Scotch Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.0-0 Nf6!?
Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1 do not like this alternative to the more-popular 5...d6.
6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.fxg7!?
Much more common in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database is 8.Re1+, but the engines narrowly prefer the text, although Stockfish14.1, at least for a while, switches between the two moves.
8...Rg8 9.Re1+ Be6 10.Bg5 Be7
The fairly popular 10...Qd5? is a mistake, although it has been tried by players rated well over 2500. After 11.Nc3 Qf5 (probably best) 12.Ne4 White is well on top, eg 12...Rxg7 13.Nh4! wins the black queen.
11.Bxe7 Qxe7!?
The more-popular 11...Ke7 hangs on to the d pawn but looks very risky.
12.Nxd4 Rd8
Not 12...0-0-0? as 13.Nxc6 Rxd1?? loses to 14.Nxe7+ etc, so Black has to play 14...bxc6, when White must be better.
13.c3
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| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
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13...Nxd4
Alexei Shirov played this in an online blitz game in January 2021, but later the same month he switched to the possibly superior 13...Rxg7!? Ironically the first game, against a 2450, he won, while the second game, against a 2169, he lost.
14.cxd4 Qd7?
Preventing a check on a4 and increasing pressure against d4, but better is 14...Rxg7, and if 15.Qa4+ then 15...Kf8 more-or-less equalises, according to the engines. They prefer 15.Nc3, giving White a slight edge.
15.Nc3 Qxd4 16.Qh5 Qxg7!? 17.g3
Also possible is 17.Rxe6+!? Kd7 18.Rd1+ Kxe6 (not 18...Kc8 19.Rxd8+ Kxd8 20.Qd5+ Kc8 21.Re7) 19.Re1+ Kf6 (forced) 20.Nd5+ Rxd5 (only move) 21.Qxd5, when Black is temporarily a pawn up but the exposed king means White has a large advantage.
17...Kd7
Komodo12.1.1 for a while believes this equalises, but it does not.
18.Qc5 b6 19.Qb5+ Ke7 20.Nd5+ Rxd5!?
Or 20...Kf8 21.Nxc7, eg 21...Qf6 22.Nxe6+ fxe6 23.Qxc4, when White is a pawn up with a continuing attack.
21.Qxd5 Rd8!?
21...Qxb2 may be a little better, but still horrible for Black after the simple 22.Qxc4.
22.Qxc4 c5 23. Qh4+ Ke8?!
Objectively better is allowing a queen swop after 23...Qf6.
24.Rad1 Rd4 25.Rxd4 cxd4 26.Rd1 Bg4 27.f3!? Bxf3 28.Rxd4 f6 29.Qf4 Qb7 30.Qxf6 1-0
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