A Tale of Threes

My first three Jerome Gambit games against MRBarupal, I lost.

My second three (counting the one below), I won.

This most recent game overlaps a couple of earlier games, making a third interesting "three". 

perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

My first three games (0-3) against this opponent continued 5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6. The next three (3-0) continued 5...Kf8.

There are plenty more Jerome Gambit refutations for us to explore.

6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.0-0 Nf6

8.d3 Bg4 9.Qe1 Qd7

Varying from 9...Qe8 which appeared in  perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal, blitz, FICS, 2011 (10. Be3 Bd6 11.f4 Nh5 12.e5 Be7 13.f5 Black resigned) and the following day in Knightpusher - MRBarupal, blitz, FICS, 2011 (10.Be3 Black resigned).

Fritz8 doesn't see much difference between 9...Qd7 and 9...Qe8, although it slightly prefers a third move, 9...Kf7.

10.Be3 Be7 11.f4 Re8

12.Nd2 h5

Developing his final piece, with aggressive intentions? Or preparing a pawn formation against an expected avalanche of "Jerome pawns"? 

13.Nf3

After the game Rybka 3 was critical of this move, preferring Nd2-c4-e5 as the proper way for the Knight to advance to the center. After the text, Black can simply exchange the piece off – which he promptly does.

13...Bxf3 14.Rxf3 g6

This is a complicated position. After the game Rybka 3 preferred sending the Knight to g4 to exchange off the Bishop at e3, keeping Black's edge.

15.f5

Playing to open lines against the enemy King, but this could turn risky, as White is behind in development. Rybka 3's suggestions show much more patience, with a focus on putting the Queen and Bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal before breaking through.

15...Rg8 16.e5 Ng4 17.fxg6+

Rybka 3 looked at the position of the two Black Rooks and suggested 17.f6 instead, with a complicated mess to follow: 17...Bd6 18.d4 Kf7 19.Bf4 g5 20.Bg3 h4 21.Qe4 Rh8 22.h3 hxg3 23.hxg4 Kf8 (Fritz 8 prefers 23...Bf8) 24.Re3 Rxe5 This is Rybka's idea 25.dxe5 Bc5 26.e6 Qh7 27.Kf1 Qxe4 28.Rxe4 Rh1+ 29.Ke2 Rxa1

analysis diagram









Black has a slight advantage.

17...Kg7

18.Bf4 Qe6 19.h3

Fortunately for me, my opponent now overlooks a Bishop check from c5, which would have strengthened his game. It was more prudent for me to play 19.c3 Ref8 20.d4 first, and after 20...Nh6 21.Qe2 Kxg6 the game would be about even, according to Rybka 3.

19...Nh6 20.Qe4 Nf5 21.Raf1

The game remains complex: is Black defending or attacking on the Kingside? Or both?

In the meantime, White has completed his development, but the pawn on g6 is lost, and his attack is going nowhere. After a few exchanged pieces, Black's edge will become clear.

21...h4

Putting a cramp in White's Kingside and makes an outpost for his Knight at g3, but Rybka 3 preferred 21...Nh4 22.Rg3 Ref8 23.d4 Nxg6 24.Qf3 h4 25.Rg4 Kh8 26.Qe2 Rf5 27.Qe4 Nxf4 28.Rfxf4 Rxf4 29.Rxf4 Rg7 when Black is clearly better.

Black's move opens up a tactical opportunity for White that hides behind the smokescreen of an apparent blunder.

22.Bd2 Ng3

Forking White's Rook and Queen. (He should have abandoned the Knight with 22...Kh8, but then White would have the better game.)

23.Rf7+ Kh8 24.Rh7 checkmate