Sunday, December 10, 2017

Jerome Gambit: The Best "Explanation"

The previous post suggested that

Often the best way to learn an opening is to play over the games of an experienced practitioner 
True, that, but sometimes a game becomes very complicated, and the best "explanation" of what is happening is the series of moves that the winner plays. There is a way out of the maze, but sometimes it is not easy for the reader to discover it without help.

Wall, Bill - Guest423598
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 




4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

Here we have another Sorensen variation where Black is satisfied with accepting one sacrificed piece. It remains an important defense - see "Critical Line: 5...Kf8 (12 and 3)".

6.O-O Nxe5

This time Bill tempos with 6.0-0, and his opponent changes his mind and grabs the second piece.

Alternately Bill has faced:

6...Qf6 7.Nxc6 (White goes back to the main idea) Qxc6 (7...dxc6 8.Nc3 Bd6 9.d4 h6 10.e5 Bxe5 11.dxe5 Qxe5 12.Re1 Qg5 13.Bxg5 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016) 8.d4 Bb6 9.Nc3 d6 10.Bg5 Qe8 11.f4 Qg6 12.h4 Qe8 13.f5 Ba5 14.f6 gxf6 15.Qf3 Qf7 16.Nd5 h5 17.Bxf6 Nxf6 18.Nxf6 Be6 19.Qg3 Ke7 20.Nd5+ Bxd5 21.Rxf7+ Bxf7 22.Qg5+ Kd7 23.Qxa5 b6 24.Qb5+ c6 25.Qf5+ Be6 26.Qf6 Rh7 27.d5 cxd5 28.exd5 Bg4 29.Re1 Rg8 30.Re3 Rc8 31.a4 Rc7 32.a5 bxa5 33.Re6 Rc5 34.Rxd6+ Kc7 35.Rc6+ Rxc6 36.Qxc6+ Kd8 37.d6 a4 38.Qa8+ Bc8 39.c4 Rb7 40.c5 Rg7 41.Qf3 Rg6 42.Qf7 Re6 43.c6 Ba6 44.Qd7 checkmate, Wall,B - Computer-level 6, Chess.com, 2017 and

6...d6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.d4 (8.Nc3 Nf6 9.d4 Bb4 10.Qf3 Bg4 11.Qf4 Kg8 12.e5 Bxc3 13.exf6 Qd7 14.bxc3 Bf5 15.Qg3 Bxc2 16.Bh6 g6 17.Rfe1 Qf5 18.Re7 Qxf6 19.Rae1 Bf5 20.Rxc7 Rb8 21.h3 Rc8 22.Qe3 Rf8 23.Qe7 Qf7 24.Qxf7+ Rxf7 25.Re8+ Rf8 26.Rxf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2016) 8...Bb6 9.Nc3 Ba6 10.Re1 Qf6 11.e5 Qh4 12.Re4 Qe7 13.Qf3+ Qf7 14.Rf4 Qxf4 15.Bxf4 d5 16.Bh6+ Ke7 17.Bxg7 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest399227, PlayChess.com, 2016

7.d4 Bb6 

It is sometimes useful to search for understanding in a line by looking at and comparing transpositions.

For example, suppose instead of playing 5...Kf8Guest423598 had tried 5...Nxe5 and after 6.d4 had played 6...Bb6, with White following up with 7.O-O as in the current game - well, there are actually 3 games by jfhumphrey (he has 278 games in The Database) with that line, and it is significant that two continue with 7...Ng6 and one continues with 7...Nc6; in none of the cases did Black feel the need to play ...Kf8, which would transpose to the current game.

Does that leave Black in our current game a tempo behind the jfhumphrey games, or is his King safer on f8 versus f7?

Of course, experience and analysis suggest that the more critical misstep for Black was withdrawing the Bishop, rather than giving it up in exchange for White's d-pawn, i.e. 7...Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Qf6 9. Qe3 Ne7 10. Nc3 d6 11. f4 N5c6 12. Nb5 Ng6 13. Nxc7 Rb8 14. Nb5 a6 15. e5 Qe6 16. f5 Qxe5 17. fxg6+ Kg8 18. Nxd6 hxg6 19.Qxe5 Nxe5 20.Bf4 Rh5 21.Rae1 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest1442, chesstempo.com, 2017.

Black would also have done better giving up the Knight, e.g. 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.f4 Bd4+ 10.Qxd4 Qf6 11.e5 Qb6 12.Qxb6 axb6 13.Nc3 Ne7 14.Nb5 c6 15.Nd6 g6 16.f5 gxf5 17.Bh6+ Kg8 18.Nxf5 Nxf5 19.Rxf5 d5 20.Rf8 checkmate, billwall - DeDrijver, Chess.com, 2012

8.dxe5 Qe8 9.Qf3+ Qf7 10.Qa3+ Ne7 11.Nc3 c6 



Black's Bishop plans to retreat and protect the pinned Knight.

12.Bg5 

Applying pressure. Oddly, Stockfish 8 suggests 12.Be3 Bc7 13.f4 Qc4 14.Rad1 b5 15.Rd4 Qf7 16.Rd2 Qc4 17.Rd4 etc. with a draw by repetition. I can't see either human player being satisfied with that.

12...Bd8 13.f4 h6 14.Bh4 Ke8  



Defending in Steinitz-like fashion, Black now anticipates trouble along the f-file, and moves his King off of it. Stockfish 8 suggests that the King belongs at h7, instead, in a rather turgid, if balanced, position.

Jerome Gambit players should decide: how should White continue?

15.f5 g5 

Not fearing 16.fxg6 ep Qxg6 with an open line against the White King, although the attack would develop slowly.

16.Bg3 b5  

Black wants to work around the central "Jerome pawns" by advancing on the wings. It is an interesting idea, but also a dangerous one, as his King is stuck in the center and vulnerable to a pawn break through.

I have to say that Black's psychology would have me raving with impatience with the White pieces - but Bill Wall is a cool character, and he decides to occupy a "hole" in his opponent's position.

17.Qd6 Bb7 

And, just like that, Black's position blows up.

Upon reflection, 16...b5 was a mistake. Should he have gone all in with 16...h5, and pushed the Kingside attack?

Should he have avoided the g-pawn push on move 15 and noodled around with something like 15...Bc7, instead? 

Was 14...Kg8, headed toward h7, the way to go after all?

The best that Stockfish 8 can come up for him now is 17...Qf8 18.e6 Nxf5 19.exd7+ Bxd7 20.Qg6+ Qf7 21.exf5 Qxg6 22.fxg6  with a very exposed King. 

18.e6 dxe6 19.fxe6 Black resigned



Black will have to give up his Queen to avoid checkmate.

Friday, December 8, 2017

Jerome Gambit: Playing Over Games

Image result for free clip art teachers

Often the best way to learn an opening is to play over the games of an experienced practitioner - that is what this blog is all about - and pay attention to what is going on - especially when play varies from past experience and analysis.

The following Jerome Gambit game is a good example of what to look at.

Wall, Bill - Guest129367
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 



4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

Checking Bill's Jerome Gambit nomenclature, I am reminded that this is the Sorensen Variation, where Black declines the second sacrifice and moves his King closer to safety.

Lieutenant S. A. Sorensen wrote an early analysis of the Jerome Gambit in his "Chess for Beginners" column in the May 1877 issue of Nordisk Skaktidende. It was widely translated and republished.

He was anticipated in his discussion by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, who first looked at the line in 1874. The earliest game example that I have in The Database is Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, USA, 1875 (1/2-1/2, 29). For history of the line, see "Critical Line: 5...Kf8 (1, 2 and 3)".

6.Nc3

I was a bit surprised to find that, according to The Database, this move is a novelty, although the game will transpose to an earlier Bill Wall game in a few moves.

White simply develops a piece, and waits to see what Black can make of the position. Similar would be 6.0-0, which Bill is 7-0 with. He also suggests 6.d4!?, which brought him a win the one time he tried it.

Seen more often, and recommended by both Jerome and Sorensen, is 6.Nxc6.

6...Qf6

The Black Queen sometimes goes to f6 to help defend; here it is also attacking.

Of course Black had the option of capturing the Knight with 6...Nxe5, and after 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 the game would have transposed into more mainstream play. There is a practical argument for 6...Nxe5 as well: Bill is "only" 8-2 against it. 

