Jerome Gambit: When is a Won Game Won? (Part 2)

 

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - Kugich

3d/move, "Piano Piano" tournament

Chess.com, 2021

The position becomes more complicated, as it moves into the middlegame. I was fortunate to be on familiar ground until move 20 - just like a "real" chess opening!

13...Neg4

Attacking White's Queen is a logical idea, although 13...Nc6, as in perrypawnpusher - Heler, "Giuoco Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2015 (1-0, 33);  perrypawnpusher - apurv83,"Giuoco Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2015 (1-0, 29); perrypawnpusher - Hywel2, "Italian Game" tournament, Chess.com, 2015 (0-1, 44); and perrypawnpusher - Bossferreira, "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2020 (1-0, 33), is probably better. Possibily 13...Ned7, a novelty according to The Database, is best.

14.Qb3+ Kf8 15.h3 Nh6 

A little bit of Jerome Gambit history helps here. The text move leads to an even game. Instead, 15...Rxe4, from Vazquez,A - Carrington,W, Mexico, 2nd match, 1876 (1-0, 34), gives Black about a half-pawn edge. The novelty, according to The Database, 16.Nc3, improves - according to Stockfish 14 - on the Mexican champion's 16.hxg4, although it drops the d-pawn.

16.Bxh6 gxh6 17.Nd2 

This is a critical position for the line, and the fifth time I have been here. All but one of my opponents grabbed the e-pawn. Black tried 17...b6 in perrypawnpusher - sincondrosis, "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com 2020 (1-0, 31), and I got my Queen back into play with 18.Qe3, with a slight edge.

17...Nxe4 18.f6 Nxd2

Black recognized the danger of the advanced f-pawn and played 18...Be6, instead, to impede it in perrypawnpusher - TobiasBrunner, "Let's Play the Italian Game" tournament, Chess.com, 2018 (1-0, 32).

Instead, Black grabbed the f-pawn with 18...Nxf6 in perrypawnpusher - warwar, "The Italian Battleground" tournament, Chess.com, 2018 (1-0, 39).

The Knight at d2, however, was a bigger prize and tempting enough to be captured. That is a mistake, however.

19.Qg3 

19...Qd7 

perrypawnpusher - BunnyWarrior, "Guioco Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2016 (1-0, 20) punished greed immediately with 19...Nxf1 20.Qg7 checkmate.

20.f7 Qxf7 21.Rxf7+ Kxf7 22.Qf4+ Kg7  23.Qxd2 

White has a Queen for a Rook and a Bishop, a winning advantage. The question is, how to bring home that win?

[to be continued]