Thursday, January 26, 2023

Jerome Gambit: Checkmated in Front of the Queenside Pawns



It is not safe out there. Pawns are for protection. Kings don't need that much fresh air.

In the following game, Black's King forgets these warnings.

jpayero - nathanael31

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Kc6 


The "sillycon defense": Black's King tries to tip toe away from danger.

9.Qxe5 d6 10.Qd5+ Kb6 

The history of chess has a multitude of games where the King is checkmated in front of his Queenside pawns. More prudent was the withdrawal 10...Kd7

11.d4  

Makes sense.

Stockfish 15 prefers to see 11.Qb3+ Kc6 first, and then 12.d4. Why? 

Because the computer recommends Black to respond to 11.d4 with 11...Bb4+ and the Queen intermezzo would make that move unplayable.

11...Qe8


The Queen plans to intervene directly in the defense of her King.

An alternative was to bring heat to the enemy, e.g. 11...Bb4+ 12.c3 Qh4+ 13.g3 Qh3 14.cxb4 Qg2 with an uneasy but even game.

12.dxc5+ dxc5 13.Be3 Qc6 14.Qb3+ Qb5 15.Qc3 Nf6 


King safety is the major difference between the two sides.

In this case, White can deliver checkmate.

16.Na3 Qc6 17.Nc4+ Kb5 18.a4+ Black resigned




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