Shillings: One Found, Two Lost (Part 2)

Applying the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) treatment to the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4) has become a standard plan when my favorite opening meets someone's favorite defense. So far I have scored 13 wins against 2 losses and 1 draw, so I'm not likely to change my play any time soon.

perrypawnpusher - xenoglot

blitz 2 12, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

Checking the New Year's Database (which I have been updating regularly) I note that the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit has scored 56% (based on 2,292 games),  but that the per centage jumps to 61% (based on 1,076 games) in the 5...Ke6 line. (All cautions about statistics, of course, apply.) 

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6

A good look at this line can be found in "Please, don't do that..." and "It's a good thing I read this blog".

Rybka says that developing the King's Knight gives White a small advantage, and instead recommends: 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 (for 9...Ke8 see perrypawnpusher - adamzzzz, blitz FICS, 2009)10.Qc5+ Kf7 11.Qxd4 d5 when Black has an edge.

8.Qe5+ Ne6

At this point in one game, my opponent resigned: perrypawnpusher - fintrade, blitz FICS, 2009.


9.Nxh8 Bg7 10.d4

10...c6 11.Bg5 Bxh8

Black has two pieces for a Rook and three pawns – but these are "Jerome pawns"!

12.Bxf6

After the game Rybka preferred straight development with 12.Nc3. I think that is because it did not see going into an endgame as strong as staying in the middle game.

12...Bxf6

Better, according to the computer, was 12...Qxf6 13.Qxf6 Bxf6
when White has only an edge. I would have been happy to follow that line, though.

13.Qh5+

On revient toujours à ses premières amours...

13...Ke7 14.Qxh7+ Ke8 15.e5 Be7

With three connected passed pawns and a Rook for Black's two Bishops, White is better – but how to convert the advantage?

16.Qh5+ Kf8 17.Qf5+ Ke8 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.Qf5+ Kg7

I was checking the King and even repeating the position in order to pick up some time to think a bit deeper. My opponent apparently took this as indecision or confusion on my part. This kind of thought process can lead to over-confidence, which is not good. 

Xenoglot should have returned his King to e8 and seen if I really wanted a draw – which would have been a favorable outcome for him at this point.

20.0-0 Nxd4

See what I mean? Over-confidence can allow one to fall into the shallowest of traps.

21.Qg4+ Kf8 22.Qxd4 Ke8

From here, Black's position slowly disintegrates.

23.Nc3 d6 24.exd6 Bxd6 25.Rfe1+ Kd7 26.Rad1

Even stronger was 26.Qg7+.

26...Qf8 27.Ne4 c5 28.Qxd6+ Qxd6 29.Nxd6 

29...Kc6 30.Nxc8 Rxc8 31.h4 b5

32.h5 a5 33.Re6+ Kb7 34.Rd7+ Ka8 35.Ree7 Rc6 36.Re8+ Rc8 37.Rxc8 checkmate

My opponent immediately challenged me to a rematch...

Folly

Remember the quote that the winner in a chess game is the player who makes the next-to-last mistake ? This always seemed hedged a bit by Bronstein's equally wry suggestion that three little mistakes make one big mistake.

In any event, as I indicated in "No Letdown", I believe that when it comes to playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), if my opponent makes a series of small mistakes, and I make a series of smaller mistakes, then eventually I should catch up...

Still, it took a while for me to be at peace with the following game.

perrypawnpusher - lourotors
blitz FICS, 2009

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

The King can also go to e6. See "Crime and Punisher".

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6

7...Nxc2+

As in perrypawnpusher - tiagorom, blitz FICS, 2009, although that game actually took place after this one.

More frequently, Black captures the Knight: 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ (8.Qxh8 Nh6 9.Qxd4 Qg5 10.0-0 Bc5 11.Qh8+ Ke7 12.d4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - tampajake, FICS, 2009) 8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Ke8 10.Qe5+ Qe7 11.Qxd4 Bg7 12.Qc4 Kd8 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.0-0 c6 15.d4 d5 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 cxd5 18.Qxd5+ Qd7 19.Bg5+ Kc7 20.Qc5+ Qc6 21.Qxc6+ bxc6 22.c3 Rb8 23.b3 Rh5 24.Bf4+ Kb7 25.Bxb8 Kxb8 26.Rae1 Ba6 27.Re8+ Kc7 28.Rfe1 Bh6 29.R8e5 Rxe5 30.Rxe5 Bd2 31.c4 Bc3 32.Re4 Bb7 33.d5 cxd5 34.cxd5 Bxd5 35.Re7+ Kb6 36.h4 Bf6 37.Rd7 Be6 38.Rd6+ Kc7 39.Rxe6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - adamzzzz, blitz FICS, 2009.

I've also seen 7...Nf6 8.Qe5+ Ne6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - fintrade, blitz FICS, 2009 (8...Qe7 9.Nxe7 Bxe7 10.Qxd4 d6 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Nd5 c5 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Qxf6 Rf8 15.Qxe6+ Kd8 16.Qxd6+ Ke8 17.d3 Rd8 18.Qe7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - patitolo, blitz FICS, 2005)

8.Kd1 Nf6

This may work in analogous situations, but not here: best was 8...hxg6 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 and the position is unclear after 10.d3 or 10.Kxc2. 

9.Qe5+ Be7 10.Nxh8

Squandering an advantage, when the simple 10.Nxe7 Qxe7 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 12.Kxc2 was available.

