Jerome Gambit: What Went Right, What Went Wrong, and What Went Unplayed

Bullet chess rewards quick tactical insight, built upon knowledge of familiar positions. Sometimes the clock warps things, so the games can be quite entertaining - but, as the double-edged game below shows, looking into the play afterwards can be rewarding when it comes to understanding what went right, what went wrong, and what went unplayed. There is a whole lot of chess packed in the 21 moves.

ianfencer - akhrail1996

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+ 

This move poses a quick question to Black - and in 1-minute games, all questions are quick - that might take precious seconds to consider and answer.

8...Be6 9.Qxb7 

Yes, Black can afford to give up the b-pawn.

Recently, White declined the gift in another 1-minute bullet game, eventually grabbing victory from the jaws of defeat, 9.Qd3 N8e7 10.O-O Rf8 11.Qf3+ Kg8 12.Qh5 Ne5 13.f4 Nc4 14.f5 Bf7 15.Qh3 Ne5 16.d4 N5c6 17.Bf4 Nxd4 18.c3 Nc2 19.Nd2 Nxa1 20.Qg3 Nc2 21.Bh6 Kh8 22.Qxg7 checkmate, Anyway1 - GioDeLeom, lichess.org, 2020.

9...Rb8 

The natural response. Development and active piece play is going to outweigh pawns in a bullet game.

Also seen recently was 9...Nf6 10.d3 Qe7 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nc3 Ne5 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.Qxd5+ Kg7 16.O-O-O Rhf8 17.d4 Nf7 18.f4 Rae8 19.Rhe1 Qd7 20.Qa5 Ra8 21.h4 Qc6 22.e5 fxe5 23.fxe5 dxe5 24.dxe5 Rfe8 25.Re2 Re6 26.Rde1 Rae8 27.Qc3 Qxc3 28.bxc3 Rxe5 29.Rxe5 Rxe5 30.Rxe5 Nxe5 31.Kd2 Ng4 32.g3 Kf6 33.Ke2 Ke5 34.Kf3 Nf6 35.g4 Nd5 36.g5 hxg5 37.hxg5 Kf5 38.c4 Ne7 39.Ke3 Kxg5 40.Kd4 Nc6+ 41.Kc5 Ne5 42.Kb5 Kf6 43.c5 Ke6 44.Ka6 Kd5 45.Kxa7 Kxc5 46.a4 Kb4 47.Ka6 Kxa4 48.Kb7 c6 49.Kb6 Kb4 Black won on time, ianfencer - Sevix1, lichess.org, 2020.

Black could throw the game into further chaos with 9...Qg5!? since White cannot afford 10.Qxa8 Qxg2 and White's King is in danger.

10.Qxa7 Qh4

The Queen goes one step too far.

11.O-O 

There was no need for 11.Qxc7+, but, perhaps 11.d3 followed by 12.Qe3 would help White consolidate a bit better.

The balance between attack and defense is difficult.

11...Nf6 

Developing a piece and protecting his Rook on b8. He might have tried to further build his attack with 11...Rb5, planning to swing it over to the Kingside.

12.d3 Nf4 13.Qxc7+ Nd7 14.Bxf4 Qxf4 

White has 5 pawns for his sacrificed piece. Still, the game is about even, and he has to be careful for his Queen because of Black's better development.

15.Nc3 Rhc8 16.Qa5 

Best was 16.Qa7, but, after 16...Rxb2 17.Nd5 White would still be uncomfortable.

16...Rc5 17.Qa7 h5 

18.Nd5 Qg5 

The Queen would be safer at h6 - or d2.

19.f4 Qg6 

Most likely due to the clock.

20.f5 Qg5 21.fxe6+ Black resigned