Without Thinking

Dear Readers,

Look at the following diagram.

What move would you play for White?

If it takes more than 10 seconds to decide, read further...

perrypawnpusher - javipangea
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.O-O Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

As noted elsewhere, Black's best here is the "fork trick" 4...Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5. This equalizes for Black, but, as with many of the Jerome Gambit refutations, the game does not "play itself" from there, as one of my recent opponents discovered: 6.Bd3 (best) dxe4 7.Bxe4 Bg4 (interesting) 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.0-0 e4 10.Re1 Bc5 (huh?) 11.Rxe4+ Black resigned (a bit early, but perhaps disappointed in the game), perrypawnpusher - NN, blitz, FICS, 2011.

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Nc6

10.Qd3

Twice before I played, instead, 11.Qc4+, but was not happy with the results: perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 26) and perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 19).

I chose the objectively weaker text because I was feeling lucky... (As they warn in those television commercials: Closed course. Professional Driver. Do not attempt.)

10...Nb4

Played without much thought, attacking the Queen – and returning a piece.

11.Qc4+ Nfd5

Unnecessarily generous. After 11...d5 12.Qxb4 dxe4 White would be only a pawn up.

12.exd5 Nxc2

And so we have the position given in the introductory diagram. Material is even, but Black's Knight is threatening White's Rook. More to the point, though, White's Queen is threatening Black's King.

What to move?

13.d6+


Of course.

Not only does White open a line to the enemy King, more importantly he blocks Black's d-pawn, which in turn block's Black's Bishop, which in turn block's Black's Rook...

13...Kf8 14.Rb1

Boooooooo!

The move, saving the Rook, is of course just fine.

However, White's 13th move begs to be followed by the thematic 14.Nd5. Unless Black moves his Knight, he will lose it, yet 14...Nxa1 allows White to mate: 15.Qf4+ Qf6 (15... Ke8 16. Re1+ Qe7 17. Rxe7+ Kd8 18. dxc7#; 15...Kg8 16.Ne7+ Qxe7 17.dxe7 d5 18.e8=Q+ Kh7 19.Qef7 h5 20.Qh6#) 16.Nxf6 gxf6 17.Qxf6+ Kg8 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.Re1 Nc2 20.Re8 checkmate.

Readers with sharp tactical skills probably found 13.d6+ and 14.Nd5 in under 10 seconds.

14...cxd6 15.Ne4 d5 16.Qxd5 Nb4

That pesky Knight is escaping!

17.Qf5+

After the game Rybka suggested the "simple" 17.Qc5+ Kg8  18.Qxb4, collecting the Knight. Was it really that easy?

What about 17...Qe7, blocking the check and protecting the Knight?

Well, it turns out that White can answer with 18.Nd6 (you probably saw that coming) and then answer 18...Na6 with 19.Qd4.

analysis diagram









I was fascinated to see that Rybka rates this position about four and a half pawns better for White. Think about it: material is even and White has one more piece developed than Black (if you count the Rook at f1, but not the Rook at b1). None of Black's pieces are hanging.

What will happen? White will put his Bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal with either Bc1-d2-c3 or b2-b3 & Bc1-b2 and then he will move a Rook to e1. Eventually something will shake loose...

In an 8-game "shootout" match from this position between Rybka 3 Dynamic and Rybka 3 Human, White won all of the games. Likewise, in a "shootout" between Rybka 3 and Houdini 1.5a.  

17...Qf6

A slip. Sometimes it seems that defending against the Jerome Gambit isn't worth my opponents' full attentions.

Of course, after the much better 17...Kg8 White again has 18.Nd6. Understanding that position, as with the earlier one, will open a few more doors in the mystery that is chess.

18.Nxf6 gxf6 19.Qxf6+ Black resigned.