I puzzled my way through the following game, even though I didn't need to. It is Bill Wall playing the Jerome Gambit. Of course White wins.
Wall,B - PLKT
FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6
Heading for the Blackburne or Whistler Defenses.
7.Qxe5 Bd6
8.Qd5+
I was puzzled by this move, as experience has shown that after this inaccurate move (better 7...d6 or 7...Qe7) the Black Rook can be taken: perrypawnpusher - tuffnut, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33); perrypawnpusher - bakker, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 20); perrypawnpusher - Kapppy, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 34); perrypawnpusher - Sirenus, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 13); perrypawnpusher - frencheng, 7 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 17); and perrypawnpusher - elyza, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 24);
Furthermore, Bill is always the first to examine the latest version of The Database and mine it for new ideas to inject into his games.
Plus, he has read the almost 1,750 posts here on this blog.
That last fact gave me a thought: with all that information, could a couple of lines of play have been crossed in his mental database? It turns out, that's quite possible.
Looking back at "By the Numbers" (see also "Pulling A Rabbit Out of A Hat" and "I think I have a win, but it will take time...") there is a game similar to today's, coming out of the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit opening (add 0-0 for White and ...h6 for Black), where the notes indicate that the defender should have played ...Bf8!? instead of that game's ...Bd6, as then the Rook would be poisoned.
Or, maybe this is all just a lot of psychological noodling on my part.
8...Kf8 9.d4 Nf6
10.Qg5 Be7 11.Qe3 d5 12.e5 Ne4
White has his standard two pawns for a piece, while both Black's Knight and King could prove misplaced.
13.0-0 Bg5 14.f4 Bh6 15.h3 Qh4 16.Nc3 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Bf5
Black continues his aggressive play. Perhaps he is familiar with Blackburne's destruction of the Jerome Gambit?
18.c4 c6 19.Ba3+ Ke8
It may not be immediately obvious, but getting the King off of the f-file by moving him into the center is not best.
White can now generate enough excitement to even the game up - or to go for more, if his opponent cooperates.
20.Qb3
Quite possibly this is just the move Black had been hoping for. While he lines up his two Bishops and Queen to find a Blackburne-like mating attack, his opponent's strong piece abandons her monarch.
20...Bxf4
Too hopeful. His Queen had to return home, while giving up material - 20...Qd8 21.Qxb7 Rc8 22.Qxa7 dxc4 - with about an equal game.
21.Qxb7
Bill points out that White has to plunge ahead, as 21.Rxf4? Qxf4 22.Qxb7 Qxd4+ 23.Kh2 Qxe5+ is a terrible alternative.
Now Black has the opportunity to "sacrifice" both of his Rooks, as in the Blackburne game - but without getting the requisite mating attack.
21...Be3+
Best, but not saving.
22.Kh2
The only move. Certainly not 22.Kh1 Bxh3 23.Qxa8+?? Bc8 checkmate.
22...Bf4+
It was time for Black to go for the swindle with 22...Bxh3 23.Qxa8+?? Bc8 checkmate!
Instead, 22...Bxh3 23.gxh3? would have led to a draw by perpetual check 23...Bf4+ 24.Rxf4 Qxf4+ 25.Kg2 Qe4+, etc.
Of course, after 22...Bxh3 23.Qf7+! Kd8 24.gxh3 all is good with White's world.
23.Rxf4 Qxf4+ 24.Kh1 Qh4 25.Qxa8+ Qd8 26.Qxc6+ Kf7 27.cxd5 Black resigned
In the end, even the "Jerome pawns" joined in the attack.
I suppose I should take a break from playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), calm myself, do some more analysis of the opening and study to improve my game, especially tactics – but I can't stay away. If I give my favorite opening my best play, it usually returns the full point to me...
perrypawnpusher - apinheiro
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6
Without ...h6 and 0-0, this would be the beginning of either the Blackburne or Whistler defense. As it is, stronger than the text would be 7...Ke6.
8.Qxe5
Black's responses to this capture have been reviewed in the recent "Zombie Chess" and older "I think I have a win, but it will take time..."
8...Bd6
A couple of days before this game I faced the same (not-so-good) Bishop move in a regular Jerome Gambit (without ...h6 and 0-0) against Sirenus. The updated New Year's Database does not have an example of 8...Bd6 in the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit – until now.
9.Qxh8 Qf6 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6
White is the exchange and a couple of pawns ahead. I should win – once I get past feeling shaky. (See "Crushed" and "A Severe Challenge" not to mention that my only win since was when my opponent resigned in a better position, "Worth the time?".)
11.d3 Be5 12.Bxh6
What is this? I'd like to pretend that it is a fancy sacrifice of the exchange, but it's simply a mistake – or it would have been, if my opponent had noticed, or if he hadn't been suspicious of my intent.
