Walking Through A Junkyard

Giving "Jerome Gambit odds" can feel like a walk through a junkyard. You pass wreck after wreck and your only hope is that you will find something to get you out of there.

perrypawnpusher - Jantra
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+ Ke6

8.Qf5+

The computer-recommended follow-up is 8.Qh3+ Ke7 9.Qc3 d6 10.d4 Bxd4 11.Qxd4 Nf6 12.Nc3 although this leads to a position that is almost identical to a position from the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit: Black's King is on e7 instead of f7, and it is his move instead of White's.

Amusingly, at this point, until about a depth of 12 moves, Fritz8 recommends the next two moves for Black to be ...Re8 and ...Kf7, which would be identical to the Semi-Italian Four Knight's Jerome Gambit, except that the recommended move for White in the interim is Bf4, not f2-f4.

8...Kd6 9.d4

Moving the pawn directly seems better than preparing for it, as in prettyhip1 - cubs0_0, GameKnot.com, 2007: 9.Rd1 Ne7 10.Qh5 g6 11.Qh3 Bd4 12.Qa3+ Bc5 13.b4 Bd4 14.c3 Bxf2+ 15.Kxf2 Rf8+ 16.Ke3 White resigned.

9...Bxd4

The right idea. Problems came with

9...Qf6 10.dxe5+ Qxe5 11.Rd1+ (11.Bf4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - joejox, blitz, FICS, 2009) 11...Bd4 12.Qf8+ Ke6 13.Qe8+ Kf6 14.Qf8+ Ke6 15.Qe8+ Kf6 Game drawn by mutual agreement, perrypawnpusher - Joyus, blitz, FICS, 2007; and

9...Ne7 10.Qxe5+ Kc6 11.Qxc5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - GabrielH, blitz, FICS, 2010 & perrypawnpusher - StockholmMoskva, blitz, FICS, 2010.

10.Rd1 c5

Black did better with 10...Ke7 11.Rxd4 d6 after which only an endgame swindle saved me in perrypawnpusher - richardachatz, blitz, FICS, 2010 (½-½, 71). Although the text is still good for the second player, richardachatz' King move "abandoning" the Bishop on d4 is also to be considered.

11.c3 Ne7

This is okay, but again 11...Ke7 could be considered.

12.Qh3

I was surprised, but also amused, to be a dozen moves into this offbeat line (rightly or wrongly) and still be in "book". It is sometimes very helpful to review and analyze games for this blog! 

This Queen retreat is comparable with the others that I had played previously:

12.Qh5 Qe8 (12...Kc7 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Qxe5+ d6 15.Qxd4 Nc6 16.Qxg7+ Bd7 17.Bf4 Rg8 18.Qxh6 Qe7 19.Bxd6+ Qxd6 20.Qxd6+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Lakritzl, blitz, FICS, 2009) 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Rxd4+ Kc7 15.Qxe5+ Kd8 16.Nc3 Nc6 17.Qxe8+ Rxe8 18.Rd6 b6 19.Bf4 Bb7 20.Rad1 Re7 21.e5 Nxe5 22.Bxe5 Rxe5 23.Rxd7+ Ke8 24.Rxb7 Rd8 25.Rxd8+ Kxd8 26.Kf1 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - tuffmom, FICS, 2010;

12.Qf4 Qf8 13.cxd4 Qxf4 14.Bxf4 cxd4 15.Rxd4+ Kc5 16.Bxe5 Nc6 17.Rd5+ Kb6 18.Na3 Nxe5 19.Rxe5 d6 20.Re7 Bg4 21.f3 Bh5 22.Rc1 Rhe8 23.Rcc7 Rxe7 24.Rxe7 Rc8 25.Rxg7 Rc1+ 26.Kf2 Ra1 27.Rh7 Rxa2 28.Kg3 a5 29.Rxh6 Bf7 30.Rxd6+ Kc5 31.Rd2 b5 32.Kf2 b4 33.Nb1 Ra1 34.Rc2+ Kd4 35.Rd2+ Kc5 36.Rc2+ Kd4 37.Nd2 Kd3 38.Rc7 Kxd2 39.Rxf7 Kc2 40.e5 b3 41.e6 Kxb2 42.e7 Kc1 43.e8Q Ra2+ 44.Kg3 b2 45.Rc7+ Kb1 46.Qe1 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - Xasquete, blitz, FICS, 2010.

12...Kc7

The text is an improvement on 12...Qb6 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Qa3+ Ke6 15.f4 N5c6 16.f5+ Kf7 17.Nd2 Re8 18.Nc4 Qc7 19.Nd6+ Kf8 20.Nxe8 Kxe8 21.Qf3 Ne5 22.Qg3 Kf8 23.Bf4 d6 24.Rac1 Qa5 25.f6 N7g6 26.Bxe5 Qxe5 27.Qxg6 Be6 28.Qxg7+ Ke8 29.Qe7 checkmate, joev6225 - liverpool, GameKnot.com, 2006.

13.cxd4 cxd4

Black is still better, despite his shaky King, because of his extra piece.

Leading only to equality was 13...d6, although things quickly deteriorated: 14.Qc3 Nd7 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Bf4 b6 17.b4 Kc6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - tuffmom, blitz, FICS, 2010

14.Rxd4 N7c6 15.Qc3 Qf6

16.f4

Thematic, but wrong, as it should lose the exchange. I should have retreated the Rook first.

16...Nf7

My opponent missed 16...Nf3+ 17.Qxf3 Qxd4+ trading his Knight for my Rook. I think he was getting tired of all the attention that I was paying to his King.

17.e5 Qe7 18.b4 d6

Deciding to return the gambitted piece at precisely the point where his King might have begun to feel relief with 18...Kb8.

19.b5 dxe5 20.fxe5

20...Nfxe5

An unfortunate slip. After the game Rybka gave 20...Rd8 21.bxc6 Rxd4 22.Qxd4 Qd8 23.Qc3 bxc6 24.Nd2 Be6 25.Bb2 Qd5 26.Nb3 Rb8 27.Rc1 Rb6 and White is only a bit better (King safety)

analysis diagram





21.bxc6 Nxc6 22.Bf4+ Kb6 23.Qb3+ Ka6 24.Ra4+ Na5 25.Qc4+ b5 26.Qc6 checkmate

How odd that three Rooks, a Bishop and a Knight look on, uninvolved...

Ending in the Wilderness

I continue to be amazed at how much chess "education" can be found in my Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games, when I play them over afterwards. I guess the use of an oft-refuted opening does not negate interesting problems in the middle game and end game (if I survive that long, of course). 

perrypawnpusher - Xasquete
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

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

This position is similar to one of the main lines in the Jerome Gambit, with 0-0 added for White and ...h7-h6 added for Black.

I think the King move might be a bit stronger than ...Ne5-g6, but it leads to some uncomfortable play for the defender.

Chess, well-known as a "thinking" game, is also a "feeling" game. Grandmasters may look at a particular move because their highly developed intuition suggests that it "feels" right. Club players are more likely to avoid certain lines because they "feel" dangerous or scary.

8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.d4

This move is most often played, although 9.Rd1 was tried in prettyhip1 - cubs0_0, GameKnot, 2007: 9.Rd1 Ne7 10.Qh5 g6 11.Qh3 Bd4 12.Qa3+ Bc5 13.b4 Bd4 14.c3 Bxf2+ 15.Kxf2 Rf8+ 16.Ke3 White resigned.

White's play can be improved, but 9...Ne7 is a good response to 9...Rd1.

9...Bxd4 10.Rd1 c5

Two pieces ahead, Black must be better. As is typical for the Jerome Gambit, however, White has targets: in this case, the Bishop on d4 and the King on d6.

11.c3 Ne7 12.Qf4

Alternate Queen placements were seen in

joev6225 - liverpool, GameKnot, 2006: 12.Qh3 Qb6 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Qa3+ Ke6 15.f4 N5c6 16.f5+ Kf7 17.Nd2 Re8 18.Nc4 Qc7 19.Nd6+ Kf8 20.Nxe8 Kxe8 21.Qf3 Ne5 22.Qg3 Kf8 23.Bf4 d6 24.Rac1 Qa5 25.f6 N7g6 26.Bxe5 Qxe5 27.Qxg6 Be6 28.Qxg7+ Ke8 29.Qe7 checkmate

perrypawnpusher - Lakritzl, blitz FICS, 2009: 12.Qh5 Kc7 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Qxe5+ d6 15.Qxd4 Nc6 16.Qxg7+ Bd7 17.Bf4 Rg8 18.Qxh6 Qe7 19.Bxd6+ Qxd6 20.Qxd6+ Black resigned

12...Qf8

This is a nifty defense that addresses both Black's strategic and emotional needs (even if 12...N7c6 is a bit stronger). With Queens off the board, how unsafe can the King be?

13.cxd4 Qxf4 14.Bxf4

Too routine. Better was 14.dxc5+ first, minimizing Black's advantage.

14...cxd4 15. Rxd4+ Kc5

With 15...Ke6, Xasquete could have made me pay for the above move-order error. Now I get a piece back and have a clear advantage (King safety, ease of development).

16.Bxe5 Nc6 17.Rd5+ Kb6 18.Na3 Nxe5 19.Rxe5 d6

20. Re7 Bg4 21. f3 Bh5 22. Rc1 Rhe8 23. Rcc7 Rxe7 24. Rxe7 Rc8

White's initiative persists.

