Monday, June 16, 2014

The What??

I know, I know, it baffles me, too, but some players continue to underestimate the Jerome Gambit - to their own discomfort and demise. While some people would never play the Jerome Gambit, they can be at risk against someone who plays it, and plays it, and plays it...

Wall,B - Guest1872464
PlayChess.com, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7



The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, which can also be reached from the regular Jerome move order: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 Nf6.

6.Qe2 

A favorite move of Bill, and an idea as old as Ruy Lopez, who proposed it in the Bishop's Opening - 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qe2 - in 1561.

Black overlooks the move's intention, and suddenly White is OK.

6...Rf8?! 

More solid for Black was 6...d6 7.Qc4+ (7.0-0, Wall,B - Darkmoonstone, Chess.com, 2011, [1-0, 29]) as in Wall,B - Guest1459913, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 38); or

6...h6 7.Qc4+ as in Wall,B - DarkKnight, Cocoa Beach, FL 2012 (1-0, 23); or the direct

6...d5 as in Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25). 

7.Qc4+ d5 

Black tried 7...Ke8 in Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0,17) and Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22). 

8.Qxc5 dxe4 

Or 8...d4 as in Wall,B - NFNZ, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15). 

9.Nxe5+ Nxe5 10.Qxe5 Re8 11.Qf4 Kg8 12.0-0 c6 




13.b3 Bg4 

An aggressive and thought-out move, but Bill suggests instead 13...Be6

14.Bb2 Bh5 15.Rae1 

Threatening 16.Nxe4. 

15...Bg6 16.Qg5 Nd5 17.Qg3 Rc8?


Alternatives: 17...Nb4 18.Nxe4 Nxc2 19.Qc3 Qd4; or 17...Qd7

18.Nxe4 Qd7 

Not 18...Bxe4?? 19.Qxg7#. 

19.Nd6 Rxe1 20.Rxe1 Rf8 21.d3 Nb4 22.a3 Nxc2?


Black cuts his material imbalance to one pawn, at the risk of trapping his Knight. More solid was 22...Nd5. 

23.Re2 Bxd3? 

Black might have tried 23...Rd8 as after 24.Rxc2? (correct would be 24.Qe5) 24...Qxd6 25.Qxd6 Rxd6 26.Rd2 Rxd3 the game would be even. 

24.Qxd3 Rd8 25.Qc4+ Kh8 26.Rd2 

An alternative was 26.Qf7 Qxf7 27.Nxf7+ Kg8 28.Nxd8. 

26...Qe7 27.Nf7+ Kg8 28.Rxd8+ Qxd8 29.Nxd8+ Kh8 30.Qf7 Black resigned

Mate is unavoidable.

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