Saturday, November 6, 2021

Jerome Gambit: Declining the Second Piece


One way for a defender to deal with sacrifices is to decline them. This goes against the old adage that The best way to refute a gambit is to accept it but it does have the psychological advantage of possibly frustrating the attacker.

The following game shows White attacking steadily, and Black struggling to keep up.


Littleplayerparis - CHR-ONO

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

Black figures that accepting the gift of one piece is enough. It is an interesting decision. Komodo 12 assesses White as being about 1/2 of a pawn better, but The Database shows White scoring 75% in 132 games.

6.Qh5+ Ke7 

The way to combat White's Queen incursion (the alternate 6.Nxc6 was best) was 6...g6 7.Nxg6 Bxf2+ (the Bishop is lost, might as well get a pawn for it and displace White's King) 8.Kxf2 Nf6 9.Qh4 Rg8 10.Rf1 Rxg6 11.Kg1 Qe7 when the battle around f6 will continue, with Black a little bit better.

7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4 checkmate





Friday, November 5, 2021

Jerome Gambit: Modern Top GM Interest's Origins (Part 2)

 

[continued from the previous post]

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) started out as a club player's opening. 

On occasion, however, stronger players have given the Jerome Gambit a try at different time controls. As I wrote in the previous post

Recently, Yury V. Bukayev sent me a couple of bullet games played betwen top GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave ("LyonBeast") and top GM Hikaru Nakamura (" Hikaru "), with the intriguing theory that they might explain Nakamura's interest in the Jerome.

As we have seen ("Jerome Gambit: Origins (Part 1)"), the first game was played in 2016, and was a 1 1 bullet game featuring the Vienna opening, particularly the Hamppe-Muzio variation. Play was highlighted by a Jerome-like Bishop sacrifice at f7 on move 7 - and Black resigned 5 moves later.

Time passed. Four years later, GM Nakamura's interest in the Jerome Gambit, albeit casual and lighthearted, was clear. When he ranked chess openings for his viewers (see "Jerome Gambit: Which Tier? Unbreakable?"), he gave it some serious thought. He played the opening on Twitch (see "Jerome Gambit: GMHikaruOnTwitch") and in various "speedruns" (see "Jerome Gambit: Speedrunning Tricks").

GM Nakamura seemed to have concluded that, with the right time control, at the right time, a Bxf7+ sacrifice could deliver some serious pain to an unsuspecting opponent - especially if that opponent were a club player, and even if the opening in question was the questionable Jerome Gambit.

All of which brings us to the second grandmaster vs grandmaster game, played in 2020. Again, it was a bullet game, 1 minute with a 1 second increment. Again it was a Vienna game, Hamppe-Muzio variation

LyonBeast - Hikaru

1 1 bullet, SCC_Final, Chess.com, 2020

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. Nf3 g5 5. Bc4 g4 6. O-O gxf3 


The players repeat the first game. 

7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qxf3 

This time, however, GM Nakamura was ready.  

8...Qh4

Four years ago, 8...Bh6 was played, and much of Black's advantage slipped away.

It is interesting that GM Nakamura's move this time - strong and winning - is, nonetheless, the 5th best response, according to Stockfish 14. Clearly, the American grandmaster was not taken by surprise. His response will be familiar to anyone who has played a number of Jerome Gambits, however... 

9.d4 Nxd4 

This works, this time.

10.Qd3 Ne6 11.Bxf4 Nxf4 12.Nd5 Bd6 13. Nxf4 Bxf4 14.g3 Qg5 15.Rxf4+ Ke7 


The battle of f4 is over. White has a pawn for two pieces - reminiscent of the Jerome Gambit, by the way.

Things are not simple, however. The computer sees the game as about even.

16.Qd4 Nf6 17.Rf5 Qxf5

Giving back some material to ease the position.

18.exf5 d5 19.Qe5+ Kf7 20.Re1 Re8 

21.Qxc7+ Bd7 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Qxb7 Re2 

Active pieces: Black should not let his 3 pieces be tied down by White's Queen. He might want even more: to attack the enemy King.  

24.Qxa7 Rxc2 25.Qd4 

Probably GM Vachier-Lagrave should have considered the consolidating 25.g4. 

25...Bxf5 26.a4 Be4 27.h3 Nh5

28.Qe5

At this point Stockfish 14 recommends 28.g4 Nf4 when White goes for a draw by repetition with 29.Qa7+ Ke6 30.Qb6+ Ke7 31.Qa7+ Kf6, etc.

28...Rg2+ 29.Kf1 Nxg3+ 30.Ke1 Re2+ White resigned


After his King moves, White will lose his Queen to a discovered check.

So, there you have it. The first bullet game, with the Bishop sacrifice and a brutal attack. Then, the grandmaster who lost starts playing with the Jerome Gambit in fun blitz matches. Finally, the opening is repeated in another bullet game, and a Jerome-ish novelty leads the defense toward triumph.

Interesting conjecture.

As Rod Serling once put it

You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension—a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone.


 

  

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Jerome Gambit: Modern Top GM Interest's Origins (Part 1)

 


Long time readers of this blog - or those who have browsed earlier posts - may recall that I occasionally examine opening lines or historical games to see if they might have been the inspiration of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's Gambit. I have not yet found any information from Jerome, himself, but the search is enjoyable, nonetheless.

Similarly, while I have posted a number of games and links to videos featuring American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura playing the Jerome Gambit, I have not learned what originally interested him in 1.e4 e4 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+. (I guessed that he had seen Grandmaster Aman Hambleton's hilarious video, and decided to get in on the fun.)

Recently, Yury V. Bukayev sent me a couple of bullet games played betwen top GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (" LyonBeast ") and top GM Hikaru Nakamura (" Hikaru "), with the intriguing theory that might explain Nakamura's interest in the Jerome.

Modern chess matches, especially those played online, often feature games played at a faster time limit, either as part of the conflict itself (e.g. some games played at a classical limit, plus some played at a rapid limit, plus some games played at blitz speed) or as a tie-break mechanism. Occasionally, even bullet games - 1 minute per game, with a small increment per move - make their appearance.

With that introduction, let's take a look at the first game. It is a Vienna Game, the Hamppe-Muzio variation.


LyonBeast - Hikaru

1 1 bullet, The Chess.com Grandmaster Blitz Battle Championship, Semifinal, Game 29, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.Bc4 g4 6.O-O gxf3 7.Bxf7+ 


White has already sacrificed a Knight, now he sacrifices a Bishop to draw the enemy King to the dangerous f-file.

In a game with plenty of time to think and analyze, this move would be suicidal. (Stockfish 14 evaluates Black as being almost a Rook ahead.) In a 1-minute game, however, it is shocking enough to be playable - even between grandmasters.

As GM Nakamura and FM Bruce Harper wrote in their book, Bullet Chess One Minute to Mate (2009)

It is important to realize that bullet chess is not really about "truth," to the extent that some chess players use the term to refer to the objectively best moves, but rather whatever works. Bullet chess won't often help you in your search for "chess truth," although it will certainly help you learn how to play chess more quickly! But bullet chess will teach you a lot about chess psychology, as there is always a reason  that any particular move is played it may not be a good reason, and it may not have much to do with the actual position, but there is always a reason.

Where did GM Vachier-Lagrave come across such a sacrificial idea? It is possible he just thought it up himself. It is also possible that he was familiar with a couple of earlier games played in Lithuania. Both transpose to the game we are considering.

Narmontas, Matas - Rimeikis, Andrius, LTU-ch U18, 20091.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.Bc4 g4 6.O-O gxf3 7.Qxf3 Bh6 8.d4 Nxd4 9.Bxf7+ Kxf7 10.Qh5+ Kg7 11.Bxf4 Bxf4 12.Rxf4 Nh6 13.Qe5+ Kg8 14.Qxd4 d6 15.Nd5 Qg5 16.Raf1 Qe5 17.Qe3 Black resigned

Narmontas, Raimondas - Petraitis, Gintautas, Panevezys op-A, 20091.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.Bc4 g4 6.O-O gxf3 7.Qxf3 Bh6 8.Bxf7+ Kxf7 9.d4 Nxd4 10.Qh5+ Kg7 11.Bxf4 d6 12.Be5+ dxe5 13.Qf7 checkmate

Raimondas is listed as the coach of Matas; given the 30-year difference in ages, perhaps he is the father, or an uncle. The younger Narmontas played the Bishop sacrifice first; perhaps it was his coach's suggestion, or possibly the coach liked the move and later played it himself.

7...Kxf7 8.Qxf3 Bh6 9.d4


This looks more like a game played 150 - 200 years ago, when wile gambits were regular visitors to the 64 squares. 

9...Nxd4

A significant mistake. 9...Kg7 was clearly safer

10.Qh5+ Kg7 11. Bxf4 d6 12. Be5+ Black resigned. 


Black's King is in grave danger, and it will cost him his Queen to escape.

It is hard to look at this position and not think of the Jerome Gambit.

[to be continued]



Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Jerome Gambit: The Not-Quite-Blackburne Defense



The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game shows the kind of problems the defender can get into if he assembles only part of an effective defense. In this particular case, the Blackburne Defense would have given him a complicated, but playable game. Instead, he becomes part of a miniature game, when he underestimates the danger he is in. 


williamnorge - muhammedsaid2008

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qg5 


The Blackburne defense has two main goals: attack the enemy King and trap the enemy Queen. Usually one step in this process is 8...Qh4. The text move hits one goal, but overlooks the other. 

It also puts Black's Queen at risk for a properly-timed discovered attack.

(If you guessed that muhammedsaid2008 plays the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, which features ...Qg5 as an attacking move, you would be right. )

9.O-O 

White moves his King to safety, addressing goal #1. He also could have addressed goal #2 with 9.Qxh7+ which might have been a little bit stronger. 

9...Nf6 

Black protects the pawn at h7, and blocks the a1-h8 diagonal so White's Queen can not excape that way.

10.d3 

Attacking the enemy Queen, although a fuller implementation of the idea could be found in 10.d4, attacking Black's Bishop, too.

Black does not realize the danger. He could try to repair things with 10...Qh5, when White should try 11.Qd8, planning to capture at c7 and escape. 11...Bb6 stalls that plan, but White remains the exchange and two pawns ahead.

10...b6 11.Bxg5 Black resigns




Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Jerome Gambit: An Old Favorite Returns (Again)



I have been having fun playing over some of williamnorge's Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games at the online site lichess.org. His name came up in a Reddit post where it was pointed out that he had scored well recently against some significantly higher-rated opponents.

First, though, I wanted to share the most recent example of a defensive "ooops!" that happens when players are moving quickly - too quickly. One of the culprits is the 5-minute time control, but I suspect another is the general disruption that the disreputable Jerome Gambit causes. 


williamnorge  - manker

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 d6 

Blackburne's defense. It can lead to complicated and exciting play that should tilt toward White, but probably eventually - at least in the eyes of the computers - should lead to a draw.

8.Qxh8 

Fortune favors the bold.

8...Nf6 Black resigned


I can imagine Black running quickly through a mental checklist: 

Develop piece? Check

Protect h-pawn from attack by enemy Queen? Check

Prepare to destroy White a la Blackburne? Check

First move Queen out of the way ? Oooops.

In all fairness, there are 18 examples of this slip in The Database.


Monday, November 1, 2021

Jerome Gambit: Two Outstanding Marks of the Jerome Gambit



There are two outstanding marks of the Jerome Gambit - the active Queen that often comes to h5 with check, and the sacrifice of the light square Bishop on f7.

