Bots on Our Side (Part 3)

Most chess-playing computer programs have a "book" in the software that lays out opening lines for the program to play. This saves on computing time - i.e. why analyze the "best" 6 or 8 opening moves, game after game - and makes sure that the program gets off to a reasonable start. It can include the latest preferences of super-Grandmasters, or the favorite moves of the programmer.

Given that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is not likely to be deemed "best" play for White by the analysis of any competent computer, any time the opening is played by a program, it is likely that the Jerome has been included in the opening "book".

A computer program dedicated to playing the Jerome Gambit - like Brause, focused on the Halloween Gambit, mentioned in an earlier post - would be a gift to the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde; but, alas, such a thing apparently does not (yet) exist. 

I cross-checked the list of 130 or so computer "players" at the Free Internet Chess Server with the roughly 55,000 games in The Database. I found 9 additional (see Part 1 and Part 2 for the games of  GriffySr and GriffyJr) games showing a variety of Jeromes - the Jerome Gambit proper, the Abraham Jerome Gambit, the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, and the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.


Gamin - mscp
blitz, FICS, 2001
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 Nge7 6.Bg5 Kg8 7.Nc3 h6 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.Nd5 Qd8 10.c3 a5 11.Qb3 a4 12.Qc4 a3 13.Nxc7+ d5 14.exd5 axb2 15.dxc6+ Kh7 16.Rb1 Qxc7 17.Qxc5 e4 18.dxe4 Rxa2 19.Qc4 Ra6 20.Qd3 Qxc6 21.Qc2 Kg8 22.Nd2 Ra2 23.Rxb2 Ra1+ 24.Rb1 Rxb1+ 25.Nxb1 Qa6 26.e5 g6 27Nd2 Rh7 28.Ne4 Qa1+ 29.Qd1 Qxd1+ 30.Kxd1 Rh8 31.Nd6 Bd7 32.Ke2 Rh7 33.Kd3 Bc6 34.f3 Rd7 35.Ra1 b6 36.Kd4 b5 37.Kc5 Bb7 38.Ra7 Bc6 39.Ra6 Rxd6 40.Kxd6 Bb7 41.Ra7 Bxf3 42.gxf3 g5 43.e6 b4 44.cxb4 g4 45.e7 Kf7 46.fxg4 h5 47.gxh5 Kf6 48.e8=Q Kg5 49.Qg6+ Kf4 50.Re7 Kf3 51.Qg3 checkmate

Gamin - JumpNMustangII
lightning, FICS, 2001

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Qh4 8.O-O Nc6 9.Qf3+ Qf6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qd5+ Qe6 12.Qxe6+ dxe6 13.cxb4 Nxd4 14.Na3 Ne2+ 15.Kh1 Nf6 16.Re1 Nxc1 17.Raxc1 c6 18.Nc4 Rd8 19.e5 Nd5 20.Nd6+ Ke7 21.Re4 a5 22.b5 cxb5 23.Rh4 h5 24.Nxb5 Nb4 25.Nd6 Bd7 26.Nxb7 Rdc8 27.Rxc8 Rxc8 28.h3 Rc2 29.Nxa5 Rxb2 30.a3 Nd3 31.f4 Ne1 32.Nc4 Rxg2 33.Nb6 Rc2 34.Nd5+ exd5 35.f5 Nf3 White resigned

SiliconC - cesrmathurine
standard, FICS, 2005

1.Nf3 Nc6 2.e4 e5 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Qf6 10.Qd3 d6 11.Qc4+ Be6 12.Qxc7+ Ne7 13.O-O Rac8 14.Qxb7 Rxc2 15.Qxa7 Rhc8 16.Qe3 Bc4 17.Re1 Bd3 18.Na3 Bxe4 19.Qxe4 Qxf2+ 20.Kh1 Re2 21.Qxe2 Qxe2 22.Rxe2 Nf5 23.g4 Nd4 24.Re4 Nf3 25.Rf4+ Kg7 26.Rxf3 Black resigned

