Jerome Gambit: A Machine Idea

Besides being used to annotate Jerome Gambit games of interest, computer programs have served as proponents or opponents in Jerome and Jerome-related games. The program below, GriffyJr, has visited this blog on several occasions - for starters, check out "Bots on Our Side" Part 1, Part 2  and Part 3 as well as "Ionman vs the Bots".

In today's game we examine the most recent example of a computer - generated move. There is still a lot of game to play afterward, however.

Petasluk - GriffyJr
5 0 blitz, FICS, 2017

 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Bd4 

An interesting and somewhat unusual idea. The earliest example of it in The Database was played in 2002 by the computer program BigBook at the online site FICS.

8.Qf5+

Instead, 8.c3 was seen in the oldest and most recent games with the line in The Database: 8...Nd3+ 9.Kd1 (9.Kf1 Nxc1 10.cxd4 a6 11.Qe5+ Kf7 12.Nc3 Nd3 13.Qf5+ Qf6 14.Qxf6+ Nxf6 15.e5 Ne8 16.f5 Nxb2 17.Rb1 Nd3 18.g3 a5 19.a3 b6 20.Ke2 Ba6 21.Ke3 Bc4 22.Nb5 a4 23.Rhc1 Nxc1 24.Rxc1 Bxb5 25.h4 c6 26.g4 d6 27.g5 dxe5 28.dxe5 c5 29.d4 cxd4+ 30.Kxd4 Be2 31.e6+ Ke7 32.Rc6 b5 33.Rb6 Nd6 34.Rc6 Nxf5+ 35.Ke5 Nxh4 36.Rc7+ Kf8 37.e7+ Ke8 38.Ke6 Ng6 39.Rc2 Bf1 40.Rf2 Bd3 White forfeited on time, megagurka - BigBook, FICS, 2002) 9...Nf2+ 10.Ke2 Nf6 11.Qf5+ Kf7 12.cxd4 Nxh1 13.d3 d5 14.e5 Bxf5 White resigned, Petasluk - GriffyJr, FICS, 2017. 

And there was also another computer-with-black game: 8.f5+ Kd6 9.d3 g6 10.Qe2 gxf5 11.c3 Qh4+ 12.g3 Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 Qg4 14.d4 Nf3+ 15.Kf1 Qh3+ 16.Kf2 Nxh2 17.Bf4+ Ke7 18.exf5+ Kf8 19.Nd2 Nh6 20.Bxh6+ Qxh6 21.Kg2 Qg5 22.Rxh2 Qxf5 23.Rf1 d5 24.Rxf5+ Bxf5 25.Qe5 Kf7 26.Rh5 Bd7 27.Qxd5+ Kg6 28.Ne4 Rae8 29.Qg5+ Kf7 30.Qf6+ Kg8 31.Rg5 checkmate, Moller,M - Mephisto, Denmark 2008.

Interestingly, Stockfish 8 suggests 8.fxe5 g6 9.Qg4+ Kf7 10.Qf4+ Kg7 11.c3 Bb6 12.a4 a5 13.d4 d6 14.O-O Qe7 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Na3 Be6 17.Kh1 h6 18.d5 Bd7 19.Nc4 Bc5 20.e5 Rf8 21.Qxf8+ Qxf8 22.Rxf8 Kxf8 23.Bf4 Ne7 with an even game because White's pawns are balancing out Black's extra piece. 

8...Kd6 9.fxe5+ 

A clear improvement over 9.c3 Nd3+ 10.Ke2 Ne7 11.e5+ Nxe5 12.fxe5+ Bxe5 13.Qd3+ Ke6 14.Qc4+ d5 15.Qg4+ Kd6 16.d4 Bxg4+ White resigned, fehim - blik, FICS, 2006. (Yes, blik is a computer.)

9...Bxe5 

If it can't see a reason not to, a computer will grab material. Here GriffyJr shows some nearsightedness. 

10.d4

Yes.

