Lots of Practice, Some Theory

Today's blog is full of games relevant to our main one. There is a little bit of "theory" tossed in, too. Enjoy the efforts of steveod and PEITONER.

PEITONER - steveod
blitz, FICS, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. Black may be hoping for 4.Nxe5?!, and he may be expecting 4.Nxd4, 4.c3, 4.d3 or 4.0-0; but now he has something new to think about.

In this case, over the last decade plus, steveod has played quite a few BSGs at FICS, faced quite a few BSJGs, and even played a few himself. I thought it would be interesting to share his experiences as they appear in The Database, positive and negative. His games provide a pretty good overview of the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

Let me start by presenting a Jerome Gambit / Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit hybrid game: 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke6 7.Qg4+ Kxe5 8.f4+ Kd6 9.e5+ Kc6 10.b4 d5 11.Qg3 Nxc2+ 12.Kd1 Nxa1 13.b5+ Kb6 14.Qd3 c6 15.Na4+ Kc7 16.Nxc5 b6 17.Na6+ Bxa6 18.bxa6 Ne7 19.Ba3 Ng6 20.Bd6+ Kc8 21.Qf5+ Qd7 22.Qg5 Re8 23.Rf1 Ne7 24.Qxg7 Nf5 25.g4 Nxg7 White resigned, crystalleaf - steveod, FICS, 2013. 

4...Kxf7

I have not promoted declining the gambit, in fact I have referred to it as intending some kind of "Jedi mind trick", but I note that steveod has played several games with 4...Ke7:

5.Nxe5 d6 6.Nc3 (6.Bxg8 dxe5 7.d3 Rxg8 8.Bg5+ Black resigned, frizerkaHR - steveod, FICS, 2012) dxe5 7.Qh5 Nc6 8.Nd5+ Kd6 9.f4 Nf6 10.Qg5 h6 11.fxe5+ Nxe5 12.Qe3 Nxf7 13.e5+ Nxe5 14.d4 Nxd5 15.Qxe5+ Kc6 16.c4 Bd6 17.cxd5+ Kb6 18.Qxg7 Qe7+ 19.Qxe7 Bxe7 20.Rf1 Rf8 21.Be3 Rxf1+ 22.Kxf1 Bd7 23.d6 Bb5+ 24.Kg1 Bxd6 25.Rc1 c6 26.b3 a5 27.a4 Bd3 28.d5+ Kc7 29.Rc3 Be4 30.dxc6 Bxc6 White forfeited on time, AndrejRussia - steveod, FICS, 2014;

5.Nxd4 Kxf7 (5...exd4 6.Bxg8 Rxg8 7.d3 Ke8 8.c3 dxc3 9.Nxc3 c6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qxh7 Rg7 12.Qh6 Qf6 13.Bg5 Qd4 14.0-0 d6 15.Be3 Qb4 16.Rab1 Be6 17.d4 Kd7 18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5 Kc7 20.Bg5 Bf5 21.Bf6 Rf7 22.Rbc1 Bxh6 23.Nd5+ Kb8 24.Nxb4 Bxc1 25.Rxc1 Rd7 26.h3 a5 27.Nc2 Bxc2 28.Rxc2 b5 29.Rxc6 Kb7 30.Rc5 Kb6 31.Rc3 b4 32.Rg3 Rg8 33.e6 Rd6 34.f4 Rxe6 35.Be5 g5 36.Bd4+ Kb5 37.f5 Re4 38.Bf6 Rf4 39.h4 Rxf5 40.hxg5 Rxf6 41.gxf6 Rxg3 42.f7 Rd3 43.f8Q Rd1+ 44.Kh2 Rd5 45.Qb8+ Kc4 46.b3+ Kd4 47.Qf4+ Kc5 48.Qc4+ Kd6 49.g3 Rd2+ 50.Kh3 Rxa2 51.g4 a4 52.Qxb4+ Kd5 53.bxa4 Re2 54.Qb5+ Kd6 55.Qxe2 Black resigned, roosmanla - steveod, FICS, 2008) 6.Nf3 d6 7.c3 h6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Be6 10.d5 Bd7 11.Nc3 g5 12.Qd4 Bg7 13.Qd3 a6 14.Be3 Qe7 15.Bd4 Bxd4 16.Qxd4 Nf6 17.0-0 Rae8 18.Rfe1 g4 19.Nd2 Nh5 20.Re2 Rhg8 21.g3 Qf6 22.Qxf6+ Nxf6 23.Rae1 Rg5 24.f4 gxf3 25.Nxf3 Rg4 26.e5 Nxd5 27.Nxd5 c6 28.Nf4 Be6 29.Nxe6 Rxe6 30.exd6 Rxd6 31.Re7+ Kf6 32.Rxb7 Rd3 33.Kg2 Rb4 34.Rxb4 Black resigned, bushytail - steveod, FICS, 2010; and

5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d3 h6 7.Nxe5 d6 8.Nf3 Bg4 9.Nbd2 Kd7 10.b3 Qg5 11.Bb2 Bxf3 12.Nxf3 Qxg2 13.Rf1 Nxf3+ 14.Ke2 Nxh2 15.Re1 Qf3+ 16.Kd2 Qxf2+ 17.Re2 Qf4+ 18.Re3 Nf1+ 19.Qxf1 Qxf1 20.Rxf1 Be7 21.Kc1 Bg5 22.Rfe1 Raf8 23.Kb1 Bxe3 24.Rxe3 Rf1+ 25.Bc1 g5 26.e5 h5 27.e6+ Ke7 28.d4 c6 29.Kb2 g4 30.b4 h4 31.Re4 h3 32.Be3 h2 33.Bf4 h1Q White resigned, EstonianBear - steveod, FICS, 2002.

5.Nxe5+ Ke6

Black has also tried:

5...Ke7 6.Qh5 (6.d3 h6 7.c3 Ne6 8.Qf3 Kd6 9.d4 Qf6 10.Qxf6 gxf6 11.Nf7+ Ke7 12.Nxh8 Ng5 13.Ng6+ Kf7 14.Nxf8 Kxf8 15.Bxg5 hxg5 16.Nd2 d6 17.0-0-0 a5 18.a4 Bd7 19.f3 Bxa4 20.b3 Bb5 21.c4 Bd7 22.h4 g4 23.f4 a4 24.f5 a3 25.Kc2 b5 26.h5 Nh6 27.Nf1 bxc4 28.bxc4 Ba4+ 29.Kc3 Bxd1 30.Ne3 Be2 31.Ra1 Ra4 32.Kd2 Bxc4 33.Nxc4 Rxc4 34.Rxa3 Rxd4+ 35.Ke3 Rc4 36.Ra8+ Ke7 37.Rh8 Nf7 38.Rh7 Kf8 39.g3 Kg8 40.Rxf7 Kxf7 41.Kf4 c5 42.h6 d5 43.h7 Kg7 White forfeited on time, Tetragon - steveod, FICS, 2006; 6.c3 Ne6 7.d4 h6 8.d5 d6 9.dxe6 dxe5 10.Qxd8+ Kxd8 11.0-0 Ke7 12.Be3 b6 13.Nd2 Bxe6 14.Nc4 Bxc4 15.Rfd1 Rd8 16.Rd5 Bxd5 17.exd5 Rxd5 18.Re1 Nf6 White resigned, jwilled - steveod, FICS, 2004) 6...Qe8 7.Qg5+ Nf6 8.Na3 d6 9.Nec4 h6 10.Qa5 Nc6 11.Qc3 Qg6 12.0-0 Be6 13.d4 Nxe4 14.Qe1 Bxc4 15.Nxc4 d5 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Kd7 18.Be3 Bc5 19.Bxc5 Nxc5 20.Rd1 c6 21.c4 Qe6 22.cxd5 cxd5 23.Qe2 a6 White forfeited on time, MyGameUMove - steveod, FICS, 2012; and

