Überdeker has posted his last move on 22-8: 20 days ago. Does this mean 0-! by forfeit?

Off to the greek islands for a fortnight. Probably won't get access to internet, so Ben has another couple of weeks to think up a clever swindle...
I've had a better think about the moves we've played so far, and I've got some ideas of deviations for both sides from the starting position 8. Bf4 (best chance in my opinion and the only line I wasn't quite sure about), but I think we should leave those till the game is over. 
However, it would be good to see more comments on the game as it unfolds. For those Morra aficionados lurking in shadows : If you wish to defend your beloved gambit from extinction on these boards : It's now or never !

                                                               See you all later

P.S. MNb, I loved the analysis in your last post : exactly 1 ply deep, "goodfellow"!

Dear Mark,

  The option of ...Bh5 does not appear to be relevant at all. Continuing your line a bit, 12. a4 0-0 ; 13. h3?! Bh5?! ; 14. Rad1 Ktd7 ; 15. Bg3 (just waiting for Black's mistake), 15. ... Ktde5?? loses, though admitedly Black can repair his 13th move with 15. ...Bxf3 when no, it isn't clear that the Bg3 is more aptly placed on -g3 than -f4, but probably 15. Be3 is better, which might lead White consider the alternative to 13. Rad1 : 13. Rac1 0-0 ; 13. Be3, hoping for play on the c-file and Queenside, instead of the solidly defended d-file and centre.

Now let's see what happens if 13. h3?! Bh5?! is omitted : 13. Rad1 Ktd7 ; 14. Bg3 (or 14. Be3) Ktde5? ; 15. Ktxe5 Ktxe5 ; 16. f3 Bh5 when the Bishop is completely misplaced on the Kingside. 

The unprompted exchange on -f3 is an integral part of Black's dark-square strategy in these lines (unlike with 8. Qe2 Bg4 when the pin requires White to play 9. Rad1 e6 ; 10. h3). 

All in all, I maintain that White has no interest in playing -h3, and even less so in the line 12. a4 0-0 ; 13. h3?! Bxf3 ; 14. Bxf3 when Black has the additional option of 14. ...Ktd4 with more simplification.

But what is this??? Weren't we supposed to champion the Black cause? We should let Ben work out the intricacies of his own move-orders ! I suppose our shared admiration of his disconcerting coolness got us a little carried away there...

                                                                 Regards,
                                                                   Hubert

P.S. Concerning Ben's mysterious Ktd5 idea, I am not as pragmatic a player as yourself, so even if it didn't threaten anything (what about the Be7?) I would immediately chop the thing off. You are aware by now of the fact that my gluttony knows no bounds!  

[quote author=MNb link=1154029852/30#31 date=1156298610]
Maybe 12.h3 Bxf3 (Bh5 13.e5!?) 13.Bxf3 Ne5 14.Be2 0-0 15.a4 offers compensation.
[/quote]

I don't think Black should commit himself with 13. ...Kte5 since White can try 14. Bxe5. Now although Black retains a middlegame advantage thanks to his control of both -d5 and -d4, he no longer has the simple plan of exchanging pieces in order to reach a winning endgame, as opposite coloured Bishops and the fact that Black no longer has a true Kingside majority would offer White excellent drawing prospects.
Instead, I think I might choose 13. ...Ktd7 keeping White's pawnpush under control and introducing the option of ...Ktde5 when Bxe5 can be met by either ...Ktxe5 or ...de when Black's Knight is much better placed on -Ktc6 than on -f6. Another idea would be ...Bf6-e5, though 14. Rad1 would prevent this. But then again, the threat of 14. e5 can simply be side-stepped with 
13. ...0-0. In view of this, White appears to have no reason to clarify the situation immediately with 12. h3.
I do agree with MNb on one point though : White should play a4 at some point in order to prevent Black from completely freeing his game with ...b5 and ...Qb7. And it fits in well with Ben's calm and positional approach (or is he going to make me swallow my words with that Ktd5 sac he mentionned!?)

[quote author=MNb link=1154029852/30#31 date=1156298610] Your moves are far more prudent than your mouth .... [/quote]
I wish I could say the same for you, my dear Mark, but prudence and soundness do not come across as being your main concerns in either chess or e-correspondence...

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 a6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Bf4 Bg4 9.Qb3 e6 10.Be2 Qb8 11.Rfe1 Be7

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 a6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Bf4 Bg4 9.Qb3 e6 10.Be2 Qb8 11.Rfe1

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 a6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Bf4 Bg4 9.Qb3 e6 10.Be2 Qb8 and now my next move is 11.Rfe1 Very difficult to decide where to put my rooks. Normal would be d1 and c1, but without a queen to annoy that does lose some of its point. Doubling on the d file was also possible, but after say 11.Rad1 Be7 12.Rd2 0-0 13.R1d1 Rd8 the d6 pawn is solidly defended. I also thought about e1 and f1, shift everything off f3 and f4 and shove the f pawn, but it seems a bit too slow to be a real problem for Black.

So eventually settled on 11.Rfe1 with ideas of Nd5 and e5 in the air, the bishop on e2 and pawn on e4 are now a bit better defended and the other rook can go to c1 or d1 as appropriate.