Jerome Gambit: Compensation

The following game is from the second round of the RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit tournament. Despite good effort in a difficult variation, White is not able to pry away the full point.

kristjan - procyk
RedHotPawn, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 h6 

The game has transposed to a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit line where White temporized with d2-d3, i.e. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7.

White now decides on the "classical" second piece sacrifice. It is interesting to note that a first round game, deriver69 - procyk, transposed into the continuation 6.0-0 (0-1, 25).


6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6

Alternatives include:

7...g6 8.Qxe5 Be7 9.Qxh8 Bf6 10.Qh7+ Bg7 11.e5 d6 12.f4 Bf5 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.exf6 Qxf6 15.O-O c6 16.g4 Rh8 17.Qxh8 Bxh8 18.gxf5 gxf5 19.Be3 b5 20.Bxa7 h5 21.Be3 h4 22.a4 d5 23.d4 b4 24.Ne2 Qg6+ 25.Kf2 c5 26.a5 c4 27.a6 h3 28.a7 Qg2+ 29.Ke1 Black resigned, Wall,B - Riichmarj, Chess.com, 2010; 

7...Ng6 8. Qxc5 (8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 N8e7 10.f4 Rf8 11.O-O d6 12.Qh5 Kd7 13.Nc3 c6 14.Be3 Kc7 15.b4 Bd7 16.b5 cxb5 17.Nxb5+ Bxb5 18.Qxb5 a6 19.Qb2 Nc6 20.Bb6+ Kb8 21.Bxd8 Black resigned, Wall,B - Ashley, Chess.com, 2010) 8...d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.h3 (10.O-O Rf8 11.Nc3 Kg8 12.b4 Ng4 13.Qd4 N6e5 14.Qd5+ Kh8 15.f3 Qh4 16.fxg4 Rxf1+ 17.Kxf1 Qxh2 18.Bb2 Bxg4 19.Ke1 Qg1+ 20.Kd2 Qxg2+ 21.Kc1 Qf1+ 22.Kd2 Nf3+ 23.Ke3 Qh3 24.Qxb7 Ne5+ 25.Kd4 c5+ 26.bxc5 dxc5+ 27.Kxe5 Qh5+ 28.Kd6 Rd8+ 29.Kc6 Rc8+ 30.Kb5 c4+ 31.Kb4 Qe5 32.Rb1 Rb8 33.Nb5 Qxb2+ 34.Rxb2 Rxb7 35.Kxc4 a6 36.a4 axb5+ 37.axb5 White resigned, DREWBEAR 63 - TWODOGS, JGTourney4, ChessWorld, 2009) 10...Bd7 11.Bd2 Bc6 12.Nc3 Rf8 13.O-O-O Kg8 14.f4 Nd7 15.g4 Nxf4 16.Qd4 Ne6 17.Qg1 Ng5 18.h4 Nf3 19.Qg3 Nxd2 20.Rxd2 Ne5 21.Ne2 Rf3 22.Qg2 Qe7 23.Nd4 Rf4 24.g5 Rg4 25.Qe2 hxg5 26.hxg5 Qxg5 27.Qh2 Kf7 28.Rf1+ Ke7 29.Nf5+ Kd7 30.Nd4 a5 31.b3 a4 32.b4 b6 33.Rf5 Qe3 34.Nxc6 Kxc6 35.Kb2 a3+ 36.Kb3 Qd4 37.c3 Qe3 38.Rdf2 Qxd3 39.Rd2 Qc4+ White resigned, ZahariSokolov - laspac, FICS, 2014.

8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.Nc3

Development is a good thing in a gambit, but White might have had more luck with 9.f4. There are only two games with that move in The Database, but White won both.

9...c6

Black also succeeded with 9...a6 10.Bf4 Qf6 11.Bxe5+ Qxe5 12.Qf8+ Kc6 13.f4 Qxc3+ White resigned, jibeng - ehvmc, FICS, 2010.

10.Bf4

Again White goes with develoment. Seen elsewhere was 10.f4 Qf6 11.fxe5+ Qxe5 12.Bf4 Bd4 13.Bxe5+ Bxe5 14.O-O Nf6 15.Rad1 Ke7 16.d4 d6 17.Qg6 Bxh2+ 18.Kxh2 Be6 19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Bf7 21.exf6+ gxf6 22.Qe4+ Kf8 23.Rxf6 Re8 24.Rxf7+ Kxf7 25.Rd7+ Kf6 26.Qh4+ Ke6 27.Rxb7 a6 28.Qc4+ Kd6 29.Qxa6 Rc8 30.Ne4+ Kd5 31.Qd3+ Ke5 32.g3 Rcd8 33.Re7+ Kf5 34.Qf3+ Kg6 35.Qf7 checkmate, ZahariSokolov - mmamaju, FICS, 2014 

10...Qf6

11.Bxe5+ 

Likely better was 11.O-O-O, although the position would still be difficult. 

