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!





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