Good Knight

I have been enjoying the games of the RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit tournament (over 80% of the first round games have been completed). I have shared some of the games here, but only the short ones and the ones with unusual (for the Jerome Gambit!) lines - it is clear that players are putting serious effort into opening play, and I don't want to spill anyone's "secrets" in case they want to use them in later rounds.

Still, it is possible to look at a few fun endings, each making use of a Knight or Knights.

For example, here LittleDonkey uses three pieces to achieve a checkmate.

Jean TylerGabriel - LittleDonkey

He didn't need a Queen, you say? He could have used a pawn to do the same job (cover the g2 square)? Here is another checkmate that uses a hearty, helpful pawn -

RODbr - SeinfeldFan91

As a matter of fact, Black's last move was 29...Ra2-g2#. For fun, he also could have played 29...h2# - thanks, in part, to the stalwart Knight.

Here are a couple more Knights at work:

rigidwithfear - procyk

And a single Knight:

RODbr - ZorroTheFox

And a Knight with a lot of helpers:

BigD00 - kristjan

In this last position, Black and White are roughly equal in material, but White has a move that should win the exchange. Black is not willing to give up the material, and so faces a Queen sacrifice and then suffers death by suffication...

rigidwithfear - golddog2

33.Ne5+ Kg8 34.Qe6+ Kh8 35.Nf7+ Kg8 36.Nh6+ Kh8 37.Qg8+ Rxg8 38.Nf7 checkmate

Good Knight!

Bad News

It seems to be the week to re-issue warnings to both attackers and defenders with the Jerome Gambit and its relatives.

The game below comes with the admonition - if you are willing to enter a wild and tricky opening (in this case, the Blackburne Shilling Gambit) where you offer material, you should also be willing to continue in a wild and tricky manner after accepting material. 

nitxcool - dcarballor
10 0, lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. 

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Ke7 

There is both "more" and "less" to this move than meets the eye. It gives the appearance of some kind of Jedi mind trick that shouldn't work. (My advice to Black: take the piece.)

5.Bc4 d6 6.d3 Ke8

White is ahead in development, has an extra pawn, and his King faces no danger; while Black's King cannot castle to safety.

It does not take long for the first player to deliver the bad news.

7.Nxd4 exd4 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qd5 Qf6 10.Bg5 Ne7 11.Qb5+ 

This works, although the straightforward 11.Bxf6 Nxd5 12.Bxd5 was a bit better, as Black's Rook will not excape.

11...c6 12.Qxc6+ 

And even better was 12.Bxf6 cxb5 13.Bxb5+ Bd7 14.Bxd7+ Kxd7 15.Bxh8 

12...bxc6 13.Bxf6 Bh6 14.Bxh8 d5 15.exd5 cxd5 16.Bb5+ Kf7

17.Bxd4 Rb8 18.Ba4 Rxb2

Missing 18...Rb4 but White still would be better. 

19.Bxb2  Black resigned

Another Way to Sacrifice the Knight

Here's a short Jerome Gambit game that again asks the question "What was White's 5th move all about?" It's one of those mysteries that continue to populate chess play...

asewe - paconava1
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Ng5+ 

I would like to attribute this move to a "mouse slip" or a lack of caffeine, but I notice that there are 507 games with 5.Ng5+ in The Database.

Odder, still, White scored 24% in those games.

Perhaps it is just another way to sacrifice White's Knight.  

5...Qxg5

Not everyone wants the Knight. The Database has 367 games with this capture. However, White's score drops to 17%. 

White resigned

This game brings to mind the comment of a chessfriend who enjoys playing the Jerome Gambit while visiting the local pub. Either way, he said, win or lose, the game is fun - and over quickly. Perhaps I should start referring to 5.Ng5+ as the "Pint Gambit"?

I Need to Keep Learning About the Jerome Gambit

The following game is my third Jerome Gambit in the Chess.com Giuoco Piano tournament. With two wins and a draw, I am happy with "my" opening - but, as the following game shows, my middlegame play needs improvement! 

perrypawnpusher - dzetto00
Giuoco Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Kf8

Here we have the Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit, dating back to a couple of correspondence games, Daniel Jaeger - Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, 1880 (Black won both).

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Ke8 9.O-O

Instead, 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.O-O Bd6 was how perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Italian Game, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 25) continued. Of Black's 10th move I noted "an interesting idea that sets up tactical chances on the Kingside" although I criticized White's next move, 11.Qe3 - "Carrying on as if everything is "normal", while Black actually can play 11...Ng4 now, with serious threats."

9...Bd6

Less aggressive was 9...d6 in Petasluk - ilanel, blitz, FICS, 2014 (0-1, 49)

10.Qf3 

Trying to follow the lesson of  perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Chess.com, 2012. For once I did not want Black's Knight to "harass" my Queen (after 10.Qe3) with a move like 10...Ng4.

10...c5 11.d3 h6 12.Nc3 Nf6 

Black has defended against Bc1-g5, as well as d2-d4.

White's strategy should be to quickly get his Rooks working on the e- and f-files - especially since Black's King and Queen are precariously placed. Unfortunately, that will mean developing his dark-squared Bishop to either a meaningless square (d2) or exchanging it off and easing Black's "traffic jam" (i.e. the Bishop at d6 blocks the pawn at d7 which blocks the Bishop at c8 which blocks the Rook at a8).

13.Bf4 Bxf4 14.Qxf4 d6 15.Rae1 Nh5 16.Qd2 Be6 17.f4

Finally White has a Jerome-looking position! My big challenge was could I make use of the time that my opponent spent on 10...c5, 11...h6 and 15...Nh5 ? The answer is "yes" - and "no".

17...Kd7 18.e5 Rhf8 19.d4

Hoping to open up central files against the King and Queen.

19...Rxf4

A surprise.

20.Rxf4 Nxf4 21.Qxf4 Qg5

Another surprise; and, actually, not the best move.

I exchanged Queens here, as I thought it would mean at least a drawn endgame, with some chances to win. It seemed to be a good idea at the time.

22.Qxg5 hxg5 23.d5

My original idea had been to exchange Queens and then play 23.exd6 Kxd6 24.dxc5, but then I saw that 23...cxd4 for Black, instead, messed up things. I then looked at 23.dxc5 dxc5, but I was concerned that the open position would favor Black's Bishop and make things drawish (or worse).

I finally came upon an idea that was paradoxical (and wrong) - a line where I thought I could get serious play in a closed position.

23...Bf5 24.e5+ Ke7 25.Rf1 Rf8 drawn

I had totally overlooked the simple idea of Black using the Rook for protection of the Bishop. Instead, I was caught up with the ideas behind 25...Bxc2? 26.Rf7+, etc. (I lost our first game by similarly overlooking a move, thinking he had to block a check with his Rook - when I would have good play - when he simply used his Knight, and I was busted.)

My opponent suggested that we had reached a draw, and I agreed by offering one, which he accepted.

By the way, the proper response to 21...Qg5 was 22.Qf3!?, continuing the attack on Black's King, by making use of a diagonal as well as the central files, e.g. 22...Rb8 23.dxc5 Qf5 24.Qd1, but that is computer analysis that I need to study another day...

Is A Draw Enough For White in the Jerome Gambit?

Given that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is a "refuted" opening, should White grab the chance for a draw if he sees one? Or does this go against the whole idea of playing a wild, destabilizing and gambling opening?

Is there a point where the Gambiteer should realize that things have gotten difficult enough that he should save a half point, rather than surrender the whole thing?

The following game is an interesting example of these issues.

deriver69 - golddog2
Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit Tournament
RedHotPawn.com 2016.

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

4...Kxf7 5.O-O Nd4

An odd move, reminiscent of the Blackburne Shilling Gambit; but perhaps not too odd: there are 10 previous examples in The Database, and White won 6, lost 4.

6.Nxe5+ Ke7

Better was 6...Kf8 7.c3 Nc6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.d4 Bb6 which is about equal according to Stockfish 7.

7.d3

Instead, after 7.c3 Ne6 8.d4 Bb6 Stockfish 7 says White has the advantage.

7...d6 8.Bg5+ Nf6 9.Ng4 Bxg4 10.Qxg4 Nxc2

Here we have a typical messy Jerome Gambit position. Stockfish suggests that Black should take the time to get his King out of the pin, with 11...Kf8.

11.Nc3 Nxa1 12.Rxa1

White overlooks (or ignores?) the fact that his sacrifice allows him now to draw with 12.Bxf6+ Kxf6 13.Nd5+ Kf7 14.Qf5+ Kg8 15.Qe6+ Kf8 16.Qf5+ etc. But - was he even looking for a draw?

12...c6 13.e5 dxe5 14.Re1 Bd4 15.Ne4

White continues to pressure the Knight at f6.

Black would do well to further consolidate with something like 15...Qd5. Instead, he decides to be a bit more aggressive - and this gives White an opportunity that he does not miss a second time.

15...Qb6 16.Bxf6+ gxf6 17.Qg7+ Ke6 18.Qxf6+ Kd7 19.Qg7+ Ke6 20.Qf6+ Kd7 21.Qg7+ Ke6 22.Qf6+ Kd7 23.Qg7+ Ke6 24.Qf6+ Kd7 25.Qg7+ drawn by repetition

Sang Froid

The ongoing RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit tournament continues to produce interesting and educational games.

Be sure to follow the games in the notes, too, for extra excitment!


golddog2 - deriver69
Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit Tournament
RedHotPawn.com, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 7.Nc3 

Sang froid. White answers Black's wild counter-attack (which leaves two pieces en prise; see "A Pie-in-the-Face Variation") with a rare, but simple developing move. Anything is worth a try in such a precarious position.

For the adventurer with White, despite what a computer player might say about the position, it is reassuring to know that in 222 games in The Database, White scored a scintillating 67%!

7...Bb4

Instead, 7...Nd3+ was the odd idea of the coputer Milobot, in a crazy game that veered all over the place: 8.cxd3 (8.Qxd3) 8...Bf8 (8...Bxd4) 9.Qf3+ (9.Qb3+ or 9.O-O) 9...Qf6 10.Qh5+ Qg6 11.Qd5+ Ke8 12.O-O a6 13.f3 Ra7 14.Bf4 b5 15.Bxc7 Nh6 (15...Rxc7 16.Qe5+ Kd8) 16.f4 Qf7 (16...Rxc7) 17.Rae1 (17. Qe5+) 17...Qg6 (17...Rxc7) 18.f5 Qg4 $18 19.Qe5+ Be7 20.Bd6 Qxg2+ 21.Kxg2 Kf8 22.Qxe7+ Kg8 23.Qf8 checkmate, LeoJustino - MiloBot, FICS, 2012. Wow.

7...Ng4, like the text in the game, also preserves Black's advantage 8.Qf3+ (8.g3 Qf6 9.Qxg4 Bxd4 10.Nd5 Qxf2+ 11.Kd1 d6 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qh4 Qf3+ 14.Kd2 Qxh1 15.c3 Qg2+ 16.Kd3 Be5 17.Bh6 Qh3 18.Qd8 Qxh6 19.Qxc7+ Ke8 20.Rf1 Qg7 21.Qc4 Be6 22.Nc7+ Kd7 23.Qxe6+ Kxc7 24. Rf7+ Qxf7 25.Qxf7+ Kc6 26.Qc4+ Kd7 27.Qf7+ Ne7 28.Qb3 b6 29.Qb5+ Nc6 30 b4 Rhf8 31.Qd5 Rf3+ 32.Ke2 Raf8 33.b5 Rf2+ 34.Ke1 Bxc3+ 35.Kd1 Rd2+ 36.Ke1 Rxd5+ White resigned, CoachCrupp - mathgk, FICS, 2010) 8...N8f6 9.dxc5 Nxh2 10.Qh3 Qxh3 11.gxh3 Nf3+ 12.Ke2 Nd4+ 13.Kd3 Nc6 14.a3 b6 15.Be3 Ba6+ 16.Kd2 Ne5 17.Rad1 Rhe8 18.Kc1 Nc4 19.cxb6 cxb6 20.Bf4 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Rxe4 22.Rxd7+ Ke6 White resigned, Darthnik - picator, FICS, 2011. 

8.dxe5 

The wildness continued after 8.O-O with 8...Ng4 9.h3 h5 10.Qf3+ Qf6 11.hxg4 hxg4 12.Qxg4 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Qh4 14.Qf5+ Nf6 15.f3 d6 16.Qf4 Qxf4 17.Bxf4 b6 18.e5 Nd5 19.Bd2 Ba6 20.Rf2 dxe5 21.dxe5 Rae8 22.f4 g6 23.Re1 Ke6 24.g4 Rhf8 25.Kg2 Ne7 26.Kg3 Bb7 27.c4 c5 28.Bc3 Ba6 29.Re4 Rd8 30 a4 Rd1 31.Rh2 Rg1+ 32.Kf3 Bb7 33.Ke3 Rxg4 34.Rf2 Black forfeited on time in a winning position,  PLURkidIT - CEZRUN, FICS, 2007.

8...Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Qxe4+ 10.Qe2 Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2 Ne7 

A lot of the tension has been taken out of the position, and with only a pawn for his sacrificed piece, White needs to find a way to make use of his open lines and Black's slightly unsafe King.

This time, he is not successful.

12.c4 b6 13.g4 Bb7 14.f3 Rae8 15.Bb2 Ng6 

16.Kf2 Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Rxe5 18.Rad1 d6 19.Rd3 Rhe8 20.Rf1 Re2+ 21.Kg3 Rxc2 22.Rd4 Ree2 23.h3 g5 24.f4 Re3+ 25.Rf3 Rxf3 checkmate

Gambling With the Gambler

It is not for nothing that Gary K. Gifford coined the nickname "The Jerome Gamble" for 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+. White takes a big risk with "Jerome's Double Opening".

Defenders must be warned, however, as they were in the American Supplement to Cook's 'Synopsis'  (1885) that it is "not an attack to be trifled with".

Both players in the game below threw fortune to the wind. Each will no doubt learn from their insights and oversights.

rigidwithfear - deriver69
Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit Tournament
RedHotPawn, 2016

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

4...Kxf7 5.d4 Nxd4 

Black's two alternatives for capture, 5...exd4 and 5...Bxd4, are stronger. Leaving the pawn at e5 open for capture gives Whites' ideas - and chances.

6.Nxe5+ 

6...Ke6

Feisty - and foolish. The equivalent to drawing to an inside straight.

Instead, 6...Kf8 is the safest and leaves Black with the advantage.

7.f4

White does not realize his good luck. Instead, he had 7.Qg4+!? which promises good things:  7...Kxe5 (Forced; 7...Kf6 leads relentlessly to checkmate: 8.Qf4+ Nf5 9.Qxf5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Nc3 Bxf2+ 12.Ke2 c6 13.Nc4+ Kc5 14.Kd3 Qa5 15.Qxf2+ Kb4 16.a3+ Qxa3 17.bxa3#;  there is little hope in 7...Ke7 8.Qxg7+ Kd6 9.Nf7+ Kc6 10.Nxd8+ or 7... Kd6 8.Nf7+ Ke7 9.Nxd8 Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Bd4 11.Kxc2 d6 12.Qg3 Kxd8) 8.Bf4+ Kf6 (8...Kxe4 9.Nc3 checkmate, Darrenshome - WildErmine, blitz, FICS, 2006 [1-0, 9]) 9.Bg5+ Kf7 7.Bxd8 and the Black Queen is gone, anyway.

7...d6

Black is not familiar with this gambit, and so he defends. His best chance was to counterattack with 7...Qh4+ 8.g3 Qh3 and he would be better.

8.Qg4+ Ke7

Avoiding 8...Kf6 9.Qg5+ Ke6 10.f5+ Kxe5 11.Bf4+ Kxe4 12.Nc3 checkmate, similar to Darrenshome - WildErmine, blitz, FICS, 2006, mentioned above.

9. Qg5+

Ouch. He had 9.Qxg7+ Ke6 10.Qf7 checkmate

9...Ke8

The "only" move, but a saving one. Now the odds turn against the Gambler again.

10.Qxg7 dxe5 11.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 12.Ke2 Bg4+ 13.Kf1 Qd1 checkmate