I can't seem to get the hang of these things...

After a few unfruitful days of trying to coax a Jerome Gambit game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) out of a lucky opponent at the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS) I decided to put together another Computer vs Computer Jerome Gambit match.

Despite feeling a bit like Jar Jar Binks trying to command the Death Star, I turned to my new Deep Rybka 3.0 Aquarium, and discovered two interesting engines: Delfi (reportedly rated 2500) and WeakDelfi (supposedly rated 1900).

Perfect!
I arranged for a 20-game match (5 minutes per side per game), with the stronger Delfi playing the White pieces each time, starting from the Jerome Gambit position after four moves.

Delfi - WeakDelfi
5 minute game
1st of 20 game match

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Nf3+


Huh???

What is this??
8.gxf3 Qf6 9.Qc4+ Ke7 10.Qc5+ Ke8 11.Nd2 Qd6 12.Qxd6 cxd6

13.Rg1 g6 14.b3 Nh6 15.Nc4 Nf7 16.Bb2 Rf8 17.0-0-0
This is not the kind of position that usually comes to mind when someone says "Jerome Gambit".

17...b5 18.Na3 b4 19.Nb5 Ba6


More strangeness.
20.Nc7+ Ke7 21.Nxa6 Ne5 22.Nxb4 Nxf3 23.Rg2 Nh4 24.Rg4 Nf3 25.Bg7 Rfb8 26.Nd5 Kf7
27.Bd4 Nxh2 28.Rh4 Nf3 29.Rf4+ Kg8 30.Ne7 checkmate



Nervously, I looked at the second game in the match.


Delfi - WeakDelfi
5 minute game
#2 of 20 game match
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Black lost on time.

What???

Unreal!

For the record, the next 8 games looked like this:
Delfi - WeakDelfi
5 minute game
#3 of 20 game match

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Black lost on time.

Delfi - WeakDelfi
5 minute game
#4 of 20 game match

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Black lost on time.


Delfi - WeakDelfi
5 minute game
#5 of 20 game match
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Black lost on time.


Delfi - WeakDelfi
5 minute game
#6 of 20 game match
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Black lost on time.

Delfi - WeakDelfi
5 minute game
#7 of 20 game match
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Black lost on time.


Delfi - WeakDelfi
5 minute game
#8 of 20 game match

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Black lost on time.


Delfi - WeakDelfi
5 minute game
#9 of 20 game match

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Black lost on time.


Delfi - WeakDelfi
5 minute game
#10 of 20 game match

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Black lost on time.


Nine straight losses, all on time!

I stopped the match. I didn't have to be a Jedi master to know how the remaining 10 games would turn out.

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"