End It

Short games, often wins by checkmate, provide good tactical lessons on how to finish a contest quickly. Although White, in the following match, does a stellar job grabbing the full point in less than a dozen moves, he likely saw even faster ways to do so, once he reviewed his play. Follow along for the ride!

berria - SlowDave
standard, FICS, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5

This nameless attempt to avoid the Jerome Gambit - and grab the "two Bishops" after 4.Bb3 Nxb3 - has been covered many times in this blog (see "Opening Discussion, Not Quite Closed"), but the following game shows a new idea for the defense.

As with many miniature games, White should play over the game and its notes, so that the attacker is ready for an unusual variation of this unusual defense.

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.Qh5

Best for White is 6.d4 d6 7.Qg4+. 

6...Qe7

A rare move. Its always a good idea for Black to put his Queen on e7 or f6, right?

7.d4

A couple of the few examples of this particular line in The Database continued:

7.Nf3 Nf6 8.Qxa5 Nxe4 9.Qxc7 Qd6 10.Qc4+ Qd5 11.Qxd5+ (11.Nd4+!) 11...Kxd5 12.O-O Nd6 13.Nc3+ Kc6 14.Ne5+ Kb6 15.Nd5+ Ka5 16.d3 g6 17.Bd2+ Ka6 18.Nc7+ Kb6 19.Nxa8+ Kc5 20.Nc7 Kd4 21.Bc3+ Kc5 22.Nxd7+ Kc6 23.Bxh8 Kxd7 24.Nd5 Ke6 25.c4 Nf5 26.Rfe1+ Kd6 27.Re8 Ng7 28.Bxg7 Black resigned, diegolli - Mattlaff, FICS, 2010;

7.Qf5+ (best) Kd6 8.Nc3 (8.Nc4+ Nxc4 9.Qd5#) 8...c6 9.d4 g6 10.Qf4 Ke6 11.d5+ cxd5 12.exd5+ Kd6 13.O-O Qxe5 14.Qb4+ Kc7 15.Qxa5+ Kb8 16.g3 d6 17.Bf4 Qf5 18.Qd8 Be7 19.Bxd6+ Black resigned, EAPL - Falx, FICS, 2008; also

7.Qh3+ Kd6 8.Qd3+ Kc5 9.Qe3+ Kb4 10.a4 Qxe5 11.Qa3+ Kc4 12.d3+ Kd4 13.Qc3# 

7...d6 8.d5+ 

Or 8.Qf5#; or 8.Qg4+ Kf6 9.Bg5#; or 8.Qh3+ Kf6 9.Qf3+ Bf5 10.Qxf5#. 

8...Kf6 9.Bg5+ 

Or 9.Qg5#; or 9.Qf3+ Kxe5 10.Bd2 Nc6 11.Na3 Qf6 12.Bc3+ Nd4 13.Nc4# 

9...Kxe5 10.Bxe7+ Black resigned

Bots on Our Side (Part 3)

Most chess-playing computer programs have a "book" in the software that lays out opening lines for the program to play. This saves on computing time - i.e. why analyze the "best" 6 or 8 opening moves, game after game - and makes sure that the program gets off to a reasonable start. It can include the latest preferences of super-Grandmasters, or the favorite moves of the programmer.

Given that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is not likely to be deemed "best" play for White by the analysis of any competent computer, any time the opening is played by a program, it is likely that the Jerome has been included in the opening "book".

A computer program dedicated to playing the Jerome Gambit - like Brause, focused on the Halloween Gambit, mentioned in an earlier post - would be a gift to the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde; but, alas, such a thing apparently does not (yet) exist. 

I cross-checked the list of 130 or so computer "players" at the Free Internet Chess Server with the roughly 55,000 games in The Database. I found 9 additional (see Part 1 and Part 2 for the games of  GriffySr and GriffyJr) games showing a variety of Jeromes - the Jerome Gambit proper, the Abraham Jerome Gambit, the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, and the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.


