Jerome Gambit: A Machine Idea

Besides being used to annotate Jerome Gambit games of interest, computer programs have served as proponents or opponents in Jerome and Jerome-related games. The program below, GriffyJr, has visited this blog on several occasions - for starters, check out "Bots on Our Side" Part 1, Part 2  and Part 3 as well as "Ionman vs the Bots".

In today's game we examine the most recent example of a computer - generated move. There is still a lot of game to play afterward, however.

Petasluk - GriffyJr
5 0 blitz, FICS, 2017

 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Bd4 

An interesting and somewhat unusual idea. The earliest example of it in The Database was played in 2002 by the computer program BigBook at the online site FICS.

8.Qf5+

Instead, 8.c3 was seen in the oldest and most recent games with the line in The Database: 8...Nd3+ 9.Kd1 (9.Kf1 Nxc1 10.cxd4 a6 11.Qe5+ Kf7 12.Nc3 Nd3 13.Qf5+ Qf6 14.Qxf6+ Nxf6 15.e5 Ne8 16.f5 Nxb2 17.Rb1 Nd3 18.g3 a5 19.a3 b6 20.Ke2 Ba6 21.Ke3 Bc4 22.Nb5 a4 23.Rhc1 Nxc1 24.Rxc1 Bxb5 25.h4 c6 26.g4 d6 27.g5 dxe5 28.dxe5 c5 29.d4 cxd4+ 30.Kxd4 Be2 31.e6+ Ke7 32.Rc6 b5 33.Rb6 Nd6 34.Rc6 Nxf5+ 35.Ke5 Nxh4 36.Rc7+ Kf8 37.e7+ Ke8 38.Ke6 Ng6 39.Rc2 Bf1 40.Rf2 Bd3 White forfeited on time, megagurka - BigBook, FICS, 2002) 9...Nf2+ 10.Ke2 Nf6 11.Qf5+ Kf7 12.cxd4 Nxh1 13.d3 d5 14.e5 Bxf5 White resigned, Petasluk - GriffyJr, FICS, 2017. 

And there was also another computer-with-black game: 8.f5+ Kd6 9.d3 g6 10.Qe2 gxf5 11.c3 Qh4+ 12.g3 Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 Qg4 14.d4 Nf3+ 15.Kf1 Qh3+ 16.Kf2 Nxh2 17.Bf4+ Ke7 18.exf5+ Kf8 19.Nd2 Nh6 20.Bxh6+ Qxh6 21.Kg2 Qg5 22.Rxh2 Qxf5 23.Rf1 d5 24.Rxf5+ Bxf5 25.Qe5 Kf7 26.Rh5 Bd7 27.Qxd5+ Kg6 28.Ne4 Rae8 29.Qg5+ Kf7 30.Qf6+ Kg8 31.Rg5 checkmate, Moller,M - Mephisto, Denmark 2008.

Interestingly, Stockfish 8 suggests 8.fxe5 g6 9.Qg4+ Kf7 10.Qf4+ Kg7 11.c3 Bb6 12.a4 a5 13.d4 d6 14.O-O Qe7 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Na3 Be6 17.Kh1 h6 18.d5 Bd7 19.Nc4 Bc5 20.e5 Rf8 21.Qxf8+ Qxf8 22.Rxf8 Kxf8 23.Bf4 Ne7 with an even game because White's pawns are balancing out Black's extra piece. 

8...Kd6 9.fxe5+ 

A clear improvement over 9.c3 Nd3+ 10.Ke2 Ne7 11.e5+ Nxe5 12.fxe5+ Bxe5 13.Qd3+ Ke6 14.Qc4+ d5 15.Qg4+ Kd6 16.d4 Bxg4+ White resigned, fehim - blik, FICS, 2006. (Yes, blik is a computer.)

9...Bxe5 

If it can't see a reason not to, a computer will grab material. Here GriffyJr shows some nearsightedness. 

10.d4

Yes.