White's Knight will be stuck in the corner, just as Black's will in the opposite corner, but the second player will come out a piece ahead.

10...Nxa1 11.d4

It might have been a bit better to go after the enemy Knight immediately with 11.b3, intending Qxa1.

11...d6 12.Qg3

12...Kd7

The King moves to allow the Queen to attack the Knight. Rybka suggested after the game 12...c5 13.d5 Bg4+ 14.Ke1 with a winning advantage for Black. The c-pawn acts as a shield against checks by the White Queen (see the following note) and the Bishop check moves the enemy King away from the Knight's escape square, c2.

13.Nf7

It was time to sue for peace with 13.Qh3+ Ke8 (or 13...Kc6 14.Qc3+, etc.) 14.Qg3. Of course, if Black then plays 14...c5 (or any other number of moves) instead of repeating the position, he is still comfortably ahead.

13...Qf8 14.Ng5 Nh5

Quite unexpectedly, White's Knight has been allowed to escape, and this move loses a piece.

The fact is that the position is quite complicated, as Rybka's post mortem analysis indicates: 14...h6 15.Nh3 Qf7 (hoping to safe the Knight at a1)16.Nc3 b5 17.Nf4 Qc4 18.Qd3 Ng4 (taking aim at White's other Rook) 19.Qxc4 bxc4 20.Nh3 Rb8 21.f3 Nf6 22.Nf4 Ng8 23.Nfd5 which is evaluated as slightly better for Black. The cramp on his Queenside limits White's play.

15.Qg4+ Kd8 16.Qxh5 Qxf2

17.Qe2

I should have simplified with 17.Nf7+ Kd7 18.Qf5+, forcing the exchange of Queens.

17...Qh4

In turn, my opponent missed 17...Qxd4+ which keeps the pot boiling.

This is feeling like the typical Jerome Gambit family game: I'm staying in the game with help from my opponent – a dangerous way to live.

18.Nf3 Qh5 19.Nc3 Bg4

20.b3 d5 21.Nxd5 Bd6 22.Bg5+ Kc8 23.Kd2

Hoping to gather in the Knight at a1, at last, but Black can now play 23...Bxf3 24.Qxf3 Qxg5+ recovering a piece. He will eventually have to give it back with ...Na1xb3, but White's advantage will be made smaller.

23...c6 24.Rxa1

Understandable, as the enemy Knight has been sitting in the corner for over a dozen moves. I also thought that the open file would give me attacking chances against Black's King. It does, although 24.Bf4 was probably more straight forward.

24...cxd5 25.Rc1+ Kd7

White now has a mate in 7 (a better, but still losing choice for Black was 25...Kb8) but of course, it won't play itself.

26.e5

This move is inadequate, as, for starters, it allows 26...Bxf3+ and Black can work his way to a draw.

It also misses 26.Qb5+ Ke6 27.Qxd5+ Kd7 28.Qb5+ Ke6 29.Rc7 Bf4+ 30.Kc2 Kd6 31.Qc5+ Ke6 32.Qe7 mate

analysis diagram





26...Bb4+ 27.Kc2 Rc8+

Black, in turn, wants to use the c-file for attack. It shouldn't work. It does.

28.Kb2 Rxc1 29.Kxc1

It was time for the stranded Bishop to come home with 29.Bxc1. Now it will be lost.

29...Bxf3 30.gxf3

Well beyond my sight was Rybka's suggestion 30.e6+, which would have allowed White to draw after 30...Kc6 31.Qc2+ Kd6 32.Bf4+ Kxe6 33.Qc8+ Kf7 34.gxf3 Qxf3 35.Qxb7+

30...Qxg5+ 31.Kc2

 Sigh. Another pawns vs Bishop endgame, this time with Queens instead of Rooks (see my game against CorH).

33.f4 31...Qg6+ 32.Kb2 Qb6

This hurries the loss, although Rybka's analysis is ultimately just as painful: 33.Qd3 Be7 34.f4 Qh6 35.Qg3 Qg6 36.Qh3+ Kc7 37.f5 Qg1 38.Qc3+ Kb8 39.f6 Qf2+ 40.Kc1 Ba3+ 41.Kd1 Qxh2 42.b4 Qxa2 43.e6 Qb1+ 44.Ke2 Qe4+ 45.Kd1 Qh1+ 46.Ke2 Qg2+ 47.Kd1 Qf1+.

33...Qxd4+ 34.Kb1 Ba3 35.Qg4+ Kc6 36.Qc8+

Resignation would have been okay, instead.

36...Kb6 37.Qc2 Qg1+ White resigned

Aaarrrgggh!

Some day I am likely to play the recommended lines against the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4), but for now I still enjoy the Jerome Gambit-ish (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) line starting with 4.Bxf7+


perrypawnpusher - fintrade
blitz FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

Oh, no! Not the Blackburne Shilling Gambit! Haven't I already pleaded "Please don't do that..."?

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 There. Just like new.

Except for his two pawns. And my Bishop.

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 7...Nf6

Black needs to take the Knight, when the best follow-up, according to Rybka 3.0, is 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Qc5+ Ke8 11.Qxd4 d5 which is unclear, or slightly favoring Black.

8.Qe5+ Ne6 Black resigns

Perhaps Black was a bit hasty in turning over his King, as after 9. Nxh8 Bg7 he is going to wind up with two pieces against a Rook and three pawns.