Thinking again...

Despite my initial skepticism about Black's chances in the line Yury Bukayev recently asked me about, 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.Nf3 Nd4 (a line I once dismissively suggested transposed to "the Improved Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit" after 5.Bxf7+), further examination indicates that things can get pretty tricky for White, if he does not respond properly.

Certainly White can simply 5.0-0 and have the better game (because of his lead in development), but the question arises: does the addition of Nb1-c3 for the first player "detoxify" the dangerous-in-the-original-Blackburne-Shilling-Gambit move 5.Nxe5? Of course, Black will respond with 5...Qg5.

Here, as with the original BSG, the greedy 6.Nxf7 leads to all sorts of complications and inevitable pain for White: 6...Qxg2 7.Rf1 d6 and Black's threat of ...Bg4 means that the first player doesn't even have time to win the Rook, safely (check out 8.Nxh8 Bg4 9.f3 Be7! 10.Ng6 Bxf3 11.Nxe7 Bxd1 12.Nf5 Nxf5 13.Rxf5 Bxc2 as one example, where White does not get enough for his Queen). 

He can carry on with 8.Nd5 Bg4 9.Ne3 Bxd1 10.Nxg2 Bh5 11.Ne3 Bxf7 12.Bxf7+ Kxf7 where White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece. Clearly it is not a line to go into voluntarily, if there are alternatives!

There is also the defensive-minded 6.Ng4, which can lead to either messy or kempt positions where White has two pawns for his piece: 6...d5 7.Nxd5 Qxg4 8.0-0 (or the messy 8.Nxc7+ Kd8 9.Nxa8 Nxc2+ 10.Kf1 Nxa1 11.Bxf7 Kc8 when both a-Knights are likely to eventually expire) Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Bd6 10.Ne3 Be6.

My preference, until recently, has been 6.Bxf7+, since after 6...Kd8 White can play 7.Ng4 and answer 7...d5 with 8.Ne3, covering the White g-pawn.

Of course, not everyone will agree with me. In fact, in my next post I will share a very educational email from Yury, taking this discussion in a new direction!

What do you think?

About a month ago, Yury Bukayev asked me about the following line of play: 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.Nf3 Nd4.

It had a certain familiarity to it, especially since he suggested 5.Bxf7+!? as a response.

I told him that I would share the opening and my thoughts about it with Readers.

In the meantime, I went to the online ChessLab site and searched for games with the line. I found exactly zero.

Silly me, I was looking in the wrong place. A check of the 26,685 games in The Database showed me 10 examples (White won 9).

One was Wall - Surr, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 11), which has already appeared on this blog.

So, clearly, it was time for me to pay attention. First, a brisk walk-through.

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6

Starting out as a Vienna Game.

3.Bc4 h6 4.Nf3

The game has transposed to a Semi-Italian Opening, i.e. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.Nc3 (I usually play the alternative 4.0-0).

4...Nd4

Reaching the diagram above.

This Knight move is seen in the Blackburne Shilling Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4. The idea in the BSG is that White's greedy 4.Nxe5 can be met by 4...Qg5. 

Then the classic BSG punishment by Black follows 5.Nxf7 Qxg2 6.Rf1 Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Nf3#. The pluckier 5.Ng4 is met by 5...d5, with Black advantage. "Best" at this point for White might be 5.Bxf7+ followed by 6.0-0, When Black has the advantage of a piece for two pawns, but many Jerome Gambiteers would be used to that.

Of course, against the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, many Jerome Gambiteers would reply with 4.Bxf7+!? to begin with.

Can the Knight jump work for Black in the delayed form, however? What do you think?

Once Again Into the Fray

I have mentioned earlier (see "Only Seemed Fair" and "Through To Two" for two accounts) my participation in a couple of Chess.com's Italian Game thematic tournaments where opportunities to play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) surfaced.

In one tournament I failed to advance (see "You have been eliminated") but in the other, I have just started the second round in a 4-player group, alongside two 3-player groups.

As always, I will do my best to uphold the, ahem, good name of the Jerome Gambit (while trying not to make a fool out of myself), and will share my games with readers, come what may.

I am again matching wits with JoseSoza, whom I defeated in the first round with the Black pieces (against his Evans Gambit), but who defeated my Jerome Gambit, giving me my only loss. In this second round I gave him the opportunity to play the Jerome against me, but he decided on 4.c3 instead. We drew in 10 moves.

Guess what opening he allowed me to play with the White pieces? 