11...Qxe5 12.Qf3 Nf6 13.O-O-O Bd4 White resigned

The ending comes abruptly, but White may have decided that he simply did not have enough compensation for his two pieces. It will take some work to get any kind of attack on the King going.

Changing of the Guard

The Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament that is finishing up at ChessWorld is showing the emergence of new faces –AsceticKingK9 and mckenna215, for example, taking first and second place – to stand alogside Jerome Gambit Gemeinde veterans like blackburne and DREWBEAR63.

It will be worth studying the games of the top two finishers to see what they have added to Jerome Gambit theory (for both Black and White). I hope to have all of the Thematic Tournament games added to The Database by New Year's Day, 2012.

In the meantime, take a look at a rather unusual "Modern Delayed-Classical Jerome Gambit" between New and Old Guard.

AsceticKingK9 - DREWBEAR 63
Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament, ChessWorld, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.0-0 h5

This is, among many things, a reminder to White that the second player can respond to the Gambit in many ways and still retain a theoretical advantage. DREWBEAR63 has played this move at least twice before.

6.Nxe5+

The most direct response. Also seen have been:

6.c3 d5 7.d3 Bg4 8.Nbd2 h4 9.exd5 Qxd5 10.Ng5+ Ke7 11.Qxg4 Nf6 12.Qh3 Raf8 13.c4 Qd4 14.Nb3 Qd6 15.Bd2 Nh5 16.Rae1 Ng3 17.hxg3 hxg3 18.Nh7 gxf2+ 19.Kh1 fxe1Q 20.Rxe1 Qg6 21.Bg5+ Ke8 22.Qc8+ Kf7 23.Rf1+ Kg8 24.Rxf8+ Bxf8 25.Qxf8+ Kxh7 26.Qf2 Qh5+ 27.Bh4 Kg8 28.g3 g5 29.Qf5 gxh4 30.Qe6+ Qf7 31.Qg4+ Kf8 32.gxh4 Qf1+ 33.Qg1 Rxh4 checkmate, Crusader Rabbit - DREWBEAR 63, JGTourney4 ChessWorld 2009; and 


6.d4 exd4 7.Ng5+ Kf8 8.Bf4 Bd6 9.e5 Nxe5 10.Qxd4 Qf6 11.Nc3 c5 12.Qe4 Rb8 13.Nd5 Qg6 14.Qxg6 Nxg6 15.Bxd6+ N6e7 16.Bxb8 Nxd5 17.Bd6+ Ke8 18.Rae1+ Nde7 19.Re5 Rh6 20.Bxe7 Nxe7 21.Rfe1 Re6 22.Nxe6 dxe6 23.Rxh5 Kf7 24.Rxc5 b6 25.Rc7 a6 26.Rd1 Kf6 27.Rd8 Kf7 28.Rdxc8 Kf6 29.Rf8+ Black resigned, TWODOGS - DREWBEAR 63, JGTourney5 ChessWorld 2010.

6...Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6

Giving back a piece directly with 7...Bxd4 was simpler and more likely to help Black keep his advantage. Instead, White is allowed to continue winning tempi.

8.dxe5 Bxe5

9.Qd5+ Kf6 10.f4 Kg6 11.fxe5 Qe7

White has open lines against the enemy King, and Black's Queen cannot provide enough protection.

12.Nc3 c6 13.Qd3 Nh6 14.Qg3+

White's position has grown strong enough that he could also offer a piece with 14.Nd5, because of 14...cxd5 15.exd5+ Nf5 16.Qxf5 checkmate. 

14...Kh7

Castling-by-hand does not help at this point.

15.Bxh6 Kxh6 16.Rf5 Qe8 17.Qg5+ Kh7 18.Raf1 d5 19.Rf7 Black resigned

As in many Jerome Gambit victories for White, Black's Queenside tells the story, even as his Kingside awaits the checkmate.

Daves111 Tops ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Thematic

Dominating the field like What's-His-Name in the picture on the left, Daves111 left his twelve opponents in the dust as he stormed to the top in the just-completed (or "just about" completed: the remaining game is a mate-in-two) double round robin ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament.

Daves111 scored 21 points out of 24 games, taking 10 out of 12 points available with the White pieces and 11 out of 12 points with the Black pieces.

He was followed by CheckmateKingTwo and Jerome Gambit veteran DREWBEAR 63, each with 17.5 points. My guess is that the tie break will go to CheckmateKingTwo, as he beat DREWBEAR 63 in their two games.

