One Little Pawn

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is one of those attack-or-die kind of openings (which too often becomes an attack-and-die affair). If the attack is countered, White may not have much left for his effort and valor.

perrypawnpusher - irhall
blitz 4 10, 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

I've seen this position 20 times, scoring 75% (14-4-2). That's not bad, but it's about 10% below my total Jerome and Jerome-ish score.

10.0-0 Ne5

Transferring the Knight closer to my Kingside, where it will annoy my Queen. It was better to castle-by-hand with 10...Kf7, ...Re8 and ...Kf8.

11.d4

Probably better than 11.f4 as in perrypawnpusher - mikelars, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 26), and perrypawnpusher - Kotimatka, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 19).

11...Neg4 12.Qf3

White had an even game and went on to win with the slightly better 12.Qb3 b6 13.h3 Nh6 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Nfg8 16.Qf3 Be6 17.Rd1 Qc8 18.Nc3 Ne7 19.Nb5 Rf8 20.Qxa8 Kf7 21.Qxc8 Rxc8 22.Bxh6 gxh6 23.Nxa7 Rg8 24.Kh2 Nf5 25.g4 Ne7 26.Nb5 h5 27.Nxc7 hxg4 28.Rd6 Bf5 29.Rf6+ Kg7 30.hxg4 Bg6 31.Rd1 Bxc2 32.Rd7 Black resigned, Ghandybh - Noel1942, Chess.com, 2009.

12...Bd7

13.h3 Nh6 14.Bxh6 gxh6

The Knight's adventures are at an end.

15.Nc3 Qe7

White has an even game, but no more than that. It was important for Black to get something going before the first player can take advantage of Black's open Kingside. Both 15...Rg8 and 15...Bc6 come to mind. 

16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 Bc6

Black protects his Queenside, gives his Bishop better development, and returns the gambit piece.

18.Qxf6 Qxf6 19.exf6 Rg8

It seems that for all his attacking efforts, White has achieved only one little pawn on f6, something that Black can blockade with his King and then capture. He does have a winning endgame advantage on the Kingside, but he faces a coordinated defense from Black's Bishop and Rook.

20.Rfe1+ Kd8

Suddenly, the future looked brighter for me.

After 20...Kf7 21.Ne4 Rae8 22.Ng3 Kxf6 Black can fight on. 

21.g3

It turns out that this defensive move is not necessary: White can play instead 21.Rad1+ Kc8 22.Nd5

21...Rg6

Picking on the poor defenseless little pawn. After the game Rybka suggested, instead, 21...Rf8, although White still has the familiar 22.Rad1+ Kc8 23.Nd5 with advantage.

22.Rad1+ Kc8 23.f7

23...Rf6

Capitulating, but 23...b6  can be met by either 24.Rd8+, 24.Re8+ or 24.f8/Q+.

24.Re8+ Bxe8 25.fxe8Q checkmate

Complications

My opponent was a bit overwhelemed by the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in this game, but like with yesterday's post (see "Crushed") there were some very interesting options available to the losing player.


perrypawnpusher - Sirenus
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

7.Qxe5 Bd6

Save the Bishop, attack the Queen, sacrifice the Rook...

It's an interesting plan, but unfortunately it doesn't work here. Either the Blackburne (7...d6) or Whistler (7...Qe7) defenses effectively meet Black's goals, though.

8.Qxh8 Qh4

Energetic! I've had three games continue differently:

8...Qg5 9.Qxh7+ Kf6 10.Qxg8 Qxg2 11.Rf1 Qxe4+ 12.Kd1 b6 13.Qh8+ Kf5 14.Qh3+ Kf6 15.Nc3 Qe5 16.Qf3+ Kg7 17.Qxa8 Qh5+ 18.f3 Ba6 19.d3 Qxh2 20.Qe4 Qg2 21.Qe2 Qg3 22.Ne4 Qh4 23.Nxd6 cxd6 24.Re1 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - elyza, blitz, FICS, 2010;


8...Ke6 9.Qxh7 Ne7 10.d4 c5 11.d5+ Ke5 12.Nc3 Kd4 13.Be3+ Kc4+- 14.0-0-0 Be5 15.Bd2 Qb6 16.Qh3 d6 17.Qd3+ Kb4 18.a3+ Ka5 19.Qc4 Bxc3 20.Bxc3+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - bakker, blitz, FICS, 2008; and


8...Be7 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxg6 d6 11.d4 Bd7 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Kf7 14.Qh7+ Kf8 15.Qh8+ Kf7 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.Nc3 c6 18.0-0 Rg8 19.f4 Bh3 20.Rf2 Bd7 21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Ke8 23.f5 Bc5 24.f6 Bxf2+ 25.Kxf2 Be6 26.Ne4 Rf8 27.Nd6+ Kd7 28.Rd1 Kc7 29.h3 Bd5 30.g4 Rh8 31.Kg3 b6 32.h4 Be6 33.g5 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - tuffnut, blitz, FICS, 2007.

