Even is Only Half-Way There

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

To Increase Longevity, Stay Active

The plot of the following game seems straight-forward: I sacrificed a piece for a pawn in the opening; my opponent sacrificed a piece for two pawns in the middle game; I lost a pawn-down endgame...

In actuality, I had my chances.


perrypawnpusher - kholthaus
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 h6 5.0-0 Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4

8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Re8 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Kg8 12.Bd2 d6

I've reached this position 7 times before, with a record of 4-3. That's not bad for a position where White is a piece down, with only partial compensation (slight lead in development, better center pawns). Still, it is nowhere near as good as my overall score of 85% for Jerome Gambit and related games.

13.Rae1 Rf8

Clearly better than pwr's "optical illusion" 13...Nb4 that dropped a piece.

14.h3 a6 15.Nd5 Be6 16.Bc3

After the game Rybka preferred 16.c4 b5 17.b3 bxc4 18.bxc4 Rb8 and then 19.Bc3, although I am not sure what White gains by giving Black an open b-file for his Rook. 

16...Bxd5 17.exd5 Ne7 18.Bxf6 Rxf6 19.Qe4 Nf5 20.g4

A thoughtless move that allows 20...Ng3, winning the exchange and leaving Black a Rook up. Fortunately, my opponent had other ideas on how to defeat me, and missed this, too.

20...Nh4 21.f5 Rf8 22.Qe6+ Kh8 23.Kh2 Qe8

Putting an end to the excitment along the e-file, but it was better to slide a Rook over, instead.

24.Qxe8

I saw that Black's Knight was now at risk, but I should have played 24.Kg3, attacking it, right away. Then 24...Nxf5+ could have been answered by 25.Qxf5 with an even game. Also 24...Qd8 25.Kxh4 Qxa2 would have been answered with 26.f6 when White can probably still hold the draw, e.g. 26...Qxb2 27.Rb1 Qc3 28.fxg7+ Qxg7 29.Rxf8+ Rxf8 30.Rxb7. 

24...Raxe8 25.Kg3 Rxe1 26.Rxe1 Nxf5+ 27.gxf5 Rxf5

Black is up a pawn, although White has good drawing chances if he keeps his Rook active attacking the enemy pawns.

28.c4 Rf7 29.h4 Kg8 30.Re2

Passive.

Rybka likes 30.Re8+ Kh7 31.Ra8 Kg6 32.Ra7 b5 33.b3 bxc4 34.bxc4 Kf5 35.Rxa6 g5 with even chances.

30...b6

Black should have taken this opportunity to play 30...Kf8, keeping White's Rook from coming to e8 and from there slipping behind his pawns.

31.Kg4

Likewise, it was important to play 31.Re8+.

 31...a5 32.b3 Kf8

33.h5 Rf1 34.Kg3 Rg1+ 35.Kh4 Rg5 36.Rf2+ Ke7 37.a3

Missing White's last chance to draw.

With 37.a4, White could have reduced the exposure of his Queenside pawns to the base at b3, which he could have supported with his Rook at f3. The Rook would only leave its post to check the enemy King or threaten to win material. Then, White's only trump, his better-placed King, would help hold down the Kingside.

37...Re5 38.Kg4 Re3 39.Rf3

Capitulation.

39...Rxf3 40.Kxf3 Kf6 41.Kf4 g6 42.hxg6 Kxg6 43.Kg4 Kf6 44.b4 axb4 45.axb4 Ke5 White resigned

Another "Optical Illusion" Variation?

I've already collected too many points from the "Optical Illusion" variation of the Jerome Gambit (see "Optical Illusion (1)" and "Optical Illusion (2)" or the most recent "Disdainful Defender Defense") so I am uneasy about identifying a second position that has been gaining me points for something that my opponents do not see in the position...

perrypawnpusher  - susant
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 h6 5.0-0 Bc5 

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+

The Jerome Gambit response. I've slowly raised my score against this unfortunate (for me) line to 57% (still about 30% lower than my general Jerome Gambit score).

7...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6

White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece. Black is clearly better.

10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.Bd2

Now after 12...Kg8 it is hard to see any compensation for White, as Black has even been able to castle-by-hand.

12...Nb4

Absolutely fascinating. Black attacks the Queen – and loses a piece.

Seen previously was the similar: 12...Kg8 13.Rae1 Nb4 14.Qc4+:
perrypawnpusher - amirelattar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50);
perrypawnpusher - pwr, blitz FICS, 2010 (1-0, 38); and
perrypawnpusher - Angstrem, blitz, FICS, 2010 (but 0-1, 35 )

13.Qc4+

Black resigned

The final illusion: Black is losing a piece, but he already has one to give!

After 13...d5 14.Qxb4 Nxe4 the game would simply be even. There was no need for surrender.

That Variation

What can I say?

I can handle most variations of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), even the refutation lines, but I keep tripping over the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit – even after my opponent has blundered back a piece to me.

It must be psychological: the loss this time had nothing to do with the opening, I blundered away a Rook in an even ending. For other unfortunate examples of "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory" see "My Turn to Blunder" and "My Turn Again".

perrypawnpusher - Angstrem
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 Game.

