Saturday, June 28, 2025

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




Friday, June 27, 2025

Jerome Gambit: Black Overlooks Something


Tactical awareness is paramount in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

When the defender makes a slip, the attacker must pounce.



Amir_hou_Ma - olgaKIRILL2016

10 5 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 

The Paulsen variation - creative, surprising, and favoring White. The Database has 47 games with this line. White scores 72%

6.Nxc6+ 

White exchanges his Knight, with check. 

Stockfish 16.1 suggests, instead, 6.Qh5 Bxf2+ 7.Kxf2 Qf8+ 8.Nf3 Nf6 

6...dxc6 

7.O-O Nf6 8.e5 Nd5 

This looks reasonable and standard, but Black overlooks something.

9.d4 Bb6 10.Bg5+ Black resigned

Skewer.


Thursday, June 26, 2025

Jerome Gambit: 2600+ vs 2600+


Both players in the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) are rated 2600+.


Didici12oxudchess

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 


This counter-attack goes back at least to Sorensen - X, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27).

7.O-O d6

Black prefers to focus on development, instead of grabbing a pawn with 7...Qxe4, although the capture is a bit better. 

8.dxc5 Nf6 9.cxd6 Rd8

Black casually goes about his game.

10.f4 Rxd6 11.Qe2 

An earlier computer vs computer game continued 11.Qe1 Qxe1 12.Rxe1 Nc6 13.e5 Re6 14.Rd1 Ne4 15.Re1 Nd6 16.Na3 Nf5 17.Kf2 Rg6 18.Rg1 Nfe7 19.h3 Be6 20.g4 Rf8 21.Be3 a5 22.Ke2 Rh6 23.f5 Rxh3 24.fxe6+ Kxe6 25.Rh1 Rff3 26.Rxh3 Rxh3 27.Nb5 Nxe5 28.Nxc7+ Kd7 29.Nb5 Nd5 30.Bg1 Nxg4 31.Rd1 Ke6 32.Nd4+ Kf7 33.Rf1+ Ngf6 34.Nf5 Nh5 35.Kd1 Ke6 36.Nd4+ Kd6 37.Nf5+ Ke6 38.Nd4+ Ke5 39.Re1+ Kd6 40.c4 Ne7 41.Kc2 Nc6 42.Nb5+ Kd7 43.Rd1+Kc8 44.Bb6 Nb4+ 45.Kb1 Rd3 46.Rh1 Ng3 47.Re1 a4 48.a3 Nc6 49.Nc3 Rf3 50.Ka2 h5 51.Nxa4 g5 52.Re8+ Kd7 53.Rh8 Kd6 54.Rh6+ Ke5 55.Nc5 Rf7 56.Nxb7 Rxb7 57.Rxc6 Nf5 58.a4 Rg7 59.a5 Rg8 60.b4 g4 61.Bc7+ Kd4 62.b5 Ne7 63.Bb6+ Kc3 64.Rc7 Nf5 65.a6 g3 66.a7 h4 67.Ba5+ Kc2 68.b6 Nd6 69.c5 Nb5 70.Rg7 Re8 71.Bb4 Nxa7 72.Rxa7 h3 73.c6 h2 74.Rh7 Kd1 75.Bd6 Re7 76.Rh3 Re2+ 77.Kb1 Re1 78.b7 h1=Q 79.Rxh1 Rxh1 80.Bxg3 Ke2+ 81.Kb2 Rg1 82.c7 Kf1 83.c8=Q Kg2 84.Qg4 Rc1 85.Kxc1 Kg1 86.Qe2 Kh1 87.Qh2 checkmate, HIARCS 11.1 UCI - Deep Shredder 10 UCI, jeromegambit, 2008. 

11...Bg4 

Black adds yet another piece to the attack. But is g4 the right square?

12.Qb5 


White's Queen abandons the Kingside defense for counter-attack on the Queenside. It looks risky.

12...Nc6 13.Qxb7 Rb8

The tactics are heating up. Stockfish 16.1 recommends 13...Be2 14.Qxc7+ Rd7 15.Qxc6 Bxf1 16.Bd2 (not 16.Qxa8 Ng4 and mate in 4) Re8 17.e5 Re6 18.Qf3 Ba6 

14.Qxc7+ Rd7 15.Qxc6 Be2 16.Nc3 Bxf1 17.Kxf1 Qxh2 


White has three pawns for the exchange.

