Pawn-ful Lessons

A pawn advance seems to sew up the game for White, but it turns out upon further inspection that not as many were needed, only the proper amount of support from the pieces...

perrypawnpusher  - nmuffjgp
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

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

This is one of the recognized refutations of the Jerome Gambit, but one reason I am pleased to face it is that White gets to eliminate Black's dark-squared Bishop which would otherwise hold up f2-f4.

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Be6

10.0-0 Nf6 11.f4

An interesting alternative: 11.d3 Qd7 12.b3 Kf7 13.Bb2 Rhf8 14.Nd2 Kg8 15.f4 Ng4 16.Qg3 Bf7 17.h3 Nf6 18.f5 Ne5 19.Bxe5 dxe5 20.Qxe5 Rfe8 21.Qg3 Rad8 22.Nf3 Qc6 23.Rf2 Qc5 24.Raf1 a5 25.a4 b5 26.axb5 Qxb5 27.Kh1 c5 28.Ne5 a4 29.bxa4 Qxa4 30.Nxf7 Kxf7 31.Qc7+ Rd7 32.Qxc5 Kg8 33.e5 Nd5 34.f6 gxf6 35.exf6 Qa8 36.f7+ Kh8 37.f8Q+ Black resigned, fehim - BoardStupid, FICS, 2009.

11...Ne7

Alternatives: 11...Bc4 12.d3 Bb5 13.c4 Bc6 14.f5 Ne5 15.Nc3 Qd7 16.b3 Qf7 17.d4 Neg4 18.Qe2 Qe7 19.Bg5 h6 20.Bxf6 Nxf6 21.Rae1 h5 22.e5 dxe5 23.dxe5 Ng4 24.h3 Nh6 25.Qf2 Kd7 26.Qd4+ Ke8 27.f6 Qe6 28.fxg7 Rg8 29.Rf6 Qd7 30.Qxd7+ Kxd7 31.e6+ Kd6 32.e7+ Kc5 33.Rxh6 Rxg7 34.Rxh5+ Kd4 35.Nb5+ Kd3 36.g4 Rag8 37.Rhe5 Rh7 38.e8Q Bxe8 39.Rxe8 Rgg7 40.Rd8+ Kc2 41.Re2+ Kc1 42.Na3 Rxh3 43.Rc2 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - avgur, blitz, FICS 2009;

11...Bf7 12.d4 Kf8 13.b3 h5 14.f5 Ng4 15.Qg3 Ne7 16.Bg5 Nf6 17.Nd2 Qd7 18.Rae1 Re8 19.c4 c5 20.d5 Ng4 21.Nf3 b5 22.h3 Nf6 23.Nh4 bxc4 24.bxc4 Qa4 25.Bxf6 gxf6 26.Ng6+ Bxg6 27.fxg6 Kg7 28.Qxd6 Rhf8 29.Qxc5 Qxa2 30.d6 Ng8 31.Ra1 Qe2 32.Rxa7+ Kxg6 33.Qf5+ Kh6 34.Rh7 checkmate, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC, 2009; and

11...Kd7 12.f5 Bxf5 13.exf5 Re8 14.Qg5 Ne7 15.Qxg7 c6 16.Qxf6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - dirceu, blitz, FICS, 2010.

12.d4

A dynamic alternative was 12.f5, as in 12...Bf7 13.d3 c6 14.h3 Qb6 15.g4 Qxe3+ 16.Bxe3 Kd7 17.Nd2 b6 18.Kg2 g6 19.g5 Nh5 20.f6 Nc8 21.d4 b5 22.b3 Nb6 23.Rac1 a5 24.c4 bxc4 25.Nxc4 Rhb8 26.Kf3 Nxc4 27.bxc4 Rb2 28.Rf2 Rab8 29.d5 c5 30.Rcc2 Rxc2 31.Rxc2 a4 32.Rc3 Kc7 33.Ra3 Be8 34.e5 dxe5 35.Bxc5 Rb2 36.Ke4 Re2+ 37.Be3 Bd7 38.f7 Black resigned, mrjoker - Melbourne, ICC, 2008.

12...d5 13.e5

Falling in with Black's plan. After the game Rybka suggested that White give up a Rook and a pawn for a couple of pieces: 13.f5 Bd7 14.e5 Nxf5 15.Rxf5 Ng4 16.Qf4 Bxf5 17.Qxf5 when Black has a small edge. 

13...Ne4

14.Nd2 Nxd2 15.Bxd2 Nc6

This move lets White's pawns run free. Instead, 15...Qd7 covers the f5 square.

16.f5 Bf7 17.e6 Bh5

18.h3

Preparing for the advance of more pawns. After the game Rybka showed that this was unnecessary. Instead, 18.Qh3 was strong, and after 18...Be2 White could afford 19.Rae1!? as 19...Bxf1 would be well met by 20.Qh5+.

Indeed, no further pawns need advance, if White's pieces are active.

18...Kf8

Better 18...Qf6 to answer 19.g4 with 19...Qxd4 although the Bishop is still lost after 20.gxh5.

19.g4

Here 19.f6 gxf6 20.Qh6+ Kg8 21.Qxh5 is stronger. 

19...Be8 20.g5

Again, this works, but stronger was 20.f6 gxf6 21.Qh6+

20...Ne7 21.f6

Here, 21.Bb4 would have tightened the screws before the pawn advance.

Black's resistance crumbles.

21...Ng6 22.e7+ Qxe7 Black resigned

Chessville is back!

Chessville is back online!

Readers have come to know Chessville as a place to find opening analysis, especially analysis of unorthodox openings, as well as news of the chess world, book & product reviews and chess fiction (including the Sherlock Holmes, Perry the Pawnpusher and "Kennedy Kids" stories). 

After about a half-year lapse in new material, and a month or so (lately) of being un-reachable, Chessville (you can also find it in my "Links") is back online and will soon be adding new content.

See you there!

Happy Birthday

Today marks two years of daily posts to this Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) blog. (I'll keep posting.)

I have received games, analysis and support from chess players all around the world, for which I am very, very grateful. (Please keep sending.)

Over 25% of the visitors to this blog have visited at least 100 times, and almost 20% of the visitors have been here 200 times or more! (Please keep visiting.)

I hope that this blog has given readers a chance to enjoy chess off-the-beaten path, and I look forward to another year of examining "the duck-billed platypus of chess" and its relatives. (Enjoy!)

Unorthodox Chess Openings Magazines

If you enjoy playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) you probably have an interest in playing other "unorthodox" chess openings, as well.

While you may not have the Myers Openings Bulletins at hand (M.O.B. 1979-1988, New M.O.B. 1992-1996)

I've mentioned on this blog three other magazines devoted to unusual opening lines that are still being published.

Kaissiber, a German language magazine published by FIDE Master Stefan Bücker, is always a treasure trove of solid chess creativity and chess history. The current Issue #37 has a large article on the Sicilian Wing Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.b4!?), for example, and on a reversed Budapest Gambit coming out of the Tal Gambit in the Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.f4 d5 3.Nf3!? dxe4 4.Ng5) amongst other explorations.

The grand-daddy of current unorthodox openings magazines is Rainer Schlenker's Randspringer. The current publication is a triple issue, full of "Kaffeehaus-Schach". Schlenker's imagination knows few bounds, but he frequently plays the openings he presents, and his games are amusing and educational.

A relative "youngster" in the group is the Unorthodox Openings Newsletter. Issue #26 recently appeared. Yes, that is a picture of Women's World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk on the cover. Editor Gary K. Gifford has an interview with Ms. Kosteniuk on the inside pages. There is also a ton of games by Philip du Chattel, who loves to play Nh6 in Hippopotamus style formations. Also catching my eye was more thought, analysis and games on the Tayler Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Be2!?).

Why not check them all out?

Nibbled to Death...

I recall reading somewhere the phrase "nibbled to death by ducks" as a way of describing a slow end. In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), Black is "nibbled to death" by a duck-billed platypus – on a motorcycle...



perrypawnpusher - dkahnd
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

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

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

This position shows up 66 times in the updated New Year's Database, with White scoring 68%.

10.f4 Ng4

Alternatives were seen in Fritz 8 - RevvedUp, 2006: 10...Kf7 11.0-0 Rf8 12.Qb3+ Be6 13.Qxb7 Ne7 14.f5 Bd7 15.Qb3+ Ke8 16.Nc3 c6 17.Kh1 Qb6 18.Qa3 c5 19.d3 Bc6 20.Bf4 Kd7 21.b3 Ng4 22.Qc1 Ne5 23.Bxe5 dxe5 24.Qg5 Rg8 25.a3 a5 26.Qg3 Qc7 27.Qh3 Rh8 28.f6+ Kd6 29.fxg7 Rhg8 30.Rf6 checkmate; and

perrypawnpusher - blackburne, JG3 thematic, Chessworld, 2008: 10...Rf8 11.0-0 Kd7 12.Nc3 b6 13.d4 c6 14.f5 Ne7 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Nfd5 17.e6+ Kc7 18.Qe5+ Kb7 19.Qxg7 Nf6 20.Bg5 Nfg8 21.f6 Qd4+ 22.Kh1 Rxf6 23.Bxf6 Nxf6 24.Qxe7+ Nd7 25.exd7 Qxd7 26.Qxd7+ Bxd7 27.Rf7 Kc7 28.Rd1 Rd8 29.Ne4 Kc8 30.Nf6 Be6 31.Rxd8+ Kxd8 32.Rxa7 Bf5 33.Nxh7 Bxc2 34.h4 Ke8 35.h5 Bxh7 36.Rxh7 Kf8 37.h6 Kg8 38.Rb7 Black resigned

11.Qg3

11...Rf8

Played as an attacking move along the f-file, not as part of castling-by-hand. An alternative was 11...Qh4.

12.0-0 Qf6 13.d3 Qd4+ 14.Kh1 N6e5

A cute move, based on the fact that White's f-pawn is pinned.

Best was a line that smartly exchanged down to a pawn plus endgame: 14...Nxf4 15.h3 Nxd3 16.Rxf8+ Kxf8 17.cxd3 Qf2 18.Qxf2+ Nxf2+ 19.Kg1 Nxd3 20.Nc3.

analysis diagram







15.h3 Nh6 16.Nc3

The Black pawn at g7 (and possibly the one at c7, after that) was available, but I wanted some development – and to connect my Rooks.

16...Ng6 17.Be3 Qb4

Looking for more, my opponent finds less. White's development has improved, and Black should not be pawn-hunting. Safer was 17...Qf6.

18.Nd5 Qa4

Compounding the error.

19.Nxc7+ Kd8 20.Nxa8 Qxc2

21.Qg5+

Good, but even sharper was 21.f5.

21...Ne7 22.Rad1

This is a safe move that keeps White's advantage.

Crushing, instead, was 22.Rac1.

22...Qxb2 23.Rd2 Qf6 24.Qa5+ Ke8 25.Nc7+ Kf7 26.Nd5 Nxd5 27.Qxd5+ Be6

White is nibbling away at Black's position – with sharp teeth (and up the exchange).

28.Qxb7+ Kg8 29.Qxa7 Qh4 30.Bd4 Bf7 31.Kg1 Rd8

It is Black's turn to shore up the defenses and look for an attack.

32.Rb2 Qh5 33.Rb8 Rxb8 34.Qxb8+ Be8 35.Qxd6

Ahead by 4 pawns, White is in no hurry.

Black slips.

35...Nf7 36.Qe6 Kh8 37.Qxe8 checkmate

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

Another Refutation, Another Win (And Another*)

Players with a favorite opening find themselves constantly defending against new attacks.