Stockfish 8 (30 ply) shows a tiny preference for 6...Nxe5, but also suggests the wild 6...Qg5!?, which it recommends that White meet with 7.Qf3+, looking to exchange Queens. Not surprisingly, The Database has no examples of 6...Qg5.

7.Nd3

White can no longer exchange off his Knight because of 7.Nxc6?? Qxf2 checkmate.

7...Bb6 8.O-O d6 

The game has transposed to Wall, Bill - Tim93612, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, ), which began 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.Nd3 Bb6 7.0-0 Qf6 8.Nc3, but then continued with 8...Nge7 (1-0, 36).

With a piece for two pawns, Black can be said to have a small advantage, especially in light of White's blocked development. Black has to be aware, however, that his King and Queen are on the same file, which could prove risky if White can exchange off pawns to expose his Rook at f1.

9.Kh1

White wastes no time unpinning his f-pawn, so he can advance it.

9...Ne5

Black would love to exchange Knights at d3 and bury White's Bishop. Bill recommends, instead, 9...Qf7

10.Nd5 

The attack on Black's Queen gives White time to exchange off Black's troublesome Bishop and double a couple of pawns - if nothing better comes up.

Why didn't White play the Knight jump the previous move, instead of "wasting time" with 9.Kh1 ? Probably because Black could have answered the move with 9...Qd4, and the Queen would have recaptured, keeping his pawns intact.

10...Qf7 

Bill suggests, instead, 10...Qe6 11.N3f4 Qf7. Why is this different from moving the Queen to f7 immediately?

11.Nxe5 dxe5 12.f4 

Suddenly the "Jerome pawns" take on a menacing potential.

Stockfish 8 suggests that Black continue with reasonable defense, 12...Ke8 13.fxe5 Qg6 14.d4 Ne7 15.Nxe7 Kxe7 16.Qd3 and with 3 pawns for the piece - despite facing the two Bishops - White appears to have somewhat better chances.

12...Nf6 

Black's first real slip. Development is good, and shielding the Queen and King is noble - but the enemy Rook on the f-file is still a danger.

13.fxe5 c6 14.exf6 g6 15.Ne7 



Not only is White up 3 pawns, his advanced Knight and pawn are full of trouble - especially with Black's pawn on g6. (Perhaps Black's Queen should have gone there, instead, with 14...Qg6, but after 15.Nxb6 axb6 White could have continued with 16.b3, intending 17.Bb2 with further pressure on Black's kingside.)

15...Be6 16.d4 Rd8 

Overlooking White's main threat, which could have been met with 16...h5. At that point White would not have an immediate shot, but could continue to build his attack with 17.b3 and 18.Ba3, or work for a breakthrough with 17.d5.

17.Bh6+ Ke8 

Now there is already the win of the exchange after 18.Bg7, but White wants to go after the enemy King.

18.d5 cxd5 

It is difficult to find a safe retreat for Black's light squared Bishop, so Black decides to return it for a couple of pawns. This leaves him down a Rook (and a couple of pawns)

19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Nxd5 Rxd5 



21.Re1+ 

Please excuse Bill for overlooking the checkmate in 20 moves that starts with 21.Qg4 (silly computer) - the text is strong enough (and would checkmate almost as fast, if Black didn't resign sooner).

21...Kd7 22.Qg4+ Kc7 23.Re7+ Black resigned


Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Jerome Gambit: Building Anxiety

Here is another interesting and educational Jerome Gambit game from Vlasta Fejfar.

The game might as well be titled "What shall we worry about today?" as the little things seem to build up for Black, and he suddenly turns over the game.

vlastous - Makaviel , Sandro
Internet, 2017 

 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 



4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 



7.Qd5+

The "nudge". I am not sure that it is necessary, or leads to anything more than the direct capture 7.Qxc5 does, but, in my experience it can get Black to take some time worrying "What is he doing?"

7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7 

So - what is going on here?

White has sacrificed a piece for two pawns, and has already moved his Queen three times. He needs development while taking advantage of Her Majesty's options.

Black is ahead in material and development, but his King is stuck in the middle of the board, at least for now. He needs to design a route to safety, when he can then use his advantages.

9.O-O b6 

This is a reasonable move, opening up the a8-h1 diagonal for his Bishop - or, as in the game, the a6-f1 diagonal. 

