A Closer Look (Part V)

Time for a couple of games from the "classical" Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) point of view. mediax - yorkypuddn www.chessworld.net 2008 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6

This is Blackburne's offer of a Rook (see "Nobody expects the Jerome Gambit!"). Whoever knows the line better should come out ahead. 8.Qxh8 Qh4

Yes! 

9.d4

Yes, again! 9...Qxe4+ White escaped a horrible position (self-inflicted) and went on to win in perrypawnpusher - bakker, FICS rated blitz game, US, 2007: 9...Bb4+ 10.c3 Qxe4+ 11.Kf1 Qd3+ 12.Ke1 Bg4 13.Qxh7+ Kf8 14.f3 Re8+ 15.Kf2 Qe2+ 16.Kg3 Bf5 17.Bh6+ Nxh6 18.Qxh6+ Ke7 19.cxb4 Qxb2 20.Qg5+ Kd7 21.Nd2 Qxd4 22.Rhe1 Rh8 23.Qe7+ Kc6 24.Rec1+ Kb5 25.a4+ Kxb4 26.Ne4 Rh3+ 27.gxh3 Qh8 28.Nf2 g5 29.Qe1+ Kb3 30.Qe3+ Kb4 31.Qd2+ Kb3 32.Qd5+ Kb4 33.Qb5 checkmate 

10.Be3 Bxd4

Not as strong as the messy 10...Qxg2 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Rf1 Bb6 13.Nc3 Bf5 when White will be able to 0-0-0 his King to safety and be up the exchange and a pawn. 

11.Qxh7+

The position has become quite complicated, and it is hard for either White or Black to know whether to use the Queen for plunder or defense. White would have had more of an edge, according to Rybka, after 11.Qxd4 Qxg2 12.Rf1 Bh3 13.Nd2 Qg4 14.Ne4 Re8 15.f3. 

11...Kf8 12.0-0 b6

Instead, 12...Bxb2 would have won the exchange; but the game is still quite complicated. 

13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.Qxg8+ Kd7 15.Qf7+ Kc6 16.Qf3 Qxf3 17.gxf3 Bh3 18.Rd1 Re8 19.c3 Bc5

White has emerged from the battle a Rook up, and things have settled enough that he can find the win. 

20.b4 Bxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Re7 22.Nd2 a5 23.a3 Rf7 24.Ne4 Bg4 25.Ng5 Rf6 26.Rd4 Kd7 27.Rxg4 d5 28.Rd1 c5 29.Rxd5+ Kc6 30.Rd8 axb4 31.axb4 cxb4 32.Rc4+ Kb5 33.Rxb4+ Kc5 34.Ne4+ Kc6 35.Nxf6 Kc7 36.Rd7+ Kc6 37.Be3 b5 38.Rd5 g5 39.Rbxb5 Black resigned 

mediax - Piratepaul

www.chessworld.net 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qxc5 N8e7 8.d3

8.0-0 Rf8 9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd5+ Ke8 11.d3 Nge7 12.Qg5 Rf7 13.Nc3 h6 14.Qh5 Kf8 15.f5 Ne5 16.d4 N5c6 17.d5 Ne5 18.f6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6+ gxf6 20.Qxh6+ Kf7 21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.Bh6+ Ke8 23.Qh8+ Kf7 24.Qg7+ Ke8 25.Qf8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - WHITE-KING, ICC blitz 2004 (see "Let's give this thingie a try...")

In a typical Jerome Gambit set-up, White will have to take what he has (extra center pawns) and do what he can. 

8... d6 9.Qe3 Rf8 10.0-0 Kg8 11.Qg3 h6 12.b3 Kh7 13.Bb2 Rf7 14.Nd2 b6 15.f4

Black has "castled by hand" and White has begun to focus on the enemy King.

15...Bb7 16.f5 Ne5 17.Bxe5 dxe5 18.Qxe5 Nc6 19.Qg3 Nd4

Black has returned a pawn to get rid of the Bishop at b2, and now shows that he can be active, as well. The second player has the advantage, still; but White must doggedly persist.

20.Qg6+ Kg8 21.Rac1 Ne2+ 22.Kh1 Nxc1 23.Rxc1 c5 24.Nc4 Rf6 25.Qg3 Qe7 26.Ne5 a5 27.Ng6 Qd7 28.Rf1 Re8

White's pieces have remained active, but he is down a Rook (for three pawns), a situation he cannot overcome the rest of the game.

29.Re1 b5 30.Ne5 Qd6 31.Ng6 Qxg3 32.hxg3 c4 33.bxc4 bxc4 34.g4 cxd3 35.cxd3 Rb6 36.Rd1 Rb2 37.a3 Rb3 38.a4 Bc6 39.Nf4 Bxa4 40.Ra1 Bb5 41.Rxa5 Bxd3 42.Nxd3 Rxd3 43.e5 Rg3 44.f6 gxf6 45.exf6 Rxg4 46.Rf5 Kf7 47.Kh2 Re2 48.Kh3 Rgxg2 49.Rh5 Rh2+ 50.Kg4 Rxh5 51.Kxh5 White resigned