe4?! instead, White has 8.Qf3!? Kxd4 9.Nc3 (there are no games with this move in The Database) and Black will lose material trying to undo the mating web. For example, 9...c6 10.Qe3+ Kc4 11.a4!? Qe7 - trying to keep the White Queen out of the action by pinning it to the King - 12.b3!? and Black will lose his Queen after 12...Kb4 13.Ba3+ or be checkmated after 12...Kxb3 13.Ne4+ Kc4 14.Ba3!? Also a reasonable defensive try is 9...Qe7+, but after the logical 10.Kd1 White's King is far less uncomfortable, for example 10...Nf6 11.Qf4+ Kc5 12.Qxc7+ Kd4 13.Re1, winning the Queen. (See also "Regicide".)
8.O-O
Keeping his options open.
Also seen:
8.Nc3 Kf7 (8...Bb4, instead, is "A casual move that brings much misfortune"; see Clydeco - chaparov, standard, FICS, 2012) 9.Qb3+ (9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qf3+ Qf6 11.Qd3 Bg7 12.e5 Qa6 13.Qf3+ Ke8 14.d3 Ne7 15.O-O Rf8 16.Qh3 h5 17.Qg3 d6 18.Bg5 dxe5 19.Bxe7 Kxe7 20.Nd5+ Kd8 21.dxe5 Bf5 22.e6 Qd6 23.e7+ Ke8 24.exf8=Q+ Bxf8 25.Nxc7+ Kd7 26.Nxa8 Qxg3 27.fxg3 Bc5+ 28.d4 Bxd4+ 29.Kh1 Bxb2 30.Rab1 Bxb1 31.Rxb1 Ba3 32.Rxb7+ Kc6 33.Rxa7 Bc5 34.Rg7 Kb5 35.Rxg6 h4 36.gxh4 Kc4 37.Rg5 Be3 38.Rg3 Bf4 39.Rg4 Kd5 40.Rxf4 Kc6 41.h5 Kd6 42.h6 Ke6 43.h7 Ke5 44.Rf7 Ke6 45.h8=Q Kxf7 46.g4 Ke6 47.g5 Kf7 White ran out of time, Black has no material to mate, do drawn, Randompl - Steftcho, FICS, 2012) 9...Ke8 10.O-O (10.d3 c6 11.O-O d6 12.Bf4 Qf6 13.Ne2 Qe6 14.d5 cxd5 15.Nd4 Qf6 16.Qb5+ Kf7 17.Qxd5+ Kg6 18.e5 Qxf4 19.Ne6 Bxe6 20.Qxe6+ Kh5 21.Rae1 Black forfeited on time, papernoose - nuumm, FICS, 2004) 10...Be7 11.f4 Nf6 12.e5 Ng8 13.Ne4 d6 14.exd6 Bxd6 15.Re1 Kf8 16.Ng5 Qf6 17.Ne6+ Bxe6 18.Rxe6 Qxd4+ 19.Kh1 Bc5 20.Re3 b6 21.d3 Nf6 22.Bd2 Ng4 23.Re4 Nf2+ White resigned, bestcoast - Banjar, FICS, 2013; and
8.d5+ Ke7 9.d4 d6 10.Bg5+ Nf6 11.e5 h6 12.exf6+ gxf6 13.Bh4 Bg7 14.Qe2+ Kf8 15.O-O Bf5 16.Nc3 a6 17.Qf3 Bg6 18.Ne4 Kf7 19.Rae1 Re8 20.Ng3 Qd7 21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.Ne2 Be4 23.Qh5+ Bg6 24.Qf3 Be4 25.Qh5+ Bg6 26.Qf3 Be4 27.Qb3 Bxg2 28.Re1 Bf3 29.Qxf3 Kg8 30.Kh1 f5 31.Rg1 Re4 32.Nf4 Qf7 33.Ne6 Rg4 34.Rxg4 fxg4 35.Qxg4 Kh7 36.f3 Bxd4 37.Qe4+ Kg8 38.Qxd4 Qxf3+ 39.Kg1 Black resigned, marciprevi - nchak, FICS, 2016
8...d6 9.f4
9...Ke7
9...Kf7 was seen in topsoul - moisesserraramos, lichess.org, 2016
10.f5 h6 11.e5
Understandable, but a bit premature, although it is tempting to hurry things up in a blitz game. Better was 11.Nc3.
11...dxe5 12.dxe5 Qd5
If Black wants to win the e-pawn he probably should start out with 12...Qd4+ 13.Kh1 Kd8 when there will be no danger of the Queen being pinned to her King.
13.Nc3 Qd4+ 14.Kh1 Ke8
Missing the advice of the previous note.
15.Qe2 Bd7
White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece, and a much safer King. He is better.
16.b3 a6 17.Bb2 Kd8 18.Rab1
It is clear that White want's to unmask his fianchettoed Bishop, but 18.Nd1!? might have been a better way to to that. Or he could patiently play 18.Rc1 instead.
18...Qh4 19.d4 Kc8 20.d5 b6 21.a4 Bc5 22.e6 Be8 23.Ne4
White has clearly taken control of the game.
23...Nf6 24.Nxf6
White prefers to hold onto his powerful Bishop, but he could have considered exchanging it, as after 24.Bxf6!? gxf6 25.g3!? Black's Queen will be nudged away from protecting the pawn at f6, e.g. 25...Qh5 26.Qc4 and the pawn will fall.
24...gxf6 25.Qf3 Bh5
Suddenly Black seems to be in charge.
26.Qd3
White had the alternative 26.Bxf6!? Bxf3 27.Bxh4 Bxd5 28.b4 Bd6 29.Rbd1 c6, but his "Jerome pawns" appear stalled.
26...Bd6 27.g3 Qg4
The clock seems to be affecting moves at this point.
28.Bxf6 Qe2
Missing the fact that after the exchange of Queens and then the "exhange" of Rooks, he would drop a piece, i.e. 29.Qxe2 Bxe2 30.Bxh8 Bxf1 31.Rxf1.
29.Qc3
Yikes! Tick, tick, tick... Black now has 29...Qe4+ 30.Kg1 Bc5+ winning White's Queen.
29...Bf3+
Seeing ghosts.
Now Black drops a piece, and the "Jerome pawns" advance menacingly.
30.Rxf3 Rg8 31. Bh4 Qe4 32. Rbf1 Qxd5 33. e7 Re8 34. f6 Bxe7 35.fxe7 Kb7
Cruel, cruel clock.
36.Kg1 Qc5+ 37.Qxc5 bxc5 38.Rf8 Kb6 39.Rxe8 Rxe8 40.Rf8 Rxe7 41.Bxe7
Here Black forfeited on time.
I was looking at some recent games played at lichess.org, and recognized the name Darrenshome. I should - he has over 400 games in The Database, played at FICS, starting in 2005.
It turns out that Darrenshome has also played almost 6,000 games, total, at lichess.org. I don't have a way to easily check his work there for Jerome Gambit and related games, but I wanted to share the following.
Darrenshome - sanuch111
3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2016
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.c3 Qg5 7.cxd4
The right idea against Black's thematic threat.
