In the following blitz game Philidor1792 shows his typical creativity, aggression and persistence in whipping up an interesting attack. Resistance is strong, however, and this time White does not win the day.
Philidor1792 - Guest292640
5 0, PlayChessbase.com, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6
The Two Knights Defense, avoiding the Evans Gambit and lesser gambits like the Jerome.
4.b4
Philidor1792 wishes to have his gambit anyway!
This move makes me wonder why we haven't seen this gambit against the Hungarian Defense, i.e. 3...Be7 4.b4!? as if the pawn is captured, the game becomes and Evans Gambit after all.
In the text, White enters an Evans Gambit a move down, as Black's Bishop comes to b4 in one move, not the usual two. Philidor1792 doesn't fret over such trivialities.
4...Bxb4 5.c3 Be7 6.Bxf7+
Adding a dash of Jerome...
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+
...and a splash of the Halloween Gambit, to top it off.
7...Nxe5 8.d4 Nc6
9.e5 Ng8 10.f4 d5 11.f5 Bh4+ 12.g3 Bg5 13.Qh5+ g6
14.Qxg5
White is not afraid to enter an endgame with the pawns against Black's extra piece, but in this instance he might have had better chances (compared to the game) after 14.fxg6+!? Kg7 15.Bxg5 Qe8 16.0–0 hxg6 17.Bf6+ Nxf6 18.exf6+ Kf7 19.Qxd5+, although Black would still be objectively ahead.
14...Qxg5 15.Bxg5 Bxf5 16.0-0 Ke6 17.Nd2 h6 18.Be3 Nge7
19.Nb3 b6 20.a4
Looking for open lines and play on the Queenside.
20...Raf8 21.a5 Bc2 22.Nd2 Nf5 23.Bf2 Bd3 24.Rfc1 Rf7 25.axb6 axb6 26.g4 Nfe7
27.Be3 h5
Looking for open lines and play on the Kingside.
28.h3 hxg4 29.hxg4 Rh4 30.Kg2 Rxg4+ 31.Kh3 Re4 32.Re1 Rh7+ 33.Kg3 Nf5+ 34.Kf3 Rh3+ 35.Kg2 Rhxe3 36.Nxe4 Bxe4+ 37.Kf2 Rxc3 38.Rg1 Nfxd4 39.Ra8 Nxe5 40.Re8+ Kf6 41.Rc8 b5 White resigned
Alas, no victory today for the Evans / Jerome / Halloween pawns.
After my previous post to this blog, I was surprised to discover that my query at TimeForChess - see "The Jerome Gambit is Going to Drive Me... (Part 1)" - drew quick responses.
First, my post:
Looking for more information about an old post by fat lady:
08 May '06 16:54I think the Halloween Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5) is quite playable way beyond 1600.
An opening which is much worse, but still better than the one which started this thread, is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7 Kxf7 5.Nxe5. I played through a game of Alekhine's once where an amateur tried this against him. Alekhine tried sucessfully to hang onto both the pieces.
WHO can tell me ANYTHING about the game????
Thanks.
Perrypawnpusher
First response:
I suspect that Fat Lady, who was one of the finest posters ever to grace this forum, might have been misremembering this game of Blackburne's: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.c3 Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qxh3 14.gxh3 Be4#
Data Fly
Second response:
Mr. Fine-poster also seems to have mis-remembered black trying to hold on to any pieces, let alone both of them
BigDoggProblem
But I was most impressed by a return message from Fat Lady,
Hi Perry,
I will have a think and get back to you. My memory of it is that Alekhine played Ke6 and then held onto both pieces, rather than saccing his rooks as per the Blackburne game from 1880. I've got quite a lot of old chess books and magazines and maybe the Alekhine game came from one of them (I certainly can't find it online anywhere). I feel sure it was Alekhine because he is, and always has been, my favourite player.
Best wishes,
Oh, no, my expectations are soaring again!
Is this going to be "the real thing", or another disappointment??
Stay tuned.
Occasionally, I like to turn to the internet to search for "Jerome Gambit" or "1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+", just to see if something new or old turns up. Mostly, I find links to this blog (of course) but occasionally I find games or analysis or comments that are worth sharing. For a recent example, see "Evergreen?"
