More and More About What We Know So Little

In the last few days I have added over 10,000 Abrahams Jerome Gambit games (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+), which we have been discussing recently, to The Database, pushing it almost to 51,000 games, total. (I can probably add another 10,000 Abrahams JG games to bring things up-to-date with play at FICS.)

Reviewing my email files, I note that in the past I have discussed the opening with the always-impressive IM/PhD Tim Harding (whose 1973 Bishop's Opening is a classic, whose articles for chesscafe.com  helped answer the question "What Exactly Is the Bishop's Opening?", and whose biography of Joseph Henry Blackburne many await from McFarland) and with Michael Goeller, who maintains an excellent online resource on the Bishop's Opening; and neither was familiar with the early Bishop sacrifice.

That pretty much makes three of us.

I have recently contacted IM Gary Lane, a long-time friend of this blog, who has written Winning With the Bishop's Opening (1993) and The Bishop's Opening Explained (2005). While he is not familiar with the Abrahams Jerome Gambit, either, he is willing to take a look at it with his readers in his next month's "Opening Lanes" column at ChessCafe.com. 

I hope to learn more - much more. I need to. It is ridiculous that the "oldest" over-the-board game example of this line in The Database is a 2003 game:

Kuckuck,D - Loesche,N 
EU-ch U08 Germany, 2003

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.Nxe5+ Kf8 7.Re1 Bb4 8.Rxe4 b6 9.Rxb4 Bb7 10.c4 Ke7 11.d3 h5 12.f3 g5 13.f4 gxf4 14.Bxf4 d6 15.Bg3 h4 16.Bf2 b5 17.Rb3 Rh7 18.Nd2 Qd7 19.Ne4 Nc6 Black resigned

The "oldest" online game example in The Database is only from 1999.

ChessNinja  - Leebros
FICS,1999

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Kf8 5.Qxe5 Qe7 6.Qf5+ Nf6 7.e5 d6 8.Qxc8+ Kf7 9.Qxh8 Nc6 10.Qxa8 Qxe5+ 11.Ne2 Nd4 12.Nbc3 Ng4 13.Qxb7 Nxc2+ 14.Kf1 Nxh2+ 15.Rxh2 Qxh2 16.Qxc7+ Kg6 17.Rb1 Qh1+ 18.Ng1 Ne1 19.Kxe1 Qxg1+ 20.Ke2 Qxf2+ 21.Kd1 Black ran out of time

One More Time - Again?

I have completed my second round of play in the ongoing Chess.com "Italian Game" tournament. With three wins (thank you, Yury), two losses and a draw, I have second place in my group locked up.

I do not know if one or two players from our 4-player group will advance. If two do, I'm in, and that means more chances for more Jerome Gambits. If only one advances -- well that was a foregone conclusion, anyhow. The top player in our group was 10-0-0 in the first round, and is 5-0-1 in this round. If I am left behind, my consolation will be that I scored a draw against her (after she ducked my Jerome Gambit).

Meanwhile, there is another Chess.com Italian Game tournament signing up twenty-eight players, so I've added my name to the list!

Who Plays The Jerome Gambit?

Who plays the Jerome Gambit?

About four years ago, in "King of the Hill", I searched through The Database to find the names of those who appeared the most.

I figured that it was time for an update.

While I have picked up the pace a bit, the 535 games by perrypawnpusher still do not put me at the top.

It will still take more work to catch yorgos, with 601 games. Some time this year he is likely to overtake kingmaple, with 619 games - but all of those, save one, were played before 2010.

None of us are likely to catch DragonTail, however, who, with 1,445 games, remains King of the Hill.

Updated

I have updated The Database with games from FICS (Free Internet Chess Server) through 2014. It now contains over 39,000 games.

The basic Jerome Gambit position, after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, appears in about 11,600 games. White scores 45%

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+, appears  2,300 times. White scores 38%.

Interestingly, the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 h6 5.0-0 Bc5 6.Bxf7+, appears only 120 times, but White scores 65%. Note the "power" (or lack of) ...h6.

This is reflected in the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+, appearing in about 160 games, where White scores  66%. Interestingly, with 4.Nc3, in about 130 games, White scores only 54%.

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+, appears in about 5,000 games, with White scoring 56%.

