The Jerome Gambit

Friday, June 17, 2016

Different Analysts, Same Outcome

The following game from the Jerome Gambit thematic chess tournament presented at the Scacchi64.com website provides a framework for how a number of computer chess programs address a particular opening line. (I have been guided in my own assessments by Stockfish 7.)

La Dame Blanche 2.0c - Comet B48
Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009

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

4...Kxf7 5.O-O Nf6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Qe7

A bit better is 7... Bxd4 8. Qxd4 d6 (8...Nc6 9. Qc4+ [9. Qa4 Qe7 10.Nc3 Qb4 11.Qxb4 Nxb4 12.e5 Nxc2 13.Rb1 Ne8 14.Bf4 c5 15.h3 b6 16.Rbc1 Nd4 17.Rcd1 Ba6 18.Rfe1 Kg6 19.Rd2 Nc7 20.Be3 Nce6 21.a3 Rhf8 22.b4 Rf5 23.bxc5 bxc5 24.f4 Nxf4 25.Bxf4 Rxf4 26.Nd5 Rff8 27.Nc7 Bb5 28.Rxd4 cxd4 29.Nxb5 Rf4 30.e6 d3 31.Rd1 dxe6 32.Rxd3 Kf6 33.Kh2 a5 34.Kg3 g5 35.Rd7 Rb8 36.Nd6 Rb3+ 37.Kh2 Kg6 38.Rc7 Rxa3 39.Nc4 Ra2 40.Ne5+ Kf5 41.Nd3 Rd4 42.Rf7+ Ke4 43.Nf2+ Kd5 44.Rd7+ Kc4 45.Rc7+ Kb5 46.Rf7 Rdd2 47.Kg1 Rxf2 48.Rxf2 Rxf2 49.Kxf2 Kc4 50.Ke1 Kc3 51.Kd1 Kb2 52.Ke2 Kc2 53.Kf3 White resigned, Demon 1.0 - Rybka 2.3.2a, Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009] 9...d5 10.exd5 Qxd5 11.Qxd5+ Nxd5 12.c4 Ndb4 13.Nc3 Bf5 14.Bf4 Nd3 15.Nd5 Nxb2 16.Nxc7 Rac8 17.Nb5 Nxc4 18.Rac1 a6 19.Nc7 N6e5 20.h3 Rxc7 21.Bxe5 Rc6 22.Bf4 Re8 23.Rc3 Re4 24.Rf3 Re2 25.a3 Be4 26.Rc3 Nb2 27.Rg3 Rcc2 28.Be3 Nc4 29.Bd4 g6 30.Kh1 Rcd2 31.Ba7 b6 32.Kg1 Ra2 33.Rc1 Bd5 34.Rd1 Ke6 35.Kh1 Rxf2 36.Re1+ Kd7 37.Rg1 Kc6 38.Rg5 Ne3 39.Rc1+ Kb7 40.Bxb6 Kxb6 41.Rb1+ Kc5 White resigned, La Dame Blanche 2.0c - Rybka 2.3.2a, Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009) 9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd3 Re8 11.Qc4+ (11.Nc3 Kg8 12.f5 Ne5 13.Qg3 Nf7 14.Re1 b6 15.Bd2 Bb7 16.Qf4 Re5 17.Qf3 Qe8 18.Bf4 Bxe4 19.Nxe4 Rxe4 20.Rxe4 Qxe4 21.Qxe4 Nxe4 22.Re1 Re8 23.h4 Nf6 24.Rxe8+ Nxe8 25.Kf2 Ne5 26.Bc1 Nf6 27.Ke2 Kf7 28.Bg5 Nd5 29.h5 h6 30.Bd8 c5 31.b3 Nc6 32.c4 Nxd8 33.cxd5 Kf6 34.Kd3 Kxf5 35.Kc4 Ke4 36.Kb5 Kxd5 37.g3 a6+ 38.Kxb6 c4 39.bxc4+ Kxc4 40.Kc7 d5 41.Kxd8 Kd3 42.g4 Ke3 43.a4 White resigned, La Dame Blanche 2.0c - WB Nimzo 2000b,Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009) 11...Be6 12.Qa4 Kg8 13.Nc3 a6 14.f5 Bf7 15.Qa3 Nd4 16.Rb1 Qd7 17.Rf2 Nxe4 18.Nxe4 Rxe4 19.Be3 Nxf5 20.Bg5 h6 21.Bd2 Nd4 22.Qd3 Rae8 23.Rbf1 Ne2+ 24.Kh1 Rd4 25.Qf3 Bd5 26.Qe3 Rxe3 27.Bxe3 Re4 28.Rxe2 Bc4 29.Ra1 Bxe2 30.Bd2 Qf5 31.Re1 White resigned, La Dame Blanche 2.0c - Zarkov 4.70,Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009.

