Unasked Questions

???????

I wanted to share another game by TOMMYFOOKINSHELBY  (see "Jerome Gambit: Smash Finish") because it answers an unasked question or two...

TOMMYFOOKINSHELBY - Fafa05
5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights Defense, often a stumbling block on the way to the Jerome Gambit, although White has options; see, for example, "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense", parts 1, 2, 3 and 4.

4.Bxf7+ 

This line doesn't have a name, as far as I know, but it might as well be "the impatient Jerome Gambit". The earliest game that I have with it in The Database is from 2001, but it has to be much older than that. My research is lacking here.

Philidor1792, who has contributed much to this blog, explained his approach to the line in "What's Going On Here?"

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Ng6 

Or

6...Nc6 as in Philidor 1792 - guest1334, Bereg.ru, 2014 (1-0, 20), You [Philidor 1792] - Stranger, Chess-Samara.ru, 2014 (1-0, 18), Philidor 1792 - guest3018, Bereg.ru 2014 (1/2 - 1/2, 24), and Philidor 1792 - guest345, Bereg.ru, 2014 (1-0, 15); or 

6...Nc4 as in You - Stranger, Chess-Samara.ru, 2014 (1-0, 26); or

6...Neg4 as in Philidor1792 - Stranger, Chess-Samara.ru, 2014 (1-0, 27); or

6...Qe7 as in Philidor 1792 - Juppzupp, PlayChessBase.com, 2014 (1-0, 24).

7.e5 Ne8

Black has also tried

7...Qe8 in Philidor 1792 - Guest10161477, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 29);

7...Nd5 in You - Stranger, Chess-Samara.ru, 2014 (1-0, 16) and You - Stranger, Chess-Samara.ru, 2014 (1-0, 17), as well as Philidor 1792 - Guest838140, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 28);

7...d5 in Philidor 1792 - guest5, Bereg.ru 2014 (1-0, 42);

7...Qe7 in Philidor 1792 - guest1278, Bereg.ru 2014 (1-0, 29); and

7...d6 in Philidor1792 - Guest805466, PlayChessBase.com 2014 (1-0, 62). 

8.Qf3+ Kg8 

For some reason, Black preferred 

8...Nf6 in Philidor 1792 - CrinjuChess, PlayChess.com 2014 (1-0, 46), Philidor 1792 Sauron2005, PlayChess.com 2014 (1-0, 25), and Philidor 1792 Ppion, PlayChess.com 2014 (1-0, 36); and

8...Ke7 in Philidor1792 - Guest691264, PlayChessbase.com 2014 (1-0, 14)

9.Qd5 checkmate

Oh. Right. Nice work, TOMMY.

An Interesting Contrast

After looking at perrypawnpusher - hicks, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2014 in the last post, I was playing over Philidor 1792 - Sauron 2005, 3 0 blitz, 2014, when I noticed an interesting contrast.

In the previous game, Black was done in by the fact that all but one of his pieces were on the back rank - a positional concession that had a tremendously negative impact. Here, the situation is completely different: Black can hold off White's attack by retreating - 18...Nh8 19.Kb1 Qd8.

analysis diagram






Instead, Sauron 2005 counter-attacked, and lost.

18.Qxa2 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.Qxf6 Bg7 21.Qxg6 Bd7 22.Nh5 Re7 23.Nf6+ Kf8 24.Rh8+ Bxh8 25.Qg8 checkmate