Recent examples of the Abrahams Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+, have been added. There are a little over 2,500 examples, and White scores 50%.

Because the line continues to show up, and is worth knowing, the nameless 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5 4.Bxf7+  appears in The Database 2150 times, with White scoring  72%.

There is also a large selection of Jerome-ish lines, featuring, for example, an early Bxf7+ by White. Some Reversed Jerome Gambit games have been included, as well.

Sometimes it only takes a little bit...

The following game shows that sometimes it takes only a little bit of wandering off the path for Black's game in the Jerome Gambit to suddenly to bad. Philidor 1792 wraps up quickly thereafter.

Philidor 1792 - Guest388983
3 0 blitz, PlayChess.com, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qe7 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.Nc3 d6 11.0-0 Kf7

12.f4 Re8 13.f5 Ne5 14.d3 Bd7 15.Qg3 Kg8

Black has done well, castling-by-hand and hanging onto his piece for two pawns advantage. Suddenly, his game turns sour.

16.Bg5 Qf7

It is not automatically apparent that this move is wrong, but Black's game suddenly grinds to a halt.

17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Nd5 Qd8 19.f6

 Black's King is in danger, and his pieces are curiously ineffective here, as Houdini showed me. Probably he should try 19...g6, and when White threatens to bring his Queen to g7 for mate, he can answer 20.Qh4 with 20...h5. The continuation 21.Qg5 Kh7 follows the same idea, when White can then win the exchange with 22.Ne7 Rxe7 23.fxe7 Qg8 

analysis diagram



White can now put a full cramp in Black's position with 24.Rf4 Qg7 25.Raf1 Be8 26.Rf8 when it will take a lot of work to untangle Black, for example 26..Rb8 27.Qf6 Qxf6 28.R1xf6 Nc6 29.d4 a6 30.d5 Ne5 and White's bind still holds. 

19...Ng6 20.f7+ Black resigned

Black will be down only the exchange and a  pawn (after 21...Kf8 22.fxe8+/Q Kxe8), but his King will be at risk, and White will have the initiative.

Echoes of the Jerome Gambit

Even when I can not play the Jerome Gambit, I can sometimes find echoes of it in the play of the game.

perrypawnpusher - TheAlbatros 
5 12 blitz FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nh6 

Wow. That certainly is one way of saying "No. Jerome. Gambit." I mentioned the move on this blog about 5 years ago. Recently, I was astonished to find that the online ChessBase database has 330 games with this position.

The oldest example of the line that I could find, at the online ChessCube site, is Frazer - Taubenhaus, Paris, 1888: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nh6 4.d4 Bd6 5.Bg5 f6 6.Bxh6 gxh6 7.Nxe5 fxe5 8.Qh5+ Kf8 9.Qf7 checkmate. Echoes, here, of Damiano's Defense.

The most recent example I turned up is Heverson Silva Pereira - Erika Figuei Toledo Martins, Juiz de Fora op Juiz de Fora (3), 27.09.2014: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nh6 4.d3 g5 5.Bxg5 f6 6.Be3 b6 7.Qd2 Rg8 8.Bxh6 Bxh6 9.Qxh6 d6 10.Bxg8 Ne7 11.Qxh7 Nxg8 12.Qxg8+ Ke7 13.Qg7+ Ke8 14.Nc3 Bd7 15.Nd5 Rc8 16.Nxf6+ Qxf6 17.Qxf6 Rd8 18.Ng5 b5 19.Qf7 checkmate. Odd.

4.d4

I was not surprised to see that Bill Wall had faced the line before:

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Nxf7 6.d3 0-0 7.Nc3 Nd4 (7...d6 8.Nd2 Nh6 9.Nb3 Bg4 10.Qd2 Qh4 11.Nxc5 dxc5 12.f3 Be6 13.b3 Qf6 14.Rb1 a5 15.a3 Qg6 16.Rb2 Ra6 17.Qe3 Bh3 18.Rf2 Ne7 19.Kh1 Raf6 20.gxh3 Qh5 21.Qg5 g6 22.Qxh6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Chair, Chess.com 2010) 8.Na4 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 Bd4 10.c3 Bb6 11.Qg3 d5 12.b3 dxe4 13.dxe4 Ba5 14.Ba3 Re8 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.Bxe7 Black resigned, Wall,B - Jag, Chess.com 2010; 

