Outwitted

I certainly wish that I could find a definite link between Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, the "inventor" of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), and the similar line in the Bishop's Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+) - other than the references Gerald Abrahams made in two of his books, hence my naming the line the Abrahams Jerome Gambit.

Still, it's hard to overlook the following game, where White tops a player rated over 350 points above him. "outwitted"? I don't think so!  (When he looks over his game, I hope my notes help.)

outwitted - perece
standard, FICS, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

Currently there are 16,200 Abrahams Jerome Gambit games in The Database (with many more to add). White wins 51%. This compares with 11,645 standard Jerome Gambit games (not counting transpositions from the Four Knights or the Semi-Italian) where White scores 45%.

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Ke6 5.Nf3

While going over this game I found an interesting glitch in Stockfish 6. It evaluates the alternative move 5.Qg4+ as "=" (0.00) and keeps that evaluation even after the move 5...Kf7 is played, saying that after 6.Qh5+ the evaluation will still be "0.00". However, when I play 6.Qh5+ I immediately see that after 6...Kf8 Black is rated 1.5 (or so) pawns better!?

For other thoughts on the move see "Exploring".

5...Qf6 

This is not as strong a move as in many of the regular Jerome Gambit lines.

6.d4

Opening a line to add his Bishop to the attack. Next time outwitted will be ready with 6.Qe8+ Qe7 7.Qxc8 winning a piece.

6...Bxd4

6...Nc6, best for Black, is still better for White. 

7.Bg5 

Straight forward. However, 7.Nxd4+ is the right way to go after the Queen, i.e. 7...exd4 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Bg5. (This is the second time that outwitted appears in The Database with the white pieces, and he is still feeling his way around.)

7...Qg6

Now Black is OK.

8.Qg4+ Kd6

A better defense was 8...Kf7 9.Nh4 (9.c3 Bb6 10.Nxe5+ Black resigned, bobx - ABoni, FICS, 2007) 9...Qe6 10.c3 h6 11.Qxe6+ dxe6 12.Bd2 Bb6 13.O-O Nf6 14.Be3 Rf8 15.Bxb6 axb6 16.f4 exf4 17.Rxf4 g5 18.Rf1 gxh4 19.e5 Kg6 20.exf6 Rxf6 21.Rxf6+ Kxf6 22.Nd2 Ra4 23.Rf1+ Kg7 24.a3 Nc6 25.Nf3 h3 26.g3 e5 27.Re1 Kf6 28.Nh4 Rxh4 29.gxh4 Bg4 30.Rf1+ Ke6 31.Rf8 h5 32.Re8+ Kd5 33.Rc8 Kd6 34.Rh8 e4 35.Rh6+ Kd5 36.Rh8 e3 37.Re8 e2 38.Kf2 Ne5 39.Rd8+ Ke4 40.Re8 Kf4 41.Rf8+ Ke4 42.Re8 Kd5 43.Rd8+ Kc4 44.Rd4+ Kb3 45.Re4 Nd3+ 46.Ke3 e1=Q+ 47.Kxd3 Bf5 48.c4 Qxe4+ 49.Kd2 Qd3+ 50.Ke1 Kxb2 51.Kf2 Qe4 52.Kf1 Qf3+ 53.Ke1 Kc2 54.c5 Bd3 55.cxb6 Qe2 checkmate,  RattyMouse - vballmike, FICS, 2009. 

9.c3

This works, in light of Black's response, but next time White might follow RattyMouse: 9.Nbd2 Nf6 10.Qg3 Nxe4 11.Nxe4+ Qxe4+ 12.Kd1 Bxb2 13.Rb1 Qd5+ 14.Ke2 Bc3 15.Rhd1 Bd4 16.Nxd4 Qc4+ 17.Ke3 Qc3+ 18.Rd3 Qc5 19.Rbb3 Nc6 20.Rbc3 Qxc3 21.Rxc3 Nxd4 22.Kd3 b6 23.Be3 Ba6+ 24.Kd2 Nc6 25.Qxg7 Rhg8 26.Qxh7 Rxg2 27.Qh6+ Ke7 28.Qh7+ Kd6 29.Qh6+ Ke7 30.Bg5+ Kf7 31.Qf6+ Ke8 32.Qh8+ Kf7 33.Qxa8 Rxf2+ 34.Ke3 Re2+ 35.Kf3 e4+ 36.Kf4 Black forfeited on time, RattyMouse - Udon, FICS, 2008. 

Stockfish 6's suggestion is 9.Nxd4 exd4 10.e5+ Kc6 11.O-O Qe6 12.Qf3+ Kb6 13.c3 Ne7 14.cxd4 c6 15.Nc3 Nd5. 

9...Bxf2+

Lashing out. There is an idea behind the move, but White figures it out.

10.Kxf2 h6

The White Bishop is pinned.

11.Rd1+ Kc5 12.Rd5+ 

12. Be3+ is fine, too.

12...Kc4 13.Nxe5 checkmate.

Footnotes to More Exploring

Here are some additions to the previous post, which focused upon a line in the  Abrahams Jerome Gambit, the game ndizvoh - stevebrown, blitz, FICS, 2015.


After 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 
6.Ke2

the move 6...Nf6 was suggested as an alternative to 6...Qf6,

He also had the move 6...Nf6, which does the same thing, as 7.Kxf2 would then be met with 7...Ng4+, winning White's Queen.

Examples from The Database: 

Rattymouse  - bobbybo
blitz, FICS, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 6.Ke2 Nf6 7.Kxf2 Ng4+ White resigned

lksharma - oeyvind
blitz, FICS, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 6.Ke2 Nf6 7.Kxf2 Ng4+ 8.Ke1 Nxe5 9.d3 Rf8 10.Nh3 Kg8 11.Bg5 Qe8 12.Nd2 d5 13.Ke2 Bxh3 14.gxh3 dxe4 15.Nxe4 Nc4 16.Raf1 Rxf1 17.Rxf1 Nc6 18.Kd1 Nxb2+ 19.Kc1 Qe5 20.Nf6+ Kg7 21.Nd7 Qd6 22.Bf6+ Kh6 23.Bxb2 Qxd7 24.Bc3 Re8 25.Bd2+ g5 26.h4 Kh5 27.Bxg5 Re2 28.Bf6 Qg4 29.Kb2 Qb4+ 30.Kc1 Qa3+ 31.Kd1 Rxh2 32.Rf5+ Kg6 33.Rf4 Rg2 34.Bb2 Rg1+ 35.Ke2 Qe7+ White forfeited on time

xreal - jgknight
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 6.Ke2 Nf6 7.Kxf2 Ng4+ 8.Ke2 Nxe5 9.Nf3 Nxf3 10.gxf3 d5 11.d3 dxe4 12.fxe4 Bg4+ 13.Kd2 Qg5+ 14.Kc3 Qe5+ 15.Kb3 Be6+ 16.c4 Nc6 17.Rf1+ Ke8 18.Bf4 Nd4+ 19.Kc3 Ne2+ 20.Kd2 Nxf4 21.Nc3 Rf8 22.Ke3 Ng2+ 23.Kd2 Rxf1 24.Rxf1 Qg5+ 25.Kc2 Ne3+ 26.Kb3 Nxf1 White resigned

marciprevi - chesssuperstar
blitz, FICS, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 6.Kf1 Nf6 7.Kxf2 Ng4+ 8.Ke2 Nxe5 9.d4 Nc4 10.b3 d5 11.bxc4 Bg4+ 12.Ke3 Qg5+ 13.Kd3 dxc4+ 14.Kxc4 Qxc1 15.Kc3 Bd1 16.Ne2 Qxc2+ 17.Kb4 a6 18.Rf1+ Kg7 19.Na3 Nc6 checkmate

A little further along in the game's notes, I recommended that

White probably should have settled for 7.Qxf6+ Nxf6 8.Kxf2 Nxe4+ and a roughly equal game.

However, a quick look at The Database showed that in 23 games my suggestion scored 72% for Black!?

A consultation with Houdini 3 and Stockfish 6 gave me a clue as to what was going on. While both computer programs agreed that the responses 9.Ke1 and 9.Kf1 led to a balanced game, the move 9.Ke2 (3 games) led to an edge for Black, and the move 9.Ke3 (15 games) led to  an advantage for Black. (Both moves are well met by 9...Re8.)

It can be helpful to know what has been played previously, if only to know what moves to avoid!

Finally, it can be noted that after the game continuation, 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 6.Ke2 Qf6 7.Qd5+ Kg7

The Database contains 7 games with this position: 6 losses for White (one of them ndizvoh - stevebrown, blitz, FICS, 2015) and 1 draw.

Exploring

After the previous post ("Keep Your Eye on the Prize") I started gathering thousands of Abrahams Jerome Gambit games and adding them to The Database, to develop a better understanding of the opening.

As the following game shows, theory of some of the variations is not far developed.

macele - torment
blitz, FICS, 2005

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Ke6 5.Nf3 

I was surprised to see that this move leads to an even game. So far, less than half of the games in The Database have this move.

Now, after 5...Nc6, the position would resemble a Jerome Gambit where the "ghost" White Queen has passed through the White Knight to deliver check.

5...d6 6.Ng5+ 

I have always been suspicious of this move in the Jerome Gambit proper, but here it seems necessary.

6...Kd7 7.Nf7 Qf6

One of a few equal responses. Black could have tried 7...Qf8 8.f3 Nf6 9.Qh3+ Kc6 10.g4 Qxf7 11.Qf1 d5 12.exd5+ Qxd5 13.Nc3 Qe6 14.Qb5+ Kd6 15.b4 b6 16.bxc5+ bxc5 17 Ba3 c6 18.Qxc5+ Kd7 19.O-O Nxg4 20.fxg4 Qxg4+ 21.Kh1 Bb7 22.Rg1 Qf3+ 23.Rg2 Re8 24.Kg1 Ba6 25.d3 Bb7 26.Rf1 Qh5 27.Rxg7+ Kc8 28.Qd6 Black resigned, Turkman - andrecoenen,  FICS, 2006. 

Or 7...Qe8 8. Qf5+ (8.Qg4+ Kc6 9.Qxg7 Be6 10.Nxh8 Nd7 11.b4 Bxb4 12.c3 Bc5 13.Ba3 Ndf6 14.Bxc5 dxc5 15.Na3 Rd8 16.Nb5 Rd7 17.Qg3 Kxb5 18.c4+ Bxc4 19.a4+ Kc6 20.a5 Rd3 21.Qg7 Qd8 22.O-O Nxe4 23.Nf7 Qd4 24.Nxe5+ Kb5 25.Rfb1+ Ka6 26.Qf6+ Ngxf6 White resigned, AlexPR - raviven, FICS, 2008; or 8.Qf3 Nf6 9.Nxh8 Qxh8 10.d3 Nc6 11.Be3 [11.c3 Ke8 12.Bg5 Bg4 13.Qg3 Be6 14.Nd2 Kd7 15.f4 Rf8 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.b4 Bd6 18.O-O h6 19.Be3 Ng4 20.Rxf8 Qxf8 21.Rf1 Qe7 22.a3 Nxe3 23.Qxe3 Qg5 24.Qxg5 hxg5 25.Nf3 g4 26.Ng5 Bg8 27.Nf7 Be7 28.b5 Bxf7 29.Rxf7 Nd8 30.Rxg7 Ne6 31.Rxg4 Bxa3 32.h4 Ke7 33.h5 Kf7 34.h6 Nf8 35.Rg7+ Kf6 36.Rxc7 Kg6 37.Rxb7 Kxh6 38.d4 exd4 39.cxd4 Bb2 40.d5 Bd4+ 41.Kf1 Kg6 42.Ke2 Kf6 43.Kf3 Ng6 Black resigned, Philidor 1792 - guest1923, www.bereg.ru, 2015] 11...Bxe3 12.fxe3 b6 13.O-O Bb7 14.Qh3+ Ke7 15.Nc3 Bc8 16.Qh4 Be6 17.Nd5+ Bxd5 18.exd5 Nb4 19.Qxb4
Nxd5 20.Qc4 Ke6 21.e4 b5 22.Qxd5+ Kd7 23.Rf7+ Kc8 24.Raf1 Black resigned, pauldiekrake - AlgozBR, FICS, 2014) 8...Kc6 9.Qh5 (9.Qf3 Nf6 10.Nxh8 Qxh8 11.d3 Bg4 12.Qg3 Nbd7 13.h3 Be6 14.O-O Rf8 15.Be3 Nh5 16.Qh2 b6 17.Bxc5 Nxc5 18.Nd2 Nf4 19.b4 Nd7 20.c4 Kb7 21.a4 g5 22.a5 h5 23.Nf3 g4 24.Nh4 Nf6 25.g3 Nxh3+ 26.Kg2 Bxc4 27.dxc4 Nxe4 28.Ng6 Qf6 29.Nxf8 Qf3 checkmate, RattyMouse - raviven, FICS,  2007) 9...Nf6 10.b4 Bxf2+ 11.Kxf2 Nxh5 12.b5+ Kb6 13.Nxh8 Qxh8 14.d3 Qf8+ 15.Ke2 Bg4+ 16.Ke1 Nd7 17.Nc3 c6 18.bxc6 bxc6 19.Rf1 Ndf6 20.Bd2 Kc7 21.Na4 Qe7 22.Rb1 Nd7 23.h3 Be6 24.Ba5+ Kc8 25.Kd2 Rb8 26.Rxb8+ Nxb8 27.Rb1 Qg5+ 28.Kc3 Qxg2 29.Bb6 axb6 White resigned, AlexPR - raviven, FICS, 2007. 

Or 7...Nf6 8.Qf5+ (8.Qh4 Bxf2+ 9.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 10.Qxe4 Qf6+ 11.Qf3 Qxf3+ 12.gxf3 Rf8 13.Ng5 h6 14.Nh3 Nc6 15.c3 Kd8 16.d3 Bxh3 17.Rg1 Rg8 18.Bxh6 Kd7 19.Bxg7 Rae8 20.Nd2 Bf5 21.Ne4 Bxe4 22.dxe4 Kc8 23.b4 Kb8 24.b5 Na5 25.a4 Nc4 26.Rab1 Nd2 27.Rbd1 Nb3 28.Bh6 Rxg1 29.Rxg1 Nc5 30.a5 Nd3+ 31.Ke3 Nc5 32.h4 Ne6 33.Bg5 Ng7 34.Rg4 Nh5 35.Bh6 a6 36.bxa6 bxa6 37.Rg5 Nf6 38.Rg6 Ng8 39.Bg5 Rf8 40.h5 Kb7 41.h6 Nxh6 42.Bxh6 Rh8 43.Bg7 Rg8 44.f4 exf4+ White forfeited on time, radejanus - Erge, FICS, 2008; or 8.Qe2 Qf8 9.Nxh8 Qxh8 10.O-O h5 [10...Nc6 11.c3 Ke7 12.h3 Be6 13.Na3 a6 14.Nc4 Qc8 15.d3 Bxh3 16.gxh3 Qxh3 17.Be3 Ng4 18.f3 Qg3+ 19.Qg2 Qxg2+ 20.Kxg2 Nxe3+ 21.Nxe3 Bxe3 22.Rh1 h6 23.Rh5 g6 24.Rh4 Bf4 25.Rah1 Rh8 26.Rg4 Kf6 27.a4 Ne7 28.b4 Bd2 29.d4 Bxc3 30.dxe5+ Bxe5 31.b5 axb5 32.axb5 g5 33.Kf2 d5 34.Ke2 dxe4 35.Rxe4 Nd5 36.Kd3 Kf5 37.Kc4 Nb6+ 38.Kc5 Nd7+ 39.Kd5 Nf6+ 40.Kc4 Nxe4 41.fxe4+ Kxe4 42.Re1+ Kf4 43.Kd5 Rd8+ 44.Ke6 Rd6+ 45.Ke7 Bd4 46.Rf1+ Kg4 47.Rh1 h5 White resigned, ndizvoh - sniktawiii, FICS, 2014] 11.h3 Ke7 12.d3 Qh7 13.Bg5 Qg6 14.Qd2 Kf7 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Kh2 Nd7 17.f4 exf4 18.Rxf4 Ne5 19.d4 Nc4 20.Qf2 Bb6 21.b3 Na5 22.c3 c5 23.Nd2 cxd4 24.Rf1 Bd8 25.cxd4 Nc6 26.e5 dxe5 27.dxe5 Nxe5 28.Ne4 Nd3 29.Rxf6+ Bxf6 30.Qd4 Bf5 31.Qd5+ Kg7 32.Qxb7+ Kh6 33.Nxf6 Rf8 34.Nd7 Rf7 35.Qf3 Rxd7 36.Qxf5 Qxf5 37.Rxf5 Nc1 38.Rf2 a5 39.Rc2 Nd3 40.Rc6+ Kg5 41.Rc2 Nb4 42.Rc5+ Rd5 43.Rxd5+ Nxd5 44.a3 Nc3 45.Kg3 Ne4+ 46.Kf3 Nc5 47.b4 axb4 48.axb4 Na4 49.b5 Nb6 50.Kg3 h4+ 51.Kf3 Nc4 52.g3 Ne5+ 53.Kg2 hxg3 54.Kxg3 Nc4 55.h4+ Black forfeited on time, ndizvoh - LadyBishop, FICS, 2014; or 8.Qh3+ Ke7 9.Nxd8 Bxh3 10.gxh3 Rxd8 11.d3 Nc6 12.Nc3 Nd4 13.O-O Nxc2 14.Rb1 Nd4 White forfeited on time,  Djmilen - Torny, FICS, 2006) 8...Kc6 9.Nxd8+ Rxd8 10.Qg5 Rg8 11.d3 Bd4 12.Na3 Na6 13.Be3 Nb4 14.O-O-O Nxa2+ 15.Kb1 Nc3+ 16.bxc3 Bxc3 17.d4 Nxe4 18.Qh4 Bf5 19.f3 g5 20.Qxh7 Bxh7 21.fxe4 Bxe4 22.dxe5 dxe5 23.Rhf1 Bxg2 24.Rg1 Bf3 25.h4 Bxd1 26.Rxd1 gxh4 27.Rd3 Bb4 28.Nc4 e4 29.Ne5+ Kb5 30.Rb3 a5 31.c4+ Ka6 32.Ka2 c5 33.Nd7 Rg2+ 34.Kb1 b6 35.Ne5 a4 36.Rd3 exd3 37.Nc6 d2 38.Nxb4+ cxb4 39.Kc2 Rd8 White resigned, austindark - AkeZ, FICS, 2008. 

Or 7... g6 8. Qg4+ Black resigned, Kazzakii - kkpsA, FICS, 2014. 

Or 7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Nf6 9.Qh3+ Kc6 10.Qc3+ Kd7 11.Nxd8 Kxd8 12.d3 Ng4+ 13.Ke1 Nc6 14.Bg5+ Ke8 15.h3 Nh6 16.Bxh6 gxh6 17.Rf1 Be6 18.Qd2 Nd4 19.c3 Nc6 20.Qf2 Ke7 21.Qf6+ Kd7 22.Qg7+ Ne7 23.Qxh6 Rag8 24.g4 Ng6 25.Qe3 Nf4 26.Rxf4 exf4 27.Qxf4 Rf8 28.Qe3 b6 29.Nd2 Rf7 30.Kd1 Rg8 31.Kc2 Rgf8 32.d4 Kc8 33.d5 Bd7 34.Qe2 Kb7 35.Rf1 Black resigned, Mannixcannon - Txanan, FICS, 2014)

8.Qf5+

Instead, 8.Qf3 seems essential.

Alternately 8.Qg4+ Ke7 9.Qg5 Kxf7 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.d3 Ng4 12.O-O Nc6 13.c3 Be6 14.b4 Bb6 15.a4 a6 16.h3 Nf6 17.Bg5 Nh5 18.Nd2 h6 19.Bh4 g5 20.Bg3 Raf8 21.Nf3 Ke7 22.b5 axb5 23.axb5 Na5 24.c4 Nb3 25.Ra3 Nd4 26.Nxd4 Bxd4 27.Ra7 Bxa7 28.Bh2 Nf4 29.Bxf4 gxf4 30.Kh1 Rhg8 31.f3 Rf6 32.Kh2 Rg3 White resigned, drcollie - nytwotwenty, FICS, 2006; or 8.O-O g6 (8...Nc6 9.Nxh8 Nd4 10.Na3 Bxa3 11.bxa3 Nxc2 12.Rb1 b6 13.Rb2 Nd4 14.Rb1 Bb7 15.d3 Ne7 16.Nf7 Rf8 17.Ng5 Ba6 18.Rd1 g6 19.Qxh7 Ne2+ 20.Kh1 Nxc1 21.Nf3 Ne2 22.Rd2 Nd4 23.Nxd4 exd4 24.Rf1 Rf7 25.Qh3+ Kd8 26.f4 Nc6 27.Qf3 g5 28.f5 Ne5 29.Qg3 Nxd3 30.Rxd3 Bxd3 31.Qxd3 Qe5 32.Re1 Rh7 33.h3 g4 34.Kg1 gxh3 35.Qxh3 Rxh3 36.gxh3 Qg3+ 37.Kf1 Qxh3+ 38.Kf2 Qh2+ 39.Kf3 Qh3+ 40.Kf4 Qxa3 41.Re2 Qe3+ 42.Rxe3 dxe3 43.Kxe3 Ke7 44. Kf4 Black forfeited on time, RattyMouse - attackme, FICS, 2008) 9.Qh3+ (9.Qf3 Qxf3 10.gxf3 Ke7 11.Nxh8 Kf8 12.d3 Kg7 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.c3 Bh3 15.Re1 Nd7 16.a4 Rf8 17.b4 Bb6 18.a5 Bxf2+ 19.Kxf2 Ngf6 20.Kg3 Be6 21.h4 Nh5+ 22.Kf2 Bg4 23.Nd2 Nf4 24.Kg3 Nxd3 25.Re3 Nxc1 26.fxg4 Ne2+ 27.Rxe2 c6 28.Rh1 Black resigned, radejanus - Blus, FICS, 2014) 9...Kc6 10.Qf3 Qxf3 11.gxf3 Bh3 12.Re1 Nf6 13.Nxh8 Nbd7 14.Nf7 Nh5 15.Ng5 Nf4 16.Nxh3 Nxh3+ 17.Kg2 Nxf2 18.c3 Nf6 19.b4 Bb6 20.c4 Nd3 21.Rd1 Nxb4 22.Ba3 Nc2 23.Nc3 Nxa1 24.Rxa1 Rf8 25.Rf1 Nh5 26.h3 Nf4+ 27.Kg3 Nd3 28.Ne2 h6 29.Kg4 Nf2+ 30.Kg3 g5 31.c5 Nxe4+ 32.fxe4 Rf2 33.Kxf2 Bxc5+ 34.Bxc5 Kxc5 35.Ng3 Kd4 36.Nh5 Kd3 37.Nf6 Kxd2 38.Nd7 Kd3 39.Kf3 Kc4 40.Rc1+ Black forfeited on time, Rattymouse - COHGNH, FICS, 2007. 

8...Qxf5 9.exf5 Nf6 10.Nxh8 Ke7 11.c3 Bxf5 12.d4 Bb6

Black is temporarily down the exchange, but White's Knight on h8 will soon be lost, giving the defender the advantage.

13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Bg5 Nc6 15.O-O Rxh8 16.Re1 h6 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 Rd8 19.Na3 a6 20.Nc4 Ke6 21.f3 Nd5 22.Re2

A slip, which compounds White's problems.

22...Bd3 23.Rd2 Bxc4 24.b3 Be2 25.Rxe2 Nxc3 26.Rc2 Rd1+ 27.Rxd1 Nxd1 28.Rd2 Nc3 29.a3 Nd4

30.Kf2 Kf5 31.Rd3 Nd5 32.g3 g5 33.g4+ Kf4 34.h3 c6 35.Kg2 Ne2 36.Kf2 Nc1 37.b4 White forfeited by disconnection

Missing Element Redux

Not too long ago I posted a Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit game where White missed the opportunity for an early win, as he was not familiar with (or did not figure out) a tactical series that led to checkmate. As repetition is a part of learning, here is another example of a game missing that particular "element", although White was victorious this time, anyhow.


RattyMouse - zlatanibra
blitz, FICS, 2012


1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.


4.Bxf7+ 


The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.


4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ Ke7 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.f4 

Here we go: 8.Nc4+ Kc5 9.Qd5+ Kb4 10.a3+ Ka4 11.Nc3 checkmate.


8...Qe7


Missing the defensive 8...c5 


9.Nc4+ 


This is good, but at the "cost" of missing 9.Qd5#. 


9...Kc6 10.Qd5 checkmate

I expected better...

I just got clobbered in a 3-minute online game at FICS (I know, I know, I should know better than to play such fast games), playing the Black pieces against a Modern Jerome Gambit, by transposition (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3).

My opponent, rated at the time about 300 points above me, shows up in about 75 games in the New Year's Database, scoring a reasonable 47% with the Jerome Gambit and its relatives. He has a legitimate claim to membership to the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde.

I will share the game, but a summary of it would be: I defended well for a half-dozen moves or so, then began to slip up, and then my opponent poured it on, crushing me.

Hats off to RattyMouse for some serious attacking play with the Jerome Gambit!  His co-ordinated pieces over-whelmed me.

My enthusiasm for the game paled, however, when my opponent immediately posted upon my resignation: I wish I knew the words to express the contempt that I have for you.

Bruce: Do you know what it means to have "contempt" for your opponent?

Josh: No.

Bruce: It means to hate them. You have to hate them Josh, they hate you.

Josh: But I don't hate them.

Bruce: Well you'd better start.

Searching for Bobby Fischer 1993

I expected better, from myself.

I expected better, from my opponent, as well.

Maybe next time.

RattyMouse  - perrypawnpusher

blitz 3 0, FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Ng5+ Kg8 7.c3 h6 8.Qb3+ d5 9.Nf3 Kh7 10.exd5 Qxd5 11.Qc2 Rd8 12.d4+ g6 13.dxc5 Qxc5 14.0-0 Bf5 15.Qb3 Qb6 16.Qf7+ Kh8 17.Qxf6+ Kg8 18.Bxh6 Rd7 19.Ng5 a5 20.Nd2 a4 21.Nde4 a3 22.b3 Ra5 23.Ng3 Ra8 24.Nxf5 gxf5 25.Qg6+ Kh8 26.Nf7+ Rxf7 27.Qxf7 Rg8 28.Qxf5 Qc5 29.c4 Qe7 30.Bg5 Qg7 31.Bf6 Black resigned