This is especially true with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) where so many refutations are ready-made.


perrypawnpusher  - ohforgetit
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5

The Italian Four Knights Game.

5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

7...Bb4

This defense was new to me (recommended is 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5).

There are 23 other games with this position in the updated New Year's Database, with White scoring 61%. That statistic is misleading, though: Black should get an even game, maybe a slight edge.

8.dxe5 Bxc3+

(*Ten days later, I played perrypawnpusher - kezientz, blitz FICS, 2010, skipping this piece exchange and reaching the same outcome from a different move order: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5 Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4 8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Qd5+ Resigns.)

9.bxc3 Nxe4

Here is Black's error.  

He could have tried 9...Re8 instead, or followed yorgos - thunderbomb, FICS, 2009, an up-and-down game, which continued: 9...Ne8 10.Qd5+ Kf8 (10...Kg6 is a bit stronger) 11.0-0 c6 12.Qc5+ Qe7 13.Qe3 Nc7 14.Bb2 d5 15.Qf4+ Qf7 16.Qg3 dxe4 17.f3 Qc4 18.Rad1 Be6 19.f4 Ke7 20.f5 Bd5 21.Qh4+ Kd7 22.e6+ Kd6 23.Rd4 Qe2 24.Ba3+ c5 25.Rdd1 Qe3+ 26.Kh1 Rae8 27.c4 g5 28.Qh6 Rhg8 29.cxd5 Nxd5 30.e7+ Kxe7 31.Rxd5 Kf7 32.Rd7+ Re7 33.Qxh7+ Rg7 34.Rxe7+ Kxe7 35.Qxg7+ Kd6 36.Rd1+ Black resigned 

10.Qd5+

Black resigned here, as he will lose his Knight.

In all fairness to forgetit, he should probably have played on, as White has some sickly pawns. This was our third game in a row, and we had played even in the first two until an unfortunate slip in each cost my opponent a piece. He played those games out, but probably felt with this game it was time for a different opponent to change his fortunes.

Learning from the Jerome

I like to think that playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4Bxf7+) will improve my tactics, or at least point me in that general direction. I think it did in the following game.

perrypawnpusher  - Banassi

blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7

The Hungarian Defense. No Jerome Gambit this time. (I know that some Jerome Gambit Gemeinde members – DragonTail and sTpny come to mind – fire off 4.Bxf7+ here, anyhow.)

4.0-0 Nf6 5.d3 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.Nc3 Nxc3 8.bxc3 Bf5

9.Re1 Bf6 10.Ba3 Na5

Courting danger.

11.Bxf7+

There is something funny about this Jerome-style move, which I will get to later.

11...Kxf7 12.Nxe5+ Bxe5

This capture only helps White's attack. 12...Kg8 led to an even game.

13.Rxe5 g6 14.Rxa5 c6

15.Rxf5+

Of course.

15...gxf5 16.Qh5+ Ke6

Black's best move was 16...Kg7, but after the powerful 17.Bc5!? (intending to move to d4) he is in trouble whether or not he returns the exchange.

17.Re1+ Kd7 18.Qxf5+ Kc7 19.Re7+ Kb8

Moving in front of the pawns was no cure: 19...Kb6 20.Qc5+ Ka6 21.Qc4+ b5 22.Qxc6+ Qb6 23.Qe4 and White has too many threats.

analysis diagram







20.Qe5+ Kc8 21.Qe6+ Kb8 22.Bd6+ Black resigned

A Bishop sacrifice at f7... A Knight capture at e5... A King-hunt started with Qh5+... The game ended up Jerome-ish, after all.

And the funny thing about 11.Bxf7+ – it wasn't the strongest move on the board.

White's best was to take the e5 pawn for free with 11.Nxe5 and offer to sacrifice the Bishop a different way: if Black played 11...Nxc4, White's best would be 12.Nc6+!? winning Black's Queen.