In fourth place, with 16 out of 24 points, was blackburne, the tournament organizer and long-time member of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde.

TWODOGS and Crusader Rabbit achieved plus scores, with 13.5 and 13 points respectively.

shm19cs broke even with 12 points and eddie43 just missed that mark with 11.5 points.

There followed LukeWarm with 10 points, stampyshortlegs with 9 points, calchess10 with 8 points and Baron wd von Blanc, heart pirate with 7 points. anbeks finished with 0 points.

The top scorers with the Jerome Gambit were Daves111 (10 points), CheckmateKingTwo (8.5) and DREWBEAR 63 (7.5).

The top scorers against the Jerome Gambit were Daves111 (11 points), DREWBEAR 63 (10 points) and CheckmateKingTwo (9 points).

The greatest upset was calchess10 winning a game against an opponent with a rating 350 points higher.

The Jerome Gambit itself scored 46%, which is consistent with how well it has done in past thematic tournaments.

Closing the Door

Thanks to a difficult loss for CheckmateKingTwo to eddie43, Daves111 was able to close the door on the one remaining rival for first place in the current ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament.

A dozen games remain unfinished in the 156-game tournament.

Daves111 leads with 21 points out of 24 games and cannot now be caught.

Second place remains a battle between DREWBEAR 63 with 17.5 points out of 22 games and CheckmateKingTwo with 12 points out of 16 games.

Next are blackburne with 15 points out of 23 games and TWODOGS with 13.5 points out of 21 games.

First Split Point

With 129 of the 156 games (83%) of the ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament complete, the players have seen their first drawn game. That's a rate of less than 1% of the games!

This balanced position is from DREWBEAR 63 - TWODOGS. The somewhat "open" position of the Kings, the presence of Queens who can check at will, and the existence of Bishops-of-opposite-colors all suggest a possible draw.

This happens, but not as expected.

27.Qd8+ Qe8 28.Qxc7 Bd5

This slip gives White a winning advantage.

29.Qd6+ Qe7 30.Qxd5 g5 31.Qf5+ Ke8 32.Qg6+ Kd7 33.Qxh6 Qe5+ 34.Kg2 Qd5 35.Bxg5 e3+

White's extra piece is enough to win, but he has been picking up stray pawns as well. Black's chances lie in repeatedly checking White's King, as it is unlikely that he will be able to promote his passed pawn on e3.

36.Kf1

An understandable slip that gives away a half point.

Necessary was the paradoxical 36.Kg3, moving the White King temporarily away from the passer, but giving it shelter from enemy checks. After 36...e2 the King can return with 37.Kf2, and although Black will be able to grab a couple of pawns in exchange for the pawn on e2, he will not be able to check the enemy King enough to force the draw.

36...Qf3+ 37.Kg1 Qd1+

If Black tries to advance the pawn with, say, 37...Qf2+ 38.Kh1 e2 he gets checkmated 39.Qd6 Ke8 40.Qe7#. Also, if he gives White a chance, the first player will chop off the passed pawn.

38.Kg2 Qe2+ 39.Kh1 Qf1+ Drawn

 

King Daves111 ?

The Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament taking place at Chess.com looks like it is close to crowning its winner.

Daves111 leads with 21 points, having finished all 24 of his games.

If TWODOGS, at 8 points from 11 games, wins all of his remaining games (13) he could catch Daves111 and tie for first.

Of course, if dark horse CheckmateKingTwo, at 2 points from 4 games, wins his final 20 games, he could leapfrog over both Daves111 and TWODOGs...

Not in the battle for top honors, but fighting for second place, are DREWBEAR (17 points out of 21 games) and stampyshortlegs (9 points out of 16 games).

Blackburne (12 points out of 21 games) and Crusader Rabbit (10 points out of 18 games) are on their heels.

To Catch A Front-Runner

Daves111 continues to lead the Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament (with a record of 18 wins out of 21 games, with 3 to complete) at ChessWorld, although recently he suffered a couple of losses (followed by a rebounding win).

How do you catch a front-runner?

You stay alert and look for your chances, even in a difficult position.

This is Crusader Rabbit - Daves111. Black has a Rook more, and can look ahead to a comfortable win.

However, Daves111 – perhaps momentarily looking ahead – played 22...Qd8, and saw 23.Qxg7 checkmate pop up in front of him. Ouch! 

This is Daves111 - TWODOGS. Despite even material, White actually has a difficult position.

The first player moved 28.Rd7, putting pressure on g7 and the Black King – and then resigned, as 28...Rf1 is checkmate. 

(For the record, this is the 800th straight daily post without interruption. Who'd a' thunk it?)

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

Tournament Numbers

In the current Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament at ChessWorld, Daves111 continues to lead the pack with 17 wins out of 18 games, with 6 more games to finish.

In second place is DREWBEAR 63 with 14 wins in 16 games, followed by blackburne with 12 wins in 19 games.

Off the pace, but only because they have completed fewer games, are stampyshortlegs at 7 wins in 10 games and Crusader Rabbit with 6 wins in 10 games.

TWODOGS, at 4 wins in 4 games, and CheckmateKingTwo, with 2 wins in 2 games, continue as dark horses.

So far in this tournament the Jerome Gambit has scored 40% in 89 completed games.

This can be compared with data drawn from the updated New Year's Database, where 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ has scored 44% in 5,628 games. For the record, in the same database the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+, has scored 56% in 2,472 games; and the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 and 5.Bxf7+ has scored 57% in 3,106 games. 

A Blistering Pace

As the current Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament at ChessWorld nears the half-way point (in terms of games completed) the race for first place continues to be red hot.

Top-rated player Daves111 has scored 17 wins in 18 games, with only 6 more for him to complete. 

He is followed by long-time Jerome Gambit tournament player DREWBEAR 63 who has 11 wins in 12 games.

Not surprisingly, Daves111's only loss is to DREWBEAR 63, and DREWBEAR 63's only loss is to DAVES111.

In third place is blackburne with 10 wins in 16 games.

It is interesting to note that not all of the players have been completing their games so quickly (in fact, the thoughtful CheckmateKingTwo has completed none yet). TWODOGS has 2 wins in 2 games, with 22 left to complete.

Certainly Crusader Rabbit, with 5 wins in 7 games, and stampyshortlegs, with 4 wins in 7 games, can keep in contention by winning and winning some more.

Of the 71 finished games, White has won 28, and Black 43 (with 0 draws), giving the Jerome Gambit a 39% score, somewhat lower than usual for a thematic tournament. But – there is plenty of play left!

Prized Players

Prizes have been mailed to the top three finishers of the Chessworld Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Thematic Tournament: Piratepaul, stampyshortlegs and Sir Osis of the Liver.

I would like to express my thanks to blackburne, who hosted the tournament, and to all of the other players who combined to produce 210 interesting Jerome Gambit games: DREWBEAR 63, GladtoMateYou, Luke Warm, Haroldlee123, eddie43, TWODOGS, Black Puma, gwyn1, metalwarrior1969, Crusader Rabbit and calchess10.

The D-word

Members of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Gemeinde do not play their opening "with a draw in hand," but to win madly, or expire trying. Still, there can come a time when the wisest course just might be to split the point, and leave conquest for the next encounter... The following game is a lot of fun to play over, from start to finish (use the chess publisher application at the end of this post, if you wish), but I want to focus on some positions in the middle game, where choosing "the better part of valor" might have a good choice for White. 

 

TWODOGS - Haroldlee123 JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

Here we have a "typical" Jerome Gambit middlegame: a real mess. Black-to-move has a choice of two captures, one which will leave him a piece ahead and one which (apparently) will leave him a Rook ahead. A simple choice? Nothing is simple in the Jerome Gambit! 16...Bxe1 The wrong choice.

White's opening 4.Bxf7+ and Black's superfluous ...h6 and later exchange of his light-squared Bishop left some clear light-squared weaknesses around his King.

White now has 17.Qf5+ and after 17...Kg8 18.Qe6+ he can produce a draw by repetition. If Black should try 17...Ke8 instead, then 18.Qg6+ either again leads to a draw by repetition – or a calamity for Black.

This can be seen after 17.Qf5+ Ke7, when 18.Rxe1 leads either to checkmate or a pile of material after 18...Ne5 19.Nc5 Kd6 20.Nxb7+, etc. Any member of the Gemeinde would be proud of such a "swindle." Of course, after the correct 16...dxd4 17.Rxe4 White will have to keep up the pressure and look elsewhere for his salvation. 17.Rxe1 Nb4

