BSG: Later on in the Discussion

Last year I presented part of an old discussion about the Blackburne Shilling Gambit and 4.Bxf7+ at ChessGames.com. A year later the discussion continued. Here are relevant parts, with my comments.

Helmut Wieteck - Klaus Dutschke

Lahnstein, 1999

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.d3 Bh6 10.Na3 Bxc1 11.Rxc1 Qxh8 12.Qc5+ Ke8 13.Qxc7 Nf3+ 14.gxf3 Qxb2 15.Kd2 Qxa3 16.Rhg1 Qxa2 17.Qe5+ Kd8 18.Qh8 Qa5+ 19.c3 Qa2+ 20.Rc2 Qe6 21.Qxg8+ Qxg8 22.Rxg8+ Kc7 23.f4 b6 24.f5 a5 25.f6 Black resigned

TheGreatNN: Is 4.Bxf7! the best way to deal with the Blackburne Shilling Gambit? It looks pretty strong here.

acirce: What happens on 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 instead of 7...Qf6?? Or just 5...Ke7!?

TheGreatNN: I don't think 7...hxg6 is any good because after 8.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxg8 white will be up material, even if black will have a bit better development (e.g. by 10...Qg5 11.Rg1 d5 12.Qxd5 Bg4+ 13.Ke1 Qxd5 14.exd5 etc.) My computer, however, came up with 5...Ke6! It then continued 6.Nd3!? Nf6 7.o-o d6 8.b4 Kf7 9.Bb2 Ne6 and it doesn't appear white has good compensation for his sacrifice. (Arasan 3.5, 9 ply.) But ...Ke6 looks like it's just welcoming disaster, so I don't know what to think.

acirce: Actually, he will be down material! After the line you give I feel that White is pretty much just lost. Better looks 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4 and White has 4 pawns for a bishop but has only developed his queen.

5...Ke6 just has to be unsound but maybe 5...Ke7 is simple and working. At least this is not what you're looking for as White generally speaking.

Cyphelium: We were actually discussing this variation more than a year ago, at this thread:

Muhlock vs B Kostic, 1912

I think we agreed on that 4. Bxf7+ is not convincing. The analysis lead to unclear positions were white often had to defend. One amusing line we finally arrived at was 4... Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 8.Qe5+ Ne6 9.Nxh8 d5!? 10.exd5 Bd6 11.Nf7 Kxf7 12.dxe6+ Bxe6 13.Qe2 Qg8 and black seems to have compensation?! Also, the 4...Ke7!? move was mentioned as playable. The conclusion is, I think, that 4.Bxf7+ is likely to lead to messy and unclear positions...

acirce: Without having looked closely at those concrete lines I think I agree... I do think that 7...hxg6 is better than 7...Nf6 though, if White does sac. In the line given in my previous post it is Black who ends up with the compensation for the material.

Cyphelium: Yes, that 7...hxg6 line is another nail in the coffin for 4.Bxf7+. It might be the best...

Seraphina: Actually Ke6 is rather sound, because white is so underdeveloped. I have actually faced it in friendlies (that says it all). The psychological impact is rough though. You feel denuded, exposed, gaaaa... and the opponent feels overconfident (huga huga). In the other variation you give: 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Qc5+ d6 feels safe, but did you look at 10...Ke8 another K move but: it allows faster development for black 11.QxN d5! Black has a piece for four pawns and must now attack hard and fast before white can get organized. This is a game for bluffers. A lot of fun...

Granite: Bxf7+ seems to give good compensation for the piece. You get two central pawns and the black king is also trapped in the center. Moreso, you gain some time in development. So that's 2 pawns, a loose centralized king, and a gain of time for a piece - I'd say it's probably strong enough to be playable.

Rick: The "best" response to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 has to be either 4.0-0, 4.Nxd4, 4.d3, 4.Nc3 or 4.c3.

4.Bxf7+!? is shocking & unexpected and can lead to exciting and/or unclear play which will favor the better-prepared combatant. The updated New Year's Database has 2,676 games with this move. White scored 56% (only 2% of the games were draws).

