Jerome Gambit: Worry Begats Distraction?

If I were to guess about the following game, I would say that Black was surprised that a move that he had prepared against, was, nonetheless played against him; and this had an adverse effect on his following move, and, thus, the game.

Bill Wall shows himself to be a bit of a practical psychologist with his play.

Wall, Bill - Bose

SparkChess, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

There are almost 4,400 games with this position in The Database, going back to Jerome - Norton, correspondence, 1876 (unfinished).

6...d6 

By contrast, this practical way of dealing with the pawn attack on two pieces - let White decide which one he wants, Black will save the other - appears in only 108 games in The Database, with the earliest being in 2003.

7.dxc5 Bg4

More frequently seen is 7...Nf6, which Bill has scored 6 - 1 - 1 against. 

The idea behind the text can be seen if White reacts by blocking the Bishop with 8.f3, because 8...Qh4+ would then displace the King, leaving it unable to castle.

However, Bill has something other in mind.

8.Qd5+ 

This Queen check raises the same question that we have seen when Black's light-squared Bishop is at home - Is the response ...Be6, giving up the b-pawn, a good idea? Should the developed Bishop be called back?

8...Ke7 

Instead, 8...Be6 9.Qxb7 was seen in Wall,B - Guest8860423, PlayChess.com 2019 (1-0, 46). Stockfish 16.1 prefers the block by the Bishop. 

Bill has also faced 8...Ke8 in Wall,B - MLVD, internet, 2021 (1-0, 14).

9.Qxb7 Nf6 10.Nc3 dxc5 

This is an interesting position. White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece. His Queen risks being out of play. Black's King is not safe.

The computer sees the position as equal. I suspect that most Jerome Gambit players would prefer playing White.

11.Bg5 Rf8

Reinforcing the Knight.

I think Black would have been happy with his piece play after 11...Rb8 12.Qxa7 Qd6 13.f3 Be6 14.Rd1 Qc6.

12.Nd5+ 

Anyway.

12...Ke8

Black decides to let his Queen protect the Knight, and retires his King (to an unfortunate square). Instead, he could have held on to his slight advantage with 12...Kf7.

The text move drops a Rook.

13.Nxc7+ Kf7 14.Nxa8+ Bd7 

White's 14th move comes with check, thanks to where Black's King placement.

15.Nc7 

15...h6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qd5+ Kg6 18.O-O-O 

White is the exchange and three pawns ahead.

Black's compensation is minimal.

18...Rc8 19.Qxc5 Be6 20.Rd6 Nd7 21.Qa5 Black resigned

Black's Bishop is at risk, and exchanging it off - with 21...Qf4+ 22.Qd2 Qxd2+ 23.Kxd2 Rxc7 22.Rxe6+ - or protecting it - with 21...Nf8 22.Nxe6 Nxe6 23.Qd5 Kf7 - leaves his game with poor prospects.

How to Get an Advantage or to Win with JG (4.Bxf7+) against Maestri: the Collection of Practice (Part 3)

 

                      How to Get an Advantage or to Win with 

                             JG (4.Bxf7+) against Maestri: 

                           the Collection of Practice (Part 3)

                                                by Yury V. Bukayev

Dear readers, let me remind you that these my new posts about White's advantage and wins in such chess games are dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's publications with 4.Bxf7+ in Giuoco Piano. Now the world chess history knows a lot of cases, where White got an advantage or won here against grandmasters and other extremely strong defenders!

We should start this new part from the game

Kevin Sheldrick - GM Martin Kraemer 

("Cliff Hardy" - DrawDenied_Twitch, 10 min tempo, lichess.org, 2023, https://jeromegambit.blogspot.com/2023/02/jerome-gambit-return-of-cliff-hardy_0627317739.html ),

where for 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3 Ke7 12.Nc3 d6 13.Bf4 Qh5 Black spent too much time for these known opening moves. White has commented here: "The GM spent 2 minutes and 37 seconds on that move. With the remaining clock times now down to 5:39 (me) and 1:38 (him), I clearly had a big time advantage". I thank Mr. Sheldrick. It maybe, Mr. Kraemer calculated my invented way here so long time: 14.Nd5+ Kd8 15.Qxh5 Nxh5 16.Bg5+ Kd7 17.g4 h6 18.Bd2 Nf6 19.Nxf6+ (or 19.Bc3 Nxg4!? 20.Rf1!, that is stronger than 20.Bxg7 Rh7 21.Nf6+) 19...gxf6 20.Bc3 Ke7 21.Rf1 Rf8 22.d4 Bb6 23.Rf4, but 10 min time control punishes you, when you play so slowly. And I think, White also could play quicker before 13.Bf4, so his time advantage could be bigger. Further, first of all, I agree, that after

14.Nd5+ Kd8 15.Qxh5 Nxh5 16.Bg5+ Kd7 17.g4 h6 18.Bh4 g5 19.gxh5 gxh4 20.c3 c6 21.Nf4 Be3 22.Ng6 Re8 23.Ke2 Bg5 24.Raf1 Kc7 25.Rf7+ Kb6 

White should play 26.Rg1!, and White could win on time here with a solid position. After 26.Rhf1? Bg4+ we have a pure endgame, where Black's task has become much easier. Nevertheless, the extreme lack of time caused Black's Bishop blunder (35...Kb5), and White could get the drawn position by 36.Rf5+ Kb6 37.Rxh5 and win on time easily.

Further, we'll remind the game 

 NN - Top GM Hikaru Nakamura (GM_xAhmedx - GMHikaruOnTwitch, 3 min blitz, Chess.com, 2021), 

where after  4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+Nxe5 6.O-O Be7 7.d4 Ng6 8.Qf3+ Ke8 9.Nc3 d6 10.Re1 Nf6 11.e5 dxe5 12.dxe5 Ng4 13.Rd1 N4xe5 14.Rxd8+ White got a serious advantage. White's mistake 6.0-0? was met by enough passive response 6...Be7. Black's play was not active, after some moves Black blundered, as we see here. It maybe, Mr. Nakamura was tired during this his Jerome Gambit Arena, but we can see an interesting fact: after 6.0-0? Black started to play not attentively: he solved that White must lose in any case! And it is a typical psychological trap for Black in Jerome gambit games after 4.Bxf7+.

 

(to be continued)

Was H.Nakamura Right? Is JG ‘Unbreakable’, Is EG ‘Legendary’ For Beginners’ Games? (Part 5)

 

Was H.Nakamura Right? Is JG ‘Unbreakable’, Is EG ‘Legendary’

For Beginners’ Games? (Part 5)

(by Yury V. Bukayev)

Once again, if an expert’s appraisal is based on something without real proofs, he can be right or “almost right” here sometimes. That is so, even in the case where he realizes that his appraisal is hasty, or non-serious, or bold, or emotional. Sometimes he is right here for a large per cent (for example, 55, 75 or 95) of cases which he appraises.

We remember Rick Kennedy’s post ‘Jerome Gambit: Which Tier? Unbreakable?’ (September 23, 2020) where the notable dialogue about the standard system of the Jerome gambit (JG) between Top GM Hikaru Nakamura and IM Levy Rozman was shown as the part of their popular video and as its approximate text. Thus, they have discussed there what chess opening tier for beginners’ practice is right for it. The end of this text contains several phrases by Mr. Nakamura where he places the standard system of JG near the top of ‘Unbreakable’. Mr. Nakamura’s words contain no proofs of this very high appraisal. In my opinion, the tier’s name ‘Unbreakable’ is very arguable, because we discuss an opening practice, not an opening theory: each opening can be broken in a game as a result of practical mistakes of a player. But this name plays no role for us, just this very high appraisal of 4.Bxf7+ for beginners’ practice is important for our consideration.

Before writing of my Part 1 of this analytical research (please, look at it: it’s a blog post of October 16, 2022) it was enough difficult for me to prove this Hikaru Nakamura’s appraisal, for a large per cent of cases. It was necessary to choose a certain control of time for beginners’ games, and I have chosen an unlimited one. And in the Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 of this research I have made some clear proofs of this Mr. Nakamura’s appraisal and some “not absolutely clear proofs” of it. We shouldn’t forget that the word ‘unbreakable’ includes a draw, not only a win.

