Jerome Gambit + blitz chess = exciting play

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

Jerome Gambit Fun

I have been playing through new and unexamined games in the updated The Database. There are many entertaining and educational games - and one player (among many) who caught my eye was DANNYALBERTO, at FICS. He shows up mostly with Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambits (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+) with the occasional Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+) thrown in, from 2015 to the present. (He scores a very decent 64%.)

Check out the following end-of-the-game positions, just a few among many. The kind of fun that they represent is what draws many club players to the Jerome Gambit and various Jerome-ish lines.

DANNYALBERTO - Tseatsy, blitz, FICS, 2016

DANNYALBERTO - boggus, blitz, FICS 2016

DANNYALBERTO - NightEagle, blitz, FICS, 2017

DANNYALBERTO - fluters, blitz, FICS, 2019

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Risk vs Experience

The following game is a riot of a 3-minute battle, as White takes risks and even more risks, while Black relies on his experience in the line - up to a point. This time, fortune favors the bold - but only half-way.

By the way, shugart has 140 games in The Database, scoring 60%. Nice.

shugart - boggus
3 0 blitz, FICS, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. White has alternatives, but this move is a lot of fun.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.Qg4+ 

Tempting, as we have seen before (for example "Jerome Gambit: Missed by That Much") - especially in blitz games - but best, from experience and by analysis, is 6.c3. 

6...Kxe5 7.f4+ 

In for a penny, in for a pound.

Boggus has grabbed the Knight before, for example: 7.c3 Nc2+ 8.Kd1 Nxa1 9.d4+ Kd6 10.Na3 h5 11.Nb5+ Kc6 12.d5+ Kxb5 13.Qe2+ Kb6 14.Be3+ c5 15.a4 Kc7 16.Qb5 d6 17.Bf4 Kb8 18.Qxc5 Qb6 19.Qc4 Qxb2 20.Ke1 Nc2+ 21.Kf1 Qb1+ 22.Ke2 Qxh1 23.Qb3 Qe1+ 24.Kf3 Bg4+ 25.Kg3 Qxe4 26.f3 Bxf3 27.gxf3 h4+ 28.Kh3 Qxf3+ 29.Bg3 hxg3 checkmate, Tigrann - boggus, FICS, 2008.

White could have tried 7.Qh5+ (e.g. 7...Kf6 8.d3 Ne7 9.Bg5+ Ke6 10.Bxe7 Nxc2+ 11.Kd1 Kxe7 12.Kxc2 d6) but he will eventually be done in by his generosity.

Better to remember the 6.c3 line for next time.

7...Kd6

The two likely reasons White likely sacrificed the Knight are these alternatives: 

7...Kxe4 8.Nc3 checkmate; and

7...Kf6 8.Qh4+ Kf7 9.Qxd8. 

Don't laugh. Such threats are the meat and potatoes of blitz chess.

8.e5+

White might as well keep attacking, as the more prudent 8.Na3 c6 9.c3 Nb5 10.Nxb5+ cxb5 doesn't get him out of his material deficit.

8...Ke7 

Black played the stronger 8...Kc6 in two earlier games, but they were long ago: 9.Qd1 (9. c3 Nc2+ 10.Kd1 Nxa1 11.Qf3+ d5 12.b4 a6 13.a4 Be6 14.c4 Bxb4 15.Bb2 Qd7 16.Bxa1 Bg4 17.cxd5+ Qxd5 18.Qxg4 Ne7 19.Qxg7 Rhd8 20.Qf6+ Kc5 21.Qxe7+ Kc4 22.Qxc7+ Qc5 23.Qxc5+ Bxc5 24.Ke2 Bd4 25.Bxd4 Rxd4 26.d3+ Rxd3 27.Rc1+ Kd4 28.Rc7 Rd8 29.g4 Ke4 30.Rc4+ R3d4 31.Rxd4+ Rxd4 32.Nd2+ Kxf4 33.e6 Rd8 34.g5 Kxg5 35.Ne4+ Kf5 36.e7 Re8 37.Nd6+ Ke6 38.Nxe8 Kxe7 39.Ng7 Kf7 40.Nh5 Ke6 41.Ng3 b5 42.Nf1 b4 43.Kd2 a5 44.Kc2 Kd5 45.Kb3 Kd4 46.Nd2 Kd3 White forfeited on time, GROFVLAD - boggus, FICS, 2007) 9...d5 10.c3 Nf5 11.O-O b6 12.d4 Ba6 13.Rf2 Qh4 14.Nd2 Nge7 15.Nf3 Qh5 16.e6 Kb7 17.Ne5 Nc6 18.b4 Qxd1+ White resigned, GOH - boggus, FICS, 2009.

