Not Worth the Time

The Jerome Gambit is not a "cool" opening.

Once upon a time, the King's Gambit was cool. The Evans Gambit was cool (and maybe is cool again). Even the Benko Gambit had a time when it was very, very cool.

For some, apparently the Jerome Gambit isn't worth their time.

perrypawnpusher  - obmanovichhh
blitz 14 0, FICS, 2011

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

The Italian Four Knights Game, transposing from the Petroff Defense.

5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+

Last year, duraysteeus played 6.Ng5+ against my opponent, not very successfully (0-1, 49)

6...Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4

This is the most popular response in The Database, occuring in 34% of the games.

Previously, my opponent had tried 7...Bb4, which certainly has its positive attributes.

The strongest response, 7...Bd6, appears only 6% of the time. (Perhaps that is one reason that people play the Jerome Gambit.)

8.Qxd4 d6 9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd3 Be6

This move prevents a possible Qd3-c4+ in response to a careless ...Nc6-b4 – a tactic that has won more points for me than it should have.

It is likely that 10...d5 is stronger than the text, however, something that has me thinking about changing my opening move order, perhaps back to 10.0-0 as I played against jomme.

11.0-0 Re8

This is a bit stronger than 11...Rf8, where White had the annoying 12.f5 Bd7 13.Qc4+, as in perrypawnpusher - hklett, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 18) although Black was still  a bit better.

12.b3 Nb4 13.Qe2 c5 14.Bb2 Bg4 15.Qc4+ Be6

Was my opponent thinking of repeating the position, for a draw? I would have been okay with that, as I was getting nothing out of this game. 

16.Qe2 Qb6

No, this does not look like a peaceful move.

17.Na4 Qc6 18.a3

My Knight move weakened the pawn at e4, so 18.Bxf6, taking some pressure off of the center, was appropriate, now and/or later. As it is, my opponent overlooked chances for counterplay.

18...Bg4

Instead, 18...Nxc2 19.Qxc2 Qxe4 was a creative way to return Black's extra piece, as his backward d-pawn would have a bright future to advance as a protected passer.

19.Qc4+ Kf8 20.axb4

After the game Rybka 3 showed me what was really going on in the game: 20.Bxf6 Rxe4 21.Bxg7+ Kxg7 22.Qc3+ Kf7 23.axb4 Rae8 24.b5 Qd5 25.Qd3 Qxd3, about even.

20...cxb4 21.Qxc6 bxc6

22.Bxf6

Finally thinking to get rid of the Knight, although later Rybka 3 corrected me:  22.e5 Nd7 23.exd6 Re2 24.f5 Rd2 25.Rae1 Rxd6 26.h3 Bh5 27.Re6 Rd5 28.Rxc6 Re8 29.Rf2 a5 30.Rc7 Bf7 with an advantage for White.

22...gxf6 23.Rae1 Rac8 24.Nb2 c5 25.Nc4 Be6

My Knight has returned to play, and Black's Bishop has returned to its favorite square, e6. Unfortunately, the latter was an error (25...Rcd8 would have kept the game balanced).

26.Nxd6 Bg4

On revient toujours à ses premiers amours.

27.Nxc8 Rxc8 28.e5 f5 29.Ra1

White is up the exchange and a protected passed pawn and will now add another pawn and a strongly placed Rook to his list of small advantages.

29...Rc7 30.Ra6 Kf7 31.Rfa1 Be2 32.Rxa7 Rxa7 33.Rxa7+ Kg6 34.Rc7

At this point my opponent still had over half of his time left on the clock. Still, he let all 7 plus minutes run out, and lost on time, rather than resign. I guess finishing the game, again, was not worth his time.