And here are my new invented traps - no.7 and no.8 - which are based on a similar ‘natural’ reaction of a beginner.

Traps 7 and 8. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 (Black defends his pieces, it is a typical response for an unlimited game.) 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5 Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.b4! AN (The analogous idea after 8…Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6 10.fxe5 Qxe5 11.Qf3 Nf6 is 12.b4 AN with a similar play, but we have no opportunity to consider it now.) 11…Qxa1!? (It’s a typical reaction for beginners and not only for them. Moreover, 11…Qxa1 isn’t a bad move here, so it is a whole opening variation, in fact. Nevertheless, 11.b4 is my trap no.7, because after another “natural” response-mistake 11…Nxe4? 12.bxc5+ Nxc5+ 13.Kd1!! Qxa1!? 14.Nc3 the position is unclear.) 12.bxc5+! Kxc5? (It’s also a typical reaction for beginners and not only for them. This “natural” move is a blunder, in fact. So, 12.bxc5+ is my trap no.8. This is a rare case in Jerome gambit: both traps on the same opening line are strong moves.) 13.d4+!!, and White has a large advantage.

That is why White will get here also a very large per cent of identical successful results against beginners. And against much more strong players!

It maybe, the invention of my traps 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and my approaches (Part 1, Part 2) will cause Mr. Nakamura’s and Mr. Rozman’s wish to replace the standard system of JG into their top tier ‘Legendary’ (on ‘GMHikaru’ YouTube channel).

Contact the author: istinayubukayev@yandex.ru

© 2025 Yury V. Bukayev (Copyright © Bukayev Yury Vyacheslavovich 2025). All rights reserved.

[A legal using of this investigation with a reference to it is permitted and doesn't require author's consent.]

Jerome Gambit: Is A Draw Good Enough?

One timeless question when it comes to the Jerome Gambit has been whether a draw is a good enough result for White, after his wild sacrifices.

In the following game, Bill Wall declines an offer to split the point, and receives his opponent's resignation a couple of moves later.

Wall, Bill - Braveheart

SparkChess, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Kf8 

Black's King simply steps away from the action. 

The Database has 10 games with this position. White scores 60%.

7.dxc5 Nf6 8.O-O d6 9.Nc3 Be6 10.f4 

Black has the piece development, White has the center pawns.

10...Nc6 11.Be3 Qe7 12.cxd6 Qxd6 

Capturing with the pawn was probably better.

13.Qf3 Nd4 14.Qd1 Nc6 15.Qe2 

Declining to go for the draw with 15.Qf3 Nd4 16.Qd1 etc. 

The game is now about balanced.

15...a6 

This may have been intended to keep a Knight off of b5.

More aggressive was 15...Qb4, which could lead to the win of the exchange, 16.e5 Bc4 17.Qf3 Bxf1 18.Rxf1 Nd7, although after 19.Nd5 Stockfish 16.1 continues 19...Qc4 20.b3 Qxc2 21.Nxc7 Re8 22.Qd5 Re7 23.Ne6+ Ke8 24.Nc7+ Kd8 25.Nb5 Qe2 26.Bc5 Rhe8 27.a4 Rxe5 28.fxe5 Qxe5 29.Qxe5 Rxe5 30.Bd6 Re2 31.Bg3 Nde5 32.Rd1+ with an equal game.

16.e5 Qb4 

This is a move too late.

17.exf6 Bc4 

Again, too late.

18.Qh5 Bxf1 19.Bc5+ Black resigned

Black will lose his Queen.

Jerome Gambit: Even A Single Trap?

Long ago - 16 1/2 years (see "Junk Openings"), National and FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos, philosopher at Notre Dame University, pondered "Is there even a single trap for Black to fall into in the Jerome Gambit?"

Although a bit late, the following game is one answer.