Sometimes, however, I find references that drive me to distraction. For example, there was the poster, years ago, who referred to the above series of moves as the "Salvio Gambit"...
And I don't know how many times I have been excited to see someone post that the Jerome Gambit is their "favorite" opening - only to contact that person and learn that he or she has not saved any of their games...
Recently, I encountered an old post by fat lady at the TimeForChess website.
08 May '06An opening which is much worse [than the Halloween Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5) ], but still better than the one which started this thread, is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7 Kxf7 5.Nxe5. I played through a game of Alekhine's once where an amateur tried this against him. Alekhine tried sucessfully to hang onto both the pieces.
Really?
Alekhine playing 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 - my guess as to what was referred to in the "hang[ing] onto both the pieces" line.
Show me the game!
Give me a reference!
An opponent!
A date!
A location!
Anything...
That would be awesome!
I'm afraid that it's not going to happen, though...
Alekhine??
Anyhow, I've posted on the site's forum, and have emailed fat lady. I'm not holding my breath, though waiting for a response.
I don't expect to learn anything more.
Still... I looked in Alekhine's My Best Games of Chess; The Games of Alekhine by Caparrós and Lahde' and Alexander Alekhine's Chess Games, 1902-1946, by Skinner, Alekhine and Verhoeven - just in case.
Sometimes my devotion to the Jerome Gambit truly drives me to distraction.
Here we have another collection of blitz games by Philidor 1792, fuelled by ideas from the Jerome Gambit, but launched in some Two Knights Defenses... Beware the attack! And - if you successfully defend - ask not for whom the time clock ticks, it ticks for thee!
Philidor 1792 - guest5
3-minutes blitz www.bereg.ru, 04.03.2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Bxf7+
Or 4.Bb3, offering the Delayed Jerome Gambit, but 4...a6 (4...Nxe4 5.Qe2 d5 6.d3 Nf6 (6...Nc5 7.Nxe5 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Re1 Be6 10.Nc3 Nxb3 11.axb3 Nxe5 12.Qxe5 Bd6 13.Qh5 c6 14.Bg5 f6 15.Rxe6 fxg5 16.Rae1 h6 17.Nb1 Qc7 18.Nd2 Bc5 19.Nf3 Qf7 20.Qxf7+ Rxf7 21.d4 Bb6 22.Re7 Raf8 23.c3 g4 24.Rxf7 Rxf7 25.Ne5 Re7 26.f4 h5 27.Kf2 c5 28.dxc5 Bxc5+ 29.Kg3 Kh7 30.Rd1 d4 31.cxd4 Bb6 32.d5 g5 33.d6 Re8 34.d7 Rd8 35.fxg5 Bc7 36.Kf4 Bxe5+ 37.Kxe5 Kg6 38.Ke6 Black resigned, Philidor1792 - Sasha63, Chess-Samara.ru, 2014) 7.Nxe5 Nxe5 8.Qxe5+ Qe7 9.Bf4 Qxe5+ 10.Bxe5 c6 11.c4 Be7 12.Nc3 dxc4 13.dxc4 0-0 14.0-0-0 Re8 15.Rhe1 Bg4 16.f3 Bf5 17.Bc2 Bxc2 18.Kxc2 Rad8 19.Bc7 Rxd1 20.Rxd1 Kf8 21.g4 h6 22.a3 Bc5 23.Bd6+ Bxd6 24.Rxd6 Ke7 25.c5 Rd8 26.Rxd8 Kxd8 27.Kd3 Ke7 28.Kd4 Ke6 29.b4 a6 30.h4 g6 31.g5 hxg5 32.hxg5 Ne8 33.Ke4 f5+ 34.Kd4 Ng7 35.Na4 Nh5 36.Nb6 Nf4 37.Nc4 Nh3 38.Nd6 Nxg5 39.f4 Nh3 40.Ke3 Kd5 41.Nxb7 g5 42.Nd6 gxf4+ 43.Kf3 Ke6 44.Nc4 Kd5 45.Nd6 Ke5 46.Nf7+ Kf6 47.Nd6 Ke6 48.Nc4 Kd5 49.Nd6 Ke5 50.Nf7+ Ke6 51.Nd6 Kf6 52.a4 Kg5 53.Nf7+ Kg6 54.Ne5+ Kg5 55.Nxc6 Ng1+ 56.Kg2 Ne2 57.Nb8 Nd4 58.c6 Kg4 59.c7 f3+ 60.Kf2 Ne6 61.c8Q Ng5 62.Qg8 Kf4 63.Qxg5+ Kxg5 64.Nxa6 Kf6 65.Nc5 Ke5 66.Kxf3 Kd6 67.Kf4 Kc6 68.Kxf5 Kb6 69.Ke5 Kc6 70.Kd4 Kb6 71.Kd5 Ka7 72.b5 Kb6 73.Nb3 Ka7 74.Kc6 Kb8 75.a5 Ka7 76.a6 Kb8 77.b6 Ka8 78.Na5 1-0 Philidor1792 - vlad2201, Chess-Samara.ru, 2014) 5.Nxe5 Going Halloween Gambit, after all, Nxe5 6.d4 Nc6 7.d5 Ne5 8.f4 Ng6 9.e5 Ng8 10.Nc3 Bc5 11.Ne4 Bb6 12.h4 Nxh4 13.Qg4 Ng6 14.f5 h5 15.fxg6 hxg4 16.Rxh8 Kf8 17.d6 cxd6 18.gxf7 Qc7 19.fxg8Q+ Ke7 20.Qxg7 checkmate, Philidor 1792 - guest1223, www.bereg.ru, 2014.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Ng6
Or, retreating the other way 6...Nc6 7.e5 Ne8 (7...Qe7 8.0-0 Ng8 9.Nc3 Qb4 10.Nd5 Qxd4 11.Qf3+ Nf6 12.exf6 gxf6 13.Qh5+ Kg8 14.Bf4 h6 15.c3 Qc4 16.Nxf6+ Kg7 17.Ne8+ Kh7 18.Qf5+ Kg8 19.Qg6+ Bg7 20.Qxg7 checkmate, Philidor 1792 - guest1334, www.bereg.ru, 2014; and 7...Ng8 8.0-0 d5 9.Nc3 Be6 10.f4 g6 11.g4 Qd7 12.f5 gxf5 13.gxf5 Bxf5 14.Qh5+ Ke7 15.Rxf5 Nd8 16.Bg5+ Ke6 17.Rxf8 Qg7 18.Qg4 checkmate, You - Stranger, Chess-Samara.ru, 2014) 8.Qf3+ Kg6 9.Qe4+ Kf7 10.Qf3+ Kg6 11.Qe4+ Kh5 (11...Kf7 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Bg5+ Nf6 14.0-0 Ke8 15.exf6 gxf6 16.Re1+ Be7 17.Bxf6 Rf8 18.Qh5+ Rf7 19.d5 Kf8 20.Qh6+ Kg8 21.Qg5+ Kf8 22.Qh6+ Kg8 23.Qg5+ Kf8 24.Qh6+ draw, Philidor 1792 - guest3018, www.bereg.ru 2014) 12.g4+ Kh4 13.Qg2 Bb4+ 14.c3 Nxe5 15.Qg3 checkmate, Philidor 1792 - guest345, www.bereg.ru, 2014; or
charging ahead 6...Nc4 7.e5 Ne4 8.Qf3+ Ke8 9.Qxe4 d5 10.Qe2 Bb4+ 11.c3 Ba5 12.b3 Nb6 13.b4 Nc4 14.bxa5 Nxa5 15.0-0 Bf5 16.g4 Be4 17.f3 Bg6 18.Nd2 Qe7 19.f4 h5 20.f5 Bf7 21.Qb5+ Nc6 22.Qxb7 Rb8 23.Qxc6+ Kd8 24.e6 Rb6 25.Qxd5+ Rd6 26.Qa8 checkmate, You - Stranger, Chess-Samara.ru, 2014.
