Another "Optical Illusion" Variation?

I've already collected too many points from the "Optical Illusion" variation of the Jerome Gambit (see "Optical Illusion (1)" and "Optical Illusion (2)" or the most recent "Disdainful Defender Defense") so I am uneasy about identifying a second position that has been gaining me points for something that my opponents do not see in the position...

perrypawnpusher  - susant
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 h6 5.0-0 Bc5 

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+

The Jerome Gambit response. I've slowly raised my score against this unfortunate (for me) line to 57% (still about 30% lower than my general Jerome Gambit score).

7...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6

White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece. Black is clearly better.

10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.Bd2

Now after 12...Kg8 it is hard to see any compensation for White, as Black has even been able to castle-by-hand.

12...Nb4

Absolutely fascinating. Black attacks the Queen – and loses a piece.

Seen previously was the similar: 12...Kg8 13.Rae1 Nb4 14.Qc4+:
perrypawnpusher - amirelattar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50);
perrypawnpusher - pwr, blitz FICS, 2010 (1-0, 38); and
perrypawnpusher - Angstrem, blitz, FICS, 2010 (but 0-1, 35 )

13.Qc4+

Black resigned

The final illusion: Black is losing a piece, but he already has one to give!

After 13...d5 14.Qxb4 Nxe4 the game would simply be even. There was no need for surrender.

A Blistering Pace

As the current Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament at ChessWorld nears the half-way point (in terms of games completed) the race for first place continues to be red hot.

Top-rated player Daves111 has scored 17 wins in 18 games, with only 6 more for him to complete. 

He is followed by long-time Jerome Gambit tournament player DREWBEAR 63 who has 11 wins in 12 games.

Not surprisingly, Daves111's only loss is to DREWBEAR 63, and DREWBEAR 63's only loss is to DAVES111.

In third place is blackburne with 10 wins in 16 games.

It is interesting to note that not all of the players have been completing their games so quickly (in fact, the thoughtful CheckmateKingTwo has completed none yet). TWODOGS has 2 wins in 2 games, with 22 left to complete.

Certainly Crusader Rabbit, with 5 wins in 7 games, and stampyshortlegs, with 4 wins in 7 games, can keep in contention by winning and winning some more.

Of the 71 finished games, White has won 28, and Black 43 (with 0 draws), giving the Jerome Gambit a 39% score, somewhat lower than usual for a thematic tournament. But – there is plenty of play left!

Stumbling Along

A new move in my not-so-favorite variation of the Jerome Gambit left me disoriented by the fact that I stood better after a half-dozen moves. Declining the gambit piece in the Jerome is usually done for psychological reasons, and this time it almost worked... But I stumbled along.

perrypawnpusher - Duquesne
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...Kf8

Declined. I'd not seen this before.

7.Bb3 d6 8.h3

A pawn ahead and playing against an uncastled King, I decided to keep things simple.

8...Nd4 9.Nxd4 exd4 10.Nd5

This is a decent offer of a pawn, which should be declined with 10...Nxd5.

10...Nxe4 11.Qf3+ Nf6 12.d3

After the game Stockfish suggested 12.Re1 as more effective, since after 12...c6 White's Knight can head toward the fork at g6 with 13.Nf4.

12...Be6

This costs a piece, and with it, any chance of rescuing the game. Better was 12...c6 although Black would remain worse.

13.Nxf6 Qxf6 14.Bxe6

This is what I mean by "stumbling". It makes much more sense for White to exchange Queens first, giving Black the weaker pawns.

14...Qxf3 15.gxf3 Ke7

16.Re1 g5 17.f4 Bb4 18.Re2 gxf4 19.Bxf4 Raf8 20.Bg3 Rhg8

A slip that ends the game.

21.Bxg8+ Black resigned

Making it look easy...

Playing over Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Bill Wall's games, it is hard to remember that he is playing an opening that is considered many times refuted!


billwall - buhov
Chess.com, 2010

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

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

7.Qd5+ Ke7

Playable, but not nearly as popular as 7...Ke8 or 7...Kf8. The King placement gives Bill an idea about placing his Queen differently, too.

8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Nc3

Alternately, 10.d3 Qf8 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Be3 Ne5 13.h3 Kd7 14.f4 h6 15.Qg3 Nc6 16.0-0-0 Rd8 17.f5 Bf7 18.Qf3 Ne5 19.Qf2 a6 20.b3 b5 21.d4 Nc6 22.g4 Kc8 23.Qf3 b4 24.Na4 a5 25.d5 Ne5 26.Qe2 Nfd7 27.Qa6+ Kb8 28.Ba7+ Ka8 29.Bb6+ Kb8 30.Qa7+ Kc8 31.Qxc7 checkmate, stampyshortlegs - calchess10, JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009.

