Jerome Gambit: Pawns Triumphant

The ability of a pawn to promote to a greater piece - even a Queen - often quickly changes the balance of power in a chess game.

The following game is a good example.

Wall, Bill - Mathias

internet, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Qf7 9.d3 Qxf4 10.Bxf4 d6 

Bill is nonchalant about playing with the Queens off of the board - he has won from this position before.

11.Nc3 Bb4 12.Bd2 Ne7 13.Nb5 Bxd2+ 14.Kxd2 c6 15.Nxd6 Rb8 

 White's three pawns balance Black's extra piece.

16.h4 Be6 17.h5 Nc8 18.Nxc8 Bxc8 19.f4 Kf7 

It is possible that a grandmaster might prefer to have the piece instead of the pawns. Stockfish 16.1 shows a slight preference (1/2 pawn evauation) for the pawns.

I will let Bill's result in this game speak for itself.

20.Ke3 c5 21.f5 b6 22.g4 Bb7 23.g5 

23...g6 

Possibly Black accurately assessed that now 24.f6 would not be too much of a danger.

The g-pawn is the wrong one to advance, however. He needed to play 23...h6.

24.fxg6+ 

Declining the recommendation to "capture toward the center" with pawns.

24...hxg6 25.Raf1+ 

This is why.

25...Ke7 26.hxg6 Rxh1 27.Rxh1 Bc8 

Hoping to get the Bishop over to the Kingside to help defend against the pawns. It is too late for that.

28.Rh8 Ra8 

Intending 29...Bb7 to break the pin on the Bishop, but it is too late for that, too.

29.g7 Black resigned