Showing posts with label MyGameUMove. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MyGameUMove. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Jerome Gambit: The Face Palm Variation

163 Facepalm Stock Illustrations, Cliparts And Royalty Free ...

I need to spend a moment or two on a Jerome Gambit variation that has been bothering me for almost 20 years. (See "Another Way to Sacrifice the Knight" and "PSA 2.0" for a couple of rants.) A disreputable line in a disreputable opening, it keeps showing up in games. I would like to call it the Face Palm Variation.

SPOKLECHAT - anzali
5 0 blitz, FICS, 2020

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




 4...Kxf7 5.Ng5+

This line does not have a name that I am aware of. It is based on a tactical shot that may be clever, but not convincing. (I gave a warning about a decade ago in the post "Public Service Announcment".)

The Database has 568 games with the line, with White scoring 23%. The earliest games that I have (6 losses) feature TiFoZi, at FICS, in 1999. I will try to message him there, but, according to the site, the last time he visited was October 22, 2001.

I can understand that a Jerome Gambit player might try the line on a lark, especially at blitz or lightning time controls; I noticed Jerome regulars such as COMTIBoy, DragonTail, drumme, HauntedKnight, JKELSEY, majorminor, MyGameUMove, Petasluk, snthor, sTpny, superpippo, Teterow, thmavz, ZahariSokolov, and yorgos, have given it a try.

5...Qxg5 

Of course.

The Database shows that this capture occurred 415 times, that is, in 73% of the games. (White scored 16%.)

6.d4 

The idea: the pawn attacks Black's Bishop, while uncovering an attack on Black's Queen.

One of the reasons that White fares so poorly in this line is that White played this thematic move in less than half of the games where Black had grabbed the Knight. But, why offer the piece unless you had this surprise in store? Another way of offering "Jerome Gambit odds"? Inattention?

One downside of the whole idea is that Stockfish 11 now rates Black's advantage to be about the equivalent of two Rooks and a piece...

6...Bxd4 

Out of 195 games, 16 times Black fell for this "trap". That is not very often (8% of the time after 6.d4; 3% of the games where White plays 5.Ng5+), although, when it did happen, White scored 69%.

In 147 of the games, Black played 6...Qxg2, and White still scored 11%, which is kind of amazing.

For the record, 6...Qxg2 crushes. After 7.Rf1 (best) Qxe4+ (capturing on d4 is fine, too) 8.Be3 (8.Qe2 does not provide any relief: 8...Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Nxd4+ 10.Kd1 d6 11.Be3 Bf5 11.Na3 Nf6 is gruesome) Nxd4 9.Nc3 Bb4 10.Qd3 (Stockfish 10 prefers castling-by-hand with 10.Kd2 and 11.Kc1, but, really) Bxc3+ 11.Qxc3 Nxc2+ and that should be convincing enough.

But, in the game we are looking at, Black fell down the well...

7.Bxg5 h6 

Black has 2 pieces for his Queen, and might as well try his luck with 7...Bxb2, going after the enemy Rook. Things can get a little complicated after 8.Na3 Nd4, but 9.0-0 Bxa3 10.f4 puts the heat back on the Black King.

After 7...Bxb2, there is also 8.Qh5+ g6 (8...Kf8 9.Na3 Bxa3 [9...Bxa1 10.Nb5] 10.Qf3+ Ke8 11.Qxa3) 9.Qf3+ Kg7 10.Nc3 Bxa1 11.Nd5 and Black will not be able to hold onto his Rook and two piece compensation for his Queen, e.g. 11...d6 12.Bf6+ Nxf7 13.Qxf6+Kg8 14.Nxc7 and White is not only threatening to win the Rook, he threatens to move the Knight to e8 to aid in checkmate.

Again, back to the game.

8.Qf3+ Nf6 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Qh5+ Kg7 



11.Nd2 Bxb2 12.Rb1 Bd4 13.Nf3 Bb6 



Black has secured most of his pieces, but he has left one at risk - his King.   

14.Nh4 d6 

Defense is hopeless. For example, 14...Ne7, 15.Rb3 with the idea of moving over to g3.

15.Qg6+ Kf8 16.Qxf6+ Kg8 17.Ng6 Black resigned



The Rook at h8, and possibly the one at a8 as well, will soon be leaving the board.

Hats off to SPOKLECHAT, who took great risks, but also took advantage of his opportunities.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Lots of Practice, Some Theory


Today's blog is full of games relevant to our main one. There is a little bit of "theory" tossed in, too. Enjoy the efforts of steveod and PEITONER.

PEITONER - steveod
blitz, FICS, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 



The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. Black may be hoping for 4.Nxe5?!, and he may be expecting 4.Nxd4, 4.c3, 4.d3 or 4.0-0; but now he has something new to think about.

