Sometimes when my opponent innovates against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) I am content to take my opening advantage (in this case, a pawn or two) and slowly reduce it to an endgame advantage. In such games it seems like "nothing much happened" – only a win for White.
perrypawnpusher - sdockray
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5
The Italian Four Knights Game.
5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4
7...Nxe4
The same defense used by kfollstad earlier this year (see "Navigating on One's own"). It is at least as old as Alby - asalamon, FICS, 2000, which continued 8...Qh4 9.dxc5 Qxe4+ 10.Kf1 Qc4+ 11.Kg1 Qxc5 12.Qf3+ White resigned.
8.Nxe4 Be7
A new idea. Also possible was 8...d5.
9.dxe5 Re8 10.0-0 d6
11.exd6 cxd6 12.Bf4 Bf5 13.Nxd6+ Bxd6 14.Qd5+ Be6 15.Qxd6 Bc4 16.Qxd8 Raxd8
I have simplified the game: all Black has for his two missing pawns is the hope that he can make it to a drawish Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame.
17.Rfe1 Rd4 18.Rxe8 Kxe8 19.Be3 Rd7 20.b3 Be2 21.Bxa7 Bd1 22.c4 Rd2
23.Kf1 Bc2 24.Be3 Bd3+ 25.Ke1 Re2+ 26.Kd1 h6 27.Rc1
Sloppy play, as Black can now capture the a-pawn, reducing White's advantage. Instead...
27...Kd7 28.Rc3 Black resigned
"There I was, minding my own business, playing a Jerome Gambit variant, when my opponent goes all 'creative' and gets himself a lost game... Worse yet, he dragged me along with him into the wilderness!"
perrypawnpusher - kfollstad
blitz FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, a version of the "modern" Jerome Gambit by transposition (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 Nf6).
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4
7...Nxe4
Okay...
I'm not sure if my opponent borrowed this idea from the "fork trick" that shows up in the Italian Four Knights Game – 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4 Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 – or if he just decided to throw some material back at me.
Objectively better was 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5.
8.Nxe4
Too Jerome-ish was 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxe5 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bd6 11.Qd5+ Kg7 12.0-0 c6 13.Qc4 b5 14.Qd3 Qf6 15.c4 bxc4 16.Qxc4 a5 17.Bb2 Ba6 18.Qb3 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Rhe8 20.Qb7 Qe7 21.d5+ Kg8 22.Qb3 c5 23.Qc3 Be5 24.Qa3 Bxb2 25.Qxb2 Qe2+ 26.Kg1 Qe1+ 27.Rxe1 Rxe1 checkmate, yorgos - jkpasanen, FICS, 2009.
8...Qh4
A better move was 8...Bxd4 as in 9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd5+ Be6 12.Ng5+ Qxg5 13.Qxe6+ Kxe6 14.fxg5 Kd7 15.0-0 Rhf8 16.Bf4 Nd4 17.c3 Ne2+ 18.Kh1 Nxf4 19.g3 Nd3 20.Kg2 Nxb2 21.Rab1 Nd3 22.Rxb7 Rxf1 23.Kxf1 Rf8+ 24.Ke2 Nc5 25.Rxa7 h5 26.a4 Rf5 27.h4 Kc8 28.Ra5 Kb7 29.Rb5+ Kc6 30.Rb4 Re5+ 31.Kf3 g6 32.Kf4 Rf5+ 33.Ke3 Na6 34.Rc4+ Rc5 35.Re4 Rxc3+ 36.Kd4 Ra3 37.Re6 Rxa4+ 38.Ke3 Nc5 39.Rxg6 Re4+ 40.Kf2 Rg4 41.Rh6 Ne4+ 42.Kf3 Kd5 43.Rxh5 c6 44.Kxg4 Nf2+ 45.Kf3 Black resigned, yorgos - josephjorkens, FICS, 2009.
9.Nxc5
The other capture of the Bishop led to disaster: 9.dxc5 Qxe4+ 10.Kf1 Qc4+ 11.Kg1 Qxc5 12.Qf3+ White resigned, Alby - asalamon, FICS, 2000.
9...Re8 10.dxe5
A move made with no more thought than "Yippie! I get another piece!"
Simply castling was safer and smarter.
10...Rxe5+ 11.Be3
Guarding the Knight, but leaving the Bishop unguarded. Instead, 11.Kf1 Rxc5 gave White an even game – the best that I could hope for at this point.
11...Rxe3+ 12.Kf1 Re5 13.Nd3 Rf5
Black has the edge now, due to better development and a Bishop vs White's Knight. I guess kfollstad's creativity worked for him, after all.
14.Qe2
I was amused to see after the game that Rybka suggested further castling-by-hand for White: 14.h3 d6 15.Kg1 Be6 16.Kh2.
14...d6 15.Re1 Bd7
16.g3 Qd4
Too cooperative: 16...Qh3+ kept the advantage for Black.
17.Qe7+ Kg6 18.Qxd7
18...Raf8 19.Qe6+ Kh5
20.Nf4+ Rxf4 21.gxf4 Rxf4 22.Qh3+ Kg5 23.Rg1+ Rg4 24.Qxg4+ Black resigned
I keep playing this Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) variant – and keep not liking it.
Why? I'm 5-0-2 with it, which is respectable. Oh – I'm only 5-4-0 in the lines with ...h6 and 0-0 added (which should benefit White).
Maybe that's it??
More likely it's because I need more "help" than usual from my opponents in this line in order to be successful.
perrypawnpusher - HGBoone
blitz FICS, 2010
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
7...Bxd4
Someday I'm going to face the line recommended by Rybka after the game: 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.Ne2 c6 10.f4 Bc7 11.e5 Ne4 12.0-0 d5 13.Be3 Re8 14.Nd4 Kg8 15.Rc1 g5
analysis diagram
This doesn't look comfortable for White.
8.Qxd4 Qe7
Well, this is no bed of roses, either, White having a pawn for his sacrified piece. What's a Gemeinde member to do?
9.f4
An alternative was 9.Bg5 Re8 10.Nd5 Qd6 11.0-0-0 Nxd5 12.exd5 Qg6 13.Qf4+ Kg8 14.Rde1 d6 15.h3 Rf8 16.Qe3 Bf5 17.f4 Nc4 18.Qc3 Nb6 19.Qxc7 Rac8 20.Qxb7 Rxc2+ 21.Kd1 Qh5+ 22.g4 Qf7 23.Qxf7+ Rxf7 24.gxf5 Rxb2 25.Rhg1 h6 26.Bxh6 Kh7 27.Bg5 Rxf5 28.Kc1 Rxa2 29.Re6 Rxd5 30.Re7 Ra1+ 31.Kb2 Rxg1 32.Bf6 Rg3 33.h4 Rd2+ 34.Kc1 Rh2 35.Bd4 Nd5 36.Re1 Nxf4 37.Be3 Nd3+ White resigned, Alby - roosje, FICS, 2000
9...Nc6 10.Qd3
After the game Rybka recommended, instead, 10.Qc4+, but after 10...d5 11.Nxd5 Qxe4+ 12.Qxe4 Nxe4 it is hard to get excited about White's position.
10...d6 11.0-0 Bg4
Black plans on returning the piece for a couple of pawns.
12.h3 Bh5 13.g4 Bxg4 14.hxg4 Nxg4
15.Qg3 h5 16.Bd2 Raf8 17.Rae1 Ke8
Each side is gathering its forces. Black is better, but his King remains a target, and the position is not simple.
18.Nd5 Qd7 19.Bc3 Rhg8
Getting the Rook off of the a1-h8 diagonal that the White Bishop just moved onto. Moving the King out of the center, instead, with Ke8-d8-c8 was probably a bit better.
20.e5
After the game Rybka preferred a long-winded line leading to a draw: 20.Qh4 Nf6 21.Kf2 Qf7 22.Nxf6+ gxf6 23.Rh1 Qxa2 24.Qxh5+ Rf7 25.Bxf6 Qc4 26.c3 Qd3 27.Reg1 Rxg1 28.Rxg1 Qd2+ 29.Kf3 Qd3+ 30.Kf2 Qd2+ etc, drawn by repetition.
analysis diagram
20...dxe5 21.Rd1
The move 20.e5 was a mis-calculation that I caught and tried to correct with 21.Rd1. Of course, it is possible to mis-understand my moves, and look at 20.e5 as a tricky sacrifice of a pawn, to open up lines toward the enemy King...
