The following bullet game (one minute, no increment) was sent to me by Angel Camiña. Please be sure to read the notes.
Anonymous - Anonymous
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
This is referred to as the "Semi-Italian Opening" in Euwe & Meiden's Chess Master vs Chess Amateur (1963). It is a cautious attempt to keep a White piece off of g5, at the risk of wasting some time and possibly weakening the Kingside, if Black should castle there.
4.Nc3 Nd4
Wow, Black goes from "shy" to "outgoing" in one move. He plays the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, with the addition of Nc3 and ...h6. This may well be effective psychology in a bullet game (surprise your opponent, make him take precious time to figure out a novel position), but it is very risky play, nonetheless: In 20 previous games in The Database, Black scored only 20%
Stockfish 10 rates the first player's position as 3 pawns better at this point.
5.Bxf7+
One good surprise deserves another. White gives the "Jerome treatment", creating a sort of "Semi-Italian Blackmar Shilling Jerome Gambit" hybrid.
Why do such a thing? First, White is familiar with Jerome Gambit and Jerome-like themes and tactics (and his opponent may not be). Second, the "proper" response to Black's 4th move, at least as laid out by Stockfish 10, is stylized along BSG lines, and may well not be to the first player's taste. The computer recommends 5.Nxe5 Qg5 (thematic BSG) 6.Bxf7+ Kd8 7.Ng4 Nf6 8.Ne3 Bc5 9.O-O Rf8 10.f4 Qh4 11.b4 Bb6 12.Bg6 d6 13.e5 Bg4 14.Qe1 Qxe1 15.Rxe1 dxe5 16.fxe5 Bh5 17. exf6 Bxg6 18.fxg7 Rg8 19.Na4 Rxg7 20.Bb2 Rd7 where White is up two pawns.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8
Home again - and walking into a checkmate.
The computer humorously recommends 6...Ke6 7.f4 Qh4+ 8.g3 Qh3 9.Nd5 Qg2 10.Qg4+ Kd6 11.Qg6+ Nf6 12.Nc4+ Kc6 13.Ne5+
heading toward a draw by repetition.
White is now rewarded for his bold play.
7.Qh5+ Ke7 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc6 10.Qd5 checkmate
I was pleased to see that The Database contained more than a few games with the attacking (against the Semi-Italian / Philidor Defense) move 6.Bxf7+ mentioned by Max Euwe and Walter Meiden in their 1963 book Chess Master vs Chess Amateur, and covered in the previous post (see "The Jerome Gambit Treatment - Unbelieveable!").
When we look a bit further, at 6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Kf6 - the line with Black's best defense - it is reassuring to find two games with Euwe and Meiden's recommended 8.Nd3.
It is interesting that in the first of those games Black performed the prudent retreat of his King to h7 (an idea mentioned in the previous post); and then, from a better position, he benefitted from an oversight by White to score the point.
fmarius - bougie
standard, FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 d6 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.Nxe5+ Kf6 8.Nd3 Nge7 9.Qf3+ Kg6 10.Nf4+ Kh7 11.0-0 Ne5 12.Qh5 Qd6 13.Rd1 g6 14.Qh4 Qxd1 checkmate
In the second game, clearly the clock played a factor in the blitz game, as both players tossed the advantage (for White, various checkmates) back and forth before splitting the point, as the notes show.
itscml - laudenor
blitz, FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 d6 5.dxe5 dxe5 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Kf6 8.Nd3 Ne5 9.0-0 Nxd3 10.cxd3 Kf7 11.Nc3 c6 12.f4 Bc5+ 13.Kh1 Ne7 14.Qf3 [14.Qh5+ g6 15.Qxc5 Qxd3 White is better] 14...Kg8 15.f5 Bd4 16.Ne2 c5 17.Bf4 Qf8 18.e5 Nxf5 19.Ng3 Be6 20.Bg5 Nxg3+ 21.Qxg3 Bf7 22.e6 hxg5 23.exf7+ Kh7 24.Qh3+ Kg6 25.Qf3 [25.Qf5+ Kh6 26.Qh3+ , etc., draw] 25...Rh6 26.Qe4+ [26.Qf5+ Kh5 27.Rf3 Bf2 28.Rh3+ Bh4 29.g4#] 26...Kh5 27.g4+ Kh4 28.Qe1+ [28.Qg2 Bf2 29.Rxf2 Qd6 30.Rf3 Qxh2+ 31.Kxh2 Rf8 32.Qh3#] 28...Kxg4 29.Qg3+ Kh5 30.Rg1 [30.Qh3+ Kg6 31.Qf5+ Kh5 32.Rf3 Bf2 33.Rh3+ Bh4 34.Rg1 Rg6 35.Rxh4+ Kxh4 36.Qg4#] 30...Bf6 31.Qg4+ Kg6 32.Qe4+ Kh5 [32...Kxf7 and Black is better] 33.Qg4+ [33.Rg3 Qc8 34.f8Q g4 35.Qxc8 Rg6 36.Qcf5+ Kh4 37.Qfxg4+ Rxg4 38.Qxg4#] 33...Kg6 34.Qe4+ Kh5 [34...Kxf7 and Black is better] 35.Qg4+ [35.Rg3 mates, as above] 35...Kg6 36.Qe4+ Game drawn by repetition
There are also 3 games in The Database with Stockfish 6's choice, and perhaps the best move, 8.Qf3+!? Alas, none of the attackers were able to discover the recommended 8...Kxe5 9.Qf7!? and although they fought the good fight, only the experienced drumme (457 games in The Database) was able to score - and that was a time forfeit win from a worse position.
drumme - tufng
blitz, FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 d6 5.dxe5 dxe5 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Kf6 8.Qf3+ Kxe5 9.Bf4+ Ke6 10.Qg4+ Ke7 11.Qh4+ Ke8 12.Qh5+ Kd7 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.0-0-0+ Bd6 15.Qf7+ Qe7 16.Qg6 Ne5 17.Bxe5 Re8 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.Qg4+ Kd8 20.Rxd6+ cxd6 21.Qe2 Black forfeited on time
jorgemlfranco - shno
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 h6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 d6 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.Nxe5+ Kf6 8.Qf3+ Kxe5 9.Bf4+ Ke6 10.Qb3+ Ke7 11.Qa3+ Kf7 12.Qb3+ Kg6 13.Qg3+ Kh7 14.Bxc7 Qg5 15.Bf4 Qa5+ 16.c3 Nf6 17.0-0 g5 18.Bd2 Nxe4 19.Qe3 Bf5 20.c4 Qc5 21.Qc3 Nxc3 22.Nxc3 Bg7 23.Nd5 Rhd8 24.Be3 Qxc4 25.Nc7 Ne5 26.Rab1 Qxc7 White resigned
rabjr - DRES
standard, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 d6 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.Nxe5+ Kf6 8.Qf3+ Kxe5 9.Qf4+ Ke6 10.0-0 Qf6 11.Qd2 Qd4 12.Qe2 Nf6 13.Be3 Qxe4 14.Nc3 Qg6 15.Bc5+ Kf7 16.Qg4 Qxg4 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.f3 Bxc5+ 19.Kh1 Qd4 20.Rad1 Qc4 21.b3 Qb5 22.Rxd5 Qxf1 checkmate
I stumbled over the following game while looking for a possible recent Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit game example. White faced a Philidor Defense variant and dispatched it quickly.
What I recalled in my notes to move 6 got me chuckling, but what I found in my notes to move 7 sent my mind reeling: The "Jerome treatment" leads to this - Unbelieveable!
Take a look and see.
todotranquilo - SrNoth
blitz, FICS, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4
Sometimes when I am expecting Black to reply with 3...Bc5, I am met with 3...h6, the Semi-Italian Opening, instead. I usually continue with my development with 4.0-0 and hope for Black to fall in with my wishes. Occasionally I see 4...Nf6 and have to try 5.Nc3 before I see 5...Bc5 (and am then able to play 6.Bxf7+).
The earlier series on this blog, "A Jerome Look At The Semi-Italian Opening (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 5 and 6)", is well worth visiting for history, analysis and games.
I took a quick look at The Database, and noticed:
There are 1,569 games with (or transposing to) 4.d4, with White scoring 64%; there are 352 games with 4.0-0, with White scoring 70%; and there are 349 games with 4.Nc3, with White scoring 61%.
4...d6
The Database showed only 153 games with this move (not the best), with White scoring 70%. The more popular (and stronger) alternative, 4...exd4, appeared in 1,062 games, where White scored 57%.
