Jerome Gambit: Unfinished Symphony (Part 1)

The following game, my most recent Jerome Gambit from an ongoing Chess.com tournament, was an adventure from start to finish. The adventure was shorter than I expected, however. It is filled out with related games played at a number of different online sites, all from The Database.

perrypawnpusher - Nivaethan2000
Giuoco Piano Thematic Tournament, Chess.com 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4

This is a popular line, but it is the first time that I have played it. I have preferred 7.Qf5+, and am something like 59 - 10 with the move. That's a score of almost 86% - why take the risk of something new? As I mentioned in a previous post, I need to keep learning about the Jerome Gambit.

White's King is going to be insecure for a while, and if he castles, it will be Queenside.

7...Qf6 8.Rf1 g6

This pawn kick is understandable, but Knight moves also have been played.

For example, 8... Ne7 was seen in Wall,B - Asterisk engine, Palm Bay, FL, 2015 (1-0, 39).

Also 8...Nh6 9.Nc3 c6 10.fxe5 Qxe5 11.Qh4 Rf8 12.Rxf8 Bxf8 13.d3 Bb4 14.Bd2 Qf6 15.Qh5 d6 16.Qe8+ Qe7 17.Qh8 g5 18.h4 g4 19.Bxh6 Bxc3+ 20.bxc3 Qxh4+ 21.Ke2 Kd7 22.Rf1 Kc7 23.Rf7+ Kb6 24.Qd4+ Ka6 25.Qa4+ Kb6 26.Be3+ c5 27.Qb3+ Kc6 28.Qd5+ Kb5 29.Rxb7+ Black resigned, tapirus - mrdenetop, Chess.com, 2011.

There was the creative 8...Nd3+ as in MrJoker - Melbourne, Internet Chess Club 2011 (1-0, 29). 

9.Qh3+ Ke7

Again, this is not the only move (although it foreshadows the theme of play along the dark squares).

Examples of games with the novel way of returning the piece, 9...Ng4, are mrjoker - jmt, Internet Chess Club, 2008 (1-0, 29);  Wall,B - Guest3164644, PlayChess.com 2013 (1-0, 20); and Wall,B - Betarsolta, PlayChess.com, 2015 (1-0, 12). 

The imprudent 9...Kf7 was seen in Wall,B - Guest1690223, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 12).

The alternative 9...Kd6 has been met several ways: 

10.fxe5+ Qxe5 11.d3 (11.Nc3!?) Kc6 12.Nc3 d6 13.Qf3 Be6 14.Bf4 Qh5 15.g4 Bxg4 16.Qh1 Bb4 17.e5+ Kb6 18.Qg1+ Ka6 19.Qd4 Bxc3+ 20.bxc3 Nh6 21.Qa4+ Kb6 22.Rb1+ Black disconnected and forfeited, MrJoker - Melbourne, Internet Chess Club, 2011; 

10.Qg3 Nf7 (best is 10...Nd3+) 11.e5+ Nxe5 12.Nc3 Ke6 13.Ne4 Nf3+ 14.Qxf3 Qh4+ 15.g3 Qe7 16.f5+ Kd5 17.Kd1 Qxe4 18.c4+ Ke5 19.Re1 d5 20.Rxe4+ dxe4 21.d4+ Bxd4 22.Qf4+ Kf6 23.fxg6+ Kxg6 24.Qg5+ Kf7 25.Qd5+ Be6 26.Qxd4 Nf6 27.Ke1 Rhf8 28.Qe5 Rac8 29.Bg5 Kg6 30.Bd2 Bf5 31.Qf4 e3 32.Bxe3 Rce8 33.Ke2 Bg4+ 34.Kd3 Rd8+ 35.Kc2 Bf5+ 36.Kb3 Rd3+ 37.Kb4 a5+ 38.Kxa5 b6+ 39.Kb4 c5+ 40.Kb5 Bd7+ 41.Kxb6 Nd5+ 42.cxd5 Rxf4 43.Bxf4 Rxd5 44.Rc1 Be6 45.b3 Kf5 46.Kc6 Kf6 47.Rc2 Rf5 48.Bc1 Bd5+ 49.Kd6 Ba8 50.Bb2+ Kg6 51.Be5 Rf8 52.Rxc5 Rf2 53.a4 Rxh2 54.b4 Ra2 55.a5 Bh1 56.Bc3 Rg2 57.b5 Rxg3 58.b6 Rd3+ 59.Kc7 Re3 60.a6 Re7+ 61.Kd6 Rf7 62.Rc6 Black resigned, Zappa 1.1 - Deep Fritz 8, Blitz:5, 2006.

