A Cliff Hardy / Jerome Gambit Adventure: Out of Sight, Into Mind

It's time for another "Cliff Hardy" adventure!

I think Readers will admit that it takes a certain amount of courage to play the Jerome Gambit.

Playing the Jerome in a 10 minute game takes nerves of steel.

But - Playing a 10 0 Jerome Gambit game, blindfold??

I recently received three new Hardy Jerome Gambits. Like in any good private eye story, at first the hero takes it on the chin...

Notes are by Cliff. I have added diagrams and an occasional comment in blue.

Hardy, Cliff - Pomo12
10 0, white playing blindfold
lichess.org, 2018

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

10.O-O Ng4

"Amazing how popular this move is" was Cliff's comment in an earlier game. - Rick

11.Qg3 Qh4

Exchanging queens would seem to make the blindfold player's calculation task easier, but perhaps black chose the line simply because he saw it as best. - Rick.

12.Qxh4 Nxh4 13.f4 Ng6

Leaves black with a slight advantage.

An improvement over 13...Ke7?!, seen in Hardy,C - NN, FICS, 2017 (1-0, 19), with a roughly even game. - Rick

14.d4 h5 15.Nc3 c6 16.f5 Ne7 17.Bf4 d5 

18.h3 Nf6 19.e5 Ne4 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.e6 

The "Jerome pawn" at e6 blocks the light-squared bishop, which in turn blocks the rook. White seems to have compensation for his sacrificed piece. - Rick

21...Nd5 22.Bd6+ Ke8 23.Rae1 Nf6 24.Be5?!

White has some good pressure, and after 24.c4 white has a slight edge, Stockfish, but I chose (incorrectly) to capture on f6, in order to win the pawn on e4.

24...Ke7 25.Bxf6+? gxf6 26.Rxe4

26...b6 27.c4 a5 28.Rc1 Bb7 29.b3 Rac8 30.a3 Rcg8 

Black's bishop and queenside rook have taken up more aggressive positions. - Rick

31.Rc3 Rg5 32.d5 

For better or for worse, white needed to try 32.g4. - Rick 

32...Rxf5 33.d6+ Kxd6 34.Rd3+ Kc7 35.Rd7+ Kc8 36.Rf7 c5 

37.e7 Re8 38.Re6 Re5 39.Rfxf6 Rxe6 40.Rxe6 Kc7 

41.Kf2 Bc6 42.Kg3 Kd7 43.Rg6 Rxe7 44.Kh4 Rh7 45.Rg5 Kc7 46.g3 Be8 

White's best chance now rests with his opponent's ticking clock, and he hangs in, battling all the way - but this time the opposition is going to get away. - Rick

47.Re5 Kd7 48.Kg5 Rg7+ 49.Kf4 Rf7+ 50.Ke3 Re7 51.Kf4 Rxe5 52.Kxe5 Ke7 53.Kd5 Kd7 54.g4 hxg4 55.hxg4 Bg6 

56.b4 cxb4 57.axb4 a4 58.c5 a3 59.c6+ Kc7 60.Ke6 a2 61.Kf6 Be4 62.Ke5 Bxc6 63.g5 a1=Q+ 64.Kf4 Qg7 65.Ke3 Kd6 66.Kf2 Ke5 67.Kg3 Qxg5+ Black won on time