He fought valliantly after the slip 7.Qf3, but it was all for naught: 7...Nxf3+ 8.Nxf3 Qxg2 9.Rg1 Qxf3 10.d3 Qxd3 11.Rg3 Qd6 12.Be3 Be7 13.Nd2 Bh4 14.Rxg7 Qf6 15.Rg1 d6 16.Bd4 Bxf2+ 17.Bxf2 Qf4 18.Bd4 Nf6 19.O-O-O Rf8 20.e5 Ne4 21.exd6 cxd6 22.Rge1 Bg4 23.Rxe4+ Qxe4 24.Nxe4 Bxd1 25.Kxd1 Kd7 26.Nf6+ Ke6 27.Nxh7 Rf1+ 28.Ke2 Rh1 29.Ng5+ Kd5 30.Nf3 Re8+ 31.Kd3 b6 32.Be3 Rd1+ 33.Nd2 Rh8 34.c4+ Kc6 35.Bf4 Rh3+ 36.Bg3 Rh5 37.Kc2 Rg1 38.Nf3 Rg2+ 39.Kc3 d5 40.Ne5+ Kc5 41.Nd3+ Kc6 42.Ne5+ Kb7 43.Nd3 dxc4 44.Nf4 Rxg3+ 45.hxg3 Rg5 46.Kxc4 Rxg3 47.Nd3 a6 48.a3 b5+ 49.Kd4 Kb6 50.Ne5 Rg2 51.Nd3 a5 52.Kd5 Rd2 53.Kd4 Kc6 54.Kc3 Rh2 55.Kd4 a4 56.Ke5 Rh4 57.Nf2 Kc5 58.Ne4+ Kc4 59.Nd6+ Kb3 60.Kd5 Rh5+ 61.Kc6 Kxb2 62.Nxb5 Rxb5 63.Kxb5 Kxa3 64.Kc4 Kb2 65.Kd4 a3 66.Ke3 a2 White resigned, Darrenshome - AndyMell, FICS, 2005
7...Qxg2 8.Qf3 Qxf3 9.Nxf3 d6
Or 9...Nf6 10.Nc3 Bb4 11.e5 Bxc3 12.dxc3 Nd5 13.c4 Nb6 14.a4 Nxc4 15.b3 Nb6 16.Rg1 g6 17.Bh6 d6 18.Bg7 Rg8 19.Bf6 dxe5 20.dxe5 Be6 21.Rb1 Nd5 22.Ng5 Nxf6 23.Nxe6 Ke7 24.Nxc7 Rac8 25.exf6+ Kxf6 26.Nd5+ Ke6 27.Ne3 Rge8 28.Nc4 a6 29.Nb6 Rc6 30.Nc4 b5 31.axb5 axb5 32.Ne3 Kf7 33.Rg5 b4 34.Kf1 Rb6 35.Rd1 Kf6 36.Rgd5 Rbe6 37.R5d4 Kg7 38.Rxb4 Rf8 39.Rb7+ Kh6 40.Rd3 Rf3 41.Ng4+ Kg5 42.Rxf3 Kxg4 43.Rff7 h5 44.Rb4+ Kh3 45.Rf3+ Kxh2 46.Rh4 checkmate, Darrenshome - Steftcho, FICS, 2009; or
9...Bb4 10.a3 Ba5 11.b4 Bb6 12.Nc3 Ne7 13.a4 a6 14.a5 Ba7 15.b5 axb5 16.Nxb5 Kd8 17.Ba3 Nc6 18.Ng5 Rf8 19.Bxf8 h6 20.Nxa7 Nxa7 21.Nf3 d6 22.Bxg7 h5 23.Bf6+ Ke8 24.Ng5 Bg4 25.h3 Bd7 26.d5 Bb5 27.Ne6 Kd7 28.Rg1 c6 29.Rg7+ Ke8 30.Nc7+ Black resigned, Darrenshome - Steftcho, FICS, 2009
10.Nc3
Or 10.d3 Bg4 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.f3 Bd7 13.Nc3 h6 14.e5 dxe5 15.Nge4 Nxe4 16.fxe4 Bb4 17.Bd2 exd4 18.Nd5 Bxd2+ 19.Kxd2 Rc8 20.Rac1 Bc6 21.Nf4 Bd7 22.Rhg1 g5 23.Ng6 Rg8 24.Ne5 b6 25.Nxd7 Kxd7 26.Rc4 c5 27.b4 Rgf8 28.Rg2 Rf4 29.a4 Kd6 30.b5 Ke5 31.Ke2 Rg8 32.Rg3 Rf2+ 33.Kxf2 Kf4 34.Rf3+ Kg4 35.Rf7 h5 36.Rxa7 Rf8+ 37.Kg2 Rf3 38.Rb7 Rxd3 39.Rxb6 Rd2+ 40.Kf1 Kf3 41.a5 Rd1 checkmate, Darrenshome - crazymaniac, FICS, 2008
10...Bg4 11.Ng5
He has also tried the creative 11.Ke2 against a regular BSG fan: 11...Kd7 12.d3 Ne7 13.Rg1 h5 14.h3 Bxh3 15.Ng5 Bg4+ 16.f3 Be6 17.Nxe6 Kxe6 18.d5+ Kd7 19.Bg5 Ng6 20.f4 h4 21.f5 Ne5 22.d4 Nf7 23.Bf4 Re8 24.Kd3 c6 25.Rae1 h3 26.e5 dxe5 27.dxe5 Nxe5+ 28.Bxe5 Bb4 29.dxc6+ bxc6 30.Bh2 Ref8 31.Rxg7+ Kc8 32.Rxa7 Rd8+ 33.Kc4 c5 34.Rc7+ Kb8 35.Rxc5+ Ka8 36.Kxb4 Rb8+ 37.Rb5 Rxb5+ 38.Nxb5 Rh4+ 39.Kb3 Rg4 40.Re8+ Kb7 41.Rh8, Black resigned, Darrenshome - ZekeTheWolf, FICS, 2008
11...h6 12.f3
Not the best choice. Instead, 12.Rg1 was more what he was looking for. Now it takes a bit more battling to pull ahead.