10.b4!? Nf3+ (if 10...Bxb4 11.Qb3; best is 10...Bd4) 11.Qxf3 Qxa1 12.bxc5+ Ke7 13.Qb3 Nf6 14.Bb2 Qxb1+ 15.Ke2 Qxf1+ 16.Kxf1 Rf8 17.Qg3 Ke8 18.f5 Rf7 19.Qe5+ Kf8 20.Qxc7 Ne8 21.Qe5 gxf5 22.exf5 b6 23.Ba3 d6 24.Qh8+ Ke7 25.cxd6+ Kd8 26.g4 Be6 27.Ke1 Bxa2 28.Qa1 Bd5 29.Qd4 Bh1 30.Qc4 Rd7 31.Qg8 a6 32.g5 a5 33.c4 Rg7 34.Qe6 Raa7 35.d7 Raxd7 36.Qxb6+ Kc8 37.f6 Rgf7 38.Qxa5 Nc7 39.Qe5 Bb7 40.d4 Bg2 41.Kf2 Bc6 42.d5 Bxd5 43.cxd5 Rxd5 44.Qf4 Rdd7 45.Bb4 Kb7 46.Qc4 Nd5 47.Qb5+ Kc7 48.Bc5 Kc8 49.Qa6+ Kb8 50.Bd6+ Nc7 51.h3 Rd8 52.Qb5+ Kc8 53.Bxc7 Rxc7 54.Qf5+ Kb7 55.f7 Rcc8 56.Qxh7 Kc6 57.Qe4+ Kd6 58.Qd4+ Kc7 59.Qf4+ Black resigned, Junior 7 - Fritz 7, Utrecht, 2002; 

10.Nc3 (best) Kc6 11.Nd5 d6 12.Qg3 Qe6 13.fxe5 Qxe5 14.Qxe5 dxe5 15.b4 Bd6 16.Bb2 Ne7 17.c4 b6 18.Rc1 Nxd5 19.exd5+ Kd7 20.c5 bxc5 21.bxc5 Be7 22.Bxe5 Rf8 23.c6+ Kd8 24.Rxf8+ Bxf8 25.Rc3 Be7 26.Re3 h5 27.Bxc7+ Kxc7 28.Rxe7+ Kd6 29.Re8 Kxd5 30.Rg8 Bb7 31.Rxg6 Re8+ 32.Kf2 Bxc6 33.Rh6 Re5 34.d4 Rf5+ 35.Ke3 Rg5 36.g3 a5 37.a3 Bb5 38.Rh7 Kc4 39.Rf7 Kb3 40.Kf4 Rd5 41.Ke4 Be8 42.Kxd5 Bxf7+ 43.Ke5 Kxa3 44.d5 a4 45.d6 Be8 46.Kf6 Kb4 47.Ke7 Bb5 48.d7 Bxd7 49.Kxd7 a3 50.Ke6 a2 51.Kf5 a1=Q 52.Kg5 Qe5+ 53.Kh4 White resigned, DrunkenMaster 1.2 - Comet B48, Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009

10.Nc3 

A little bit better might be 10.fxe5 Qxe5 although it did not make a difference in GeniusPawn - jmchess, FICS, 2000 which continued with 11.Nc3, anyway: 11...Nf6 12.d4 Bxd4 13.Bf4 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Qxe4+ 15.Kd1 d6 16.Qh4 Kf7 17.Kc1 Bf5 18.Qf2 Qc4 19.Rb1 Ne4 20.Qe3 Qxf1+ 21.Kb2 Qxg2 22.Bh6 Qxh2 23.Ka1 Qxc2 24.Rc1 Qa4 25.Qd3 Rae8 26.Qd5+ Be6 27.Rf1+ Ke7 28.Bg5+ Kd7 29.Rf7+ Kc8 White resigned.

