Jerome Gambit: Silicon Clash (Part 3)

 

[continued from the previous post]

Stockfish 14 - Stockfish 14

Chess.com, 2021

Here we have the conclusion of the Stockfish 14 - Stockfish 14 Jerome Gambit battle. Materially, Black has two pieces for a Rook, but White has two extra pawns as compensation. 

For club players, this is probably still a difficult position. but here White troubles Black's Knight and when it is out of position, it turns to the Kingside pawns. The balance in the game solidly tilts toward the first player.

38.Rf4 Bc8 39.Rf7 Re5 40.g4 Ne3 41.h3 h5 

 

42.Rf8 Kb8 43.gxh5 Nf5 44.Rc4 Rc5 45.Rxc5 bxc5 46.Kc3 Nh6 

For the moment, White's two h-file passers are blockaded, but now his King comes into play on the other side of the board.

47.Rf6 Ng8 48.Rb6+ Kc7 49.Rc6+ Kb8 50.h6 Bf5 

51.d4 cxd4+ 52.Kxd4 Bh7 53.Kc5 Bb1 54.h4 Bc2 55.b6 Nxh6 56.Rxh6 Bxa4 

Black's sacrifice of his Knight for two pawns lays bare his dilemma: his opponent still has two advancing passed pawns.

In the final stage, White promotes a pawn and makes the checkmate look easy.

57.Rh8+ Kb7 58.h5 Bd7 59.h6 a4 60.h7 Bf5 61.Rb8+ Kxb8 62.h8=Q+ Bc8 63.Kb4 Kb7 64.Kc5 a3 65.Qa1 Bg4 66.Qxa3 Kc8 67.Qa7 Kd8 68.b7 Ke7 69.b8=Q+ Kf6 70.Qf4+ Bf5 71.Qa8 Kg6 72.Qf8 Be6 73.Q8h6 checkmate

This game is a good example of top level computer play with the Jerome Gambit. It is worth playing over for some insights into strategy in the opening and middlegame..