We continue from the previous post, considering a game that has lept to the top of the heap for Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games this year.
As indicated, Readers are encouraged to dispute my assessment by sending in other great Jerome Gambit games...
Wall, Bill - Guest871838
PlayChess.com, 2014
8.Qxh8
Of the offer of the Rook with 7...d6, Blackburne wrote in Mr. Blackburne's Games at Chess (1899), "Not to be outdone in generosity." The cost to White of taking the Rook is to have his Queen locked out of the action, at a time when Black's pieces begin to swarm the Kingside.
Blackburne's book also contained the following: "NOTE. I used to call this the Kentucky opening. For a while after its introduction it was greatly favoured by certain players, but they soon grew tired of it."
A resonable explanation of the reference to the "Kentucky opening" has appeared previously in this blog (see "A New Abrahams Jerome Gambit" for a summary).
As for the "certain players" who "greatly favoured" the Jerome Gambit, it is difficult to identify them by games played, as I have discovered the games of only a dozen or so players (other than Jerome, himself) who played the opening between when it was introduced in 1874 and the publication of Blackburne's book in 1899. Andres Clemente Vazquez, of Mexico, has four games in The Database, while E.B. Lowe, of Great Britain, has three.
Blackburne might well have been referring to authors who included analysis of the Jerome Gambit in their opening books, in which case George H.D. Gossip, of Theory of the Chess Openings (1879) and The Chess Player's Vade Mecum (1891) ; William Cook, of Synopsis of Chess Openings (1882, 1888); E. Freeborough and C. E. Rankin of Chess Openings Ancient and Modern (1889, 1893, 1896);and Mortimer of The Chess Player's Pocket book And Manual of the Openings (1888 - 1906); are all likely suspects. Certainly, more research is still needed.
8...Qh4
This is Blackburne's counter attack, threatening 9...Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 Bg4 mate.
9.O-O
Munoz and Munoz, in their notes to Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885, in the Brooklyn Chess Chronicle, suggested "He should have attempted to free his pieces by P to Q4 [d4] before castling."
The move 9.d4 received a good look in "Updating the Jerome Gambit (Part 1)", including references to L. Elliot Fletcher’s energetic Gambit’s
Accepted (1954), an internet article on Amateur - Blackburne (not currently available) by Brazil's Hindemburg Melao, and some musings and analysis from Bruce
Pandolfini, in his 1989 Chess Openings: Traps & Zaps !
9...Nf6
The door closes on White's Queen.
10.Qd8
Melao mentioned that Idel
Becker, in his Manual de xadrez (1974), attributed the move 10.d4 to Euwe (source not
mentioned). Melao was skeptical about the move, giving Black’s counter-attack
10…Bh3 11.gxh3 Rxh8 12.dxc4 Qxh3 13.f3 g5 14.Rf2 g4 15. Bf4 gxf3 16.Bg3 h5 17.Nd2 h4
18.Nf3 Qg4 with advantage for Black. He preferred 10.Qd8 - another suggestion (without further analysis) by Munoz and Munoz in the Brooklyn Chess Chronicle, August 1885, who opined "The only hope he had was 10.Q to Q8 [10.Qd8], thus preventing the deadly move of Kt to Kt5 [...Ng4]."
Bill Wall mentioned that 10.d3 loses to 10...Bh3 11.Qxa8 Qg4 12.g3 Qf3 as was brutally demonstrated in RevvedUp - Hiarcs 8, 2 12 blitz, 2006 (0-1, 12).
10...Bd7
Most consistent for Black is 10...Bb6, covering the c7 pawn and enforcing the embargo on the Queen. White should return a pawn to free Her Majesty with 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qd3 as in Wall,Bill - Foo,Nathan, Palm Bay, FL, 2010 (1-0, 33).
[to be continued]
Here we continue from our previous post, "Updating the Blackburne Defense (Part 1)", a look at the Blackburne Defense and what is new (or newer).
For earlier efforts, see also "Update: Old Dog Can Still Bite","Junk Openings", "A Closer Look (Part V)", "Update: Blackburne Defense" and "Traps and Zaps".
perrypawnpusher - lfcanales
blitz, FICS, 2014
9...Nf6 10.Qd8 Qxe4
Black's move allows White's Queen to escape and counter-attack. There are a number of alternative moves for Black, two of which bear attention.
Not 10...a6?, as in piratebopper - MiloBot, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 24).
Nor 10...a5? as in perrypawnpusher - MiloBot, blitz, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 24).
Played, if in a stumbling manner, is 10...Bd7?. The core game continued 11.Qxc7 (instead, 11.Qxa8? Nxe4? [Black should finish Blackburne-style: 11...Ng4 12.h3 Bxf2+ 13.Kh1 Qg3 14.Rxf2+ Nxf2+ 15.Kg1 Nxh3+ 16.Kh1 Nf4 17.Qf8+ Kxf8 18.d3 Qxg2#] 12.d4 Bxd4 13.Be3 Bxb2 14.Qxb7 Bxa1 15.Qxc7 Nf6 16.Qxd6 Kg7 17.Qc5 Ne4 18.Bd4+ Bxd4 19.Qxd4+ Kh6 20.f3 Black resigned, UNPREDICTABLE - choron, FICS, 2009) 11...Bb6? (instead, 11...Rc8 12.Qxb7 Ke7 is "gloriously obscure" according to Dr. Andrew Walker, University of Nottingham, personal communication, 2001. Probably 13.Qb3 with the idea of Qg3 is White's answer - not 13.Nc3? Ng4 when Black mates) 12.g3?! (12.Qxd6) 12...Qh3 13.Qxd6? Bc6 14.g4 Qxg4+ White resigned, Harris,S - Quayle,E, Los Angeles, CA, 1944.
Certainly solid, and Rybka's recommendation, is 10...Bb6. White should spring his Queen with 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qd3. The earliest reference that I have seen to this line is from The Art of the Checkmate by Renaud and Kahn (1953), which says White has the advantage. This proved true in Wall,B - Foo,N, Palm Bay, FL, 2010 (1-0, 33).
The most exciting move in the position is Chandler's 10...Bh3!?, when White has to temporarily forego the Rook at a8 and focus on checking Black: 11.Qxc7+ (11.g3? Qxe4 12.Qxc7+ Kf8 White resigned, Siggus -toe, FICS, 2007; 11.Qxa8? Qg4 12.Qe8+ Nxe8 13.g3 Qf3 14.Re1 Qg2#) 11...Kf8! (11...Kg8 lost in Chandler,G - Dimitrov, T/5 minute special game 2004; in Hiarcs 8 - RevvedUp, blitz 2 12, 2006 [1-0, 17]; and AsceticKingK9 - blackburne, ChessWorld JG6, 2011 [1-0, 22] ) and analysis by Geoff Chandler and, later, Dennis Monokroussos (see the two posts on his blog) show that the outcome is a draw, as it is too dangerous for either player to look for more.
11.Qxc7+
This is an improvement over 11.Nc3 Qe7 (11...Qxc2 12.Qxc7+ Nd7 13.Nd5 Qe4 14.Nc3 Qe5 15.d3 Qd4 16.Re1 Qxf2+ White resigned, ionman - GriffyJr, FICS, 2005 (0-1,16); Interested readers should check out "Ionman vs The Bots" ) 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 as in RevvedUp - Shredder 8, blitz 2 12, 2006 (0-1, 25).
11...Kg8
radicalmove played over a dozen games against LuigiBot on FICS in 2012, testing the somewhat weaker 11...Bd7 (see "Poor, Poor Computer" for a couple of examples). The games are in The Database.
Likewise, ionman took on the computer GriffyJr a couple of times at FICS in 2005, over the somewhat weaker 11...Qe7 (the games are also in The Database). White triumphed in Shredder 8 - RevvedUp, blitz 2 12, 2006 (1-0, 28).
12.Nc3
Maybe a little better was 12.Qd8+ Kf7 13.d3 Qe5 14.Bh6 Qe8 15.Qxe8+ Nxe8.
12...Qxc2
The pawn is poison.
13.Qd8+
After the game Houdini preferred 13.d4!? Bb6 (13...Bxd4 14.Bh6 Bd7 15.Qc4+ d5 16.Qxd4) 14.Qe7 when White steals the Knight in broad daylight.
13...Kg7 14.Qe7+ Kh6 15.Qxf6 Black resigned
The following game (and its notes) tests the assertion that It's not a blunder if it isn't refuted - the theme song of those who play the Jerome Gambit, after all.
fehim - BlkSabb
blitz, FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6
The Blackburne Defense to the Jerome Gambit, based on the famous game, Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885.
8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.d3
Fehim, who has been playing the Jerome Gambit on FICS since at least 2005, had only encountered the Blackburne Defense once before, and that game was something he probably wanted to improve upon, as it is a story all itself.
fehim - zsifkovitspeter, blitz, FICS, 2007, continued 10.d4 Bxd4 (the "only" move for Black was 10...Bh3 11.gxh3 Rxh8 12.dxc5 Nxe4 13.cxd6 cxd6 when he would be better) 11.Be3 (Leads to a big Black advantage, while 11.Qd8 Bb6 12.Nd2 Bh3 13.Nf3 Rxd8 14. Nxh4 Bd7 would let White hold on) 11...Bd7 (Continuing the friendly "give aways," when, instead, 11...Ng4 would be crushing.) 12.g3 (Instead, grabbing the Rook with 12.Qxa8 gives White the clear advantage.) 12...Qh3 13.Qxa8 Ng4 14.Rd1 Qxh2+ 15.Kf1 Nxe3+ 16.Ke2 Bb5+ 17.Kf3 Qh5+ 18.Kf4 Qg4 White was checkmated.
After the Blackburne game, the Jerome Gambit was largely seen as busted by the Rook sacrifice - although commentary at the time, suggesting 10.Qd8, actually gave White the advantage.
10...Ng4
Previously I noted
The problem with this move is that White has 32 possible responses: 31 lead to an advantage (most of them mate) for Black. However, one leads to a win for White.
As seen before, 10...Bh3 wins, RevvedUp-Hiarcs 8, blitz 2 12, 2006 (0-1, 12).
10...Ke6 led to a sustained battle in Knightpusher - MiloBot, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 47).
11.Bf4
White tried another defense with 11.h3 - 11...Bf5 (Black would consolidate, instead, with 11...Ne5 12.Nd2 Bxh3 13.Qxe5 dxe5) 12.Qxa8 (Instead, White is saved by the electric 12.Bg5!? Qxf2+ - what else? - 13.Rxf2 Bxf2+ 14.Kf1 Rxh8 15.hxg4 Bd4 16.c3 Bxe4 17.dxe4 Bf6) 12...Bxf2+ 13.Rxf2 Qxf2+ 14.Kh1 Qf1 checkmate, Kriton - Schoenwettermatt, FICS, 2013.
11...Nxf2
Black could have gone for the cheapo, 11...Bxf2+, since 12.Rxf2? (12.Kh1 is sufficient - if White can find, after 12...Bf5 13.Qxa8 Nxh2 the return 14.Qd8!? when he gets sufficient material for his Queen: 14...Qxd8 15.Bxh2 Bd4 16.c3 Be5 17.Nd2 Bxh2 18.Kxh2 Qg5 19.Rad1 Ke7 20.exf5 gxf5) Qxf2+ 13.Kh1 Qf1 is checkmate.
12.Bg3 Black resigned
The play was not over, however, for the earlier game, stampyshortlegs - blackburne, JG Tourney5, ChessWorld, 2010, continued further 12...Qh6 13.Bxf2 Bf5 14.Bxc5 Rxh8 15.Bd4 Re8 16.exf5 gxf5 17.Rxf5+ Ke6 18.Rf6+ Qxf6 19.Bxf6 Kxf6 20.Nc3 c6 21.Ne4+ Ke5 22.Re1 Kd4 23.Kf2 d5 24.Nd6 Rb8 25.Re7 Kc5 26.Nxb7+ Kb6 27.Rxh7 Rxb7 28.Rxb7+ Kxb7 29.h4 when Black resigned.
We continue (see the earlier "Opening Report" parts 1, 2, and 3) to uses ChessBase's Opening Report function to take a look at the games in The Database.
As a reminder, the Report gathers what lines are being played, and what lines are being used by the top players in the database. It gives a good "real life" view of the play of the Jerome Gambit, even if it does not always identify the objectively best move or line.
Opening Report
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+
Alternative: 6...Ke6
RevvedUp (2038) - Shredder 8 (3374)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Kf7 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qxe5 Bd4 12.Qf4+ Nf6 13.c3 Re8 14.cxd4 Rxe4+ 0-1
RevvedUp (2039) - Yace Paderborn (3124)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qe2 Nf6 10.Qc4+ Kd6 11.Qd3+ Kc6 12.Qf3 Bg4 13.Qb3 Qd4 14.Rf1 Qxe4+ 0-1
RevvedUp (2037) - Hiarcs 8 (3074)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Rf1 Nf6 10.Qe2 Ke7 11.d3 Bg4 12.Qd2 Qd4 13.c3 Qd6 14.b4 Bb6 15.a4 Rhf8 16.Qc2 Nxe4 17.dxe4 Rxf1+ 18.Kxf1 Rf8+ 19.Ke1 Bf2+ 20.Kf1 Bh4+ 21.Kg1 Qb6+ 22.Kh1 Rf1# 0-1
RevvedUp (2037) - Fritz 8 (3074)
blitz 2 12 2, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.Qh4+ Nf6 11.d3 Kf7 12.Nc3 Ng4 13.Rf1+ Kg6 14.Qg3 Be7 15.Ke2 Bh4 16.Qf3 Be6 17.h3 Nh2 18.Qe3 Nxf1 19.Kxf1 Rf8+ 20.Ke2 Qf6 21.Nd5 Qf1+ 22.Kd2 Bxd5 23.exd5 Bg5 0-1
RevvedUp (2036) - Crafty 19.19 (3024)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf8+ Kc6 11.Qf3 Nf6 12.d3 d5 13.Nc3 dxe4 14.Nxe4 Re8 15.Bf4 Qxb2 16.Kd2 Nxe4+ 17.dxe4 Qd4+ 18.Qd3 Bb4+ 19.Ke2 Rxe4+ 20.Kf3 Rxf4+ 0-1
Shredder 8 (3374) - RevvedUp (2038)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qe2 Nf6 10.Qc4+ Kd6 11.b4 Bb6 12.Nc3 Be6 13.Qe2 c6 14.Na4 Qe7 15.Nxb6 axb6 16.0-0 Rhf8 17.a3 Kc7 18.Bb2 Bg4 19.Qe3 h6 20.d4 exd4 21.Qg3+ Kd7 22.e5 Be2 23.exf6 Rxf6 24.Rfe1 Raf8 25.Bxd4 1-0
It's time again (see the earlier "Opening Report" parts 1, 2, and 3) to use ChessBase's Opening Report function to take a look at the games in The Database.
The Report gathers what lines are being played, and what lines are being used by the top players in the database. It gives a good "real life" view of the play of the Jerome Gambit, even if it does not always identify the objectively best move or line. (That would require a process called backsolving, which is not available in my ChessBase8.)
The Opening Report again also highlights a number of games from an interesting 2008 30-game human vs computers match (starting with "Jerome Gambit: Drilling Down (1)"
This post starts an extended series (which may be interrupted from time-to-time for news, games or analysis) wherein the intrepid "RevvedUp" (a good chess player) and his trusted companions Hiarcs 8, Shredder 8, Yace Paderborn, Crafty 19.19 and Fritz 8 explore the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) by taking turns playing the White and Black pieces.
The human moves first, and takes notice of the defense the computer plays. In the next game, where he moves second, the human plays that defense against a new computer – and sees how it attacks. In the third game, the human plays the recent attack against his new computer foe. Collectively, the players drill deeper and deeper into the Jerome Gambit.
Opening Report
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5
3618 games in 'TheDatabase'
1. History
Earliest game:
Jerome,A - Shinkman,W, Iowa, 1874
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3 Ke7 12.Nc3 g5 13.Rf1 c6 14.g3 d5 15.Bd2 Bg4 16.Qg2 Rhf8 17.h3 Nxe4 18.Bf4 gxf4 19.gxf4 Rxf4 20.Nxe4 Rxf1+ 21.Kxf1 and Mr. Shinkman announced loss of the Queen or mate in six moves. 0-1
Latest grandmaster game:
Hiarcs 8 (3074) - RevvedUp (2037)
blitz 2 12 2, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.Qg3 Kd6 11.Qd3+ Ke7 12.Qg3 Ke6 13.Qh3+ Kf7 14.Qh5+ Ke6 15.Qh3+ 1/2-1/2
Latest game:
Wall,B - Filipmihov
FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 Ng4 10.0-0 Qf6 11.c3 Bxf2+ 12.Rxf2 Qxf2+ 13.Qxf2+ Nxf2 14.Kxf2 Be6 15.Nd2 Ke7 16.Nf3 Rhf8 17.h3 Rf7 18.Bg5+ Kd7 19.Kg3 h6 20.Bd2 g5 21.Rf1 Raf8 22.c4 c6 23.b4 b6 24.c5 g4?! 25.hxg4 Rg8 26.g5 hxg5 27.Rh1 g4 28.Ng5 Re7 29.cxd6 Kxd6 30.Rh6 Kd7 31.a4 Bf7 32.a5 b5?! 33.Bf4 Rg6?? 34.Nxf7 Rxh6 35.Nxh6 c5 36.bxc5 Kc6 37.Nf5 Re8 38.Bd6 Rd8 39.Nd4+ 1-0
2. Players
a) Strong grandmasters who used this line as Black:
Fritz 8 Result=6/9 2003-2006
Hiarcs 8 Result=5/6 2002-2006
Shredder 8 Result=3/3 2006
Crafty 19.19 Result=3/3 2006
Yace Paderborn Result=2.5/3 2006
YOUCANWIN Result=2/2 2009
birdcostello Result=1/1 2009
b) Other notable players:
thhZ Result=10/11 2005-2010
Knight Stalker Result=8/11 1993
pavlo Result=7.5/11 2007-2011
polite Result=7/11 2003-2010
3. Statistics
Black scores above average (47%).
Black performs Elo 1364 against an opposition of Elo 1385 (-21).
White performs Elo 1403 against an opposition of Elo 1382 (+21).
White wins: 1845 (=51%), Draws: 150 (=4%), Black wins: 1611 (=45%)
The drawing quote is very low.
White wins are shorter than average (33).
Black wins are shorter than average (33).
Draws are long (51).
4. Moves and Plans
a) 6.Qh5+
2660 games, 1874-2012,
White scores averagely (55%).
Elo-Ø: 1404, 2203 games. Performance = Elo 1416
played by: Shredder 8, 3376, 3/3; Yace Paderborn, 3126, 2.5/3; Hiarcs 8, 3076, 2.5/6; Fritz 8, 3076, 6/10; Crafty 19.19, 3025, 2.5/3
You should play: 6...Ng6
RevvedUp (2034) - Shredder 8 (3377)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Qh4 10.0-0 Nf6 11.d3 Kf7 12.Qg5 Qxg5 13.Bxg5 Bd7 14.Nc3 Rhf8 15.h3 Nh5 16.Rae1 Nhf4 17.Kh2 h6 18.Bxf4 Nxf4 19.Ne2 Ke7 20.Nxf4 Rxf4 21.f3 Raf8 22.Rf2 Ke6 23.Ree2 h5 24.Kg1 h4 25.Kf1 Ke5 26.Kg1 Ke6 27.Kf1 Ke5 28.Kg1 Be6 29.a3 Re8 30.Kf1 Ref8 31.Ke1 Bd7 32.Kd2 c5 33.c3 Ke6 34.Ke3 Bb5 35.Kd2 a5 36.Kc2 b6 37.Kd2 Ba4 38.Kc1 b5 39.Kd2 Bb3 40.Ke3 R8f6 41.Rd2 Rf8 42.Ke2 R8f7 43.Ke3 a4 44.Rfe2 R4f6 45.Rf2 Rf4 46.Rfe2 Rf8 47.Rf2 d5 48.Rfe2 dxe4 49.dxe4 Ke7 50.Re1 Ke6 51.Rf1 Ke7 52.Re1 Ke6 53.Rf1 Ke5 54.Re1 R4f7 55.Ree2 Be6 56.Rf2 Rf4 57.Rde2 Bd7 58.Rd2 Bc6 59.Rde2 R4f7 60.Rd2 Bb7 61.Rde2 Rd7 62.Rd2 Rfd8 63.Rxd7 Rxd7 64.Rd2 Rxd2 65.Kxd2 Kf4 66.Ke2 Bc8 67.Kf2 Be6 68.Kf1 Kg3 69.Kg1 Bc4 70.Kh1 Bf1 71.Kg1 Bxg2 0-1
RevvedUp (2034) - Yace Paderborn (3127)
blitz 2 12 2 12 (2.9), 28.06.2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qh4 10.0-0 Nf6 11.Nc3 Ng4 12.Qg3 Qxg3 13.hxg3 Be6 14.f4 Bf7 15.d3 Kd7 16.Bd2 Ne7 17.Rae1 Rhf8 18.a3 Rae8 19.Nd1 Bh5 20.Ne3 Kc8 21.Nxg4 Bxg4 22.Kf2 Nc6 23.Bc3 Rf7 24.Rh1 h6 25.Rh4 h5 26.Rhh1 Ne7 27.Rc1 Kb8 28.b3 Nc6 29.Bb2 g5 30.Ke3 d5 31.Rhf1 dxe4 32.dxe4 Rfe7 33.e5 Rf7 34.c4 Rd8 35.Rc2 Rfd7 36.Rff2 gxf4+ 37.gxf4 Ne7 38.Bc3 Rd3+ 39.Ke4 Bf5# 0-1
RevvedUp (2033) - Fritz 8 (3077)
blitz 2 12 2, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 Nf4 8.0-0 d6 9.Qe3 Qg5 10.g3 Nh3+ 11.Kg2 Qxe3 12.dxe3 Ng5 13.f3 Bh3+ 0-1
RevvedUp (2033) - Hiarcs 8 (3077)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Be6 10.f4 N6e7 11.0-0 d5 12.d3 dxe4 13.dxe4 Nf6 14.Nc3 Ng4 15.Qd3 Qxd3 16.cxd3 Rd8 17.Rd1 c5 18.h3 Nf6 19.Be3 b6 20.g4 Nc6 21.Rac1 Ke7 22.a3 Bb3 23.Rd2 Rhf8 24.Kf2 Rd7 25.e5 Nxe5 26.fxe5 Ne4+ 27.Ke2 Ng3+ 28.Ke1 Rf1# 0-1
RevvedUp (2032) - Crafty 19.19 (3027)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 Nf6 8.Nc3 d6 9.Qe3 d5 10.Qf3 dxe4 11.Nxe4 Re8 12.d3 Bg4 13.Qe3 Rxe4 14.dxe4 Qd1# 0-1
Shredder 8 (3377) - RevvedUp (2034)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Qh4 10.Nc3 c6 11.d3 Nf6 12.Qd4 Ke7 13.h3 Qh5 14.0-0 Qc5 15.Qa4 Re8 16.Be3 Qe5 17.f4 Qe6 18.f5 Qf7 19.fxg6 Qxg6 20.Rf3 h6 21.Raf1 Be6 22.Qb4 b6 23.e5 Nd5 24.Qxd6# 1-0
Main line:
7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qe3 Nf6 46%, 1337 285 games
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 71%, 1501 170 games
Critical line:
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc3 Nf6 43 % Black.
Plans White:
..(Ne5-g6)/Qh5xc5/Qc5-e3/0-0/Nb1-c3/d2-d4/f2-f4 (17)
d2-d3/0-0 (433)
..(Ne5-g6)/Qh5xc5/Qc5-d5/ ..(Bc8-e6)/Qd5xb7/0-0 (29)
..(Ne5-g6)/Qh5-d5/Qd5xc5/Qc5-e3/0-0 (224)
0-0/f2-f4/h2-h3 (77)
Plans Black:
d7-d6/Ng8-f6/Rh8-e8/Kf7-g8/d6-d5 (49)
d7-d6/Ng8-f6/Nf6-g4/Qd8-h4 (18)
d7-d6/d6-d5/d5xe4 (113)
d7-d6/Bc8-e6 (259)
Ng8-f6/Rh8-f8 (179)
d7-d6/Ng8-e7/Rh8-f8 (69)
So far, the recent Opening Report on the Jerome Gambit (see 1, 2 and 3), based on the 27,000+ games contained in TheDatabase, has had few surprises. I'd like to point out a couple of interesting findings, however, before pursuing a deeper look.
The Opening Report highlights a number of games from an interesting 2008 30-game human vs computers match (starting with "Jerome Gambit: Drilling Down (1)"
This post starts an extended series (which may be interrupted from time-to-time for news, games or analysis) wherein the intrepid "RevvedUp" (a good chess player) and his trusted companions Hiarcs 8, Shredder 8, Yace Paderborn, Crafty 19.19 and Fritz 8 explore the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) by taking turns playing the White and Black pieces.
The human moves first, and takes notice of the defense the computer plays. In the next game, where he moves second, the human plays that defense against a new computer – and sees how it attacks. In the third game, the human plays the recent attack against his new computer foe. Collectively, the players drill deeper and deeper into the Jerome Gambit.
It also shows that Jerome Gambit players sometimes prefer chaos to clarity, as recommended responses to the Jerome Gambit Declined (again, based on the examples in TheDatabase) - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 or 4...Ke7 - are given as 5.Nc3 and 5.Nxe5, respectively.
The straight-forward Bishop retreat 5.Bb3 (as well as its cousin, 5.Bd5) is stronger.
We will use the ChessBase Opening Report to dig deeper into the Jerome Gambit (through the eyes of TheDatabase), but first there are a few new interesting games from Philidor1792 to look at.
I decided to have ChessBase8 give me an Opening Report on the Jerome Gambit, based on The Database. I got a whole lot of information, and I was only dealing with the first few moves...
Opening report
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
9062 games in 'TheDatabase'
4. Moves and Plans
a) 4...Kxf7
8794 games, 1874-2012,
Black scores well (57%).
Elo-Ø: 1394, 7469 games. Performance = Elo 1392
played by: Shredder 8, 3376, 3/3; YOUCANWIN, 3284, 2/2; Yace Paderborn, 3126, 2.5/3; Fritz 8, 3076, 8/11; Hiarcs 8, 3076, 5/6;
You should play: 5.Nxe5+
Shredder 8 (3374) - RevvedUp (2038)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qe2 Nf6 10.Qc4+ Kd6 11.b4 Bb6 12.Nc3 Be6 13.Qe2 c6 14.Na4 Qe7 15.Nxb6 axb6 16.0-0 Rhf8 17.a3 Kc7 18.Bb2 Bg4 19.Qe3 h6 20.d4 exd4 21.Qg3+ Kd7 22.e5 Be2 23.exf6 Rxf6 24.Rfe1 Raf8 25.Bxd4 1-0
Shredder 8 (3377) - RevvedUp (2034)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Qh4 10.Nc3 c6 11.d3 Nf6 12.Qd4 Ke7 13.h3 Qh5 14.0-0 Qc5 15.Qa4 Re8 16.Be3 Qe5 17.f4 Qe6 18.f5 Qf7 19.fxg6 Qxg6 20.Rf3 h6 21.Raf1 Be6 22.Qb4 b6 23.e5 Nd5 24.Qxd6# 1-0
Shredder 8 (3377) - RevvedUp (2031)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Qd8 Qxe4 11.Qxc7+ Qe7 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 13.d3 Be6 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.fxe3 Rf8 16.e4 Ng4 17.Rxf8 Kxf8 18.Nc3 a6 19.Rf1+ Ke7 20.h3 Ne5 21.Kf2 h5 22.h4 Ng4+ 23.Ke2 Ne5 24.b4 Bg4+ 25.Ke3 Be6 26.b5 a5 27.Nd5+ Bxd5 28.exd5 1-0
Yace Paderborn (3124) - RevvedUp (2039)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Kd6 10.Qd3+ Ke7 11.Qg3 Kf7 12.Qxe5 Bd4 13.Rf1+ Nf6 14.Qh5+ Ke7 15.Qg5 Rg8 16.e5 h6 17.Qf4 Re8 18.exf6+ Kf7+ 19.Kd1 Bxf6 20.Nc3 Kg8 21.Ne4 Rf8 22.Rf3 Bd7 23.Nc5 Bc6 24.Ne6 Bxf3+ 25.gxf3 Qd6 26.Qxd6 cxd6 27.Nxf8 Rxf8 28.f4 g6 29.d3 h5 30.a4 a6 31.Ra3 Rf7 32.c4 Rd7 33.b3 d5 34.Kc2 Kf7 35.Be3 dxc4 36.bxc4 Ke6 37.Rb3 Bd4 38.Bxd4 Rxd4 39.Rb6+ Kf5 40.Rxb7 Rd6 41.Rf7+ Kg4 42.Kc3 Kh3 43.f5 gxf5 44.Rxf5 Rh6 45.Rf2 h4 46.d4 Kg4 47.c5 h3 48.d5 1-0
Yace Paderborn (3127) - RevvedUp (2032)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Bd7 10.d4 Bb6 11.Nd2 Re8 12.Nf3 Qh5 13.Ng5+ Kf8 14.Nxh7+ Kf7 15.Bd2 Nf6 16.Qxf6+ Kg8 17.Ng5 Rf8 18.Qe7 Bc8 19.Bc3 d5 20.exd5 Bf5 21.Bb4 Qh6 22.c3 c5 23.dxc6 Bd8 24.Qxf8+ Qxf8 25.Bxf8 Kxf8 26.cxb7 1-0
Fritz 8 (3074) - RevvedUp (2037)
blitz 2 12 2, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Rf1 Nf6 10.Qe2 Ke7 11.d3 Qd4 12.c3 Qd6 13.Nd2 Bg4 14.Rxf6 Bxe2 15.Rxd6 Bh5 16.Rd5 Bd6 17.Nc4 Bf7 18.Bg5+ Ke6 19.Rd1 h6 20.Bh4 Rhe8 21.Bg3 Kd7 22.Nxe5+ Rxe5 23.Rxe5 Bxe5 24.Bxe5 Bxa2 25.Bxg7 Rg8 26.Bxh6 Rxg2 27.Rd2 Rxd2 28.Kxd2 Bf7 29.d4 c6 30.Ke3 b5 31.b4 Ke6 32.h3 Kf6 33.Kf4 Bc4 34.Bf8 Be6 35.h4 a6 36.h5 Bc4 37.h6 Kg6 38.Ke5 Bd3 39.d5 cxd5 40.exd5 Kf7 41.Bc5 Bh7 42.d6 Ke8 43.Kf6 Bd3 44.Kg7 Kd7 45.h7 1-0
Main line:
5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 45%,
5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 54%,
5...Nxe5 6.d4 49%,
Critical line:
5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Bd6 8.Qf5+ 22 % White.
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If I told you that an online player recently challenged a computer (rated about 350 points higher than himself) to a game of chess, choosing to play an often-refuted opening and facing its best-known defense (highlighted in a brutal miniature by a master known as "the Black Death") – well, you might be inclined to say "Poor, poor human."
Oh, but you noticed: this post is titled "Poor, Poor Computer" (my emphasis).
Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of the Jerome Gambit!
radicalmove - LuigiBot
rated standard game, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6
Blackburne's Defense, made famous by the game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885. See "Flaws (Part I) and Flaws (Part II)".
8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Qd8
White's 10th move was suggested shortly after the Blackburne game was played, but it did not become widely known. Most players understand the end of Black's counter-attack to be a combination of "Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit!" and "Mars Attacks!"
10...Qxe4
This is a move that computers are fond of. See "Ionman vs the Bots" for some examples.
11.Qxc7+
Instead, 11.Nc3 was seen in the game RevvedUp - Shredder 8, blitz 2 12, 2006 (0-1, 25) from the incredible match, RevvedUp vs Hiarcs 8, Shredder 8, Yace Paderborn, Crafty 19.19 and Fritz 8. See "Jerome Gambit: Drilling Down (1)" for starters.