The question is, can Black respond to 10.Nc3 by making the White capture of the Knight on e5 more difficult, if not impossible? The answer, as we shall see, is both yes and no

[to be continued]

What Can We Learn From the Robots?

Torneo tematico GaJero00-A  2009

                      1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 Rybka 2.3.2a (2 CPU) ** 11 01 01 1½ 11 11 11 11.5/14
2 WB Nimzo 2000b       00 ** 01 11 1½ 11 ½1 11 10.0/14
3 SOS 5.1              10 10 ** 00 11 11 11 ½1 9.5/14
4 Comet B48            10 00 11 ** 10 01 11 11 9.0/14
5 Zarkov 4.70          0½ 0½ 00 01 ** 1½ 01 11 6.5/14
6 DrunkenMaster 1.2 00 00 00 10 0½ ** 10 11 4.5/14
7 La Dame Blanche 2.0c 00 ½0 00 00 10 01 ** 01 3.5/14
8 Demon 1.0            00 00 ½0 00 00 00 10 ** 1.5/14


The crosstable above is for the Jerome Gambit thematic chess tournament presented at the Scacchi64.com website, referred to in a couple of earlier posts (see "The Macbeth Attack" and "From the Scacchi64.com Jerome Gambit Thematic").

It is not surprising that the tournament leader, Rybka, had the best score with the Jerome Gambit, with 4 wins and a draw. (It climbed to the top by beating the Jerome 7-0. I know how that goes: see "Overrated!")

The next finishers - WB Nimzo, SOS and Comet - all had 3 wins. They were followed in the standings by Zarkov and DrunkenMaster, each with 1 Jerome Gambit win.

Of note, half of the games featured the "classical" 5.Nxe5+, with White scoring 34% (versus 54% in The Database) while half had the "modern" 5.0-0, with White scoring 29% (versus 38% in The Database). 

Interestingly, Rybka played 5.0-0 in all 7 of its games with White and scored 64%, WBNimzo and Comet, the #2 and #4 finishers, all played 5.Nxe5, while 3rd place finisher SOS stuck with 5.0-0.

Perhaps the most "psychological" opening move played in a winning effort - and here I mean the kind of move that would emotionally effect an opponent, if the opponent, indeed, were succeptible to feeling emotions - came in the following game.

DrunkenMaster 1.2 - La Dame Blanche 2.0c
Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6

The "Silicon Defense", very popular with computers.

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.Qg3 Qd4

Not the best move, but good and scary - if your opponent can be scared. I doubt that La Dame Blanche shook to its bits, but it might be a good move to try against a human!

11.Qxg7+

White blunders immediately, but surely this must be a coincidence?

Two other choices: 11.Nc3 Kf7 12.d3 Nf6 13.Rf1 Be6 14.Bd2 Rhf8 15.O-O-O Kg8 16.Nb5 Bb6?? 17.Nxd4 Bxd4 18.c3, Black resigned, MrJoker - rgiblon, Internet Chess Club, 2013; and

11.d3 (best) Kf7 12.c3 Qd8 13.d4 exd4 14.b4 Be7 15.O-O+ Ke8 16.Qxg7 Bf6 17.Qg3 Qe7 18.Bf4 a5 19.e5 Bh4 20.Qf3 axb4 21.cxd4 Qf7 22.g3 Be7 23.Rf2 h5 24.Qe4 h4 25.Nd2 Qf5 26.Qf3 Nh6 27.Nf1 Ng4 28.Ne3 Nxe3 29.Qxe3 Be6 30.Qf3 hxg3 31.hxg3 c6 32.g4 Qg6 33.Bh2 Rh4 34.Rg2 Bd5 35.Qf5 Qxf5 36.gxf5 Bxg2 37.Kxg2 Rxd4 38.Bg1 Rd2+ 39.Kf1 b3 40.f6 b2 41.Rb1 Rad8 42.Be3 Rd1+ 43.Kf2 Rxb1 44.fxe7 Rd5 White resigned, Junior 7 -Fritz 8, The Jeroen Experience, 2003.

11...Kd6

Somewhat better was 11...Ke8, 12. Nc3 Qf2+ 13. Kd1 Nf6 14. Re1 Rg8 15. Qxg8+ Nxg8 16. Ne2 Qxg2 17. d4 Bxd4 White resigned, Fritz 5.32 - Fritz 8, The Jeroen Experience 2003. 

12.Kd1

The text is better than White's other choice in the tournament: 12.d3 Qf2+ 13.Kd1 Nf6 14.Bg5 Bg4+ 15.Kc1 Be3+ 16.Bxe3 Qxe3+ 17.Nd2 Raf8 18.d4 Rhg8 19.dxe5+ Kc6 20.Qe7 Nxe4 21.Qb4 Nxd2 22.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 23.Kxd2 Be6 24.g3 Rf2+ 25.Ke3 Rf5 26.Rhe1 Rxe5+ 27.Kf2 Rf5+ 28.Kg1 Bd5 29.c4 Bf3 30.Re6+ Kd7 31.Rae1 h5 32.Re7+ Kc8 33.R1e5 Rff8 34.Rc5 c6 35.Ra5 Kb8 36.Ra3 Rg5 37.Rae3 Bg4 38.b4 Bc8 39.c5 Rd5 40.R7e5 Bh3 41.Re8+ Rxe8 42.Rxe8+ Kc7 43.Kf2 Rd2+ 44.Re2 Rxe2+ 45.Kxe2 Bg4+ 46.Ke3 b6 47.Kd4 a5 48.a3 a4 49.Kc3 b5 50.Kd3 Kd7 51.Ke3 Ke7 52.Kd3 Kf6 53.Ke4 Bf5+ 54.Kf4 Bh3 55.Ke4 Ke6 56.Kd4 Bf5 57.h3 Bxh3 58.Ke4 White resigned, Zarkov 4.70 - La Dame Blanche 2.0c, Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009. 

12...Qxe4 13.h3 Qg6

14.Qxh8

This leads to checkmate in 11 moves. (These are computer chess players we are talking about.) 

14...Qh5+ 15.Ke1 Qh4+ 16.Ke2 Bxh3 17.Rxh3 Qf2+ 18.Kd3 Qf1+ 19.Ke4 Qxg2+ 20.Rf3 White resigned

There follows 20...Qg4+ 21.Rf4 Qxf4+ 22.Kd3 Qf3+ 23.Kc4 Qe4+ 24.Kc3 Qd4+ 25.Kb3 Kb4 checkmate

Climbing Sněžka

Chessfriend Vlasta Fejfar sent a recent Jerome Gambit that he played. I am not sure if it is a correspondence game, like the previous three we have examined - see "Correspondence Play (Part 1)", "Correspondence Play (Part 2)" and "Correspondence Play (Part 3)" - but it is a long and difficult affair, showing the persistence and energy that sometimes is required of the gambiteer when his inital attack is warded off. His (expected) half-point is well-earned.

I have added some game references to assist the next Jerome Gambiteer who embarks on the journey.

Fejfar, Vlastimil - Goc, Pavel
2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 

Ah, yes, the "annoying defense". Black gives back a piece and snuffs out much of White's attacking play. Well, Vlasta has faced this before!

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Ke7

Interesting. Fejfar,V - Pressl, corr Czech Republic, 2015 (1/2-1/2, 15) and Fejfar,V - Kyzlink, corr Czech Republic, 2015 (1-0, 22) continued 9...Kd6.

At 25 ply, Stockfish 6 shows the tiniest preference for 9...Ke7 over 9...Kd6, but likes 9...Kf7 best of all.

10.Qg3 Kf7 11.Qxe5

Also seen: 11.Rf1+ Nf6 12.Qxe5 Bb4 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qf3 Re8 15.c3 Bf8 16.d4 Kg7 17.Bg5 Be7 18.e5 Ng4 19.Bxe7 Rxe7 20.h3 Nh6 21.Qf6+ Kg8 22.Qf4 Nf7 23.Nd2 c5 24.Ne4 cxd4 25.cxd4 Bf5 26.Nc3 Qb6 27.0-0-0 Rc8 28.g4 Bd7 29.Rd2 Qe6 30.Kb1 b5 31.Ne4 Kg7 32.Re2 Bc6 33.Nc5 drawn, Philidor1792 - NN, friendly match without time control, 2012. 

11...Bd4 

A number of games where Philidor1792 faced 11...Qh4+ can be found in the "Philidor1792 vs The Annoying Defense (Part 2)" post.