25. Rxg7 Rc1+ 26. Kf2 Ra1 27. Rh7 Rxa2

I suppose if this were a game between two Grandmasters, the annotator would say "the rest is just a matter of technique." Neither Xasquete nor I are GMs, however.

28.Kg3 a5

Black plans to make the most of his Queenside advantage; the most practical choice.

29.Rxh6 Bf7 30.Rxd6+ Kc5 31.Rd2

Things are going to become interesting as Black works to get (and Queen) a passed pawn. But, certainly my 4 connected passed pawns should count for something?

31... b5 32.Kf2 

After the game, Fritz8 preferred 32.Rc2+ Kb6 33.f4 b4 34.Nb1 a4 35.f5 Ra1 36.Nd2 b3 37.Nxb3 Bxb3 38.Re2, when White has traded his Knight to settle things on the Queenside. The Kingside pawns will win the game.

analysis diagram





32...b4 33.Nb1 Ra1

Here, things get stranger. Fritz8 argues that after the stronger 33...Bb3, White can force a draw by repetition of position – after he sacrifices his Rook and Knight!

The line goes: 33... Bb3 34.Kg3 Ra1 35.Rd3 Kc4 36.Nd2+ Kxd3 37.Nxb3

analysis diagram






37...Rb1 38.e5 Rxb2 39.e6 Rc2 40.f4 a4 41.e7 Rc8 42.f5 axb3

analysis diagram





43.f6 b2 44.f7 b1Q 45.e8Q Qc2 46.Qd7+ etc.

analysis diagram






Wow! I didn't see any of that during the game. Instead, I kept wandering through the wilderness. 

34.Rc2+ Kd4

35. Nd2 Kc5

Here's another line that Fritz8 suggested led to equality: 35...Ke5 36.Rd1 Ba2 37.Nc3 bxc3 38.Rxa1 cxb2 39.Rxa2 b1Q 40.Rxa5+ Ke6 41.Rd5

analysis diagram







Uh, okay, if you say so...

 36. Rc2+ Kd4 37. Nd2 Kd3 38. Rc7

White's play is more active than in the analysis.

38...Kxd2 39. Rxf7 Kc2

The Fritz8 recommendation strangeness continues: "stronger" for Black (but still losing) was 39...Rb1 40.g4 (40.Ra7 Rxb2 41.Rxa5 b3 42.h4 Kc3+ 43.Kg3 Rb1 44.Rc5+ Kb4 45.Rc8 Rg1 46.Rb8+ Kc3 47.f4 b2 48.Rxb2 Kxb2 49.e5.

analysis diagram






40. e5 b3

This finally blows the game open, although I did not realize it at the time. 

41.e6 Kxb2 42.e7 Kc1

42.Rc1 is not much better.

43. e8=Q Ra2+ 44. Kg3 b2 45. Rc7+ Kb1 46.Qe1 checkmate

Get back on the horse...

If you fall off of a horse, you're supposed to get right back on it, or you'll be too scared to ride again... After my last loss via blunder (see "My Turn Again") I knew I had to saddle up the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) or one of its relatives, and take off at a gallop.

The following game, a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, followed a line of play that I was familiar with, but didn't really know, bringing to mind David Freeman's comment that "The more you know, the more you realise how much you don’t know — the less you know, the more you think you know."
perrypawnpusher - Lakritzl
blitz 5 12, FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6


4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6
Or 7...Kf6 8.Qf5+ Ke7 9.Qxe5+ Kf7 10.Qd5+ Kf6 11.e5+ Kg6 12.Qxc5 d6 13.exd6 Qxd6 14.Qxd6+ cxd6 15.Nc3 Bf5 16.d3 Rc8 17.Be3 a6 18.Bd4 Nf6 19.Rae1 Rhe8 20.f3 Kh7 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Kf2 Kg6 24.Re1 Rc8 25.Re7 Rb8 26.Ne4 Bxe4 27.fxe4 b5 28.Rd7 Rb6 29.c3 b4 30.c4 b3 31.a3 f5 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - bergeruw, blitz, FICS, 2007 ;

Or 7...Ng6 8.Qd5+ Kf8 ( 8...Ke8 9.Qxc5 Qe7 10.Qe3 Nf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.f4 b6 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Ba6 15.dxe5 Qxe5 16.Re1 Kf7 17.Qf3 Rhe8 18.Bf4 Qc5+ 19.Be3 Qb5 20.Bd4 Qxb2 21.e5 Nd5 22.e6+ Kg8 23.Qg4 Nxc3 24.Qxg7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - Cibola, blitz, FICS, 2009) 9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qe3 N8e7 11.d4 Kg8 12.Nc3 Kh7 13.f4 Rf8 14.f5 Nh8 15.g4 Kg8 16.g5 hxg5 17.Qxg5 Nf7 18.Qg3 Nc6 19.f6 g5 20.Bxg5 Nxg5 21.Qxg5+ Kf7 22.Qg7+ Ke6 23.d5+ Ke5 24.Qg3+ Kd4 25.Qd3+ Ke5 26.Qg3+ Kd4 27.Qd3+ Ke5 28.Qg3+ Kd4 29.Qd3+ Ke5 30.Qg3+ Kd4 31.Qd3+ Ke5 32.Qg3+ Kd4 drawn, perrypawnpusher - pascalwilliams, blitz, FICS, 2007;

