Chess Skills: King's Gambit Lunacy

14 July 2015

King's Gambit Lunacy

This was a blitz game with three minutes per game for each player. The game ended in less than half of that time.

Stripes,J (1728) -- Internet Opponent (2010) [C25]
Online Blitz 14.07.2015

1.e4 e5 2.f4 Nc6 3.Nf3 exf4 4.Bc4 g5

Black has mixed up systems to take the game down obscure paths.

5.Nc3

Maybe as rare as Black's approach to the King's Gambit.

5.0–0 is common enough.

5...Bg7 6.d4

Black to move

In the slightly more than two dozen games that have reached this position, Black has done well.

6...h6

This move is a novelty in the position, but transposes to two other games.

7.h4

7.d5!?

7...g4

7...d6 8.Bb5 Bd7 9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.d5 Bd7 11.Qd3 g4 12.Nd4 Be5 13.Bd2 a6 14.0–0–0 Qf6 15.Nce2 f3 16.gxf3 gxf3 17.Qxf3 0–0–0 18.Rdf1 Rh7 19.Bc3 Re8 20.Nf5 Ne7 21.Nxe7+ Qxe7 22.Bxe5 Qxe5 23.Nc3 b5 24.a3 a5 25.Qd3 b4 26.axb4 axb4 27.Qa6+ Kd8 28.Nb5 Bxb5 29.Qxb5 Qxe4 30.Qb8+ Kd7 31.Qb5+ Kd8 32.Qb8+ ½–½ Le Nezet,T (1980) -- Le Bailly,B (2102), Bretagne 2006

8.Ne5

The position is equal, according to Stockfish

8...Bxe5

8...Nxe5
8...f3

9.dxe5 Nxe5

9...f3 might be better.

10.Bb3

10.Bxf4 Nxc4 11.Nd5 d6 12.Qd4±.

10...f3

Black is better.

White to move

11.Bf4?

11.Qd4
11.g3

11...fxg2 12.Rg1 Nf3+

The best move, according to Stockfish

I was worried about 12...Qxh4+.

13.Kf2 Qxh4+ 14.Bg3 Qf6

White to move

15.Kxg2

15.Nd5! Qg5 16.Nxc7+ Kf8 17.Qd3 seems better for White.

15...Nxg1

15...d6

16.Qxg1 Qf3+

16...Rh7

17.Kh2

After this forced move, White has a clear advantage despite a serious material deficit. The King's Gambit is about king vulnerability, not material advantage. Although the White king has been kicked around, it is now the Black king that is in trouble. Black's queen cannot win the game alone, and she is somewhat vulnerable.

Black to move

17...h5

17...Qf6 18.Rf1 Qg7 19.Nd5 Ne7 20.Nxc7+

18.Rf1

Black's queen is trapped

18...h4 19.Rxf3 gxf3 20.Bxc7+- Ne7

20...d6

21.Qg7 Rf8 22.Nd5 Nxd5

White to move