I have not done as much exploring the Queen move - although, see "The Kentucky Opening" Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 for some insights. 

There is more to be seen with the Bishop sacrifice. 

For starters, you could look at an early post to this blog,"King of Bxf7+", concerning the Veijoasquerosos of Mexico, who had played over 1,100 games at the online site RedHotPawn, and who liked to play Bxf7+ as soon and as often in possible, in just about every opening. Perhaps he was inspired by Andres Clemente Vazquez, Mexican chess champion in the last quarter of the 19th century, who had some notable Jerome Gambit wins. 

In any event, today we will look at a recent game that begins as a Petroff Defense, but quickly develops Jerome Gambit overtones.

As always, it is important to acknowledge that this is an online club level blitz game, where audacious opening play is often rewarded (and sometimes cruelly punished). 


Anonymous - Anonymous

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4  

Here we have the Russian Game: Italian Variation.

3...Nxe4 4.Bxf7+

I cautiously discussed this line in "Jerome Gambit: First Steps (Part 1)" noting

For example, if in the Petroff Defense, the game continues 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Bxf7+, the sacrifice at f7 can upset the defender, drag him out of his preparation, and give White some kind of psychological compensation; but recovering material will be difficult beyond 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+, and if Black finds the unintuitive 5...Kg8, his King will actually be safe from attack - as long as he avoids catastrophies like 6.0-0 d6 7.Qe2 dxe5 8.Qc4+ Tg Z - Lai, W, Kuala Lumpur, 1992.

The earliest example I have found is from the December 1874 issue of the chess magazine SchachzeitungR.W. - H., Leipzig, 1874,  1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nxe4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kg8 6.Qe2 d6 7.Qxe4 dxe5 8.Qc4+ and White will checkmate.

Recall that it was only eight months earlier, in the April 1974 issue of the  Dubuque Chess Journal, that Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's "New Chess Opening" was presented. Coincidence? 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kg8 

6.Qf3 Nf6 7.O-O d6 8.Ng4 


Pressuring Black's Knight at f5 is a Jerome Gambit theme. The alternate, computer-approved move, is 8.Qb3+, although after 8...d5 White has to work hard to make something of his position.

8...Nxg4

Fascinating. Black seems to have gone as far as thinking "I am ahead in material, therefore I should exchange pieces". Even so, developing a piece while exchanging - 8...Bxg4 - was the winning way to go.

9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qxe6 checkmate


This checkmating theme shows up in different openings (see "Jerome Gambit: Inspiration Is All Around" for examples) and you would do well to keep it in mind when you have the enemy King locked in at g8, facing and openin a2-g8 diagonal.





Sunday, October 31, 2021

Jerome Gambit: Lesson for Both Defenders and Attackers


One of the videos mentioned in the previous post, "Chess Opening Jerome Gambit", presented by Main Chess, has the following game which presents a lesson for both defenders and attackers.  

Anonymous - Anonymous

lichess.org, 2021


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke7 


If you want to show how dangerous the Jerome Gambit can be, you can use an example where Black is as careless as he thinks White is being: The attacker has just sacrificed two pieces in the "quiet game" and now moves his Queen instead of developing, so any move will do for me.

7.Qxe5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Ne7 


Suddenly, even the chess computers see White as better.

9.d3 d6 10.Qc3 Be6 11.O-O h6 


The outlines of a Jerome attack are forming. Black's King is on the f-file, facing White's Rook, while it is clear that f2-f4-f5 is coming.

12.f4 Qd7 13.f5 Bf7 14.f6 


Opening the file as soon as he can. There will be time for development.

14...gxf6 15.Qxf6 Rh7 16.Nc3 Re8 


Black surrounds his King with pieces, but it will not be enough.

17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.Qg6 Ne7 19.Bxh6+ Rg7 20.Qxg7 checkmate

Nice. The vulnerable King does not survive.