Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Jerome Gambit: Danger!



In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, Black's King is drawn into the wilderness, where he has a slim path to safety - but he misses it. White demonstrates the danger. 

NN - NN
10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 




4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6



7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.Nc3 Qf6

Black's Queen joins the defense, but the King is going to be drawn into danger, anyhow.

9.d4 Bxd4 10.Nb5+ Kc5 11.Nxd4 Kxd4 12.Be3+ Kc4 13.Qh5 Kb4 


The King is all alone and at risk.

He needed to play 13...Kb5, instead, and focus on returning home. For example, if White then tried 14.f4, there was the helpful 14...d6, giving a way off the battlefield, via c6 and d7. He shouldn't worry about 15.fxe5 Qxe5, as he can afford to return the piece and remain a piece ahead. 

14.Qe2 

Cutting off retreat. White now focuses on checkmate. It is well worth playing through the following moves, to see what choices the attacker had, and what chances the defender did not.

14...Qc6 15.c3+ Ka4 16.b3+ Ka5 17.b4+ Ka4 18.Qd1+ Kb5 19.a4+ Kc4 20.Qd4+ Kb3 21.Rb1+ Kxa4 22.b5+ Qc4 23.Rb4+ Black resigned

Black will lose his Queen, and then his King.

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