[Event "Piermont 3-12-22: Ryan vs Josh"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/QcqCeFFw/VtpwDKA4"] [Result "*"] [UTCDate "2022.03.13"] [UTCTime "16:58:52"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C37"] [Opening "King's Gambit Accepted: Salvio Gambit"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ArtemAleksenko"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/QcqCeFFw/VtpwDKA4"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. f4 { Never a dull moment! King's gambit invites a serious confrontation. } { [%cal Gd7d6] } 2... exf4 { Josh accepts the challenge } 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. Ne5!? { An invitation to a total brawl. Josh needs to find Qh4+ } (5. O-O gxf3 6. Qxf3 Qf6 7. e5 Qxe5 8. Bxf7+ Kxf7 9. d4 Qxd4+ 10. Be3 Qf6 11. Bxf4 Bc5+ 12. Kh1) 5... d5 { The Black's concern about the f pawn is certainly understandable, but Black's best idea is to just ignore it and launch an assault on the White's naked monarch! } { [%csl Gf7] } (5... Qh4+ 6. Kf1 f3 7. Bxf7+ Ke7 { [%csl Gf7] } (7... Kd8 8. gxf3 gxf3 9. Nxf3 { [%csl Gf3] }) 8. Bb3 (8. Bd5) (8. gxf3 gxf3 9. Nxf3 Kxf7) 8... fxg2+ 9. Kxg2 Qh3+ 10. Kg1) (5... Nh6 6. O-O { [%cal Gf1f7] }) 6. Bxd5 Nh6 { The less confrontational Nh6 allows for a safer Black King, but also gives White time to consolidate } { [%csl Gf7] } (6... Qh4+!! { ingoring Black's own King safety and disallowing White's castling }) 7. O-O f6? { c6 first would have been a better idea (f pawn already has a defender) and Queenside development is a major priority } (7... c6 { [%cal Gd5b7] } 8. d4 cxd5 9. Bxf4 Bg7) (7... Nc6 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Bxc6+) (7... Nd7) (7... Bd7 8. Bxb7 { [%cal Gb7a8] }) 8. Nd3 c6 9. Bb3 f3 10. gxf3 Qd4+ 11. Kh1 Bd6 12. f4?? { gives Black a ton of play and a free pawn } (12. Nc3 gxf3 13. Qxf3 Bg4 14. Qxf6 Qxf6 15. Rxf6 { And White is completely winning }) 12... Qxe4+ 13. Kg1 Qd4+ 14. Kh1 Bf5 15. Nc3 { [%csl Ge4] } 15... Nd7 { [%csl Gc1][%cal Gb2b3,Gd2d3] } 16. Qe2+ Kd8 17. Qe3 Qb6 18. Qxb6+ (18. Re1 Kc7) 18... axb6 { The placement of the knights create serious short-term problems. Many moves will be spent unraveling the lack of Queenside coordination } { [%csl Gc1,Ga1][%cal Gd3b4,Gd3c5,Gd3e5,Gd3f4] } 19. Ne1 (19. Nf2) (19. Rb1 { probably the lesser of all evils as the knightmare of a traffic jam keeps the bishop on c1 for a while }) 19... Nc5 { [%csl Gc1] } 20. d4 Nxb3 21. cxb3 { [%cal Gc3a4,Gc3b5,Gc3d5,Gc3e4] } 21... b5 { The knight restriction continues as Black continues to gain space } 22. a4 { A worthy attempt to regain freedom of movement, but fails to b4 } 22... b4 23. Ne2 { [%csl Ga1,Gc1,Ge1,Ge2,Gf1] } 23... c5? { A bit too soon. The space advantage is very real for Black, but it's not easy to cash in } (23... Re8 24. Ng3 Be4+ 25. Nxe4 Rxe4 { A small difference, and probably Black had the same idea, but the rook on the e-file is super helpful cashing in on the pawn weaknesses }) (23... Be4+ 24. Kg1 Re8 25. Ng3 Ra5 26. Nxe4 Rxe4 { [%cal Ge4d4,Ge4f4] }) 24. Ng2 (24. dxc5 Bxc5 { [%csl Gb3] } 25. Bd2 Be4+ 26. Ng2 Nf5 27. Ng3 Nh4) 24... Bd3 25. Rf2 { [%cal Gh8e8] } 25... Nf5 26. Ng3 Nxd4 27. Be3 { Black could have really used the rook on the e-file } 27... Nxb3 28. Rd1 { [%cal Gd1d8] } 28... c4 { Black is just one tempo short of a dominant position. White is able to get out of the woods due to the unfortunate position of the Black's King. Again, A Black rook on the e-file would have doomed White } 29. Ne1 (29. h3 Kc7) 29... Kc7 30. Nxd3 cxd3 31. Rxd3 { And just like that, White is back in the game. } 31... Nc5 32. Rc2 b6 33. Ne4 Rad8 { Black's knight is a huge target, and a5 wins material by deflecting the key defender } { [%csl Gc5][%cal Ga4a5,Gc2c7] } 34. Nxc5? (34. a5!! Kb7 { [%cal Ge4d6] } (34... Kc6 35. axb6 { [%cal Ge3c5,Gc2c5,Ge4c5] }) (34... Kd7 35. Nxc5+ bxc5 36. Bxc5 { [%cal Gd3d7] })) 34... Bxc5 35. Rxd8 Rxd8 36. Bxc5 Rd1+?? { Black tries to be creative with an intermezzo check out of frustration misses the Bishop's ability to block. The position is now lost. } 37. Bg1+! *