Saturday, January 6, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Chess.com Awards Awarded



A couple of weeks ago, in the Chess.com Awards post on this blog, I mentioned that Chess.com was asking their readers to vote for

Player of the Year

Woman Player of the Year

Creator of the Year

Game of the Year

Move of the Year

Rising Star of the year

ChessKid of the Year

Commentator of the  Year

Event of the Year

Member of the Year

Book of the Year

Chessable Course of the Year

In a manner both pluckish and puckish, I suggested that Readers of this blog write in the name of this blog for Creator of the Year.

The results?

To quote from the Chess.com website

If the third time is a charm, [Levy] Rozman is definitely looking charming. For the third consecutive year, the man behind YouTube's biggest chess channel has won the Creator of the Year award. Spearheading chess content creation, Rozman has also found the time to write a book, commentate on major events, and make it to Forbes' 30 under 30 list.

The finalists were given as

1st: IM Levy Rozman

2nd: WFM Anna Cramling

3rd: GM Hikaru Nakamura

Very strong competition.

I tip over my King.

Many thanks to Readers who took up this blog's cause. 


Friday, January 5, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Sidelined?


The following game is an interesting example of a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) where White's Queen appears to wander off and then be cut off from the scene of the action - without any negative consequences, as a defender's error empowers the attacker.


Wall, Bill - Victorius

internet, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qa3 

Bill likes to experiment. More usual is 8.Qe3.

I was surprised to see that The Database has 208 games with 8.Qa3, with White scoring 43%. Of late, Carlos_Ricardo at the lichess.org site has played the line the most - 164 times.

8...N8e7 

An interesting development choice. Had he played 8...Nf6, instead, White would probably have had to play 9.d3, possibly stranding the Queen on her side of the board.

9.O-O Re8 10.Nc3 Kg8 


Black has castled-by-hand and has the advantage. What will he do with it?

11.f4 Nxf4

Incomprehensible. White is now better.

12.Rxf4 Rf8 13.Qb3+ d5 14.d3 Be6 

15.Rxf8+ Qxf8 16.Qxb7 

I was impressed to see that White could afford this pawn grab.

16...dxe4 17.Qxe4 

No longer in exile!

17...Nf5 

A slip.

18.Qxe6+ Black resigned




Thursday, January 4, 2024

Jerome Gambit: And Yet Another Recovered Game



I have tried to post every one of my Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games; win, lose, or draw; good, bad or ugly.

Still, sometimes, something slips through.

Earlier this year (see "Jerome Gambit: A Bit Awkward") I noticed that I had missed a game from 16 years ago - from before I started this blog.

So - time to fix that oversight. 


perrypawnpusher - gtomlinson

5 2 blitz, FICS, 2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 


This position is as old as Jerome's analysis in the April 1874 edition of the Dubuque Chess Journal and his game against Shinkman (0-1, 21) the same year.

10...Ke7 

The King anticipates a future Bishop pin along the b8-h2 diagonal.

11.Nc3 d6 

Both Rybka and Stockfish prefer 11...Nf6.

12.Nd5+ Kd8 

13.d3 

In this messy position I learned after the game that I could have played 13.d4!? Bxd4 (13...Qxd4 14.Qf8+ Kd7 15.Qf7+ Kc6 16.Qxc7+ Kb5 17.Be3) 14.Bf4 Qe6 (14...Qe8 15.O-O-O c6 16.Rxd4 cxd5 17.Rxd5 Qf7 18.Rxd6+ Ke8 19.Rhd1 Be6 20.Kb1 Nf6 21.e5 Nd5 22.Rxe6+ Qxe6 23.Rxd5) 15.O-O-O Bc5 (15...Bb6 16.Bxd6 cxd6 17.Qf8+ Qe8 18.Qxg7 Ne7 19.Nf6 Qf8 20.Rxd6+ Kc7 21.Qg3) 16.b4 Bb6 17.Bxd6 cxd6 18.Qf8+ Kd7 19.Qxg7+ Ne7 20.Qxh8 Nxd5 21.exd5 Qg6

13...Ne7 14.Nxe7 

Missing my chance for 14.d4 and advantage. The game shifts towards Black.

