Sailing Off the Edge of the World

I would guess that everyone who plays the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has a particular defense that they would rather not face. That is funny, in a way, because the Jerome is a "refuted" opening, and therefore every defense should be uncomfortable...


Still, it was fun to see Philidor1792 in the following game take on the one defense that I worry about the most, played by a computer this time, at that, and wrestle it to the ground for a split point.


A computer can not make sense of the Jerome Gambit? Now, that's a surprise!


Philidor1792 - Computer (Crafty)
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 Qh4+ 


The storm clouds gather.


9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kd1 Ne7 

11.e5+ 


A couple of alternatives from The Database:


11.Qxc5+ Kxc5 12.gxh4 d5 13.e5 Bg4 14.d4+ Nxd4+ 15.Kd2 Nf3+ 16.Ke3 d4+ 17.Kf2 Nxh4 18.Nd2 Raf8 19.Kg3 h5 20.Kxh4 Nf5+ 21.Kg5 Rh6 22.h3 Be2 23.Ne4+ Kd5 24.Nf2 Re8 25.Re1 Ree6 26.c4+ Bxc4 White forfeited on time, fehim - vshamis, FICS, 2008;

11.Qe5+ Nxe5 12.fxe5+ Kxe5 13.gxh4 Kxe4 14.d4 Kxd4 15.Nd2 Rf8 16.Nb3+ Kd5 17.c4+ Kxc4 18.Bg5 Bd6 19.Rc1+ Kd5 20.Re1 Nf5 21.Rc3 Bb4 22.Rd3+ Kc4 23.Re4+ Kxd3 24.Rxb4 Ne3+ 25.Bxe3 Rf1 checkmate, ionman - mscp, FICS, 2005. 


11...Kc6 


Instead, 11...Kd5 12.Qd3+ 1-0  was the imaginary "R.F."-"Nibs" telephone chess game of 1899. 


12.Qe4+ d5 13.exd6+ 


Or 13.Qxf3 Bg4 14.gxh4 Bxf3+ 15.Ke1 Bxh1 16.c3 Bg1 17.d4 Bxh2 18.Kf2 Rhf8 19.Na3 Be4 20.b4 Ng6 21.c4 Nxf4 22.cxd5+ Nxd5+ 23.Ke2 Nxb4 24.Ke3 Bd5 25.Bd2 Nxa2 26.Nc2 Rf4 27.Kd3 Rxh4 28.Rxa2 Rh3+ 29.Ke2 Bxa2 30.Nb4+ Kb6 31.Nxa2 Bg1 32.Nc3 Bxd4 33.Nd5+ Kc6 34.Ne7+ Kd7 35.Nf5 Bxe5 White resigned, Siggus - mscp, FICS, 2007.


13...Nd5 

The key. Otherwise: 13...Kxd6 14.gxh4 Bg4 15.Qa4 Ng1+ 16.Ke1 Bf3 17.d4 Bxh1 18.dxc5+ Ke6 19.Nc3 Rhd8 20.Be3 Nh3 21.Kf1 Nf5 22.Re1 Bc6 23.Qc4+ Kf6 24.Ne4+ Bxe4 25.Qxe4 Re8 26.Bd4+ Nxd4 27.Qxd4+ Kg6 28.Qd3+ Kf6 29.Qxh3 Rxe1+ 30.Kxe1 Re8+ 31.Kf2 Re4 32.Kf3 Rc4 33.c3 Rxc5 34.Qg4 Rb5 35.b4 Rf5 36.Qg1 c5 37.bxc5 a5 38.Qd4+ Kf7 39.Qd7+ Kf6 40.Qxb7 g6 41.c6 Rc5 42.c7 Rxc3+ 43.Ke2 Kf5 44.c8Q+ Rxc8 45.Qxc8+ Kxf4 46.Qe6 a4 47.a3 h5 48.h3 Kg3 49.Ke3 Kxh4 50.Qf6+ g5 51.Kf3 Kxh3 52.Qxg5 h4 53.Qg2 checkmate, ionman - mscp, FICS, 2005.


Hmmmm.... That's the second game where ionman faced this defense 7 years ago. I need to catch up with him... 


14.gxh4 Bg4 15.Qa4+ b5 16.Qa6+ Nb6 17.h3

Varying from 17.c4 Nd4+ 18.Ke1 Rhe8+ 19.Kf2 Nf5+ 20.Kf1 Bh3 checkmate,  abhailey - peonconorejas, net-chess.com, 2008, the first "real" game where I saw this particular defense. I was convinced four years ago that the Queen sacrifice was discovered with the help of a computer (The Database, with earlier games, was not available until January 1, 2010.) 