12...Bd7 13.d3 hxg5 14.Bxg5 Be7 15.Be3 a6 16.f4 Rh3 17.Kd2 Be6 18.f5 Bf7 19.Rag1 Kf8 20.e5 dxe5 21.dxe5 Be8 22.Nd5 Bc6 23.Nxc7 Rc8 24.Ne6+ Kf7
Missing some tactics. Perhaps he was overly focused on the Rook at h1.
25.Rxg7+ Ke8 26.Rxg8+ Kd7 27.Rxc8 Kxc8 28.Rg1 Rxh2+ 29.Kc3 Kb8 30.f6 Bd8 31.Nxd8 Black resigned
What can I say??
A new addition to The Database, Randompl - Steftcho, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1/2-1/2, 47), in case you missed it:
White ran out of time and Black had no material to mate.
Bummer.
Although the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit leads to play that is "objectively" even, Black's King often suffers the consequences of a defender's mis-step.
Clydeco - chaparov
standard, FICS, 2012
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.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Ke6
Black wisely decides not to feast upon any pawns. He has had a couple uncomfortable past experiences: 7...Kxe4 8.Qg4+ Kd5 9.Nc3+ Kc6 10.d5+ Kd6 (10...Kb6 11.0-0 Nf6 12.Qd4+ Bc5 13.Na4+ Ka6 14.Nxc5+ Kb5 15.a4+ Ka5 16.d3 b5 17.b4+ Kb6 18.a5 checkmate, Dropshot - chaparov, standard, FICS, 2011)11.d4 Ke7 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.0-0-0 Kf7 14.Qf4 h6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Qxc7 Bd6 17.Qc4 b5 18.Nxb5 Ba6 19.Nxd6+ Qxd6 20.Qb3 Rhc8+ 21.Kb1 Bc4 22.Qf3+ Kg8 23.Rhe1 Bxd5 24.Qh5 Bf7 25.Qa5 Qxh2 26.g4 Qxf2 27.g5 Qc2+ 28.Ka1 h5 29.Rf1 Bg6 30.Qd5+ Kh7 31.Qxd7 Rf8 32.Rh1 Rf2 33.Qb7 Re8 34.d5 Ree2 35.Rb1 Qa4 36.Qc6 Bxb1 37.Rxh5+ Kg8 38.Qxa4 Bxa2 39.Qe8+ Rf8 40.Kxa2 Rexe8 41.d6 Rd8 42.g6 Rf5 43.Rxf5 Rxd6 44.Rf7 Rxg6 45.Rxa7 Kh7 46.Ra3 Kh6 47.Rh3+ Kg5 48.b4 Kf5 49.Rf3+ Ke4 50.Rf8 Rb6 51.Kb3 g5 52.Ka4 g4 53.Ka5 Rb7 54.Rg8 g3 55.b5 Kf4 56.Ka6 Rf7 57.b6 Kf3 58.b7 g2 59.b8Q Rf6+ 60.Ka7 Rf7+ 61.Ka8 Kf2 62.Qh2 Kf1 63.Rxg2 Ke1 64.Kb8 Rf8+ 65.Kc7 Rf7+ 66.Kd8 Rf8+ 67.Ke7 Rf1 68.Qe5+ Kd1 69.Qa1 checkmate, Truntin - chaparov, blitz, FICS, 2012.
8.Nc3 Bb4
A casual move that brings much misfortune.
