Emulating Napoleon

CONTINUING to catch up with games played while I had no access to a computer (apart from my smartphone), this game took place on November 17.

Spanton (2019 ECF/1804 Fide) - Harry Gold (1376 ECF/1274 Fide)

Coulsdon Autumn Daytime Round Nine

1.Nc3

1.Nc3 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4

Napoleon apparently played 3.e4 in an 1804 game that he won in 14 moves.

3...Bg4?

There are 90+ examples in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database of both 3...exd4 and 3...Nd7.

4.dxe5 Bxf3 5.exf3 Be7

Black can keep an equal number of pawns on the board by playing 5...dxe5 6.Qxd8+ Kxd8 7.Bc4 Ke8, but Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon White is still winning.

6.exd6 Bxd6 7.Bc4 Qe7+ 8.Be3 Nf6 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.0-0-0 a6 11.Rhe1 Ne5 12.Bd4

Position after 12.Bd4

12...Nxc4?? 13.Rxe7+ Bxe7 14.Qe2 1-0