My House! My House! My Kingdom for a House!

Passing the following game along to me with the note "Another Jerome Gambit swindle," Bill Wall explained the crux of the game in one sentence, and the psychology of the contest in another: My opponent tried to castle by hand, but dropped a rook. Opponents seem to panic when their king is in the center.

Wall,B - Yunfan
chess.com, 2011

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

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

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qb5+

This is something new: in almost 24,000 games in The Database, this position does not show up at all!

The closest thing to it seems to be a 2006 FICS game, PierreKurdy - NLockwood (0-1, 58), which began: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.d3 Nf6 10.Qb5+ c6 11.Qb3. Of course, if you do a search on that position at move 11, you find that Bill Wall - Seven11, Chess.com, 2008 got there, too.

Giving "Jerome Gambit odds" requires alert, strong play. Familiarity with basic stratagems (Bill has studied The Database) is very useful.

So is the proper use of psychology. Here White asks (just like he does when his Queen checks from d5 in analogous situations) Black: is it worth the b-pawn to block the check with the Bishop? The answer is: probably not, but arriving at that conclusion takes time, as, Black reasons, surely, there must be some way to punish that impertinent Queen...

9...c6 10.Qb3

Posing the questions, Where will Black's Bishop go?, Where will Black's King go? and How will he get there?

10...Nf6 11.d3 Qa5+

12.Nc3 Rb8

You would almost expect Black to try something like 12...Qh5, but he is still worried about the White Queen at b3 and its attack on the pawn at b7.

The Rook move should give White some ideas based on GM John Nunn's warning: "LPDO, Loose Pieces Drop Off."

13.Bd2 Qb6

Another "solution" to the b7 pawn problem. That's three by my count: 9...c6, 12...Rb8 and now 13...Qb6.

It's all very reasonable, and the computer still gives Black the edge, but it is an indication that Black is uncomfortable with his position (instead of cheering himself: More than a dozen moves and I'm still better!)

14.Qa3 Ke7 15.f4 Re8

Having shored up Pb7, Black now goes about castling-by-hand to safeguard his King. That will make him feel a whole lot better. Multi-tasking will take its toll, though.

16.0-0-0 Kf8 17.Qxd6+ Kg8 18.Qxb8 Black resigned

Black can win the exchange with 18...Bg4, but that would leave him still three pawns down.

A Bit Unusual, Again

Black's 6th move in the following Jerome Gambit is a bit unusual, but it has been covered on this blog: see "Wait 'Till Next Year!", "A couple of pawns among friends..." and "Jerome Gambit and The Perfesser (Part I)".

UNPREDICTABLE - Kjosavik
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6

Not well thought out.

Before this game, The Database had 25 examples of this move, with White scoring 76%. (In 4 of the 6 White losses, understandably, the first player had overlooked White's next move.)

7.Qf5+ Ke7

The game has reached the same position as yesterday's. See "Alarming".

8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxc5

Simply capturing the Bishop, instead of playing around with 9.Qd5+ as in perrypawnpusher - Navarrra, blitz, FICS, 2011, (1-0, 26).

9...d6 10.Qe3 Nf6

White is a solid two pawns up.

11.d3 Re8 12.0-0 d5 13.f3 dxe4 14.fxe4 c6

15.e5

Somewhat impatient, although it is clear what is going on: White wants to use the pin on Black's Knight to win it with the pawn, although he temporarily overlooks the fact that the pawn, itself, is pinned by the Black Rook.

Ever-so-patiently Rybka suggests that White complete his development first: 15.Qc5 Qb6 16.Qxb6 axb6 17.b3 b5 18.Bb2 Kg6 19.a3 Bd7 20.Nd2 h6 21.Rf3 Be6 22.Raf1.

analysis diagram








This is not an "exciting" position, but White can safely look forward to making his extra material count.

15...Qb6

Overlooking the pin on the Knight. Rybka suggests that Black break the pin with 15...Kg8, but then recommends an exchange sacrifice for White: 16.d4 Nd5 17.Qe4 g6 18.Nc3 Bf5 19.Rxf5 gxf5 leading to and endgame where White's Bishop plus three pawns outrank Black's Rook, 20.Qxf5 Qb6 21.Nxd5 cxd5 22.c3 Rf8 23.Qg5+ Qg6 24.Qxg6+ hxg6.

analysis diagram







If only chess were as easy as Rybka makes it seem!

(No doubt Rybka would mutter, if it could: Humans don't win with the Jerome Gambit, they lose against it! There is a difference!)