For 11...Qd6 see Wall,B - Qi,H, Chess.com, 2011 (1-0, 14); for 11...b6 see Wall,B - Redom,T, Chess.com, 2010, (1/2-1/2, 59). 

12.Rf1+

An alternate is 12.Qh5+:  12...g6 13.Qf3+ Nf6 14.d3 Bg4 15.Qf4 Qd6 16.Qxd6 cxd6 17.Nd2 (17.c3 Bc5 18.Rf1 h6 19.d4 Bb6 20.h3 Be6 21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Bf5 23.g4 Rae8 24.Kd1 Rxe5 25.gxf5 Rxf5 26.Rxf5 gxf5 27.Kc2 Kg6 28.Nd2 Re8 29.Nf3 Re4 30.Bd2 a6 31.Rf1 Bc5 32.b4 Ba7 33.Kd3 b5 34.a4 bxa4 35.c4 Nh5 36.Ra1 Nf4+ 37.Bxf4 Rxf4 38.Nd2 Bf2 39.Rxa4 Be1 40.Rxa6+ Kg5 41.c5 Bxd2 42.b5 Bb4 43.c6 Rh4 44.c7 Rxh3+ 45.Kd4 Bc3+ 46.Kd5 Rd3+ 47.Ke6 Re3+ 48.Kf7 Bf6 49.Rxf6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Harshini,A, chess-db, 2015) 17...Rac8 18.c3 Bb6 19.Rf1 Rhe8 20.h3 Bd7 21.Nc4 Rxc4 22.dxc4 Rxe4+ 23.Kd1 Rxc4 24.Bg5 Bd8 25.g4 h5 26.Bxf6 Bxf6 27.g5 Bf5 28.gxf6 Bxh3 29.Rf2 Bf5 30.Rd2 Rc6 31.Ke2 Kxf6 32.Ke3 Ke7 33.Re1 Rc5 34.Kf4+ Be6 35.Rde2 Rf5+ 36.Kg3 Rf6 37.Kh4 Kf7 38.Re4 a5 39.b3 Ke7 40.c4 b6 41.Kg5 Kf7 42.R1e2 Rf5+ 43.Kh6 Rf6 44.R2e3 Ke7 45.a3 Kf7 46.a4 Ke7 47.Rd4 Kd7 48.Kg7 Ke7 49.Rh4 g5 50.Rxh5 Rf7+ 51.Kg6 g4 52.Rh4 Rf6+ 53.Kg5 Rf7 54.Rh6 Rf5+ 55.Kxg4 Rf6+ 56.Kg5 Rf5+ 57.Kh4 Rf4+ 58.Kg3 Rf6 59.Rxf6 Kxf6 60.Kf4 Bd7 61.Ke4 Bc6+ 62.Kd4 Kf7 63.Rh3 Kg6 64.Rh8 Kf7 65.Rb8 b5 66.axb5 Bf3 67.b6 Ke6 68.b7 Kd7 69.Rd8+ Kxd8 70.b8Q+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Alibak, chess-db, 2015. 

12...Nf6 13.Qh5+ Kg8 14.Qe2

Aha! A human being improves upon 14.Qg5 of Fritz 5.32 - Junior 7, The Jeroen Experience, 2003 (0-1, 32). Still, White has to be careful, with his King in the middle of the board, and with Black having much better piece development. 

14...Be6 15.c3 Be5 16.g3 c5 17.d3 Qd6

18.Bf4 Bg4 19.Qe3 Bh3 20.Rf3 Bg4 21.Rf1

White is willing to repeat the position and agree on a draw. 

21...Re8 22.Nd2 Bxf4 23.gxf4 b5

More worry for White. He holds on to the fact that Black's second Rook is still blocked out of play.

24.e5 Nd5 25.Qg3 Qg6 26.Ne4 c4 27.Kd2 Bf5 28.Nd6 Rd8 

29.dxc4

Bold. I would have chosen the more solid 29.d4, but then Black would probably play 29...b4!?

29...bxc4 30.Rae1 Qxg3 31.hxg3 Ne7 32.Ke3 Bd3 33.Rg1 Nf5+ 34.Nxf5 Bxf5

The piece exchanges have reduced the danger to White's King (who is well-placed to support the "Jerome pawns") but Black still believes he can make something out of his piece vs 2 pawns advantage.