5...Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 (7...Nxc2+ 8.Kd1 Nxa1 [8...Bg7 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Qxg7 Nxa1 12.Nf7+ Black resigned, steveod - Smeet, FICS, 2002] 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Nc3 Ne7 13.Qc4+ Kb6 14.Qb5 checkmate, suchatzi - steveod, FICS, 2005; 7...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.Qxh7+ Qg7 10.Ng6+ Kf7 11.Nxf8 Nxc2+ 12.Kd1 Nxa1 13.Qf5+ Nf6 14.e5 Qxf8 15.Qxf6+ Kg8 16.Qxf8+ Kxf8 17.b3 d6 18.exd6 cxd6 19.Bb2 Bf5 20.Na3 Nxb3 21.axb3 Rc8 22.Bc3 b5 23.b4 a6 24.Re1 d5 25.Nc2 Rc4 26.Ne3 Re4 27.Nxf5 Rf4 28.Nd6 Rxf2 29.Re5 Rxg2 30.Rxd5 Rxh2 31.Ne4 Rh1+ 32.Kc2 Ra1 33.Bxa1 Kf7 34.Rd6 Ke7 35.Rxa6 Kd7 36.Rb6 Kc7 37.Rxb5 Kc6 38.Rc5+ Kb6 39.d4 Kb7 40.d5 Kb6 41.d6 Kb7 42.d7 Kb6 43.d8Q+ Kb7 44.Nd6+ Ka6 45.Qa5 checkmate, steveod-Smeet, FICS, 2002) 8.Qe5+ Kf7 (8...Qe7 9.Nxe7 Black resigned, MikP - steveod, FICS, 2002; 8...Ne6 9.Nxh8 Bg7 10.Nf7 Kxf7 11.d4 Ng4 12.Qf5+ Nf6 13.e5 Nxd4 14.Qf4 Nxc2+ 15.Kf1 Nxa1 16.exf6 Bxf6 17.Nd2 d5 18.Nf3 Qd6 19.Qh6 Ke8 20.Qxh7 Qa6+ 21.Kg1 Qc4 22.Bh6 Be7 23.Qg8+ Kd7 24.Ne5+ Kd6 25.Nxc4+ dxc4 26.g3 b6 27.Kg2 Bb7+ 28.Kg1 Rxg8 29.Bf4+ Ke6 30.h4 Rd8 31.Kh2 Nc2 32.Rc1 Nd4 33.Re1+ Kf6 34.Bg5+ Black forfeited on time, Dipsy - steveod, FICS, 2001) 9.Nxh8+ Kg8 10.Qxd4 Kxh8 11.e5 Ng8 12.0-0 Qg5 13.Nc3 c6 14.d3 Qh5 15.Ne4 Bg7 16.Nf6 Qf5 17.Ng4 d6 18.Qxd6 Qxg4 19.f4 Bf5 20.Bd2 h5 21.Rf3 h4 22.Raf1 Qh5 23.h3 Nh6 24.Bc3 Rg8 25.e6 Bxc3 26.bxc3 Qg6 27.Qd4+ Kh7 28.Qd7+ Rg7 29.Qxg7+ Qxg7 White forfeited on time, rexsolus - steveod, FICS, 2006.

6.c3 

Also:

