Jerome Gambit: More or Less (Part 2)

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - scarsetto
5 5 blitz, FICS, 2017

What is going on?

Here we have the position from a recent blitz game of mine, before I played the decent 11.Nc3, believing that an extra piece would help weave a mating net. This is opposed to Stockfish 8's suggestion of 11.Qb3+, which would lead (perhaps after a long and winding road) to a win of material and a simple advantage for White. 

Years ago, I had played 11.d4, which, I later noted on this blog, was insufficient, as 

after 11...Bb4+ 12.c3 Bf8 it is not clear that White has anything more than checking his way repeatedly to a draw.

That is such an annoying assessment, let me show the position:

Drawn??

analysis diagram





I let Stockfish 8 analyze until a depth of 30 ply, without finding anything better than forcing a draw. I suspect, though, strong Jerome Gambiteers would simply castle and figure out the rest later...

By the way, instead of entering the recommended line in that 11.d4 game, my opponent immediately returned his extra piece with 11...Bxd4 and I was able to win the game in 46 moves, perrypawnpusher - hotintheshade, blitz, FICS, 2009. Once again, my "unscientific" opening was assisted by my opponent's "scientific" response - in this case, following the notion that a sacrificial attack can be blunted by returning material.

Back to the recent game.

11...Qh4+ 

There is something really silly about me going through a pile of analysis - after the game, in preparation for this post (and the previous one) - only to have it all wiped out by the reality of what really happened. Perhaps I was right to "move first and think later" after all.

Black can definitively show that there is no checkmate by playing the alternative 11...a5, when White gets his piece back with 12.Na4+ (the idea behind 11.Nc3, which is why I played the move in the first place) Ka7 13.Qxc5+ b6 14.Qd4 Bb7 15.0-0 when White would still be better.

Years earlier, I had faced 11...d6, which should have led to the quick 12.Qb3+ Bb4 13.Qxb4+ Ka6 14.Qb5 checkmate, but led, instead, to the obvious 12.Na4+ Ka6, when I missed 13.b4!? - but won the game, anyhow,  perrypawnpusher - Ondras, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 31). I'm always so much smarter after the game.

It is worth playing over the lines until you, too, can decide - mate or material?

12.g3 Qh3 

While a sudden Queen check can often upset a position, the problem here is that the enamy Queen has to dodge the pawn, and my attack can continue. Still, if the Black Queen can get to g2...

Interestingly enough, the text is not an improvement over the previous 12...Qf6 13. Na4+ (even stronger 13.Qb3+!? Kc6 14.Qb5+ Kd6 15.e5+ winning the Queen) 13...Ka6 14.Nxc5+ Kb5 15.a4+ Kb6 16.a5+ Black resigned, sabreman - Lovebuzz, FICS, 2014.

13.Na4+ 

Winning material, but missing the move 13.b4!?, which leads to mate: 13...Bf2+ 14.Kxf2 Qh5 15.f5 Ng4+ 16.Kg1 Qxf5 17.exf5 a5 18.Qc5+ Ka6 19.Qxa5#.

White is still much better after the text, and it is possible that in the game (blitz) I didn't have (take) time to analyze the position out to checkmate - but for sure this kind of position should yield deadlier results next time.  

13...Kb5 

Black is in a bad way. He would last longer with 13...Ka6, and in a blitz game - with clocks ticking - that would have given him chances to survive, if my time expired. Nonetheless, against that move White can grab back material, build an attack, and eventually checkmate: 14.Nxc5+ Kb6 15.Na4+ Ka6 16.b4!? b5 17.Nc5+ Kb6 18.a4 (I need another piece in the attack) c6 19.Qd6 a5 20.d3 (opening a line for another piece) Qe6 (nothing works for Black now) 21.bxa5+ Rxa5 22.Qb8+ Bb7 23.Qxb7+ Kxc5 24.Ba3+ Kc4 25.Kd2 b4 26.Qxb4+ Qc4 27.Qxc5 checkmate.

That's a long line, but pretty straight-forward.

14.Qxc5+ 

Funny. I had my mind set on one thing, and one thing only. Of course, White had, instead, 14.c4+ Kxa4 first, then 15.Qxc5 Qf1+ (delaying the inevetible) 16.Rxf1 b6 17.b3#.

A win is a win is a win; but a checkmate is a good idea, too.

14...Kxa4 

The ultimate psychological slip. So many of us have grown up playing over games of the masters featuring sacrificial frenzies that lead to glorious finishes. How easy it is, when on the receiving end, to figure "I am lost!" and succumb in classic style.