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Black has two popular defenses, 5...Ke8 and 5...Ke6, and two lesser-played defenses, 5...Ke7 and 5...Kf6.

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.

Seraphina's suggestion of 10...Ke8 (followed by 11...d5) instead of 10...d6 is a thoughtful one and a likely improvement, but the battle of piece vs 4 pawns remains contentious.

The problem with Cyphelium's suggested line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 8.Qe5+ Ne6 9.Nxh8 d5!? 10.exd5 Bd6 is that White can play 11.Qe2!? instead of 11.Nf7, with advantage – although the line that he gives, 11.Nf7 Kxf7 12.dxe6+ Bxe6 13.Qe2 Qg8 may be better for White, anyhow, as he is the exchange and three pawns ahead.

Risky, but not necessarily "unsound", 5...Ke6 provokes feelings wonderfully described by Seraphina. In 667 games in the Database, White scores 50% (again, draws make up only 2% of the games). Best seems to be 6.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Ke6 and Black's King runs for cover as White develops his pieces, with roughly an equal game.

After 5...Ke7 (330 games in the Database, White scores 47%, draws are 4%) I think White does best again with 6.c3, and after 6...d6 7.cxd4 dxe5 8.dxe5 Qd3!? the game is unclear, but likely balanced.

Finally, I think 5...Kf6 (78 games in the Database, White scores 60%, draws are 1%) should be met by 6.Nf3, again with an even game.

BSG Talk: Hmmmm....

I was doing a Google search on "4.Bxf7+" to see what was out there on the internet these days, and I ran across a discussion of the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Nd4) at Wikipedia titled "Talk:Italian Game, Blackburne Shilling Gambit", first visited by this blog in "Talk" a couple of years ago.

The writers referenced Wikipedia's article on the BSG, and one opined

Another suggestion not mentioned in the article is that after 1.P-K4,P-K4 2.N-KB3,N-QB3 3.B-B4,N-Q5?...I should have thought the most enterprising way of punishing black's loss of tempo is with 4.BxPcheck!! (eg. ....KXB .NxPcheck etc. with ample compensation for the piece and a probably winning attack. —

This was met at first with skepticism

Disagree. After 5. ... Ke7 white has no way to continue the attack or even getting more piece in to contine. Moving the Queen out 6. Qg4 d6 7. Qg5+ Nf6 =+ or 6. Qh5 can be met with Nf6 =+. Black is better and white's 4. Bxf7 is an unsound sacrifice.

However, after the correction

Mi scusi, per favore. But what about the reply 5. Nxe5 to 4. Bxf7+?! Ke7!?

The skeptic relented

Much to my surprise I agree. After 4. Bxf7+ Ke7 5. Nxe5 White is better, White could of even retreated the bishop by playing 5. Bc4, so 4...Ke7 is not enough.

There is much to comment upon, here...

In "Talk" I had written

I like the thoughts contained in the first paragraph, especially "ample compensation for the piece," although "and a probably winning attack" may be over-stating it a bit.

I still agree – if "ample compensation" means "an even game", which is what White gets against best play by Black.

But what about that line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Ke7 ? Is there more to it than a "Jedi Mind Trick"?

I checked The Database and ran an Opening Report. There are 299 games with that line, and "Black scores badly (31%)." No surprise, there.

What of 5.Nxe5 ? Well, in 125 games "White scores above average (60%)" That sounds okay, right?

But, wait a minute.

With 5.Nxd4 (56 games) White "scores well (72%)".

For that matter, with 5.Bxg8 (60 games) White "scores excellently (78%)" and also with 5.Bc4 (20 games) White "scores excellently (80%)". Likewise with 5.c3 (5 games) White "scores excellently (80%)".

Further, with 5.Bb3 (5 games) White "scores excellently (100%)".

It is important not to get too carried away by the Opening Report, which also says that with 5.0-0 and 5.d3 (5 games each) which allow 5...Kxf7, White still "scores excellently (100%)" — both moves are clearly inferior choices (they lose a piece). For that matter, in The Database the strong 5.Bd5 (6 games) only "scores below average (50%)" for White.

So, play 5.Nxe5 for variety, but retreat (or exchange) the Bishop for the best play.