18.Be3 Rbd8 19.e5 Ng4

Look at 19...Qh1+ 20.Bg1 Rd4 21.Qf3 Nh5 22.Ne2 Rd2 23.Re1 Kg8 24.b4 h6 25.b5 Rf8 26.e6 Re8 27.a4 Rxc2 28.f5 Kh8 29.Ra1

20.e6+

20...Kg8 21.exd7 Nxe3+ 22.Ke2 Qxf4 

23.Qe6+ Kf8 24.Qxe3 Black resigned


After the exchange of Queens, White's advanced d-pawn will fall, but he will remain a piece and a pawn ahead.


Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Jerome Gambit: Ten Move Checkmate


The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game is a 10-move win, by checkmate.

It is another light-hearted answer to the question Why play the Jerome?

Tracy824 - tosten

5 0 blits, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 


White will win back one of his sacrificed pieces, but if Black can find his way through the complications, he will gather in the full point.

7.f4 Qf6 8.Rf1 

The Database has almost 300 games with this move, with White scoring 63%.

8...d6 

Best.

Tracy824 has also faced 8...g6: 9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.fxe5 Qxe5 11.d3 d5 12.Qh4+ Nf6 (12...Ke8 13.Bf4 Qxb2 14.Bxc7 Ne7 15.Qf4 Be6 16.Be5 Bb4+ 17.Kd1 d4 18.Bxh8 Qxa1 19.Qf8+ Kd7 20.Qxa8 Qxb1+ 21.Ke2 Bg4+ 22.Kf2 Qxc2+ 23.Kg1 Kc7 24.Bxd4 Bc5 25.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 26.Kh1 Be2 27.Rg1 Bxd3 28.Qf8 Bxe4 29.Qf4+ Qd6 30.Qxe4 Nf5 31.Rc1+ Kb6 32.Qb1+ Ka6 33.Qb3 b6 34.Qc4+ Ka5 35.a4 a6 36.Qc3+ Qb4 37.Qe5+ b5 38.axb5 axb5 39.Ra1+ Kb6 40.Qe6+ Qd6 41.Qb3 Nd4 42.Qe3 Qc5 43.Re1 b4 44.h3 Nc2 45.Qe6+ Kb5 46.Re5 Nd4 47.Rxc5+ Kxc5 48.Qe7+ Kc4 49.Qxh7 b3 50.Qxg6 b2 51.Qb1 Black resigned, Tracy824 - tosten, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 202413.Nc3 c6 14.Bg5 Rf8 15.O-O-O d4 16.Ne2 Be6 17.b3 Ba3+ 18.Kb1 a5 19.c3 dxc3 20.d4 Qb5 21.Bxf6+ Kd7 22.Nxc3 Qb4 23.Kc2 a4 24.d5 axb3+ 25.axb3 cxd5 26.exd5 Bf5+ 27.Rxf5 Qxh4 28.Bxh4 Rxf5 29.Bg3 Bb4 30.Na4 Rc8+ 31.Kb2 Ke7 32.d6+ Ke6 33.d7 Rd8 34.Nc3 Bxc3+ 35.Kxc3 Rxd7 36.Re1+ Kf6 37.Re8 h5 38.Rh8 Rc5+ 39.Kb4 Rc2 40.Re8 Rxg2 41.Be5+ Kf7 42.Rh8 Rg4+ 43.Ka3 Rd3 44.Rh7+ Ke6 45.Bg3 Rd7 46.Rh8 b5 47.Re8+ Kd5 48.Re5+ Kc6 49.Re2 Ra7+ 50.Kb2 h4 51.Rc2+ Kd5 52.Bf2 Rb7 53.Rc5+ Kd6 54.Rc2 h3 55.Bg3+ Kd5 56.Rd2+ Ke4 57.Rf2 b4 58.Rc2 g5 59.Rc4+ Kf3 60.Rc5 Rxg3 61.hxg3 h2 62.Rxg5 h1=Q 63.Rf5+ Ke4 64.Rf4+ Ke3 65.Rc4 Qg2+ 66.Rc2 Qe4 67.Rc4 Qe5+ 68.Kb1 Ra7 69.Kc2 Ra2+ 70.Kd1 Qa1+ 71.Rc1 Rd2+ 72.Ke1 Qxc1 checkmate, Tracy824 - tosten, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

9.fxe5 

There is only one good response to the discovered attack by White's Rook.

9...Qe7 

The proper response is 9...Qg6 -

10.Qxg6+ 

10.Qh3+ Ke7 11.Qf3 Nh6 12.exd6+ cxd6 13.c3 Bg4 14.Qg3 Rhf8 15.d4 Rxf1+ 16.Kxf1 Rf8+ 17.Ke1 Qxe4+ 18.Be3 Qd3 19.Bg5+ Kd7 20.Qxd3 Bb6 21.Qxh7 Re8+ 22.Kd2 Re2+ 23.Kd3 Nf5 24.Qxf5+ Bxf5+ 25.Kxe2 Bd8 26.Nd2 Bxg5 27.Nf3 Bf6 28.Rf1 Bg6 29.Nd2 Ke7 30.Ne4 Bh5+ 31.Kd3 Bg6 32.Ke3 Bg5+ 33.Kf3 Bc1 34.Rxc1 Bf5 35.Rf1 Be6 36.Ng5 Bd7 37.Ke4 Kd8 38.Rf8+ Kc7 39.Rf7 Kb6 White resigned, DutchLiLi - Nicus, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

10.Qf5+ Qxf5 11.exf5+ Kxe5 12.c3 Kf6 13.d4 Bb6 14.g4 h6 15.Bf4 Bd7 16.Kd2 g5 17.fxg6 Kxg6 18.Na3 Nf6 19.Rae1 Rae8 20.Nc4 Rxe1 21.Rxe1 Re8 22.Rf1 Nxg4 23.h3 Nf6 24.Ne3 Ne4+ 25.Kd3 Bxh3 26.Rh1 Nf2+ 27.Ke2 Nxh1 White resigned, Petasluk - Caarreeyy, 5 0 blitz, FICS, 2017; 10.Qe2 Ne7 11.d4 Bb4+ 12.c3 Ba5 13.Rf3 dxe5 14.Rg3 Qf7 15.Qc4+ Kf6 16.dxe5+ Black resigned, ninadrsane - anakmedan2555, 10 0 blitz, lichess.com 2015 

10...hxg6 11.exd6 Bxd6 12.d4 Bxh2 13.Be3 Bg3+ 14.Ke2 Nf6 15.Nd2 Bd7 16.Rf3 Nh5 17.Raf1 Rae8 18.d5+ Kd6 19.Nc4+ Ke7 20.Rf7+ Kd8 21.Bg5+ Kc8 22.Kd3 Bb5 23.b3 Re5 24.Be3 Bxc4+ 25.bxc4 Rhe8 26.Rf8 Kd7 27.Bxa7 Rxe4 28.c5 R4e7 29.R8f3 Ra8 30.c6+ bxc6 31.dxc6+ Kxc6 32.Bd4 Rxa2 33.c3 Rxg2 34.Ra1 Rd7 35.Ra6+ Kb7 36.Ra7+ Kc6 37.Kc4 Nf6 38.Ra6+ Kb7 39.Ra7+ Kc6 40.Rf1 Rd5 41.Rfa1 Rf5 42.R1a6+ Kd7 43.Bxf6 Kc8 44.Bd4 Be5 45.Ra8+ Black resigned, Tracy824 - Dimian1979, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

Whew! To summarize, after 9...Qg6, White's best move is 10.Qe2.

Oh, and of course, after 9.fxe5, as in the game, Black can not recapture with 9...Qxe5 because of  10.Qf7 checkmate. 

But 9...Qe7 leads to a quick end.

10.Qf5 checkmate

Regular readers of this blog may notice that this checkmate appears familiar. Indeed, it is similar to the end of Idusha2010 - Egor_Shtanko. 30 0, lichess.org, 2022.

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Oh, Those "Jerome pawns"!



The Jerome Gambit frequently features play where Black has an extra piece, and White has a couple of extra pawns. 

Those "Jerome pawns" often help decide the game.


Tracy824 - Alex-r

5 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 Bd6 

It is often tempting in the Jerome Gambit for Black to attack White's Queen. Tempting, but not always leading to advantage.

In this case, it leads to White's advantage.

8.Qf5+ Ke7 9.fxe5 Bb4 10.c3 Bc5 

Either on this move or the next, Black should play ...d5, uncovering an attack on the enemy Queen. He would still be at a disadvantage (Oh, those "Jerome pawns"!) but less so than in the game.

