The Jerome Gambit: rigidwithfear

Showing posts with label rigidwithfear. Show all posts

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Jerome Gambit: Smothered

Sometimes the finish to a game is the most sparkling part. Witness the following between Bill Wall and an opponent who will remain anonymous.

For all practial purposes, the game has been over for a while - but Black has been hanging on. Not for much longer, though.

28.Nf7+ Kg8

Now White has the routine discovered check 29.Nd8+, and the game ends either after 29...Kf8 30.Qf7# or 29...Kh8 30.Qe8#.

Why overlook a Queen sacrifice and a smothered mate, however? There is double, discovered check.

29.Nh6+ Kh8

Instead, 29...Kf8 30.Qf7# is again routine.

30.Qg8+ Rxg8 31.Nf7 checkmate

Nice.

Recall the game rigidwithfear - golddog2, Jerome Gambit Tournament, RedHotPawn.com, 2016 for another smother.

It is interesting that The Database has 8 games with the same checkmating pattern, including 2 that ended with an unforced ...Rg8 followed by Nf7#.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Jerome Gambit: A Workaday World

Although the Jerome Gambit can be a lot of help, sometimes White has to rely on his ability to outplay his opponent. The following game, by the winner (undefeated) of the recent RedHotPawn.com Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit Tournament, shows how it is done.

SeinfeldFan91 - rigidwithfear
Jerome Gambit Tournament, RedHotPawn.com, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+ Be6 9.Qxb7

This is a popular pawn-grab which is a bit riskier than, say, 9.Qb5, but White is willing to take the chance.

9...N8e7 10.Nc3 Rf8 11.d4 Kg8

Black has wisely castled-by-hand and has the better development. He now faces the challenge that many defenders face: how to take advantage of having the advantage. He seems unsure in the task.

12.d5 Bd7 13.O-O Ne5 14.f4 Nc4

It does not appear that a lot has happened, and that is part of the problem for Black. Stockfish 7 now rates the position as equal. I would call it "messy".

15.Qa6 Nb6 16.f5

An interesting clamp on the position, and there is always the threat at some point in the future of f5-f6.

16...Bc8 17.Qe2 Bd7 18.Bg5 Qe8 19.a4 Rb8 20.Qa6 Qf7 21.Qxa7

21...Nc4 22.Qxc7 Nb6 23.Qxd6 Rfe8 24.a5 Black resigned

White has been busy gathering pawns - he has 6 for his sacrificed piece - and now he attacks the Knight at b6 that protects the Bishop at d7; one of them must fall.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Jerome Gambit: We Have A Winner!

A quick look at the RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit Tournament shows that the second round (and thus the tournament) has been "decided". (One game remains, but it will determine who will be the "line follower" not the "line leader".)

With 3 points for a win and 1 point for a draw, SeinfeldFan91 topped the list handily with 24 points, going unbeaten through both rounds. Hat tip to the man!

The rest of the players: procyk 15 points, kristjan 9 points, junnujannu 6 points and rigidwithfear 3 points.

(junnujannu and rigidwithfear remain locked in an interesting battle.)

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Tournament Update (updated)

The second round of the RedHotPawn Jerome Gambit thematic tournament has generated a good number of interesting games!

The field is currently led by SeinfeldFan91 (2171), ahead of procyk (1865), kristjan (1673), rigidwithfear (1481) and junnujannu (1397).

Stop by and check out the games. When the round is completed, I will share some of them.

Monday, October 3, 2016

Tournament Update

The second round of the RedHotPawn Jerome Gambit thematic tournament has started. SeinfeldFan91 (2171), procyk (1865), kristjan (1673), rigidwithfear (1481) and junnujannu (1397) are battling it out for top honors!

I will share first round games, with analysis, when such attention does not interfere with the ongoing games. At the completion of the tournament, I will add second round games.

Good chess, all!

Monday, September 19, 2016

Tournaments Update

The first round of the RedHotPawn Jerome Gambit thematic tournament is nearing completion - there is one game left, deep in a one-sided endgame - and it looks like SeinfeldFan91 (18 points) will advance from Group 1; procyk and rigidwithfear (each 12 points) will advance from Group 2; kristjan (15 points) will advance from Group 3; and junnujannu (15 points) will advance from Group 4. Good chess to all of you!

