This latest game from "Cliff Hardy" is a brutal example of such pawns.
By the way, it is also another lightning game - 1 minute to complete the game, no increment. In such situations, a quick appraisal of the position in front of you is essential, and experience in what to look for and value is an advantage. Cliff takes a critical look at his - and his opponent's - moves, but it is all in the service of sharpening his eye for his next Jerome Gambit encounter.
The following notes are his. I have added diagrams. - Rick
Happy birthday yet again, now you've reached the age of ten!
I liked the following game as the Jerome pawns were quite successful in it. If only you could force opponents to defend against the Jerome Gambit like you can in a Giuoco Piano themed tournament, like the one in which I played this game, where the first 3 moves for White and Black were obligatory.
I know I am a little critical of the moves sometimes, but when you are looking at the game afterwards with the help of the Stockfish chess engine, it can be easy to be critical 😉.
Cliff Hardy (2184) - NN (2041),
1 0 Giuoco Piano tournament, 2018
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6?!
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Be6?! =+
It appears my opponent is not used to defending against the Jerome Gambit as this bishop is running headlong into the pawn fork f2-f4-f5 - 9...Nf6 instead would have kept a clear advantage for Black.
10.0-0 N8e7?! +=
Surprisingly, this defensive move was a big error that allowed my Jerome pawns a bit too much latitude - 10...Nf6 11.f4 Ne7! would have restrained the white pawns and kept a slight advantage for Black.
11.f4 Bd7 12.d4 Rf8 13.f5 Nh8
13...Nh4 moves in Jerome Gambit games often run into the pawn move g3, trapping the knight, so my opponent chose to retreat to the corner instead.
14.Nc3 Nf7!
Restraining the Jerome pawns.
15.Qg3 Rg8 16.Bf4?! +=
Even though it could be captured there by a knight, putting the bishop to g5 would have been much more incisive, with a clear advantage for White.
16...Nc6 17.Rad1 Qe7?
Black struggled to find a liberating move under the strain of the Jerome pawns - 17...g5!? would have been an interesting attempt to free himself.
18.Nd5 Qd8 19.c3 Ne7 20.Nxe7?!
20. Ne3! would have kept Black cramped and left White with a clear advantage.
20...Qxe7
21.e5
The Jerome pawns start going on a rampage.
21...dxe5 22.dxe5?
Too much rampaging! 23.Rde1!, keeping open the options of taking on e5 with either the pawn or bishop, would have kept a clear advantage for White.
22...Bc6?
Black missed a chance here - 22...Bxf5 would have turned the tables and left black with a slight advantage.
23.e6 Nd6 24.Bg5??
I was staggered to find out after the game that this was a big blunder - 24.Bxd6 cxd6 25.f6! ++- (intending fxe7 or f7+) would have been a fitting triumph for the Jerome pawns.
24...Qf8?? ++-
24...Ne4! 25.Bxe7 Nxg3 26.hxg3 Kxe7 -++ would have been much better, when the extra bishop for Black would likely have proven to have been decisive.
25.Qe5 g6
Now the Jerome pawns run riot completely though Black was totally lost anyway - he can hardly move a piece.
26.f6 h6 27.f7+ Nxf7 28.exf7 checkmate
Suitably, a Jerome pawn got to complete the mate.
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