Not Exactly An Advertisement

The following Jerome Gambit game is not exactly an advertisement for the benefits of the opening. It's just that twice when I stopped to think "what do I do now?" my opponent gave up a piece. Why argue?


perrypawnpusher - yuriko
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8

After a rough start – 2 points out of my first 5 games – I have done better with this line – 4 1/2 points out of my last 5 games (including this one).

12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1

White's pieces are developed and Black's King has castled-by-hand. I have very little compensation for my piece. What do I do next?

13...Nb4

Don't laugh – this is the 5th time an opponent has played this move here (and one of those games I lost). Must be some kind of "optical illusion".

14.Qc4+ Kh8

Also possible was 14...Be6, but probably 14...d5 was best.

15.Qxb4 c6

White has an extra pawn and is better developed, but with Black's King safe it will take some work to put these advantages to good use.

Fritz likes the idea of 16.f5 with the plan of containing Black's Bishop and re-deploying his own to f4, but Black can use the time to stir things up on the Queenside: 16...a5 17.Qd4 b5 18.a3 Ba6!? 19.b4 axb4 20.axb4 c5 21.Qd3 Bb7.

analysis diagram








White is better, but Black has interesting counterplay.

16.h3 b6 17.Qc4 c5

After the game Rybka suggested a better way for Black to tussle: 17...a5 18.Rf2 Ba6 19.Qb3 Re7 20.e5 dxe5 21.fxe5 Nd7 22.Bf4 Nc5 23.Qa3 Qd4 24.Bg3 Rae8 25.Rd1 Qb4 26.Rd6 Qxa3 27.bxa3 Bb7

analysis diagram







Black has White's extra, passed pawn under control. Chances exist, too, for a drawish Bishops-of-Opposite-colors endgame.

18.Nd5 Be6 19.Bc3 Nxd5 20.exd5 Bf5 21.Rf2

This is reasonable, but after the game Rybka suggested 21.Rxe8+ Qxe8 22.Re1 Qf7 23.Qe2 as a way to try to squeeze more out of the position.

analysis diagram








Now Black cannot take the d-pawn, as after 23...Qxd5 comes 24.Qh5 Kh7 25.g4 Be6 26.g5 Rf8 27.Bxg7!? Kxg7 28.Qxh6+ Kg8 29.Qxe6+ Qxe6 30.Rxe6 Rxf4 31.Rxd6 leads to a better Rook + pawns endgame for White.

After 23...Bg6 instead, Rybka helps White squeeze his opponent with 24.Qd2 Bf5 25.g4 Bd7 26.f5 Kg8 27.Kg2 Re8 28.Kg3 Rxe1 29.Qxe1 Qxd5 30.Qe7 Qf7 31.Qxd6 Be8 32.b3 Qd7.

analysis diagram






White is better, but "1-0" is still a long way off, and "1/2-1/2" still waits in the shadows.

Not exactly an advertisement for a wild attacking gambit.

21...Qh4

Putting pressure on my position.

22.Qf1 Rxe1 23.Qxe1

Okay, now what do I do?

23...Bxc2

It was nice to see that my opponent was having just as much trouble with the position as I was. He probably saw the Rook "pinned" to my Queen, but only saw my Bishop facing "forward" toward his g7... 

24.Rxc2 Qxe1+ 25.Bxe1 Re8 26.Kf2

Finally I know what to do.

26...g5 27.fxg5 hxg5 28.Re2 Rf8+ 29.Kg1 Kh7 30.Re6 Rf5 31.Rxd6 Rf4 Black resigned