Saturday, August 8, 2020

Jerome Gambit: Another Fine Mate

Checkmate - Free gaming icons

The last game of the quartet of selected Jerome Gambits, by CasualGames4ever
Last but not least and techinqually first! My first clash with this opponent set the tone for the rest of our match, we reach the middle game with him still being better, yet I can easily continue whereas he struggles to find decent moves. This quickly leads to a beautiful checkmate, although I would say the first game had the best check mate

CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10
3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 



4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

A standard Jerome Gambit position, where White has pawns to advance - and Black needs a plan.

10.O-O Bd7 11.Nc3 Bc6 12.d4 Qe8 13.d5 Bd7 14.f4 c6 



So far, Black is doing fine, and has a small edge. The game is not over yet.

15.f5 Ne5 16.b3 cxd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 Qf7 



Attacking White's d-pawn. Black must always be careful, however, when his King and Queen are lined up on the f-file, facing White's Rook.

19.Bb2

Giving the pawn up, as bait. Thematic was 19...f6, as played later.

19...Qxd5 20.Rad1 Qb5 21.Rxd6 Nf7 



The kind of double-threat move (defends, attacks) that comes obviously, in a 3 minute game, but is often insufficient.

22.f6 g6

Black can't take the Rook, but he can't escape checkmate, either.

23.Qe7+ Kg8 24.Rxd7 Rf8 25.Qxf7+ 

A Queen sac finishes the game off.

25...Rxf7 26.Rd8+ Rf8 27.f7 checkmate



Very pretty!

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