Instead of the Sunday Book Review

Four days ago (see "GM Larry Evans and the Jerome Gambit"), Guido de Bouver, author of a rowdy, rollicking and bodacious book on the Blackmar Diemer Gambit, had a Comment to make on the post, which, of course, I took time to answer.

Guido De Bouver said...

Great work Rick ! Really great. I replayed the Evans game and it feels good to see also grandmasters are only human after all. But by curiousity, what do you play after 6...g6 7.Qxe5+ Qe7. I guess 8.Qf4+ but then black has both 8...Qf6 and 8...Kg7 ?

guido


Rick Kennedy said...

Hi Guido,

Here, as with an earlier comment (readers should check out "Slaughter" from 6/22/2011), you have touched on a very difficult defense for White to handle, Whistler's Defense, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7! played by Lt. G.N. Whistler, Secretary of the Lexington, Kentucky Chess Club, against Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, in a set of correspondence games in 1876.

The Database contains 37 games with this defense, including one of the Jerome - Whistler games (0-1, 15) and a Jerome - D.P. Norton game (1/2-1/2, 20) from the same year. (I have a win from each side of the board.)

White scored 51% in The Database games, which seems a bit optimistic to me.

White's best response is 8.Qf4+, as you suggest.

8.Qxh8?? is, of course suicidal for the first player, although The Database has White scoring 55% in 29 games!

It looks like it is time for me to post an update on the status of the Whistler Defense.

Thanks for your comments.

Rick

So, I guess it is time to have another "Update", this time on the Whistler Defense, which runs

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5+ 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7

As it turns out, only a few hours after I posted my response to Guido's Comment, I played a Jerome Gambit game at FICS – and somebody played the Whistler against me!

My opponent played his moves quickly, especially his 6th and 7th. Not for the first time did I suspect that I had found a defender who had been reading this blog...

So, I have jumped this most recent game to the top of the list (I usually present my games in the order that they were played) and will use it as the backbone of the Update.

Let me start by saying that, unless you are someone like Bill Wall, who can "bend steel in his bare hands" or who has the power to "cloud men's minds," don't play 8.Qxh8.

The game UNPREDICTABLE - sharepointme, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 26) is a lesson hard-learned (although I do not know if UNPREDICTABLE has learned it, as he has played 8.Qxh8 seven times, with a 4-3 record, at that).

Black can play 8...Qxe4+ and very bad things (Tyrin Price and Brian Wall have done a comprehensive analysis of the brutality, right down to the very last coffin nail, but I can't find a url to reference) can happen to White's King...

To Be Continued...

Slower...

Almost all of my games with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) played at FICS have been at blitz speed (the one notable exception being a mismatched game against MiloBot). I have decided to try the opening out at slower time controls. The following is my second non-blitz FICS game. 


perrypawnpusher - kashifnaseem
standard, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

The Jerome Variation of the Jerome Gambit.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qf6

Including this game, The Database has 47 games with this move (reinforcing Black's hold on the dark diagonals), with White scoring 50%. Of interest are the 8 games between mrjoker and PhlebasP, where the first player scored 6-1-1.

Alternatives include 8...Nf6 (64 games in The Database, White scores 52%), as in perrypawnpusher - klixar, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33), perrypawnpusher - marianomocoroa, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 14),  perrypawnpusher - salla, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 18), perrypawnpusher - caterwaul, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39);  perrypawnpusher - maxmi, blitz, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 42), Wall - Badbeat994, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 48), Wall - Milsrilion, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 50), and perrypawnpusher - truuf, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 32).

Also 8...Qe7 (6 games in The Database, White scores 67%) as in perrypawnpusher - frencheng, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 17), perrypawnpusher-dkahnd, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 20) and Banks,P - Dunne,D, Worcestershire v Derbyshire, 2010, (1-0, 35); and 8...h5 (3 games in The Database, White scores 67%), as in Wall - Thieveyen, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 61).

9.0-0

Or 9.Nc3 as in Wall - GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17).

9...g6

Creating a refuge for his King.