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit 2

When it comes to the Blackburne Shilling Gambit – 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4!? – White has several moves that can lead to good play: 4.Nxd4 (followed by 5.c3), 4.c3, or even simply 4.0-0.

Or there is the Jerome Gambit-ish 4.Bxf7+


Master Tim McGrew discussed the latter line in one of his "The Gambit Cartel" columns at ChessCafe, titled "A Shilling in the Mailbag".

Dennis Monokroussos sent a note...

Dennis analyzes 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+, “another fun possibility,” he writes, “when Black has to play very accurately to get even a small edge.”

His analysis runs 5...Ke7! 6.c3 d6! 7.Nc4 Nc6 8.d4 Nf6 9.0-0 Kf7. “White probably doesn't have enough for the piece,” Dennis concludes, “but White is better here than Black is after anything normal but 4.Nxe5.”

Does anybody feel like trying Black’s position after 5...Ke6 instead of Dennis’s 5...Ke7? Truly, this begins to look like a line that only a computer could love!

Believe it or not, this has been tried in a tournament game. Wieteck - Dutschke, Lahnstein, 1999 saw 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+!? Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8? Allowing the check at h5 is unwise. 6.Qh5+ (White could also consider 6.c3 Nc6 7.Qh5+ g6 when both 8.Nxc6 and 8.Nxg6 come into consideration.) 6...g6 7.Nxg6 and now Black committed suicide with 7...Qf6??, but after 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+! Nf6 10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4

White has four (!) pawns for the bishop and Black’s king will be exposed long-term.

I cannot resist the opportunity to point out the (distant but discernable) analogy between Dennis’s second line and the Jerome Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+. The Jerome is, of course, completely unsound; it is a kind of miracle, and a tribute to Jerome’s tenacity, that it was analyzed seriously at all.

Dennis has produced a number of chess videos – which I recommend highly, for both their instructional and entertainment value – including "Master Lesson - Improvisation in the Italian Game" which has more recent analysis on the Jerome-ized Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

By the way, I took up Tim's challenge, and gave the position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 to the new Rybka 3.0 for a minute or two. (One of these days I'll let it run overnight.)

Rybka suggested that after 6.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4 Ke6 8.Nc3 d5 things were about equal. Which side would be more comfortable for a person to play, though?

Black could probably eat another pawn with 7...Kxd4 (instead of 7...Ke6) but look at what might happen: 8.Nc3 (8.d3 Ke5 9.Qg4 Ne7 10.Bg5 d5 11.Qh5 Ke6 12.0-0) c6 9.d3 Kc5 10.Bf4 Kb6 11.Qb3+ Ka6 12.a4 b6 13.Nd5 cxd5 14.Qb5 Kb7 15.Qxd5 Ka6 16.0-0 Ne7 17.Qxa8 Nc6 18.a5 bxa5 19.Rfc1 Bb4 20.Rxc6 dxc6 21.Qxc6 and we have a typical drawn position... (Ha!)

All very, very complicated - a line that only a computer could love, as Tim said.

Game examples are very welcome.

A Discussion Continued

After this game was finished, I checked with The Database, and discovered that my opponent and I had "discussed" this opening (over the board) several times previously.

In addition, before I post a game on this blog, I usually "discuss" it with either Houdini 3 or Stockfish 6, hoping for enlightenment.

This time, however, my two electronic "friends" did not always agree in the early stages, occasionally sounding like a couple of know-it-all kibitzers, leaving a current assessment of the opening lines a bit unsettled.

Ironically, the game was tipped by the endgame play of both me and my opponent - as HAL 9000 once said, "It can only be attributable to human error."

perrypawnpusher - michon
blitz, FICS, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 

My opponent declined the piece a couple of times, a couple of years ago, with 4...Ke7, but without success: perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 8) and perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 41). 

5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

Instead, 5...Ke6 was seen in perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 23); while 5...Ke7 was seen in perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0,18). 

6.Qh5+

This move was preferred by Houdini 3 after some deep thought.

Some human input: In over 70% of the over-2,100 relevant Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit games in The Database, White chose 6.Qh5+, scoring 60%.