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

The full Queen retreat was seein in ontocaustic - defjavid, FICS, 2009: 11.Qd1 Bg4 12.Qd3 Nb4 13.Qc4+ Kf8 14.Qxb4 Qe7 15.e5 Nh5 16.f5 Qe6 17.fxe6+ Black reigned.

11...Re8

Alternately: 11...Be6 12.Bd2 Nb4 13.Qg3 Nxc2 14.Rac1 Nd4 15.f5 Bd7 16.Qg6+ Kg8 17.Be3 Be8 18.Qg3 Nc6 19.Bf4 Nh5 20.Qe3 Nxf4 21.Rxf4 Qg5 22.Qf2 Ne5 23.h4 Qh5 24.Rd1 a5 25.f6 Ng4 26.Qg3 Qc5+ 27.Kh1 h5 28.Rxg4 hxg4 29.Qxg4 Rh7 30.Rd5 Qf2 31.h5 Qf1+ 32.Kh2 Qxf6 33.Rf5 Qd4 34.Qf3 Bd7 35.Rd5 Qf6 36.Qxf6 gxf6 37.Kg3 Rg7+ 38.Kf3 Bg4+ 39.Kf4 Be6 40.Rd2 Rg5 White resigned, perrypawnpusher - HRoark, blitz FICS, 2010; and


11...Rf8 12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 Nb4 14.Qc4+ d5 15.Qxb4 Ng4 16.Nxd5 Qh4 17.h3 Nf6 18.Nxf6+ Rxf6 19.e5 Rg6 20.Qb3+ Be6 21.Qf3 Bxh3 22.Rf2 Rg3 23.Qxb7 Rf8 24.e6 Rf6 25.e7 Bd7 26.e8Q+ Bxe8 27.Rxe8+ Kh7 28.Qe4+ Rgg6 29.Qd3 Qg4 30.Ree2 h5 31.f5 Rd6 32.fxg6+ Rxg6 33.Qf5 Qd4 34.Qxh5+ Rh6 35.Bxh6 gxh6 36.Re7+ Kg8 37.Qg6+ Kh8 38.Re8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - pwr, blitz, FICS, 2010. 

12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 Nb4

Black has brought his King to safety, and should continue with his development. The text move loses a piece, unless Black prepares it, as he did in perrypawnpusher - JohnBr, blitz, FICS, 2010: 13...Kh8 14.h3 Nb4 15.Qe2 Bd7 16.Bc1 Nfd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Qh5 Nf6 19.Qg6 Re6 20.e5 Ng8 21.Qg3 Qe7 22.exd6 cxd6 23.b3 Rxe1 24.Rxe1 Qf7 25.Bb2 Re8 26.Rf1 Nf6 27.Qd3 d5 28.g4 Ne4 29.f5 Qe7 30.Qxd5 Ng5 31.Kg2 Bc6 White resigned

14.Qc4+ Be6 15.Qxb4 c5 16.Qxb7

White should be able to survive his pawn-grabbing, but it complicates the position.

16...Bc4 17.Rf3 a6 18.Nd5 Rb8

19.Nxf6+ Qxf6 20.e5 dxe5

It is possible that Black should have gotten the Queens off the board and gone towards a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, i.e. : 20...Rxb7 21.exf6 Rxe1+ 22.Bxe1 Bxa2 23.b3 gxf6 24.Rd3 Re7 25.Kf2 Bb1 26.Rxd6 Bxc2 27.Rxf6 Bxb3.

analysis diagram






21.fxe5

White did not need this pawn, but he did need to get his Queen off of the diagonal that she shared with his Rook: 21.Qe4.

21...Qh4

A missed opportunity to win the exchange: 21...Qd8 22.Qe4 Bd5

22.Qe4 Qxe4 23.Rxe4

23...Bxa2

The same opportunity to win the exchange existed with 23...Bd5.

24.b3 Bb1 25.Rc3 Red8 26.Be1 Rd1

It looks like Black is whipping up some counter-play, but 27.e6 now for White shows that the first player has the advantage.

By ignoring his e-pawn, White misses chances to put the game away; and the game drifts toward drawn.

27.Kf2 Rf8+ 28.Ke2 Rdd8 29.Ra4 Rfe8

30.Rxc5 Rc8 31.Rxc8 Rxc8

32.Kd2 Bxc2 33.Rxa6 Bxb3

34.Ke2

A blunder in a mostly-even position.

34...Bc4+ 35.Kf3 Bxa6 White resigned

Business Expense

A career criminal knows that he will be arrested. He sees that as a "business expense" that has to be paid as part of his life as a crook.

Those of us who play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) will also be subject to periodic ugly games and losses. It's part of the "job".

perrypawnpusher - JohnBr
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 Game.

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

For some reason I have issues with this particular line (see "...sometimes the bear gets you", "Bloodied but Unbowed" and "What an idea" for examples). Including this game, I have scored only 50% with it – that's about 35% less than my success with the Jerome Gambit and its other variants.

