Despite what different masters are reported to have said, it is not true that "Chess Is Life". Sometimes it appears that "life" is what keeps us busy, and occasionally from playing chess, though...
perrypawnpusher - mnoori
blitz, FICS, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qf6
10.Nc3
The is one move among many possible.
Bill Wall has played 10.d3, as in Wall,B - G3LC, PlayChess.com 2011 (1-0, 22).
Louis Morin has show an interest in 10.d4, as in mrjoker - Igor77, Internet Chess Club, 2008 (1-0, 70), guest2199 - guest401, Internet Chess Club, 2004 (1-0, 87) and MrJoker - Melbourne, Internet Chess Club, 2011 (1-0, 13).
I've varied with 10.0-0, as in perrypawnpusher - TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25).
10...Be6
Possibly better was 10...c6, as in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 28), perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0,59) and MrJoker - ZICO, Internet Chess Club, 2012 (1-0, 34).
11.0-0 N8e7 12.f4 Bd7
In this kind of position, I usually see things differently during the game than Houdini sees afterwards. I think "tactics" and play f4-f5, "kicking" Black's Knight, hoping to chase him to e5 when I can "kick" it again with d2-d4. Houdini "thinks" "position" and chooses d2-d4 instead, suggesting that Black respond to a later f4-f5 by withdrawing his Knight to g8.
13.f5 Ne5
In all fairness, had my opponent played 13...Nf8 here instead, I would have followed up with 14.d4.
14.d4 Nc4
My opponent prefers to play actively, but 14...N5c6 was probably better, with and edge to Black.
15.Qd3 b5
I was pretty sure during the game that Houdini would want me now to play 16.a4, but I couldn't figure out what would be wrong with Black simply defending with 16...c6. After the game Houdini showed me 17.e5 dxe5 18.Ne4!? with a sharp attack - good for you, Readers, who figured that out!
I was unhappy with the possibility of 16.a4 b4 as well, although, again, after the game Houdini said "no worries" after 17.Nb5 Bxb5 18.axb5 and White will eventually capture the pawn at b4. Well, okay...
16.b3 Nb6
After the game Houdini again pointed out that if 16...b4, White would have the familiar 17.e5 dxe5 18.Ne4!? I think I would have answered 16...b4 with 17.bxc4 bxc3 18.Qxc3 and been happy with my broad pawn center.
17.Nxb5
At this point my opponent seems to have disappeared, and Black forfeited on time. Quite likely, "life" intruded; I hope nothing bad.
Instead, after 17...Bxb5 18.Qxb5+ Nd7 19.Bb2 White would have a comfortable game, with three pawns for his sacrificed piece, and possibly a small edge.
The following game shows White surviving his unsound opening, moving gradually to an even position; later, taking advantage of Black's tactical slips to obtain an advantage; later, still, mis-playing his advantageous middlegame into a better endgame; and, further, almost frittering that endgame advantage away... before winning.
perrypawnpusher - strobane
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qf6 10.Nc3
Or 10.d3 as in Wall,B - G3LC, Playchess.com, 2011 (1-0, 22); or
10.0-0 as in perrypawnpusher TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25); or
10.d4 as in guest2199 - guest401, ICC, 2004 (1-0, 87) and mrjoker - Igor77, ICC, 2008 (1-0, 70).
10...N8e7
Also played: 10...c6 in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 28); and 10...b6 in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 59).
This is familiar territory, so the moves are coming relatively quickly, which is useful in blitz.
11.0-0 Rf8 12.d4 Kf7
Black castles-by-hand. The game is sliding toward roughly equal.
13.f4 Kg8 14.f5 Nh8 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Qb6
A reasonable, even scientific idea: exchange Queens to blunt any possible White attack; and consider returning a piece for the "Jerome pawns" with an even game.
17.g4 Qxe3+ 18.Bxe3 Bd7 19.Bc5 Rae8 20.f6
After the game, Rybka 3 preferred 20.e6, but at the time that looked too static for me.
20...gxf6 21.exf6 Bxg4
I am guessing that this was just a blitz oversight.
22.fxe7 Rf5 23.Rxf5 Bxf5 24.Rf1 Bg6
Okay, the advanced "Jerome pawn" has become quite powerful. Take a few moments to plan out White's winning plan.
25.Rf8+ Kg7 26.Bd4+ Kh6 27.Rxe8
IF you saw 27.Nd5, headed to c7 or f6 to harass the Black Rook and fight for the e8 square, good for you.
27...Bxe8 28.Bxh8 Kg6
A piece ahead, I was happy with my game, but I never really developed a "winning strategy" from this point, so the game soon turns into an oddly psychological wander.
29.Bd4 Kf7 30.Bxa7 Kxe7 31.Nd5+ Kd6 32.Nf6 Bg6 33.Be3 Bxc2 34.Kf2 c6 35.Kf3 Ke5 36.Ng4+ Kf5 37.Nf2 Bb1 38.a3 Ba2 39.Nd3 Bd5+ 40.Kf2 h5
Ideas for White? Now 41.Bb6 would put a nice cramp on Black's position.
41.Nc5
I had decided that the only thing that I could do with my extra piece would be to exchange it for two pawns. That would leave me in a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, and I would have to use my knowledge, skill and experience there to make something of the drawish situation.
That would be a pretty sad outcome for what seems to be a "won" game.
Black's next move introduces another possibility: White can work to advance his a-pawn and create a passer. I overlooked that possibility totally.
41...b5 42.Kg3 Kg6 43.Kh4 Bf3 44.Nd7 Kf5 45.Nb8 Kg6 46.Na6 Kf5 47.Nb4 Kg6 48.Bd2 Kf5 49.Nxc6 Bxc6 50.Kxh5 Bg2
Here is a rather annoying thought for White: even if he were able to create a passed a-pawn with b2-b3 and a3-a4 (something that Black can prevent by either covering b3 or getting his Bishop to d1 in a timely fashion) leaving himself with two Rook-pawn passers, Black could afford to sacrifice his Bishop for the h-pawn, as this would leave White with a drawn RP + Bishop of the wrong color endgame!
51.h4 Bf3+ 52.Kh6 Ke5 53.Kg6 Be4+ 54.Kg5 Kd5 55.h5 Kc4
A very surprising slip after 30 decent moves of defense. Black's King and Bishop were doing a good job of defending against White's hopes to advance his h-pawn. Now the monarch goes too far away, to attack pawns that are easily defended.
56.h6 Kb3 57.Bc3 Bh7 58.Kf6 Be4 59.Kg7 Bd3 60.h7 Bxh7 61.Kxh7
61...Kc4 62.Kg6 Kd5 63.Kf5 Kc4 64.Ke4 Kc5 65.Bb4+ Kb6 66.Kd4 Kc6 67.b3 Kb6 68.Kd5 Black resigned
The standard advice when your opponent is low on time is to take your time and play good moves. Good moves will cause your opponent more problems, and cause him to take even more time, or force him into making bad moves.
The temptation is great, however, to blitz an opponent who is short on time. I think that this is what happened in the following game, when Black should have spent a bit more time on his own moves instead of trying to hurry me and mine.
perrypawnpusher - HGBoone
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5
I had forgotten at the time of this game, but HGBoone and I had played twice previously, both games being Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambits: perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 27) and perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 46)
4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qf6
10.Nc3
I played 10.0-0 previously, in perrypawnpusher - TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25). 10.d4 was an option of about equal strength.
10...b6
Instead, the more prudent 10...c6 was my opponent's choice in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 28).
11.Nd5 Qd8 12.0-0
White could grab a pawn, instead, and have a roughly equal game after 12.Qc3, e.g. 12...Kd7 13.Qxg7+ N8e7 14.d4 Bb7 15.Nf6+ Kc8.
The text move is okay, but it shows the shallowness of my planning.
12...Bb7 13.f4 N8e7 14.f5 Ne5
15.d4
This is the standard Knight-kick, but 15.f6 was probably better.
15...Ng4 16.Qe2 h5
Black has aggressive intentions, or else he would have played 16...Nf6.
17.Nf4 a5 18.Ne6 Qd7 19.Nxg7+ Kd8 20.Nxh5
Knocking the prop out from under the advanced enemy Knight.
My time was getting short, and I noticed that a few times my opponent replied almost instantly. His next move was too quick.
20...Nf6
Bad. I had expected the straight forward 20...Rxh5 21.Qxg4.
21.Nxf6 Qc8 22.Qg4 Ba6
At long last my opponent gets to play a move that he had planned for when my Queen and Rook were on the same diagonal.
23.Re1
Stronger was 23.Qg7, now or on the next move.
23...Rf8 24.e5 Nxf5 25.Bg5 Ne7 26.Qxc8+
I think this surprised my opponent, the idea that I would swap Queens in the middle of an attack; but I figured that the Bishop pin was enough to win. I did not want to waste too much time figuring out better alternatives that also won.
26...Rxc8
The rest of the game is just the playing out of White's advantage.