Still, if he keeps his wits about him, all will be well for Black. 

9.f5 Nxc2+

Often in the BSJG the Rook on a1 is poisoned, but not in this case. You have to wonder though - was Black a little bit suspicious as to why White let it go? Did it nag at him: Maybe White is up to something...?

10.Kd1 Nxa1 

True, 10...d5 is probably best, but Black is still better after the game move.

11.d4 

Hopeful. If you don't have hope, you can't play Jerome lines.

11...h6 

We know why Black played this.

It would be very impressive if it was because he remembered the following game: 11...d5 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.exf6+ gxf6 14.Re1+ Kd6 15.Bf4+ Kc6 16.Re3 Bd6 17.Rc3+ Kd7 18.Bxd6 cxd6 19.Nd2 Qg8 20.Qh3 Qg5 21.Nf3 Qf4 22.Qh5 Qe4 23.Qf7+ Qe7 24.Rc7+ Kxc7 25.Qxe7+ Kb6 26.Qxd6+ Kb5 27.Qxd5+ Kb6 28.Qc5+ Ka6 29.b4 b6 30.b5+ Kb7 31.Qc6+ Kb8 32.d5 Bxf5 33.d6 Rc8 34.Qd5 Rc5 35.Qg8+ Kb7 36.Qxh7+ Kc8 37.Qg8+ Kb7 38.Qf7+ Kc8 39.Qe8+ Kb7 40.Qe7+ Kb8 41.Nd4 Bc2+ 42.Ke1 Bf5 43.Nc6+ Kc8 44.Qd8+ Kb7 45.Qc7 checkmate, GOH - boggus, FICS, 2004. 

Black wants the Black Bishop to stay away from g5, but White now grabs the half-point on the table.

12.Qh4+ Ke8 

The alternative, 12...g5, is met by 13.Bxg5+ hxg5 14.Qxg5+ Ke8 15.Qg6+ Ke7 16.Qg5+ etc.

13.Qh5+ Ke7 14.Qh4+ Ke8 15.Qh5+ Ke7 16.Qh4+ drawn by repetition

Missed By That Much

In the following game, Black defends well against the initial gambit, and then a further couple of sacrifices. Things are not easy for him, but he is well on his way to a full point when he makes a small slip...

LeAlv96 - HydraxDev
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+ Ke6 6.Qg4+ Kxe5 7.f4+ Kd6 

White's extra offer of a piece, 6.Qg4+, offers additional risk to both players. Black can take the Knight and live, but he must be careful. So far he is defending well in an uncomfortable position.

8.e5+ Ke7 9.f5 Nxc2+

Not as effective is 9...Nc6, which appeared in the up-and-down game JordanKwiatek - FrankBono, FICS, 2007: 10.d4 h6 11.O-O d6 12.Nc3 dxe5 13.Qh4+ Ke8 14.Bg5 Qxg5 15.Qxg5 hxg5 16.dxe5 Bc5+ White resigned.

10.Kd1 Nxa1 11.d4

White would improve with 11.Qh4+!? Nf6 12.exf6+ gxf6 13.Re1+ Kd6 although the position would still be better for Black.

11...Ke8

Black also struggled after 11...d5, i.e. 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.exf6+ gxf6 14.Re1+ Kd6 15.Bf4+ Kc6 16.Re3 Bd6 17.Rc3+ Kd7 18.Bxd6 cxd6 19.Nd2 Qg8 20.Qh3 Qg5 21.Nf3 Qf4 22.Qh5 Qe4 23.Qf7+ Qe7 24.Rc7+ Kxc7 25.Qxe7+ Kb6 26.Qxd6+ Kb5 27.Qxd5+ Kb6 28.Qc5+ Ka6 29.b4 b6 30.b5+ Kb7 31.Qc6+ Kb8 32.d5 Bxf5 33.d6 Rc8 34.Qd5 Rc5 35.Qg8+ Kb7 36.Qxh7+ Kc8 37.Qg8+ Kb7 38.Qf7+ Kc8 39.Qe8+ Kb7 40.Qe7+ Kb8 41.Nd4 Bc2+ 42.Ke1 Bf5 43.Nc6+ Kc8 44.Qd8+ Kb7 45.Qc7 checkmate, GOH - boggus, FICS, 2004.

Black's best defense is 11...Kf7. The difference between the two retreat squares (i.e. at f7 the Black King can protect a pawn at g6) quickly becomes apparent.