4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxh6 gxh6 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nc3 Qf6 8.Nd5 Qd6 9.Nh4 b6 10.Qf3+ Ke8 11.Nf5 Qg6 12.Nxc7+ Kd8 13.Nxa8 Bb7 14.Nxb6 Bxb6 15.0-0-0 d5 16.d4 Bxd4 17.exd5 Bxb2+ 18.Kxb2 Nd4 19.Nxd4 exd4 20.Qf4 Qb6+ 21.Ka1 Kd7 22.Rb1 Qa6 23.Qg4+ Kd6 24.Qe6+ Kc5 25.Qe7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Alexaantic, Chess.com, 2010.

4...exd4

My one game with the line continued 4...Nxd4 5.Nxe5 Qf6 6.Qxd4 d6 7.Nf3 Qxd4 8.Nxd4 Be6 9.Bxe6 fxe6 10.Nxe6 Kd7 11.Nxf8+ Rhxf8 12.Nc3 c6 13.Be3 Ng4 14.0-0 h5 15.Bg5 b5 16.Rad1 a5 17.f3 Ne5 18.f4 Nc4 19.f5 Nxb2 20.Rd4 b4 21.Nd1 c5 22.Rd5 Nc4 23.Ne3 Nxe3 24.Bxe3 a4 25.Bxc5 Ra6 26.Rfd1 Kc8 27.Rxd6 Rxd6 28.Rxd6 Re8 29.Rd4 h4 30.Bxb4 Rg8 31.Ba3 g6 32.fxg6 Rxg6 33.Rxa4 h3 34.g3 Rc6 35.Ra8+ Kb7 36.Rh8 Ra6 37.Bb4 Rxa2 38.Rxh3 Rxc2 39.e5 Rb2 40.Bd6 Kc6 41.g4 Rb1+ 42.Kg2 Rb2+ 43.Kg3 Rb3+ 44.Kh4 Rb7 45.g5 Rh7+ 46.Kg4 Kd5 47.Rxh7 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Xasquete, blitz, FICS, 2009.

Black does not have to take White's d-pawn. For example, 4...Bd6 5.Bg5 f6 6.Bxh6 gxh6 7.Nxe5 fxe5. 8.Qh5+ Kf8 9.Qf7 checkmate, from Wall,B - Kerazag, Internet 1996 (and Frazer - Taubenhaus, Paris, 1888)

5.Nxd4 Bc5 6.Nxc6 bxc6

The two "Italian Bishops" give an echo of the Jerome Gambit - if only that Knight were not on h6...

7.Bxh6 gxh6

Interestingly enough, Black has a better defense in 7...Qh4!? with his own threat of checkmate. White can keep an edge with 8.Bxf7+ Kxf7 9.Qf3+ Kg6 10.Bf4.

8.Bxf7+

This is an improvement over 8.Qh5 of  Patrick Gregoire - Gauthier Lille, Loire-ch op 2005, which continued  Qf6 9.0-0 Bb7 10.Qxc5 Qxb2 11.Nc3 d6 12.Qd4 d5 13.Qxh8+ Ke7 14.Nxd5+ cxd5 15.Qxb2 Bc8 16.Bxd5 Bb7 17.Qxb7 Rd8 18.Qxc7+ Rd7 19.Qe5+ Kd8 20.Rab1 Kc8 21.Rb8 checkmate

8...Kxf7 9.Qh5+ Kg7 10.Qxc5 

Down a pawn, with an exposed King, my opponent resigned a few moves later.

What's Going On Here?

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!

Vortex

Not long ago I considered posting on an unusual and infrequently-played defense to the Jerome Gambit that quickly tosses the game into a vortex of unclear play.

Then, the other day, an opponent played it against me.

perrypawnpusher - sjeijk
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

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

In my experience this move is played either by a novice who doesn't know the Jerome Gambit and who thinks only about hanging onto his extra material (something the gambiteer can cheer); or by someone who is familiar with the Jerome Gambit and who has planned a particular defense (something the gambiteer can be wary of).

Which is it in this case?

7.Qf5+

Let's find out!

7...Kd6 8.f4 Nf3+

Wow!

The American Chess Journal of September, 1876 noted "A new departure... 8...Qf6 is the usual play."

