Showing posts with label Temmo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Temmo. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

A Dangerous Place


In a chess game, like when on a long walk, if you're not paying attention to where you're going, you could wind up in a dangerous place. If you happen to be playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) you are almost certain to find some danger.
I think that my opponent, electrahan, knew something about the Jerome Gambit. Our game quickly travelled to a very complicated line of defense – nothing like the Najdorf Sicilian, but Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XVI and Jerome Gambit: Fools walk in... are almost "required reading" to appreciate what follows.

perrypawnpusher - electrahan
blitz 9 5, FICS, 2009

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


Welcome, Mr. Electrahan, shall we go for a walk?
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+
As far as you are willing to go, Mr. Pawnpusher...

Sometimes referred to as "His Nib's Defense," (see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter II") this line has caused me no small amount of headaches. And excitement. And wonder. There's a Queen sacrifice hidden somewhere, and even if it doesn't come off, the game becomes very unclear.

9.g3 Nf3+

Before this game I had losses to Temmo (0-1, 43) and James042665 (0-1, 18) in this line.

10.Kd1
This is the line that "R.F." originally played against "His Nib's", but in my earlier games I had preferred 10.Kf1, which was the better choice.

Now Black can sacrifice his Queen (as in abhailey - peonconorejas, net-chess.com, 2008, 0-1, 20) with 10...Ne7 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qe4+ d5 13.exd6+ Nd5 14.gxh4 Bg4 and win – but you really have to know the line, as it would be difficult to suss out over-the-board in blitz.

10...Qh6

This retreat – which is similar to Temmo's Queen retreat (with my King on f1) and Kevin the fruitbat's Queen retreat to f6 in a comparable position (perrypawnpusher - Kevin the fruitbat, chessworld, 2008, 1-0, 38) – still leaves Black with a slight advantage.

11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ Qd6 13.Qxd6+ cxd6
The same dilemma that I faced against Temmo: if the advanced Black Knight stands, the second player is better; but if it falls, I am even, and may have the advantage.

My one advantage against electrahan was that I was more familiar with the positions and play, and so was significantly ahead on the clock.
14.c3

To keep the Knight put.

After the game Rybka 3 recommended 14.b3 Nf6 15.Bb2 d5 (working to free the Bishop) with complications and a rather unclear game after either 15.exd5 or 15.e5.

14...Nf6

A sensible move, although Fritz8's 14...d5 and Temmo's 14...g5 were more likely to keep Black's edge.

15.d3

Stronger was the immediate 15.Ke2

15...b6

Black has settled upon his defensive plan: it involves ceding the Knight.

16.Ke2 d5 17.Kxf3 dxe4+ 18.dxe4 Bb7
19.Re1 Kf7 20.Nd2 Rhe8 Black has some compensation for his two pawns in the congestion of White's Queenside.

21.g4 d5

Instead, 21...Nxe4 22.Nxe4 Rxe4 23.Rxe4 Re8 24.Be3 Bxe4+ 25.Kf2 d5+ held chances of a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame.

22.e5 d4+ 23.Kg3 dxc3 24.bxc3 Nd5
25.Bb2 Rad8 26.Ne4 Nf6 This does not work out, and is likely the result of time issues.

27.Nd6+

Good enough, but 27.Ng5+ Kg8 28.exf6 was stronger.

27...Kf8 28.Nxb7
Again, 28.exf6 was stronger, but the text works. Black's game unravels.

28...Rd7 29.Ba3+ Kf7 30.Nd6+ Rxd6 31.exd6
31...Ne4+ 32.Rxe4 Rxe4 33.Kf3 Rc4 34.d7 Rxc3+ 35.Ke4 Black forfeited on time

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XVIII

Here is my last game of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) thematic tournament – and a good thing, too.

I was very lucky in this game, getting away with playing "routine" moves – several of which could have been punished, if my opponent had been a bit less "routine" himself.

Still, as noted in "Overrated!" the win here gave me a final score of 16 - 2, and first place in the tournament by three points.

brain50 - perrypawnpusher
JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net, 2008


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4



As noted elsewhere ("Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XV"), brain50's main line for the tournament.