In this case, over the last decade plus, steveod has played quite a few BSGs at FICS, faced quite a few BSJGs, and even played a few himself. I thought it would be interesting to share his experiences as they appear in The Database, positive and negative. His games provide a pretty good overview of the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

Let me start by presenting a Jerome Gambit / Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit hybrid game: 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke6 7.Qg4+ Kxe5 8.f4+ Kd6 9.e5+ Kc6 10.b4 d5 11.Qg3 Nxc2+ 12.Kd1 Nxa1 13.b5+ Kb6 14.Qd3 c6 15.Na4+ Kc7 16.Nxc5 b6 17.Na6+ Bxa6 18.bxa6 Ne7 19.Ba3 Ng6 20.Bd6+ Kc8 21.Qf5+ Qd7 22.Qg5 Re8 23.Rf1 Ne7 24.Qxg7 Nf5 25.g4 Nxg7 White resigned, crystalleaf - steveod, FICS, 2013

4...Kxf7

I have not promoted declining the gambit, in fact I have referred to it as intending some kind of "Jedi mind trick", but I note that steveod has played several games with 4...Ke7:

5.Nxe5 d6 6.Nc3 (6.Bxg8 dxe5 7.d3 Rxg8 8.Bg5+ Black resigned, frizerkaHR - steveod, FICS, 2012dxe5 7.Qh5 Nc6 8.Nd5+ Kd6 9.f4 Nf6 10.Qg5 h6 11.fxe5+ Nxe5 12.Qe3 Nxf7 13.e5+ Nxe5 14.d4 Nxd5 15.Qxe5+ Kc6 16.c4 Bd6 17.cxd5+ Kb6 18.Qxg7 Qe7+ 19.Qxe7 Bxe7 20.Rf1 Rf8 21.Be3 Rxf1+ 22.Kxf1 Bd7 23.d6 Bb5+ 24.Kg1 Bxd6 25.Rc1 c6 26.b3 a5 27.a4 Bd3 28.d5+ Kc7 29.Rc3 Be4 30.dxc6 Bxc6 White forfeited on time, AndrejRussia - steveod, FICS, 2014;

5.Nxd4 Kxf7 (5...exd4 6.Bxg8 Rxg8 7.d3 Ke8 8.c3 dxc3 9.Nxc3 c6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qxh7 Rg7 12.Qh6 Qf6 13.Bg5 Qd4 14.0-0 d6 15.Be3 Qb4 16.Rab1 Be6 17.d4 Kd7 18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5 Kc7 20.Bg5 Bf5 21.Bf6 Rf7 22.Rbc1 Bxh6 23.Nd5+ Kb8 24.Nxb4 Bxc1 25.Rxc1 Rd7 26.h3 a5 27.Nc2 Bxc2 28.Rxc2 b5 29.Rxc6 Kb7 30.Rc5 Kb6 31.Rc3 b4 32.Rg3 Rg8 33.e6 Rd6 34.f4 Rxe6 35.Be5 g5 36.Bd4+ Kb5 37.f5 Re4 38.Bf6 Rf4 39.h4 Rxf5 40.hxg5 Rxf6 41.gxf6 Rxg3 42.f7 Rd3 43.f8Q Rd1+ 44.Kh2 Rd5 45.Qb8+ Kc4 46.b3+ Kd4 47.Qf4+ Kc5 48.Qc4+ Kd6 49.g3 Rd2+ 50.Kh3 Rxa2 51.g4 a4 52.Qxb4+ Kd5 53.bxa4 Re2 54.Qb5+ Kd6 55.Qxe2 Black resigned, roosmanla - steveod, FICS, 2008) 6.Nf3 d6 7.c3 h6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Be6 10.d5 Bd7 11.Nc3 g5 12.Qd4 Bg7 13.Qd3 a6 14.Be3 Qe7 15.Bd4 Bxd4 16.Qxd4 Nf6 17.0-0 Rae8 18.Rfe1 g4 19.Nd2 Nh5 20.Re2 Rhg8 21.g3 Qf6 22.Qxf6+ Nxf6 23.Rae1 Rg5 24.f4 gxf3 25.Nxf3 Rg4 26.e5 Nxd5 27.Nxd5 c6 28.Nf4 Be6 29.Nxe6 Rxe6 30.exd6 Rxd6 31.Re7+ Kf6 32.Rxb7 Rd3 33.Kg2 Rb4 34.Rxb4 Black resigned, bushytail - steveod, FICS, 2010; and

5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d3 h6 7.Nxe5 d6 8.Nf3 Bg4 9.Nbd2 Kd7 10.b3 Qg5 11.Bb2 Bxf3 12.Nxf3 Qxg2 13.Rf1 Nxf3+ 14.Ke2 Nxh2 15.Re1 Qf3+ 16.Kd2 Qxf2+ 17.Re2 Qf4+ 18.Re3 Nf1+ 19.Qxf1 Qxf1 20.Rxf1 Be7 21.Kc1 Bg5 22.Rfe1 Raf8 23.Kb1 Bxe3 24.Rxe3 Rf1+ 25.Bc1 g5 26.e5 h5 27.e6+ Ke7 28.d4 c6 29.Kb2 g4 30.b4 h4 31.Re4 h3 32.Be3 h2 33.Bf4 h1Q White resigned, EstonianBear - steveod, FICS, 2002.

