The Old "Poisoned Rook" Trick Again

It can be fun for Black to play a game of "duelling Knights" in certain lines of the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit - his Knight is busy on one side of the board while White's is busy on the other - but he has to be careful not to fall victim of a poisoned piece.

aguisou - Gomenovich
blitz, FICS, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+

Interestingly, drumme - Gomenovich, blitz, FICS, 2014 continued 6.c3 Nc6  before the Queen check, 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Nxg6 Qf6 9.Nxh8+ Kd8 10.Nf7+ Ke7 11.d3 Qxf7 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.Bxf6+ Qxf6 14.Qxh7+ Qg7 15.Qh4+ Ke8 16.0-0 Ne5 17.Nd2 Nxd3 18.Nf3 d6 19.e5 Qg4 20.Qh8 dxe5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5 22.Qxe5+ Be7 23.Rae1 Bd7 24.Qxe7 checkmate.

Kicking the Knight first didn't work in gregweb - Gomenovich, blitz, FICS, 2015 as Black had an effective counter 6.c3 d6 7.cxd4 dxe5 8.dxe5 Qe7 9.d4 Bd7 10.0-0 Nh6 11.Nc3 c5 12.Nd5 Qd8 13.Bxh6 gxh6 14.Nf6+ Kf7 15.Qh5+ Ke7 16.d5 Bg7 17.d6+ Kf8 18.e6 Bxe6 19.e5 Bxf6 20.exf6 Qxf6 21.Qxc5 Kf7 22.Qc7+ Kg6 23.Qxb7 Rhb8 24.Qe4+ Bf5 25.Qe7 Qxe7 26.dxe7 Re8 27.Rfe1 Kf7 28.Rac1 Rac8 29.Rcd1 Rxe7 30.Rxe7+ Kxe7 31.Rd5 Be6 32.Ra5 Rc7 33.Rh5 Rc1 checkmate.

aguisou has had some experience with 6.c3 as well, in a couple of games played a couple of months apart: 6...Qg5 7.cxd4 Qxg2 8.Qf3 Qg5 9.Qf7+ (here Black resigned in aLmaLja - aguisou, blitz, FICS, 2014) Kd8 10.Qxf8 checkmate, aLmaLja - aguisou, blitz, FICS, 2014.

6...g6 7.Nxg6 Nxc2+ 

The pawn is digestible, but the Rook is poisoned. 

8.Kd1 Nxa1

A quick look at The Database shows 65 games with this position. White scores 82%. 

9.Nxh8+ Ke7

10.Qf7+ 

Or 10.Qe5 checkmate. perrypawnpusher - mbranimir, blitz, FICS, 2009. 

10...Kd6 11.e5+ 

Or 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qe5 checkmate. Yes, I missed the mate, too, in perrypawnpusher - robertpthom, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 32).

White has his own ideas on how to win the game.

11...Kc6 12.Qc4+ Bc5 

There is danger everywhere: 12...Kb6 13.Nc3 (13.d3 Qg5 14.Bxg5 Black resigned, Handlangari - PlatinumKnight, FICS, 2005) 13...c5 14.Nf7 Qe7 15.Nd5+ Black resigned, GOH - Neca, FICS, 2008.

13.d4 b5 14.Qxc5+ Kb7 15.Qxb5 checkmate.

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Don't Feed the Greed

When a defender plays the Blackburne Shilling gambit he or she is alreading taking on a certain level of risk. When White responds with the "Jerome treatment", this riskiness increases. When Black's King goes wandering in search of winning material, he must know when to turn back, or the level of risk becomes fatal.
 
rrjuly - aLmaLja
blitz, FICS, 2013

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+ Kxd4 

More prudent Kings have tip-toed away with 7...Ke6.

8.d3 Bb4+

Instead, 8...Ke5 is the safest way to go, although White still keeps the pressure on with 9.Qh5+, perrypawnpusher - PunisherABD, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0,27).

9.Nc3 c6 

Again, heading toward home with 9...Bxc3+ 10.bxc3+ Ke5 is the most prudent course (beware of 10...Kxc3 11.Qb3+ Kd4 12.Qd5+ Kc3 13.Qc4#) although again, White is better with 11.Qh5+, perrypawnpusher - AdamRou, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).

10.Bf4

Even stronger was 10.Qh5 Nf6 11.Be3+ Kxd3 12.Qe2# Wall,B - apollyon2010, Chess.com, 2010. 

10...Bxc3+ 11.bxc3+ 

11...Kxc3 

At this point 11...Kc5 12.Qa4 Qa5 13.Qxa5+ b5 14.Bc7 d6 15.Qb4 checkmate, is not much of an alternative. 

12.Qb3+ Kd4 13.Qc4 checkmate