Wall, Bill - Dasasary

SparkChess, 2025

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 Nf6 

Seen as early as Jerome - Shinkman, Iowa, 1876 (1/2-1/2, 41 ).

9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd1 

Something new for Bill. Three times before, he has chosen 10.Qd3. 

10...Re8 11.Nc3 Kg8 12.f5

Setting a trap.

12...Nxe4 

Falling in. 

13.Nxe4 Rxe4 14.Qd5+

14...Re6 

A sad necessity. 

15.fxe6 Qe7 16.Bg5 Qxe6 

If he was going to capture the pawn, using the Bishop was better.

17.Rae1 

Offering his Queen.

17...Ne5 

Only the sad 17...Nd4 would hold off an upcoming checkmate.

18.Rxe5 Black resigned

Neither of White's major pieces can be captured, and checkmate is still on the horizon.

Q.E.D.

Jerome Gambit: No Gutter, This Time

There is an old chess caution against capturing the b-pawn, lest one wind up "sleeping in the gutter".

But that is not always true. In the following game, White is able to grab Queenside material and still safeguard his Queen.

Wall, Bill - Dalos

SparkChess, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

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

Not everyone plays 6.Qh5+. It is good to vary. Besides, 6.d4 was Alonzo Wheeler's choice when he began playing the Jerome.

6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.Nc3 h6 

The computer says that Black can afford to play this move, but it can not be best.

9.Bf4 c5 10.Qd5+ 

We have seen this kind of Queen check before.

Will Black hold onto his b-pawn, or sacrifice it for tempo?

10...Be6 11.Qxb7+ Ne7 12.O-O-O 

White is making the best of his chances. Stockfish 16.1 now presents one move that allows Black to keep his advantage.

12...Rf8 

Not this one. 

Instead, 12...Rb8 13.Qa6 Rb6 14.Qxa7 Nc4 would allow Black to put too much pressure on the White King, e.g. 15.b3 Qc8!? 16.bxc4 Ra6 and White's Queen will be lost.

13.Bxe5 

Taking advantage of the unfortunate pin on the d-pawn.

13...Rb8 14.Qxa7 Kg8 

Finishing castling-by-hand.

He could have chased the enemy Queen with 14...Ra8 15.Qb7 Rb8 16.Qa6 Rb6 17.Qd3 but that would have amounted to little.

15.Bxd6 Rf7 16.Qxc5 Black resigned

After 16...Rc8 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 18.Qxe7 Rxe7 White would be ahead by 5 pawns. 

Semi-Italian Four Knight Jerome Gambit: A "Safe" Variation becomes "Unsafe"

The following game, a 1 0 bullet, races to its conclusion, but along the way White gains and increases his advantage - against what Black had hoped would be a "safe" variation.

angelcamina - Wilhelm01

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.O-O Bc5 6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. A "safe" variation has become "unsafe". 

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 

Black does not always choose the simplest and safest reply

8...Nc6 9.dxc5 Re8 10.f4 Nxe4 11.Nxe4 Rxe4 12.Qd5+ Re6 13.f5 Kf8 14.fxe6+ Ke7 15.Rf7+Ke8 16.exd7+ Bxd7 17.Rxg7 Bf5 18.Qg8 checkmate, angelcamina - StarsXX, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019. 

8...Bb6 9.dxe5 Nh7 10.Qd5+ Ke8 11.Kh1 Ng5 12.f4 Ne6 13.f5 Ng5 14.f6 Ne6 15 fxg7 Rg8 16.Bxh6 Qh4 17.Rf8+ Nxf8 18.Qxg8 Qxh6 19.gxf8=Q+ Qxf8 20.Qxf8+ Kxf8 21.Rf1+ Ke8 22.g4 c6 23.g5 d6 24.g6 dxe5 25.g7 Be6 26.Rf8+ Ke7 27.Rxa8 Bd8 28.h4 Black resigned, angelcamina - baronetto, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019. 