5.Nxe5+ Ke6

Black has also tried:

5...Ke7 6.Qh5 (6.d3 h6 7.c3 Ne6 8.Qf3 Kd6 9.d4 Qf6 10.Qxf6 gxf6 11.Nf7+ Ke7 12.Nxh8 Ng5 13.Ng6+ Kf7 14.Nxf8 Kxf8 15.Bxg5 hxg5 16.Nd2 d6 17.0-0-0 a5 18.a4 Bd7 19.f3 Bxa4 20.b3 Bb5 21.c4 Bd7 22.h4 g4 23.f4 a4 24.f5 a3 25.Kc2 b5 26.h5 Nh6 27.Nf1 bxc4 28.bxc4 Ba4+ 29.Kc3 Bxd1 30.Ne3 Be2 31.Ra1 Ra4 32.Kd2 Bxc4 33.Nxc4 Rxc4 34.Rxa3 Rxd4+ 35.Ke3 Rc4 36.Ra8+ Ke7 37.Rh8 Nf7 38.Rh7 Kf8 39.g3 Kg8 40.Rxf7 Kxf7 41.Kf4 c5 42.h6 d5 43.h7 Kg7 White forfeited on time, Tetragon - steveod, FICS, 2006; 6.c3 Ne6 7.d4 h6 8.d5 d6 9.dxe6 dxe5 10.Qxd8+ Kxd8 11.0-0 Ke7 12.Be3 b6 13.Nd2 Bxe6 14.Nc4 Bxc4 15.Rfd1 Rd8 16.Rd5 Bxd5 17.exd5 Rxd5 18.Re1 Nf6 White resigned, jwilled - steveod, FICS, 2004) 6...Qe8 7.Qg5+ Nf6 8.Na3 d6 9.Nec4 h6 10.Qa5 Nc6 11.Qc3 Qg6 12.0-0 Be6 13.d4 Nxe4 14.Qe1 Bxc4 15.Nxc4 d5 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Kd7 18.Be3 Bc5 19.Bxc5 Nxc5 20.Rd1 c6 21.c4 Qe6 22.cxd5 cxd5 23.Qe2 a6 White forfeited on time, MyGameUMove - steveod, FICS, 2012; and

5...Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 (7...Nxc2+ 8.Kd1 Nxa1 [8...Bg7 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Qxg7 Nxa1 12.Nf7+ Black resigned, steveod - Smeet, FICS, 2002] 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Nc3 Ne7 13.Qc4+ Kb6 14.Qb5 checkmate, suchatzi - steveod, FICS, 20057...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.Qxh7+ Qg7 10.Ng6+ Kf7 11.Nxf8 Nxc2+ 12.Kd1 Nxa1 13.Qf5+ Nf6 14.e5 Qxf8 15.Qxf6+ Kg8 16.Qxf8+ Kxf8 17.b3 d6 18.exd6 cxd6 19.Bb2 Bf5 20.Na3 Nxb3 21.axb3 Rc8 22.Bc3 b5 23.b4 a6 24.Re1 d5 25.Nc2 Rc4 26.Ne3 Re4 27.Nxf5 Rf4 28.Nd6 Rxf2 29.Re5 Rxg2 30.Rxd5 Rxh2 31.Ne4 Rh1+ 32.Kc2 Ra1 33.Bxa1 Kf7 34.Rd6 Ke7 35.Rxa6 Kd7 36.Rb6 Kc7 37.Rxb5 Kc6 38.Rc5+ Kb6 39.d4 Kb7 40.d5 Kb6 41.d6 Kb7 42.d7 Kb6 43.d8Q+ Kb7 44.Nd6+ Ka6 45.Qa5 checkmate, steveod-Smeet, FICS, 20028.Qe5+ Kf7 (8...Qe7 9.Nxe7 Black resigned, MikP - steveod, FICS, 2002; 8...Ne6 9.Nxh8 Bg7 10.Nf7 Kxf7 11.d4 Ng4 12.Qf5+ Nf6 13.e5 Nxd4 14.Qf4 Nxc2+ 15.Kf1 Nxa1 16.exf6 Bxf6 17.Nd2 d5 18.Nf3 Qd6 19.Qh6 Ke8 20.Qxh7 Qa6+ 21.Kg1 Qc4 22.Bh6 Be7 23.Qg8+ Kd7 24.Ne5+ Kd6 25.Nxc4+ dxc4 26.g3 b6 27.Kg2 Bb7+ 28.Kg1 Rxg8 29.Bf4+ Ke6 30.h4 Rd8 31.Kh2 Nc2 32.Rc1 Nd4 33.Re1+ Kf6 34.Bg5+ Black forfeited on time, Dipsy - steveod, FICS, 20019.Nxh8+ Kg8 10.Qxd4 Kxh8 11.e5 Ng8 12.0-0 Qg5 13.Nc3 c6 14.d3 Qh5 15.Ne4 Bg7 16.Nf6 Qf5 17.Ng4 d6 18.Qxd6 Qxg4 19.f4 Bf5 20.Bd2 h5 21.Rf3 h4 22.Raf1 Qh5 23.h3 Nh6 24.Bc3 Rg8 25.e6 Bxc3 26.bxc3 Qg6 27.Qd4+ Kh7 28.Qd7+ Rg7 29.Qxg7+ Qxg7 White forfeited on time, rexsolus - steveod, FICS, 2006.