Also possible are 9...d6 and 9...Rf8. There are game examples in The Database.

10.Qc3 

A small improvement over the retreat 10.Qe3, which I have used in a couple of wins: perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 59) and perrypawnpusher - jdvatty, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0. 28).

From c3 the Queen threatens Black's g-pawn, which is probably enough to cause the defender some anxiety, although in the long run it is probably risky for White to play Qxg7 as long as Black is able to play ...Rg8, with dangerous pressure on the file against White's King.

10...Ba6

Black chooses a different development, attacking White's Rook at f1. Is he worried about the partially open f-file his King will have to cross in order to castle-by-hand? Possibly.

11.d3 Kf7 

Guarding the attacked g-pawn and seeking safety. 
12.f4 Rf8 

Black's move is all part of his plan, but he would have been more prudent to play 12...d6, as will immediately be seen.

13.f5 

Awkward. Where is Black's Knight to go? It turns out that White's Queen was also attacking the e5 square.

13...Nh4 

Uncomfortable. Unsafe.

Instead, Black could try 13...Nh8, but 14.f6!? would be a troubling answer, winning the Knight on e7.

Stockfish 8 suggests the pragmatic return of the piece with 13...Kg8 14.fxg6 Rxf1+ 15.Kxf1 Nxg6 which Black probably saw, but which he hoped to avoid.

14.Bg5 c5 

I don't understand this move. Perhaps it is played to prevent a possible d3-d4 by White? Possibly better was getting a pawn for the piece with 14...Nxg2.

15.Bxh4 Kg8

Well, it looks like Black's King has finally found sactuary.

Not so! says White.

16.f6 

This breakthrough works, even with White not fully developed.

16...gxf6 17.Bxf6 Rf7 

18.Nd2 Qf8 19.Rf3 Nc6 



Black's two developed minor pieces on the Queenside are out of the action and largely irrelevant.

White now has a brutal attack on the g-file. 

20.Rg3+ Rg7 21.Rxg7+ Black resigned



Black will have to give up his Queen (and eventually his Rook, too) in order to avoid checkmate. 

Monday, December 4, 2017

Jerome Gambit: Never Knew What Hit Him, Either

I have been sharing some recently uncovered games by Ukranian player Vladymyr Yurev, online at InstantChess.com. It is clear that he and his opponents are playing for fun, as evidenced by the nasty, brutish and short wins by White.

Here is a game where Vladymyr took it seriously on the chin. I suspect he chuckled and set the pieces up again.

Vladymyr  Yurev - GN ITA
15 0, InstantChess, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 


The Semi-Italian opening, generally played as a safety first line. Not so, if White wants to get all Jerome-ish.

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 exd4 6.Nxd4 Qf6 7.Nf5 d6


Uh, oh.. Things don't seem to be going smoothly for White.

8.Qd5+ Be6 9.Nxd6+ 

The start of an irrational streak, the kind of thing that you see when your opponent's clock is almost expired, and you are willing to try anything to get him to use up those last precious seconds thinking...

9...Bxd6 10.Qxe6+ Qxe6 11.e5 


Okay, so White is going to blow everything up and start all over, next game.

11...Qxe5+ 12.Kd2 Qd4+ 13.Ke2 Re8+ 14.Kf3 Ne5+ 

Or 14...Qe4#.

15.Kg3 Nd3+ 

Or 15...Qg4#.

16.Kh3 Nxf2 checkmate


Oh, well, as the song goes, "Two out of three ain't bad."

Saturday, December 2, 2017

Jerome Gambit: Never Knew What Hit Them (Part 2)

As mentioned in the previous post, recently I was exploring the internet and ran across a number of fun games by Vladymyr Yurev, of Ukraine, at InstantChess.com. Some were Jerome Gambits, some were Jerome-ish.

Clearly some of his opponents did not know what to make of his openings, and succumbed quickly.

Here is another example.

Vladymyr  Yurev - Elsid
15 0, Instant Chess, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 


The Semi-Italian Opening. Safety first.

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 Nf6 6.dxe5 Nxe4 7.Qd5+ Ke8 Black resigned


Black will drop his Knight on e4, remaining a pawn down, but it is clear that his resignation had to do with not knowing what hit him.

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Jerome Gambit: Never Knew What Hit Them (Part 1)

I was exploring the internet the other day, and ran across a number of fun games by Vladymyr Yurev, of Ukraine, at InstantChess.com. Some games were Jerome Gambits, some were Jerome-ish.

Clearly some of his opponents did not know what to make of his openings, and succumbed quickly.

Here is one example.

Vladymyr  Yurev - MELVYN20
Instant Chess, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 



The Semi-Italian Opening. Black pursues safety by keeping the enemy Knight off of g5.

4.Bxf7+ 

Not everyone waits for ...Bc5 before sacrificing.

4...Kxf7 5.d4 Ke8 6.d5 Nb8 7.Nxe5 d6 8.Qh5+ Ke7 9.Qf7 checkmate

Ouch!

Nice work, Mr. Yurev!


Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Jerome Gambit: Been Around A While

It can be fun to play over the games of experienced Jerome Gambit players and watch their struggles, successes and failures. The games of Petasluk show up in The Database starting in 2004 - he has been around the Jerome universe for quite some time.

The following game shows how a deadly center break-through and attack on the King can proceed when Black discontinues his defenses prematurely.

Petasluk - valli
5 0 blitz, FICS, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 




4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 



A solid defense that avoids the risks of 6...Kf6. If Black wishes to develop his Rook at h8, however, the King will need to move again.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 Kf7 



There are 19 games in The Database with this position. White scores 53%. White's Queen puts pressure on the Kingside, even as Black prepares to castle-by-hand (something he never accomplishes).

Petasluk has had significant experience with other defensive tries by Black:

9...h6 10.O-O Be6 (10...Kf7 11.Nc3 Rf8 12.Be3 Bb6 13.d4 Kg8 14.f4 Qe8 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Nd7 17.Bxh6 Rxf1+ 18.Rxf1 Qe7 19.Bg5 Bxd4+ 20.Kh1 Qxe5 21.Bf4 Qf6 22.Nd5 Qa6 23.Re1 Qxa2 24.Re8+ Kf7 25.Re7+ Kg8 26.Nxc7 Rb8 27.Ne6 Qb1+ White resigned,  Petasluk - leninas, FICS, 2013) 11.Nc3 c6 12.Bd2 b5 13.a3 a5 14.Ne2 Qb6 15.c3 d5 16.e5 Ng4 17.d4 Be7 18.h3 Nxe5 19.Qxe5 Bf7 20.Ng3 Bf6 21.Qf5 Re8 22.Rae1 c5 23.Rxe8+ Kxe8 24.Qc8+ Bd8 25.Re1+ Kf8 26.Nf5 cxd4 27.Nxd4 g6 28.Nc6 Kg7 29.Nxd8 Rxd8 30.Qg4 h5 31.Qg3 Rf8 32.Be3 Qf6 33.Bd4 Qxd4 34.cxd4 b4 35.Re7 bxa3 36.bxa3 Kh6 37.Qf4+ Kg7 38.Qe5+ Kg8 39.g4 hxg4 40.hxg4 a4 41.f4 Kh7 42.f5 Kh6 43.fxg6 Bxg6 44.Qe3+ Rf4 45.Qxf4 checkmate, Petasluk - caryoscelus, FICS, 2016

9...Be6 10.Bg5 Bf7 11.c3 h6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.O-O Kg8 14.d4 Bb6 15.f4 Kh7 16.Nd2 Rhf8 17.e5 dxe5 18.fxe5 Qg6 19.Nf3 Bd5 20.Nh4 Qxg3 21.hxg3 Rae8 22.Kh2 c6 23.Nf5 Be6 24.Nd6 Rxf1 25.Rxf1 Re7 26.Rf4 Bxa2 27.g4 Bb1 28.c4 Ba5 29.Rf1 Bg6 30.Rf2 Be1 31.Re2 Bh4 32.g3 Bg5 33.Rf2 a6 34.Rf3 b5 35.cxb5 axb5 36.b4 h5 37.gxh5 Bxh5 White forfeited on time, Petasluk - wsilaenchess, FICS, 2014;