8...Bb4 9.dxe5 Bxc3 10.bxc3 Nxe4 11.Qd5+ Kf8 12.Qxe4 d6 13.Ba3 Qg5 14.f4 Qh5 15.f5 Bxf5 16.Rxf5+ Black resigned angelcamina - omkarsubham, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021 

9.Qxd4 Qe7 

Again, angelcamina has seen different responses

9...Nc6 10.Qc4+ Ke8 (10...Kf8 11.f4 Na5 (11...d6 12.b3 Qe7 13.Ba3 Be6 14.Qe2 Bg415.Qe3 Be6 16.e5 Ng4 17.Qg3 Nd4 18.exd6 cxd6 19.Rad1 Ne2+ 20.Nxe2 Kg8 21.f5 h5 22.fxe6 Qxe6 23.Rxd6 Qe4 24.Rd7 Kh7 25.Qd3 Qxd3 26.cxd3 Rhf8 27.Rxf8 White won on time, angelcamina - Eldomi, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024) 12.Qb4+ c5 13.Qxc5+ d6 14.Qxa5 Qxa5 White resigned, angelcamina - Arath96, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020; 10...Kg6 11.f4 Na5 12.Qd3 Kh7 13.e5+ Kg8 14.exf6 Qxf6 15.Be3 d6 16.Bd4 Bf5 17.Qd2 Qg6 18.Nd5 Kh7 19.Qxa5 Bh3 20.Qd2 c6 21.Ne3 Rhe8 22.Kh1 Kh8 23.gxh3 Re4 24.Rae1 Rae8 25.Ng4 Rxe1 26.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 27.Qxe1 c5 28.Bc3 Kh7 29.Nf2 Qf5 30.Qe4 Qxe4+ 31.Nxe4 b6 32.Nxd6 b5 33.Ne4 a6 34.b4 c4 35.Nd6 Kg6 36.Nxb5 Kf5 37.Kg2 g5 38.Kf3 gxf4 39.h4 h5 40.h3 a5 41.Nd6+ Black resigned, angelcamina - zepelin27, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021) 11.f4 d6 12.e5 (12.b3 Kf8 13.Ba3 Qe7 14.Rae1 Be6 15.Qb5 Rb8 16.e5 dxe5 17.Bxe7+ Nxe7 18.fxe5 Kf7 19.exf6 gxf6 20.Ne4 Nd5 21.Nxf6 Nxf6 22.Rxf6+ Kxf6 23.Qe5+ Ke7 24.Qxe6+ Kd8 25.Rd1 checkmate, angelcamina - x2ornot2b, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020) 12...dxe5 13.fxe5 Nd7 14.Qf7 checkmate, angelcamina - PokerJack, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019;

9...d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qc4+ Be6 12.Qe2 (12.Qb5 Rb8 13.e5 Nd7 14.f5 Nd4 15.fxe6+ Kxe6 16.Qd5+ Ke7 17.Qf7 checkmate, angelcamina - ArZion, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org,  2024) 12...Nd4 (12...Rf8 13.e5 dxe5 14.fxe5 Qd4+ 15.Kh1 Qxe5 16.Qxe5 Nxe5 17.Bf4 Ng6 18.Bxc7 Kg8 19.Bd6 Rfd8 20.Ba3 Rd2 21.Rae1 Bd7 22.Be7 Bc6 23.Bxf6 Bxg2+ 24.Kg1 Bxf1 25.Rxf1 gxf6 26.Rxf6 Kg7 27.Re6 Rxc2 28.Rd6 Rxb2 29.Rd7+ Kf6 30.Ne4+ Ke5 31.Rg7 Kxe4 32.Rxg6 Kf3 33.Rf6+ Kg4 34.Rg6+ Kh5 35.Rg7 Rxa2 36.Rxb7 Rc8 White resigned, angelcamina - MasterMeyer, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021) 13.Qd3 c5 14.e5 Nd5 15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.c4 Be6 17.f5 Bc8 18.e6+ Ke7 19.b4 b6 20.bxc5 bxc5 21.Bb2 Bb7 22.Bxd4 cxd4 23.Qxd4 Rf8 24.Qxg7+ Ke8 25.Qg6+ Ke7 26.Rae1 Rg8 27.Qf7 checkmate, angelcamina - Sergio75, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org,  2020;

