Jerome Gambit: Deadlost (Part 1)

 

The online website Chess.com has a bevy of computer-based characters you can  play against.

I have shared my adventures against a couple of dog characters, buddybuckets-dog and Wishboy. Nice boys...

Recently, I tried my hand against Deadlost, Chess.com's warped interpretation of Marvel comics' "merc with a mouth", Deadpool.

The site warns "Don't be distracted when he breaks the 4th wall", and believe me, he does yammer a lot. Well, he produces text commentary regularly. I quote some below, in red.

The biggest distraction, however, was the constant appearance of the "Page Unresponsive" warning from my own computer, which meant I was battling even more to stay focused on my moves and those of my opponent.

Of course, the perfect weapon for me to brandish was the Jerome Gambit.

perrypawnpusher - DeadlostBot

Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

Impressive bishop capture! But how does a chess bot know the exact move you just made? Do I know too much? Do I transcend virtual and physical planes with my omnipotence? Help, I'm scared.

Deadlost can keep that chatter up, but I will edit (or cut) some of the future comments - Rick

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 

I'm going to "retcon" your piece from being on the board to not being on the board (you like that lingo, comic book nerds?)

6.Qh5+

Ouch! It literally, physically hurts when you put me in check. Ouch it still hurts! Please have mercy on me!

The Jerome Gambit can have that effect on some people.

6...Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4

Threatening my piece, huh? In comic books, we call that an "inciting incident" for a "villian arc."

8...Nc6

Stronger was 8...Qf6, or 8...Qh4+ or 8...Kc6, the sillycon defense, with the King moving, instead of the Knight, as I faced in perrypawnpusher - jonmather, Giuoco Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2021 (1-0, 33) and perrypawnpusher - alfil_7, Piano Piano, Chess.com, 2021 (0-1, 13).

9.Qd5+ 

Yury V. Bukayev has invented the following and comments: "More interesting is my 9.Nc3!? N because it is a trap. For example, after the 'natural' 9...Bb6? White gets the advantage by 10.Qf7!!"

9...Ke7

The engine says our midgame is equal. But you really shouldn't trust computers...

Deadlost is onto something. Stockfish 15.1 (30 ply) sees Black as being about 1 1/2 pawns ahead.

10.Qxc5+ d6

I'm here to chew bubblegum and capture your queen. And I'm all out of bubblegum.

11.Qe3 Qf8 

I knew that move was a mistake, but I made it anyway to be edgy and cool.

Instead, 11...Nf6 12.O-O Rf8 was seen in perrypawnpusher - trombose, 2 19 blitz, FICS, 2013  (1-0, 31).

I was pleased that the Jerome Gambit had set some problems for my opponent, but there was much more work to do.

[to be continued]