11.d4 Bb6 12.Bg5+

Presenting Black with 2 unenviable choices. He can move his King and lose his Queen, or he can play as he does.

12...Nf6 13.exf6+ Ke8 14.f7+

Black resigned 

Black will lose his Queen, and then be checkmated a few moves afterward. 


Monday, June 23, 2025

Jerome Gambit: Complicated and Short of Time


Chess is a play with 3 actors  (4, if you count the kibitzer) - the 2 players and the clock, whose influence is greatest in bullet games.


feritTurkey - musa_mohammadi

2 1 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 b6 

This is an unusual way to react to the White Queen's threat to Black's Bishop. In fact, there are only 3 games with the move in The Database, currently containing over 108,000 games. I don't recall coming across it before.

It is interesting to note that Stockfish 16.1 evaluates only one move as leading to an advantage for Black - 7...Qe7. The second best move for Black - the one that leads to the smallest advantage for White, is 7...b6.

Now, White has to do some serious thinking. Which Rook?

8.Qxh8 

Stockfish 16.1's choice is 8.Qd5+ choosing to grab the other Rook after 8...Kg7 9.d4 (to take the sting out of a possible ...Qh4) Nf6 10.Qxa8 Bxd4 11.0-0 with and edge for White. 

8...Qf6 

In many lines, Black's Queen rightly goes to f6. However, this is not one of them.

Instead, 8...Qh4 was the only move, after which 9.d4 Qxe4+ 10.Kd1 Qxg2 11.Qxh7+ allows Black to cooperate with White and lead to a draw by repetition. 

A short, messy game was 9.O-O Bb7 (9...Nf6 was the only move) 10.d4 Bd6 11.g3 Black resigned, Littleplayerparis - Ananya2009, lichess.org, 2020

Finaly, 8...Qg5 led to trouble, i.e. 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.O-O d6 11.d4 Qf6 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Nc3 d5 14.Nxd5 Qd6 15.Bf4 Qa6 16.Nxc7 Qb7 17.Qxg6 Ne7 18.Bd6 Rb8 19.Qe8+ Kg7 20.Qxe7+ Kg8 21.Nd5 Bg4 22.Nf6+ Kh8 23.Nxg4 Qxe7 24.Bxe7 Rxb2 25.Bf6+ Kg8 26.Bxb2 Kh7 27.f4 Black resigned, rahaf2018 - Chonggum123, lichess.org, 2022.

 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.O-O Bb7 11.d3 


Black's development is impressive, but White is 3 pawns and the exchange ahead.

11...Ke8 

An unfortunate time slip. Stockfish 16.1 suggests 11...Re8 12.Qxd7 Bd6 13.Nc3 Re7 14.Qh3 and White will slowly develop, with advantage.  

12.Qxg8+ Ke7 13.Qc4 Rh8 14.Nc3 Bd6 15.Nd5+ 


Black resigned

But Black is winning after 15...Bxd5. Did he not see that the capture "solves" the deadly Knight fork?

It is important to remember that time was short - a 2 minute game - and the position was complicated.

For example, White could not answer the recommended 15...Bxd5 with either 16.exd5 or 16.Qxd5, because then Black would have a nice checkmate 16...Bxh2+ Kh1 17.Bf4+ Kg1 18.Rh1+ Kxh1 19.Qh4+ Kg1 20.Qh2#.

If White replies to 15...Bxd5 with 16.e5 (Stockfish's best) Black has 16...Bxe5, and the position is only slightly altered - Black's attack on the enemy King will win. 

If there is enough time.

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Children Don't Want to Have a Sudden Savage War, in Chess and not Only, and It Is Good!

 

                             


 Children Don't Want to Have a Sudden Savage War, 

                                        in Chess and not Only, 

                                        and It Is Good!

                                             by Yury V. Bukayev

Dear readers, let me remind you the old game

Brescak - Hefti
EU-ch U10 Girls, 1998

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ draw agreed.


Very often chess is compared with a savage war, unfortunately. Chess is a sport which has no place for a human savageness. But this popular comparison can make its black work. Thus, after 4.Bxf7+ the girl Hefti could feel that the real sudden savage war came. And she wanted to make a peace, I think. And it is good! The girl Brescak could understand that her made 4th move is too aggressive and could feel that the savage war is beginning. And the draw - the peace - was made here! Thank you, dear children, for this good act!

 Contact:  istinayubukayev@yahoo.com