Friday, March 30, 2018

Another Cliff Hardy / Jerome Gambit Adventure


Here we have another "Cliff Hardy" adventure, taking place a mere 3 hours after the previous one, against the same opponent.

Again, Cliff plays the Jerome Gambit in a 10 minute game -  playing blindfold!

Like any private eye story, first our hero gets into a whole lot of trouble. How he gets out is part of the adventure.

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 Qe7 

Black varies from his plan in their previous game, which had seen 10...Ng4 and an eventual exchange of Queens. - Rick

11.Nc3 c6?!

The position is approximately equal. After 11...Kf7 black would have had a slight advantage. 

12.d4?!  

=/+ ; 12.f4was more accurate. 

12...Ng4?!  

+/= ; 12...Kf7 was better again 

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

13.Qg3?!  

= ; 13.Qd3! +/= would have been better 

13...Nf6 14.Bg5 h6?!

+/= ; 14...Kg8 = would have been less weakening 

15.Bxf6?! 

= ; 15.Bd2! Nxe4 16.Qxg6 Nxd2 17.Rfe1  +- when white's initiative is well worth the sacificed material 

15...Qxf6 16.Kh1?

The point of this lame move was that I intended to play 17.f4 without allowing 17...Qxd4+ but 17.Rad1, defending the d-pawn, would have made more sense, with black then having only a slight advantage.

Cliff continues to be hard on himself. Remember: he was playing this 10-minute game blindfold. - Rick 

16...h5? 

= ; 16...Nf4 stopping white from playing f4, with a winning advantage for black, would have been better. 

17.f4 h4 18.Qd3

With the obvious threat of 18...Nxf4?? 19.Rxf4 Qxf4 20.Rf1 with then a winning advantage for white 

18...Kg8 19.Rae1?

This ruined my position. I didn't notice that 18...Kg8 now meant that the f-pawn was under attack. 19.f5 would have been better, with an equal and interesting position. 

19...Nxf4 20.Qf3?

20.Qd2 =+  at least would have forced black to weaken his kingside with 20...g5.

20...g5?!

Inaccuracy. Best move was ...Nh5, but black still had a crushing position with the move played in the game 

21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Qf5 23.g3 hxg3 24.Qxg3 Be6 25.Re4 Rh4 



-+

26.Qxh4

In a totally lost position, I attempted to seize the initiative and take advantage of black's exposed king

26...gxh4 27.Rexf4 Qh3??



After white's following move, black's queen was
trapped! Better would have been 27...Qh5 with a winning advantage for black

28.R4f3


+/= 

28...Qxf3+ 29.Rxf3 Rf8 



30.Kg2 Rd8 31.Rd3 Rf8 32.Rd6 Bc4 



32...Kf7

33.b3 Bf1+ 34.Kg1 h3?



Black's pieces now get tied up in a knot. 34...Bh3! 35.Rd1 should come out to a draw with accurate play. 

35.Ne4 Bg2 36.Nf6+ Kg7 37.Kf2 Rh8 38.Kg3 Rh6 39.Kg4 Rg6+ 40.Kf5 Kh6?! 

41.Rd7

Still winning but 41.Ng4+ Kh5 42.Rxg6 was even better 

41...Rg5+ 42.Kf4 Kg6 43.Ng4? Rf5+ 44.Kg3 Rg5 45.Rd6+ 



and black lost on time, admittedly in a lost position.

Black is helpless against a general advance of White's pawn and pieces, e.g. 45...Kf7 46.Kf4 Rg6 47.Nh6+ Kg7 48.Nf5+ Kf7 49.Rd7+ Kf8 50.Rxb7 Bd5 51.c4 Be6 52.Nd4 Rg4+ 53.Ke3 Rg6 54.Nxc6 etc. - Rick

No comments: