Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Overwhelmed



In the Jerome Gambit, White hopes to quickly overwhelm his opponent with a winning attack on the King.

If the first player is not careful, he can find himself the victim of an attack, as the following game shows.


NB_Chess44 - Mnakib90

10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 


Here we have a typical Jerome Gambit position, as old as Charlick - Mann, correspondence, 1881 (1-0, 72).

The Database has 1,044 examples, with White scoring 63% - despite Stockfish 16.1 rating the position (32 ply) as almost 1 2/3 pawns better for Black.  

10.f4 Ng4 

It is always tempting to attack the Queen.

11.Qf3 

I suspect that White avoided 11.Qg3 because of 11...Qh4 12.Qxh4 Nxh4 but, after 13.O-O that would have been better than the text. 

11...Qh4+ 12.g3 Qh3 

13.Nc3 

Black's Queen is up to no good, and White needed to address that immediately with 13.Qf1, even though exchanging Queens would reduce his attacking chances.

13...Rf8 

This move is good, but 13...Nxf4!? would cause even more problems after 14.Qxf4 Rf8. 

14.d4 Nh4 White resigned


Black's force on the Kingside is overwhelming, and he will break through, e.g

If 15.Qe2, then 15...Ng2+ 16.Kd2 Nxf4 17.gxf4 Rxf4.

Or 15.Qf1 Ng2+ 16.Ke2 g5.


Monday, December 30, 2024

Jerome Gambit: I'm Not Supposed to Win Stuff Back



The TikTok video "Jerome Gambit in 8 Moves" by OffbeatGambits presents Eric Rosen playing a Jerome Gambit, 

The point is that I win stuff back, kind of... I'm not supposed to win stuff back, but... Wow, I won in 8 moves in the Jerome...

The game was previously shown in the blog post which featured Eric's "Winning as Quickly as Possible with TRICKY Gambits".

For that matter, "Jerome Gambit: Gambit Duel (Parts 1, 2, 3 & 4)" showed Eric defending against the Jerome.

Fun stuff.

Sunday, December 29, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Ever Wins

 



The YouTube video, THE INSANE JEROME GAMBIT EVER WINS, by Cortez Chess, is less than a minute in length, but ends with a video clip that humorously illustrates how someone feels after losing to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+.

Have a look.

Saturday, December 28, 2024

Jerome Gambit: A Bit of A Puzzlement



I can figure out some Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games, but certainly not all of them.

The following game is a bit of a puzzlement, especially the end.

Perhaps a Reader can explain it.

Robov - sajadbahar

15 10 rapid, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 g6

White should have been happy with this move. There are 174 games with it in The Database. White scores 75%. 

8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxh8

Capturing the Rook is not much weaker or stronger than capturing the Bishop. 

9...Qh4+ 10.g3 Qh3 11.Qc3 

Pulling the Queen back. Later in the year, Robov tried 11.d4 Qg2 12.Rf1 Bb4+ 13.c3 Qxe4+ 14.Kd1 Qd3+ 15.Bd2 Qxf1+ 16.Kc2 Bf8 17.Qxh7+ Bg7 18.Qh4 d5 19.Qg5 Bf5+ 20.Kb3 Qf2 21.g4 Bxb1 22.Qxd5+ Kf8 23.Qc5+ Ne7 24.Rxb1 Qxd2 25.Rf1 Qg2 26.f5 Qxf1 27.fxg6 c6 28.h4 Qb5+ 29.Qxb5 cxb5 White resigned, Robov - Omgl, lichess.org, 2023

White's best move here might have been the novelty 11.f5!?, hoping to open the f-file against the enemy King. That would have convinced Stockfish 16.1 that the first player was better, while the text move supports the second player. 

11...Qg2 

Black's Queen slips behind enemy lines.

12.Qc4+ 

Rolling the dice, as the alternative, 12.Rf1 Qxe4+ 13.Kd1 d5 is clearly worse for him. 

12...Ke8

In turn, Black falters. With the thematic 12...d5 he could have stayed on top. 

However, here White resigned. This was unfortunate, as he had the obvious 13.Qxg8+, or 13.Rf1 d6 14.Qxg8+, or even 13.Qf1 Qxe4+ 14.Qe2, in each case with advantage.




Friday, December 27, 2024

Mephisto Polgar


The Mephisto Polgar chess computer (1980s-90s) had a program written by Ed Schroeder. It was one of the strongest 8-bit chess programs available at the time. It played at about a 2200 USCF rating.

However, as we saw in the previous post, it had trouble with the human’s Krejcik Gambit. Like many early chess computers, it tended to grab material, despite the risk (which it may not have seen), and it would occasionally “develop” its King into danger.

It’s “intuition” in taking the e-pawn was correct, as evidenced by the evaluation of the line in the 1982 Batsford Chess Openings (“winning advantage” for Black) and the 1985 Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (“decisive advantage” for Black).

Still, players interested in trying their luck, or in finding a speed surprise, or in simply enjoying the chaos, might check out the YouTube video “Attacking Chess Gambit - 10 (Krejcik Gambit)by GJ_Chess.

By the way, I have found 43 blitz and bullet games played online by Boterhoofd (rated 2000+, mostly 2200+) scoring 66%. Impressive.


Thursday, December 26, 2024

Josef Krejcik



Chessfriend and blog contributor Yury V. Bukayev recently asked
Could you remember, please, if it is not so difficult, does any chess engine with the following "style" of play exist? Thus, this "style" is to get a maximum possible material without care of its own King. Have you ever met such chess program (without the word "bot" in its name, preferably)? 

While I was searching, Yury added

Thank you! These hours I have found such one (I have checked first two games in this database, the first of them is Jeromeish!):  https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=177398 ! Probably, it is not bad to play JG against such style. The next question for me is: where is it available for free playing? 

The game mentioned at ChessGames.com is 

R Arnold vs Mephisto Polgar (computer), offhand game, 1990

Alekhine Defense: Krejcik Variation. Krejcik Gambit

1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4 Nxe4 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Kf6 5.Qf3+ Ke5 6.d4+ Kxd4 7.Ne2+ Ke5 8.Bf4+ Ke6 9.Nd4+ Kd5 10.Nc3+ Kxd4 11.Qxe4+ Kc5 12.Be3+ Kd6 13.O-O-O#

The Krejcik mentioned is Josef Krejcik (1885 - 1957), an Austrian chess master known for his chess writing, including three books.

The sacrificial attack can be drawn from one of Krejcik's games

Krejcik - Gottleib, Germany, 1922 

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe4 e5 6.Qf3+ Kg8 7.Qb3+ Be6 8.Qxe6# 

See also "I Want My Jerome Gambit!", "Another Krejcik" and "Jerome Gambit Inspired Play (Parts 2 and 6)"

Yury suggested that the Mephisto Polgar computer would fit his criteria, and we will look at that tomorrow.

Wednesday, December 25, 2024

Merry Christmas

 

Merry Christmas!

May all your sacrifices be accepted, and all of your plans fulfilled.

Best wishes,

Rick

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

How to Get an Advantage or to Win with JG (4.Bxf7+) against Maestri: the Collection of Practice (Part 1)

 


How to Get an Advantage or to Win with 

                       JG (4.Bxf7+) against Maestri: 

                     the Collection of Practice (Part 1)


                                                                 (by Yury V. Bukayev)


Dear readers, these my new posts about White's advantage and wins in such chess games are dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's publications with 4.Bxf7+ in Giuoco Piano. Now the world chess history knows a lot of cases, where White got an advantage or won here against grandmasters and other extremely strong defenders!

We should start from the game 

Amateur - GM Aman Hambleton ( dontcallmelab - ChessBrah, 3 min blitz, Chess.com, 2021, the video "Aman DECLINES the Jerome gambit": https://youtu.be/QR-1VQcPlGY?si=Diu1BqZ1DS0EvARz ),

where after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Black has played 4...Kf8 intentionally - to give "a handicap" to his opponent. After 5.Bb3 White got a large advantage. Then after not careful mutual play 5...Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 7.d3 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.O-O Nd4 10.g4 Nxg4 11.Nxd4 Bxd4 White could get an extra piece with the trivial possibility 12.hxg4!. It's not the most interesting case for us, but the first of Black's sacrifices is, in my opinion, slightly similar to the following famous one.

Mr. Milner - Joseph Henry Blackburne, England, 1884:

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 . White accepted this Rook sacrifice 8.Qxh8 and got a serious advantage by this way. Thus, Black could choose a much more solid known plan instead, without a sacrifice of his Rook: 6...Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6. 

Further, we'll remind the first of two games between the following grandmasters:

Top GM Hikaru Nakamura - GM Dmitrij Kollars (3 min blitz, Chess.com, 2020),

where after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6 10.fxe5+ White got an enormous advantage on time, because Black played too slowly. As a result, later Black started to make mistakes, including the key blunder, and lost the game by checkmate. I think, after the possible 10.Qh5 Black could lose more rapidly, because it requires more analysis to find a good answer here.

Further, we'll remind the game 

NM Koosha Jaferian - Top GM Hikaru Nakamura ( Mrkooshaj - GMHikaruOnTwitch, 3 min blitz, Chess.com, 2021), 

where after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qxe5+ Kxe5 11.b4 Bd4 12.c3 Bb6 13.d4+ Kxe4 14.O-O Nf6 15.Bg5 d6 16.Nd2+ Black has made a key blunder 16...Kd3, so White got the won position as a result of 17.Rf3+ and won this game extremely rapidly.


(to be continued)

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Numbers, We Got Numbers (Part 2)

 


Reflecting on the numbers drawn from The Database - see the previous postI wanted to give the evaluation of the main lines, courtesy of Stockfish 16.1 (30 ply).

The line Jerome Gambit players have been most successful against, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6, is rated by the computer as being about 2 1/3 of a pawn better for Black.

The line Jerome Gambit players have played most frequently, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+Ke6, is rated by the computer as being about 3 pawns better for Black.

The line Jerome Gambit players have played nearly as often, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 , is also rated by the computer as about 3 pawns better for Black.

The line Jerome Gambit players have played the least, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8, is rated by the computer as being  2 3/4 pawns better for Black.

It all amounts to the first player being comfortable with giving up significant material (remember, 3 pawns = 1 piece), meaning finding the right time control and the right opponent to unleash the Jerome Gambit.

Monday, December 16, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Numbers, We Got Numbers (Part 1)

I regularly refer in my blog posts to "The Database", which is my collection of Jerome Gambit and related games. It has grown over the years, due to my searching out the games, and also due to receiving many games from Readers.

A peek at The Database today shows:

The regular line of Jerome Gambit play, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+     38,295 games         White scores 52%

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+      7,763 games          White scores 57%

The Abrahams Jerome Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+                               18,980 games           White scores 51%


A quick breakdown of the four main lines of play is interesting

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8                  3,453 games           White scores 47%

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+Ke6                    4,814 games            White scores 55%

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6                3,053 games            White scores 70%

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4             4,249 games              White scores 55%



Sunday, December 15, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Explosive



Combining the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) with the Evans Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4) can produce an explosive attack, as the following game (which was MateSharkVlad's challenge after his miniature lost game on Chess.com - as White- against Yury V. Bukayev: 1.e4 c5 2.Ne2 Nc6 3.f4 d5 4.exd5 Nb4 5.c4 Nd3 checkmate) shows.


Yury_V_Bukayev - MateSharkVlad

30 rapid, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.O-O Nf6 6.b4 

Reminiscent of the Evans Jerome Gambit.

6...Bxb4 7.c3 Bc5 

Somewhat cooperative. Instead, 7...Be7 comes to mind.

8.d4 exd4 9. cxd4 Bb6 


Yury now demonstrates the power of the pawn center.

10.e5 Ng8 

Black figures that retreat is enough. Instead, he should have returned his extra piece with 10...d5 11.exf6 Qxf6, still with an edge.  

11.d5 Nb8 

Probbly 11...Ne7 was better, but Black was committed to a plan.

12.Ng5+ 

12...Ke8 13.Re1 Ne7 

Again, the Knight tries to safeguard the King.

14.d6 Ng6 15.Qh5 

15...Bd4 

Hoping to snare a free Rook, but the action is all on the other side of the board.

16.Nxh7 Kf7 

Instead, 16...Bxf2+ would slow - but not stop - the attack. Black is angling for 17.Kxf2 Qh4+ 18.Qxh4 Nxh4, but he would still be worse. Of course, White could reply to 16...Bxf2+ with 17.Kh1, ending that adventure.

17.Qf5+ 

17...Kg8 18.Nf6+ gxf6

There also was little future in 18...Kf8 19.Ng4+Kg8 20.Qxg6.

 19.Qxg6+ Black resigned

Black sees that checkmate is coming, and turns over his King.

For those who enjoy unfortunate endings, Stockfish 16.1 gives the longest that Black can hold out, while giving up most of his pieces and still being mated: 19...Kf8 20.exf6 Bxf6 21.dxc7 Qe7 22.Ba3 d6 23.Bxd6 Nd7 24.Nc3 Rh7 25.Rxe7 Bxe7 26.Re1 Rg7 27.Bxe7+ Kg8 28.Qe6+ Kh8 29.Re4 Nf8 30.Qh6+ Kg8 31.Bf6 Rxg2+ 32.Kxg2 Bh3+ 33.Kxh3 Ne6 34.Rxe6 Kf7 35.Re7+ Kg8 36.Qh8# 

Quite a nice game by Yury!





Saturday, December 14, 2024

Jerome Gambit: The Challenge of Blitz

Blitz games can be entertaining for those watching, as things happen quickly - sometimes very bad or very good things.

That's the challenge of blitz, as well: playing fast enough not to lose on time, but slow enough to make sure all of your moves are good.


Kingtora - Caballo-Astuto

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Nf6 

Three pieces vs the Queen looks like a good idea, but Black misses the point (it's a blitz game) that one of his will fall quickly.

8.Qf5+ 

White has a plan, but, instead, he should have aimlessly played 8.Qxe5+ followed by 9.Qxc5.

8...Kf7 9.fxe5 


This is White's idea: Black's Knight is pinned.

9...Qe8 

Almost, but not quite enough. He had, instead, 9...d6 10.Qf1 and then 10...Qe8, because 11.exf6 can be met with 11...Qxe4+.

Blitz. It happens.

10.exf6 gxf6 11.Qh5+ Ke7 

12.Qxe8+ 

White chooses to play with Queens off of the board. I am sure he had his reasons, but I would prefer 12.Qxc5.

12...Rxe8 13.d3 d6 14.Nc3 Bg4 


Not sure what this move is about. Could be time related.

15.Nd5+ Kd7 16.Nxf6+ Black resigned

Material will be lost.

[Readers, this post is number 4,600. Many thanks to those who have contributed games, analysis and history about the Jerome Gambit, over the 16 years of this blog's existence. - Rick]

Friday, December 13, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Remember?



Kingtora - andrikrist

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1 e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 

If he remembers the variations, White can take this Rook and live.

8...Qh4 

Everyone remembers Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884, (0-1, 14) right?

9.O-O 

Fully playable, although 9.d4 was stronger. 

9...Qxe4 

A slip. Complicated play follows blocking the Queen in with, 9...Nf6, although 10.Qd8 Bb6 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qd3 would secure Her Majesty's release.

10.Nc3 

Or 10.Qxh7+ Kf8 11.d3 Qe5 12.Be3!? Qxb2 13.Nd2 Qg7 14.Qxg7+ Kxg7 15.Bxc5 dxc5 

10...Qxc2 

In the Jerome Gambit, greed is not good.

Instead, 10...Qh4 would have been more useful. 

11.d4 Bb6 12.Nd5 Bd7 13.Qxh7+ Ke6 


White is a pawn and the exchange better, but the real issue is King safety.

14.Nxb6 cxb6

Black now faces a forced checkmate.

15.Re1+ Kd5 Black resigned

White will win the Bishop and then gather in more material as Black tries, unsuccessfully, to ward off mate.

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Jerome Gambit: More Proof



White sets up another trap, and Black tumbles into it.

More proof of the successful combination of the Jerome Gambit and blitz time control.


Kingtora - Nomi7

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qxc5 Qe7 8.Qc4+ Kf8 

Already giving White thoughts of an attack along the a3-g8 diagonal. Consistent with the offering of an exchange of Queens would have been 8...Qe6.

9.b3

Preparing a threat, but in a moment the opponent's awareness is gone.

9...Ne5 

Counter threat.

10.Qxc7 

A diversion.

10...Ng4 

A further threat.

11.Ba3 Black resigned




Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Careless?



The following game is a reminder to defenders to learn a bit about the Jerome Gambit - and a quick lesson (see "Jerome Gambit: Hot Mess" for an earlier example) for Jerome Gambiteers on how to punish a careless second player.


Kingtora - selimmessadia

5 0 blitz, lichess.org 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6 

Hoping to save the Knight, but this not the way to do it.

7.d4 

Going for the quick win. Instead, White recovers his sacrificed material with 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+.

7...Bxd4 

If you are not familiar with the Jerome Gambit, you probably would not find 7...Bb4+ 8.c3 Nd3+ 9.Kd2 d5, keeping the advantage.

8.Bg5+ Black resigned

His Queen is lost.