Time to cash in ?

It is often so hard for Blackmar Diemer gambiteers to decide when to cash in. White sacrifices a pawn for development in the opening, but needs to work hard to show something tangible. Often comes a time when white can regain the sacrificed material, mostly at the expense of exchanging some pieces. Typically this exchange results in matching the black development to the attacker's.

But should white allow this equalising process when he has the opportunity ? Or should the attcker continue the attack at all cost, burning all of his bridges ? This is truely a difficult choice, but decides on winning or loosing.

Yesterday evening I was confronted with this choice. I could have cashed in on move 12, but choose to continue the attack - I was duely punished.

Guido De Bouver - Van Bladel
1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 c6 8.g4
The Seidel-Hall attack in the Teichmann Exchange defense.

8...Nd5 ?!

The normal continuation is 8...e6 9.g5 Nd5. White wins a tempo compared to this normal continuation as white has not wasted g5 to dislodge the black knight.

9.Bd3 e6 10.00 Qf6 11.Nxd5 cxd5

The dilemma occurs. Cash in with 12.Qxf6 gxf6 13.Rxf6 Bg7 14.Rf4 and white has a small advantage as the development lead has not yet completely evaporated.

I choose to continue the attack and sacrifce yet another pawn.

12.Qg3
Inviting black to capture on d4, after which the dark squared bishop can come into play quickly.

12...Qxd4+ 13.Be3 Qb4 14.Rf4 Qd6 15.Raf1 f6 16.Qh4

16...Kd8
A strange move. Black prepares g5. 17.Rxf6 would have given me the better game, but I failed to see the consequences of 17...Be7 18.Rf8+ Rxf8 19.Rxf8+ Kd7 20.Rf7 Nc6 with an even game.

17.Qh5 Nd7 18.Kg2
My rook on f4 was pinned as this would have given black the queen's check on g3, so I decided to remove the pin.

18...Ne5 19.Bb5 g6 20.Qh4
Black could now have settled matters with 20...g5 as the threat on d8 can be disregarded, eg 21.Qh5 gxf4 22.Qd8+ Kc7 23.Qxa8 fxe3 and black is too many pieces ahead.

20...Be7 21.Rf2 ??
The loosing move in this hugely complex position. 20.Rxf6 would have given me decent chances. The remainder of the game resembles a torture.

21...g5 22.Qh6 Ng6 23.Qg7 Nh4+ 24.Kh1 Kc7 25.Rxf6
Too little, too late. So far, I had spent 1 hr 45 hours of thinking time and had only 15' left for the remaining 16 moves.

25...Rag8

26.Qf7
Loosing, but also 26.Qxe7+ Qxe7 27.Rf7 Qxe7 28.Rxf7+ Kb8 29.Bd4 Rf8 is not sufficient

26...Rf8 27.Qg7 Rhg8 28.Qxh7 Rh8
Great play by my opponent, opening the h file.

29.Qg7 Nf5!!
and I duly resigned here 0-1

I could have cashed in on move 12, but choose to sacrifce yet another pawn. Wrong choice - shit happens...