olpaBlind - engnader
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.d4
White has already castled, while Black retains his dark-squared Bishop, so the standard f2-f4 pawn advance is not possible; the center thrust seems best.
9...Bxd4 10.Rd1 c5 11.b4
A new move (11.c3 has been seen several times before) that opens very interesting possibilites. White's game goes from "bad" to "worse", but he is counting on the swirling fog of war to increase his chances.
11..Qf6 12.bxc5+ Kxc5 13.Ba3+ Kc4
At first glance, we see that Black is up two pieces, with better development to boot. He even threatens to trade off White's "attacking" Queen. Some gambit!
Furthermore, Black owns the a1-h8 diagonal, and is beginning to add pressure to f2 along the a7 to g1 diagonal.
This being a blitz game, I have to wonder: did either player realize that at this point Black is busted!?
14.Qh3 Qxf2+
Since this appears to be crushing, it seems silly to mention that Black has better chances for survival by returning a piece with 14...Nf3+ or trying the alternative check 14...Bxf2+; in each case, followed by 15...Kb5.
15.Kh1
So, what, exactly, is going on here?
Well, as sharp-eyed Readers no doubt have noticed, White inconveniently threatens checkmate.
At first this seems simple to deal with: Black has 15...Qxc2, covering the b3 square and ending the mate threat. He seems ready to allow White to pin his Queen to his King with 16.Rc1, as 16...Qxc1 17.Bxc1 Bxa1 actually gives him two Rooks for the Queen. Plus his additional two pieces.
analysis diagram
The issue for Black here, though is that his extra pieces are undeveloped. Over time, White can both harass the King and win back material, e.g. 18.Qb3+ Kc5 19.Qd5+ Kb6 20.Qd6+ Nc6 21.Be3+ Ka6 22.Qa3+ Na5 23.Qd3+ Nc4 24.Qxc4+ b5 25.Qc5 Bb2 26.Qd6 Kb7 27.Nd2 Ne7 28.Qxe7
Of course, not every defender is ready to part with his Queen, anyhow. Black might simply prefer to block White's Queen's access to b3 with 15...Be3 (instead of 15...Qxc2). Still, this is inadequate: 16.Bd6 (locking in the undeveloped pieces) Kb5 (the only move) 17.Na3+ Ka6 18.Rf1 Qd2 19.Rad1 Qc3 20.Bxe5
analysis diagram
and it is again a question of developed pieces vs a vulnerable King that gives White the better game.
Black can also block White's Queen's transit to b3 with the counter-sacrifice 15...Nf3. After the cheeky 16.Nd2+!?, however, Black's King is on the run with 16...Kb5, when a sequence like 17.Rab1+ Ka6 18.Nxf3 d5 19.Qh5 Nf6 20.Qg6 b6 21.Rxd4
analysis diagram
shows Black developing more pieces, but losing two of them...
Black's best defense is to acknowledge that his 13th move was unlucky and to evacuate his King with 15...Kb5. White's followup if familiar by now, 16.Qb3+ Kb6 17.Qa4+ Kb6 18.Bd6. Storm clouds are gathering around Black's King... Black can try the very funny 18...Ng4!?, threatening the mate by ...Qg1+ and ...Nf2; but this is well met by 19.Bg3, e.g. 19...Be5 20.Nc3 a6 21.Bxf2+ Nxf2+ 22.Kg1 Nxd1.
analysis diagram
Black temporarily has three minor pieces and a Rook for his Queen, but his King is too open and White's Queen is too active, e.g. 23.Qb4+ Ka7 24.Qc5+ b6 25.Nb5+!? axb5 26.Qxe5 Ne3 27.Qxg7 Bb7 28.Qxh8 and White is still not through collecting material.
What to do? What to do? What to do?
Black's actual move in the game "solves" everything.
15...d6 16.Qb3 checkmate
I think that it is worth the time to play over this game and examine the lines of play available to Black at move 15 onward. I have only touched upon how spectacular the chess is at that point.
Fantastic game, gentlemen!
