Thursday, October 8, 2020

Jerome Gambit: Another Lesson in Tactics


LetsJeromeGambit gives another lesson in tactics in the following blitz game. The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) again produces some very interesting play!


LetsJeromeGambit - ocelotosss

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 


4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ke6 


7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6 


10.Qh5 

There are only two examples of this move in The Database, although it is rated by Komodo 10 to be less than a half of a pawn worse than either capture on e5. White retains his piece-capturing options and is ready to re-position his Queen.

10...Ne7 11.Qe2 N5c6 

The most straight-forward "rescue" of a piece, but White quickly shows that little about the position is straight-forward.

12.e5+ Nxe5 


Black has two extra pieces, and so is happy to return one, expecting after 13.fxe5 to be able to play 13...Qxe5 and exchange Queens, leaving him a piece up, when his opponent has little compensation.

13.Nc3 

Quite a surprise. White does not have to capture at e5, and this move, with all its threats, evens the game. How is that?

The Knight threatens to fork the enemy King and Queen, but Black is limited in where he can move his Queen, as it would not be prudent to allow White to capture at e5 without the threat to exchange Queens. But - White can threaten to undermine the protection of the Queen, e.g. 13...Qf5 14.fxe5+ Qxe5 15.Nb5+!? Kd5 16.c4+ Ke6 17.Nxc7+, when White will exchange Queens, then capture the Rook.  If, instead, 15...Ke6, there is the same idea: 16.Nxc7+ Kd6 17.Qxe5+ Kxe5 18.Nxa8.

Of course, Black can move his King, as well, 13...Ke6, although 14.Ne4 still causes difficulties. 14...Qg6 15.Nxc5 is a simple example.

13...Nf3+ 

Black chooses a move that takes some ideas from the above tactics.

14.Qxf3 Qe6+ 15.Kd1 


Interposing the Queen would allow its exchange, and favor Black.

The second player is still a piece ahead, for a pawn, but the awkward placement of his King and Queen gives White plenty of compensation.

Serious Jerome Gambit players should examine this complicated position.

Komodo 10 gives the simple "solution" which seems to go against Black's wishes: 15...c6 16.Ne4+ Kc7 17.Nxc5 and White is a pawn ahead, but Black has compensation. 

The move that Black selects in the game seems reasonable and safe, but actually leads to him being checkmated.

15...Bb6 16.Re1 

Strong: Black is given the opportunity to lose his Queen, rather than his King. (If you have been studying the game, then you probably found 16.Nb5+ Kc5 17.d4+ Kb4 18.Qc3+ Ka4 19.Na3 Qg4+ 20.Kd2 Qd1+ 21.Kxd1 c6 22.b3 checkmate, or something like it.) 

16...Qg6 

Very, well...

17.Nb5+ Kc5 18.Qc3+ Kxb5 19.a4+ Ka6 20.Qc4+ Ka5 21.Qb5 checkmate




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