It is a good idea to play over your games, win or lose. You can pick up tactical tricks that you missed during the contest. You can learn more about your openings and prepare for the next time they show up on the board.
The following game is a good example. Bill's experience with the Jerome Gambit is significant, and his experience with the particular defense that his opponent constructed means that the number of moves that were "new" was quite small.
Wall, Bill - MYGZ
FICS, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+
This is a reasonable way to deal with White's pawn fork: Black will move one piece and return the other for a pawn. The Database has 314 game examples; White scores 57%. (Since there are 2,018 games with the position after 6.d4, where White scores 55%, Black's choice in this game - from a practical point of view - is, if anything, better than average.)
7.c3 Bxc3+
Bill has already seen 7...Be7 8.dxe5 Nh6 9.Qf3+ Ke6 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qf5 checkmate, Wall, Bill - ChrSav, FICS, 2010.
8.Nxc3 Ng6
Instead, 8...Nc6 was seen in Wall, Bill - Caynaboos, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 26) and Wall, Bill - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 27).
9.O-O Nf6
Black tried 9...N8e7 in Wall, Bill - NN, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 18) and Wall, Bill - Jamato, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 55).
10.e5
An improvement over 10.Bg5, as in Wall, Bill - Shatskov, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 16).
10...Ne8
No more effective was 10...Ng8, seen in Wall, Bill - Guest2372880, lichess.org, 2018: 11.f4 d6 12.e6+ Bxe6 13.f5 Bxf5 14.Rxf5+ Nf6 15.Qb3+ Ke8 16.Bg5 Rf8 17.Re1+ Ne7 18.Bxf6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6 gxf6 20.Nd5 f5 21.Nxe7 Qxe7 22.Qg8+ Kd7 23.Rxe7+ Kxe7 24.Qxa8 Black resigned
11.f4
Stronger than 11.Qf3+, seen in Wall, Bill - Boris, SparkChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 31).
11...Rf8
12.f5 Ne7
This loses quickly, but the "best" move, 12...Kg8, just tosses a piece.
13.Qb3+ d5 14.exd6+
Here, Black resigned in Wall, Bill - FJBS, FICS, 2015.
14...Kf6 15.Ne4 checkmate
One of the attractions of the 6.d4 line in the Jerome Gambit (a favorite of Bill Wall) is that Black has to figure out what to do with his dark squared Bishop. As the following game shows, there are plenty of ways to go wrong. White's mating attack is very attractive.
Wall, Bill - Holzkopp
PlayChess.com, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4
6...Bb4+ 7.c3 Bd6
Bill has faced a variety of alternatives:
7...Nc4 as in Wall,B - Anonymous, lichess.com, 2016 (1-0, 18);
7...Qe7 as in Wall,B - Guest3742987, PlayChess.com, 2015 (1-0, 50);
7...Bxc3+ as in Wall,B - Caynaboos, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 26); Wall,B -ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 27); Wall,B -Boris, Sparkchess.com, 2012 (1-0, 31); and Wall,B - FJBS, FICS, 2015 (1-0, 14); and
7...Be7 as in Wall,B - ChrSav, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 11).
Black's strongest response is 7...Qh4!?, which has been seen seen 10 times in The Database (with all wins for Black). See "Gloom and Doom", "Beyond Gloom and Doom" and "Jerome Gambit: Unresolved".
8.dxe5 Bxe5
Black would still retain an edge after 8...Be7.
9.Qd5+
9.Qh5+ has also been seen: there are 6 wins for White and one draw in The Database.
9...Kf8
Or 9...Kf6 10.f4 Kg6 11.O-O Bf6 12.f5+ Kh5 13.Qd1+ Kh4 14.Rf4+ Kg5 15.Rf3+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest6953174, PlayChess.com, 2016.
10.Qxe5 d6 11.Qd5 Nf6 12.Qd3 Be6
White has an extra pawn and the safer King. Black has the better development.
13.O-O c6 14.b3 Kf7 15.Ba3 c5
The position is complicated. Stockfish 8 suggests, instead, 15...Re8 16.Nd2 d5 17.e5 Ng4 18.Nf3 Kg8.
16.f4 Qb6 17.c4 Qa5
Overlooking White's tactical play in the center.
18.e5 Ng4 19.f5 Nxe5 20.fxe6+ Kxe6 21.Qd5+ Kd7
22.Qxb7+ Ke6 23.Nc3
A nice finish: Black cannot afford to capture either of the two offered pieces.
23...Qxc3 24.Qd5+ Ke7 25.Bxc5 Rad8 26.Rae1 Qa5 27.Qf7 checkmate
Why does Bill Wall continue to play the Jerome Gambit, an opening that has many refutations? Probably because of games like the following, that almost seem to play themselves...
Wall, Bill - Facundo
lichess.org, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+
Black keeps playing this move, so White needs to keep aware.
7.c3
Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 Ng6
The Knight went to c6 in Wall,B - Caynaboos, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 26) and Wall,B - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 27).
9.O-O d6
Or 9...N8e7 as in Wall,B - NN, lichess.org 2016, (1-0, 18) and Wall,B - Jamato, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 55);
or 9...Nf6 as in Wall,B - Boris, SparkChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 31) and Wall,B - FJBS, FICS, 2015 (1-0, 14).
10.f4 Nh6
A novelty, keeping the Black Queen's diagonal open - but an error.
11.f5 Ne7 12.Qh5+ Kg8 13.f6
13...Ng6 14.Bxh6 gxh6 15.Qxh6 Kf7 16.Qg7+ Black resigned
It helps to know the basics of the opening variations that you are playing. Here, Bill Wall has plenty of experience with the Jerome Gambit. But he also has plenty of experience in transitioning to an advantageous endgame, and then winning it.
Wall, Bill - Jamato
lichess.org, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Bxc3+
Or 7...Be7 as in Wall,B - ChrSav, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 11).
8.Nxc3 Ng6
Instead, 8...Nc6 was seen in Wall,B - Caynaboos, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 26) and Wall,B - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 27)
9.O-O N8e7
Or 9...Nf6 as seen in Wall,B - Boris, SparkChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 31) and Wall,B - FJBS, FICS 2015 (1-0, 14).
10.f4 Re8
Bill has also faced 10...Rf8 in Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 18)
11.Qb3+ d5 12.f5 Nf8 13.Bg5 c6 14.f6 gxf6 15.Bxf6 Kg8
Surprisingly enough, at this point Bill is ready to let the air out of the position and win the endgame. His opponent trys to tag along, but can not.
16.exd5 cxd5 17.Bxe7 Rxe7 18.Nxd5 Be6 19.Nxe7+ Qxe7 20.Rae1 Qd6
There were better chances to hold the game after 20...Bxb3 21.Rxe7 Bd5.
21.Rxf8+ Rxf8 22.Qxe6+ Qxe6 23.Rxe6 Rf7 24.d5 Rd7 25.d6 Kf7 26.Re7+ Rxe7 27.dxe7 Kxe7
The game is only half over, but it is over.
28.Kf2 b5 29.Ke3 a5 30.Kd4 Kd6 31.g4 h6 32.h4 b4 33.b3 Ke6 34.Kc5 Ke5 35.Kb5 Kf4 36.g5 hxg5 37.hxg5 Kxg5 38.Kxa5 Kf6 39.Kxb4 Ke6 40.Kb5 Kd6 41.Kb6 Kd7 42.a4 Kc8 43.a5 Kb8 44.b4 Ka8 45.Kc7 Ka7 46.b5 Ka8 47.a6 Ka7 48.Kc6 Ka8 49.b6 Kb8 50.a7+ Ka8 51.b7+ Kxa7 52.Kc7 Ka6 53.b8=Q Ka5 54.Qb3 Ka6 55.Qb6 checkmate.
Once again, White's Queen and the "Jerome pawns" work together to harass Black and his King. Checkmate is probably a relief.
Wall, Bill - Lawliet, Lucas
lichess.org, 2016
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4
6...Bb4+ 7.c3 Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3
We recently saw 8.bxc3 in Wall, Bill - PassCapture. lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 22).
8...Nc6 9.O-O
Queenside castling was seen after the direct 9.d5 Ne5 10.f4 Ng6 11.h4 Nxh4 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qxh4 Qxh4+ 14.Rxh4 Nf6 15.e5 Ne8 16.Be3 c6 17.O-O-O d6 18.e6+ Ke7 19.g4 Nf6 20.f5 gxf5 21.gxf5 cxd5 22.Bg5 a6 23.Nxd5+ Kf8 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25.Rxh7 b5 26.Be7+ Ke8 27.Nf6 checkmate, Wall,B - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012.
9...Nf6
Or 9...Qf6 10.e5 Qg6 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Nb5 Kd8 13.Qf8+ Qe8 14.Qxe8+ Kxe8 15.Nxc7+ Ke7 16.Nxa8 Nxd4 17.Bg5+ Ke6 18.Nc7+ Kxe5 19.Rae1+ Kd6 20.Bf4+ Kc6 21.Rc1+ Kb6 22.Nd5+ Kb5 23.Rxc8 Ne6 24.a4+ Kxa4 25.Ra1+ Kb3 26.Be5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Caynaboos, FICS, 2011.
10.d5 Ne5 11.f4 Ng6 12.e5 Ne8
13.Qe2 Rf8 14.f5 Ne7 15.Bg5 d6 16.f6 gxf6 17.exf6 Ng8 18.Qh5 checkmate
The following rematch (see "Jerome Gambit: More Pie, Please ") shows Black, once again, ready for his opponent's Jerome Gambit.
Alas, he does not appear to have been completely ready for his opponent.
Wall, Bill - PassCapture
lichess.org, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+
We have seen this line before, most recently in Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 18). It is one of a number of ways that Black returns one of the two sacrificed pieces.
7.c3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Ng6
As I have previously written:
The Knight... could also go the other way, although Bill has some experience with that plan as well: 8...Nc6 9.d5 (9.O-O Qf6 10.e5 Qg6 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Nb5 Kd8 13.Qf8+ Qe8 14.Qxe8+ Kxe8 15.Nxc7+ Ke7 16.Nxa8 Nxd4 17.Bg5+ Ke6 18.Nc7+ Kxe5 19.Rae1+ Kd6 20.Bf4+ Kc6 21.Rc1+ Kb6 22.Nd5+ Kb5 23.Rxc8 Ne6 24.a4+ Kxa4 25.Ra1+ Kb3 26.Be5 Black resigned, Wall,B-Caynaboos, FICS. 2011) 9...Ne5 10.f4 Ng6 11.h4 Nxh4 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qxh4 Qxh4+ 14.Rxh4 Nf6 15.e5 Ne8 16.Be3 c6 17.O-O-O d6 18.e6+ Ke7 19.g4 Nf6 20.f5 gxf5 21.gxf5 cxd5 22.Bg5 a6 23.Nxd5+ Kf8 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25.Rxh7 b5 26.Be7+ Ke8 27.Nf6 checkmate, Wall,B - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012.
9.e5 Qe7 10.O-O Nh6 11.Bxh6 gxh6
This exchange is often a good idea, weakening Black's King's position and creating targets for White's Queen.
12.f4 d6 13.f5 Nh4 14.Qh5+ Kf8 15.f6 Qe6
The pesky "Jerome pawns" (backed by the Rook) work well with the White Queen.
16.Qxh6+ Ke8 17.f7+ Kd7 18.Qxh4 Rf8 19.Rf6 Qe7
(It is useful, once again, to point out how Black's light-squared Bishop remains on its home square, and, in turn, Black's Queenside Rook. White's development rules the day.)
20.Na3 dxe5 21.dxe5 Qxa3 22.Rd1+ Black resigned
Checkmate comes quickly after 22...Qd6 23.Rfxd6+ cxd6 24.Qf6.
Sometimes Bill Wall and his opponents leave me little choice. Putting together a blog post, I am just getting warmed up - and the game is over. So I add a bit more to the notes...
(Does it seem like we have been here before, lately? True; perhaps those who defend against the Jerome Gambit need to catch up on their reading of this blog...)
Wall, Bill -NN
lichess.org, 2016
1 e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4..Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Ba5
Of course, Bill has been this way before. Let's take a look at some alternatives.
7... Bxc3+ The most popular choice for Black in The Database. Black scores 65-77-4 for 46%. He might do better with the alternatives. See below. 8.Nxc3 Ng6 (8...Nc6 9.d5 [9.O-O Qf6 10.e5 Qg6 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Nb5 Kd8 13.Qf8+ Qe8 14.Qxe8+ Kxe8 15.Nxc7+ Ke7 16.Nxa8 Nxd4 17.Bg5+ Ke6 18.Nc7+ Kxe5 19.Rae1+ Kd6 20.Bf4+ Kc6 21.Rc1+ Kb6 22.Nd5+ Kb5 23.Rxc8 Ne6 24.a4+ Kxa4 25.Ra1+ Kb3 26.Be5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Caynaboos, FICS, 2011] 9...Ne5 10.f4 Ng6 11.h4 Nxh4 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qxh4 Qxh4+ 14.Rxh4 Nf6 15.e5 Ne8 16.Be3 c6 17.O-O-O d6 18.e6+ Ke7 19.g4 Nf6 20.f5 gxf5 21.gxf5 cxd5 22.Bg5 a6 23.Nxd5+ Kf8 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25.Rxh7 b5 26.Be7+ Ke8 27.Nf6 checkmate, Wall,B - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012) 9.O-O N8e7 (9...Nf6 10.e5 Ne8 11.Qf3+ [11. f4 Rf8 12. f5 Ne7 13. Qb3+ d5 14. exd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - FJBS, FICS, 2015] 11...Kg8 12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Be3 a6 14.Rae1 c6 15.Qb3 d5 16.f4 Kg8 17.f5 Nh4 18.Qc2 g6 19.f6 Be6 20.Bg5 Qb6 21.Bxh4 Qxd4+ 22.Bf2 Qf4 23.Ne2 Qc4 24.Qd2 Qxa2 25.Nd4 Bf5 26.Nxf5 gxf5 27.Qg5+ Kf7 28.e6+ Kf8 29.Bc5+ Nd6 30.Bxd6+ Ke8 31.f7 checkmate, Wall,B - Boris, sparkchess.com 2012) 10.f4 Rf8 11 f5 Nh8 12.Bg5 Kg8 13.Qb3+ Nf7 14.f6 gxf6 15.Bxf6 d5 16.Nxd5 Re8 17.Qg3+ Kf8 18.Qg7 checkmate, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016).
7...Be7 (In The Database Black scores 3-3 for 50% with this move) 8.dxe5 Nh6 9.Qf3+ Ke6 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qf5 checkmate, Wall,B - ChrSav, FICS, 2010.
7...Qh4 is a feisty choice; Black is 10-0, scoring 100%, according to The Database.
The solid 7...Ng6 shows up in The Database 4 times, Black is 2-2, scoring 50%
7...Bc5 is untested and funny, but probably playable.
8.dxe5 d6 9.Qd5+ Black resigned
White will capture the offside Bishop on his next move, and will be a couple of pawns ahead. Black's lead in development - say, after 9...Be6 10.Qxa5 dxe5 11.Qxe5 Nf6 - will not be enough compensation. Black would prefer to move his attention to another game.
*
It can be a challenge to surprise an experienced Jerome Gambit player. Even if you go into the game with a plan for an unusual line, you might find that your opponent has "been there" already!
In the following game, the "Jerome pawns" and a Rook on the f-file play starring roles.
Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+
Interesting. See "Further Exploration of An Odd Line".
7.c3 Bxc3+
This was Black's idea. He could also have tried 7...Be7 8.dxe5 Nh6 9.Qf3+ Ke6 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qf5 checkmate, Wall,B - ChrSav, FICS, 2010.
8.Nxc3 Ng6
The Knight becomes a target here. It could also go the other way, although Bill has some experience with that plan as well: 8...Nc6 9.d5 (9.O-O Qf6 10.e5 Qg6 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Nb5 Kd8 13.Qf8+ Qe8 14.Qxe8+ Kxe8 15.Nxc7+ Ke7 16.Nxa8 Nxd4 17.Bg5+ Ke6 18.Nc7+ Kxe5 19.Rae1+ Kd6 20.Bf4+ Kc6 21.Rc1+ Kb6 22.Nd5+ Kb5 23.Rxc8 Ne6 24.a4+ Kxa4 25.Ra1+ Kb3 26.Be5 Black resigned, Wall,B-Caynaboos, FICS. 2011) 9...Ne5 10.f4 Ng6 11.h4 Nxh4 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qxh4 Qxh4+ 14.Rxh4 Nf6 15.e5 Ne8 16.Be3 c6 17.O-O-O d6 18.e6+ Ke7 19.g4 Nf6 20.f5 gxf5 21.gxf5 cxd5 22.Bg5 a6 23.Nxd5+ Kf8 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25.Rxh7 b5 26.Be7+ Ke8 27.Nf6 checkmate, Wall,B - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012.
9.O-O N8e7
Or 9...Nf6 10.e5 Ne8 11.f4 (11.Qf3+ Kg8 12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Be3 a6 14.Rae1 c6 15.Qb3 d5 16.f4 Kg8 17.f5 Nh4 18.Qc2 g6 19.f6 Be6 20.Bg5 Qb6 21.Bxh4 Qxd4+ 22.Bf2 Qf4 23.Ne2 Qc4 24.Qd2 Qxa2 25.Nd4 Bf5 26.Nxf5 gxf5 27.Qg5+ Kf7 28.e6+ Kf8 29.Bc5+ Nd6 30.Bxd6+ Ke8 31.f7 checkmate, Wall,B - Boris,sparkchess.com, 2012) 11...Rf8 12.f5 Ne7 13.Qb3+ d5 14.exd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - FJBS, FICS, 2015
10.f4 Rf8 11.f5 Nh8 12.Bg5 Kg8
Black has withdrawn his threatened Knight and castled-by-hand. Although he is a bit cramped, he seems to have solved his problems. He has not.
13.Qb3+ Nf7 14.f6 gxf6 15.Bxf6 d5 16.Nxd5 Re8 17.Qg3+ Kf8 18.Qg7 checkmate
