What Happened??

Black plays reasonable chess in the following game, as does White - who slowly moves the game toward equality. Then, suddenly, the second player deliberately hangs a piece, and White's attack on the enemy King crashes through. Can Readers uncover an explanation (other than "chess blindness") for Black's 17th move?

Wall, Bill - Guest7132040
PlayChess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.O-O

Or 8.Qd5+ followed by 9.O-O as in Wall,B - Guest344942, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 20).

8...Be6

8...Nf6 was seen in a number of previous games, for example:  Jerome,A - Shinkman,W, Iowa, 1876, (1/2 - 1/2, 42);  perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 34);  Wall,B - Guest903719, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 47); and Wall,B - Guest1561957, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 25).

9.f4 Nc6 10.Qc3 Nf6 11.f5 Bd7 12.Qb3+ Kf8 13.Re1 Nd4 14.Qd3 c5

15.Bf4 Bb5 16.Qd1 Qb6 17.c3 Ba4

White can just take the Bishop. What am I missing? (If Black is planning 18...Qxb2 it would be well met by the obvious 19.Nd2.)

18.Qxa4 Nc6 19.Bxd6+ Kf7 20.Qc4+ Black resigned

Meeting A Threat With A Threat

In analyzing tactics for a position, players are encouraged to not just find a defensive solution, but to look for a possible counter-threat that would grab the initiative and force their opponents to defend their threats.

This idea of "meeting a threat with a threat" is clearly on the mind of Bill Wall's opponent in the following game. It is interesting to watch Bill meet the new threat with another one of his own - with telling effect.


Wall,B - Guest1561957 
PlayChess.com, 2014

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.0-0

Previously, Bill has played 8.Qd5+ as in Wall,B - Guest344942, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0,20).

8...Nf6 9.Nc3

Instead, 9.f4 was seen in Jerome,A - Shinkman,W, Iowa, 1876  (½-½, 42).

Earlier, Bill had played 9.f3, i.e. Wall,B - Guest903719, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 47).

9...Re8 10.Bg5 h6 

Black continued without this "kick", with 10...Nc6, in perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 34). 

11.Bh4

Bill notes, as an alternative, 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Rad1 Nc6 13.Qc4+ Be6, which may be less strong than the text. 

11...Be6

Black could also have castled-by-hand with 11...Kg8.

12.f4 c5

Black decides to "meet a threat with a counter-threat", but the straight-forward 12...Nc6 was better. 

13.Qa4 Ng6

Black retreats with a threat, but he has missed one of those by White.

14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.f5 b5

Again, Black conters a threat with a threat, but simpler would have been 15...Kg7 16.fxe6 Rxe6 17.Qb3, although White would be better. 

16.Qxb5 Bd7 17.fxg6+ Kxg6 18.Qd3 Kg7

The smoke has cleared, and White has an extra pawn.

19.Qxd6 Rc8 20.Rad1 Rc7 21.Qg3+

Equally 21.Rxf6 Qxf6 22.Qxc7. 

21...Kh7 22.Nd5 Rc6 

23.Nxf6+ Rxf6 24.Rxf6 Qxf6 25.Rxd7+ Black resigned.

White is ahead three pawns, and Black has no counterplay.

[Readers of this blog in the month of September, 2014 set a new record for visits, the highest - by far (24% above the previous high) - since the blog began in June, 2008.
I noticed a lot of referrals from reddit.com. Many thanks, and please do come back - Rick]

Chess.com Italian Game Tournament Finish

As expected, JoseSoza of Chile won the recently completed Italian Game Tournament at Chess.com with a record of 17 wins, one loss, and 7 draws. Congratulations on such an achievement!

Second place was taken by vz721 of Russia, with a record of 15 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw. Fighting play, and the second highest number of wins!

Third place was taken by perrypawnpusher of the U.S.A. (that's me), with a record of 13 wins, 6 losses, and 5 draws.

The tournament was a 4-round affair, starting with 20 players in 5 groups, with the top players advancing each round. While the first round had 5 groups of four, the second round had 3 groups of 3 and one of four, and the third round had 1 group of three and 1 group of four. This allowed for different numbers of games played for different finalists.

I tallied 5 - 3 with the Jerome Gambit - two losses to JoseSoza, one to vz721.

(A Random Note: May, 2011, was the month, so far, with the most page views for this blog, since it started in June, 2008 . However, this month, November 2013, is racing toward the top and likely will overtake it! My "Welcome!" and "Thank You! to everyone stopping by. - Rick) 

Tourney Update

Play has been pretty fast and furious for me in the Chess.com Italian Game Thematic Tournament (see "Started").

I have drawn both my games against top-rated JoseSoza, the two completed games so far.

However, vz721, one sharp player (second-rated in our quad), improved on some of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's original analysis (!) and has been treating my one Jerome Gambit rather harshly. I am currently hanging in there, but the phrase "punch drunk" comes to mind...

With Black against MarkHundleby1, I am defending well against his Evans Gambit. When that is complete, I will have my last chance at a Jerome Gambit - and therein lies an interesting tale for a later date.

Started!

The fourth and final round of the Chess.com Italian Game thematic tournament has started, and there are four competitors: JoseSoza of Chile, vz721 of Russia, MarkHundleby1 of Canada, and yours truly, perrypawnpusher of the USA.

This presented as many as three more opportunities to defend the "honor" of the Jerome Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, depending on how my opponents wished to defend.

So far, JoseSoza has declined the Jerome with 3...Be7, choosing the Hungarian Defense. This is his second "pass" after scoring two wins against my Gambit in rounds one and two.

On the other hand, vz721 has allowed it with 3...Bc5, and I was quick to sacrifice the Bishop! Let us hope this is not another example of Act in haste, Repent at leisure.

I have Black against MarkHundleby1 right now (defending against the Evans Gambit; alas, not the Evans Jerome Gambit), so the chance for a Jerome Gambit has to wait - unless he plays it against me!

The results, as for previous rounds, come what may, will be reported. 

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

Riddle Me This, Fat Man

The following game can be looked at as a series of riddles posed to the "hero" (that would be me, I guess) on his way to an unexpected victory - isn't that the only kind of win for White that comes in the Jerome Gambit?

Sadly (for him), my opponent could not solve his own final riddle...

I have given game references for early in the play, to see how to deal with riddle #1 (7...Qe7, the Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit, by the way) and riddle #2 (9...Nh6), but after that you are largely on your own - as I was.

perrypawnpusher - Kleini
blitz, FICS, 2013

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+

I would rather not exchange Queens at this point.

8...Qf6 

The alternative 8...Nf6 is as old as two Jaeger,D - Jerome,A correspondence games from 1880, wins for Black in 14 and 40 moves.

At a faster time control, I have been more successful: perrypawnpusher - ERICOLSON, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33);  
perrypawnpusher - frencheng, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (½-½ , 31); perrypawnpusher - jonathankochems, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39); and perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 25). 

9.Qg3 

Not 9.Qxc7? Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 d6. 

9...Nh6 

An interesting novelty of questionable value. 

Previously seen have been 9...d6 in Wall,B - Guest340293, Playchess.com, 2012 (1-0, 41), perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 37), and Wall,B - Josti, Playchess.com, 2013 (1-0, 26); and 9...Bd6 in perrypawnpusher - molerat, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 23). 

10.Nc3 d6 11.Nd5 Qf7 12.0-0 c6 

13.Nc3 

Houdini 3's solution to the riddle of this position is 13.d4!? The silicon superstar sees White drawing by repetition after 13...cxd5 14.dxc5 dxe4 (14...dxc5 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.Qd6+ Kg7 17.Qg3+ etc.) 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.Qxd6+ (16.f3!? is an interesting attempt for more, e.g. 16...e3 17.Rfe1 Bf5 18.Rxe3 Qf6 19.Qf4 Rg8 20.cxd6 ) Kg7 17.Qg3+ Qg6 18.Qc7+ Qf7 19.Qg3+, etc.

It's all  a bit over my head. Okay, more than "a bit". 

13...Be6 14.d3

Again, 14.d4!? seems to be the key to the position, 14...Bb4 15.a3 Bxc3 16.Qxd6+ Qe7 17.Qf4+ Kg8 18.bxc3 and Black's edge is minimal.

14...Qg6 

15.Qxg6

By now the alternative (according to Houdini 3) should be predictable: 15.d4!? Bb4 16.a3 Bxc3 17.Qxd6+ Kg8 18.bxc3 Nf7 with a small edge to Black.

15...hxg6 

White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece. 

The Knight escapade that I started with my next move was a bad idea, and led to a lost position. I should have moved the piece to the Kingside with 15...Ne2.

16.Na4 Bd4 17.c3 Bf6 18.b3 b5 19.Nb2 Bxc3

20.Rb1 Ke7 21.Nd1 Bd4 22.Ne3 Ng4 23.h3 Nxe3 24.fxe3 Be5 25.d4 Bg3 26.Rf3 Bh4 

Black's two Bishops are scary. He just has to be careful, and he can bring home the point.

Of course, that was true 20 moves ago, too.

27.Ba3 Rhf8 28.Rbf1 a5 

I don't blame you if you didn't shout "He should have exchanged Rooks before playing that move!" I didn't realize that it was that critical, either.

29.Bxd6+

Exchanging Rooks, too, here is supposed to be stronger, according to Houdini 3. I was just glad to have a shot at bringing the game closer to equal.

29...Ke8 

Wow. Surprised by my move, my opponent stumbles hard. That's blitz for you.

Instead, after 29...Kxd6 30.Rxf8 Ra7!? Houdini 3 believes Black's two Bishops balance out White's Rook and two extra pawns. Play would remain tricky, but if White can collect and/or exchange some pawns, he should be able to split the point.

30.Rxf8+ Black resigned

Chess.com Italian Game Tournament (Round 3)

The third round of the Chess.com Italian Game Tournament has begun, with seven players still in competition. In my 4-player group I am facing JoseSoza (2040), with an over-all record of 8-1-3, tops among players still active in the tournament;  wuolong (1749), with an over-all record of 7-3, fourth best among active players;  and Svarga (1287), with an over-all record of 5-5-0, sixth best among active players.
At 1823, with an over-all record of 8-3-1, I have the second best record among active players in the tournament. Of course, two of my three losses so far in the tournament have been with the Jerome Gambit, against JoseSoza, so nobody should be surprised how our next game (I have White in all three games to start this round) went - except me, of course: It started 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 (angling for an Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit) Be7. Oh, dear, no Jerome Gambit... Further bad luck, my game vs Svarga has concluded 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Black lost on time. That's another way to avoid the Jerome Gambit! However, wuolong has picked up the gauntlet, and allowed me an Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit!1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+.

Persistence

I met JoseSoza in the first round of our Chess.com tournament. I played the Jerome Gambit. He beat me.

I recently met JoseSoza in the second round of our Chess.com tournament. I played the Jerome Gambit again. He beat me again.

I am waiting to see if I will make it to the third round of our Chess.com tournament. I already know that JoseSoza will advance. If I meet him again, I will play the Jerome Gambit again.

perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza
"Italian Game" Thematic, Chess.com, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

The same answer LeeBradbury offered in my other Jerome Gambit game in this round.

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.Qg3 d6 

I decided not to play the Queen exchange this time.

After 9...Bd6 I was able to outplay my opponent in  perrypawnpusher - molerat, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 23).

10.Nc3 

Instead, Bill Wall was successful with 10.c3, in Wall,B - Guest340293, Playchess.com, 2012 (1-0, 41). 

10...Ne7 11.d3 Be6 12.0-0 Qg6 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.Qxe3 a6 

JoseSoza has beaten my Jerome Gambit before, so he is not terribly concerned in this game. Still, he has allowed me to exchange off his dark-squared Bishop, keep my Queen, and prepare for f2-f4. Black's piece-for-two-pawns gives him an advantage, but the game is not unfamiliar to a Jerome Gambit player with white. 

15.f4 Bf7 16.Rae1 Qe6 17.f5 Qd7 18.e5 

The game is effectively over at this point.

That may surprise you.

What happened is that I spent hours and hours with my pocket chess set, looking at 18.f6!? I then studied the position further, and decided that I could play the text move first, as long as I followed it up properly.

So I played the text.

Then I realized that I had not written any of my analysis down, and I could not remember any of it at all! I played the rest of the game like a zombie.

For the record, after the game Rybka suggested that after 18.Rf2 Kg8 19.Ref1 Rf8 20.Qg3 Qe8 21.b3 h6 22.f6 Ng6 23.d4 Rh7 24.Qe3 White would have a tiny edge.

18...dxe5 19.Qxe5 Nc6 20.Qc5+ Qd6 21.Qxd6+ cxd6 

Exchanging Queens was not a good idea. Black now has a slight advantage, and he outplayed me the rest of the game.

22.f6 Re8 23.fxg7+ Kxg7 24.Ne4 Rd8 25.a3 Rhe8 26.Ng5 Rxe1 27.Rxe1 Rd7 28.Nxf7 Kxf7 

29.c3 Re7 30.Kf2 Rxe1 31.Kxe1 Ke6 32.Ke2 Ke5 33.Ke3 d5 34.d4+ Kf5 35.a4 Na5 36.b4 Nc4+ 37.Kf3 b6 White resigned

Tie Breaks?

My opponent and I exchanged wins in the second round of our Chess.com "Italian Game" Thematic tournament. I'm not sure what tie-break is being used (first in our group is JoseSoza, but I don't know if one or two players will advance) but it should be "most wins with the Jerome Gambit" if you ask me.

perrypawnpusher - LeeBradbury
"Italian Game" Thematic, Chess.com, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.d3 Be6 10.0-0 Qxf4 11.Bxf4 Nf6

I don't think that I have ever played the Queen exchange variation in this line. I was intrigued by Philidor1792's play in past games.

