Friday, April 13, 2012

The Invincible Jerome Gambit

Every once in a while I get to play a Jerome Gambit game that reminds me why I got interested in this not-at-all-invincible chess opening. As the editor wrote in the Dubuque Chess Journal of July 1874,

It should be understood that Mr. Jerome claims in this New Opening "only a pleasant variation of the Giuoco Piano, which may win or lose according to the skill of the players, but which is capable of affording many new positions and opportunities for heavy blows unexpectedly."
perrypawnpusher  - strobaneblitz, FICS, 2012

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


4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6


 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6

An interesting defensive idea to save a piece. It has not been seen often (8 wins for Black in 21 games in The Database) and can only be chosen for surprise purposes ahead of the stronger 8...Qf6.

9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ d6 11.Qe3 Nf6


The position is similar to that reached in the 6...Ng6 line.

12.0-0 Re8

I was amused to see that, after the game, Rybka had suggested 12...c5 for Black, and that it recommended in response that White play something out of the Sicilian Wing Gambit: 13.b4 cxb4 14.d4 Kf8 15.a3. Wow!

13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc6 15.e5


White's "Jerome pawns" are marching double time, but what error has Black made? He has three pieces (let's not count his King) developed to White's two and he should probably continue castling-by-hand now with 15...Kf8.

15...dxe5 16.dxe5 Nd5

It hardly seems fair to criticize this reasonable-looking move, but Black's longer-term fortunes might have been better served by swapping Queens and giving a piece back: 16...Qd4 17.Qxd4 Nxd4 18.exf6+ Kxf6 with an even game.

17.Qg5+

This works, but after the game Rybka much preferred 17.Qg3, as after 17...Nxe5 the move 18.Bg5+ causes problems, e.g. 18...Nf6 19.Qxe5+.

17...Kf8

At first glance this seems safer than 17...Kf7, but it is not.

18.f6 gxf6 19.exf6 Nxf6

I am pretty sure that my opponent was now expecting 20.Qxf6+? Qxf6 21.Rxf6+ Kg7 when his chances of survival would have soared.

20.Rxf6+ Qxf6 21.Qxf6+ Kg8 22.Bh6 

Here Black let his clock run out and lost on time





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