5.dxe5 dxe5 6.Bxf7+
Of course, the straight-forward 6.Qxd8+ Kxd8 (or 6...Nxd8 7.Nxe5) 7.Bxf7 would win a pawn for White, but todotranquilo prefers to play like Jerome.
(Due to sampling bias, The Database does not have any games with 6.Qxd8+, but a quick look at ChessBase's online database gives 63 games with that move; White scores 86%. The two databases are vastly different, making comparisons dicey, but this peek gives an indication of the validity of 6.Qxd8+.)
Interestingly enough, 6.Bxf7+ was embraced in Chess Master vs Chess Amateur (1963), by Max Euwe and Walter Meiden
White could act even more energetically [than 6.Qxd8+ etc.] by playing 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe5+, and Black is in great trouble, for (a) 7...Nxe5? 8.Qxd8 or (b) 7...Ke7 8.Ng6+, or (c) 7...Ke8 8.Qh5+ Ke7 9.Ng6+. After (d) 7...Kf6, the continuation is less clear. This does not mean that the sacrifice would be incorrect, since after 8.Nd3, White has two Pawns for a piece and the Black King is badly placed. On the other hand, a safe win of a Pawn as in the other variations, might be preferable.
Stay with me, there is more.
For starters, due to the magic of transpositions, there are 2,025 games in The Database with this position (after 6.Bxf7+), and White scores 41% - a reason, from a practical point of view, that Readers might consider the mundane 6.Qxd8+ over the dashing 6.Bxf7+. (The online ChessBase database has only one game with the position, a win for White.)
Of course, "from a practical point of view" it might also be wise to avoid the Jerome Gambit altogether; but where is the fun in that??
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Ke8
As mentioned above, 7...Kf6 is probably Black's strongest reply. Surprisingly, after the suggested pragmatic 8.Nd3, Stockfish 6 recommends 8...Kg6 and 9...Kh7 for Black, maintaining that the defense holds, and that the second player would have the advantage!
To be fair, the authors of Chess Master vs Chess Amateur were tidying up an offhand line in an offhand variation, not preparing for a tournament or writing an opening manual. But, what is the best response to 7...Kf6 ?
The best move seems to be 8.Qf3+!?, sacrificing a piece in true Jerome Gambit style! It turns out that anything else other than taking the piece with 8...Kxe5 for Black leads to checkmate. White's best move then is keep-the-enemy-King-in-the-middle 9.Qf7!?
analysis diagram
I gave the crazy position - White has sacrificed two pieces, Black's King is in mortal danger - to Stockfish 6, and here is just a surface view of what it found (the game is even) 9...Nf6 (9...Bb4+ 10.Nc3 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Nf6 12.f4+ Kxe4 13.0–0 Qg8 14.Qg6+ Kd5 15.Rd1+ Nd4 16.Rxd4+ Kc6 17.Qd3 Be6 18.f5 Rd8 19.fxe6 Rxd4 20.cxd4 Qxe6 White has an edge) 10.f4+ Kd6 (10...Kxe4 11.Nd2+ Qxd2+ the only move to avoid mate 12.Bxd2) 11.e5+ Nxe5 (11...Kc5 12.Be3+ Nd4 13.Nc3 Bg4 14.h3 White is better) 12.fxe5+ Kc6 13.Qc4+ (13.exf6? Bc5 Black is better) 13...Bc5 14.Be3 b6 15.Bxc5 Qd5 16.Qxd5+ Nxd5 17.Bf2 Ba6 18.Na3 Rhe8 19.0–0–0 Rxe5=
Please. Even that is too much. Is there any wonder why I play 4.0-0 ?
8.Qh5+ g6
The line Euwe and Meiden mention, 8...Ke7 9.Ng6+ is clearly good for White, who wins a Rook. They can be forgiven for not having a computer program which would have told them that the alternative 9.Qf7+ would lead to checkmate in a dozen moves.
9.Qxg6+ Black resigned
Here is a game that almost speaks for itself on the topic we are discussing.
LaughingHyena - eclipze
standard, FICS, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.d4
Per Euwe and Meiden.
4...Nxd4
Ill-advised, and punishable immediately. Even the conservative player should be thinking "Jerrrrrrroooooommmmmme!"
5.Bxf7+
This is so much fun, I hate to point out that 5.Nxe5 is probably even stronger, e.g. 5...d5 (5...Nc6 6.Bxf7+ Ke7 7.Ng6+ Kxf7 8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.Qd5; 5...Ne6 6.Bxe6 dxe6 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.Nxf7+) 6.Qxd4 and White's centralized lead in development is overwhelming.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8
Ending things, but 6...Kf6 7.Qxd4 and 6...Ke6 7.Qxd4 are clearly better for White.
7.Qh5+ Black resigned
It is not hard to work out: 7...g6 (7...Ke7 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc5 10.Qd5+ Kb4 11.c3+ Ka4 12.Qa5#) 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc5 11.Qd5+ Kb4 12.Bd2+ Ka4 13.Qa5 checkmate
On this blog I refer to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 as the Semi-Italian Opening, a name given to it in Chess Master Vs Chess Amateur(1963), byMax Euwe and Walter Meiden. Here is what the authors say about Black's third move (I have changed the notation from English descriptive to algebraic.
This is a favorite move of the weaker amateur. He fears some future attack by the White QB (Bg5, for instance) or by the White KN (Ng5), and, before the White QB is even able to move, he plays the precautionary 3...h6. In certain positions, such a precautionary move is occasionally necessary, but in this position, not only is it not necessary, but it consumes valuable time. This puts Black one move behind White in the type of opening where tempi are of greatest importance. Instead of meeting the enemy's rapidly mobilizing forces with armed soldiers (i.e., by bringing out his pieces), Black only loses time and force, and, without realizing it, even weakens his defensive wall...
After 4.d4 exd4 they write
Black must take, as we shall see by an analysis of the most plausible alternate reply 4...d6: 5.dxe5 dxe5 6.Qxd8+ and (a) 6...Kxd8 7.Bxf7, etc., or (b) 6...Nxd8 7.Nxe5. White could act even more energetically by playing 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe5+, and Black is in great trouble, for (a) 7...Nxe5? 8.Qxd8 or (b) 7...Ke7 8.Ng6+, or (c) 7...Ke8 8.Qh5+ Ke7 9.Ng6+. After (d) 7...Kf6, the continuation is less clear. This does not mean that the sacrifice would be incorrect, since after 8.Nd3, White has two Pawns for a piece and the Black King is badly placed. On the other hand, a safe win of a Pawn as in the other variations, might be preferable.
The authors then look at 5.c3 and 5.Nxd4, and there I shall leave them.
I went back to Chess Master vs Chess Amateur after I began thinking about how to transform the game to the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit. I usually play 4.0-0 (then, after 4...Bc5, I play 5.Bxf7+), but I keep wanting to look at 4.Nc3 and other possible moves.
Hmmmm.... What about the normal 4.d4 that Euwe and Meiden recommend? How does that fit in for the Jerome Gambiteer?
Well, there are 300 games in The Database with the line 4...exd4 5.Bxf7+, but before we go there, let's take a look at the mistaken 4...Nxd4? (perhaps Black plays the Blackburne Shilling Gambit and gets carried away here).
Even someone who does not play the Jerome Gambit should start reaching toward his King's Bishop...
Dear Defender,
This is a blog for those interested in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and related openings.
I am sure that you can tell, if you read a few posts, that I like the Jerome, I play the Jerome, and I celebrate Jerome Gambit victories.
If you stick around this blog and look a bit deeper, you will also see that I try to be fair in my evaluations. After all, the Jerome Gambit was practically born refuted.
So, this post is for you, and everyone else who wishes to rain on my parade. Just a little tip...
perrypawnpusher - AcesFullofKings
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening, the name given in Euwe and Meiden's Chess Master vs Chess Amateur (1974).
4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, so named because it transposes after the Black King captures the White Bishop to a "modern" variation of the Jerome Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 – "classical" Jerome Gambit variations continue with 5.Nxe5+, "modern" Jerome Gambit variations try something else – 5...h6, etc.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxe5
Here, Black resigned. He looks to lose a Rook or a Bishop, remaining with an uneasy King, down a couple of pawns.
But – look closer.
As I pointed out in the notes to my game with alekbb a year ago (and a couple of times before that, going back 3 years) Black is actually better in the final diagram.
The resolute 8...Bf8 ("box" as they say) saves the Black Bishop and poisons the Black Rook: 9.Qxh8? Bg7 10.Qh7 Nf6 and the White Queen is lost.
