Making Something out of Nothing

Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member drumme (who has over 250 games in the updated New Year's Database), performs a bit of a magic trick in the next game. Equally entertaining are the suggestions made by super chess-playing programs Stockfish and Rybka.

drumme - Conats
FICS, 2010


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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.Bxf7+

A bit more "orthodox" in Jerome Gambit-like openings would be a waiting move like 4.0-0 or 4.Nc3, in order to allow Black to play 4...Bc5 before making this sacrifice.

On the other hand, drumme has scored 64% in the 28 games with this line in the Database, so he has a pretty good idea of what he's doing.

4...Kxf7 5.d4 d6

Black's King feels a draft, so he doesn't open the position further with 5...exd4.

6.dxe5

This may not be the best move, but drumme was 4-0 with it coming into this game – so why not try it again?

6...Nxe5

Played without much thought. Safer was 6...dxe5, but much better than that was 6...Qd7, giving the Black Queen additional protection, followed by 7...dxe5, with a clear advantage.

7. Nxe5+

The Black d-pawn is pinned, and "suddenly" White has a strong attack. 

7...Ke6

This leads to a mate in 5.

Against the better (but still insufficient) 7...Kf6 the two computers have different attacking ideas.

Stockfish likes the piece sacrifice 8.Qf3+ Kxe5, followed by 9.Qf7 Nf6 when it believes that Black's King is more awkwardly placed than White's Queen.

analysis diagram







Continuing 10.Nc3 d5 Stockfish sacs another piece 11. Bf4+ Kxf4 (if 11... Kd4 12. O-O-O+) 12. Nxd5+

analysis diagram







and here answers 12...Ke5 and 12...Kxe4 with 13.O-O-O. Best for Black is considered to be 12...Qxd5.

On the other hand, Rybka answers 7...Kf6 with the trappy 8.h4, as 8...Kxe5 is well met by 9.Qd5+. 

analysis diagram







After 8.Qe8 (best) 9.Bg5+ hxg5 10.hxg5+ Kxg5 11.Nf3+ Kg6 12.Rxh8 Qxe4+ 13.Kf1 White is the exchange ahead and Black has a piece hanging.

analysis diagram






8. Qd5+ Ke7 9. Qf7 checkmate

Not as flashy as the two computers, but it gets the job done quickly.