Interestingly, two earlier several-days-per move games (all players human) missed the idea:

10.O-O Qh4 11.h3 Qg3 12.Rf2 Nf6 13.d4 Bxd4 14.Bf4+ Kc6 15.Bxg3 Bxf2+ 16.Bxf2 d6 17.Qa5 Nxe4 18.Qa4+ Kd5 19.Nc3+ Nxc3 20.bxc3 Ke6 21.Re1+ Kf6 22.Qf4+ Kg6 23.Re3 Bf5 24.Rg3+ Kf6 25.Bd4+ Ke6 26.Re3+ Kd7 27.Qxf5+ Kd8 28.Bxg7 Rg8 29.Bf6 checkmate, blackburne - eddie43, Jerome Gambit thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008; and

10.c3 Nh6 11.Qf3 c5 12.Qd3+ Kc7 13.Na3 a6 14.Nc4 d6 15.Rb1 Qh4+ 16.g3 Qh3 17.Nxe5 dxe5 18.Qe3 b6 19.b4 Rf8 20.bxc5 b5 21.Ba3 Ng4 22.Qg5 Rf7 23.Qh4 Qg2 24.Qxg4 Bxg4 White resigned, Gary_Seven - drewbear, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net 2008. 

10...Qh4+

GriffyJr decides to mix it up.

11.Kf1 Qf6 

Yikes. Instead, GriffyJr gets mixed up. I have no idea how or why. Much better was 11...Kc6.

12.dxe5+ Qxe5 13.Qxe5+ 

Oh, dear. The crusher was, of course, 13.Bf4 winning Black's Queen. These things happen in blitz games.

13...Kxe5 

Even game.

14.Nc3 Nf6 15.g3 Nxe4 16.Bf4+ Kf5 17.Nxe4 Kxe4 18.Re1+ Kf5 19.Kg2 b6 20.Rhf1 Bb7+ 21.Kh3 Ba6 22.Rf2 c6 

Play continues in a Queenless middlegame, about balanced, despite White's pawn minus (because of his activity).

23.Be5+ Kg6 24.Rd2 d5 25.Rd4 Bc8+ 26.Kg2 Bf5 27.h3 Rhe8 

By focusing on development Black has pulled ahead. Still, if White can exchange Rooks, the possibility of a drawn bishops-of-opposite-color endgames is there.

Unfortunately, the computer can move lightning fast, while the human actually has to think - a disadvantage in blitz. White makes a tactical slip.

28.g4 Bxc2 29.h4 Be4+ 30.Kg3 Rxe5 White resigned

Søren Anton Sørensen

I have been visiting Martin Møller´s (see "Jerome Gambit Strikes in Denmark!" and "Deadly Duel in Denmark" among others) online Skakjournal, which he describes:

This is an attempt to describe Danish chess history from its beginnings around 1830 until the first Danish championship 1923. I will include Niemzowitsch and also Jens Enevoldsens first Danish championship 1940.

Lt. S. A. Sørensen wrote in the May 1877 issue of the Danish chess magazine, Nordisk Skaktidende, a very influential article on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – see "Bashi-Bazouk Attack" – and later played an interesting game against a little-known defense in the 6.d4 variation (Sørensen - Anonymous, Denmark 1887)

 
Møller tells us:

Søren Anton Sørensen (January 31, 1840 - February 11, 1896)

Søren Anton Sørensen was taught chess at the age 11 (1851) by H.Møller, when he was a regular visitor at Sulsted præste-gård (vacarage) - (H.Møller was former chairman in the first Copenhagen chess club/Københavns skak forening 1844-1846).

When Søren Anton Sørensen was 18 the following episode occured : One day S.A.S. came into a café in Aalborg where he saw two amateurs playing chess, when one of the players made a blunder, S.A.S. could not help but notice it. The two men got angry beeing corrected by a boy and challenged him to play for money, S.A.S. said he would be delighted but he would then play both men blindfold ! Needless to say S.A.S. won convincingly.

Around 1860 S.A.S. came to Copenhagen and soon got involved in the Copenhagen Chess scene.

I hope to learn more about chess history in Denmark from Martin, and maybe even discover one or two more early Jerome Gambits! 

A Side Line to Watch

When my opponent unleashed his 7th move in our Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, the only surprise came later, when I realized that it was the first time the move had been played against me.

It's a side line that all who play the Jerome should be ready for.


perrypawnpusher - ScudRocket
blitz 2 11, FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+

National Master Brian Wall discussed this kind of move, when made by a lower-rated player, in one of his games. I figured my opponent (my strength) was thinking

Only a patzer would try an attack like this! I can disrupt his crazy attack, swap Queens, and then easily wallop someone I could probably give a knight to, not just a pawn...

8.Kxf2 Qf6+

Alternately: 8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Qh6 10.Qxh8 Qg5 11.Qxh7+ Ke6 12.Qxg8+ Ke5 13.d4+ Kxe4 14.Re1+ Qe3+ 15.Rxe3+ Kxd4 16.c3+ Kc5 17.Qxg6 d6 18.Qe8 a5 19.b4+ axb4 20.cxb4+ Kxb4 21.Re4+ Kc5 22.Be3+ Kd5 23.Nc3# checkmate, annicks - Ribosome, Dos Hermanas Internet, 2002;
8...Nf6 9.d3 (9.Qf4 g5 10.Qf3 g4 11.Qf4 d5 12.e5 Rf8 13.exf6 Kg6 14.Ke1 Qxf6 15.Qxf6+ Rxf6 16.d3 Bd7 17.Nc3 Re8+ 18.Kd1 d4 19.Ne4 Rf5 20.h3 gxh3 21.Rxh3 Rf1+ 22.Ke2 Bxh3 23.Kxf1 Bf5 24.Ng5 c5 25.b3 Black resigned, instantcrow - KingEfraim, ChessWorld.net 2005) 9...Re8 10.Qf4 d6 11.Rf1 Kg7 12.Qh6+ Kg8 13.h3 Bd7 14.Bg5 Re5 15.Kg1 Ng4 16.Bxd8 Nxh6 17.Bxc7 Rc8 18.Bxd6 Rg5 19.Bf4 Rgc5 20.Bxh6 Rxc2 21.Nc3 Black resigned, guest232 - BoardChairman, Internet Chess Club 2002

9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.d3
Or: 10.Nc3 b6 11.d3 d6 12.Rf1 Rf8 13.Kg1 Kg7 14.Bg5 Nd7 15.Nd5 Rxf1+ 16.Rxf1 c6 17.Nc7 Rb8 18.Ne6+ Kg8 19.Bh6 Ba6 20.Kf2 Nc5 21.Nxc5 bxc5 22.Ke3 Re8 23.b3 d5 24.Rf4 Bc8 25.Kd2 dxe4 26.Rxe4 Rxe4 27.dxe4 Kf7 28.h3 Kf6 29.Ke3 g5 30.g4 Kg6 31.Bf8 h5 32.Bxc5 a6 Black resigned, blackburne - Bullit52, Chessworld.net 2007.

White is up a solid pawn – and remember, a few moves ago, he was down two pieces.

10...d6

10...d5 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Rf1 Ke8 13.Bh6 Nf6 14.Bg7 Ng4+ 15.Kg1 Rg8 16.Re1+ Kf7 17.Bd4 Rd8 18.Rf1+ Bf5 19.h3 Rxd4 20.hxg4 Rxg4 21.Nc3 c6 22.Rae1 b5 23.Ne4 Kg7 24.Nd6 Rg5 25.Nxf5+ gxf5 26.Re6 Rg6 27.Re5 Rf8 28.Re7+ Kh8 29.Rxa7 f4 30.Rf3 h5 31.Re7 Rfg8 32.Re2 Rg4 33.Kh2 R8g5 34.c4 Kg7 35.b3 Kf6 36.Re4 Rxg2+ 37.Kh3 R2g3+ 38.Rxg3 Rxg3+ 39.Kh2 Rxd3 40.Rxf4+ Kg5 41.Rf2 Kg4 42.Rg2+ Kf4 43.cxb5 cxb5 44.Kg1 b4 45.Rf2+ Rf3 46.Kg2 Rxf2+ 47.Kxf2 Ke4 48.Ke2 Kd4 49.Kd2 h4 50.Ke2 Kc3 White resigned, mediax - Carlos Azcarate, ChessWorld.net, 2008

11.Rf1 Kg7 12.Bg5

This is still known territory: 12.Kg1 Bd7 13.Nc3 c6 (13...Rhf8 14.h3 (14.Bg5 Nh5 15.Nd5 Rac8 16.Rxf8 Kxf8 17.Rf1+ Kg7 18.Bf6+ Nxf6 19.Nxf6 Bc6 20.Ng4 h5 21.Ne3 Re8 22.Rf4 d5 23.Nxd5 Black resigned, blackburne03 - bobby-pisher, Internet Chess Club, 2003) 14...Nh5 15.Be3 a6 16.Nd5 c6 17.Nb6 Rxf1+ 18.Rxf1 Rd8 19.Bg5 Black resigned, Moller - Pedersen, www.eskak.dk 2008) 14.Bh6+ Kxh6 15.Rxf6 Rhf8 16.Raf1 Rxf6 17.Rxf6 d5 18.Rd6 Black forfeited, guest1824 - guest1255, Internet Chess Club, 2002

12...Ng4+ 13.Kg1 Be6

Both Kings have castled-by-hand, and Black is slightly ahead in development – but not a pawn's worth. Maybe he planned to out-play me here, but it didn't work out that way.

14.h3 Nf6



A mistake: 14...h6 was necessary.
15.Bxf6+ Kh6 16.Bxh8 Rxh8

A Rook is a Rook.

17.Nc3 Rg8 18.Rf6 Bd7 19.Rf7 Rd8 20.Raf1 g5 21.R1f6+ Kh5 22.g4+
I had mate worked out, but 22.Rxh7# was faster.
22...Kh4 23.Rxh7+ Kg3 24.Ne2 checkmate

Jerome Gambit Gemeinde: Denmark

From a recent email:

Hi Rick,

I enjoy your blog every day, and try to play the Jerome every time I play blitz on ICC (every day 1 hour or so) but most of the time my opponents play the most bizarre opening: 1.---- c5 !!!and the like.

The 26/11-2008 I got lucky, although my opponent played 3. Bc4 h6!!
moller - MrRealEstate
blitz ICC, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.Nc3 Bc5

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxe5

8...Bd6 9.Qxh8 Be7 10.Qh7+ Kf6 11.e5+ (would 11.Nd5+ have been better ?)

[After 11.Nd5+ Ke5 ( if 11...Ke6 12.Nxc7+ And Black will either fall into various mating traps or lose his Queen.) 12.Qf7 Black is marginally better than with the text - Rick]
12...Kxe5 13.d4+ Kf6 14.Ne4+ Ke6 15.Qxg6+ Kd5 16.Qf5+


Rather weak played by MrRealEstate but then again that's blitz.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Martin Moller
Denmark

Jerome Gambit Blog: More Tidying Up

It's time to do a bit more tidying up (see "Jerome Gambit Blog: Tidying Up") on the blog – looking back on older posts and updating things since the last effort...

Relationships with the ChessPub.com forum remain cordial, if distant (see "Jerome Gambit: Duck-Billed Platypus of Openings"). I posted a short message there with a link to this blog, and some people have followed it over, placing the site 13th in referrals to jeromegambit.blogspot.com, according to Google Analytics. Of course the actual number is 1/16 th of those who came over from the Something Awful website (see "Something Awful", "Something Awful Again" and "Return to Awful"), just to keep things in perspective.

"Is it September already?" requires a number of updates. To date there has been no Jerome Gambit tournament in Jerome, Arizona, as far as I know. I still have an observer near the scene, though (see "Driving Distance"). Bill Vallicella's very interesting and ever-challenging Maverick Philosopher website has a new location. A review copy of Benjamin Hale's book Philosophy Looks at Chess has arrived, and when I get past my current writer's block (i.e. spending all of my writing time on this blog, instead of writing reviews for Chessville) I'll have my say about it.

An update to "The Jerome Gambit Gemeinde (modern)" would have to include chessfriend and game-contributor Martin Moller, of Denmark (see "Jerome meets the Elephant", "Jerome Gambit Strikes in Denmark!" and "Deadly Duel in Denmark" ) Unfortunately, the tournament mentioned in "A Jerome Gambit Gemeinde Adventure in Denmark" did not proceed as expected, and it is not likely that we will see further Jerome Gambit games from it.

The possible connection betwen Winston Churchill and Alonzo Wheeler Jerome (see "From the Email Bag...") has been traced a bit. Churchill's mother was the American, Jennie Jerome (Lady Randolph Churchill; 1854-1921). Jennie's father was Leonard Jerome (1818-1891) of New York City fame and fortune. Leonard's father was Isaac Jerome; his grandfather was Aaron Jerome; his great-grandfather was Samuel Jerome. Samuel's father, Timothy Jerome, according to thePeerage, in 1710 "fled from France to England. In 1717 he sailed from the Isle of Wight to settle in Connecticut." Papers from the military records of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome (born in Four Mile Point, New York, see "The Man, The Myth, The Legend...") show that upon his death in 1902, his widow, Jennie Jerome (the name is an interesting coincidence) filed for a survivor pension. One affadavit was signed by Edgar Jerome and Martha Millis, listed as brother and sister of Alonzo, living in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Further research, of course, is needed to make any link, such as an Alonzo Wheeler Jerome-linked homestead in Connecticut.

In a comment to "Why not join in the discussion?" Pete Banks wrote the following:

Hi Rick,

I sent my latest escapade to Gary Lane after I sent it to you, as he'd asked for Jerome examples. Here is the relevant part of his reply: 'Did Rick Kennedy ever have his article published in the Germanmagazine he mentioned called Kaissiber? Anyway, you won't be able to use the opening as a surprise weapon for much longer because in November a winning game of yours is mentioned in my book "The Greatest Ever Tricks and Traps in the Opening" published by Everyman. Cheers Gary'

So a Jerome Gambit is to appear in print! Perhaps we'll get a revival going!

A check of the Everyman Chess website shows that Gary Lane's The Greatest Ever Chess Tricks and Traps is available now. Perhaps it should be included as the next entry in the "Jerome Gambit Scrapbook".

By the way, as for the Kaissiber saga, see "To Infinity... And Beyond! (Part II)", "Breaking News..." and "Jerome Gambit Blog: Tidying Up". I'm still hopeful.

Regarding the "Jerome Gambit and the Perfesser series" Part I, Part II, Part III and PartIV, I have another instructive, exploratory "human vs computers" match coming up, where the protagonist, "RevvedUp" (a pseudonym of my invention), alternates between playing Black and playing White, using the line played by the computer in the previous game as his choice in the current one – thus extending his Jerome Gambit "book" through the use of the computers' praxis...

Deadly Duel in Denmark

The latest news from our Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member in Denmark, Martin Moller:

I have been experimenting with my various chess computers too [see "A Jerome Gambit 'Challenger'," "A Bagatelle" and "Rematch!" for similar play - Rick], and here is a 5 min. game with the Mephisto Maestro Travel Chess Computer, ca. 1600 ELO.

Martin - Mephisto
Denmark, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Bd4
[ The "computer choice" is frequently 7...d6, giving back a piece. See "Bright Ideas From Silicon" - Rick]

8.f5+
[Wow! Playing "psychologically" against the computer?? The result is quite complex; ordinary players might have just taken a piece - Rick]

8...Kd6 9.d3 g6 10.Qe2 gxf5 11.c3 Qh4+ 12.g3 Bxc3+
[When a material-loving computer gives something back, you know it's in trouble - Rick]

13.bxc3

[Martin points out that 13.Nxc3 would have been stronger - Rick ]

13...Qg4 14.d4 Nf3+ 15.Kf1

[15.Kf2, mentioned by Martin, would have led to a roughly even game - Rick ]

15...Qh3+

[ Here Mephisto prefers the h-pawn and a check over the much stronger capture of the e-pawn with 15...Qxe4 - Rick]

16.Kf2 Nxh2 17.Bf4+ Ke7 18.exf5+ Kf8

[The kind of position that would make any gambiteer smile. Black's King is in grave danger, and his lack of effective development easily offsets his extra piece - Rick]

19.Nd2 Nh6 20.Bxh6+ Qxh6 21.Kg2
[This is fine for winning back the piece and maintaining the advantage. Going after the King with 21.Rae1 was also an option - Rick.]

21...Qg5 22. Rxh2 Qxf5?
[Another totally unexplainable computer move; a blunder squared. Martin finishes up quickly. - Rick]

23.Rf1 d5 24.Rxf5+ Bxf5 25.Qe5 Kf7 26.Rh5 Bd7 27.Qxd5+ Kg6 28.Ne4 Rae8 29.Qg5+ Kf7 30.Qf6+ Kg8 31.Rg5 checkmate

Sometimes you just have to outplay the other guy...

It's not like you can simply play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and win as you please -- in fact, it's kind of like the opposite.

What it comes down to is that sometimes you just have to outplay the other guy.

Or, failing that, you have to make the next-to-last mistake and let him make the last one...

perrypawnpusher - Lindal
FICS rated blitz game 2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+



This strategy is similar to the one employed by Pederson (see "Jerome Gambit Strikes in Denmark!") after his 6...g6.8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6


"A rather unambitious line on Black's part" as Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Martin Moller commented in his game against Pederson.

Same here. I'm a pawn up in a balanced position. With some steady work, my advantage should prove itself.

10.Nc3 d6 11.d3 Ke7 12.Bg5 Rf8 13.Rhf1 Ke8 14.Bxf6 Rxf6+ 15.Ke3 Rxf1 16.Rxf1 Be6

If my opponent was content to play against me a pawn down, perhaps he was pleased here with his Bishop vs Knight advantage.

17.a3 Ke7 18.d4 Rf8

Consistent, but not a good idea. Keeping my Kight limited with 18...c6 looks better.

19.Rxf8 Kxf8 20.Nb5 c6 21.Nxa7


Capturing the d-pawn (and, incidentally, making the e-pawn a passer) was less risky.

21...Ke7 22.b4 d5 23.e5 Kd7 24.b5 Kc7 25.bxc6 bxc6 26.a4 Kb7


I have to admit that "losing a Knight" is not the same as "outplaying your opponent".

Even so, White probably can draw by abandoning his piece and a-pawn and focus on marching his King to e8 (or f8 or g8) to help his e-passer promote.

27.Nb5 cxb5 28.axb5 Kb6 29.h3 Kxb5



In a blitz game, anything can happen. Black was willing to play on a pawn down, and he is now clearly winning.

All I had to console myself with was the idea that the guy who allowed White an advantage in the Jerome Gambit was the same guy who let me move through a middle game where White was better. Perhaps he would be just as strong in the endgame.

30.g4 Kb6 31.Kf4 h6 32.h4 Kc6 33.g5 Kd7 34.gxh6 gxh6 35.Ke3 Bf5 36.Kf4 Ke6



Readers with endgame skills are probably beginning to snicker.

37.c3 Bd3 38.Kg4 Be4 39.Kh5 Bd3 40.Kxh6 Kf5


The last two moves have been critical.

With the capture of the pawn, White gained a drawn position: Black's Bishop and King can keep either passer from Queening.

Black's King lurch, however, has given White the advantage. He should have tried something like 40...Be2 when White can make little progress, e.g. 41.Kg5 Bd3 42.h5 Ke7 43.h6 Kf7 44.Kh5 Be4 45.Kg5 Bd3.

41.h5

Well, that didn't last very long. The proper move was 41.Kg7. Now Black can play 41...Be2 and hold the draw.

41...Kg4

Did I mention that this was a blitz game?


42.e6 Bb5 Ok! White is winning again.


My opponent played on, though, no doubt thinking "This guy played the Jerome Gambit against me -- how good could he be?"


43.e7

Back to zero.


