Jerome Gambit: What Happens If...?

 

When I review games to post on this blog I try to ask the question "What happens if" someone plays - or neglects to play - a particular move? This is especially true when one move is pivotal for the outcome of the game.

I also like to build upon previous posts. For example, if you have read "Jerome Gambit: Blackburne's Ghost" you know that the game reached a certain point where I recommended a particular saving line of play for White. Without the necessary move, White stumbled and fell.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the following 3-minute, 2-second increment blitz game.

SensGuy - osnola2

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 

We have reached Blackburne's defense, with the offer of a Rook, the acceptanceof which would lead to a complicated (but advantageous for the first player) game for White and Black.

Whistler's defense would offer the Rook a different way, 7...Qe7. 

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.O-O 

As mentioned most recently in the notes to TePart0 - Vencedor96, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020 (0-1, 13), stronger is 9.d4. It is worth looking at "Jerome Gambit: It Helps to Be Prepared"

9...Nf6 10.Qd8 Bb6 

Black has worked to trap White's Queen, hoping to either attack it with his remaining Rook, or, if necessary, sacrifice the Rook. White's plan for escape was to play Qxc7, so Black's most recent move was designed to stop that eventuality.

Now 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qd3 is the way out. But, what happens if White misses that move?

11.d3 

Instead of sacrificing his e-pawn, however, White protects it.

Now Black can play the winning move 11...Bh3!, When White has only bad and worse choices. It is clear that 12.Qxa8 Qg4 will lead to checkmate, while 12.gxh3 - to stop the mate - simply loses the Queen to 12...Rxd8. "Best" is 12.Qxf6+ Kxf6 13.gxh3 Qxh3 when White would have a Rook, a Knight and a pawn for his Queen, but Black's strongly placed Queen and better development would clearly make him better.

However, as Savielly Tartakower argued, "No one ever won a game by resigning", so there is always hope.

11...Bxf2+ 

Somewhere, somehow, Black must have mixed up variations here, but it is difficult to see in what way.

12.Rxf2 Be6 13.Qxa8 Black resigned