Cuts Like A Knife

Sharp variations can work in favor of the gambiteer, or cut against him. It is important to be as up-to-date as possible on the tricky variations.

I recently downloaded some more games from the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS), and, as well as checking out some "old" Jerome Gambiteers (e.g. drumme, HauntedKnight, Petasluk), looked at the efforts of a relatively new member of the Gemeinde, ZahariSokolov.

In the following game he faces a rare, but old and dangerous defense, and, under pressure, chooses the wrong line (although, in another game in the notes, this also leads to victory), and suffers defeat.

I have added some game references for Readers to have a better idea of how to deal with this kind of play.   

ZahariSokolov - Quarte
standard, FICS, 2015

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nf3+ 

This surprising move, attributed to Norton - who defeated Alonzo Wheeler Jerome with it in a correspondence game in the early years of the gambit - rips open White's Kingside and makes him vulnerable to attack.

9.gxf3

Probably the only move, although I have gotten away with 9.Kf1 a couple of times in perrypawnpusher - igormsp, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 13), and perrypawnpusher - rheapennata, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0,12); while Jerome, as mentioned, did not - Jerome,A - Norton,D, Correspondence, 1876 (0-1, 42).

ZahariSokolov, himself, a few days earlier, had gotten away with 
9.Kd1: 9...Nd4 (9...Ne7!) 10.Qd5+ Ke7 11.Qxc5+ d6 12.Qxd4 Bg4+ 13.Ke1 c5 14.Qxg7+ Ke8 15.Qxg4 Nf6 16.Qe6+ Qe7 17.Qxe7+ Kxe7 18.d3 h6 19.Nc3 a6 20.Be3 b5 21.Ke2 Rhg8 22.g3 b4 23.Nd5+ Nxd5 24.exd5 Kf6 25.Rae1 Kf5 26.Kd2 h5 27.Bf2 Rae8 28.Rxe8 Rxe8 29.Re1 Rxe1 30.Bxe1 Kg4 31.Ke3 Kh3 32.f5 Black resigned, ZahariSokolov - LAVAL, standard, FICS, 2015


9...Qh4+ 10.Ke2

The "only" move, this time, is 10.Kd1: CFBBlind - Quandary, FICS, 2001 (1-0, 18); perrypawnpusher - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (1-0, 19);  perrypawnpusher - sjeijk, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 19);  ZahariSokolov - GhengusFungus, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 11).

10...Qf2+ 11.Kd3 Qxf3+ 12.Kc4 b5+ 13.Kxb5 Qe2+

A testimony to White's ability to struggle and survive: 13...a6+ 14.Kc4 Nf6? 15.Qxc5+ Ke6 16.Re1 Qxf4 17.d3 Qd6 18.Qxd6+ Kxd6 19.e5+ Kc6 20.exf6 gxf6 21.b3 d5+ 22.Kc3 Bg4 23.Bf4 h5 24.h4 f5 25.d4 Rhe8 26.Rxe8 Rxe8 27.Be5 Rf8 28.Nd2 f4 29.Rf1 f3 30.Rf2 Kb6 31.Kd3 c5 32.c4 dxc4+ 33.bxc4 cxd4 34.Bxd4+ Kc6 35.Ke4 Re8+ 36.Kf4 Rf8+ 37.Kg3 Rd8 38.Bf6 Rd3 39.Nxf3 Bxf3 40.Rxf3 Rxf3+ 41.Kxf3 Kc5 42.a3 Kxc4 43.Kf4 Kd5 44.Kg5 Ke6 45.Bc3 Kf7 46.Kxh5 Kg8 47.Kg6 Kf8 48.h5 Black resigned, gibonacci - jschulte, GameKnot.com, 2007.

A testimony to an early chess computer's terrible addiction to grabbing material: 13...Rb8+ 14.Ka5 Bb4+ 15.Ka4 Qxh1 16.Qe5+ Kc6 17.Qd5+ Kb6 18.Qb5 checkmate,  Young,J - Chess, Computer game, 1979. 

