Chessfriend Vlasta faces the "annoying defense" and shows that while White does not have have a lot to work with, neither does Black. The game is an extended battle, after which the point is split. It is not clear who was satisfied with the result, the defender who nicked his half point against a refuted opening, or the attacker who "survived" playing a refuted opening.
Vlastous - NEWMAN 1982
Internet, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6
So annoying. Black gives back the piece and drains a lot of dynamism out of the position.
8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.Qg3 Ke8
Vlasta has faced 10...Kf7 as well, in Fejfar,V - Goc,P (1/2-1/2, 70); Fejfar,V - Chvojka (0-1, 32); Vlastous 2456 - irinat 2597, ChessManiac.com, 2016 (0-1, 38); and Fejfar,V - Svoboda/corr Czech Cup, 2016 (1-0, 30).
11.Qxe5+
A small improvement over his earlier 11.Nc3 in Fejfar,V - Kyzlink, corr Czech Republic, 2015 (1-0, 20).
11...Qe7 12.Qxe7+ Nxe7
Now we have a battle between the extra two pawns and the extra piece in a Queenless middlegame. White cannot claim an advantage - but how is Black to win?
13.c3 Ng6 14.d4 Be7 15.Be3 Rf8 16.Rf1 Rxf1+ 17.Kxf1 b6 18.g3 Ba6+ 19.Kf2 Bd3 20.Nd2 Kd7
21.Bf4 Rf8 22.Ke3 Ba6 23.Nf3 Bb7 24.h4 h5 25.c4 Rd8 26.Rf1
Re8 27.b3 Bf6
Black's Bishop pair is focused on White's pawn center which has a protected passed pawn.
28.e5 Be7 29.Ng5 Rf8 30.Rf2 Ba3 31.e6+ Kc8 32.Kd3 Nxf4+ 33.gxf4 Kd8 34.f5 Ke7 35.Rf1 Bd6
Black seems unsure what to do. One idea, suggested by Stockfish 8, is to undermine the support of White's advanced passer, while exchanging Rooks, i.e. 35...g6 36.fxg6 Rxf1 37.g7 Rf8 38.gxf8=Q+ Kxf8.
36.Nh7 Rh8 37.Ng5 Rg8 38.Ke3 Bg3 39.d5 Bxh4 40.Kf4 c6
Interestingly enough, this attempt at undermining support is not successful, in that it opens a line for White's Rook. The piece activity allows White to give up a second pawn.
41.d6+ Kxd6 42.Rd1+ Kc5 43.Ne4+ Kb4 44.Rd7 Bc8 45.Rxa7 b5 46.cxb5 cxb5 47.Rc7 Ba6 48.Rf7 Ka5 49.Ke5 Kb6
50.e7 Re8 51.f6 gxf6+ 52.Nxf6 Bxf6+ 53.Rxf6+ Kc5
Black decides to surrender his Bishop for the advanced passed pawn, submitting to the draw.
54.Rxa6 Rxe7+ 55.Kf4 Kb4 56.a4 Rb7 57.axb5 Rxb5 58.Kg3 Kxb3 59.Kh4 Kb4 60.Rh6 Rc5 61.Rxh5 Draw
Chess games have been compared to a work of art created collaboratively by two people. That can especially be said about Jerome Gambit games where, with a little bit of "help" by Black, something spectacular can be created.
On the other hand, without that kind of "cooperation" White can find himself in for some hard work - like in the game below, from chessfriend Vlastimil Fejfar.
Readers are encouraged to play through the game, and see if they can build on Vlasta's efforts.
Vlastous - irinat
ChessManiac.com, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6
Ah, man, the "annoying defense" again. By returning the piece Black takes a lot of excitment out of the game - kind of like an over-boiled piece of meat. Computers love the line, as it gives Black an advantage; and computers are less likely to make the kind of "human" mistakes that work toward creating an exciting work of art. In this game, Black does a good job impersonating a computer.
8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.Qg3 Kf7 11.Qxe5 Qh4+ 12.g3 Qe7 13.Qxe7+ Nxe7
White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece, but the "Jerome pawns" are a long way from becoming a dynamic, attacking force.
14.c3
Previously Vlasta played another difficult game with the interesting 14.h3, Fejfar,V - Chvojka, corr, Czech Republic, 2016, (0-1, 32).
14...Bh3 15.d4 Bb6 16.Nd2 c5 17.Nf3 h6 18.Be3 cxd4 19.Bxd4 Nc6 20.O-O-O
20...Bg2 21.Rhg1 Bxf3 22.Rgf1 Nxd4 23.cxd4 Rhc8+ 24.Kb1 Kg6 25.Rxf3 Rc4 26.b3 Rxd4 27.Rxd4 Bxd4
The occupants of d4 and e4 suggest the rest of the story.
28.Kc2 Rc8+ 29.Kd2 Bf6 30.Rf2 Rd8+ 31.Ke2 Kf7 32.Rf5 Rc8 33.Kd2 Ke6 34.Kd1 Bg5 35.h4 Rc1+ 36.Ke2 Bf6 37.Rb5 b6 38.a4 Rc3 White resigned
A valiant effort by White, but now his pawns are under too much pressure, and soon some will fall.