fjjvh - nicoben
blitz, FICS, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qf3+ Nf6 5.Qb3+ Kf8 6.Qf7+ Kxf7 7.Nf3 Ng4 8.Nxe5+ Nxe5 9.f4 Ng4 10.h3 Nf6 11.e5 Ne4 12.e6+ Kxe6 13.f5+ Kxf5 14.Rf1+ Kg5 15.d3+ Kg6 16.Rf6+ Kxf6 17.Bg5+ Kxg5 18.h4+ Kxh4 19.g3+ Kxg3 20.dxe4 Qe8 21.a4 Qxe4+ 22.Kf1 Qxc2 23.Ra3+ Bxa3 24.Nxa3 Qxb2 25.Nc4 Qg2+ 26.Ke1 Qf2+ 27.Kd1 Qf1+ 28.Kd2 Qxc4 29.a5 b6 30.Ke3 bxa5 31.Kd2 Re8 32.Kd1 Kf2 33.Kd2 Re2+ 34.Kd1 Qc2 checkmate


Gamin - cccolts
blitz, FICS, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 h6 6.O-O Nf6 7.Be3 Bxe3 8fxe3 Rf8 9.c3 Kg8 10.Nbd2 d6 11.d4 Bg4 12.Qb3+ Kh8 13.Qxb7 Qd7 14.Qa6 Bxf3 15.Rxf3 Rab8 16.Rb1 Rb6 17.Qa3 Re8 18.d5 Ne7 19.Qxa7 Reb8 20.b3 Ng6 21.Rbf1 Kh7 22.Rg3 R8b7 23.Qa5 Rb5 24.Qa4 R5b6 25.Qxd7 Nxd7 26.a3 Ra6 27.Rf7 Nc5 28.b4 Nd3 29.Nc4 Ne1 30.a4 Rba7 31.a5 Kg8 32.Rf1 Nc2 33.Rxg6 Black resigned

BlackDemon - wkw
lightning, FICS, 2009
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.O-O Nf6 6.d3 Rf8 7.Be3 Bxe3 8.fxe3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5+ Kg8 11.Rxf8+ Qxf8 12.Nxc6 Qc5 13.Qe2 bxc6 14.d4 Bg4 15.dxc5 Bxe2 16.Nd2 Bh5 17.e4 Nb4 18.c3 Nd3 19.b4 a5 20.a4 axb4 21.cxb4 Nxb4 22.a5 Nd3 23.a6 Ra7 24.Nb3 Bf7 25.Rd1 Bxb3 26.Rxd3 Be6 27.Rd8+ Kf7 28.Rb8 Rxa6 29.Rb7 Ke7 30.Rxc7+ Bd7 31.Kf2 Ra5 32.g3 Rxc5 33.Ke3 Ra5 34.Rb7 Ra2 35.h3 Ra3+ 36.Kf4 c5 37.h4 c4 38.Ke5 Rd3 39.Ra7 c3 40.Rc7 Kd8 41.Rc4 Bb5 42.Rc5 Ba4 43.Ke6 c2 44.Kf7 Rd7+ 45.Ke6 Rc7 46.Rxc2 Bxc2 47.Kd5 Rd7+ 48.Ke5 Re7+ 49.Kf4 Rxe4+ 50.Kf3 Ke7 51.Kf2 Kf6 52.Kg2 Kf5 53.Kf2 Kg4 54.Kg2 Re2+ 55.Kf1 Bd3 56.h5 Kxg3 57.h6 Re3+ 58.Kg1 Re1 checkmate


BlackDemon - abhaysonu
blitz, FICS, 2009
1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.O-O Re8 7.d3 Kg8 8Bg5 Be7 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Nd5 d6 11.h3 Ne7 12.Nxf6+ gxf6 13.d4 Ng6 14.c3 Kh8 15.Ne1 Rg8 16.Qf3 Qe7 17.Kh1 Qg7 18.Rg1 Nh4 19.Qd3 Bxh3 20.Qxh3 Ng6 21.Nd3 Nf4 22.Nxf4 exf4 23.Rae1 Rae8 24.Kh2 Qg6 25.Qh4 f3 26.gxf3 Qf7 27.Rxg8+ Rxg8 28.Rg1 Rxg1 29.Kxg1 Qxa2 30.Qxf6+ Kg8 31.Qd8+ Kf7 32.Qxc7+ Kg6 33.Qxd6+ Kh5 34.Qd5+ Kh6 35.Qxa2 Black resigned


callipygian - vuhb
blitz, FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Qf6+ 7.Nf3 d6 8.Qg5 Nc6 9.Rf1 Qxg5 10.Nxg5+ Kg7 11.d3 Nd4 12.Na3 Nf6 13.c3 Ne6 14.Nb5 Ne8 15.Kg3 Rf8 16.Nxe6+ Bxe6 17.Bh6+ Kxh6 18.Rxf8 Kg7 19.Rf3 c6 20.Nd4 Bg8 21.a4 Nf6 22.a5 c5 23.Nb5 c4 24.Nxd6 cxd3 25.Rxd3 Be6 26.Kf4 Rf8 27.Re1 Nd7+ 28.Kg3 Ne5 29.Rdd1 b6 30.axb6 axb6 31.Nb5 h5 32.Nc7 Bg4 33.Rd5 Rf7 34.Ne8+ Black resigned



LittleBugger - Nicolayevich
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 6.Nc3 d6 7.Nd5+ Ke8 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Nxg6 Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Nxa1 11.Ne5 checkmate

Ionman vs the Bots

The early Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games by ionman at  FICS seem to have all been played against computer bots, providing not only a bit of a historical perspective but also some interesting analytical off-shoots. They are well worth playing through.

I have messaged ionman at FICS, and hope to learn more about his explorations.

ionman - GriffyJr

blitz, FICS, 2005

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

Heading for the Blackburne Defense.

As we have seen in "Sailing off the Edge of the World", ionman also faced 6...Ke6: 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ The choice of the mscp bot.

Instead, 8...Bd4 was the choice of the Fleurybot and FleurybotJr bots 9.c3 (After the stronger 9.fxe5+ Black has to find 9...Kc6 which is the only move that keeps his edge 10.c3 d5 11.Qf4 Bb6 12.exd5+ Qxd5) 9...Nd3+ 10.Ke2 Ne7 (10...Nh6 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxd4 Nxc1+ 13.Rxc1 Qf8 14.Qe5+ Kd8 15.f5 Ng4 16.Qg3 h5 17.c4 d6 18.d4 Bd7 19.Nc3 Bc6 20.d5 Bd7 21.Rf1 Rh6 22.h3 Ne5 23.Rf2 Nxc4 24.Raf1 Nxb2 25.e5 Nc4 26.Ne4 Nxe5 27.f6 Bb5+ 28.Ke3 Bxf1 29.Rxf1 gxf6 30.Qh4 Kc8 31.Rxf6 Qe7 32.Qg5 Rh7 33.Qg8+ Kd7 34.Qg6 Nxg6 35.Rxd6+ cxd6 36.Kd4 Qe5+ 37.Kc4 Qxe4+ 38.Kb5 Qxd5+ 39.Kb4 Qxa2 40.g4 Qb1+ 41.Kc4 Ne5+ 42.Kd4 Qd3 checkmate, ionman - FleurybotJr, blitz, FICS, 2005) 11.e5+ Nxe5 12.fxe5+ Bxe5 13.Qd3+ Kc6 14.Qe4+ Kd6 15.d4 Bxh2 16.c4 c6 17.c5+ Kc7 18.Rxh2 d6 19.cxd6+ Qxd6 20.Bf4 Nf5 21.Bxd6+ Nxd6 22.Qe5 Re8 23.Qxe8 Bg4+ 24.Kd3 Bf5+ 25.Kd2 Rxe8 26.Nc3 Nc4+ 27.Kd1 Nxb2+ 28.Kc1 Nd3+ 29.Kd2 Kb6 30.Rhh1 h6 31.Rhb1+ Kc7 32.a4 Re7 33.a5 Kd6 34.a6 b6 35.Ne2 Re8 36.Nc1 Nf4 37.Rb3 Re4 38.Re3 Rxd4+ 39.Ke1 Nxg2+ 40.Kf2 Nxe3 41.Kxe3 Re4+ 42.Kf3 g5 43.Ne2 g4+ 44.Kf2 Be6 45.Rd1+ Bd5 46.Nc3 Rf4+ 47.Ke1 g3 48.Ne2 g2 49.Ng1 Rf1+ 50.Kd2 Bc4 51.Kc1+ Ke5 52.Nf3+ Rxf3 53.Rg1 Rf1+ 54.Rxf1 gxf1Q+ 55.Kd2 Qd3+ 56.Kc1 Bd5 57.Kb2 Qd2+ 58.Ka3 Qc3+ 59.Ka4 Qb3 checkmate, ionman - Fleurybot, blitz, FICS 2005; 