14.d3 Rb8+ 15.Ka5 Bb4+ 16.Ka4 Qxc2+ 17.b3 Qc6+ White resigned

Always Dangerous

The Blackburne Defense to the Jerome Gambit leads to a tense and complicated game for both sides. As Joseph Henry Blackburne demonstrated early in the life of the Jerome, Black can generate a wild counter-attack by returning one sacrificed piece and offering a Rook as well. On the other hand, analysis since has shown that White can draw, and practical play shows he can often do better - in games in The Database White scores 68%.

Philidor 1792 - NN
2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qd5+ 

White decides to steer clear of the dangers of 8.Qxh8 and grab another pawn. He hopes to show his three extra pawns will outweigh his opponent's extra piece. Philidor1792 has had significant success with the pawns vs the piece in the Jerome Gambit.

8...Be6

Seen previously was 8...Kg7 in RevvedUp - Fritz 8, 2 12, 2006 (0-1, 19).

9.Qxb7

Or 9.Qd3 Nf6 10.O-O Qe7 11.b3 Ng4 12.Bb2 Ne5 13.Qf3+ Nxf3+ 14.gxf3 Bh3 15.Bxh8 Qg5+ 16.Kh1 Qg2 checkmate, hattta - VictoriaBot, FICS, 2012. 

9...Rb8

An anternate idea was 9...Rc8 seen in stampyshortlegs - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG Tourney4, ChessWorld, 2009 (1-0, 39). 

10.Qa6 Qh4 

At first glance it looks like Black is the one playing a gambit, with the subsequent lead in development of pieces. However, if White can consolidate his position behind his pawns, he can eventually put them on the march and look for balance.

As the game goes, Black uses his pieces to keep pressuring his opponent, and the point is his.

11.Qe2 Bg4 12.Qf1 Nf6 13.d3 d5 14.Nc3 Rhe8 15.h3 Bd7 16.g3 Qh5 17.f3 Bd4 18.Nd1 Kg7 19.Be3 Bxe3 20.Nxe3 dxe4 21.fxe4 Qa5+ 22. Kd1 Qc5 

So far White's pawn cover has held up, but his oppponent's pressure is relentless and his lead in development is crushing.

23.Qf2 Nxe4 24.dxe4 Rxe4 25.Re1 Rxb2 26.Re2 Bxh3 27.Ng2 Qd6+ 28.Kc1 Rbb4 29.Nf4 Bg4 30.Rxe4 Qd1 checkmate.

Complexity In The Notes.

ZahariSokolov has played some very interesting Jerome Gambits at FICS lately. The following games shows off one of the aspects of the Jerome - that even the "winning" lines for Black are tricky for the second player, as are the "losing" lines for White.

So much of the complexity this time is in the notes.

ZahariSokolov - GhengusFungus
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 Nf3+

This rogue knight move marks the "Norton Variation", as opposed to one move later - 8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+!? - which would lead to a very sharp and complicated Queen sacrifice that wins for Black.

Nonetheless, The Database has 9 games with the Norton line, and White wins 8 of them. There are 44 games with the Queen check line, and White wins half of them.

Perhaps GhengusFungus was unfamiliar with the Queen sac, or he found the Knight move to be disturbing enough.

9. gxf3 

I was able to get away with the erroronious 9.Kf1? twice, in blitz games,  perrypawnpusher - igormsp, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 13) and perrypawnpusher - rheapennata, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 12); but long ago, at a slower pace, the Gambit's creator was not Jerome,A - Norton,D, Correspondence 1876 (0-1, 42).

9... Qh4+ 10.Kd1

Again, this is the correct square for the King, although two games in The Database show White winning after 10.Ke2? Young,J - "Chess Challenger 10" Computer, 1979 (1-0,18) and gibonacci - jschulte, GameKnot.com ,5d/move, 2007 (1-0, 48). 

10... Qe7 

In "Vortex" I wrote

White's best chance is 11.Qe5+ Kc6 12.b4!? when White can probably eke out a draw, whether or not the pawn is captured, but the play is very difficult.

That is a fair assessment of this Norton variation: a very complicated game, but a draw, with a lot of hard work by White.

Two games show White successful after 10...Ne7!?: CFBBlind -Quandary, FICS, 2001 (1-0, 18) and perrypawnpusher - sjeijk, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0,19); while White had a draw against 10...Qf2 - until he was given more in perrypawnpusher - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (1-0,19).

How did Black deal with all these complications? Apparently he relaxed too soon. 

11. Qd5 Black checkmate

Playable, if Black figures out the proper continuation...

Creativity in chess has its place, even in the following game, as long as it doesn't overstep its boundaries.

Fandral - LuigiBot
standard, FICS, 2013

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Bd6

The computer software LuigiBot (rated in the 1500s at FICS) comes up with an interesting maneuver that has also been seen in the past by Jerome Gambiteers Darrenshome, jfhumphrey, stretto, Sir Osis of the Liver, and HauntedKnight. It is playable, if Black figures out the proper continuation.

8.dxe5 Bxe5 

Missing the proper 8...Be7.

9.Qd5+ Kf6 10.f4 Qe7 

Black should bite the bullet, instead, and play 10...Bxc3+ 11.Nxc3 Ne7, when material would be even, and White would be a bit better due to more central control by the "Jerome pawns" and a safer King.

11.fxe5+ Kg6 12.0-0 Nh6 13.Rf3 Rf8 

Hoping to hold off the attack, but allowing mate.

14.Rg3+ Kh5 15.Qd1+ Rf3 16.Qxf3+ Kh4 17.Rh3 checkmate

It Happens...

Concerning the following game, I have already written...

If you play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) long enough, you will eventually play the 6.d4 variation (4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4) and one day you will come face-to-face with the best in-your-face variation for Black since J.H. Blackburne offered his Rook...

Sometimes, when you play the Jerome Gambit, you encounter an opponent who knows one of the refutations and who plays very well against you. It happens.

Wall,B - Guest6296711
PlayChess.com, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 

This line doesn't have a name attached to it, but I have referred to it in earlier posts as "A Pie-in-the-Face Variation". The earliest example that I have of it in The Database is Sorensen - Anonymous, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27).

It is interesting to note that The Database has 1213 games reaching the position after 6.d4, with White scoring 50%. Of those games, only 17% of the time does Black continue with 6...Qh4 - but he scores 70% with it.

7.0-0 Qxe4 

The weaker alternative, 7...Ng4, was seen in Sorensen,S - X, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27), Sir Osis of the Liver - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (0-1, 38) and Wall,B - Rajiv, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 33). 

8.dxc5 Nf6 9.Nc3 Qc4 

Instead, Black played 9...Qc6 in Wall,B - Gorodetsky,D, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 18) and Wall,B - felineMMXI, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 18). 

10.Be3 

This is a small improvement over 10.Re1 Qxc5 11.Be3 Qc6 in Deep Sjeng 1.5 - Junior 7, The Jeroen Experience, 2003 (0-1, 46).

Black's extra piece outweighs White's two extra pawns. 

10...Re8 11.Bd4 d6 12.b3 Qa6 13.cxd6 Qxd6 14.Nb5 Qc6 15.Nxa7 Rxa7 16.Bxa7 b6 

17.Qd4 Ba6 18.c4 Nf3+ 

Black finishes off with sacrificial flair.

19.gxf3 Qxf3 20.Qd1 Re2 21.Qd8 Qg4+ 22.Kh1 Bb7+ White Resigned

Same, Different, Same

Same.

Looking for precedents in the play of Wall - Guest2507113, PlayChess.com, 2013 (see "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"), I found the game Sir Osis of the Liver - Piratepaul, Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament, ChessWorld, 2009, in The Database.

The play began 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 d6 6.O-O h6 7.h3 Nf6 8.Be3 Bb6 9.c4 Rf8 10.Nc3 Kg8 reaching an identical position to Wall - Guest 2507113.

This is not surprising: Bill is always the first to get the updated versions of The Database, and he likes to mine the nearly 29,000 games for inspiration for future play.

Different.

As play continued, however, Sir Osis (love that name!) had greater difficulties in the game, fell behind, and found himself in dire straits, as can be seen in the following position, where he is down a piece and a couple of passed pawns.

Play continued

30.Qxe5 

When, instead of exchanging Rooks, Black pressed his attack with

30...Nf4?

White quickly noted the difference, and offered the swap himself with 

31.Rxf6

Not wanting to drop  a piece with 31...gxf6 and slide into what would most likely be a drawn ending, Black now played

31...Nxd3

Same.

Allowing the enjoyable win

32.Rxh6 checkmate 

Fighting Chess

If you play the Jerome Gambit, some day you will be faced with one of its many refutations. The only thing you can do is gather up your resources, look at the defense or counter-attack, and start "Staring It Down"...

Yopsoe turns in a great game of fighting chess.

Yopsoe (2047) - lucylucy (1736)
standard, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 

Black's sharpest response, which I have referred to as "a pie-in-the-face variation".

7.0-0 Ng4

Black is going for the kill, but this is probably not his strongest move.

8.h3 Bb6 

Instead, 8...Bd6 was seen in Sorensen,S - X, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27), the earliest example of 6...Qh4 in The Database. 

9.hxg4 

Not 9.Qf3+ as in Sir Osis of the Liver - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit thematic, ChessWorld, 2008 (0-1, 38)

9...d6 10.f3 h5 

Sheer aggression. 

Development with 10...Be6 was seen in Wall,B - Rajiv, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 33).

11.g5 Ne7 12.Be3 Rf8 13.Nc3 Kg8 

With the h-file closed to Black's Rook, he decides to castle-by-hand. Houdini gives Black a slight edge, but it must be annoying to the second player to have his counter-attack blunted.

14.Ne2 c5 15.c3 cxd4 16.cxd4 Bd8 17.Qc1 

Black would like to target the White pawn on g5, while White wants to move the action to another part of the board.

17...Ng6 18.Qc4+ Rf7 19.Rac1 a5 20.Qd5 Nf8 21.Rf2 Be6 22.Qxd6 Be7 

The game remains sharp, and Houdini gives White a slight edge, despite Black's active pieces.

23.Qb6 Bd8 24.Qb5 Bc8 

A puzzling defensive idea: to kick out White's Queen, Black un-develops.

25.g3 Qh3 26.g6 Nxg6 27.Rh2 Qe6 28.Qxh5 

Now White has the initiative, and his advantage grows, even as Black defends by exchanging pieces.

28...Rc7 29.Rxc7 Bxc7 30.Nf4 Nxf4 31.gxf4 Bd6 32.d5 Qe7

The "Jerome pawns" are going to show their worth.

33.e5 Bc5 34.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 35.Kg2 Bd7 36.Qh8+ Kf7 37.e6+ Bxe6 38.dxe6+ Kxe6 39.Qxg7 

Taking Black's Rook at move 37 or 39 would have allowed a perpetual starting with ...Qc2+.

39...Qe7 40.Rh6+ Kd7 41.Qd4+ Kc8 42.Rh8+ Black forfeited on time

The Wisdom of The Database (Part 3)

We continue (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. 

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


b) 6.d4

932 games, 1876-2012
White scores below average (49%).
Elo-Ø: 1328, 768 games. Performance = Elo 1360
played by: GazzaT, 2423, 2/2; Wall, 2144, 6/6; Gamin, 2106, 0/1; hundirector, 2063, 1/1; Sheikki, 2020, 0/1

You should play: 6...Qh4 

GazzaT (2403) - Yigor (1708)
Chess.com, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 7.0-0 Qxe4 8.dxc5 Nf6 9.Nc3 Qb4 10.Be3 d6 11.Bd4 Re8 12.a3 Qc4 13.cxd6 cxd6 14.f4 Nc6 15.Bxf6 Qc5+ 16.Rf2 1-0


Sir Osis of the Liver (1715) - perrypawnpusher (1993)
JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 7.0-0 Ng4 8.h3 Bb6 9.Qf3+ N4f6 10.e5 Bxd4 11.exf6 Nxf6 12.c3 Bb6 13.Nd2 Rf8 14.Ne4 Qxe4 15.Qd1 d5 16.Re1 Qf5 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 Bd7 19.Rf3 Qe5 20.Qd2 Rae8 21.Re3 Qd6 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.b3 Qe5 24.Rf1 Bc6 25.Kh1 Qe2 26.Qc1 d4 27.cxd4 Qe4 28.d5 Qxd5 29.f3 Kg8 30.Rd1 Qe6 31.Qf4 Nd5 32.Qd4 Ne3 33.Rc1 Bxf3 34.Kg1 Nxg2 35.Rxc7 Qe3+ 36.Qxe3 Nxe3 37.Kf2 Bc6 38.b4 Nd5 0-1


wolfpack123 (1485) - blackscorpion (2156)
GameKnot.com, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 7.0-0 Qxe4 8.dxc5 Nf6 9.Re1 Qf5 10.Qd4 Re8 11.Kh1 Qxc2 12.Na3 Nf3 13.Qxf6+ gxf6 14.Nxc2 Nxe1 15.Nxe1 Rxe1# 0-1


Wall,B (2145) - felineMMXI (1720)
unrated blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 7.0-0 Qxe4 8.dxc5 Nf6 9.Nc3 Qc6 10.Qd4 Ng6 11.f3 Re8 12.Be3 b6 13.b4 bxc5 14.bxc5 Nf8 15.a4 Ne6 16.Qc4 d6 17.Rfd1 dxc5 18.Bg5 Black forfeited by disconnection 1-0

soulman (1565) - Thermodynamics (1770)
rated standard, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 7.dxc5 Qxe4+ 8.Be3 Qxg2 9.Qh5+ Ng6 10.Rf1 Nf6 11.Qe2 Ng4 12.f3 Nxe3 13.Qxg2 Nxg2+ 14.Kf2 N2f4 0-1
     

Proudfoot (1652) - JLeee (1642)
rated standard, FICS, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 7.0-0 Qxe4 8.dxc5 Nf6 9.Re1 Qf5 10.f4 Nc6 11.Be3 Re8 12.Nc3 b6 13.Nb5 Nd5 14.Qd2 a6 15.Nd4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Rxe1+ 17.Rxe1 bxc5 18.Bxc5 d6 19.c4 Nxf4 20.Bxd6 cxd6 21.Rf1 g5 22.g3 Qc5+ 23.Kh1 Bb7+ 0-1


Main line:

7.0-0 Nf6 8.dxc5 Qxe4 9.Nc3 Qb4 10.Nd5 Qxc5 11.Nxf6 Kxf6 100%,  39 games
7.0-0 Nf6 8.dxe5 Ng4  100%,  22 games
7.0-0 Ng4 8.h3  68%, 1638 25 games
7.dxc5 Qxe4+ 8.Be3 Qxg2  20%, 1145 23 games

Critical line:
7.0-0 Ng4 8.h3 Bb6 9.hxg4 d6 50 % Black. 

Plans White:

0-0/d4xc5/Nb1-c3/Nc3-d5/ ..(Qb4xc5)/Nd5xf6/Bc1-e3/Be3-d4 (39) 
0-0/Qd1-f3/Bc1-f4/ ..(Rh8-f8)/Bf4-g3/ ..(Rf8xf3)/Bg3xh4/ ..(Rf3-f7)/Bh4-g3/Nb1-c3/Nc3-b5/Nb5xc7 (21) 
Nb1-c3/Bc1-e3/Nc3-b5/Be3-f4/ ..(Nc4xd6)/Bf4xd6/Rf1-e1/f2-f3 (13) 
0-0/d4xc5/Nb1-c3/Bc1-e3/c5xd6/Nc3-b5/Be3-f4/ ..(Nc4xd6)/Bf4xd6/Rf1-e1/f2-f3 (13) 
Bc1-e3/Be3-d4/Bd4xe5/Qd1-f3 (28) 
Nb1-c3/Bc1-e3/ ..(Qb4xd6)/Qd1xd6/Nc3-b5 (20) 

Plans Black:

Ng8-f6/Qh4xe4/Qe4-b4/Qb4xc5/Kf7xf6 (39) 
Ng8-f6/Qh4xe4/Qe4-b4/Qb4xc5 (39) 
Ng8-f6/Qh4xe4/Qe4-b4/d7-d6/Qb4xd6/c7xd6/Ne5-c4/Bc8-d7/Nc4xd6/Rh8-e8 (19) 
Ng8-f6/Nf6-g4/Kf7-e8/Rh8-f8/Rf8xf3/Rf3-f7/Bc5-d4/Ke8-f8 (21) 
Qh4xe4/Qe4-b4/Qb4xc5/Kf7xf6 (39)
Ng8-f6/Qh4xe4/Qe4-b4/Qb4xc5/Qc5-c4/c7-c5/d7-d5/h7-h5/Bc8-g4/Qc4xc2 (18)

Reversing Moves

In my latest Jerome Gambit game, my opponent reversed the 8th and 9th moves of the "His Nibs defense" and still got a good game. My only chance was to vary and confuse him.

It worked.

perrypawnpusher  - rheapennata
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 Nf3+ 

The malicious "Nibs defense" continues instead 8...Qh4+ and after 9.g3, then 9...Nf3+.

Still, the text, introducing the so-called  "Norton variation" (see below) is strong, itself.

9.Kf1 

Probably not as strong as 9.gxf3, which has been played before:  9...Qh4+ 10.Kd1 (10.Ke2 Qf2+ 11.Kd3 Qxf3+ 12.Kc4 b5+ 13.Kxb5 Rb8+ 14.Ka5 Bb4+ 15.Ka4 Qxh1 16.Qe5+ Kc6 17.Qd5+ Kb6 18.Qb5 checkmate, Young,J - Chess "Challenger" 10, Computer game, 1979) 10...Ne7 (10...Qf2 11.Qe5+ Kc6 12.Qd5+ Kb6 13.Qb3+ Ka6 14.Qa4+ Kb6 15.Qb3+ Kc6 16.Qd5+ Kb5 17.Nc3+ Ka6 18.Qc4+ Kb6 19.Qb5 checkmate,  perrypawnpusher - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG3 thematic, Chessworld, 2008) 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qe4+ Nd5 13.Nc3 Qxf4 14.Qxd5+ Kb6 15.Qb3+ Kc6 16.Qd5+ Kb6 17.Qb3+ Bb4 18.Nd5+ Kb5 19.Nxf4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - sjeijk, blitz, FICS, 2011 

9...Qh4 

Alternatives, new and old:

9...Kc6 10.Qd5+ Kb6 11.Qb3+ Kc6 12.Qxf3 Qf6 13.e5+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - igormsp, blitz, FICS, 2011; and

9...c6 10.gxf3 Qe7 11.b4 Bb6 12.Bb2 Kc7 13.Qe5+ Qxe5 14.Bxe5+ d6 15.Bxg7 Bh3+ 16.Ke2 Bg2 17.Rd1 Ne7 18.Bxh8 Ng6 19.d4 Rxh8 20.Kf2 Nxf4 21.c3 Rg8 22.Nd2 Kd7 23.Ke3 Rf8 24.Rg1 Bd8 25.Kf2 Rg8 26.Ke3 Nh3 27.f4 Nxg1 28.Rxg1 Rg4 29.Nf1 Bh3 30.Ng3 Rh4 31.Nf5 Bxf5 32.exf5 Bf6 33.Rg3 Rxh2 34.a4 Rh1 35.a5 Re1+ 36.Kf3 Re7 37.Rh3 c5 38.bxc5 dxc5 39.Rh6 cxd4 40.cxd4 Bxd4 41.f6 Rf7 42.Ke4 Bxf6 and Black won, Jerome,A - Norton,D, Correspondence, 1876.

Probably best was 9...Ne7 10.e5+ Nxe5 11.Qxe5+ Kc6. 

10.Qd5+ 

Here 10.g3?, transposing into the "His Nibs" variation, would have been foolish.

10...Ke7 11.Qxc5+ Kd8 

Up until this point, my opponent had been using a good bit of time, as he made his way through the variation. This is a blitz slip, however, probably more reflex than planning.

Instead, 11...Kf7 12.gxf3 Qxf4 13.Ke2 would have left White a pawn up. 

12.Qf8 checkmate

Staring It Down

In the following game White plays 6.d4 and is immediately hit with the strongest reply, 6...Qh4. Time to panic? Hardly. Simply time to stare the defender right in the eye and ask him: Okay, that's one good move, do you know what comes next?? 


Darthnik - aufdermaur
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4

A full-bore response to White's center play. For recent comments, see "Deus Ex Machina" and "Danger? He Laughs At Danger".

7.0-0 Ng4

Black has mate on his mind, and directs his pieces accordingly. 

8.h3 Bd6

Consistent, but 8...Bb6, as in Sir Osis of the Liver - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld, 2008 (0-1, 38) and Wall,B - Rajiv, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 33) was probably stronger.

9.e5 Nxe5

Black decides to return a piece for two pawns, to keep the initiative. This may be a slight improvement upon the similarly intentioned 9...Bxe5 which was played in the earliest (to The Database's knowledge) 6...Qh4 game, Sorensen,S - X, Denmark,  1888, (1-0, 27).

Perhaps the patient 9...Be7 was better, still.

10.dxe5 Bxe5

11.f4

A very understandable move from a psychological perspective: White's King has been facing a three-piece onslaught in which Black was comfortable enough to burn one of his own pieces (why not, he still has an extra one) to keep things going. This feels unfair, as White chose the Jerome Gambit to have an attack on Black's King, not the other way around.

White's move blunts the impact of the Bishop, but he had more to expect from 11.Qd5+ putting the focus back on the Black monarch. If Black does not want to simply give a second piece back then he has to try 11...Kf6.

The equalizer for White, then, would be 12.Nd2, intending Ne4+, kicking the protection away from Black's Bishop. Simple development for Black, like 12...Ne7, would even allow the fork trick 13.Qxe5+ Kxe5 14.Nf3+ followed by 15.Nxh4 and material equality. Hanging onto the Bishop for dear life with 12...Qd4, instead, would lead to complications after 13.Qf3+ Ke7 14.Re1, but, again, White will recover his sacrificed piece.
White works this all out a move too late.

11...Bd6 12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Nd2 Nf6

Now White has to work his attack up all over again. He can be satisfied that Black's "attacking" Bishop has become his "blocking" Bishop, as in blocking Black's own development.

14.Qd3 b6 15.Ne4 Bb7 16.Nxd6 cxd6 17.Qxd6+ Kf7 18.Qd3 Rhe8 19.Bd2 Kg8

The theme looks like it is about to change. Black has castled-by-hand and can look toward attacking White's King again (with an extra piece).

20.f5 Nh5 21.Bc3 Nf4

Aggressive, sure, but overlooking White's counter.

22.Qc4+

This double attack wins back the sacrificed piece. More than that, it seems to distress Black, who again sees his Kingside attack dissolve.

22...Kh8

This move whispers "King safety" but it should have been replaced with 22...d5, since after 23.Qxf4 Qxf4 24.Rxf4 Black can still look toward the drawing chances of a possible Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame.

Now White's attack roars on.

23.Rxf4 Qh6 24.Rg4 Rg8 25.f6

Thematic, but 25.Re1, planning Re7 with even more pressure on g7, was even stronger.

25...g6 26.f7+ Rg7 27.Qb4 d5 28.f8Q+ Rxf8 29.Qxf8 checkmate

And that, good Readers, is how Darthnik faced the refutation, looked right into its eyes, and stared it down...