16.Qxb6 axb6 17.exf6 gxf6

18.Nc3 Be6 19.Ne4 f5 20.Nd6+ Black resigned

Alarming

I am still learning the Jerome Gambit. I play my moves quickly, afraid that I may realize Oh, no, I'm down two pieces! If my opponent returns material, I think about grinding out a pawn-up ending... So I like the following game: with Black's 7th move an alarm went off in my head, and I knew that I had to do something to end the game quickly!

perrypawnpusher - Navarrra
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Ke7

This slip costs two pieces.

8.Qxe5+ Kf7

Both this move and 8...Kf8 are equal, but the text gives Black an opportunity to go further wrong if he is careless, as opposed to playing to the back rank directly.

9.Qd5+

There is, of course, nothing wrong with the direct 9.Qxc5.

I had tried the text's "nudge" a couple of years ago against Leontes (1-0, 11), but his King had scurried back to e8. My opponent then resigned when I exchanged Queens...

9...Kg6

Four straight Queen checks by White: who can take this opening seriously, anyhow?

10.Qf5+ Kh6 11.d4+ g5 12.Qxc5

I wanted to play 12.h4, but I couldn't work out the lines. Just like 12.dxc5 would break up my pawns, so too would 12.h4 Bb4+ 13.c3 Kg7 14.cxb4. 

12...d6 13.Qc3 Qe7 14.Qe3

Still angling for h2-h4.

14...Bf5

An optical illusion.

15.exf5 Qxe3+ 16.Bxe3 Nf6 17.h4

At last!

17...Kg7 18.hxg5 Nd5 19.Nc3 Nxc3 20.bxc3 Rae8 21.Kd2

21...b5 22.f6+ Kf7 23.Rh6 a6 24.Rah1 c6 25.Rxh7+ Rxh7 26.Rxh7+ Ke6

Black resigned

White's simplest continuation is 27.Re7+ Rxe7 28.fxe7 Kxe7 when his three connected, passed pawns and extra piece will quickly lead to an extra Queen or two (or three).  Only slightly more complicated was 27.f7 Rc8 28.Rg7 Rf8 29.g6 followed by 30.Rg8, winning Black's Rook for two pawns.

Clash

The following Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit re-visits an interesting defensive idea first touched upon in "Starting Over". Black's King does not greedily wander to d4 (or e4) grabbing material; instead, an interesting pawn clash takes center stage.


 bartab - JackalDeOur
standard game, 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+ Ke6

6.c3 d6

An interesting alternative to the recommended 6...Kxe5.

7.cxd4 dxe5

In my game vs ozypawnstar, I mentioned Rybka's recommendation of 8.dxe5 Qd3 here. Given more time to think, the computer also likes 8.Qb3+ Ke7 9.dxe5, which is answered by the similar 9...Qd4; after 10.Nc3 c6 the game is about even. (There is trouble ahead for Black with 10...Qxe5 11.d4 Qxd4 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.0-0.)

8.d5+ Ke7

A bit better is 8...Kf7 as in Jefersondsouza - Zeddyzeddy, FICS 2011 (0-1, 51).

After ozypawnstar's 8...Kd6 I continued similarly to bartab with 9.d4, in perrypawnpusher - ozypawnstar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29)

9.d4 Qd6

10.dxe5 Qxe5 11.Nd2 Nf6 12.0-0 Bg4

Black is developing quickly and pressuring White's pawn center. White's response is natural, but Rybka prefers 13.Qb3.

13.f3 Bh5

Played too quickly. With 13...Qd4+ the second player could have shifted his Queen out of danger; and then retreated his Bishop to d7.

14.Nc4

Black's Queen is trapped in the middle of the board.

14...Bxf3

A little bit "better" (but still losing) was 14...Qxe4 15.Re1 Qxe1+.

15.Rxf3 Qh5 16.d6+

Crashing through in the center.

16...Kd7 17.dxc7+ Kxc7

18.e5

This works, but adding a couple of pieces to the attack with 18.Bf4+ Kc8 19.Rc1 was more ferocious.

18...Ng4 19.Rh3 Bc5+ 20.Be3 Bxe3+ 21.Nxe3 Nxe3

A slip, but 21...Qxe5 22.Nxg4 would still leave him a piece down.

22.Qc1+ Kb8 23.Rxh5 Black resigned

A Picture of The Modern Jerome Gambit Gemeinde*

*Nah. Not really.

Deep Thinks

Although the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game was played at blitz speed (2 12), it contained two relatively long "deep thinks". With mine, I accidentally avoided an immediate destruction; with my opponent's, he immediately percipitated one.

perrypawnpusher - lorecai
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

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

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

10.0-0 Ng4

This is a multi-purpose move: attacking the Queen, preparing to attack the King (if White castles Kingside) and arranging to exchange Queens, if need be.

Our earlier game went 10...Rf8 11.f4 Ng4, perrypawnpusher - lorecai, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 47).

