The following game has a funny mix of things that were "new" to me and things that were "old" friends. After yesterday's challenging loss, it was nice to return to winning ways.
perrypawnpusher - gmann
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.Nc3
I've always played 4.0-0 here, as in an earlier game against my opponent, perrypawnpusher - gmann, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39), but recent posts on this blog got me thinking about trying something new. Nothing came of it this time, however.
4...Nf6 5.0-0 Bc5
The game has transposed to the not-so-new Semi-Italian Four Knights Game, something that I have played over 45 times.
6.Bxf7+
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4
An interesting idea was 8...Ng6, which I saw in perrypawnpusher - richardachatz, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 20) and later in perrypawnpusher - gmann, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 21).
9.Qxd4
9...Nc6 10.Qd3
An old decision. The computers prefer 10.Qc4+, but I have had mixed results with the move: perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1,26), perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 19), and perrypawnpusher - transilvania, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 12).
10...d6 11.f4 g6
This was new to me. It was hard to look at the pawn pair at g6 and h6 and think that at least one of them should have stayed on its original square. This is not a major error, nothing to upset the fact the Black is better; but one way that Black loses in the Jerome Gambit is by the accumulation of small disadvantages.
12.Bd2 Nb4
Ah, yes, an old friend again... I am almost over feeling guilty when my opponents play this kind of move (When in doubt, harass the Queen!).
13.Qc4+ Be6
After the game Houdini showed a preference for 13...d5 14.Qxb4 dxe4 followed by 15.Nb5 a6 16.Qc4+ Be6 17.Qxc7+ Qxc7 18.Nxc7 Rac8 19.Nxe6 Kxe6 when White was a bit better.
14.Qxb4 Rb8 15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 Bxd5 17.Qd4
This centralizing move is okay, but after the game Houdini recommended the more aggressive 17.f5. Now Black should retreat his Bishop.
17...c6 18.c4 Bxc4 19.Qxc4+ d5 20.Qd3 Kg7
Reaching the sanctuary he prepared on move 11, but it is too late.
21.Bc3 Kh7 22.f5 Qg5 23.fxg6+ Qxg6 24.Qxg6+
An old habit: simplify to an ending (missing 24.Rf7+ Kg8 25.Qxg6 checkmate).
24...Kxg6 25.Rf6+ Kg7 26.Raf1
26...Rhf8 27.Rxf8 Rxf8 28.e6+ Kg8 29.e7 Re8 30.Re1 Kf7 31.Bb4 b6 32.Bd6 b5
33.Rf1+ Ke6 34.Rf8 Rxe7 35.Bxe7 Kxe7 36.Ra8 Black resigned
Sometimes my games end with a puzzle, leaving me to wonder what has happened. Often, this is because of what has gone on in the game. However, in the following contest I had to wonder what had gone on outside the game.
perrypawnpusher - transilvania
blitz, FICS, 2011
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 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Nc6 10.Qc4+
The correct response to the attack on the Queen.
I have won two games with 10.Qd3, perrypawnpusher - LeChinois, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15)) and perrypawnpusher - javipangea, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 19), nonetheless.
10...Kf8
Correct, again, although I have lost two games to 10...Kg6, perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 26) and perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 19).
Go figure.
11.f4 d6 12.Be3
Here, Black stands well.
However, with over 5 minutes left on his clock, he let them all run our and forfeited on time.
I hope nothing bad happened. Perhaps, as they say, he "had bigger fish to fry."
Dear Readers,
Look at the following diagram.
What move would you play for White?
If it takes more than 10 seconds to decide, read further...
perrypawnpusher - javipangea
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.O-O Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5
As noted elsewhere, Black's best here is the "fork trick" 4...Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5. This equalizes for Black, but, as with many of the Jerome Gambit refutations, the game does not "play itself" from there, as one of my recent opponents discovered: 6.Bd3 (best) dxe4 7.Bxe4 Bg4 (interesting) 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.0-0 e4 10.Re1 Bc5 (huh?) 11.Rxe4+ Black resigned (a bit early, but perhaps disappointed in the game), perrypawnpusher - NN, blitz, FICS, 2011.
6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Nc6
10.Qd3
Twice before I played, instead, 11.Qc4+, but was not happy with the results: perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 26) and perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 19).
I chose the objectively weaker text because I was feeling lucky... (As they warn in those television commercials: Closed course. Professional Driver. Do not attempt.)
10...Nb4
Played without much thought, attacking the Queen – and returning a piece.
11.Qc4+ Nfd5
Unnecessarily generous. After 11...d5 12.Qxb4 dxe4 White would be only a pawn up.
12.exd5 Nxc2
And so we have the position given in the introductory diagram. Material is even, but Black's Knight is threatening White's Rook. More to the point, though, White's Queen is threatening Black's King.
What to move?
13.d6+
Of course.
Not only does White open a line to the enemy King, more importantly he blocks Black's d-pawn, which in turn block's Black's Bishop, which in turn block's Black's Rook...
13...Kf8 14.Rb1
Boooooooo!
The move, saving the Rook, is of course just fine.
However, White's 13th move begs to be followed by the thematic 14.Nd5. Unless Black moves his Knight, he will lose it, yet 14...Nxa1 allows White to mate: 15.Qf4+ Qf6 (15... Ke8 16. Re1+ Qe7 17. Rxe7+ Kd8 18. dxc7#; 15...Kg8 16.Ne7+ Qxe7 17.dxe7 d5 18.e8=Q+ Kh7 19.Qef7 h5 20.Qh6#) 16.Nxf6 gxf6 17.Qxf6+ Kg8 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.Re1 Nc2 20.Re8 checkmate.
Readers with sharp tactical skills probably found 13.d6+ and 14.Nd5 in under 10 seconds.
14...cxd6 15.Ne4 d5 16.Qxd5 Nb4
That pesky Knight is escaping!
17.Qf5+
After the game Rybka suggested the "simple" 17.Qc5+ Kg8 18.Qxb4, collecting the Knight. Was it really that easy?
What about 17...Qe7, blocking the check and protecting the Knight?
Well, it turns out that White can answer with 18.Nd6 (you probably saw that coming) and then answer 18...Na6 with 19.Qd4.
analysis diagram
I was fascinated to see that Rybka rates this position about four and a half pawns better for White. Think about it: material is even and White has one more piece developed than Black (if you count the Rook at f1, but not the Rook at b1). None of Black's pieces are hanging.
What will happen? White will put his Bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal with either Bc1-d2-c3 or b2-b3 & Bc1-b2 and then he will move a Rook to e1. Eventually something will shake loose...
In an 8-game "shootout" match from this position between Rybka 3 Dynamic and Rybka 3 Human, White won all of the games. Likewise, in a "shootout" between Rybka 3 and Houdini 1.5a.
17...Qf6
A slip. Sometimes it seems that defending against the Jerome Gambit isn't worth my opponents' full attentions.
Of course, after the much better 17...Kg8 White again has 18.Nd6. Understanding that position, as with the earlier one, will open a few more doors in the mystery that is chess.
18.Nxf6 gxf6 19.Qxf6+ Black resigned.
This game is the latest in a series of my attempts to understand a move that Rybka has recommended in various post mortems. Although I still quite don't understand it, I played it – and my opponent responded as if he didn't understand it, either – and suddenly the game was over.
perrypawnpusher - LeChinois
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4
8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Nc6
More frequently seen is 9...d6 10.f4 Nc6, but I do not see a problem with the text.
10.Qd3
I've lost a couple of games with the alternative, 10.Qc4+, e.g.: 10...Kg6 11.f4 Re8 (11...Rf8 12.f5+ Kh7 perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 26)) 12.f5+ Kh7 perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 19)
10...Qe7
11.f4
After the game I fed the moves to Rybka in blundercheck mode, and here (and for subsequent moves) it recommended instead 11.Nd5.
I know that Nd5 is the kind of move that you play here (at least according to Rybka, which has made that recommendation several times in past games) but I did not like what would happen with Black's Queen at e7: 11...Qxe4 12.Qxe4 Nxe4 13.Nxc7 Rb8. I was hoping for more than exchanging my e-pawn for my opponent's c-pawn.
11...d6 12.Bd2
Again, Rybka preferred 12.Nd5 Qxe4 13.Qxe4 Nxe4 14.Nxc7 Rb8.
12...Bd7 13.Rae1
Okay, with my e-pawn protected with this move, now I'm ready for Nd5.
13...a5
Of course Rybka preferred 13...Rae8 – followed by 14.Nd5 (and 15.Bc3).
14.Nd5
Tah dah!
White also had 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 Nxe5 16.Qd5+ Kg6 17.Qxe5 Qxe5 18.Rxe5 which equalized, but which took much of the dynamism out of the game.
14...Be6
Well, that settles everything...
Rybka pointed out the essential 14...Qd8 and then suggested that White could/should draw with 15.Nxf6 Qxf6 16.Bc3 Qe7 17.e5 Be8 18.Re3 Kg8 19.Qd5+ Kh7 20.Qe3+ Kg8 21.Qd5+ etc.
15.Nxe7 Black resigned
When you have invested a lot of material in an unsound sacrificial opening, it is a treat to get some of it back quickly. That does not mean that the battle is over, however.
perrypawnpusher - abczyx
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4
7...Bxd4
Popular, but the best response remains 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5
8.Qxd4 d6 9.f4
Alonzo Wheeler Jerome had this position (by transposition) twice in correspondence games against S.A. Charles and both times played 9.Bg5. I never remember that.
9...Nc6 10.Qd3 Re8 11.0-0 Nb4
Oh, dear, not again... The New Year's Database has six of my games with this Knight strike when Black's King is at g8, and one when it is at f7.
12.Qc4+ d5
The right response, found by pwr and mjmonday in similar positions, although I admit I prefer to face susant's response, even though it is a bit over-the-top: Resigns.
13.Qxb4 Nxe4
The fact is that although White has recovered his sacrificed piece, the position is still roughly equal – and in this case White's Kingside seems a bit unprotected and his Queen, out of place.
14.Qd4 Nxc3 15.Qxc3 d4 16.Qd3 Qd6 17.Qxh7
This pawn-grab is a bit risky, opening a line to White's King.
17...Bd7 18.Bd2 Rh8 19.Qd3 a6
Perhaps Black could have considered doubling Rooks here, but he had something else on his mind.
20.Rae1 Bb5
What exactly is going on here?
a) Black will win the exchange with his "x-ray attack" along the a6-f1 diagonal
b) Black threatens to win the exchange with his "x-ray attack" along the a6-f1 diagonal, but White has tactical resources to escape
c) Black has blundered and will have to give up a piece to stay in the game
21.Qf5+
Well, obviously vladchess chose "a" as his answer, and this move shows that I believed in "b".
Only after the game did Rybka show its preference for "c". With 21.Qb3+ Black's King is shown to be in a world of danger. His best response is 21...Kf6, but after 22.Bb4 White has too many lines of attack. If 22...Qd7, then 23.Re7 Qxe7 24.Bxe7+ Kxe7. If 22...c5 then 23.Bxc5 Qd7 24.Re7 Qxe7 25.Bxe7+ Kxe7. Black can try 22...Ba4, but White can swap Queens and then grab the piece with 23.Bxd6 Bxb3 24.Be5+ Kf7 25.axb3.
21...Kg8 22.Rf3 d3
The idea behind this is unclear. Black did best with 22...Rf8, as after 23.Qe5 Qxe5 24.Rxe5 White's advantage is small.
23.cxd3 Bd7 24.Qe5 Qb6+
Exchanging Queens was more prudent.
25.Kh1 Re8
Black still wants to battle it out.
26.Qc3
I overlooked the fact that White not only can win a Rook and a Bishop for his Queen, he can also add an additional Rook: 26.Qxe8+ Bxe8 27.Rxe8+ Kf7 (or 27...Kh7 28.Rh3+) 28.Rxh8
26...Qh6
Finally doubling up on the file that I so graciously opened earlier.
27.Rxe8+ Bxe8 28.Rh3
Forcing another exchange of Rooks.
28...Qb6
An ill-considered retreat, as White immediately shows.
29.Qc4+ Bf7 30.Rxh8+ Kxh8 31.Qxf7 Qxb2
Black is still ready to make a battle of it: his Queenside pawns vs my extra Bishop. It will come down to whose King is more at risk.
32.Qe8+
At around this point my opponent offered me a draw. I found this encouraging, as most of the time when someone offers me a draw it is because they want to distract me from a win...
32...Kh7 33.Qe1 Qxa2 34.f5 b5 35.g4
Giving my King some luft and planning to limit Black's King.
Here Black had a chance to reduce his pawns vs Bishop scenario to simpler terms with 35...Qd5+ 36.Qe4 Qxe4 37.dxe4 b4. However, White's Bishop can hold back the enemy pawns from c1, until it needs to leap forward at the right moment to h6 to allow it's own pawn to Queen.
35...c5 36.g5 b4
In the end, the pawns on the Kingside rule.
37.g6+ Kh8 38.Qh4+ Kg8 39.Qd8 checkmate
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.
