Jerome Gambit: Another Historical "Oversight"

My game against AndrewLLL in the third round of the "Italian Game Battlegrounds" tournament at Chess.com (see the previous post) has already progressed enough that I can now correct a historical "oversight": despite my commitment to share all of my Jerome Games, regardless of outcome, on this blog, I sort of "overlooked" the game perrypawnpusher - joseluislopez, blitz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 55).

You might notice that I lost that game against joseluislopez, and that maybe I was too embarassed to share it. That is not quite right: I did post an endgame position from our game that featured a double blunder, before my eventual loss by checkmate.

Yet, fair is fair, so here is the game - with a couple of lessons to learn.

perrypawnpusher - joseluislopez
blitz, FICS, 2012

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 Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 

9.f4

Starting the advance of the "Jerome pawns".

9...Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 d6 

I willingly traded my Queenside pawn structure for some time - Black's Bishop moved 4 times before leaving the board, while my Knight moved once. This was probably a mistake. A master would find active play to compensate, but I am not a master. Well on into the endgame, you will still be able to see the effect of the different Queenside pawn structures.

11.O-O Bg4 12.Qd3 Re8 13.h3 Bh5 14.g4 Bg6 

So far, White is playing aggressively, in true blitz style. Black probably should have returned material with 14...Bxg4!? which would have led to some danger to White's King.

15.f5 Nxe4 

This is a mis-reading of the position, as it allows White to open the f-file. Instead, Komodo 10 suggests the bizarre 15...Bh5!?, and has Black holding on to a small advantage.

16.fxg6+ 

This move leads to White's advantage, but the alternative, 16.Qd5+, would have led to checkmate: 16...Kf8 17.fxg6+ Qf6 18.Rxf6+ Ke7 19.Rf7+ Kd8 20.Qxb7 Re7 21.Rxe7 Kxe7 22.Qxc7+ Ke8 23.gxh7 Nf6 24.h8/Q+ Ng8 25.Qxg8 checkmate..

16...Kxg6 17.Qf3 

Looking to put more pressure on the enemy King, but overlooking Black's response, which is an effective remedy. More accurate would have been 17.Qd5, when 17...Nf6 (the only move to prevent checkmate) 18.Qf5+ Kf7 19.g5 would have led to a clear advantage.

17...Qf6 

White's dynamic compensation for his structural defects has been wasted. Black now grinds his opponent down - and a significant part of his plan is to take advantage of White's isolated Queenside pawns.

18.Qxf6+ Nxf6 19.Bd2 Re4 20.Rab1 b6 21.Rb4 Rae8 22.Rxe4 Rxe4 23.Kg2 Re2+ 24.Rf2 Rxf2+ 25.Kxf2 Ne4+ 26.Ke3 Nxd2 27.Kxd2 Kg5 28.Ke3 h5 29.gxh5 Kxh5 30.Kf3 Kh4 31.Kg2 g5 32.c4 c6 33.c3 b5 34.cxb5 cxb5 35.Kh2 a5 36.Kg2 b4 37.cxb4 axb4 38.Kh2 d5 39.Kg2 d4 40.Kf3 Kxh3 41.Ke4 g4 42.Kxd4 g3 43.Kc4 g2 44.Kxb4 g1=Q 45.a4 Qb6+ 46.Ka3 Kg4 47.Ka2 Kf4 48.Ka3 Ke4 49.Ka2 

I do not remember why I was playing on, a Queen down; most likely, my opponent was short of time. Only a miracle would save me - and I was not ready, when it came.

49...Qb5?? 50.Ka3?? 

Capturing the Queen would have led to a draw, even a pawn up. Probably I was short of time, too.

50...Qa5 51.Kb3 Kd4 52.Ka3 Qc3+ 53.Ka2 Qb4 54.Ka1 Kc3 55.a5 Qb2 checkmate

(My personal notes to this game suggested that I avoid 9.f4, and try something like 9.Ne2 - which I did, against AndrewLLL. We shall see how that works out.)

Jerome Gambit: Ever Onward

The third round of Chess.com's "Italian game Battlegrounds" tournament has started, and I find myself in Group 2 - which consists of me and andrewLLL.

As always, I was fully prepared to place my chances for success in the hands of the Jerome Gambit, but a review of my opponent's recent games suggests that he much preferred 3...Nf6, the Two Knights Defense, to 3...Bc5, which would limit my Jerome options.

So, after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6, I crossed my fingers and played 4.Nc3, fully expecting 4...Nxe4, when I was resigned to returning to last year's site of grave strugggle with the Noa Gambit against RemoveKubab1 with 5.Bxf7+.

However, perhaps andrewLLL got a hint of the won game looming before him, and played, instead, 4...Bc5, allowing me to move the game into the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit with 5.Bxf7+.

The Database shows that I have played this line in 60 games, scoring 74%, but you never know when it comes to "refuted" openings, do you? 

Jerome Gambit: Meanwhile

While waiting for the second round in the Chess.com tournament "Italian Battleground" to begin, I joined the "Italian Game Battlegrounds" tournament, and quickly started a couple of games with Jerome Gambit related openings - one with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5 4.Bxf7+ and one with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+.

I played an interesting move 9 novelty in the first game, and probably have an advantage. On the other hand, I am still struggling to reach equality in the second game - knowing, as always, that when White reaches an even game in the Jerome Gambit, he has the advantage...

We shall see.  

Tournament Update Update

Things move slowly in the "Italian Battleground" tournament at Chess.com. By my count, there are 11 games to be completed - although 2 of those cannot be started until a couple of ongoing ones are finished. Still, it is possible to identify those in each group who will move on.

In Group 1 there are a couple of games to complete, but  Marek_Sturmvogel, warwar and Iliwo will make it to round two.

Group 2, with two games to go, will see perrypawnpusher (that's me), JohnDuh2 and Abhishek29 move on to the next round.

Group 3 will see 275Jukka, manospawn and either thejamch, Alfonso10, Tarongrig or Asdksafa (yes, that is everyone else) progress. Seven yet-to-be-finished games keep that third spot in competition.

In Group 4, xtfabio, vasbur and XristosGikas will make it to round 2.

Tournament Update

Things are happening in the "Italian Battleground" tournament at Chess.com.

With 8.5/10, it looks like I will top Group 2 and move on to the next round - with JohnDuh2 (6.5) and Abhishek29 (5.5). With the Jerome Gambit I scored 2.5/3.

Likewise, xtfabio (8.5) is set to win Group 4, and advance with two of the following three: vasbur, XristosGikas, and nand_1996, who are still battling.

In Group 1 there are still plenty games to complete, but  FM_Andy_Markk, Marek_Sturmvogel and warwar are likely to make it to round two.

Group 3 is too hard to call at this point. There are too many important games left to complete. One player - the second-highest rated on in the group - has completed only 1 of his 10 games, to date, but could still walk away with the whole thing. All six players still have chances to be among the three who advance to the next round!