Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 4)

Still another way for the Jerome Gambiteer to face the Two Knights Defense (see "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense Part 1", "Part 2" and "Part 3"), besides playing the main lines, opting for 4.Qe2 or playing for a transition to the Italian Four Knights Game with 4.Nc3 is 4.0-0.

So we have 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.0-0, which has more going for it than is generally realized.

International Master Tim Harding, writing in his "Kibitzer" column at ChessCafe, noted 

4 0-0 is not a move you will see played by experienced players; it is simply not direct enough.

International Master Jan Pinski, in Italian Game and Evans Gambit, was even more dismissive

4.0-0 is completely toothless, and Black can do as he pleases.

Perhaps the second player will be so lulled by the move that he will play 4...Bc5, when 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 transforms the game into a "modern" Jerome Gambit variation (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6)? In this line, the updated New Year's Database has 548 games. White scores 39%.

What if, after 4.0-0, Black plays 4...Nxe4? Probably White can get an even game with 5.d3, but the move he should really look at is 5.Nc3!?, offering the Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit – a strategy that has worked well for me. The same idea should occur after 4.Nc3 (from yesterday's post) Nxe4 5.0-0.

The Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit is not well-known at the club level. In addition, it gives White a line to play against the Petroff Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nc3).

The one "downside" I would say that the B-KG has is that it is so much fun, some players might give up the Jerome Gambit and start playing it!

Here are a few B-KG resources to get started:

http://www.chesscafe.com/text/kibitz145.pdf
http://www.chesscafe.com/text/lane38.pdf
http://www.mjae.com/boden-kieseritzky.html
http://jeanpaul.garnier.free.fr/htm/A2Ten.htm

"I nearly smacked him on the back of the head..."

I discovered this all-too-real post on teacher and chess coach Elizabeth Vicary's blog:

I remember at one Pan-Ams (collegiate!) a player asked me for something to play against the Petroff defence, because it always made his games so boring. So I showed him the Boden-Kieseritzky gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nc3 Nxc3 5.dxc3

Great for 1700 players, right? He was especially excited by the possibility of 5...d6? 6.Nxe5 dxe5? 7.Bxf7+ & Qxd8.

In his very next game, his opponent plays the Petroff Defence and I happily stand behind his board, ready to watch him kick butt. I see 3.Bc4 Nxe4 and then on the board appears 4.Bxf7+? Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ followed by typical 1700 madness. I nearly smacked him on the back of the head while he was still sitting at the board.

Black kept his extra piece throughout the game, and won the pawn back, and they finally reached a bare R vs R + B ending, where Black immediately agreed to a draw because he'd heard that this ending was drawn.

I guess this is an example of equalizing the agony of the chess coaches...

Part of me sympathizes with Ms. Vicary: how often heart-felt advice falls on inattentive ears...

Another part of me has to point out "More Jerome-izing" and "Wasn't Me!"

Did I tell you about the time...?

They say that there is no fool like an old fool, and I'm pretty sure that if I keep fooling around with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in its Four Knights Opening form, it will only be a matter of time before I receive a just punishment for such impertinence.

Still, the opening has its attractions.

perrypawnpusher  - KaZC
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6

The Petroff. I usually play the Boden-Kiezeritzky Gambit here (i.e. 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nc3, etc.) but I have been learning about the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, and couldn't resist trying that again.

3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5

So far, so boring.

5.Bxf7+

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

White has achieved an interesting position... at the cost of a losing game, critics would say. Certainly this is true in master-level play, but among club players, the outcome is not as clear.

7...Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.0-0 Re8

Here I had a pawn for my sacrificed piece – plus some attacking ideas and a plan to chase after the Black King.

10.f4

Next time (if there is a next time) I think I'll try 10.Bg5 first.

10...Nc6 11.Qd3 Kg8

Black has castled-by-hand, and his development matches White's.

12.Bd2

Other games in this position have seen 12.Nd5 and 12.b3

12...a6 13.Rae1 Kh8

Black is taking precautions. He knows that if White breaks in the center with e4-e5, then after ...d6xe5 the Queens can be exchanged, taking an important piece out of White's attack.

14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Rxe1 16.Rxe1

16...Na7

One precaution too many. The alternative 16...Ne7 kept Black's advantage. Now White has a chance to even the game.

17.Qe4

Boring and uninspired.

Consider the alternative, 17.f5, which limits the movements of Black's Bishop, and therefore his Rook as well.

analysis diagram







Now Black can play 17...Bd7 and answer White's 18.Rf1 with the active 18...Qh4 – all reasonable moves. There follows the advance 19.f6.

analysis diagram







Should Black reply 19...Re8 (If 19...gxf6 20.Rxf6 Qxf6 21.Bc3 etc.) White can offer his Queen with 20.Qe3, as 20...Rxe3 21.f7 h6 22.f8Q+ Kh7 23.Bxe3 wins. 

analysis diagram







After 20...Nc8 21.Bc3 gxf6 ( the Queen is still safe: 21...Rxe3 22.fxg7+ Kg8 23.Rf8#) White liquidates to a roughly equal end game with 22.Qxe8+ Bxe8 23.Bxf6+ Qxf6 24.Rxf6

analysis diagram







Back to the game.

17...Bg4

18.h3 Bh5 19.g4 Bf7 20.Bc3 Qe8

Exchanging Queens and Rooks would move Black closer to the win.

21.Qf5

Here I missed a chance to grab a pawn with 21.Bxg7+ since 21...Kxg7 would be followed by 22.Qd4+ Kg8 23.Rxe8+ Rxe8 24.Qxa7.

21...Qf8 22.Qd7

Preparing to double heavy pieces on the 7th rank, but this is a plan that should not work.

22...Nb5 23.Re7 Nxc3

Defending the Bishop with 23...Kg8 would have put an end to my plans.

24.Rxf7 Qe8 25.Qxe8+ Rxe8 26.bxc3 Kg8

The smoke has cleared. White has a small advantage in a drawish endgame.

27.Rxc7 b5 28.Kf2 Re4 29.f5

29...Ra4

KaZC's plan is clear: exchanging off the center and Queenside pawns will give him a draw.

30.Rd7 Rxa2 31.Rxd6 Rxc2+ 32.Ke3 Rxc3+ 33.Kd4 Rc4+

Black's Queenside pawns look scary, but they can be kept under control.

34.Kd3

Advancing the King was stronger.

34...Rc5 35.Rxa6 Rxd5+ 36.Ke3 Rd1

I think that at this point we could have fairly split the point, but I wanted to see what I could squeeze out of the position.

37.Rb6 Rb1 38.Kd4 Kf7 39.g5 Kg8 40.g6

Threatening mate!

40...Rd1+ 41.Ke5 Re1+ 42.Kf4 Re8 43.Rxb5 hxg6 44.fxg6

KaZC has everything under control.

44...Rf8+ 45.Rf5 Rxf5+ 46.Kxf5

Black's King is in his fortress, and no amount of wandering or maneuvering is going to allow a breakthrough.

At the time I still thought that I could come up with something.

46...Kf8 47.Ke6 Kg8 48.Ke7 Kh8 49.h4 Kg8 50.h5 Kh8

Now 51.Kf7 is stalemate.

51.Ke6 Kg8 52.Kf5 Kh8 53.Kg5 Kg8 54.Kf5 Kh8 55.Ke5 Kg8 56.Ke6 Kh8 57.Kd7 Kg8 58.Ke7 Kh8

Looking over this game, I am amazed at my opponent's patience and good humor. I am trying to get blood out of a stone, the game is hopelessly drawn.

Okay, there is one swindle in the position: try it, and then accept the draw...

59.h6

59...Kg8

By this time I was actually glad that my opponent did not fall for 59...gxh6 60.Kf8 h5 61.g7+ Kh7 62.g8Q+ Kh6 63.Qg7 checkmate.

 60.h7+ Kh8 61.Kf8 Game drawn by stalemate

Poisoned by the Jerome Gambit

When I play a chess game with the White pieces, I don't always reach a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), but I am happy if some of those times I can reach the Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit (see"If not a Jerome Gambit..." and "Jerome Gambit... Jerome Gambit... Jerome Gambit...") which I am trying to learn. Sometimes, however, ideas from the Jerome spill over into my thoughts about the Boden-Kieseritzky, and that can lead to a severe case of brain poisoning... 

 perrypawnpusher - anonymous 

blitz, FICS, 2009 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 Oh, well. No Jerome. We'll try for a B-K.

4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 d6

This is not the best defense for Black. Pity I couldn't remember the right response...

7.Re1

White gets the advantage, instead, with 7.Ng5 Be6 8.Nxe6 fxe6 9.Bxe6.

