Thursday, June 17, 2010

All the Time in the World

The slogan In the Jerome Gambit, Black wins by force, White wins by farce reflects the fact that the gambiteer will always need some kind of help from the defender in order to take (or even split) the point.

In the following game my opponent was careful to a fault, giving me time to get my opening up and running – much to his discomfort, and later, distress.

perrypawnpusher  - Macgregr
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6


The Semi-Italian Opening. It is often a sign of caution by Black: no enemy Knight will come to g5. It can also signal that the second player is planning on taking his time in putting together his defense – something that should please White.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+


The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6


8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Qe7


11.Nc3 Be6 12.f4 Nf8


A bit better was 12...Bf7.

My opponent was being very careful – often a good idea, but here he risks falling behind in development. (Castling-by-hand on the Kingside, for example, is a long way off.) 

Maybe he believed that he had all the time in the world against an opening as derelict as the Jerome Gambit?

13.f5 Bc4 14.d3 Bb5


A slip – connected directly, I suspect, to his dismissal of the Jerome as something unworthy of his full attention.

Black could minimize his disadvantage by identifying White's threats and playing to meet them: 14...Bf7 15.d4 Kd7 16.e5 Re8 17.e6 Bxe6 19.fxe6 Qxe6 20.Qd3.




analysis diagram







White has an edge – because of his slightly better development.

15.Nxb5 Qd7 16.Nc3 g6


17.Bd2 Kd8 18.d4 Nf6


19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Nd5


White is just playing his Jerome Gambit moves...

21.Nxd5 Qxd5 22.Bc3


22...Rg8

A final slip. Necessary was 22...Kc8. 

23.Rad1 Black resigned

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