Meanwhile, LeeBradbury has also allowed me to play 4.Bxf7+, and perhaps Philip6Esq will as well (ooops, he lost that game on time).

Philidor1792 vs The Annoying Defense (Part 3)

Starting two days ago, and continuing with yesterday's post, we have been looking at recent (and not-so-recent) games by Philidor1792 against what can generally be called The Annoying Defense to the Jerome Gambit.

The current game has reached the following diagram, where White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece; but Black's two Bishops look dangerous, and White's pawn center alone does not make up for his lack of development.

15.d4 Bb6 16.Kf2 Rf8+ 17.Ke3 Nf6 18.Nd2 Ng4+

19.Ke2 Rf2+ 20.Kd3 Bg2 21.Re1 Nxh2 22.Nc4 Bf1+ White  resigned

And so Philidor1792 continues to bravely explore the difficult terrain of "The Annoying Defense"... and enlighten the rest of us with his discoveries.

Thank you.

Philidor1792 vs The Annoying Defense (Part 2)

Starting with yesterday's post, we have been looking at recent (and not-so-recent) games by Philidor1792 against what can generally be called The Annoying Defense to the Jerome Gambit.

The games (those in the notes are as important as the main line) continue from the diagram.

13...Kxe7 

Developing a piece while recapturing seems reasonable, although it would not seem to be the case if one reasoned by results alone. If you play the games over, you will see that White simply out-plays his opponent (the final refuge of the Jerome Gambiteer): 13...Nxe7 14.c3 Bh3 (14...Bb6 15.d4 Ke8 16.Be3 Nc6 17.Nd2 Ne5 18.Kd1 Ng4 19.Ke2 Be6 20.Bf4 Kd7 21.Raf1 Raf8 22.h3 Nf6 23.Kd3 Kc8 24.Re1 Nh5 25.Be5 Rf7 26.Rhf1 Nf6 27.g4 Nd7 28.Bg3 Rxf1 29.Rxf1 a6 30.Nc4 Ba7 31.b3 h5 32.Ne3 hxg4 33.hxg4 Bb6 34.Rf3 Nf6 35.g5 Nh5 36.Be5 Kd7 37.Nf5 Rf8 38.c4 Bxf5 39.exf5 c6 40.Ke4 Rf7 41.Rh3 c5 42.Rxh5 cxd4 43.Bxd4 Bxd4 44.Kxd4 Rxf5 45.Ke4 Ke6 46.b4 Re5+ 47.Kd4 b6 48.Rh8 Rxg5 49.Rb8 Rg4+ 50.Kc3 Rg3+ 51.Kd4 Rg4+ 52.Kc3 Rg3+ 53.Kb2 b5 54.Rb6+ Ke5 55.cxb5 axb5 56.Rxb5+ Kd4 57.Rc5 g5 58.a4 g4 59.a5 Rg2+ 60.Kb3 Rg3+ 61.Ka4 Rg1 62.Kb5 g3 63.a6 Ra1 64.Rg5 Ra3 65.Kb6 Black resigned, Philidor1792 - NN, Casual game, 2012) 15.d4 Bb6 16.Kd1 c5 17.d5 Ng6 18.Na3 (18.Re1 Rhe8 19.Nd2 Ne5 20.Kc2 c4 21.b3 cxb3+ 22.axb3 Bf2 23.Re2 Bb6 24.c4 Bg4 25.Re1 Kg6 26.b4 Bf2 27.Bb2 Bxe1 28.Rxe1 a6 29.Bxe5 Rxe5 30.Kd3 a5 31.bxa5 Rxa5 32.Kd4 Re7 33.Nb3 Ra2 34.h4 Ra3 35.Re3 b6 36.Nd2 Rxe3 37.Kxe3 Ra7 38.e5 Kf5 39.Kd4 Ra3 40.Ne4 Be2 41.Nd6+ Kg4 42.e6 Rxg3 43.Nc8 Rd3+ 44.Ke5 Re3+ 45.Kd4 Rd3+ 46.Ke5 b5 47.cxb5 Bf3 48.Nb6 h6 49.Kd6 Kxh4 50.e7 Re3 51.Nc4 Re1 52.Ne5 Bh5 53.b6 g5 54.b7 Rb1 55.Kc7 Kg3 56.b8Q Rxb8 57.Kxb8 Be8 58.d6 g4 59.d7 Bxd7 60.Nxd7 h5 61.e8Q h4 62.Qe3+ Kh2 63.Ne5 g3 64.Nf3+ Kh3 65.Qg1 Kg4 66.Nxh4 Kxh4 67.Kc7 Kh3 68.Kd6 g2 69.Ke5 Kg3 70.Ke4 Kh3 71.Kf3 Kh4 72.Qxg2 Kh5 73.Kf4 Kh6 74.Kf5 Kh7 75.Kf6 Kh6 76.Qh3 checkmate, Philidor1792 - NN, friendly match, 5-minutes blitz 2012) 18...Bg2 19.Re1 Bc7 (19...Rhe8 20.Nc4 Rad8 21.Bg5 Rd7 22.Nd2 c4 23.Kc2 Ne5 24.Re2 Bh3 25.Be3 Bxe3 26.Rxe3 Ng4 27.Ree1 Nf6 28.Nxc4 Nxe4 29.Rad1 Bf5 30.Kc1 b5 31.Ne3 Bg6 32.Ng2 Red8 33.Nf4 Nf6 34.Re5 Ng4 35.Re2 Nf6 36.Re5 Re7 37.Rxe7+ Kxe7 38.a4 a6 39.Nxg6+ hxg6 40.Re1+ Kf7 41.Re6 Rxd5 42.Rxa6 bxa4 43.Rxa4 Rh5 44.h4 Rf5 45.Kd1 Rf3 46.g4 g5 47.hxg5 Nh7 48.Rc4 Nxg5 49.b4 Ne6 50.b5 Ke7 51.Ke2 Rf8 52.Ke3 Rb8 53.Rb4 Kd6 54.Kd3 Kc5 55.Rc4+ Kd5 56.Rb4 Kc5 57.Rc4+ Kd5 58.Rb4 draw, Philidor1792 - NN, friendly match, 5-minutes blitz, 2012) 20.Nc4 Rae8 21.Nd2 Ne5 22.Re2 Bh3 23.Kc2 c4 24.b3 b5 25.a4 a6 26.axb5 axb5 27.Ra7 Re7 28.bxc4 bxc4 29.Ba3 Rd7 30.Rxc7 Rxc7 31.Bd6 Re7 32.Rf2+ Ke8 33.Bxe5 Rxe5 34.Nxc4 Re7 35.Kd3 Bc8 36.Ra2 Rc7 37.Ra8 Kd7 38.Nb6+ Kd8 39.d6 Rc6 40.d7 Kc7 41.dxc8Q+ Black  resigned, Philidor1792 - NN, friendly match, 5-minutes blitz, 2012. 

