Saturday, March 23, 2024

Jerome Gambit: A Cat May Look At A King


At bullet speed, the Jerome Gambit can cause many problems for defenders. It is not enough for them to know that the Jerome is "refuted" - they have to have some ideas about how to put that assessment into practice. 

In the following game, CATCHESS11 has some ideas, but not all of them prove fruitful.


angelcamina - CATCHESS11

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4

Being new to the Jerome Gambit (apparently), Black quickly (it is a 1-minute game) establishes a line of play that looks reasonable.

To his misfortune, The Database indicates that angelcamina has had this position 27 times, and has scored 72%.

Best, keeping a slight edge for Black, would have been 7...Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6.

8.dxe5 Nxe4 

This is the idea: the White Knight on c3 that is "protecting" the e4 pawn is now pinned.

Because of White's response, however, it will become clear that the retreat, 8...Ne8 is necessary. 

9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Qxe4 Qe7 

White has an extra pawn, and the advantage.

11.O-O Bxc3 12.bxc3 d6 13.f4 Bd7 14.Ba3 Bc6 15.Qe3 Re8 

16.Rad1 

"Wrong Rook" carps Stockfish 16.1, which prefers 16.Rae1. Nonetheless, after the text, White is still better.

16...g6 17.Qg3 Kg7 18.c4 Rhf8 19.Bb2 Kg8 20.f5 


Here Black either resigned or lost on time - my guess is the latter.

The "Jerome pawns" are impressive, leading the attack.

Friday, March 22, 2024

Jerome Gambit: For the Defense

Playing in a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) tournament means that I have to face the opening, as well as play it.

The Database shows that I have played 484 Jerome Gambit games.

Happily, in the 446 games where I had White, I scored 82%.

Showing that knowledge of a line means something, in the 38 games where I had Black, I scored 93%.

To introduce the following game I can borrow from the TV show "The Naked City" 

There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them.


carzair - perrypawnpusher

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.O-O Nf6 6.c3 

The position could also be reached by the move order 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.0-0.

Of course, White can choose other moves, illustrated in some of my games:

6.d3 in Capt.Mandrake - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic, Chessworld.net, 2008 (0-1, 8); 

6.Nc3 in leobrazer - perrypawnpusher, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 48); 

6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Nc6 in perrypawnpusher - Freddy1201, Play The Italian Game III, Chess.com 2023 (0-1, 23) and perrypawnpusher - vityas81, Chess.com, 2023 (1-0, 16);

6.Ng5+ in Kavakava - perrypawnpusher, blitz, FICS, 2008 (0-1, 41) and ecimsa - perrypawnpusher, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 32).

6...Re8 

Or 6...Rf8 in Philidor1792 - perrypawnpusher, Chess.com, 2015 (1-0, 36) 

7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4 Bb6 


The position has taken on a bit of a "hypermodern" aura, with White having a pawn center unopponsed by enemy pawns, but strongly pressured by Black's pieces.

This is well-presented in a post by KeSetoKaiba (his YouTube site,) at Chess.com in 2020

Romantic chess is an approach that chess is an art-form and a medium to be creative. It is better to play a creative attacking line that is slightly unsound if you get an interesting game or elegant position. Naturally, this is almost opposite to computer-like chess play of today's era. Romantic chess usually involves opening gambits/traps, sacrifices (may or may not be perfectly sound moves), and creative deflections and mating nets. Perhaps the most iconic "romantic" opening is the famous King's Gambit, but other openings have also been called romantic in nature: The Tarrasch Defense against 1.d4 (Kasparov played this opening a lot in his youth) and the Blackburn Shilling Gambit are prime examples of the type of play this play-style characterizes...

Many openings play what is coined “hypermodern” theory. This type of opening is characterized by one side (usually Black) allowing the opponent to build a center, so that they may have a target to attack by undermining the central stronghold. Probably the opening I think of most when I hear “hypermodern” is the theory-heavy Grunfeld Defense. The aggressive King’s Indian Defense and Dutch Defense also follows the same motif in many lines because White usually gets the central control and Black thematically goes for the …f5 pawn break to undermine the center. Naturally, these hypermodern openings are always sharp and risky – but it is an interesting way to approach chess in contrast to the “control the center [early in the opening especially]” opening principle that chess beginners are taught to follow. 

9.Qb3+

Instead, phillychampion has played 9.e5 here in a number of games on lichess.org.

9...d5 10.exd5 Qxd5 11.Qxd5+ Nxd5 


White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece, and lags in development.

12.Nc3 Nf6 13.Be3 Bg4 14.Nd2 

Not wanting his Kingside broken up, but this costs a pawn.

14...Bxd4 15.Bxd4 Nxd4 


The pawn center is gone, and I have an extra piece in a Queenless middlegame.

16.h3 Bd7 17.Rad1 Bc6 18.g4 Rad8 19.g5 Ne4 20.Ndxe4 Bxe4 21.Nxe4 Rxe4 


If nothing changes, nothing changes.

22.f3 Ree8 23.h4 Re2 

Suddenly - an idea.

24.Rc1 Nc6 25.Rb1 Rdd2 


Pigs on the second rank.

26.f4 Rg2+ 27.Kh1 Rh2+ 28.Kg1 Rdg2 checkmate




Thursday, March 21, 2024

Jerome Gambit: DDD



American writer Mark Twain once said “I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”

The following tale of an "optical illusion" called the "Disdainful Defender Defense" runs through a lot of Jerome Gambit games, mine included.

perrypawnpusher - Etus11

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 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 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 


We have reached a standard position in the Jerome Gambit. In fact, Alonzo Wheeler Jerome reached it at least 7 times in his games.

