Jerome Gambit: A Reasonable Line

The Jerome Gambit is full of "reasonable" lines of play for Black, and the defender has to be aware - is it a playable reasonable line, or an unplayable reasonable line; and then, more importantly, what comes next?

Wall, Bill - TenAndOnly10
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb6

This seems like a reasonable move, although not frequently played in comparison with other lines. It shows up in 111 games in The Database, where Black scores 50%. (Compare that to the 1,528 games with the same moves up until 6.d4, where Black scores 48%.)

Of course, any chance of catching Bill by suprise is likely to be small.

7.dxe5 d6

Alternatives:

7...Qh4 8.Qf3+ Ke8 9.Nc3 Ne7 (9...Bxf2+ 10.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 11.Kxf2 Nh6 12.Nd5 Ng4+ 13.Kg3 Kd8 14.Bg5+ Nf6 15.exf6 h6 16.fxg7+ Ke8 17.gxh8=Q+ Kf7 18.Rhf1+ Kg6 19.Qxh6 checkmate, Wall,B - Shillam, lichess.org, 2016) 10.g3 Qh3 11.Be3 d6 12.Bxb6 cxb6 13.exd6 Ng6 14.Nd5 Qd7 15.Nc7+ Kd8 16.Nxa8 Qxd6 17.Rd1 Ne5 18.Rxd6+ Ke7 19.Qc3 Kxd6 20.Qd4+ Ke6 21.Nc7+ Kf7 22.Qxe5 Rd8 23.Nb5 Bg4 24.Qf4+ Kg8 25.Qxg4 a6 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.Nd6 Rb8 28.Nf7+ Kg8 29.Nh6+ Kh8 30.Qg8+ Rxg8 31.Nf7 checkmate, Wall,B - Itboss, lichess.org, 2016; 

7...Qe7 8.Qf3+ Ke8 9.Nc3 Qxe5 10.O-O Nf6 11.Bf4 Qh5 12.Qg3 d6 13.Qxg7 Rf8 14.Nd5 Qf7 15.Bh6 Nxd5 16.Qxf8+ Qxf8 17.Bxf8 Kxf8 18.exd5 Bf5 19.c3 Re8 20.Rfe1 Be4 21.Rad1 Kf7 22.Kf1 Re5 23.f3 Bg6 24.Rxe5 dxe5 25.Ke2 e4 26.b4 exf3+ 27.Kxf3 Bh5+ 28.g4 Bg6 29.c4 a6 30.d6 cxd6 31.Rxd6 Bb1 32.Rxb6 Bxa2 33.Rxb7+ Ke6 34.Rb6+ Kd7 35.c5 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016.

8.O-O Be6 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Nc3 a6 11.Be3 dxe5

For now White has only one pawn for his sacrificed piece, but Black's uneasy King comes close to making up the rest of the compensation.

12.Qh5+ Bf7 13.Qxe5+ Qe7 14.Qxg7 Qf6

15.Bh6 Bd4 16.e5 Qg6

This move allows White's pieces to become troublesome - enough so that Stockfish 8 suggests instead that Black give back the exchange with 16...Qxh6 17.Qxh8 Rd8 and then exchange some more pieces, e.g. 18.Ne4 Qg6 19.c3 Qxe4 20.cxd4 Bd5 21.Qg7 Ne7 22.Rfe1 Qg6 23.Qxg6+ hxg6 where White only has an edge.

17.Qf8+ Kd7 18. Qxa8 Qxh6

Black returns the exchange in his own way. The difference is that he is not now as equipped to protect his King.

19.Rfd1 c5 20.Qxb7+ Ke8 21.Qb8+ Ke7 22.Ne2 Bh5

23.Nxd4 Bxd1

A final slip.

24.Nf5+ Black resigned

A Quick Jerome Gambit Lesson

Bill Wall has encouraged others to play the Jerome Gambit. The following game is between a friend of his - a teacher - in St. Paul and a student. It is a good example of a stronger player giving "Jerome Gambit odds" and the game is good source material for understanding about attack and defense.

teacher - student
Minnesota, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

White will offer a couple of pieces. Can Black defend?

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

A common, reasonable defense - Black removes one piece from the line of fire, and returns the other, a time-honored recipe for dealing with a gambit. White has to be pleased, however, as Black has side-stepped some of the sharper, more challenging defenses.

7.Qd5+ Kf6

Stockfish 8 sees this move (at 30 ply) as about 1/4 pawn worse than the top alternatives, 7...Kf8 and 7...Ke8; but the text allows a certain amount of mischief to wander in - starting with White's next move.