11.Qg3

This was my move choice after a pretty deep think, at least for a blitz time control. It seems like a prety obvious move, and I would bet that my opponent was wondering what was taking me so long to find it. What could I possibly be seeing in the position??

In part, I didn't like 11...Qh4 as a response, forcing the exchange of Queens, although things worked out well for tedhorst and Ghandy in their games with that move: tedhort - popasile, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 30) and Ghandy - julianaajedrez, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 26, a loss on time in an even game).

In my deliberations I eventually discarded 11.Qe2 – a move which, unbeknownst to me, quickly goes horribly wrong: 11...Qh4 12.h3 Nf4 13.Qf3 Ne5 14.Qc3 Ne2+ White resigned, mrjoker - weiran, ICC, 2008.

So, although I did not come up with anything spectacularly good with my "deep think" at least I did not come up with something spectaularly bad, like 11.Qe2 would have been. 

11...h6

I am not sure what to think about this move. It could have been a mouse-slip for an intended 11...h5, as I faced last year in perrypawnpusher - Riversider, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 18).

In any event, it un-protects  the Black Knight at g6, which makes my next move easy to see (although 12.f3 might have been a tiny bit better).

12.h3 N4e5

It might have been time to try the "fishing pole" move, 12...h5!?, although the placement of White's Queen allows him to take the Knight and survive, e.g. 13.hxg4 hxg4 14.f4!? followed by developing the rest of his pieces and attention to defense (of course).

13.d4

For concrete reasons, 13.f4, which accomplishes the same thing (attacking and either winning or chasing away the defender of the Knight on g6), was better.

After the text, Black now has 13...Qh4, and 14.dxe5 Qxg3 15.fxg3 Nxe5 would only give White a small edge. If White opts to exchange Queens himself after 13...Qh4 with 14.Qxh4, Black would have the annoying 14...Nf3+ which breaks up White's pawns, 15.gxf3 before recapturing the Queen with 15...Nxh4. As White would then be due to lose another pawn, his advantage, again, would be small.

My opponent went into a deep think now.

13...Qg5

Wow.

Was this another mouse-slip for an intended 13...Qh4 ? Or was he counting on seeing 14.dxe5 Qxg3 15.fxg3 Nxe5 ?

Either way, this was an unfortunate move.

14.Bxg5 Black resigned

Making It

While it often seems the case that "Good players are lucky," it would be more fair to say, instead, that "Good players make their own luck."

Take the following Jerome Gambit game, where White is able to fashion a whole point out of absolutely nothing.

axykk  - ElFuriozo
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

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

7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+ Be6

White threatens a pawn grab, and Black decides to let him have it.

9.Qxb7

A calculated risk. Given that Rybka 3 says that the best move for Black now is 9...Nh4!? I think that axykk has guessed right that his opponent won't find or play the kind of move that this position requires.

9...Nf6 10.d3 Rf8

Consolidating by castling-by-hand.

This is very prudent, but, again, to squeeze the most out of the position, Black needed to try 10...Nh4. As it is, the game is moving toward "even".

11.f4 Nh5 12.f5

This can, however, be considered pushing his luck too far. For White there is a piece to be won, but also a King to be lost. (Castling first keeps the game about even.)

12...Qh4+

Of course. These kinds of things happen occasionally when you give "Jerome Gambit odds". There's nothing to do but ride them out and keep your eyes open for opportunities...

13.Kd2 Qf2+ 14.Kc3

If you sacrifice a piece in the opening for an attack and it is your opponent who ends up threatening checkmate within ten moves, then something has gone wrong. - IM Gary Lane

14...Qc5+ 15.Kd2 Kg8 16.fxe6

Brazen.

On the other hand, if White's King survives, he will have a surplus of material.

16...Rf2+ 17.Ke1 Raf8

 18.Qb3 Kh8 19.Qc3 Rxg2

Let him double Rooks on the 2nd rank, or get his Queen there, and Black will finish up with gusto.

20.Qxc5 dxc5

Getting the Queens off the board, however, was a major coup for White. Now, despite his horrible lack of development, the two extra pawns give him the better game!

21.Na3 Nhf4 22.Bxf4 Nxf4 23.e7 Re8 24.Rf1 g5 25.h4 h6

This is all so very troubling for Black. There is no win any more, just the worry: how will his fractured and outnumbered pawns hold up against White's connected, healthy ones?

He will simply be ground down.

26.Rc1 Rxe7 27.hxg5 hxg5 28.Rf2 Rg1+ 29.Kd2 Rxc1 30.Kxc1 Kg7

After all the excitement, it looks as if White had simply castled Queenside.

31.Nc4 Nh3 32.Rf5 Kg6 33.Rxc5 g4 34.Ne3 g3 35.Nf5 Re5 36.Rc6+  Black resigned