...In which case, that might cause a certain amount of (unnecessary) anxiety, and even provoke a quick defensive move that has a flaw in it.
21...Qe6
Ouch.
Rybka shows that Black can weave his way through the complications to a better endgame, although from a practical point of view, White may have drawing chances there (Bishop vs Knight, useful King placement): 21...Ne7 22.Ne3 Qe6 23.Nxg4 exf4 24.Rxf4 Rxf4 25.Qxf4 Qxg4+ 26.Qxg4 hxg4 27.Rd4 g3 28.Rd3 Nf5 29.Be5 Ke7 30.Bxc7 Rc8 31.Rc3 Kd7
analysis diagram
22.Nxc7+ Kf7 23.Nxe6
23...Kxe6 24.fxe5 Rxf1+ 25.Rxf1 Ncxe5 26.Bxe5 Nxe5 27.Re1
Black resigned
I've never seen the show "Are you smarter than a fifth grader?" but I suspect that I know the answer, and it wouldn't be a flattering one...
The following game, another bizarre Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit (why am I still playing this opening??), I get befuddled, as usual, and wind up taking refuge in a draw by repetition.
perrypawnpusher - FrankMCMLVII
blitz 13 0, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5
5.Bxf7+
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4
7...d6
Nice move. Not the best (7...Bd6), but with some thought behind it.
8.dxc5 dxc5 9.Qe2
There was no need to panic: 9.Qh5+ Nxh5 White resigned, Alby - stoneeybridge, FICS, 2000;
There were alternatives: 9.Nd5 Nxd5 10.exd5 Re8 11.Qh5+ Ng6+ 12.Be3 Rxe3+ 13.fxe3 Qh4+ 14.Qxh4 Nxh4 15.0-0+ Ke7 16.Rad1 b6 17.e4 Ba6 18.Rf4 g5 19.Rg4 h5 20.Rxg5 Kf6 21.Rxh5 Ng6 22.Rf1+ Kg7 23.Rff5 Re8 24.d6 cxd6 25.Rd5 Nf4 26.Rhg5+ Kh6 27.Rdf5 Rxe4 28.h4 Ne2+ 29.Kh2 Rxh4 checkmate, yorgos - blore, FICS, 2009;
or 9.0-0 Be6 10.Bf4 Ng6 11.Bg3 Qe7 12.Nb5 Rhd8 13.Qf3 c6 14.Nc7 Rac8 15.Nxe6 Qxe6 16.e5 Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Qxe5 18.Rae1 Qg5 19.Qb3+ Kf8 20.Qxb7 Nh5 21.Re3 Nf4 22.g3 Nh3+ 23.Kh1 Black resigned, theboy - Montblanc, FICS, 2001.
