Jerome Gambit: In the End, It Was the Pawns (Part 2)

 

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - jjdd57

3 d/move, "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2021

10.Nc3 

The notion here is to develop a piece and discourage ...d7-d5. A dozen years earlier, I had given up on that idea, and played 10.d3, instead, only to face 10...d6, in perrypawnpusher - pfink, 10 0 blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 25) 

10...d5 11.exd5 

After the game, Stockfish 14 showed a preference for either 11.d3 or 11.f3 followed by h2-h4-h5 against 11...Kf7. Uh, okay.

11...Qxe3+ 

The computers think that this exchange is an error, suggesting that Black should focus, instead, on winning White's advanced d-pawn with 11...Kf7 and 12...Rd8.

12.fxe3 Bf5 

It is time to take stock.

White has 3 pawns for his sacrificed piece, which is probably why the Chess.com computer gives Black an slight advantage (a little more than 1/2 pawn), while Komodo 12 sees White ahead by about that much, and Stockfish 14 sees the game as about even.

Black has fended off any wild attack by White, and so can consider his opening successful. On the other hand, if White has sacrificed two pieces and is now "even", he has sufficient compensation.

The opening battle between us was a draw.

Entering the middlegame without Queens, Black has the better development, while White has an interesting central pawn mass.

13.d3 Bd7 14.O-O Ke7 15.e4 Rae8 16.Bg5 Rhf8 

Both sides develop. Black can castle-by-hand in either direction.

From a club player's point of view, the "extra" pawns can be easier to work with than the "extra" piece. At this point, the computers agree.

17.d4 h6 18.Bd2 c6 

19.d6+ 

Slipping past Black's c-pawn.

Things are already becoming complicated. Stockfish 14 suggests, instead, 19.e5 Nh5 (19...Nxd5 20.Nxd5 cxd5 21.Bb4+ Ke6 22.Bxf8 would win the exchange for a pawn) 20.Rfe1 Nhf4 21.e6 Bc8 22.dxc6 bxc6 23.Ne4 Nh4 24.d5 cxd5 25.Bb4+ Kd8 26.Ba5+ repeating the position, for a draw. Stockfish loves to see White fight for a draw in the Jerome Gambit.

19...Kd8 20.e5 Nd5 21.Ne4

Rather than exchange the Knight, I would prefer to keep it and kick Black's Knight with an eventual c2-c4.

21...Bf5 

White has two protected passed pawns, but they look like they could be easily blockaded.

22.Rae1 Bxe4 

Maybe giving up the "minor exchange" wasn't best.

23.Rxe4 Rxf1+ 24.Kxf1 Nf8 

White still has 3 pawns for the sacrificed piece. Black's Knight eyes e6 as a blockading square. White has a chance to add some mobility to the center pawns by advancing the Queenside ones.

The middlegame battle, too, has been a drawn.

[to be continued]