11...Bd7 12.d3 Qd5 13.Nc3 Qc6 14.Qxc6 Bxc6
LuigiBot has traded off its harassed Queen, but the situation looks kind of grim in any event. White is ahead the exchange and a couple of pawns; about a piece worth of material. Quite a change from less than a dozen moves ago!
15.Be3 Re8 16.Rae1 Re6 17.Bxc5 dxc5 18.Rxe6 Kxe6
Radicalmove is content to continue to reduce the play to a basic endgame.
19.a3 Kf5 20.h3 h6 21.b4 cxb4 22.axb4 Kf4 23.b5
As if the current game were not bad enough, the two combatants played another game the same day (I do not know which was played first, but it might be the longer one) with the same result: 23.Re1 Bd7 24.h4 Bc6 25.g3+ Kf5 26.d4 Ne4 27.Nxe4 Bxe4 28.c4 b6 29.c5 h5 30.cxb6 axb6 31.Ra1 Bd5 32.Ra6 b5 33.Ra5 Ke4 34.Rxb5 Kxd4 35.Rb8 Kd3 36.b5 Kd4 37.b6 Kc5 38.b7 Kd4 39.Rd8 Ke4 40.b8Q Kd4 41.Qb7 Ke5 42.Qxd5+ Kf6 43.Rd7 Black resigned, radicalmove - LuigiBot, rated standard game, FICS, 2012.
23...Bd7 24.Re1 Bf5 25.h4 Bg4 26.g3+ Kf5 27.d4 Nd7 28.Na4 Bf3 29.Nc5 Nxc5 30.dxc5 Be4
31.c4 Ke5 32.c6 a5 33.cxb7 Kd4 34.b8Q Bf5 35.Qb6+ Kxc4 36.Qxa5 Bd3 37.Qa4+ Black resigned
Here is another Jerome Gambit exploration by Philidor1792, tackling an annoying defensive variation (for a game, and a discussion by MrJoker, see "Theory From the Thematic Tourney" Part 3 and Part 4), battling with his opponent and prevailing.
Philidor1792 - NN
Casual game, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6
8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Ke7
9...Kd6 was seen in Yace Paderborn - RevvedUp, 2006 (1-0, 48) and Morin,L-Dumont,F, Montreal, 2011 (0-1, 57).
10.Qg3 Kf7 11.Qxe5 Qh4+
Other choices by Black (all in The Database):
11...Qd6 in Wall,B, - Qi,H, Chess.com, 2011 (1-0, 14);
11...b6 in Wall,B - Redom,T, Chess.com, 2010 (½-½,59);
11...Bd4 in Fritz 5.32 - Junior 7, The Jeroen Experience, 2003 (0-1, 32)
12.g3 Qe7 13.Qxe7+
Or 13.Rf1+ in Colossus - Rybka v1.0 Beta.w32, USA, 2006 (0-1,42).
13...Nxe7 14.c3 Bb6 15.d4 Ke8
Here we have a typical Jerome Gambit Queenless middlegame/endgame, where Philidor1792 wants to make the most of his "Jerome pawns".
16.Be3 Nc6 17.Nd2 Ne5 18.Kd1 Ng4 19.Ke2 Be6 20.Bf4 Kd7 21.Raf1 Raf8 22.h3 Nf6 23.Kd3 Kc8 24.Re1 Nh5 25.Be5 Rf7 26.Rhf1 Nf6
White patiently maneuvers and improves the placement of his pieces.
27.g4 Nd7 28.Bg3 Rxf1 29.Rxf1 a6 30.Nc4 Ba7 31.b3 h5 32.Ne3 hxg4 33.hxg4 Bb6 34.Rf3 Nf6 35.g5 Nh5 36.Be5 Kd7
37.Nf5 Rf8 38.c4 Bxf5 39.exf5 c6 40.Ke4 Rf7
A slip, but the game remains drawish..
41.Rh3 c5 42.Rxh5 cxd4 43.Bxd4 Bxd4 44.Kxd4 Rxf5
45.Ke4 Ke6 46.b4 Re5+ 47.Kd4 b6 48.Rh8 Rxg5 49.Rb8 Rg4+ 50.Kc3 Rg3+ 51.Kd4 Rg4+ 52.Kc3 Rg3+
Has White reached his goal of an endgame draw with the Jerome Gambit?
53.Kb2
No!
White wants more.
This seems to upset Black, who soon settles for less.
53...b5 54.Rb6+ Ke5 55.cxb5 axb5 56.Rxb5+ Kd4 57.Rc5 g5 58.a4 g4 59.a5 Rg2+ 60.Kb3 Rg3+ 61.Ka4 Rg1 62.Kb5 g3 63.a6 Ra1 64.Rg5 Ra3 65.Kb6 Black resigned
