What an Idea

Gerald Abrahams wrote in his book, The Chess Mind, that the smallest unit in a chess game was not the move, but the idea. I've always believed that he was onto something, although I'm sure that he still divided ideas into good and bad ones, just as he divided moves into good and bad ones. After all, he once wrote

...and nobody in their right senses plays... Jerome's Gambit

perrypawnpusher - GiantReign

blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6

The Two Knights Defense. No Jerome Gambit today, I guess. Unless... 

4.Nc3 h6 5.0-0 Bc5

6.Bxf7+

Ah, the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit... But, do I really want that? As they say: be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4

8...Neg4

Fascinating.

Maybe I'm supposed to kick the Knight with h2-h3, while Black withdraws his Bishop to b6 and looks at the possibility of  h6-h5, opening the King's Rook file...? 

9.dxc5 Re8

I settled for just taking the Bishop. In turn, Black's move prepared for castling-by-hand. He also prepared an unfriendly retort to my see-able 13th move... 

10.h3 Ne5 11.f4 Nc6 12.e5 Nh7

Those frisky "Jerome pawns"! The game is about even.

13.Qd5+ Kf8 14.Bd2 d6 15.cxd6 Be6

After the game Rybka suggested a line that was stronger for Black then this move, but messier: 15...cxd6 16.Ne4 Qb6+ 17.Kh2 Be6 followed by 18.Qxd6+ Kg8 19.Qd3 Qxb2 20.Nd6 Rad8 21.Rab1 Qxa2 22.Rxb7 Re7 23.Rfb1 Qd5 with an even game. 

16.Qe4 cxd6

Probably an oversight: 16...Kg8 minimized White's edge. 

17.Qxh7

17...dxe5

Still hammering at the center pawns, but the game has taken a bad turn in any event.

18.fxe5+ Ke7 19.Qxg7+ Bf7 20.Qxf7 checkmate

Disassembled

I share my Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games – wins and losses – because I like the renegade opening. Given the right circumstances White can win. Of course, he can lose, too. (That's a joke.)

In the following game my opponent does not blow up the Jerome Gambit (which would have been bad enough) but takes it apart piece-by-piece.

perrypawnpusher  - Nadante
blitz FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

Black's most popular response, according to the New Year's Database.

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

Before this game I was 7-1-2 from this position, certainly not a cause for alarm.

10.0-0 Kf7 11.f4

In the past I liked this move a bit better than 11.Nc3.

11...Re8

12.d3 Kg8

This move is a clear improvement over Comunista's 12...Nd5 (1-0, 29) and thehunterjames' 12...c5 (0-1, 25).

13.f5

This move is new to me. To recover from this game I will be studying the alternatives played by Louis Morin (mrjoker): 13.Nc3 (3 times), 13.h3 (2 times), 13.Nd2 and 13.Qf3.

13...Ne5 14.Nc3 c6

Black's Knights are sitting there like great big targets for the "Jerome pawns." It doesn't seem right for the White d-pawn to have to take two steps to get to d4; but h2-h3, preparing for g2-g4 (and dreaming of g4-g5) also seems slow.

15.d4

After the game Rybka recommended 15.h3, instead, although Black was still on top after: 15...Qb6 16.a4 Qxe3+ 17.Bxe3 d5.

15...Nc4

A bit stronger was 15...Nf7.

16.Qf3

Likewise, 16.Qd3 was a stronger move for White.

16...Qb6 17.Qd3 d5

Thematic, but 17...Nxb2 18.Bxb2 Qxb2 won a pawn.

18.e5

Both my opponent and I temporarily overlooked the fact that the White d-pawn is pinned by Black's Queen, and therefore it does not protect the pawn at e5.

White's best was 18.b3 Ne5 19.Qd1 Nxe4 20.Na4 Qc7 21.dxe5 but  Black would still have been better.

18...Nd7

Simply 18...Nxe5.

19.b3

It was time for White to escape the pin with 19.Kh1, after which he would have an even game after Black returned his extra piece: 19...Ndxe5 20.dxe5 Nxe5.

19...Ncxe5 20.Qd1

I was not going to find the "computer-like" move 20.Qe3 in a blitz game, but it would have helped:  20...Nf6 21.dxe5 Rxe5 22.Qxb6 axb6 23.Bf4 Rxf5 and Black's advantage has not grown further.

20...Nf7

A person could get severe eyestrain looking for White's compensation for his sacrificed piece.

21.Na4 Qd8 22.Qh5

The Kingside is where the action is going to have to be if White wants to win, but it looks like the rest of his pieces didn't get the memo.

22...Nf6 23.Qh4 Ne4 24.Qg4

24...b5 25.Nc5 Nxc5 26.dxc5 Qf6 27.Bd2 Re4 28.Qf3 Ne5 29.Qh3 Ba6

30.Bc3 Re8 31.Rae1 b4 32.Rxe4 dxe4 33.Bxe5 Qxe5 34.Re1 Qf6

At this point, only a flat-out blunder by Black or severe time trouble for the second player will jeopardize my loss.

35.g4

Hope springs eternal...

35...Bc8 36.Qe3 Qh4 37.h3 Qf6

38.Kg2 Qe5 39.h4

If we had ham, we could have ham and eggs – if we had eggs.

39...Qd5 40.Kg3 a5 41.Re2 Qf7

My opponent was in no hurry.

42.Qd4 g6 43.Rxe4 Rxe4 44.Qxe4 gxf5 45.gxf5 Bxf5 46.Qxc6 Qg7+

47.Kh2 Qe5+ 48.Kg1 Qg3+ 49.Qg2 Qxg2+ 50.Kxg2 Bxc2

The rest of the game is "just a matter of technique."

51.Kf3 Kf7 52.Kf4 Ke6 53.c6 Kd6 54.c7 Kxc7 55.Ke5 Bb1 56.Kd5 Bxa2 57.Kc4 Kc6 58.h5 Bb1 59.h6 Bc2 White resigned

Fire Exit

Of the 17,615 games in the updated New Year's Database, only 4% are draws.

Although my personal statistic is a bit higher (9%), I have always thought of a draw as a "fire exit" for me, to escape from a game that has gone bad. I don't usually think of my opponents of being interested in splitting the point – they're usually too busy trying refute or destroy my plans to bother.

All of which explains some of the following game.

perrypawnpusher - frencheng
blitz FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 Qe7

It's always a good thing if Black can get in ...Qf6 or ...Qe7 in a meaningful way.

9.Qe3 Nf6 10.Nc3 Kf7 11.0-0 Rf8

Black has just about castled-by-hand. As always, White has to make something of his "Jerome pawns" to keep in the game.

12.f4 d5

13.e5

White achieves less than nothing with the alternative 13.exd5 Qxe3 14.dxe3 Bf5.

After the game Rybka suggested a line to keep Black's advantage slight: 13.f5 Ne5 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Qf6 16.d4 Nc4 17.Qd3 Nd6 18.Bf4 Kg8 19.g4 Bd7 20.b3 Rae8.

analysis diagram





13...Nh5

14.h3 Nxe5

Giving back the piece, rather than continue to deal with the penned in Knights. I think completing castling by 14...Kg8 was less committal.

15.fxe5+

First 15.Nxd5 was better. 

15...Kg8 16.g4

It looks like White has found a way to capture the second Knight as well – but this move is actually a blunder. He would have done much better with 16.Rxf8+ Qxf8 17.d4, getting some development in before chasing the randspringer. 

16...Rxf1+ 17.Kxf1 Bxg4 18.hxg4 Rf8+ 19.Kg2

19...Qd7

A solid move, but missing the direct and very useful pawn sacrifice 19...d4, as after 20.Qxd4 Black's attack builds with 20...Qh4 since the White g-pawn is pinned to its Queen. If White defends then with 21.Ne2 Black has the simple 21...Nf4+ followed by 22.Nxf4 Qxg4+ winning.

The un-supported ...d5-d4 isn't easy to see at first, but I am sure that my opponent would have been happy had he found it. Me, not so much.

20.gxh5

The position would still be complicated, but in White's favor, after 20.e6 Nf4+ .

20...d4

This was frencheng's plan to recover a piece.

He would have done better to sue for peace with: 20...Qg4+ 21.Qg3 Qf5 when White's three Queenside pieces look silly standing by doing nothing while Black's Queen forces repetitions of position.

21.Qg5

Willingly giving back one of the two pieces, but this was not the way to do it!

Simply 21.Qe4 dxc3 22.bxc3 and White is OK.

analysis diagram







21...Qc6+

Black is right – White's King is vulnerable – and the proper entry to the attack wins White's Queen (and more): 21...Qf7 22.Qg3 Qf1+ 23.Kh2 Rf2+ 24.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 25.Kh1 dxc3.

At the time the game was being played, I was clueless of the danger that my King was in.

22.Kg1 dxc3 23.bxc3 Qf3

24.Qg2

This is funny.

If I had seen 24.Ba3, opening up my Rook's protection along the first rank, I'd have found the win. 

24...Qxh5

Temporarily missing the fire exit.

25.d4

Okay, this is ridiculous: it is the same error.

Again, 25.Ba3 wins.

25...Qd1+

My opponent heads for the exit and the safety of a draw.

26.Kh2 Qh5+ 27.Kg1 Qd1+ 28.Kh2 Qh5+ 29.Kg3 Qg6+ 30.Kh2 Qh5+ 31.Kg1 Qd1+ 32.Kh2 Qh5+ 33.Kg1 Qd1+ 34.Kh2

Game drawn by repetition.

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

Still Krazy after all these years...

It is always good to hear from other chess players, especially those who have an appreciation for creative and off-beat lines of play.

I recently received an email from Garry Gifford, editor of the Unorthodox Openings Newsletter and co-author (along with Davide Rozzoni and Bill Wall) of Winning with the Krazy Kat and Old Hippo. Nowadays, Gary is doing well with the New Hippo as well as the Krazy Kat

Marty [Martin Frère Hillyer, author of Thomas Frère and the Brotherhood of Chess: A History of 19th Century Chess in New York City] and a few club guys took me to the Marshall Club in NY as a going away present (I am moving to Austin).

I played the Krazy Kat against a 2098 player. I took a drawing line, but later realized I had a forced win! [International Master] Calvin Blocker verified that for me last week... though I already knew.

I also use the Krazy Kat in round 4 to defeat a psycologist in just 18 moves.

I used a modern Hippo on Saturday to defeat Marty's Colle....

A few words about Austin, Texas, by the way: when you are in town and hungry, check out the legendary Torchy's Tacos... It's also hard not to mention that in a Christmas-time tag-team match between two of the "Kennedy Kids" (known as they made their way from Houston to Austin as "the locusts") and The Salt Lick all-you-can-eat Bar-B-Que restaurant, the visitors were held to a draw ("Pack the rest up. We'll have it for breakfast...")

Send in the Clones...

One of the values of playing (and then analyzing) an opening repeatedly – especially a dubious one like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – is that the time needed to "think" over-the-board about the first dozen or so moves generally decreases, which can have a psychological impact on an opponent and be doubly useful in a blitz game.

perrypawnpusher - pwr
blitz FICS, 2010

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+

The Jerome Gambit way, just like yesterday.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4

Before this game I'd only seen this position in my games 5 times – and lost 3 of the games. Well, maybe having a bit more time this time around will be helpful.

8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6

10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3

So far, just like yesterday's game.

11...Rf8

Instead, perrypawnpusher - HRoark, blitz FICS, 2010 continued 11...Be6 12.Bd2 Nb4 13.Qg3 Nxc2 14.Rac1 Nd4 15.f5 Bd7 16.Qg6+ Kg8 17.Be3 Be8 18.Qg3 Nc6 19.Bf4 Nh5 20.Qe3 Nxf4 21.Rxf4 Qg5 22.Qf2 Ne5 23.h4 Qh5 24.Rd1 a5 25.f6 Ng4 26.Qg3 Qc5+ 27.Kh1 h5 28.Rxg4 hxg4 29.Qxg4 Rh7 30.Rd5 Qf2 31.h5 Qf1+ 32.Kh2 Qxf6 33.Rf5 Qd4 34.Qf3 Bd7 35.Rd5 Qf6 36.Qxf6 gxf6 37.Kg3 Rg7+ 38.Kf3 Bg4+ 39.Kf4 Be6 40.Rd2 Rg5 White resigned

12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1

Black has castled-by-hand. White has developed his pieces.

White does not have enough compensation (a pawn, better center control, better development) for his sacrifice (a piece).

Eventually I am going to have to stop playing this position.

13...Nb4

This move caught me by surprise: What's this? I thought my Queen was safe at d3...

Then I remembered that odd game ontocaustic - defjavid, FICS, 2009 that I had looked while studying my game against HRoark: 11.Qd1 Bg4 12.Qd3 Nb4 13.Qc4+ Kf8 14.Qxb4 Qe7 15.e5 Nh5 16.f5 Qe6 17.fxe6+ Black resigned

Of course my opponent would have kept his advantage with 13...Be6, similar to the HRoark game.

14.Qc4+ d5 15.Qxb4

15...Ng4

Very energetic! Almost enough to make me wonder if my opponent had sacrificed (returned) his Knight to draw my Queen further out of position – so that he could attack on the Kingside...

The more routine 15...dxe4 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.Rxe4 Bf5 would have left White better.

16.Nxd5 Qh4

Here we go...

17.h3 Nf6

Well, that didn't last long. I hastened to undo the attacker.

18.Nxf6+

After the game Rybka gave me a chuckle by recommending 18.Ne7+ instead. It's a move worth appreciating.

analysis diagram







Black's King can now go one of three places, and 18...Kh8 is out of the question as it's followed by the fork 19.Ng6+, winning the Queen. The problem is that both 18...Kf7 and 18...Kh7 are answered by 12.Ng6, anyway – and after 12...Kxg6 White captures the Rook on f8, winning the exchange.

18...Rxf6

19.e5

I intended to follow up with f4-f5. It turns out that the pawns would have worked better if I had moved them in the opposite order.

19...Rg6

20.Qb3+

It was only after I chose this move that I realized that 20.f5 was playable (and better) because White's Queen was protected by the Bishop on d2. 

20...Be6 21.Qf3 Bxh3

Attack, attack, attack!

A scarier try would have been 21...Rg3, as after 22.Qe2 Black has the creepy 22...Qxh3. Stil, White would have held it together with 23.Rf3.

22.Rf2 Rg3

23.Qxb7

What, me worry??

23...Rf8 24.e6 Rf6

The Black Queen needed to come back to f6, but my opponent wanted to add yet another piece to his attack.

25.e7 Bd7 26.e8Q+ Bxe8 27.Rxe8+

Triumph of the Jerome pawn.

27...Kh7 28.Qe4+ Rgg6

29.Qd3

Even stronger was 29.Qa8.

29...Qg4 30.Ree2 h5

pwr is still attacking!

31.f5 Rd6 32.fxg6+ Rxg6 33.Qf5

33...Qd4 34.Qxh5+ Rh6 35.Bxh6 gxh6 36.Re7+ Kg8 37.Qg6+ Kh8 38.Re8 checkmate