Friday, July 4, 2014

The Best Jerome Gambit Game of the Year (Part 5)




We now come to the conclusion of this very hard-fought Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game.

Wall, Bill - Guest871838

PlayChess.com, 2014

20...Qd1


The idea behind this move is not apparent (it could be an issue of time pressure, this being a 10-minute game), but the tempos that it yields to White are critical. As mentioned in the previous post, 20... Kd7 may be best.


Black could also try 20...Bxd6, which has the additional benefit of being able to meet 21.d3 with 21...Bxg3+!?, as then 22.Kxg3 Qe5+ could lead to a draw by repetition of position. As if either player were thinking about a draw!


21.Nc3 Qxc2


It is hard to see Black's Queen maneuver as simply wanting to grab pawns, after all the fight he has shown. Perhaps he could have tried 21...Qf1, to delay White's unraveling of his Queenside pieces, although he would have to watch out for 22.d4 Bxd6? 23.Bg5+ winning the Queen, as Bill points out. 


22. d4 Qf5 23.dxc5 Rxc5 




The smoke is clearing. White has Rook, Bishop, Knight and two pawns for his Queen. He has more than survived - he is winning now.


24.Be3 Rc6 25.Rd1


Bill mentions as even stronger the line 25.Rf2 Qd3 26.Bg5+ Kd7 27.Re1.


25...Qf3


Again, Bill notes, if, instead, 25...Qh5, then 26.Rd5 Qf3 27.Re5 nicely repositions White's Rook. The first player's pieces will overrun the Queen, and then her monarch.


26.Rd3


Threatening 27.Bg5+, winning the Queen.


26...Kd7 27.Rf2 Qh5 28.Rf7+ Ke6  29.Re7+ Kf6 30.Ne4+ Kf5 31.Rd5 checkmate

Beautiful.

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