27.Nd5 Re8 28.exd6 cxd6 29.Bxe7+ Rxe7 30.Nxe7 Rxc2
31.Nf5 Bb7 32.Ne3 Rxb2 33.Reb1 Re2 34.Re1 Rd2 35.d5 Rd3
Black is down a Rook. Winning the d-pawn will only un-complicate the game further for White by removing the minor pieces.
36.Rab1 Kc7 37.Kf2 Rd2+ 38.Re2 Rd4 39.Rc2+ Kb8 40.Rxb6 Rf4+ 41.Kg3 Re4 42.Kf3 Rb4 43.Rb2 Rxb6 44.Rxb6 Ka7 45.Rxd6
45...a4 46.Ke4 a3 47.Ke5 Ka8 48.Rd8+ Ka7 49.d6 Bc6 50.d7 Kb7 51.Kd6 Bb5 52.Rh8 Bxd7 53.Kxd7
53...Kb6 54.Rh5 Kb7 55.Nc4 Kb8 56.Rb5+ Ka7 57.Kc7 Ka6 58.Nxa3 Ka7 59.Ra5 checkmate
When I was a kid I was fascinated by "knights in shining armor". My first model was neither a car nor an airplane; it was a knight (the "Red Knight of Vienna"). Only much later did I realize that while all that armor provided a lot of protection, it severely limited what the knight could do. He even needed to be hoisted by his page (and others) onto his horse!
perrypawnpusher - pitrisko
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8
A solid reply. For an introduction, take a look at "Critical Line: 5...Kf8" parts 1, 2, and 3.
Our two earlier encounters this year had continued, instead, 5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS, 2011 (½-½, 54) and perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 28).
6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.d3 Qh4
There are no examples of this move in The Database. It seems like an improvement over 7...Qf6, which I have faced a handful of times.
8.0-0 Bd6 9.f4 Bg4 10.Qd2 Ne7
Although White's pieces are uncomfortable and undeveloped, Houdini gives Black only an edge here, so it must be inpressed by the "Jerome pawns."
11.e5
After the game Houdini recommended 11.Qc3 Ke8 12.d4 Kd7 13.Qb3 Be6 14.c4 b5 15.Nd2 Rhf8 16.e5 Rxf4 17.Rxf4 Qxf4 18.Nf3 Qe4 19.exd6 Bxc4 20.Qa3 cxd6 21.Bd2 a6 22.Re1 Qg6 23.Bg5 Nf5 as slightly better for Black. That's rather complicated. I would suggest the straightforward 11.Qe3 followed by 12.Nd2 and 13.Nf3, instead.
11...Bc5+ 12.d4 Bb6
While I was happy the way my d-pawn blocked out Black's Bishop, my 12th move did not strengthen my center, it actually made it more fragile, as 12...Rd8 13.c3 Nf5 and a subsequent Knight sacrifice on d4 would have shown.
13.g3
My suit of pawn "armor" is almost fully in place, but, as will be seen, I can do little with it. As soon as Black can find a "can opener" I will suffer.
13...Qh3 14.Qf2 Nf5 15.c3 Kf7 16.Nd2 Rhf8 17.Ne4 Kg8 18.Be3 h6
Visually, White may not look too bad off (unless you think "blockade"), but Houdini clearly sees Black as better. The question is: What will White do? It is clear that Black will take advantage of the a7-g1 diagonal, if at all possible.
19.Rae1 Rad8 20.Qd2 Ne7 21.Nf2 Qh5 22.Nxg4 Qxg4 23.Qf2 Nd5
White's squirming in his armor has kept him alive, so far.
24.Qg2 c5 25.h3 Qg6 26.Qf2
A poor move, and the armor is breached.
26...Nxe3 27.Rxe3 cxd4 28.cxd4 Bxd4 29.Qf3 Bxe3+ 30.Qxe3 Rd3 White resigned
Hats off to pirisko, who came back with a new defense, a Theoretical Novelty, a bit of patience and the ability to outplay me right down the line!
Like the first "Day in the Life of the Jerome Gambit", here is a game "that readily illustrates the highs and lows, attractions and pitfalls of that offbeat opening."
perrypawnpusher - jgknight
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6
10.0-0 Ng4
This move has more behind it than just being annoying. It's been played against me by Riversider, lorecai and pitrisko, but jgknight's follow-up has more potential poison.
11.Qg3 Rf8
The assessment of the position here is that Black is a bit better, but White should read his daily horoscope: As long as White guards the squares e2 and f4 and leaves the square h3 open, he should be okay.