In the Chess.com Giuoco Piano thematic tournament, I am (temporarily) in first place, with 12 points out of 16 games. With one game (with the Black pieces) yet to start, I am currently playing a Jerome Gambit - and my record with the Jerome so far is an odd 3 wins, 3 wins on time, and 2 losses.

Friday, July 29, 2016

Jerome Gambit Thematic: More Fighting Chess to Come

The first round of the Jerome Gambit thematic tournament at RedHotPawn.com is almost complete. One game remains in motion, an endgame where Black has B+N+5p and White has 5p. Assuming that Black is able to convert his advantage to a win, the following players will advance to the second round;

SeinfeldFan91 won all 6 of his games, and will advance from Group 1.

procyk and rigidwith fear each won 5 of their games, and both will advance from Group 2.

kristjan, with 5 wins, will advance from Group 3.

junnujannu, with 5 wins, will advance from Group 4.

It is pleasant to note that all players (except one who forfeited all games) in the first round were able to score at least 1 point.

Expect more fighting chess in Round Two!

Friday, June 3, 2016

Good Knight

I have been enjoying the games of the RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit tournament (over 80% of the first round games have been completed). I have shared some of the games here, but only the short ones and the ones with unusual (for the Jerome Gambit!) lines - it is clear that players are putting serious effort into opening play, and I don't want to spill anyone's "secrets" in case they want to use them in later rounds.

Still, it is possible to look at a few fun endings, each making use of a Knight or Knights.

For example, here LittleDonkey uses three pieces to achieve a checkmate.

Jean TylerGabriel - LittleDonkey

He didn't need a Queen, you say? He could have used a pawn to do the same job (cover the g2 square)? Here is another checkmate that uses a hearty, helpful pawn -

RODbr - SeinfeldFan91

As a matter of fact, Black's last move was 29...Ra2-g2#. For fun, he also could have played 29...h2# - thanks, in part, to the stalwart Knight.

Here are a couple more Knights at work:

rigidwithfear - procyk

And a single Knight:

RODbr - ZorroTheFox

And a Knight with a lot of helpers:

BigD00 - kristjan

In this last position, Black and White are roughly equal in material, but White has a move that should win the exchange. Black is not willing to give up the material, and so faces a Queen sacrifice and then suffers death by suffication...

rigidwithfear - golddog2

33.Ne5+ Kg8 34.Qe6+ Kh8 35.Nf7+ Kg8 36.Nh6+ Kh8 37.Qg8+ Rxg8 38.Nf7 checkmate

Good Knight!

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Gambling With the Gambler

It is not for nothing that Gary K. Gifford coined the nickname "The Jerome Gamble" for 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+. White takes a big risk with "Jerome's Double Opening".

Defenders must be warned, however, as they were in the American Supplement to Cook's 'Synopsis' (1885) that it is "not an attack to be trifled with".

Both players in the game below threw fortune to the wind. Each will no doubt learn from their insights and oversights.

rigidwithfear - deriver69
Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit Tournament
RedHotPawn, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.d4 Nxd4

Black's two alternatives for capture, 5...exd4 and 5...Bxd4, are stronger. Leaving the pawn at e5 open for capture gives Whites' ideas - and chances.

6.Nxe5+

6...Ke6

Feisty - and foolish. The equivalent to drawing to an inside straight.

Instead, 6...Kf8 is the safest and leaves Black with the advantage.

7.f4

White does not realize his good luck. Instead, he had 7.Qg4+!? which promises good things: 7...Kxe5 (Forced; 7...Kf6 leads relentlessly to checkmate: 8.Qf4+ Nf5 9.Qxf5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Nc3 Bxf2+ 12.Ke2 c6 13.Nc4+ Kc5 14.Kd3 Qa5 15.Qxf2+ Kb4 16.a3+ Qxa3 17.bxa3#; there is little hope in 7...Ke7 8.Qxg7+ Kd6 9.Nf7+ Kc6 10.Nxd8+ or 7... Kd6 8.Nf7+ Ke7 9.Nxd8 Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Bd4 11.Kxc2 d6 12.Qg3 Kxd8) 8.Bf4+ Kf6 (8...Kxe4 9.Nc3 checkmate, Darrenshome - WildErmine, blitz, FICS, 2006 [1-0, 9]) 9.Bg5+ Kf7 7.Bxd8 and the Black Queen is gone, anyway.

7...d6

Black is not familiar with this gambit, and so he defends. His best chance was to counterattack with 7...Qh4+ 8.g3 Qh3 and he would be better.

8.Qg4+ Ke7

Avoiding 8...Kf6 9.Qg5+ Ke6 10.f5+ Kxe5 11.Bf4+ Kxe4 12.Nc3 checkmate, similar to Darrenshome - WildErmine, blitz, FICS, 2006, mentioned above.

9. Qg5+

Ouch. He had 9.Qxg7+ Ke6 10.Qf7 checkmate

9...Ke8

The "only" move, but a saving one. Now the odds turn against the Gambler again.

10.Qxg7 dxe5 11.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 12.Ke2 Bg4+ 13.Kf1 Qd1 checkmate

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

RHP JG Tourney Round 1 Games (4)

In the ongoing RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit thematic tournament, a couple of kinds of players need to be mentioned: those who join because the opening looks new and interesting or challenging or fun; and those who join because they have some knowledge of the opening, and want to test their understanding against others.

Although SeinfeldFan91 does not appear to have experience in the Jerome Gambit, according to The Database, he again shows an understanding of the opening beyond that of his experienced opponent, winning his mini-match with rigidwithfear, 2-0.

SeinfeldFan91 - rigidwithfear
Giuoco Piano Jerome gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+

It is worth mentioning that Bill Wall has played this move with success on a number of occasions.

8...Be6 9.Qxb7 Nf6 10.d3 Qd7 11.Nc3 Rhb8 12.Qa6 Kg8

Finally departing from Siggus - metalshredder, standard, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 39) which had the equally playable 12...Rb6. In both cases, Black has the advantage.

13.O-O Nh4

This move and Black's next are not the best way to start the Kingside attack, as it allows the "Jerome pawns" to come to White's rescue.

14.f4 Bg4 15.f5 Nxf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.Qa3 Bg6

Black has returned his extra piece, and now White has a pawn edge. Now SeinfeldFan91 proceeds to outplay his opponent.

18.Bg5 Rf8 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Nd5 f5 21.Qc3 Qf7 22.Qc6 Rae8 23.Rf2 Rec8 24.Re1 Qg7 25.Ne7 Black resigned

Swiss Toni, Marko Krale, jecidi (Group 1), and Red House and SeinfeldFan91 (Group 2) have advanced to Round 2.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

RHP JG Tourney Round 1 Games (2)

In the ongoing RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit thematic tournament previously mentioned, a couple of kinds of players need to be mentioned: those who join because the opening looks new and interesting or challenging or fun; and those who join because they have some knowledge of the opening, and want to test their understanding against others.

The following two games feature at least one player who has Jerome Gambit experience, and, as a result, theory gets a boost..

We have seen rigidwithfear's games before (#1 and #2)

rigidwithfear - SeinfeldFan91

Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2014
Round 1
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 7.dxc5 (7.0-0 is better, but Black still would have the advantage) Qxe4 8.Be3 Qxg2 9.Kd2 (a TN; 9.Qh5+ has been played before, but White is still worse) Nf6 10.Kc1 d5 11.Nd2 Re8 12.Rg1 Qxh2 13.b3 Bg4 14.Rxg4 Ne5xg4 15.Bd4 Qf4 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Rab1 Nxf2 18.Qf1 Re3 White resigned

Swiss Toni - bikingviking

Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2014
Round 1

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Bd6 (recently seen in Philidor 1792 - Guest839182, 3 0 blitz, PlayChess.com, 2014 [1-0, 16] ) 8.fxe5 (good, but 8.Qf5+, as in Wall - xChristopher, FICS, 2010, [1-0, 13] was even stronger) Bxe5 9.Qf5 Kd6 10.d4 Qh4+ 11.Ke2 Bxd4 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Bg5 (an improvement over 13.Qxd4 of mrjoker - russiamacedo, 2 12 blitz, ICC, 2009, [0-1, 33]) Black resigned

Swiss Toni advances to the next round.

Friday, August 1, 2014

RedHotPawn Jerome Gambit Tournament (Round 2)

While wandering around the RedHotPawn.com website I ran into a couple of Jerome Gambit thematic tournaments from 2013. Here is the second round of one of them, starting from the Jerome Gambit position: