Provoked

Welton Vaz de Souza is a nice guy.

Sure, from time-to-time he crushes opponents with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), but he's a nice guy.

Suggestion: don't provoke him in a game of chess.


Ghandybh - BoogieKnights
Chess.com, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. There are a number of good responses. I'm partial to 4.Bxf7+, but 4.c3, 4.Nxd4 and 4.0-0 are good, too.

4.0-0

See? That's almost a friendly response.

4...b5

No, no, no, no, no, no...

5.Bxf7+

The expected response from a member of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+

The Jerome Way.

It turns out that 5.Bxf7+ is so strong (or 4...b5 so ill-advised) that White could simply grab back a piece here with the alternative 6.Nxd4. If Black responds 6...exd4 then White has 7.Qh5+ and a few checks later the Rook on a8 will be captured.

After 6.Nxd4 Nf6, White retreats his Knight with 7.Nf3 and is better.

6...Ke8

In this small world, it turns out that about 20 years ago Bill Wall  tried the alternative 6...Ke7, finishing quickly: 7.c3 d6 8.Qh5 dxe5 9.Qxe5+ Ne6 10.d4 Qd6 11.Qxd6+ cxd6 12.f4 Bb7 White resigned, Rub - Wall, Palo Alto 1989.

Also possible is 6...Ke6, similar to the lines covered in "Crime and Punisher" and "Gorilla Chess".

7.Qh5+ g6 8.Nxg6 Qf6

This move simplifies a complicate position – and not in Black's favor. Far better was to give up the Rook, and go looking to capture one himself: 8...hxg6 9.Qxh8 Nf6 10.d3 Nxc2. 

analysis diagram





The downside of this (as compared to 10...Ne2+ 11.Kh1 Nxc1 12.Rxc1 Kf7, which may be better) is that Black loses both of his Knights: 11.Bg5 Kf7 12.e5 Be7 13.Qxd8 Bxd8 14.Nd2 Nxa1 15.Rxa1 d6 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.exf6 Kxf6 when White is a pawn up – although Black's Bishop and better-developed King may give some compensation.

analysis diagram







9.Nxh8+ Kd8

10.Nf7+ Ke7 11.Ne5 Nxc2

12.d4 Nxa1

The Knight has finally captured the a1 Rook, at the expense of the game.

13.Bg5

13...d6 14.Bxf6+ Nxf6 15.Qf7+ Kd8 16.Nc6 checkmate

Moment of Truth

Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Gemeinde member Welton Vaz ("Ghandybh") sends a victory over a defense that everyone who plays the Jerome Gambit will eventually see. (My database has 33 wins for White, 11 wins for Black and 6 draws.)


Ghandybh - brownplant
Chess.com, 2009

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

The moment of truth: will we see Blackburne's defense, Whistler's defense, or what?

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+

For comments on this return of material, see "Jerome Gambit Strikes in Denmark" and "A Side Line to Watch". It simplifies the game and protects Black's King, in exchange for giving White the advantage.

8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6

White is a pawn up. He can get his pieces out and then go to work.

10.Nc3 Re8 11.d3 c6

12.Ke2

Adding excitement to the game. A quieter alternative was to castle-by-hand with 12.Rf1 and 13.Kg1.

12...d5 13.Rf1 Bg4+ 14.Kd2 dxe4

Black seems to be getting counter-play by opening up the position around White's King, but the first player still has the game under control.

15.Nxe4 Re6

The pin along the f-file is deadly.

16.Ng5+ Ke7 17.Nxe6 Bxe6

White is now a pawn and the exchange up.

18.b3 Rd8 19.Ba3+ Kf7 20.Bb2 Black resigned

White will be a Rook up after 20...Bf5 21.Bxf6 Kxf6 22.g4, etc. A very workman-like game.

Jerome Gambit on YouTube!?

I recently ran across a YouTube video (above). It turns out that the game is Ghandybh  - ishahir, Chess.com, 2009: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nc6 9.e5+ Ke7 10.Qg5+ Ke6 11.Qxg7 Nge7 12.Qf6+ Kd5 13.Nc3+ Kc4 14.Qf7+ d5 15.exd6+ Kd4 16.Nb5+ Ke4 17.d3 checkmate.

Very, very cool.

Another Miniature from Brazil

I was pleased to grab another Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game from Welton Vaz's "Chess, Science Fiction and Peace" blog. See also: "Xadrez, Ficção Cientifíca e Paz" and "Teach / Learn"

Ghandybh  - DVBLTTN 

Online Chess, 2009

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

The adventure begins!

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

7.Qf5+

An earlier game of Welton's went 7.f4 g6 8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxh8 Qh4+ 10.g3 Qh6 11.Qc3 b6 12.d4 Be7 13.Qc4+ Kf8 14.0-0 c5 15.f5 Qe3+ 16.Bxe3 Black resigned, Ghandybh - duboak, Chess.com 2009

7...Kd6 8.f4 g6

Not a common move, and not a good one, either. Refutations look like 8...Qh4+ or 8...Qf6, not just kicking the White Queen in the shins.

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.Qxh8

Yes!

In a previous game I went chasing after butterflies, and caught nothing but a half point: 10.Qd5+ Kb6 11.Nc3 c6 12.Na4+ Kc7 13.Qe5+ Bd6 14.Qxh8 Qh4+ 15.g3 Qg4 16.Qxg8 Qf3 17.Rf1 Qxe4+ 18.Kd1 b5 19.Nc3 Qd4 20.Qxh7 Bb4 21.Qxg6 d6 22.Qd3 Bg4+ 23.Ne2 Qxd3 24.cxd3 Re8 25.Re1 c5 26.a3 Ba5 27.b4 cxb4 28.axb4 Bb6 29.Bb2 Bf2 30.d4 Bxe1 31.Kxe1 Rxe2+ 32.Kf1 Rxd2 33.Bc3 Rxh2 34.Rxa7+ Kb6 35.Rf7 Bh3+ 36.Kg1 Rg2+ 37.Kh1 Rxg3 38.Rf6 Rxc3 39.Rxd6+ Kc7 40.Rd5 Kc6 41.Rh5 Bg4 42.Rg5 Bf3+ 43.Kh2 Bd5 44.f5 Rc4 45.Rg6+ Kc7 46.Rg7+ Kd6 47.Rg6+ Kd7 48.Rg7+ Kd6 49.Rg6+ Ke7 50.Rb6 Rxb4 51.Kg3 Rxd4 52.Rxb5 Kf6 53.Kf2 Kxf5 54.Ke3 Re4+ 55.Kd3 Re5 56.Kd4 Re4+ 57.Kxd5 Re5+ 58.Kc4 Rxb5 59.Kxb5 draw, perrypawnpusher - spontex, FICS, 2009

10...Qh4+ 11.g3 Qh3

White's move is more aggressive than duobak's Qh6 (above), because he plans to infiltrate the Kingside with his Queen. The problem is that Black's Kingside will fall apart faster.

12.Qxg8 Qg2 13.Qd5+ Kb6 14.Rf1

If Black's unsafe King isn't his undoing, being a Rook down will eventually finish him off.

14...Qxh2 15.Qb3+ Kc6 16.Na3 d5 17.Qb5+ Black resigned, as he is going to lose another piece (17...Kd6 18.e5+ followed by 19.Qxc5).

Teach / Learn

Welton Vaz ("Ghandybh" at Chess.com) shares a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game (for an earlier one, see "Xadrez, Ficção Cientifíca e Paz" or visit his "Chess, Science Fiction and Peace" blog).

Looking at the end of the game – a nice mate-in-7 – you can understand why people play the Jerome.

Ghandybh  - ishahir
Chess.com, 2009

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

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

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nc6

Alarms should be going off inside the head of every Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member. If Black varies from one of the main line this early, there has to be a nasty surprise waiting for him. (For one such example, see "Lost".)

9.e5+

Welton is thinking "King!" A more routine (if safer) response would be picking up a piece with 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+.

9...Ke7

Black has the option of giving a piece back willingly: 9...Nxe5 10.Qxe5+ Kc6 11.d4 Qe7 12.d5+ Kb6 13.Nc3 Qxe5+ 14.fxe5 d6 15.Na4+ Kb5 16.b3 Bd4 17.c4+ Ka5 18.Bd2+ Ka6 19.b4 b6 20.Rb1 Bxe5 21.c5 dxc5 22.bxc5 Bf5 23.Rc1 Bd4 24.cxb6 axb6 25.Rf1 Re8+ 26.Kd1 Bg4+ 27.Kc2 Nf6 28.h3 Bh5 29.g4 Bg6+ 30.Kb3 Nxd5 31.Bc3 Nxc3 32.Nxc3 Bxc3 33.Rxc3 c5 34.Kb2 Rhf8 35.Ra3+ Kb7 36.Rd1 Rd8 37.Re1 Rf2+ 38.Kc1 Rd7 39.Rae3 Rff7 40.h4 h6 41.g5 hxg5 42.hxg5 Kc7 43.a4 Rd3 44.Re7+ Rxe7 45.Rxe7+ Kb8 46.Rxg7 Be4 47.g6 Rd6 48.Rg8+ Kc7 49.g7 Rg6 50.Re8 Rxg7 51.Rxe4 Rg1+ 52.Kd2 Rg2+ 53.Kc3 Ra2 54.Kc4 Kc6 55.Re6+ Kb7 56.Kb5 Rb2+ 57.Kc4 Rb4+ 58.Kc3 Rxa4 59.Re7+ Ka6 60.Re8 Black forfeited on time. Superpippo - MattMeister, FICS, 2002. This is one of the games whose end position was given in "Superpippo and the Third Player".

10.Qg5+ Ke6

It is fun to speculate – did Black play this move because he thought it was best (it's not; 10...Kf8 is better) or was he thinking of letting White off the hook by allowing him a draw through repetition, i.e. 11.Qg4+ Ke7 12.Qg5+ Ke6, etc.?

11.Qxg7

Of course, Welton is not thinking "Draw?!"

11...Nge7

There's a lesson to be learned here: don't be greedy. Giving back a piece – Black has two extra – with 11...Nf6 maintained the second player's advantage.

The game is over now.

12.Qf6+ Kd5 13.Nc3+ Kc4 14.Qf7+ d5 15.exd6+ Kd4 16.Nb5+ Ke4 17.d3 checkmate

Against the Semi-Italian

I've been having second thoughts about the accuracy of my strategy against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) cousin: Jerome-ized play against the Semi-Italian Opening, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 (my choice) Bc5 5.Bxf7+.

Recently, I've collected 138 games which suggest the brute-force method of "no waiting": 4.Bxf7+, anyhow. At first glance, however, that seems a bit blunt to me, even if it's perfectly playable in lightning chess.

So I was happy to receive the following game, from Welton Vaz, (see "Xadrez, Ficção Cientifíca e Paz").


Ghandy - devgru
blitz FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6


4.c3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+

Just like with the Jerome Gambit proper, there has developed a "modern" treatment of the Jerome-ized Semi-Italian opening, one which does not include 6.Nxe5+. Several games in the current Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament at Chessworld have developed that theme:

6.d3 Nf6 ( 6...d6 7.0-0 Bg4 8.a4 Nf6 9.b4 Bxb4 10.cxb4 a6 11.Bd2 b5 12.a5 Bh5 13.Bc3 Rf8 14.Nbd2 Ne7 15.Qb3+ Kg6 16.d4 exd4 17.Bxd4 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Kh7 19.Qh3 Ng6 20.g3 c5 21.bxc5 dxc5 22.Be3 c4 23.Qg2 Qe7 24.f3 Rad8 25.Qf2 Ng4 26.Qe1 h5 27.fxg4 hxg4 28.Rxf8 Rxf8 29.Bd4 Rd8 30.Qe3 b4 31.Nxc4 Qe6 32.Nb6 b3 33.Rb1 Ne7 34.Rxb3 Nc6 35.Bb2 Rd1+ 36.Kg2 Qf7 37.Qf4 Qxb3 38.Qf5+ g6 39.Qf2 Nxa5 40.Nd5 Qd3 41.Qf7+ Kh6 42.Qg7+ Kh5 43.Nf4+ Kg5 44.Bf6 checkmate, Piratepaul - calchess10, JGTourney4, ChessWorld, 2009) 7.0-0 d6 (7...Rf8 8.Kh1 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.b4 Bd6 11.g3 b6 12.Nh4 Kg8 13.Nd2 Nxc3 14.Qb3+ Rf7 15.Qxc3 Nd4 16.Ne4 Bb7 17.Be3 c5 18.bxc5 bxc5 19.Rab1 Bxe4+ 20.dxe4 g5 21.Nf5 Nxf5 22.exf5 Rxf5 23.Rb7 Bc7 24.Qxc5 Qd3 25.Kg1 Qd6 26.Qxc7 Qxc7 27.Rxc7 a5 28.a3 Rf7 29.Rc5 e4 30.Re5 Rd7 31.Rxe4 Rad8 32.Bb6 Ra8 33.Ra4 Ra6 34.Be3 Kf7 35.Rb1 Rd5 36.Kg2 Ke6 37.Rb7 h5 38.Re4+ Kf6 39.Rb6+ Rxb6 40.Bxb6 Rb5 41.Bd8+ Kf5 42.Ra4 g4 43.Bxa5 Kg5 44.Bb4 h4 45.Be7+ Black resigned, Piratepaul - Black Puma, JGTourney4, ChessWorld, 2009) 8.a4 a6 9.b4 Ba7 10.Qb3+ Be6 11.c4 Nd4 12.Qd1 Rf8 13.Nc3 Kg8 14.Kh1 Bg4 15.Be3 Bxf3 16.gxf3 Nh5 17.Rg1 Nxf3 18.Rg2 Qh4 19.Ne2 Rf7 20.Bxa7 Rxa7 21.b5 Ra8 22.a5 Raf8 23.Qb3 Nd2 24.Qc2 Rxf2 25.Qxd2 Rxg2 26.Rg1 Rxh2 checkmate, Piratepaul - blackburne, JGTourney4, ChessWorld, 2009;

6.d4 Bd6 ( 6...exd4 7.cxd4 Bb4+ ( 7...Bb6 8.Ne5+ Nxe5 9.dxe5 Qe7 10.Qf3+ Ke8 11.0-0 Qxe5 12.Bf4 Qxb2 13.Nc3 Kd8 14.Nb5 Qxb5 15.Rab1 Qa5 16.Rbc1 d6 17.g3 Bh3 18.Rfd1 Kd7 19.e5 h5 20.Qxb7 Nh6 21.Rd5 Qxa2 22.Be3 Bxe3 23.Qxc7+ Ke8 24.Qc6+ Kf7 25.Qc2 Rac8 26.e6+ Ke7 27.Qb1 Qxf2+ 28.Kh1 Qg2 checkmate, yorkypuddn - braken, Chessworld, 2008) 8.Nfd2 Nxd4 9.0-0 d6 10.a3 Ba5 11.b4 Bb6 12.Nc4 Nc6 13.Nc3 Bd4 14.Qf3+ Qf6 15.Qxf6+ Nxf6 16.Kh1 Bxc3 17.Ra2 Be5 18.f4 Bd4 19.b5 Ne7 20.Bb2 Bxb2 21.Rxb2 Nxe4 22.Rb4 Nc5 23.f5 Nd5 24.Rb2 Rf8 25.g4 Nf6 26.h4 Nxg4 27.Rg1 h5 28.Rbg2 Bxf5 29.Nd2 g6 30.Re2 Kg7 31.Kg2 Bd3 32.Re7+ Rf7 33.Rge1 Bxb5 34.Nf3 Bc6 35.Rxf7+ Kxf7 36.Kg3 Bxf3 37.Rf1 Ne5 38.Rxf3+ Nxf3 39.Kxf3 Re8 40.Kf4 Kf6 41.Kg3 Kf5 42.Kf3 Re4 43.Kf2 Kf4 44.a4 Rxa4 White resigned, TWODOGS - Piratepaul, JG2 Chessworld, 2008) 7.d5 ( 7.dxe5 Be7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.b4 a6 10.e6 dxe6 11.Qh5+ Kf8 12.c4 Bxb4+ 13.Bd2 Bxd2+ 14.Nbxd2 Qf6 15.0-0 Nge7 16.Qc5 Kg8 17.e5 Qf5 18.Nd4 Qxe5 19.Qxe5 Nxe5 20.f4 Nf7 21.Rae1 g6 22.Nxe6 Bxe6 23.Rxe6 Kf8 24.Rfe1 Re8 25.Ne4 Nc6 26.Rxg6 h5 27.Kf2 Rh6 28.Rg3 h4 29.Rg4 Nd6 30.Nxd6 Rxe1 31.Kxe1 cxd6 32.h3 Kf7 33.Ke2 Kf6 34.Rg5 Na7 35.Kf3 b5 36.cxb5 Nxb5 37.Kg4 Rh7 38.a4 Nc7 39.f5 Rg7 40.Rxg7 Kxg7 41.Kxh4 Kf6 42.g4 Ke5 43.Kg3 Nd5 44.h4 Nf6 45.h5 Nxh5+ 46.gxh5 Kxf5 47.Kh4 a5 48.h6 Kg6 49.Kg4 Black resigned, pawn_starr - astandenuk, Gameknot, 2006) 7...Nce7 8.c4 Ng6 9.a3 Nf6 10.Nbd2 Nf4 11.0-0 Qe7 12.Nb3 Nxe4 13.Bxf4 exf4 14.Re1 Re8 15.Nbd2 Qf6 16.Nxe4 Qg6 17.Nh4 Qh7 18.Nf6 gxf6 19.Qh5+ Kg8 20.Rxe8+ Bf8 21.Ng6 Kg7 22.Nxf8 Qd3 23.Re7+ Black resigned, TWODOGS - eddie43, JG2 Chessworld, 2008;

6.a4 Nf6 7.d3 Ng4 8.0-0 d6 9.h3 Nf6 10.b4 Nxb4 11.cxb4 Bd4 12.Nxd4 exd4 13.f4 Re8 14.f5 Ng8 15.Qg4 Nf6 16.Qf3 Kg8 17.Ra2 a5 18.b5 c6 19.bxc6 bxc6 20.Rb2 Ba6 21.Re1 c5 22.Rbe2 Rb8 23.Nd2 d5 24.e5 Nh7 25.Qg3 Qc7 26.Nf1 c4 27.f6 g5 28.Nh2 Nxf6 29.Ng4 Nxg4 30.hxg4 cxd3 31.Rd2 Re6 32.Bb2 Rxb2 33.Rxb2 Rc6 34.Qf2 Rc1 35.Rd2 Rc2 36.e6 Rc1 37.e7 Qxe7 38.Rxc1 Bc4 39.Qxd4 Qb4 40.Rb2 d2 41.Qxd2 Qc5+ 42.Kh1 Qd6 43.Rxc4 Qf6 44.Rc8+ Kf7 45.Rb7+ Black resigned, Haroldlee123 - TWODOGS, JGTourney4, Chessworld, 2009;

6.Qb3+ Ke7 ( 6...Kf8 7.0-0 Nf6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Be7 10.Nh4 d5 11.Ng6+ Kf7 12.Nxh8+ Qxh8 13.exd5 Ne5 14.d6+ Kf8 15.dxe7+ Kxe7 16.dxe5 Nh5 17.Qb4+ Kf7 18.Re1 Kg8 19.Qc4+ Kh7 20.e6 Qe8 21.Nc3 b6 22.Nd5 Bxe6 23.Qxc7 Rc8 24.Qxa7 Qd8 25.Bxh6 Bxd5 26.Re5 Black forfeited on time, majorminor - Entangle, FICS, 2004) 7.0-0 Nf6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Bb6 10.Be3 d6 11.Nbd2 Qe8 12.Rfe1 Kd8 13.e5 dxe5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Bxb6 Nxf3+ 16.Nxf3 Qc6 17.Rad1+ Bd7 18.Ne5 Qxb6 19.Nf7+ Kc8 20.Qd3 Rd8 21.Nxd8 Kxd8 22.Qa3 c5 23.Qe3 Kc7 24.Qe5+ Kd8 25.Rxd7+ Nxd7 26.Qe8+ Kc7 27.Qxa8 Nb8 28.Re8 Qxb2 29.Qxb8+ Kb6 30.Re6+ Ka5 31.Qxa7+ Kb4 in progress, Crusader Rabbit - metalwarrior1969, JGTourney4, ChessWorld, 2009;

6.b4 Bb6 7.a4 ( 7.b5 Nce7 8.Nxe5+ Ke8 ( 8...Ke6 9.d4 d5 10.exd5+ Qxd5 11.Qg4+ Kd6 12.Ba3+ Bc5 13.0-0 Bxa3 14.Nxa3 Bxg4 15.Nxg4 Nf6 16.c4 Qg5 17.c5+ Ke6 18.Rae1+ Kf7 19.Ne5+ Kg8 20.Nf3 Qd5 21.Rxe7 Kh7 22.Rxc7 b6 23.Nc2 bxc5 24.Rxc5 Qxa2 25.Nb4 Qb3 26.Nd5 Nd7 27.Nf6+ gxf6 28.Rc7 Rhd8 29.Re1 Qxb5 30.Re7+ Kg6 31.Nh4+ Kh5 32.Rc5+ Nxc5 33.dxc5 Qb1+ White resigned, majorminor - gamay, FICS, 2007) 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Nxg6 Nf6 11.Qe5 Bxf2+ 12.Kd1 Ng4 13.Qxh8+ Kf7 Black resigned, majorminor - Fugly, FICS, 2007) 7...a6 8.a5 Ba7 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Bb2 Re8 11.Qb3+ d5 12.d4 exd4 13.cxd4 Rxe4 14.Ne5+ Nxe5 15.dxe5 Rxe5 16.Bxe5 Be6 17.Nc3 d4 18.Qd1 dxc3 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Ra3 c2 22.Rf3 Qb2 23.Qg6 Bb3 White forfeited on time, majorminor - boepke, FICS 2004

6.0-0 d6 7.b4 Bb6 8.d4 exd4 9.Nxd4 Ne5 10.Qh5+ Kf8 11.f4 Nd3 12.f5 Nf6 13.Qf3 Ne5 14.Qe2 c5 15.Ne6+ Bxe6 16.fxe6 cxb4+ 17.Kh1 bxc3 18.Nxc3 Qe7 19.Nd5 Qxe6 20.Nxf6 gxf6 21.Ba3 Rg8 22.Rad1 Rd8 23.Qh5 Ng4 24.h3 Rg5 25.Qxg5 hxg5 26.hxg4 Qxe4 27.Rxf6+ Ke7 28.Rff1 Qxg4 29.Rde1+ Kd7 30.Rf7+ Kc8 31.Rc1+ Kb8 32.Rf6 Qh4 checkmate, majorminor - arkascha, FICS 2005

6...Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6


8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.d4 Ne7 Black is surprised, and makes a poor response.

An interesting alternative: 9...Nd3+ 10.Ke2 Nxc1+ 11.Rxc1 Qg5 12.Qxc5+ Qxc5 13.dxc5+ Kxc5 14.b4+ Kb6 15.a4 a5 16.bxa5+ Rxa5 17.Na3 Ka6 18.Nb5 c6 19.c4 Ne7 20.Rcb1 cxb5 21.axb5+ Kb6 22.c5+ Kxc5 23.Rxa5 b6 24.Ra8 Rf8 25.f3 d5 26.exd5 Kxd5 27.Rb8 Rf6 28.Kf2 Bf5 29.Rc1 Ng6 30.Rb7 Nf4 31.Rd1+ Kc4 32.Rxg7 Bd3 33.g3 Bc2 34.Rc7+ Kxb5 35.Rxc2 Ne6 36.Rd6 Kb4 37.Rb2+ Black resigned, kaboes - musix, Gameknot, 2007

10.dxc5+


This move leads to a winning advantage for White, but next time I am sure that Ghandy will take the simpler 10.Qxe5+ Kc6 11.Qxc5#.

10...Kxc5 11.Qxe5+ Kc6
White is up a pawn, but, more importantly, Black's King is not safe.

12.Be3 d6 13.Qd4 Bg4 14.Qa4+ b5 15.Qa6+ Kd7 16.Qxb5+ c6 17.Qd3

Black has some open lines (that he has purchased with his pawns) which he can place his Rooks on, but they are not adequate compensation.

17...d5 18.f3 Bh5 19.Na3 Kc7 20.Qa6 dxe4 21.Rd1 Qb8 22.Nc4


White's position is so overwhelming, he even had Bf4 on this move or the next. Instead, he captures more of Black's army, and that works just fine.
22...exf3 23.Qa5+ Kc8 24.Nd6+ Kd7 25.Nf7+ Ke8 26.Nxh8 fxg2 27.Qxh5+


Now Black has some hope of hanging on a bit longer with 27...g6, but decides instead to end it all quickly.

27...Kf8 28.Qf7 checkmate

Xadrez, Ficção Cientifíca e Paz

Chessfriend Welton Vaz ("Ghandybh" at Chess.com) has tried his hand at the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) after receiving the database of games from the first year of posting on this site (see "Happy Birthday: Twelve months of blog...") – and the result was pleasant; for him, any way (see "Shock and Awe").

If you have a moment, why not stop by his "Chess, Science Fiction and Peace" blog?


Ghandybh - duboak
Chess.com, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

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


7.f4 g6


Black seems to remember something about this opening... Something about maybe a Blackburne game...? Something...?

7...Qf6 or 7...d6 were good ideas; 7...g6 was not.

8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxh8

A better capture than taking the Bishop, although that won for White, too: 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qd4 Nf6 11.0-0 b5 12.d3 c5 13.Qc3 Be6 14.f5 gxf5 15.exf5 Bd5 16.Bg5 Rg8 17.Qd2 Qf8 18.Bxf6 Kxf6 19.Nc3 Bc6 20.Rae1 Bxg2 21.Rf2 Bh3+ 22.Kh1 Bxf5 23.Ref1 Rg5 24.Ne4+ Black resigned, grobnic - vallabhan, GameKnot, 2004

9...Qh4+ 10.g3 Qh6 11.Qc3 b6

Black had bad luck on one long diagonal. He hopes to have better luck on the other one.

12.d4 Be7 13.Qc4+ Kf8 14.0-0 c5

White has the better center, better development, and a safer King.

15.f5

15...Qe3+

An illusion, but Black is still doomed after 15...g5, for example: 16.f6 Nxf6 17.Qd5 Rb8 18.Bxg5 and White will crash through.

16.Bxe3 Black resigned