Saturday, March 7, 2020

Jerome Gambit: Not So Drawish Line

The Four Knights Opening has a reputation for being somewhat drawish, so Black, in the following game, might have relaxed a bit when his offer of an Alekhine's Defense turned into a Four Knghts.

Of course, White's plans were anything but peaceful. 

angelcamina - marcldk
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 



The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Neg4 



The Knight escapes danger, while thinking of aggression.

Best was probably 7...Bd6, which, in the regular Jerome Gambit line (minus Nc3 and ...Nf6), would be an error. With enough time, all this can be worked out; but, in a one minute game, who has enough time? 

8.dxc5 c6 

This creates a bit of a hole at d6 in Black's position, which White will eventually exploit.

9.O-O Re8 10.Bg5 Ne5 



The Knight seems to have lost its sense of direction. It will eventually sacrifice itself for a couple of pawns, as a "scientific" response to the gambit, but things never work out quite right.
  
11.f4 Ng6 12.e5 Nxe5 13.fxe5 Rxe5 14.Bxf6 gxf6


Material is even, and the pawn at c5 looks about ready to fall, but the first player's lead in development is what really matters.

15.Qd3 Qg8 

Protecting the h-pawn, but there is not time for that. Best was 15...Qe7, although the game would quickly slide downhill, anyhow: 16.Qxh7+ Ke8 17.Qg8+ Qf8 18.Qg6+ Kd8 19.Ne4!? another classic case of retarded development, Black's d-pawn blocking his light-squared Bishop, which, in turn, blocks in his Rook.

16.Rae1

This is a solid move, and White trades off his opponent's defender. With more time to calculate, he would have found (but didn't need) 16.Rxf6+ Kxf6 17.Re1+ and he would quickly recover his sacrificed Rook.

16...Rxe1 17.Rxe1 b6 

Struggling to free the Queenside - too late.

18.Qd6 bxc5 19.Re7+ Kg6 20.Qg3+ Kh6 21.Qxg8 Bb7 22.Rxh7 checkmate

No comments:

Post a Comment