The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game revolves around two big questions about where the White Queen should go - or should not go. As can be seen in the game and in the notes - and you should read the notes - how the questions are answered determine the game(s)'s outcome(s).
Always, mind you, with the clock ticking in a 3-minute game.
Intercrosse - Udit00
3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.f4 Nf6
Giving back both sacrificed pieces.
8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxc5 d6
10.Qb4
Where should the Queen go? This is an interesting and important question.
The Database has 35 games where the position after 9...d6 was reached. In about half of the games, White chose to retreat his Queen to e3. In about one sixth of the games, White chose to retreat to c4. In one ninth of the games, White chose to retreat to b5, and, likewise, to retreat to b4. The squares g5, d4 and a5 were chosen once each.
By contrast, Stockfish 13 evaluated the three top squares for the Queen to move to, with very little difference amongst them, as b5, a5, and g5.
What is going on here? Clearly, the vast majority of chessplayers represented by The Database simply chose a safe and centralized place for their Queen, behind the e-pawn, hoping to assist in the general advance of the "Jerome pawns". This is reasonable.
The computer, however, preferred to move the Queen out of direct action (i.e. 9...Qa5 and 9...Qg5) or to set up the age old dilemma for Black: after 9...Qb5, is it worth giving up the b-pawn to develop the light squared Bishop?
Earlier in the year, White had explored 10.Qc4+, and the game continued 10...Be6 (better was 10...d5) 11.Qe2 Re8 12.O-O h5 (an aggressive idea that should have been met by 13.f5) 13.d4 h4 14.h3 c6 15.e5 Nd5 16.Qh5+ (even stronger was to trust in the "Jerome pawns" with 13.f5) g6 17.Qh7+ Kf8 (White now has a mate in 8, but misses it) 18.Qxg6 Bf7 19.Qh6+ Kg8 20.Nc3 Re6 White resigned in a position where he still had an edge (time trouble?), Intercrosse - pavyon, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020.
10...Nxe4
This is the second big question: should the Knight be taken? (Hint: it has to do with White's King on the open e-file.)
Later in the year, White ducked the question in a similar position: 10...Re8 11.O-O (or 11.d3) Nxe4 12.d3 c5 13.Qc4+ d5 14.Qb3 c4 15.Qb4 (Dangerously allowing Her Majesty to be cut off from supporting the Kingside. Better was 15.dxc4 b6 16.cxd5) 15...a5 16.Qa4 (After all that harassment, Black now has mate in 7) Qb6+ 17.Kh1 Nf2+ 18.Rxf2 Qxf2 (good enough, but 18...Re1+ was faster) White resigned, Intercrosse - Anton_Sork, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
11.O-O
Toward the end of the year, he could not resist temptation, facing the threatened loss of his Queen after 11.Qxe4 Re8, therefore White resigned, Intercrosse - dinazorrr, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020)
11...Rf8
Ouch. Here we see an example of a player taking the right advice at the wrong time. It is often a good idea in the Jerome Gambit for Black to castle-by-hand, and this appears to be what he is doing. However, he either forgot about his Knight, or he still believed that White would not take it. With 11...Nf6 Black could have stayed only a pawn behind.
12.Qxe4 Black resigned
Black is down a piece and a pawn, without compensation.
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