The Jerome Gambit: No Letdown

Friday, November 13, 2009

No Letdown

I'm okay with the following game. I don't think that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) let me down – I missed chances for a draw, which would have been a decent outcome against a higher-rated player. The fact is that my opponent outplayed me.

perrypawnpusher - CorH
blitz FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

I've been here before (3-0-1), and a lot of analysis has been written – actually a little bit of analysis, re-written and re-written – so it was a bit of a disappointment to lose my way so quickly.

At first I thought to enter the Banks Variation with 6.Qh5, but then decided to go with the "proper" way of playing. Perhaps there is a lesson there?

6.Nxc6 dxc6

The better way to recapture – if you are going to recapture.

7.0-0 Be6

This is a new, but of course, good move.

8.Qf3+

A mindless choice. The sequence d2-d3, Nb1-d2, and Nd2-f3 would have prepared for the useful d3-d4.

8...Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6

This is not a line of play that any master would follow, as Black's extra piece is more valuable than White's two extra center pawns. The lack of safety for Black's King has been diminished by the exchange of Queens, and his two Bishops are helpful in an open position.

Still, I had been thinking about those in the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde who go willingly into a "Jerome endgame" and I decided to play hard and give them their due. If my opponent makes a series of small mistakes, and I make a series of smaller mistakes, eventually I should catch up...

10.d3 Kf7 11.Bg5 Rhe8 12.Bxf6 gxf6

13.Nd2 Bd4 14.c3 Bb6 15.d4 Rad8 16.f4

Accentuate the positive is my motto. Black is still clearly better, but I'm getting my trumps out, and I haven't blundered.

CorH's attack on my pawns should now be successful; however, while his idea is right, the execution of it is faulty.

16...c5 17.d5 Bd7 18.c4 c6 19.Rae1 cxd5 20.cxd5 Ba5 21.Rf2 Bb6 22.Nc4

This is a much better position than I deserved, and Black's dark-squared Bishop (which could have caused hassles before now) is under control.

I could see myself approaching a level, if complicated, game. This is why club players don't resign on move one.

22...Bc7 23.e5 fxe5

Stronger was 23...Bb5

24.fxe5+ Kg7

This is pretty close to equality, I think. "Triumph" of the "Jerome pawns"!

25.e6 Bb5 26.Rf7+ Kh8 27.Re4

This move looks pretty, but it is a bit superficial. White would do best to save his Knight with 27.Na3, and follow it up with the capture of one of Black's Bishops, for example 27...Rxd5 28.Rxc7 or 27...Bb6 28.Rxc7. White's e-pawn is probably doomed, but there is enough play to keep the game even.

27...Bxc4 28.Rxc4 Rxd5 29.Rh4

An interesting oversight, but a blunder nonetheless. Of course 29.Rxc7 was the correct move, but I was "seeing" all kinds of draws-by-repetition and even possible mates after my Rook move – which would be there if Black's dark-square Bishop had suddenly "disappeared".

29...Be5 30.Rhxh7+ Kg8

And now comes the realization: oops, the Bishop protects g7 and h8...

31.e7 Rd1+ 32.Kf2 Bd4+ 33.Ke2 Rc1 34.Kd2 Rf1 35.Rxf1 Kxh7

Yes, this is still a "Jerome endgame" with two pawns (for the moment) against a piece; and so I must fight on...

36.Re1 Bf6 37.Kd3 Rxe7 38.Rxe7+ Bxe7 39.Ke4 Kg6

40.b3 Kh5 41.a4 Bf6 42.Kf3 Bd4 43.g3 a6 44.h3 b5 45.axb5 axb5

46.Kf4 Kg6

Black would have saved himself a lot of time and trouble if he had played 46...c4 47.bxc4 bxc4. His Bishop would be perfectly positioned on the a1-h8 diagonal, to both protect his remaining pawn and thwart White's pawns.

47.g4 Bc3 48.h4 Bd2+ 49.Ke4 Kf6 50.Kd5 Be3

I was comfortable with all this "dancing" to and fro, and I would have offered a draw here if I didn't think it impolite, being the lower-rated player.

51.Ke4 Bf2 52.Kd5 Bd4

This is a significant slip, but neither CorH nor I realized it at the time.

White can now play 53.b4, forcing the exchange of a pair of pawns: 53...Be3 54.bxc5. White's c-pawn is not long for this world, but capturing it (for example: 54...Kg7 55.c6 Bb6 56.c7 Bxc7) allows White to approach and then capture Black's remaining pawn, assuring a draw.

53.Ke4 Kg6 54.Kd5

It is an interesting question as to whether b2-b4 still works here. It is possible to see 54.b4 Bf2 55.bxc5 Bxc5 56.Kd3 Bf8 57.Kc3 Bd6.

analysis diagram

It looks like White's King can shuttle back and forth on b3 and c3 (or b3 and c4, if the pawn advances) , forcing Black's Bishop to stay on the a3 to f8 diagonal in order not to lose the b-pawn.

In the mean time, if White's pawns advance to g5 and h4, they will keep the Black King busy blockading them.

I think it would be a draw.

54...Kf6

Again, the move for White now is 55.b4, with a draw.

55.Ke4 Ke6

With Black's King a step closer to the Queenside, the thematic b3-b4 now no longer works, as after 56.b4 Bf2 57.bxc5 Black can play 57...Bxh4 instead of 57...Bxc5, crippling White's pawn play. Black's King can both catch the White pawn on c5 and protect his b-pawn.

56.g5 Bf2 57.h5 Kf7

58.Kd5 Be3 59.g6+ Kf6 60.Ke4 Bd4

Black's King has wandered over to the Kingside again, and this should make 61.b4 work – again.

61.Kf4 Be5+ 62.Ke4 Bd4

Repetition of position – and repetition of oversight.

63.Kf4 Kg7 64.Kf5