12...Ng4
Forcing me to fix my mistake at the cost of returning a pawn. Instead, Black had 12...Bxb2 13.Nd2 Bxa1 14.Rxa1 d5, when he would have recovered the exchange. He would still be worse, but not as desperate.
13.Bc1 Bxh2+ 14.Kh1 Be5 15.f4 Bd4 16.c3 Be3 17.Bxe3 Nxe3
The annoying Bishop has been replaced by an annoying Knight. Lucky for me, I only have to face one at a time.
18.Rf2 d6 19.Na3 Bd7 20.Re1 Rh8+
Welcome to the club, annoying Rook.
21.Kg1 Ng4 22.Rf3 Nh2 23.Rg3 Ng4 24.Nc2 Nf6
Slowly I'm getting untangled. Soon, the extra material should tell.
25.Ne3 Nh5 26.Rf3 Nf6 27.e5
27...dxe5
Instead, the over-worked Knight needed to go back to h5. Now it is lost.
28.fxe5 Bc6 29.Rxf6+ Kg7 30.Ref1
Time to put the game away.
30...Rh5 31.d4 Bb5 32.Rf7+ Kh6 33.R1f3 Be2 34.Rh3 Rxh3 35.gxh3 Black resigned
My opponent was a bit overwhelemed by the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in this game, but like with yesterday's post (see "Crushed") there were some very interesting options available to the losing player.
perrypawnpusher - Sirenus
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6
7.Qxe5 Bd6
Save the Bishop, attack the Queen, sacrifice the Rook...
It's an interesting plan, but unfortunately it doesn't work here. Either the Blackburne (7...d6) or Whistler (7...Qe7) defenses effectively meet Black's goals, though.
8.Qxh8 Qh4
Energetic! I've had three games continue differently:
8...Qg5 9.Qxh7+ Kf6 10.Qxg8 Qxg2 11.Rf1 Qxe4+ 12.Kd1 b6 13.Qh8+ Kf5 14.Qh3+ Kf6 15.Nc3 Qe5 16.Qf3+ Kg7 17.Qxa8 Qh5+ 18.f3 Ba6 19.d3 Qxh2 20.Qe4 Qg2 21.Qe2 Qg3 22.Ne4 Qh4 23.Nxd6 cxd6 24.Re1 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - elyza, blitz, FICS, 2010;
8...Ke6 9.Qxh7 Ne7 10.d4 c5 11.d5+ Ke5 12.Nc3 Kd4 13.Be3+ Kc4+- 14.0-0-0 Be5 15.Bd2 Qb6 16.Qh3 d6 17.Qd3+ Kb4 18.a3+ Ka5 19.Qc4 Bxc3 20.Bxc3+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - bakker, blitz, FICS, 2008; and
8...Be7 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxg6 d6 11.d4 Bd7 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Kf7 14.Qh7+ Kf8 15.Qh8+ Kf7 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.Nc3 c6 18.0-0 Rg8 19.f4 Bh3 20.Rf2 Bd7 21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Ke8 23.f5 Bc5 24.f6 Bxf2+ 25.Kxf2 Be6 26.Ne4 Rf8 27.Nd6+ Kd7 28.Rd1 Kc7 29.h3 Bd5 30.g4 Rh8 31.Kg3 b6 32.h4 Be6 33.g5 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - tuffnut, blitz, FICS, 2007.
9.Nc3
Protecting the e-pawn, but 9.d3 was better for that. Then, after 9...Qh5 White can withdraw his Queen with 10.Qc3.
After 9.d3, then 9...Nf6 doesn't quite work, as White can quickly move his own Knight into play: 10.Nd2 b6 (planning 11...Bb7) 11.Nf3 attacking Black's Queen first.
Black can still complicate things after 9.d3 Nf6 10.Nd2, though, with 10...Ng4, as White's best is to allow the check/capture at f2, playing 11.Nf3 Qxf2+ 12.Kd1.
analysis diagram
White's King is uncomfortable, but his Queen will make things even more difficult for Black's King.
So, even with my "better" move, Black could have stirred things up.
Complications!
9...Be5
A simple oversight.
Again, White is better after 9...Nf6, but not without some thought and work. Best would be 10.d4, but Black's plan to win the cornered White Queen would take some creativity to defeat.
analysis diagram
For example, 10...b6 11.e5 Be7 12.Bg5!? jailbreak's the Queen after 12...Qxg5 13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Qxh7+ and White's initiative, safer King and material advantage should win.
Or, Black could try 10...Be7 first (after 9...Nf6 10.d4), with more complications after 11.e5 Ng4 12.g3 Qh3 13.Nd5 b6 14.Nxc7 Bb7 15.Nxa8 Bxh1 16.Nc7 Bf8 (the White Queen is still trapped) 17.Bd2 Qxh2 18.0-0-0 and at least White's King has escaped the heat...
Complications!
The text move, however, solves all of White's problems.
10.Qxe5 d6 11.Qg3 Qxg3 12.hxg3
12...Be6 13.Rxh7+ Black resigned
