Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Stuck in the Middle


White's attack on Black's King is a standard theme in the Jerome Gambit. Sometimes it is deadly to be stuck in the middle.

Wall, Bill - Schichua, Stephen

FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 




4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8



7.Qxe5 d6


Bill has faced the Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit, 7... Qe7, a couple of times: Wall,B - Guest340293, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 41) and Wall,B - Josti, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 26).


8.Qg3 Qf6 9.d3


Or 9.O-O as in Wall,B - GuestZCLK, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15), or 

9.Nc3 a6 10.Nd5 Qf7 11.d4 Bxd4 12.Bf4 Bxb2 13.Rb1 Ba3 14.Qxa3 Nf6 15.Nxc7 Nxe4 16.Bxd6+ Kg8 17.O-O Black resigned, Wall,B - GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com, 2010.

9...h6 10.O-O Ne7


11.Nc3 Bd4 12.Nb5


Threatening 13.Nxc7.


13...Bb6 


Or, Bill notes, 12...Be5 13.f4 Bd4+ 14.Be3 Bxe3+ 15.Qxe3 Qxb2 16. Nxc7.


13.Be3 c5 14.Nxd6 Qxb2



Black is counting on his Queen to provide counterplay, but it can be risky to leave the King stuck in the middle of the board.


15.f4 c4


White can handle the tactical skirmish 15...Qxc2 16.f5 Qxd3 17.Rad1 Qxe3+ 18.Qxe3 c4 19.Rd4


16.Nxc4 Qxc2 17.Bxb6 axb6 18.f5 




The three central "Jerome pawns" give White the advantage.


18...b5 19.f6


White presses his attack.


19...gxf6


Of course, if 19...bxc4 then 20.Qxg7+ Ke8 21.Qxe7 checkmate.


20.Rxf6+ Ke8 21.Nd6+ Kd8 22. Nf7+ Black resigned 




After 22...Ke8 (22...Kd7 23.Qd6+ Ke8 24.Qd8#) 23.Nxh8 Qc5+ 24.Kh1 Black has the swindle 24...Rxa2, but after 25. Raf1 (25. Rxa2? Qc1+ winning for Black) White is firmly in control with a strong attack.


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