Jerome Gambit: The Human Move (Part 2)

 

[continued from the previous post]

How - and how well - does maia the computer program defend against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+)?

Overall, according to The Database, it has won 52 games, lost 65 games, and drawn 13 games - scoring 45%

It is interesting to see how the computer program handles several different challenges.

First, we will look at the infamous "Face Palm Variation", which maia utterly (and appropriately) destroys, yielding only a half point in 8 games, only because it can not figure out a checkmate while being ahead a Rook, a Bishop and 3 pawns. 

ZackAddy - maia1

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Ng5+ 

In a hurry to begin attacking the enemy King, White overlooks something. The Database has over 700 examples, and I am sure that I have missed a lot more.

5...Qxg5 

This was the end of the game in GusTheMaster - maia1, 10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2021 and hariprasath21 - maia1, 0 1 bullet, lichess.org, 2021.

6.d4 

This is the "trap" associated with the previous move: White uncovers an attack on the enemy Queen while also attacking the enemy Bishop.

The problem is that Black's Queen can escape the attack and create a greater threat, with 6...Qxg2, as maia1 shows.

maia1 has faced a number of interesting alternatives:

6.f4 Qxg2 7.Rg1 Qxg1+ 8.Ke2 Qf2+ 9.Kd3 Qd4+ 10.Ke2 Qxe4+ 11.Kf1 Qxf4+ 12.Ke1 Qf2 checkmate, Elsachess000 - maia1, 25 4 classical, lichess.org, 2021; 

6.O-O Nf6 7.d4 exd4 8.Bxg5 Nxe4 9.Bd2 Re8 10.Re1 d5 11.f3 d3+ 12.Kh1 Nf2+ 13.Kg1 Nxd1+ 14.Be3 Bxe3+ 15.Rxe3 Nxe3 16.Kf2 Nxc2 17.Nc3 Nxa1 18.Nxd5 d2 19.Nxc7 d1=Q 20.Nxa8 Qe2+ 21.Kg3 Qe5+ White resigned, divyansh91 - maia1, bullet, lichess.org,, 2021; 

6.Qf3+ Nf6 7.d3 Qxc1+ White resigned, tajikix17 - maia1, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org,, 2022; and

6.g4 Nf6 7.f4 Qxf4 8.Rf1 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 Nd4+ 11.Kd1 d6 12.Rxf6+ gxf6 13.g5 fxg5 14.h3 Bxh3 15.Na3 Bg4+ 16.Ke1 Nf3+ 17.Kd1 Nd4+ 18.Ke1 Nf3+ 19.Kd1 Nd4+ drawn, kian095 - maia1, 10 5 rapid, lichess.org, 2023.

6...Qxg2 7.Qh5+ 

The text move is not the solution, but the alternative was unsuccessful as well: 7.Rf1 Qxe4+ 8.Be3 exd4 9.Nc3 dxc3 10.bxc3 Bxe3 11.Qh5+ g6 12.fxe3+ Nf6 13.Rxf6+ Kxf6 14.O-O-O gxh5 15.Rf1+ Ke5 16.Re1 d5 17.Kb2 d4 18.exd4+ Nxd4 19.Rxe4+ Kxe4 20.cxd4 Kxd4 21.Kb3 Be6+ 22.Kb2 c5 23.Ka3 b5 24.Kb2 c4 25.Ka3 a5 26.Kb2 b4 27.Kc1 a4 28.Kb2 b3 29.axb3 axb3 30.c3+ Kd3 31.Kb1 Kxc3 32.Kc1 Ra1 checkmate, wakandaforever123 - maia1, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021

7...g6 8.Rg1 Qxg1+ 

White resigned

Black has a checkmate in 8 moves.

                                                        [to be continued]