Saturday, May 18, 2019

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit Mess

The following game is a mess. White makes mistakes (more than usual). Black makes mistakes (plenty enough to lose). Quickly.

Because, to be fair: in a 1-minute (no increment) game, advantages often shift back and forth, until someone wins, or time runs out.

Also, the game is a Jerome Gambit variant, and we know that the Jerome is an oft-refuted line of play. White purposefully gets himself a worse game - and then, often wins. So, maybe things are not so surprising, after all.

angelcamina - eloali
1 0 bullet, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 




The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. It can work as a surprise, eating up response time, containing tactics that impact on the clock.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. White has his own tactical surprise.


4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

At first glance, this looks safest. As angelcamina knows from earlier experience, however, this move allows the action to focus on the Black King.

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nxc2+ 

White's opening continues to cast its spell. This counter-grab of a Rook is always tempting, but, here, it should only lead to an even game, or maybe and edge for White. The correct move was 7...hxg6.

8.Kd1 Nxa1 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 



10.Qf7+

The game wouldn't be nearly as interesting after 10.Qe5#, but it would be over. 

10...Kd6 11.d4 

Highly unusual. angelcamina now misses 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qe5#. It is not safe for Black to keep dancing on the edge of the abyss, however - after the text, White is still better

11...Kc6 12.Qd5+ Kb6 13.Nc3 c6 



14.Qb3+ Kc7

Okay, a couple of "Think Quick!" surprises, there.

15.Bf4+ d6 16.Qf7+ Ne7 17.e5 d5 



White has two pawns for a piece in this strange position - and his King is safer.

18.e6+ Kb6 19.Na4+ Ka5 20.b3 b5 21.Bd2+ Ka6 22.Nc5+ Kb6 23.Qf4 Ng6 

24.Qe3

Saving the Queen this time, but hanging the Knight. Time had to be a factor.

24...Nxh8 25.Qc3 Bxc5

Falling in with White's plans - it is surprising how often defenders "believe" in their opponents' attacks. Best defense was to return the Knight with 25...Nxb3 26.axb3 a5, with advantage (but that is easiest to see after the game).

26.Qa5+ Kb7 27.Qxd8 Bb6 28.Qe7+ Ka6 29.Qxh7 Bb7
30.e7 Black resigned



Thursday, May 16, 2019

Jerome Gambit: Improved Crunch

In the following game, White improves his play, and quickly ushers his opponent into checkmate. Of course, in bullet chess, everything happens quickly. 

angelcamina - apropes
1 0 bullet, lichess.org

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




The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4 8.dxe5 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nxe4 10.Qd5+ 

Improving over his recent win against Puffy04.

10...Kf8 11.Ba3+ d6 12.Qxe4 Be6 13.O-O-O 



It certainly looks like White is enjoying himself.

13...Bd7 14.exd6 cxd6 15.Bxd6+ Kg8 16.Rhe1 Qg5+ 17.Bf4 Qa5 18.Rd7 Qxc3 

Last gasp.

19.Rxf7 Kxf7 20.Qe6+ Kf8 21.Bd6 checkmate



Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Not A Jerome Gambit - But, No Matter

I would guess that this game was played after the one previously posted on this blog. Having tasted the Jerome Gambit in a painful bullet (one minute, no increment) game, Black may have decided to avoid that evil line. Not that he was able to escape a similar punishment.

angelcamina - MegaBane
1 0 bullet, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bb4 



No Giuoco Piano, so no Jerome Gambit, right?

4.c3 Ba5 5.Bxf7+ 

Not again.

5... Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6 



Reminiscent of the Blacburne Defense in the Jerome Gambit.

8.Qxe5 Bb6 9.Qxh8 d6 



Black has a piece for a couple of pawns, but he is about to be crushed.

10.Qxh7+ Kf6 11.O-O Bg4 12.d4 Ne7 



13.f4 

Here 13.Qh4+, followed by 14.Qxg4, was even stronger, but it doesn't really matter.

13...Qd7 14.h3 Be6 15.e5+ dxe5 16.fxe5 checkmate




Ouch. Again.

Sunday, May 12, 2019

Jerome Gambit: Why, Did I Play Bullet?

Bullet chess - one minute time control, no increment - is beyond my comprehension. So is trying to defend against a strange opening variation like the Jerome Gambit, as it is played by someone skilled in its nuances. Black may have been wondering: Why did I do that?

angelcamina - MegaBane
1 0 bullet, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 



4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

Understandable, but rare and risky.

6.Qh5+

It is possible that 6.Nxc6 is stronger, but who wants to be the first (according to The Database) to meet the dynamic counter 6...Qh4!? - ? Anyhow, the text is thematic and a lot more fun.

6...g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 

Best is 7...Bxf2+, but who thinks of that in a 1 minute game

8.Qxh8 Kf8 

9.O-O d6 10.c3 Be6 11.d4 Bb6 12.d5 Bf7 13.dxc6 bxc6 



Is it over, yet?

14.Bh6+ Ke7 15.Bg5+ Nf6 16.Bxf6+ Ke6 17.Bxd8 Rxd8 18.Qxd8 Bxf2+ 

19.Rxf2 d5 20.exd5+ cxd5 21.Rf6+ Ke5 22.Nd2 c5 23.Qe7+ Be6 24.Qxe6 checkmate