8.d4

A stranger to the Jerome has to wonder - why is White again refraining from capturing the Bishop?

The piece is doomed, whether it sits or moves. White is giving some misdirection: the open c1-g5 diagonal is the reason behind his play.

8...Bb4+ 9.c3 Ba5

The Bishop is safe - but the King is not. Necessary was for the monarch to retreat along the d8-h4 diagonal, when the worried-about piece will fall after all.

10.Bg5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: The Improved Fork Trick

Next to the "I have never seen this before!" reaction of some players defending against the Jerome Gambit, the "Oh, this looks familiar!" has to be an equally frequent response. There is always the risk, however, of moving too quickly and falling into an "improved" Fork Trick, as Bill Wall shows in the following game. 

Wall, Bill - Vicher
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6

This position has a resemblance to that of the "fork trick", and that may be the reason Black opted to move the Bishop where he did. However, the placement of his King makes for a significant difference in the play White can develop.

7.dxe5 Bxe5

As planned, but transforming a roughly equal position to one definitely better for White. (Omigosh! How did that happen?? Black had a won position after 5 moves!)

8.Qd5+ Kf6

Yes, Bill has been here before: 8...Kf8 9.Qxe5 d6 (9...Qe7 10.Qf4+ Nf6 11.Nc3 d6 12.O-O Qe5 13.Qxe5 dxe5 14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne8 16.Bd6+ Kg8 17.Rf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest539122, PlayChess.com, 2015) 10.Qd4 (10.Qb5 Nf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.Qd3 Be6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 g5 15.Bg3 Ke7 16.O-O-O Ne8 17.f4 g4 18.Bh4+ Nf6 19.e5 dxe5 20.Qg6 Qf8 21.fxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016) 10...Nf6 11.O-O c5 12.Qd3 Bd7 13.Bf4 a6 14.Bxd6+ Kf7 15.e5 Bb5 16.c4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest5856753, PlayChess.com, 2016.

9.f4 Qe7

Or 9...c6 10.Qxe5+ Kf7 11.O-O Qe7 12.Nc3 d6 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qe2 Nf6 15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.Qb5 dxe5 18.fxe5+ Kg7 19.Qxd5 Re8 20.c3 Qxe5 21.Qf7+ Kh8 22.Bg5 Qxg5 23.Qxe8+
Kg7 24.Qf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Neilson,C, Melbourne, FL, 2016.

Or 9...Bd6 10.Qg5+ Kf7 11.Qxd8 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016.

10.fxe5+ Qxe5

11.Rf1+ Kg6 12.Qf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Cliff Hardy Revealed!

I recently received an email from "Cliff Hardy" that contained a significant "reveal" as well as an entertaining Jerome Gambit game. The following notes are his, except for some minor ones by me, in blue. Enjoy!

An epiphany on Epiphany OR Batman* vs the "Visual Bat"

Hi Rick,

I had an epiphany on Epiphany!

The epiphany was to play the Jerome Gambit on the 6th of January, the date of Epiphany - the day of the year dedicated to the Christian feast celebrating the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles, as represented by the Wise Men.

I don't really mind whether I am referred to as my Bruce Wayne-like name of Kevin Sheldrick or my Batman-like alter ego "Cliff Hardy", since I now have played a Jerome Gambit in a tournament game and have been told by the arbiters that all games from this tournament will be published on the internetski at some point - in other words, my secret identity is out!

All analysis below is with Stockfish.

Sheldrick, Kevin - Bhat, Vishal
Australian Open, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5

I now spent about a minute on my fourth move and found it extraordinarily difficult to play my planned 4.Bxf7+. This hesitation largely being due to a battle raging inside of me of conflicting thoughts of doubt and fear of playing the Jerome, giving rise to a soliloquy, going something like this:

Me (to my brain): "This is one of the most prestigious chess tournaments in Australia - don't take on f7!"

4.Bxf7+

My brain (to me): "DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+

Surprisingly, this move was, by now, very easy for me to physically play. I guess it's kind of like trying to go into a cold swimming pool. At first you may be terrified to even dip your toe into it, but if you can put aside the fear and just jump in, you can then adjust to it rather easily.

5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+

Fellow participant, Tony Fereday, in the post-mortem exclaimed, around this point in the game, "I wonder what he was thinking!", in reference to my opponent.

6...Ng6?!