35.Rd1 Kf7 36.Rd4 h5 37.Rgd1 Rc8 38.Rh1 g6 39.Rh2 Ke7

The game has taken on an oddly closed nature. That does not last long, however.

40.a4 Rc6 41.Rd5 Be6 42.Rb5 Rc7 43.Rd2 h4 44.gxh4 Rxh4 45.Rd4 Rh3+ 46.Kf2 Rd3 47.a5 Rxd4 48.cxd4 Bd7 49.Rb8 Ke6 50.Ke3 Kd5 

Black continues to push his small endgame advantage.

51.a6 c3 52.bxc3 Rxc3+ 53.Kf2 Bc8 54.Ra8 Rc7 55.Ke3 Rc3+ 56.Kf2 Kxd4 57.Rxa7 Ke4 58.Rg7 Kf5 

Black does not want to trade off his last pawn (i.e. 58...Bxa6 59.Rxg6) but I think he misjudges the resulting reduced endgame.

59.a7 Ra3 60.Rf7+ Kg4 61.Rf8 Bb7 62.e6 Rxa7 63.e7 Bc6 64.e8Q Bxe8 65.Rxe8 Kxf4

66.Rf8+ Kg4 67.Rc8 g5 68.Rc3 Kh4 69.Kg1 Ra2 70.Rb3 g4

At this point the game was turned over to a referee for ajudication.

I am pretty sure that anyone familiar with Philidor's position will see that the game is drawn. Failing that, consulting the online Nalimov tablebases will also show that the point should be split.

Excelsior!

Correspondence Play (Part 1)

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome developed and defended his gambit in both across-the-board and correspondence games in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He even arranged to play the Jerome Gambit against readers of the Literary Digest.

In modern times, however, the Jerome is most likely to show up in internet games, often blitz; although the occasional face-to-face contest still can be found.

Recently, I received an email from Vlastimil Fejfar, of the Czech Republic, who shared three of his Jerome Gambit correspondence games - a pleasant return to the days of AWJ.

Fejfar,V - Pressl
corr Czech Republic, 2015

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6

White faces what I have called "the annoying defense", where Black calmly gives back a piece and avoids any risky misadventures, remaining up a piece for a pawn.

The idea is at least as old as D'Aumiller, A.D. - A.P., Livorno, 1878 (1-0, 19). It is the choice of many computer programs in games in The Database, including Fritz, Hiarcs, Junior, Rybka, Shredder and Spike; so I have also referred to it as "the silicon defense".

Also, 7...d6 is the move recommended by many authorities, including IM Gary Lane in his The Greatest Ever Chess Tricks and Traps.

Vlasta proceeds calmly against it.

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Kd6 10.Qd3+ Ke7 11.Qg3 Ke6 12.Qb3+ Ke7 13.Qg3 Ke6 14.Qb3+ Ke7 15.Qg3 

Drawn

It is not clear who came out "ahead" in this encounter, Black, who was able to split the point, or White, who was able to play a "refuted" opening and not lose.

I am sympathetic. The second round of the Chess.com Italian Game Tournament has concluded for me, again (like in the first round) without being able to contest a single Jerome Gambit, which my opponents dodged. With White I scored two wins (one on time), four draws and no losses. Did more than half of my opponents "succeed" in "winning half a point" against me, or did they miss out on strolling to victory?



[This is blog post number 2,150, for those who might wonder. - Rick]

Always Dangerous

The Blackburne Defense to the Jerome Gambit leads to a tense and complicated game for both sides. As Joseph Henry Blackburne demonstrated early in the life of the Jerome, Black can generate a wild counter-attack by returning one sacrificed piece and offering a Rook as well. On the other hand, analysis since has shown that White can draw, and practical play shows he can often do better - in games in The Database White scores 68%.

Philidor 1792 - NN
2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qd5+ 

White decides to steer clear of the dangers of 8.Qxh8 and grab another pawn. He hopes to show his three extra pawns will outweigh his opponent's extra piece. Philidor1792 has had significant success with the pawns vs the piece in the Jerome Gambit.

8...Be6

Seen previously was 8...Kg7 in RevvedUp - Fritz 8, 2 12, 2006 (0-1, 19).