14.c3 

Or 14.d3 Bh3 15.Bg5+ Kd7 16.Kd2 Rf8 17.Bf4 h6 18.Na3 g5 19.Be5 Rh7 20.Nb5 Bb6 21.a4 c6 22.Nd6 Rf2+ 23.Kc3 Kd8 24.Nc4 Ne7 25.Nxb6 axb6 26.Bd4 Rf3 27.Bxb6+ Kd7 28.a5 Rhf7 29.a6 bxa6 30.Bc5 Black lost on time, Philidor1792 - NN, friendly match, 5-minutes blitz, 2012. 

14...Bh3 

Or 14...Bb6 15.d4 Nf6 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bxf6+ gxf6 18.Nd2 Be6 19.Rf1 Rae8 20.b3 Rhg8 21.Nc4 Rg4 22.Rf4 Rxf4 23.gxf4 Bxc4 24.bxc4 c5 25.Rd1 Kf7 26.e5 Ba5 27.Rd3 cxd4 White resigned, Philidor1792 - NN, friendly match, without time control, 2012. 

[to be continued]

Philidor1792 vs The Annoying Defense (Part 1)

I am sure that everyone who plays the Jerome Gambit has a particular defense that is the biggest pain to play against. For chessfriend Philidor1792, my guess is the 7...d6 defense (so far unnamed, but a great candidate is "The Annoying Defense") is the one.

Philidor1792 has sent another batch of games, and since a good percentage of them are against "The Annoying Defense" I thought I would aggregate them, and a few others, and show them all. 

Philidor1792 - NN
friendly match, 5-minutes blitz, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 

Black casually gives back a piece and his uncastled King (annoyingly) remains relatively safe.

