Theoretical

The Jerome Gambit and its relations are fun "just do it!" openings, but over time they have developed their own "book" and sometimes a line, as the one discussed below, can become "theoretical".

MCMLXXXIII - TheProducer
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6

This position was reached in the game discussed yesterday (see "Really? Really.") and in 824 other games in the New Year's Database. White scored 60%.

7.Nxg6 Nf6

Not Black's best response (he should take the Knight), but it is enough to complicate the game.

8.Qe5+ Be7

Again, not the best, but, again, plenty messy. Black should try 8...Ne6 9.Nxh8 Bg7 as in perrypawnpusher - xenoglot, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 37).

White now has several options, only one of which leads to advantage. A little familiarity with the first moves of this opening can save a lot of calculation time and headaches later.

9.Nxh8

Tempting. However, the best chances came with 9.Nxe7, e.g. 9...Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Ne3+ (or 10...Qxe7 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 12.Kxc2) 11.dxe3 Qxe7 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 13.f3 when White is up 2 pawns. 

analysis diagram








9...Nxc2+ 10.Kd1

10...Nxa1

This may be easy to work out with a longer time to think about it, but in blitz it is not as simple. See perrypawnpusher - lourotors, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1,37).

Kicking the White Queen with 10...d6 before capturing the Rook was a bit stronger, but in either case Black is better.

11.Nc3

Ignoring the Black Knight in the corner and working on development.

11...Ng4

Half of the moves in this game have been made by the Knights. Look at them!

Sadly, this move ends the game for Black. (Kicking the enemy Queen was a job for the d-pawn.)

12.Qh5+ Kf8 13.Qf7 checkmate

Big Bad Wolf

The other day I ran into a big, bad wolf – a higher-rated player who tried to surprise me with the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. Instead, I surprised him with the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.


perrypawnpusher - ZekeTheWolf
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nxc2+

Tempting, because it delivers a check, forks White's King and Rook, and generally messes the position up.

Still, 7..hxg6 is better, and after the game Rybka suggested the line: 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Qc5+ Kf7 11.Qxd4 d5 12.d3 c5 13.Qc3 dxe4 14.dxe4 Qd4 15.Qxd4 cxd4 16.f3 Be6 17.c3

analysis diagram








when Black is slightly better, although someone comfortable with the Jerome Gambit would probably be comfortable with the White pieces. 

8.Kd1 Qf6

Played too quickly. Better was 8...Nf6 as in perrypawnpusher - xenoglot, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 21) and perrypawnpusher - lourotors, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 37); but not the suicidal 8...Nxa1 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qe5, checkmate, perrypawnpusher - mbranimir, blitz, FICS, 2009.

9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Kxc2

I was surprised when I checked the updated New Year's Database after the game and saw that my opponent had played this line before: 10.Nc3 c6 11.e5 Qxh8 12.Kxc2 Qg7 13.d3 h6 14.Qh4+ Ke8 15.Qh5+ Ke7 16.Bf4 Qxg2 17.Bg3 d6 18.exd6+ Kd8 19.Rae1 Bd7 20.Qf7 Bxd6 21.Qxg8+ Kc7 22.Qxa8 Bxg3 23.hxg3 Qxf2+ 24.Re2 Qxg3 25.Qxa7 Qf3 26.Qa5+ Kc8 27.Qa8+ Kc7 28.Rxh6 Qxe2+ 29.Nxe2 Black resigned, DragonTail - ZekeTheWolf, FICS 2007

Still, the stronger reply that both DragonTail and I overlooked was 10.Qxh7+  as in 10...Qg7 11.Qh4+ Nf6 12.Kxc2 d6 13.Nc3 Be6 14.Re1 Kd7 15.d4 Be7 16.d5 Rxh8 17.dxe6+ Kc8 18.Qf4 Kb8 19.e5 dxe5 20.Rxe5 Bd6 21.Nb5 Bxe5 22.Qxe5 Qg6+ 23.Kb3 Rc8 24.Bf4 Ka8 25.Nxc7+ Rxc7 26.Qxc7 Qe8 27.Rc1 Qxe6+ 28.Kc2 Qc6+ 29.Kd3 Qxc7 30.Bxc7 a5 31.Bxa5 Ka7 32.b4 Nd5 33.Kd4 Nxb4 34.Bxb4, Black forfeited on time, stemplarv - hitijnar, blitz, FICS, 2008.

10...Qxh8

White is ahead the exchange and two pawns, a winning advantage if he can develop and press his attack, while keeping his own King safe.

11.Qg5+ Ke8 12.Nc3 c6 13.f4 Be7 14.Qh5+ Kd8 15.Qf3 Nf6 16.d3 d6

17.Be3 Bg4 18.Qf2 Bd7 19.h3 Kc7 20.g4 a6

Black's last move weakens the b6 square. Perhaps he was preparing to move his Rook without losing his a-pawn. After the game Rybka recommended 20...Be6, instead.

21.g5 Nh5 22.Bb6+

Taking a short break from the Kingside advance to force Black's King to block his Rook.

22...Kc8 23.f5

This pawn sacrifice was not necessary – I could have prepared for this advance with 23.Rhg1 – but the open g-file is useful. 

23...Bxg5 24.Rag1 Bf6 25.Qf3 Ng7

26.Rg2 Bd8

To get rid of the annoying Bishop at b6. Rybka's suggestion shows how difficult Black's position is, as White's Rooks infiltrate along the g-file: 26...Qf8 27.Rhg1 Ne8 28.Rg8 Qe7 29.Qe3 a5 30.Bd4 Kc7 31.Bxf6 Qxf6 32.R1g7.

analysis diagram








 27.Bxd8 Kxd8 28.Rhg1 Kc7

This slip frees up the Rook, but drops the Knight.

29.Rxg7 Rf8 30.Qh5 Kb6 Black resigned

Shillings: One Found, Two Lost (Part 3)

After my first game against xenoglot (see "Shillings: One Found, Two Lost (Part 2)") my opponent challenged me to another game. I quickly agreed, figuring One game with White, one game with Black, makes sense and seems fair to me...

When the board popped up on the monitor in front of me, however, I saw that I had the White pieces again. Oh, he wanted that kind of re-match.

perrypawnpusher - xenoglot
blitz 2 12, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

As in my first game with xenoglot.

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nxc2+

 My opponent's improvement over his previous 7...Nf6. Better yet was 7...hxg6.

8.Kd1 Nf6

It is ironic that in developing this Knight now, xenoglot makes the same mis-play as in our previous game. Of course, there are 25 other games with this move in the New Year's Database.

After 8...hxg6 White doesn't have anything "objectively" better than 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 10.Qg5+ Ke8 11.Qg6+ repeating the position for a draw, although he does have alternatives.

9.Qe5+ Kf7

Forcing my hand, but things will not turn out right.

10.Nxh8+ Kg8 11.Kxc2 Kxh8

White is ahead two pawns and the exchange, but he lags in development and his King is not yet safe.

12.d4 d6 13.Qg5 Bg7 14.Nc3 c5

We've seen a hyper-modern touch in the Jerome Gambit before.

My plan is to work on development and use my advantages later.

15.Be3 Qe8 16.f3 Nd7

The tactical shot 16...Ng4 17.fxg4 cxd4 18.Bxd4 Bxd4 was stronger and had the benefit of busting up White's center.

17.Rad1 Bf6 18.Qg3 cxd4 19.Bxd4 Ne5

Fighting until the end.

20.f4 Nf7

The end: the Knight had to go to d7 or g4.

 21.Bxf6 checkmate

Shillings: One Found, Two Lost (Part 2)

Applying the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) treatment to the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4) has become a standard plan when my favorite opening meets someone's favorite defense. So far I have scored 13 wins against 2 losses and 1 draw, so I'm not likely to change my play any time soon.

perrypawnpusher - xenoglot

blitz 2 12, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

Checking the New Year's Database (which I have been updating regularly) I note that the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit has scored 56% (based on 2,292 games),  but that the per centage jumps to 61% (based on 1,076 games) in the 5...Ke6 line. (All cautions about statistics, of course, apply.) 

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6

A good look at this line can be found in "Please, don't do that..." and "It's a good thing I read this blog".

Rybka says that developing the King's Knight gives White a small advantage, and instead recommends: 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 (for 9...Ke8 see perrypawnpusher - adamzzzz, blitz FICS, 2009)10.Qc5+ Kf7 11.Qxd4 d5 when Black has an edge.

8.Qe5+ Ne6

At this point in one game, my opponent resigned: perrypawnpusher - fintrade, blitz FICS, 2009.


9.Nxh8 Bg7 10.d4

10...c6 11.Bg5 Bxh8

Black has two pieces for a Rook and three pawns – but these are "Jerome pawns"!

12.Bxf6

After the game Rybka preferred straight development with 12.Nc3. I think that is because it did not see going into an endgame as strong as staying in the middle game.

12...Bxf6

Better, according to the computer, was 12...Qxf6 13.Qxf6 Bxf6
when White has only an edge. I would have been happy to follow that line, though.

13.Qh5+

On revient toujours à ses premières amours...

13...Ke7 14.Qxh7+ Ke8 15.e5 Be7

With three connected passed pawns and a Rook for Black's two Bishops, White is better – but how to convert the advantage?

16.Qh5+ Kf8 17.Qf5+ Ke8 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.Qf5+ Kg7

I was checking the King and even repeating the position in order to pick up some time to think a bit deeper. My opponent apparently took this as indecision or confusion on my part. This kind of thought process can lead to over-confidence, which is not good. 

Xenoglot should have returned his King to e8 and seen if I really wanted a draw – which would have been a favorable outcome for him at this point.

20.0-0 Nxd4

See what I mean? Over-confidence can allow one to fall into the shallowest of traps.

21.Qg4+ Kf8 22.Qxd4 Ke8

From here, Black's position slowly disintegrates.

23.Nc3 d6 24.exd6 Bxd6 25.Rfe1+ Kd7 26.Rad1

Even stronger was 26.Qg7+.

26...Qf8 27.Ne4 c5 28.Qxd6+ Qxd6 29.Nxd6 

29...Kc6 30.Nxc8 Rxc8 31.h4 b5

32.h5 a5 33.Re6+ Kb7 34.Rd7+ Ka8 35.Ree7 Rc6 36.Re8+ Rc8 37.Rxc8 checkmate

My opponent immediately challenged me to a rematch...