It then added laconically "The text move prevents White from castling." Returning a piece is certainly one way to accomplish that goal.

9.gxf3

In what might be the original game for this variation, Alonzo Wheeler Jerome played  the outrageous 9.Kf1!? in an 1876 correspondence game against D.P. Norton and lost in 42 moves. The move, the line, the game all deserve a post or two themselves, especially since the American Chess Journal suggested that the alternative "9.Kd1 seems better".

D.P. Norton, by the way, also in 1876, played what I refer to as "Whistler's Defense" in another game against Jerome: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7!. White was fortunate to draw the game.

Since Lt. G. N. Whistler played a number of correspondence games with that defense against Jerome in 1876, I have given his name priority for the line. 

9... Qh4+ 10.Kd1

White can capture the offered Knight, on move 9 (in fact, he should) but he is going to be falling down a vortex of unclear play, right along with his opponent...

At this point 10.Kf1 leads to immediate checkmate and 10.Ke2 leads to great torment after 10...Qf2+11.Kd3 Qxf3+ 12.Kc4 b5+ 13.Kxb5

analysis diagram








Here the exciting game gibonacci - jschulte, GameKnot.com, 2007 continued 13...a6+ (Stronger was 13...Rb8+ 14.Ka5 Ne7) 14.Kc4 Nf6 (the tricky 14...Bf2 was necessary to avoid a draw, or, in the case of this game, a loss for Black) 15.Qxc5+ Ke6 16.Re1 Qxf4 and White had consolidated his position, although it took him until move 48 to reel in the win. Bravo!

10... Ne7

The American Chess Journal suggested 10...Qf2 concluding "and Black has the better position." This was proven to be incorrect in the game perrypawnpusher - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG thematic, ChessWorld, 2008 where White demonstrated a draw by repetition, but Black, trying to avoid that, allowed himself to be checkmated.

11.e5+

Tempting, but wrong.

White's best chance is 11.Qe5+ Kc6 12.b4!? when White can probably eke out a draw, whether or not the pawn is captured, but the play is very difficult.

That is a fair assessment of this Norton variation: a very complicated game, but a draw, with a lot of hard work by White.

Is that a better choice than some of the known refutations of the Jerome Gambit? That all depends on the kind of game that the defender is most comfortable with.

11...Kc6 12.Qe4+ Nd5

Here is Black's slip.

Instead, 12...d5 13.exd6+ Kxd6 allows Black's light-squared Bishop to aid in the defense, and gives Black's King an addition route to escape, if he needs it, through the d7 square.

An up-and-down game, eventually won by White, followed 12...Kb6 13.Nc3 d6 14.Na4+ Kb5 15.d4 Bf5 16.Qxb7+ Kxa4 17.Qa6+ Kb4 18.a3 checkmate, CFBBlind - Quandary, FICS, 2001.

13.Nc3 Qxf4

Not best, but the game is lost, anyway, after alternatives.

14.Qxd5+ Kb6 15.Qb3+ Kc6

White now has a mate-in-one, but I was nervous enough to miss it the first time.

16.Qd5+ Kb6 17.Qb3+ Bb4

At this point my opponent saw 17... Kc6 18. Qb5 checkmate, and varied, losing his Queen.

18.Nd5+ Kb5 19.Nxf4 Black resigned

An unfortunate end for an opponent who really seems to have prepared for the Jerome Gambit!

Interestingly enough, I cannot find sjeijk's name in The Database, either with the White pieces or the Black pieces.

Speaking of Bill Wall...

Speaking of Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Bill Wall (see my reference in "Off Road Rambling"), he recently sent another handful of Jerome Gambit games – which I, of course, dutifully added to the updated New Year's Database: now containing over 18,300 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 (and free for the asking).

Here's a quick game where Bill stares a Jerome Gambit refutation in the eye: and his opponent blinks first.

Wall,B - Sepoli
Chess.com, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

7.Qxe5 Qe7

Whistler's Defense, a powerful anti-Jerome Gambit gambit. 

8.Qxh8

Wow! He takes the Rook...

8...Qf6

As far as I know, 8...Qxe4+ instead here is crushing.

Has Bill discovered something new?? Or is this another "Jerome Gamble"?

We can't tell from this game, as Black is playing only "half" a Whistler Defense.

9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.0-0 Black resigned

Between the Refutation and the Resignation...Part 1

I've mentioned the discussion going on at Chess.com about the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). Some find it to be an interesting opening, some find it to be a poor one.

Jerome Gambit Gemeinde (and Chess.com) member Bill Wall has been positive about possible uses of the gambit ("it's the type of opening I like in blitz chess and I have had fun and success with it. My success this year has been 18 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss").

Chess.com Kacparov has been more skeptical ("The Jerome gambit can be easily refuted."). 

Both are relatively strong club players, and I'd like to present a Jerome Gambit game by each.

Wall - Rajiv

Chess.com, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4

The Nibs Variation, which received a serious look in the series "Repairing a Variation (Part 1)", "(Part 2)", "(Part 3)" and "(Part 4)". It is a wild, but dangerous, refutation.

Between the refutation and the resignation, however, the chess gods have placed the middle game (and sometimes the endgame).

7.0-0 Ng4

This is the traditional move, although Wall has also met 7...Qxe4, recommended by Rybka: 7...Qxe4 8.dxc5 Nf6 9.Nc3 Qc6 10.Re1 d6 11.cxd6 Qxd6 12.Bf4 Nf3+ 13.Qxf3 Qb6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Bxc7+ Qf6 16.Qxd5+ Be6 17.Qxb7 Rhe8 18.Bd8+ Black resigned, Wall - Gorodetsky, Chess.com, 2010 

8.h3 Bb6

9.hxg4

Less successful was 9.Qf3+ N4f6 10.e5 Bxd4 11.exf6 Nxf6 12.c3 Bb6 13.Nd2 Rf8 14.Ne4 Qxe4 15.Qd1 d5 16.Re1 Qf5 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 Bd7 19.Rf3 Qe5 20.Qd2 Rae8 21.Re3 Qd6 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.b3 Qe5 24.Rf1 Bc6 25.Kh1 Qe2 26.Qc1 d4 27.cxd4 Qe4 28.d5 Qxd5 29.f3 Kg8 30.Rd1 Qe6 31.Qf4 Nd5 32.Qd4 Ne3 33.Rc1 Bxf3 34.Kg1 Nxg2 35.Rxc7 Qe3+ 36.Qxe3 Nxe3 37.Kf2 Bc6 38.b4 Nd5 White resigned, Sir Osis of the Liver - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic, Chessworld.net, 2008.

9...d6 10.f3 Be6

11.Be3 Bc4 12.Re1 Ne7

13.f4

The "Jerome pawns".

13...Rhe8 14.Nd2 Ba6 15.Nf3 Qg3

16.a4 Ba5 17.c3 Kf8 18.b4 Ng6

19.f5 Nf4 20.Bxf4 Qxf4 21.Qc2 c5

White seems to be holding on remarkably well, given that his opening has been refuted.

22.bxa5 Qxg4

I asked for Rybka's input on how the game was going, and I received it in a series of evaluations that looked like increasing pressure readings in a boiler that is about to blow up. Here White was rated 2.04 pawns ahead.

23.Rad1 cxd4

2.61 pawns 

24.Rxd4 Qg3 25.Qb3 Qf4

3.67 pawns

26.Qb1 Qg3

5.04 pawns

27.e5 g6

8.72 pawns.

28.Rxd6 Re7

12.28 pawns

29.f6 Ree8

From this position White can see mate. 

30.Qb4 Bb5 31.Rd8+ Kf7 32.e6+ Kxf6 33.Qd4+ Black resigned

A Simple Game (?)

I was having fun playing my most recent Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). It seemed like a simple, straight-forward game. Afterward I gave it to Rybka to look over, and I found that things are not always as simple as they seem...

perrypawnpusher - andrecoenen
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

My first game with andrecoenen continued 6...g6 7.Qxe5 Nf6 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Re8 10.d3 d5 11.f3 dxe4 12.fxe4 Ng4 13.Qf3+ Kg7 14.0-0 Qh4 15.Qf7+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - andrecoenen, blitz FICS, 2010

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

This is a solid position for Black, although the updated New Year's Database has 33 previous games with this position — and White scored 61%.