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.Qg3 Kf7 11.Qxe5 

Here Black has several alternatives:

11...Qd6 12.Qh5+ Ke7 13.Qg5+ Kd7 14.Qxg7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Qi,H, Chess.com, 2011;

11...b6 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qf3+ Nf6 14.d3 Bg4 15.Qf4 Bd6 16.Qf2 Be5 17.h3 Qd6 18.0-0 Bd4 19.Be3 Bxb2 20.hxg4 Bxa1 21.g5 Ke7 22.Bf4 Qe6 23.gxf6+ Bxf6 24.e5 Bg7 25.Nc3 Raf8 26.Qd4 Qc6 27.Bg5+ Ke6 28.Bf6 Bxf6 29.exf6 Kf7 30.Ne4 h6 31.Rf3 Rd8 32.Qe3 Rde8 33.c3 Qe6 34.Qf4 Qe5 35.Qh4 c5 36.Qh3 Qd5 37.Qg3 Rd8 38.Qf4 Rh7 39.Qc7+ Qd7 40.Qg3 g5 41.Qf2 Kg8 42.Rh3 Qe6 43.Qe2 Qf7 44.a4 Qg6 45.Qa2+ Kh8 46.a5 g4 47.Re3 Rhd7 48.axb6 axb6 49.Qb1 Rb7 50.Re1 Qh5 51.Rf1 Qf7 52.Qc1 Kh7 53.Rf4 Qg6 54.Qf1 Ra7 55.Qe2 g3 56.Rf1 Kh8 57.c4 Kg8 58.Qe3 Kh7 59.Qf3 Rf7 Draw, Wall,B - Redom,T, Chess.com, 2010;

11...Bd4 12.Rf1+ Nf6 13.Qh5+ Kg8 14.Qg5 h6 15.Qf4 Qe7 16.d3 Bg4 17.Nd2 Rf8 18.h3 Bh5 19.c3 g5 20.Qg3 Be5 21.Qe3 Bf4 22.Rxf4 gxf4 23.Qxa7 Qg7 24.Qf2 Nd7 25.d4 Kh7 26.e5 Rhg8 27.Kf1 Qg6 28.Kg1 f3 29.g3 Qxg3+ 30.Qxg3 Rxg3+ 31.Kf2 Rg2+ 32.Kf1 Bg6 White resigned, Fritz 5.32 - Junior 7, The Jeroen Experience, 2003.

11...Qh4+ 12.g3 Qe7 13.Qxe7+ 

The Queen exchange has been Philidor1792's choice, but, years ago, a computer had a different idea: 13.Rf1+ Kg6 14.Qxe7 Nxe7 15.c3 Bh3 16.Rf4 Bd6 17.Rh4 Bd7 18.d4 Rae8 19.e5 Nd5 20.a3 Be7 21.Re4 Bf5 22.Re2 Bd3 23.Rg2 Rhf8 24.Bf4 c5 25.Nd2 Kh5 26.Rc1 Nxf4 27.gxf4 Rxf4 28.Kd1 Rg4 29.Rxg4 Kxg4 30.b4 Rf8 31.bxc5 Rf2 32.h3+ Kxh3 33.Rb1 Bxb1 34.Nxb1 Rf1+ 35.Kc2 Rxb1 36.Kxb1 h5 37.d5 Bxc5 38.d6 Kg4 39.Kc2 h4 40.Kd3 h3 41.Kc4 b6 42.d7 Be7 White resigned, Colossus - Rybka v1.0 Beta.w32, USA, 2006 

[to be continued]

He can't do that, can he?

Another Bill Wall game, a win with the Jerome Gambit, which leaves observers fuming, "He can't do that, can he?"

Wall,B - Guest2900292
Playchess.com, 19.11.2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qf5+

A different kind of "nudge" than the usual 7.Qd5+. The reason will be apparent in a couple of moves.

7...Qf6 8.Qxc5 d6

or 8...Nf4, Wall, Bill - Tony7, Playchess.com, 2011 (1-0, 48);
or 8...c6, Wall, B - Smith, R., Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 23); 
or 8...N8e7 Wall, B - Doantaung, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 18) 

9.Qxc7+ N8e7 

10.0-0 Be6 11.Nc3 Rac8 12.Qxd6 

Not only is White attacking with his Queen, he's gobbling pawns. He can't do that, can he?

12...Qe5 13.Qa3 Rhf8 14.Qxa7 Bc4 15.d3 Be6 16.f4 Qc5+

That's one way to stop White's Queen.

17.Qxc5 Rxc5 18.f5 Nxf5 19.exf5 Rxf5 20.Rxf5+ Bxf5 

The smoke has cleared, and White is up three pawns.

21.Be3 Ne5 22.Rf1 Kg8 23.Bc5 Rf7 24.Re1 Black resigned