Choose the Simple, Avoid the Complex

Those who play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) know that it is a good idea to take advantages of the tricks and traps of the opening, when they arise. The last thing that they need is a "routine" game that leads to a "routine" loss.

The same goes for those who play the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

pianazo - foduck
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+

More often played than yesterday's game's 6.c3.

6...Ke7

Not quite a year ago, the post "Instant Victory" laid out the reasons for White to rejoice at seeing this move. It seems fitting to mention that the player handling the Black pieces back then is the one handling them in this game, too.

7.Na3

This is pianazo's attempted improvement over the 7.c3 that he used in two losses against Fission earlier this year (0-1, 34 and 0-1, 35).

My recommendation is 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4+ Kc5 9.Qd5+ Kb4 10.c3+ Ka4 11.Qa5 checkmate.

7...Nf6

Black realizes that he needs to chase away the White Queen, but the way to do that was 7...Qe8.

8.Qf7+

Hunting the King is the right idea.

8...Kd6 9.Nac4+ Kc5

10.a3

White realizes that he has to weave a mating net around Black's King.

This move works, and quickly, but the situation is more complicated that it appears. It is not at all apparent at first glance that the Black King needs to be chased to the Kingside before being checkmated...

White's best is 10.a4, which actually forces mate. (I had the help of Houdini in my analyses.) 

Black struggles best against that move with 10...Nxc2+ (after 10...a5 it is possible to see the same kind of trouble afflict Black: 11.c3 d5 12.b4+ axb4 13.cxd4+ Kxd4 14.Bb2+ Kxe4 15.d3+ Kf5 16.g4+ Kg5 17.h4+ Kf4 18.Bc1 checkmate; the blocking 10...Ne6 leads to trouble faster 11.c3 Nxe4 12.d4+ Kd5 13.Ne3+ Kd6 14.Nf5+ Kd5 15.c4 checkmate), but not to win material.

11.Kd1 d5  (or 11...Qe7 and again we see the same pattern: 12.b4+ Kd4 13.Bb2+ Kxe4 14.d3+ Kf5 15.g4+ Kg5 16.h4+ Kf4 17.Bc1+ Ne3+ 18.Bxe3 checkmate; likewise with 11...b5 12.b4+ Kd4 13.Bb2+ Kxe4 14.d3+ Kf5 15.g4+ Kg5 16.h4+ Kf4 17.Bc1+ Ne3+ 18.Bxe3 checkmate) 12.b4+ when fleeing is "best" for Black, 12...Kd4 (or 12...Kxb4 13.Kxc2 Kc5 14.d4+ Kxd4 15.Rd1+ Kxe4 16.f3 Kf5 17.g4 checkmate)

The finish is familiar: 13.Bb2+ Kxe4 14.d3+ Kf5 15.g4+ Kg5 16.h4+ Kf4 17.Bc1+ Ne3+ 18.Bxe3 checkmate.

If pianazo had pulled that attack off in a blitz game, the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde would have crowned him "King For the Day (or Week, or Month, even)"!

There is a lesson here, though, from move 7: Choose the Simple, Avoid the Complex.

10...d6

More good fortune for White.

It turns out that it was okay for White to ignore Black's threat to win the Rook at a1. Had the game continued, instead, 10...Nxc2+, White could have put intense pressure on the Black King after 11.Kd1 Nxa1 12.b4 Ka5 13.a4+ Kxb4 14.Nd6!? c6 15.Qc4+ Ka5 16.Qc5+ Ka6 17.Nd3, when Black would have to give up his Queen with 17...Qa5 18.Nb4+ Qxb4 19.Qxb4. 

Black's King would still be alive, and he would have a Rook and two pieces for his Queen; but White would be able to keep the pressure on and regain some of the material, with advantage.

It looks like Black's best move was 10...Kb5 (hence the value of the recommended 10.a4 that would prevent the move). It is not clear what White is to do next. For example, 11.Nd6+!? Bxd6 12.Qc4+ Kb6 13.Qxd4+ Bc5 leaves Black's King alive, and close to finding shelter, as in 14.Qa5 d5 15.b4 Bxf2+ 16.Kxf2 a6, when White may still have an edge, but it is a small one.

Again, I applaud the creativity and courage of both pianazo and foduck in providing such an amazing game, but I have to repeat, sometimes it is better to Choose the Simple, Avoid the Complex.

11.b4+ Kb5 12.a4+ Kxb4 13.Nd3 checkmate

Very nice!