They say that there is no fool like an old fool, and I'm pretty sure that if I keep fooling around with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in its Four Knights Opening form, it will only be a matter of time before I receive a just punishment for such impertinence.
Still, the opening has its attractions.
perrypawnpusher - KaZC
blitz FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6
The Petroff. I usually play the Boden-Kiezeritzky Gambit here (i.e. 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nc3, etc.) but I have been learning about the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, and couldn't resist trying that again.
3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5
So far, so boring.
5.Bxf7+
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4
White has achieved an interesting position... at the cost of a losing game, critics would say. Certainly this is true in master-level play, but among club players, the outcome is not as clear.
7...Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.0-0 Re8
Here I had a pawn for my sacrificed piece – plus some attacking ideas and a plan to chase after the Black King.
10.f4
Next time (if there is a next time) I think I'll try 10.Bg5 first.
10...Nc6 11.Qd3 Kg8
Black has castled-by-hand, and his development matches White's.
12.Bd2
Other games in this position have seen 12.Nd5 and 12.b3
12...a6 13.Rae1 Kh8
Black is taking precautions. He knows that if White breaks in the center with e4-e5, then after ...d6xe5 the Queens can be exchanged, taking an important piece out of White's attack.
14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Rxe1 16.Rxe1
16...Na7
One precaution too many. The alternative 16...Ne7 kept Black's advantage. Now White has a chance to even the game.
17.Qe4
Boring and uninspired.
Consider the alternative, 17.f5, which limits the movements of Black's Bishop, and therefore his Rook as well.
analysis diagram
Now Black can play 17...Bd7 and answer White's 18.Rf1 with the active 18...Qh4 – all reasonable moves. There follows the advance 19.f6.
analysis diagram
Should Black reply 19...Re8 (If 19...gxf6 20.Rxf6 Qxf6 21.Bc3 etc.) White can offer his Queen with 20.Qe3, as 20...Rxe3 21.f7 h6 22.f8Q+ Kh7 23.Bxe3 wins.
analysis diagram
After 20...Nc8 21.Bc3 gxf6 ( the Queen is still safe: 21...Rxe3 22.fxg7+ Kg8 23.Rf8#) White liquidates to a roughly equal end game with 22.Qxe8+ Bxe8 23.Bxf6+ Qxf6 24.Rxf6
analysis diagram
Back to the game.
17...Bg4
18.h3 Bh5 19.g4 Bf7 20.Bc3 Qe8
Exchanging Queens and Rooks would move Black closer to the win.
21.Qf5
Here I missed a chance to grab a pawn with 21.Bxg7+ since 21...Kxg7 would be followed by 22.Qd4+ Kg8 23.Rxe8+ Rxe8 24.Qxa7.
21...Qf8 22.Qd7
Preparing to double heavy pieces on the 7th rank, but this is a plan that should not work.
22...Nb5 23.Re7 Nxc3
Defending the Bishop with 23...Kg8 would have put an end to my plans.
24.Rxf7 Qe8 25.Qxe8+ Rxe8 26.bxc3 Kg8
The smoke has cleared. White has a small advantage in a drawish endgame.
27.Rxc7 b5 28.Kf2 Re4 29.f5
29...Ra4
KaZC's plan is clear: exchanging off the center and Queenside pawns will give him a draw.
30.Rd7 Rxa2 31.Rxd6 Rxc2+ 32.Ke3 Rxc3+ 33.Kd4 Rc4+
Black's Queenside pawns look scary, but they can be kept under control.
34.Kd3
Advancing the King was stronger.
34...Rc5 35.Rxa6 Rxd5+ 36.Ke3 Rd1
I think that at this point we could have fairly split the point, but I wanted to see what I could squeeze out of the position.
37.Rb6 Rb1 38.Kd4 Kf7 39.g5 Kg8 40.g6
Threatening mate!
40...Rd1+ 41.Ke5 Re1+ 42.Kf4 Re8 43.Rxb5 hxg6 44.fxg6
KaZC has everything under control.
44...Rf8+ 45.Rf5 Rxf5+ 46.Kxf5
Black's King is in his fortress, and no amount of wandering or maneuvering is going to allow a breakthrough.
At the time I still thought that I could come up with something.
46...Kf8 47.Ke6 Kg8 48.Ke7 Kh8 49.h4 Kg8 50.h5 Kh8
Now 51.Kf7 is stalemate.
51.Ke6 Kg8 52.Kf5 Kh8 53.Kg5 Kg8 54.Kf5 Kh8 55.Ke5 Kg8 56.Ke6 Kh8 57.Kd7 Kg8 58.Ke7 Kh8
Okay, there is one swindle in the position: try it, and then accept the draw...
59.h6
59...Kg8
By this time I was actually glad that my opponent did not fall for 59...gxh6 60.Kf8 h5 61.g7+ Kh7 62.g8Q+ Kh6 63.Qg7 checkmate.
60.h7+ Kh8 61.Kf8 Game drawn by stalemate
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