Jerome Gambit: Sending Pieces to the Wilderness

In the following game, Bill Wall sends one piece, then another, far from the action - or so it seems. Each returns, only to be traded off - yet they are active in helping win the game. The final position is very interesting.

Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qf6 

An unusual defense, but, according to The Database, one faced by other Jerome Gambiteers such as blackburne, chessmanjeff, drumme, HauntedKnight, jfhumphrey, stretto, Teterow, and yorgos. Black, having to lose a piece, decides not to move either, but develops a piece instead.

7. dxc5 Ne7 

Further development. Black also had 7...d6, e.g. 8.O-O dxc5 (8...Be6 9.cxd6 cxd6 10.f4 Ng4 11.f5 Qd4+ 12.Qxd4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Anonymous, lichess.com, 2016) 9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qxb7 Ne7 11.Qxc7 Rac8 12.Qxa7 Qg6 13.f4 Bh3 14.fxe5+ Ke8 15.Qa4+ Rc6 16.Rf2 Rf8 17.Qa8+ Rc8 18.Qa3 Rxf2 19.Qxh3 Rxc2 20.Na3 Re2 21.Nb5 Kf8 22.Qf3+ Ke8 23.Qxe2 h5 24.Nd6+ Kd7 25.Nxc8 Nxc8 26.Qb5+ Kd8 27.Bg5+ Qxg5 28.Rd1+ Ke7 29.Qd7+ Kf8 30.e6 Qe3+ 31.Kh1 Ne7 32.Qd8 checkmate, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016 

8.O-O Rf8 9.Nc3 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand and has seen to his piece development. What will White do? A hint can be found in an earlier Bill Wall game, with a different defense: 9...c6 10.f4 N5g6 11.Be3 d5 12.cxd6 Ng8 13.d7 Rd8 14.dxc8=Q Raxc8 15.Qh5 Kf8 16.e5 Qf7 17.f5 Nxe5 18.Bc5+ Ne7 19.Qxh7 Qf6 20.Ne4 Qh6 21.Qxh6 gxh6 22.f6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest4060198, PlayChess.com, 2013. 

10.f4 N5c6 11.Nb5 a6 12.Nxc7 Rb8 13.c3 Qg6 

It looks like White has sent his one developed piece off on a risky pawn-hunt, but the Knight still has influence on the center, and the first player still has things under control - thanks, in part, to the "Jerome pawns". 

14.f5 Qf6 15.Bf4 Ne5 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.Qxd5+ Nf7 18.Bxb8 Re8 

White has retrieved (and traded off) his far-flung Knight, and now has a Bishop off in the wilderness (admittedly, it captured a Rook). An interesting comparison can be made between the two Bishops left on the board, as one is actively involved, while the other is a passive observer.

19.Rae1 Kh8 20.e5 Qe7  21.Bd6 Nxd6 

The Bishop, too, is exchanged, but by now White has a powerful, checkmating attack.

 22.f6 gxf6 23.cxd6 Qe6 24.exf6 Black resigned

What a position!

Black can simply take White's Queen with 24...Qxd5, but it will be checkmate in a few moves after 25.Rxe8+ Qg8 26.f7! 

Black's best option is to win two Rooks for his Queen with 24...Qxe1 25.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 26.Kf2 but it is clear that he has no way of dealing with White's advanced pawn, for example 26...Re6 27.Qg5 or 26...Re8 27.f7.

Jerome Gambit: Sometimes I Don't Understand, I Just Enjoy

Sometimes I visit the GameKnot.com chess site and pick up a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game or two. (I would collect more, using their Games Database feature, but I am not a regular member.) The following one is a few years old, but it has the typical Jerome je ne sais quoi that sets it apart from other contests.

surfingscotty - arif__khan
GameKnot,com, 2012

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Ne7 

Black's idea is familiar, even if it shows up in only a few games in The Database: If he has to give back a piece, don't waste time deciding on which on, just develop another.

7.Qh5+

A bit better is probably 7.dxc5 as seen in a couple of games: 7...Re8 (7...Rf8 8.Qh5+ N5g6 9.Qxh7 Rh8 10.Qxh8 Qxh8 11.O-O d6
12.cxd6 cxd6 13.Bg5 Be6 14.f4 Bc4 15.Rd1 Rd8 16.b3 Qh5 17.Nd2 Be2 18.Re1 Rh8 19.h3 Ba6 20.c4 Nc6 21.Nf3 b5 22.h4 bxc4 23.b4 Nxb4 White resigned, paoloumali - regnarkragh, FICS, 2011) 8.Qh5+ N7g6 9.Qf5+ Qf6 10.Qh3 Kg8 11.Qb3+ Kh8 12.Nc3 Ng4 13.Be3 Nxe3 14.fxe3 Qg5 15.O-O-O Qxe3+ 16.Kb1 b6 17.Rhe1 Qxc5 18.Nd5 c6 19.Ne3 Ne5 20.Nf5 Re6 21.Rf1 Ba6 22.Rf4 Bc4 23.Qg3 Rg6 24.Qh3 Rd8 25.Rh4 Bg8 26.Rf1 Nf7 27.Rg4 Ng5 28.Qd3 Bc4 29.Qd2 Bxf1 30.b3 d5 31.Rxg5 Rxg5 32.Qxg5 Qf8 33.Nxg7 Qxg7 34.Qxd8+ Qg8 35.Qf6+ Qg7 36.Qxf1 h6 37.exd5 cxd5 38.a4 Kh7 39.Qd3+ Kh8 40.Qxd5 Qg8 41.Qe5+ Qg7 42.Qb8+ Kh7 43.g3 h5 44.h4 Qxg3 45.Qxg3 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - dukifanto. FICS, 2012.

Also seen was 7.dxe5 Rf8 8.Nc3 Kg8 9.O-O Ng6 10.Qd5+ Kh8 11.Qxc5 d6 12.exd6 cxd6 13.Qe3 Qf6 14.Nd5 Qe7 15.Nxe7 Nxe7 16.f4 h6 17.e5 dxe5 18.Qxe5 Nc6 19.Qd6 Bg4 20.Qg6 Bf5 21.Qg3 Nd4 22.Qf2 Nxc2 White forfeited on time, stretto - svadali, FICS, 2008.

7...N7g6 8.dxc5 d6 9.f4 

A standard "tool" from White's "toolbox", although Stockfish 7 suggests development with 9.h3 Re8 10.O-O Kg8 11.Nc3 b6 12.Bg5 Qd7 13.cxd6 Ba6 14.Rfd1 cxd6  first, then 15.f4.

In the game, Black is able to force an exchange of Queens when White does not have enough dynamic pawn play in the middle game to balance the sacrificed piece. The attacker will develop, castle, and begin to pressure his opponent, but he will need some help to prevail - and, oddly, he receives it.

9...Bg4 10.Qg5 Qxg5 11.fxg5 dxc5 12.Nc3 c6 13.O-O+ Ke7 14.h3 Be6 15.Be3 b6 16.Ne2 Nc4 

Here Black resigned after playing his move. I don't know why. Most likely the real world intervened, and he needed to return there.

Further Exploration of An Odd Line

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has any number of unusual positions arising from White's attack and Black's defense/counterattack. The following game continues exploration of an odd one in particular, along with some very instructive tactical play. 

Wall, Bill - Guest3742987
PlayChess.com 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 

This is an interesting position. Check out "LPDO Revisited", "Gloom and Doom", "Here... No, there... No, Here... No, There..." and "Never Send A Pawn To Do A Job..." for some of the earlier looks at it.

Black's response with his Queen in this game is relatively rare. (Wildest is 7...Qh4!?)

7...Qe7 8.dxe5

Some other ideas:

8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxe5 Qxe5 10.dxe5 Bc5 11.O-O d6 12.exd6 Bxd6 13.Be3 Nf6 14.f3 Re8 15.Nd2 Be6 16.a3 Nh5 17.Rad1 Nf4 18.g3 Nd3 19.Rb1 Bc5 20.Bxc5 Nxc5 21.Rfd1 Rad8 22.Kf2 Rd7 23.Ke2 Red8 24.f4 Bg4+ 25.Ke1 Bxd1 26.Rxd1 Nb3 27.Nxb3 Rxd1+ 28.Ke2 Rh1 29.Kf3 Rxh2 30.Nd4 c5 31.Nb5 a6 32.Nc7
Rd3+ 33.Kg4 h6, White forfeited on time, iranstone - Mucke, FICS, 2013; or

8.Qb3+ d5 9.cxb4 Nc6 10.O-O Nf6 11.exd5 Nxd4 12.Qc4 Nf5 13.Bg5 Nd6 14.Qb3 Bf5 15.Nc3 Rhf8 16.Rfe1 Qd7 17.a4 Kg6 18.h4 h6 19.Bxf6 Rxf6 20.Ne2 Raf8 21.Nf4+ Kh7 22.h5 Be4 23.Ng6 Rxf2 24.Nxf8+ Rxf8 25.Rf1 Qg4 26.Qh3 Rxf1+ 27.Rxf1 Qe2 28.Rf2 Qd1+ 29.Kh2 Qxd5 30.Qh4 Nf5 31.Qf4 Nd6 32.Rd2 Qxh5+ 33.Kg1 Bg6 34.b3 Qg5 35.Rd4 Qxf4 36.Rxf4 Bc2 37.Rf3 Ne4 38.Kh2 c5 39.bxc5 Nxc5 40.Rc3 Bxb3 41.Rxc5 Bxa4 42.Rc7 a5 43.Rxb7 Bb3 44.Ra7 a4 45.Ra5 Kg6 46.Kg3 Kf6 47.Kf2 g5 48.Ke3 h5 49.Kd4 Kg6 50.Kc3 h4 51.Kb4 Kh5 52.Kc3 Kg4 53.Kd2 h3 54.Ke1 hxg2 55.Kf2 Kh3 56.Rxg5 Kh2 57.Rxg2+, Black forfeited on time, Nusiance - scaccopazzoo, FICS, 2009 ; or

