Friday, January 18, 2013

All that is necessary...


It has been said that "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing". Relating this to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), it can be said that while there are many ways for the opening to fail (it is refuted, after all), the most effective way for White to lose is to play tepidly.

We have looked at the play of RRustyy1 (see "Toss 'Em in The Database" and "Another Puzzler") in the 2nd Jerome Gambit Race at Chess.com. Here is one of his wins, with Black.


DeDrijver - RRustyy1 
2nd Jerome Gambit Race, Chess.com, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 




4...Kxf7 5.d3 d6 6.h3

This passive play may be a psychological ploy to encourage Black to over-reach his counter-play, but it already looks a bit "iffy".

6...Nf6 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bxf6 Qxf6 9.c3 Rf8 10.Nbd2 Ke8



Black has decided to not-castle-by-hand (otherwise 10...Kg8) while White's plan, at least for now, is not to self-inflict further injury (beyond 4.Bxf7+).

11.Qe2 Be6 12.g4 g5 13.Rf1 Kd7


14.Rd1

Possibly planning on trapping Black's Bishop, but it does not work out. Watch how this leads to the unraveling of his position.

14...Bxa2 15.b3 Qe6 16.c4 Na5 17.Ra1 Nxb3 18.Nxb3 Bxb3 19.Rb1 Ba4

20.Rxb7

This attempt to recover one of the two lost pawns goes awry.

20...Bb6 21.Qa2 Bc6 22.Rxb6 axb6 23.Qb3

Allowing more loss.

23...Rxf3 24.Ke2

At this point as I was playing over the game, the wise guy Houdini 2 announced a checkmate in 18 moves. White is down a Rook and a Bishop and would be okay striking his colors.

24...Bxe4 25.Rd1 Rxh3 26.Qb5+ Bc6 27.Qb2 Bf3+ 28.Ke1 Rh1+ 29.Kd2 Rxd1+ 30.Kc3 Qxg4 31.Qb5+ c6 32.Qb3 Qd4+ 33.Kc2 Qxf2+ 34.Kc3 Qd2 checkmate



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