10...c6 11.f4 Rf8

An instructive error. Black plans to castle-by-hand, moving his King to f7 and g8 – a laudable defensive strategy in the Jerome Gambit. This move leaves the soon-to-be-attacked pawn at g7 unprotected, however – an indication that Black should have started his "castling" with 11...Kf7.

This game is a good example of how a stronger player, having given "Jerome Gambit odds," can take advantage of each of the defender's slips until he captures the full point.

12.f5 Ne5 13.Qxg7+ Rf7 14.Qg3 Qg8

Stopping the attack before it builds by offering the exchange of Queens. This is fine with White, who has three "Jerome pawns" (and an even game) for his sacrificed piece.

15.Qxg8 Nxg8 16.d4 Ng4 17.h3 N4f6 18.g4 h6

19.Bd2 b5 20.e5 dxe5 21.dxe5 Nd5 22.Nxd5+ cxd5 23.e6 Rf8

A tactical slip, as the pressure builds.

24.Bb4+ Ke8 25.Bxf8 Kxf8 26.h4 Nf6 27.g5 hxg5 28.hxg5 Ne4

The pawns! The pawns!

29.Rh8+ Kg7 30.e7 Bb7 31.Rxa8 Bxa8 32.e8Q Black resigned

Given Enough Time...

Given enough time, if Black uses moves to shuttle his pieces here, there, and everywhere, 
White's "Jerome pawns" can become dangerous and cause Black many headaches...



perrypawnpusher - nmuffjgp
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 N8e7

9.0-0 d6

Or 9...b6 10.Qe3 Bb7 (10...Rf8 11.f4 d6 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 14.Qg3 Rf7 15.Nc3 Kf8 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bc1 Bb7 18.f6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6+ gxf6 20.Bxh6+ Ke8 21.Qg7 Kd7 22.Qg4+ Ke8 23.Qg7 Nd2 24.Qxf6 Bxe4 25.Nxe4 Nxe4 26.Qh8+ Kd7 27.Qxd8+ Rxd8 28.Re1 Nf5 29.Rxe4 Nxh6 30.Rh4 Nf5 31.Rh7+ Kc6 32.c3 Re8 33.Kf2 a5 34.b3 Rf8 35.Ke2 Re8+ 36.Kd2 Ne3 37.Rg7 Nf1+ 38.Kd3 Nxh2 39.g4 Nf3 40.g5 Nh4 41.c4 Nf5 42.d5+ Kb7 43.Rh7 Re7 44.Rxe7 Nxe7 45.Ke4 Ng6 46.Kf5 Nh4+ 47.Kf6 Kc8 48.g6 Nxg6 49.Kxg6 Kd7 50.Kf6 c6 51.Kf7 cxd5 52.cxd5 b5 53.a3 Kc7 54.Ke7 b4 55.a4 Kb6 56.Kxd6 Ka6 57.Kc6 Ka7 58.Kc7 Ka6 59.d6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz, FICS, 2009) 11.f4 Rf8 (11...Kf7 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 14.Qf4 Rf8 15.b3 Nd6 16.Nc3 Kg8 17.Ba3 Ng6 18.Qg4 Ne7 19.f6 g6 20.fxe7 Qxe7 21.Rae1 Rxf1+ 22.Rxf1 Nxe4 23.Bxe7 Nxc3 24.Qxd7 Ba6 25.Bf6 Ne2+ 26.Kh1 Ng3+ 27.hxg3 Bxf1 28.Qg7, checkmate, perrypawnpusher - jdvatty, blitz, FICS, 2010) 12.d4 d6 13.f5 Nh8 14.g4 Qd7 15.c4 Nf7 16.Nc3 Kd8 17.b3 h6 18.h4 g5 19.h5 Nc6 20.Ba3 Qe8 21.Rad1 Kd7 22.e5 Nfxe5 23.dxe5 Qxe5 24.Qd3 Rae8 25.Rde1 Qd4+ 26.Qxd4 Nxd4 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.Bb2 Nf3+ 29.Kf2 Nh2 30.Rg1 Bf3 31.Rg3 Bxg4 32.Rg2 Bxf5 33.Rxh2 c6 34.Kf3 Rf8 35.Kg3 Be6 36.Ne2 c5 37.Bg7 Rf1 38.Bxh6 Ra1 39.Nc3 Rg1+ 40.Kf2 g4 41.Kxg1 g3 42.Rg2 Bg4 43.Rxg3 Bxh5 44.Ne4 Kc6 45.Rg5 b5 46.Rxh5 bxc4 47.bxc4 a5 48.Bf4 a4 49.Rh6 Kb6 50.Rxd6+ Ka5 51.Bd2 checkmate, guest1730 - guest1656, Internet Chess Club, 2001.

10.Qe3 Be6

Or 10...Rf8 11.d4 c5 12.c3 Bd7 13.f4 Rc8 14.f5 Bxf5? 15.exf5 Rxf5 16.Rxf5 Qd7 17.Rf1 cxd4 18.cxd4 Rc2 19.Nc3 Qg4 20.Qf3 Qxd4+ 21.Be3 Qe5 22.Rae1 Nh4 23.Qf7+ Kd7 24.Bf2 Qg5 25.Rxe7+ Kc6 26.Rc7 checkmate, guest6567 - guest4702, Internet Chess Club 2004.


11.f4 Bd7 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 N5c6 14.g4

14...h6


Better was 14...Ng8.


15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Nb4

Instead, Black should be thinking about giving the piece back for two pawns, and taking advantage of his lead in development, for example: 16...Rf8 17.Nc3 Nxf5 18.gxf5 Rxf5 19.Rxf5 Bxf5 with an even game.

 

analysis diagram

17.Qc5 Nbd5

18.f6 gxf6 19.exf6 b6

Black's game suddenly goes to pieces.

After the game Stockfish suggested 19...Bxg4 20.fxe7 Qd6 21.Qxd6 cxd6 which gives White only a small edge, if that. For example, 22.Bxh6!? Kxe7 23.Bg5+ Kd7 24.Nd2 Rag8

analysis diagram








20.Qd4 Nxf6

21.Qxf6 Nf5 22.Qxh8+ Ke7 23.Re1+ Black resigned

It's never a good idea to overlook mate...

My opponent put up creative resistance in the following game, but eventually I found myself in a better position. It was unfortunate that I overlooked a very Jerome-ish possible move 20. However, it's never a good idea to overlook mate...

perrypawnpusher - Cibola
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5

An earlier contest between the two of us was a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit: 3...h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 Qe7 10.Qe3 Nf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.f4 b6 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Ba6 15.dxe5 Qxe5 16.Re1 Kf7 17.Qf3 Rhe8 18.Bf4 Qc5+ 19.Be3 Qb5 20.Bd4 Qxb2 21.e5 Nd5 22.e6+ Kg8 23.Qg4 Nxc3 24.Qxg7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - Cibola, blitz, FICS, 2009.

My opponent also had scored in the past in one of his games with the Blackburn Shilling Jerome Gambit: 3...Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Ke7 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d3 h6 7.Nxe5 d6 8.Ng6+ Kd7 9.0-0 b6 10.c3 Ne6 11.Nd2 Bb7 12.Nc4 Qg5 13.Nxf8+ Black resigned, Cibola - patitolo, blitz, FICS, 2005

4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+

My opponent had even played a straight Jerome Gambit, albeit a bit wobbly: 5.Ng5+ Qxg5 6.d3 Qxg2 White resigned, Cibola - Argo, blitz, FICS, 2003

5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

7.Qxe5 Be7

An interesting idea. Black has so many ways to go right in the Jerome Gambit.

8.d4 Bf6 9.Qf4 g5

This is overly energetic, however.

10.Qe3

Stronger was 10.Qf3. Even now I'm amused that when I consider that move in my mind, I think: but this leaves my d-pawn unprotected!

10... d6 11.O-O h6 12.f4

12...Kg7 13.e5 dxe5 14.fxe5 Be7 15.Qf3

The problem with this move is not 15...Qxd4+, which would cost Black a handful of tempos in return for a dubious pawn. It's that White's Queen needs more help, as in 15. Nc3 Be6 16. Ne4 followed by b3-b3 and Bc1-b2, with an even game.

15...Be6 16.Be3 Bd5 17.Qf2 20.Qe8 18.Nc3 c6

This move appears to cement Black's Bishop in the center, but has a weakness that my opponent and I overlooked.

19.Nxd5 cxd5

 Now 20.c4 should come to the mind of any Jerome Gambiteer, as 20...dxc4 21.d5 liberates the "Jerome pawns" and puts Black under pressure, e.g. 22...Qg6 22.Bxa7 when Black's pieces stumble over each other, while White plans Qf4-d4, supporting the pawns and preparing a discovered check.

20.c3 Qg6 21.Qf3

The game is about even. If White can snare a pawn or two more, he will have the advantage.

21...Rf8 22.Qxd5 Rxf1+ 23.Rxf1 h5

Black's 21st move was a mistake, and this move compounds it. Now there are pawns to feast upon.

24.Qxb7 h4 25.Qxa7

It is always nice to have five connected, passed pawns, but this is the first sign that I was not paying sufficient attention to what my opponent was planning.

25...h3 26.g3

Necessary was 26.Qb7 protecting g2. Black is now probably better.

26...Qe4 27.d5 Qg2 checkmate

It is unclear if White could have held the game after 27.Rf2 Qxe3, with five pawns vs two pieces, but it's never a good idea to overlook checkmate...