6.c3 

Also:

6.f4 h5 (6...d6 7.Qg4+ Ke7 8.Qg5+ Nf6 9.Nf3 [9.Ng4 Nxc2+ 10.Kf1 h6 11.Qh4 Bxg4 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Qd3+ 14.Kg1 Qd4+ 15.Qf2 Qxf2+ 16.Kxf2 Nxa1 17.exf6+ gxf6 18.Na3 Kd7 19.Nc4 Be6 20.b3 Bxc4 21.bxc4 Nc2 22.Bb2 Be7 23.a3 c5 24.Rc1 Nd4 25.Bxd4 cxd4 26.d3 Bxa3 27.Rb1 Bc5 28.Rb5 b6 29.Kf3 Kc6 30.h3 a6 31.Rb1 a5 32.Re1 Rhd8 33.Re6+ Rd6 34.Re1 a4 35.Ra1 a3 36.Ra2 Ra4 37.g4 Rb4 38.Ke4 Rb2 39.Ra1 Rh2 40.Kf5 Rxh3 41.Kg6 Rxd3 42.Kxh6 f5+ 43.Kg5 fxg4 44.Kxg4 Rc3 45.Kf4 Rxc4 46.Ke4 Re6+ 47.Kf5 Re3 48.Kf4 d3+ White resigned, KnightBiker - steveod, FICS, 2004] 9...Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Nxa1 11.e5 dxe5 12.fxe5 h6 13.exf6+ gxf6 14.Re1+ Kf7 15.Qh5+ Kg7 16.Nh4 Rg8 17.Qg6+ Kh8 18.Qf7 Bg4+ 19.Re2 Bxe2+ 20.Kxe2 Qe7+ 21.Qxe7 Bxe7 22.Kd1 Rae8 23.b3 Rg4 24.Bb2 Nxb3 25.Nf5 Nc5 26.Nxe7 Nd7 27.Nd5 Rxg2 28.Nxf6 Nxf6 29.Bxf6+ Kh7 30.Nc3 c6 31.Na4 Ree2 32.Bc3 Rxh2 33.Nc5 b6 34.Nd3 b5 35.Nf4 Ref2 36.Ne6 Rf7 37.Nd8 Rc7 38.Be5 Rc8 39.Nxc6 Rh1+ 40.Ke2 Rxc6 White resigned, latinicon-steveod, FICS, 20046...Qh4+ 7.g3 Qh6 8.Qg4+ Ke7 9.b3 d6 10.Nc3 Bxg4 11.Nd5+ Kd8 12.Nf7+ Kd7 13.Nxh6 Nxc2+ 14.Kf2 Nxa1 15.Nxg4 Nc2 16.Bb2 Re8 17.d3 Be7 18.Rc1 c6 19.Nxe7 Rxe7 20.Rxc2 Nf6 21.Nxf6+ gxf6 22.Bxf6 Re6 23.Bxh8 h5 24.f5 Re5 25.Bxe5 dxe5 26.h3 b5 27.g4 h4 28.g5 Kd6 29.g6 c5 30.g7 Black resigned, steveod - Smeet, FICS, 2002); 7.c3 (7.0-0 d6 8.Nf3 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 Ne7 10.f5+ Kd7 11.d4 c6 12.Qa3 Kc7 13.Bg5 b6 14.d5 c5 15.f6 gxf6 16.Bxf6 Rh6 17.Bh4 Rg6 18.Nc3 Qd7 19.Ne2 Qg4 20.Bg3 h4 21.Nf4 Rg8 22.Be1 Bh6 23.Ne6+ Bxe6 24.Rf2 Bd7 25.Bd2 Bxd2 26.Rxd2 h3 27.g3 Qxe4 28.Rf1 Nxd5 29.Qf3 Qxf3 30.Rxf3 Nb4 31.c3 Nc6 32.Rf7 Ne5 33.Rh7 Nf3+ 34.Kf2 Nxd2 35.Rxh3 Nc4 36.Ke2 Nxb2 37.Rh7 Na4 38.Kd2 Rae8 39.Kc2 Re2+ 40.Kb3 b5 41.c4 a6 42.cxb5 axb5 White forfeited on time, wardcleophus - steveod, FICS, 2014) 7...Nc6 8.Ng6 (8.Qb3+ d5 9.exd5+ Qxd5 10.Qxd5+ Kxd5 11.Nf7 Rh7 12.0-0 Nh6 13.Ng5 Rh8 14.Na3 Bc5+ 15.Kh1 Bxa3 16.bxa3 a6 17.a4 Bf5 18.Ba3 Rae8 19.Rfe1 Na5 20.Bb4 Nc4 21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.Rf1 Nxd2 23.h3 Nxf1 24.g4 Be4+ 25.Kg1 Nd2 26.Kf2 Nc4 27.Kg3 Nxg4 28.Nf7 Nge3 29.Kh4 g5+ 30.Kxh5 Bg6+ 31.Kxg6 Re6+ 32.Kg7 gxf4 33.Ng5 f3 34.Kf8 f2 35.Nxe6 Black forfeited on time, nonself - steveod, FICS, 2007) 8...Rh6 9.f5+ Kf6 10.d4 Rxg6 11.fxg6 Kxg6 12.0-0 d6 13.Qf3 Nf6 14.Bf4 Bg4 15.Qg3 Nxe4 16.Qd3 Bf5 17.Bg3 h4 18.Rxf5 Kxf5 19.Nd2 hxg3 20.Qxe4+ Kg5 21.hxg3 Qe7 22.Nf3+ Kh6 23.Qf4+ g5 24.Qg4 Qe3+ 25.Kh2 Be7 26.Re1 Qf2 27.Re6+ Kg7 28.Nxg5 Rh8+ 29.Nh3+ Kf8 30.Re4 Qf7 31.Rf4 Bf6 32.Qc8+ Kg7 33.Qxb7 Ne7 34.Qxc7 Ng6 35.Qxf7+ Kxf7 36.g4 Nxf4 37.Kg3 Nd3 White resigned, malesposo - steveod, FICS, 2015

