Earlier this year I was surprised by a creative new idea in the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, and while I was lucky enough to scramble to overcome it, I later analyzed it to be ready for the next time.
This game proved to be the next time.
perrypawnpusher - TijsH
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.
6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4
8...Nf3+
A creative alternative to the ordinary, and probably stronger, 8...Bxd4.
9.Qxf3
My first encounter continued: 9.gxf3 Bb4 10.Qd3 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Rf8 12.e5 Nh7 13.Qxh7 d6 14.Bxh6 Ke8 15.Qxg7 Rf7 16.Qg6 Bf5 17.Qg8+ Ke7 18.Bg5+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - AirmanLeonidas, blitz, FICS, 2010.
9...Bxd4 10.Nb5 d6
A cavalier response, simply returning the sacrificed piece. I was prepared for 10...Be5 11.Qb3+ d5 12.f4 Bd6 13.Nxd6+ followd by 14.e5 when Black's advantage is minimal.
11.Nxd4 Bg4
After the game Rybka gave a serious alternate line of play: 11...Re8 12.Re1 c5 13.Nb5 a6 14.Nc3 b5 15.Bf4 Bb7 16.Rad1 Re6 17.Qh3 Qe7 18.f3 Re8 19.Bg3 Kg8 where Black is a pawn down, but King is safe and his development is complete.
analysis diagram
12.Qb3+ Ke7
13.f3 Bd7 14.Qxb7 Rb8 15.Qxa7 g5
Black looks to punish my pawn-grabbing on the Queenside with an attack on the Kingside, but then decides to harass my Queen, after all.
16.b3 Ra8 17.Qb7 Qb8 18.Nc6+ Bxc6 19.Qxc6 Qa7+ 20.Kh1 Rhb8
Black's heavy pieces look impressive, but my plan was to move the action back to the Kingside.
21.Bb2 Rb6 22.Qc3 Rf8 23.e5 dxe5
24.Qxe5+ Kd8 25.Rfd1+ Nd7 26.Rd3
Flashier was 26.Rxd7+ but this will do.
26...Re8 27.Qg3 Rbe6 28.Rad1
Black's last hope was a back-rank checkmate, but my Rooks cause more trouble than his do.
28...R6e7
29.Bf6 Qc5 30.Rxd7+ Kc8 31.Bxe7 Rxe7 32.Rxe7 Qxe7
33.Qe1 Qh7 34.Qe8+ Kb7 35.Qb5+ Kc8 36.Qa6+ Kb8 37.Rd8 checkmate
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws
My first Jerome Gambit with AirmanLeonidas (see "Stupefy!") was unusual enough that I thought another one was in order. When I had the chance, I challenged him.
perrypawnpusher - AirmanLeonidas
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.
6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4
8...Nf3+
A very creative response, apart from the normal 8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6, and one that I've not seen before. I felt as if I'd been hit by a Confundus spell...
9.gxf3
Going with the "Jerome pawns," but not the best. After the game Rybka suggested: 9.Qxf3, since if 9...Bxd4 White can regain the pawn with 10.Nb5 Be5 11.Qb3+ d5 12.f4 Bd6 13.Nxd6+ Qxd6 14.e5 Qb6+ 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.exf6 gxf6 when Black may have a small edge if he can use his open lines.
analysis diagram
9...Bb4 10.Qd3 Bxc3 11.bxc3
Now I had more centralized pawns to play with.
11...Rf8 12.e5 Nh7
Thoughtless (Confundus!?); better was 12...Ne8. Now Black's game spirals quickly downward.
13.Qxh7 d6
14.Bxh6 Ke8 15.Qxg7
Good enough. Very strong was 15.Rae1
15...Rf7 16.Qg6
Again, good enough. Stronger was 16.Qg8+.
16...Bf5 17.Qg8+ Ke7 18.Bg5+ Black resigned
"Kennedy Kid" Jon is home from Haiti and watching Harry Potter movies.
A "Stupefy!" spell might explain the following game.
perrypawnpusher - AirmanLeonidas
blitz game 2 12, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Kf8
Oddly enough, the updated New Year's Database, with over 18,650 games (and free for the asking), has only one example of this move – and none of Black's very reasonable next move.
Rybka recommends, instead, 7...Ke6 8.Qh3+ Ke7 9.Qc3 d6 10.d4 Bxd4 11.Qxd4 Nf6 12.f4 Nc6 13.Qc3 Rf8 14.b4 Kf7 15.Bb2 Kg8 16.b5 Ne7 when Black has a clear advantage.
8.Qxe5 Qe7
Also seen is 8...Bd6 9.Qd4 Qh4 10.g3 Qh5 11.Qe3 c6 12.d4 b6 13.e5 Bc7 14.f4 Ne7 15.Nc3 b5 16.Ne4 Bb7 17.Nc5 Bc8 18.f5 d6 19.Ne6+ Kg8 20.Nxc7 Nxf5 21.Qf4 Rb8 22.exd6 Bd7 23.Bd2 Rf8 24.Rae1 Kh7 25.Qe5 Qh3 26.Bf4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - LethHansen, blitz, FICS, 2009.
9.Qf4+ Nf6
Black's King does better to eacape with 9...Ke8. After 10.Nc3 c6 or 10...Bd6 the second player is still for choice.
10.e5
Here I waited patiently as the clock moved on, for something like 10...d6 11.exf6 Qxf6 12.Qxf6 gxf6 when White has an edge: up a pawn, with better pawn structure, against the two Bishops.
Instead, Black resigned, right before his time ran out.
