Play Chess Openings: Herrstrom Gambit Lev Zilbermints

Sunday, January 6, 2019

Herrstrom Gambit Lev Zilbermints

Lev Zilbermints sent me a Herrstrom Gambit 1.Nf3 g5 win which I analyzed below. Black showed his incredible skill as an attacker. His International Master opponent would be more difficult to defeat in a slower game with such a risky counter gambit.
Zilbermints wrote: "Thank you! I should mention that the 3 Nf3 Nc6 4 e4 Nf6 5 Nc3 line is the easiest one to play against. Black puts his KR on g8 and pressures g2, keeping the Bf1 momentarily locked. This game is a textbook example on how to play the Herrstrom Gambit. My opponent was IM Torben Sorensen of Malta, with a 2283 FIDE rating."

Sorensen (2124) - Zilbermints (2115), ICC 5 0 Internet Chess Club, 28.11.2018 begins 1.Nf3 g5?! 2.Nxg5 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.d3?! [7.Bb5+/- is the recommended move when Black has a pawn on g7.] 7...Rg8 8.Qe2 f6 [8...Bg4!?=] 9.Bd2 [9.d4 Bg4 10.dxe5 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Nxe5 12.Bf4 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Qd5=] 9...Bg4 10.h3? [10.Qe4 Nxc3 11.Bxc3 Qd7=] 10...Nd4

11.Qe4? [11.Qd1 Bxf3 12.gxf3 Nb4 13.Rc1 Nxa2! 14.Nxa2 Qd5! 15.Be2 Qxa2-/+] 11...Nxc3 12.bxc3 [12.Bxc3 Bf5 13.Qxb7 Nxc2+ 14.Kd1 Nxa1-+] 12...Bxf3 13.gxf3 Nxc2+ 14.Kd1 Nxa1 15.Qxh7 [15.f4 Qd7-+] 15...Rg7 16.Qh5+ Rf7 17.d4 Qd5 18.Bd3 0-0-0 19.Ke2 Qxa2 [19...Re7!-+] 20.Rd1 [20.Rxa1 Qxa1 21.Qxf7 exd4 22.Qxf6 Re8+ 23.Be4 dxc3-+] 20...exd4 21.c4 [21.Kf1 dxc3 22.Be1 Rdd7-+] 21...Re7+ 22.Kf1 Nb3 23.Bb4 Ree8 24.Qb5 Re5 25.c5 Bxc5 26.Be4 Bb6 27.Qc4 Nd2+ White resigns 0-1