Lev Zilbermintz Analyzes Soller Gambit

Candidate master Lev Zilbermintz [pictured] sends this annotated game from Saturday's game/45 tournament at Chess Mates.

Round Four: Soller Gambit

Juan Tica (USCF 2141) - Lev Zilbermintz (USCF 2094), Rahway NJ 3/30/2013

1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 f6! 

The Soller Gambit, introduced by Karl Soller of Germany circa 1950. It is like a Blackmar-Diemer Gambit in reverse.

4.e4

Surprisingly, Tica declines accepting the pawn.

4...fxe5 5.Bc4 Nf6 6.O-O d6 7.Ng5 Qe7 8.Bf7+ Kd8 9.Bb3 Ke8 10.Nc3 h6 11.Nd5 Qd8!

After the game, Tica told me that I played the same line against him last year. The game Tica-Zilbermintz, New Jersey 2012 continued 11...Nxd5?! 12.Qh5+!, and White soon won. The text move is an improvement.

12.Nxf6+ Qxf6 13.Nf7? 

Tica tries to attack but overextends himself. Safer was 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qf3 Qxf3 15.Nxf3 Be7! =.

13...Rh7 14.f4 exf4! 15.e5 dxe5 16.Bxf4 exf4 17.Qh5 g6! 18.Rae1+ Be7 19.Rxf4 gxh5 20.Rxf6 Nd4 21.Rxh6 Rxh6 22.Nxh6 Nxb3 23.Ng8 Nc5 24.Nxe7 Be6 25.b4 Ke7 26.bxc5 Rd8

27.Re5 Rd5 28.Re2 Rxc5 29.Kf2 Kf6 30.a3 Rc3 31.Ke1 Rxa3 32.Kd2 Ra2 33.Kc3 Bf5 34.Rf2 Rxc2+! 35.Rxc2 Bxc2 36.Kxc2 c5 37.Kc3 b5 , White resigns.