Instead, Stockfish 6 preferred 6.c3.

Again: In 21% of the relevant Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit games in The Database, 6.c3, was the people's choice, scoring 55%.

I checked, and noticed that 6.c3 was first mentioned on this blog in "Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit", 7 years ago.

Interestingly, an earlier version of Stockfish expressed a preference for 6.c3 about 5 years ago.

The choice of 6.Qa5+ or 6.c3 still seens to be an "Unfinished Discussion" (posted 3 years ago), although it seems that 6.c3 may have appeared in more blog posts than 6.Qh5+.

Here are a couple of examples of the 6.c3 Nc6 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.d4 Qh4 line suggested by Stockfish 6: 9.0-0 (9.g3 Qxe4+ 10.Qe2 Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2 Bg4+ 12.f3 Bf5 13.Re1 Bxb1 14.Kf1+ Be7 15.Rxb1 Kd7 16.Re2 Re8 17.Be3 Nf6 18.c4 Rhf8 19.b4 Ng4 20.Kg2 Nxe3+ 21.Rxe3 Bxb4 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Rxb4 Re2+ 24.Kh3 Rxa2 25.Rxb7 Ra4 26.Kg4 Rxc4 27.Rxa7 Rxd4+ 28.f4 c5 29.Ra8 c4 30.Rh8 c3 31.Rxh7 c2 32.Rxg7+ Kc6 33.Rg6+ Rd6 34.f5 c1Q 35.Rxd6+ cxd6 36.f6 Qc4+ 37.Kf5 Qf1+ 38.Ke6 Qh3+ 39.Ke7 Qd7+ 40.Kf8 d5 41.f7 d4 42.Kg8 Qg4+ 43.Kh8 Qh5+ 44.Kg8 Qg6+ 45.Kf8 d3 46.Ke7 Qxf7+ 47.Kxf7 d2 48.h4 d1Q 49.h5 Qxh5+ White resigned, marinrouge - homerg, FICS, 2002) 9...Ke7 10.Nd2 Nh6 11.Nf3 Qh5 12.Qd3 Kd8 13.Bg5+ Be7 14.Bxh6 gxh6 15.Ne5 Bd6 16.Qg3 Be6 17.f4 Bxe5 18.fxe5 Rg8 19.Qf3 Bg4 20.Qf7 Qxf7 21.Rxf7 Kc8 22.Kh1 b6 23.Raf1 Kb7 24.Rxh7 h5 25.Rff7 Rac8 26.d5 cxd5 27.exd5 Be2 28.d6 Rgf8 29.Rxc7+ Rxc7 30.Rxc7+ Ka6 31.h3 h4 32.Kh2 Bb5 33.Rg7 Bc6 34.e6 b5 35.d7 Rf6 36.Re7 Bd5 37.d8Q Rg6 38.Qc8+ Ka5 39.Qc7+ Ka4 40.Rg7 Rxg7 41.Qxg7 a5 42.Qd4+ b4 43.cxb4 Black lost on time, dzomba - VendettaA, lightning [!], FICS, 2006. 

6...g6 7.Nxg6 

7...hxg6 

Here we have another dispute.

Stockfish 6 prefers 7...Nxc2+, suggesting that after 8.Kd1 hxg6 (8...Nxa1? 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qe5#) 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 10.Qg5+ (Houdini prefers 10.Kxc2 with an edge for White) 10...Ke8 11.Qg6+ Ke7 12.Qg5+ White draws by repeating the position (Houdini prefers 12.Kxc2 with an edge for White).

8.Qxg6+

A number of years ago I got away with the weaker 8.Qxh8?! after 8...Nh6 when 8...Nxc2+, instead, would have led to an edge (Houdini) or an advantage (Stockfish 6) for Black after 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxg8 in perrypawnpusher - tampajake, blitz, FICS 2009 (1-0, 12).

8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6

Here Stockfish 6 says Black has the advantage, while Houdini 3 says the position is equal.

Both prefer the text to 9...Ke8  of perrypawnpusher - adamzzzz, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 39). 

10.Qc5+

Better than 10.e5 of perrypawnpusher - JokeritT, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).

