Tournaments Update

The third round of the Chess.com Italian Game Tournament is approaching its conclusion, with one game remaining to be completed. mikerj, with 7.5 points, is playing LVercotti, with 7 points, battling for the top spot in round three, the final round.

Curiously, their positions are reversed in the overall standings, with LVercotti having 26 points and mikerj having 25.5. That might mean that while a draw would be sufficient for mikerj to win round three, but he would need a win to finish up on the top of the tournament.

I am facing a similar, if diluted, situation: I am clearly going to finish third in round three, ahead of Diogenes_of_Sinope, but he is going to leap over me by .5 points in the final standings. I guess 4th place out of 27 contestants isn't too bad.

The upcoming (players started signing up a couple of months ago) Jerome Gambit Tournament at RedHotPawn that I mentioned a month and a half ago now has 14 of its needed 16 participants. I'd love to help them complete the field, but each time I check on it I receive the reasonable message "Sorry, you are not eligible to enter this tournament. This tournament is only available to subscribers." Oh, well. I will keep you updated.

The new 5-player Chess.com "Italian Game: Guioco Piano" tournament has just started, and I expect to play 4 Jerome Gambits - in fact, I just sacced the Bishop in game 1 (I have black in the other games, but will eventually have my chance at 4.Bxf7ch!?). You will see them as they are completed. 

Balancing Out

The second round of the Chess.com Italian Game Tournament has concluded. After racing to the top of my group, I had to wait while one player, then another, also finished their games and overtook me. I was able to take third place on a tie-break (thanks, in part, to "My Bodygurard!?"), even though my record against the fourth place finisher was only a draw and a loss; and I will advance to the next round. (Will I finally play a Jerome Gambit there??)

This seems likely to balance out what will happen in the Chess.com Giuoco Piano Tournament, where the last game is almost over (there is a mate in one), and the expected winner will vault into a tie for first place in the group with me. I have a win and a draw against him, but his tie-break points will be better than mine; and only one of us will advance to the next round. 

Small Smiles

I have been enjoying sharing with Readers the new pile of Bill Wall games that I have recently uncovered. There are still a good number to present.

To add to the fun, I just received a baker's dozen of games from Philidor1792 - Jerome Gambits and Jerome-inspired play.

On the internet chess circuit, as expected, Rebecca_Wiebe has won the Chess.com "Italian Game" tournament with an overwhelming score of 19-0-3. I was pleased to score 2 of those draws against her. I finished in 4th place (out of 35) with 10-6-2.

Meanwhile, the tumult continues in the Chess.com "Giuoco Piano" tournament, and when the smoke clears I may yet find myself on the top of my section and advance to the next round - by a hair's breadth.

One more game remains to be completed in the first round of another "Italian Game" tournament at Chess.com. I am the last of three from my section to move on to the second round, when it begins.  

The Vacation Gambit

Recently having the opportunity to play another Jerome Gambit in one of my Chess.com Giuoco Piano tournaments, I fired off my 4.Bxf7+ as soon as I could.

When the 3 days for my opponent's move had elapsed, and I had neither received his move in reply nor heard that he had overstepped the time limit, I checked in on the game at the website.

There was still 79 minutes left on his clock. There was also this notice

Your opponent is currently on vacation! They have 3 months of vacation time left, but may be back sooner.

I'm hoping for "sooner".

One More? Why Not?

Chess.com has started a new 12-player "Giuoco Piano" tournament (3 groups of 4 players each) and I thought, "Why Not?" A third ongoing Italian Game tournament for me?

I immediately got to start a couple of Jerome Gambits, so we'll see how they turn out.

The first game is racing along the lines of a refutation that has many blog posts here, all saying that White is lost, White is lost...

The second game is following, step-by-step, a recent loss of mine from a Chess.com Italian Game tournament.

All of which may have Readers wondering about an earlier post of mine, "Do I Share Everything? No.".

We'll see.

Repetition Helps Those Who Pay Attention

Sometimes I find myself repeating myself here.

If I go back to last year's post "Cure Worse Than The Disease", for example, I can find a relevant comment on the opening in the following 2014 game

Discussed in this blog as early as 2008 in "Offside!" and "The Other Side" and as recently as this year in "Always Good to Remember".

If defenders don't pay attention, they always run the risk of meeting an attacker who does. softiger, meet vandi.


vandi - softiger
standard, FICS,2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5 

Deviating from the Giuoco Piano, 3...Bc5, which would allow the Jerome Gambit. White's response is the same, however, and everyone in the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde should play it just as quickly.

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

6.Qh5+ Ke7 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.d4 Nc6 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Nc4 checkmate

Giuoco Fortissimo

The following game reminds of a "tale that took less time than it takes to tell". It starts quietly, but does not stay that way.

Philidor 1792 - guest581
3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6

Looking like a regular Giuoco Piano. But, wait...

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Ng5+ Kg6

The King hunts the Knight, but soon becomes the hunted.

7.h4 h6 8.h5+ Kxg5 9.d4 checkmate.

[This post is #1,900 for the blog. Many thanks to Readers for their continued interest and support - Rick]

Just throw anything at them...

The nice thing about defending against the Jerome Gambit and its relatives is that you can defeat them by just throwing anything at them. I mean, just throw something, right? Anything?? Right???

geojim - sickduck
blitz, FICS, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Na5 

Here we have geojim, rated about 350 points below his opponent, looking for a really quiet Giuoco Piano, when his opponent decides to mix things up in a blitz game.

Sure, White can now play 5.Nxe5 with advantage, but what if he wanted to be just as snarky as his opponent?

5.Bxf7+ 

Ah, yes, the "Jerome treatment."

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8 7.d4 Bd6 

8.Qh5+ Kf8 9.Qf7 checkmate

It's a sad, sad day when you have to take a foolish opening seriously.

Kick Me

It might be that, despite his name, Dekapitator was on his way to playing a quiet Giuoco Piano game, when his opponent's 4...Na5 suddenly screamed out "Kick Me!" Suddenly, the "Jerome treatment" seemed like a good idea.


Dekapitator - nonsonocapace
blitz, FICS, 2012


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Na5 

We have seen that this offside Knight is not very good when played on the third move (see "Puzzling" for a recent example), and it is just about as strong here.


5.Bxf7+


Objectively, White does best with 5.Nxe5, but the Jerome treatment of the position is more fun.


5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Brave and bold, but Rybka prefers 6...Kf8 (there are two games in The Database with this move, White scoring 2-0) and then gives 7.d4 Bb6 8.Nf3 Qe8 9.Nc3 d6 10.h3 Qg6 11.Nh4 Qf6 12.Nf3 Qg6 repeating the position for a draw!?


Not surprisingly, 6...Ke8, allowing White's Queen to go to h5 with check, lost in its one appearance in The Database.


7.d4


A bit stronger is 7.Qg4+ Kxe5 8.d4+, but White may have been finding his way here.


7...Bd6 


After this, it is "find the checkmate" for White.


8.Qg4+ Ke7 9.Bg5+ 


Or 9.Qxg7+ Ke8 10.Qf7# 


9...Nf6 

10.f4 


Building his position. With 10.Bxf6+ White would win Black's Queen, as anything other than 10...Ke8 would lead to mate.


10...Bxe5 


Missing a chance to play 10...Kf8 and shore up his position. Now White crashes through.


11.fxe5 Kf7 12.exf6 .gxf6 13.Rxf6+ Qxf6 14.Bxf6 Kxf6 15.Nc3 b6 16.Rf1+ Ke7 17.Qg7+ Kd6 18.Rf6 checkmate

Some History of the Jerome Gambit (Part 2)

Continuing with some history, started yesterday...

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's analysis of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) was first published in the March 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal. He followed this with further analysis in the July 1874 issue.

Dubuque Chess Journal
July 1874 Vol. VII, No. 53


Jerome's Double Opening


Third Variation (see Journal No.50, p358) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ [The following is a possibility of the game 6.d4 Bb6 7.Qh5+ Ke6 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.Qd5#] 6...Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qf4+ Nf6 9.c3 Kf7 10.d4 Bb6 11.e5 dxe5 12.dxe5 Re8 13.0-0 Kg8 14.exf6 Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Bh6 and White has a pawn ahead


Note: It should be understood that Mr. Jerome claims in this New Opening "only a pleasant variation of the Giuoco Piano, which may win or lose according to the skill of the players, but which is capable of affording many new positions and opportunities for heavy blows unexpectedly."

The Cure

White starts off the following game in typical Giuoco Piano fashion, and he seems to be looking for a quiet game – until Black gives him the opportunity to become very loud.




shepherd - garouss
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 h6

This position is at least as old as Home - Puller, Cambridge, 1860, where White continued in cautious fashion with 5.Be3 d6 6.h3 Qf6 7.a3 (1-0, 25).

5.Nc3 Na5

No doubt looking for more piano after 6.Bb3 Nxb3, but this move allows White to deliver some magna instead. 

6.Bxf7+

Another example of the "Jerome cure."

Sadly, for Black, Fritz suggests that the best now is to not take the piece, but continue with 6...Kf8 7.Nxe5 Bxf2+ 8.Kf1 (a bizarre example of what Yury V. Bukayev might call "the Jerome-Jerome exchange" declined) when 8...Bb6 9.Ng6+ Kxf7 10.Nxh8+ Kf8 gives White a pawn and the exchange advantage. 

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Ke8

"Best" for Black was 7...Ke6, when White has a strong attack after 8.Qg4+ Kxe5 9.Bf4+ although he lost his way, and, eventually, the game, in chumbo - KvanHouten, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 32).

8.Qh5+ Ke7 9.Ng6+ Kd6 10.Qd5 checkmate

Even in the Most Respectable of Settings

These days, the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), or one of its relatives, seems to show up all over the place, even in the most respectable of settings.

For example, consider the analysis of the Giuoco Piano from Yury V. Bukayev, at the Bruno's Chess Problem of the Day site, with a new, in-depth look at  1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.Bg5!?

There is a lot to look at in the article, and I recommend it to those who play, or play against, the Giuoco Piano.

As a side note, the author took time to point out to me the following line, which he referred to (after 6...Bd7) as "the Jerome-Jerome exchange": 7.Nbd2 Na5 8.Bxf7+ Kxf7 9.b4 Bxf2+ 10.Kxf2 Nc6, an extremely rare tactical combination, he mentioned.

(I suspect that the "Jerome-Jerome exchange" may be rare in serious or well-played chess, but I cannot help mentioning that there are about 550 games in The Database with Bxf7+ for White and ...Bxf2+ for Black. Still that is only about 2% of the games in The Database, so I guess that is pretty rare, even among Jerome Gambits.)

A Snack

Some chess games, even Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games, are a veritible banquet of strategy and tactics, sometimes leading to great satisfaction and sometimes leading to indigestion.

By comparison, the following game is a bit of a snack. Yet, it is still filling.

CarlosFonseca - gianbagia
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5

Instead of entering the paths of the Giuoco Piano with 3...Bc5 or the Two Knights Defense with 3...Nf6, Black decides to pick on White's light-squared Bishop.

White does well enough, now, with 4.Nxe5, but he chooses an exciting alternative.

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 6.d4 Nf6

White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece, plus one of Black's Knights is offside, and Black's King is in danger and in the way of his pieces.

The game is about even, which means, at the club level in blitz play, that the second player has to be careful.

7.Nd3

Curiously, of the 50 games in The Database with the position given in the above diagram, only one has this very reasonable move.

White's reasoning is impeccible: with the enemy King and Queen lined up on the same diagonal, Bc1-g5+ would be a deadly skewer, if it were not for Black's protective Knight on f6, so why not try to drive the Knight away?

7...d5

What would be a useful move at another time and in another place merely furthers White's plan in the here-and-now.

8.e5 Ne4 9.f3

Black could have left his Knight at f6 and allowed it to be captured with 8...Qe8. Instead, he moved it to a place where it covered the dangerous checking square g5.

Unfortunately, as White's move shows, the Knight is just as vulnerable at e4.

Sadly, Black's best move now is to retreat the Knight to f6, give the piece up, and resign himself to being a pawn down with a still-unsafe King.

Instead, Black resigned

Yum!



(This is my 1,250th post to this blog. I have been posting daily since the first one. I do not know how much longer I will be able to post daily, but even if I "slow down" I will continue to post multiple times per week. - Rick)

Sunday Book Review: S.O.S. # 13

In my writing at Chessville (alas, the site is still without new content) I have reviewed a number of books in the Secrets of Opening Surprises series (#4, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12), edited by Jeroen Bosch. They are surprisingly addictive, sometimes startling, and always creative. As the series describes itself,

No time to study main lines? Shock your opponent with an SOS!... Secrets of Opening Surprises brings you a wide variety of unusual opening ideas. They may seem outrageous at first sight, but have proven to be perfectly playable.

After the introductory "S.O.S. Files", chronicling how earlier suggestions have worked out in over-the-board combat, Volume #13 contains:

- Sicilian Najdorf: the Czebe Attack (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Qe2!?) GM Arthur Kogan

- The North Sea Defence (1.e4 g6 2.d4 Nf6) IM Jeroen Bosch

- The Williams Anti-Grünfeld Variation (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.h4) GM Simon Williams

- The Scotch Game: Carlsen Leads the Way (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nb3 Bb6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Qe2) GM Konstantin Landa

- The Budapest Gambit Delayed (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 e5) IM Jeroen Bosch

- French Defence: Obtaining Two Bishops (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2 dxe4 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Nxc3) GM Alexander Finkel

- Grabbing a Pawn in the Réti/Catalan (1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.d4 e6 5.0-0 Bd7 6.c4) GM Glenn Flear

- Sicilian: Karma Chameleon (1.e4 c5 2.Ne2 d6 3.c3) GM Dimitri Reinderman

- The Centre Game in Viking Spirit (1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qa4) IM Jeroen Bosch

- Slav: The Easy Way (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nbd2) GM Efstratios Grivas

- Spanish: Kortchnoi's Idea in the Central Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d4 Nxd4) GM Adrian Mikhalchishin

- Panic in the London (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bf4 Nh5) GM Dimitri Reinderman

- Pirc Defence - Taking off the Gloves (1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.e5 Nfd7 7.h4) GM Alexander Finkel

- New Recipe in Old Indian (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.e4 Be7 6.Be2 0-0 7.g4) IM Jeroen Bosch

- Sicilian Mission: To Boldly Go... (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bf4 d6 7.Bg3) GM John van der Wiel

- Surprising Sacrifice in the Giuoco Piano (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Bxd2+ 8.Qxd2!) GM Ian Rogers

Another fine collection of off-the-beaten path openings!

A Day in the Life of the Jerome Gambit

After the quite unusual checkmate that ended niddrieboy's Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game at Chess.com (see "Jerome Pawns Triumphant"), I thought it might be fun to walk through one of his games that readily illustrates the highs and lows, attractions and pitfalls of that offbeat opening.

niddrieboy - paul_kowtun
Chess.com, 2010

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

As Max said in Where the Wild Things Are, "Let the rumpus begin!"

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

The Jerome Variation (see "Jerome Gambit Nomenclature").

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Nf6 9.e5

In two 1880 correspondence games against Daniel Jaeger, Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, playing the Black pieces against "his" gambit, continued 9.Nc3 c6 10.d3 d6 11.h3 h6, winning both.

It should be remembered that Jerome did not believe that the gambit won by force, only that it was

a pleasant variation of the Giuoco Piano, which may win or lose according to the skill of the players, but which is capable of affording many new positions and opportunities for heavy blows unexpectedly.

9...Ke8

This looks like Black's original plan was to make room for his Rook at f8, facing off with the White Queen – an idea he subsequently discarded. He would have done well simply to have attacked and won the e-pawn with 9...d6 10.d4 dxe5 11.dxe5 Bd6 12.0-0 Bxe5 when White's pawn and Black's displaced King are not sufficient compensation for White's sacrificed piece.

The second player's judgement is being clouded by the unusual play, something that Jerome Gambiteers love to see.

10.d4 Nd5 11.Qe4 Nf6 12.Qd3 Bb6 13.0-0 Ng8

Black's Knight retires from the field out of either frustration or confusion.

14.c3

Bolstering his center. He might even have tried the aggressive 14.c4.

14...Qf7 15.Be3 d6 16.exd6 Nf6 17.dxc7 Bxc7

Black has cleared his head and decided that it was worth a pawn to get his pieces, especially the Bishop pair, more active. He still has to be careful about his King (that is why 17.Re1 was probably better than 17.dxc7) but dynamic play will give him plenty of chances.

18.Re1 Kd8 19.Bg5 Qh5 20.Bxf6+ gxf6 21.h3

White can see danger ahead, with the two Black Bishops and the White Queen pointed at his Kingside. He may have chosen the text instead of 21.g3 because he could visualize the Black Queen moving (perhaps to g6) and then the Black h-pawn advancing h7-h5-h4, opening up the h-file for the Black Rook...

Nonetheless, Rybka recommends 21.g3 to keep the game in balance.

21...Rg8 22.Re3

Instead, Rybka suggests that both players head toward the endgame, White because it is safer than the middle game and Black because the two Bishops continue to give him the advantage: 22.Kf1 Bf5 23.Qc4 Qg5 24.Qd5+ Kc8 25.Qf3 Qf4 26.Nd2 Qxf3 27.Nxf3 Kd7 28.Rad1 Rae8 29.Rxe8 Rxe8 30.Re1 Bd3+ 31.Kg1 Rxe1+ 32.Nxe1 Be4.

analysis diagram








By simple count, White has 3 pawns for his sacrificed piece, but both Rybka 3 and Fritz 10 value Black's position as being over a pawn ahead. Would niddrieboy have been safer to have chosen this line? Probably.

22...Bf5 23.Qe2

White might have been asking himself How did I ever get into this miserable position?

23...Qg6

As often happens in Jerome Gambit games, Black chooses a good move – and overlooks a great move.

With 23...Rxg2+ he could have smashed White's King's fortress and at the very least created a nasty cramp on White's position with 23.Kf1 Qxe2+ 24.Kxe2 Rg1. If White fell for the Rook with 23.Kxg2 he would face 23...Bxh3 and then he could give up his Queen with 24.Rxh3 Qxe2; be checkmated with 24.Kh1 Be4 25.f4 (ouch!) Rxe2+ 26.Kg1 Qg6+ 27.Rg3 Qxg3+ 28.Kf1 Qg2#; or simply suffer until death with 24.Kg1 Qg5+ 25.Rg3 Bxg3 26.fxg3 Qxg3+, etc.

24.Qf3

White opens his eyes cautiously... I'm still alive! If only I had a magic trick to keep me in the game...

24...Bxb1

Winning a piece and going two pieces up. It's not like Black overlooked 23...Rxg2+ for nothing...

25.Qd5+

When everything is going wrong in the Jerome Gambit, White can turn over his King and think about another game – or he can hang on, giving ground slowly, waiting for any kind of a chance to recover.

Like, for example, 25.Qxb7, instead of the text. After that move White has a draw through repetition by checking Black's King. Of course, the second player can escape this by giving back material (a Bishop with 25...Be4 or a Rook with 25...Qxg2+) but that gives White at least equality, and probably an edge.

25...Kc8 26.Re7

We fight! White's pieces cry. Against a computer, this would be folly, but against a human, even "objectively" won games have to be played out.

26...Bf5

A more effective way out of White's pressure was 26...Rd8 27.Qc4 Rd7 28.Qe6 first, then 28...Bf5.

27.Qf3

It might have been time for the gutsy 27.g4, although Black can give his extra piece back with 27...Bxg4 28.hxg4 Qxg4+ and it will be a battle to see who can checkmate who first.

Now White is in for a bit of suffering.

27...Bd7 28.d5 Bd6 29.Re4 b6 30.Rae1 Be5 31.R1e2 Kb7

Sanctuary!

32.c4 Raf8 33.R2e3 Bd6 34.Rb3 Bxh3 35.Re7+

No doubt this move was seen as a pesky fly that just needed to be swatted away. Clearly Black is about to crush White's Kingside like an eggshell...

35...Bxe7 36.d6+ Kc8

Shooo, fly!

It is true that with 36...Kb8 37.dxe7 Black would have to return a Bishop – but, after all, he had received a Rook for it, so that was no problem. Things can be tied up with 37...Qxg2+ 38.Qxg2 Rxg2+ 39.Kf1 Rg7+ 40.Rxh3 Rxe7 and Black sails off into the sunset with an extra Rook.

Does it make a difference that he played 36...Kc8, instead?

It turns out the answer is YES!


Surprisingly enough, White now has a forced checkmate.

37.Qa8+ Kd7 38.Qb7+

At first glance, it would hardly seem to matter if White checked from b7, or captured a pawn, checking from a7.

It turns out, though, that Black's King can now find a hole in the mating net, one that would have remained closed if White could have played Qxb6+ on his next move. That capture and check would only be reasonable if the pawn on b6 were not supported by the pawn at a7...

After 38.Qxa7+ Kxd6 39.Qxb6+ Kd7 40.Qc5+ Black's King will not escape to the Kingside, and as soon as White's Rook joins the check-fest it will be checkmate.

Alternately, after 38.Qxa7+ Ke6 White's Queen and Rook are deadly on the other side of the board: 39.Qxe7+ Kf5 40.Rf3+ Kg4 41.Qe6+ (more tap-dancing on the light squares) f5 42.Rg3+ and Black's King is doomed.

So, 35.Re7+ was part of a great swindle befitting the Jerome Gambit – but it didn't quite come off. As Maxwell Smart used to say, Missed by that much...

38...Kxd6 39.Rxh3 Qxg2+

White wound up getting the other of the two Bishops for his Rook, but Black now liquidates the situation, showing that even after giving back a Rook, he still holds the advantage.

What is it about the Jerome Gambit that makes its opponents act that way?

40.Qxg2 Rxg2+ 41.Kxg2 Kc5 42.Rxh7 Re8

43.b3

Again, niddrieboy decides to hang on.

This might seem odd to those who glance at the position and think "Up a piece in an edgame? Won for Black." However, the Jerome Gambit player asks himself "Suppose the pawns all come off the board – how hard would it be for Black to win the R + B vs R endgame? How much time does he have on the clock, anyway?"

In this regard, this Rybka-inspired line is interesting: 43.Kf3 Kxc4 44.Rh4+ Kd5 45.Re4 f5 46.Re3 Kd6 47.Kf4 Kd7 48.b3 Bd6+ 49.Kxf5 Rf8+ 50.Ke4 Rxf2 51.a4 Rf4+ 52.Kd5 Rf5+ 53.Kc4 Kc6 54.Re4 a6 55.Re3 Rf4+ 56.Kc3 Bc5 57.Rh3 Bd4+ 58.Kc4 b5+ 59.axb5 axb5+ 60.Kd3 Kc5

analysis diagram





Only a pair of pawns to go... How much time does Black have on the clock??

43...Kb4 44.Rh3 Ka3 45.Kf1 Kxa2

This is beginning to look not-so-good.

46.f4 Rd8 47.Ke2 a5 48.Re3 Bc5 49.Rf3 f5 50.Ke1 Rd4 51.Ke2 Ka3 52.Re3 Rd8 53.Rf3 Kb4 54.Rh3 Re8+ 55.Kd2 Re4 56.Rf3

56...a4 57.Kc2 a3 58.Kb1 Re2 59.Rh3 Bd4 60.Rd3 a2+ White resigned

"White had his chances" – a pretty good footnote to someone playing a "refuted" opening.