Chess Life for Kids

I write a regular column for the United States Chess Federation's Chess Life for Kids magazine.

I noticed that in Don Maddox and Ranae Bartlett's article, "The Bridge", in the December 2014 issue, the following game appeared. It is from a team match played, via Skype, between elementary students in Madison, Alabama, USA and Xiamen, China.



Wilhelm,J - Lexuan,W
Madison, AL - Xiamen, China Skype match, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 Na5

Readers who are familiar with this kind of move, or who recall "Another Coffin, Another Nail" or "Kick Me" know what will happen next.

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8

FM Bradley Denton, writing in Chess Life for Kids, recommended, instead, 6...Kf8 7.Qh5 Qe8 8.Nxd7+ Bxd7 9.Qxc5+ Ne7 10.Qxa5, although White would still be better.

 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Nxg6 hxg6 9.Qxh8 Kf8 10.d3 Qf6 11.Bh6+ Kf7 12.Qh7+ Ke6 13.Qxg8+ Kd6

14.Qf8+

Missing the killer move 14.Bf8+! that would wrap things up. That's okay, White still has things in hand, up the exchange and three pawns.  

14...Qxf8 15.Bxf8+ Kc6 16.Bxc5 Kxc5 17.0-0 d6 18.f4 Bd7 19.f5 

Jerome pawns, forward!

19...gxf5 20.exf5 Rf8 21.f6 Nc6 22.Rae1 Nd4 23.Re7 Kc6 24.Rg7 Nxc2 25.f7 Be6 26.Rf6 Bc4 

This slip hastens the end.

27.dxc4 Nb4 28.Rg8 Rxg8 29.fxg8Q Na6 30.Qd5+ Kd7 31.Rf7+ Kc8 32.Qe6+ Kd8 33.Qd7 checkmate

(Yes, Readers, I once wrote "The Worst Chess Opening Ever!" - on the Jerome Gambit - for the June 2010 and August 2010 issues of Chess Life for Kids. I don't remember, off hand, if they ran my article on "The Knucklehead Gambit," however...) 

The Knucklehead Gambit

After my two-part article on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in the United States Chess Federation's Chess Life for Kids (see " 'The Worst Chess Opening Ever' Warning or Menace??") I am writing an article titled "The Knucklehead Gambit", based on what I have learned about the Busch-Gass Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5.

I was pleased to learn that last winter Chess.com held a Busch-Gass Gambit Thematic chess tournament (winner: Karpikicks) and even more pleased that links were given to three posts on this blog that referred to the gambit: "Worth A Second Look... (Part 1)" "(Part 2)" and "(Part 3)". 

To fill out the list, here are several others: "Danke!", "Busch-Gass Gambit" and "Busch-Gass Pass".

"The Worst Chess Opening Ever" – Warning or Menace??

 A number of months ago (see "The Worst Chess Opening Ever") I mentioned to readers that I had submitted an article on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), titled "The Worst Chess Opening Ever", to the United States Chess Federation's magazine Chess Life for Kids, which runs my regular "Arabian Knights" stories.

If the editor doesn't die laughing, I'll let you know if he accepts it for publication.

Let me assure you that Chess Life for Kids Editor Glenn Petersen is very much alive, and he has a great sense of humor.

So – the June 2010 issue of the magazine is out, and within its pages is the first part of my article.

Oh, yes, as it says

In Part 2 we will take a closer look and analyze the Jerome Gambit

Is exposing young chess-playing minds to such folly a good idea? Will it teach them bad habits and steer them away from studying the Catalan Opening? Or will they learn to crush such outrageous violations of chessic common sense?

Only time will tell...

The Worst Chess Opening Ever

I just submitted an article on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) titled "The Worst Chess Opening Ever" to Chess Life for Kids, which runs my regular "Arabian Knights" stories.

If the editor doesn't die laughing, I'll let you know if he accepts it for publication.

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws