Here's another Jerome Gambit game from shugart, playing at the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS). Unlike the play in the last post (see"A Familiar Line Off The Beaten Path"), this features a novel line that is truly new to White, and quite rare in The Database (it is one of three games).
shugart - bobbybo
FICS, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qh5
9...Nf6
Black's move is an improvement over the less-challenging 9...N8e7, e.g. 10.O-O Be6 11.f4 Ke8 12.f5 Bf7 13.fxg6 Bxg6 14.Qf3 Qd7 15.Nc3 Kd8 16.d3 Qe6 17.Bg5 Kd7 18.Qe2 Rad8 19.d4 c6 20.d5 cxd5 21.exd5 Qxe2 22.Nxe2 Bxc2 23.Nd4 Bg6 24.Bxe7 Kxe7 25.Rae1+ Kd7 26.Nf5 Bxf5 27.Rxf5 g6 28.Rf7+ Kc8 29.Ree7 a6 30.Rxb7 Rde8 31.Rxh7 Rxh7 32.Rxh7 Re1+ 33.Kf2 Rd1 34.Rh6 Rxd5 35.Rxg6 Kc7 36.h4 Rh5 37.g3 d5 38.Ke3 Re5+ 39.Kd4 Re1 40.g4 Rd1+ 41.Ke3 d4+ 42.Ke2 Rb1 43.b3 Rb2+ 44.Kd3 Rxa2 45.Kxd4 Rd2+ 46.Kc3 Rh2 47.h5 Rh3+ White forfeited on time, Siggus - MetaMidi, FICS, 2006.
10.Qe2
Also improving on the previous 10.Qf3, e.g. Kf7 11.O-O Rf8 12.Qb3+ d5 13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Qxd5+ Nxd5 15.Nc3 Nb4 16.Rb1 Nxc2 17.b3 Bf5 18.Rb2 Nb4 19.a3 Nd3 20.Ra2 c6 21.a4 Rfe8 22.f3 Nxc1 23.Rxc1 Bd3 24.Raa1 Nf4 25.Kf2 Ne2 26.Nxe2 Rxe2+ 27.Kg3 Rae8 28.b4 Rxd2 29.b5 Ree2 30.bxc6 Rxg2+ 31.Kf4 g5+ 32.Ke3 Rge2+ 33.Kd4 bxc6 34.Kc5 Rc2+ 35.Rxc2 Rxc2+ 36.Kb4 c5+ 37.Ka5 Rb2 38.Rc1 c4 39.h3 Rc2 40.Re1 c3 41.Re5 Rb2 42.Rc5 c2 43.Rc7+ Kg6 44.Rc6+ Kh5 45.Rc3 Rb1 46.Rxd3 c1=Q 47.Rd5 Qc7+ 48.Ka6 Qb6 checkmate, indoeinstein - adlkaslad, FICS, 2014
10...Kf7 11.O-O Re8 12.Nc3
Curiously, the game has reached a position from the game featured in the previous post, with Black's Queen on d8 (here) instead of e6 (there).
Black's faulty combination now hands the advantage over to White. (He probably overlooked that the capture at move 14 comes with check.) When you are playing against a bad opening, it is easy to see its many faults, real and imagined.
12...Bg4 13.f3 Nxe4 14.fxe4+ Kg8 15.Qxg4 c6
White now settles things down with some exchanges, magnifying his extra piece and pawn.
16.d3 Qb6+ 17.Kh1 Rad8 18.b3 Ne5 19.Qg3 Re6 20.Bf4 Rg6 21.Qf2 Rf8 22.Qxb6 axb6 23.Bxe5 dxe5 24.Rxf8+ Kxf8 25.Rf1+ Ke7
The endgame plays out as expected.
26.g3 Ke6 27.Kg2 b5 28.Nd1 c5 29.Ne3 h5 30.h4 Rh6 31.Rf5 Rh7 32.Rg5 b6 33.Rg6+ Kf7 34.Rxb6 g6 35.Rb7+ Kg8 36.Rxh7 Kxh7 37.Kf3 Kg7 38.g4 Kf6 39.gxh5 gxh5 40.Nf5 Ke6 41.a4 bxa4 42.bxa4 Black resigned
In the ongoing RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit thematic tournament, a couple of kinds of players need to be mentioned: those who join because the opening looks new and interesting or challenging or fun; and those who join because they have some knowledge of the opening, and want to test their understanding against others.
Although SeinfeldFan91 does not appear to have experience in the Jerome Gambit, according to The Database, he again shows an understanding of the opening beyond that of his experienced opponent, winning his mini-match with rigidwithfear, 2-0.
SeinfeldFan91 - rigidwithfear
Giuoco Piano Jerome gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+
It is worth mentioning that Bill Wall has played this move with success on a number of occasions.
8...Be6 9.Qxb7 Nf6 10.d3 Qd7 11.Nc3 Rhb8 12.Qa6 Kg8
Finally departing from Siggus - metalshredder, standard, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 39) which had the equally playable 12...Rb6. In both cases, Black has the advantage.
13.O-O Nh4
This move and Black's next are not the best way to start the Kingside attack, as it allows the "Jerome pawns" to come to White's rescue.
14.f4 Bg4 15.f5 Nxf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.Qa3 Bg6
Black has returned his extra piece, and now White has a pawn edge. Now SeinfeldFan91 proceeds to outplay his opponent.
18.Bg5 Rf8 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Nd5 f5 21.Qc3 Qf7 22.Qc6 Rae8 23.Rf2 Rec8 24.Re1 Qg7 25.Ne7 Black resigned
Swiss Toni, Marko Krale, jecidi (Group 1), and Red House and SeinfeldFan91 (Group 2) have advanced to Round 2.
If Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, the creator of the Jerome Gambit, ever dreamed of an exciting game, it might very well have looked like the following one.
Wall,B - Guest1157782
playchess.com, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Ng6
The kind of move - withdrawing a piece from attack - that someone unfamiliar with the Jerome Gambit might make quickly. (Best was 7...Qf6).
My guess is that at this point Bill got out his psychic micrometer, measured the apparent depth of his opponent's experience with (or understanding of) the opening, and chose a line of play that was most efficacious against an unschooled or uneasy opponent.
8.f5+
Also seen:
8.Qf5+ as in Idealist - pvm, FICS, 2003 (1-0, 42), Petasluk - jackla, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 31), and Petasluk - popasile, FICS 2011 (0-1, 35);
8.Qxc5 as in Permanence - Pianisimo, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 17) and Permanence - jgknight, FICS, 2008 (0-1,38); and
8.Qd5+ as in Siggus - svetma, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 36).
All of these games can be found in The Database.
8...Kd6
Or 8...Ke5, which led to a quick win for White in Superpippo - HarryPaul, FICS 2001 (1-0, 15).
9.fxg6 Kc6
Instead, Black had to fight back with 9...Nf6.
10.Qd5+ Kb6 11.Qb3+ Kc6
Surprisingly enough, Black's King can escape with 11...Ka6 - if he keeps his wits about him. Sure, White can then win back a piece with 12.Qc4+ b5 13.Qxc5, but after the counter-attack 13...Qh4+!? Black can get his Queen over to protect His Majesty, e.g. 14.Kf1 Qxe4 (Black could also try 14...Ne7 with the idea of 15...Rf8+)15.d3 Qc6 when 16.Qxc6 dxc6 17.gxh7 gives White a small advantage, according to Houdini 3.
12.Nc3 hxg6
Now White finishes things off.
13.Qd5+ Kb6 14.Na4+ Ka5 15.b4+ Kxa4 16.Qb3+ Kb5 17.a4+ Kc6 18.Qd5+ Kb6 19.Qxc5+ Ka6 20.Qa5 checkmate
I would guess that everyone who plays the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has a particular defense that they would rather not face. That is funny, in a way, because the Jerome is a "refuted" opening, and therefore every defense should be uncomfortable...
Still, it was fun to see Philidor1792 in the following game take on the one defense that I worry about the most, played by a computer this time, at that, and wrestle it to the ground for a split point.
A computer can not make sense of the Jerome Gambit? Now, that's a surprise!
Philidor1792 - Computer (Crafty)
2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+
The storm clouds gather.
9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kd1 Ne7
11.e5+
A couple of alternatives from The Database:
11.Qxc5+ Kxc5 12.gxh4 d5 13.e5 Bg4 14.d4+ Nxd4+ 15.Kd2 Nf3+ 16.Ke3 d4+ 17.Kf2 Nxh4 18.Nd2 Raf8 19.Kg3 h5 20.Kxh4 Nf5+ 21.Kg5 Rh6 22.h3 Be2 23.Ne4+ Kd5 24.Nf2 Re8 25.Re1 Ree6 26.c4+ Bxc4 White forfeited on time, fehim - vshamis, FICS, 2008;
11.Qe5+ Nxe5 12.fxe5+ Kxe5 13.gxh4 Kxe4 14.d4 Kxd4 15.Nd2 Rf8 16.Nb3+ Kd5 17.c4+ Kxc4 18.Bg5 Bd6 19.Rc1+ Kd5 20.Re1 Nf5 21.Rc3 Bb4 22.Rd3+ Kc4 23.Re4+ Kxd3 24.Rxb4 Ne3+ 25.Bxe3 Rf1 checkmate, ionman - mscp, FICS, 2005.
11...Kc6
Instead, 11...Kd5 12.Qd3+ 1-0 was the imaginary "R.F."-"Nibs" telephone chess game of 1899.
12.Qe4+ d5 13.exd6+
Or 13.Qxf3 Bg4 14.gxh4 Bxf3+ 15.Ke1 Bxh1 16.c3 Bg1 17.d4 Bxh2 18.Kf2 Rhf8 19.Na3 Be4 20.b4 Ng6 21.c4 Nxf4 22.cxd5+ Nxd5+ 23.Ke2 Nxb4 24.Ke3 Bd5 25.Bd2 Nxa2 26.Nc2 Rf4 27.Kd3 Rxh4 28.Rxa2 Rh3+ 29.Ke2 Bxa2 30.Nb4+ Kb6 31.Nxa2 Bg1 32.Nc3 Bxd4 33.Nd5+ Kc6 34.Ne7+ Kd7 35.Nf5 Bxe5 White resigned, Siggus - mscp, FICS, 2007.
13...Nd5
The key. Otherwise: 13...Kxd6 14.gxh4 Bg4 15.Qa4 Ng1+ 16.Ke1 Bf3 17.d4 Bxh1 18.dxc5+ Ke6 19.Nc3 Rhd8 20.Be3 Nh3 21.Kf1 Nf5 22.Re1 Bc6 23.Qc4+ Kf6 24.Ne4+ Bxe4 25.Qxe4 Re8 26.Bd4+ Nxd4 27.Qxd4+ Kg6 28.Qd3+ Kf6 29.Qxh3 Rxe1+ 30.Kxe1 Re8+ 31.Kf2 Re4 32.Kf3 Rc4 33.c3 Rxc5 34.Qg4 Rb5 35.b4 Rf5 36.Qg1 c5 37.bxc5 a5 38.Qd4+ Kf7 39.Qd7+ Kf6 40.Qxb7 g6 41.c6 Rc5 42.c7 Rxc3+ 43.Ke2 Kf5 44.c8Q+ Rxc8 45.Qxc8+ Kxf4 46.Qe6 a4 47.a3 h5 48.h3 Kg3 49.Ke3 Kxh4 50.Qf6+ g5 51.Kf3 Kxh3 52.Qxg5 h4 53.Qg2 checkmate, ionman - mscp, FICS, 2005.
Hmmmm.... That's the second game where ionman faced this defense 7 years ago. I need to catch up with him...
14.gxh4 Bg4 15.Qa4+ b5 16.Qa6+ Nb6 17.h3
Varying from 17.c4 Nd4+ 18.Ke1 Rhe8+ 19.Kf2 Nf5+ 20.Kf1 Bh3 checkmate, abhailey - peonconorejas, net-chess.com, 2008, the first "real" game where I saw this particular defense. I was convinced four years ago that the Queen sacrifice was discovered with the help of a computer (The Database, with earlier games, was not available until January 1, 2010.)
17...Bh5 18.c3 Nd4+ 19.Ke1 Nc2+ 20.Kf1 Rhe8 21.d4 Bxd6 22.d5+ Kd7 23.Qxb5+ Kd8 24.Rg1 g6
In this chaotic position, Black is better.
25.Qc6 Nxa1 26.Na3 Re7 27.f5 Rd7 28.Nc4 Rb8 29.Bg5+ Kc8 30.Nxb6+ Rxb6 31.Qa8+ Rb8 32.Qxa7 Rf7 33.Qa6+ Rb7 34.Kg2 Rxf5
35.Rxa1 Bf3+ 36.Kf1 Bxd5+ 37.Ke2 Be6 38.b3 Re5+ 39.Kd2 Bxh3 40.Re1 Rxe1 41.Kxe1 Kb8
42.Qc6 Rb6 43.Qe8+ Kb7 44.Qf7 Bf5 45.Qxh7 Ra6 46.a4 Bg3+ 47.Kd2 Re6 48.Be3 Be1+ 49.Kxe1 Rxe3+ 50.Kf2 Rxc3 51.Qf7 Rc2+ 52.Kg3 Rc3+ 53.Kf4 Rh3 54.Kg5 Rg3+ 55.Kf6 Be4 56.Qc4 Rg4
57.h5 gxh5 58.Qb5+ Ka7 59.Qxh5 Rg6+ 60.Ke5 Bc2 61.Kd4 Rd6+ 62.Kc3 Rc6+ 63.Kb2 Bd3 64.Qd5 Rd6 65.Qc5+ Kb8 66.b4 Kc8
67.b5 Kd7 68.a5 Be4 69.a6 Rd1 70.a7 Rb1+ 71.Ka2 Rd1 72.Qf8 Bd5+ 73.Kb2 Rd2+ 74.Kc3 Ra2 75.Qc5 Bb7 76.b6 cxb6 77.Qxb6 Bd5
78.Kd4 Bc6 79.Ke5 Re2+ 80.Kf6 Re6+ 81.Kg5 Re5+ 82.Kf4 Re4+ 83.Kf5 Re8 84.Qb8 Rc8 85.Ke5 Re8+ 86.Kd4 Ba8 87.Kc5 Rc8+ 88.Kb6 Rc6+ 89.Kb5 Rc8 Draw
As the 2011 edition of the ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament comes to a close, it seems fitting that the first full game looked at in any depth be one between the tournament's top-rated & top-finishing player, and the current top over-the-board Jerome Gambiteer.