6.f4 h5 (6...d6 7.Qg4+ Ke7 8.Qg5+ Nf6 9.Nf3 [9.Ng4 Nxc2+ 10.Kf1 h6 11.Qh4 Bxg4 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Qd3+ 14.Kg1 Qd4+ 15.Qf2 Qxf2+ 16.Kxf2 Nxa1 17.exf6+ gxf6 18.Na3 Kd7 19.Nc4 Be6 20.b3 Bxc4 21.bxc4 Nc2 22.Bb2 Be7 23.a3 c5 24.Rc1 Nd4 25.Bxd4 cxd4 26.d3 Bxa3 27.Rb1 Bc5 28.Rb5 b6 29.Kf3 Kc6 30.h3 a6 31.Rb1 a5 32.Re1 Rhd8 33.Re6+ Rd6 34.Re1 a4 35.Ra1 a3 36.Ra2 Ra4 37.g4 Rb4 38.Ke4 Rb2 39.Ra1 Rh2 40.Kf5 Rxh3 41.Kg6 Rxd3 42.Kxh6 f5+ 43.Kg5 fxg4 44.Kxg4 Rc3 45.Kf4 Rxc4 46.Ke4 Re6+ 47.Kf5 Re3 48.Kf4 d3+ White resigned, KnightBiker - steveod, FICS, 2004] 9...Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Nxa1 11.e5 dxe5 12.fxe5 h6 13.exf6+ gxf6 14.Re1+ Kf7 15.Qh5+ Kg7 16.Nh4 Rg8 17.Qg6+ Kh8 18.Qf7 Bg4+ 19.Re2 Bxe2+ 20.Kxe2 Qe7+ 21.Qxe7 Bxe7 22.Kd1 Rae8 23.b3 Rg4 24.Bb2 Nxb3 25.Nf5 Nc5 26.Nxe7 Nd7 27.Nd5 Rxg2 28.Nxf6 Nxf6 29.Bxf6+ Kh7 30.Nc3 c6 31.Na4 Ree2 32.Bc3 Rxh2 33.Nc5 b6 34.Nd3 b5 35.Nf4 Ref2 36.Ne6 Rf7 37.Nd8 Rc7 38.Be5 Rc8 39.Nxc6 Rh1+ 40.Ke2 Rxc6 White resigned, latinicon-steveod, FICS, 2004; 6...Qh4+ 7.g3 Qh6 8.Qg4+ Ke7 9.b3 d6 10.Nc3 Bxg4 11.Nd5+ Kd8 12.Nf7+ Kd7 13.Nxh6 Nxc2+ 14.Kf2 Nxa1 15.Nxg4 Nc2 16.Bb2 Re8 17.d3 Be7 18.Rc1 c6 19.Nxe7 Rxe7 20.Rxc2 Nf6 21.Nxf6+ gxf6 22.Bxf6 Re6 23.Bxh8 h5 24.f5 Re5 25.Bxe5 dxe5 26.h3 b5 27.g4 h4 28.g5 Kd6 29.g6 c5 30.g7 Black resigned, steveod - Smeet, FICS, 2002); 7.c3 (7.0-0 d6 8.Nf3 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 Ne7 10.f5+ Kd7 11.d4 c6 12.Qa3 Kc7 13.Bg5 b6 14.d5 c5 15.f6 gxf6 16.Bxf6 Rh6 17.Bh4 Rg6 18.Nc3 Qd7 19.Ne2 Qg4 20.Bg3 h4 21.Nf4 Rg8 22.Be1 Bh6 23.Ne6+ Bxe6 24.Rf2 Bd7 25.Bd2 Bxd2 26.Rxd2 h3 27.g3 Qxe4 28.Rf1 Nxd5 29.Qf3 Qxf3 30.Rxf3 Nb4 31.c3 Nc6 32.Rf7 Ne5 33.Rh7 Nf3+ 34.Kf2 Nxd2 35.Rxh3 Nc4 36.Ke2 Nxb2 37.Rh7 Na4 38.Kd2 Rae8 39.Kc2 Re2+ 40.Kb3 b5 41.c4 a6 42.cxb5 axb5 White forfeited on time, wardcleophus - steveod, FICS, 2014) 7...Nc6 8.Ng6 (8.Qb3+ d5 9.exd5+ Qxd5 10.Qxd5+ Kxd5 11.Nf7 Rh7 12.0-0 Nh6 13.Ng5 Rh8 14.Na3 Bc5+ 15.Kh1 Bxa3 16.bxa3 a6 17.a4 Bf5 18.Ba3 Rae8 19.Rfe1 Na5 20.Bb4 Nc4 21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.Rf1 Nxd2 23.h3 Nxf1 24.g4 Be4+ 25.Kg1 Nd2 26.Kf2 Nc4 27.Kg3 Nxg4 28.Nf7 Nge3 29.Kh4 g5+ 30.Kxh5 Bg6+ 31.Kxg6 Re6+ 32.Kg7 gxf4 33.Ng5 f3 34.Kf8 f2 35.Nxe6 Black forfeited on time, nonself - steveod, FICS, 2007) 8...Rh6 9.f5+ Kf6 10.d4 Rxg6 11.fxg6 Kxg6 12.0-0 d6 13.Qf3 Nf6 14.Bf4 Bg4 15.Qg3 Nxe4 16.Qd3 Bf5 17.Bg3 h4 18.Rxf5 Kxf5 19.Nd2 hxg3 20.Qxe4+ Kg5 21.hxg3 Qe7 22.Nf3+ Kh6 23.Qf4+ g5 24.Qg4 Qe3+ 25.Kh2 Be7 26.Re1 Qf2 27.Re6+ Kg7 28.Nxg5 Rh8+ 29.Nh3+ Kf8 30.Re4 Qf7 31.Rf4 Bf6 32.Qc8+ Kg7 33.Qxb7 Ne7 34.Qxc7 Ng6 35.Qxf7+ Kxf7 36.g4 Nxf4 37.Kg3 Nd3 White resigned, malesposo - steveod, FICS, 2015; 

