Jerome Gambit: At it Again

 

MrJoker, aka Louis Morin, is at it again.

We recently saw his successful use of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in a practice game before joining his Canadian teammates playing in the 1st FIDE Online Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities.

Captain of the Canadian team, FIDE master Richard Berube, recently wrote this about Louis

Most chess players say that the game encourages rational thinking, teaches us to respect some basic principles and shows that success can come only as a result of playing good practical moves. Louis Morin, member of team Canada at the DIS FIDE Online Olympiad, is probably not one of them. Louis believes mainly in psychological chess where an opponent is confronted with problems of different natures. In the fourth round of the DIS Olympiad, Louis had the «chance», for a second time, to play a very bizarre opening called the «Jerome Gambit», a catastrophic opening forcing the opponent to reconsider what he knows about the initial phase of the game. The result looks like this.

Morin, Louis - Mrunali, Pande

25 10 FIDE Online Olympiad for People with Disabilities, 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 

The Database shows that Louis has reached this position 20 times previously. Maybe he can't remember every single one of those games, but he probably was comfortable at this point in this game.

10.d3 Kf7 11.O-O Rf8 12.f4 Kg8

Black has castled-by-hand and has the typical piece-for-two-pawns advantage.

13.Nc3 c6 14.Bd2 Ng4 

When in doubt, attack the enemy Queen.

This is not a bad move, but it does call to mind Master Berube's comment about "forcing the opponent to reconsider what he knows about the initial phase of the game". It is likely a sign that Black is confronting the notion, What do I do next?

He might have played the move he had just prepared, 14...d5.

By the way, 14...Ng4 had previously been seen in mrjoker - drstrangemove, 2 12 blitz ICC, 2008 (1-0, 53).

15.Qg3 

Anticipating ...Qh4. In light of his later plans to advance his Kingside pawns, he might have considered keeping the Queen out of the way with 15.Qe2.

15...Qb6+ 16. Kh1 Qxb2 17.Rac1 Nh6 

I am not sure that grabbing the b-pawn was a good idea, but I am sure that the Knight should have retreated to f6, even if it was afraid of White's e4-e5. 

18.f5 Ne5 

Natural, but a mistake. Black misses the point that it is time to return some of the sacrificed material with 18...Bxf5 19.exf5 Nxf5 when he could maintain an edge.

19.Bxh6 Rf7 20.Bd2 Bd7 21.h3 Qb6 

22.Qe3

I am not sure that White needs to exchange Queens. If I were to guess, however, I would suspect that Louis assesses that his opponent will want to keep his Queen and keep it active. In effect, White gets to reposition Her Majesty for free.   

22...Qd8 23.Kh2 Qh4 24.Qg3 

If so, this is a change of plans.

24...Qd8 

Consistent.

25.Bg5 Qa5 

I suspect his team captain will want to have a word with him after the game.

26.d4 Nc4 27.Qd3

Repositioning the Queen almost for free.

27...b5 

28.g4 Re8 29.Rce1 Qc7

To hold up the advance of the e-pawn.

30.Bf4 Kh8 31.a4 a6 32.axb5 axb5 

33.g5 Rg8 

The defense is difficult, especially since 33...Kg8 would be met by 34.f6, and then 35.e5, but that was the way to go.

34.Qg3 Qb8 35.g6 Re7 

Checkmate is unavoidable.

36.Qh4 Rge8 

Or 36...h6 37.Bxh6 Rge8 38.Bg5+ Kg8 39.Qh7+ Kf8 40.Qh8# 

37.Qxh7 checkmate