Friday, November 12, 2021

Jerome Gambit: Silicon Clash (Part 2)

 


[continued from the previous post]

Stockfish 14 - Stockfish 14

Chess.com, 2021


It looks like Black's King is backing away from danger in a Queenless middlegame.

17.c4+ Bd4 18.Bxd4+ Kxd4 19.Nb5+ Kxc4 20.Nxc7 

20...Re8+ 

Giving up the exchange, Black aims for an even game. The alternative, saving the Rook on a8, leads to danger for his advanced King and will cost a Knight after 20...Rb8 21.Rf4+, i.e. 21...Ne4 22.Rxe4. Trying to hide at d3 would be worse - 21...Kd3 22.Rc1, planning Rc3+.

21.Nxe8 Nxe8 22.Rc1+ Kd5 23.Rf8 Nd6 24. a4 Ke6


The position is quite complicated. White's Rook pin on Black's Bishop cannot easily be lifted, as after 24...b6, intending ...Bb7, White has 25.Rc7, which will cause serious material issues, i.e. 25...Bb7 26.Rxa8 Bxa8 27.Rxd7 and Black's pawns are in danger.

It will not take much to upset the balance of the game.

25.Rc3 Ke7 

To eject the annoying Rook. Instead, Stockfish 14.1 recommends 25...b5 26.axb5 Rb8 when White can pursue its favorite pastime, according to many Stockfish evaluations - finding a draw via repetition of position - 27.Re3+ Kd5 28.Rd3+ Ke5 29.Rc3 Ke6 30.Re3+, etc. 

26.Rf4 h6 

It is hard to argue with a computer, even with a computer's assistance, but this appears to be a dangerous waste of time. Both Stockfish 14 and Stockfish 14.1 recommend 26...Ke6, which on the surface looks dangerous for Black, as well.

27.Re3+ Kd8 28. Rf8+ Kc7 29. Rc3+ Kb6 

Here we have a serious Jerome Gambit positional nightmare: Black's Knight blocks the d-pawn which blocks in his Bishop which hems in his Rook, while his King blocks the b-pawn which also blocks in his Bishop which also hems in the Rook. On top of it, Black's Knight cannot move, as he has to protect the Bishop itself.

Even though Black has two pieces for a Rook, Stockfish 14.1 sees White as almost a Rook better.

30.Rg8 a5 31.b5 Ka7 32.Rxg7 b6 33. d3 Rb8 34.Rh7 Bb7 

35.Rxd7 Nf5 36.Kd2 Ka8 37.Rc4 Re8 

Black has untangled his Queenside, but White's pawns are now a problem.

[to be continued]

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