I have added to The Database some more Jerome Gambit (and Jerome-ish) games played online at FICS from the first quarter of 2020. Making my way through some of them, I came upon a small mystery.
Here is the game. By the way, drumme is well-versed in the Jerome Gambit, having 589 games in The Database, scoring 55%.
drumme - talyprossoneri
4 0 blitz, FICS, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nx6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.d3 Black resigned
Black's resignation is puzzling. He has two extra pieces for four pawns - perhaps a practical challenge in a 4-minute game (for the record, in the 45 games in The Database with this position, Black won only 16, and drew 2) - an advantage that Komodo 10 assesses at about a pawn and a half.
Maybe the outside world intruded to call him away.
If the reason was chessic, I can make a guess. Suppose talyprossoneri was intending on playing the pawn capture and fork 9...Nxc2+, followed by 10.Kd1 Nxa1 - when he suddenly realized that his opponent would then have 11.Bg5+, as in paddjaa - vlas, blitz, FICS, 2011, which would lead to checkmate after 11...Nf6 12.Qxf6+ Ke8 13.Qg6+. Ouch.
analysis diagram
However, Black did not have to go after the poisoned Rook, as he had at least two other reasonable moves to consider.
The first was 9...Ne6, although, after 10.Bg5+ Nxg5 11.Qxg5+ Black still has to solve the problem of the f6 square and the d8-h4 diagonal. A 1-minute game, jollygeoff - brouchek 1 0 lightning, FICS, 2016, finished things off from that position with 11...Kf7? 12.Qxd8 and Black resigned a few moves later. The proper response was 11...Nf6, as after 12.e5 Kf7 13.exf6 Qxf6
analysis diagram
Black's two Bishops (one, the extra piece) are probably better than White's three extra pawns.
The second choice for Black is the somewhat stronger (according to Komodo 10) 9...Nf6, as long as the defender meets 10.e5 with 10...Ke6!? (Instead, 10...Ne8? was seen in KingAsh - NightEagle, 1 0 lightning, FICS, 2015 [1-0, 40, time forfeit], when the game should have continued with 11.Bg5+, again leading to checkmate). Best, then, for White would be 11.exf6 Qxf6, as opposed to 11.0-0, from GOH - gruzanin, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 42, time forfeit).
Analysis position
In club play, of course, in both cases, White might have some practical chances with his three passed, connected passed pawns against the enemy Bishop. Especially, as we have seen in some of the example games, time appeared to be on the attacker's side.
The difference between a very strong counter in the Jerome Gambit at move 6 and an ineffective defensive line (the same move one tempo later) shows the problem with delaying an active riposte.
Wall, Bill - Guest6766281
PlayChess.com, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb6
Black can decide which piece to save, the Bishop or the Knight. The text is a reasonable line.
Of course, Black's strongest response is to ignore both of the pieces and play 6...Qh4!?, what I have referred to as a pie-in-the-face variation.
7.dxe5 Qh4
A delayed pie-in-the-face? Tossing pies is very much a part of slapstick humor - and timing is always critical in comedy.
This line has been faced by Jerome Gambiteers chessmanjeff, frizerkaHR, GOH, HauntedKnight, jfhumphrey, ndrwgn, stretto, Wall and yorgos. As a group, they have not been impressed.
8.Qf3+ Ke7
A slightly better retreat is 8...Ke8, e.g. 9.Nc3 (9.O-O Ne7 10.Nc3 Rf8 11.Qe2 g5 12.Be3 Ng6 13.Nd5 Kd8 14.Qd2 h6 15.Bxb6 axb6 16.Nxc7 Kxc7 17.Qd6+ Kd8 18.Qxg6 Re8 19.Qxb6+ Ke7 20.Qf6 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest2616286, PlayChess.com, 2017) 9...Ne7 (9...Bxf2+ 10.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 11.Kxf2 Nh6 12.Nd5 Ng4+ 13.Kg3 Kd8 14.Bg5+ Nf6 15.exf6 h6 16.fxg7+ Ke8 17.gxh8=Q+ Kf7 18.Rhf1+ Kg6 19.Qxh6 checkmate, Wall,B - Shillam, lichess.org, 2016) 10.g3 Qh3 11.Be3 d6 12.Bxb6 cxb6 13.exd6 Ng6 14.Nd5 Qd7 15.Nc7+ Kd8 16.Nxa8 Qxd6 17.Rd1 Ne5 18.Rxd6+ Ke7 19.Qc3 Kxd6 20.Qd4+ Ke6 21.Nc7+ Kf7 22.Qxe5 Rd8 23.Nb5 Bg4 24.Qf4+ Kg8 25.Qxg4 a6 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.Nd6 Rb8 28.Nf7+ Kg8 29.Nh6+ Kh8 30.Qg8+ Rxg8 31.Nf7 checkmate, Wall,B - Itboss, lichess.org, 2016.
9.Nc3
Or 9.O-O Nh6 10.Nc3 Rf8 11.Nd5+ Kd8 12.Qxf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest2293428, PlayChess.com, 2017.
9...Nh6 10.Nd5+ Kd8
Once again, e8 is the better square for the King.
11.O-O
White also has the sneaky 11.h3!? threatening g2-g3, winning the Queen. Black could escape by returning a piece for two pawns, i.e. 11...Bxf2+ 12. Qxf2 Qxe4+ but White would be better.
For the record, 11.g3?! directly could be answered by 11...Qg4 and White does not gain much by exchanging Queens, while he would lose time if he movee his Queen to avoid the swap.
11...Bd4
Looking to grab the pawn at e5, but he is overlooking a few things. He could have maintained an even game with 11...c6 12.Nxb6 axb6.
12.g3 Qh3
Why was e8 the better square for Black's King to retreat to (as suggested in the note to move 10)?
Why was the Black Bishop's trip to d4 problematic (as mentioned in the note to move 11)?
Why couldn't Black retreat his Queen to g4 (as in the note to move 11), instead of h3?
13.Bg5+ Ke8 14.Nxc7 checkmate
The following game is a riot of a 3-minute battle, as White takes risks and even more risks, while Black relies on his experience in the line - up to a point. This time, fortune favors the bold - but only half-way.
By the way, shugart has 140 games in The Database, scoring 60%. Nice.
shugart - boggus
3 0 blitz, FICS, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. White has alternatives, but this move is a lot of fun.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.Qg4+
Tempting, as we have seen before (for example "Jerome Gambit: Missed by That Much") - especially in blitz games - but best, from experience and by analysis, is 6.c3.
6...Kxe5 7.f4+
In for a penny, in for a pound.
Boggus has grabbed the Knight before, for example: 7.c3 Nc2+ 8.Kd1 Nxa1 9.d4+ Kd6 10.Na3 h5 11.Nb5+ Kc6 12.d5+ Kxb5 13.Qe2+ Kb6 14.Be3+ c5 15.a4 Kc7 16.Qb5 d6 17.Bf4 Kb8 18.Qxc5 Qb6 19.Qc4 Qxb2 20.Ke1 Nc2+ 21.Kf1 Qb1+ 22.Ke2 Qxh1 23.Qb3 Qe1+ 24.Kf3 Bg4+ 25.Kg3 Qxe4 26.f3 Bxf3 27.gxf3 h4+ 28.Kh3 Qxf3+ 29.Bg3 hxg3 checkmate, Tigrann - boggus, FICS, 2008.
White could have tried 7.Qh5+ (e.g. 7...Kf6 8.d3 Ne7 9.Bg5+ Ke6 10.Bxe7 Nxc2+ 11.Kd1 Kxe7 12.Kxc2 d6) but he will eventually be done in by his generosity.
Better to remember the 6.c3 line for next time.
7...Kd6
The two likely reasons White likely sacrificed the Knight are these alternatives:
7...Kxe4 8.Nc3 checkmate; and
7...Kf6 8.Qh4+ Kf7 9.Qxd8.
Don't laugh. Such threats are the meat and potatoes of blitz chess.
8.e5+
White might as well keep attacking, as the more prudent 8.Na3 c6 9.c3 Nb5 10.Nxb5+ cxb5 doesn't get him out of his material deficit.
8...Ke7
Black played the stronger 8...Kc6 in two earlier games, but they were long ago: 9.Qd1 (9. c3 Nc2+ 10.Kd1 Nxa1 11.Qf3+ d5 12.b4 a6 13.a4 Be6 14.c4 Bxb4 15.Bb2 Qd7 16.Bxa1 Bg4 17.cxd5+ Qxd5 18.Qxg4 Ne7 19.Qxg7 Rhd8 20.Qf6+ Kc5 21.Qxe7+ Kc4 22.Qxc7+ Qc5 23.Qxc5+ Bxc5 24.Ke2 Bd4 25.Bxd4 Rxd4 26.d3+ Rxd3 27.Rc1+ Kd4 28.Rc7 Rd8 29.g4 Ke4 30.Rc4+ R3d4 31.Rxd4+ Rxd4 32.Nd2+ Kxf4 33.e6 Rd8 34.g5 Kxg5 35.Ne4+ Kf5 36.e7 Re8 37.Nd6+ Ke6 38.Nxe8 Kxe7 39.Ng7 Kf7 40.Nh5 Ke6 41.Ng3 b5 42.Nf1 b4 43.Kd2 a5 44.Kc2 Kd5 45.Kb3 Kd4 46.Nd2 Kd3 White forfeited on time, GROFVLAD - boggus, FICS, 2007) 9...d5 10.c3 Nf5 11.O-O b6 12.d4 Ba6 13.Rf2 Qh4 14.Nd2 Nge7 15.Nf3 Qh5 16.e6 Kb7 17.Ne5 Nc6 18.b4 Qxd1+ White resigned, GOH - boggus, FICS, 2009.
Still, if he keeps his wits about him, all will be well for Black.
9.f5 Nxc2+
Often in the BSJG the Rook on a1 is poisoned, but not in this case. You have to wonder though - was Black a little bit suspicious as to why White let it go? Did it nag at him: Maybe White is up to something...?
10.Kd1 Nxa1
True, 10...d5 is probably best, but Black is still better after the game move.
11.d4
Hopeful. If you don't have hope, you can't play Jerome lines.
11...h6
We know why Black played this.
It would be very impressive if it was because he remembered the following game: 11...d5 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.exf6+ gxf6 14.Re1+ Kd6 15.Bf4+ Kc6 16.Re3 Bd6 17.Rc3+ Kd7 18.Bxd6 cxd6 19.Nd2 Qg8 20.Qh3 Qg5 21.Nf3 Qf4 22.Qh5 Qe4 23.Qf7+ Qe7 24.Rc7+ Kxc7 25.Qxe7+ Kb6 26.Qxd6+ Kb5 27.Qxd5+ Kb6 28.Qc5+ Ka6 29.b4 b6 30.b5+ Kb7 31.Qc6+ Kb8 32.d5 Bxf5 33.d6 Rc8 34.Qd5 Rc5 35.Qg8+ Kb7 36.Qxh7+ Kc8 37.Qg8+ Kb7 38.Qf7+ Kc8 39.Qe8+ Kb7 40.Qe7+ Kb8 41.Nd4 Bc2+ 42.Ke1 Bf5 43.Nc6+ Kc8 44.Qd8+ Kb7 45.Qc7 checkmate, GOH - boggus, FICS, 2004.
Black wants the Black Bishop to stay away from g5, but White now grabs the half-point on the table.
12.Qh4+ Ke8
The alternative, 12...g5, is met by 13.Bxg5+ hxg5 14.Qxg5+ Ke8 15.Qg6+ Ke7 16.Qg5+ etc.
13.Qh5+ Ke7 14.Qh4+ Ke8 15.Qh5+ Ke7 16.Qh4+ drawn by repetition
In the following game, Black defends well against the initial gambit, and then a further couple of sacrifices. Things are not easy for him, but he is well on his way to a full point when he makes a small slip...
LeAlv96 - HydraxDev
3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.Qg4+ Kxe5 7.f4+ Kd6
White's extra offer of a piece, 6.Qg4+, offers additional risk to both players. Black can take the Knight and live, but he must be careful. So far he is defending well in an uncomfortable position.
8.e5+ Ke7 9.f5 Nxc2+
Not as effective is 9...Nc6, which appeared in the up-and-down game JordanKwiatek - FrankBono, FICS, 2007: 10.d4 h6 11.O-O d6 12.Nc3 dxe5 13.Qh4+ Ke8 14.Bg5 Qxg5 15.Qxg5 hxg5 16.dxe5 Bc5+ White resigned.
10.Kd1 Nxa1 11.d4
White would improve with 11.Qh4+!? Nf6 12.exf6+ gxf6 13.Re1+ Kd6 although the position would still be better for Black.
11...Ke8
Black also struggled after 11...d5, i.e. 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.exf6+ gxf6 14.Re1+ Kd6 15.Bf4+ Kc6 16.Re3 Bd6 17.Rc3+ Kd7 18.Bxd6 cxd6 19.Nd2 Qg8 20.Qh3 Qg5 21.Nf3 Qf4 22.Qh5 Qe4 23.Qf7+ Qe7 24.Rc7+ Kxc7 25.Qxe7+ Kb6 26.Qxd6+ Kb5 27.Qxd5+ Kb6 28.Qc5+ Ka6 29.b4 b6 30.b5+ Kb7 31.Qc6+ Kb8 32.d5 Bxf5 33.d6 Rc8 34.Qd5 Rc5 35.Qg8+ Kb7 36.Qxh7+ Kc8 37.Qg8+ Kb7 38.Qf7+ Kc8 39.Qe8+ Kb7 40.Qe7+ Kb8 41.Nd4 Bc2+ 42.Ke1 Bf5 43.Nc6+ Kc8 44.Qd8+ Kb7 45.Qc7 checkmate, GOH - boggus, FICS, 2004.
Black's best defense is 11...Kf7. The difference between the two retreat squares (i.e. at f7 the Black King can protect a pawn at g6) quickly becomes apparent.
12.Qh5+g6 13.fxg6 hxg6
14.Qxg6+ Ke7 15.Bg5+ Nf6 16.Qxf6+ Ke8 17.Qg6 checkmate
Sometimes it is a good idea to be familiar with a line that leads to checkmate. You never know when it might show up on the board.
doubleabood - forland
blitz. FICS, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3 Qg5
Black continues as if nothing has happened (6...Kxe5 is best), playing the thematic move of the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. As I've pointed out previously, with more and more insistance, (see "Reeling Sequel", "Finishing It Off Smartly", "Still A Bad Idea" and "Calling Black's Bluff"), White should take heart and proceed with his game - Black is headed toward his own checkmate.
Admittedly, not every player of the White pieces has been aware of his or her good fortune. Of the 50 games with this position in The Database, for example, White scored only 59%.
7.cxd4 Qxg2
Black strikes! Well, sort of. With 35 games in The Database, White scored 61%.
8.Qb3+
The key! Checkmate is forced.
White won in 7 of 9 games with this position in The Database (78%) but his two losses were time forfeits in winning positions.
That's better.
8...Kf6
Or
8...Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Qd5+ [10.Nc4+ Kc6 11.Qd5 checkmate, jfhumphrey - jordibc, FICS, 2011] 10...Ke7 11.Qf7+ Kd6 12.Nc4+ Black resigned, ScottWeatherill- Hanjh, FICS, 2013;
8...d5 9.exd5+ [9.Qxd5+ Kf6 10.Qf7+ Kg5 11.h4+ Kh6 12.d3+ g5 13.hxg5#] Ke7 10.Qf3 Qxf3 11.Nxf3 Nf6 12.Nc3 Bg4 13.Ne5 Re8 14.f3 Bh5 15.Kf2 Kd6 16.d3 Nxd5 17.Nb5+ Ke7 18.Bg5+ Nf6 19.Rhe1 c6 20.Nxc6+ Kf7 21.Rxe8 Nxe8 22.Ncxa7 Bb4 23.a3 Ba5 24.b4 Bb6 25.Rc1 Bxa7 26.Nxa7 Nd6 27.Rc7+ Kg6 28.Bf4 Nf5 29.Rxb7 Rf8 30.Rb6+ Kf7 31.d5 Nd4 32.d6 Kg8 33.d7 Bxf3 34.Rb8 Ne6 35.Rxf8+ Kxf8 36.Kxf3 Ke7 37.Bg3 Kxd7 White forfeited on time, ReallyBadPlayer - skipi, FICS, 2006;
8...Kd6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Nc4+ Kc6 12.Qd5 checkmate, XprezzChezz - borodin, FICS, 2009.
9.Qf7+ Kg5 10.d3+ Kh4 11.Nf3+
Or 11.Qf4+ Kh3 12.Qg3+ Qxg3 13.hxg3+ Kg2 14.Rf1 Bb4+ 15.Ke2 d6 16.Nf7 Be6 17.Ng5 Bd7 18.Nc3 Nf6 19.Bd2 h6 20.Rh1 Bg4+ 21.Ke3 Nd5+ 22.exd5 Rae8+ 23.Kf4 Rhf8+ 24.Kxg4 h5+ 25.Kxh5 Kxf2 White forfeited on time, MATCHAPULANE - gregchess, FICS, 2012.
11...Kh3
Or 11...Kg4 12.Qf5 checkmate, DVYate - transalcolico, standard, FICS, 2013 and Oak - sealse, blitz, FICS, 2013.
12.Qh5 checkmate.
This is also how GOH - boggus, blitz, FICS, 2011 ended
The "Jerome pawns" - the one White obtains in exchange for his piece(s) - can be a powerful attacking or positional force. However, if White does not take care of his pawns, they can also become targets and the cause of his downfall, as in the following game.
ulla - abebe
milenrousoulski's mini-tournament,
GameKnot.com, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf6
Four years ago, in "BSG: Later on in the Discussion", I suggested that now, after 6.Nf3, the game would be equal. Shortly afterwards, I faced 5...Kf6 played by RVLY, a specialist in the line (see "Whose Territory Are We Fighting On?"), but after 6.c3 Kxe5 we transposed into more regular 5...Ke6 lines. GOH, a member of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde playing at FICS, has faced 6.c3 Ne6 and 6.c3 d6. To date, The Database does not include a game with my suggestion 6.c3 Nc2+!?
6.Ng4+
There are 66 games with this line in The Database, played by the likes of Jerome Gambiteers GOH, HauntedKnight, MyGameUMove, stretto, Wall and yorgos.
6...Ke7 7.c3 Ne6
Or 7...Nc6 8.d4 d6 9.d5 Bxg4 10.Qxg4 Qd7 11.Qxd7+ Kxd7 12.dxc6+ Kxc6 13.0-0 Nf6 14.f3 h6 15.Be3 Be7 16.Nd2 b5 17.Nb3 a6 18.Nd4+ Kb7 19.Nf5 Bf8 20.Bd4 Re8 21.Rfd1 Re6 22.a4 g6 23.axb5 gxf5 24.bxa6+ Ka8 25.exf5 Re5 26.Bxe5 dxe5 27.Rd8+ Ka7 28.Ra5 Bc5+ 29.Rxc5 Rxd8 30.Rxc7+ Kb8 31.Rc6 Nd5 32.Rxh6 Nf4 33.g3 Rd1+ 34.Kf2 Nd3+ 35.Ke2 Nxb2 36.Rb6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - GYHZ, FICS, 2010.
8.d4 h5
Or 8...Nf6 9.d5 Nc5 10.0-0 Ke8 11.Bg5 Be7 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.b4 Na6 15.e5 Qg6 16.Qd4 b6 17.f4 Bb7 18.f5 Qg5 19.Nd2 c5 20.dxc6 Bxc6 21.Ne4 Qg4 22.Nd6+ Kd8 23.Qxg4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Darksquare, 15 0 game, Chess.com, 2010.
9.Ne5 Qe8 10.d5
Unsettling the pawn front and ignoring the pawns left behind (e.g. at g2). White should have tried 10.0-0 followed by adding another pawn to the center with f2-f4.
10...Nc5 11.Bg5+ Nf6 12.Qd4 d6 13.Nc4
White might have done better to try 13.Nd2 dxe5 14.Qxc5+ Kd8 15.Qe3, although Black would still have the advantage.
13...Qg6
Striking back at the pawns.
14.Bxf6+ gxf6 15.g3 Qxe4+ 16.Qxe4+ Nxe4 17.0-0
The g-pawn is safe, but Black will now unravel his position and make use of his extra material. White does not complicate enough to distract him.
17...Kf7 18.Re1 Ng5 19.Nbd2 Bg4 20.Re3 Bh6 21.f4 Nh3+ 22.Kg2 Rhe8 White resigned
There is still play in the game, even after the Rooks are exchanged, but with only a pawn for Black's piece, it would be all uphill for White.
In yesterday's post I mentioned a couple of Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games played online by ionman at FICS in 2005 and suggested that I check out more of his games.
That led me to The Database, which has FICS games going back to 1999. I found ionman's games, but I also found a number of players doing more than single-game-experimenting with the Jerome, some of whom were familiar (e.g. GOH, JKELSEY ), but some of whom were new to me (when a database has 26,500+ games, it is possible to overlook someone).
I plan to see which players are still active at FICS, and contact them for more information about their Jerome Gambit adventures.
When you play blitz chess, "things happen." You make moves that you would prefer to un-make. You play games that you would prefer to un-play. When the Jerome Gambit or its relatives are involved, that usually only makes it worse.
chessup - FerDensetsu
standard, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 8.Qe5+ Qe7
This is the 17th game in The Database with this remarkable error that combines automatic, stereotypical piece placement with moving a bit too quickly (and realizing it a bit too late). I notice that Jerome Gambit regulars such as GOH, Darrenshome, stretto, yorgos and MyGameUMove have all faced it.
Interestingly, White has won 15 games, drawn one and lost one.
9.Nxe7 Black resigned
In the following game, when jfhumphrey applies the "Jerome cure" to the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, the two players head into a sharp variation where jordibc's thematic BSG Queen sally looks scary, but proves to be his undoing.
jfhumphrey - jordibc
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3 Qg5
The main line of this variation is the Knight "exchange" 6...Kxe5 7.cxd4+. Instead, Black brings out an idea that is often very dangerous in the Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
As we will see, though, White is quite ready.
7.cxd4 Qxg2 8.Qb3+
The much less effective 8.Qg4+ was seen in perrypawnpusher-TheProducer, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 66).
8...Ke7
Black is simply being mated. Alternatives:
8...Kf6 9.Qf7+ Kg5 10.d3+ Kh4 11.Nf3+ Kh3 12.Qh5 checkmate, GOH - boggus, FICS, 2011;
8...Kd6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Nc4+ Kc6 12.Qd5 checkmate, XprezzChezz - borodin, FICS, 2009;
8...d5 when 9.Qxd5+ Kf6 10.Qf7+ Kg5 11.h4+ Kh6 12.d3+ Qg5 13.hxg5 would have been checkmate; instead, White played 9.exd5+, achieved an advantage, but lost on time in 37 moves in ReallyBadPlayer - skipi, FICS, 2006.
9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc6 11.Qd5 checkmate
With about 225 games in The Database, GOH (at FICS) is no slacker when it comes to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and its related openings. He did not quite make the list in yesterday's "Still King of the Hill", so I thought I'd point out his latest theoretical battle.
GOH - VasyaP
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
GOH is a specialist in this line: The Database has over 200 of his games with this move, going back to 2000.
All of the games mentioned in this post can be found in The Database.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf6
Usually the Black King goes to e6 or e8. See "BSG: Later on in the Discussion".
6.c3
This aims to move the game back into familiar territory, as 6...Kxe5 now would transpose into 5...Ke6 6.c3 Kxe5. See "Whose Territory Are We Fighting On?"
6...Ne6
An untried alternative is 6...Nc2+!?
GOH was successful against 6...d6 in GOH - dauerschach, FICS, 2003 (1-0, 20).
The indicated 6...Kxe5 led to a complex position that is roughly even, and which appeared in 32 of GOH's games. He scored 48%.
7.d4
Previously GOH had played 7.Qf3+ successfully in GOH - VictorOK, FICS, 2006 (1-0, 17).
The text move is deceptively simple, protecting White's Knight on e5. It had been played successfully previously in GOH - VictorOK, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 36).
7...d6
And that is that, as they say...
Instead, Black needed to move his King or Queen.
8.Qf3+ Nf4 9.Qxf4+ Bf5 10.Qxf5+ Ke7 11.Qf7 checkmate
Way to GOH!
graphic by the Wizard of Draws