8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4

This is what White has to work with in the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit: a pawn for his sacrificed piece, a slight lead in development, two "Jerome pawns" in the center, a Rook on the same file as the enemy King, and the chance to bring a second Rook into play faster than Black.

With any luck, what Black has to work with includes: surprise, inattention, over-confidence, shallow analysis and a well-timed unfortunate blunder...

An alternate plan, 10.Nd5, was tried by Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member yorgos, whose game continued:  10...Nxd5 11.Qxd5+ Be6 12.Qxb7 Re8 13.f4 Ng4 14.f5 Bd7 15.Qd5+ Kf8 16.f6 Nxf6 17.Qc4 Be6 18.Qb4 Kg8 19.Qc3 Nxe4 20.Qe3 Nf6 21.Qg3 g5 22.b3 Kh7 23.Bb2 Ne4 24.Qd3 d5 25.c4 c6 26.Qd4 Re7 27.Ba3 Rf7 28.Rxf7+ Bxf7 29.Bb2 Qg8 30.Rf1 Rf8 31.h4 dxc4 32.Qe5 Ng3 33.Rf6 cxb3 34.a3 Nh5 35.Qe4+ Bg6 36.Qe7+ Rf7 37.Qd6 Nxf6 38.Bxf6 Rxf6 39.Qxf6 Qg7 40.Qxc6 Qa1+ 41.Kh2 gxh4 42.Qb7+ Qg7 43.Qxb3 h3 44.Kxh3 Qe5 45.a4 Bf5+ 46.g4 Bxg4+ 47.Kxg4 Qg7+ 48.Kf3 Qg6 49.Ke3 Black resigned, yorgos - ambaradann, FICS, 2009.

In future games I might try placing my Bishop on the long diagonal with 10.b3 Re8 11.Bb2 Kg8.

10...Nc6 11.Qd3

Fritz8 slightly prefers this over 11.Qc4+ Be6 12.Qa4, but I think that takes the Queen away from a hoped-for attack on the King.

Another idea is the full retreat 11.Qd1, although it did not get a full test in ontocaustic - defjavid, FICS, 2009: 11...Bg4 12.Qd3 Nb4 13.Qc4+ Kf8 14.Qxb4 Qe7 15.e5 Nh5 16.f5 Qe6 17.fxe6+ Black resigned.

11...Re8

Two other of my games continued: 11...Be6 12.Bd2 Nb4 13.Qg3 Nxc2 14.Rac1 Nd4 15.f5 Bd7 16.Qg6+ Kg8 17.Be3 Be8 18.Qg3 Nc6 19.Bf4 Nh5 20.Qe3 Nxf4 21.Rxf4 Qg5 22.Qf2 Ne5 23.h4 Qh5 24.Rd1 a5 25.f6 Ng4 26.Qg3 Qc5+ 27.Kh1 h5 28.Rxg4 hxg4 29.Qxg4 Rh7 30.Rd5 Qf2 31.h5 Qf1+ 32.Kh2 Qxf6 33.Rf5 Qd4 34.Qf3 Bd7 35.Rd5 Qf6 36.Qxf6 gxf6 37.Kg3 Rg7+ 38.Kf3 Bg4+ 39.Kf4 Be6 40.Rd2 Rg5 White resigned, perrypawnpusher - HRoark, blitz FICS, 2010; and

11...Rf8 12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 Nb4 14.Qc4+ d5 15.Qxb4 Ng4 16.Nxd5 Qh4 17.h3 Nf6 18.Nxf6+ Rxf6 19.e5 Rg6 20.Qb3+ Be6 21.Qf3 Bxh3 22.Rf2 Rg3 23.Qxb7 Rf8 24.e6 Rf6 25.e7 Bd7 26.e8Q+ Bxe8 27.Rxe8+ Kh7 28.Qe4+ Rgg6 29.Qd3 Qg4 30.Ree2 h5 31.f5 Rd6 32.fxg6+ Rxg6 33.Qf5 Qd4 34.Qxh5+ Rh6 35.Bxh6 gxh6 36.Re7+ Kg8 37.Qg6+ Kh8 38.Re8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - pwr, blitz FICS, 2010.

12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 Kh8 14.h3

White's last move was to prepare g2-g4.

I gave a look at 14.Nd5, instead, but didn't like my position after 14...Nxd5 15.exd5 Ne7. That is what Rybka recommended after the game, however, with White aiming his Bishop at the Kingside with 16.Bc3 and then patiently advancing his pawns. Even so, Rybka saw Black as better.

14...Nb4 15.Qe2 Bd7

Of course 15...Nxc2 was possible.

16.Bc1 Nfd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5

18.Qh5 Nf6 19.Qg6 Re6 20.e5 Ng8 21.Qg3 Qe7

22.exd6 cxd6 23.b3 Rxe1 24.Rxe1 Qf7 25.Bb2 Re8 26.Rf1 Nf6 27.Qd3 d5

Still pushing, but Black has resisted at every turn. His King is safe, and the pawn at d5 only appears weak.

28.g4 Ne4 29.f5 Qe7 30.Qxd5 
 

Tempting, but deadly. Now my game collapsed, ending with a blunder.

30...Ng5 31.Kg2 Bc6 White resigned