In my second game in the first round of the "Italian Game Battlegrounds" tournament at Chess.com, I got the chance, again, to play in Jerome Gambit style when it wasn't absolutely necessary. What can I say?
perrypawnpusher - Aborygen
Italian Game Battlegrounds, Chess.com, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5
I have covered this line in many past posts. It doesn't seem to have a name. The idea, apparently, is that Black wants to exchange a Knight for a Bishop, after 4.Bb3 Nxb3, etc.
White's best response to 3...Na5 is to go along with the plan, after grabbing a pawn: 4.Nxe5 Nxc4 5.Nxc4 d5 (Stockfish's suggestion) 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Ne3, when it is difficult to find Black's compensation for the material, other than whatever psychological discomfort White may have for being pulled out of his opening routine.
4.Bxf7+
The Jerome Gambit treatment. What can I say?
I have played this three times before: perrypawnpusher - metheny, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 8); perrypawnpusher - sebapvar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 10 ); and perrypawnpusher - wred, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 35).
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7
Strange, because it seems to block Black's development, but after the game Stockfish 10 identified this move as best.
6.Nc3 Nf6 7.d4 d6
White has 2 pawns for his sacrificed piece, and Black's King is uneasy, while one of his Knights appears unemployed.
8.Nd5+
The idea here is that Black needs more than 8...Nxd5 9.exd5 dxe5 because of 10.Bg5+, winning the Queen.
8...Ke8 9.Bg5
This seems to be a novelty, according to The Database, but it is a reasonable idea: if, now, 9...dxe5, then 10.dxe5, and Black's Knight at f6 is pinned and will be lost. Still, that might have been the best route for my opponent to take.
9...Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Qh5+
The idea behind exchanging on f6.
11...g6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Qxg6+
White is down 2 pieces for the moment, but he has 4 extra pawns.
13...Kd7
Black's King seeks safety on the Queenside. It might have been a bit more secure on the Kingside, after 13...Kf8 14.Nxf6 Qe7, but White would still be better, as his 4 pawns would outweigh Black's extra piece.
14.Nxf6+ Kc6
15.b4
Hitting the offside Knight.
15...Nc4 16.b5+
A two-fold move: If Black captures the pawn, White's Rook can come into play, with check, with Rb1+; and if Black does not capture the pawn, White has stopped him from playing ...b7-b5 - I had been looking at a possible Qf7, attacking the Knight and possibly bringing the Queen over to the Queenside, but what if the defender just supported the Knight with the pawn?
16...Kb6
Black does not want the pawn, yet, and now White's 17.Qf7 would be met by 17...Rf8, and things would not be so clear after 18.Qxc4 Qxf6. Time to get White's Knight out of the way.
The position is complicated, but White has to at least gain back material - while threatening checkmate various ways.
17.Nd5+ Ka5
Persistent in resisting the pawn, but this opens up another avenue of attack for me.
18.Qg3
If Black now captures the b-pawn, White gathers in some material: 18...Kxb5 19.Qb3+ Kc6 20.Qxc4+ Kd7 21.Nxc7 and White would simply be 4 pawns up. In the meantime, White threatens to bring his Queen to c3 or b3 - with check.
18...Qh4
Threatening White's pawn at e4, and possibly, after that, White's uncastled King; but it is too late. White keeps moving with check.
19.Qc3+ Kxb5 20.Nxc7+ Kb6 21.Nxa8+ Black resigned
If, now, 21...Kb5, White's Rook would finally enter the fray with 22.Rb1+, and the Knight would be lost.
