Thursday, October 6, 2022

Jerome Gambit: Anti-Dynamic



The opening line in the computer vs computer Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, Stockfish 15 - Komodo 13, 2022 (0-1, 79) mentioned in an earlier post sets out on an interesting and atypical individual path.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

In its evaluations, Stockfish 15 lists 6...Ng6 as the 4th best move, although it is, of course, a popular and reasonable choice.

One difficulty with the line is that it returns the effective Bishop (which often delays White's intended f2-f4 after castling) on c5, while protecting the Knight that was on e5.

Was 6...Ng6 part of Komodo's opening "book"?

The Database has 5,390 games with this position; White scores 56%. 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 Nf6 9.f3 


Stockfish's choice is anti-dynamic, surrendering the idea of f2-f4 in a preparation for further reinforcement of its e-pawn. 

Does the computer "expect" 9...d5 ?

9...d5 

The only other game in The Database that has the position in the above diagram is Wall, B - Sumit, 2021: 9...Rf8 10.O-O Qe7?! 11.Qxc7 Kf7 12.Nc3 Kg8 13.d4 Qd8? 14.Qxd8 Rxd8 15.e5 Ne8?? 16.Bg5 Black resigned.

10.d3

This triangle pawn formation d3/e4/f3 (in different positions) can be seen in almost 1,100 games in The Database. The play involved is generally different from the wild attacks that often characterize the Jerome Gambit.

The computer vs computer game now develops into attacks on Kings on opposite wings


More than 60 moves later, Black won. 

The result of a human vs human game might well have been different.

 

No comments: