Another Refutation, Another Win (And Another*)

Players with a favorite opening find themselves constantly defending against new attacks.

This is especially true with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) where so many refutations are ready-made.


perrypawnpusher  - ohforgetit
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5

The Italian Four Knights Game.

5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

7...Bb4

This defense was new to me (recommended is 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5).

There are 23 other games with this position in the updated New Year's Database, with White scoring 61%. That statistic is misleading, though: Black should get an even game, maybe a slight edge.

8.dxe5 Bxc3+

(*Ten days later, I played perrypawnpusher - kezientz, blitz FICS, 2010, skipping this piece exchange and reaching the same outcome from a different move order: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5 Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4 8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Qd5+ Resigns.)

9.bxc3 Nxe4

Here is Black's error.  

He could have tried 9...Re8 instead, or followed yorgos - thunderbomb, FICS, 2009, an up-and-down game, which continued: 9...Ne8 10.Qd5+ Kf8 (10...Kg6 is a bit stronger) 11.0-0 c6 12.Qc5+ Qe7 13.Qe3 Nc7 14.Bb2 d5 15.Qf4+ Qf7 16.Qg3 dxe4 17.f3 Qc4 18.Rad1 Be6 19.f4 Ke7 20.f5 Bd5 21.Qh4+ Kd7 22.e6+ Kd6 23.Rd4 Qe2 24.Ba3+ c5 25.Rdd1 Qe3+ 26.Kh1 Rae8 27.c4 g5 28.Qh6 Rhg8 29.cxd5 Nxd5 30.e7+ Kxe7 31.Rxd5 Kf7 32.Rd7+ Re7 33.Qxh7+ Rg7 34.Rxe7+ Kxe7 35.Qxg7+ Kd6 36.Rd1+ Black resigned 

10.Qd5+

Black resigned here, as he will lose his Knight.

In all fairness to forgetit, he should probably have played on, as White has some sickly pawns. This was our third game in a row, and we had played even in the first two until an unfortunate slip in each cost my opponent a piece. He played those games out, but probably felt with this game it was time for a different opponent to change his fortunes.