8.O-O Bxc3 9.bxc3 Nc6 10.Qb3+ Ke8 11.Bd2 d6 12.Na3 a6 13.e5 Qf7 14.c4 Nxd4 15.Qd3 Nc6 16.exd6 Bf5 17.Rfe1+ Kd7 18.dxc7+ Kxc7 19.Bf4+ Kc8 20.Qb3 Na5 21.Qb6 Nf6 22.Qxa5 Nh5 23.Bd6, Black forfeited on time, stretto - Conga, FICS, 2007.

8... Bc5 

8...Qxe5 9.Qf3+ Nf6 10.Nd2 d5 11.cxb4 dxe4 12.Nxe4
Qxe4+ 13.Qxe4 Nxe4 14.O-O Re8 15.Be3 Kg8 16.Rac1 c6 17.Rc4 b5 Black resigned, EvanJunior - seanwickham, FICS, 2008.

9. Qd5+ 

Alternately 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.O-O Qxe5 11.Bf4 Qf6 12.e5 Qf5 13.Nd2 d6 14.exd6 Bxd6 15.Rfe1+ Kd7 16.Nc4 Qxf4 17.Qh3+ Kd8 18.g3 Qxc4 19.Qh5 Nf6 20.Qg5 Qf7 21.Rad1 h6 22.Qe3 Re8 23.Qd2 Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 Bf5 25.b4 Kd7 26.c4 Qxc4 27.a3 Re8 28.Rc1 Qd5 29.Qc3 Bh3 30.f3 Re2 31.a4 Rg2+ 32.Kh1 Rf2 33.Qe3 Qxf3+ 34.Qxf3 Rxf3 White resigned, jfhumphrey - kenzie, FICS 2010. 

9...Ke8 10.O-O c6 11.Qd1 d6 

There was nothing wrong with 11...Qxe5. 

12.b4 Bb6 13.exd6 Qe5 14.Bb2 Nf6 15.Nd2 Be6 16.Nf3 Qf4 

If 16...Qxe4 then 17.Re1, as Bill points out; yet the central "Jerome pawns" are beginning to look like trouble. The game is about equal. 

17.Bc1 Qg4 18.Re1 Nxe4 19.Be3 Rf8 

Black probably should have gone in for the complications after 19...Nxc3 20.Qc2 Nd5 21.h3 Qf5 22.Qxf5 Bxf5 23.Bxb6+. 

20.Bxb6 axb6 

Now the tactics build around the Knight at e4.

21.Qd4 Rf4 22.h3 Qg6 23.Ne5 Qf5 24.Nd3 Rh4 25.Qxg7 

White grabs a pawn before returing to the pressure on e4.

25...Qf7 26. Qd4 Rd8 27. Rxe4 Rxe4 28.Qxe4 Rxd6

White is up a couple of pawns, but the tactical thrust-and-parry continues.

29.Re1 Kf8 30.Ne5 Qf5 31.Qe3 Bxa2 32.Qxb6 Rd2 33.Qe3 Rd6 34.Qc5 Qe6 35.Re3 Qh6 

36.Nd7+ Kg8 37.Qe5 Rd1+ 38.Kh2 Rxd7 39.Qe8+ Qf8 40.Qxd7 

The advantage has grown to the exchange and some pawns, and Bill is willing to simplify into a stone cold won pawn ending.

40...Bf7 41.Qxb7 Qd6+ 42.g3 Kf8 43.Rf3 Qe6 44.Qxf7+ Qxf7 45.Rxf7+ Kxf7 46.c4 Ke6 47.b5 Kd7 48.f4 Kd6 49.b6 c5 50.f5
Black resigned

It's Complicated

Bill Wall scores over 95% with the Jerome Gambit, which is fantastic given that the opening has several "refutations." He keeps trying different ideas, and continues to be successful with them, although I don't always know how. 

It's complicated.

Here's an example, with sidelines - many games starring members of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde.

Wall,B - Guest6399506 
PlayChess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.d4

Bill skips the "normal" 6.Nxc6, deciding to sac another pawn. If I were to guess, it would be that he wanted another open line against the nervous Black King...

6...Nxd4 

Already a small payoff, as 6...Bxd4 was best: 7.Nxc6 dxc6 (7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Kg1 Qxc6 10.Qf3+ Qf6 11.Qe3 d6 12.Nc3 Ne7 13.Bd2 c6 14.Rf1 Bf5 15.exf5 Ke8 16.Ne4 Qxb2 17.Nxd6+ Kd7 18.Qe6+ Kd8 19.Nf7+ Ke8 Black resigned, soulman - ChessOpenings, FICS, 2010; or 7...bxc6 8.Qxd4 d6 9.0-0 Qf6 10.Qa4 Bd7 11.Nc3 Ne7 12.Be3 Kf7 13.f4 Rhf8 14.e5 Qf5 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Rae1 Kg8 17.Bd4 c5 18.Qb3+ Be6 19.Rxe6 Black resigned, Petasluk - macabi, FICS, 2009) 8.Be3 (8.Qf3+ Bf6 9.e5 Qe7 10.0-0 Qxe5 11.Bf4 Qf5 12.Nc3 Be6 13.Rae1 Ne7 14.Ne4 Kf7 15.Nxf6 Qxf6 16.Rxe6 Qxe6 17.Bxc7+ Qf5 18.Qb3+ Qe6 19.Qxb7 Rhe8 20.f4 Kg8 21.Be5 Ng6 22.Qxg7 checkmate, stretto - Frankee, FICS, 2007) 8...c5 9.c3 Bf6 10.Bxc5+ Kf7;

Not as good is 6...Nxe5: 7.dxe5 Qh4 8.0-0 Qxe4 9.Nc3 Qxe5 10.Be3 (10.Re1 Qd4 11.Qf3+ Qf6 12.Qe2 Qe6 13.Ne4 d6 14.Bg5 h6 15.Qf3+ Qf7 16.Bf4 Nf6 17.Nxc5 dxc5 18.Rad1 Bg4 19.Qxb7 Re8 20.Rxe8+ Nxe8 21.Re1 Qxf4 22.Qxa7 Kf7 23.Qxc5 Qd6 24.Qc4+ Be6 25.Qe4 Nf6 26.Qf3 Re8 27.h3 Bd5 28.Qf5 Rxe1 checkmate, Petasluk - robertj, FICS, 2005) 10...Bxe3 11.fxe3+ Nf6 12.Qe2 d6 13.Rad1 Kg8 14.Qc4+ d5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Rxd5 Qxe3+ 17.Kh1 Be6 18.h3 Rf8 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 20.Qb4+ Ke8 21.Rd2 Rf8 22.Qd4 Rf1+ 23.Kh2 Qf4+ 24.Qxf4 Rxf4 25.Kg3 Rf6 26.Re2 Kd7 27.Rd2+ Kc8 28.Kh2 Bxa2 29.b3 Bb1 30.Kg3 Rc6 31.c4 Be4 32.Re2 Rg6+ 33.Kh2 Bd3 34.Rf2 Kd7 35.g4 a5 36.Rd2 Rd6 37.c5 Rd5 38.Kg3 Kc6 39.Kf4 Kxc5 40.Ke3 Bg6 41.Rxd5+ Kxd5 42.Kd2 Kc5 43.Kc3 b5 44.Kb2 a4 45.h4 axb3 46.Kxb3 b4 47.h5 Be4 48.Kb2 Kb5 49.g5 c5 50.h6 gxh6 51.gxh6 c4 52.Kc1 c3 53.Kd1 b3 54.Ke2 Kc4 55.Ke3 b2 56.Kxe4 b1Q+ 57.Ke5 Qe1+ 58.Kf6 Kd5 59.Kg7 Ke6 60.Kxh7 Qg1 61.Kh8 Kf6 62.Kh7 Qg6+ 63.Kh8 Qxh6+ 64.Kg8 Qg7 checkmate, frizerkaHR - CavallFort, FICS, 2012;

Or 6...Bb4+ 7.c3 Nxe5 8.dxe5 Bc5 9.0-0 Qh4 10.Be3 d6 11.Bxc5 dxc5 12.Qd5 Qe7 13.f4 Be6 14.Qxb7 Rd8 15.Qa6 Ke8 16.f5 Bxf5 17.exf5 Qxe5 18.Na3 Qe3+ 19.Kh1 Kf8 20.Rae1 Qd3 21.Qxa7 Nf6 22.Qxc7 Qd6 23.Qa5 h5 24.Nc4 Qd5 25.Ne5 Kg8 26.Ng6 Rh6 27.Ne7+ Kf7 28.Nxd5 Rxd5 29.Qc7+ Kg8 30.Re7 Ng4 31.Rxg7+ Kh8 32.Rxg4 hxg4 33.f6 Rxf6 34.Re1 Rdf5 35.h3 g3 36.Qxg3 Black resigned, jfhumphrey - mateushfa, FICS, 2011;

Or 6...Bd6 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.e5 Be7 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Nc3 Bb4 11.Bd2 Be6 12.Ne4 Bxd2+ 13.Nxd2 Qxd4 14.0-0-0 Bxa2 15.Ne4 Bd5 16.Rxd4 a5 17.Rxd5 cxd5 18.Nc5 a4 19.Nxb7 Ra7 20.Qxd5 Ne7 21.Qd8+ Kf7 22.Qxh8 Rxb7 23.Qxh7 a3 24.bxa3 Ra7 25.Re1 Rxa3 26.e6+ Kf6 27.Qh4+ Kg6 28.Qg4+ Kh7 29.Qh4+ Kg6 30.Qxe7 Ra1+ 31.Kd2 Ra6 32.Qxc7 Kh7 33.e7 Ra8 34.Qd7 Black forfeited on time, stretto - eclipze, FICS, 2008. 

7.Be3

Or 7.0-0 d6 (7...Qf6 8.Nd3 Bb6 9.e5 Qg6 10.Nc3 Nh6 11.Nf4 Qc6 12.Qh5 Ndf5 13.g4 g6 14.Qg5 Nf7 15.Qf6 Qxf6 16.exf6 Ng5 17.gxf5 gxf5 18.Nh5 Rg8 19.Bxg5 Rxg5+ 20.Ng3 f4 21.Nce4 Rg8 22.Rae1 fxg3 23.hxg3 d5 24.Nc3 Bh3 25.Re7 Bxf1 26.Kxf1 h5 27.Ne2 h4 28.Kg2 hxg3 29.fxg3 c5 30.c3 Re8 31.Rxe8+ Kxe8 32.Nf4 d4 33.cxd4 cxd4 34.Nd3 Bd8 35.Kf3 Bxf6 36.g4 b5 37.Kf4 Rf8 38.Ke4 Bg5 39.Ne5 Rf4+ 40.Kd3 Bh6 41.Nc6 a6 42.Nxd4 Rxg4 43.Nb3 Rg3+ 44.Kc2 Rg2+ 45.Kc3 Bg7+ 46.Kb4 Rxb2 47.a3 a5+ 48.Kxb5 Rxb3+ 49.Kxa5 Rxa3+ 50.Kb4 Ra1 51.Kb5 Kd7 52.Kb4 Kc6 53.Kb3 Bd4 54.Kb4 Ra6 55.Kc4 Be5 56.Kb4 Bd6+ 57.Kc4 Ra4+ 58.Kd3 Kd5 59.Ke3 Bc5+ 60.Kd3 Rd4+ 61.Kc3 Rh4 62.Kd3 Bb4 63.Ke3 Kc4 64.Kf3 Kd3 65.Kg3 Be7 66.Kf3 Kd4 67.Kg3 Ke4 68.Kf2 Rh3 69.Kg2 Rf3 70.Kh2 Ke3 71.Kg2 Bd6 72.Kg1 Ke2 73.Kg2 Rg3+ 74.Kh2 Rf3+ 75.Kg2 Rg3+ 76.Kh2 Kf3 77.Kh1 Rh3+ 78.Kg1 Bc5+ White resigned, Petasluk - lefthookrightcross, FICS, 2006) 8.Nd3 Bb6 9.Be3 Ne6 10.Bxb6 axb6 11.Nc3 Ne7 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.exd5 Nc5 14.Nf4 Qf6 15.Qd2 Kf7 16.Rae1 Rf8 17.Nh5 Qg6 18.Nf4 Qg5 19.Qe2 Qxf4 20.Qe7+ Kg8 21.g3 Qf7 22.Qh4 Qf6 23.Qb4 Bh3 24.Re6 Bxe6 25.dxe6 Qxe6 26.Re1 Qf6 27.Qc4+ Kh8 28.Qd5 Qxf2+ White resigned, stretto - psychotic, FICS, 2008;

Or 7.Qh5 Qf6 8.0-0 Ne7 9.Ng4 Qg6 10.Qxg6 Nxg6 11.e5 Ne2+ 12.Kh1 Nxc1 13.Rxc1 d6 14.h3 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.Re1 Bd4 17.c3 Bxf2 18.Rxe5 h6 19.Re4 Kg8 20.Nd2 Bf5 21.Rf4 Be3 22.Rxf5 Bxd2 23.Rd1 Bg5 White resigned, stretto - Cochonouchka, FICS, 2007. 

7...Nxc2+ 

Going in for complications, but he would have done better to try 7...Ne6! 8.Qh5!? a)8.Qf3+ Qf6 (a)8...Nf6 9.Bxc5+ Nxc5 10.Ng4 Ncxe4 11.0-0 d5 12.Nxf6 Qxf6 13.Qa3+ Kf7 14.f3 Nd6 15.Nc3 c6 16.Rae1 Bd7 17.Re2 Rhe8 18.Rfe1 Rxe2 19.Rxe2 Nc4 20.Qb4 b6 21.Na4 Qd4+ 22.Kf1 Qd1+ 23.Re1 Qxc2 24.Qe7+ Kg6 25.Nc3 Re8 White forfeited on time, nyny - ferdyclemens, FICS, 2011) 9.Bxc5+ Nxc5 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.f3 d6 12.Nd3 Ne6 13.0-0 Bd7 14.Nb4 Re8 15.Nc3 c6 16.Rad1 Ke7 17.e5 dxe5 18.Rfe1 a5 19.Nd3 Nd4 20.Rxe5+ Kf7 21.Rxa5 Nxc2 22.Ne5+ Kf8 23.Nxd7+ Nxd7 24.Rxd7 Ne3 25.Ne4 Nd1 26.Ra7 Re7 27.Ra8+ Kf7 28.Rxe7+ Kxe7 29.Rxh8 Nxb2 30.Rxh7 Kf7 31.Rh8 Nd3 32.Rb8 Black resigned, lebro - scain, FICS, 2014; b)8.Bxc5+ Nxc5 9.Qd5 (b)9.b4 Qf6 10.f4 Ne6 11.Ng4 Qxa1 12.0-0 Qd4+ 13.Kh1 Qxd1 14.Rxd1 Nxf4 15.Rf1 g5 16.h4 d6 17.hxg5 Bxg4 18.Rxf4+ Ke7 19.Rxg4 h5 20.gxh6 Rxh6+ 21.Kg1 Nf6 22.Rg7+ Ke6 23.Rxc7 Nxe4 24.Rxb7 Rah8 25.Kf1 Rh1+ 26.Ke2 Rxb1 27.Kd3 Ke5 28.Rxa7 Rh2 29.Re7+ Kd5 30.Rxe4 Rxg2 31.c4+ Kc6 32.b5+ Kc5 33.a4 Rb3 checkmate, drumme - VegasKnight, FICS, 2010) 9...Qe7 (b)9...Ne6 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.Qb3 d6 12.Nf3 Ke7 13.e5 dxe5 14.0-0 Re8 15.Nxe5 Kf8 16.Rad1 Qe7 17.Rde1 Nd4 18.Qc4 Ne6 19.Qb3 Kg8 20.Nf3 Qf7 21.Ng5 Nxg5 22.Rxe8+ Nxe8 23.Nd5 Be6 24.Qxb7 Bxd5 25.Qb4 Nd6 26.Qh4 Qg6 27.f3 Nxf3+ 28.Rxf3 Bxf3 29.Qg3 Qxg3 30.hxg3 Bc6 31.Kf2 Rb8 32.Ke3 Rxb2 33.Kd4 Rxc2 34.a4 Black forfeited on time, drumme - Hortonheat, FICS, 2012) 10.0-0 d6 11.Nc4 Qxe4 12.Qg5 Qxc4 13.Qd8+ Kf7 14.Qxc7+ Ne7 15.Nd2 Qxc2 16.Nf3 h6 17.Qxd6 Re8 18.Rac1 Qxb2 19.Qxc5 Be6 20.Ne5+ Kg8 21.Qd6 Qxa2 22.Ra1 Qd5 23.Qc7 Rac8 24.Qc3 Rxc3 25.Rad1 Qxe5 White resigned, drumme - Bicchi, FICS, 2013; c)8.0-0 Nf6 9.Ng4 Nxe4 10.Qd5 Nf6 11.Nxf6 Qxf6 12.Bxc5+ d6 13.Bxd6+ cxd6 14.Qxd6+ Kg8 15.Nc3 b6 16.Qc6 Rb8 17.Qd6 Rb7 18.Nd5 Qf8 19.Qc6 Rf7 20.Rae1 Nd4 21.Qa4 Ba6 22.Re8 Bxf1 23.Rxf8+ Rxf8 24.Kxf1 g6 25.Ne7+ Kg7 26.Qxd4+ Black forfeited on time, DragonTail - framontb, FICS, 2007; 8...Qe7 a)8...Qf6 9.Nxd7+ (a)9.Bxc5+ d6 (a)9...Nxc5 10.Nc3 Ne6 11.Nd5 Nf4 12.Qf3 Qxe5 13.Nxf4 Qxb2 14.Ne6+ Ke7 15.Qf8+ Kxe6 16.0-0 Qf6 17.Qe8+ Qe7 18.Qh5 Nf6 19.Qf5+ Kf7 20.e5 Rf8 21.exf6 Qxf6 22.Qxh7 d6 23.Rae1 Bf5 