10...d6

Stockfish 6 slightly prefers 10...Ke8 to the text, while Houdini 3 thinks 10...d6 is better. 

11.Qxd4 Be6 

Here, Houdini 3 likes White, while Stockfish 6 prefers Black.

Of course.

For the record, I have also seen:

11...c5 in perrypawnpusher - foreverblackman, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 21) and perrypawnpusher - vlas, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 23);

11...Qd7 in perrypawnpusher - theferno, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28);

and 11...Bg7 in perrypawnpusher - Raankh, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 49). 

12.Nc3

Also possible is 12.f4 c5 when again Houdini 3  likes White, while Stockfish 6 likes Black.

12...Bh6 13.d3 Bxc1 14.Rxc1

Both Stockfish 6 and Houdini 3 suggest 13...c5 first, to displace the White Queen.  

White has four pawns for his sacrificed piece. Even if the position is "objectively" even, his prospects are good at club play level.

The next few moves show that both players are blind to some tactical possibilities, however.

14...Qg8 15.g3 Bh3 16.Nd5+?! Nxd5 17.Qxd5? Qxd5 18.exd5 Rae8 

Both players overlook the fork 18...Bg2! when Black can grab a pawn and increase Kingside pressure after 19.Rg1 Rxh2 20.c4 Rf8.

19.Kd2 Kd7 20.c4 Re7 21.f4 Rhe8 22.Rce1 Rxe1 23.Rxe1 Rxe1 24.Kxe1

Both computer programs see the position as equal.

What follows goes along with suggestion that a bad plan is better than no plan at all - which is a nice way of saying that my bad idea worked, while my opponent missed some good ideas.

24...Bg4 25.Kf2 Ke7 26.Kg2?! Kf6?! 

Black is worried about stopping the Kingside pawns, when he probably should look at using his Bishop to capture a couple of center pawns: 26...Be2 27.d4 Bxc4 28.a3 Bxd5+ 29.Kf2 b6. After this, Black can look to create his own passed pawn, which should counter White's activity.

27.h3 Bd7?!

Again, 27...Be2 was to be preferred. Black's Bishop has to cut down the number of enemy pawns before they become a real problem. 

28.g4 Bxg4

This is tantamount to resignation. White can now develop play on both wings. At least one passer is bound to get through.

29.hxg4 

29...a6 30.Kf3 c5 31.dxc6 bxc6 32.Ke4 Kg6 33.d4 a5 34.b3 Kf6 35.a3 Kg6 36.b4 

Black resigned

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Objective and Subjective

When putting together a Jerome Gambit repertoire, it is useful to have access to both "objective" evaluations - say, from a computer chess engine - and "subjective" evaluations - as from a collection of games that can tell you how successful a line has been. Often a move that is not "objectively" best may score very well in actual play. The following game, and its notes, illustrate this.

Anonymous - Anonymous
5 8 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit, a tricky, trappy line that Black hopes comes as a surprise for White.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, which usually comes as a surprise for Black.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Black often plays 5...Ke8, encouraging White's Queen, as several recent games show: 6.Qh5+ g6 (6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ (7.d3 Nf6 8.Qh4 d6 9.Bg5 dxe5 10.Nc3 Nxc2+ 11.Kd1 Nxa1 12.Nd5+ Kf7 13.Nxf6 Be7 14.Qh5+ g6 15.Qh4 Bxf6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qg3 Rf8 18.f3 Kg8 19.Kd2 Qf4+ 20.Qxf4 exf4 21.Rxa1 Be6 22.Rd1 Bxa2 23.Ke1 Bb3 24.Kf1 White resigned, Akash_12345 - lord-stanly, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 7...Kd6 8.Nc4+ Kc6 9.Qd5 checkmate, Akash_12345 - Oliv99, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 7.Nxg6 hxg6 (7...Nxc2+ 8.Kd1 Nxa1 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Nc3 Bg7 13.Qf7+ Kd6 14.Qxg7 Nf6 15.Nf7+ Black resigned, Akash_12345 - me_am_emson, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 7...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.Nf7+ Ke7 10.Ne5 d6 11.d3 dxe5 12.Bg5 Nxc2+ 13.Kd1 Nxa1 14.Bxf6+ Nxf6 15.Qxe5+ Kf7 16.b3 Bb4 17.Qxa1 Bg4+ 18.f3 Be6 19.Qd4 Be7 20.Qe3 b6 21.Qf4 Bd6 22.e5 Be7 23.exf6 Bxf6 24.g4 Ke7 25.Qxc7+ Bd7 26.Re1+ Be5 27.Rxe5+ Black resigned, Akash_12345 - dibeantonio, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 8.Qe5+ Ne7 9.Qxh8 Black resigned, brunchess34 - Anonymous, Chess.com, 2020, 9...Ng8 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2020.

