In this game it was nice to find myself with a familiar opening, a familiar arrangement of pieces – and a familiar "optical illusion" plaguing my opponent...
perrypawnpusher - Padalino
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Opening.
6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4
8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1
A typical position for this variation: Black has castled-by-hand while White's Rooks back up his "Jerome pawns". White does not have full compensation for his sacrificed piece.
13...Nb4
A typical blitz oversight for this kind of position: the temptation to "kick" the Queen is too much for Black, as has been seen in:
perrypawnpusher - amirelattar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50)
perrypawnpusher - Angstrem, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 35)
perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 32)
I am sure that under slower time controls, none of my opponents would have made this error.
14.Qc4+ Be6 15.Qxb4 b6 16.h3 Bf7 17.Qd4 a5 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.exd5
Black is down a pawn, but the open e-file and unblocked a1-h8 diagonal offer a way to exchange the heavy pieces, after which the Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame has serious drawing potential. With this in mind, Black might now try 19...Qf6.
19...Qc8
Quickly highlighting the difference between a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame and a Bishops-of-opposite-colors middlegame: the former is drawish, the latter gives the attacking side the advantage.
20.Bc3 Black resigned
It will cost Black a Rook to block the checkmate at g7, but White will have other mates available soon after 20...Re5 21.fxe5.
In our previous Jerome Gambit game, my opponent seriously out-played me and well deserved the full point. In this game, I didn't play any better, but my opponent didn't keep pace.
perrypawnpusher - mjmonday
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game
6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4
8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8
Black is very business-like in his play, staying out of mischief and preparing to castle-by-hand.
I also had difficulties after 11...Be6 12.Bd2 Nb4 13.Qg3 Nxc2 14.Rac1 Nd4 15.f5 Bd7 16.Qg6+ Kg8 17.Be3 Be8 18.Qg3 Nc6 19.Bf4 Nh5 20.Qe3 Nxf4 21.Rxf4 Qg5 22.Qf2 Ne5 23.h4 Qh5 24.Rd1 a5 25.f6 Ng4 26.Qg3 Qc5+ 27.Kh1 h5 28.Rxg4 hxg4 29.Qxg4 Rh7 30.Rd5 Qf2 31.h5 Qf1+ 32.Kh2 Qxf6 33.Rf5 Qd4 34.Qf3 Bd7 35.Rd5 Qf6 36.Qxf6 gxf6 37.Kg3 Rg7+ 38.Kf3 Bg4+ 39.Kf4 Be6 40.Rd2 Rg5 White resigned perrypawnpusher - HRoark, blitz FICS, 2010.
12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 Nb4
All of a sudden my opponent falls for an optical illusion... Attacking that Queen is so tempting.
Instead, 13...Kh8 was just fine for Black, as in perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 24) and perrypawnpusher - JohnBr, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 31)
14.Qc4+ d5
Previously I had seen 14...Be6 in perrypawnpusher - Angstrem, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 35) and perrypawnpusher - amirelattar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50).
15.Qxb4 dxe4
16.Bc1 b6 17.Nxe4 Bb7 18.Nxf6+ Qxf6 19.Bd2 c5 20.Qc4+ Kh8 21.Bc3 Qg6
22.g3
The Bishops-of-opposite-colors are not yet drawish; instead, the player with the attack has the advantage. The move played is a blunder. White should not have further weakened the a8-h1 diagonal, and instead focused upon protecting g2.
22...Qg4
A missed chance: 22...Qc6 is deadly.
23.Qd3 Rxe1 24.Rxe1 Qh3
This looks like it puts pressure on White's King, but it allows the shot 25.Bxg7+. Too bad I missed it.
25.Qe2 a5
Black continues his play on the light squares, preparing for ...Ba6.
26.Qf2
Totally focused on defending, instead of the mentioned Bxg7+.
26...Kh7
Allowing me to finally bring an end to the game by glueing Black's Rook to g8 and exchanging Queens.
27.Re7 Rg8 28.Rxb7 Qg4 29.Qd2 Qf3 30.Qd3+ Qxd3 31.cxd3 Re8
An oversight.
32.Rxg7+ Black resigned
I've already collected too many points from the "Optical Illusion" variation of the Jerome Gambit (see "Optical Illusion (1)" and "Optical Illusion (2)" or the most recent "Disdainful Defender Defense") so I am uneasy about identifying a second position that has been gaining me points for something that my opponents do not see in the position...
perrypawnpusher - susant
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 h6 5.0-0 Bc5
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.
6.Bxf7+
The Jerome Gambit response. I've slowly raised my score against this unfortunate (for me) line to 57% (still about 30% lower than my general Jerome Gambit score).
7...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6
White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece. Black is clearly better.
10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.Bd2
Now after 12...Kg8 it is hard to see any compensation for White, as Black has even been able to castle-by-hand.