Better 6...Ke6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

This position is as old - fittingly - as Charlick - Mann, correspondence, Australia, 1881 (1-0, 72). The Database has 163 games with the position, with White scoring 70%. Mind you, beside this one, only one other game (by Guido de Bouver of Flanders, Belgium) is an over-the-board encounter. - Rick 


10.O-O Ng4 

Better 10...Kf7

11.Qg3 h5?! 

Better 11...Nf6 

12.h3?! 

12.d4 is best, which would allow the bishop on c1 to cover f4 and prevent the knight on g6 from going there, where it may assist black to launch a kingside attack.

12...h4 13.Qb3

Having made queen moves for almost half of the total moves played (6 out of 13 moves), it was apparent that I had been violating a few established chess opening principles so far in the game.

13...Nf4!

A brilliant sacrifice!

An improvement over the play of the only other game in The Database to reach this position: 13...N4e5 14.f4 Nc6 15.Nc3 Qf6 16.d3 Qd4+ 17.Kh1 Nf8 18.Nd5 Kd8 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Riversider, FICS, 2010 - Rick 

14.hxg4??

Oops! The cautious 14.Kh1! may help white to hope to defend against the vicious black assault on the white king.

14...h3?

A miscalculation in a bafflingly complex position - 14...Qg5! actually leads to a thumping black kingside attack e.g. 15.f3 h3 16.g3 h2+ 17.Kh1 Ne2. 

15.g3 h2+ 16.Kh1 Bxg4 17.gxf4

White has defended well, and is a pawn and a piece ahead. Things are still scary for him, but Black has only one move to keep the advantage. - Rick

17...Bh3?!

An inaccuracy - 17...Qh4! 18.f3 Bh3 

18.Re1 Qh4 19.Qg3 Qh5 20.d4 Black resigned

Eerily, as I went strolling in the moonlight one night (I think it
was the night immediately after I had just played this game), a large visual bat (or flying fox, as they are referred to in Brisbane) emerged from a nearby tree above my head and flew away, silhouetted magestically against the night sky but, oddly, I didn't fully comprehend the ominousness of that until days
later.

The final position is still quite complicated, but White should be okay. If need be, he can return some material to settle things down further (i.e. Re3 with the idea of sacrificing the exchange on h3 while exchanging Queens) - and he always has his "Jerome pawns"! Black may have realized at this point that he could save his energy for the next round. 

However dubious the honor, Kevin seems to have grasped the title of "strongest player to use the Jerome Gambit in serious over-the-board play". Well done! - Rick

Jerome Gambit: That's Not All

Chessfriend Yury Bukayev was disappointed that Grandmaster Jon Speelman, in his ChessBaseNews "Agony" column coverage of two of my Jerome Gambit games (e.g. the Jerome Gambit is "balderdash in the highest sense") failed to mention other opening lines covered in this blog.

Indeed, the GM probably did not discover the post "Opening Innovation Resource", for example, or read and check out the links in "An Email Discussion", or do a site search here for "Bukayev gambit".

With Yury's encouragement I have added the subtitle "(risky/nonrisky lines, tactics & psychology for fast, exciting play)" to this blog's heading.

I would like to share a poem he sent, as well.

Study WEAK Jerome gambits
For a magic playing blitz! 
Study STRONG Jerome gambits -
You'll beat Carlsen, Hou, "Fritz"!

Jerome Gambit: Resolutely

Sometimes, if you act resolutely, you can look like you know what you are doing - even if you don't. In the following game Black makes decisive moves, like he is in the process of refuting White's silly little gambit. Indeed, the game lasts only 13 moves - but it is the Jerome Gambit that triumps.

Wall, Bill - Tedah
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

We last saw this adventurous line in the latest "Cliff Hardy" adventure, gfdgfd - leleos, InstantChess.com, 2016 (1-0, 17).

6.Nxc6 dxc6 

6...bxc6? 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5 Ne7  9.Qc3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Qwerty, Chess.com, 2010

Black's response is reasonable, although his best response might be the highly unreasonable 6..Qh4!?

7.Qh5+ g6 

Or 7...Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qd6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.e5 Ng4 11.Qf4+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Gebba, Chess.com, 2010.

8.Qxc5 Qe7 9.Qc3 Qxe4+ 

Black has returned the gambit piece and is able to get his Queen into the attacking action. If White now flinches at this aggression toward his King, say with the protective 10.Qe3, then Black can develop with 10...Nf6 and have hopes of reaching a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame...

But things are more complicated than that.

