Damiano Redux?

In the April-June 2006 issue of Atlantic Chess News, I analyzed Damiano's Defense, arriving at the conclusion that it was refuted. But Sam Sloan made an attempt to revive the line in round eight of this year's United States Open chess tournament at Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Daniel Aldrich (USCF 1658) - Sam Sloan (USCF 1955), U.S. Open 8/4/2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6 3.Nxe5 fxe5 4.Qh5+ Ke7 5.Qxe5+ Kf7 6.Bc4+ d5 7.Bxd5+ Kg6 8.h4 h6 9.Bxb7 Bd6 10.Qa5 Nc6

Obviously, Black can not play 12...Bxb7?? and allow 13.Qf5#.

11.Bxc6 Rb8 12.Nc3 Nf6 13.d3 Rf8 14.Be3 Rxb2

White has already missed several easy wins including 12.h5+ or 13.e5. He misses another one now with 15.O-O-O Bb4 16.Qxa7 Bxc3 17.Qa3 Be5 18.d4.

15.Bc5 Rxc2 16.Kd1 Rb2 17.Kc1 Rb8 18.e5 Bxe5 19.Bxf8 Bf4+ 20.Kc2 Qxf8 21.Be4+ Kf7 22.Rab1 Rb6

Up an exchange and a pawn, White is still clearly winning.

23.Rxb6 axb6 24.Bd5+ Kg6 25.Qb5 Qa3 26.Qa4?? Qxa4+ 27.Nxa4 Nxd5

Now it is Black who is winning, thanks to White's careless 26th move. Instead, 26.Qb3 would have won easily for White.

28.Re1 Bf5 29.a3 Bd6 30.Kb3 Nf4 31.d4 Nd3 32.Rf1 Kh5, White resigns.

On 33.g3 Bh3 34.Rh1 Nxf2, White loses more material.