10.Nc3 c6 11.d3 Be6

12.Be3 Bd4

Black sees the c3 spot as vulnerable, and figures that if White exchanges off the Bishop, the Queen will recapture and be centrally placed. This is an error that we both missed – which I realized as soon as I played my next move. This is something that I had hoped that "more time on the clock" would fix.

13.Bxd4

Too much of a reflex: after 13.Qxd6+ Black will simply lose the Bishop.

13...Qxd4 14.Kh1 Nf6 15.f4 Ng4

Eyeing the square e3, which no longer has the protection of White's dark-squared Bishop.

16.Rae1

This move is okay (protecting the square, developing a Rook) but after the game Houdini pointed out that I could have pushed 16.f5 anyhow, as I would not be losing the exchange, I would be getting two pieces for a Rook (leaving me up two pawns for the exchange): 16.f5 Ne3 17.fxe6+ Nxf1 18.Rxf1+ Kg8 19.Qg5 and White's Queen is ready to invade Black's fortress.

16...Qb4

This is the kind of move that makes my heart soar, especially after my games against irak, smarlny and chingching – it is dangerous for Black to let his Queen go wandering.

17.f5 gxf5 18.exf5 Bxa2

19.Nxa2

After the game Houdini pointed out that 19.Re4, both threatening to win the Knight at g4 and chase the Queen away from protecting the pawn at d6, was even stronger.

19...Qxb2 20.Qxd6+ Kg8 21.Qe6+ Kg7 22.Qe7+ Kh6 23.Qh4+ Kg7 24.Qxg4+ Kf6 25.Re6+ Kf7 26.Qh5+ Kf8 27.Qh6+ Qg7

I am sure that there was a checkmate after 27.f6, but, having gone up a piece, I decided to play it safe and exchange Queens.

28.Qxg7+ Kxg7 29.f6+ Kf7 30.Re7+ Kf8 31.Rxb7 Re8 32.Rxa7 Rg8 33.f7 Re6 34.Ra8+ Kg7 Black resigned

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

Thought, Emotion and Error

Today's game is an interesting example of chess thought, emotion and error in defending against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).





perrypawnpusher - Sonndaze
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

Black offers to play the Two Knights Defense, a very reasonable sidestep of the Jerome Gambit. This is not a strategic error like the Jerome Gambit Declined, but it does require the second player to be ready to sacrifice a pawn for counterplay (especially after 4.Ng5).

4.Nc3

White is not interested in the Two Knights, and he is willing to risk playing against the "fork trick" or entering the Italian Four Knights Game, which has a reputation for being very dull.

4...Bc5

Black opts for "dull" himself. Maybe he was having 2nd thoughts about the 2Ns. Maybe he was taking a relaxed approach to the opening.

5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. Relaxation time is over.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

7...Bb4

This is one of several responses that Black has at his disposal. (You have choices when you are a piece ahead.) It is not the strongest (7...Bd6) or the most common (7...Bxd4) but it is playable, provided that Black keeps his wits about himself.

8.dxe5 Nxe4

This follows through on Black's previous move, attacking the pinned White Knight on c3, but it overlooks something.

After 8...Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 and then a retreat by the Knight, or even 9...Re8, Black would retain a small edge. 

9.Qd5+ Black resigned

Black's disappointment at missing White's win of his Knight no doubt fed into his decision to resign.

Still, if the game were an important one, Sonndaze might have tried continuing with 9...Kf8 10.Qxe4 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 d5 12.exd5 e.p. Qxd6 when White's pawn weaknesses in the middle game or the Bishops-of-opposite-colors in the end game would have given him chances to fight for the draw. 

It all adds up

I have mentioned elsewhere GM Bronstein's lighthearted comment that in chess, three small errors tend to add up to one big error. In the following game, Black suffers a loss more because he loses his way against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxv7+) than because of any great blunder.


perrypawnpusher - Unimat
blitz, FICS, 2011

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 Nf6

10.0-0 Qe7 11.Nc3 Be6

Black has any number of alternatives, including 11...b6 as in perrypawnpusher - Navarrra, blitz, FICS, 2011, (1-0, 24); 11...Rf8 as in mrjoker - rex3, Internet Chess Club 2009 (1-0, 50),  perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 31), perrypawnpusher - parlance, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 20) and perrypawnpusher - chingching, blitz, FICS, 2011 (½-½, 36); 11...Ne5 as in perrypawnpusher - mikelars, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0,50); and 11...Kd7 as in perrypawnpusher - parlance, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22).

The text encourages White to play f2-f4-f5.

12.f4 Bd7

Losing a tempo.

The alternative, 12...Bc4, was seen in QuadCoreBR - Alecs, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 27) and perrypawnpusher - ZhekaR, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 36).

Too risky is 12...Kd7 as in perrypawnpusher - Solaar, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 33).

13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc4 15.Qd3 Nb6

The "Jerome pawns" are rolling and White has the advantage.

16.Bg5 h6 17.Bh4 Qf7

Moving out of the pin on the Knight, but it is interesting to see what Houdini recommended after the game: 17...Rd8 18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5 Bc6 20.exf6 gxf6 21.Qg3 Kd7 22.Rae1 Qc5+ 23.Qf2 Qxf2+ 24.Rxf2 Rde8 25.Rfe2 Rhf8 26.Rd1+ Kc8 27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Bxf6 Nc4 29.Nd5 Bxd5 30.Rxd5 Ne3 31.Re5 Rxe5 32.Bxe5 Nxf5.

analysis diagram








White's attack has been neutralized, but his extra pawn and Bishop vs Knight should win in the end.

18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5

19...Nfd5

This raises the level of danger, but Houdini's suggestion 19...Qc4 20.Qxc4 Nxc4 21.exf6 will lead to a two-pawn advantage for White, any way.

The tactics all go White's way now.

20.e6 Qh5 21.exd7+ Kxd7 22.Nxd5 Nxd5 23.Qxd5+ Kc8

24.g3

The computer later pointed out that the Bishop was untouchable: 24.Rad1 Qxh4 25.f6 leads to mate.

24...Rd8 25.Qxd8 checkmate

GM Larry Evans and the Jerome Gambit

I just received an interesting email from Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Gemeinde member Bill Wall. Below is his discovery, with some notes that he has added (in blue). I've added a few things (in red) as well.


Rick,

I just noticed a Jerome Gambit in Chess Catechism by Larry Evans. I had not seen it before or paid attention. On page 42-43, he writes:

3. Trying for a First-Round Knockout

Where angels fear to tread, the slugger rushes in. He is "head-hunting" from the sound of the gong. Pawns, pieces, material – they are so much clutter! He throws everything at you – one sacrifice after another – often without follow-up. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

The important thing to remember is that a premature attack must fail against proper defense. A rather crude example:

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

So far, so good. Both sides have developed their pieces toward the center with economy. But now, for some reason, the slugger feels that he "has something" in the position and decides to sacrifice.

4. Bxf7+!?

4...Kxf7

White keeps punching.

5.Nxe5+!? Nxe5 6.Qh5+

Now we see White's "idea." He figures that, on 6...Ng6 7.Qxc5, he regains one piece and, even though he is still a Knight down, has two Pawns for it, with the semblance of an attack. Then, again, Black might always stumble into 6...Kf6?? 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxc5, regaining all the loot plus two Pawns. But no such luck!

6...g6! 7.Qxe5 d6!

Black sacrifices his Rook and lures his hunter on to destruction.

8.Qxh8 Qh4! 9 O-O

Now White looks safe enough.

9...Nf6!

White's Queen may as well be behind bars now.

10.Nc3 Bh3! 11.Qxa8 Qg4 12.g3 Qf3

White resigns; he cannot avert mate. His "attack" has boomeranged.

Well, here are my comments.

If 6...Ng6, 7.Qd5+ seems stronger than 7.Qxc5.

6...g6 may not be the best move. 6...Ke6 seems stronger, or even 6...Kf8.

Evans gives 6...Kf6 two question marks, but that may be too much. Black may be able to hold in some variations after 6...Kf6 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf7 (or 8...Kf8) 9.Qxc5 Nf6, with some advantage to White, but not an overwhelming advantage.

Evans gives 7...d6 an exclamation point. But 7...Qe7 seems stronger for Black.

Evans says that after 9...Nf6! "White's Queen may as well be behind bars now." Well, White can escape with advantage after 10.Qd8, since 10...Bh3? allows 11.Qxc7+ and Qxb7, and White is probably winning.

After 9...Nf6 10.Nc3? Black has a stronger move than 10...Bh3. He can play 10...Ng4!, threatening 11...Qxh2 mate. If 11.h3, then 11...Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5! 13.Qxa8 Qg3! 14.hxg4 Qh4 mate.

In Evan's analysis, after 10...Bh3, 11.Qxa8?? does lose, but White can offer more resistance with 11.Qxf6+ Kxf6 12.gxh3 Qxh3 13.d3 or 13.Nd5+ perhaps.

Bill




Both Evans and Wall pay homage to the notorious Jerome Gambit game, Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.c3 Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qxh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxe4 checkmate.

Evans' 10.Nc3? (instead of the 10.c3 played against Blackburne) is a curious move, showing up only once in the 24,500-game collection The Database – and White won when Black misplayed Blackburne's "mating attack": 10.Nc3 Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qxh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxe4+ 15.Nxe4 Black resigned, KONB - elmflare, standard, FICS, 2011.


Rick

Small Oversight

The first time we played, my opponent pretty much manhandled me. This time? Not so much. The difference? My opponent forgot to insert a particular move into his defense before going on the attack.

perrypawnpusher - HRoark
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

HRoark had experience playing the Jerome Gambit himself a couple of years ago: 3...Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 exd4 6.Ng5+ Kf8 7.Qf3+ Qf6 8.0-0 Qxf3 9.Nxf3 Nf6 10.e5 Ng4 11.Bg5 Ngxe5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Bf4 d6 14.Re1 d3 15.Bxe5 dxe5 16.Rxe5 Bd6 17.Rd5 dxc2 18.Nc3 Be6 19.Rd2 Bb4 20.Rxc2 Bxc3 21.Rxc3 c6 22.Re1 Re8 23.Rf3+ Bf7 24.Rxe8+ Kxe8 25.Re3+ Kd7 White resigned, HRoark - jgknight, FICS, 2009.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6

10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Rf8

Or 11...Be6 as in perrypawnpusher - HRoark, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 40).

12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1

Black has done well, starting with castling-by-hand to safeguard his King, and he only needs to choose an effective plan to move from having the advantage to having a win.

13...Nb4

Simply irresistible, as Robert Palmer sings.

Instead, 13...Be6 continues his march to victory.

14.Qc4+ Nbd5 15.exd5

Actually, 15.Nxd5 was a bit better.

15...Kh8 16.Ne4 a6

17.Bc3 b5 18.Qd3 Bf5 19.Qd4 c5

20.dxc6ep Nxe4

A slip. I think that Black overlooked the enpassant capture, but now he appears to see the win of the exchange with 21.Rxe4 Bxe4 22.Qxe4.

21.Qxg7 checkmate

Radioactive

Black does not want to touch White's light-squared Bishop; no, not at all. You would think that the piece was radioctive or something...






sTpny - monacan
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kf8

The Jerome Gambit Declined, a rare, contrarian beast: Black declines a won game for a worse game, instead. One of the reason that we Jerome Gambiteers do not lose more painful, ugly games is that our opponents will not cooperate.

5.c3

The Database has 12 games with this move, before this one, with White scoring 50%. stpny has played the line once before, and a win in this game gives him an even score.

More usual is evacuating the White Bishop to a safer location. Instead, the game develops a curious series of imaginary exchanges

Take the Bishop!
I don't want the Bishop!
Take the Bishop!!
I don't want the Bishop!!

5...Nf6 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 Nxe4

If you ignore White's light-squared Bishop and Black's King (and the missing f-pawn), it almost looks like a regular Giuoco Piano.

9.d5 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Ne7 11.Ne5 d6 12.f4 Nf6

13.0-0 Bf5 14.Be6

It moves!

14...g6 15.Nf7 Kg7 16.Qd4 Qf8 17.Ng5 h6 18.Bxf5 hxg5 19.fxg5 gxf5

20.Rxf5 Kg6 21.Rxf6+ Qxf6 22.Qxf6+ Black resigned

Okay. Can anyone explain that game to me?