The Database has 200 games with this position. White scores 66%.  My stastistics are a bit better, with 15 wins against  2 losses. 

11.d3 Rf8 

An unfortunate tale, underestimating the Jerome Gambit, told before in my games:

11... Rf8 12.Bf4 in perrypawnpusher - mconst, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 42) and perrypawnpusher - recreation, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 13);

11...Bb4+ 12.c3 Ba5 13.Bf4  in perrypawnpusher - ViennaMike, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19); 

11...Re8 12.Bf4  in perrypawnpusher - Estebang, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 28); 

11...Bd4 12.Bf4 in perrypawnpusher - Rossgil, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 26); 

11...Ke7 12.Nc3 Bd4 13.Bf4 in perrypawnpusher - karleinkarl, blitz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 16); and

11...Ke7 12.Nc3 d6 13.Bf4 in perrypawnpusher - vz721, Italian Game thematic, Chess.com, 2013 (1-0, 29). 

12.Bf4 Qxf4 13.Qxf4+ Ke6 14.Qf5+ Ke7 15.Qxc5+ d6 16.Qg5 Rf7


With a Queen and a pawn for a Bishop, White's victory should be a matter of time.

17.Nc3  Kf8 18.O-O Kg8 19.Nd5 h6 

Hoping to chase off the annoying Queen, but actually allowing checkmate.

20.Qg6 Nxd5 

Speeding things.

21.Rxf7 Black resigned




Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Oversight



One of my numerous ongoing Jerome Gambit games (see"Jerome Gambit: Overwhelmed?!") ended quickly, after an oversight by opponent.

perrypawnpusher - yoyokskr

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 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 Nh6 

This is an interesting, but flawed, idea, one that has not fared well in game play: in 20 games, White has scored 88%.

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.Qd5+ Kb6 

11. Qb3+ 

This is an improvement over several of my earlier games:

11.d4 was seen in perrypawnpusher - hotintheshade, 10 2 blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 46); and

11.Nc3 was seen in perrypawnpusher - GPP, 10 0 blitz, FICS 2010 (1-0, 9); perrypawnpusher - Ondras, 2 12 blitz, FICS 2012 (1-0, 31); and perrypawnpusher - scarsetto, 5 5 blitz, FICS, 2017 (1-0, 15). 

11...Kc6 12.Nc3 d6 

If the pawn had taken one more step, the game might have continued, but, now...

13.Qb5 checkmate




Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Jerome Gambit: No Escape


In the following Jerome Gambit game, Black has his chances, but he lets them slip by, and he soon finds himself in a position with no escape.

angelcamina - Bucklord

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.Bxf7+


The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6 

9.Qc4+ d5 10.exd5 Re8+ 11.Be3 Ne5 12.Qb3 Kf8 

angelcamina has also faced 12...Qd6 13.O-O-O Kg8 14.Nb5 Qa6 15.Nxc7 Qd6 16.Nxe8 Nxe8 17.Bf4 Bf5 18.Bxe5 Qxe5 19.Rhe1 Qd6 20.Qg3 White won on time, angelcamina - cricospoetos, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022. 

13.0-0-0 Bf5

Also : 13...Neg4 14.Bc5+ Kg8 15.h3 Nh6 16.g4 Nf7 17.f4 Nd7 18.Ba3 c6 19.dxc6 bxc6 20.h4 Qf6 21.f5 Nb6 22.Bc5 g6 23.Bd4 Qd6 24.Bxb6 Qf4+ 25.Kb1 axb6 26.fxg6 hxg6 27.h5 Qxg4 28.hxg6 Qxg6 29.Rdg1 Bg4 30.Rh4 Kf8 31.Qb4+ Re7 32.Qxg4 Qxg4 33.Rhxg4 Re1+ Black won on time, angelcamina - D_ragonslayer, 1 0  bullet, lichess.org, 2024. 

14.Bc5+ Re7 

Worried about the possible uncovered check after 14...Kf8 ?

15.Bxe7+ Qxe7 


White is better, but the game is not over.

16.f4 Neg4 17.Rhe1 Qd6 18.h3 Nf2


Missing a chance to stir things up with 18...Qxf4+ - and an edge.

19.Rd2 

Taking precautions against the possible Queen check from f4. With a slower time control, White might have triec 19.Qxb7.

19...N2e4 20.Nxe4 Nxe4 21.Rde2 Re8

22.g4 Bg6 23.f5 Bf7 24.Rxe4 Bxd5 

Getting ahead of himself, and allowing checkmate. First 24...Rxe4, then 25...Bxd5 and the game would be balanced.

25.Rxe8+ Kf7 26.Qe3 Black resigned


There is no escape for Black.


Monday, March 18, 2024

Jerome Gambit: New Video




For the latest YouTube video on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), check out Jim Santosa's videos - in particular "Giuoco Piano Game: Jerome Gambit | Blitz 3 Minute".

As usual, you are encouraged to enjoy his other videos, as well.

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Overwhelmed!?

 


I happened to look at my phone this afternoon, and it indicated that I had 15 more chess games at Chess.com awaiting my next move.

Yikes!

It looks like the second round of the Jerome Gambit Classic #1 tournament has started, and I am not quite finished with the Giuoco Fun tournament, either.

A peek at my database, where I keep track of my Jeromes, indicates that I have 26 ongoing Jerome Gambit games.

I suspect that I will learn a lot in the next few weeks...