Despite what different masters are reported to have said, it is not true that "Chess Is Life". Sometimes it appears that "life" is what keeps us busy, and occasionally from playing chess, though...
perrypawnpusher - mnoori
blitz, FICS, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qf6
10.Nc3
The is one move among many possible.
Bill Wall has played 10.d3, as in Wall,B - G3LC, PlayChess.com 2011 (1-0, 22).
Louis Morin has show an interest in 10.d4, as in mrjoker - Igor77, Internet Chess Club, 2008 (1-0, 70), guest2199 - guest401, Internet Chess Club, 2004 (1-0, 87) and MrJoker - Melbourne, Internet Chess Club, 2011 (1-0, 13).
I've varied with 10.0-0, as in perrypawnpusher - TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25).
10...Be6
Possibly better was 10...c6, as in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 28), perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0,59) and MrJoker - ZICO, Internet Chess Club, 2012 (1-0, 34).
11.0-0 N8e7 12.f4 Bd7
In this kind of position, I usually see things differently during the game than Houdini sees afterwards. I think "tactics" and play f4-f5, "kicking" Black's Knight, hoping to chase him to e5 when I can "kick" it again with d2-d4. Houdini "thinks" "position" and chooses d2-d4 instead, suggesting that Black respond to a later f4-f5 by withdrawing his Knight to g8.
13.f5 Ne5
In all fairness, had my opponent played 13...Nf8 here instead, I would have followed up with 14.d4.
14.d4 Nc4
My opponent prefers to play actively, but 14...N5c6 was probably better, with and edge to Black.
15.Qd3 b5
I was pretty sure during the game that Houdini would want me now to play 16.a4, but I couldn't figure out what would be wrong with Black simply defending with 16...c6. After the game Houdini showed me 17.e5 dxe5 18.Ne4!? with a sharp attack - good for you, Readers, who figured that out!
I was unhappy with the possibility of 16.a4 b4 as well, although, again, after the game Houdini said "no worries" after 17.Nb5 Bxb5 18.axb5 and White will eventually capture the pawn at b4. Well, okay...
16.b3 Nb6
After the game Houdini again pointed out that if 16...b4, White would have the familiar 17.e5 dxe5 18.Ne4!? I think I would have answered 16...b4 with 17.bxc4 bxc3 18.Qxc3 and been happy with my broad pawn center.
17.Nxb5
At this point my opponent seems to have disappeared, and Black forfeited on time. Quite likely, "life" intruded; I hope nothing bad.
Instead, after 17...Bxb5 18.Qxb5+ Nd7 19.Bb2 White would have a comfortable game, with three pawns for his sacrificed piece, and possibly a small edge.
When I play through Jerome Gambit games by Bill Wall or Philidor 1792, I imagine a hero emerging, unscathed, from the center of whirling, churning chaos...
When I play the Jerome Gambit, though, it is a lot more like riding in a car that is careening out of control, heading for a cliff - and, if I am lucky, I can jump out in time...
Something like the following game.
perrypawnpusher - OudeKwakkelaar
blitz, FICS, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+
My opponent has faced this opening a few times earlier, and may not have been impressed:
6.0-0 Rf8 7.Nd5 Kg8 8.d3 h6 9.Nh4 Nxd5 10.Nf5 Nde7 11.Nxh6+ gxh6 12.Bxh6 Rf6 13.Bg5 Rg6 14.Qh5 Qf8 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 16.Qxe5 Bd6 17.Qb5 Qh6 18.h3 b6 19.Rae1 Qg5 20.g3 Qxb5 White resigned, maharishi - OudeKwakkelaar, FICS, 2006; and
6.Ng5+ Ke8 7.d3 d6 8.0-0 Rf8 9.Nd5 Nxd5 10.exd5 Nd4 11.c3 Nf5 12.Nxh7 Rh8 13.Qh5+ Ke7 14.Bg5+ Kd7 15.Bxd8 Rxd8 16.Qf7+ Black resigned, BurtForFun - OudeKwakkelaar, FICS, 2012.
6...Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4
This is a slight improvement over our earlier game, which continued with 7...d6, in perrypawnpusher - OudeKwakkelaar, blitz, FICS, 2011 (½-½ , 62).
8.Qxd4 Qe7 9.0-0
This is a little bit better than 9.f4 as in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 27); but 9.Bg5, which I played next move, is probably best.
9...Re8 10.Bg5 Qd6
The prudent 10...Kg8 was seen in perrypawnpusher - BigKalamar, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 49).
11.Qe3
I just knew that after the game Houdini was going to scold me for not playing 11.Qxd6 and it did, suggesting 11...cxd6 12.Nb5 and Black has an edge, which he keeps, of course, after 12...Rg8 13.f4 Nc4 14.b3 Nd2 15.Nxd6+ Ke6 16.Rfe1 Kxd6 17.Rad1 h6 18.Rxd2+ Ke7 19.Bh4 g5 20.fxg5 hxg5 21.Bg3 b6.
Now my game is headed for a cliff...
11...Neg4 12.Qh3 h6 13.Bh4 Qc5 14.Qd3 Qh5
Black would have done better with 14...d6, but Houdini still says that White has very little for his sacrificed piece.
15.Bg3 d6 16.f4
Here, however, Black forfeited on time.
Once again, White is saved by the Jerome Gambit's "secret weapon".
The following game shows White surviving his unsound opening, moving gradually to an even position; later, taking advantage of Black's tactical slips to obtain an advantage; later, still, mis-playing his advantageous middlegame into a better endgame; and, further, almost frittering that endgame advantage away... before winning.
perrypawnpusher - strobane
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qf6 10.Nc3
Or 10.d3 as in Wall,B - G3LC, Playchess.com, 2011 (1-0, 22); or
10.0-0 as in perrypawnpusher TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25); or
10.d4 as in guest2199 - guest401, ICC, 2004 (1-0, 87) and mrjoker - Igor77, ICC, 2008 (1-0, 70).
10...N8e7
Also played: 10...c6 in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 28); and 10...b6 in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 59).
This is familiar territory, so the moves are coming relatively quickly, which is useful in blitz.
11.0-0 Rf8 12.d4 Kf7
Black castles-by-hand. The game is sliding toward roughly equal.
13.f4 Kg8 14.f5 Nh8 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Qb6
A reasonable, even scientific idea: exchange Queens to blunt any possible White attack; and consider returning a piece for the "Jerome pawns" with an even game.
17.g4 Qxe3+ 18.Bxe3 Bd7 19.Bc5 Rae8 20.f6
After the game, Rybka 3 preferred 20.e6, but at the time that looked too static for me.
20...gxf6 21.exf6 Bxg4
I am guessing that this was just a blitz oversight.
22.fxe7 Rf5 23.Rxf5 Bxf5 24.Rf1 Bg6
Okay, the advanced "Jerome pawn" has become quite powerful. Take a few moments to plan out White's winning plan.
25.Rf8+ Kg7 26.Bd4+ Kh6 27.Rxe8
IF you saw 27.Nd5, headed to c7 or f6 to harass the Black Rook and fight for the e8 square, good for you.
27...Bxe8 28.Bxh8 Kg6
A piece ahead, I was happy with my game, but I never really developed a "winning strategy" from this point, so the game soon turns into an oddly psychological wander.
29.Bd4 Kf7 30.Bxa7 Kxe7 31.Nd5+ Kd6 32.Nf6 Bg6 33.Be3 Bxc2 34.Kf2 c6 35.Kf3 Ke5 36.Ng4+ Kf5 37.Nf2 Bb1 38.a3 Ba2 39.Nd3 Bd5+ 40.Kf2 h5
Ideas for White? Now 41.Bb6 would put a nice cramp on Black's position.
41.Nc5
I had decided that the only thing that I could do with my extra piece would be to exchange it for two pawns. That would leave me in a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, and I would have to use my knowledge, skill and experience there to make something of the drawish situation.
That would be a pretty sad outcome for what seems to be a "won" game.
Black's next move introduces another possibility: White can work to advance his a-pawn and create a passer. I overlooked that possibility totally.
41...b5 42.Kg3 Kg6 43.Kh4 Bf3 44.Nd7 Kf5 45.Nb8 Kg6 46.Na6 Kf5 47.Nb4 Kg6 48.Bd2 Kf5 49.Nxc6 Bxc6 50.Kxh5 Bg2
Here is a rather annoying thought for White: even if he were able to create a passed a-pawn with b2-b3 and a3-a4 (something that Black can prevent by either covering b3 or getting his Bishop to d1 in a timely fashion) leaving himself with two Rook-pawn passers, Black could afford to sacrifice his Bishop for the h-pawn, as this would leave White with a drawn RP + Bishop of the wrong color endgame!