12...Nb4
Absolutely fascinating. Black attacks the Queen – and loses a piece.
Seen previously was the similar: 12...Kg8 13.Rae1 Nb4 14.Qc4+:
perrypawnpusher - amirelattar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50);
perrypawnpusher - pwr, blitz FICS, 2010 (1-0, 38); and
perrypawnpusher - Angstrem, blitz, FICS, 2010 (but 0-1, 35 )
13.Qc4+
Black resigned
The final illusion: Black is losing a piece, but he already has one to give!
After 13...d5 14.Qxb4 Nxe4 the game would simply be even. There was no need for surrender.
If you want them to stop laughing, as I've said before, first you have to stop telling jokes...
It can be hard enough to get an opponent to take you seriously when you play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), but further inaccurate play only encourages further resistance: if you've played like a clown in the opening, who's to say that you won't play like a clown in the middle or end game as well...?
I have nobody to blame except myself for what felt like an over-due resignation by my opponent in the following game.
perrypawnpusher - amirelattar
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.
6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4
8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6
The updated New Year's Database has 9 games with this, position, with White scoring 67%. This statistic is doubly misleading: first, in 6 of those games I played White and scored only 40%; and second, despite the outcome of the games, Black is clearly better in this position.
10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.Bd2 Kg8
White has two of his "Jerome pawns" watching the center and his Rooks are connected. On the other hand, Black has castled-by-hand and has an extra piece.
13.Rae1 Nb4
An odd oversight, this Knight harassing the Queen.
Previously there was: 13...Kh8 14.h3 Nb4 15.Qe2 Bd7 16.Bc1 Nfd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Qh5 Nf6 19.Qg6 Re6 20.e5 Ng8 21.Qg3 Qe7 22.exd6 cxd6 23.b3 Rxe1 24.Rxe1 Qf7 25.Bb2 Re8 26.Rf1 Nf6 27.Qd3 d5 28.g4 Ne4 29.f5 Qe7 30.Qxd5 Ng5 31.Kg2 Bc6 White resigned, perrypawnpusher - JohnBr, blitz, FICS, 2010.
14.Qc4+ Be6 15.Qxb4
15...Bxa2
Another strange move.
16.Nxa2 c6
Suddenly, White is winning. I don't know why.
17.Nc3 a5 18.Qc4+ Kh8 19.Qd3 Qb6+ 20.Kh1 Qxb2
Black and White have reversed roles: White has the extra piece for a pawn, while Black is going to try to make something out of his "anti-Jerome pawns."
21.e5 dxe5 22.fxe5 Ng4 23.e6 Qb6
24.Be3
More to the point was 24.Qf5
24...Nxe3 25.Qxe3
Now 25.Rxe3 was the stronger recapture.
25...Qb2
In turn, Black probably did better to exchange Queens.
26.Rf7 a4
This is the theme for the rest of the game: Black's Queenside pawns vs White's Kingside attack.
27.Qg3 Rg8 28.e7 Rae8 29.Ref1 a3
30.Qf3
This is really not the best time to fiddle faddle. Instead, 30.Qd3, with an eye on d4 and the a1-h8 diagonal was the key. Black can try 30...c5 as a response (if 30...a2 then White mates with 31.Rxg7 Rxg7 32.Rf8+ Rg8 33.Qd4+ Kh7 34.Rf7+ Kg6 35.Qf6+ Kh5 36.Qf3+ Rg4 37.Rf5+ Kg6 38.Qxg4+ Kh7 39.Rf7+ Kh8 40.Qg7) but then 31.Qc4 both helps lock up the Queenside and pursue the attack on the Kingside.
30...a2 31.Nxa2 Qxa2
Black now has material equality. He hopes for more. White's inaccuracies has given him hope.
32.Rf8
This should simply lose the e-pawn, something that could be prevented by the proper 32.Qe4, when White would still have the advantage.
32...Rxe7 33.Rxg8+ Kxg8
This is Black's fatal slip, unfortunate after his struggles. After the recapture with the Queen, 33...Qxg8, White would have an uphill fight a pawn down.
34.Qf8+ Kh7 35.Qxe7
Under normal circumstances, I am sure that my opponent would resign here, but my play in this game has been unsteady enough that he is encouraged to continue on and hope for further good fortune.
35...Qxc2 36.Qxb7 Qe2 37.Qf7 c5 38.Qf5+ Kh8 39.Ra1 Qe8
40.Qxc5 Qe4 41.Rc1 Kh7 42.Qc2 Qxc2 43.Rxc2 Kg6
44.Kg1 Kf6 45.Kf2 g6 46.Kf3 h5 47.Kf4 g5+
48.Ke4 h4 49.Rc6+ Kg7 50.Kf5 Black resigned