A perplexing move, not only allowing 18.Qf5+ drawing as above, but also allowing the flashy 18.Bd6+ which also draws. White's response in the game, however, allows the routine capture of his Knight, and the magic is again gone. 18.Qg6 dxe4 The light-square weaknesses are still around the Black King, but White no longer has his Knight to keep check-blockers off of f6. 19.Rxe4 Nxc2 Well, yes, this was Black's idea, although there was certainly nothing wrong with 19...Nc6. However, now White has 20.Be5 when 20...Qe7 21.Rf4 Kg8 22.Bxg7 Qxg7 again allows White to repeat positions with 23.Qe6+ Kh7 24.Qe5+ for the draw. Black can try the alternative, 20...Qg5 but after 21.Qe6 White has the better game. 20.Qf5+ Right idea, wrong time. 20...Kg8 Instead of interposing the Queen with 20...Qf6, allowing 21.Qc5+ and 22.Qxc2, reducing his advantage, Black again allows the light-square repetitions and the draw: 21.Qe6+ Kh7 22.Qf5+ Kg8 23.Qe6+ etc. White, in turn, chooses to fight on – from a worse position. 21.Be5 d3 Black's advancing pawn will soon star in a whole collection of dramas itself, but for now the second player needed to first defend with 21...Qf8. 22.Bxg7 White is beginning to grasp the situation. The text move, indeed, allows a draw after 22...Qg5 23.Qe6+ Kxg7 24.h4 Qc1+ 25.Kh2 Rhg8 26.Rg4+ etc. However, White had more in the position: 22.Qe6+ Kh7 23.Rg4 Qf8 24.Qg6+ Kg8 25.Bxg7 Qf7 26.Qxd3. Black is temporarily a Rook up, but he will shortly need to surrender his Queen. 22...d2 This move should seriously scare White into going for a draw. For a moment, it looks like it does.

23.Qe6+

Okay: Now, after 23...Kxg7 24.Rg4+ Qg5 25.Qd7+ Kf6 26.Rxg5+ hxg5 27.Qxd2 White will have a Queen and a pawn to balance out Black's two Rooks. A complicated, but roughly even, game.

Instead, Black distrusts the passive Bishop sacrifice, and immediately falls into a doomed situation.

23...Kh7 24.Qxh6+ Kg8 25.Qxh8+ There is no need for 25.Qe6+ now. 25...Kf7 26.Rf4+ 26...Ke6 27.Qh6+ Kd7 Now 28.Qh5, guarding against the passed pawn Queening (if 28...Kc8, 29.Rf8) and preparing to finish up the King, looks like the proper reward for White's fighting spirit. Unfortunately, he has a worried eye on Black's passer, and decides that "more checks to the King" is the answer. It is not – but the excitement is hardly over.

28.Rf7+ Kc8 Black can afford to allow his Queen to be pinned to his King: he plans on getting another one. 29.Qe6+ Kb8 30.Kh2 d1Q Black has travelled far from his "doomed situation" mentioned in the note to White's 23rd move. He figures from here on out, it's just a matter of technique.

It is – but it has to be proper technique.

31.Rf8 a6 What was called for was something that ends the clutter, something like 31...Qxf8 32.Bxf8 Qd8. Black's move, however, lets loose the chaos again. White now has the remarkable 32.Qe7, after which, despite being a Queen down, he can enforce the draw, obtain a better position, or checkmate Black: 32...Ka7 ( 32...Qc8 33.Rxc8+ Kxc8 34.Qf8+ Qd8 35.Qf5+ Qd7 ( 35...Kb8 36.Qxc2 +-) 36.Qf8+ Qd8 37.Qf5+ draw) 33.Qc5+ b6 34.Rxd8 Rxd8 35.Qxc7+ Ka8 36.Qc6+ Ka7 37.Qc7+ draw Amazing! 32.Rxd8+ Aquiescing to the loss. Well, not exactly: White still has a handful of "Jerome pawns" and decides to put them to use. Still, thirty moves later White resigned.

Is there any wonder why the Jerome Gambit still fascinates me??

Against the Semi-Italian

I've been having second thoughts about the accuracy of my strategy against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) cousin: Jerome-ized play against the Semi-Italian Opening, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 (my choice) Bc5 5.Bxf7+.

Recently, I've collected 138 games which suggest the brute-force method of "no waiting": 4.Bxf7+, anyhow. At first glance, however, that seems a bit blunt to me, even if it's perfectly playable in lightning chess.

So I was happy to receive the following game, from Welton Vaz, (see "Xadrez, Ficção Cientifíca e Paz").