12.Qh5+g6 13.fxg6 hxg6 

14.Qxg6+ Ke7 15.Bg5+ Nf6 16.Qxf6+ Ke8 17.Qg6 checkmate

Mate is Mate, Mate

Sometimes it is a good idea to be familiar with a line that leads to checkmate. You never know when it might show up on the board.


doubleabood - forland
blitz. FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3 Qg5 

Black continues as if nothing has happened (6...Kxe5 is best), playing the thematic move of the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. As I've pointed out previously, with more and more insistance, (see "Reeling Sequel", "Finishing It Off Smartly", "Still A Bad Idea" and "Calling Black's Bluff"), White should take heart and proceed with his game - Black is headed toward his own checkmate.

Admittedly, not every player of the White pieces has been aware of his or her good fortune. Of the 50 games with this position in The Database, for example, White scored only 59%. 

7.cxd4 Qxg2 

Black strikes! Well, sort of. With 35 games in The Database, White scored 61%.

8.Qb3+ 

The key! Checkmate is forced.

White won in 7 of 9 games with this position in The Database (78%) but his two losses were time forfeits in winning positions.

That's better.

8...Kf6

Or
8...Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Qd5+ [10.Nc4+ Kc6 11.Qd5 checkmate, jfhumphrey - jordibc, FICS, 2011] 10...Ke7 11.Qf7+ Kd6 12.Nc4+ Black resigned, ScottWeatherill- Hanjh, FICS, 2013;

8...d5 9.exd5+ [9.Qxd5+ Kf6 10.Qf7+ Kg5 11.h4+ Kh6 12.d3+ g5 13.hxg5#] Ke7 10.Qf3 Qxf3 11.Nxf3 Nf6 12.Nc3 Bg4 13.Ne5 Re8 14.f3 Bh5 15.Kf2 Kd6 16.d3 Nxd5 17.Nb5+ Ke7 18.Bg5+ Nf6 19.Rhe1 c6 20.Nxc6+ Kf7 21.Rxe8 Nxe8 22.Ncxa7 Bb4 23.a3 Ba5 24.b4 Bb6 25.Rc1 Bxa7 26.Nxa7 Nd6 27.Rc7+ Kg6 28.Bf4 Nf5 29.Rxb7 Rf8 30.Rb6+ Kf7 31.d5 Nd4 32.d6 Kg8 33.d7 Bxf3 34.Rb8 Ne6 35.Rxf8+ Kxf8 36.Kxf3 Ke7 37.Bg3 Kxd7 White forfeited on time, ReallyBadPlayer - skipi, FICS, 2006;

8...Kd6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Nc4+ Kc6 12.Qd5 checkmate, XprezzChezz - borodin, FICS, 2009. 

9.Qf7+ Kg5 10.d3+ Kh4 11.Nf3+ 

Or 11.Qf4+ Kh3 12.Qg3+ Qxg3 13.hxg3+ Kg2 14.Rf1 Bb4+ 15.Ke2 d6 16.Nf7 Be6 17.Ng5 Bd7 18.Nc3 Nf6 19.Bd2 h6 20.Rh1 Bg4+ 21.Ke3 Nd5+ 22.exd5 Rae8+ 23.Kf4 Rhf8+ 24.Kxg4 h5+ 25.Kxh5 Kxf2 White forfeited on time, MATCHAPULANE - gregchess, FICS, 2012. 

11...Kh3 

Or 11...Kg4 12.Qf5 checkmate, DVYate - transalcolico, standard, FICS, 2013 and Oak - sealse, blitz, FICS, 2013.

12.Qh5 checkmate.

This is also how GOH - boggus, blitz, FICS, 2011 ended

More Than Just A Win

In an early article on the Jerome Gambit in the July 1874 issue of The Dubuque Chess Journal, it was noted

It should be understood that Mr. Jerome claims in this New Opening "only a pleasant variation of the Giuoco Piano, which may win or lose according to the skill of the players, but which is capable of affording many new positions and opportunities for heavy blows unexpectedly." 

The same can be said for the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, as the following game illustrates. White triumphs in a blitz game - but, afterwards, as he played the game over, he must have smiled at a few of the missed "heavy blows".

TrippL - boggus
blitz, FICS, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ 

The Database has 18 Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit games by TrippL, with White scoring 58%. (That's above the average of 56%
for all 4,454 BSJG games in The Database.)

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3

TrippL has played 2 games with 6.Qh5 against the same opponent: 6...Nf6 (6...Nxc2+ 7.Kd1 Nxa1 8.Qf5+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Qd5+ Ke7 11.Qf7+ Kd6 12.Qd5+ Ke7, drawn, TrippL - boggus, FICS, 2008) 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4+ Kc6 9.Nba3 Qe7 10.Qxe7 Bxe7 11.c3 Bxa3 12.cxd4 Be7 13.d5+ Nxd5 14.exd5+ Kxd5 15.Ne3+ Kc6 16.0-0 d6 17.b3 Bf6 18.Rb1 Be6 19.Re1 Rae8 20.Nc4 Bf5 21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.Na5+ Kd7 White resigned, TrippL - boggus, FICS, 2013.

He has also played 6.f4 against boggus: 6...h5 7.c3 Nc6 8.Qb3+ Kd6 9.Nf7+ Ke7 10.Nxd8 Nxd8 11.d4 d6 12.f5 Nf6 13.h3 Ke8 14.Nd2 Be7 15.Qc2 Nc6 16.Nf3 Bd7 17.Bg5 a6 18.0-0-0 Kd8 19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Black resigned, TrippL - boggus, FICS, 2012.

6...Kxe5

This is the strongest continuation, although the two players have tried

6...Nc6 7.Qh5 Nxe5 8.d4 Nd3+ 9.Kd2 Nxc1 10.d5+ Kd6 11.Kxc1 h6 12.Na3 Qg5+ 13.Qxg5 hxg5 14.Nc4+ Ke7 15.Kc2 d6 16.f3 Nf6 17.h3 Nd7 18.Rae1 b5 19.Na5 Ne5 20.Rhf1 Bd7 21.f4 Nf7 22.f5 Ne5 23.Nb3 a5 24.Nd4 c5 25.Nb3 a4 26.Nd2 Kd8 27.a3 Kc7 28.Nf3 Nxf3 29.Rxf3 Be7 30.g4 Bf6 31.Rd3 Rh7 32.Rde3 Rah8 33.Rh1 Be5 34.Kd2 Bf4 White resigned, TrippL - boggus, FICS, 2008; and

6...Qg5 7.cxd4 Qxg2 8.Qf3 Qxf3 9.Nxf3 Nf6 10.d3 h6 11.Nc3 c6 12.Be3 d5 13.e5 Ng4 14.Bf4 g5 15.Bg3 h5 16.h3 Nh6 17.Nxg5+ Kf5 18.h4 Be7 19.Nf3 Bb4 20.Kd2 Kg4 21.Ng5 Rf8 22.f3+ Kxg3 23.Rag1+ Kf4 24.Kc2 Bxc3 25.bxc3 Nf5 26.Rb1 Nxh4 27.Rxh4+ Kxg5 28.Rbh1 Rh8 29.Rg4+ hxg4 30.Rxh8 gxf3 31.Rg8+ Kf4 32.Kd1 Ke3 33.Ke1 Kxd3 34.Kf2 Kxc3 35.Rf8 Kxd4 36.e6 Bxe6 37.Rxa8 Bg4 38.Rxa7 b5 39.Rc7 Kc5 40.Rb7 Bh5 41.Rh7 Bg6 42.Rh6 Be4 43.Ke3 Kb4 44.Rf6 c5 45.Rb6 c4 46.Ra6 Kc5 47.Ra8 b4 48.a4 bxa3 49.Rc8+ Kb4 50.Ra8 Kb3 51.Ra5 a2 52.Rb5+ Kc3 53.Ra5 Kb2 54.Rxa2+ Black forfeited on time, TrippL - boggus, FICS, 2009. 

7.cxd4+ Kxd4 8.Nc3 Qg5 

White's 8th move was mentioned in the last post, "Caught Out".

Black's 8th move (thematic in the Blackburne Shilling Gambit) has already been scolded a number of years ago in "Gorilla Chess".

9.Qb3

This wins. Even better 9.Qa4+ Ke5 10.f4+ (or 9...Kc5 10.d4) as Black will lose his Queen. Check it out, play a few variations.

9...c6 10.d3 Qxg2 

Deadly - but for the wrong side.

11.Be3+

This is good, but who could resist the double Rook sacrifice: 11.Bf4 Qxh1+ 12.Kd2 Qxa1 13.Qc4# ? Resisting the second Rook requires Black to sacrifice his Queen - and he will still be checkmated.

11...Ke5 12.f4+ 

Instead, 12.Qf7 would box the enemy king in, e.g. 12...Qxh1+ 13.Ke2 Qxh2 (13...Qxa1 14.Bf4+ Kd4 15.Qc4#)14.Nb5 Nf6 15.Bd4+ Kf4 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Qxf6+ Kg4 18.Qf5+ Kh4 19.Nd4 Qg2 20.Nf3+ Qxf3+ 21.Kxf3 Rg8 22.Rh1 checkmate, anyway. 