24.Qh5+ g6 25.Qh7+ Qg7 26.Qh4 Qf6 27.Qc4+ Kg7 28.Qxc7+ Rf7 29.Qc4 Rh8 30.Re3 b6 31.Rg3 Be6 32.Qe2 Re7 33.Qd3 Bf5 34.Qb3 Rc8 35.Rc3 Rxc3 White forfeited on time, sTpny - Straineryou, FICS, 2008) 10.Ba3 g6 11.Qf3 Qxf3 12.Nxf3 Kg7 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.0-0-0 Ng4 15.Rd2 Nf4 16.h3 Nf6 17.e5 dxe5 18.Nxe5 Be6 19.Be7 Rhe8 20.Bxf6+ Kxf6 21.Re1 Nxg2 22.Re3 Nxe3 23.fxe3 Kxe5 24.h4 Rad8 25.Rg2 Rf8 26.Rg5+ Rf5 27.b3 Rxg5 28.hxg5 Kf5 29.Nb5 c6 30.Nc7 Bf7 White resigned, Etto - ydkor, FICS, 2008; 9...Bxd7 10.Bxc5+ Ne7 11.Nc3 Nxc5 12.Qxc5 Qb6;
b)8...g6? 9.Nxg6+; 9.Nc3 c6 10.Ng6+ hxg6 11.Qxh8 Bxe3 12.fxe3 Ng5 13.Rf1+ Nf7 14.h4 Qe5 15.0-0-0 Qh5?! 16.Rxf7+ Kxf7 17.Rf1+ Nf6 18.Qxh5 gxh5 19.e5 d5 20.exf6 gxf6 21.e4 d4 22.Ne2 c5 23.e5 f5 24.Nf4 Be6 25.Nxh5 Rh8 26.g4 Kg6 27.Nf4+ Kf7 28.gxf5 Bxf5 29.h5 Re8 30.Nd3 Ke6 31.Nxc5+ Kd5 32.Rxf5 Kxc5 33.Rf7 Rxe5 34.h6 Rh5 35.h7 Kc6 36.Kd2 Rh3 37.Ke2 a5 38.Kf2 b5 39.Kg2 Rh5 40.Kg3 b4 41.Kg4 Rh2 42.Kg5 Black resigned, Wall, B. - Guest757851, PlayChess.com, 2014;
7...d6 8.Nd3 (8.Bxd4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Qg5 (9...Be6 10.Nf3 Qf6 11.Qb4 b6 12.Nc3 c5 13.Qa4 Ne7 14.Rd1 Bg4 15.e5 Qe6 16.Rxd6 Qf5 17.Rd3 g5 18.0-0 Kg7 19.h3 Bxh3 20.gxh3 Rhd8 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 22.Qxa7 Rd7 23.Qa4 Qxf3 24.Qxd7 Black resigns. 1-0 papernoose-RESULTS/Internet Chess Server: freech 2004 (24)) 10.Nf3 Qc1+ 11.Qd1 Qxd1+ 12.Kxd1 Nf6 13.Nc3 Bg4 14.Ke2 Re8 15.Kd3 Kf7 16.Ng5+ Kg6 17.f4 h6 18.Nf3 Re7 19.e5 dxe5 20.Nxe5+ Kh7 21.Nxg4 Nxg4 22.Nd5 Nf2+ 23.Kc3 Re2 24.Rhe1 Rhe8 25.Rxe2 Rxe2 26.Nxc7 Ne4+ 27.Kd3 Rxg2 28.Kxe4 Rxc2 29.Nb5 a6 30.Nc3 Rxb2 31.Rb1 Rxh2 32.Rxb7 Kg6 33.f5+ Kf6 34.Nd5+ Kg5 35.Rxg7+ Kh4 36.f6 Re2+ 37.Kf5 Re8 38.f7 Rf8 39.Nf4 a5 40.Rg4 checkmate, papernoose - ornito, FICS, 2004; 8...Qf6 9.Bxd4 Bxd4 10.c3 Bc5 11.Nxc5 dxc5 12.0-0 Qg5 13.Qf3+ Nf6 14.h4 Qxh4 15.e5 Bg4 16.Qf4 Ke7 17.exf6+ gxf6 18.Qxc7+ Bd7 19.Re1+ Kf8 20.Qxd7 f5 21.Qxf5+ Kg7 22.Re7+ Qxe7 23.Nd2 Raf8 24.Qg4+ Kf6 25.Ne4+ Ke5 26.Re1 Kd5 27.c4+ Kc6 28.b4 Rhg8 29.b5+ Kb6 30.Qd1 Qg7 31.Qd6+ Ka5 32.Qd2+ Kb6 33.Ng3 a6 34.Re6+ Ka7 35.Qd5 Qa1+ 36.Kh2 axb5 37.Qxc5+ Kb8 38.Qxb5 Qxa2 39.Re7 Kc8 40.Qxb7+ Kd8 41.Qd7 checkmate, bartab - umbeebmu, FICS, 2011;