Again, if time were not a factor, Black could choose a tougher line of defense: 14...Ka6 15.Qxc7 b6 16.b4!? Qe6 17.Nc5+!? bxc5 18.b5+!? Kxb5 19.Rb1+ Ka4 20.0-0!? Qc4 21.Rf3 (that's why White castles) Qd4+ (delaying the inevitible) 22.Kg2 Qxd4 23.Qxc5 Qe2+ 24.Kg1 Qe1+ 25.Rf1 Qxf1+ 26.Kxf1 Ba6+ 27.Kg1 d6 28.Rb4#

All these tactical lines were uncovered by Stockfish 8 after the game.

If the reality is that my opponent did not find the most spirited way to defend, it is even more true that I did not find the most effective way to attack. We both stumbled; he fell. The Jerome Gambit is very much like that.

15.b3 checkmate

(If you ignore the analysis in the notes, it looks like a killer game. More or less.) 

I Have Never Seen That Move Before. It Must Be Good. Or Bad.

" * "

There are so many strange and wonderful insights that can be applied to the Jerome Gambit, even if they originally were connected to something else. I want to point out some quotations that I have pulled together: collection 1, collection 2.

As for the following game, if you play the Jerome Gambit long enough, you will encounter the club player who is astonished by 4.Bxf7+ and immediately decides that since he has never seen the move before, this reflects a complete lack of preparation on his part, and that he is doomed...

The same worry can be applied, for White, to Black's 8th move. What in the world is this?? I have never seen this move before. Yet, White is used to strange moves, and a few moments of reflection will bring the proper conclusion: It is bad.


kosta88 - peternc
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nh6

This move is not in the standard preparation for Jerome Gambiteers. It attacks White's Queen. It opens up the f-file for Black to bring a Rook to attack, or a Queen to exchange. 

And it is wrong.

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.Qd5+

Or 10.d4 Ng4 11.Qxc5 checkmate, UNPREDICTABLE - acuriel, FICS, 2009)

10...Kb6 11.Nc3

Better than 11.d4 Qe7 (11...Bxd4 as in perrypawnpusher - hotintheshade, blitz, FICS, 2009 [1-0, 46]) 12.Be3 d6 13. dxc5+ dxc5 14. b4 c6 15. Bxc5+ Ka6 Black forfeited by disconnection, senseidea - Liosikne, FICS, 2012.

White realizes that he will get his second sacrificed piece back and he will have play against the enemy King.

11...c6

Two alternate tries at defense:

11...Qh4+ 12.g3 Qf6 13.Na4+ Ka6 14.Nxc5+ Kb5 15.a4+ Kb6 16.a5+ Black resigned, sabreman - Lovebuzz, FICS, 2014; and 

11...d6 12.Na4+ Ka6 13.Nxc5+ dxc5 14.Qxc5 b6 15.Qe3 Kb7 16.d4 Kb8 17.O-O Bb7 18.c4 Ng4 19.Qd3 c5 20.d5 Re8 21.h3 Nf6 22.e5 Nxd5 23.cxd5 Bxd5 24.Be3 Kb7 25.b3 h6 26.Rae1 g5 27.fxg5 Rxe5 28.gxh6 Qg8 29.Rf2 Rf8 30.Ree2 Ref5 31.Rxf5 Rxf5 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Ondras, FICS, 2012.

12.Na4+ Kb5 Black resigned

On the Run

When the Jerome Gambit player has his opponent on the run, he should finish him off quickly. The following game is a good example.

sabreman - Lovebuzz
standard, FICS, 2014

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+
Kd6 8.f4 Nh6 

Attacking White's Queen might ge a good idea in other lines of the Jerome, but here it only drives Her Majesty into action that she was already contemplating.

After White's 8th move, the computer says he is "objectively" lost. After Black's 8th move, the computer says he is "objectively" lost. White must act quickly to take advantage of his advantage.

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.Qd5+ 

An improvement over 10.d4 which still turned out okay, thanks to a little help: 10..Ng4? 11.Qxc5 checkmate, UNPREDICTABLE - acuriel, FICS, 2009. 

10...Kb6 11.Nc3 

The text is an improvement over 11.d4, seen in perrypawnpusher - hotintheshade, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 46) and senseidea - Liosikne, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 15). 

Best according to Stockfish 6 is 11.Qb3+!?, which is worth exploring, e.g. 11...Ka6 (11...Kc6 12.Nc3 d5 13.Qb5+ Kd6 14.e5+ Ke6 15.Qxc5) 12.Qa4+ Kb6 13.b4 d6 (13...Bd4 14.Qa5+ Kc6 15.Qd5+ Kb6 16.a4 Bf2+ 17.Kxf2 Qh4+ 18.g3 Ng4+ 19.Kg1 Qxh2+ 20.Rxh2 a5 21.Qc5+ Ka6 22.Qxa5#; 13...Bf2+ 14.Kxf2 a6 15.Bb2; 13...a6 14.bxc5+ Ka7 15.Nc3; 13...Be7 14.Qa5+ Kc6 15.Nc3 a6 16.b5+ Kd6 17.Qb4+ c5 18.bxc6+ Kxc6 19.Qc4+ Kb6 20.Qd4+ Kc7 21.Qxg7 Nf5 22.Nd5+ Kb8 23.exf5) 14.bxc5+ dxc5 15.Bb2.

11...Qh4+

This distraction does not work.

Neither does 11...d6 12.Qb3+ (12.Na4+?! was perrypawnpusher - Ondras, blitz, FICS, 2012 [1-0, 31]) Bb4 13.Qxb4+ Ka6 14.Qb5 checkmate.

12.g3 Qf6 13.Na4+ Ka6 14.Nxc5+ Kb5 15.a4+ Kb6 16.a5+ Black resigned

Checkmate awaits.

Charlatan

After studying the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) for over a decade, I sometimes like to think that I know something about the opening. Then, I play a game like the following one, and I am unmasked as much of a charlatan.

perrypawnpusher - Ondras
blitz, FICS, 2012

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nh6

Black's move is a rare one, yet I have seen it twice before and should have been more prepared to face it.

9.Qxe5+ Kc6

Here, perrypawnpusher - GPP, blitz, FICS, 2010, ended as a win for White by ajudication

10.Qd5+ Kb6 11.Nc3

So far, so good. The text is actually an improvement over 11.d4 Bxd4 (11...Ng4 12.Qxc5 checkmate, UNPREDICTABLE - acuriel, blitz, FICS, 2009) 12.Qxd4+ as in perrypawnpusher - hotintheshade, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 46)

11...d6

Compartively better were 11...c6, 11...a6 and 11...a5, all of which would give Black's King a retreat square in return for his Bishop after 12.Na4+ and 13.Qxc5.

12.Na4+

After the game, Rybka pointed out the checkmate that I "knew" was there, but could not find: 12.Qb3+ Bb4 13.Qxb4+ Kc6 14.Qb5#.

12...Ka6 13.Nxc5+

Players in tune with the spirit of the Jerome Gambit would have tried 13.b4!? instead, knowing that open lines against the Black King were well worth a pawn.

13...dxc5 14.Qxc5 b6

At this point it was becoming clear to my opponent (and me) that my attack was nothing more than a paper tiger. I could withdraw my Queen and take "satisfaction" in the fact that I had three pawns for my sacrificed piece, with roughly equal game – but we both knew that I had misplayed.

15.Qe3 Kb7 16.d4

Black has castled-by-hand on the Queenside, and I thought I would make a show of my pawns with this move. Wiser was 16.0-0.

16...Kb8

Black's King is not cowering: he visualizes his light-squared Bishop on the long diagonal, as part of a counter-attack on my King! Perhaps I was fortunate that my opponent felt so emboldened, as after the game Rybka suggested that center play, instead, could have crippled my pawns: 16...Re8 17.e5 Qd5 18.Qf3 Qxf3 19.gxf3 Nf5 and Black would be better.

17.0-0 Bb7

18.c4

Figuring, I guess, that if three central pawns did not scare my opponent, four might. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. The Great Oz has spoken...

18...Ng4 19.Qd3 c5

Black strikes back, with a plan.

20.d5 Re8 21.h3 Nf6 22.e5 Nxd5

I was impressed at my opponent's willingness to return a piece for a couple of pawns. Had he also calculated a transition into a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame?

23.cxd5

Sadly, I had looked at, and then rejected, the much better 23.Rd1.

23...Bxd5 24.Be3

Once again, 24.Rd1 was stronger. 

24...Kb7 25.b3 h6

Black casually goes about preparing the pawn break ...g7-g5!? with plans to attack my King. Although I was almost certain that my position was better, I began to feel a bit like the cowardly lion...

26.Rae1

The tactical shot 26.Bxc5 would have led to some reassuring simplification, e.g. 26...Bxg2 27.Qxd8 Raxd8 28.Kxg2 bxc5.

26...g5 27.fxg5 Rxe5 28.gxh6 Qg8 29.Rf2

29...Rf8 30.Ree2 Ref5

A lucky break for me, based on an optical illusion. If I did not have a Rook on e2, hiding behind my Bishop, I would be unable to capture twice at f5. 

31.Rxf5 Rxf5 Black resigned