Interestingly, two earlier several-days-per move games (all players human) missed the idea:

10.O-O Qh4 11.h3 Qg3 12.Rf2 Nf6 13.d4 Bxd4 14.Bf4+ Kc6 15.Bxg3 Bxf2+ 16.Bxf2 d6 17.Qa5 Nxe4 18.Qa4+ Kd5 19.Nc3+ Nxc3 20.bxc3 Ke6 21.Re1+ Kf6 22.Qf4+ Kg6 23.Re3 Bf5 24.Rg3+ Kf6 25.Bd4+ Ke6 26.Re3+ Kd7 27.Qxf5+ Kd8 28.Bxg7 Rg8 29.Bf6 checkmate, blackburne - eddie43, Jerome Gambit thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008; and

10.c3 Nh6 11.Qf3 c5 12.Qd3+ Kc7 13.Na3 a6 14.Nc4 d6 15.Rb1 Qh4+ 16.g3 Qh3 17.Nxe5 dxe5 18.Qe3 b6 19.b4 Rf8 20.bxc5 b5 21.Ba3 Ng4 22.Qg5 Rf7 23.Qh4 Qg2 24.Qxg4 Bxg4 White resigned, Gary_Seven - drewbear, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net 2008. 

10...Qh4+

GriffyJr decides to mix it up.

11.Kf1 Qf6 

Yikes. Instead, GriffyJr gets mixed up. I have no idea how or why. Much better was 11...Kc6.

12.dxe5+ Qxe5 13.Qxe5+ 

Oh, dear. The crusher was, of course, 13.Bf4 winning Black's Queen. These things happen in blitz games.

13...Kxe5 

Even game.

14.Nc3 Nf6 15.g3 Nxe4 16.Bf4+ Kf5 17.Nxe4 Kxe4 18.Re1+ Kf5 19.Kg2 b6 20.Rhf1 Bb7+ 21.Kh3 Ba6 22.Rf2 c6 

Play continues in a Queenless middlegame, about balanced, despite White's pawn minus (because of his activity).

23.Be5+ Kg6 24.Rd2 d5 25.Rd4 Bc8+ 26.Kg2 Bf5 27.h3 Rhe8 

By focusing on development Black has pulled ahead. Still, if White can exchange Rooks, the possibility of a drawn bishops-of-opposite-color endgames is there.

Unfortunately, the computer can move lightning fast, while the human actually has to think - a disadvantage in blitz. White makes a tactical slip.

28.g4 Bxc2 29.h4 Be4+ 30.Kg3 Rxe5 White resigned

Bots on Our Side (Part 2)

As I noted in the previous post, I have written here about computer vs computer Jerome Gambit games, and about human vs computer Jerome Gambit games (see "Ionman vs the Bots").

The other day I also ran into some games in The Database where a computer, GriffyJr at FICS - which had starred as the defender against Ionman in the Jerome Gambit games mentiond above - was playing White.

Like the play of GriffySr, I wanted to see what "junior" was playing!

GriffyJr - ManOOwar
FICS, 2003

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian game. If Black plays ...Bc5 at some point, it can turn into a Jerome Gambit. White needs a "waiting" move or two.

4.d4

Or 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 d6 6.dxe5 Nxe5 7.Nxe5 dxe5 8.Bxf7+ Ke7 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.Nd2 Bd6 11.b4 Rf8 12.Bc4 Bd7 13.O-O b5 14.Bb3 Re8 15.a4 bxa4 16.Bxa4 Bxa4 17.Rxa4 Ke7 18.Rd1 Reb8 19.f3 Kf8 20.Nc4 Rd8 21.Be3 a6 22.Rda1 Ne8 23.b5 a5 24.Nxa5 Be7 25.Nc6 Rxa4 26.Rxa4 Rd3 27.Kf2 Rxc3 28.Nxe5 Bd6 29.Ng6+ Kf7 30.Nh8+ Kg8 31.Ng6 Rc2+ 32.Kf1 Rb2 33.e5 Bf8 34.Rf4 Rb1+ 35.Kf2 Rb2+ 36.Kg3 Black forfeited on time, GriffyJr - ABOSS, FICS, 2009.

