JG: The New (Part 4)

 JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 4) 

(by Yury V. Bukayev) 

        In all previous parts of this research the system of the Jerome Gambit (JG) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qh3+ was considered as a new and a very good alternative to all known 7th White’s moves (including 7.Qf5+), this system was evaluated particularly in comparison with the modern theory of alternative systems. Now I start to develop the modern theory of 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6. 

        Its modern theory fixes right that after 8.Nc3 Qf6! Black wins and that 8…Qf6 isn’t the only move here. Thus, the move 8…c6!? is very interesting for us too, because it was analyzed in publications of 2016 by the following two authors: at first it was analyzed by my friend Rick Kennedy (as the analysis of his own game) and then his analysis was checked up by the famous English GM Jonathan Simon Speelman in his article (‘Jon Speelman’s Agony Column’, #24) on chessbase.com. Mr. Speelman is an outstanding maestro of the chess world, I thank him a lot for his noble chess activities, but it should be noticed that this his article (it should be considered as a part of the modern theory of JG) has several not polite places in its text, the incorrect description of Rick’s blog jeromegambit.blogspot.com . It maybe, Mr. Speelman has had a not good mood during his analyzing of Rick’s game too. And after 8…c6 9.d4 Bxd4 10.Bf4 Qf6 11.0-0-0 Qxf5 12.Rxd4+ he considers 12…Kc5 and writes: 

“12…Ke6! 13.exf5+ Kxf5 JS leaves White clutching at straws” 

(‘JS’ = ‘Jonathan Speelman’s addition to Rick’s analysis’). In other words, he writes in fact that the way 12…Ke6 13.exf5+ Kxf5 leads to Black’s easy win, where Black has an extra minor piece and White has no ways to fight effectively. I disagree with Mr. Speelman (and with Rick), because, as I invented, 12…Ke6?! 13.exf5+ Kxf5 leads to the complicated unclear endgame after 14.Bxe5! N Kxe5 15.Re4+ with 16.Re8! (or 16.Rf4+! with the idea Rf4-f8!) that leads to a paralysis of Black’s King’s side. A not good mood could cause this GM’s analytical mistake, but more probably (both for him and for Rick) there was a rare psychological situation after 11...Qxf5: Black has a very large material advantage, and White doesn’t have a Queen. So the emotional conclusion “all ways probably lead to an easy win for Black here” is a mistake. The best and the simplest Black’s defence after both 12.Rxd4+ and 12.exf5, as I invented, is 12…Ke7! N 13.exf5 Nf7!, where Black has a large advantage. It should be added that I invented also the following trap as a possible variation of this game: 10.Ne2 N Bc5?? 11.Bf4! Qf6?? 12.Bxe5+ +-; 11…Bd4 12.Nxd4; 11…Ke7 12.Qxe5+ or 12.Bg5 Nf6 13.Qxe5+ etc.

        Moreover, as I invented, Black has the similar best defence in the similar theoretical position 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Na3 c6 10.Bf4 [The theoretical article ‘Giuoco Piano, Jerome Gambit’ on en.wikipedia.org recommends here Mr. Freeborough’s and Mr. Ranken’s analysis with 10.c3 Qf6, but, as I invented, after 10.c3? both 10…Nd3! N and 10…Ne7! N lead to Black’s easy win.] 10…Qf6 11.0-0-0 Qxf5 12.exf5 (or 12.Rxd4+) 12…Ke7! N [12…Kd5 13.c3! N; 12…c5 13.c3! N Kc6 7.cxd4; 12…Kc5 N 13.b4! Kb6 (13…Kxb4? 14.Rxd4+ Ka3 15.Bxe5 with a win) 14.Rxd4; 12…Kc7 N 13.Rxd4. Everywhere White has an enough strong attack.] 13.Rxd4 Nf7!, where Black has a large advantage.