9...Bg4
There were still plenty of alternatives: 9...Nfg4 10.Bd2 Be6 11.0-0-0 Qd4 12.f4 Nf2 13.Be3 Black resigned, Wall - Yperalilos, Chess.com, 2010;
or 9...Qd4 10.Be3 Qb4 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.0-0 Qd4 14.Qh5+ Ke6 15.Rad1 Qb4 16.Nd5 Rh7 17.Qf5+ Kd6 18.Qxh7 Qxb2 19.Nxf6+ Ke6 20.Qxh6 Qxc2 21.Ne8+ Ke7 22.Nxc7 Rb8 23.Qh7+ Kf6 24.Rd6+ Kg5 25.Qf5+ Bxf5 26.exf5 Qxf5 27.Rd5 Qe4 28.f4+ Kf5 29.Rxe5+ Qxe5 30.fxe5+ Kxe5 31.Re1+ Kd6 32.Nb5+ Kc6 33.Nxa7+ Kb6 34.h4 Kxa7 35.g4 c4 36.Rc1 Rg8 37.g5 Rh8 38.Rxc4 b5 39.Rb4 Kb6 40.Rg4 Kc5 41.Kg2 b4 42.Kg3 Kb5 43.g6 Rg8 44.h5 Ka4 45.h6 Re8 46.g7 Re3+ 47.Kf4 Rc3 48.g8R Rc4+ 49.Kf3 Ka3 50.Ra8+ Kb2 51.Rxc4 b3 52.axb3 Kxb3 53.Rca4 Kb2 54.Rc8 Kb3 55.Ra7 Kb4 56.Rb7+ Ka5 57.Ra8 checkmate, yorgos - capitainehaddock, FICS, 2009;
or 9...Rf8 10.f4 (10.Bg5 Kg8 11.Nd5 Qd6 12.0-0-0 Nxd5 13.Rxd5 Qe6 14.Rhd1 Nf7 15.Bf4 b6 16.Bxc7 Bb7 17.R5d2 Qxe4 18.Qg4 Qxg4 19.Rd8 Nxd8, White resigned, tintagel - smarlny, FICS, 2009)10...Bg4 11.Qf2 Nc6 12.0-0 Kg8 13.Qxc5 Qd4+ 14.Be3 Qxc5 15.Bxc5 Rfe8 16.e5 Nd7 17.Be3 b6 18.h3 Bf5 19.g4 Bxc2 20.Rac1 Bg6 21.f5 Ndxe5 22.fxg6 Nxg6 23.Bf2 Nce7 24.Bg3 Rac8 25.Nb5 Nd5 26.Nxa7 Ra8 27.Nb5 Rxa2 28.Nxc7 Nxc7 29.Bxc7 Rxb2 30.Rcd1 Nh4 31.Bd6 h6 32.Bc7 Ree2 33.Rd8+ Kh7 34.Kh1 Nf3 35.Rdd1 Rh2+ White resigned, stretto - Kjaran, FICS, 2008.
10.f3 Bh5
The Bishop did better to return to e6. Still, Black is still better.
11.Be3 b6 12.0-0 Rb8
I wasn't sure what my opponent was planning with this move, but I decided to get my "Jerome pawns" moving.
13.g4 Bg6 14.g5 Nh5 15.f4 Nc6 16.f5
16...Nd4
Leading to only a slight disadvantage, instead, was 16...Kg8 17.fxg6 hxg6 18.a3 Kh7 – an odd way to castle-by-hand.
17.fxg6+ Kxg6 18.Qg4
Later, Rybka preferred 18.Qd3
18...Rf8
After this move, Rybka saw Black as being more than a Rook worse. I still can't see that.
19.Bxd4
Returning the game to even. Here's Rybka's recommended line: 19.Nd5 Re8 20.Nf6 Nxf6 21.gxf6+ Kf7 22.fxg7+ Ke7 when 23.Bg5+ wins Black's Queen – for starters.
analysis diagram
Anyone who saw White's possible Knight maneuver and sacrifice – good for you!
19...cxd4
Black insists on getting into trouble – 19...Qxd4+ would have kept the game even.
20.Qe6+
White, in turn, keeps insisting on giving up his advantage, instead of playing the winning: 20.Rxf8 Qxf8 21.Nd5 – another cool Knight move that I missed.
analysis diagram
20...Kxg5 21.h4+
I figured that there had to be a checkmate here, but I was wrong: Rybka pointed out later that I could have (should have) grovelled for a draw with: 21.Rxf8 Qxf8 22.Rf1 Qd6 23.Rf5+ Kh4 24.Rxh5+ Kxh5 25.Qh3+ Kg6 26.Qf5+ repeating the position.
21...Kxh4 22.Qe5
I suddenly had the feeling that things had gone terribly wrong.
They had.
22...dxc3 23.Qh2+ Kg5 24.Qe5+ Kh4
Of course, if my opponent had found 24...Kg6 here, I'd have been ruined. He seemed caught up in my "brilliant" sacrifice of my Knight to achieve the draw, or perhaps he felt he was escaping mate...
25.Qh2+ Kg5
Here 25...Kg4 wins for Black.
27.Qh2+ Kg5 28.Qe5+ Kh4 29.Qh2+ Game drawn by repetition ½-½
