Chess Improvement

I take my chess instruction where I can find it, so when I stopped by the Chess Improvement blog I was ready to read what the author had posted about the Giuoco Piano (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3) and the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+):

The winner of a chess game is the player that makes fewer wrong moves then his opponent.

In this issue I will present my game played recently on Playchess.com. I didn't play rated game for a long time so I decided to play against weaker opponent. As you'll see I played so badly for my rating but the game was decided by greater number of errors my opponent did.

[Event "Rated game, 30m + 0s"]

[Site "Main Playing Hall"]

[Date "2006.08.18"]

[Round "?"]

[White "Ciprian"]

[Black "Ibarix"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "C50"]

[WhiteElo "1478"]

[Annotator "Fritz 9 (60s)"]

[PlyCount "152"]

[EventDate "2006.08.18"]

{C50: Hungarian Defence and Giuoco Pianissimo}

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5

In earlier posts I said I don't quite know openings. I recently started to study ideas for some openings (Giuoco Piano). It's incredible that I'm quite strong player but have no clue about basic ideas in most of the openings. So I took advice from some of the internet sites and began with Giuoco Piano just as junior players start with it in their chess lives. After these moves white developed 2 pieces, took some share of the center with e4 and cleared way for a short castle. White bishop is eyeing the f7 square which is the weakest point at the start of the game just as white's f2. Why? Because at the beginning it's defended only once - by the king. The main point for black's good chances is central break d5 and Nf6. White has several possibilities in this position.

1. b4 - the Evans gambit

2. c3 - preparing for d4 thrust or playing Modern Italian c3, d3 and after that d4 maybe

3. d3 - leading either to Giuoco Pianissimo after white's Nc3, 0-0 and black's d6, Nf6 and 0-0 or Modern Italian

4. d4 immediately, the Italian Gambit

5. 0-0 weak line according to some authors

6. (read misc. instead of six because this is not quite the option for white) Bxf7+ ??????? Jerome gambit, it doesn't work, don't ever play it...

[The emphasis placed on the last line is mine - RK. You have been warned!]

Thoughts About AWJ

A few days ago, Dr. Daaim Shabazz, Associate Professor of Business at Florida A&M University and host of the Chess Drum website, stopped by this blog and left a short, friendly Comment to the "A Short Break from the Jerome Gambit" post.

When I learned that Alozno Wheeler Jerome, father of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), had been a lieutenant during the United States' Civil war, serving in the 26th Infantry of the United States Colored Troops, I exchanged emails with Dr. Shabazz, speculating about the possiblity of Jerome being an African American chessplayer.

To have reached the rank of lieutenant in the United States' military would have been almost unheard of for a black man at that time – officers in the U.S.C.T. were invariably white men; and the rank of sergeant was about as high as the troops were allowed to advance. A black lieutenant would have to have been a military genius to have achieved such status.

Further research, though, only supported the rule, not the exception. Jerome's parents identified themselves in the national census as "white", as did Jerome and his wife in the decades that followed. Jerome was drafted into the army of the United States, something only open to white men at the time, and only later reassigned as quartermaster sergeant, to Company C of the 26th Infantry, U.S.C.T.

It is quite possible that Alonzo Wheeler Jerome played chess while in uniform, and perhaps that is when he came up with Jerome's Double Gambit. Further research on that possibility still needs to be done.

Hamppe - Meitner Revealed

Michael Goeller, of the Kenilworthian Chess Club (see "Related Sites" on this blog) has a comprehensive article on the exciting Hamppe - Meitner Motif (see Godfather of the Jerome Gambit? (Part I), (Part II) and (Endnote) for its relationship to Alonzo Wheeler Jerome") on his website.

I highly recommend you check out "The Hamppe - Meitner Motif", and the Kenilworthian site itself as a treasure trove of articles covering a whole host of topics.

Wonderful work, Mike, as ever!

Firsts

An exchange of emails with Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks ("blackburne"):

Hi Rick,

Not sure if I mentioned this, but one of my Internet wins with the Jerome is in Gary Lane's book The Greatest Ever Chess Tricks and Traps .

I wonder if this is the first publication of a complete Jerome game in book form?

Pete

Hi Pete,

I've got dibs on the review copy of Gary's book when it shows up at Chessville, so I'll be able to see your game in print with my own eyes. Congratulations all over again!

As for the first publication of a complete Jerome Gambit game in book form, I think your game is a rare item, but not the first.

Andres Clemente Vazquez included three Jerome Gambits from his second match with William Carrington in his book Algunas Partidas de Ajedrez (1876); and he shared his game against L. Giraudy in the 2nd & 3rd editions of his Analisis del juego de ajedres: libro a propositio para que pueda aprender dicho juego, el que lo ignore del todo, in necesidad de maestro (1885, 1889). (Not in the 1st edition, mind you: it was published in 1874, the first year that the Jerome Gambit saw print.)

Of course, the infamous game Amateur - Blackburne, London 1885, appeared in Mr. Blackburne's Games at Chess (1899), and thereafter in numerous books, including Handbuch des Schachspiels - 8th ed (1916); Du Mont's 200 Miniature Games of Chess (1942); Chernev and Harkness' An Invitation to Chess A Picture Guide to the Royal Game (1945); and Wenman's Master Chess Play (1951).

More recently, Eric Schiller has included Amateur -Blackburne in his Unorthodox Chess Openings (1998, 2002) and Gambit Chess Openings (2002); and, with John Watson, his Survive and Beat Annoying Chess Openings (2003).

