Thursday, September 6, 2018

Jerome Gambit: Odd Turns (Part 2)





[continued from previous post]


perrypawnpusher - Sarantes
"Let's Play The Italian Game" tournament
Chess.com, 2018


25.d4 Kf7 26.d5 Bd7 27.e5 dxe5 



Often pawn exchanges such as these are played automatically, but there is an argument to be made for 27...Bf5, instead. Either way, a white pawn is going to advance to e6.

28.fxe5 Ke7 29.e6 Bb5 



Not as bad as it looks, but it doesn't look good.

It takes a little patience, but Black had 29...Bc8 30.Re5 (to protect the d-pawn and forestall the entrance of Black's h-rook) b5 31.c4 bxc4 32.bxc4 Kd6 33.Rg5 Re7 34.a4 b6 35.a5 bxa5 36.Ra1 Ba6 37.Rg4 Ra8 38.Rxa5 Bb7 39.Rxa8 Bxa8 40.Rxh4 c6 and the Bishop will be liberated.



analysis diagram



30.c4 Ba6 31.a4 

Locking up the Bishop while I can. It can still break out with 31...c6, but my opponent's next move is either a mouse slip (shouldn't happen when the time control is a day per move, but, even then, it does) or a slip in assessment - taking a pawn e.p. is not forced.

31...c5 

Now the game definitely swings over into White's favor, as the Bishop is out of play. Capturing the c-pawn would have been a blunder.

My plan is to move the Rooks to the f-file, threaten to enter at f7, and therefore exchange them off. White's King will then easily capture the Kingside pawns as Black dare not leave the control of the "Jerome pawns".

32.Rf1 Ref8 33.Ref3 Rxf3 34. Rxf3 Rf8 35.Rxf8 Kxf8 



36.Kf2 Kf7 37.Kf3 g5 Black resigned



The Bishop is trapped. Black's Kingside pawns will fall. One or more White pawn will Queen.

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