Whew.
I just finished another Jerome Gambit game in the third round of the Giuoco Piano Thematic tournament at Chess.com, It was not pretty at all. You could say that I was losing - up until my opponent resigned. Of course, that is the "objective" evaluation of the Jerome, anyhow.
Yeah.
perrypawnpusher - IlToscano
Giuoco Piano Thematic, Chess.com, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6
This defense is solid and good. It also avoids the complexities of 8...Qh4+, which I faced in perrypawnpusher - constipatedguru, blitz, FICS, 2017 (1-0, 20).
9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3
Staying away from 10.Qxe5+ which has given me mixed results, and a loss most recently: perrypawnpusher - djdave28, Italian Game Tournament, Chess.com, 2014, (1-0, 22); perrypawnpusher - djdave28, Italian Game Tournament, Chess.com 2015, (1-0, 32); and perrypawnpusher - Altotemmi, Giuoco Piano Tournament, Chess.com, 2016, (0-1, 51)
10...Nf6
Easily an improvement over 10...Ke7, which I faced in perrypawnpusher - gtomlinson, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 28) and 10...h6, which I faced in perrypawnpusher - paulpee, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 71).
11.d3
About the same as 11.Nc3 as in perrypawnpusher - Dogyou, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 21).
11...Kc6
Black wishes to avoid the embarassment of getting his Queen pinned to his King - a trick that might work in blitz (see below) but this game was played at 3 days per move.
Or Black could play 11...Ke7 as in perrypawnpusher - PREMK, blitz, FICS, 2005, (1-0, 14); perrypawnpusher - karleinkarl, blitz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 16); and perrypawnpusher - vz721, Italian Game thematic, Chess.com, 2013 (1-0, 29);
Or 11...Rf8 as in perrypawnpusher - BronxBoyII, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 18); perrypawnpusher - udofink, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 13); perrypawnpusher - mconst, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 42); and perrypawnpusher - recreation, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 13);
Or 11...Bb4+ as in perrypawnpusher - ViennaMike, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19);
Or 11...Re8 as in perrypawnpusher - Estebang, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 28)
Or 11...Bd4 as in perrypawnpusher - Rossgil, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 26)
12.c3 Bb6 13.Bf4 Qh5 14.Nd2
I was not pleased to see the Queens leave the board, but I didn't have a better idea.
14...Qxf3 15.Nxf3 d6
I added all of the game links above to show that I was supposed to be familiar with this line, and therefore supposed to know what I was doing against IlToscano. Yet, he has done very well, and the one pawn that I have for my sacrificed Bishop is clearly inadequate compensation.
I decided that I should again do what far better players than me have done in similar Jerome Gambit situations - abandon the "attack at all costs" idea, and let my opponent, who has the advantage, do the attacking. If he was not going to slip up when defending, perhaps he might err when atacking? Psychology is always a part of Jerome play.
[to be continued]
Lest yesterday's post ("Deus Ex Machina") give you the mistaken idea that Bill Wall relies on metaphysical assistance to score 95%+ with the Jerome Gambit, here is another game of his that is the triumph of hard work and ingenuity.
Wall,B - GuestZCLK
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8
This is a very reasonable defense for Black. He keeps his King out of the crossfire and willingly gives back one of the two sacrificed pieces, confident that his remaining piece-for-two-pawns material advantage will be sufficient.
7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qf6 9.0-0 Nh6 10.Nc3 Kf7
Black's development has kept pace with White's, and he is in the process of castling-by-hand. Yet, his advantage has slipped away, and White actually has the edge; which hardly seems fair at all.
11.Nd5 Qd8
This is clear improvement over 11...Qg6 12.Qf4+ Ke6 13.Nxc7+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - recreation, blitz, FICS, 2010.
12.d4 Bb6 13.Bg5
It turns out that Black's King is not as safe as he would like it to be; that his Knight should have gone to e7 or f6 instead of h6; and that now his Queen is in danger as well and should probably take refuge with the unlikely 13...Qf8.
13...Qd7 14.Qf3+ Nf5 15.g4 Black resigned
It is true that instead of resigning Black can return his extra piece and eliminate White's center with 15...Bxd4 16.exf5, remaining only a pawn down; but he is dangerously behind in development and his dark-squared Bishop does not know where to find safety, even as White's Rook(s) eye the e-file...
When it comes to a happy-to-see-it defense from Black when White offers the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) there's nothing quite like the "Optical Illusion variation": a little bit of the "Halo Effect" and a whole lot of the "Disdainful Defender Defense".
You are always welcome, old friend!
perrypawnpusher - recreation
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
Last year my opponent played the equally fine 6...Kf8 in perrypawnpusher - recreation, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 13).
7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6
A very sound and practical move.
9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3 Rf8
The moves have been flying quickly, as Black first held onto his extra material with 6...Ke6; then brought out a strong defender with 8...Qf6, threatening to diffuse the attack with the exchange of Queens; then hammered at White's e-pawn with 10...Nf6; and finally with 11...Rf8 lined up heavy artillery on the f-file with White's Queen. Take that, you impudent Jerome Gambiteer!
This is all well and good – unless Black has temporarily, momentarily and inexplicably, but unquestionably and unfortunately, overlooked something.
12.Bf4
Black resigned
(I am sure that if we were playing a standard game, and not blitz, that he would have ripped my lungs out...)
Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom from choice
Is what you want
-- Devo, "Freedom of Choice"
Whether you are giving "Jerome Gambit odds" or simply playing an aggressive blitz game, it is often a good strategy to give your opponent plenty of choices in any given position.
Your opponent may select a move based on deep tactical analysis and an appreciation of the strategic needs of the position.
Or not.
perrypawnpusher - recreation
5 12 blitz FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8
The updated New Year's Database has 250 games with this position, with White scoring 46%.
7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qf6 9.0-0 Nh6
This Knight move is rare, but not bad. Alternatives were 9...Qg6, 9...Qe5 or 9...h5!?.
10.Nc3
In the two games in the database featuring 9...Nh6, Jerome Gambit Gemeinde members mrjoker and Petasluk preferred 10.c3, with 11.d4 to follow.
10...Kf7
Planning to castle-by-hand, a sensible strategy in the Jerome. In this particular position, however, 10...Qg6, threatening the exchange of Queens, was better.
11.Nd5 Qg6
Seeing the direct attack on his Queen, but missing both the attack on c7 and the growing pressure on f6.
Yet the common sense 11...Qd8 (best) was not a complete answer. White would respond with 12.d4!? when either taking the pawn with 12...Bxd4 or retreating from it with 12...Bb6 would be met by 13.Bg5.
analysis diagram
after 11...Qd8 12.d4
Two possible lines of play: 11...Qd8 12.d4 Bxd4 13.Bg5 Bf6 (if 13...Qd7 then 14.Rad1 is strong) 14.Nxf6 gxf6 15.Bxh6 is better for White; 11...Qd8 12.d4 Bb6 13.Bg5 Qf8 (best) 14.Rae1 is also better for White.
12.Qf4+
12...Ke6
Returning a piece with 12...Bf5 was a bit better.
13.Nxc7+ Black resigned
I suspect that my opponent was discouraged at the coming loss of a Rook, which would leave him the exchange and three pawns down. There is too much going on around Black's King for him to expect to be able to trap and capture the White Knight.