9.Nc3

Protecting the e-pawn, but 9.d3 was better for that. Then, after 9...Qh5 White can withdraw his Queen with 10.Qc3.

After 9.d3, then 9...Nf6 doesn't quite work, as White can quickly move his own Knight into play: 10.Nd2 b6 (planning 11...Bb7) 11.Nf3 attacking Black's Queen first.

Black can still complicate things after 9.d3 Nf6 10.Nd2, though, with 10...Ng4, as White's best is to allow the check/capture at f2, playing 11.Nf3 Qxf2+ 12.Kd1.

analysis diagram






White's King is uncomfortable, but his Queen will make things even more difficult for Black's King.

So, even with my "better" move, Black could have stirred things up.

Complications!

9...Be5

A simple oversight.

Again, White is better after 9...Nf6, but not without some thought and work. Best would be 10.d4, but Black's plan to win the cornered White Queen would take some creativity to defeat.

analysis diagram




For example, 10...b6 11.e5 Be7 12.Bg5!? jailbreak's the Queen after 12...Qxg5 13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Qxh7+ and White's initiative, safer King and material advantage should win.

Or, Black could try 10...Be7 first (after 9...Nf6 10.d4), with more complications after 11.e5 Ng4 12.g3 Qh3 13.Nd5 b6 14.Nxc7 Bb7 15.Nxa8 Bxh1 16.Nc7 Bf8 (the White Queen is still trapped) 17.Bd2 Qxh2 18.0-0-0 and at least White's King has escaped the heat...

Complications!

The text move, however, solves all of White's problems.

10.Qxe5 d6 11.Qg3 Qxg3 12.hxg3

12...Be6 13.Rxh7+ Black resigned

Crushed

After I was crushed in this game, I looked it over: both my opening and my opponent had given me chances for play. The Jerome Gambit did not let me down – I let it down.

 perrypawnpusher - Kingsmeal
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 Be6

Black's last move encourages White's next.

10.f4

Or 10.0-0 Nf6 11.f4 Kd7 12.f5 Bxf5 13.exf5 Re8 14.Qg5 Ne7 15.Qxg7 c6 16.Qxf6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - dirceu, blitz, FICS, 2010.

10...Bf7

The problem with White's 10th move is that Black can play, instead, 10...Qh4+ 11.g3 Qh3, causing problems on the light squares for White. Better, as in my play against dirceau, was 10.0-0.

11.0-0 Qh4

12.Nc3

Here my play could have been guided by a little logic. Does Black's Queen pose a threat? No. What would make it dangerous? If a Knight got to g4. Can I stop ...Ng8-f6-g4? No, but you can take the sting out of it with 12.d4 Nf6 13.Qd3 Ng4 14.h3. What else? Don't chase the other Black Knight to g4. How to I do that? Start with 12.d4, so that after 13.f5 the Knight can't find its way to g4.

12...N8e7

13.f5 Ne5 14.d4

Driving the Knight to where I don't want it to go. Thus: 14.h3 is better. My play was too stereotyped.

14...Ng4 15.Qg3

Completing the farce, but Rybka's recommendation after the game – 15.Qh3 Qxh3 16.gxh3 Nf6 17.e5 – leaves Black better, as well.

15...Qxg3 16.hxg3 Kd7

The Knight on g4 is a serious pain in my position.

17.Bf4 Bc4 18.Rfe1 Raf8 19.b3 Ba6 20.Ne2

It is difficult getting my pieces to cooperate. Black, on the other hand, is ready to tear things apart.

20...g6 21.fxg6 Nxg6

Even stronger was 21...hxg6, adding the other Rook to the attack.

22.c4 b5 23.c5 b4 24.cxd6 cxd6

25.Bd2

It is hard to believe Rybka's post mortem suggestion, although perhaps White's best is to eliminate almost all of the pawns: 25.a3 Bxe2 26.Rxe2 Nxf4 27.gxf4 Rxf4 28.axb4 Ra8 29.Ra6 d5 30.exd5 Rxd4 31.g3 Rd3 32.Kg2 Ne3+ 33.Kh3 Nxd5 34.Rf2 Ke7 35.Rh6 Nxb4 36.Rxh7+ Kd6 37.Rff7 Rxb3 38.Rxa7

analysis diagram







 25...Rf2 White resigned

The Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee File

When playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), White must always be aware of danger along the e-file, if his King sits there with a piece in front of him.

eddie43 - Daves11
Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament, ChessWorld, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.c3

One of the "modern" Jerome Gambit variations.

5...d5 6.Qc2

An interesting idea.

6...dxe4 7.Qxe4 Nf6

8.Nxe5+ Nxe5 9.Qe2

Unfortunately 9.Qxe5, recovering the piece, falls to the pin 9...Re8.

9...Nd3+ 10.Kf1

Moving the King to d1 might be technically "better" but Black still has 10...Re8 11.Qf1 (11.Qf3 allows the pin 11...Bg4) Nxf2+ 12.Kc2 Bf5+ 13.Kb3 Bd3 and the Queen (and then the King) will expire in the crossfire.

10...Re8 11.Qd1 Qe7 12.g3 Bh3+ White resigned

To Catch A Front-Runner

Daves111 continues to lead the Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament (with a record of 18 wins out of 21 games, with 3 to complete) at ChessWorld, although recently he suffered a couple of losses (followed by a rebounding win).

How do you catch a front-runner?

You stay alert and look for your chances, even in a difficult position.

This is Crusader Rabbit - Daves111. Black has a Rook more, and can look ahead to a comfortable win.

However, Daves111 – perhaps momentarily looking ahead – played 22...Qd8, and saw 23.Qxg7 checkmate pop up in front of him. Ouch! 

This is Daves111 - TWODOGS. Despite even material, White actually has a difficult position.

The first player moved 28.Rd7, putting pressure on g7 and the Black King – and then resigned, as 28...Rf1 is checkmate. 

(For the record, this is the 800th straight daily post without interruption. Who'd a' thunk it?)

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

The Somnambulists

 My opponent and I were obviously up past our bedtimes when we played the following game. It is as if we were sleep-walking... The checkmate that Black falls into is quite a nightmare, however.

perrypawnpusher - robertpthom

blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nxc2+

Very tempting, but as we have seen before 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Qc5+ Kf7 11.Qxd4 d5 is better and leads to equality.

8.Kd1 Nxa1

During the game I knew that this was the wrong move, (8...hxg6 was still best) but I could not clear my head as to why.

9.Nxh8+ Ke7

The updated New Year's Database has 37 games with this position, not counting the current game. White scored 31 wins, 1 draw, and 5 losses – even though the position is White to move and mate in 1.

10.Qf7+

Missing, of course, 10.Qe5 mate. Amazingly, of the above 37 games in the database, only 4 ended with this winning move, including perrypawnpusher - mbranimir, blitz, FICS, 2009. Ouch!

It's not like it's rocket surgery...

10...Kd6 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxg8

Again, instead, there was 12.Qe5 mate.

Hats off to jtapia, who found the move in his game against jmercado, FICS, 2007. Eight of us did not, although Ronels played 12.Qg5+ Nf6 13.Qe5 mate against sarosha, FICS, 2010. 

White is still better, of course, but as long as the game continues there is opportunity for error.

12...Bh6

This offer to safeguard the King by exchanging Queens eliminates the danger of an early checkmate, but it drops a piece and turns the game into a technical win for White. 

13.Qxd8+

Even stronger was 13.Qxh7+ Ke6 14.d4, but I was comfortable with the Queens off of the board.

13...Kxd8 14.Nf7+ Ke7 15.Nxh6 d6

16.b3 Kf6 17.h3 Be6 18.Ng4+ Kg6 19.Bb2 Nxb3 20.axb3 Bxb3+

Black's connected passed pawns on the Queenside do not make up for being down two Knights.

21.Ke2 Bc4+ 22.d3 Bb5 23.f4 Rf8 24.f5+ Kg5

Black wants his King active, but he compounds his difficulties by walking into a mating net. 

25.Bc1+ Kh4 26.Nc3

This move is, of course, okay, but 26.Bf4 starts a mate-in-eleven. 

26...Bd7 27.Nd5 c6 28.Nf4

Closing the net around the Black King, although 28.g3+ led more directly to checkmate. 

28...d5 29.Kf3 dxe4+ 30.dxe4 b5 31.g3+ Kg5 32.h4 checkmate