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.
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...
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!
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 Bxc2White resigned, Philidor 1792 - guest267, 3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru 2014. 4...Nf6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Ng6
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
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
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...Nc6is 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
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
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
