Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Jerome Gambit: Application



DylanYuIM returns - see DylanYuIM - Cafe12, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021 (1-0, 22) - to apply the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) treatment to a quiet position that his opponent is trying, in vain, to make even quieter.

It is a lesson to remember: even if you can not get a Jerome Gambit game, you can apply Jerome Gambit tactics.


DylanYuIM - d52276ev

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 

The Hungarian Defense. Black is rated 1980, so I think he knows what he is doing

4.d4 exd4 5.O-O  


An interesting waiting move. He also had 5.Nxd4 and 5.c3 available.

How will Black respond?

5...h6 

Too cautious. This move is seen in the Semi-Italian Opening, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6, which Grandmaster Pavel Blatney (for example) played with in the 1990s. Better was 5...Nf6.

6.c3 

Offering another pawn.

There is a relevant comment from from the Semi-Italian Opening game in Euwe and Meiden's Chess Master vs Chess Amateur (1963), after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 ed 5.c3 

It cannot be stated objectively which of the two methods [5.c3 or 5.Nxd4] is the better. But by the sacrifice of a Pawn, White can demonstratemore convincingly the futility of Black's ...h6 

This lesson can be applied to the current game.

6...Na5 

This move is playable after 5.c3, but not now.

Stockfish 14.1 suggests 6...Nf6 7.cxd4 d5 8.exd5 Nb4 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Nxd7 11.d6 cxd6 12.Re1 Nd5 13. Qb3 N7f6 14.Qxb7 Qc8 and White is better.  

Worth mentioning in passing is 6...dxc3 7.Qd5 d6 8.Qxf7+ Kd7 9.Be6 checkmate.

7.Bxf7+ 


DylanYuIM identifies himself as a student of the Jerome Gambit, and here he applies his lessons to the game at hand. 

Perhaps Black was expecting the mundane 7.Bb3, when 7...Nxb3 8.Qxb3 would be about even, despite his lag in development.

7...Kxf7 8.Ne5+ Ke6 

The King could have retreated to f8, and into the Knight fork 9.Ng6+, leaving him down material. Worse would have been 8...Ke8 because of 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qxg6+ Kf8 11.Qf7 checkmate.

9.Qg4+ Kxe5 

Allowing a swifter end than 9...Kd6 10.Nf7+ Kc6 11.Nxd8+ surrendering his Queen.

10.Qf5+ Black resigned


It is checkmate next move.


No comments: