Jerome Gambit: Yet, Ever Onward

The third round of Chess.com's "Italian game Classic" tournament has started, and I find myself in Group 1 - which consists of me, LttlePrince, pitman63, Sp1derR1c0 and Winawer99. (I am the next-to-lowest rated.)

With two Whites to start off with, I faced a couple of Two Knights Defenses, and was able to wrangle one of them into an Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

The other game could have evolved into a Noa Gambit, but I haven't recovered the suffering I experienced at the hands of  RemoveKubab1, last year. (That is quite funny, given that Komodo 10 rates Black 3 3/4 pawns ahead in the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit; while it assesses Black to be only 1 1/2 pawns ahead in the Noa Gambit.)  I keep thinking that I should try the Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit, but will probably return to using a couple of ideas from Yury V. Bukayev.

BOOM!

BOOM!

After the previous post I received an email from chessfriend Yury Bukayev who suggested that in the Semi-Italian opening, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6, after 4.0-0 Bc5, along with the Jerome Gambit-ish 5.Bxf7+ White also has the Evans Gambit-ish 5.b4.

He reminded me of two articles that he had written on similar opening lines (see c50 and c51) - well worth a first (or second) look for readers who want to punish the timid 3...h6. Look closely and you will find a number of opportunities for a well-timed Bxf7+, as well!

Thank you, Yury.

Non-Bxf7 Jerome Bukayev Gambit (for blitz)

Here is another creative idea from the inventive Yury Bukayev, as mentioned in a recent email. (I have added a diagram.)

What do readers think? 

Dear Rick, 
Here is my new gambit. It is very risky, like the Jerome Gambit. It is a non-Bxf7 relative of the JG. Here it is.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nge7 4.0-0 Nd4 5.Nxe5? Nxb5 6.Nxf7! Kxf7 7.Qh5+ with the idea Qxb5.

I suggest to play it to everyone who likes the Jerome Gambit. Its name will be "non-Bxf7 Jerome Bukayev Gambit (for blitz)".
Best wishes!Yury V. Bukayev

BSJG: Reference

I received a short email from chessfriend Yury Bukayev, regarding yesterday's blog post. I have added the relevant link:

Your latest post http://jeromegambit.blogspot.ru/2017/03/blackburne-shilling-jerome-gambit-be.html contains the final attack, that is relative to winning attacks in Evans-Bukayev gambits (for example, III.B2 of my Paragraph 2). It is pleasant to see! 

Best wishes!

Yury

Jerome Gambit: That's Not All

Chessfriend Yury Bukayev was disappointed that Grandmaster Jon Speelman, in his ChessBaseNews "Agony" column coverage of two of my Jerome Gambit games (e.g. the Jerome Gambit is "balderdash in the highest sense") failed to mention other opening lines covered in this blog.

Indeed, the GM probably did not discover the post "Opening Innovation Resource", for example, or read and check out the links in "An Email Discussion", or do a site search here for "Bukayev gambit".

With Yury's encouragement I have added the subtitle "(risky/nonrisky lines, tactics & psychology for fast, exciting play)" to this blog's heading.

I would like to share a poem he sent, as well.

Study WEAK Jerome gambits
For a magic playing blitz! 
Study STRONG Jerome gambits -
You'll beat Carlsen, Hou, "Fritz"!

If You Can't Bash Them With the Jerome Gambit, Maybe You Can Bore Them to Tears

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...............

I don't always get to play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), no matter how hard I try. In its place, I sometimes explore the opening line suggested by chessfriend Yury Bukayev. The advantage that White gets is small - so small, in the following game, that I think it lulled my opponent to sleep...

(I suppose that I should be embarassed.)

perrypawnpusher - aquitanus
6 12 blitz, FICS, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights Defense. That's okay. I always try for a transposition to the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit after 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ or the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit after 4.Nc3 a6 5.0-0 Bc5 6.Bxf7+.

4.Nc3 Nxe4 

Rats. Going for the "fork trick". For a brief introduction as it relates to the Jerome, see the post "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 3)". Follow that up with "Further Explorations" (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5).

5.Nxe4 d5 6.Bd3 dxe4 7.Bxe4 Bd6 8.Bxc6+ bxc6

9.O-O 

Instead, Bukayev recommends 9.d4 or 9.d3. Next time I will remember that.

9...Bg4 10.d3 Qf6 11.Re1 O-O-O 12.Re3

A good alternative was 12.Bg5.