Returning to the mscp bot: 9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kd1 (10.Ke2 Nd4+ 11.Kd1 Nxf5 12.gxh4 Nxh4 13.e5+ Kc6 14.c3 d5 15.d4 Bg4+ 16.Kc2 Bf5+ 17.Kb3 Bf8 18.Be3 Re8 19.Nd2 Ng2 20.Bf2 Nxf4 21.Bg3 Nd3 22.a3 a5 23.Ka2 g6 24.b3 Bh6 25.Nf3 Rf8 26.Nh4 a4 27.b4 Bh3 28.Rhd1 Nf2 29.Bxf2 Rxf2+ 30.Kb1 Rf4 31.b5+ Kxb5 32.Kc2 Rxh4 33.Rab1+ Kc6 34.Kd3 Bf5+ 35.Ke2 Bg4+ 36.Kf2 Bxd1 37.Rxd1 Rxh2+ 38.Kg3 Ra2 39.Re1 Rxa3 40.Kg4 Rxc3 41.e6 Nf6+ 42.Kh4 g5 checkmate, ionman - mscp, blitz, FICS, 2005) 10...Ne7 11.e5+ (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, blitz, FICS,  2005) 11...Kc6 12.Qe4+ d5 13.exd6+ 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, blitz, FICS, 2005. 

(Relax, all of the games can be found in The Database. Just ask for it.)

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Qd8 

A day after the text game, ionman tried 10.e5 less successfully: 10...dxe5 (instead 10...Ng4 is strong) 11.Qd8 (better is the thematic 11.d4) 11...Bd6 12.Nc3 (12.g3 Qc4 13.Nc3 Qxf1+ 14.Kxf1 Bh3+ 15.Kg1 Rxd8 16.d3 Rd7 17.Ne2 Bg4 18.Kf1 Bf3 19.Ke1 Ng4 20.h3 Nh2 21.Ng1 Bg2 22.h4 Ng4 23.Be3 Ke6 24.Ke2 a5 25.Nf3 Nxe3 26.fxe3 Bc5 27.e4 h6 28.c3 Bxf3+ 29.Kxf3 Rxd3+ 30.Ke2 Rxg3 White resigned, ionman - GriffyJr, blitz, FICS, 2005) 12...e4 13.g3 Qh3 14.f3 Qxf1+ 15.Kxf1 Bh3+ 16.Kf2 Rxd8 17.b3 Bc5+ 18.Ke2 exf3+ 19.Kxf3 Rf8 20.Bb2 Bf5 21.d3 Ng4 22.h3 Ne5+ 23.Kg2 Nc6 24.g4 Be6 25.Rf1+ Ke8 26.Rxf8+ Kxf8 27.Ne4 Bd4 28.Ba3+ Kg7 29.c3 Be5 30.d4 Bf4 31.Bb2 Kf7 32.c4 Nb4 33.d5 Bc8 34.Kf3 g5 35.h4 gxh4 36.Kxf4 Nd3+ 37.Kg5 Nxb2 38.Kxh4 Ke7 39.Kg5 Nd3 40.Kh6 Bxg4 41.Kxh7 Bf5+ 42.Kg7 Bxe4 White resigned, ionman - GriffyJr, blitz, FICS, 2005. 

10...Qxe4 11.Qxc7+ 

The next day 11.Nc3 was played, which is a good move, but not as good as the text 11...Qxc2 (better is 11...Qc6) 12.Qxc7+ (12.d4 is better) 12...Nd7 13.Nd5 (13.d4 is better) 13...Qe4 14.Nc3 (14.Ne3) 14...Qe5 (14...Qc2) 15.d3 Qd4 16.Re1 A losing blunder 16...Qxf2+ White resigned, ionman - GriffyJr, blitz, FICS, 2005. 

11...Qe7 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 

White is up the exchange and two pawns. Black's only compensation is better development.

13.c3 Be6 14.d4 Bb6 15.Bg5

Or 15.Nd2 Re8 16.Nf3 h5 17.Ng5 Bc4 18.Re1+ Kd8 19.Rxe8+ Kxe8 20.f3 Nd5 21.Ne4 Kd7 22.Kf2 Bd3 23.Bd2 Bc4 24.Re1 Bxa2 25.Bg5 a5 26.Nf6+ Kc6 27.Nxd5 Bxd5 28.Re8 Kb5 29.Bd8 Bc6 30.Rh8 Bxd8 31.Rxd8 Kc4 32.Rxd6 Be8 33.Rb6 Bc6 34.Ke3 g5 35.Kd2 Kd5 36.Kd3 Ke6 37.c4 Kd6 38.d5 Kc5 39.Rb3 a4 40.Ra3 Bd7 41.b4+ Kxb4 42.Rc3 a3 43.Kd4 Bf5 44.c5 Possibly a time error 44...a2 45.Rc1 Bb1 46.Rc4+ Kb5 White resigned,  ionman - GriffyJr, blitz, FICS, 2005. 

15...Re8 16.Nd2 d5 17.Nf3 h5 

White now continues to reduce the game to a simpler and simpler won endgame.

18.Rae1 a5 19.Bh4 a4 20.Ng5 Kd7 21.Nxe6 Rxe6 22.Rxe6 Kxe6 23.Bxf6 Kxf6 24.Re1 Bc7 25.Kf1 a3 26.b3 Ba5 27.Rc1 Kf5 28.c4 Bc7 29.Re1 b5 30.Rc1 Bf4 31.Rc2 dxc4 32.bxc4 bxc4 33.Rxc4 Bd6 34.Ke2 Bxh2 35.g3 h4 36.Rc3 hxg3 37.fxg3 Bg1 38.Rxa3 Bxd4 39.Kf3 Ke5 40.Ra6 g5 41.a4 Bc5 42.a5 Bb4 43.Ra8 Kf6 44.a6 Bc5 45.a7 Bb4 46.Rh8 Bc5 47.a8Q Ke5 48.Re8+ Kf6 49.Qc6+ Kg7 50.Qxc5 g4+ Black resigned

Sailing Off the Edge of the World

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

Eyeblink Chess: Crash

It can be an exciting challenge to be successful with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), even when it is played well.

To play the opening poorly is an invitation to disaster. It also seems to be a betrayal of the opening itself. Witness:

Arcetri - dworm
blitz FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+ Qxg5 6.d3 White resigned


ocho - Aquanaut
blitz FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+ Qxg5 6.d3 Qxg2 White resigned


xxkrsevenxx - mscp
blitz FICS, 2001
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+ Qxg5 6.d4 Qxg2 White resigned


akhnaten - fafner
blitz FICS, 1999
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 Nf6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Nxh5 White resigned


BillieBob - SuperCanuck
blitz FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 Qf8 6.Ng5+ Kg6 7.h4 Qxf2 checkmate


Superpippo - kostik
blitz FICS, 2001
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+ Qxg5 6.d4 Qxg2 7.Qh5+ g6 White resigned


Relax, readers. This blog, and the support of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde will help you avoid such crashes.