12...Kf6

Black's King appears to be getting away.

13.0-0-0 Ne7

Houdini suggests that after 13...Ke7 Black would be better, but that is hard to see. Now the game concludes quickly.

14.Rhg1 Qxh2 15.Bd4 checkmate

Very pretty!

Finishing It Off Smartly

In the following game, when jfhumphrey applies the "Jerome cure" to the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, the two players head into a sharp variation where jordibc's thematic BSG Queen sally looks scary, but proves to be his undoing.



jfhumphrey - jordibc
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.c3 Qg5

The main line of this variation is the Knight "exchange" 6...Kxe5 7.cxd4+. Instead, Black brings out an idea that is often very dangerous in the Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

As we will see, though, White is quite ready.

7.cxd4 Qxg2 8.Qb3+

The much less effective 8.Qg4+ was seen in perrypawnpusher-TheProducer, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 66).

8...Ke7

Black is simply being mated. Alternatives:

8...Kf6 9.Qf7+ Kg5 10.d3+ Kh4 11.Nf3+ Kh3 12.Qh5 checkmate, GOH - boggus, FICS, 2011;


8...Kd6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Nc4+ Kc6 12.Qd5 checkmate, XprezzChezz - borodin, FICS, 2009;


8...d5 when 9.Qxd5+ Kf6 10.Qf7+ Kg5 11.h4+ Kh6 12.d3+ Qg5 13.hxg5 would have been checkmate; instead, White played 9.exd5+, achieved an advantage, but lost on time in 37 moves in ReallyBadPlayer - skipi, FICS, 2006.

9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc6 11.Qd5 checkmate

Incomplete

The following game allows me to point out that my assessment of a line in the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit has been incomplete. Quick! Let me add a bit more.

COMTIBoy - erickking
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

As I've written before

Seen most often is 5...Ke8, and after 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6, best play for both sides is 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+, when Black can go for the draw-by-repetition with 9...Ke8; or go for an unbalanced (but largely equal) position as acirce suggested above with 9...Nf6 10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4 when White has four pawns for a piece and it is unclear if Black has an open King or open lines for development.

This doesn't address the question, though, What if White wants more than a draw?

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+ Ke8 10.Qe5+

Instead of repeating checks White decides to pick up the Knight at d4, going on his own for an "unbalanced (but largely equal) position."

10...Ne6

This move tilts the game in White's favor.

Stronger was10...Qe7, daring White to take the Rook: 11.Qxh8 Qxe4+ White resigned, avoiding checkmate, in jatapia - RVLY, FICS, 2008.

After the more sensible 11.Qxd4, Black has played 11...Rh6, GOH - Jorma, FICS, 2005 (1-0, 43); 11...Rh4, keeswillem - focus13, GameKnot, 2006 (0-1, 29); 11...Nf6, dic - zoranb, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 25); and 11...Bg7, GOH - boggus, FICS, 2005 (1-0, 28) and  perrypawnpusher - adamzzzz, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 39).

11.Qxh8

White has a Rook and four pawns for two pieces, and a safer King.

11...Qg5

This is an obvious improvement over the knee-jerk 11...Qf6  of Dragon Tail - Blitzcraig, FICS, 2008: 12.Qh5+ (12.Qxg8 was okay, too) Kd8 13.d3 Nd4 14.Bg5 Nxc2+ 15.Kd1 d6 16.Bxf6+ Nxf6 17.Qf7 Nxa1 18.Qxf8+ Kd7 19.Qxf6 Kc6 20.Na3 Black resigned, DragonTail - Blitzcraig, FICS, 2008.

12.0-0 Nf6

Stronger was the more direct 12...Nf4, when Black out-played his opponent: 13.g3 d6 14.d4 Ne2+ 15.Kh1 Nxc1 16.Nc3 Bg4 17.Raxc1 Bf3+ 18.Kg1 Kd7 19.Qh4 Qxh4 20.gxh4 Bh6 21.Rce1 Bd2 22.Rb1 Nf6 23.e5 Rg8 checkmate, Raju - risbo, FICS, 2002.

13.d4 Qg6 14.Nc3 d6 15.f4 Nxe4

A slip that costs a piece and the game.

16.f5 Qg7 17.Qh5+ Ke7 18.Nxe4 Qxd4+ 19.Nf2 Nd8 20.Re1+ Kd7 21.Qe8 checkmate