12.Nd2 Ke7 13.c3 Rhf8 14.d4 Bb6 

Trickier, but not necessarily better, was 14...Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Rxf4 16.Rae1 Kd7 17.dxc5 Bc4 18.cxd6 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 cxd6. 

15.Bg3 Ng4 

I am not sure what this is about. Perhaps, like the next move, it is aimed at preventing White's f2-d4.

16.Rae1 g5 17.h3 Nf6 18.e5 dxe5 19.Rxe5 Rae8 20.Rxg5 Bd5

I was happy to grab a third pawn for my sacrificed piece. This move suggests that my opponent was happy to open a line for his Rook to attack along the g-file, cooperating with his light-squared Bishop.

I decided to take advantage of his wish to keep the Bishop on the a8-h1 file.

21.c4 Be4 22.c5 Ba5 23.Nb3 b6 24.Nxa5 bxa5 25.Bxc7 a4 

Too much looking "over there" instead of "over here". Protecting the advanced a-pawn costs the exchange. Better was the consistent 25...Rg8. 

26.Bd6+ Kf7 27.Bxf8 Rxf8 

White now has a Rook and four pawns against a Knight and Bishop, but there are still technical difficulties to overcome.

28.Rd1 Ke6

After the game Houdini suggested 28...Rb8 29.b3 axb3 30.axb3 Rxb3 31.Ra1 Rb7 32.f3 Bd5 33.Kf2 White still would be better, but Black would have more counter-chances. 

29.Re5+ Kd7 30.d5 Bg6 

Now the pawns are going to cause too much trouble.

31.c6+ Kc7 32.Re7+ Kb8 33.d6 Be8 34.d7 Bxd7 35.cxd7 Rd8 36.Rf7 Black resigned

Once Again Into the Fray

I have mentioned earlier (see "Only Seemed Fair" and "Through To Two" for two accounts) my participation in a couple of Chess.com's Italian Game thematic tournaments where opportunities to play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) surfaced.

In one tournament I failed to advance (see "You have been eliminated") but in the other, I have just started the second round in a 4-player group, alongside two 3-player groups.

As always, I will do my best to uphold the, ahem, good name of the Jerome Gambit (while trying not to make a fool out of myself), and will share my games with readers, come what may.

I am again matching wits with JoseSoza, whom I defeated in the first round with the Black pieces (against his Evans Gambit), but who defeated my Jerome Gambit, giving me my only loss. In this second round I gave him the opportunity to play the Jerome against me, but he decided on 4.c3 instead. We drew in 10 moves.

Guess what opening he allowed me to play with the White pieces? 

Meanwhile, LeeBradbury has also allowed me to play 4.Bxf7+, and perhaps Philip6Esq will as well (ooops, he lost that game on time).

Sometimes People Don't Think Like Computers

I like to consult with a computer program when I prepare games for posting on this blog. Often Rybka or Houdini point out tactical oversights. Sometimes, though, they make recommendations that are terribly esoteric, like in the following game, and I am forced to conclude, once again, that sometimes people don't think like computers...


Mvskoke - trss
blitz, FICS, 2012


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.


5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 

9.0-0 Nc6 10.Qa4 


Something new. Instead, 10.Qd3 would have transposed, after 10...Re8 11.Bg5, to the recent perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 34)


10...Re8 11.Bg5 h6 12.f4 hxg5 13.fxg5 Kg8 14.gxf6 gxf6

According to Rybka, this leads to a slight edge for White. The computer recommends 14...Ne5 and a complicated follow up for a small edge for Black. 


15.Nd5 Rf8 16.Qb3 Be6 17.Qg3+ Kh7 

Stepping into the open is very dangerous. 


Rybka's recommendation leaves Black with a Rook and two minor pieces for his Queen and a couple of pawns, which is unclear: 17...Kf7 18.Rxf6+ Qxf6 19.Nxf6 Kxf6 20.Rf1+ Ke7 21.Qg5+ Ke8 22.Rxf8+ Kxf8 23.Qf6+ Bf7 24.Qh8+ Bg8 25.h4 Re8 26.Qh6+ Ke7 27.Qg5+ Kf7 28.Qf5+ Ke7 29.h5 Be6 30.Qf4 Rg8 31.h6.


I am not surprised that Black did not see this "escape". I don't think that regular club players think that way.


18.Rf4 f5 19.Rh4+ Qxh4 20.Qxh4+ Kg6 21.Nxc7 fxe4

22.Nxa8 Rxa8 23.Rf1 Bf5 24.g4 Black resigned