9...Qd7 10.h3 Kf7 11.Nc3 c6 12.Bd2 Rf8 13.O-O Kg8 14.Kh1 Qe7 15.f4 Nh5 16.Qf3 Qf7 17.Ne2 Qg6 18.f5 Qf7 19.g4 Nf6 20.c3 h6 21.Nf4 Re8 22.b3 d5 23.Rae1 dxe4 24.dxe4 Bd7 25.e5 Nd5 26.e6 Qe7 27.exd7 Qxd7 28.Ne6 Bb6 29.c4 Nf6 30.Bc3 Qf7 31.h4 Re7 32.g5 hxg5 33.Nxg5 Qf8 34.Ne6 Qf7 35.Re2 Rae8 36.Rfe1 Qh5 37.Qxh5 Nxh5 38.Bd2 Ng3+ 39.Kg2 Nxf5 40.Nf4 Nxh4+ 41.Kg3 Nf5+ 42.Kg4 Nh6+ 43.Kg5 Rxe2 44.Rxe2 Rxe2 45.Nxe2 Bd8+ 46.Kh5 Nf7 47.Kg4 Kh7 48.Nf4 Nh6+ 49.Kf3 g5 50.Ne6 Be7 51.Bxg5 Nf7 52.Bxe7 Ne5+ 53.Ke4 Ng6 54.Ba3 Kh6 55.Nd8 Kh5 56.Nxb7 Kg4 57.Nd8 Black forfeited on time Petasluk - Vukasin, FICS, 2014;

9...Ng4 10.O-O Bd4 (10...h5 11.h3 h4 12.Qf4+ Nf6 13.Nc3 c6 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.fxe3 Qe7 16.d4 Kg8 17.e5 dxe5 18.dxe5 Nd5 19.Nxd5 cxd5 20.Rad1 Be6 21.Rd2 Rf8 22.Qa4 Rxf1+ 23.Kxf1 Qg5 24.Qe8+ Kh7 25.Qxe6 Qxe3 26.Qxd5 Rf8+ White resigned, Petasluk - UNPREDICTABLE, FICS, 2011) 11.h3 Be5 12.Qf3+ Nf6 13.c3 d5 14.Bg5 h5 15.Nd2 Bg4 16.Qe3 dxe4 17.d4 Bd6 18.Nxe4 Bf5 19.f3 h4 20.Rae1 Bg3 21.Re2 Qd7 22.Nc5 Qf7 23.Bxf6 gxf6 24.b3 Bd6 25.Nxb7 Kg7 26.Nxd6 cxd6 27.Qd2 Rag8 28.Rfe1 Kh7 29.Re7 Qxe7 30.Rxe7+ Rg7 31.Rxg7+ Kxg7 32.Qf4 Black forfeited on time, Petasluk - UltraMN, FICS, 2014;

9...c6 10.O-O Qb6 11.Nc3 Kf7 12.Na4 Qa5 13.Nxc5 Qxc5 14.c3 h6 15.Be3 Qe5 16.f4 Qh5 17.Rae1 Rf8 18.e5 Nd5 19.Bd2 Qg4 20.Qf2 Bf5 21.h3 Qg6 22.g4 Bxd3 23.f5 Qh7 24.e6+ Ke7 25.Qh4+ Nf6 26.Rf3 Be4 27.Rfe3 d5 28.c4 Rh8 29.Bb4+ Ke8 30.cxd5 cxd5 31.Rc1 h5 32.g5 Qxf5 33.gxf6 gxf6 34.Rf1 Rg8+ 35.Kh2 Qxf1 36.Rg3 Qh1 checkmate, Petasluk - Reisswolf, FICS, 2011;