9...Re8 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qc4+ Kf8 12.e5 Nh7 13.Qe4 d6 14.Qxh7 dxe5 15. fxe5+ Ke7 16.Qxg7+ Ke6 17.Qxh6+ Kd7 18.Bg5 Re7 19.Rad1+ Black resigned, angelcamina - badroni, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020;

9...Ng6 10.f4 Rf8 11.Qc4+ d5 12.exd5 Kg8 13.f5 Ne5 14.Qb3 Qd6 15.Bf4 Bd7 16.Rae1 Rae8 17.Qxb7 a5 18.Nb5 Qc5+ 19.Be3 Bxb5 20.Bxc5 Rf7 21.Qxb5 Neg4 22.Rxe8+ Nxe8 23.h3 Ngf6 24.Bd4 Nd6 25.Qc4 Nxf5 26.Bxf6 Rxf6 27.d6+ Kf8 28.Rxf5 Rxf5 29.dxc7 Black resigned, angelcamina - Jrmigs, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021 

10.f4 Neg4 

10...c5 does not help, either 11.Qxe5 Qxe5 12.fxe5 Black resigned, angelcamina - ShadowKnight314, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020.

11.e5 

angelcamina has also tried 11.h3, i.e. 11...c5 12.Qc4+ Qe6 13.Qxe6+ dxe6 14.e5 Nxe5 15.fxe5 Bd7 16.exf6 gxf6 17. Ne4 Bc6 18. Nxf6 Ke7 19. Ng4 Rhg8 20. Bxh6 Rg6 21.Bf4 Rag8 22.Rad1 Rxg4 23.hxg4 Rxg4 24.g3 Rg6 25.Rd6 Rh6 26.Rxc6 bxc6 27.Bxh6 Kd6 28.Bf4+ Kd5 29.Re1 Kd4 30.Rxe6 Kd5 31.Rd6+ Kc4 32.Rxc6 Kb5 33.Rc8 Kb6 34.Be3 Kb5 35.Rxc5+ Kb4 36.Rc3 Kb5 37.Ra3 Kc6 38.Rxa7 Kd5 39.Ra4 Ke6 40.Rd4 Kf5 41. c4 Black resigned, angelcamina - carambula, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020. 

11...Nh7 

In a 1-minute game, it can be hard to find the right line. Better would have been 11...Re8 12.exf6 Nxf6 with an equal game.

12.h3 c5 13.Qc4+ Qe6 14.Qxe6+ Kxe6 15.hxg4 Rf8 

The "Jerome pawns" threaten the enemy King.

16.Bd2 b6 17.Rae1 Bb7 18.f5+ 

Here it comes.

18...Ke7 19.e6 d6 20.Nb5 Rac8 21.Bf4 Ba6 22.Bxd6+ Kd8 23.Bxf8 Nxf8 24.e7+ Ke8 25.exf8=Q+ Kxf8 

The pawns, supported by the pieces, have wrecked things in the opponent's field.

The rest of the game shows the effect of the clock (the game unrolled, on the average, at 1 second per move) but angelcamina was up to the challenge, and his material won out.

26.Nd6 Rd8 27.Ne4 Bxf1 28.Kxf1 Re8 29.Nd6 Rd8 30.Ne4 Re8 31.Kf2 Kf7 32.Nd6+ Kf6 33.Nxe8+ Kg5 34.Kg3 h5 35.gxh5 Kxh5 36.Nxg7+ Kg5 37.f6 Kxf6 38.Nh5+ Kg5 39.Nf4 c4 40.Kf3 c3 41.bxc3 b5 42.g4 b4 43.Re5+ Kf6 44.cxb4 a6 45.Ra5 Ke7 46.Rxa6 Kd7 47.Rf6 Ke7 48.g5 Kd7 49.b5 Kc7 50.Kg4 Kb7 51.Kf5 Kc7 52.g6 Kb7 53.g7 Kc7 54.g8=Q Kb7 55.Qg7+ Ka8 56.Rf8 checkmate