Gamin - mscp
blitz, FICS, 2001
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 Nge7 6.Bg5 Kg8 7.Nc3 h6 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.Nd5 Qd8 10.c3 a5 11.Qb3 a4 12.Qc4 a3 13.Nxc7+ d5 14.exd5 axb2 15.dxc6+ Kh7 16.Rb1 Qxc7 17.Qxc5 e4 18.dxe4 Rxa2 19.Qc4 Ra6 20.Qd3 Qxc6 21.Qc2 Kg8 22.Nd2 Ra2 23.Rxb2 Ra1+ 24.Rb1 Rxb1+ 25.Nxb1 Qa6 26.e5 g6 27Nd2 Rh7 28.Ne4 Qa1+ 29.Qd1 Qxd1+ 30.Kxd1 Rh8 31.Nd6 Bd7 32.Ke2 Rh7 33.Kd3 Bc6 34.f3 Rd7 35.Ra1 b6 36.Kd4 b5 37.Kc5 Bb7 38.Ra7 Bc6 39.Ra6 Rxd6 40.Kxd6 Bb7 41.Ra7 Bxf3 42.gxf3 g5 43.e6 b4 44.cxb4 g4 45.e7 Kf7 46.fxg4 h5 47.gxh5 Kf6 48.e8=Q Kg5 49.Qg6+ Kf4 50.Re7 Kf3 51.Qg3 checkmate

Gamin - JumpNMustangII
lightning, FICS, 2001

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Qh4 8.O-O Nc6 9.Qf3+ Qf6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qd5+ Qe6 12.Qxe6+ dxe6 13.cxb4 Nxd4 14.Na3 Ne2+ 15.Kh1 Nf6 16.Re1 Nxc1 17.Raxc1 c6 18.Nc4 Rd8 19.e5 Nd5 20.Nd6+ Ke7 21.Re4 a5 22.b5 cxb5 23.Rh4 h5 24.Nxb5 Nb4 25.Nd6 Bd7 26.Nxb7 Rdc8 27.Rxc8 Rxc8 28.h3 Rc2 29.Nxa5 Rxb2 30.a3 Nd3 31.f4 Ne1 32.Nc4 Rxg2 33.Nb6 Rc2 34.Nd5+ exd5 35.f5 Nf3 White resigned

SiliconC - cesrmathurine
standard, FICS, 2005

1.Nf3 Nc6 2.e4 e5 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Qf6 10.Qd3 d6 11.Qc4+ Be6 12.Qxc7+ Ne7 13.O-O Rac8 14.Qxb7 Rxc2 15.Qxa7 Rhc8 16.Qe3 Bc4 17.Re1 Bd3 18.Na3 Bxe4 19.Qxe4 Qxf2+ 20.Kh1 Re2 21.Qxe2 Qxe2 22.Rxe2 Nf5 23.g4 Nd4 24.Re4 Nf3 25.Rf4+ Kg7 26.Rxf3 Black resigned

fjjvh - nicoben
blitz, FICS, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qf3+ Nf6 5.Qb3+ Kf8 6.Qf7+ Kxf7 7.Nf3 Ng4 8.Nxe5+ Nxe5 9.f4 Ng4 10.h3 Nf6 11.e5 Ne4 12.e6+ Kxe6 13.f5+ Kxf5 14.Rf1+ Kg5 15.d3+ Kg6 16.Rf6+ Kxf6 17.Bg5+ Kxg5 18.h4+ Kxh4 19.g3+ Kxg3 20.dxe4 Qe8 21.a4 Qxe4+ 22.Kf1 Qxc2 23.Ra3+ Bxa3 24.Nxa3 Qxb2 25.Nc4 Qg2+ 26.Ke1 Qf2+ 27.Kd1 Qf1+ 28.Kd2 Qxc4 29.a5 b6 30.Ke3 bxa5 31.Kd2 Re8 32.Kd1 Kf2 33.Kd2 Re2+ 34.Kd1 Qc2 checkmate


Gamin - cccolts
blitz, FICS, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 h6 6.O-O Nf6 7.Be3 Bxe3 8fxe3 Rf8 9.c3 Kg8 10.Nbd2 d6 11.d4 Bg4 12.Qb3+ Kh8 13.Qxb7 Qd7 14.Qa6 Bxf3 15.Rxf3 Rab8 16.Rb1 Rb6 17.Qa3 Re8 18.d5 Ne7 19.Qxa7 Reb8 20.b3 Ng6 21.Rbf1 Kh7 22.Rg3 R8b7 23.Qa5 Rb5 24.Qa4 R5b6 25.Qxd7 Nxd7 26.a3 Ra6 27.Rf7 Nc5 28.b4 Nd3 29.Nc4 Ne1 30.a4 Rba7 31.a5 Kg8 32.Rf1 Nc2 33.Rxg6 Black resigned

