All Rook and Pawn Endings...

If you want to play the Jerome Gambit, you are sometimes going to face the Two Knights Defense. You can try the Italian Four Knights Game, but you have to be prepared for the "fork trick"...

perrypawnpusher - rupsi
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4

Sigh. No Jerome Gambit today.

Still, I have studied the "fork trick"...

5.Nxe4 d5 6.Bd3 dxe4 7.Bxe4 Bd6

8.Bxc6+

Recommended by Y. Bukayev.

8...bxc6 9.d4 Qe7

An interesting idea. After my response, Black could have tried 10...e4.

10.0-0 0-0 11.dxe5 Bxe5 12.Nxe5 Qxe5 13.Re1 Qb5

All-in-all, my opening preparation has done its job, as White has a small advantage (better pawn structure) – as opposed to the Jerome Gambit, where he has a lost game.

Why my opponent guided me away from the shoals and into a safe harbor is an interesting question. For the next few moves he concentrates on exchanging off one of his isolated double pawns.

14.b3 c5 15.Bb2 c4 16.Qd4

White's position doesn't have a lot of "bite", but it you give it some time...

If Black now defends the imperilled g7 square with 16...Qg5, White has 17.Re3, threatening Re3-g3.

16...f6 17.bxc4

A silly move, when 17.Ba3 was available, winning the exchange because of back rank mate threats. 

17...Qc6 18.Qd5+ Qxd5 19.cxd5

White has come out with an extra pawn.

Unfortunately, it was now my turn to play "routinely" (read: carelessly), and my opponent quickly recovered the material.

19...Ba6 20.Re6 Bb7 21.c4 Rab8 22.Rae1 Bxd5 23.cxd5 Rxb2

The position reminds me of the old saying that "all Rook and pawn endings are drawn."

Still, I had made "something" out of the game after the "fork trick" and I wanted to play on a bit longer to see if I could do the same here.

24.R6e2 Rfb8 25.f3 R2b5 26.Rd2 Rd8 27.Red1 Kf7 28.Kf2 Rb6 29.Ke3 Ke7 30.Ke4 Kd6

31.Rc1 Rd7 32.f4 Rb4+ 33.Kf3 Rf7 34.Rc6+ Kd7 35.Rdc2 Rb7 36.g4 g5 37.f5 Ke8 38.Re6+ Kd8 39.d6 cxd6 40.Rxd6+ Rbd7 41.Rcc6 Rxd6 42.Rxd6+ Ke7 43.Ra6 Kd8 44.a4 Rc7

A slip that costs a pawn.

45.Rxf6 Rc3+ 46.Kg2

White's King should go forward with 46.Ke4 to eventually help his advanced pawn. Failing this, Black's active Rook can cause mischief – and eventually score the draw.

46...Ra3 47.Ra6 Ra2+ 48.Kg3

Again, my King's choice to stay "at home" dooms the game to a draw. I needed to see that 48.Kf3 Rxh2 49.Rxa7 was advantageous for White.

48...Ra3+ 49.Kg2 Ra2+ 50.Kg3 Ra3+ 51.Kg2 Ra2+ Game drawn by repetition

Hats off to my opponent, whose active play at the end of the game helped him grab the half-point.