10.Kf1 Be6 11.Qxh8 Bd5 12.f3 Bc4+ 13.d3 Black resigned

(I have to admit that I have no idea what Black's last handful of moves was about.)

Jerome Gambit: Countering the Counter-Attack

Here is another look at the 6...Qh4 defense in the Jerome Gambit, discussed in the previous blog post. Again, Bill Wall has the White pieces. This is pretty heavy going, and there is plenty to study in the notes, too. Or, you can just enjoy the main game, as, after a dozen moves, Bill decides enough is enough and goes after the enemy monarch.

Wall, Bill - IraHaru
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4

7.O-O Qxe4

The text can be contrasted with 7...Ng4 8.h3 Bb6 (8...Bd6 9.e5 Bxe5 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Qd5+ Kf6 12.f4 Ng6 13.Nc3 d6 14.Be3 Ke7 15.Rae1 Kd8 16.Nb5 Nf6 17.Qc4 Ne8 18.Bf2 Qf6 19.Bd4 Qh4 20.Rxe8+ Kxe8 21.Nxc7+ Kf8 22.f5 Ne5 23.f6 gxf6 24.Qd5 Kg7 25.Qxd6 Rg8 26.Rxf6 Qxf6 27.Bxe5, and White won, Sorensen,S - X, Denmark, 1888) 9.hxg4 (9.Qf3+ N4f6 10.e5 Bxd4 11.exf6 Nxf6 12.c3 Bb6 13.Nd2 Rf8 14.Ne4 Qxe4 15.Qd1 d5 16.Re1 Qf5 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 Bd7 19.Rf3 Qe5 20.Qd2 Rae8 21.Re3 Qd6 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.b3 Qe5 24.Rf1 Bc6 25.Kh1 Qe2 26.Qc1 d4 27.cxd4 Qe4 28.d5 Qxd5 29.f3 Kg8 30.Rd1 Qe6 31.Qf4 Nd5 32.Qd4 Ne3 33.Rc1 Bxf3 34.Kg1 Nxg2 35.Rxc7 Qe3+ 36.Qxe3 Nxe3 37.Kf2 Bc6 38.b4 Nd5 White resigned, Sir Osis of the Liver - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net 2008) 9...d6 10.f3 Be6 11.Be3 Bc4 12.Re1 Ne7 13.f4 Rhe8 14.Nd2 Ba6 15.Nf3 Qg3 16.a4 Ba5 17.c3 Kf8 18.b4 Ng6 19.f5 Nf4 20.Bxf4 Qxf4 21.Qc2 c5 22.bxa5 Qxg4 23.Rad1 cxd4 24.Rxd4 Qg3 25.Qb3 Qf4 26.Qb1 Qg3 27.e5 g6 28.Rxd6 Re7 29.f6 Ree8 30.Qb4 Bb5 31.Rd8+ Kf7 32.e6+ Kxf6 33.Qd4+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Rajiv, Chess.com, 2010.

8.dxc5 Nf6

8...Qg6 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.Qxd5+ Qe6 12.Qe4 d5 13.cxd6 cxd6 14.Bd2 Qg6 15.Qd5+ Qe6 16.Qe4 Rf8 17.Bc3 Kg8 18.Rae1 Qg6 19.Qd5+ Be6 20.Qxb7 Nf3+ 21.Kh1 Nxe1 22.Rxe1 Rab8 23.Qe4 Qxe4 24.Rxe4 Bd5 25.Rd4 Rxf2 26.Rd1 Rbf8 27.h3 Bxg2+ 28.Kg1 Bxh3 29.Rxd6 Rxc2 30.Ra6 Rf1 checkmate, Petasluk - ElFuriozo, FICS, 2011

9.Nc3

Bill likes this move. An alternative is 9.Re1 Qf5 10.Qd4 (10.f4 Nc6 11.Be3 Re8 12.Nc3 b6 13.Nb5 Nd5 14.Qd2 a6 15.Nd4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Rxe1+ 17.Rxe1 bxc5 18.Bxc5 d6 19.c4 Nxf4 20.Bxd6 cxd6 21.Rf1 g5 22.g3 Qc5+ 23.Kh1 Bb7+ White resigned, Proudfoot - JLeee, FICS, 2008; 10.Nd2 Rf8 11.Nf1 Nc6 12.Be3 b6 13.Ng3 Qd5 14.Qe2 Kg8 15.c4 Qf7 16.b3 Bb7 17.a4 Rae8 18.cxb6 axb6 19.f3 Nh5 20.Qc2 Ne5 21.Bd4 Nxf3+ 22.gxf3 Nxg3 23.hxg3 Qxf3 24.Qh2 Rxe1+ 25.Rxe1 Rf5 26.Qh3 c5 27.Rf1 Qxf1+ 28.Qxf1 Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 cxd4 30.g4 g5 31.b4 h5 White resigned, 10 0, Gambit Fruit1 Beta4bx - Deep Fritz 8, 2006) 10...Re8 11.Kh1 Qxc2 12.Na3 Nf3 13.Qxf6+ gxf6 14.Nxc2 Nxe1 15.Nxe1 Rxe1 checkmate, wolfpack123 - blackscorpion, GameKnot.com, 2009

9...Qc4

Also seen: 9...Qc6 10.Qd4 (10.Re1 d6 11.cxd6 Qxd6 [11...cxd6 12.Bg5 Bg4 13.Qd2 Bh3 14.f3 Bxg2 15.Rxe5 dxe5 16.Kxg2 h6 17.Be3 Rhd8 18.Qe2 Rac8 19.Bxa7 b6 20.Qe3 Rd7 21.Bxb6 Rb7 22.Ba5 Rxb2 23.Rc1 Qc5 24.Nd1 Rxc2+ 25.Rxc2 Qxc2+ 26.Nf2 Qxa2 27.Qxe5 Re8 28.Qb5 Re2 29.Bb6 h5 30.Bd4 Qd2 31.h3 Kg6 32.Qb6 Kh7 33.Bxf6 gxf6 34.h4 Qe1 35.Qc5 Kg7 36.f4 Ra2 37.Qc7+ Kh6 38.Qc5 Qe8 39.Kf3 Qa8+ 40.Ne4 Ra3+ 41.Kf2 Rh3 42.Qd4 Qa2+ 43.Nd2 Rh2+ 44.Kg3 Rxd2 45.Qxf6+ Kh7 46.Qf5+ Kg8 47.Qg5+ Kf8 48.Qc5+ Ke8 49.Qe5+ Kd7 50.Qb5+ Kd6 51.Qb6+ Kd5 52.Qb5+ Kd4 53.Qe5+ Kc4 54.Qe4+ Kc3 55.Qe5+ Kc2 56.Qc5+ Kd1 57.Qxh5+ Ke1 58.Qe5+ Re2 59.Qc3+ Kf1 60.Qf3+ Kg1 61.Kh3 Rh2+ White resigned, Shredder Paderborn - Junior 7, Utrecht, 2002] 12.Bf4 Nf3+ 13.Qxf3 Qb6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Bxc7+ Qf6 16.Qxd5+ Be6 17.Qxb7 Rhe8 18.Bd8+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Gorodetsky,D, Chess.com, 2010; or 10.Bg5 Qxc5 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Ne4 Qb6 13.a4 Qxb2 14.Rb1 Qa3 15.Rb3 Qe7 16.f4 Ng6 17.Re3 Kg7 18.Rfe1 d6 19.Ng3 Qd7 20.Nh5+ Kh6 21.Nxf6 Qd8 22.Qh5+ Kg7 23.Ne8+ Rxe8 24.Rxe8 Qf6 25.f5 Ne5 26.Re3 Bxf5 27.Rg3+ Ng6 28.Rxa8 Qd4+ 29.Kf1 Qf4+ 30.Ke1 Bxc2 31.Qd5 c6 32.Qg8+ Kh6 33.Rh3+ Kg5 34.Rg3+ Kh6 35.Rh3+ Kg5 36.Re8 Bf5 37.Rg3+ Bg4 38.Ree3 Kh6 39.h3 Bh5 40.Qb8 Qb4+ 41.Kf1 a5 42.Qd8 Qf4+ 43.Kg1 d5 44.Kh2 Bd1 45.Re6 Kg7 46.Re7+ Kh6 47.Rxb7 Bc2 48.Qg8 Nh4 49.Rxh7+ Bxh7 50.Qg7+ Kh5 51.Qxh7+ Qh6 52.Qe7 Qg6 53.Qe2+ Kh6 54.Qe3+ Kh5 55.Qe2+ Kh6 56.Qe3+ Kh5 57.Rxg6 Kxg6 58.Qg3+ Kf5 59.Qxh4 Ke5 60.Qe7+ Kf5 61.g4+ Kg6 62.Qe6+ Kg7 63.g5 c5 64.Qf6+ Kh7 65.Qf7+ Kh8 66.g6 d4 67.Qf8 checkmate, Deep Shredder 10 UCI-HIARCS 11.1 UCI, jeromegambit, 2008) 10...Ng6 (10...Re8 11.f4 Ng6 12.f5 Ne5 13.Bf4 d6 14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Bg5 Qc5 16.Qxc5 dxc5 17.Nb5 Re7 18.Rae1 a6 19.Nd6+ Kf8 20.Bf4 Nc6 21.Nxc8 Rxe1 22.Bd6+ Kf7 23.Rxe1 Rxc8 24.Bxc5 Re8 25.Rxe8 Nxe8 26.Kf2 Kf6 27.g4 Ne5 28.Kg3 Nf7 29.Kf4 Ned6 30.Bd4+ Ke7 31.Bxg7 Nc4 32.g5 Nfd6 33.g6 hxg6 34.fxg6 Ne8 35.Bc3 Ncd6 36.h4 Kf8 37.h5 Ng7 38.Kg5 Ne4+ 39.Kh6 Nxc3 40.bxc3 Black resigned, iconsisonline - IgorBohar, FICS, 2010) 11.f3 Re8 12.Be3 b6 13.b4 bxc5 14.bxc5 Nf8 15.a4 Ne6 16.Qc4 d6 17.Rfd1 dxc5 18.Bg5 Black forfeited by disconnection, Wall,B - felineMMXI, blitz FICS, 2011; and

