Jerome Gambit: Training Game #10

                        

Here is another Jerome Gambit game, as I have noted,

From a webpage about the Russian-language chess book, Gambit, by Natalia Ryabova ["A book about gambits as a way of playing. It covers both popular and rarely encountered gambits in tournament practice. For a wide range of chess fans." - Google translate]

NN - NN

#10 Training Game, Gambit, Ryabova

2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

The Database has 713 games with this position, with White scoring 61% - although Stockfish 16.1 (35 ply) evaluates the position as about 1 1/2 pawns better for Black.

These numbers remind me of a series of posts on this blog from over a dozen years ago. I wondered, was playing the Jerome Gambit a help or a hindrance for me? Check out "The Jerome Gambit: Helping or Hurting?", "Furthermore", "And Then", and "Still".

10.O-O 

Or 10.h4!? as in NN - NN, 2024 (1-0, 43), see "Jerome Gambit: Training Game #6". 

10...Qe8

Instead, 10...Kf7 was seen in Vazquez,A-  Carrington,W, Mexico, 2nd match, 1876 (1-0, 34). 

11.Nc3 Be6 

Or 11...Kf7, as in NN - NN, 2024 (1-0, 34), see Jerome Gambit: Training Game #5.

The position of Black's Bishop and Knight (at g6) encourages White's next move, and Black's response to that causes difficulties.

12.f4 Ng4 

Yielding to temptation, attacking the enemy Queen. The discreet 12...Ne7 was more in line with the position. 

13.Qg3 Kf7 

Hoping to castle-by-hand? Acceding to the return of a piece? There is too much enemy firepower nearby for this to be successful.

14.f5 Bc4 15.fxg6+ Kg8 16.Qxg4 Bxf1 17.Kxf1 Qxg6 18.Qxg6 hxg6 

The smoke has cleared, and White has two pieces and a pawn for a Rook.

19.Kg1 Rh5 20.d3 Rd8 21.h4

Cute, if now the incautious 21...Rxh4, then 22.Bg5 would fork both enemy Rooks.

21...Rd7 

22.Bg5 Rh7 

This Rook can't seem to stay out of trouble.

23.g3 c6 24.Kg2 Rh5 25.a4 Rf7 26.Ne2 Kf8 27.Nf4 Rh8 28.Nxg6+ Ke8 

29.Re1 

White decides upon a center pawn break (or advance).

There was nothing wrong with 29.Nxh8 - which never happens.

29...Kd7 30.e5 Rf5 31.g4 Rxg5 32.e6+ Kd8 33.hxg5 

My guess is that the clock was a factor at this point. Otherwise, why continue? White's advantage is overwhelming.

33...d5 

Just move?

White now has a forced checkmate.

34.e7+ Ke8 35.Rf1 Kd7 36.Rf8 Kc7 37.e8=Q 

37...Kb6 38.Qd8+ Ka6 39.b4 Rh2+ 

Spite check? Hoping for an eventual, unlikely stalemate??

40.Kxh2 b5 41.Qc8+ Kb6 42.a5 checkmate