And, of course, a possible further course of this variation, showing how
inexactitudes, especially on White's part can still lead to a loss.

(1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nf6 3.Qxe5+ Be7 4.Bb5 0-0 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Nf3 Bd6
8.Qa5 Nxe4 9.Nxe4 Qe7 10.Qa4 b5 11.Qd4 f5 12.d3 c5 13.Qd5+ Be6 14.Qc6
fxe4 15.Qxe4 Rae8 16.0-0 Qf7 17.Ng5 Qh5 18.f4 Bc8)

19 Qd5+ Kh8 20 Bd2?

Such things as 20 Qf3 or 20 Rfe1 are really to be recommended here (in
particular, an exchange of Queens is likely to be disadvantageous for
Black at this point). At any rate he should not have allowed the Black
Rook into e2, which paralyzes his game and allows Black to regain his
Pawn and transition into a favorable ending, White thus failing to have
achieved anything of the Parham.

20 ... Re2 21 Rad1 Bg4 22 Rfe1

This Rook must be challenged.

22 ... h6! 23 h3 hxg5

If Black retreats the B, then 24 Qf3, with advantage.

24 hxg4 Qxg4 25 Qf3

This is not as strong as in the previous note as now Black has recovered
his pawn. But if e.g. 25 Qxg5? Rxg2+ and mate next, or 25 fxg5? Qg3 and
wins.

25 ... Qxf3 26 gxf3 Rxe1+ 27 Rxe1 gxf4

And now it is even Black who is a Pawn ahead.

What is interesting is that the endgame shows surprising typicality,
despite the wild antics of the opening.

28 c4?

White has already a disadvantageous game, and would be better served by
accepting this fact. The text attempts to fix the Black Pawns on black
squares, but leaves a weakness at d3 and d4 and seals the position,
allowing few chances for White while Black can still plan a breakthrough.

28 ... b4 29 b3 Kg8 30 Re4

White's best counterchances at this point come from continuing to fix
the Black Pawns, in order to retard the mobility of the B and thus hope
to secure some drawing chances.

30 ... g5

Black must make this move sooner or later, if he wishes to not have R or
K chained to the defense of f4. But the point is that a bad B is much
less weak against a B than an N, and White has no good way to exploit
the weaknesses, being unable to bring his R to e5 or e7. Additionally,
there is little White can do about Black being able to exploit his Pawn
majority with ... g4 (had he had a Knight, the endgame might well have
been drawn due to inadequate Black ability to control this square -
sometimes even a good B is not stronger than an N!).

31 Kf2 Kf7 32 Bc1

In order to activate the B on the only viable diagonal.

32 ... Kf6

Black must play this now, else there follows Bc1-b2-e5. Despite the
weakness of Black's B it should not be exchanged, as it performs
valuable duties in protecting the c5 and c7 pawns and keeping the White
Rook out.

33 Bb2+ Kf5 34 Re1

With no future on the e-file the Rook switches to the h-file, but
Black's Pawns are too well guarded.

34 ... g4! 35 fxg4+

White can no longer maintain the defensive bind. If for instance 35 Rh1
g3+ 36 Kg2 Re8, and White will soon lose another Pawn (37 Kf1 Re3
winning f3, or 37 Kg1 Re2 skewering the B and a2 pawn, or 37 Kh3 Re2 and
White must move the B and lose the a2 pawn, on account of 38 Rb1??
Rh2#). Thus he exchanges, in order to at least avoid two connected
passed Pawns and dissolve the weak Pawn on f3.

35 ... Kxg4

Of course the move is obvious but it is notable how much Black needs his
extra Pawn; if for instance 35 ... Kg5? 36 Kf3 and White may even win.

36 Re6 Kf5 37 Rh6 Rg8!

The check at f6 is not really any counterplay, and Black does not fear it.

38 Rf6+ Kg4 39 Rf7 Rg6

In order to further advance the Rook and King without any more annoying
counter checks.

40 Kg2 a6!

White's freedom of movement is extremely limited here, and while perhaps
not truly a desperate zugzwang situation most moves now lead to some
form of concession.

White surely cannot move the King (41 Kh2 f3+, or 41 Kf2 Rh6 threatening
....Rh2+), nor the Rook (after which Black can advance the f-pawn or play
....Kf5+). Therefore, he must either move the B or advance a Pawn.

41 Ba1

At least eliminating any possible skewers on the 2nd rank and keeping
the B on the long diagonal uninterrupted (which would not be the case
after 41 a3 bxa3, or 41 d4, or 41 Bc1).

