[Event "Blindfold (JHB) Manchester"] [Site "?"] [Date "1862.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Blackburne, J.H"] [Black "Jebson, Mr"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B40"] [Annotator "MJDonnelly"] [PlyCount "37"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.05.14"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 f5 $6 {A very rare reply but one which early in the game generates complexities for the Blindfold player.} ({the most common continuations are here} 3... cxd4 4. Nxd4) ({and also} 3... d5 4. exd5) 4. e5 {Possibly to prevent the natural development of the knight to f6.} ({Over 150 years later a stronger move was played in Juth-Koch, Team-ch L20K3 freechess.de 2022} 4. exf5 {which then continued} exf5 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Bc4 d5 (7... Nc6 {fared no better in another recent game which went} 8. Qe2 Kf8 9. dxc5 Ne4 10. Bxe7+ Qxe7 11. Na4 d5 12. Bxd5 Nb4 13. Bxe4 fxe4 14. Nd4 g6 15. Qc4 {and with nothing for the two pawns deficiency Black resigned in Metzer-Ludwig, ICCF Cup 8/9 V027 corr. 1990.}) 8. Bxf6 dxc4 9. Bxg7 Rg8 10. Be5 Rxg2 11. Bg3 f4 12. Ne5 Qxd4 13. Qh5+ Kd8 14. Nf7+ Kc7 15. Nb5+ {winning outright although Black played on until mated.}) 4... cxd4 5. Qxd4 ({Alternatively} 5. Nxd4 {now} Qa5+ {is a risky pawn grab after which Black paid the penalty as the queen was pushed around resulting in White building up a huge development lead} 6. Nc3 Qxe5+ 7. Be2 Nf6 8. O-O a6 9. Re1 Qc5 10. Be3 Nd5 $2 {exchanging off the only developed piece} 11. Nxd5 Qxd5 12. Bf3 $16 {Dhamelincourt-Fournier, Salon de Provence op 2015.}) 5... Nc6 {The current pawn formation for both sides, and including the concept of White losing time to Nc6, is close to some lines of the Flohr-Mikenas variation of the English opening ie 1.c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 c5 4.e5 Ng8 5. d4 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nc6 7.Qe4 f5. when the queen may retreat to e2 or e3.} 6. Qa4 {Probably the most active square.} (6. Qe3 {can lead to difficulties in defending the e5 pawn, as also occurs in the above mentioned Flohr-Mikenas opening, after} Nh6 7. h3 Qc7 8. Nc3 a6 {and Black has the options of Nf7 and g6/Bg7.}) 6... Bc5 {A good development square although Black becomes too attracted to the ineffective attack on f2. Another approach was to attempt to remove the cramping e5 pawn via} (6... d6 {as reinforcing the pressure on the a4-e8 diagonal by} 7. Bb5 {is ineffective due to} Bd7) 7. Bd3 Qb6 {Certainly playable but, again by analogy with the Flohr-Mikenas opening, giving White more problems was} (7... Qc7 {and now if} 8. Nc3 a6 {is promising for Black. In addiiton, a safe pawn grab is} (8... Nxe5 {since} 9. Bf4 {is a pin that can be broken with check hence is not sustainable} ({and if} 9. Nxe5 {White doesn't gain time as in the game given ealier of Dhamelincourt-Fournier.} Qxe5+ 10. Be2 Ne7 11. Bf4 Qf6 $17) 9... Nxf3+ 10. gxf3 Qc6 $15) 9. Nb5 Qb8 $17) 8. O-O Nge7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Qh4 {White switches the queen to the king's-side to initiate pressure on that side of the board whilst showing a potentail drawback of the queen and bishop alignement that of the possibility of Na4.} Ng6 11. Qg3 f4 $6 {Leaves the f4 pawn exposed and expands the horizon of the Bd3. Much safer was repositioning the queen with} (11... Qc7 {givng Black time to complete development of the queen's-side via} 12. Re1 a6 13. Bf4 Nxf4 14. Qxf4 b5) 12. Qh3 Nce7 (12... a6 {is here far too slow as White wins due to} 13. Na4 Qb4 14. Nxc5 Qxc5 15. Ng5 h6 16. Bxg6 hxg5 (16... Nxe5 17. Ne4) 17. Qh7#) 13. Ng5 h6 14. Nce4 $6 {Too eager but probably envisioning the following attractive idea.} (14. Nge4 {was most accurate even though} Nxe5 {can be contemplated since} 15. Na4 {doesn't win a piece due to} Qc6 16. Naxc5 d5 {and remarkably the game remains level after} 17. b4 Nxd3 ({bit not} 17... dxe4 18. Bxe4 $16) 18. Qxd3 dxe4 19. Nxe4) 14... d5 15. Nf6+ Kh8 $6 (15... Rxf6 {was required. For example} 16. exf6 e5 (16... hxg5 {however, loses to} 17. fxe7 Nxe7 18. Qh7+) 17. Qh5 Qxf6 {with control of the centre and active play for the small material sacrifice involved.}) 16. Qh5 {Hitting g6 with tempo but the retreat} (16. Ng4 {was even more powerful. For example} Nf5 (16... a6 17. Nxh6) 17. Bxf5 Rxf5 18. Nxh6 $18) 16... Nxe5 17. Bxf4 Nxd3 18. Qf7 ({Good but even better was} 18. Qe8 {the real knock-out blow. The move that saves Black is the next note fails to the mate} Bd7 19. Nf7# {as the rook is pinned. Of course White;s other options are poor eg} (19. Qxd7 Nxf4 $19) (19. Qxa8 Bc8 $13)) 18... Qd8 {Probably stunned by White's last move Black responds weakly} ({Instead} 18... Bd7 {by connecting the rooks keeps Black in the game but not without needing some navigation of very complicated variations such as} 19. Nxd7 (19. cxd3 {should win for Black by ignoring the queen and safely grabbing material} Qxb2 20. Be5 Bxf2+ (20... Qxe5 {allows} 21. Nxd7 Bxf2+ 22. Qxf2 Rxf2 23. Nxe5 Rxf1+ 24. Rxf1 hxg5 25. Rf7 {with signifcant play for the loss of two pawns. For example} Nc6 (25... Re8 {is a mistake due to} 26. Rxe7 Rxe7 27. Ng6+ Kg8 28. Nxe7+ Kf7 29. Nc8 {and the knight escapes with a winning ending for White.}) 26. Nxc6 bxc6 27. Re7 {with real drawing chances for White.}) 21. Kh1 Qxe5 $19) 19... Nxf4 ({and not taking the queen due to} 19... Rxf7 20. Nxf7+ Kg8 21. Nxb6 Bxb6 22. Nxh6+ gxh6 23. cxd3 $18) 20. Nxf8 hxg5 21. Nd7 Qc6 {and with two pieces for a rook Black is better.}) 19. Bc7 {Winning outright.} ({Following} 19. Bc7 Bd7 {is useless now as White can just take the black queen for example} ({whilst taking the White queen by} 19... Rxf7 {still allows} 20. Nxf7#) ({and if} 19... Qxc7 20. Qxf8+ Ng8 21. Qxg8#) 20. Bxd8 Rxf7 (20... Raxd8 21. Nxd7 $18) 21. Nxf7# {Despite the not quite non-optimum 18th move quite a remarkable game to play blindfold!.}) 1-0