Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Jerome Gambit: GM vs GM, Upset Again

The following online Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) blitz game is another interesting grandmaster vs grandmaster affair between Hikaru Nakamura and Peter Michalik

It is educational to see how much a grandmaster observes (and overlooks) in a 3-minute game played for fun. After all, given the gift of a couple of pieces, all Black has to do is survive, while White has to win.

(Following the old English proverb "A cat may look at a king", I have added some notes, but - of course - they are heavily assisted by the computer.)


SanitationEngineer - Lunaticx

3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020.


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 


4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 Kf7 

The game continues the same way as the one posted yesterday. Surely, Black has no reason to vary.

10.b3 

White intends to fianchetto his Bishop, instead of exchanging it on e3 as in the previous game. Komodo 10 mildly disagrees.

10...Bd4 11.c3 Bb6 12.Bb2 Rf8 


Black plans to castle-by-hand.

White's Bishop is one move away from owning a long diagonal.

13.c4 

Suddenly, Komodo 10 rates Black the equivalant of a Queen ahead, preferring 13.0-0. Can you see why? 

13...Kg8 

Consistent, safe, and preserving his advantage. However, he missed 13...Nh5, which would put his opponent's Queen in grave danger. 

14.O-O 

The Queen needed to run to safer ground with 14.Qh4.

14...Ng4 


 Grandmasters don't see everything, but they usually see enough.

15.d4 Qf6 16.e5 dxe5 17.c5 Ba5 

18.a3 

Working with the "Jerome pawns" to trap or win the enemy Bishop. He would have done himself a favor by playing his next move, first, i.e. 18.h3 Nh6 and then 19.b4, since 19...Bxb4 20.Qb3+ Be6 21.Qxb4 would win the piece. Please note that 18.b4 right away would not work as well, since after 18...Bxb4 19.Qb3+ Be6 20.Qxb4, 20...Qh4 would be crushing.

18...c6 19.h3 Nh6 

20.dxe5 Qf7 21.b4 Bc7 22.Nd2 Bf5 23.Rac1 Rad8 24.Nc4 

24...Bd3 25.Nd6 Bxd6 26.cxd6 Bxf1 27.e6 Qg6 28.Qxg6 hxg6 29.e7 Bd3 30.exf8=Q+ Kxf8 


After a flurry of tactics, Black has a few weaknesses to attack.

31.Bd4 Kf7 32.Bxa7 Rxd6 33.g4 Ng8 

34.f3 Nf6 35.Kf2 Bb5 36.Ra1 Rd2+ 37.Kg3 Ba4 38.Bc5 Rd3 39.Kf2 Bd1 


Black's pieces are now cooperating, and things are looking grim for White. Will the clock become a factor? 

40.f4  Ne4+ 41.Ke1 Ba4 42.Bg1 Rxh3 43.Kf1 Rf3+ 44.Ke2 Rg3 45.Re1 Bc2 46.Be3 Rxg4 

47.Rc1 Ba4 48.Kf3 Nf6 49.Bd4 Rh4 50.Be5 Bb3 51.Kg3 Rg4+ 52.Kf2 Bd5 

53.b5 Rg2+ 54.Ke3 Rg3+ 55.Kd4 Rxa3 56.Kc5 Rb3 57.bxc6 bxc6 58.Kd6 


(Note to self: Rook and Knight vs Rook is usually a draw - if there are no pawns.)

58...Ne4+ 59.Kc7 Ke6 60.Bxg7 c5 61.Rg1

Black's advantage is too large.

61...Rb7+ 62.Kd8 c4 

He had a pretty checkmate with 62...Rd7+ 63.Kc8 Nd6+ 64.Kb8 Rb7+ 65.Ka8 Rb6+ 66.Ka7 Nc8# but there are a number of ways to win.  

63.Bd4 Kf5 64.Ra1 Be6 65.Ra5+ Kxf4 66.Be5+ Kf3 67.Ra3+ c3 68.Bxc3 

Still fighting.

68...Rd7+ 69.Ke8 Nd6+ 70.Kf8 Rf7+ 71.Kg8 Ra7+ 72.Kf8 Rxa3 73.Bb4 Rd3 74.Ke7 Ne4 75.Kxe6 g5 White resigned


A solid win for GM Michalik, against stubborn defense by GM Nakamura.


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