Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Black Runs Out of Energy

In the following game Black is vigorous in his response to White's gambit. However, he seems to run out of energy at the end. Is being down 5 pawns for a piece reason enough to resign? In this case, perhaps not: Stockfish 8 evaluates the final position as even.

Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016

 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4. Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+

8.Qxh8 is a mistake, but I once managed to win with it anyhow, perrypawnpusher - tampajake, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 12).

8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6

Better than 9...Ke8 in perrypawnpusher - adamzzzz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 39).

10.Qc5+

Better than 10.e5 in perrypawnpusher - JokeritT, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).

10...Kf7

I faced 10...d6 in a number of games; perrypawnpusher - foreverblackman, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 21); perrypawnpusher - vlas, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 23); perrypawnpusher - theferno, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28); perrypawnpusher - Raankh, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 49); and perrypawnpusher - michon, FICS, 2015 (1-0, 36). Bill, too: Wall,B - Guest5170841, PlayChess.com 2015 (1-0, 15 ).

11.Qxd4 Qe8 12.Nc3 c5 13.Qe3 Qe5 14.h3 Bh6 15.Qf3 Qf4 16.Qe2 d6

Black is fighting back vigorously, despite his slightly exposed King. Still, I am always suspicious of ...c5 in these kinds of positions, as it can allow further opening of the game.

17.d4 Qh4 18.Bxh6 Qxh6 19.dxc5 dxc5 20.e5 Nh5 

Here Stockfish 8 recommends 21.g4!? which is not the kind of move that I can see Bill choosing, as it seems to give even more exposure to his King. Yet the followup is ironic enough for him to appreciate: 21...Nf4 22.Qf3 Kg7 23.0-0-0 (made possible by the Knight's block of the Queen's diagonal) Ne2+ 24.Kb1 Nxc3 25.Qxc3 Be6 with an advantage to White after he captures the c-pawn.

21.Qc4+ Be6 22.Qxc5 Black resigned

Interesting. Compared to Stockfish 8's analysis above, the Knights are still on the board, which would slightly favor White's better piece. However, White's King is not castled, which could be quite risky. 22...Rhd8 would seem to guard well against White's possible Queen check at c7.

In a human vs human game, however, in the long run I would take the extra pawns over the extra piece. It would appear that Black agreed. 

A Discussion Continued

After this game was finished, I checked with The Database, and discovered that my opponent and I had "discussed" this opening (over the board) several times previously.

In addition, before I post a game on this blog, I usually "discuss" it with either Houdini 3 or Stockfish 6, hoping for enlightenment.

This time, however, my two electronic "friends" did not always agree in the early stages, occasionally sounding like a couple of know-it-all kibitzers, leaving a current assessment of the opening lines a bit unsettled.

Ironically, the game was tipped by the endgame play of both me and my opponent - as HAL 9000 once said, "It can only be attributable to human error."

perrypawnpusher - michon
blitz, FICS, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 

My opponent declined the piece a couple of times, a couple of years ago, with 4...Ke7, but without success: perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 8) and perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 41). 

5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

Instead, 5...Ke6 was seen in perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 23); while 5...Ke7 was seen in perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0,18). 

6.Qh5+

This move was preferred by Houdini 3 after some deep thought.

Some human input: In over 70% of the over-2,100 relevant Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit games in The Database, White chose 6.Qh5+, scoring 60%.

Instead, Stockfish 6 preferred 6.c3.

Again: In 21% of the relevant Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit games in The Database, 6.c3, was the people's choice, scoring 55%.

I checked, and noticed that 6.c3 was first mentioned on this blog in "Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit", 7 years ago.

Interestingly, an earlier version of Stockfish expressed a preference for 6.c3 about 5 years ago.

The choice of 6.Qa5+ or 6.c3 still seens to be an "Unfinished Discussion" (posted 3 years ago), although it seems that 6.c3 may have appeared in more blog posts than 6.Qh5+.

Here are a couple of examples of the 6.c3 Nc6 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.d4 Qh4 line suggested by Stockfish 6: 9.0-0 (9.g3 Qxe4+ 10.Qe2 Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2 Bg4+ 12.f3 Bf5 13.Re1 Bxb1 14.Kf1+ Be7 15.Rxb1 Kd7 16.Re2 Re8 17.Be3 Nf6 18.c4 Rhf8 19.b4 Ng4 20.Kg2 Nxe3+ 21.Rxe3 Bxb4 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Rxb4 Re2+ 24.Kh3 Rxa2 25.Rxb7 Ra4 26.Kg4 Rxc4 27.Rxa7 Rxd4+ 28.f4 c5 29.Ra8 c4 30.Rh8 c3 31.Rxh7 c2 32.Rxg7+ Kc6 33.Rg6+ Rd6 34.f5 c1Q 35.Rxd6+ cxd6 36.f6 Qc4+ 37.Kf5 Qf1+ 38.Ke6 Qh3+ 39.Ke7 Qd7+ 40.Kf8 d5 41.f7 d4 42.Kg8 Qg4+ 43.Kh8 Qh5+ 44.Kg8 Qg6+ 45.Kf8 d3 46.Ke7 Qxf7+ 47.Kxf7 d2 48.h4 d1Q 49.h5 Qxh5+ White resigned, marinrouge - homerg, FICS, 2002) 9...Ke7 10.Nd2 Nh6 11.Nf3 Qh5 12.Qd3 Kd8 13.Bg5+ Be7 14.Bxh6 gxh6 15.Ne5 Bd6 16.Qg3 Be6 17.f4 Bxe5 18.fxe5 Rg8 19.Qf3 Bg4 20.Qf7 Qxf7 21.Rxf7 Kc8 22.Kh1 b6 23.Raf1 Kb7 24.Rxh7 h5 25.Rff7 Rac8 26.d5 cxd5 27.exd5 Be2 28.d6 Rgf8 29.Rxc7+ Rxc7 30.Rxc7+ Ka6 31.h3 h4 32.Kh2 Bb5 33.Rg7 Bc6 34.e6 b5 35.d7 Rf6 36.Re7 Bd5 37.d8Q Rg6 38.Qc8+ Ka5 39.Qc7+ Ka4 40.Rg7 Rxg7 41.Qxg7 a5 42.Qd4+ b4 43.cxb4 Black lost on time, dzomba - VendettaA, lightning [!], FICS, 2006. 

6...g6 7.Nxg6 

7...hxg6 

Here we have another dispute.

Stockfish 6 prefers 7...Nxc2+, suggesting that after 8.Kd1 hxg6 (8...Nxa1? 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qe5#) 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 10.Qg5+ (Houdini prefers 10.Kxc2 with an edge for White) 10...Ke8 11.Qg6+ Ke7 12.Qg5+ White draws by repeating the position (Houdini prefers 12.Kxc2 with an edge for White).

8.Qxg6+

A number of years ago I got away with the weaker 8.Qxh8?! after 8...Nh6 when 8...Nxc2+, instead, would have led to an edge (Houdini) or an advantage (Stockfish 6) for Black after 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxg8 in perrypawnpusher - tampajake, blitz, FICS 2009 (1-0, 12).

8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6

Here Stockfish 6 says Black has the advantage, while Houdini 3 says the position is equal.

Both prefer the text to 9...Ke8  of perrypawnpusher - adamzzzz, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 39). 

10.Qc5+

Better than 10.e5 of perrypawnpusher - JokeritT, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).

10...d6

Stockfish 6 slightly prefers 10...Ke8 to the text, while Houdini 3 thinks 10...d6 is better. 

11.Qxd4 Be6 

Here, Houdini 3 likes White, while Stockfish 6 prefers Black.

Of course.

For the record, I have also seen:

11...c5 in perrypawnpusher - foreverblackman, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 21) and perrypawnpusher - vlas, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 23);

11...Qd7 in perrypawnpusher - theferno, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28);

and 11...Bg7 in perrypawnpusher - Raankh, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 49). 

12.Nc3

Also possible is 12.f4 c5 when again Houdini 3  likes White, while Stockfish 6 likes Black.

12...Bh6 13.d3 Bxc1 14.Rxc1

Both Stockfish 6 and Houdini 3 suggest 13...c5 first, to displace the White Queen.  

White has four pawns for his sacrificed piece. Even if the position is "objectively" even, his prospects are good at club play level.

The next few moves show that both players are blind to some tactical possibilities, however.

14...Qg8 15.g3 Bh3 16.Nd5+?! Nxd5 17.Qxd5? Qxd5 18.exd5 Rae8 

Both players overlook the fork 18...Bg2! when Black can grab a pawn and increase Kingside pressure after 19.Rg1 Rxh2 20.c4 Rf8.

19.Kd2 Kd7 20.c4 Re7 21.f4 Rhe8 22.Rce1 Rxe1 23.Rxe1 Rxe1 24.Kxe1

Both computer programs see the position as equal.

What follows goes along with suggestion that a bad plan is better than no plan at all - which is a nice way of saying that my bad idea worked, while my opponent missed some good ideas.

24...Bg4 25.Kf2 Ke7 26.Kg2?! Kf6?! 

Black is worried about stopping the Kingside pawns, when he probably should look at using his Bishop to capture a couple of center pawns: 26...Be2 27.d4 Bxc4 28.a3 Bxd5+ 29.Kf2 b6. After this, Black can look to create his own passed pawn, which should counter White's activity.

27.h3 Bd7?!

Again, 27...Be2 was to be preferred. Black's Bishop has to cut down the number of enemy pawns before they become a real problem. 

28.g4 Bxg4

This is tantamount to resignation. White can now develop play on both wings. At least one passer is bound to get through.

29.hxg4 

29...a6 30.Kf3 c5 31.dxc6 bxc6 32.Ke4 Kg6 33.d4 a5 34.b3 Kf6 35.a3 Kg6 36.b4 

Black resigned

Really? Really.

This game was my last pre-break (see "Busted!") Jerome-ish game, and it was a good reminder of what would be in store for me when I returned in, hopefully, better shape.


perrypawnpusher - Raankh
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

This move often seems safer to Black than the more energetic (and more risky) 5...Ke6. If the second player does not know what he is doing, however, things can become difficult.

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+

As I wrote in "BSG: Later on in the Discussion"

Seen most often is 5...Ke8, and after 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6, best play for both sides is 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+, when Black can go for the draw-by-repetition with 9...Ke8; or go for an unbalanced (but largely equal) position... with 9...Nf6 10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4 when White has four pawns for a piece and it is unclear if Black has an open King or open lines for development.

8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6

10.Qc5+

I once got away with 10.e5 vs JokeritT (1-0, 28), but only because my opponent followed up with 10...Nxc2+ 11.Kd1 Nxa1. Instead, 10...Kf7, taking advantage of the fact that he is two pieces ahead and can afford to give one back, would have made all things good for Black.

10...d6 11.Qxd4 Bg7

This seems better than either 11...c5, as in perrypawnpusher - foreverblackman, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 21), or 11...Qd7, as in perrypawnpusher - theferno, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).

12.d3 Rg8 13.Bg5 Kf7 14.Nc3 Bd7 

After the game Rybka suggested that Black could have played the move that he had apparently prepared, 14...Nxe4, althoug after 15.Qd5+ Be6 16.Bxd8 Bxc3+ 17.bxc3 Bxd5 18.dxe4 Bxe4 19.Bxc7 the game looks like it is racing toward one of those notoriously drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endings...


15.f4 Qe8 16.0-0 Nh7 17.Qd5+

Better was the break 17.e5.

17...Be6 18.Qxb7 Nxg5 19.fxg5+ Kg6

Black's King is uncomfortable, and White has 5 pawns for his sacrificed piece, but Black's two Bishops should not be overlooked as they can create pressure on White's Queenside.

After the game Rybka suggested that White begin to consolidate with 20.Ne2. Instead, I was still thinking: grab pawns!

20.Qxc7 Bxc3

Missing his chance for 20...Qb8 and possibly an even game.

21.Qxc3

21...Rf8 22.Qd2

Protecting the advanced g-pawn. Much more dynamic was 22.Rxf8 Qxf8 23.Rf1 with the idea of Rf1-f6. I was thinking about the endgame, not a middle game attack.

22...Qe7 23.Rf3 Rxf3 24.gxf3 Qxg5+ 25.Qxg5+ Kxg5

The practical chances have to lie with White, even if Black has ways to defend.

26.Kf2 Kf4 27.b3 d5 28.Rg1 Rg8

I don't think that exchanging this Rook helps Black's defense.

29.Rxg8 Bxg8

30.c4 d4 31.b4 Be6 32.a4 a6 33.b5 axb5 34.axb5 Bd7 35.b6 Bc6 36.h4 Bb7 37.h5

Decoy.

37...Kg5 38.Kg3 Kxh5 39.Kf4 Kg6 40.Ke5 Kg5 41.f4+ Kg4 42.f5 Kg5 43.Kxd4

Five connected passed pawns. You don't see that every day.

43...Kf6 44.c5 Bc6 45.Ke3 Ke5 Bb7 48.d5 Ke7 49.c6 Black resigned

Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat...

The other day I was having fun with a Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nc4 4.Bxf7+) and looked at a sideline that I had not analyzed before. I felt like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

Well, not quite.

perrypawnpusher - JokeritT

blitz 6 12, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

4.Bxf7+

A good look at this line can be found in "Please, don't do that..." and "It's a good thing I read this blog".

4...Kxf7

No Jedi Mind Tricks.

5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6

7. Nxg6 hxg6 8. Qxg6+

Taking the pawn is more prudent than taking the Rook: 8.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa8 10.Qxg8 Qg5, when White's King is in more danger than Black's.

 


analysis diagram






8...Ke7 9. Qg5+ Nf6

I've analyzed this position enough to know that now after 10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4 White has 4 pawns for his piece – and that computers give Black the edge, while humans are okay with the compensation.

But what about the other sharp move in the position? I didn't remember looking at that one. I thought I'd give it a try.

10. e5

Down two pieces, White offers a Rook! 

10... Nxc2+

And Black goes for it – which turns out to be a mistake.

As much fun as this line is, I have to admit that if Black had not been greedy, but played 10... Kf7 instead,  I'd have nothing more to work with than 11.Kd1, and then it looks like Black has good responses in 11...Rg8, 11...Bg7 and 11...Be7.

For example, 10...Kf7 11. Kd1 Rg8 12. Qxf6+ Qxf6 13. exf6 Rxg2 14. d3 d5 15. h3 Kxf6 and White's two Kingside pawns do not make up for the missing piece, especially since Black has the two Bishops.

analysis diagram





More encouraging for White (and thus, misleading) was for Black to decline the Rook offer with 10...Rg8, as in GOH - NightEagle, lightning, FICS, 2009: 10...Rg8 11.exf6+ Ke8 12.Qh5+ Rg6 13.Qxg6 checkmate.

I'm glad that I was not aware of GOH's game at the time I played JokeritT.

11. Kd1

11...Nxa1

Black needed to reconsider his chances and play 11... Ke6. White's best choice would likely then be to let the air out of the position with 12.Kxc2, when 12...Rg8 13.Qxf6+ Qxf6 14.exf6 Rxg2 was a likely followup. 

The position would be similar to the analysis diagram after Black's 10th move, although Black and White would have the same number of pieces, and White can develop his while Black scoops up the loose pawns on the Kingside.  

analysis diagram





In a game that I was unaware of until I was writing this post, I discovered that the alternative 11...Ke8 led to a disastrous outcome for the second player: 12.Qg6+ Ke7 13.Qxf6+ Ke8 14.Qg6+ Ke7 15.Qxc2 d5 16.exd6+ cxd6 17.Qe4+ Kd7 18.Nc3 a6 19.d4 Kc7 20.Bf4 Qf6 21.Nd5+ Black resigned, themuppeteer - risbo, blitz, FICS, 2005

I wish I had seen that game before taking on JokeritT.

12.Qxf6+

This is what I offered the Rook for.

12...Ke8 13.Qg6+ Ke7 14. d4

14...d6 15. Bg5+ Kd7 16. Bxd8 Kxd8

17.Qf6+ Be7

Slightly better was 17...Kd7, although after 18.Qxh8 White would have a Queen and a handful of passed pawns against Black's two Bishops. 

18. Qxh8+Kd7 19. exd6 Bxd6 20. Qg7+ Be7

21. Re1 Kc6 22. Qxe7 Bg4+ 23. f3 Bf5 24. Qc5+ Kd7 25. Qxf5+ Kc6 26. Qc5+ Kd7 27. Re7+ Kc8 28. Qxc7 checkmate

Tah dah!