Ghandy - devgru
blitz FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6


4.c3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+

Just like with the Jerome Gambit proper, there has developed a "modern" treatment of the Jerome-ized Semi-Italian opening, one which does not include 6.Nxe5+. Several games in the current Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament at Chessworld have developed that theme:

6.d3 Nf6 ( 6...d6 7.0-0 Bg4 8.a4 Nf6 9.b4 Bxb4 10.cxb4 a6 11.Bd2 b5 12.a5 Bh5 13.Bc3 Rf8 14.Nbd2 Ne7 15.Qb3+ Kg6 16.d4 exd4 17.Bxd4 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Kh7 19.Qh3 Ng6 20.g3 c5 21.bxc5 dxc5 22.Be3 c4 23.Qg2 Qe7 24.f3 Rad8 25.Qf2 Ng4 26.Qe1 h5 27.fxg4 hxg4 28.Rxf8 Rxf8 29.Bd4 Rd8 30.Qe3 b4 31.Nxc4 Qe6 32.Nb6 b3 33.Rb1 Ne7 34.Rxb3 Nc6 35.Bb2 Rd1+ 36.Kg2 Qf7 37.Qf4 Qxb3 38.Qf5+ g6 39.Qf2 Nxa5 40.Nd5 Qd3 41.Qf7+ Kh6 42.Qg7+ Kh5 43.Nf4+ Kg5 44.Bf6 checkmate, Piratepaul - calchess10, JGTourney4, ChessWorld, 2009) 7.0-0 d6 (7...Rf8 8.Kh1 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.b4 Bd6 11.g3 b6 12.Nh4 Kg8 13.Nd2 Nxc3 14.Qb3+ Rf7 15.Qxc3 Nd4 16.Ne4 Bb7 17.Be3 c5 18.bxc5 bxc5 19.Rab1 Bxe4+ 20.dxe4 g5 21.Nf5 Nxf5 22.exf5 Rxf5 23.Rb7 Bc7 24.Qxc5 Qd3 25.Kg1 Qd6 26.Qxc7 Qxc7 27.Rxc7 a5 28.a3 Rf7 29.Rc5 e4 30.Re5 Rd7 31.Rxe4 Rad8 32.Bb6 Ra8 33.Ra4 Ra6 34.Be3 Kf7 35.Rb1 Rd5 36.Kg2 Ke6 37.Rb7 h5 38.Re4+ Kf6 39.Rb6+ Rxb6 40.Bxb6 Rb5 41.Bd8+ Kf5 42.Ra4 g4 43.Bxa5 Kg5 44.Bb4 h4 45.Be7+ Black resigned, Piratepaul - Black Puma, JGTourney4, ChessWorld, 2009) 8.a4 a6 9.b4 Ba7 10.Qb3+ Be6 11.c4 Nd4 12.Qd1 Rf8 13.Nc3 Kg8 14.Kh1 Bg4 15.Be3 Bxf3 16.gxf3 Nh5 17.Rg1 Nxf3 18.Rg2 Qh4 19.Ne2 Rf7 20.Bxa7 Rxa7 21.b5 Ra8 22.a5 Raf8 23.Qb3 Nd2 24.Qc2 Rxf2 25.Qxd2 Rxg2 26.Rg1 Rxh2 checkmate, Piratepaul - blackburne, JGTourney4, ChessWorld, 2009;

6.d4 Bd6 ( 6...exd4 7.cxd4 Bb4+ ( 7...Bb6 8.Ne5+ Nxe5 9.dxe5 Qe7 10.Qf3+ Ke8 11.0-0 Qxe5 12.Bf4 Qxb2 13.Nc3 Kd8 14.Nb5 Qxb5 15.Rab1 Qa5 16.Rbc1 d6 17.g3 Bh3 18.Rfd1 Kd7 19.e5 h5 20.Qxb7 Nh6 21.Rd5 Qxa2 22.Be3 Bxe3 23.Qxc7+ Ke8 24.Qc6+ Kf7 25.Qc2 Rac8 26.e6+ Ke7 27.Qb1 Qxf2+ 28.Kh1 Qg2 checkmate, yorkypuddn - braken, Chessworld, 2008) 8.Nfd2 Nxd4 9.0-0 d6 10.a3 Ba5 11.b4 Bb6 12.Nc4 Nc6 13.Nc3 Bd4 14.Qf3+ Qf6 15.Qxf6+ Nxf6 16.Kh1 Bxc3 17.Ra2 Be5 18.f4 Bd4 19.b5 Ne7 20.Bb2 Bxb2 21.Rxb2 Nxe4 22.Rb4 Nc5 23.f5 Nd5 24.Rb2 Rf8 25.g4 Nf6 26.h4 Nxg4 27.Rg1 h5 28.Rbg2 Bxf5 29.Nd2 g6 30.Re2 Kg7 31.Kg2 Bd3 32.Re7+ Rf7 33.Rge1 Bxb5 34.Nf3 Bc6 35.Rxf7+ Kxf7 36.Kg3 Bxf3 37.Rf1 Ne5 38.Rxf3+ Nxf3 39.Kxf3 Re8 40.Kf4 Kf6 41.Kg3 Kf5 42.Kf3 Re4 43.Kf2 Kf4 44.a4 Rxa4 White resigned, TWODOGS - Piratepaul, JG2 Chessworld, 2008) 7.d5 ( 7.dxe5 Be7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.b4 a6 10.e6 dxe6 11.Qh5+ Kf8 12.c4 Bxb4+ 13.Bd2 Bxd2+ 14.Nbxd2 Qf6 15.0-0 Nge7 16.Qc5 Kg8 17.e5 Qf5 18.Nd4 Qxe5 19.Qxe5 Nxe5 20.f4 Nf7 21.Rae1 g6 22.Nxe6 Bxe6 23.Rxe6 Kf8 24.Rfe1 Re8 25.Ne4 Nc6 26.Rxg6 h5 27.Kf2 Rh6 28.Rg3 h4 29.Rg4 Nd6 30.Nxd6 Rxe1 31.Kxe1 cxd6 32.h3 Kf7 33.Ke2 Kf6 34.Rg5 Na7 35.Kf3 b5 36.cxb5 Nxb5 37.Kg4 Rh7 38.a4 Nc7 39.f5 Rg7 40.Rxg7 Kxg7 41.Kxh4 Kf6 42.g4 Ke5 43.Kg3 Nd5 44.h4 Nf6 45.h5 Nxh5+ 46.gxh5 Kxf5 47.Kh4 a5 48.h6 Kg6 49.Kg4 Black resigned, pawn_starr - astandenuk, Gameknot, 2006) 7...Nce7 8.c4 Ng6 9.a3 Nf6 10.Nbd2 Nf4 11.0-0 Qe7 12.Nb3 Nxe4 13.Bxf4 exf4 14.Re1 Re8 15.Nbd2 Qf6 16.Nxe4 Qg6 17.Nh4 Qh7 18.Nf6 gxf6 19.Qh5+ Kg8 20.Rxe8+ Bf8 21.Ng6 Kg7 22.Nxf8 Qd3 23.Re7+ Black resigned, TWODOGS - eddie43, JG2 Chessworld, 2008;