The game quickly becomes as sharp and as theoretical as any modern opening line.
AsceticKingK9 - blackburne
ChessWorld, JG6 tournament, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6
The Blackburne Defense, harking back to Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885. See "Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit!"
Not surprisingly, the modern "blackburne" has played this sacrificial line as well. See "blackburne as Blackburne with black".
8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0
An alternative, but still complicated, line of play (see "Update: Blackburne Defense") is preferred by Houdini (who prefers White): 9.d4 Nf6 10.Nd2 Bxd4 11.0-0 Ng4 12.Nf3 Qxf2+ 13.Rxf2 Bxh8 14.Ne5+ Kg8 15.Nxg4 Bxg4 16.c3 Bg7 17.Be3 Re8 18.Re1 Rxe4 19.Rf4 Rxf4 20.Bxf4 Kf7 where Black has the two Bishops and a pawn for the exchange.
9...Nf6 10.Qd8 Bh3
Having sacrificed one Rook, Black now offers the other.
Not quite as strong is 10...Bb6 as with 11.e5 White frees his Queen: 11...dxe5 12.Qd3 e4 13.Qc3 Nd5 14.Qg3 Qf6 15.Nc3 Nxc3 16.dxc3 Be6 17.a4 Rc8 18.Re1 Bf5 19.a5 Bc5 20.Bg5 Qc6 21.Be3 Bd6 22.Bf4 Bxf4 23.Qxf4 h5 24.h3 Qf6 25.g4 hxg4 26.hxg4 Be6 27.Rxe4 g5 28.Qg3 Bd5 29.Re5 Be6 30.Rae1 Re8 31.Qd3 Kg7 32.Rxe6 Rxe6 33.Qd7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Foo,N, Palm Bay, FL, 2010.
11.Qxc7+
Of course, 11.Qxa8? would have led quickly to mate after 11...Qg4.
Equally disastrous was the related 11.g3 Qxe4 12.Qxc7+ Kf8 White resigned, Siggus - toe, FICS, 2007.
11...Kf8
The proper retreat square, not 11...Kg8 12.Qxb7 Qg4 (12...Re8 13.d4 d5 14.gxh3 Qxh3 15.Qb3 Qg4+ 16.Qg3 Qxe4 17.dxc5 Black resigned, Hiarcs 8 - RevvedUp, blitz 2 12, 2006) 13.Qb3+ and White won, Chandler,G - Dimitrov,T, 5 minute special game, 2004.
12.Qxb7
The critical position.
White is ahead the exchange and four pawns, and threatens to grab a Rook – with check. Still, he should realize that he is on the defensive.
Black's pieces are very active, but the best he can do now is to force White to sue for peace with checks and repetitions.
12...Re8
Instead, 12...Qg4, threatening mate, seems essential.
White's only viable response is to grab the Rook, and then check like crazy, for example, 13.Qxa8+ Kf7 14.Qb7+ (14.e5 d5 and Black will mate) 14...Kf8 15.Qa8+ draws by repetition.
13.gxh3 Qxh3
Black probably figured that with mating threats like ...Nf6-g4 and drawing threats like ...Qh3-g4+-f3+ he would be okay.
White does not give him a chance, however.
14.e5 Rxe5 15.Qg2
Dumping cold water on the attack. When White gets his pieces developed, his extra Rook will tell.
15...Qf5 16.d3 Re2 17.Bh6+ Kf7 18.Nd2 Rxd2 19.Bxd2 Ke6 20.Qb7 Ng4 21.Rae1+ Kf6 22.Qe7 checkmate
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