Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Don't Blame the Jerome Gambit (Part 1)

My opponent in the following game had faced the Jerome Gambit before, and shortly after our match he played it, victoriously, of course... I would like to think that he learned something about the opening from me, but improved on the follow-up.


perrypawnpusher - darqknight
blitz, FICS, 2011

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


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


7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6


10.0-0 Kf7 11.f4 Re8 12.f5 Ne5 13.Nc3 c6


So far we have a fairly typical 6...Ng6 Jerome Gambit, with Black planning to castle-by-hand and White using his "Jerome pawns" to kick a Knight or two. Black has an edge, but it is not something to put off the Jerome Gambiteer.

14.d4 Neg4 15.Qf3 Qe7

Putting extra pressure on the White e4 pawn, but this gives the first player a needed tempo. 

16.h3 Nh6 17.Bxh6 gxh6


White's minor piece is developed, and his Rooks are ready for action; compare with Black's Queen Bishop and Queen Rook.

18.Rae1 Rg8

Thinking "counter attack on the wing" but the center is where the play will be. 

19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Nd5


The fierce "Jerome pawns" face the enemy King and Queen and snarl menacingly. Black would have done better to give a piece back with 20...Kg7 21.exf6+ Qxf6 but he still would have much the worse game.

So: a score of moves played, none of them looking like howlers for Black, and yet White is poised to crush.

Almost.

21.Qh5+ Kf8 22.Qxh6+

Capturing Black's Knight (Rybka 3 does not think he can afford to recapture) with 22.Nxd5 followed by 23.Nf4 (if the White Knight is not captured) or 23.e6 would have been more powerful than mere pawn-hunting. I was playing "strong moves" without a "strong plan" in mind.

22...Ke8

Interposing the Queen had to be safer.

23.f6 Qf7

24.Nxd5

The alternative 24.Ne4 contained more threats.

White is still better, but I was still playing move-to-move, and every moment that I do not put my opponent away, he gets another chance to put me away, or I get a chance to do myself in.

24...cxd5 25.Qe3

Taking the "short" view of things.

Had I looked "longer" it would not have been hard to find 25.e6 Bxe6 26.Rxe6+ Qxe6, removing the blockader, so that after 27.f7+ Kd7 28.fxg8Q Rxg8 29.Qxh7+ the game has simplified to one where White is two pawns up, and Black has little compensation.

That is the kind of combination that the Big Boys don't miss.

25...Be6

Psychologically, the end of the game.

While White may be even (or a tiny bit better), the blockade of his pawns stifles his initiative and the rest of the game sees a transfer of the balance, step-by-step, into Black's hand.

26.Qd3 a6 27.Kh2 Rc8 28.c3 Rc4 29.b3 Rh4 30.Rf3 Qh5 31.Ree3



The game is still even, but what have I done besides shift pieces?

31...Qh6

Okay, okay, this is the kind of oversight that an opponent will sometimes toss my way, even when it is highly undeserved.

Especially when it is highly un-noticed.

32.Rg3

If you saw the opportunity for White to sacrifice both "Jerome pawns" and suddenly come roaring back, good for you!

Take a look at 32.f7+ Bxf7 33.e6.




analysis diagram





Now 33...Bxe6 is met by 34.Qxd5 Rg6 35.Qxb7 and suddenly Black's King faces horrible mating threats.

Rybka 3 prefers 33...Rxg2+, but that is a loser, too, after the straight-forward 34.Kxg2 Qg6+ 35.Rg3 Qxd3 36.exf7+ Kf8 37.Rxd3 Kxf7. A Rook is a Rook is a Rook.

32...Rxg3 33.Rxg3 Qf4 34.Qe3 Qxe3 35.Rxe3 Rf4 36.Kg3



36...Rf5 37.Kh2 Rg5 38.g3

Hoping to activat the Kingside pawns to help in the fight against the Bishop, but a more effective way was to first get rid of the Rooks, starting with Rg3, headed toward g7, forcing Black's hand. Still, the defense will hold. 

38...Rh5 39.h4 Rf5 40.Kg2 Kf7


The blockade remains supreme!

41.g4

Rushing headlong into disaster. 

41...Rf4 42.g5 Rxh4 43.Kf2 Rg4 44.Rg3 Rxg3 45.Kxg3 Kg6


46.Kf4 b6 47.a4 b5 48.axb5 axb5 49.c4 dxc4 50.bxc4 bxc4

All in vain: even if White reaches a K vs K + B + RP endgame, it is the Bishop of the Right color.

51.Ke4 c3 52.Kd3 Kf5 53.Kxc3 Kxe5 54.Kd3 Kf5 55.Ke3 Kxg5 56.Kf3 Kxf6 57.Kg3 Kg5 58.Kh2 h5 59.Kg3 h4+ 60.Kh2 Kg4 61.Kg2 h3+ 62.Kh2 Bd5 63.Kg1 Kg3 White resigned


A very nice recovery by darqknight!

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