4...Nxd4 

Better is the capture 4...exd4 5.Nxd4 (5.c3 dxc3 6.Nxc3 Na5 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qh5+ Ke7 10. Qxa5 Nf6 11.e5 Ng4 12.h3 c6 13.Qxd8+ Kxd8 14.hxg4 d5 15.Ng5 Kc7 16.e6 Be7 17.Bf4+ Kb6 18.Nf7 Rf8 19.Be3+ Kc7 20.Nxd5+ Kb8 21.Bf4+ Bd6 22.Bxd6,  checkmate GriffyJr - godina, FICS, 2009) 5...Bc5 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxc5 Nf6 (9...Ne7 10.O-O d6 11.Qd4 Be6 12.Nc3 Rf8 13.Bxh6 Rg8 14.Rad1 c5 15.Qd3 Nc6 16.Qg3 Ne5 17.f4 Nd7 18.Bg5 Qc8 19.Rf3 Nf6 20.Bxf6 Kxf6 21.e5+ Ke7 22.exd6+ cxd6 23.f5 Bxf5 24.Rxd6 c4 25.Qe5+ Kf7 26.Rf6+ Kg7 27.R6xf5+ Kh7 28.Rh3 checkmate, GriffyJr - korrigan, FICS, 2009) 10.e5 Nd5 (10...Qe8 11.O-O Nd5 12.c4 Nb6 13.Na3 Ba6 14.Bf4 Kg7 15.e6 Rf8 16.Qe3 g5 17.Be5+ Kg8 18.exd7 Qxd7 19.Rad1 Qf5 20.b3 Rae8 21.Rde1 Nd7 22.Qxa7 Nxe5 23.Qxa6 Nd3 24.Rxe8 Rxe8 25.Qxc6 Re1 26.f3 Rxf1+ 27.Kxf1 Nf4 28.Qe8+ Kg7 29.Qe7+ Kg6 30.Qe8+ Kf6 31.Qf8+ Ke5 32.Qg7+ Qf6 33.Qxc7+ Kf5 34.Qh7+ Qg6 35.Qxg6+ Nxg6 36.b4 Ne5 37.Ke2 Kf4 38.g3+ Kf5 39.b5 Ke6 40.b6 Kd6 41.f4 Nc6 42.fxg5 hxg5 43.Ke3 Kc5 44.b7 Kb6 45.Nb5 Kxb7 46.a4 Na5 47.Kd4 Kc6 48.g4 Nb3+ 49.Ke5 Kc5 50.Nd6 Kb4 51.Kf6 Kxa4 52.Kxg5 Kb4 53.Kf6 Kc5 54.Ke5 Nd4 55.h3 Nf3+ 56.Kf4 Nh4 57.Ke5 Ng6+ 58.Kf5 Ne7+ 59.Ke6 Nc6 60.h4 Kd4 61.h5 Ne5 62.g5 Ng4 63.g6 Ke3 64.g7 Black resigned, GriffyJr - VovaWest, FICS, 2009) 11.O-O Bb7 (11...Qe7 12.Qd4 Qe6 13.c4 Ne7 14.Nc3 Nf5 15.Qe4 Rb8 16.Rd1 Bb7 17.f3 c5 18.Qf4 g5 19.Qg4 Nd4 20.Qxe6+ Kxe6 21.f4 gxf4 22.Bxf4 Rhg8 23.g3 h5 24.Na4 d6 25.Nc3 Rbf8 26.Bh6 Rf3 27.exd6 cxd6 28.Re1+ Kd7 29.Rad1 h4 30.Ne2 Nf5 31.Bf4 hxg3 32.hxg3 Ba6 33.Kg2 Rxf4 34.Nxf4 Rxg3+ 35.Kf2 Bxc4 36.Re5 Rg5 37.Rxc5 Bxa2 38.Ra5 Be6 39.Rxa7+ Kc6 40.Nxe6 Nh4 41.Nxg5 Nf5 42.Ra5 Black resigned, GriffyJr - Zugzwango, FICS, 2009) 12.Na3 d6 13.Qd4 Qe7 14.Nc4 c5 15.Qg4 dxe5 16.Qe4 Rae8 17.Re1 Kf6 18.Qf3+ Kg7 19.Nxe5 Qf6 20.Qe4 Rhf8 21.Bxh6+ Kxh6 22.Ng4+ Kg7 23.Nxf6 Rxe4 24.Nxe4 Nb4 25.Nxc5 Bc6 26.Ne6+ Kf7 27.Nxf8 Kxf8 28.Re2 Bb5 29.Rd2 c5 30.a3 Nc6 31.Re1 Nd4 32.Re5 a6 33.Rxc5 Ne6 34.Re5 Kf7 35.Rd6 Nf4 36.b3 Be8 37.c4 Nh5 38.Kf1 Black resigned, GriffyJr - Hatashi, FICS, 2002. 

There is also 4...d6 5.dxe5 Nxe5 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.Bxf7+ Ke7 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 c6 10.Be3 Nf6 11.O-O-O+ Kc7 12.f3 Bd7 13.a3 Rd8 14.Kb1 Bd6 15.Bxa7 b6 16.Bxb6+ Kxb6 17.Rxd6 Kc7 18.Rdd1 Be8 19.Rxd8 Kxd8 20.Rd1+ Ke7 21.Bb3 Bf7 22.Bxf7 Kxf7 23.Rd6 Rc8 24.a4 Ke7 25.Rd3 Nh5 26.a5 Nf4 27.Rd2 Ne6 28.Kc1 Nc7 29.Kd1 Rd8 30.Rxd8 Kxd8 31.Ke2 Kd7 32.Ke3 g5 33.Kd3 Kd6 34.Na4 Na6 35.Nb6 Kc7 36.Nc4 Nc5+ 37.Ke3 Nd7 38.a6 Kb8 39.h4 Ka7 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Nd6 Kxa6 42.Nf7 Kb5 43.Nxg5 Kc4 44.Ne6 Nc5 45.b3+ Kc3 46.Nxc5 Kxc2 47.g4 Kc3 48.Kf2 Kd4 49.Ne6+ Kc3 50.g5 Kxb3 51.g6 Kb4 52.g7 c5 53.Ke2 c4 54.g8=Q c3 55.Qb8+ Kc4 56.Qb1 Black resigned, GriffyJr - ManchesterUtd, FICS, 2009.

5.Bxf7+ 

GriffyJr treats the position as if it were a Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+). White's loss of his d-pawn actually helps the attack. 

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8

This move allows a forced checkmate - which GriffyJr misses!

No matter; White still has a won game.

Not much better was 6...Ke6 7.Qxd4 Nf6 8.Ng6 Kf7 9.Nxh8+ Kg8 10.Ng6 c5 11.Qd3 Be7 12.O-O d6 13.Bf4 Qb6 14.Nxe7+ Kf7 15.Bxd6 Qxb2 16.Nc3 Be6 17.e5 Nd7 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.Nf5+ Kg8 20.Qxg7 checkmate, GriffyJr - itsanelmo, FICS, 2009. 

7.Qh5+ Ke7 

7...g6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc6 (10...Kc5 11.Qd5+ Kb4 12.Bd2+ Ka4 13.Qa5 checkmate GriffyJr - augustwest, FICS, 2006) 11.Qd5 checkmate, GriffyJr - RedPimpernel, FICS, 2004

8.Ng6+

The mate is 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc5 10.Qd5+ Kb4 11.Bd2+ Ka4 13.Qa5, the same idea as in the later game against augustwest, above.

8...Kf6 9.Qh4+

Instead, 9.Nxh8 was stronger, but the bot knows that many human players do not like to lose their Queen...

9...Kxg6 10.Qxd8 Be7 11.Qxc7 Black resigned

These moves also occurred in GriffyJr - materialist, FICS, 2001

Updating the Blackburne Defense (Part 2)

Here we continue from our previous post, "Updating the Blackburne Defense (Part 1)", a look at the Blackburne Defense and what is new (or newer). 

For earlier efforts, see also "Update: Old Dog Can Still Bite","Junk Openings", "A Closer Look (Part V)", "Update: Blackburne Defense" and "Traps and Zaps".

perrypawnpusher - lfcanales
blitz, FICS, 2014

9...Nf6 10.Qd8 Qxe4 

Black's move allows White's Queen to escape and counter-attack. There are a number of alternative moves for Black, two of which bear attention.

Not 10...a6?, as in piratebopper - MiloBot, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 24).

Nor 10...a5? as in perrypawnpusher - MiloBot, blitz, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 24).

