Quick Peeks

Looking at some of the recent games played at FICS, I came up with a few snapshots of play from Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and related games.




After a lot of conflict, two players reached the safety of the Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, drawing in over 70 moves

JMonson-Waveylines, blitz, FICS, 2011

A couple of others players showed that it was not that hard to reach the same result in 64 moves, with less material

BBendingR - cortijlo, standard, FICS, 2011

In the following position White lost on time, which is a pity, as the position, odd as it is, is drawn: White checks repeatedly with his Rook or uses it in cooperation with the King to hold the pawns off (which advance at their peril).

KCOLD - bohnster, blitz, FICS, 2011

In a related position, White won on time, although, objectively his opponent was better (Black promotes his a-pawn to draw White's King away, and then advances his King to escort the remaining pawns).

JMonson - Tseatsy, blitz, FICS, 2011

Finally, a drawn position that brings to mind a quote attributed to Alexander Alekhine

The fact that a player is very short of time is, to my mind, as little to be considered an excuse as, for instance, the statement of the law-breaker that he was drunk at the time he committed the crime.

GeorgeCool - xadrezedificil, blitz, FICS, 2011
Black ran out of time and White has no material to mate