9...Qe7 10.O-O Kf7
(10...Bd7 11.Nc3 Re8 12.Bg5 h6 13.Nd5 Qe6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Nxc7 Qg8 16.Nxe8 Qxg3 17.hxg3 Kxe8 18.Kh2 h5 19.f4 h4 20.gxh4 Rxh4+ 21.Kg3 Rg4+ 22.Kf3 f5 23.Rae1 Bc6 24.c3 fxe4+ 25.dxe4 Bb5 26.Kxg4 Black resigned Petasluk - Schallopp, FICS, 2008) 11.Nc3 c6 12.Bg5 Rf8 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Kh1 Kg8 15.f4 Qg6 16.Qh4 Qg4 17.Qxg4 Bxg4 18.h3 Bd7 19.g4 h6 20.f5 Rae8 21.Rae1 Kf7 22.Ne2 Rh8 23.c3 d5 24.d4 Bb6 25.e5 g6 26.e6+ Bxe6 27.fxe6+ Kxe6 28.Nf4+ Kd6 29.Nxg6 Rxe1 30.Rxe1 Rg8 31.Nf4 Rf8 32.Ng6 Rf3 33.Kg2 Rd3 34.Nf4 Rd2+ 35.Re2 Rxe2+ 36.Nxe2 c5 37.Kf3 Ke6 38.h4 Kf6 39.dxc5 Bxc5 40.Nd4 Bxd4 41.cxd4 b6 42.b4 a5 43.bxa5 bxa5 44.a4 Kg6 45.Kf4 Kf6 46.g5+ hxg5+ 47.hxg5+ Kg6 48.Kg4 Kg7 49.Kf5 Kf7 50.g6+ Kg7 51.Kg5 Black resigned, Petasluk - pavlo, FICS, 2009;

9...h5 10.Bg5 h4 11.Qf4 Qe7 12.Nc3 Bd4 13.Nd5 Qf7 14.c3 Be5 15.Qd2 Nxd5 16.exd5 Bf5 17.d4 Bf6 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.O-O Re8 20.Rfe1 Kf7 21.Re3 Rxe3 22.fxe3 Qg5 23.Rf1 Kg6 24.Qf2 Re8 25.Qxf5+ Qxf5 26.Rxf5 Kxf5 27.Kf2 g5 28.h3 Ke4 29.Ke2 Rf8 30.c4 c6 31.dxc6 bxc6 32.b4 a6 33.a4 Rb8 34.b5 cxb5 35.axb5 axb5 36.cxb5 Rxb5 37.Kf2 Rb3 38.g3 hxg3+ 39.Kxg3 Rxe3+ 40.Kg4 Kxd4 41.Kxg5 Rxh3 42.Kf5 Re3 43.Kf4 Re8 44.Kf5 Kc4 45.Kf4 d5 White resigned, Petasluk - fluigi, FICS, 2009;

9...Nh5 10.Qf3+ Nf6 11.O-O h6 12.Qe2 Bg4 13.Qd2 Ke7 14.h3 Be6 15.Nc3 Qd7 16.Kh2 Raf8 17.f4 Kd8 18.f5 Bf7 19.a3 Kc8 20.b4 Bd4 21.Bb2 Be5+ 22.Kh1 Nh5 23.Rf3 g5 24.Rb1 g4 25.hxg4 Ng3+ 26.Kg1 h5 27.g5 Bd4+ 28.Kh2 h4 29.Nd5 Bxd5 30.Bxd4 Nxf5 31.Bxh8 Ne3 32.Rxf8+ Black resigned, Petasluk - brittaundvolker, FICS, 2009;

9...g6 10.O-O Kg7 11.Qf4 Nh5 12.Qh6+ Kf7 13.Nd2 Qf8 14.Qxf8+ Rxf8 15.Nf3 Kg7 16.d4 Bb6 17.c3 Bg4 18.Nd2 Rae8 19.f3 Bd7 20.Nc4 Rf7 21.Bd2 Bb5 22.b3 Bxc4 23.bxc4 c6 24.a4 a6 25.Rab1 Ba7 26.g3 Ref8 27.Kg2 Nf6 28.Rbe1 Nd7 29.h4 Re8 30.Bf4 d5 31.cxd5 cxd5 32.e5 Re6 33.Bd2 Rfe7 34.f4 Rc6 35.g4 Rc4 36.a5 Bb8 37.f5 gxf5 38.gxf5 Kf8 39.Bh6+ Ke8 40.f6 Rf7 41.Bg7 Nf8 42.Bxf8 Kxf8 43.e6 Rfc7 44.e7+ Kf7 45.e8=Q checkmate, Petasluk - Chaarl, FICS, 2009;