Hope that isn't rain on your parade -- your game appears to be the first game from this century and the past one to appear in book form, as far as I know. Good enough?

Best wishes,

Rick

Jerome Gambit: Drilling Down (18)

RevvedUp challenges Shredder 8 with its own defensive idea; yet, in the end, the silicon beast outplays him. This game is less about Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) theory and more about how a stronger opponent gives "Jerome Gambit odds" and then gradually outplays his opposition.


Shredder 8 - RevvedUp
2 12, 2006

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6


Familiar ground.

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Qh4

RevvedUp tries out Shredder 8's innovation (see "Jerome Gambit: Drilling Down (17)").

10.Nc3 c6 11.d3 Nf6 12.Qd4

A real computer-style move: Shredder 8 sees that his opponent's formation leaves the d-pawn unprotected. In this position RevvedUp likely would have chosen 12.Qg5 to exchange Queens.

12...Ke7 13.h3 Qh5 14.0-0 Qc5

Again, RevvedUp would like to head toward the endgame. For this 14...Qe5 was also a possibility. Shredder 8 should now swap Queens.

15.Qa4 Re8

This is a solid move. Black would have gotten his wish after 15...b5 16.Qa5 Qb6 17.Qxb6 axb6 which is probably the stronger line.

16.Be3 Qe5

Provoking the pawns.

17.f4 Qe6

Better: 17...Qh5

18.f5 Qf7 19.fxg6 Qxg6

RevvedUp has returned the piece, a standard strategy for Black, but White's position is too strong.

20.Rf3 h6 21.Raf1 Be6 22.Qb4 b6 23.e5 Nd5 24.Qxd6 checkmate

Ouch!

Jerome Gambit: Drilling Down (17)

Here we have another difficult struggle between human and computer which looked for the longest time like a draw – success for both RevvedUp and the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – but Shredder 8 was finally able to plot a breakthrough that led to a full point (that most humans would have split well before then).

RevvedUp - Shredder 8
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Qh4 TN

This thematic move almost always carries strong counterplay with it.
10.0-0 Nf6 11.d3
Or 11.f3 followed by d4.

11...Kf7 12.Qg5 Qxg5
RevvedUp is always willing to play the endgame, an area generally considered a weakness for computers.

13.Bxg5 Bd7 14.Nc3 Rhf8 15.h3 Nh5 16.Rae1 Nhf4 17.Kh2
Covering the possible sac at h3.
17...h6 18.Bxf4 Nxf4 19.Ne2 Ke7 20.Nxf4 Rxf4 21.f3 Raf8
RevvedUp has established a solid position that he quietly defends, waiting for Shredder 8 to either make a series of small errors that can be taken advantage of – or yield a draw by repetition.

22.Rf2 Ke6 23.Ree2 h5 24.Kg1 h4 25.Kf1 Ke5 26.Kg1 Ke6 27.Kf1 Ke5 28.Kg1 Be6 29.a3 Re8 30.Kf1 Ref8 31.Ke1 Bd7
32.Kd2 c5 33.c3 Ke6 34.Ke3 Bb5 35.Kd2 a5 36.Kc2 b6 37.Kd2 Ba4 38.Kc1 b5 39.Kd2 Bb3 40.Ke3 R8f6 41.Rd2 Rf8 42.Ke2 R8f7 43.Ke3 a4 44.Rfe2 R4f6 45.Rf2 Rf4 46.Rfe2 Rf8
White is still holding his fortress. Black decides to break in the center.

47.Rf2 d5 48.Rfe2 dxe4 49.dxe4 Ke7 50.Re1 Ke6 51.Rf1
You have to wonder what Shredder 8 would have done with 51.Ree2.
51...Ke7 52.Re1 Ke6 53.Rf1 Ke5 54.Re1 R4f7 55.Ree2 Be6 56.Rf2 Rf4 57.Rde2 Bd7 58.Rd2 Bc6 59.Rde2 R4f7 60.Rd2 Bb7
It's easy to get the feeling that if Shredder 8 continues to play, eventually it will stumble over the right lines. I think average club players would have split the point by now.

61.Rde2 Rd7 62.Rd2 Rfd8 63.Rxd7 Rxd7 64.Rd2
Understandably wanting to reduce the number of pieces further, but ultimately not a good idea: Black's King gets to infiltrate the Kingside. The tireless Shredder 8 has won down the valiant human.

64...Rxd2 65.Kxd2 Kf4 66.Ke2 Bc8 67.Kf2 Be6 68.Kf1 Kg3 69.Kg1 Bc4 70.Kh1 Bf1 71.Kg1 Bxg2 White resigns

The Westminster Papers

Using Google Books to search the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) I recently came across Volume XI of The Westminster Papers of London, "A Monthly Journal of Chess, Whist, Games of Skill, and The Drama" which had this note in its February 1, 1879 issue:

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

CHESS

H.W.P. (Vermont, U.S., A.) -- We shall be most happy to receive some games fairly well played, in which the Jerome Double Gambit was adopted. They will be handed to our annotator in due course, and will analyse them in an unprejudiced and impartial manner.

The March and April issues which complete Volume XI have no further reference to Jerome's Gambit – and this is unfortunate, as they were the last issues of The Westminster Papers to be published.

The refererence to the chess player "H.W.P" of Vermont is also a mystery to me at this point.

Readers able to shed a light on this are encouraged to either post a "comment" or contact me via email.

Graphic by Jeff Bucchino, wizardofdraws