Jerome Gambit: More or Less (Part 2)

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - scarsetto
5 5 blitz, FICS, 2017

What is going on?

Here we have the position from a recent blitz game of mine, before I played the decent 11.Nc3, believing that an extra piece would help weave a mating net. This is opposed to Stockfish 8's suggestion of 11.Qb3+, which would lead (perhaps after a long and winding road) to a win of material and a simple advantage for White. 

Years ago, I had played 11.d4, which, I later noted on this blog, was insufficient, as 

after 11...Bb4+ 12.c3 Bf8 it is not clear that White has anything more than checking his way repeatedly to a draw.

That is such an annoying assessment, let me show the position:

Drawn??

analysis diagram





I let Stockfish 8 analyze until a depth of 30 ply, without finding anything better than forcing a draw. I suspect, though, strong Jerome Gambiteers would simply castle and figure out the rest later...

By the way, instead of entering the recommended line in that 11.d4 game, my opponent immediately returned his extra piece with 11...Bxd4 and I was able to win the game in 46 moves, perrypawnpusher - hotintheshade, blitz, FICS, 2009. Once again, my "unscientific" opening was assisted by my opponent's "scientific" response - in this case, following the notion that a sacrificial attack can be blunted by returning material.

Back to the recent game.

11...Qh4+ 

There is something really silly about me going through a pile of analysis - after the game, in preparation for this post (and the previous one) - only to have it all wiped out by the reality of what really happened. Perhaps I was right to "move first and think later" after all.

Black can definitively show that there is no checkmate by playing the alternative 11...a5, when White gets his piece back with 12.Na4+ (the idea behind 11.Nc3, which is why I played the move in the first place) Ka7 13.Qxc5+ b6 14.Qd4 Bb7 15.0-0 when White would still be better.

Years earlier, I had faced 11...d6, which should have led to the quick 12.Qb3+ Bb4 13.Qxb4+ Ka6 14.Qb5 checkmate, but led, instead, to the obvious 12.Na4+ Ka6, when I missed 13.b4!? - but won the game, anyhow,  perrypawnpusher - Ondras, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 31). I'm always so much smarter after the game.

It is worth playing over the lines until you, too, can decide - mate or material?

12.g3 Qh3 

While a sudden Queen check can often upset a position, the problem here is that the enamy Queen has to dodge the pawn, and my attack can continue. Still, if the Black Queen can get to g2...

Interestingly enough, the text is not an improvement over the previous 12...Qf6 13. Na4+ (even stronger 13.Qb3+!? Kc6 14.Qb5+ Kd6 15.e5+ winning the Queen) 13...Ka6 14.Nxc5+ Kb5 15.a4+ Kb6 16.a5+ Black resigned, sabreman - Lovebuzz, FICS, 2014.

13.Na4+ 

Winning material, but missing the move 13.b4!?, which leads to mate: 13...Bf2+ 14.Kxf2 Qh5 15.f5 Ng4+ 16.Kg1 Qxf5 17.exf5 a5 18.Qc5+ Ka6 19.Qxa5#.

White is still much better after the text, and it is possible that in the game (blitz) I didn't have (take) time to analyze the position out to checkmate - but for sure this kind of position should yield deadlier results next time.  

13...Kb5 

Black is in a bad way. He would last longer with 13...Ka6, and in a blitz game - with clocks ticking - that would have given him chances to survive, if my time expired. Nonetheless, against that move White can grab back material, build an attack, and eventually checkmate: 14.Nxc5+ Kb6 15.Na4+ Ka6 16.b4!? b5 17.Nc5+ Kb6 18.a4 (I need another piece in the attack) c6 19.Qd6 a5 20.d3 (opening a line for another piece) Qe6 (nothing works for Black now) 21.bxa5+ Rxa5 22.Qb8+ Bb7 23.Qxb7+ Kxc5 24.Ba3+ Kc4 25.Kd2 b4 26.Qxb4+ Qc4 27.Qxc5 checkmate.

That's a long line, but pretty straight-forward.

14.Qxc5+ 

Funny. I had my mind set on one thing, and one thing only. Of course, White had, instead, 14.c4+ Kxa4 first, then 15.Qxc5 Qf1+ (delaying the inevetible) 16.Rxf1 b6 17.b3#.

A win is a win is a win; but a checkmate is a good idea, too.

14...Kxa4 

The ultimate psychological slip. So many of us have grown up playing over games of the masters featuring sacrificial frenzies that lead to glorious finishes. How easy it is, when on the receiving end, to figure "I am lost!" and succumb in classic style.

Again, if time were not a factor, Black could choose a tougher line of defense: 14...Ka6 15.Qxc7 b6 16.b4!? Qe6 17.Nc5+!? bxc5 18.b5+!? Kxb5 19.Rb1+ Ka4 20.0-0!? Qc4 21.Rf3 (that's why White castles) Qd4+ (delaying the inevitible) 22.Kg2 Qxd4 23.Qxc5 Qe2+ 24.Kg1 Qe1+ 25.Rf1 Qxf1+ 26.Kxf1 Ba6+ 27.Kg1 d6 28.Rb4#

All these tactical lines were uncovered by Stockfish 8 after the game.

If the reality is that my opponent did not find the most spirited way to defend, it is even more true that I did not find the most effective way to attack. We both stumbled; he fell. The Jerome Gambit is very much like that.

15.b3 checkmate

(If you ignore the analysis in the notes, it looks like a killer game. More or less.)