Previously played: 8...Kf7 9.Qh5+ (9.Qb3+ Ke8 10.d3 c6 11.0-0 d6 12.Bf4 Qf6 13.Ne2 Qe6 14.d5 cxd5 15.Nd4 Qf6 16.Qb5+ Kf7 17.Qxd5+ Kg6 18.e5 Qxf4 19.Ne6 Bxe6 20.Qxe6+ Kh5 21.Rae1 Black forfeited on time, papernoose - nuum, FICS, 2004) g6 10.Qf3+ Qf6 11.Qd3 Bg7 12.e5 Qa6 13.Qf3+ Ke8 14.d3 Ne7 15.0-0 Rf8 16.Qh3 h5 17.Qg3 d6 18.Bg5 dxe5 19.Bxe7 Kxe7 20.Nd5+ Kd8 21.dxe5 Bf5 22.e6 Qd6 23.e7+ Ke8 24.exf8Q+ Bxf8 25.Nxc7+ Kd7 26.Nxa8 Qxg3 27.fxg3 Bc5+ 28.d4 Bxd4+ 29.Kh1 Bxb2 30.Rab1 Bxb1 31.Rxb1 Ba3 32.Rxb7+ Kc6 33.Rxa7 Bc5 34.Rg7 Kb5 35.Rxg6 h4 36.gxh4 Kc4 37.Rg5 Be3 38.Rg3 Bf4 39.Rg4 Kd5 40.Rxf4 Kc6 41.h5 Kd6 42.h6 Ke6 43.h7 Ke5 44.Rf7 Ke6 45.h8Q Kxf7 46.g4 Ke6 47.g5 Kf7 White ran out of time and Black had no material to mate, draw, Randompl - Steftcho, FICS, 2012
9.Qb3+
The obvious move for White, but is there more for him than just a piece? He decides to find out.
9...Kf6 10.Nd5+ Kg6 11.Nf4+ Kg5
Where the King wanders matters: 11...Kf6 was necessary to keep Black's losses to only the Bishop on b4. Now the King himself is lost.
12.Qf7 Qf6 13.Qd5+ Kxf4 14.Ke2 Qg6 15.d3+ Kg4 16.h3+ Kh4 17.g3+ Qxg3 18.fxg3+ Kxg3 19.Qg5 checkmate
An understanding of how to play Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgames can help a player win or save many half-points. Although the basics can be simple to understand (i.e. establishing a blockade with the King and Bishop on squares of the same color as the Bishop; then safely using tempos to "pass"), carrying out the proper maneuvers can be tricky (see "A Not-so-Simple 'Simple Endgame'" and "A Not-so-Simple 'Simple Endgame' Addendum" for a recent example on this blog) especially at blitz speed, with players short of time.
This position is from IWantYourQueen - Steftcho, blitz, FICS, 2011. Although White is a pawn ahead, Black has firmly blockaded the passer, and a draw should be routine.
White decides to give it one more try.
65.Kf4 Kh5 66.Ke3 Kg6 67.Kd4 Kh5 68.Kc5 Kg6 69.Kd6 Kh5 70.Ke7 Kg6 71.Kf8
White's King has scrambled around to a position in front of his pawns, while Black's King patiently shuffled back and forth.
Now it is Black's Bishop to join the dance, with 71...Bg4 (or 71...Bh3) 72...Bf5, 73...Bg4, etc. and White can make no progress.
71...Kh7
Inexplicably allowing the blockade to be lifted.
72.Kf7
Of course.
72...Bg6+
Black gives up his pawn, as allowing White's g-pawn to advance (i.e. 72...Bg4 73.g6+) was suicidal.
73.Kxe6 Bf5+
Black could have tried the swindling 73...Bf7+, but if his opponent played 74.Kd6 (taking the Bishop would lead to stalemate) there would be a position with similar chances as in the game.
The text is a serious miscalculation, however, as White can take the Bishop on f5.
74.Kf7
Instead, the game would be over after 74.Kxf5 Kg8 75.g6 Kf8 76.g7+ Kf7 77.e6+ Kg8 78.e7 Kf7 79.g8Q+ Kxg8 80.e8Q+ Kh7 81.Qg6 checkmate
Although things look dire for Black, I think that the unfortunate placement of White's Bishop, and the proper placement of Black's King, still allow a draw.
74...Bg6+ 75.Ke7 Be4 76.e6 Kg6
If Black's King had gone to g8, instead, could White have won? I do not think so. By committing to blockade the g-pawn, Black lets the e-pawn advance.
77.Kf8 Bd5 78.e7 Bc6 79.e8Q+ Bxe8 80.Kxe8
White's King now just needs to shoulder Black's King out from in front of his pawn and then it, too, can advance.
80...Kf5 81.Ke7 Kg6 82.Ke6 Kh7 83.Kf7
Too funny.
White has bypassed all of the Bishops-of-opposite-colors drawing snares, only to fall into stalemate.
Hats off to Black, for holding on to the last hope.
