Morra Gambit – Part 3

Sample game #3

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cd 3.c3 dc 4. Nc3 d6 5.Bc4 Nc6 6.Nf3

So. as we saw in the game 2 black can’t activate the bishop at once but what’s wrong with

6… Nf6!?  

 With the previous 5… Nc6 black was setting control over the important e5 square. Furthermore black is planning to bring the bishop on g4.
 
Can white do perform anything special? The answer will be – yes!

 7.e5!

 Anyway! This brave move disorganizes black’s position. Black has two obvious options, when the first one 7… Ne5 fails immediately after 8. Ne5 de 9.Bf7+! (Well-known theme – the black King is overloaded) Kf7 10. Qd8 white gains decisive material advantage.  

7…de 8. Qd8!  

White isn’t spoiling any initiative by the Queen’s swapping, but gains more and more pressure.
 
Black has two possible recaptures:  A.) 8…Kd8 and B.) 8…Nd8.

 A.) 8… Kd8?!

Looks natural. Black is hoping for 9.Bf7 the move, which only slips away white’s initiative after 9…e6! Then white’s bishop is trapped, though it seems that after  

9. Ng5!  

Black is facing a serious problem – how to stop the Nf7 fork.  

9… Kc7 10. Nf7 Rg8  

and now white comes with another blow  

11. Ne5! Ne5 12. Bf4!

12.Bg8 Ng8?! ( better is 12…Nd3+!)  For a second black is doing fine since it’s having two pieces for a rook, but white pins the knight  13. Bf4! Kd6 14. 0-0-0 + Kd6  and now after  15.Rhe1 the knight is lost.

12…e6 13.Be5 +

 and Black’s position is hopeless.