7.e5 d5
Two ways to resist the capture: 7...Qe7 8.0-0 Nd5 9.Qf3+ Nf6 10.Bg5 h6 11.exf6 gxf6 12.Bd2 Kg7 13.Nc3 c6 14.Ne4 d5 15.Ng3 Qd7 16.h3 Be7 17.Rfe1 h5 18.Re3 h4 19.Nh5+ Rxh5 20.Qxh5 Qf5 21.Qe2 Bd6 22.Re8 Kf7 23.Re1 Nf4 24.Bxf4 Bxf4 25.Qe7+ Kg6 26.Rg8+ Kh5 27.Qf7+ Kh6 28.Rh8+ Kg5 29.Qh5 checkmate, Philidor 1792 - guest1278, www.bereg.ru, 2014; and
7...Nd5 8.Qf3+ Ke7 (8...Ngf4 9.Bxf4 Nxf4 10.Qxf4+ Kg8 11.Nc3 Be7 12.0-0 Bg5 13.Qe4 Qe7 14.f4 Bh4 15.g3 Qb4 16.gxh4 Qxb2 17.Nd5 Black resigned, You - Stranger, Chess-Samara.ru, 2014) 9.Qxd5 Ke8 10.0-0 c6 11.Qe4 Be7 12.f4 Bb4 13.c3 d5 14.exd6+ Kf8 15.cxb4 Kf7 16.f5 Black resigned, You - Stranger, Chess-Samara.ru, 2014.
8.0-0 Be7 9.f4 Bg4 10.Qe1 Bf5 11.Qe2 h5 12.exf6 Bxf6
13.c3 Qe7 14.Qb5 c6 15.Qb3 Rae8 16.Nd2 Bd3 17.Rd1 Nxf4 18.Nf3 Be2 19.Bxf4 Bxd1 20.Rxd1 Qd7
21.Rf1 Rhf8 22.Bg5 Kg8 23.Bxf6 Rxf6 24.Qd1 Qf7 25.Qd3 Qg6 26.Qxg6 Rxg6
27.Ne5 Rge6 28.Rf5 g6 29.Rg5 Kg7 30.Kf2 Rf6+ 31.Ke2 Ree6 32.Rg3 Rf5 33.Re3 g5 34.b3 b6 35.a4 c5 36.Rh3 Rfxe5+ 37.dxe5 Rxe5+ 38.Kd2 Kg6 39.Rf3 a5 40.Rf8 Rf5 41.Re8 Kf7 42.Rb8 Black lost on time
Here are a selection of games by Philidor 1792, referenced in yesterday's post. He brings a bit of Jerome Gambit magic, a bit of Halloween Gambit sparkle, and lays on a bit of the 3-minute game crunch. It doesn't always work, but it's always entertaining.
Philidor 1792 - guest1223
3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7
Well, it looks like Black is interested in the Hungarian Defense, not the Jerome Gambit - but he is in for some excitement, anyhow.
4.c3
Or the even calmer 4.O-O Nf6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Nc6 8.e5 Ne8 9.Qf3+ Kg8 10.Nc3 d6 11.Qd5+ Kf8 12.f4 Bf5 13.Rf2 Nb4 14.Qb3 c5 15.d5 a5 16.Be3 c4 17.Qxc4 Nxc2 18.Rxc2 Bxc2 19.Rf1 Rc8 20.Qd4 h5 21.Rf2 Bf5 22.Ne4 h4 23.g3 hxg3 24.hxg3 Rh3 25.Kg2 Qc7 26.Rd2 Rh6 27.Nf2 Qc4 28.Qxc4 Rxc4 29.g4 Bb1 30.a3 Rc2 31.Rxc2 Bxc2 White resigned, Philidor 1792 - guest267, 3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru 2014.
4...Nf6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Ng6
Or 7...Nc6 8.e5 Ng8 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Qg3 Bf8 11.Bg5 Nge7 12.d5 Nb8 13.d6 cxd6 14.exd6 Nbc6 15.Qh4 Qa5 16.dxe7 Bxe7 17.Bxe7 Qe5+ 18.Kd2 Nxe7 19.Re1 Qf6 20.Qxf6 gxf6 21.Na3 Kf7 22.Nb5 d5 23.Nd6+ Kf8 24.Re3 Nf5 25.Re8+ Kg7 26.Nxf5+ Bxf5 27.Re7+ Kg6 28.Rxb7 Rhb8 29.Rxb8 Rxb8 30.b3 Re8 31.f3 h5 32.Re1 Rxe1 33.Kxe1 Bc8 34.Kf2 Kf5 35.Ke3 Ke5 36.b4 Ba6 37.g4 hxg4 38.fxg4 Bc4 39.a4 f5 40.gxf5 Kxf5 41.Kd4 Kg4 42.Kc5 Kh3 43.b5 Kxh2 44.a5 Kg3 45.b6 axb6+ 46.axb6 Ba6 47.Kxd5 Kf4 48.c4
Kf5 49.c5 Kf6 50.Kd6 Kf7 51.Kd7 Kf6 52.c6 Bb5 53.b7 Black resigned, Philidor 1792 - guest1982, 3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru 2014.
8.e5 Ng8
Another time Black defended with 8...Ne8 9.Qf3+ Kg8 10.Qd5+ Kf8 11.Qf3+ Kg8 12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Qf3+ Nf6 14.exf6 Bxf6 15.O-O d5 16.Bg5 c6 17.Nd2 Kf7 18.Rfe1 Bd7 19.c4 h6 20.Bxf6 Qxf6 21.Qb3 Rhe8 22.cxd5 Kf8 23.Qxb7 Qd6 24.Rxe8+ Rxe8 25.dxc6 Bxc6 26.Qxa7 Kg8 27.Qa3 Qxd4 28.Nf3 Bxf3 29.Qxf3 Qxb2 30.Qb3+ Qxb3 31.axb3 Rb8 32.Rb1 Nf4 33.g3 Ne2+ 34.Kg2 Nd4 35.b4 Nc6 36.b5 Rb6 37.f4 Nd4 38.Rb4 Nxb5 39.f5 Rb7 40.g4 Nd6 41.Rxb7 Nxb7 42.Kg3 Kf7 43.Kf4 Nd6 44.Ke5 Nc4+ 45.Kf4 Kf6 46.h3 Nb6 47.Ke4 Kg5 48.Ke5 Kh4 49.f6 Nd7+ 50.Kf5 Nxf6 51.Kg6 Nxg4 52.Kxg7 h5 53.hxg4 hxg4 White resigned, Philidor 1792 - guest267, 3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 2014.
9.f4 d5
Or 9...d6 10.f5 Nxe5 (10...Nf8 11.O-O Ke8 12.Qe2 dxe5 13.dxe5 Bc5+ 14.Kh1 b6 15.b4 Be7 16.Na3 Bb7 17.Bf4 Qd5 18.Nb5 Bd8 19.Rad1 Qe4 20.Qd2 Qc4 21.a4 h6 22.Kg1 Bc6 23.Na3 Qe4 24.Nb5 Qxf5 25.Nd4 Qg6 26.Nxc6 Qxc6 27.Bg3 a6 28.Qf2 Qe6 29.Qxf8 checkmate, Philidor 1792 - guest11, 3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 2014) 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Qb3+ Kf8 13.O-O Bc5+ 14.Kh1 Qd3 15.Rd1 Qe2 16.c4 Bxf5 17.Nc3 Qh5 18.Qxb7 Re8 19.Qxc7 Bd4 20.Rf1 Nf6 21.c5 Be6 22.Ne4 Qf7 23.Qc6 Qd7
24.Qxd7 Bxd7 25.Bg5 Re6 26.Nxf6 gxf6 27.Bxf6 Kg8 28.Rac1 Rc6 29.b4 h5 30.Bxh8 Kxh8 31.Rf7 Be6 32.Rxa7 Black resigned, Philidor 1792 - guest449, 3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 2014.
10.f5 Bxf5 11.O-O Nh6 12.g4 Rf8 13.gxf5 Nh4 14.Qh5+ Kg8 15.f6 Black resigned
We have been looking at the creative ideas of Philidor 1792, and, like the animated character Buzz Lightyear says, they go "To infinity - and beyond!"
Of course, in this case, they start with the Jerome Gambit - and go beyond.
Here are some of the ideas that Philidor 1792 sent in an email, along with his large collection of games.
Since I wrote to you last time, I've played many Jerome games and found some fun ideas.
First of all, I explored the Modern Jerome Gambit and realized that here, in contrast to Double Jerome Gambit, one doesn't need to wait when opponent develop his bishop to c5 square (because the Qh5+ idea isn't involved), so why not to play Bxf7+ in response to Be7 or Nf6, without waiting Bc5 move?
As you wrote in your blog some people belive that "it is bad investment to sacrifice the second piece with 5.Nxe5" and prefer to "focus on development". (If there is any soundness to be found in the Jerome, then I believe it involves replacing 5. Nxe5+ with a different move. - Gary K. Gifford). Why do we need a black bishop on c5 then?
So I tried to play Bxf7+ after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 as a response to any black move. After that I saw that in the arising positions the main idea of the Halloween Gambit is applicable. For example after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Ng6 7.e5 the black knight doesn't have any secure square (the g4 ana h5 squares are controled by the white queen and after Nd5 or Ne4, Qf3+ with a fork may follow.)
I had a lot of fun playing this kind of Jerome gambit. There are a lot of games in attachment. Hope you like them!
Again, as hard as it may be to believe, there are some players with Black who refuse to play against the Jerome Gambit, even when White unveils it a move down. Philidor 1792 has faced a few (above) who declined a winning position and instead chose a balanced one. In the following game White tosses in a bit of Halloween Gambit to get active play.
Philidor 1792 - guest1211
3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Bb3 Be7
Of course, 4...Bc5 5.Bxf7+ would be the Delayed Jerome Gambit, which is more than Black usually dreams of getting out of an opening. Still, some defenders resist...
5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.d4 Ng6 7.e5 Ne4 8.0-0
Philidor 1792 has also played the immediate 8.f3: 8...Bb4+ (8...Bh4+ 9.g3 Nxg3 10.hxg3 Bxg3+ 11.Kf1 b6 12.Nc3 Ba6+ 13.Kg2 Bf4 14.Nd5 Qg5+ 15.Kf2 Qg3 checkmate, Philidor 1792 - guest13, 3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 2014) 9.Kf1 Ng5 10.f4 Ne4 11.Qe2 d5 12.Qb5+ Black resigned, Philidor 1792 - guest1200, 3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 2014.
8...d5 9.f3 Ng5 10.Nc3 c6 11.f4 Ne4 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.f5
13...Nh4 14.e6 0-0 15.Be3 g6 16.exf7+ Kg7 17.fxg6 Nxg6 18.Qh5 Black resigned
Here we have another manic three-minute game showing the three secrets to winning blitz chess: attack, attack, attack.
Philidor 1792 - guest2151
3-minutes blitz www.bereg.ru, 24.12.2013
1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bb3 a5
After offering an Alekhine Defense, but showing no interest in participating in the Krejcik Gambit, Black finds an interesting way to avoid a Delayed Jerome Gambit.
White goes for a Chicago or Halloween Gambit, sacrificing a Knight on e5 (without having sacrificed the Bishop on f7). Of course, 5.Nc3 would have been just fine for White.
5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.d4 Nc6 7.d5 Ne5 8.f4 Ng6 9.e5 Ng8
10.h4 Nxh4 11.d6 cxd6 12.Qh5
12...Nxg2+ 13.Kf2 g6 14.Qh3 dxe5 15.Qxg2 exf4
16.Qd5 Qb6+ 17.Kf3 d6 18.Qxf7+ Kd8 19.Qxf8+ Kc7 20.Qg7+ Black resigned
Our chessfriend Philidor 1792 is on such a tactical roll, it seems a shame to not present three smashing games of his, just because they don't fit the Jerome Gambit template.
Here is the first. It contains a reminder (again) that even in 3-minute games, endgame skill is essential.
Philidor 1792 - guest3658
3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 27.12.2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Bb3 Be7 5.Nxe5
White, unable to reach a Delayed Jerome Gambit (i.e. 4...Bc5, 5.Bxf7+) switches to an opening reminiscent of the Chicago or Halloween Gambit.
5...Nxe5 6.d4 Nxe4
This looks a bit like I know you want me to play 6... Nc6, so I'll play something else... The problem - for Black - is that 6...Nc6 is the correct move, whereas the text leads to an equal game.
As in the Jerome Gambit, returning the sacrificed material for an even game is often the price a defender is willing to pay.
7.dxe5 O-O 8.Qd4 Nc5 9.Nc3 Nxb3 10.axb3 c6 11.Bf4 Bg5 12.O-O-O Bxf4+ 13.Qxf4
White would like to make something out of Black's backward d-pawn, or White's strong point at d6.
13...f5 14.Rd3 g5 15.Qc4+ Kh8 16.g4
Sharper was 16.h4.
16...Qe7 17.Re1 fxg4 18.Re2 Rf4 19.Rd4 Qf7 20.Qxf7 Rxf7
White's lead in development clearly compensates for Black's extra, doubled pawn. In turn, Black decides to give two pawns to activate his pieces.
21.Ne4 d5 22.exd6 Bf5 23.Nxg5 Rg7 24.Ne6 Bxe6 25.Rxe6 Rd8
White's advantage lives at d6.
26.Re7 Kg8 27.Rxg7+ Kxg7 28.Rxg4+ Kf6 29.Rh4 Rd7 30.c4 c5 31. b4 b6 32. bxc5 bxc5 33.b4
33...Rxd6 34. Rh6+ Ke5 35.Rxd6 Kxd6 36.b5 Ke5 37.Kc2 Kd4
Black's King has taken up a strong position, and now only one move keeps the advantage for White. Which one?
38.f4
White needed to find 38.Kb3! when Black's King cannot safely choose either side of the board to play on. White's King clearly wants to advance and capture Black's pawn on a7, followed by promoting his b-pawn. Black cannot stop that, and White's f-pawn at the same time.
Houdini gives as best play (30 ply) 38...Ke4 39.Ka4 Ke5 40.b6 axb6 41.Kb5 Kd4 42.f4 h5 43.f5 Ke5 44.Kxb6 Kxf5 45.Kxc5 and White's King will lead his passed pawn to the Queening square.
38...Kxc4
Black misses his opportunity, as 38...Ke4 would now win, as the tempos now favor him.
Now the game is even.
39.f5 Kd5 40.Kd3 Ke5 41.Kc4 Kxf5 42.Kxc5
42...h5
The wrong kind of activity. Instead, 42...Ke5 would hold the draw.
43.Kc6 h4 44.Kb7 h3 45.Kxa7 Kf4 46.b6 Kf3 47.b7 Kg2 48.b8=Q Black resigned
In the following 3-minute game, White only head-fakes toward a Jerome Gambit, but the resulting opening still features a piece-for-a-pawn sacrifice, and some foot soldiers who would not be out of place in Jerome's Double Opening.
Philidor 1792 - guest1132
3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 15.12.2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Bb3 Be7 5.Nxe5
This unusual Two Knights Defense, possibly heading for a Delayed Jerome Gambit with 4.Bb3 - had Black played 4...Bc5 - now takes a Chicago Gambit or Halloween Gambit turn with this Knight sacrifice.
5...Nxe5 6.d4 Ng6 7.e5 Ng8 8.Qf3 f6
Instead, Houdini suggests 8...d5 9.exd6 Bf6 10.Qe2+ Kf8 11.dxc7 Qxc7.
9.Qd5 d6
An improvement over 9...Nh6 10.Bxh6 Rf8 11.Bxg7 c6 12.Qc4 d5 13.exd6 Qxd6 14.Bxf8 Black resigned, Philidor 1792-guest1063, www.bereg.ru, 2013.
10.Qf7+ Kd7 11.e6+
It is tempting to get after the enemy King, although Houdini prefers letting it go in exchange for winning back a piece and turning the whole board to chaos: 11.exd6 cxd6 12.h4 Nh6 13.Bxh6 gxh6 14.h5 Nf4 15.g3 Rf8 16.Ba4+ Kc7 17.Qc4+ Kb8 18.gxf4 d5.
11...Kc6 12.Nc3 Nh6 13.Be3
Offering the Queen for a mate-in-one.
13...d5 14.Bxh6 gxh6 15.Nxd5
15...a5 16.c4 Qf8 17.h4 a4 18.Bc2 Qxf7 19.exf7 Kd6 20.h5 Nf8 21.0-0-0 Be6
22.Rhe1 Bd8 23.Nc3 Bxf7 24.c5+ Kd7 25.Bf5+ Kc6 26.Be4+ Kd7 27.Bf5+ Draw