and 9...Qe8 10.O-O Qg6 11.Qf4 Bh3 (11...Qg4 12.Qd2 Ke7 13.Nc3 Be6 14.d4 Bb4 15.e5 Ne4 16.Nd5+ Bxd5 17.Qxb4 a5 18.exd6+ cxd6 19.Qe1 Kd7 20.f3 Qg6 21.fxe4 Bxe4 22.Qg3 Qxg3 23.hxg3 Rhf8 24.Bf4 h6 25.c4 g5 26.Be3 Bd3 27.Rxf8 Rxf8 28.c5 d5 29.b3 Kc6 30.Rd1 Be4 31.a3 Bc2 32.Rd2 Bxb3 33.Rb2 a4 34.Rf2 Rxf2 35.Kxf2 Bd1 36.Ke1 Bg4 37.Kd2 Kb5 38.Kc3 Bd1 39.Bf2 Be2 40.Be3 Bf1 41.Kd2 Bxg2 42.Ke2 Be4 43.Kd2 Kc4 44.Bf2 Kb3 45.Be1 Kxa3 46.Kc3 Ka2 47.Kb4 Bc2 48.Bc3 Bd3 49.Ka5 a3 50.Kb6 Kb3 51.Kxb7 Kxc3 White forfeited on time, Petasluk - juany, FICS, 2007) 12.Qf3 Bg4 13.Qf4 Re8 14.Nc3 Re7 15.Kh1 Rf7 16.f3 Bd7 17.Bd2 Nh5 18.Qh4 Nf6 19.f4 Qg4 20.Qe1 Nh5 21.f5 Ke8 22.Nd5 Kd8 23.Ne3 Bxe3 24.Qxe3 Rhf8 25.Rf2 a6 26.Raf1 g6 27.fxg6 Qxg6 28.Rxf7 Rxf7 29.Rg1 Rg7 30.g3 Nf6 31.Qa7 Ng4 32.Qxb7 Bc8 33.Qd5 Qf6 34.Kg2 Ne5 35.Rf1 Qg6 36.Qb3 drawn, Petasluk - godelllll, FICS, 2009

10.Nc3 


Or 10.O-O, which transposes, 10...Rf8 11.Nc3 Kg8 (11...a6 12.Bg5 Kg8 13.Kh1 Qe8 14.f4 Nh5 15.Qf3 h6 16.g4 hxg5 17.gxh5 Rxf4 18.Qg2 Qxh5 19.Nd5 Bh3 20.Nxf4 gxf4 21.Qf2 Bxf1 22.Qxf1 Be3 23.d4 Rf8 24.Re1 Rf6 25.Re2 Rg6 26.Rg2 Rxg2 27.Qxg2 Qd1+ White resigned, Petasluk - mattzig, FICS, 201412.Bd2 Kh8 13.Kh1 Nh5 14.Qg5 Qxg5 15.Bxg5 Rxf2 16.Nd5 Rxf1+ 17.Rxf1 Bd7 18.Nxc7 Bc6 19.Nxa8 Black resigned, Petasluk - jinhuan, FICS, 2016

10...c6 11.O-O Bb6 

12.Bg5 Bc7 13.f4 h6 14.Bh4 Qd7 15.h3 b5 



Black has reinforced his center and decides to expand on the Queenside, perhaps as a diversion. He is overlooking White's growing menace.

16.Rae1 a6 

This encourages White to break in the center.

17.e5 dxe5 18.fxe5 Qd4+ 19.Kh1 Be6 


Black will have to give back his extra piece, and his King is in trouble.

20.Re4 Qd7 21.Bxf6 Kg8 22.Ne2 Rf8


Black is defending, but is handicapped by his undeveloped Rook at h8.

23.d4 Bd8 24.Ref4 Rf7 

He could have tried 24...Rh7, but 25.Bxg7 would have led to a series of exchanges that would have left White simply a handful of pawns ahead, e.g. 25...Rxf4 26.Bxh6+ Qg7 27.Qxg7+ Rxg7 28.Nxf4.

25.Bxd8 Rxf4 26.Nxf4 Qxd8 27.Nxe6 


The smoke has cleared. Whie is a piece and a couple of pawns ahead, with a deadly attack.

27...Qe7 28.Rf8+ Kh7 29.Qd3+ g6 30.Rxh8+ Kxh8 31.Qxg6 a5 32.Qxh6+ Kg8 33.Qg6+ Kh8 Black resigned