9.Qxb7

Or 9.Qd3 Nf6 10.O-O Qe7 11.b3 Ng4 12.Bb2 Ne5 13.Qf3+ Nxf3+ 14.gxf3 Bh3 15.Bxh8 Qg5+ 16.Kh1 Qg2 checkmate, hattta - VictoriaBot, FICS, 2012. 

9...Rb8

An anternate idea was 9...Rc8 seen in stampyshortlegs - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG Tourney4, ChessWorld, 2009 (1-0, 39). 

10.Qa6 Qh4 

At first glance it looks like Black is the one playing a gambit, with the subsequent lead in development of pieces. However, if White can consolidate his position behind his pawns, he can eventually put them on the march and look for balance.

As the game goes, Black uses his pieces to keep pressuring his opponent, and the point is his.

11.Qe2 Bg4 12.Qf1 Nf6 13.d3 d5 14.Nc3 Rhe8 15.h3 Bd7 16.g3 Qh5 17.f3 Bd4 18.Nd1 Kg7 19.Be3 Bxe3 20.Nxe3 dxe4 21.fxe4 Qa5+ 22. Kd1 Qc5 

So far White's pawn cover has held up, but his oppponent's pressure is relentless and his lead in development is crushing.

23.Qf2 Nxe4 24.dxe4 Rxe4 25.Re1 Rxb2 26.Re2 Bxh3 27.Ng2 Qd6+ 28.Kc1 Rbb4 29.Nf4 Bg4 30.Rxe4 Qd1 checkmate.

Do I Share Everything? No.

I have shared the good and the bad about the Jerome Gambit on this blog - winning games and losing games, helpful analysis and scary analysis.

But I haven't shared everything.

Here is an example from last year, drawn from the post "Jerome pawns -Clowning Around" where I was discussing preparations for my first-round game against djdave28 in the current Chess.com Italian Game tournament

After my discouraging loss with the Jerome Gambit in my previous Chess.comItalian Game tournament (perrypawnpusher - Buddy_Thompson), I knew that I had to cook up something new, or risk facing a future opponent who just "looked the refutation up" (and not even on this blog, mind you, but in my recent games on Chess.com).
I was happy that I did do the research, too, because in my third Jerome Gambit in my current tourney, my opponent went straight for the same line (leaving out the superfluous Queen check).

I won that encounter, and two rounds later I found myself facing the same opponent. Would he repeat the line - even though I had been victorious? Of course he would!

perrypawnpusher - djdave28
Italian Game tournament, Round 3
Chess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+

Here is a relevant computer game: 7.f4 Qf6 8.Qxe5+ Qxe5 9.fxe5 Kxe5 10.b4 Bd4 11.c3 Bb6 12.d3 d5 13.Rf1 dxe4 14.Bf4+ Ke6 15.dxe4 Nf6 16.Nd2 Bd7 17.a4 a5 18.b5 Rhf8 19.O-O-O Rac8 20.h4 Bc5 21.Nb3 Bb6 22.c4 Nh5 23.g3 Nxf4 24.Rxf4 Ke7 25.Rxf8 Rxf8 26.Rd3 c5 27.e5 Rf1+ 28.Kb2 Re1 29.Rd6 Bc7 30.Nxc5 Bc8 31.Rd5 Rxe5 32.h5 b6 33.Na6 Rxd5 34.Nxc7 Rxh5 35.Nd5+ Kd6 36.Nxb6 Be6 37.Kc3 Kc5 38.Na8 Rh3 39.Nc7 Rxg3+ 40.Kd2 Bxc4 41.Na6+ Kd6 42.Nb8 Ra3 43.Nc6 Rxa4 44.Nd4 Kc5 45.Nf3 Kd5 46.b6 Ra3 47.Nh4 Ke4 48.b7 Rb3 49.Ng2 Rxb7 50.Ne3 Bd3 51.Nd1 Kd4 52.Ke1 a4 53.Kf2 a3 54.Kg3 Be2 White resigned,  Matacz CCT7 - Imp 0.74b, CCT7, 2005.

7...Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qxe5+ Kxe5 11.b4 Bd4

Previously, my opponent had backed up his Bishop, before making this strike: 11... Bb6 12.Bb2+ Bd4 (12...Kxe4? 13.Bxg7 Black resigned, axykk - bromby, FICS, 2011) 13.c3 Bb6 14.d4+ Kxe4 15.O-O Nf6 16.Nd2+ Kd3 17.Nf3 d6 18.Rad1+ Kc4 19.Nd2+ Kb5 20.a4+ Kxa4 21.c4 Kxb4 22.Rf3 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - djdave28, Chess.com Italian Game Tournament, Round 1, 2014. 

12.c3 Bb6 13.d4+ Kxe4 14.O-O 

Here is another interesting computer game: 14.Nd2+ Kf5 15.O-O+ Ke6 16.a4 a5 17.b5 Nf6 18.Ba3 Re8 19.Rae1+ Kf7 20.Rxe8 Kxe8 21.Re1+ Kf7 22.Nc4 Nd5 23.Rf1+ Ke6 24.Re1+ Kf6 25.Rf1+ Kg5 26.Bc1+ Kh4 27.Rf5 Nxc3 28. Be3 Bxd4 29.Bxd4 Ne2+ 30.Kf2 Nxd4 31.Rf4+ Kg5 32.Rxd4 b6 33.Ne3 Ra7 34.Rc4 Kf6 35.Nd5+ Ke5 36.Nxb6 cxb6 37.Rxc8 d5 38.Rh8 h6 39.Rb8 Rf7+ 40.Ke3 Rf6 41.h3 h5 42.Rh8 Rh6 43.Re8+ Re6 44.Rc8 Kd6+ 45.Kd3 h4 46.Rc2 Re4 47.Rc6+ Ke5 48.Rxb6 Rxa4 49.Ra6 Ra2 50.b6 Rxg2 51.Rxa5 Rb2 52.Ra6 g5 53.Kc3 Rb5 54.Kc2 g4 55.hxg4 Kf4 56.Ra4+ Kg5 57.Rd4 h3 58.Rd2 Rxb6 59.Rxd5+ Kh4 60.Rd2 Rf6 61.g5 Kxg5 62.Rd5+Kg4 63.Rd1 h2 64.Kb3 Rf4 65.Ka2 Rf3 66.Rc1 Kh3 67.Rc8 Kg2 68.Rg8+ Rg3 69.Rh8 h1=Q 70.Rxh1 Kxh1 71.Kb2 Kg2 72.Kc2 Kf1 73.Kd2 Rh3 74.Kc1 Ke2 75.Kc2 Rd3 White resigned, Spike1.2 - Fritz 6.0, USA, 2006. 

14...Kd5 15.Rf8 

This move is the result of research into my previous game with my opponent. You won't find it in my notes to that match, however.

What does it do? Not very much. It has some stifling effect on Black's development, but it conjures up something a Bizarro Nimzovich might have commented upon: It's strong because it is so weak! It does so much by doing so little!

It actually emboldens Black's King to stay around the center of action, and return a piece for a couple of pawns.

15...a5 16.b5 Kc4 17.Na3+ Kxc3 18.Rf3+ Kxd4 
19.Bb2+ Kd5+ 20.Kf1 Bd4 21.Rd1 Nf6

Black has two extra pawns, but his King looks pretty shaky.

Does White have an attack, or is he reduced to pawn-grabbing?

22.Bxd4 Ke6 23. Bxf6 gxf6 24.Re1+ Kf7 25.Rc3

This definitely looks like prospecting for pawns, and perhaps Black should let White have his way with 25...Kg6 26.Rxc7 d5. The theme of "Black's light-squared Bishop staying at home, undeveloped and blocking his Rook" would slowly be addressed by the defender.

25...c6 26.Nc4 

Headed toward the "hole" at d6.

26...d5 27.Nd6+ Kg6 28.Rg3+

Suddenly the idea of invading the 7th rank suggests itself to White, along with taking advantage of the unfortunate Bishop at c8 and the pawn it defends at b7..

28....Kh5 29.b6 

Another "do nothing" move. There was no way that I was going to exchange this pawn off and open lines for Black's Bishop. If my opponent's connected and passed c- and d-pawns were going to be the death of me - then, so be it.

29...Rb8 30.Re7 Bg4 31.h3 Bc8 32.Rgg7 

Black resigned

It might seem a bit early for the second player to give up the ghost, but his position certainly is tied up.