It is a challenge to juggle two passed pawns, the opponent's pawn and his Bishop, but it can be done: 43.Kg6 Be8+ 44.Kf6 Kxh5 45.Ke5 Bc6 46.Kd6 Ba4 47.Kxd5 5.19/19 Kg6 48.Kd6 Bb5 49.Ke7 Bc4 50.Kd7 Bb5+ 51.Kd8 Kf5 52.e7 Ke4 53.e8Q+ Bxe8 54.Kxe8 etc.

43...Kf5

The game takes its last rude turn.

After 43...Be8 44.Kg7 Bxh5 the outside passed pawn is captured, and Black has only to trade his Bishop for the other passed pawn with 45.Kf8 Kf5 46.e8Q Bxe8 47.Kxe8 and then "oppose" any attempt by the White King to come to the aid of his pawns: 47...Ke6, etc.

44.Kg7 Kg5 45.h6 Black resigns


graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

Jerome Gambit Strikes in Denmark!

Hi Rick,

Already the first game is decided in my Jerome gambit thematic tournament, and in my favour.!!

Before the tournament began I searched my Jerome file for White wins, and arranged them in variation order.
Here is the game : start 8/10-2008, end 15/10-2008

White: Martin Moller
Black: Jan Pedersen
www.eskak.dk , 10.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+
A rather unambitious line on Black's part, I think, forcing the exchange of Queens, and White is a pawn up (we were following game no. 209).

[I agree, Martin: my database has 11 games with this line and White has won 10, the only loss coming in a mis-played Rook-and-pawn endgame. – Rick]
[When NM Brian Wall played against this line, he commented "Luckily, there is an unwritten Law of Chess that states a lower rated player will trade any advantage, no matter how massive, for a certain draw against a higher rated player. The Law is based on the principle that the lower rated player knows in his heart he never deserves to win, no matter how well he has played... Black sees an "opportunity" to trade queens and grabs it with both hands."]
9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.d3
[10.Nc3 d6 ( 10...b6 11.d3 d6 12.Rf1 Rf8 13.Kg1 Kg7 14.Bg5 Nd7 15.Nd5 Rxf1+ 16.Rxf1 c6 17.Nc7 Rb8 18.Ne6+ Kg8 19.Bh6 Ba6 20.Kf2 Nc5 21.Nxc5 bxc5 22.Ke3 Re8 23.b3 d5 24.Rf4 Bc8 25.Kd2 dxe4 26.Rxe4 Rxe4 27.dxe4 Kf7 28.h3 Kf6 29.Ke3 g5 30.g4 Kg6 31.Bf8 h5 32.Bxc5 a6 Black resigned, blackburne Bullit52, www.chessworld.net 2007) 11.d4 c6 12.h3 Re8 13.Re1 Be6 14.Bf4 Rad8 15.Rad1 Nh5 16.Bh2 Rf8 17.g4 Nf6 18.Kg2 Kg7 19.Bg3 b5 20.d5 cxd5 21.exd5 Black resigned, brianwall - maten8, Internet Chess Club 2004]

10...d6 11.Rf1 Kg7 12.Kg1 Bd7 13.Nc3 Rhf8

[13...c6 14.Bh6+ Kxh6 15.Rxf6 Rhf8 16.Raf1 Rxf6 17.Rxf6 d5 18.Rd6 Black resigns, guest1824 - guest1255, Internet Chess Club 2002]
14.h3
[14.Bg5 Nh5 15.Nd5 Rac8 16.Rxf8 Kxf8 17.Rf1+ Kg7 18.Bf6+ Nxf6 19.Nxf6 Bc6 20.Ng4 h5 21.Ne3 Re8 22.Rf4 d5 23.Nxd5 Black resigns, blackburne03 -bobby-pisher, Internet Chess Club 2003]
14...Nh5 15.Be3 a6 16.Nd5
An annoying Knight.

16...c6 17.Nb6 Rxf1+ 18.Rxf1 Rd8 19.Bg5 Resigns

I win a piece.
Best regards,

Martin Moller
Jerome Gambit Gemeinde Member