Played, if in a stumbling manner, is 10...Bd7?. The core game continued 11.Qxc7 (instead, 11.Qxa8? Nxe4? [Black should finish Blackburne-style: 11...Ng4 12.h3 Bxf2+ 13.Kh1 Qg3 14.Rxf2+ Nxf2+ 15.Kg1 Nxh3+ 16.Kh1 Nf4 17.Qf8+ Kxf8 18.d3 Qxg2#] 12.d4 Bxd4 13.Be3 Bxb2 14.Qxb7 Bxa1 15.Qxc7 Nf6 16.Qxd6 Kg7 17.Qc5 Ne4 18.Bd4+ Bxd4 19.Qxd4+ Kh6 20.f3 Black resigned, UNPREDICTABLE - choron, FICS, 2009) 11...Bb6? (instead, 11...Rc8 12.Qxb7 Ke7 is "gloriously obscure" according to Dr. Andrew Walker, University of Nottingham, personal communication, 2001. Probably 13.Qb3 with the idea of Qg3 is White's answer - not 13.Nc3? Ng4 when Black mates)  12.g3?! (12.Qxd6) 12...Qh3 13.Qxd6? Bc6 14.g4 Qxg4+ White resigned, Harris,S - Quayle,E, Los Angeles, CA, 1944.

Certainly solid, and Rybka's recommendation, is 10...Bb6. White should spring his Queen with 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qd3. The earliest reference that I have seen to this line is from The Art of the Checkmate by Renaud and Kahn (1953), which says White has the advantage. This proved true in Wall,B - Foo,N, Palm Bay, FL, 2010 (1-0, 33).

The most exciting move in the position is Chandler's 10...Bh3!?, when White has to temporarily forego the Rook at a8 and focus on checking Black: 11.Qxc7+ (11.g3? Qxe4 12.Qxc7+ Kf8 White resigned, Siggus -toe, FICS, 2007; 11.Qxa8? Qg4 12.Qe8+ Nxe8 13.g3 Qf3 14.Re1 Qg2#) 11...Kf8! (11...Kg8 lost in Chandler,G - Dimitrov, T/5 minute special game 2004; in Hiarcs 8 - RevvedUp, blitz 2 12, 2006 [1-0, 17]; and AsceticKingK9 - blackburne, ChessWorld JG6, 2011 [1-0, 22] ) and analysis by Geoff Chandler and, later, Dennis Monokroussos (see the two posts on his blog) show that the outcome is a draw, as it is too dangerous for either player to look for more.

11.Qxc7+

This is an improvement over 11.Nc3 Qe7 (11...Qxc2 12.Qxc7+ Nd7 13.Nd5 Qe4 14.Nc3 Qe5 15.d3 Qd4 16.Re1 Qxf2+ White resigned, ionman - GriffyJr, FICS, 2005 (0-1,16); Interested readers should check out "Ionman vs The Bots" ) 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 as in RevvedUp - Shredder 8, blitz 2 12, 2006 (0-1, 25).

11...Kg8

radicalmove played over a dozen games against LuigiBot on FICS in 2012, testing the somewhat weaker 11...Bd7 (see "Poor, Poor Computer" for a couple of examples). The games are in The Database.

Likewise, ionman took on the computer GriffyJr a couple of times at FICS in 2005, over the somewhat weaker 11...Qe7 (the games are also in The Database). White triumphed in Shredder 8 - RevvedUp, blitz 2 12, 2006 (1-0, 28).

12.Nc3

Maybe a little better was 12.Qd8+ Kf7 13.d3 Qe5 14.Bh6 Qe8 15.Qxe8+ Nxe8.

12...Qxc2

The pawn is poison.

13.Qd8+ 

After the game Houdini preferred 13.d4!? Bb6 (13...Bxd4 14.Bh6 Bd7 15.Qc4+ d5 16.Qxd4) 14.Qe7 when White steals the Knight in broad daylight.

13...Kg7 14.Qe7+ Kh6 15.Qxf6 Black resigned

Ionman vs the Bots

The early Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games by ionman at  FICS seem to have all been played against computer bots, providing not only a bit of a historical perspective but also some interesting analytical off-shoots. They are well worth playing through.

I have messaged ionman at FICS, and hope to learn more about his explorations.

ionman - GriffyJr

blitz, FICS, 2005

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

Heading for the Blackburne Defense.

As we have seen in "Sailing off the Edge of the World", ionman also faced 6...Ke6: 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ The choice of the mscp bot.

Instead, 8...Bd4 was the choice of the Fleurybot and FleurybotJr bots 9.c3 (After the stronger 9.fxe5+ Black has to find 9...Kc6 which is the only move that keeps his edge 10.c3 d5 11.Qf4 Bb6 12.exd5+ Qxd5) 9...Nd3+ 10.Ke2 Ne7 (10...Nh6 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxd4 Nxc1+ 13.Rxc1 Qf8 14.Qe5+ Kd8 15.f5 Ng4 16.Qg3 h5 17.c4 d6 18.d4 Bd7 19.Nc3 Bc6 20.d5 Bd7 21.Rf1 Rh6 22.h3 Ne5 23.Rf2 Nxc4 24.Raf1 Nxb2 25.e5 Nc4 26.Ne4 Nxe5 27.f6 Bb5+ 28.Ke3 Bxf1 29.Rxf1 gxf6 30.Qh4 Kc8 31.Rxf6 Qe7 32.Qg5 Rh7 33.Qg8+ Kd7 34.Qg6 Nxg6 35.Rxd6+ cxd6 36.Kd4 Qe5+ 37.Kc4 Qxe4+ 38.Kb5 Qxd5+ 39.Kb4 Qxa2 40.g4 Qb1+ 41.Kc4 Ne5+ 42.Kd4 Qd3 checkmate, ionman - FleurybotJr, blitz, FICS, 2005) 11.e5+ Nxe5 12.fxe5+ Bxe5 13.Qd3+ Kc6 14.Qe4+ Kd6 15.d4 Bxh2 16.c4 c6 17.c5+ Kc7 18.Rxh2 d6 19.cxd6+ Qxd6 20.Bf4 Nf5 21.Bxd6+ Nxd6 22.Qe5 Re8 23.Qxe8 Bg4+ 24.Kd3 Bf5+ 25.Kd2 Rxe8 26.Nc3 Nc4+ 27.Kd1 Nxb2+ 28.Kc1 Nd3+ 29.Kd2 Kb6 30.Rhh1 h6 31.Rhb1+ Kc7 32.a4 Re7 33.a5 Kd6 34.a6 b6 35.Ne2 Re8 36.Nc1 Nf4 37.Rb3 Re4 38.Re3 Rxd4+ 39.Ke1 Nxg2+ 40.Kf2 Nxe3 41.Kxe3 Re4+ 42.Kf3 g5 43.Ne2 g4+ 44.Kf2 Be6 45.Rd1+ Bd5 46.Nc3 Rf4+ 47.Ke1 g3 48.Ne2 g2 49.Ng1 Rf1+ 50.Kd2 Bc4 51.Kc1+ Ke5 52.Nf3+ Rxf3 53.Rg1 Rf1+ 54.Rxf1 gxf1Q+ 55.Kd2 Qd3+ 56.Kc1 Bd5 57.Kb2 Qd2+ 58.Ka3 Qc3+ 59.Ka4 Qb3 checkmate, ionman - Fleurybot, blitz, FICS 2005; 

Returning to the mscp bot: 9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kd1 (10.Ke2 Nd4+ 11.Kd1 Nxf5 12.gxh4 Nxh4 13.e5+ Kc6 14.c3 d5 15.d4 Bg4+ 16.Kc2 Bf5+ 17.Kb3 Bf8 18.Be3 Re8 19.Nd2 Ng2 20.Bf2 Nxf4 21.Bg3 Nd3 22.a3 a5 23.Ka2 g6 24.b3 Bh6 25.Nf3 Rf8 26.Nh4 a4 27.b4 Bh3 28.Rhd1 Nf2 29.Bxf2 Rxf2+ 30.Kb1 Rf4 31.b5+ Kxb5 32.Kc2 Rxh4 33.Rab1+ Kc6 34.Kd3 Bf5+ 35.Ke2 Bg4+ 36.Kf2 Bxd1 37.Rxd1 Rxh2+ 38.Kg3 Ra2 39.Re1 Rxa3 40.Kg4 Rxc3 41.e6 Nf6+ 42.Kh4 g5 checkmate, ionman - mscp, blitz, FICS, 2005) 10...Ne7 11.e5+ (11.Qe5+ Nxe5 12.fxe5+ Kxe5 13.gxh4 Kxe4 14.d4 Kxd4 15.Nd2 Rf8 16.Nb3+ Kd5 17.c4+ Kxc4 18.Bg5 Bd6 19.Rc1+ Kd5 20.Re1 Nf5 21.Rc3 Bb4 22.Rd3+ Kc4 23.Re4+ Kxd3 24.Rxb4 Ne3+ 25.Bxe3 Rf1 checkmate, ionman - mscp, blitz, FICS,  2005) 11...Kc6 12.Qe4+ d5 13.exd6+ Kxd6 14.gxh4 Bg4 15.Qa4 Ng1+ 16.Ke1 Bf3 17.d4 Bxh1 18.dxc5+ Ke6 19.Nc3 Rhd8 20.Be3 Nh3 21.Kf1 Nf5 22.Re1 Bc6 23.Qc4+ Kf6 24.Ne4+ Bxe4 25.Qxe4 Re8 26.Bd4+ Nxd4 27.Qxd4+ Kg6 28.Qd3+ Kf6 29.Qxh3 Rxe1+ 30.Kxe1 Re8+ 31.Kf2 Re4 32.Kf3 Rc4 33.c3 Rxc5 34.Qg4 Rb5 35.b4 Rf5 36.Qg1 c5 37.bxc5 a5 38.Qd4+ Kf7 39.Qd7+ Kf6 40.Qxb7 g6 41.c6 Rc5 42.c7 Rxc3+ 43.Ke2 Kf5 44.c8Q+ Rxc8 45.Qxc8+ Kxf4 46.Qe6 a4 47.a3 h5 48.h3 Kg3 49.Ke3 Kxh4 50.Qf6+ g5 51.Kf3 Kxh3 52.Qxg5 h4 53.Qg2 checkmate, ionman - mscp, blitz, FICS, 2005. 

(Relax, all of the games can be found in The Database. Just ask for it.)

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Qd8 

A day after the text game, ionman tried 10.e5 less successfully: 10...dxe5 (instead 10...Ng4 is strong) 11.Qd8 (better is the thematic 11.d4) 11...Bd6 12.Nc3 (12.g3 Qc4 13.Nc3 Qxf1+ 14.Kxf1 Bh3+ 15.Kg1 Rxd8 16.d3 Rd7 17.Ne2 Bg4 18.Kf1 Bf3 19.Ke1 Ng4 20.h3 Nh2 21.Ng1 Bg2 22.h4 Ng4 23.Be3 Ke6 24.Ke2 a5 25.Nf3 Nxe3 26.fxe3 Bc5 27.e4 h6 28.c3 Bxf3+ 29.Kxf3 Rxd3+ 30.Ke2 Rxg3 White resigned, ionman - GriffyJr, blitz, FICS, 2005) 12...e4 13.g3 Qh3 14.f3 Qxf1+ 15.Kxf1 Bh3+ 16.Kf2 Rxd8 17.b3 Bc5+ 18.Ke2 exf3+ 19.Kxf3 Rf8 20.Bb2 Bf5 21.d3 Ng4 22.h3 Ne5+ 23.Kg2 Nc6 24.g4 Be6 25.Rf1+ Ke8 26.Rxf8+ Kxf8 27.Ne4 Bd4 28.Ba3+ Kg7 29.c3 Be5 30.d4 Bf4 31.Bb2 Kf7 32.c4 Nb4 33.d5 Bc8 34.Kf3 g5 35.h4 gxh4 36.Kxf4 Nd3+ 37.Kg5 Nxb2 38.Kxh4 Ke7 39.Kg5 Nd3 40.Kh6 Bxg4 41.Kxh7 Bf5+ 42.Kg7 Bxe4 White resigned, ionman - GriffyJr, blitz, FICS, 2005. 

10...Qxe4 11.Qxc7+ 

The next day 11.Nc3 was played, which is a good move, but not as good as the text 11...Qxc2 (better is 11...Qc6) 12.Qxc7+ (12.d4 is better) 12...Nd7 13.Nd5 (13.d4 is better) 13...Qe4 14.Nc3 (14.Ne3) 14...Qe5 (14...Qc2) 15.d3 Qd4 16.Re1 A losing blunder 16...Qxf2+ White resigned, ionman - GriffyJr, blitz, FICS, 2005. 

11...Qe7 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 

White is up the exchange and two pawns. Black's only compensation is better development.

13.c3 Be6 14.d4 Bb6 15.Bg5

Or 15.Nd2 Re8 16.Nf3 h5 17.Ng5 Bc4 18.Re1+ Kd8 19.Rxe8+ Kxe8 20.f3 Nd5 21.Ne4 Kd7 22.Kf2 Bd3 23.Bd2 Bc4 24.Re1 Bxa2 25.Bg5 a5 26.Nf6+ Kc6 27.Nxd5 Bxd5 28.Re8 Kb5 29.Bd8 Bc6 30.Rh8 Bxd8 31.Rxd8 Kc4 32.Rxd6 Be8 33.Rb6 Bc6 34.Ke3 g5 35.Kd2 Kd5 36.Kd3 Ke6 37.c4 Kd6 38.d5 Kc5 39.Rb3 a4 40.Ra3 Bd7 41.b4+ Kxb4 42.Rc3 a3 43.Kd4 Bf5 44.c5 Possibly a time error 44...a2 45.Rc1 Bb1 46.Rc4+ Kb5 White resigned,  ionman - GriffyJr, blitz, FICS, 2005. 

15...Re8 16.Nd2 d5 17.Nf3 h5 

White now continues to reduce the game to a simpler and simpler won endgame.

18.Rae1 a5 19.Bh4 a4 20.Ng5 Kd7 21.Nxe6 Rxe6 22.Rxe6 Kxe6 23.Bxf6 Kxf6 24.Re1 Bc7 25.Kf1 a3 26.b3 Ba5 27.Rc1 Kf5 28.c4 Bc7 29.Re1 b5 30.Rc1 Bf4 31.Rc2 dxc4 32.bxc4 bxc4 33.Rxc4 Bd6 34.Ke2 Bxh2 35.g3 h4 36.Rc3 hxg3 37.fxg3 Bg1 38.Rxa3 Bxd4 39.Kf3 Ke5 40.Ra6 g5 41.a4 Bc5 42.a5 Bb4 43.Ra8 Kf6 44.a6 Bc5 45.a7 Bb4 46.Rh8 Bc5 47.a8Q Ke5 48.Re8+ Kf6 49.Qc6+ Kg7 50.Qxc5 g4+ Black resigned

Et Tu, GriffySr?

I've reported elsewhere on the phenomenal success that GriffyJr and GriffySr at FICS have had with and against the Jerome family of openings – and as clones of the chess-playing computer program Crafty, that is not a surprise.

Still, it is a bit unsettling to see one of them recently manhandle a Jerome Gambiteer in a critical theoretical line.

NIZAM - GriffySr
standard, FICS, 2010

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

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

Computers are far less afraid of this line than humans.

7.f4 d6

The frustrating line that computers love. There's no use playing the Jerome Gambit against a computer unless (among other things) you have a plan on how to attack this.

8.Qf5+

NIZAM launches his Queen against the defense. "Book" is 8.fxe5.

8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Ke8 10.Qxg7

A human blitz player, seeing two pieces attacked and the enemy Queen so close to his King, might quail; but not a feeling-less computer. 

10...Qh4+ 11.g3

There was no joy in the "better" 11.Qg3 Qxg3+ 12.hxg3.

11...Nf3+ 12.Ke2 Nd4+ 13.Kd1

Allowing the finish.

13...Bg4+ 14.Ke1 Nxc2+ 15.Kf1 Qh3 checkmate

"I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him..."

It takes all kinds...

Wandering through the updated New Year's Database of Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+), and Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0/4.Nc3/4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+) games, I stumbled across two players with similar names: GriffySr and GriffyJr.

They had played games from 2001 to 2010, and had FICS  ratings as high as 2366 and 2136 respectively.

Heavy hitters!

The Griffys' score with White was a blistering 99%: 33 wins, no losses, one draw (in a winning position). Their score with Black was nearly as good: 90%, from 26 wins and 3 losses.

Most of their games with White were attacks against the Semi-Italian Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6), and they defended brutally against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – some games were of theoretical interest.

I guess I wasn't too surprised when I looked into the players a bit deeper, and read

GriffyJr and GriffySr are identical Crafty binaries with hardwired search depth.

I'd already discovered GFcrafty to be a silicon-based member of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde, too.

Well, as they say, "It takes all kinds..."