9...Qb4 10.Be3 d6 11.Bd4 Re8 12.a3 Qc4 13.cxd6 cxd6 14.f4 Nc6 15.Bxf6 Qc5+ 16.Rf2 Black resigned, GazzaT - Yigor, Chess.com, 2011.

10.Be3

An improvement over 10.Re1 Qxc5 11.Be3 Qc6 12.Bxa7 d6 13.Bd4 Re8 14.Bxe5 Rxe5 15.Rxe5 dxe5 16.Qe2 a5 17.Re1 b6 18.Qd3 Bb7 19.Qg3 Nh5 20.Qg5 Nf4 21.f3 Qc5+ 22.Kh1 Qf2 23.Rd1 Bc8 24.Rc1 h6 25.Qg3 Qd2 26.Rf1 Qxc2 27.Qf2 Qxf2 28.Rxf2 Nd5 29.Nxd5 Rxd5 30.Kg1 Rd1+ 31.Rf1 Rxf1+ 32.Kxf1 g5 33.a3 Ke6 34.Ke2 e4 35.fxe4 Ke5 36.Kd3 Ba6+ 37.Ke3 Bb5 38.h3 Bc6 39.g3 h5 40.h4 gxh4 41.gxh4 Bxe4 42.b3 Bc2 43.b4 Ba4 44.Kf3 Kf5 45.Kg3 Bc6 46.Kf2 Kg4 White resigned, Deep Sjeng 1.5 -Junior 7, The Jeroen Experience, 2003.

10...b6

Or 10...Re8 11.Bd4 d6 12.b3 Qa6 13.cxd6 Qxd6 14.Nb5 Qc6 15.Nxa7 Rxa7 16.Bxa7 b6 17.Qd4 Ba6 18.c4 Nf3+ 19.gxf3 Qxf3 20.Qd1 Re2 21.Qd8 Qg4+ 22.Kh1 Bb7+ White resigned, Wall,B - Guest6296711, PlayChess.com, 2014.

Or 10...Rd8 11.Qd2 Qb4 12.b3 c6 13.a3 Qg4 14.Rae1 d5 15.Kh1 Bf5 16.Bf4 Ng6 17.Bd6 Ne4 18.Nxe4 Black forfeited on time, Bholashankar - HellDenied, FICS, 2014.

11.Bd4 Nc6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Qh5+

It is time for White to start putting the pressure on.

Curiously, Stockfish 8 prefers 13.Nd5 and recommends that Black sacrifice the exchange to keep an edge in the game: 13...Rg8!? 14.Nxc7 Ne5 15.Nxa8 Bb7 16.f3 Qxc5+ 17.Kh1 Bxa8.

Going after the King makes more sense to me.

13...Ke7

Now it's time for the Knight to step in.

14.Nd5+ Kd8 15.cxb6 axb6 16 Qf7 Qd4

Centralizing the Queen, stepping out of the possible exposed attacks by White's Queen (after the Knight moves), and protecting the f6 pawn. Alas, it leads to disaster.

17.Rad1 Qxb2 18.Rfe1 Ne5 19.Qe7 checkmate