The Law of the Jungle (Elephant Gambit)

[Event "Grand Split Three Seven"]
[Site "http://www.playtheimmortalgame.com"]
[Date "2013.12.19"]
[EndDate "2013.12.21"]
[Round "1"]
[White "jose sureda"]
[Black "Ragwort"]
[WhiteRating "1509"]
[BlackRating "1941"]
[WhiteElo "1509"]
[BlackElo "1941"]
[Result "0-1"]
[GameId "10377003"]

1. e4 {My opponent is one of RHP's high volume fast turnaround players. We've played a few times and he has beaten me once where I, overconfident and a pawn up, missed a vital tactic and paid the price.} e5 {Carving out a stake in the forest and elbow room for later maneuvers} 2. Ng1f3 d5 {Formerly called the Queen Pawn Counter Gambit, now the Elephant Gambit. Black offers a pawn so as to develop unimpeded by having to have a pawn on d6 and to gain a move while white captures the pawn. The risk is that White builds a dominant centre, consolidates and wins with an extra pawn.} 3. d4 {White does not buy into Black's view of reality and opens the centre for himself} dxe4 {forcing White's hand by attacking the knight} 4. Nf3xe5 {White establishes his knight in the centre} Nb8d7 {challenging the centralised knight} 5. Bf1e2 {Sensible if restrained, keeping Black's route to glory - the e file - blocked and preparing access to the stockade} Ng8f6 {Protecting e4} 6. Ne5xd7 {There was no necessity for this capture at this stage which wastes a move} Bc8xd7 {Another beast replaces the fallen hero} 7. Bc1g5 {White hobbles the knight perhaps planning Nc3 to attack the pawn on e4} Bf8e7 {Frequently appears on d6 in this opening but here unpins the knight and clears the king's route to the stockade} 8. O-O {White delays or forgets about Nc3 and clears the king from the centre} O-O {Black follows suit, feeling that he has now equalised} 9. Rf1e1 {White rekindles his designs on the e4 pawn with the idea of Bxf6 removing the defender and then the other bishop moves away to allow a discovered attack, maybe in combination with a Nc3} Bd7c6 {Adding to the e pawn's protection and controlling d5 so as to restrain White's pawn from coming forward} 10. c3 {A bit soft perhaps compared with ideas like c4 then Nc3 and d5 to embarrass the bishop} Nf6d5 {Black now makes a bid for the initiative by offering the exchange of White's most active piece. At the same time the idea of breaking open the position with e3 is supported as well as a hop to f4 hitting g2 and e2} 11. Bg5xe7 {Too compliant in my view: but whether captured or retreated another move is wasted} Qd8xe7 {The queen adds her weight to the e file and joins the rooks} 12. Be2c4 {White points out that his rook is on the same file as my queen and threatens to remove one of my attacking pieces} e3 {Time to enter the Elephant's jungle. This move is called "The Tusk" by afficianados of this opening} 13. f3 {White aims to block all lines with his pawns and then surround the advanced pawn and win it. I can't help feeling that Bxd5 was more consistent although we go further into the jungle after 13...exf2+ 14. Kxf2 Qh4+} Nd5f4 {Nimbly avoiding the attentions of the Bishop and adding the ideas of e2 and Qg5-g2 mate into the mix} 14. Bc4f1 {White retreats, holding both e2 and g2 under lock and key} Ra8e8 {Black brings forward his final piece to join the herd} 15. Nb1d2 {WHite takes the opportunity to bring out the knight whilst the e pawn is pinned and plans a jump to c4 to attack from behind} e2 {The tusk drives rhinocerous like further into the position exposing an entry point on e3} 16. Bf1xe2 {The dangerous pawn is captured} Nf4xe2 {Swings like Tarzan into the heart of White's position} 17. Kg1h1 {Although natural to move the king away from the attack Kf1 would have held out more hope} Qe7e3 {Up close and personal, the dominant female scents blood} 18. Nd2c4 {Desperately trying to repulse the invader} Qe3xf3 {A final delight} 19. gxf3 {White surrenders to the law of the jungle. After Rxe2 Qxe2 he is down...an elephant!} Bc6xf3 {The sound of the crashing stops, the stampede is over} 0-1