5...exd4


5...Nxd4 6.Nxe5+ Kf8 7.Nc3 d6 8.Nc4 Qf6 9.0–0 Be6 10.e5 dxe5 11.Ne4 Qe7 12.h3 h6 13.Be3 Bxc4 14.Nxc5 Bxf1 15.Qxf1 Qxc5 16.Kh1 Qd6 White lost on time, brain50 - Kevin the fruitbat, JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

5...Bxd4 6.Nxd4 Nxd4 7.Qh5+ Kf8 8.Na3 d6 9.c3 Nf6 10.Qg5 Ne6 11.Nc4 Nxg5 12.Bxg5 h6 13.Be3 Nxe4 14.0–0 g5 15.h3 Be6 16.Na3 Ke7 17.Nb5 a6 18.f3 Ng3 19.Na3 Kd7 20.Rfd1 Qe7 21.Bc5 b6 22.Bf2 Ne2+ White resigned, brain50 - blackburne/JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

6.0-0

6.c3 Qe7 7.0–0 Ne5 8.Ng5+ Ke8 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qh4 d6 11.f4 dxc3+ 12.Kh1 h6 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.Rf7 Qd6 15.Nxc3 Bb4 16.a3 Bxc3 White lost on time, brain50 - Temmo, JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

6...d6

6...Nge7 7.Ng5+ Kg8 8.Qh5 g6 9.Qf3 Ne5 10.Qf4 d6 11.Nd2 Kg7 12.Ndf3 Rf8 13.Qh4 h6 14.Nh3 Nxf3+ 15.gxf3 h5 16.Qg5 Bxh3 17.Qh6+ Kg8 18.Re1 Rf7 19.Qd2 d5 20.e5 Nc6 21.e6 Rxf3 22.Qh6 Qf6 23.Bg5 Qf5 24.Bh4 d3 25.Be7 Qg4+ 26.Kh1 Qg2 checkmate, brain50 - Sir Osis of the Liverm JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

6...d5 7.Ng5+ Kf8 8.Qf3+ Nf6 9.exd5 Qxd5 10.Ne4 Qxe4 11.Qb3 b6 12.Bg5 Bb7 13.Nd2 Qg4 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Qf3 Rg8 16.Qxf6+ Ke8 17.Rfe1+ Ne7 18.Kf1 Bxg2+ 19.Kg1 Bf3+ 20.Kf1 Qg2 checkmate,Temmo - Kevin the fruitbat, JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008


7.Nbd2


7.Bf4 Ke8 8.c3 dxc3 9.Nxc3 Be6 10.h3 Nf6 11.g4 h6 12.Kg2 Qe7 13.Na4 Rd8 14.Nxc5 Bc8 15.Nd4 Nxd4 16.Qxd4 dxc5 17.Qa4+ c6 18.Rae1 Kf7 19.e5 Nd5 20.Bg3 Nb6 21.e6+ Bxe6 22.Qf4+ Qf6 23.Qc7+ Qe7 24.Kh2 Qxc7 25.Bxc7 Rd2 26.Kg1 Rxb2 27.Bd6 Rxa2 28.Kg2 Bd5+ 29.Kg3 c4 30.Re7+ Kg6 31.h4 Ra3+ 32.f3 Ra2 33.h5+ Kf6 34.Rxb7 Re8 35.Bf4 Re7 36.Be3 Rxb7 37.g5+ hxg5 White resigned, brain50 - Gary_Seven,JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

7.Re1 Nf6 8.Ng5+ Kf8 9.e5 dxe5 10.c3 d3 11.Bd2 Bg4 12.Qb3 Qd7 13.Na3 h6 14.h3 hxg5 15.hxg4 Nxg4 16.Rf1 Qf5 17.Rae1 Nxf2 18.g3 Rh1+ 19.Kg2 Qh3+ 20.Kf3 g4 White resigned, brain50 - hogmaster, JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

Rybka suggests 7.c3 dxc3 8.Nxc3 with an advantage to Black.

7...Nf6 TN

Black is a piece up, his King will soon be castled-by-hand, and a nice, calm game would suit me fine.
7...Bg4 8.Re1 Ne5 9.h3 Nxf3+ 10.Nxf3 Be6 11.Ng5+ Ke7 12.e5 d5 13.Kh1 h6 14.Qh5 Qe8 15.Qh4 Kd7 16.Nf3 Ne7 17.Bf4 g5 18.Bxg5 hxg5 White lost on time. brain50 - drewbear, JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

8.Nc4 Re8 9.Qe2 Rxe4

This capture is a blunder and should drop a Rook: the proper move is 9...Nxe4
10.Qd3

Simply 10.Ng5+ followed by 11.Nxe4 puts White back into the game.
10...Kg8 11.Bg5 Re8 12.Rae1 Bd7

White is better developed, but with nothing going on, Black has a chance to catch up -- and he does have that extra piece.

13.Rxe8+ Bxe8 14.Re1 Bf7 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.h3 Re8 17.Rxe8+ Bxe8



18.Kh2 Ne5

Again, throwing away a piece. Developing with the simple 18...Bg6 was better.

19.Nfxe5
Unfortunately capturing with the wrong Knight. 19.Ncxe5 Kf8 (19...dxe5 20.Qc4+ Bf7 21.Qxc5) 20.Nc4 left Black with only a small advantage.
19...dxe5 20.a3 e4 21.Qxe4 Bc6 22.Qg4 Qxf2 23.Ne5 Bd6

24.Qc8+ Qf8 25.Qxf8+
Trading Queens is the equivalent of resigning, although after the better 25.Qe6+, protecting the pinned Knight, Black still is losing.
25...Kxf8 White resigns.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XVI



Here is my favorite game of the tournament.


I had White, playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).


I lost.


Hats off to Temmo for a fascinating game!


perrypawnpusher - Temmo
JG3 thematic http://www.chessworld.net/ 2008


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+




As played against me by drewbear ("Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter II") and Kevin the fruitbat ("Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XIII") in this tournament, and James042665 ("Fools walk in...") more recently.

The line has lots of confusion for White, and a possible Black Queen sacrifice (i.e. abhailey - peonconorejas, net-chess.com, 2008, "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter II") to keep things lively.

9.g3

No more innovations like 9.Kd1, perrypawnpusher - drewbear, JG3 thematic, http://www.chessworld.net/, 2008 (0-1, 10)

9...Nf3+ 10.Kf1 Qh6


If you happen to have the quirky tome Unorthodox Chess, by the pseudonymous Some Loser, you would find the alternative 10...Nxh2+ in one of his games: 11.Kg2 Qd8 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Qxc5+ d6 14.Qg5+ Ke8 15.Qxd8+ Kxd8 16.Rxh2 Nf6 17.d3 Ng4? 18.Rh4 Nf6 19.Be3 Bg4?! 20.Bd4 Bd1? 21.Na3 Be2 22.Kf2 Bxd3 23.cxd3 c5 24.Bxf6+ gxf6 25.Nc4 Ke7 26.Ne3 Kf7 27.Rah1 Kg6 28.Rh6+ Kg7 29.Nf5+ Kg8 30.Rxf6 d5 31.Nh6+ Kg7 32.Rf7+ Kg6 33.e5 Rhg8 34.Rf6+ Kg7 35.Nf5+ Kh8 36.Rxh7+ Kxh7 37.Rh6 checkmate Some Loser - NN.

11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ Qd6 It's probably better to leave the Queens on the board with 12...d6. It doesn't look like a big deal, but if the analysis given below of a 14th move alternative for White is accurate, then it is here that Black loses his advantage.


13.Qxd6+ cxd6


`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)


Is the Knight at f3 vulnerable? If so, then White probably will find an even – if unclear – game.

Is the Knight Black's only source of worry? What about the a1-h8 diagonal?


After the hammering White took in the game perrypawnpusher - James042665, Chess.com 2008, we will probably see 10...Qf6 far more often than this game's 10...Qh6, so there may not be other games to address these (and other) questions.


Pity.

14.c3
Played to keep the Knight from running away, but Rybka gives an interesting alternative in 14.b4!? -- when best play has the piece staying a moment, as 14...Nd4 15.Bb2 Ne6 16.f5 seems to require the answer 16...Nf6, when 17.Bxf6 (better than the pawn capture) gxf6 18.fxe6 dxe6 gives White a small advantage.

After 14.b4!? b6 15.Kf2 Nd4 it's still an unclear game: 16.Bb2 Nxc2 17.Bxg7 Nf6 18.Bxh8 Nxe4+ (better than the immediate capture of the Rook with 18...Nxa1) 19.Kf3 Nc5 (an amazing move; Black also has 19...Bb7 20.Rc1 Nc5 21.Ke2 Ba6+ leading to a draw by repetition) 20.Ke2 Bb7 21.Rc1 Ba6+ 22.Kd1 Nxb4 23.Bd4 Ncd3 where Rybka suggests as best that Black can force a draw.
14...g5

On a rescue mission!


15.Kf2

The King is probably better-placed after 15.Kg2, after which the battle over the knight would continue with 15...g4 16.h3 d5 17.exd5 d6 18.hxg4 Bxg4 although Black would have an edge after 19.Rf1 h5 20.Rxf3 Bxf3 21.Kxf3 h4 22.gxh4 Rxh4 – White has three pawns for the exchange, but Black's development would more than compensate.


15...g4 16.h3 d5 17.hxg4


Capturing the d-pawn first was better.

17...dxe4 18.d3 d5 19.g5
Giving up on the "undermining" mission, and seeking to delay the development of the other Knight, which would in turn delay the development of a Rook.
19...h6


Black understood what I was getting at, and worked to counter it; but the more straight-forward 19...Bf5 would have helped his development


20.dxe4


If first 20.c4 Bg4 21.dxe4 dxe4 22.Nc3 Re8 23.Nxe4 the pawn center would have been destroyed, and White would have crept closer to equality.


20...dxe4 21.Nd2 Nxd2 22.Bxd2 Bg4 23.Be3

White had the interesting 23.Rh4 instead, although after 23...h5 24.Rah1 Bf3 25.R1h2 Ke6 26.g4 Bxg4 27.Rxg4 Nf6! Black wins the exchange and retains the better game.


23...Ke6 24.Rh4 Kf5

Here Rybka comes up with another interesting idea for White: sacrificing the exchange! 25.Rxg4 Kxg4 26.Rh1 Kf5 27.Rh4 Rd8 27.g4 Kg6 28.g4 Kg6 29.Ke2 a6 30.f5 Kg7 31.gxh6 Nxh6 32.Bd4 Rxd4!? 33.cxd4 Rc8 and too many of White's pawns look like targets.



25.Bd4 Rh7 26.Rah1 h5 27.Ke3


Rybka suggests the exchange sacrifice again, 27.Rxg4 etc. to reduce Black's advantage. Once Black gets his pieces untangled, the game more and more favors him. His King easily handles the White pawns.


27...Ne7 28.R4h2 Nd5+ 29.Kd2 b6 30.Re1 Re8 31.Be3 Rd8 32.Kc2 Rc7 33.a3 Rcd7 34.Bd4 b5 35.Be5 Rc8 36.Kb1 a5 37.g6


A frail whisp of hope. A mirage.

37...b4 38.axb4 axb4 39.g7 b3 40.Bd4 Kg6 41.Kc1 Kf5 42.Rhh1 Nb4 43.Kd2 Rxd4+
White resigns.


What a game!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XV

My opponent in this game finished second in the tournament (see "Overrated!") with a score of 13-5, including a vicious score with the Black pieces of 8-1 against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). As you will see in this Chapter and next, we split our two games.

Temmo - perrypawnpusher

JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4


A line recently popular – brain50 played it in all 9 of his games as White in this tournament (his game against me will be seen in a later Chapter). Temmo did so 6 times, and Sir Osis of the Liver 4 times. In another ChessWorld Jerome Gambit theme tournament, dandoo played it 6 times.

After the following pawn capture, the game has transposed to Wright - Hunn, Arkansas 1874 (see "
Brilliant but not sound").

5...exd4 6.Qd3


Played also by Temmo vs Sir Osis of the Liver (0-1, 32).

I think that White should try 6.c3 here, aiming to build a full pawn center after cxd4. There is also the trap 6...dxc3 7.Qd5+ winning back a piece.

6...d5 TN 7.Ng5+ Kf8 8.Qf3+ Qf6 9.exd5 Qxf3 10.Nxf3 Nb4 11.Na3 Nxd5

There's not a lot of excitement left in the game.

12.Nc4 Bf5 13.Nfe5 Re8 14.0-0
This puts his Knights at risk. Better was the supportive 14.Bf4.

14...b5 15.g4 Bxc2


Sloppy: 15...bxc4 won a piece.


16.Nd7+ Ke7 17.Nxc5 bxc4 18.Re1+ Kf7 19.Rxe8 Kxe8 20.Bg5 Ngf6 21.Re1+ Kf7 22.h3 Re8 23.Rxe8 Kxe8 24.Bxf6 Nxf6 25.Ne6


Forking three unprotected pawns and apparently winning one, but there will be no time for that.


25...d3 26.Kf1 d2 27.Nxg7+ Kf7 28.Nf5 d1Q+ 29.Kg2 Be4+ 30.Kg3 Qf3+ 31.Kh4 Bxf5 32.b3 Bxg4 White resigns



Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XII


Once more, the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), once more the Black pieces -- once more a victory for the second player.


Kevin the fruitbat - perrypawnpusher JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3



This move was played by Plejade (see "Les Femmes des Echecs...& the Jerome Gambit") at ChessWorld a couple of times in 2003. It has also been played by viejoasquerosos at redhotpawn.com, who has always been willing to sac his Bishop at f7 (or f2) almost as soon as the opportunity arrives, regardless of the opening.
5...Nf6

A couple of alternatives were played in Kevin's other games in the tournament:
5...d6 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.0-0 Nf6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.Re1 Kg8 13.Bg5 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 Rf8 15.Qg3 Nxd4 16.Rac1 c6 17.e5 dxe5 18.Bh6 Nh5 19.Qg4 Qe8 20.Be3 Bc5 21.Na4 b6 22.Nxc5 bxc5 23.Rxc5 Qf7 24.b3 Nf5 25.Qe4 Nxe3 26.Qxe3 Nf4 27.Rxe5 Qg6 28.g4 Nd3 29.Re6 Qf7 30.Qxd3 Qxf2+ 31.Kh1 Rf3 32.Re8+ Rxe8 33.Qc4+ Kf8 34.Rxe8+ Kxe8 35.Qxc6+ Kf8 36.Qd6+ 0-1 Kevin the fruitbat - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG3 thematic, www.chessworld.net 20085...Qf6 6.0-0 Nge7 7.b4 Bb6 8.d3 h6 9.Qe1 d6 10.b5 Nd8 11.c4 Ng6 12.Be3 Rf8 13.a4 Nf4 14.Qd2 Qg6 15.Nh4 Qg5 16.Nf5 Qxg2# 0-1 Kevin the fruitbat - Temmo, JG3 thematic, www.chessworld.net 2008
6.Qb3+

Or 6.d4 exd4 7.Qb3+ Kf8 8.Ng5 Qe7 9.f3 h6 10.Nh3 d5 11.Nf2 dxe4 12.fxe4 Nxe4 13.Rf1 Ng3+ 14.Kd1 Qe2# 0-1 Kevin the fruitbat - drewbear, JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

6...d5 7.d3

Gary_Seven played 7.exd5 in our game -- see."Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter VI".
7...Bb6 8.Nbd2 Rf8 9.h3 Kg8


10.c4 dxc4 11.Qxc4+ Kh8 12.Nb3 Be6
An interesting move, made doubly so by the fact that I had overlooked that the Bishop was unprotected.

13.Qxe6

The piece turns out to be poisoned
13...Qxd3 14.Nxe5


14...Qxe4+

Blandly looking for the peace and quiet of the endgame, but missing the mate: 14...Bxf2+ 15.Kxf2 Ng4+ 16.Ke1 Qxe4+ 17.Kd1 Nf2+ 18.Kd2 Rad8+ 19.Qd5 Rxd5+ 20.Nd4 Rxd4+ 21.Kc3 Rc4+ 22.Kb3 Qc2+ 23.Ka3 Ra4, which shouldn't have been too hard to find.

15.Be3 Qxe5 16.Qxe5 Nxe5 17.0-0 Bxe3 18.fxe3 Nc4

There is not a lot of excitement in the rest of the game, only a relentless march toward a simpler and more "won" piece-up endgame for Black.

19.Rfc1 Nxe3 20.Rxc7 Rab8 21.Re1 Ned5 22.Rc5 Rfc8 23.Ra5 a6 24.Re5 Nb4 25.Nd4 Nc6 26.Nf5 Nxe5 27.Rxe5 Re8 28.Rc5 Rbc8 29.Rxc8 Rxc8 30.Nd6 Rc7 31.Kh2 Kg8 32.Kg3 Kf8 33.Kf3 Ke7 34.Nf5+ Ke6 35.Nd4+ Ke5 36.Ke3Nd5+ 37.Kd3 Nb4+ 38.Ke3 Nxa2 39.Nf3+ Kf6 0-1