Between the Refutation and the Resignation...Part 2

Concerning the discussion going on at Chess.com about the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), there is an alternate viewpoint to that of Jerome Gambit Gemeinde (and Chess.com) member Bill Wall ("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") – that of Chess.com member Kacparov("The Jerome gambit can be easily refuted").

Perhaps his opinion was based on his own experience in games like the following, which Kacparov shared.

Kacparov - Slotherman

Chess.com

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

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

This is a solid defense, if Black knows what he is doing.

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.Nc3

A relatively unexplored variation, compard to 8.f4

8...Qf6 9.d4 Qxf5 10.dxc5+ Kc6 11.exf5 d6 12.cxd6 cxd6 13.Bf4 Bxf5

By exchanging Queens, Black has taken much of the energy out of White's attack – for which the first player has sacrificed a piece for a pawn. Note that even should Kacparov win the pawn at d6, his "Jerome pawns" will be split, one on each side of the board.

14.0-0-0 Nf6 15.Rhe1 Rhe8 16.f3 Nc4

White develops and looks for opportunities. Black continues to exchange pieces.

17.b3 Rxe1 18.Rxe1 Nb6 19.Kd2 Re8 20.Rd1 Nbd5 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.Bg3 Re3

The pawn on c2 is a tempting target for Black. Only White is aware how risky it is, however.

23.Bf2 Rc3 24.Rc1 a5 

Overlooking the fact that the Rook is trapped.

25.Bd4 Rc5 26.Bxc5 dxc5 27.Re1 h5

White now has a Rook and a pawn for two pieces, a small advantage at this point.

28.a3 b5 29.g3 g5

It is this slip that gives the game away. 

30.Re5 Bxc2 31.Kxc2 g4 32.f4 b4 33.axb4 axb4

34.Rxh5 Ne3+ 35.Kd3 Nd1 36.Kd2 Nf2 37.Re5 Kb5 38.f5 Nh3 39.f6 Black resigned

That is a lot of energy to spend on defeating a lower-rated player, and if Kacparov's other Jerome Gambit games were just as much a struggle, it is clear why the opening holds little attraction in his eyes.

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

Witam!

I am always impressed by the people who visit this Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) blog.

I recently learned that in November there was a short discussion of the Jerome Gambit ("Gambit Jereme'a ") at the Forum Szachowe, Poland, with one of the posters, jacprz, linking to this site. Dziękują, przyjaciel.

A quick visit to Google Analytics shows that in the last month readers have visited here from Sopot (the most visits), Gdynia (the longest average visit), Warsaw, Opole, Krakow, Nowy Targ, Katowice and Lublin.

Over at Chess.com, Bill Wall has set up a discussion of the Jerome Gambit, and we have been exchanging opinions with a number of players, including Kacparov, of Toruń, Poland (birthplace of Copernicus).

Small world.

Do zobaczenia później.