If there is anything to the Jerome Gambit - and that can be seriously debated either way - then Black needs to quickly decide if he will a) return material that is "rightfully" White's to claim or b) hang on to his bounty and wait for White to "prove" the validity of his gambit. Of course, giving Black reason to debate to himself, "a) or b), a) or b), a) or b)?" complicates the defender's task, and sometimes even burden's his clock.
For example, in the following game, what is White up to with his Queen check at move 8?
What follows is quite a battle, and Black has his chances - as is always the case in the Jerome - but, in the end, White prevails.
Wall, Bill - Guest3467690
PlayChess.com, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.Qd5+
Here, Black has to decide, is his b-pawn part of the fair and logical compensation for White's sacrificed piece? If it is, then Black is going to have to let the pawn go. If it isn't, then Black has no reason to allow his opponent to grab it - he should either duck the 8...Be6 9.Qxb7 line, or realize that the pawn is poisoned and prepare a refutation.
8...Ke8
He ducks. Not every one of Bill's opponents has done so, although it is unclear how much time the decision cost them:
8...Be6 9.Qxb7 Nf6 10.Nc3 (10.Nd2 a5 11.f4 Nc4 12.Nf3 Re8 13.O-O Nb6 14.Bd2 Bc4 15.Be3 Rb8 16.Qa7 Bxf1 17.Rxf1 Kg8 18.e5 Nfd5 19.Bd4 Qc8 20.Qxa5 c5 21.Bf2 Nc4 22.Qe1 Nxf4 23.Be3 Nxe5 24.Nxe5 dxe5 25.Bxf4 exf4 26.Qc3 Qe6 White resigned, Wall,B - Guest774156, PlayChess.com, 2016; 10.f4 Ned7 11.Nc3 Rf8 12.O-O Kg8 13.b3 Nh5 14.Be3 Nc5 15.Bxc5 dxc5 16.Rad1 Qe7 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.Qxd5+ Kh8 19.Qxh5 Qxe4 20.Qxc5 h6 21.Rde1 Qg6 22.Qxc7 Rac8 23.Qxa7 Rxc2 24.Rf2 Rcc8 25.g3 h5 26.Re7 Rg8 27.f5 Qg5 28.f6 Rc1+ 29.Kg2 Qd5+ 30.Kh3 Rc2 31.Rxg7 Qe6+ 32.Kh4 Qe4+ 33.Rf4 Rxh2+ 34.Kg5 Qe5+ 35.Kh6 Rxg7 36.Qxg7 checkmate, Wall,B - Javier, lichess.org, 2016) 10...Re8 11.O-O Kg8 12.b3 Bc8 13.Qxa8 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest3335651, PlayChess.com, 2017.
By the way, there are other ways to "duck" the return of a pawn, about equal to the text move, and Bill has met a couple:
8...Ke7 9.Bg5+ Nf6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Qd3 Re8 13.O-O Kf7 14.f5 Bd7 15.Nd5 Ne5 16.Qb3 Kf8 17.Rad1 Bc6 18.Nxf6 gxf6 19.Bh6+ Ke7 20.Qe6 checkmate, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016; and
8...Kf8 9.O-O Nf6 10.Qd4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Qe7 12.Nc3 h6 13.Bf4 g5 14.Be3 Kg7 15.f4 Ng4 16.Nd5 Qd8 17.Bd4+ Kh7 18.e5+ Kg8 19.Qg6+ Kf8 20.fxg5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest344942, PlayChess.com, 2013
9.Nc3
Or 9.O-O Nf6 10.Qb3 Qd7 11.Nc3 Qe6 12.Qb5+ Ned7 13.Be3 a6 14.Qa4 Kf7 15.Rad1 Re8 16.Rfe1 Kg8 17.f4 b5 18.Nxb5 axb5 19.Qxa8 Qxe4 20.Qxe4 Rxe4 21.Rd4 Rxd4 22.Bxd4 Kf7 23.a4 bxa4 24.Ra1 Nd5 25.Rxa4 c5 26.Bf2 Ke7 27.Bh4+ Ke6 28.g4 g6 29.Kf2 Nb4 30.Ra8 Nb6 31.Rb8 N4d5 32.Bd8 Kd7 33.Bxb6 Nxf4 34.Kf3 Nd5 35.Ba5 Ne7 36.Rb3 Kc6 37.Bd8 Nd5 38.c4 Nb4 39.Ba5 Nc2 40.Kf4 Nd4 41.Rb8 Black resigned, Wall,B - Tankins, PlayChess.com, 2016.