BlackDemon - wkw
lightning, FICS, 2009
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.O-O Nf6 6.d3 Rf8 7.Be3 Bxe3 8.fxe3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5+ Kg8 11.Rxf8+ Qxf8 12.Nxc6 Qc5 13.Qe2 bxc6 14.d4 Bg4 15.dxc5 Bxe2 16.Nd2 Bh5 17.e4 Nb4 18.c3 Nd3 19.b4 a5 20.a4 axb4 21.cxb4 Nxb4 22.a5 Nd3 23.a6 Ra7 24.Nb3 Bf7 25.Rd1 Bxb3 26.Rxd3 Be6 27.Rd8+ Kf7 28.Rb8 Rxa6 29.Rb7 Ke7 30.Rxc7+ Bd7 31.Kf2 Ra5 32.g3 Rxc5 33.Ke3 Ra5 34.Rb7 Ra2 35.h3 Ra3+ 36.Kf4 c5 37.h4 c4 38.Ke5 Rd3 39.Ra7 c3 40.Rc7 Kd8 41.Rc4 Bb5 42.Rc5 Ba4 43.Ke6 c2 44.Kf7 Rd7+ 45.Ke6 Rc7 46.Rxc2 Bxc2 47.Kd5 Rd7+ 48.Ke5 Re7+ 49.Kf4 Rxe4+ 50.Kf3 Ke7 51.Kf2 Kf6 52.Kg2 Kf5 53.Kf2 Kg4 54.Kg2 Re2+ 55.Kf1 Bd3 56.h5 Kxg3 57.h6 Re3+ 58.Kg1 Re1 checkmate


BlackDemon - abhaysonu
blitz, FICS, 2009
1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.O-O Re8 7.d3 Kg8 8Bg5 Be7 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Nd5 d6 11.h3 Ne7 12.Nxf6+ gxf6 13.d4 Ng6 14.c3 Kh8 15.Ne1 Rg8 16.Qf3 Qe7 17.Kh1 Qg7 18.Rg1 Nh4 19.Qd3 Bxh3 20.Qxh3 Ng6 21.Nd3 Nf4 22.Nxf4 exf4 23.Rae1 Rae8 24.Kh2 Qg6 25.Qh4 f3 26.gxf3 Qf7 27.Rxg8+ Rxg8 28.Rg1 Rxg1 29.Kxg1 Qxa2 30.Qxf6+ Kg8 31.Qd8+ Kf7 32.Qxc7+ Kg6 33.Qxd6+ Kh5 34.Qd5+ Kh6 35.Qxa2 Black resigned


callipygian - vuhb
blitz, FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Qf6+ 7.Nf3 d6 8.Qg5 Nc6 9.Rf1 Qxg5 10.Nxg5+ Kg7 11.d3 Nd4 12.Na3 Nf6 13.c3 Ne6 14.Nb5 Ne8 15.Kg3 Rf8 16.Nxe6+ Bxe6 17.Bh6+ Kxh6 18.Rxf8 Kg7 19.Rf3 c6 20.Nd4 Bg8 21.a4 Nf6 22.a5 c5 23.Nb5 c4 24.Nxd6 cxd3 25.Rxd3 Be6 26.Kf4 Rf8 27.Re1 Nd7+ 28.Kg3 Ne5 29.Rdd1 b6 30.axb6 axb6 31.Nb5 h5 32.Nc7 Bg4 33.Rd5 Rf7 34.Ne8+ Black resigned



LittleBugger - Nicolayevich
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 6.Nc3 d6 7.Nd5+ Ke8 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Nxg6 Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Nxa1 11.Ne5 checkmate

Bots on Our Side (Part 2)

As I noted in the previous post, I have written here about computer vs computer Jerome Gambit games, and about human vs computer Jerome Gambit games (see "Ionman vs the Bots").

The other day I also ran into some games in The Database where a computer, GriffyJr at FICS - which had starred as the defender against Ionman in the Jerome Gambit games mentiond above - was playing White.

Like the play of GriffySr, I wanted to see what "junior" was playing!

GriffyJr - ManOOwar
FICS, 2003

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian game. If Black plays ...Bc5 at some point, it can turn into a Jerome Gambit. White needs a "waiting" move or two.

4.d4

Or 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 d6 6.dxe5 Nxe5 7.Nxe5 dxe5 8.Bxf7+ Ke7 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.Nd2 Bd6 11.b4 Rf8 12.Bc4 Bd7 13.O-O b5 14.Bb3 Re8 15.a4 bxa4 16.Bxa4 Bxa4 17.Rxa4 Ke7 18.Rd1 Reb8 19.f3 Kf8 20.Nc4 Rd8 21.Be3 a6 22.Rda1 Ne8 23.b5 a5 24.Nxa5 Be7 25.Nc6 Rxa4 26.Rxa4 Rd3 27.Kf2 Rxc3 28.Nxe5 Bd6 29.Ng6+ Kf7 30.Nh8+ Kg8 31.Ng6 Rc2+ 32.Kf1 Rb2 33.e5 Bf8 34.Rf4 Rb1+ 35.Kf2 Rb2+ 36.Kg3 Black forfeited on time, GriffyJr - ABOSS, FICS, 2009.

4...Nxd4 

Better is the capture 4...exd4 5.Nxd4 (5.c3 dxc3 6.Nxc3 Na5 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qh5+ Ke7 10. Qxa5 Nf6 11.e5 Ng4 12.h3 c6 13.Qxd8+ Kxd8 14.hxg4 d5 15.Ng5 Kc7 16.e6 Be7 17.Bf4+ Kb6 18.Nf7 Rf8 19.Be3+ Kc7 20.Nxd5+ Kb8 21.Bf4+ Bd6 22.Bxd6,  checkmate GriffyJr - godina, FICS, 2009) 5...Bc5 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxc5 Nf6 (9...Ne7 10.O-O d6 11.Qd4 Be6 12.Nc3 Rf8 13.Bxh6 Rg8 14.Rad1 c5 15.Qd3 Nc6 16.Qg3 Ne5 17.f4 Nd7 18.Bg5 Qc8 19.Rf3 Nf6 20.Bxf6 Kxf6 21.e5+ Ke7 22.exd6+ cxd6 23.f5 Bxf5 24.Rxd6 c4 25.Qe5+ Kf7 26.Rf6+ Kg7 27.R6xf5+ Kh7 28.Rh3 checkmate, GriffyJr - korrigan, FICS, 2009) 10.e5 Nd5 (10...Qe8 11.O-O Nd5 12.c4 Nb6 13.Na3 Ba6 14.Bf4 Kg7 15.e6 Rf8 16.Qe3 g5 17.Be5+ Kg8 18.exd7 Qxd7 19.Rad1 Qf5 20.b3 Rae8 21.Rde1 Nd7 22.Qxa7 Nxe5 23.Qxa6 Nd3 24.Rxe8 Rxe8 25.Qxc6 Re1 26.f3 Rxf1+ 27.Kxf1 Nf4 28.Qe8+ Kg7 29.Qe7+ Kg6 30.Qe8+ Kf6 31.Qf8+ Ke5 32.Qg7+ Qf6 33.Qxc7+ Kf5 34.Qh7+ Qg6 35.Qxg6+ Nxg6 36.b4 Ne5 37.Ke2 Kf4 38.g3+ Kf5 39.b5 Ke6 40.b6 Kd6 41.f4 Nc6 42.fxg5 hxg5 43.Ke3 Kc5 44.b7 Kb6 45.Nb5 Kxb7 46.a4 Na5 47.Kd4 Kc6 48.g4 Nb3+ 49.Ke5 Kc5 50.Nd6 Kb4 51.Kf6 Kxa4 52.Kxg5 Kb4 53.Kf6 Kc5 54.Ke5 Nd4 55.h3 Nf3+ 56.Kf4 Nh4 57.Ke5 Ng6+ 58.Kf5 Ne7+ 59.Ke6 Nc6 60.h4 Kd4 61.h5 Ne5 62.g5 Ng4 63.g6 Ke3 64.g7 Black resigned, GriffyJr - VovaWest, FICS, 2009) 11.O-O Bb7 (11...Qe7 12.Qd4 Qe6 13.c4 Ne7 14.Nc3 Nf5 15.Qe4 Rb8 16.Rd1 Bb7 17.f3 c5 18.Qf4 g5 19.Qg4 Nd4 20.Qxe6+ Kxe6 21.f4 gxf4 22.Bxf4 Rhg8 23.g3 h5 24.Na4 d6 25.Nc3 Rbf8 26.Bh6 Rf3 27.exd6 cxd6 28.Re1+ Kd7 29.Rad1 h4 30.Ne2 Nf5 31.Bf4 hxg3 32.hxg3 Ba6 33.Kg2 Rxf4 34.Nxf4 Rxg3+ 35.Kf2 Bxc4 36.Re5 Rg5 37.Rxc5 Bxa2 38.Ra5 Be6 39.Rxa7+ Kc6 40.Nxe6 Nh4 41.Nxg5 Nf5 42.Ra5 Black resigned, GriffyJr - Zugzwango, FICS, 2009) 12.Na3 d6 13.Qd4 Qe7 14.Nc4 c5 15.Qg4 dxe5 16.Qe4 Rae8 17.Re1 Kf6 18.Qf3+ Kg7 19.Nxe5 Qf6 20.Qe4 Rhf8 21.Bxh6+ Kxh6 22.Ng4+ Kg7 23.Nxf6 Rxe4 24.Nxe4 Nb4 25.Nxc5 Bc6 26.Ne6+ Kf7 27.Nxf8 Kxf8 28.Re2 Bb5 29.Rd2 c5 30.a3 Nc6 31.Re1 Nd4 32.Re5 a6 33.Rxc5 Ne6 34.Re5 Kf7 35.Rd6 Nf4 36.b3 Be8 37.c4 Nh5 38.Kf1 Black resigned, GriffyJr - Hatashi, FICS, 2002. 

There is also 4...d6 5.dxe5 Nxe5 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.Bxf7+ Ke7 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 c6 10.Be3 Nf6 11.O-O-O+ Kc7 12.f3 Bd7 13.a3 Rd8 14.Kb1 Bd6 15.Bxa7 b6 16.Bxb6+ Kxb6 17.Rxd6 Kc7 18.Rdd1 Be8 19.Rxd8 Kxd8 20.Rd1+ Ke7 21.Bb3 Bf7 22.Bxf7 Kxf7 23.Rd6 Rc8 24.a4 Ke7 25.Rd3 Nh5 26.a5 Nf4 27.Rd2 Ne6 28.Kc1 Nc7 29.Kd1 Rd8 30.Rxd8 Kxd8 31.Ke2 Kd7 32.Ke3 g5 33.Kd3 Kd6 34.Na4 Na6 35.Nb6 Kc7 36.Nc4 Nc5+ 37.Ke3 Nd7 38.a6 Kb8 39.h4 Ka7 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Nd6 Kxa6 42.Nf7 Kb5 43.Nxg5 Kc4 44.Ne6 Nc5 45.b3+ Kc3 46.Nxc5 Kxc2 47.g4 Kc3 48.Kf2 Kd4 49.Ne6+ Kc3 50.g5 Kxb3 51.g6 Kb4 52.g7 c5 53.Ke2 c4 54.g8=Q c3 55.Qb8+ Kc4 56.Qb1 Black resigned, GriffyJr - ManchesterUtd, FICS, 2009.

5.Bxf7+ 

GriffyJr treats the position as if it were a Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+). White's loss of his d-pawn actually helps the attack. 

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8

This move allows a forced checkmate - which GriffyJr misses!

No matter; White still has a won game.

Not much better was 6...Ke6 7.Qxd4 Nf6 8.Ng6 Kf7 9.Nxh8+ Kg8 10.Ng6 c5 11.Qd3 Be7 12.O-O d6 13.Bf4 Qb6 14.Nxe7+ Kf7 15.Bxd6 Qxb2 16.Nc3 Be6 17.e5 Nd7 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.Nf5+ Kg8 20.Qxg7 checkmate, GriffyJr - itsanelmo, FICS, 2009. 

7.Qh5+ Ke7 

7...g6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc6 (10...Kc5 11.Qd5+ Kb4 12.Bd2+ Ka4 13.Qa5 checkmate GriffyJr - augustwest, FICS, 2006) 11.Qd5 checkmate, GriffyJr - RedPimpernel, FICS, 2004

8.Ng6+

The mate is 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc5 10.Qd5+ Kb4 11.Bd2+ Ka4 13.Qa5, the same idea as in the later game against augustwest, above.

8...Kf6 9.Qh4+

Instead, 9.Nxh8 was stronger, but the bot knows that many human players do not like to lose their Queen...

9...Kxg6 10.Qxd8 Be7 11.Qxc7 Black resigned

These moves also occurred in GriffyJr - materialist, FICS, 2001