Or 7...Qf6 8.Bxd4 Bxd4 Black resigned, SCARNEY - LordByron, FICS, 2005.

Does Bill have all of those games in his copy of The Database? Of course he does. How many do you think he has played over?

8.Qxc2 Bxe3 9.fxe3 

Not 9.Qe2?, although White eventually got the point: 9...Bd4 10.Qf3+ Nf6 11.Qa3+ c5 12.Nc3 Bxe5 13.Qxc5+ d6 14.Qe3 Qa5 15.0-0 Be6 16.Rad1 Rd8 17.Qf3 Kf7 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.exd5 Rhe8 20.g4 Kg8 21.g5 Nxd5 22.Rxd5 Rf8 23.Qe4 Qxa2 24.g6 h6 25.Rb5 b6 26.Qd5+ Kh8 27.Qxa2 Rf6 28.Rd1 Rxg6+ 29.Kf1 Bxh2 30.Ke2 Re8+ 31.Kd2 Rc8 32.Rf5 a5 33.Qb1 Rd8 34.Rf8+ Rxf8 35.Qxg6 Bf4+ 36.Kc2 Be5 37.Kb3 Rf3+ 38.Ka4 Rxf2 39.Qe8+ Kh7 40.Rb1 Bxb2 41.Qe4+ Kh8 42.Qa8+ Kh7 43.Re1 Be5 44.Rxe5 dxe5 45.Qe4+ Kg8 46.Qxe5 Ra2+ 47.Kb5 Rb2+ 48.Ka6 Rb3 49.Qe6+ Kh7 50.Qxb3 h5 51.Qh3 Kh6 52.Kxb6 g5 53.Qe6+ Kg7 54.Qe5+ Kh6 55.Qf6+ Kh7 56.Qxg5 a4 57.Qxh5+ Kg7 58.Qa5 a3 59.Qxa3 Kg6 60.Kc6 Kg5 61.Kd6 Kf5 62.Qc5+ Ke4 63.Qe5+ Kd3 64.Kd5 Kd2 65.Kd4 Kc2 66.Qe2+ Kb3 67.Qc4+ Ka3 Black resigned,  Athenee - dorigprg, FICS, 2006. 

9...Nf6

Bill mentioned Black could have tried 9...Qh4+ 10.g3 Qe7. 

10.0-0 d6 11.Nd3 g6

White's development, and Black's iffy King, are more important than White's doubled and isolated pawns. Now Black allows a small combination.

12.Nc3 Kg7 13.Nb5 c6 14.Nxd6 Qxd6 15.e5 Qd7 16.exf6+ Kh6

 Bill notes: 16...Kf7? 17.Ne5+; or 16...Kf8 17.Qc5+; or 16...Kg8 17.f7+ Kf8 18.Qc3. 

17.Ne5 Qd5 18.Qc3 Re8 19.f7 Rf8 20.Rf4 Qd8 

Or, per Bill, 20...Kh5 21.g4+ Bxg4 22.e4 Qd8 23.Rxg4 Kh6 24.Nf3 Rxf7 25.Rh4+.

21.Nf3 Be6 22.g4 g5 23.Rf6+ Kg7 24.Rxe6+

Black resigned

Too Smart (Not Smart Enough) For My Own Good

Sometimes when I am playing the Jerome Gambit I think I should take Nike's advice and "Just Do It!"... Over-thinking something has its problems. In the following game, by the time I figured out what I was supposed to remember, the game had wandered off.

perrypawnpusher - catmandu
blitz, FICS, 2014

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 Nf3+

A sharp and realatively unknown idea - this game is only the 10th example in The Database. It seemed familiar to me, though - and it actually was. I had responded with 8.gxf3 four years ago in perrypawnpusher - wertu, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 20).

8.Qxf3

During the game against catmandu, however, I thought I remembered perrypawnpusher - AirmanLeonidas, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 18), where, in my annotations, I had suggested that capturing with the Queen was better.

This was not entirely correct: against AirmanLeonidas I was playing the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit - with 0-0 and ...h6 added to the current position - so that certain lines were playable then, but not now.

8...Bxd4

At this point I realized that 9.e5 would not work (it hadn't worked in stretto - NoWar, FICS, 2007 [0-1, 28] or yorgos - ANDGREG, FICS, 2009 [0-1, 51] either, I learned later); and that the idea starting with 9.Nb5 followed by 10.Qb3+, as in my game against AirmanLeonidas, would stumble upon the fact that my King in this game was still on the e-file.

I could have made more of a game of it with 9.Ne2 Be5 10.Qd3 c6 11.f4 Bc7 but of course Black would still be better.

Without any particular idea in mind, I just started "making moves". 

9.Bg5 Rf8 10.0-0

After the game Houdini suggested the move complicated (hence, giving me more chances) 10.Ne2 Bxb2 11.Qb3+ Kg6 12.h4 h6 13.Nf4+ Kh7 14.Qxb2 Qe8 15.0-0-0 Qxe4 16.g3 Qc4 17.Bxf6 Rxf6 with Black still for choice. 

10...Kg8

Black has castled-by-hand, and compensation for White's piece sacrifice is insufficient.

11.Nd5 Nxd5 

One last oversight.

12.Qb3 Qxg5 White resigned

Next time, instead of trying to do all that remembering, I'll just focus on playing the game.