9...Nf6 10.Qb3
I am always amazed at how Bill's Queen wanders.
This is another occasion for Black to get lost in thought: Is White's placement good or bad? Can I take advantage of it? How?
10...c6 11.f4 Nh5
Black decides: it is time for action on the unprotected Kingside.
12.O-O
Bill decides to stay away from the wild line: 12.fxe5 Qh4+ 13.g3 Nxg3!? 14.Bg5!? Qxg5 15.hxg3 Qxg3+ 15.Kd2 Qf4+ 16.Kd3 Qxe5 when Black would have the better game (two extra pawns, safer King).
Can his pawns protect his King until the Queen returns?
12...Ng4 13.h3 Ngf6 14.e5
Wow. Stockfish 8 is not impressed with Black's counter attack, recommending now 14...Qb6+, followed by 15.Rf2 Qxb3 16.axb3 Kf7 17.exf6 Nxf6 with an even game. The issue: Black's Knights are tripping over each other.
14...Nd7 15.Be3 d5 16.g4
Logical and thematic. Stockfish 8 suggests, instead, either 16.Rad1 or 16.f5 and gives lines that devolve into even positions. Bill wants to push things a bit.
16...Ng3 17.Rf3 Ne4 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Rf2 Qh4
20.Kh2 Nb6
Although White has chased off from the Kingside Black's Knights, the danger there has not evaporated, as this move, which threatens ...Bxg4, shows.
21.e6 Nd5
Blocking White's protection of the pawn on e6, which in turn was impeding Black's Bishop. Probably better was the paradoxical withdrawal of the Queen with 21...Qf6, followed, after 22.f5 by 22...h5!? when the inclusion of the Rook in the attack on White's King would begin to look scary.
22.f5 Nxe3 23.Qxe3
23...Ke7
Blockading the enemy pawn.
Black does not realize that all of White's "Jerome pawns" will come into play now. Stockfish 8 recommends play that gives drawing chances (it is surprising how often this happens): 23...Rf8 24.Rf4 h5 25.Rd1 hxg4 26.Rxg4 Qh5 27.Qd4 Bxe6 28.fxe6 Qd5 29.Rxe4 Qxd4 30.Rexd4 Ke7 31.Rd7+ Kxe6 32.R1d6+ Ke5 33.Rd2 b6 34.Rxg7 c5 35.Re7+ Kf6 36.Re3 Rf7 37.h4 Kg7 38.Rg2+ Kh6 39.Kh3.
24.g5 Rf8 25.Rg1 Bxe6 26.Rf4 Qh5 27.Qxe4 g6
Black returns the extra piece in a most unfortunate way - by allowing checkmate.
28.Qxe6+ Kd8 29.Qd6+ Kc8 30.Qxf8+ Kc7 31.Qe7+ Kb6 32.Rb4+ Ka6 33.Qxb7+ Ka5 34.Ra4+ Kxa4 35.Qxc6+ Ka5 36.b4+ Kxb4 37.Rb1+ Ka3 38.Qa6 checkmate
How do you get a draw with the Jerome Gambit?
How do you get a draw against the Jerome Gambit?
Are they the same question?
When I submitted the following game to Stockfish 8 for a "blunder check" analysis (set for two minutes a move) it came back with no suggestions - after the Jerome Gambit setup - until move 22!
Wall, Bill - Guest640699
PlayChess.com, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.a3
White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece and he plays - this? (It is a novelty, according to The Database.)
This is another example of the psychological strategies Bill Wall will inject into his Jerome Gambit games. He will eventually have 2 pawns for the piece, then 3 pawns, then 4 pawns - each weighing against Black's sense that, somehow, he must be winning (but how?).