Cryptic? Follow along.
12.h3
Uh-oh...
White should have tried 12.d3, 12.d4, 12.f4 or 12.Nc3.
12...N4e5
Instead, Black had 12...Nf4, protecting the Knight at g4 because of the awakward threatened fork at e2. After 13.Nc3, though, the follow-up 13...Nh5 shows just how bad things have gotten for White. Rybka 3 now recommends giving up the Queen with 14.Qxg4 as "best", as even the more hopeful-looking 14.Qd3 collapses after 14...Ne5, when 15.Qe3 is met by 15...Nf3+ 16.gxf3 Nf4 and White's King is in dire straits.
Oh, if only White's Queen could have escaped to h3 in respnse to 13...Nh5!
Let's continue a bit further in this "Day in the Life". Black does not take advantage of his opportunity, and soon the Jerome Gambiteer is looking pretty good.
13.f4 Nc6 14.f5 Qh4 15.Qe3 Nge5 16.d4 Nc4 17.Qd3 b5
I've seen similar c4-Knights in my games against saltos, VGxdys, parlance and pitrisko. The game is about even.
18.a4 Ba6
Tempting tactical fate.
After the game Rybka 3 suggested 18...Bxf5 19.axb5 N4e5 20.dxe5 Nxe5 21.Qe3 Qxe4 with the game still about even.
19.b3
This made the most sense to me, but Rybka much preferred 19.axb5 Bxb5 20.Nc3 Nb4 21.Qe2 c6 22.Nxb5 cxb5 23.b3 Nxc2 (23...Nb6 24.Qxb5+) 24.Qxc2 Nb6. If you saw that line of play and realized at the end that White is not merely up a pawn, but has great attacking chances (starting with 25.Qc6+), good for you!
19...N4a5 20.axb5 Nb4
Black's Knights are tripping all over each other, but my tactical sense of what is going on fails me even faster than my opponent's does.
21.Qe2 Bb7 22.Rxa5 Bxe4 23.Re1
More direct, and stronger, was 23.Rf4.
23...d5 24.Ba3 Nxc2 25.Bxf8
At first glance it looks like White is a Rook up. But, of course, Black can capture the Rook at e1. Oh, well, that still means that when the Black Knight and White Bishop come off the board, things will still be even, right? Well, not exactly...
25...Nxe1 26.Nd2 Kxf8 27.Nxe4 Qxe4 28.Qxe4 dxe4
What we have here is a messy game that computers analyze as won for Black. In other words, simply another day in the life of the Jerome Gambit...
29.Kf2 Nd3+ 30.Ke3 Re8 31.Rxa7 Nc1 32.Rxc7 Nxb3 33.b6 Na5
And, just like that (almost) White is winning (again).
Well, at least according to Rybka 3.
34.Rc5
I was looking for a draw here, and so I was paying more attention to capturing Black's pawn on e4 than I was to promoting my b-pawn.
The trick to understanding the position is to realize that Black's pieces are all tied down. His King is confined to the 8th rank. His Rook has to stay on the e-file and protect the pawn at e4. His Knight dare not wander, as White can try b6-b7 and Rc7-c8 as soon as possible.
Black can play with his pawns on the Kingside, but when those moves run out, he will be faced with trouble. In the meantime, White's d-pawn can advance as well...
So, White's best was 34.b7 simply adding to Black's misery. Rybka 3 suggests 34...Nxb7, but after 35.Rxb7 the Rook-and-pawns endgame is strongly in White's favor: extra pawn, passed d-pawn, Black's weak e-pawn.
34...Nb7 35.Re5 Rxe5
My opponent pretty much acknowledged with his play here that I would like to escape into a drawn end game, and he goes along with my play. Little did he (or I) realize that this move again gives me winning chances.
36.dxe5 Nc5
37.b7
Going along with the same plan that my opponent was going along with which was my plan... which was wrong.
It was late in this day in the life of the Jerome Gambit, and I missed the simple 37.Kd4, nudging away Black's protecting Knight and finally allowing me to play 38.Kxe4.
37...Nxb7 38.Kxe4 Ke7
Here the "Jerome pawns" offset Black's extra Knight, and we go through the motions of exchanging everything off.
39.g4 Nc5+ 40.Kd4 Nd7 41.g5 Nf8 42.h4 g6 43.Ke4 gxf5+ 44.Kxf5 Ng6 45.h5 Nf8 46.g6 hxg6+ 47.hxg6 Nxg6 48.Kxg6 Ke6 49.Kg7 Kxe5 Neither player has mating material, Drawn
