Showing posts with label Kapppy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kapppy. Show all posts

Friday, September 27, 2013

What A Difference A D(el)ay Makes


I puzzled my way through the following game, even though I didn't need to. It is Bill Wall playing the Jerome Gambit. Of course White wins.

Wall,B - PLKT

FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 




4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 


Heading for the Blackburne or Whistler Defenses.


7.Qxe5 Bd6 

8.Qd5+

I was puzzled by this move, as experience has shown that after this inaccurate move (better 7...d6 or 7...Qe7) the Black Rook can be taken: perrypawnpusher - tuffnut, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33); perrypawnpusher - bakker, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 20); perrypawnpusher - Kapppy, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 34); perrypawnpusher - Sirenus, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 13); perrypawnpusher - frencheng, 7 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 17); and perrypawnpusher - elyza, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 24);


Furthermore, Bill is always the first to examine the latest version of The Database and mine it for new ideas to inject into his games.


Plus, he has read the almost 1,750 posts here on this blog.


That last fact gave me a thought: with all that information, could a couple of lines of play have been crossed in his mental database? It turns out, that's quite possible.


Looking back at "By the Numbers" (see also "Pulling A Rabbit Out of A Hat" and "I think I have a win, but it will take time...") there is a game similar to today's, coming out of the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit opening (add 0-0 for White and ...h6 for Black), where the notes indicate that the defender should have played ...Bf8!? instead of that game's ...Bd6, as then the Rook would be poisoned.


Or, maybe this is all just a lot of psychological noodling on my part.


8...Kf8 9.d4 Nf6 


10.Qg5 Be7 11.Qe3 d5 12.e5 Ne4 




White has his standard two pawns for a piece, while both Black's Knight and King could prove misplaced.


13.0-0 Bg5 14.f4 Bh6 15.h3 Qh4 16.Nc3 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Bf5




Black continues his aggressive play. Perhaps he is familiar with Blackburne's destruction of the Jerome Gambit?


18.c4 c6 19.Ba3+ Ke8


It may not be immediately obvious, but getting the King off of the f-file by moving him into the center is not best.


White can now generate enough excitement to even the game up - or to go for more, if his opponent cooperates.


20.Qb3


Quite possibly this is just the move Black had been hoping for. While he lines up his two Bishops and Queen to find a Blackburne-like mating attack, his opponent's strong piece abandons her monarch.


20...Bxf4


Too hopeful. His Queen had to return home, while giving up material - 20...Qd8 21.Qxb7 Rc8 22.Qxa7 dxc4 - with about an equal game.


21.Qxb7


Bill points out that White has to plunge ahead, as 21.Rxf4? Qxf4 22.Qxb7 Qxd4+ 23.Kh2 Qxe5+ is a terrible alternative.


Now Black has the opportunity to "sacrifice" both of his Rooks, as in the Blackburne game - but without getting the requisite mating attack.


21...Be3+


Best, but not saving.


22.Kh2


The only move. Certainly not 22.Kh1 Bxh3 23.Qxa8+?? Bc8 checkmate.


22...Bf4+ 


It was time for Black to go for the swindle with 22...Bxh3 23.Qxa8+?? Bc8 checkmate!  


Instead, 22...Bxh3 23.gxh3? would have led to a draw by perpetual check 23...Bf4+ 24.Rxf4 Qxf4+ 25.Kg2 Qe4+, etc.


Of course, after 22...Bxh3 23.Qf7+! Kd8 24.gxh3 all is good with White's world.


23.Rxf4 Qxf4+ 24.Kh1 Qh4 25.Qxa8+ Qd8 26.Qxc6+ Kf7 27.cxd5 Black resigned


In the end, even the "Jerome pawns" joined in the attack.


Saturday, April 11, 2009

Parts is parts


When facing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) my oppponents sometimes try to re-create Blackburne's crushing reaction, the best-known example of the Jerome that they are likely to recall. Sometimes they only remember parts of the line, however.

perrypawnpusher - Kapppy
blitz 2 12, FICS, 2009

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


4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bd6

I have faced this line before: perrypawnpusher - tuffnut, blitz 2 12, FICS 2007: 8.Qxh8 Be7 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxg6 d6 11.d4 Bd7 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Kf7 14.Qh7+ Kf8 15.Qh8+ Kf7 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.Nc3 c6 18.0-0 Rg8 19.f4 Bh3 20.Rf2 Bd7 21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Ke8 23.f5 Bc5 24.f6 Bxf2+ 25.Kxf2 Be6 26.Ne4 Rf8 27.Nd6+ Kd7 28.Rd1 Kc7 29.h3 Bd5 30.g4 Rh8 31.Kg3 b6 32.h4 Be6 33.g5 Black resigned; as well as perrypawnpusher - bakker, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 20).

Black's best is Whistler's Defense, 7...Qe7.

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.Qd4 Nf6 The position bears slight resemblance to Blackburne's destruction of the Jerome Gambit – here White's Queen has escaped after capturing the Rook and can help in her King's defense.
10.d3 b6 11.Nd2 Ng4
Black is ganging up on f2, but a better way to do that was 11...Bc5 (although White's advantage is obvious).
12.Nf3 Bc5
Now this falls to 13.Qd5+ – or it would, if I had noticed it. My response was good, just not best.
13.Qxc5 Qxf2+ 14.Qxf2 Nxf2 15.Kxf2 d6
A Rook is a Rook is a Rook.

16.Rf1 Rb8 17.Kg1 Ke7 18.Bg5+ Kd7
19.Nh4 Kc6 20.Rf7 Kb7 21.Rxh7 Ka8


The game was adjourned at Kapppy's request. When it resumed, there were no surprises.
22. Rxc7 b5 23. Be3 Rb7 24. Rxc8+ Rb8 25. Rxb8+ Kxb8 26. Nxg6 Ka8 27. h4 b4 28. h5 b3 29. axb3 d5 30. exd5 Kb7 31. h6 Ka8 32. h7 Kb8 33. h8=Q+ Kb7 34. Rxa7 checkmate