An Interesting Contrast

After looking at perrypawnpusher - hicks, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2014 in the last post, I was playing over Philidor 1792 - Sauron 2005, 3 0 blitz, 2014, when I noticed an interesting contrast.

In the previous game, Black was done in by the fact that all but one of his pieces were on the back rank - a positional concession that had a tremendously negative impact. Here, the situation is completely different: Black can hold off White's attack by retreating - 18...Nh8 19.Kb1 Qd8.

analysis diagram






Instead, Sauron 2005 counter-attacked, and lost.

18.Qxa2 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.Qxf6 Bg7 21.Qxg6 Bd7 22.Nh5 Re7 23.Nf6+ Kf8 24.Rh8+ Bxh8 25.Qg8 checkmate

Professor Houdini (Part 2)

Here we continue the lessons from my last Jerome Gambit, a 2 12 blitz game. Tacticians are encouraged to follow along and discover what I and my opponent missed, and what Houdini later pointed out.

perrypawnpusher - ficshicks
blitz 2 12, FICS, 2014

Here I had just played 13.Nc4+, but, instead, after 13.Qc3!, Houdini rates White over a Rook ahead! 

analysis diagram



White is threatening mate, starting with Qb3+. Black can cover the checkmate square at b5, create "luft" (for his King or Bishop), as well as attack White's center with 13...c6 - if he needs to return a piece, this would make ...Nxd5 more do-able, allowing the Bishop to retreat along the a3-f8 diagonal.

White can then press on with 14.Be3+ Ka6 (if 14...Kc7 then 15.Nb5+ Kb8 16.Nxd6 with a two pawn advantage and an overwhelming position for White) 15.Nc4 Nxd5 16.exd5 Bf8 17.0-0-0. 

analysis diagram




While on the board White has one more pawn, Houdini rates the first player to be about a Queen ahead. I can not figure all that out, but it has to be due to all those undeveloped Black pieces! Mate or the win of a major piece is not yet apparent, but White clearly is better...

13...Kb5

Because of White's inaccuracy on the previous move (12.Nc4+ instead of 12.Qc3!), Black has the option of 13...Ka6 when after 14.Nxd6 cxd6 15.Qxd6+ b6 White has to make use of his 3 extra pawns against Black's extra piece, a relatively more difficult assignment.

14.a4+

A fitting cheapo - that works.

14...Kxc4

Once again, a6 is the safer square for the Black King to retreat to, when c3 would be the right square for the White Queen. It is hard not to point out that after 14...Ka6 15.Qc3 b6 (best) White would have the hilarious 16.Na5!?, when Black would have to find 16...c6 just to stave off - temporarily - disaster.

15.Qc3 checkmate

Professor Houdini (Part 1)

The other day I played a 2 12 blitz Jerome Gambit game, checkmating my opponent in 15 moves. A simple thing? Hardly. With the help of Houdini, afterwards, I discovered that my opponent and I had missed a whole lot.

perrypawnpusher - ficshicks
blitz 2 12, FICS, 2014

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ne7

This is not Black's strongest defense.

An error by the defender, especially in an opening as sketchy as the Jerome Gambit, is a gift. The attacker should know what kind of gift that it is, and respond accordingly. In this case, it is important to realize that White can regain his sacrificed material, but that Black can find safety for his King.

9.Qxe5+

At this point, Black resigned in perrypawnpusher - ktonthat, blitz 10 5, FICS, 2009.

9...Kc6

Here, Black resigned in perrypawnpusher - Greystroke, blitz, FICS, 2012.

10.d4

I had forgotten that 10.Qc3 is the right move here, because a past opponent and I quickly left the path with 10...Qf8 11.d4 Qf6 12.Qxc5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - nicolasalk, blitz, FICS, 2009.

Instead of expanding his pawn center, and dreaming of checkmate, White should think of pinning and winning the Black Bishop after 10...b6 11.b4 d6 12.d4 Kb7 13.bxc5 dxc5 14.dxc5 Nc6 when Black's King is safe, and White is ahead a couple of pawns.

Even at that point, White should modestly play 15.0-0, instead of grabbing more matrial with 15.cxb6 axb6 16.Qxg7 because of 16...Rg8 17.Qc3 Rxg2 when Black would be winning!

10...Bd6

Stronger was 10...d6, as in perrypawnpusher - vypux, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 20). In that game I was able to get away with 11.Qxg7  because my opponent missed 11...Nf5! 12.exf5 Qe8+ 13.Kd1 Bxf5 after which, if anything, Black would have an edge, despite his two-pawn deficit. Note that 14.dxc5? now would be crushed by  14...Qh5+ Instead White should try the sharp 14.d5+!? when Black would be prudent to reply 14...Kb6,

analysis diagram





with in an unclear position where White's King is in more danger than his counterpart, and Black's 2 Bishops and better Rooks give him the more threatening prospects. 

Also, 10...Bb4+ 11.Nc3 (11.c3 is better) appeared in perrypawnpusher - TheChessInnovator, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 43).

(Having played the line 5 times previously, and apparently having learned very little in the process, I am reminded of the Firesign Theater album, "Everything You Know Is Wrong"!) 

11.d5+ Kb5 

Safer was 11...Kb6 when after 12.Qc3 White has to develop and make threats against the enemy King while taking advantage of Black's trapped (thanks to the Knight on e7) Bishop. Black can, in some situations, consider returning his Knight instead with a well-timed ...Nxd5 followed by a Bishop retreat. Houdini puts White's advantage at less than a pawn, and shows no direct checkmates. 

12.Na3+

This move was based on the simple idea 12...Bxa3 13.bxa3 and then White will have the use of the b-file for a winning attack on the enemy King.

However, after the game Houdini pointed out that after 13...Ka6 there is no "winning attack on the enemy King" and that all White has left is 14.Qxg7 Rg8 15.Qd4 b6 (Not 15...Rxg2 right off because 16.Qa4+ Kb6 17.Rb1+ Kc5 18.Qb4#) 16.0-0 when Black's King escapes with 16...Kb7 and the game is about even.

Instead 12.Qd4 was the move to make, and then White's threats against Black's Bishop and King would give him the advantage, although it would still be a long time before the game would be decided.

12...Kb6 

As suggested above, 12...Ka6 would again leave White with little more than 13.Qxg7 when 13...b6, 13...Ng6 or 13...Re8 (followed by 14.0-0) all look about even. 

13.Nc4+ 

[to be continued]