10.Nc3

Varying from 10.0-0, which I had played three times before: 10...b6 (10...Bd7 11.f4 Qe7 12.d3 Kf7 13.Nc3 Rhf8 14.h3 Kg8 15.g4 Bxg4 16.hxg4 Nxg4 17.Qg3 Nf6 18.f5 Ne5 19.Bg5 Qd7 20.d4 Nc4 21.b3 Nb6 22.e5 dxe5 23.dxe5 Qd4+ 24.Qe3 Qg4+ 25.Kh2 Nfd5 26.Nxd5 Nxd5 27.Qg3 Qh5+ 28.Kg2 Qe2+ 29.Rf2 Qe4+ 30.Kh3 Rxf5 31.Rxf5 Qxf5+ 32.Kh4 Qg6 33.c4 Nb4 34.a3 Nc2 35.Rf1 Nd4 36.Qf4 Ne6 37.Qe3 h6 38.Be7 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Mences, blitz FICS, 2009; 10...Kf7 11.f4 Re8 12.f5 Ne5 13.Nc3 Nc4 14.Qd4 Ne5 15.d3 Kg8 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Qd5+ Be6 19.fxe6 c6 20.e7+ Kg7 21.exd8Q Raxd8 22.Qd4 c5 23.Qf2 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - DysonLin, blitz FICS, 2009) 11.f4 Bb7 12.d3 Qe7 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Bd2 h6 15.h3 Qd7 16.Qg3 Ne7 17.e5 Nfg8 18.Rae1 Nf5 19.Qf2 Nge7 20.g4 g6 21.gxf5 gxf5 22.Re3 Rg8+ 23.Rg3 Kf7 24.Ne2 h5 25.Kh2 Rg6 26.Rfg1 Reg8 27.Nd4 dxe5 28.Rxg6 exd4 29.Rxg8 Nxg8 30.Qg3 Ne7 31.Qg7+ Ke6 32.Re1+ Kd6 33.Qe5+ Kc6 34.Qxe7 Qxe7 35.Rxe7 Kd6 36.Re5 Bc8 37.Kg3 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - hogmaster, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld, 2008.

10...c6 11.f4 Kf7 12.0-0 Re8

My game against joejox continued, instead 12...Rf8 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc4 15.Qd3 Nb6 16.Bg5 Kg8 17.g4 Nbd7 18.Rae1 Qb6 19.Na4 Qb4 20.b3 Nxg4 21.Bd2 Qa3 22.Bc3 b5 23.Bb2 Qb4 24.Bc3 Qa3 25.Bb2 Qb4 26.Bc3 Qa3 27.Bb2 draw perrypawnpusher - joejox, blitz FICS, 2009

13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Neg4 15.Qg3 Qb6

Black's Queen move is a good one — which I under-estimated during the game. Now, against best play, White cannot both support his center and move it forward on the attack.

16.Be3

I was unhappy with this move (I could not think of anything better) and was even unhappier after the game when I saw what Rybka had suggested that I play instead: 16.Qd3 Ne5 17.Qd1 Ned7 18.Qd3 Kg8 19.b3 c5 20.Be3 cxd4 21.Bxd4 Qc6 22.Rf4 Ne5 and Black is better.

analysis diagram






This line needs some serious examination for White, starting with 10.Nc3

16...Nxe3 17.Qxe3 d5

This is part of the reason that the game seemed simple to me at the time: Black hits my center with his d-pawn and I advance my e-pawn to bypass it. Instead, though, Black had 17...c5 when 18.Rad1 cxd4 19.Rxd4 Bd7 and again White's pawns have been banged up and the second player is better.

18.e5 Ng4

Unnecessarily aggressive, moving the game toward equality. The cold-blooded 18...Kg8 was the right idea, as the White e-pawn is pinned to the Queen.

19.e6+

Rybka evaluated this as too early, preferring 19.Qf4.

19...Kf6

This was Black's last chance to finish castling-by-hand with 19...Kg8. Instead, he steps into the line of fire.

20.Qf4 Bxe6

It is not the time to return the piece for two pawns, although neither retreating nor protecting the Knight will help, either.

21.fxe6+ Kxe6 22.Rae1+ Kd7

The "Jerome pawns" are gone, but the files they have opened will win the day.

23.Qxg4+ Kd6 24.Qf4+ Kd7 25.Qf7+ Black resigned