12...Bc5 13.Re4 Rd4 14.Be3 Rxe4 15.dxe4 Rd8 16.Qe2 Qd6 17.Bxc5 Qxc5 18.Rd1 Rxd1+ 19.Qxd1 Qc4 

White has what my father used to call "a whole lot of nothing". Black's Bishop vs Knight and better placed Queen balances out his troubled Queenside pawns. Perhaps White's best try for a slight edge is now 20.Nxe5.

20.Qd3 Qxd3 21.cxd3 Bxf3 22.gxf3 Kd7

How does that old "Porgy and Bess" tune go? I've got plenty of nothing, and nothing's plenty for me...

I did have more time on my clock, though, and I figured that I was not risking much by continuing to play. (It is an embarassingly bland position for a Jerome Gambiteer - but not as embarassing as a losing one.)

23.Kf1 Kd6 24.Ke2 g5 25.Ke3 c5 26.Kd2 Kc6 27.Kc3 Kb5 28.Kb3 a5 29.a4+ Kc6 30.Kc4 h6 31.b3 h5 32.Kc3 Kd6 33.Kd2 c6 34.Kc3 Ke6 35.Kc4 Kd6 

Not much going on. Black has a possible slip - if he has become bored with me. (I have a later slip, if I get too excited.)

36.Kc3 Ke6 37.Kd2 Kf6 38.h3 Kg6

An unfortunate slip that tosses away the draw. Of course, 38...Ke6, heading back to the Queenside, was the move.

39.Kc3 Kf6 40.Kc4 h4 41.Kxc5 g4

Giving me a chance to blunder with the rote "capture toward the center" 42.hxg3? h4, giving Black the win.

42.fxg4  Black resigned

Tourneys! We Have Tourneys!

I will be moving through, after all, to the third round of the Chess.com Italian Game tournament. More chances to play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) should occur. I will share them, good, bad and ugly...

In the meantime, a 28-player Italian Game tournament has started, also at Chess.com. I am in one of four 7-player groups, and in my first 6 games I have black in 5 of them. Alas, the one game with the white pieces I have been unable to finagle a Jerome Gambit. (I am again exploring the opening line suggested by chessfriend Yury Bukayev.)

For the time being - until at least one game is completed - I will be Jerome-less in this tournament.

More Errors in Thinking 2.0

In response to "More Errors in Thinking" I received an email from Bill Wall, one of the top modern day Jerome Gambiteers, with notes about my recent game against Hywel2. I will reprise the column, adding Bill's thoughts in red. Thank you, Bill!

One of my interests in exploring the Jerome Gambit comes from observing - and occasionally provoking - "errors in thinking". Essentially, the only way White can win is if Black errs - sometime in the most fascinating of ways.

The following game is my most recent Jerome Gambit from the Chess.com Italian Game tournament (see "Yet Once Again Into The Fray"). For a while it looked like it was going to be one of my best Jeromes ever, thanks to some fun tactics - but I fell victim to my own "error in thinking", and it was all for naught...

perrypawnpusher - Hywel2
Chess.com, Italian Game tourney, 2015

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.O-O Kf7 11.f4 Re8 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4

I have also tried 13.Nc3 in perrypawnpusher - DysonLin, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 23); perrypawnpusher - darqknight, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 63); perrypawnpusher - CorH, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 24); and perrypawnpusher - yasserr, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 32).

13...Nc6

Oddly, this natural move is a TN according to The Database. Instead, 13...Neg4 was seen in Vazquez,A - Carrington,W, Mexico, 2nd match 1876 (1-0, 34); Wall,B - Vijay,V, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 22) and perrypawnpusher - whitepandora, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0. 64).

14.Nc3 Kg8 15.Qd3 Kh8 16.Bg5 Qd7

After 16...Qd7, I would have played 17.Bxf6 right away. After 17...gxf6 18.Nd5 Qg7 19.c3, then 20.Rf3 looks a little bit more solid.

17.Rae1 b6

I am always impressed when the masters of the Jerome Gambit are able to "make something out of nothing" in their games. It is not so easy for me.

18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Nd5 Qg7 20.Rf3 a5 

After 20...a5, I like 21.Qc3 instead of 21.c3, attacking the knight. After 21...Bb7 22.Nf4 and 23.Rh3 looks OK for white.

21.c3 Ba6 22.Qd2 Bc4 

After 22...Bc4, instead of 23.Rg3, forcing the queen to move, perhaps to a better square, I would try 23.Nf4 Bxa2 24.Rh3, threatening 25.Ng6+ and perhaps 26.Rg3 after that.

23.Rg3 Qf7 24.Nf4 Bxa2 25.Ree3

I am not sure what my opponent made of this move. Perhaps he thought I was still shuffling pieces.

Instead of 25.Ree3, I might have played 25.Rh3, threatening 26.Ng6+, but it may fizzle to a draw after 26...Rg8 26.Ng6+ Rxg6 27.fxg6 Qxg6 28.Qf4 and 29.Rh6.

25...Rg8 26.Ng6+!?

White has only a pawn for his sacrificed piece, but this new sac changes everything.

26...hxg6 27.Rh3+ Kg7 28.Rh7+

The main idea: if now 28...Kxh7, then 29.Rh3+ Kg7 30.Qh6 mate. Black, instead, gives up his Queen.

28...Kf8 29.Rxf7+ Kxf7

Houdini gives a deep look, and evaluates the position as being equal. A couple of lines to share what it sees: 30.Qd3 (looking at the light squares on the Queenside and Black's two loose minor pieces) Ne7 31.Qb5 gxf5 32.exf5 Rae8 33.g3 c6 34.Qxb6 Nxf5 35.Qc7+ Re7 36.Rxe7+ Nxe7 37.Qxd6 a4 38.Qf4 Be6 39.d5 Bxd5 40.Qxa4; or 30.Qc2 (to trap the Bishop) a4 31.e5 Ne7 32.fxg6+ Rxg6 33.exd6 Nd5 34.Rg3 Rxg3 35.hxg3 Bb3 36.Qd3 cxd6 37.c4 Ne7 38.Qh7+ Kf8 39.Qh6+ Kf7 40.Qh7+ draw

I wanted to take advantage of Black's loose pieces, too, before his R + B + N got coordinated and out-played my Queen.

30.fxg6+

Instead of 30.fxg6, I would try to keep it complicated with 30.Qc2 and with the threat of 31.Qa4, winning a piece (threatening bishop and knight), or 31.b3, trapping the bishop.

30...Rxg6 31.Rh3 Rag8 32.Rh7+ R8g7 33.Rxg7+ Rxg7 34.Qd1 Be6

Now is the time for White to continue his escape with 35.Qh5+ Rg6 36.Qh7+ Rg7 37.Qh5+ draw, as any other line by Black would drop a minor piece to a Queen check and fork.

But - what is this?? My opponent, having played strongly the whole game, has suddenly fallen for a simple pawn fork?? What good fortune!

What an error in thinking! On my part, that is.

35.d5?

Allowing Black to quickly pull his game together.

Instead of 35.d5? which allows 35...Bg4!, I would have played 35.Qh5+ Rg6 36.Qh7+ Rg7 37.Qh5+ Rf6, take the draw and call it a day.

35... Bg4

I had looked at 35...Bh3, but had totally overlooked the text.

After some discouraged piece-shifting, I gave up the ghost.

36.Qe1 Ne5 37.Qe3

I looked at your last game and you thought there might be a way I could prevail. Not after 37.Qe3. After 36...Ne5 was played (you threatened dxc6), you played 37.Qe3? But after 35...Ne5, Black's threat is 36...Bf3 or 36...Bh3 as the rook pins the king and you can't take the bishop. So you have to play either 37.Kf1 or 37.Kh1. I think 37.Kf1 is slightly better to get out in the middle of the board in the endgame. Maybe there is something with Qh4 later or just h3. So after 37.Qe3, White' game looks lost. 

37...Bf3 38. g3 Bh5 39. h3 Nc4 40. Qf2 Bg6 41. Qe2 Ne5 42. g4 Ke7 43. Kf2 Kf8 44. Qa6 Re7 White resigned

Black's pieces are cooperating, and it is only a matter of time before they begin chopping away at White's position (starting with Pe4).

I am sure that Jerome Gambit stalwarts like blackburne, Bill Wall and Philidor1792 would find a way to prevail, even in this position, but I felt "lost" after my 35th move, and couldn't see my way out - perhaps the final "thinking error".

(In the two other second round games with White in this tournament, I am playing an Italian Four Knights game [with the help of chessfriend Yury Bukayev's opening analysis] and facing a Hungarian Defense [I did not follow Yury's suggestion, and may come to regret it. {Wow! I was just offered a draw, which I took quickly}] - Rick)

Jerome-Knight Gambit

Chessfriend Yury Bukayev recently referred me to the France-Echecs.com website, to a discussion that took place earlier in the year, regarding, in part, the game Millet,C - Sénéchaud,D, Rochefort, 1995 - most recently covered in the "Unorthodox Openings Newsletter", issue #33, which was mentioned in the last blog post.

In addition, in the France-Echecs.com article there are three games presented with the opening moves 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+, along with the suggested name "the Jerome-Knight gambit".

A quick look at The Database shows only 6 examples of the Jerome-Kight gambit (not surprising, as I have not specifically collected the line), including an online ICC blitz game by American GM Larry Christiansen ("Here, have a Bishop...") and three games recently discovered at GameKnot.com.

While Readers check out France-Echecs.com, I will see what other games I can gather.

An Email Discussion

Earlier this month I received two emails from chessfriend Yury Bukayev. The first, with the subject "Your post of July 18 has a large error‏" and contained the following

Your post of July 18 has a large error. Thus, you have published your appraisal of the position: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6? 4.b4?! Bxb4? 5.c3 Ba5 as winning for Black. It isn't true! Look, please, Paragraph 2, part III of my article! Yury 

http://chessproblem.my-free-games.com/chess/games/ChessArticle.php?art=C51 

The second email, with the subject "Else about your error in the post of July 18‏" continued

The position 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6? 4.b4?! Bxb4? (4...d6 =) 5.c3! leads to Evans-Bukayev gambit in all cases: http://chessproblem.my-free-games.com/chess/games/ChessArticle.php?art=C51 . It isn't important, is White's pawn on d2 or on d3. Dear Rick, I suggest you to write a new post in August about it. I think, my 2 Evans-Bukayev gambits have done the Evans idea immortal for strong theory.

My response was pretty straight-forward

I will take another look at my July 18th post, at your two emails, and your article, and post about it all on my blog.
At this point I can say that I wrote that after 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 h6 4.b4 Bxb4, Houdini 3, at 22 ply, gives Black an advantage of about 1/3 of a pawn. That much is factual - and neither Houdini 3 nor I consider "1/3 of a pawn" as "winning" for Black.
The game wardcleophus - Kiera, blitz, FICS, 2013, which I gave in the notes in the blog post, continued 5.c3 Ba5 and Black did win - but only after White immediately blundered with the Jerome-ish 6.Bxf7+? If, instead, White plays 6.0-0 the situation would be completely different from the game. Likewise, if Black plays 6...Nf6 (instead of 6...d6, similar to your article) the second player does not look lost, either.

Readers are encouraged to review the offending post, "Creative Exercise" and decide for themselves.

Opening Innovation Resource

Adventurous chessplayers looking for innovations in their openings should hurry to the Bruno's Chess Opening Articles link on this page, where whey will find a feast of interesting ideas put together by Yury V. Bukayev, Moscow (маэстро Букаев Юрий Вячеславович, Москва).

Here is a list of inventions, current as of today's post (but growing). Surprise an opponent today!

Vienna game C26 theory: reflectogen No.1: bomb!  

C28 Vienna game? 4.Nf3! (Italian V) Discovery  [auxiliary]

Four knights game: bomb! C42 Petrov’s defence  [auxiliary]

Giuoco pianissimo C50 theory: strong gambits!

Italian game: four knights variation C50: bomb 1  

Giuoco piano: four knights variation C50: bomb 2  

Evans gambit C51,C52 & new gambit, C50: bomb1  

C54/C50,C53 Italian [giuoco piano] Discovery 1  

Italian game C54/C50,C53 ['modern' GP] Bomb 2  

Two knights defence C55-C59 theory Nc3!: bomb!  [auxiliary]

C46,C47 Four knights (Bc4! Italian) Discovery 1

Italian variation C46,C47/C55! Discovery 2

C50 Hungarian: old Steinitz defence jC62 idea N!

Modern bishop’s opening C55, 2 knights: bomb 1  


Two knights defence c57: Fritz variation: bomb!

C57: new strong gambit: chess opening analysis 2  

C63 Yanish [Schliemann Defence] Discoveries  

C70 Morphy: Schliemann defence deferred: bomb!  

D35, D36 [Exchange Variation] Discovery 1

D38,D51 [Westphalia Variation] Discovery 1  

D38 Ragozin Variation [Defence] Discovery 1  

D39 Vienna Variation [Ragozin] Discoveries  

D50, D51 Queen’s Gambit [QGD] Discoveries  

D52 [Cambridge Springs defence] Discovery 1

Queen's gambit declined QGD theory: bomb!

English opening theory? 1.c4 e6! bomb in QGD

The Most Important Jerome-ish Win in History

I am always learning something new from Yury V. Bukayev (Букаев Юрий Вячеславович). The other day he emailed me, pointing out that, "based on the importance of the win for tournament places, the importance of the tournament and the fame of both participiants of this game, it maybe, makes this win THE MOST IMPORTANT JEROME-ISH WIN IN HISTORY."

It is quite possible that if either player were alive today, one or the other might punch me in the nose for publishing this encounter on this blog - but, hey, Jerome Gambit players are imaginative and brave, right?

