Jerome Gambit: Deadlost (Part 2)

[continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - DeadlostBot

Chess.com, 2023

As I mentioned in the previous post, recently I tried my hand with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) against Deadlost, Chess.com's warped interpretation of Marvel comics' "merc with a mouth", Deadpool.

Deadlost's comments below are in red.

12.O-O

The lichess.org database contains over five billion games, compared to the 87,000 games of The Database, but each has only one example of the position that occurs after Black's 11th move: MBItaly - oktavian165, lichess.org, 2021 (0-1, 56).

Black has an edge.

12...Nb4

Typical Deadpool - I mean, Deadlost - going off on an adventure without waiting for backup, say 12...Qf6.

13.Na3

Did you know that "resign" is actually French for "automatically win"? I learned that from the Duolingo bot.

13...Qe8 

This can't be right. Stockfish 15.1 (30 ply) flips between 13...a5 and 13...Kd8. There is nothing wrong with 13...Bd7, developing, either.

14.c3 

Nice pawn move! ...What? I can say nice things too.

Fair enough, but 14.Qc3, taking advantage of the fork of the Knight and g-pawn (abandoned by the enemy Queen), was more to the point.

14...Nc6 15.d4 Nf6 16.e5 Nd5 

Instead, it was time to give material back with 16...Kd8 17.exf6 Qxe3+ 18.Bxe3 gxf6, with some hope that the Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame can be held.

17.Qe4 Nb6 18.f5 Kf8 19.f6 

At the time I was pretty sure that 19.e6 was better, but I was getting impatient. I had forgotten the warning, "Don't be distracted when he breaks the 4th wall". 

19...Qe6 

Instead, the computer recommended messy play as the defender's best chance: 19...Qh5 20.Nb5 g6 21.e6 Bxe6 22.Qxe6 Re8 23.Qb3 Na5 24.Qa3 Nbc4 25.Qa4 c6 26.Nxd6 Nxd6 27.Bf4 Kf7 28. Bxd6 Qb5 29.Qxb5 cxb5 30.Be7 Nc4 31.Rf2 Rc8 32.Re1 Rhe8 33.h3 Nb6 34.Re5 a6 35.Kh2 with White clearly for choice.

20.fxg7+ 

Chimichanga. Mutant powers. Pop culture reference. There - are you nerds happy now?

20...Kxg7 21.Rf6 dxe5 

I was surprised to see this move, and even moreso when Stockfish 15.1 later said that it was best.

22.Rxe6 

I can regenerate queens, you know. I just need one of my little guys to touch one of your magic squares.

22...Bxe6 

Black has a Knight and a Rook for his Queen, plus (what will be) two pawns. Not enough.

Could I finish off Deadlost?

[to be continued]