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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ...and related lines
(risky/nonrisky lines, tactics & psychology for fast, exciting play)
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Jerome Gambit: You Still Have to Find the Moves (Part 1)
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Monday, May 6, 2024
Jerome Gambit: Success Is Not Around the Corner in A Circular Room (part 2)
perrypawnpusher - mconto
Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024
An optimist might look at White's position and muse
White has pawn majorities on each wing. In the future, I can see two passed pawns. Then if the Queens, Rooks, Bishops and one Knight each are exchanged, White will have an endgame where the enemy Knight will have to hop back and forth to stop the pawns. Sounds like a draw to me.
The funny thing is, that is what almost happened.
Almost, but not quite.
19.Bg5 Qd5 20.Qxd5+
It was probably better to let Black initiate the exchange, and develop a piece instead, say 20.Nd2 Qxe4 21.Nxe4.
Still, the Queens are off the board.
20...Nxd5 21.Nd2 h6 22.Bf4 Nxf4 23.Rxf4 Bd7
So far, so good.
Black is still better, mind you, but the imaginary position (see above) is closer.
24.Re1 Rae8 25.Rfe4 Na5 26.h3 Rxe4 27.Rxe4 Re8 28. Rxe8+ Bxe8
29.Kf2 Bf7 30.b3 Nc6 31.Ke3 Bd5 32.Kf4 Kf7
33.h4 Ne7 34.g5
It turns out that Black does not have to exchange pawns on g5.
Stockfish 15.1 suggests, instead, 34.Nf1 Bc6 35.Ne3 g6 36.c4 Bd7 37.fxg6+ Nxg6+ 38.Kg3 Ne7 and White wouldn't be much worse than 20 moves earlier.
34...b6
Preparing to withdraw the Bishop in the event of c3-c4.
More direct was 34...Bc6 35.c4 Bd7 36.f6 Ng6+ 37.Kg3 hxg5 38.hxg5 gxf6 39.gxf6 Kxf6.
35.Ne4
Too cooperative, but this endgame was a bit beyond me. After the game the computer suggested 35.Nf1 Bh1!? 36.Ne3 although 36...Nd5+ would force an exchange, 37.Nxd5 Bxd5, which would leave Black with a Bishop instead of a Knight.
35...Bxe4 36.Kxe4 h5
37.d5 g6 38.fxg6+ Kxg6 White resigned
Black's Knight will come to f5 and then take the White h-pawn.
White's pawn majority on the Queenside is too slow to counter the advance of Black's h-pawn.Well played, mconto!
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Jerome Gambit: Success Is Not Around the Corner in A Circular Room (part 1)
My first loss in the Jerome Gambit Classic #1 tournament at Chess.com com had a straight-forward explanation: I got out-played by my opponent.
perrypawnpusher - mconto
Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3
A standard Jerome Gambit position. Black has an extra piece, White has two extra pawns.
9...N8e7
The Knight more frequently goes to f6.
10.O-O Rf8 11.f4 Kf7
Stockfish 16 frowns upon this move, because it leads to an even game.
Black is castling-by-hand, which seems fine to me.
The computer recommends, instead, 11...d5. I can understand why a human might want to safeguard his King before opening the center.
Slower were 11...Bd7 as in perrypawnpusher - louarn, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 44) and 11...Nc6 as in perrypawnpusher - taman, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 35). In each case I was able to respond with 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4, forcing play.
12.f5
Inaccurate was 12.d4 as in perrypawnpusher - wbrandl, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 28), since Black's King could immediately find shelter.
12...Ne5 13.d4 N5c6
Instead, 13...Nc4 did not lead to much in perrypawnpusher - bnxr, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1/2 - 1/2, 32).
14.Qb3+
Hoping to keep Black's King in the center. Probably 14.c4 or 14.Nc3 were a bit better.
14...d5 15.c3
I was getting nervous about both my d- and e-pawns.
I looked at 15.Bg5 Nxd4 16.Qd3 dxe4 17.Qxe4 and it felt like things were slipping away from me. This pessimism was unwarranted - after the game the computer assesed Black to be only 1/2 pawn better in that line.
15...Kg8 16.g4
To bolster my f-pawn.
16...Na5 17.Qc2 dxe4 18.Qxe4 Nac6
White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece. His pawns control territory, expecially in parts of the center, but his development is lacking.
[to be continued]
Saturday, May 4, 2024
Jerome Gambit: The Center is Not Safe
Bill Wall demonstrates in the following game that the center of the board can be a dangerous place for the enemy King.
Wall, Bill - Basiq
internet, 2024
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.f4 Nd3+
I like this move. Black does not wait until a piece is taken away, he offers one to stifle White's development.
Is he successful? The Database has 36 games with this move, with White scoring 72%. Yet, Stockfish 15.1 (32 ply) sees Black as about 3 pawns better.
Jerome Gambit. QED.
8.cxd3
8...d6
Black protects his Bishop. He could also have withdrawn it with 8...Bb6.
Best would have been 8...d5, shielding the Bishop, hitting White's pawn center, and opening a line for his other Bishop. The move appears in 8 games in The Database; White scores 1 - 7.
9.b4 Nf6
Wisely avoiding 9...Bxb4, which could be met with 10.Qf5+ Ke7 11.Qg5+ Kd7 12.Qb5+ c6 13.Qxb4.
10.f5+ Ke5
Is Black's King safe?
No.
11.Bb2+ Bd4 12.Bxd4+ Kxd4 13.Qf3
13...d5
This move allows checkmate.
Black's best chance was to make a mess of things with 13...Nd5 14.exd5 Re8+ 15.Kd1 Qg5 16.Nc3 Bxf5 17.Kc2, although White would then be evaluated by the computer as 6 pawns better.
14.Qf2+ Ke5 15.Qg3+ Kd4 16.Na3 dxe4 17.Qf2+ Ke5 18. Nc4+ Kd5 19.Qc5 checkmate
Friday, May 3, 2024
Jerome Gambit: Familiar Ground
In the following game I was helped by treading on familiar ground - as the links in the various game references show.
I also gained a few "extra" moves to improve my position, as my opponent used a few "extra" moves to place his pieces. It all added up.
perrypawnpusher - hamadkargarfard7
Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8
The March 1875 issue of The Dubuque Chess Journal contained the game Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1/2 - 1/2, 29), in which this move first appeared.
6.Nxc6 dxc6
Black captures with the d-pawn, to pressure the d4 square and prevent White from placing a pawn there.
7.O-O
Instead, 7.Nc3 as in perrypawnpusher - Ykcir, blitz, FICS 2009 (1/2 - 1/2, 11) and 7.d3 as in perrypawnpusher - fortytwooz, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29); perrypawnpusher - Jore, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 16); perrypawnpusher - Conspicuous, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 13); perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 12); and perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 30) were comparable alternatives.
7...Nf6
Again, there were a number of other choices:
7...Qh4 as in perrypawnpusher - Al-der, Italian Game Classic, Chess.com, 2019 (1-0, 26);
7...Ne7 as in perrypawnpusher - smarlny, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 25);
7...Be6 as in perrypawnpusher - PasayDefence, Piano Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2020 (1/2 - 1/2, 57); perrypawnpusher - spince, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 29); and perrypawnpusher - CorH, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 74);
7...Bd6 as in perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 18);
7...h5 as in perrypawnpusher - jackedU711, Giuoco Piano Game, Chess.com, 2023 (1/2 - 1/2, 14); and
7...Qf6 as in perrypawnpusher - DaniyarManat, Chess.com, 2021 (1-0, 19).
8.d3 Bg4 9.Qe1 Qe7
Instead, 9...Qe8 appeared in perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 13).
10.Kh1 Qe5
The Queen will wander.
11.f3 Bh5 12.c3 Bd6
Black eventually puts his Bishop on e7, so perhaps it should have gone there now. The expenditure of extra moves largely evens the game.
13.f4 Qb5 14.c4 Qb4 15.Nc3 Be7
It took White's c-pawn two moves to get where it is now, and the f-pawn, likewise, arrived in two steps - a consequence of Black's play.
With two pawns for the sacrificed piece, but a strong broad pawn center and a safer King, White is better.
16.a3
It was time to get the center pawns going with 16.e5.
16...Qb6
The Queen avoids the mischief that would have arrived after 16...Qxb2 (i.e. 17.Ra2 Qb3 18.Qa1 followed by Rb1) but at b6 it is out of action. Her Majesty would have been more helpful at d6.
17.e5 Nd7 18.f5
The "Jerome pawns" bring serious trouble.
18...Ke8
Hoping to step out of the line of fire, wishing to avoid something like what happens when central files open: 18...Qd4 19.f6 gxf6 20.exf6 Bxf6 21.Bh6+ Kf7 22.Ne4 Qxb2 23.Nxf6 Nxf6 24.Bg5
19.f6 Nxf6
Hoping to slow things by returning material.
20.exf6 gxf6 21.Rxf6 Kd7
22.Nd5
Cute, but so was 22.Qe6+ Kd8 23.Bg5.
22...Qc5 23.b4 Qd4 24.Qxe7+ Kc8 25.Qxc7 checkmate
Thursday, May 2, 2024
Jerome Gambit: Attack on the King
The Jerome Gambit delivers an attack on the King and a win under 20 moves.
perrypawnpusher - wolfwerner
Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6
7.Qxe5 d6Black opts for Blackburne's defense.
8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.d4
This move was suggested by J.B. and E.M. Munoz's Brooklyn Chess Chronicle, August 15, 1885, referring to the game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885. Instead of castling on move 9
He should have attempted to free his pieces by P-Q4 before castling
I admit that I have played - and mostly gotten away with - 9.0–0, instead, on occasion: perrypawnpusher - MiloBot, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 24); perrypawnpusher -LtPoultry, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 12); perrypawnpusher - MrScrumps, blitz, FICS 2011 (0-1, 11); perrypawnpusher - Carville, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22); perrypawnpusher - lfcanales, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 15); and perrypawnpusher - torrefish, Chess.com, 2022 (1-0, 14).
9...Qxe4+
The text is tempting, but probably not best.
It can be scary or White, but it can be dealt with.
I have also faced 9...Nf6 (the computer's choice) in perrypawnpusher - marvinni, Chess.com 2022 (1-0, 17); and 9...Bb4+ (the computer's next choice) in perrypawnpusher - bakker, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33).
10.Be3 Nf6 11.Nd2 Qxg2 12.0–0–0
White is the exchange up, and his King is safer.
12...Bb4
This is an improvement over 12...b6, seen in perrypawnpusher - DocBrowne, Giuoco Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2021 (1-0, 19).
13.Bh6
After the game was over, I consulted with Stockfish 15.1 and had to laugh. My move is not in the top 10 moves evaluated by the computer!
I chose it because I wanted to attack the King. I guess I got away with it.
13...Nh5
This move guards the f6 and g7 squares, but that is not enough.
14.Qf8+ Ke6
On the road to checkmate.
15.Rhe1+ Kd7
Stepping into it. The King could survive a bit longer with 15...Kd5, but still be mated.
16.Qe8 checkmate
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Jerome Gambit: A Winning Attack, But...
The following game shows a winning attack on the enemy King. I kind of wish that it was with the Jerome Gambit, instead of against it...
hamedkargarfard7 - perrypawnpusher
Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4
This is only the second time that I have faced 6.d4.
I have only played it once myself.
According to The Database, 6.Qh5+ is played about 5 times as often as 6.d4.
6...Qh4 7.dxc5
Riskier than 7.O-O first, e.g. 7...Ng4 (7....Qxe4 8.dxc5 Nf6 9.Nc3 Qc6 10.Bg5 b5 11.Bxf6 Bb7 12.Qh5+ Kxf6 13.f3 Qxc5+ 14.Kh1 g6 15.Qh3 Bc6 16.Rae1 Rae8 17.Ne4+ Bxe4 18.Rxe4 Re7? 19.Rfe1? Rhe8 20.Qg3 Qxc2 21.f4 Nc6 22.Qh4+ g5 23.Qxg5+ Kf7 24.Qf5+ Kg8 25.Qg5+ Kh8 26.Qf6+ Kg8 27.Qg5+ Kf8 28.Qf6+ Kg8 29.Qg5+ perrypawnpusher - 4xel, Chess.com, 2017 draw) 8.h3 Bb6 9.Qf3+ N4f6 10.e5 Bxd4 11.exf6 Nxf6 12.c3 Bb6 13.Nd2 Rf8 14.Ne4 Qxe4 15.Qd1 d5 16.Re1 Qf5 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 Bd7 19.Rf3 Qe5 20.Qd2 Rae8 21.Re3 Qd6 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.b3 Qe5 24.Rf1 Bc6 25.Kh1 Qe2 26.Qc1 d4 27.cxd4 Qe4 28.d5 Qxd5 29.f3 Kg8 30.Rd1 Qe6 31.Qf4 Nd5 32.Qd4 Ne3 33.Rc1 Bxf3 34.Kg1 Nxg2 35.Rxc7 Qe3+ 36.Qxe3 Nxe3 37.Kf2 Bc6 38.b4 Nd5 White resigned, Sir Osis of the Liver - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit3 thematic tournament, ChessWorld.net 2008.
7...Qxe4+ 8.Kf1 Nf6 9.Nc3 Qc4+ 10. Kg1
10...b6 11.cxb6 axb6 12.a3
Moving the pawn out of the double attack, but there is no time for this.
12...Bb7 13.Qe1
Hastening the end.
13...Qg4 14.f3 Nxf3+ 15.Kf2 Nxe1 16.Kxe1 Rhe8+ 17.Kd2 Qd4 checkmate