A Jerome Gambit Motif

I do not know if James Lenz's opponent, Lyle Hansen, was even aware of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) or not, but when I saw the game Hansen - Lenz from the 2008 South Dakota State Tournament on the South Dakota Chess Association website, I recognized a Jerome-ish quality to White's play – even if it was against 1...b6 and 2...Bb7.

The notes below are by Lenz, who was annotating his "best" and his "worst" games of the tournament. 

Queen's Fianchetto Defense, Nimzowitsch Defense (B00)

Lyle Hansen (1800) James Lenz (1555) 

2008 South Dakota State Tournament, 

My worst game. 

 1. e4 b6 2.Nf3 Bb7 3.Bc4 Crude oil at $148/barrel and I had no gas left, it was the last round, trophy out of reach, I thought h6 was safe, I didn't even consider the Bxf7+ sacrifice until.

3...h6 4.Bxf7+?!

It does win many lines but all you need is one line out. The simple 3.Bc4 e6 is all Black needs to stalwort White's development from exceeding the "line of demarcation". The h6 oversight will infringe on Black's defense of his King. On the other hand, it will cost White two minor pieces and if Black plays without error into the 10-15 move range, Fritz 6 shows Black as winning. For Black there are many ways to lose.

4...Kxf7 5.Ne5+ Kf6

If 5...Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxg6#

6.Qf3+ Kxe5 It is not wise not to take the knight.

7.Qf5+ Kd6

Not 7...Kd4 8.d3 Nowhere safe for king, Be3#. Also 7...Kc4 8.b3+ Kb4 9.a3#, or 7...Kc4 8.b3+ Kd4 9. c3+ Kd3 10. Na3 Bxe4 11. helpmate Qb5#

8. e5+

If 8...Kd5 9.Nc3+ Kc5 10.e6+ Kd4 11. Nb5+ Kc4 (only safe square) 12.b3 Kb4 13.a3+ Ka5 14.Nxa7+ Ka6 15. Qb5+ Nxa7 and Black may be out of immediate danger? Although instead of 14.Nxa7+, much better 14.Nxc7+ d5 15.b4+ Ka4 16. Qd3 Qxc7 17. c4 with no protection from18.Qc2#. As I mentioned earlier, there are many losing lines.

Also instead of 8....Kd5, try 8....Kc5 9. d4+ Kxd4 10. Be3+ Kd5 11. Nc3+ Kc6 12. Qe4+ d5 13. Qa4+ b5 14. Qxb5#. Also with 8....Kc5 9.d4+ Kc6 10 c4 d5 [e6 en garde' 11.d5+ exd5 12. Qe4 "big trouble in little china"] 11. Qe6+ Qd6 12. cxd5 Kb5 13. Nc3 then either Kc4, Kb4 or Ka5 loses Queen to exd6.

8...Kc6 9. Nc3

Good for Black, 9...d5 10. exd5 e.p. exd6 11. Qe4+ Kd7 12. QxB Nc6 13. Qa6, Black has a 2 point material advantage and winning chances.

IM Sandor Kustar suggested 9....b5, after observing the position and "scolding me for moving too fast", and Fritz 6 agrees, 9....b5 10. a4 (#1 line) or Qe4+, Qg4, Qd3 and Qg6+ as other White options has Black at a 3 point advantage. Following the #1 line of 9....b5 10. a4 Kb6 here are three lines of play. 9...b5 10. a4 Kb6 11. axb5 c5 12. 0-0 e6 13. Qh3 Kc7 14. d4 cxd4. #2 line, 9....b5 10. a4 Kb6 11. Qd3 c6 12. axb5 Kc7 13. 0-0 e6 14. Qe3 Ne7. #3 line, 9....b5 10. a4 Kb6 11. Qg6+ e6 12. axb5 a6 13. Na4+ Ka7 14. d3 (Black is mated unless c5 with 15. Be3) so 14. d3 c5 or 14. d3 (give a Knight back strategy with Nc6) Nc6 15. Be3+ Kb8 16. bxNc6 Bxc6 17. Nc5 BxN 18. BxB d6 19. exd and Black may have a line out.

My worst game at the 2008 South Dakota State Championship continued as

9....e6 10. Qe4+ d5 11. Qa4+ Kc5 12. d4#.

Isn't chess fun?! There wasn't a lot of editorial because I was mentally spent and didn't have much of a "from this side of the board" observation. I did observe one thing, winning isn't everything but losing stinks.