BSJG: Another Riot of A 3-Minute Battle

Here is another quick game from chessfriend shugart, showing his interest in: attack, attack, attack! The fast time control is his friend.

I have added a few analytical notes, but not too many - I hope - because I don't want to dilute the fun of playing over another King hunt.

shugart - Tseatsy
3 0 blitz, 2018

1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nd4

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blakckburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.Qh5 

The Database has 125 games with this move. White scores 57%. That compares well with the recommended 6.c3 (449 games, 60%), which shows the effect, at least in part, of the quick time control.

6...Nf6 7.Qf7+ Kd6 

Black is suspicious of the second piece sacrifice. In his next game (the one we saw first, in the previous post) he went for the capture with 7...Kxe5.

8.Nc4+ 

Going after the King. White is making his way through a messy line where the alternative ("best") play involves mutual King forks followed by wins of Rooks: 8.c3 Nc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.d4 Qe8 11.Qxe8 Nxe8 12.Nf7+ Ke6 13.Nxh8 with advantage to Black. 

8...Kc5 9.b4+ Kxb4 

Taking the pawn is too risky, but in a 3-minute game it is sometimes recommended that you grab the material, and see how it all works out...

10.Ba3+

This certainly looks strong, and it turns out fine, but the fork 10.c3+ was probably the way to go.

10...Kb5 11.Nc3+ Ka6 12.O-O 

It looks like Black's King is doomed, but he has the wonderful 12...Ne6!? to cut off White's Queen and save the day. However, in a blitz game that is a resource that can be difficult to find. Black swaps off some pieces - and falls into a mating trap.

12...Nxc2 13.e5 Nxa3 14.Nxa3 Bxa3 15.Qc4+ Black resigned

Checkmate is coming.

BSJG: A Riot of A 3-Minute Battle

I recently received a couple of games from shugart, who plays online at the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS). He has about 150 games in The Database, and they tend to be like the following, "a riot of a 3-minute battle" (see "Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Risk vs Experience").

Please do not hurry to run to the nearest computer engine, just relax and enjoy the full-out conflict.

shugart - Tseatsy

3 0 blitz, FICS, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. A tricky opening that probably works best in fast time control games like this one.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

According to The Database, Tseatsy has encountered this move at least 28 times, scoring 61%. A fine opponent for shugart!

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.Qh5 

Like White's 4th, this is a signature move of the Jerome Gambit and its relatives. At a slower time control, 6.c3 might be the move of choice, but here White is commanding: Think fast!

Checking The Database, I note that Tseatsy had not faced this move before this day.

6...Nf6 7.Qf7+ 

More sacrifice. At some point Black's King will catch his breath and count up his riches - if White gives him a chance.  

7...Kxe5 8.f4+ Kxf4 9.O-O+ Ke5 

Black is ahead a couple of pieces, but, oh, that King!

10.d3 Ne2+ 11.Kh1 Nxc1 12.Rf5+ 

White is not going to win the match on points, he is going for the knockout.

12...Kd6 13.e5+ Kc6 14.Qc4+ Bc5 15.Nc3 d6 16.Qb5 checkmate

Very nice!

(By the way, this was the second time that day that Tseatsy faced the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit at the hands of shugart. This game lasted a move longer than the earlier one - as we shall see next post.)

Jerome Gambit: In the Meantime

White waiting for the second round to begin in the "Italian Battleground" tournament at Chess.com, (1 game to go now in Group 3, although it will determine the final player to advance to the second round), I decided to join the "Let's Play The Italian Game" tournament on that site, as well: 15 players, split into 5 groups of 3, the winner of each trio advances. I have played 3 games so far - one of them a Jerome Gambit (yay!). (I won a game with Black, and another game with White that I was unable to transform a Two Knights into an Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.) 

I also wandered over online to FICS, and was able to snag a blitz game - against an opponent who was probably having a bad day. Still, the game had a bright moment for me - because I remembered the recent post here, "Jerome Gambit Secrets #5"!

perrypawnpusher - juliebabe
6 12 blitz, FICS, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ne7

Black hits back against the White Queen - in this situation, it is not enough.

In "Jerome Gambit Secrets #5" I noted

When I posted the game on this blog, back then, I recommended, instead [of 8...Ne7], 8...Qh4!?, which  had been played a number of times before - as early as a supposed 1899 telephone game - and which continued to be played, year after year. (So: 8...Qh4 isn't much of a "secret".)

The odd thing is, when I was reviewing the current game I had Stockfish 9 do a "blunder check", and it recommended that Black's King simply walk away with 8...Kc6!?, allowing 9.Qxe5, but giving Black a won game. The Database has 3 games with this suggestion, all wins for Black. (I can't decide if keeping the 8...Kc6 secret from the "Secret" was intentional or sloppiness.)

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.Qc3

It would be hard to forget this move after playing over Hardy, C. - NN, 10 0 blindfold, lichess.org, 2018 (1-0, 13) - " 10.Qc3!, intending 11.b4 or 11.d4, with a strong attack".

10...d6

Nine years ago I played a game that continued 10...Qf8 11.d4 Qf6 12.Qxc5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - nicolasalk, blitz, FICS, 2009, but it had slipped my mind. 

11.d4 Kd7 12.dxc5 dxc5 13.O-O b6

The distractions of the Jerome Gambit are too much. It does not help that the computer considers as best even more King wandering, i.e. 13...Kc6 14. Qf3 Kb6 although Black would still be lost.

14.Rd1+ Ke8 15.Rxd8+ Kxd8 Black resigned