51.h4 Bf3+ 52.Kh6 Ke5 53.Kg6 Be4+ 54.Kg5 Kd5 55.h5 Kc4
A very surprising slip after 30 decent moves of defense. Black's King and Bishop were doing a good job of defending against White's hopes to advance his h-pawn. Now the monarch goes too far away, to attack pawns that are easily defended.
56.h6 Kb3 57.Bc3 Bh7 58.Kf6 Be4 59.Kg7 Bd3 60.h7 Bxh7 61.Kxh7
61...Kc4 62.Kg6 Kd5 63.Kf5 Kc4 64.Ke4 Kc5 65.Bb4+ Kb6 66.Kd4 Kc6 67.b3 Kb6 68.Kd5 Black resigned
The standard advice when your opponent is low on time is to take your time and play good moves. Good moves will cause your opponent more problems, and cause him to take even more time, or force him into making bad moves.
The temptation is great, however, to blitz an opponent who is short on time. I think that this is what happened in the following game, when Black should have spent a bit more time on his own moves instead of trying to hurry me and mine.
perrypawnpusher - HGBoone
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5
I had forgotten at the time of this game, but HGBoone and I had played twice previously, both games being Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambits: perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 27) and perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 46)
4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qf6
10.Nc3
I played 10.0-0 previously, in perrypawnpusher - TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25). 10.d4 was an option of about equal strength.
10...b6
Instead, the more prudent 10...c6 was my opponent's choice in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 28).
11.Nd5 Qd8 12.0-0
White could grab a pawn, instead, and have a roughly equal game after 12.Qc3, e.g. 12...Kd7 13.Qxg7+ N8e7 14.d4 Bb7 15.Nf6+ Kc8.
The text move is okay, but it shows the shallowness of my planning.
12...Bb7 13.f4 N8e7 14.f5 Ne5
15.d4
This is the standard Knight-kick, but 15.f6 was probably better.
15...Ng4 16.Qe2 h5
Black has aggressive intentions, or else he would have played 16...Nf6.
17.Nf4 a5 18.Ne6 Qd7 19.Nxg7+ Kd8 20.Nxh5
Knocking the prop out from under the advanced enemy Knight.
My time was getting short, and I noticed that a few times my opponent replied almost instantly. His next move was too quick.
20...Nf6
Bad. I had expected the straight forward 20...Rxh5 21.Qxg4.
21.Nxf6 Qc8 22.Qg4 Ba6
At long last my opponent gets to play a move that he had planned for when my Queen and Rook were on the same diagonal.
23.Re1
Stronger was 23.Qg7, now or on the next move.
23...Rf8 24.e5 Nxf5 25.Bg5 Ne7 26.Qxc8+
I think this surprised my opponent, the idea that I would swap Queens in the middle of an attack; but I figured that the Bishop pin was enough to win. I did not want to waste too much time figuring out better alternatives that also won.
26...Rxc8
The rest of the game is just the playing out of White's advantage.
27.Nd5 Re8 28.exd6 cxd6 29.Bxe7+ Rxe7 30.Nxe7 Rxc2
31.Nf5 Bb7 32.Ne3 Rxb2 33.Reb1 Re2 34.Re1 Rd2 35.d5 Rd3
Black is down a Rook. Winning the d-pawn will only un-complicate the game further for White by removing the minor pieces.
36.Rab1 Kc7 37.Kf2 Rd2+ 38.Re2 Rd4 39.Rc2+ Kb8 40.Rxb6 Rf4+ 41.Kg3 Re4 42.Kf3 Rb4 43.Rb2 Rxb6 44.Rxb6 Ka7 45.Rxd6
45...a4 46.Ke4 a3 47.Ke5 Ka8 48.Rd8+ Ka7 49.d6 Bc6 50.d7 Kb7 51.Kd6 Bb5 52.Rh8 Bxd7 53.Kxd7
53...Kb6 54.Rh5 Kb7 55.Nc4 Kb8 56.Rb5+ Ka7 57.Kc7 Ka6 58.Nxa3 Ka7 59.Ra5 checkmate
Two guys are walking in the savannah, when a tiger wanders into the clearing.
The first guy reaches into his backpack, takes out his running shoes and starts to put them on.
"Forget it. You'll never run faster than that tiger" says the second guy.
"I don't have to," replies the first. "I just have to run faster than you."
I remembered that joke when I played over the following game. I don't think that my play was very good. However, it turned out to be better than that of my opponent, and that was enough.
perrypawnpusher - BigKalamar
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5
5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4
8.Qxd4 Qe7 9.0-0
Preparing f2-f4, which I have also played immediately, as in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, San Jose, California US 2010 (1-0, 27).
9...Re8 10.Bg5
Because of the arrangement of Black's King Knight and Queen, I would have done better to think of 9.Bc1-g5, possibly following up with Nc3-d5, saving the f2-f4 thrust for another time.
10...Kg8
Castling-by-hand, a standard defensive move in the Jerome Gambit.
After the game, Rybka 3 suggested: 10...Nc6 11.Qd2 Qe5, slipping the Black Bishop's pin . With some work, White then can win a pawn, 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Nb5 Qe5 14.Qd5+ Re6 15.Rfe1 b6 16.c4 g5 17.Qxe5 Rxe5 18.Nxc7 but Black still maintains the advantage (piece vs 2 pawns).
10...c6 was seen in HauntedKnight - greeneel, FICS, 2010 (1-0,35), when 11.f4 would have led to an even game.
11.f4
Missing the opportunity for 11.Nd5, as after 11...Qd6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.f4 Nf7 White can win the exchange with 14.Nxf6+. That will leave the first player with a Rook and two pawns against two pieces, a small advantage in an endgame (if he plays 14...Kf8 15.Qxd6+ Nxd6; and he can add to his positional advantage with the further 16.e5 Nc4 17.b3 Ne3 18.Nxe8 Kxe8 19.Rf2; thank you, Rybka).
11...Nc6 12.Qd3
White's routine play of the position (with one exception, which will show up, shortly) has given him his usual situation: Black is better.
12...Qf7 13.e5 Nh5
It was time to play "kick the Queen" with 13...Nb4 14.Qd2 Nfd5, letting Black's King Knight escape toward the center.
14.g4
Prelude to a Kingside traffic jam that I somehow survive.
14...h6 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.gxh5 Qxh5
Rybka 3 now sees the game as about even, based on the strength of White's next possible move, 17.Nd5, which will allow him to either win the c7 pawn or play the annoying Nf6...
17.Kh1 Kh8 18.Nd5 Rg8
This is a critical error, if it is caught.
19.Nf6 Qg6
Compounding the problem.
20.Nxg8
Clueless.
Instead, 20.Rg1 Ne7 21.Rxg6 and White mates.
20...Qxg8
Fortunately, my opponent was keeping pace with me. Instead, 20...Qxd3 21.cxd3 Kxg8 produced a safer (and better) position for Black.
21.Rg1 Qf7 22.Qg6
Wrong piece! Instead, 22.Rg6 is crushing.
22...Qxg6
In turn, Black did better to leave the Queens on the board.
Can you tell that this is a blitz game between club players??
23.Rxg6 d6
Offering a pawn to distract me from doubling Rooks. It works.
24.exd6 cxd6
Black needs development: 24...Bf5 would be about equal.
25.Rxd6
Ouch. I could at least have taken the h-pawn first.
25...Kh7 26.Rf1 Bf5 27.c3 Rg8
We have reached an interesting endgame, where Black's Knight and Bishop are at least the equal of White's Rook and two pawns.
I win because at a critical moment my opponent is unable to counter my evil plan... Bwa-ha-ha-ha!
28.h4 Be4+ 29.Kh2 Rg2+ 30.Kh3 Rxb2 31.Re1 Bg2+
Instead, the Bishop should check from f5, leaving the g-file open for the Rook.
32.Kg4 a6
Missing the point of White's King advance.
33.Ree6
Heh, heh, heh... Me too: 33.Rd7+ Ne7 34.Rexe7+ Kg8 35.Rd8#
33...Rxa2 34.Rxh6+ Kg7 35.Rhg6+ Kf7 36.h5
This is my idea. I was convinced that it would be successful, so I was blind to faster solutions, like checkmate.
36...Be4 37.Rgf6+ Kg7 38.f5 Rg2+ 39.Kf4 Bc2 40.h6+ Kg8
41.Rg6+ Rxg6 42.fxg6 a5 43.h7+ Kh8 44.Kg5 a4
Black had one last chance, a swindle: 44...Bxg6 45.Kxg6 Ne5+, as White can reflexively, but erroneously, protect his passer with 46.Kh6?, losing his Rook to 46...Nf2+. Instead, 46.Kf5, attacking the Knight, gives White time, after 46...Nc6, to protect the pawn with 47.Rd7.
45.Kh6 Bxg6 46.Rxg6 Ne7 47.Rf6 Ng8+ 48.hxg8Q+ Kxg8 49.Rb6 Black resigned