Or 7...g6 8.Qxe5 Nf6 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Ng4 ( 10...Qe8 11.Nc3 c6 12.d3 Be6 13.f4 Ke7 14.f5 gxf5 15.exf5 Kd7 16.Qxe6+ Qxe6 17.fxe6+ Kxe6 18.Bd2 Kd7 19.Rxf6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - wadada, blitz, FICS, 2009) 11.Qf4+ Kg7 12.d4 Rf8 13.Qg3 g5 14.Nc3 c5 15.f4 cxd4 16.Ne2 Ne3 17.Bxe3 dxe3 18.Qxe3 gxf4 19.Nxf4 Qg5 20.Nd5 Qxe3+ 21.Nxe3 Be6 22.Nf5+ Bxf5 23.exf5 Rae8 24.Rae1 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Rxf5 26.Re7+ Kf6 27.Rxb7 Rc5 28.Rxa7 Rxc2 29.Rb7 Rc1+ 30.Kf2 Ke5 31.Rb3 Rc2+ 32.Kf3 d5 33.Re3+ Kf5 34.Re2 Rc4 35.g3 h5 36.b3 Rc5 37.Ke3 Rc3+ 38.Kd4 Rf3 39.Kxd5 Kg4 40.b4 h4 41.gxh4 Kxh4 42.b5 Rd3+ 43.Kc4 Rd7 44.b6 Rb7 45.Kc5 Rxb6 46.Kxb6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher -islanderchess, blitz, FICS, 2008;

Or 7...Kf8 8.Qxe5 Bd6 9.Qd4 Qh4 10.g3 Qh5 11.Qe3 c6 12.d4 b6 13.e5 Bc7 14.f4 Ne7 15.Nc3 b5 16.Ne4 Bb7 17.Nc5 Bc8 18.f5 d6 19.Ne6+ Kg8 20.Nxc7 Nxf5 21.Qf4 Rb8 22.exd6 Bd7 23.Bd2 Rf8 24.Rae1 Kh7 25.Qe5 Qh3 26.Bf4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - LethHansen, blitz, FICS, 2009.

8.Qf5+

Rybka 3.0 suggests as better the Queen maneuver 8.Qh3+ Ke7 9.Qc3 d6 10.d4 and after 10...Bxd4 11.Qxd4 Nf6 White does better than in the game, although Black still has the advantage.

I didn't know that.

8...Kd6 9.d4



An alternative: 9.Rd1 Ne7 10.Qh5 g6 11.Qh3 Bd4 12.Qa3+ Bc5 13.b4 Bd4 14.c3 Bxf2+ 15.Kxf2 Rf8+ 16.Ke3 White resigned, prettyhip1 - cubs0_0, GameKnot, 2007.

9...Bxd4

A tougher defensive idea is 9...Qf6 10.dxe5+ Qxe5 11.Rd1+ ( 11.Bf4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - joejox, blitz, FICS, 2009) 11...Bd4 12.Qf8+ Ke6 13.Qe8+ Kf6 14.Qf8+ Ke6 15.Qe8+ Kf6 1/2-1/2 perrypawnpusher - Joyus, blitz, FICS, 2007.

10.Rd1 c5

Black does better with 10...Qf6 11.Rxd4+ Ke7; but, make no mistake, even with the text he has the advantage.

11.c3 Ne7 12.Qh5

Or 12.Qh3 Qb6 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Qa3+ Ke6 15.f4 N5c6 16.f5+ Kf7 17.Nd2 Re8 18.Nc4 Qc7 19.Nd6+ Kf8 20.Nxe8 Kxe8 21.Qf3 Ne5 22.Qg3 Kf8 23.Bf4 d6 24.Rac1 Qa5 25.f6 N7g6 26.Bxe5 Qxe5 27.Qxg6 Be6 28.Qxg7+ Ke8 29.Qe7 checkmate, joev6225 - liverpool, GameKnot, 2006.

Now Black can continue his defense with 12...Qe8, but decides to give back one piece, and instead gives back two.

13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Qxe5+ d6 

White is now better, and Black's game goes to pieces.

15.Qxd4 Nc6 16.Qxg7+ Bd7 17.Bf4 Rg8 18.Qxh6 Qe7 19.Bxd6+ Qxd6 20.Qxd6+ Black resigned 1-0



Graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"