41 ... Re6! 42 Rg7+ Kf5 43 Kf1

Else the invasions at e2 or e1 will be fatal.

43 ... Re3 44 d4 cxd4 45 Bxd4 Rd3

Gaining time for invading the underbelly.

46 Ba7

There is no saving the a-pawn; if 46 Ba1?? Rd1+, or if 46 Bb2 Rd2.

46 ... Rd1+ 47 Ke2 Ra1

Spoils of victory. There is no good defense, not that there was one
before this.

48 Kf3 Rxa2 49 c5 Be5 50 Rh7 a5

This is stronger than the mate threat by 50 ... Bd4, after which White
can drive back the King with 51 Rh5+ and Black has achieved little concrete.

51 Rh5+ Ke6 52 c6

Else Black will play this himself, after which the B is permanently shut in.

52 ... a4

Sticking to the guns. Much inferior is 52 ... Kd6 53 Bb8 Rb2 54 Bxc7+
Kxc7 55 Rxe5 Rxb3, and while Black still has a win in sight White still
can need some subduing. After the text there is nothing hanging and the
death knell soon heralds.

53 Ke4 Bg7 54 Bd4 Bxd4 55 Kxd4 axb3 56 Rh6+ Kf5 57 Rh1

If 57 Rh7 b2! 58 Rh1 Ra1.

57 ... b2 58 Rb1 f3 59 Ke3 Kg4 60 Kf2

Nor is anything to be done with Rook checks, e.g. 60 Rg1+ Kh4 61 Kxf3 Ra1.

60 ... Kf4

Zugzwang; after any White King or Rook move there follows 61 ... Ra1 at
last. Black wins.

Amarande wrote:
And, of course, a possible further course of this variation, showing how
inexactitudes, especially on White's part can still lead to a loss.

(1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nf6 3.Qxe5+ Be7 4.Bb5 0-0 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Nf3 Bd6
8.Qa5

After 8. Qg5 Black will not get his pawn back. White's threat is d3 and
0-0 and he will be pretty much consolidated with pawn more.

I think the best that Black can do is to go for an attack against f2.
7...Ng4 8. Qg3 (perhaps 8. Qa5 is fine here because Black has let off
from e4) 8...f5 (Black needs to open up the position) 9. d3 (after 9.
exf5 Bxf5 10. d3 Bd6 11. Bf4 Re8+ 12. Kd2 Nxf2 13. Rhe1 Black has his
pawn back although probably not much of an advantage) 9...g5 (threat
Bd6, if 9...Bd6 10. Qh4 Qxh4 11. Nxh4 Nxh2 12. Nxf5 Bxf5 13. exf5 Rae8+
14. Ne4 Rxf5 (14...Ng4 15. f3 and 16. g4) 15. f3 and Black has trouble
with his knight) 10. exf5 Bxf5 11. Ne4 h5 (threat h4) 12. Nfxg5 Bxe4 13.
Nxe4 Bh4 14. Qh3 (the rook endgame after 14. Qxh4!? Qxh4 15. Bg5 Qxg5
16. Nxg5 Rae8+ 17. Ne4 Nxf2 18. Rf1 Nxe4 19. Rxf8+ Kxf8 20. dxe4 Rxe4+
21. Kf2 might be defendable for Black but it is a very safe way for
White to play for a win) 14...Bxf2+ 15. Kd1.

White still has a pawn more but some trouble to activate his Ra1. A plan
could be Bc1-d2-c3 followed by Kd1-c1-b1, a3 and Ka2. Black, after
securing his kingside (15...Rf5) should attack fast. A plan could be Qf8
(to secure the rook) followed by c5-c4. I'm not sure if Black has enough
compensation for his pawn, but some he has.

It looks to me that Black has not an easy time to show compensation for
his pawn in this line if White plays careful. 4...c6 or 5...c6 with the
idea of an early d5 and opening the center seems to be more logical for me.

A sample line: 5...c6 6. Be2 d5 7. d3 Bd6 8. Qg5 Re8 9. Be3 dxe4 10.
0-0-0 and the game should be roughly equal.

Claus-Juergen

Curiously enough I was the one who posted 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nf6 3.Qxe5+ Be7 4.Bb5 0-0 as the refutation of the Parham Attack. But today I seem to have found a refutation of my refutation. On move 4, white should play 4.d3! The difference to the line above is that after 4...Nc6 5.Qg3 0-0 6.Be2 black has no Nh5 ideas which are so annoying in the first line.