6.Nf3 Qf6 (6...Nxf3+ 7.Qxf3 Qf6 8.Qb3+ [8.Qg4+ Kf7 9.d3 d6 10.Qf4 Qxf4 11.Bxf4 h6 12.Nc3 c6 13.0-0-0 g5 14.Be3 Be6 15.Rdf1 Bg7 16.Ne2 Ke7 17.f4 gxf4 18.Nxf4 Kd7 19.Ng6 Rh7 20.Rf2 Ne7 21.Nf4 a5 22.Rhf1 Bg8 23.Ne2 Be5 24.g3 b5 25.Kb1 c5 26.c3 b4 27.c4 a4 28.Nf4 Rf7 29.Nh5 Rxf2 30.Rxf2 Bd4 31.Bxd4 cxd4 32.Rf6 Nc6 33.Rxh6 Rf8 34.Rf6 Rf7 35.Rxf7+ Bxf7 36.Nf6+ Ke6 37.Nd5 b3 38.a3 Ne5 39.Nf4+ Kf6 40.Kc1 Nf3 41.h3 Be6 42.g4 Bf7 43.Kd1 Kg5 44.Ke2 Kxf4 White resigned, wayuat - steveod, FICS, 2010] 8...Ke7 9.0-0 Kd8 10.d4 d6 11.Be3 Ne7 12.f4 Qe6 13.Qd3 Qd7 14.c4 c6 15.b4 a6 16.a4 g6 17.e5 d5 18.c5 Qf5 19.Qe2 Be6 20.Nc3 h5 21.b5 a5 22.bxc6 Nxc6 23.Rfb1 Rb8 24.Rb6 Kc7 25.Nb5+ Kc8 26.Rb1 Qf7 27.Nd6+ Bxd6 28.cxd6 Bd7 29.Qd1 Nb4 30.Bd2 Rf8 31.g3 g5 32.Bxb4 axb4 33.R1xb4 gxf4 34.Rxb7 Rxb7 35.Qc2+ Kb8 36.Rxb7+ Kxb7 37.Qc7+ Ka8 38.a5 fxg3 39.Qc1 Qf2+ 40.Kh1 Qxh2 checkmate, Miguara - steveod, FICS, 2014) 7.Nxd4+ Qxd4 8.0-0 Ke7 9.c3 Qf6 10.d4 Qf7 11.Bg5+ Ke8 12.e5 h6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3 Be7 15.f4 Qg6 16.f5 Qf7 17.f6 Bf8 18.Nd2 d6 19.Nf3 Be6 20.b3 c6 21.c4 d5 22.Rc1 Ba3 23.Rc2 Rc8 24.cxd5 Bxd5 25.Re2 Rd8 26.h4 g4 27.Nh2 h5 28.Rfe1 Be6 29.Nf1 Bb4 30.Nd2 Nh6 31.Bf2 Nf5 32.Rf1 g3 33.Be3 Nxh4 34.Bg5 Nf5 35.Ne4 Rxd4 36.Qc2 h4 37.Rxf5 Bxf5 38.Nd6+ Bxd6 39.Qxf5 Rd1+ 40.Qf1 Rxf1+ 41.Kxf1 Bb4 42.e6 Qg6 43.f7+ Kf8 44.e7+ Bxe7 45.Bxe7+ Kxf7 46.Bc5 Qb1+ 47.Re1 Qxa2 48.b4 b6 49.Re7+ Kf6 50.Rb7 bxc5 51.bxc5 Qa1+ 52.Ke2 Re8+ 53.Kf3 Qc3+ 54.Kg4 Re4+ 55.Kh3 Qe1 White forfeited on time, Zuriko - steveod, FICS, 2015; 

6.Nd3 Qg5 7.0-0 Ke7 (7...Bd6 8.c3 Nc6 9.f4 Qe7 10.Qg4+ Kf7 11.Ne5+ Ke8 12.d4 Bxe5 13.dxe5 d6 14.f5 Nxe5 15.Qh5+ Kd8 16.Nd2 Nf6 17.Qe2 h6 18.Rf4 b6 19.Nf1 Bb7 20.Ng3 Kd7 21.Be3 Rae8 22.Bd4 g5 23.fxg6 Rhg8 24.Nf5 Qe6 25.Nxh6 Rxg6 26.Nf5 Bxe4 27.Bxe5 dxe5 28.Rd1+ Kc8 29.Qa6+ Kb8 30.Ne3 exf4 31.Nc4 Rxg2+ 32.Kf1 Qh3 White resigned, stemplarv - steveod, FICS, 2006) 8.Nc3 c6 9.Ne1 d6 10.Nf3 Nxf3+ 11.Qxf3 Qf6 12.Qe2 Kd7 13.d3 Kc7 14.d4 Qe6 15.d5 cxd5 16.Nxd5+ Kb8 17.Be3 Ne7 18.Rad1 Nxd5 19.Rxd5 Qe7 20.Bf4 Qf6 21.Bxd6+ Bxd6 22.Rfd1 Rd8 23.e5 Qe7 24.Rxd6 Rxd6 25.Rxd6 a6 26.f4 g6 27.Qd2 Ra7 28.Qd1 b5 29.a3 Rd7 White forfeited on time, Pmoura - steveod, FICS, 2012; 

6.Qh5 Nxc2+ 7.Kd1 Nxa1 8.Qf5+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc6 11.Qd5 checkmate, yorgos - steveod, FICS, 2010; 

6.Nc4 Qg5 7.0-0 b5 (7...d6 8.Nc3 c6 9.d3 Qg6 10.Qg4+ White resigned, HauntedKnight - steveod, FICS, 2006) 8.d3 Qh4 9.Ne3 Bd6 10.g3 Qf6 11.f4 Bc5 12.c3 Nc6 13.Qb3+ Ke7 14.e5 Qg6 15.d4 Bb6 16.d5 Na5 17.Qb4+ Ke8 18.f5 Qh6 19.Rf3 Bb7 20.Qxb5 a6 21.Qe2 Bxd5 22.Rf4 Bc4 23.Qf2 Bxe3 24.Bxe3 Qc6 25.Na3 Bb5 26.Nxb5 axb5 27.e6 d6 28.f6 Nxf6 29.Bd4 Rf8 White forfeited on time, stemplarv - steveod, FICS, 2006. 