14...Kxe7 15.Rf1 Be6 16.c3 Raf8 17.Qe2 Rxf1+ 18.Kxf1 Rf8+ 19.Ke1 


White has no compensation for his sacrificed material.

19...Qf6 

This move preserves Black's advantage. The computers suggest that there is even time to go pawn-grabbing with 19...Qxh2

20. d4 Bb6 21.Be3 Qh4+ 22. g3 Qxe4 


Uh-oh. Bad things can suddenly happen in blitz. Black munches on another pawn (threatening Qh1+ and winning the Rook) - and it does not agree with him.

23.Bg5+ 

Of course.

23...Kd7 24.Qxe4 h6 25.Be3 c5 


Black lashes out, but opening lines to your King when you have only a Bishop for a Queen is quite risky.

26.dxc5 dxc5 27. Rd1+ Kc8 28.Qxe6+ 

Black resigned

A happy escape, most likely aided by the clock.

Good luck, as they say, is better than a license to steal.

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Ow! Ow! Ow!



When giant05 sent me his first Jerome Gambit game, my first response was "Ow! Ow! Ow!" on behalf of his opponent.

Take a look at the "Buyer's Regret variation".


giant05 - flint78

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 

Dating back to the imaginary telephone chess game between R.F and Nibs, presented in the June 1889 American Chess Magazine.

9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kd1 Qe7 11.Qd5 checkmate

Ow!

White sacrifices two pieces and checkmates in under a dozen moves.

Looks like 2024 is going to be a great year.



 

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Coach (Part 3)

 


[continued]

As I previously noted

Recently I decided to introduce the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.BXf7+) to the Chess.com bot Coach Mae...

Coach Mae's comments are in purple. I have added diagrams and a few comments of my own.

 

perrypawnpusher - Coach Mae bot

Chess.com, 2023


19.e5 

Kicking my knight. 

19...Nh7 

I'm moving out of danger. 

20.Qe4 

You threaten my knight - and responding to the threat would lose me time. 

20...Ng5 

You'll probably see this threat. But it wins me some time. 

21.Qg6 d5 

This move opens up the scope of my bishop. 

22.exd6+ 

En passant - very nice. 

22...Kf8 

Defending my pawn.

23.Rhf1+ 

You occupied the open file. A smart idea.

23...Bf5 

Now you check me, now you don't... 

24.Rxf5+ 

How do I stop your rook? You use it so well. 

24...Kg8 


My king dances out of the way... 

25.h4 

Giving my knight the boot. Ouch! 

25...Kh8 26.hxg5 

You've got an isolated pawn now. It might become a target later.

26...Rf8 

I'm offering you a trade. What will you do? 

27.gxh6 

Checkmate is coming. Good for you. 

27...gxh6 

You take. I take... 

28.Rh1 

You are playing a strong game. Keep pressing. 

28...Rf7 29.Rxh6+ 

You're on the path to winning the game.

29...Rh7 

Time to shield my king from your rook! 

30.Qxh7  

Bravo! That's mate.

Thank you for the lesson, coach.



Monday, January 1, 2024

Happy New Year 2024

 



Happy New Years, Readers!

It's a new year, time to try new things - perhaps make some New Years Resolutions.

I would love it if one of those resolutions was TO PLAY MORE JEROME GAMBITS!

Of course, not everyone feels that way.

Take National Master Robert Plunkett, of "Robert Plunkett's Chess Lab", featuring over 400 educational chess videos. There's a lot to learn, stopping by - which I encourage you to do.

You should start with his "Why I would never Play A Jerome Gambit".

Really.

NM Plunkett makes his case in under 10 minutes, and it certainly is worth watching, especially if you do plan to play a Jerome Gambit.

It is worth going back about 15 1/2 years to the blog post "Is this stuff playable?". The issue addressed is: Under what conditions is the Jerome Gambit playable?

Wherever surprise and chaos can rule, there is room for the Jerome Gambit.

Sometimes Bashi-Bazouk Attacks do win the day. 

But, take National Master Plunkett's concerns seriously. He might chase you off of the Jerome. Fair enough. 

However, if you come away with a set of ideas on how to meet his ideas about how to meet the Jerome Gambit - well, Welcome and Happy New Year!









Sunday, December 31, 2023

Was H.Nakamura Right? Is JG ‘Unbreakable’, Is EG ‘Legendary’ For Beginners’ Games? (Part 3)

 


Was H.Nakamura Right? Is JG ‘Unbreakable’, 

Is EG ‘Legendary’ For Beginners’ Games? (Part 3)

(by Yury V. Bukayev)

If an expert’s appraisal is based on something without real proofs, he can be right or “almost right” here sometimes. That is so, even in the case where he realizes that his appraisal is hasty, or non-serious, or bold, or emotional. Sometimes he is right here for a large per cent (for example, 55, 75 or 95) of cases which he appraises.

We remember Rick Kennedy’s post ‘Jerome Gambit: Which Tier? Unbreakable?’ (September 23, 2020) where the notable dialogue about the standard system of the Jerome gambit (JG) between Top GM Hikaru Nakamura and IM Levy Rozman was shown as the part of their popular video and as its approximate text. Thus, they have discussed there what chess opening tier for beginners’ practice is right for it. The end of this text contains several phrases by Mr. Nakamura where he places the standard system of JG near the top of ‘Unbreakable’. Mr. Nakamura’s words contain no proofs of this very high appraisal. In my opinion, the tier’s name ‘Unbreakable’ is very arguable, because we discuss an opening practice, not an opening theory: each opening can be broken in a game as a result of practical mistakes of a player. But this name plays no role for us, just this very high appraisal of 4.Bxf7+ for beginners’ practice is important for our consideration.

Before writing of my Part 1 of this analytical research (please, look at it: it’s a blog post of October 16, 2022) it was enough difficult for me to prove this Hikaru Nakamura’s appraisal, for a large per cent of cases. It was necessary to choose a certain control of time for beginners’ games, and I have chosen an unlimited one. And in the Part 1, Part 2 of this research I have made some clear proofs of this Mr. Nakamura’s appraisal and some “not absolutely clear proofs” of it. We shouldn’t forget that the word ‘unbreakable’ includes a draw, not only a win.

And here is my new invented trap - no.5 - which is based on a similar ‘natural’ reaction of a beginner.

Trap 5. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 (Black defends his pieces, it is a typical response for an unlimited game.) 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.Nc3 Qf6 (Not every beginner can find this strongest move, but all alternative - less strong - moves lead to White’s traps too.) 9.d4 Bxd4!? 10.Nb5+ Kc5!? (This way of playing - Black’s 9th and 10th moves - is ‘natural’ for a beginner (and also for many other players including very strong ones): “Why would I play 9…Qxf5 10.dxc5+ with 11.exf5, where I should say goodbye to my Bishop with no fight for it?”) 11.Qh3 AN (It is my new trap.) 11…Qxf2+ 12.Kd1 Kxb5?? (It’s a typical reaction for the beginner who tries to get a maximum material advantage. After 12…d6 Black wins.) 13.Qb3+!, and now Black can’t hide his King: 13…Kc6 14.Qd5+! Kb6 15.Qb3+ Kc5 16.Qd5+ Kb6 17.Qb3+!, ½-½. The situation is completely analogous after 11…Kxb5?? 12.Qb3+!.

That is why White will get here also a very large per cent of identical successful results against beginners.

It maybe, the invention of my Trap 1, my Trap 4, my Trap 5 and my approaches (Part 1, Part 2) will cause Mr. Nakamura’s and Mr. Rozman’s wish to replace the standard system of JG into their top tier ‘Legendary’ (on ‘GMHikaru’ YouTube channel).

Contact the author: istinayubukayev@yandex.ru

© 2023 Yury V. Bukayev (Copyright © Bukayev Yury Vyacheslavovich 2023). All rights reserved.

[A legal using of this investigatiation with a reference to it is permitted and doesn’t require author’s consent.]