Jerome Gambit: Human vs Computer Logic

In the following game Bill Wall faces further (see "Jerome Gambit: Creativity Abounds") defensive creativity. Coming up with such an aha! move often feels like it must be the right reply. Once again, however, it creates an interesting position, but not quite enough to refute the attack.

I found it interesting to see what Stockfish 8 had to say about several lines of play. It is interesting to follow the inhuman logic.

It is also interesting to follow the scintillating human play.

Wall, Bill - Guest3235842
PlayChess.com, 2017

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 

7...Qf6 8.Qc5 Nf3+

This move - returning the sacrificed piece for a pawn, equalizing material - is a novelty according to The Database.

Of course, had White's Queen remained unprotected on the d4 square, Black's move would have been winning (like 4...Kxf7). Stronger was 8...Nc6 (or 8...d6).

9.gxf3 Qxf3 

10.Qc4+

The position is tricky, if somewhat in White's favor. Stockfish 8  recommends the following line, where White gets sufficient compensation for a sacrificed pawn, but best play seems to drain a lot out of the position:  10.Rg1 Qxe4+ 11.Be3 Nf6 12.Nd2 Qd5 13.Qxc7 Re8 14.O-O-O Qe5 15.Qxe5 Rxe5 16.Bd4 Rd5 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Nc4 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 d5 20.Nd6+ Ke7 21.Nxc8+ Rxc8 22.Rxd5 Rc7 23.Rh5 Ke6 24.Kd2 b6 25.Kd3 Rd7+

analysis diagram





10...Ke8

Again, the silicon advice tends toward the drawish: 10...d5 11.Qxc7+ Ne7 12.Rg1 Re8 13.Nc3 Bg4 14.Qf4+ Qxf4 15.Bxf4 Bf3 16.Nb5 Nf5 17.e5 Rac8 18.Rg5 Ke6 19.Bg3 Rf8 20.c3 h6 21.Rxf5 Kxf5 22.Nd6+ Ke6 23.Nxc8 Rxc8 24.Kd2 g5 25.Ke3 Rf8 26.h4 

analysis diagram





The computer logic would appear to be impeccable - shouldn't somone who wildly sacrifices two pieces be happy with a draw; shouldn't someone surprised by a bizarre, manic attack be happy splitting the point - but it all seems somewhat beside the point.

11.Rg1 Qf6

So there! smirks Stockfish 8, Black would have been less worse off with the messy 11...d5 12.Qxc7 Bg4 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.Bg5 Rf8 15.Qe5+ Kd7 16.Bf4 Rf7 17.Rd1 Re7 18.Rxd5+ Ke8 19.Rd3 Rxe5 20.Rxf3 Bxf3 21.Bxe5 Nxe4. At least that play looks more human-like. 

analysis diagram





12.Qxc7 Ne7 13.Nc3 Rf8

This looks scary, but White's King can escape the heat.

Black's King only thinks it can.

14.Be3 Kf7 15.O-O-O Kg8 

Now White shows, with a simple but crushing move, that he has a winning attack.

16.Bd4 Qf7

Protecting the King, instead, with 16...Qh6+ 17.Kb1 g6 was necessary, but the attack can proceed along the diagonals as well: 18.Qc4+ Rf7 19.Nd5!? Nxd5 20.Qxd5 d6 21.Qxd6 Bh3 22.Qe5 Rg7 23.Rg3 Bd7 24.Qxg7+ Qxg7 25.Bxg7 Bc6 26.Bf6 Bxe4 and White is a Rook up.

Now checkmate is forced.

17.Rxg7+ Qxg7 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Qe5+ Kf7

20.Nd5 Nxd5 21.exd5 Re8 22.Qf5+ Ke7 23.d6+ Kd8 24.Qf6+ Re7 25.Qxe7 checkmate