Don't go away -- It gets better

After an opening oversight shared with my opponent (I wondered why there were no other examples of his 6th move in The Database) the game goes on to some interesting attacking ideas. So, don't get upset and go away; the game gets better.


 perrypawnpusher - acwizard
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Kf8

In the Sorensen Variation (see "Battle Again") of the Jerome Gambit, this King move is playable, even laudible. However, in the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit... 

7.Nxc6

Of course 7.Ng6+ would win at least the exchange, depending on if the Knight can extract itself.

I think I was patting the dog and telling her I was busy when I made this move... (That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

7...dxc6 8.d3 Ne7

By transposition 8...Nf6 led to perrypawnpusher - vladchess, blitz, FICS, 2011 (½-½, 46) with the relevant continuation 9.Be3 Qe7 10.d4 Bb6 11.f3 Kg8 12.Nc3 Kh7 13.Qd3 g6

9.Be3

Rybka 3 prefers to preserve the Bishop with 9.c3 Bb6 10.d4 and a roughly equal game.

9...Bb6

Black does not want to open the f-file with 9...Bxe3 10.fxe3+  but his King could have safely gone to g8 (and even on to h7) maintaining an edge.

10.Nc3

Instead, 10.d4 kept White's dark-squared Bishop and kept the game balanced. Exchanging the Bishop with 10.Bxb6 cxb6 was seen in stretto - TommyN, FICS, 2008.

10...Kg8 11.Bxb6

Impatience. Again, the way to keep things level was with 11.d4, but the choice of one strategy over another is always easier to see after the game is over.

11...cxb6 12.f4 Kh7 13.d4 Bd7

Here we have a confrontation between the "Jerome pawns" and Black's extra piece. The game is about equal.

14.f5 Rf8

Black has neatly castled-by-hand.

15.Qd3 Rf6 16.g4 g5

This pawn move upsets the balance of the game. It would have been more prudent to simply return the Rook with 16...Rf8.

17.e5 Rf7

This move creates unnecessary grief. Again, after the Rook retired with 17...Rf8, White can try 18.Rae1 Be8 19.Ne4 Kh8 but he still has to be careful with his pawns, lest Black liquidate them by returning his piece. 

18.e6 Black resigned

Not only does White's e-pawn fork a couple of pieces, his f-pawn threatens to advance with a discovered check.

Battle Again

My introduction to MRBarupal was rather ubrupt: he beat my Jerome Gambit three straight times.

Since then we had met once more, and I had scored my first win.

Today's game is my second.

perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

This is Sorensen's Variation, a solid defense and a change from the games MRBarupal and I had previously played, all of which had continued 5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3.

6.Nxc6 dxc6

I was surprised to see that Rybka 3 prefer 6...bxc6 by the tiniest bit, even though it allows 7.d4. Alonzo Wheeler Jerome is on record as preferring 6...dxc6.

7.d3

7.0-0 as in Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, USA, 1875 (1/2-1/2, 29) is probably more accurate, as it is clear that White will be castling Kingside, but it is not totally clear (depending on Black's development) that the first player has to completely forego d2-d4.

That said, after 7.0-0 Nf6 White may respond with 8.d3 (better than 8.e5 of Norton - Hallock, corr 1877), which would simply be a transposition to this game.

7...Nf6

I have had mixed success against 7...Qf6: perrypawnpusher - fortytwooz, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29); perrypawnpusher - Lark, FICS, 2011, (1-0, 12); and perrypawnpusher - Jore, FICS, 2011, (0-1, 16).

8.0-0 Bg4

A slower game came about after 8...h6 9.Be3 Qe7 10.d4 Bb6 11.f3 Kg8 12.Nc3 Kh7 13.Qd3 g6 in perrypawnpusher - vladchess, blitz, FICS, 2011, (½-½, 46).

9.Qe1

Black's Bishops are really annoying! It was beginning to feel like my "nemesis" was taking over the game again.

9...Qe8

Instead, 9...Qe7 was seen in Lowe - Parker, corr, 1879 (1-0, 37)

10.Be3 Bd6

10...Qe7 and 10...Bb6 are slightly better alternatives, mostly because they prove to be less complicated than the text.

11.f4 Nh5

Instead, after the game Rybka 3 suggested that it was time to return the piece for three pawns: 11...Nxe4 12.dxe4 Qxe4 13.Nc3 Qxc2

analysis diagram









Here Black is a pawn up, but the uncertain placement of his King and the open lines against it give White sufficient counterplay to call the game even.

The text allows White's "Jerome pawns" to advance with malice.

12.e5 Be7 13.f5

Black resigned

I admit that I was a bit surprised at my opponent's decision, as in the past he had shown some strong tactical chops in messy situations.

It is true that after 13...Qf7 14.Nd2 Bxf5 15.g4 g6 16.gxf5 gxf5 material is even and Black's f-pawn is hanging, but after 17.Qf2 Rg8+ 18.Kh1 Qd5+ 19.Ne4 Ng7 it still has not fallen and after 20.Qg3 Ke8 21.c4 Qf7 22.Bh6 Ne6 23.Rxf5 Rxg3 24.Rxf7 Kxf7 25.hxg3 Rd8 it doesn't look like the extra pawn for White will account for much, at least according to Rybka 3 and Fritz 8.

Perhaps events off of the chess board accounted for his need to leave.

No Way to Make A Living

Using my "extra" pawns to chase down a draw or a win against Black's extra piece in the Jerome Gambit can sometimes be an exhausting task. "That's no way to make a living," as they say. Even if your opponent slips at the end...

perrypawnpusher  - vladchess
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

One way to change the flow of the game and try to keep his King out of trouble.

6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.O-O

I've had success after 7.d3 Qf6 8.O-O in two games in which I reversed my 7th and 8th moves:  perrypawnpusher - fortytwooz, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29) and perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 12).

7...Nf6

Also seen: 7... Bd6 perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 18) and 7... Be6, perrypawnpusher - CorH, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 74).

8.d3 h6

8...Bg4 was seen in Lowe - Parker, corr, 1879, (1-0, 37)

9.Be3 Qe7

Exchanging Bishops was also okay.

10.d4 Bb6 11.f3 Kg8

Computers like Rybka tend to like solid pawn centers like the one White has and rate it accordingly, but there is a lot to do to get "something" out of the position for White.

12.Nc3

Moving another pawn with 12.c4 might have been better, at least according to Houdini 1.5a.

12... Kh7

The cute 12...Nd5 (note the pin on the e-pawn) was a bit better.

13. Qd3 g6 14.f4

Instead, Houdini prefers 14.Na4 Ba5 15.c4 b6 16.a3 c5 17.dxc5 Rd8 18.Qc2 bxc5 19.Bxc5 Bb6 20.Qf2 Qe8 21.Nxb6 axb6 22. Be3 Qe7 23.Rfd1 Be6 24.Qc2 Nd7 25.Qc3 Qg7 26.Bd4 Qf7 when Black's advantage is minimal.

Okay, if you say so... (The next book that I review for Chessville will be a strategy book!)

14...Rg8 15.Rae1 Ng4 16.h3 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 c5 18.Nd5 Qd6 19.Nxb6 axb6

20.dxc5 bxc5 21.Rd1 Qb6 22.Qb3 Be6 23.Qxb6 cxb6

If there was a thread in this game, I've probably lost it...

My only chance is to activate my Rooks.

24.a3 c4 25.Rd6 Bc8 26.Rxb6 Re8 27.e5 c3 28.bxc3 Rxa3 29.Rb3 Ra2 30.Rf2 Re7 31.Rd2 Rf7

32.g3

Simply overlooking the loss of a pawn.

32...Bxh3 33.Rb5 Re7 34.Kf2 Bf5 35.Kf3 h5 36.Rbd5 Ra3

Black is still better, but 36...Rc7 here would have been stronger.

Time was getting short for both of us. My plan was to continue to harass Black until one of us blundered.

37.Rc5 b6 38.Rc6 Rb7 39.Kf2 b5 40.e6  Re7 41.Rd7

Going for the swindle.

41...Rxd7 42.exd7 Bxd7

Simply 42... Ra8 was Game Over.

43.Rc7 Kh6 44.Rxd7 Rxc3 45.Rd2 b4 46.Kg2 draw.

This game reminds me of the saying about airplane landings: any one that you can walk away from is a good one...

Sidetracked

I'm always looking for a Jerome Gambit when I play 1.e4, especially when my opponent replies 1...e5. Sometimes we get sidetracked, however. In those cases it is good when I know something about the line I've been forced into.

perrypawnpusher - vladchess
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6

Our one previous game was quite odd, a declined Busch-Gass Gambit: 2...Bc5 3. Bc4 f6 4.Nxe5 d6 5.Qh5+ g6 6.Nxg6 Kd7 7.Nxh8 Qe7 8.Qf7 Nc6 9.Be6+ Kd8 10.Qxg8+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - vladchess, blitz, FICS, 2010

3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

My opponent hesitated before making his next move. Did he know that I was going to answer 5...Bc5 with 6.Bxf7+, the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit? If he did, would that make him more or less likely to play 5...Bc5?

Instead, vladchess opted for the "fork trick". For a general overview of this maneuver, take a look at "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 3)".

5...Nxe4

Here I fell in with my opponent's plan.

6.Nxe4 d5 7.Bd3 dxe4 8.Bxe4 Bc5

The Bishop has taken a step too far, and this costs a pawn.

9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.Nxe5

Later, I grabbed a second pawn, and even later, a third, winning in 29 moves.

But – that hesitation at move 5. What was that all about?

Is there something about adding White's 0-0 and Black's ...h6 that changes the dynamics of the "fork trick"?

It turns out, there is. Instead of playing 6.Nxe4, White could have played the shocker 6.Nxe5!?.

Certainly now Black can continue with 6...Nxe5 and after 7.Re1 Be7 (or simply 7...d6) 8.Rxe4 d6 White will have the standard "plus over equals" edge that can come with the first move.

But what if Black mixes it up with 7...d5!? – and keeps playing crazy attacking moves?

8.Bxd5 Bg4 9.f3 Bc5+

10.d4 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Bxd4+ 12.Kg2

You know that things are getting tense for White when he has to play this "only" move.

12...Nxc3 13.Qxd4 Nxd5 14.Qxe5+ Kf8

Here – having made it safely through the storm – we can probably say that White's Bishop vs Black's Knight and his better opportunities for development are adequate compensation for his missing pawn in this even game...

Yes, Indeed, I am glad that I read and remembered that overview of the "fork trick", above, and decided to go that way, instead!

Busch-Gass Pass

As much as I like surprising my opponents with unusual openings like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – that's how much I dislike being surprised by my opponents.

The following game is also about having a "Plan B" for when you can't follow "Plan A".

perrypawnpusher  - vladchess
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5

My opponent offers to play the Busch-Gass Gambit  (see "Worth a Second Look... Part 1", "Part 2" and "Part 3"), an opening with a number of Jerome-ish characteristics.

The idea is that if White now plays 3.Nxe5, Black can follow with 3...Bxf2+ 4.Kxf2 Qh4+ with mischief ahead.

3.Bc4

I decided to "pass" on the pawn offer.

Maybe Black will relent and play 3...Nc6, allowing me to play the Jerome Gambit after all?

3...f6

This is an awkward transposition to a variation of the Damiano Defense, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6, suggesting that my opponent was not prepared for me to decline his gambit.

Better were 2...Nc6, 2..d6 or 2...Qe7.

4.Nxe5

As in play against the regular Damiano setup.

4...d6

Another surprise.

Black probably would have done best by staying within Damiano lines as well: 4...Qe7.

analysis diagram






Because Black's Bishop will be hanging on c5 – as opposed to being safe at f8, as in the original Damiano Defense – White can now play out his Queen with 5.Qh5+, as after 5...g6 6.Nxg6 Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Black's Damiano-ish 7...Qxg6 could be met with 8.Qxc5.

analysis diagram






Black can desperado that Bishop with 7...Bxf2+ (instead of 7...Qxg6), but after 8.Kxf2 Qxg6 9.Qc5 White will have several advantages that will only grow over the next few moves: King safety, development, the usefulness of the two Bishops.

analysis diagram







5.Qh5+ g6

6.Nxg6 Kd7

The alternative, 6...hxg6 7.Qxh8+ followed by capturing the Knight on g8 is not attractive, either.

7.Nxh8 Qe7 8.Qf7

Stifling any thought of counter-play.

8...Nc6 9.Be6+ Kd8 10.Qxg8+ Black resigned

After 10...Qe8 I planned to quiet things down with exchanges after 11.Nf7+ Ke7 12.Qxe8+ Kxe8 13.Bxc8 Rxc8 14.Nh6, remaining up a Knight, a Rook and two pawns.