For the record, The Database has 1,788 games with 5...Ke8, with White scoring 60%.

6.Qg4+ 

The Database has 121 games with this move, with White scoring 42%.

Also recently seen: 6.Qh5 Nf6 7 Qf7+ Kxe5 8.f4+ Kd6 9.e5+ Kc6 10.exf6 Qxf6 11.Qc4+ Kb6 12.O-O a6 13.d3 c5 14.Be3 Be7 15.c3 Nc2 16.Qb3+ Nb4 17.cxb4 Kc7 18.bxc5 Kb8 19.Nc3 d6 20.Nd5 dxc5 21.Nxf6 Black resigned, angelcamina - luquitas2018, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020. The Database has 155 games with 6.Qh5, with White scoring 57%

White's strongest move, "objectively", is 6.c3. The Database has 392 games with 6.c3, with White scoring 62%.

6...Kxe5 7.f4+ Kxe4

One of the reasons White plays 6.Qg4, is so that if Black grabs the Knight, he can offer more material with 7.f4+, because if Black grabs the e-pawn... What happens next??

Don't worry. White was asked this question 24 times in The Database, and only scored 50 %.

Wait until next time! That's why I analyze games and share them. 

8.d3+ Kd5 9.c4+ Kc6 10.O-O Nc2 

There is nothing exactly wrong with this move, but shouldn't Black be thinking about safeguarding his King, not grabbing more material? If I were White, even though I was down 2 pieces, I would feel a stirring of hope.

11.Qf3+ Kb6 12.Qf2+ c5 

Proof that Black considers the game already won. Otherwise, what move would he have played that definitely would have produced "resigns"?

13.Qxc2 Qf6 

Amazingly enough, now, with 14.Nc3 (with the plan to go to d5) White would equalize.

14.Qb3+ Kc7 15.Qa3 d6 16.Nc3 Qd4+ 17.Kh1 Qxd3 

Time error?

18.Nb5+ Black resigned

Ow.

White never gave up.

Opening Reports on the New Year's Database

Using the New Year's Database of Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+), and Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0/4.Nc3/4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+) games, I enlisted ChessBase8 to run a series of Opening Reports. The results were enlightening.

Starting with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, the Report found 6,507 games. White "scored badly" at 44%, while Black scored 56%.

As for Black's replies, 4...Kxf7 was played in 6,124 games, when Black "scored well" with 56%, as compared to scoring "averagely" (46%) with 4...Kf8 and "badly" with 4...Ke7 (30%).

These statistics, like all statistics, should be taken with a grain of salt. Still, it is clear at this point that Black gains nothing (and White loses nothing) by avoiding the capture of the Bishop. Too, if the Opening Report considers 46% to be "average", White's 44% is not far off the mark.

Finally, the Critical Line is given as 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qe7 where White scores 33%. This is interesting, but Readers know that 6...Qh4+ is the actual critical line, even if it has scored poorly in the database.

I re-ran the Opening Report after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 and was not surprised to find that while 5.Nxe5+ was played in 2,677 games and scored "averagely" with 53%, all other White choices scored "below average" (5.c3 47%;), "badly" (5.b3 43%; 5.d4 40%; 5.0-0 36%;) or "miserably" (5.Qe2 33%; 5.d3 32%; 5.a3 31%; 5.h4 31%; 5.Nc3 27%; 5.c4 25%; 5.Ng5 23%; 5.g3 0%; 5.Ng1 0%) – with the exception of 5.b4, transposing to the Jerome Evans Gambit, where White scored "well" at 67% (in 6 games).

I re-ran the Opening Report on 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+, and noticed that White scored 74% against 5...Ke8; 67% against 5...Ke7; 53% against 5...Nxe5; 45% against 5...Kf8; and 38% against 5...Ke6.

Clearly that last move needs more analysis on behalf of White. 

In general, it still looks like White does best to stick with the Jerome Gambit "book" and that Black takes more risks when he knowingly or unknowingly plays away from "book".

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

BSJG: Know Your Defense

In the following game, White is more familiar with the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit than Black is with the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. The result is predictable.

Mbokharie - saeedhashem1988

10 5 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Or 5...Ke7 6.c3 Ne6 7.d4 d6 8.Nf3 Nf6 9.d5 Nc5 10.Bg5 Ncxe4 11.Bxf6+ gxf6 12.O-O Bf5 13.Re1 Kd7 14.Nd4 Bg6 15.Qg4+ f5 16.Nxf5 Nf6 17.Qh3 c6 18.Ng7+ Kc7 19.Ne6+ Kb6 20.Nxd8 Rxd8 21.Qe3+ c5 22.Na3 a6 23.Nc4+ Ka7 24.b4 b5 25.Na5 Nxd5 26.Qf3 Rd7 27.Qxd5 Bg7 28.bxc5 Bf7 29.Qd2 d5 30.c6 Rc7 31.Qe3+ Black resigned, Mbokharie - baba_jdw78, lichess.org, 2023; or 

5...Ke8 6.c3 Nc6 (6...Ne6 7.d4 Qf6 8.O-O d6 9.Qa4+ Ke7 10.f4 c6 11.Nf3 b5 12.Qc2 Ba6 13.e5 Qf7 14.exd6+ Kd7 15.f5 Nd8 16.Ne5+ Kc8 17.Nxf7 Nxf7 18.Qe4 Bxd6 19.Qxc6+ Kb8 20.Qxa6 Ne7 21.Qxb5+ Kc7 22.Qa5+ Kd7 23.Nd2 g6 24.fxg6 hxg6 25.h3 Ng5 26.Nc4 Nf5 27.Nxd6 Kxd6 28.Bxg5 Black resigned, Mbokharie - sohaib75, lichess.org, 2023) 7.Qh5+ Ke7 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc5 10.Qd5 checkmate, Mbokharie - saeedhashem1988, lichess.org, 2023. 

6.c3 Qg5 

This is the thematic move for the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, but better in this position was 6...Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Ke6 8.d5+ Kd6 9.d4 Qh4 10.Nc3 c6 11.e5+ Kc7 12.d6+ Bxd6 13.exd6+ Kxd6 14.O-O Nf6 15.Qf3 Kc7 16.Bf4+ d6 17.Bg3 Qg4 18.Qxg4 Nxg4 19.Ne4 Rd8 20.Rac1 Bf5 21.Nc3 Rac8 22.Nb5+ Kb8 23.Nxd6 Rxd6 24.Bxd6+ Ka8 25.Rfe1 Nf6 26.Re7 Be4 27.Rxg7 Bd5 28.Be5 Ne4 29.Rxh7 Bxa2 30.f3 Ng5 31.Rh8 Rxh8 32.Bxh8 Ne6 33.Re1 Kb8 34.Re5 Kc8 35.Rf5 Kc7 36.Be5+ Kb6 37.h4 a5 38.h5 Bb1 39.Rf6 Ng5 40.h6 a4 41.d5 Bd3 42.dxc6 bxc6 43.Rd6 Bf5 44.Bf4 Ne6 45.Be3+ Kc7 46.Rd2 Nf8 47.g4 Bh7 48.Bc5 Ng6 49.Rd6 Nh4 50.Kf2 Ng6 51.g5 Kb7 52.Rd7+ Black resigned, Mbokharie - baba_jdw78, lichess.org, 2023 

7.cxd4 Qxg2 8.Qb3+ Kd6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd8 11.Qxf8 checkmate

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