6.a4 Nf6 7.d3 Ng4 8.0-0 d6 9.h3 Nf6 10.b4 Nxb4 11.cxb4 Bd4 12.Nxd4 exd4 13.f4 Re8 14.f5 Ng8 15.Qg4 Nf6 16.Qf3 Kg8 17.Ra2 a5 18.b5 c6 19.bxc6 bxc6 20.Rb2 Ba6 21.Re1 c5 22.Rbe2 Rb8 23.Nd2 d5 24.e5 Nh7 25.Qg3 Qc7 26.Nf1 c4 27.f6 g5 28.Nh2 Nxf6 29.Ng4 Nxg4 30.hxg4 cxd3 31.Rd2 Re6 32.Bb2 Rxb2 33.Rxb2 Rc6 34.Qf2 Rc1 35.Rd2 Rc2 36.e6 Rc1 37.e7 Qxe7 38.Rxc1 Bc4 39.Qxd4 Qb4 40.Rb2 d2 41.Qxd2 Qc5+ 42.Kh1 Qd6 43.Rxc4 Qf6 44.Rc8+ Kf7 45.Rb7+ Black resigned, Haroldlee123 - TWODOGS, JGTourney4, Chessworld, 2009;

6.Qb3+ Ke7 ( 6...Kf8 7.0-0 Nf6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Be7 10.Nh4 d5 11.Ng6+ Kf7 12.Nxh8+ Qxh8 13.exd5 Ne5 14.d6+ Kf8 15.dxe7+ Kxe7 16.dxe5 Nh5 17.Qb4+ Kf7 18.Re1 Kg8 19.Qc4+ Kh7 20.e6 Qe8 21.Nc3 b6 22.Nd5 Bxe6 23.Qxc7 Rc8 24.Qxa7 Qd8 25.Bxh6 Bxd5 26.Re5 Black forfeited on time, majorminor - Entangle, FICS, 2004) 7.0-0 Nf6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Bb6 10.Be3 d6 11.Nbd2 Qe8 12.Rfe1 Kd8 13.e5 dxe5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Bxb6 Nxf3+ 16.Nxf3 Qc6 17.Rad1+ Bd7 18.Ne5 Qxb6 19.Nf7+ Kc8 20.Qd3 Rd8 21.Nxd8 Kxd8 22.Qa3 c5 23.Qe3 Kc7 24.Qe5+ Kd8 25.Rxd7+ Nxd7 26.Qe8+ Kc7 27.Qxa8 Nb8 28.Re8 Qxb2 29.Qxb8+ Kb6 30.Re6+ Ka5 31.Qxa7+ Kb4 in progress, Crusader Rabbit - metalwarrior1969, JGTourney4, ChessWorld, 2009;