17...Bh5 18.c3 Nd4+ 19.Ke1 Nc2+ 20.Kf1 Rhe8 21.d4 Bxd6 22.d5+ Kd7 23.Qxb5+ Kd8 24.Rg1 g6 

In this chaotic position, Black is better.


25.Qc6 Nxa1 26.Na3 Re7 27.f5 Rd7 28.Nc4 Rb8 29.Bg5+ Kc8 30.Nxb6+ Rxb6 31.Qa8+ Rb8 32.Qxa7 Rf7 33.Qa6+ Rb7 34.Kg2 Rxf5 

35.Rxa1 Bf3+ 36.Kf1 Bxd5+ 37.Ke2 Be6 38.b3 Re5+ 39.Kd2 Bxh3 40.Re1 Rxe1 41.Kxe1 Kb8 

42.Qc6 Rb6 43.Qe8+ Kb7 44.Qf7 Bf5 45.Qxh7 Ra6 46.a4 Bg3+ 47.Kd2 Re6 48.Be3 Be1+ 49.Kxe1 Rxe3+ 50.Kf2 Rxc3 51.Qf7 Rc2+ 52.Kg3 Rc3+ 53.Kf4 Rh3 54.Kg5 Rg3+ 55.Kf6 Be4 56.Qc4 Rg4 

57.h5 gxh5 58.Qb5+ Ka7 59.Qxh5 Rg6+ 60.Ke5 Bc2 61.Kd4 Rd6+ 62.Kc3 Rc6+ 63.Kb2 Bd3 64.Qd5 Rd6 65.Qc5+ Kb8 66.b4 Kc8 

67.b5 Kd7 68.a5 Be4 69.a6 Rd1 70.a7 Rb1+ 71.Ka2 Rd1 72.Qf8 Bd5+ 73.Kb2 Rd2+ 74.Kc3 Ra2 75.Qc5 Bb7 76.b6 cxb6 77.Qxb6 Bd5 

78.Kd4 Bc6 79.Ke5 Re2+ 80.Kf6 Re6+ 81.Kg5 Re5+ 82.Kf4 Re4+ 83.Kf5 Re8 84.Qb8 Rc8 85.Ke5 Re8+ 86.Kd4 Ba8 87.Kc5 Rc8+ 88.Kb6 Rc6+ 89.Kb5 Rc8 Draw

(This time I saw it)

Early last year I played a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) against Banassi (see "Platypus Perils and Follies"), and succeeded when my opponent lost his way in a complicated refutation line.

Although I won the game, I was so nervous at the time that I overlooked a checkmate-in-one along the way.

This time, I saw it.

perrypawnpusher - thinan

blitz FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

One of the many ways to defeat the Jerome Gambit, others being 6...g6, 6...Ng6 and 6...Kf8.

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+

Wow!

The simpler 8...Qf6 was an effective defense, as was 8...Qd8, or 8...Qd7 or even 8...Kc6. The text holds the promise of a Queen sac, however.

9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kd1

Now Black has 10...Ne7 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qe4+ d5 13.exd6+ Nd5 14.gxh4 Bg4

analysis diagram







as in abhailey - peonconorejas, net-chess.com, 2008, which finished with 15.Qa4+ b5 16.Qa6+ Nb6 17.c4 Nd4+ 18.Ke1 Rhe8+ 19.Kf2 Nf5+ 20.Kf1 Bh3 checkmate.

analysis diagram







10...Qe7 

Taking the Queen out of danger, but allowing...

11.Qd5 checkmate

This was anticipated by CoachCrupp - jirikb, blitz FICS, 2008.

perrypawnpusher - Banassi, blitz FICS, 2009 continued: 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qe4+ Kb6 13.Qxf3 d6 14.Nc3 Be6 15.Na4+ Kb5 16.Qxb7+ Bb6 17.Nxb6 axb6 18.Qxa8 dxe5 19.a4+ Kc5 20.d3 exf4 21.b4+ Kd6 22.Bxf4+ Kd7 23.Qb7 Bg4+ 24.Kc1 Ke8 25.Qa8+ Kf7 26.Qd5+ Kf8 27.Qe4 Qxb4 28.Qxb4+ Black resigned.

What a difference a delay makes...

Theory of the delayed Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has developed slowly.  For example, transitions from the Semi-Italian opening (3.Bc4 h6) to the Jerome have been evaluated generally – e.g. White's "waiting" fourth move (4.0-0, 4.Nc3 or 4.d3) will be more useful than Black's 3...h6.

Occasionally a game pops up that illustrates more concretely the impact of waiting a move.

UNPREDICTABLE - badreligionnn

blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3

4...h6 5.Bxf7+

This position can be reached via the more familiar move-order of the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6

Previously, White has not been very successful in this line, scoring 27% in 15 games.

8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.f4

UNPREDICTABLE has lost two struggles with different 9th moves: 9.Bf4 Qf6 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.c3 Ke7 12.Bxe5 d6 13.Bxf6+ gxf6 14.d4 Bb6 15.Nd2 Rg8 16.0-0 Be6 17.g3 Rg6 18.f4 Rgg8 19.f5 Bd7 20.b3 c5 21.d5 Bb5 22.c4 Bd7 23.Nf3 Kd8 24.Nh4 Kc7 25.Ng6 Rae8 26.Rfe1 Ba5 27.Re2 Bc3 28.Rc1 Bd4+ 29.Kg2 a5 30.Kf3 a4 31.h4 axb3 32.axb3 Rb8 33.h5 b5 34.Rd2 bxc4 35.bxc4 Rb3+ 36.Kf4 Be5+ 37.Kg4 Rxg3+ 38.Kh4 Re3 39.Nxe5 fxe5 40.Rcc2 Rxe4+ 41.Kh3 Bxf5+ 42.Kh2 Rgg4 43.Rf2 Rh4+ 44.Kg1 Re1+ 45.Kg2 Bxc2 46.Rxc2 Rxh5 47.Kf2 Rf5+ 48.Kxe1 h5 49.Kd2 Rf4 50.Kc3 h4 51.Rh2 Rf3+ 52.Kc2 h3 53.Kc1 Rg3 54.Kd1 Rg1+ 55.Kd2 Rg3 56.Kd1 Rg1+ 57.Kd2 Rg2+ 58.Ke3 Rxh2 59.Kf3 Rc2 60.Kg4 h2 61.Kf5 h1Q 62.Ke6 Qh6+ 63.Ke7 Ra2 64.Kf7 Ra8 65.Ke7 Qg7+ 66.Ke6 Re8+ 67.Kf5 Rf8+ White resigned, UNPREDICTABLE - bigchip, FICS, 2009; and

9.c3 Qf6 10.Qxf6+ gxf6 11.d4 Nd3+ 12.Kd2 Nxf2 13.Rf1 Nxe4+ 14.Kd3 Kd5 15.dxc5 Nxc5+ 16.Kc2 d6 17.a4 Bd7 18.b3 Re8 19.c4+ Ke6 20.Re1+ Kf7 21.Rxe8 Bxe8 22.Nc3 Bc6 23.g3 Ne7 24.Be3 Be4+ 25.Nxe4 Nxe4 26.Kd3 f5 27.Rf1 Kf6 28.g4 Ke6 29.Re1 Nf6 30.Bxh6+ Kd7 31.g5 Ng4 32.Bg7 Rxh2 33.Bf6 Ng8 34.Kc3 N4xf6 35.gxf6 Nxf6 36.a5 a6 37.Kb4 Kc8 38.Re6 Ne4 39.Rg6 Rh5 40.Rg8+ Kd7 41.Rg7+ Kc6 42.Rg6 Nc5 43.Ka3 Rh3 44.Rf6 Rxb3+ 45.Ka2 Rc3 46.Rxf5 Rxc4 47.Kb2 Ra4 48.Kc3 Rxa5 49.Kb4 Rb5+ 50.Kc3 a5 51.Rf6 a4 52.Rf1 b6 53.Ra1 Ne4+ 54.Kd3 d5 55.Rxa4 Kc5 56.Ra1 c6 57.Rc1+ Kd6 58.Kd4 Rc5 59.Rh1 Rc4+ 60.Ke3 Kc5 61.Rh6 b5 62.Ke2 b4 63.Ke3 b3 64.Ke2 b2 65.Rh1 Kb4 66.Kf3 c5 67.Rb1 Kb3 68.Kf4 Rc3 69.Rh1 c4 70.Ke5 Ka2 71.Kxd5 b1Q 72.Rxb1 Kxb1 73.Kxe4 Rc1 74.Kd4 c3 75.Kc4 c2 76.Kd4 Re1 White resigned, UNPREDICTABLE - fdy, FICS, 2009.

The text is sharper, even if it allows Black to play along the lines of one of the more spectacular refutations in the regular Jerome Gambit.

9...Qh4+

Destination: complications.

10.g3 Nf3+

Black continues along classical Jerome Gambit lines, unaware of the difference that d2-d3 has made in White's game. To maintain his advantage, he needed to retreat his Queen, not advance his Knight: 10...Qe7.

Another change in Black's options is that he does not have the thematic ...Qf6 at his disposal, since 10...Qf6 11.fxe5+ cannot be met by 11...Qxe5 because of 12.Bf4, winning the Queen.

After 10 Qe7 11.fxe5+ Kc6 12.Qg6+ d6 13.Bf4 Be6 Black would have been better.

11.Kd1

The key game from the Jerome Gambit line, abhailey -peonconorejas, net-chess.com, 2008 (0-1, 20) went 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kd1 Ne7 

analysis diagram







11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qe4+ d5 13.exd6+ Nd5

analysis diagram






14.gxh4 Bg4 15.Qa4+ b5 when Black's 4 pieces and the threatened discovered check added up to a quick win.

In the current game, the same strategem would flounder: 11...Ne7 12.e5+ Kc6 13.Qe4+ d5 14.exd6+ Nd5 15.gxh4 Bg4

analysis diagram





because White now has 16.h3, when Black's discovered check allows him to win the Queen, but the recapture by White's pawn on d3 gives him the better game

analysis diagram







If  Black instead retreats his Bishop, White gets an even game after 16.h3 Bh5 17.c4 Ng5+ 18.Kc2 Nxe4 19.cxd5+ Kxd5 20.dxe4+ Kxd6 21.Nc3 Rhe8

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Whew! Now, where were we...?

11...Qe7 12.Qd5 checkmate

Ouch.

As is often the case with the Jerome Gambit, the annotations are about subtlety while the moves themselves are lummoxes

Repairing a Variation (Part 1)

I know that the idea of "repairing" a variation in an opening like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bx5 4.Bxf7+) – which has a number of refutations – seems kind of silly, if not impossible. Still, I remain troubled by the game last year in which my pal, abhailey, met a devastating Queen sacrifice by Black (see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter II", "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XVI" and "A Dangerous Place") and, along with the opening, was hammered to pieces in a miniature. That just doesn't seem right...

First, here's a closer look at the game.

abhailey - peonconorejas
net-chess.com 2008

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

Defenders unfamiliar with the Jerome Gambit might find this move to be scary, but it is part of a number of established defensive schemes.

7.Qf5+

I have always preferred this nudge of the King (to in front of the d-pawn) to the straight-forward 7.f4 (see "Joker's Wild (1)", "Joker's Wild (2)" and "Joker's Wild (conclusion)" for some recent analysis of that line). That's one reason why I'd like to find a defense to peonconorejas' attack.

7...Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ This move is reminiscent of the counter-attack first played against Lt. Sorensen (see "Bashi-Bazouk Attack" for Sorensen's take on the Jerome Gambit; and "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter: X" for the game): 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bx4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 Qh5.

9.g3 Nf3+

Black is clearly confused – or he has a specific plan.

10.Kd1 Ne7

Instead of moving his attacked Queen, Black counter-attacks. At first it seems that White's only task is to rescue his Queen, with checks. (During this internet correspondence game abhailey emailed me, pleased with his play and happy that he could see the win of the Black Queen.) Black's army of pieces, however, is a serious threat.

11.e5+ Kc6

The right escape square. If 11...Kd5 12.Nc3+ Kc6 13.Qe4+ Kb6 and Black's Queen can be captured.

12.Qe4+ d5

The only move, but it is very good.

13.exd6+ Nd5

Again, the best move. Leading to equality, even though Black will have only two pieces for a Queen and a pawn, was 13...Kxd6 14.gxh4, for example: 14...Bg4 15.f5 Ne5+ 16.Ke1 Bf3 17.Qa4

analysis diagram

14.gxh4 Bg4

15.Qa4+

Again, White seems to have rescued his Queen.

15...b5

Also winning, and perhaps simpler, was 15...Kxd6

16.Qa6+ Nb6

The position is not just complicated for White, but for Black, too. A better move here was 16...Bb6.

17.c4

After 17.h3 Bh5 18.d3 things are very unclear. Black might have a win in the long run, or White might eventually escape.

The text move allows a mate-in-three that Black overlooks.

17...Nd4+

This wins, but an even nicer ending would have been: 17...Ne1+ 18.Kxe1 Rae8+ 19.Kf1 Bh3+.

analysis diagram

18.Ke1 Rhe8+

There are just too many Black pieces in play.

19.Kf2 Nf5+ 20.Kf1

The alternative 20.d4 holds out longer, but why suffer?: 20...Bxd4+ 21.Be3 Rxe3 22.Qxb5+ Kb7 23.Qxf5 Bxf5 24.d7 Rd3+ 25.Ke2 Nxd7 26.Nd2 Re8+ 27.Kd1 Be3 28.Kc2 Rxd2+ 29.Kb3 Rd3+ 30.Kc2 Rd6+ 31.Kb3 Nc5+ 32.Kb4 Rb6+ 33.Ka3 Bd2 34.b3 Bc3 35.Rae1 Ra6#

20...Bh3 checkmate