7...Bg4

8.Bxf7+

Hey, it works in the Jerome, right? No need to think it through, right? Wrong.

It's embarassing to have missed the correct execution of the underlying idea: 8.Nxe5 dxe5 (8...Bxd1? 9.Bxf7+ Ke7 10.Bg5 mate) 9.Qxg4 with advantage.

8...Kxf7 9.Ng5+

9...Ke7

Yeow! Instead, Black had 9...Qxg5 (so much for the "protection" of the Bishop), coming out a piece ahead after 10.Bxg5 Bxd1 11.Raxd1.

In truth, after 

10.Qxg4 I went on to win the game in 30 more moves, but it was a lesson learned – I hope. And I still need to brush up on my Boden-Kieseritzky.

Jerome Gambit... Jerome Gambit... Jerome Gambit...

Okay, so maybe I do have a bit of a case of "Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf4+) on the brain"...

Even when I'm not playing the Jerome Gambit, I'm thinking about playing the Jerome Gambit. Not that that's always bad.

perrypawnpusher - anon

blitz 5 5, FICS 2009

1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6

No Jerome Gambit here. Well, that's okay, I've been learning the Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit – I'll try that.

4. O-O Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3

It feels kind of weird. I mean here it is move 6 already, and I still have my King Bishop and King Knight. Can't be helped, I guess...

6...d5 7. Bxd5 Ne7

Whoa! This is so cool!!

Now I get to play Bxf7+ and then I get to play Nxe5+ and then I get to play...

8. Bxf7+ Black resigned

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh...............

(I was actually going to play 9.Qxd8. Really. Honest.)

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

If not a Jerome Gambit...

Sometimes, when I cannot achieve a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in the opening, I am happy to move on into a Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit, and I am usually able to find a Jerome-ish theme or two there, as well...


perrypawnpusher - TheMagicTorch
blitz FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6

4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Nc3 f5

An unusual and risky continuation, as in my game vs jayshanker. The regular B-K continues after 5...Nxc3 6.dxc3

6.Re1

The suggested move in "Boden-Kieseritzky-Jerome Gambit?"

6...Bc5

More prudent seems to be 6...d6.

7.Nxe4

I was having Jerome dreams dancing in my head, but, really, 7.d4 was better, as with 7...d5 8.Bxd5 Nxc3 9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.Rxe5+ Be7 11.bxc3 0-0 and White has the advantage.

7...fxe4 8.Nxe5 Nxe5

Black would have had less of a problem if he had thought Jerome-ish-ly, too: 8...Bxf2+ 9.Kxf2 Qh4+ 10.Kg1 Nxe5 11.g3 Qf6 12.Rxe4 Kd8 when White's advantage is small.

9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qxe5+ Qe7

11.Qxh8+ Qf8 12.Rxe4+ Be7 13.Qxh7

A Rook ahead, I let my brain relax. Readers who enjoy tactics propably are asking themselves, "What about trying 13.Rxe7+ instead?" and they are right: 13...Kxe7 14.Qe5+ Kd8 15.d4 d6 16.Bg5+ Kd7 17.Be6+ Ke8 ( 17...Kc6 18.Qd5+ Kb6 19.Qb3+ Ka5 20.Bd2+ Ka6 21.Bc4+ b5 22.Qxb5#) 18.Qe2 Qg7 19.Re1 Bd7 20.Bxd7+ Kf8 21.Be6 Qf6 22.Bxf6 Re8 23.Qf3 Rxe6 24.Rxe6 Kg8 25.Bh8 h6 26.Re8+ Kh7 27.Qf7 checkmate. Good work!

13...c6 14.Qxg6+ Kd8

Timid Brain said: Watch out for that coming fork at d5!

Courageous Brain says: Bring it! Try: 15.d4 d5 16.Rxe7 Kxe7 17.Bg5+ Kd7 18.Qh7+ Kd6 19.Bh4 dxc4 20.Re1 Bf5 21.Bg3+ Kd5 22.Re5+ Kd6 23.Rxf5+ Ke6 24.Re5+ Kd6 25.Re7+ Qf4 26.Bxf4+ Kd5 27.Qe4 checkmate.

15.Re1 d5 16.Bb3 Bd7 17.d4

Now Black makes a slip, and his game folds up like an accordion.

17...Bh4 18.Bg5+ Kc7 19.Bxh4 Rc8 20.Bg3+ Kd8 21.Qg5+ Qe7 22.Qxe7 checkmate