6.b4 Bb6 7.a4 ( 7.b5 Nce7 8.Nxe5+ Ke8 ( 8...Ke6 9.d4 d5 10.exd5+ Qxd5 11.Qg4+ Kd6 12.Ba3+ Bc5 13.0-0 Bxa3 14.Nxa3 Bxg4 15.Nxg4 Nf6 16.c4 Qg5 17.c5+ Ke6 18.Rae1+ Kf7 19.Ne5+ Kg8 20.Nf3 Qd5 21.Rxe7 Kh7 22.Rxc7 b6 23.Nc2 bxc5 24.Rxc5 Qxa2 25.Nb4 Qb3 26.Nd5 Nd7 27.Nf6+ gxf6 28.Rc7 Rhd8 29.Re1 Qxb5 30.Re7+ Kg6 31.Nh4+ Kh5 32.Rc5+ Nxc5 33.dxc5 Qb1+ White resigned, majorminor - gamay, FICS, 2007) 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Nxg6 Nf6 11.Qe5 Bxf2+ 12.Kd1 Ng4 13.Qxh8+ Kf7 Black resigned, majorminor - Fugly, FICS, 2007) 7...a6 8.a5 Ba7 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Bb2 Re8 11.Qb3+ d5 12.d4 exd4 13.cxd4 Rxe4 14.Ne5+ Nxe5 15.dxe5 Rxe5 16.Bxe5 Be6 17.Nc3 d4 18.Qd1 dxc3 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Ra3 c2 22.Rf3 Qb2 23.Qg6 Bb3 White forfeited on time, majorminor - boepke, FICS 2004

6.0-0 d6 7.b4 Bb6 8.d4 exd4 9.Nxd4 Ne5 10.Qh5+ Kf8 11.f4 Nd3 12.f5 Nf6 13.Qf3 Ne5 14.Qe2 c5 15.Ne6+ Bxe6 16.fxe6 cxb4+ 17.Kh1 bxc3 18.Nxc3 Qe7 19.Nd5 Qxe6 20.Nxf6 gxf6 21.Ba3 Rg8 22.Rad1 Rd8 23.Qh5 Ng4 24.h3 Rg5 25.Qxg5 hxg5 26.hxg4 Qxe4 27.Rxf6+ Ke7 28.Rff1 Qxg4 29.Rde1+ Kd7 30.Rf7+ Kc8 31.Rc1+ Kb8 32.Rf6 Qh4 checkmate, majorminor - arkascha, FICS 2005

6...Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6


8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.d4 Ne7 Black is surprised, and makes a poor response.

An interesting alternative: 9...Nd3+ 10.Ke2 Nxc1+ 11.Rxc1 Qg5 12.Qxc5+ Qxc5 13.dxc5+ Kxc5 14.b4+ Kb6 15.a4 a5 16.bxa5+ Rxa5 17.Na3 Ka6 18.Nb5 c6 19.c4 Ne7 20.Rcb1 cxb5 21.axb5+ Kb6 22.c5+ Kxc5 23.Rxa5 b6 24.Ra8 Rf8 25.f3 d5 26.exd5 Kxd5 27.Rb8 Rf6 28.Kf2 Bf5 29.Rc1 Ng6 30.Rb7 Nf4 31.Rd1+ Kc4 32.Rxg7 Bd3 33.g3 Bc2 34.Rc7+ Kxb5 35.Rxc2 Ne6 36.Rd6 Kb4 37.Rb2+ Black resigned, kaboes - musix, Gameknot, 2007

10.dxc5+


This move leads to a winning advantage for White, but next time I am sure that Ghandy will take the simpler 10.Qxe5+ Kc6 11.Qxc5#.

10...Kxc5 11.Qxe5+ Kc6
White is up a pawn, but, more importantly, Black's King is not safe.

12.Be3 d6 13.Qd4 Bg4 14.Qa4+ b5 15.Qa6+ Kd7 16.Qxb5+ c6 17.Qd3

Black has some open lines (that he has purchased with his pawns) which he can place his Rooks on, but they are not adequate compensation.

17...d5 18.f3 Bh5 19.Na3 Kc7 20.Qa6 dxe4 21.Rd1 Qb8 22.Nc4


White's position is so overwhelming, he even had Bf4 on this move or the next. Instead, he captures more of Black's army, and that works just fine.
22...exf3 23.Qa5+ Kc8 24.Nd6+ Kd7 25.Nf7+ Ke8 26.Nxh8 fxg2 27.Qxh5+


Now Black has some hope of hanging on a bit longer with 27...g6, but decides instead to end it all quickly.

27...Kf8 28.Qf7 checkmate