Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter VII

Ok, here we go again.

Playing the White side of the Jerome Gambit.

So far I have a disastrous loss thanks to introducing a "Theoretical Lemon" and a fortunate win when my opponent overplayed a drawn position – both games from the same home analysis.

Then there's that 9-move win on time.

Stand back, everyone!
perrypawnpusher - Gary_Seven
JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 c6 TN



Much more often played is 8...d6, bumping the White Queen back to e3.

9.Nc3 N8e7 10.0-0 d6 11.Qh5 Qc7


Things are already getting screwy for Black – Rybka recommends instead 11...Qb6 12.d3 Ng8 13.Qg5 Nf6 followed by 14.Qg3 Qc7 and castling-by-hand 15.Be3 Kf7 16.f4 Re8 17.Rae1 Kg8 after which the second player has an edge.

12.f4 Qb6+ 13.Kh1 Kd8 14.d4 Qxd4 15.Rd1 Qf2 16.f5

16...Nf4

Now might have been a good time, instead, to return the piece for two pawns, and an even game, with 16...Bxf5.

17.Rxd6+

I thought this was a pretty good move, as did my opponent, apparently. Later, my computer called it "a weak move, throwing away the advantage."

17...Bd7

This was, according to the computer "a weak move, ruining a winning position" preferring 17...Kc7. Don't you just hate Know-It-Alls?

With the balance of power tipped however, Black's game rolls quickly downhill.
18.Bxf4 Qxf4 19.Rad1 Kc7 20.Rxd7+ Kb6 21.Rxe7 Qf2 22.Qe2 Qxe2 23.Nxe2 Rhg8 24.Rdd7 Rab8 25.Rxg7 Rge8 26.Rge7 Rg8 27.Rxh7 Rge8 28.Rhe7 Rxe7 29.Rxe7 Rd8 30.f6 Rd1+ 31.Ng1 Rd2 32.f7 Rxc2 33.f8Q Rxb2 34.Rxb7+ Kxb7 35.Qg7+ 1-0

Clip art © by Tony Martin