6...Kxe5 

Best, but:

6...Qg5 7.Nf3 Qxg2 8.Nxd4+ Ke7 9.Qf3 Qxf3 10.Nxf3 Nf6 11.e5 Nd5 12.d4 h6 13.Na3 b6 14.c4 Nb4 15.Bd2 Nd3+ 16.Ke2 Nxb2 17.Rhg1 Ba6 18.Rac1 d5 19.Bb4+ Kd7 20.Ke3 Bxb4 21.Nb5 Nxc4+ White resigned, marcoseneca - steveod, FICS, 2013; 

6...Nc6 7.d4 Nxe5 8.Qb3+ Ke7 9.dxe5 Ke8 10.0-0 Qe7 11.f4 b6 12.Bd2 Bb7 13.f5 Bxe4 14.f6 Qc5+ 15.Kh1 gxf6 16.Re1 f5 17.e6 d5 18.c4 Qxc4 19.Qh3 Nf6 20.Bg5 Qd4 21.Nc3 Rg8 22.Nxe4 Nxe4 23.Rxe4 dxe4 24.Qxf5 Qg7 25.Qb5+ c6 26.Qxc6+ Qd7 27.Qxd7 checkmate, pigsfeet - steveod, FICS, 2012. 

7.cxd4+ Kxd4 

The King retreat is safer, but not without its perils, as White has shown: 7...Ke6 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.e5 Nd5 10.Qg4+ Kf7 11.Nxd5 d6 12.Qf4+ Kg8 13.0-0 dxe5 14.Qxe5 Bd6 15.Qe4 h6 16.d3 Bd7 17.Re1 Bc6 18.Ne7+ Bxe7 19.Qxe7 Qxd4 20.Qe6+ Kh7 21.Qf5+ Kg8 22.Be3 Qh4 23.d4 Rf8 24.Qe6+ Kh7 25.d5 Bb5 26.Rac1 c6 27.d6 Rhg8 28.Rcd1 Kh8 29.d7 Qb4 30.Bd4 Bc4 31.Qxh6 checkmate, PEITONER - aresa, FICS, 2015

8.d3 Bb4+ 9.Nc3

A natural response.  In "The Threat Is Greater..." I mentioned the two alternatives, 9.Ke2!? and 9.Kf1!?, which threaten to win a piece after 9...Ke5 10.Qb3 followed by 11.Qxb4. The Database shows that these suggestions have yet to be followed.

9...Ke5 

Or 9...Bxc3+ 10.bxc3+ Ke5 (10...Kxc3 11.0-0 Qf6 12.Be3 Kb4 13.Rb1+ Ka5 14.Qb3 c6 15.Qa3 checkmate, Edisce - nkm, FICS, 2005) 11.f4+ (11.Qh5+ was the correct move, as in perrypawnpusher - AdamRou, blitz, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 28]) 11...Kf6 Black forfeited by disconnection, kocanda - ETERHERE, standard, FICS, 2014

10.0-0

White could also whip up an attack with 10.d4+ Kf6 11.Qf3+.

10...Nf6 11.d4+ Ke6 12.Qb3+ 

The Queen goes to b3 and then captures the Bishop, after all. (See the note to White's 9th move.)

12...d5 13.Qxb4 Kf7 

White's center pawns help him take command.

14.e5 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.f3 a5 17.fxe4+ Ke8 18.Qc4 Rf8 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 20.Be3 c6 21.Rf1+ Ke7 22.Qf7 checkmate

A Long Time Getting There

Some things take time. Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games, for example, should be won or lost with a *bang* – leaving plenty of time for other things.

Sometimes, though they drag on and on. 

By the end of this post, readers familiar with the stories of the science fiction writer Ben Bova will understand why I wanted to title this "Pawns, Won't You Hide Me?"

perrypawnpusher  - barbos
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 

The Italian Four Knights Game, soon to become the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, a variation of the "modern" Jerome Gambit.

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

7...Qe7

Great move. I really enjoy it when my opponents play thoughtfully. Did I really sacrifice two pieces just so I could be behind in development 4:1?