8...Nf6 9.Nc3 Be6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.O-O Kg8
Black has castled-by-hand and developed his minor pieces.
I wonder what would have happened had he offered a draw right now?
13.Bd2 Qd7 14.Rae1 Re7 15.b3 Rae8
Black is prepared for a break on the e-file, so White moves his attentions over to the Kingside.
16.f5 Bf7 17.Bg5 Kh8 18.Qh3 Ne5 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Qh6 Bg8 21.Qxf6+ Rg7
22.Qh6 Qf7
Now was the time to counter White's wing attack with a hit in the center - 22...d5.
The text still leaves Black better, but his advantage is slipping.
23.Rf4 Rf8 24.Nd5 c6
Stockfish 8 prefers 24...Rg4 25.Rxg4 Nxg4 26.Qg5 Qg7 27.Qxg7+ Kxg7 28.Nxc7 Rc8 29.Nb5 Rxc2 30.Nxd6 Bxb3 31.Nxb7 Ba4 32.h3 Ne5 33.Rd1 Bc6 34.Na5 Ba8 35.Rd6 Kf7 36.Re6 Nd3 37.Rh6 Bxe4 38.Rxh7+ Kf6 39.Rxa7 Rxg2+ and sees Black still as better, but after all those exchanges (and with White having 3 pawns for the piece) it looks rather drawish to me.
25.Qxd6 cxd5 26.Qxe5 dxe4 27.Rexe4 h6 28.f6 Rg6
29.Re2 Qd5
30.Qc3
White has 3 pawns for the piece now, and with pawn majorities on both sides of the board and the annoying pawn at f6, he is not ready to exchange Queens.
30...Kh7 31.Qc7+ Bf7 32. Ref2 Re8 33. h3 Re1+ 34. Kh2 Rf1
Black's pressure on g2 is a danger White must constantly monitor. Black's move here is creative, and he has another one coming up, but White will not be fooled.
35.c4 Rxf2
Nice. If White now takes Black's Queen, he will be checkmated.
36.Rxf2 Qe6 37.Qxb7 Rxf6 38.Rxf6 Qe5+ 39.Kg1 Qxf6
It looks like both players are at risk of a draw at this point.
40.Qxa7 Qa1+ 41.Kh2 Qe5+ 42.Kg1 Qa1+ 43.Kh2 Qe5+ drawn
Jerome Gambit games are often about tactics. Sometimes White develops an attack and tactics help bring him the point. Sometimes Black defends well, and White must look for the tactical chance to pull even, or take the advantage.
All that calculation can lead to tactic fatigue and miscalculation, as in the following game.
Wall, Bill - Guest3211185
PlayChess.com, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6
A standard position for the variation. One plan for White is to develop his pieces, advance his f- and e-pawns, and take aim at the enemy King who is sitting on a half-open file.
8.O-O Nf6 9.Nc3
9.f3 a more conservative setup, was seen in Wall,B - Guest903719, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0,47).
9...Re8
This move seems more dynamic than 9...c6, as seein in Wall,B - Guest708676, PlayChess.com, 2016, (1-0, 32).
10.f4
Bill has played 10.Bg5, instead, in a number of past games - Wall,B - Foman, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 22); Wall,B - Guest4809124, PlayChess.com, 2013 (0-1, 41); Wall,B - Guest5111265, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 47) ; Wall,B - Guest1561957, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0,25); Wall,B - U80, PlayChess.com, 2016 (1-0, 29); Wall,B - Smith,J, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 20) - and one recent one:
10...Be6 11.f4 Nc6 12.Qd3 Kg8 13.a3 h6 14.Bh4 Qd7 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Rae1 Qf7 17.Rf3 Kh7 18.Rfe3 f5 19.Qe2 Rg8 20.g3 Rg7 21.Qd3 Rf8 22.Kh1 fxe4 23.Nxe4 Bf5 24.c4 Qh5 25.Qd5 Qg6 26.Nf2 Bd7 27.Qe4 Bf5 28.Qd5 Be6 29.Rxe6 Black resigned, Wall,B -Vertufizen, lichess.org, 2017.
10...Nc6 11.Qc4+
Or 11.Qd3 as in Wall,B - Ferreira,J, lichess.org, 2016.
11...Be6 12.Qd3 Kg8
Castling-by-hand, frequently a good defensive strategy for Black.
13.b3 Nb4
14.Qd2 d5
Possibly Black was looking toward 15.exd5 Bf5, doubly attacking c2. White's response doesn't rule out the Bishop move, but it makes it more complicated.
15.e5 Ng4
Moving the Knight away from the attack. Messy would have been 15...Bf5 16.exf6 Nxc2 17.g4 Nxa1 18.gxf5 Qxf6 19.Bb2 d4 20.Ne2 Nxb3 (desperado) 21.axb3 c5 although Black, with a Rook and 2 pawns (one passed and protected) for 2 pieces, would still have the advantage.
Black's "hovering" Knights can be useful for attack on either or both wings, but figuring out what exactly to do takes time and brain effort.
16.f5 d4
Black figures: why not hit the center, too? Things are getting pretty complicated, and the better calculator will prevail.
17.Nb5 Bf7
With two pieces hanging, Black's best move was to ignore them and play 17...Ne3!? To make that work, after White wins two (three?) pieces for a Rook with 18.Qxb4 Nxf1 19.fxe6 it was necessary to find 19...Qh4!? when White will discover (one way or the other) that the Black Knight cannot be taken due to checkmate.
White can defend with 20.h3, but after 20...Qg3 the Knight is still off limits. He does best with the piece swap 21.Bf4 Qxf4 22.Rxf1 (there!) When 22...Qe3+ 23.Kh1 Qe2!? will net the c-pawn for Black. Then White's counter-grab, 24.Nxd4 will be met with 24...c5!? 25.Nxc2 (forced) cxb4 will leave Black the exchange ahead, and White's center pawns (one will fall) are not adequate compensation.
All this makes my head hurt.
18.Qxb4 Rxe5 19.Qxd4 Qxd4+ 20.Nxd4 Rd8
Black and White have made their way through the excitement, and the position is about equal, with Black's piece activity blancing White's extra pawn.
21.Bb2 Red5 22.Rf4 Ne3 23.Re1 Rxd4
After all that brain work, this miscalculation is unfortunate.
24.Rxd4 Rxd4 25.Bxd4 Nxc2 26.Re4 Black resigned
Black is only down the exchange, but White's Rook will win at least one pawn. The defender will get ground down.
The following Jerome Gambit game is a bit quirky. I can well imagine that such bits of humor keep Bill Wall interested in the otherwise "refuted" opening.
Wall, Bill - Guest709079
PlayChess.com, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.Nxc6 bxc6
Capturing toward the center, as is often recommended. In this case, however, 6...dxc6 was better. See"Bad Penny".
7.d4
White has scored 10 - 1 in the other games with this position in The Database, reflecting, at least in part, that Black's capture with the b-pawn instead of the d-pawn allows d2-d4 as a response.
7...Bb6 8.O-O Ne7
A novelty acccording to The Database. Possibly better was 8...d5.
9.c4 Ba6 10.c5
Things start to become odd.
An alternative is 10.Qa4!? Qc8 11.Be3 d5.
Instead, Bill offers the exchange.
10...Bxf1 11.Kxf1 Ba5
Black had also 11...d5!? 12.cxb6 axb6, with possibly a small edge.
12.Qf3+
Strangely, Stockfish 8 suggests instead the drawing-by-repetition line 12.Qa4 Bb6 13.Qd1 Ba5 14.Qa4, etc.
12...Kg8 13.Qa3
There is also the idea 13.b4!? Bxb4 14.Qb3+ Kf8 15.Qxb4 with an even game.
13...Bb6 14.Qb3+ Kf8 15.cxb6 cxb6
15...axb6 might be a little bit better.
White now has a pawn for the exchange.
16.Nc3 Ng6 17.Be3 Qh4 18.Kg1 Nf4
Black hopes that his Knight and Queen will cooperate in an attack on the enemy King, but he needs to add a Rook or two (e.g. 18...Ke8 and 19...Rf8) to make progress.
19.g3 Nh3+ 20.Kg2 Qg4 21.Qd1
Not waiting until Black tries ...h7-h5-h4, boosting his attack. The Queen move also undermines the support of Black's Knight.
21...Qxd1 22.Rxd1 Nxf2
There is no retreat. I don't think Black saw that coming.
23.Kxf2 Ke7 24.d5 c5
With two pieces for a Rook, White has the advantage. Black tries to counter this by advancing his King - the exact opposite of what he should do, as King safety will become an issue.
25.Bg5+ Kd6
See the previous note.
26.Nb5+ Ke5 27.Ke3 h6 28.Be7 Rhe8 29.Rf1 Rxe7 30.Rf5 checkmate
In the following Jerome Gambit game Black is holding his own, having smartly returned the sacrificed piece to build his attack. In the meantime, White surprisingly suffers from a malady that usually pains Black: an undeveloped Queenside. The roles have been reversed: inexplicable.
Then Black decides to return another piece - for what reason, it is not clear. The decision eventually costs him another piece, and the game.
Again, inexplicable.
Wall, Bill - Guest637090
PlayChess.com, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6
Black's Queen often comes to f6 when defending against the Jerome. The not-so-subtle threat is ...Nf6+, winning White's Queen.
8.Qe3 Nh6 9.O-O
There are only 3 other games in The Database that have the position after 8...Nh6, all games played by stretto. One of them:
9.Nc3 Rf8 10.Nd5 Qd8 11.O-O c6 12.Nf4 Kg8 13.Nh5 d6 14.Nxg7 Kxg7 15.Qxh6+ Kg8 16.f4 Nf7 17.Qh5 Qf6 18.f5 Kh8 19.Rf3 Rg8 20.Rh3 Rg7 21.Bf4 Bd7 22.Rd1 Rag8 23.g3 Be8 24.Qf3 Rg4 25.Be3 Ne5 26.Qf2 a6 27.c4 R4g7 28.b3 Ng4 29.Bd4 Nxf2 30.Bxf6 Nxh3+ 31.Kg2 Ng5 32.Bxg7+ Rxg7 33.Rxd6 Nxe4 34.Rd8 Rg8 35.Kf3 Bh5+ 36.Kxe4 Rxd8 37.f6 Kg8 38.Ke5 Kf7 39.h3 Bd1 40.g4 Bc2 41.g5 Bb1 42.a4 Ba2 43.b4 Bxc4 44.h4 Bb3 45.h5 Bxa4 46.g6+ hxg6 47.hxg6+ Kxg6 48.Ke6 Bb3+ 49.Ke7 Rg8 50.f7 b6 51.fxg8=Q+ Black forfeited on time, stretto - Tollens, FICS, 2008.
9...Nhg4
It is always tempting to harass the White Queen.
Also seen: 9...Rf8 10.Qb3+ Qe6 11.Qxe6+ dxe6 12.Bxh6 gxh6 13.Nc3 a6 14.Rad1 b6 15.f4 Ng4 16.Rde1 Bb7 17.h3 Nf6 18.e5 Nd5 19.Nxd5 Bxd5 20.b3 Rg8 21.c4 Rxg2+ 22.Kh1 Bb7 23.Rd1 Rxa2+ 24.Kg1 Rg2+ 25.Kh1 Rd2+ 26.Kg1 Rxd1 27.Rxd1 Ke7 28.Kf2 Rd8 29.Rg1 Kf7 30.Kg3 Rg8+ 31.Kh4 Rxg1 White resigned, stretto - Tollens, FICS, 2008.
10.Qg3
Or: 10.Qb3+ Ke8 11.f4 Nc6 12.e5 Qg6 13.Nd2 Nd4 14.Qd5 Ne2+ 15.Kh1 Nxh2 16.f5 Ng3+ 17.Kxh2 Nxf1+ 18.Nxf1 Qxf5 19.Ng3 Qxc2 20.Bg5 h6 21.Rf1 hxg5+ 22.Kg1 Qg6 23.Rf5 Qb6+ 24.Kf1 Qa6+ 25.Ke1 Qe6 26.Qe4 Qxa2 27.Ne2 Rh1+ 28.Kf2 Qxb2 29.Qd5 Qb6+ 30.Kf3 Qe6 31.Qe4 Rf1+ 32.Kg3 Rxf5 33.Qxf5 Game drawn as both players ran out of time, stretto - sLAVmi, FICS, 2008.
10...h5 11. h3 h4
Black's plan is simple, to drive off the enemy Queen and attack the enemy King. His Rook is well-placed for attack, and his King is not in danger, at least for now. He is willing to return the sacrificed piece in order to heat things up.
12.Qb3+ Kf8 13.f4 Nc6 14.hxg4 Nd4 15.Qe3 h3
16.gxh3 Qh4 17.Rf2 d5 18.f5
A messy position, but White may be a little bit better.
18...Bxf5
I am not sure what Black is up to, but it does not turn out well. Perhaps a time issue?
Stockfish 8 suggests that Black can keep the deficit to a pawn and a half with the line 18...Qxh3 19.Qxh3 Rxh3 20.Kg2 Rh4 21.Kg3 Rh1 22.Be3 Rg1+ 23.Kh3 Nb5 24.Rd2 Re1 25.Bf2 Rc1 26.Na3!? (returning an exchange) 26...Rxa1 27.Nxb5 Bd7 28.Nxc7 Rc8 29.Nxd5 Rxa2 30.Nc3 Rxb2 31.Nd1 Rcxc2 32.Rxd7 Rxf2 33.Nxf2 Rxf2 34.Rxb7.
19.Qxd4
The Black Bishop is not going anywhere.
19...Qg3+ 20.Kf1 Qxh3+ 21.Ke1 Qh1+ 22.Rf1 Qh4+ 23.Qf2 Qh3
White's Queenside pieces all are at home, yet he has a won game.
24.Qxf5+ Ke7 25.Bg5+ Kd6 26.Qxd5 checkmate
Black's slip on move 13 in the following Jerome Gambit does not look very significant, but it shows that the defender does not have as good a grasp of the position as the attacker does. A few more slips, and Black's game comes crashing down.
Wall, Bill - Guest100198
PlayChess, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6
8.O-O Nc6 9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qe2 Kg7
If Black were not convinced that he is winning - the extra piece! - he can now smile happily to himself as White's Queen is driven from pillar to post.
12.Nc3 a6 13.f4 Nge7
I was flabbergasted to see that Stockfish 8 gave White a slight edge after this move, preferring 13...Qf6.
How can that be? It turns out that the position has hidden complications, and Black should have restrained White's f-pawn.
14.f5 gxf5 15.exf5
Exposing Black's Bishop to attack, encouraging his response.
15...Bxf5 16.Rxf5 Nxf5 17.Qg4+ Kf7
Now it looks like White will be down the exchange after 18.Qxf5+, but Bill has seen further.
18.Bg5 Qd7 19.Rf1 Ncd4
This looks like an oversight due to shortage of time.
The Knight at f5 needs further protection, but the defender should have gone to e7. The play would then continue to be complicated, with White for choice, i.e. 19...Nce7 20.Bxe7 Kxe7 21.Qg5+ Ke8 22.Nd5 Qg7 23.Re1+ Kd7 24.Qxf5+ Kd8 25.Re7 Qxe7 26.Nxe7 Kxe7 . Black's uneasy King gives White's Queen chances to pick up materaial against the two Rooks.
20.Qxd4 Rhf8
Recruiting support for the Knight.
21.Qg4 Ke8
Relieving the double pin on the Knight, but there is nothing but misery ahead. The position is too complicated and too deadly to survive.
22.Qe4+
22...Ne7
The action moves over to the e-file. If Black's King tried to slip out with 22...Kf7, instead, White could collect a piece with 23.Rxf5+ and after 23...Kg8 play the threatening 24.Bf6, which will net him a further exchange.
23.Re1 Rf7 24.Nd5 Kf8 25.Nxe7 Re8
Black tries a pin of his own, but the game is over.
26.Bh6+ Rg7 27.Rf1+ Black resigned
It is checkmate the next move.