Robert James Fischer - Samuel Reshevsky
US Championship 1958/59 New York USA (6), 12.1958

1.e4 c5 

Okay, okay, it's a Sicilian Defense. Work with me.

2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Be3 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 0-0 

Yes, it's an Accelerated Dragon. Time for a little imagination.

8.Bb3 

Earlier in the year, at Portoroz, Fischer had continued against Oscar Panno 8.f3 Qb6 9.Bb3 Nxe4 10.Nd5 Qa5+ 11.c3 Nc5 12.Nxc6 dxc6 13.Nxe7+ Kh8 14.Nxc8 Raxc8 15.O-O Rcd8 16.Qc2 Qb5 17.Rfd1 Kg8 18.Rxd8 Rxd8 19.Rd1 Re8 20.Bf2 a5 21.Bxc5 with a draw.

8...Na5 

Frank Brady's Profile of a Prodigy states

'When Reshevsky played 8...Na5 the whispers in the tournament room at the Marshall Chess Club grew to a barely suppressed uproar. The move [from Bastrikov,Georgy - Shamkovich, Leonid, Sochi, 1958] had been analyzed just a few weeks earlier in Shakmatny Byulletin and many of the stronger players in the club were thoroughly familiar with it.'

9.e5 Ne8 10.Bxf7+ 

You have to love that Bishop sac!

10...Kxf7 11.Ne6 

What is Black to do? If he captures the Knight with his King, he will get checkmated, starting with 12.Qd5+. If he resigns, he will be humiliated - Fischer was a young teenager at the time, Reshevsky was United States champion several times over.

Instead, the former child prodigy dragged his feet for another 30 moves before resigning.

11...dxe6 12.Qxd8 Nc6 13.Qd2 Bxe5 14.0-0 Nd6 15.Bf4 Nc4 16.Qe2 Bxf4 17.Qxc4 Kg7 18.Ne4 Bc7 19.Nc5 Rf6 20.c3 e5 21.Rad1 Nd8 22.Nd7 Rc6 23.Qh4 Re6 24.Nc5 Rf6 25.Ne4 Rf4 26.Qxe7+ Rf7 27.Qa3 Nc6 28.Nd6 Bxd6 29.Rxd6 Bf5 30.b4 Rff8 31.b5 Nd8 32.Rd5 Nf7 33.Rc5 a6 34.b6 Be4 35.Re1 Bc6 36.Rxc6 bxc6 37.b7 Rab8 38.Qxa6 Nd8 39.Rb1 Rf7 40.h3 Rfxb7 41.Rxb7+ Rxb7 42.Qa8 1-0

More Creative Excitement

For the latest in exciting ways to play the Italian Game (C50) - strong gambits in the Giuoco Pianissimo - stop by the link from this blog to "Bruno's Chess Opening Articles", or go directly to the new stuff, featuring the Evans-Bukayev gambit deferred, from Yury Bukayev!

Another Serving

Following up on the previous post, "More Russian Home Cooking" it is relevant to point out Yury V. Bukayev's article on the Evans-Bukayev Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 h6!? 5.b4!, which contains some Jerome Gambit accents such as 5...Bxb4 6.c3 Bc5 (6...Bf8 7.d4 Na5 8.Bxf7+; 6...Ba5 7.0-0 [7.d4 d6 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Bxf7+]]d6 8.d4 Bb6 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Bxf7+) 7.d4 exd4 8.0-0 Na5 9.Bxf7+; and 5...Bb6 6.b5 Nd4 7.Bxf7+.

Xороший appetit!

More Russian Home Cooking

I can always count on Yury V. Bukayev for new and interesting chess ideas. Check my link to Bruno's Chess Opening Articles, or "Something New in Something Old" or "Even in the Most Respectable of Settings" or "Update" or "Trick Fork" or "Improve Your Chess" or any number of other posts you can search this site for.

Here's the latest email that I have received. I have not dug deeply into the idea, but it is sure to put a sparkle in your play!

Dear Rick, 
I have the following new present for you! It's my discovery! 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 h6 5.a3 (White has the auxiliary threat: 6.b4.) 5...Nd4? 6.Bf7!! White has a very strong attack! (6.Ne5?! Qg5!-+; after 6.Na4 or 6.b4 black can play 6...Bd6! without fast white's winning.) If you agree, you may call it as "Bukayev GP Jerome counter gambit", where "GP" is the well-known words: "giuoco piano". Later I'll write you about interesting line: 5.Qe2 Nd4...

Best wishes! Yury V. Bukayev