6.Nf3 Qf6 (6...Nxf3+ 7.Qxf3 Qf6 8.Qb3+ [8.Qg4+ Kf7 9.d3 d6 10.Qf4 Qxf4 11.Bxf4 h6 12.Nc3 c6 13.0-0-0 g5 14.Be3 Be6 15.Rdf1 Bg7 16.Ne2 Ke7 17.f4 gxf4 18.Nxf4 Kd7 19.Ng6 Rh7 20.Rf2 Ne7 21.Nf4 a5 22.Rhf1 Bg8 23.Ne2 Be5 24.g3 b5 25.Kb1 c5 26.c3 b4 27.c4 a4 28.Nf4 Rf7 29.Nh5 Rxf2 30.Rxf2 Bd4 31.Bxd4 cxd4 32.Rf6 Nc6 33.Rxh6 Rf8 34.Rf6 Rf7 35.Rxf7+ Bxf7 36.Nf6+ Ke6 37.Nd5 b3 38.a3 Ne5 39.Nf4+ Kf6 40.Kc1 Nf3 41.h3 Be6 42.g4 Bf7 43.Kd1 Kg5 44.Ke2 Kxf4 White resigned, wayuat - steveod, FICS, 2010] 8...Ke7 9.0-0 Kd8 10.d4 d6 11.Be3 Ne7 12.f4 Qe6 13.Qd3 Qd7 14.c4 c6 15.b4 a6 16.a4 g6 17.e5 d5 18.c5 Qf5 19.Qe2 Be6 20.Nc3 h5 21.b5 a5 22.bxc6 Nxc6 23.Rfb1 Rb8 24.Rb6 Kc7 25.Nb5+ Kc8 26.Rb1 Qf7 27.Nd6+ Bxd6 28.cxd6 Bd7 29.Qd1 Nb4 30.Bd2 Rf8 31.g3 g5 32.Bxb4 axb4 33.R1xb4 gxf4 34.Rxb7 Rxb7 35.Qc2+ Kb8 36.Rxb7+ Kxb7 37.Qc7+ Ka8 38.a5 fxg3 39.Qc1 Qf2+ 40.Kh1 Qxh2 checkmate, Miguara - steveod, FICS, 20147.Nxd4+ Qxd4 8.0-0 Ke7 9.c3 Qf6 10.d4 Qf7 11.Bg5+ Ke8 12.e5 h6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3 Be7 15.f4 Qg6 16.f5 Qf7 17.f6 Bf8 18.Nd2 d6 19.Nf3 Be6 20.b3 c6 21.c4 d5 22.Rc1 Ba3 23.Rc2 Rc8 24.cxd5 Bxd5 25.Re2 Rd8 26.h4 g4 27.Nh2 h5 28.Rfe1 Be6 29.Nf1 Bb4 30.Nd2 Nh6 31.Bf2 Nf5 32.Rf1 g3 33.Be3 Nxh4 34.Bg5 Nf5 35.Ne4 Rxd4 36.Qc2 h4 37.Rxf5 Bxf5 38.Nd6+ Bxd6 39.Qxf5 Rd1+ 40.Qf1 Rxf1+ 41.Kxf1 Bb4 42.e6 Qg6 43.f7+ Kf8 44.e7+ Bxe7 45.Bxe7+ Kxf7 46.Bc5 Qb1+ 47.Re1 Qxa2 48.b4 b6 49.Re7+ Kf6 50.Rb7 bxc5 51.bxc5 Qa1+ 52.Ke2 Re8+ 53.Kf3 Qc3+ 54.Kg4 Re4+ 55.Kh3 Qe1 White forfeited on time, Zuriko - steveod, FICS, 2015

6.Nd3 Qg5 7.0-0 Ke7 (7...Bd6 8.c3 Nc6 9.f4 Qe7 10.Qg4+ Kf7 11.Ne5+ Ke8 12.d4 Bxe5 13.dxe5 d6 14.f5 Nxe5 15.Qh5+ Kd8 16.Nd2 Nf6 17.Qe2 h6 18.Rf4 b6 19.Nf1 Bb7 20.Ng3 Kd7 21.Be3 Rae8 22.Bd4 g5 23.fxg6 Rhg8 24.Nf5 Qe6 25.Nxh6 Rxg6 26.Nf5 Bxe4 27.Bxe5 dxe5 28.Rd1+ Kc8 29.Qa6+ Kb8 30.Ne3 exf4 31.Nc4 Rxg2+ 32.Kf1 Qh3 White resigned, stemplarv - steveod, FICS, 2006) 8.Nc3 c6 9.Ne1 d6 10.Nf3 Nxf3+ 11.Qxf3 Qf6 12.Qe2 Kd7 13.d3 Kc7 14.d4 Qe6 15.d5 cxd5 16.Nxd5+ Kb8 17.Be3 Ne7 18.Rad1 Nxd5 19.Rxd5 Qe7 20.Bf4 Qf6 21.Bxd6+ Bxd6 22.Rfd1 Rd8 23.e5 Qe7 24.Rxd6 Rxd6 25.Rxd6 a6 26.f4 g6 27.Qd2 Ra7 28.Qd1 b5 29.a3 Rd7 White forfeited on time, Pmoura - steveod, FICS, 2012

6.Qh5 Nxc2+ 7.Kd1 Nxa1 8.Qf5+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc6 11.Qd5 checkmate, yorgos - steveod, FICS, 2010

6.Nc4 Qg5 7.0-0 b5 (7...d6 8.Nc3 c6 9.d3 Qg6 10.Qg4+ White resigned, HauntedKnight - steveod, FICS, 2006) 8.d3 Qh4 9.Ne3 Bd6 10.g3 Qf6 11.f4 Bc5 12.c3 Nc6 13.Qb3+ Ke7 14.e5 Qg6 15.d4 Bb6 16.d5 Na5 17.Qb4+ Ke8 18.f5 Qh6 19.Rf3 Bb7 20.Qxb5 a6 21.Qe2 Bxd5 22.Rf4 Bc4 23.Qf2 Bxe3 24.Bxe3 Qc6 25.Na3 Bb5 26.Nxb5 axb5 27.e6 d6 28.f6 Nxf6 29.Bd4 Rf8 White forfeited on time, stemplarv - steveod, FICS, 2006

6...Kxe5 

Best, but:

6...Qg5 7.Nf3 Qxg2 8.Nxd4+ Ke7 9.Qf3 Qxf3 10.Nxf3 Nf6 11.e5 Nd5 12.d4 h6 13.Na3 b6 14.c4 Nb4 15.Bd2 Nd3+ 16.Ke2 Nxb2 17.Rhg1 Ba6 18.Rac1 d5 19.Bb4+ Kd7 20.Ke3 Bxb4 21.Nb5 Nxc4+ White resigned, marcoseneca - steveod, FICS, 2013

6...Nc6 7.d4 Nxe5 8.Qb3+ Ke7 9.dxe5 Ke8 10.0-0 Qe7 11.f4 b6 12.Bd2 Bb7 13.f5 Bxe4 14.f6 Qc5+ 15.Kh1 gxf6 16.Re1 f5 17.e6 d5 18.c4 Qxc4 19.Qh3 Nf6 20.Bg5 Qd4 21.Nc3 Rg8 22.Nxe4 Nxe4 23.Rxe4 dxe4 24.Qxf5 Qg7 25.Qb5+ c6 26.Qxc6+ Qd7 27.Qxd7 checkmate, pigsfeet - steveod, FICS, 2012

7.cxd4+ Kxd4 

The King retreat is safer, but not without its perils, as White has shown: 7...Ke6 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.e5 Nd5 10.Qg4+ Kf7 11.Nxd5 d6 12.Qf4+ Kg8 13.0-0 dxe5 14.Qxe5 Bd6 15.Qe4 h6 16.d3 Bd7 17.Re1 Bc6 18.Ne7+ Bxe7 19.Qxe7 Qxd4 20.Qe6+ Kh7 21.Qf5+ Kg8 22.Be3 Qh4 23.d4 Rf8 24.Qe6+ Kh7 25.d5 Bb5 26.Rac1 c6 27.d6 Rhg8 28.Rcd1 Kh8 29.d7 Qb4 30.Bd4 Bc4 31.Qxh6 checkmate, PEITONER - aresa, FICS, 2015

8.d3 Bb4+ 9.Nc3

A natural response.  In "The Threat Is Greater..." I mentioned the two alternatives, 9.Ke2!? and 9.Kf1!?, which threaten to win a piece after 9...Ke5 10.Qb3 followed by 11.Qxb4. The Database shows that these suggestions have yet to be followed.

9...Ke5 

Or 9...Bxc3+ 10.bxc3+ Ke5 (10...Kxc3 11.0-0 Qf6 12.Be3 Kb4 13.Rb1+ Ka5 14.Qb3 c6 15.Qa3 checkmate, Edisce - nkm, FICS, 200511.f4+ (11.Qh5+ was the correct move, as in perrypawnpusher - AdamRou, blitz, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 28]) 11...Kf6 Black forfeited by disconnection, kocanda - ETERHERE, standard, FICS, 2014

10.0-0

White could also whip up an attack with 10.d4+ Kf6 11.Qf3+.

10...Nf6 11.d4+ Ke6 12.Qb3+ 

The Queen goes to b3 and then captures the Bishop, after all. (See the note to White's 9th move.)

12...d5 13.Qxb4 Kf7 

White's center pawns help him take command.

14.e5 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.f3 a5 17.fxe4+ Ke8 18.Qc4 Rf8 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 20.Be3 c6 21.Rf1+ Ke7 22.Qf7 checkmate



Friday, November 7, 2014

Jerome Pawn Fall

The "Jerome pawns" - the one White obtains in exchange for his piece(s) - can be a powerful attacking or positional force. However, if White does not take care of his pawns, they can also become targets and the cause of his downfall, as in the following game.

ulla - abebe
milenrousoulski's mini-tournament, 
GameKnot.com, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ 



The Blackburne Shilling Jerome gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf6 

Four years ago, in "BSG: Later on in the Discussion", I suggested that now, after 6.Nf3, the game would be equal. Shortly afterwards, I faced 5...Kf6 played by RVLY, a specialist in the line (see "Whose Territory Are We Fighting On?"), but after 6.c3 Kxe5 we transposed into more regular 5...Ke6 lines. GOH, a member of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde playing at FICS, has faced 6.c3 Ne6 and 6.c3 d6. To date, The Database does not include a game with my suggestion 6.c3 Nc2+!?

6.Ng4+

There are 66 games with this line in The Database, played by the likes of Jerome Gambiteers GOH, HauntedKnight, MyGameUMove, stretto, Wall and yorgos. 

6...Ke7 7.c3 Ne6 

Or 7...Nc6 8.d4 d6 9.d5 Bxg4 10.Qxg4 Qd7 11.Qxd7+ Kxd7 12.dxc6+ Kxc6 13.0-0 Nf6 14.f3 h6 15.Be3 Be7 16.Nd2 b5 17.Nb3 a6 18.Nd4+ Kb7 19.Nf5 Bf8 20.Bd4 Re8 21.Rfd1 Re6 22.a4 g6 23.axb5 gxf5 24.bxa6+ Ka8 25.exf5 Re5 26.Bxe5 dxe5 27.Rd8+ Ka7 28.Ra5 Bc5+ 29.Rxc5 Rxd8 30.Rxc7+ Kb8 31.Rc6 Nd5 32.Rxh6 Nf4 33.g3 Rd1+ 34.Kf2 Nd3+ 35.Ke2 Nxb2 36.Rb6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - GYHZ, FICS, 2010

8.d4 h5

Or 8...Nf6 9.d5 Nc5 10.0-0 Ke8 11.Bg5 Be7 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.b4 Na6 15.e5 Qg6 16.Qd4 b6 17.f4 Bb7 18.f5 Qg5 19.Nd2 c5 20.dxc6 Bxc6 21.Ne4 Qg4 22.Nd6+ Kd8 23.Qxg4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Darksquare, 15 0 game, Chess.com, 2010.

9.Ne5 Qe8 10.d5 

Unsettling the pawn front and ignoring the pawns left behind (e.g. at g2). White should have tried 10.0-0 followed by adding another pawn to the center with f2-f4. 

10...Nc5 11.Bg5+ Nf6 12.Qd4 d6 13.Nc4



White might have done better to try 13.Nd2 dxe5 14.Qxc5+ Kd8 15.Qe3, although Black would still have the advantage. 

13...Qg6

Striking back at the pawns.

14.Bxf6+ gxf6 15.g3 Qxe4+ 16.Qxe4+ Nxe4 17.0-0


The g-pawn is safe, but Black will now unravel his position and make use of his extra material. White does not complicate enough to distract him.

17...Kf7 18.Re1 Ng5 19.Nbd2 Bg4 20.Re3 Bh6 21.f4 Nh3+ 22.Kg2 Rhe8 White resigned



There is still play in the game, even after the Rooks are exchanged, but with only a pawn for Black's piece, it would be all uphill for White.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Black: Winning the "Wrong" Way



After the previous game, I was pleased to come across the following Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. 

JMonson has played the Jerome Gambit at FICS for at least 5 years (scoring 58%). Here he runs afoul of a relatively rare counter-attacking idea. The whole line deserves further exploration.


JMonson - fischerJrSON

standard, FICS, 2013

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




The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.


5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Nfg4




A plucky move by Black - Let White choose which piece he wants to capture, I want to attack!


The Database has only 3 earlier examples: two wins for White and one draw, a misleading result.


8.dxc5


Here, Black lost on time in Apterygidae - Danialian, standard, FICS, 2011. There is not much to learn from that.


Houdini prefers 8.f3 for White, leaving Black with an edge after 8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Qh4+ 10.Kd2 Qf6 11.Ke2 d6 12.Nd5 c5 13.Nxf6 cxd4 14.Nxg4 Bxg4 15.fxg4 Rac8. Jerome Gambiteers might want to remember 8.f3.


8...Qh4 


Instead, 8...c6 was played in the up-and-down MyGameUMove - SoftBrutal, FICS, 2013: 9.O-O Re8 10.Nd5 b6 11.b4 bxc5 12.bxc5 Nf6 13.Nxf6 Qxf6 14.Qh5+ g6 15.Qxh7+ Ke6 16.Qh3+ Ke7 17.Qg3 Ba6 18.Bg5 Bxf1 19.Bxf6+ Kxf6 20.Kxf1 a5 21.f4 Nc4 22.Qg5+ Kg7 23.f5 Kf8 24.Qxg6 Rxe4 25.Qh6+ Kf7 26.Qg6+ Ke7 27.Qg7+ Kd8 28.Qg8+ Re8 29.Qg5+ Kc7 30.f6 Re5 31.Qg3 Nd2+ 32.Kg1 d6 33.Rd1 Rae8 34.cxd6+ Kxd6 35.Rxd2+ Kc7 36.Re2 Kd6 37.Rxe5 Rxe5 38.f7 Ke7 39.Qxe5+ Kxf7 40.Qd6 c5 41.Qc6 c4 42.Qc5 a4 43.Qxc4+ Kf6 44.Qxa4 Kf5 45.c4 Ke4 46.c5+ Kd3 47.c6 Ke3 48.c7 Ke2  when White ran out of time and Black had no material to mate, giving a draw. Many improvements are possible for both sides.


9.Be3


This just loses a piece.


Instead 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.g3 (10.Qd4 Kf7 11.Bf4 is about equal) 10...c6 (10...Qf6 11.f4 Nf3+ 12.Kf1 Qd4 13.Qxd4 Nxd4 14.Nd5+ Kf7 Black would have an edge) 11.Qd6+ Kd8 12.gxh4 Nf3+ 13.Ke2 Re8 14.Kxf3 h5 15.Bg5+ Re7 16.Bxe7+ (16.Qxe7+ Kc7 17.Qd6#) 16...Ke8 17.e5 b6 18.Ne4 Ba6 19.Rad1 Rd8 Black resigned, in stretto - shutrick, FICS, 2007.


9...Nxe3 White resigned




Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Point Made

One day this past winter, MyGameUMove took on an opponent at FICS who was rated a couple hundred points higher than he was. They contested three Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4!? 4.Bxf7+!?) games. MyGameUMove, with the White pieces, won all three, with the longest game ending up with the final position.
MyGameUMove - NN, FICS, 2012
Point made.


(Three of them, actually.)

Friday, March 2, 2012

A Remarkable Error


When you play blitz chess, "things happen." You make moves that you would prefer to un-make. You play games that you would prefer to un-play. When the Jerome Gambit or its relatives are involved, that usually only makes it worse. 


chessup - FerDensetsu
standard, FICS, 2011


1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4



The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.


4.Bxf7+


The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.


4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 8.Qe5+ Qe7



This is the 17th game in The Database with this remarkable error that combines automatic, stereotypical piece placement with moving a bit too quickly (and realizing it a bit too late). I notice that Jerome Gambit regulars such as GOH, Darrenshome, stretto, yorgos and MyGameUMove have all faced it.

Interestingly, White has won 15 games, drawn one and lost one.


9.Nxe7 Black resigned

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

A WhyDunnit

Sometimes a mystery story is referred to as a "whodunnit", as the tale is about the discovery of who "done" the crime at hand.

More recently, the word "howdunnit" has been used for those telling where the reader knows, often from the beginning, who has committed the crime but has to figure out "how" the authorities are going to solve the mystery or catch the criminal.

I don't know if the word has been coined yet, but the position below, from the game MyGameUMove - BanditMan, blitz, FICS, 2011 (a Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit), seems to be an example of a "whydunnit".

The game has just seen 21.c4+ Kd4, and at that point Black, rated about 650 points higher than his opponent, disconnected, forfeiting the game.

Why?

Black has two pieces for White's three extra pawns, which seems like an advantage. His King is remarkably safe, despite all appearances. Perhaps time was an issue. Perhaps he received an important phone call. 

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Just Plain Annoying

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can be just plain annoying. Black has his mind on playing an interesting line that he has prepared, and then, suddenly, What is this?? Who wants to bother with this?

Yet, the nagging question also arises in the second player's mind: Who wants to lose to this junk? (Okay, so what do I do now?)

I think that helps explain the sudden end of the following game. It is as if Black, rated about 250 points above his opponent, realizes that he missed a move to finish off White, and decided: Phooey! I didn't really want to play this game, anyhow...

MyGameUMove - cqs
blitz, FICS, 2011

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




4...Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6


Black has a comfortable, better, winning position. Of course.

9.Qc4+ d5 10.exd5 Qxd5 11.Qe2 Re8 12.Be3 Kg8


More material, better development, safe King... yadda, yadda, yadda...

13.Nc3 Qe5 14.Rae1 Qd6 15.Nb5 Qd8 16.Rd1 Qe7 17.Rde1 a6 18.Qc4+ Qf7

Oh, rats! If I had played 18...Be6, it would be "Game over!"

Of course, it should have been "Game over!" after move 4, anyhow.

Why am I wasting my time on this game??

19.Qxf7+ Black forfeited by disconnection

(This might have puzzled White, who could see that after 19...Kxf7 20.Nxc7 Be6 21.Nxa8 Rxa8 he would have a Rook and two pawns against Black's two Knights, at best only a theoretical edge, if any.)