8.dxc5

This capture seems like the right one to me, but a trip to the New Year's Database shows that the other has been played as well: 8.dxe5 Qxe5 9.Be3 (9.0-0 Rf8 10.Nb5 Kg8 11.g3 Bxf2+ 12.Rxf2 Qxb5 13.e5 Qxe5 14.Bf4 Qc5 15.Qd2 Ne4 16.Qe2 Nxf2 17.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 18.Kxf2 g5 19.Kg2 gxf4 20.Rd1 White resigned, jwilled - kalimaa, FICS, 2006; or 9.f4 Qe7 10.e5 Ne8 11.Qd5+ Kf8 12.Ne4 Bb4+ 13.c3 c6 14.Qb3 Ba5 15.0-0 Bb6+ 16.Kh1 d5 17.Ng5 h6 18.Nf3 Bg4 19.c4 Bxf3 20.Rxf3 dxc4 21.Qxc4 Qc5 22.Qf1 Qg1+ 23.Qxg1 Bxg1 24.Kxg1 g5 25.f5 Rh7 26.Rd3 Nc7 27.Be3 b6 28.Rd6 Nd5 29.Rb1 Nxe3 30.f6 Ke8 31.Re1 Rd8 32.Rxe3 Rxd6 33.exd6+ Kd7 34.Re7+ Rxe7 35.fxe7 Ke8 36.Kf2 b5 37.Ke3 c5 38.Ke4 a5 39.Kd5 c4 40.Ke6 b4 41.d7 checkmate, Oak - danielleshark, FICS, 2009) 9...Bxe3 10.fxe3 d6 11.0-0 d5 12.Nxd5 Qxe4 13.Nxf6 gxf6 14.Qe2 Bg4 15.Rxf6+ Kxf6 16.Rf1+ Bf5 17.Qd2 Rhg8 18.Qc3+ Ke6 19.g3 Bh3 20.Rf4 Qg2 checkmate, theep - alexmdc, FICS, 2000.

8...Qxc5 9.0-0

The New Year's Database contains 533 games by yorgos, so his alternative play must be taken seriously: 9.Be3 Qc6 10.0-0 Nxe4 11.Nxe4 Qxe4 12.Qh5+ Ng6 13.Rad1 d6 14.Bg5 Be6 15.f3 Qxc2 16.f4 Bf5 17.g4 Be4 18.Qh3 Rae8 19.f5 Ne5 20.Rd2 Qc6 21.Qh5+ g6 22.fxg6+ Kg7 23.Qh6+ Kg8 24.Bf6 Nf3+ 25.Kf2 Qc5+ 26.Kg3 Re7 27.Bxe7 Nxd2 28.Qf8 checkmate, yorgos - smartvikings, FICS, 2009.

9...d6

Or 9...Re8 10.Be3 Qc6 11.Bd4 Nxe4 12.f4 Nxc3 13.fxe5+ Kg8 14.Bxc3 d6 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Rf2 b6 17.Qd4 Re7 18.Rd1 Bb7 19.Qxd6 Qxd6 20.Rxd6 Rae8 21.h3 h6 22.Bb4 Re2 23.Rd7 Rxf2 24.Kxf2 Be4 25.Bc3 Rf8+ 26.Ke3 Bf5 27.Rxg7+ Kh8 28.Rxa7+ Kg8 29.Rg7+ Kh8 30.Bd4 Re8+ 31.Re7+ Black resigned, Wall - Cinthia, chess.com, 2010;

Or 9...Rf8 10.Be3 (10.Bg5 Kg8 11.Bxf6 Rxf6 12.Qd5+ Qxd5 13.Nxd5 Rc6 14.Ne7+ Kh8 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.f4 Ng4 17.Rae1 Rb8 18.h3 Nf6 19.b3 Ba6 20.c4 d5 21.e5 Ne4 22.e6 Re8 23.f5 h6 24.Rf3 Kh7 25.cxd5 cxd5 26.Rc1 c5 27.Kh2 Bb5 28.a4 Ba6 29.Rd1 Be2 30.Rfd3 Bxd3 31.Rxd3 d4 32.g4 Kg8 33.Kg2 Kf8 34.Kf3 Nd6 35.Kf4 Ke7 36.Ke5 Rc8 37.Kd5 Rd8 38.Kc6 Rc8+ 39.Kd5 Rd8 40.Ke5 Rc8 41.Rf3 a5 42.f6+ gxf6+ 43.Rxf6 Ne8 44.Rf7+ Kd8 45.Rd7 checkmate, stretto - samepate, FICS, 2007) 10...Qd6 11.Bd4 Kg8 12.Nb5 Qe6 13.Nxc7 Qg4 14.Nxa8 Qxd1 15.Raxd1 Neg4 16.Bxf6 Rxf6 17.Nc7 d6 18.Nd5 Rh6 19.Ne7+ Kf7 20.Nxc8 Nxh2 21.Rfe1 Ng4 22.Rxd6 Ne5 23.Rxh6 gxh6 24.Nxa7 Black resigned,  yorgos-nerdlinger, FICS, 2009

10.Be3 Qc6 11.f4 Neg4

12.Qd3 Re8 13.e5 dxe5 14.fxe5 Rxe5 15.Bd4 Bf5

Play is heating up.

16.Rxf5

Thinking that I was winning a piece.

After the game Rybka suggested that the win of the exchange was all that was available: 16.Qg3 Rae8 17.h3 Ne3 18.Rfe1 Nc4 19.Bxe5 Qc5+ 20.Kh1 Rxe5 21.Rxe5 Qxe5 22.Qxe5 Nxe5 23.Nb5 a6 24.Nxc7 Bxc2, leaving White with a Rook for two pieces.

analysis diagram






16...Rxf5 17.Qxf5 Rd8

This is what I saw, and apparently what my opponent saw as well.

We both missed 17...Qd6 instead, when Black is able to torture two pawns out of the position: 18.Qd3 Qxh2+ 19.Kf1 Re8 20.Bg1 Qh1 21.Qh3 Ne3+ 22.Kf2 Qxh3 23.gxh3 Nxc2

analysis diagram






18.Bxf6 Nxf6

We have reached an even position. That should have been satisfactory for me, having started with a Jerome Gambit, but it was not. Of course, having let me escape my just fate, barbos was not finished, either.

19.Rf1 Rd2 20.Rf2

A slip. I should have been happy with 20.Ne4 Rxc2 21.Qxh7 Kf8 22.Qh8+ Kf7 when we both should have been pleased to repeat the position with 23.Qh7 Kf8 24.Qh8+, etc.

20...Qb6

21.g4

It is a question of which pawn to surrender.  Rybka preferred the b-pawn with: 21.h3 Rxf2 22.Qxf2 Qxb2.

21...Rxf2 22.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 23.Kxf2 Nxg4+

24.Kg3 Ne5 25.Kf4 Ke6

26.Nb5 Ng6+ 27.Ke4 Kd7

28.Nd4 c6 29.Nf5 h5

By keeping my King and Knight active, I've edged into an even position, and here Black slips.

Rybka suggested that he needed to find one retro move, 29...Nh8, surrendering the pawn, although then he could use similar piece activity to keep the game even, 30.Nxg7 Nf7 31.Nf5 Ke6 32.Nd4+ Kf6 33.Kf4 Ne5.

30.Nxg7 h4 31.Nf5

It was better for the King to go to this square.

31...Ke6 32.h3 b5

33.b4

Even at blitz speed, this endgame could have been played better. 33.Nd4+ would have pried open an entry to the Kingside for my King:  33...Kd6 34.Kf5 Ne5 35.Kg5 Nc4 36.Kxh4.

33...Kf6 34.Nd4 Ne7 35.a3 a6 36.c3 Kg5

Allowing 37.Nf3+ Kf6 38.Nxh4 which should be enough to win.

The draw came after 36...Nd5 37.c4 bxc4 38.Nf3 c3 39.Kd3 Ke6 40.Nxh4 Nxf4+ 41.Kxc3 Kd5.

analysis diagram







37.Ne6+

Pawns, won't you hide me?? 

37...Kf6 38.Nc5 Nf5

Better: 38...Nd5 39.Nxa6 Nxc3+ 40.Kf4 Nb1 41.Nb8 Nxa3 42.Nxc6 Ke6 43.Kg4 Nc2 44.Kxh4 Kd5 45.Na7 Nxb4 46.Nxb5 Nd3 and White's extra pawn means nothing.

39.Nxa6 Ng3+

Barbos and I have been wobbling back and forth, but finally I've got an advantage that I won't fumble back. Mostly.

40.Kf3 Ke5 41.Nb8 Kd5

A bit stronger defense was 41...Kd6.

42.Kg4 Kc4 43.Kxh4 Nf5+ 44.Kg5 Ne3

45.Nxc6 Kxc3 46.h4 Kb3 47.Nd4+ Kxa3 48.Nxb5+ Kxb4 49.Nd6

Here, with no small irony, Black forfeited on time. Neither his King nor his Knight can stop White's remaining pawn from Queening.