Also a bit better than the text is 7...d5 8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Be3 Rf8 (9...Bxe3 10.fxe3+ Kg8 11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Be6 13.Qd4 Rc8 14.Qxa7 Qg5 15.Qd4 c6 16.Rf3 h5 17.Rb1 b5 18.h4 Qg6 19.Rb2 Re8 20.Rf2 Ra8 21.Qb4 Rh6 22.Qf4 Qe8 23.Rd2 Rg6 24.Rd4 Qe7 25.Rd1 Rf8 26.Qb4 c5 27.Qxb5 Rxg2+ 28.Kxg2 Qxh4 29.Qe2 Bg4 30.Rh1 Qg5 31.Qf1 Be2+ 32.Kh2 White resigned, Demon 1.0 - WB Nimzo 2000b, Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009) 10.Bxc5 Nxc5 11.b4 Ne6 12.Nc3 c6 13.Qc1 Kg8 14.Ne2 Qb6 15.a3 Rf5 16.Qb2 Qc7 17.f4 g5 18.g4 Rxf4 19.Nxf4 Nxf4 20.Rae1 Bxg4 21.Kh1 Re8 22.Rxf4 gxf4 23.Rg1 h5 24.h3 Qh7 25.c4 Kf7 26.hxg4 hxg4+ 27.Qh2 Qe4+ 28.Rg2 Kg7 29.c5 g3 30.b5 Rh8 31.Qxh8+ Kxh8 32.bxc6 White resigned, Demon 1.0 - Zarkov 4.70, Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009

8.dxc5 Qxc5 9.Nc3

Or, 9.Be3 Qb4 10.Bd4 Nc6 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Qd5+ Kg7 13.Nc3 Qxb2 14.Qd3 Ne5 15.Qd2 Qb4 16.Rab1 Qc5 17.Rb5 Qc6 18.Qe3 d6 19.f4 Ng6 20.f5 Ne5 21.Rf4 b6 22.Qg3+ Kf7 23.Rd5 Bb7 24.Qe3 Rag8 25.h3 Rg7 26.Rd4 Rhg8 27.g4 h5 28.Kf1 Ba6+ 29.Kf2 hxg4 30.h4 Rh8 31.Ra4 Rxh4 32.Rxa6 g3+ 33.Kg1 Rxf4 34.Qxf4 Qc5+ 35.Kg2 Qxc3 36.Ra3 White resigned, Demon 1.0 - Comet B48,Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009

9...d6

White has only a pawn for its sacrificed piece, but has some play against Black's uncastled King.

10.Bg5 Be6 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Qh5+ Ke7 13.Rab1

This is a mysterious Rook move, indeed. Perhaps better was 13.Kh1, preparing 14.f4.

13...Rag8 14.Rfe1 Rg4 15.Qh3 Rhg8 16.Kh1 Rxg2

Removing White's King's protection.

17.Qxg2 Rxg2 18.Kxg2 Ng4 19.Re2 Qe5 20.f4 Qxf4 21.Kg1 Kd7 22.Rd1 Bc4 23.Red2 Qg5 24.Kh1 Qc5

White has no counterplay and soon will be vanquished.

25.Na4 Qe3 26.Nc3 Bf1 27.Nd5 Qf3+ 28.Kg1 Be2 29.Nxf6+ Nxf6 30.Rd3 Bxd3 31.Rxd3 White resigned

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

What Can We Learn From the Robots?

Torneo tematico GaJero00-A 2009

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 Rybka 2.3.2a (2 CPU) ** 11 01 01 1½ 11 11 11 11.5/14
2 WB Nimzo 2000b 00 ** 01 11 1½ 11 ½1 11 10.0/14
3 SOS 5.1 10 10 ** 00 11 11 11 ½1 9.5/14
4 Comet B48 10 00 11 ** 10 01 11 11 9.0/14
5 Zarkov 4.70 0½ 0½ 00 01 ** 1½ 01 11 6.5/14
6 DrunkenMaster 1.2 00 00 00 10 0½ ** 10 11 4.5/14
7 La Dame Blanche 2.0c 00 ½0 00 00 10 01 ** 01 3.5/14
8 Demon 1.0 00 00 ½0 00 00 00 10 ** 1.5/14

The crosstable above is for the Jerome Gambit thematic chess tournament presented at the Scacchi64.com website, referred to in a couple of earlier posts (see "The Macbeth Attack" and "From the Scacchi64.com Jerome Gambit Thematic").

It is not surprising that the tournament leader, Rybka, had the best score with the Jerome Gambit, with 4 wins and a draw. (It climbed to the top by beating the Jerome 7-0. I know how that goes: see "Overrated!")

The next finishers - WB Nimzo, SOS and Comet - all had 3 wins. They were followed in the standings by Zarkov and DrunkenMaster, each with 1 Jerome Gambit win.

Of note, half of the games featured the "classical" 5.Nxe5+, with White scoring 34% (versus 54% in The Database) while half had the "modern" 5.0-0, with White scoring 29% (versus 38% in The Database).

Interestingly, Rybka played 5.0-0 in all 7 of its games with White and scored 64%, WBNimzo and Comet, the #2 and #4 finishers, all played 5.Nxe5, while 3rd place finisher SOS stuck with 5.0-0.

Perhaps the most "psychological" opening move played in a winning effort - and here I mean the kind of move that would emotionally effect an opponent, if the opponent, indeed, were succeptible to feeling emotions - came in the following game.

DrunkenMaster 1.2 - La Dame Blanche 2.0c
Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009

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

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

The "Silicon Defense", very popular with computers.

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.Qg3 Qd4

Not the best move, but good and scary - if your opponent can be scared. I doubt that La Dame Blanche shook to its bits, but it might be a good move to try against a human!

11.Qxg7+

White blunders immediately, but surely this must be a coincidence?

Two other choices: 11.Nc3 Kf7 12.d3 Nf6 13.Rf1 Be6 14.Bd2 Rhf8 15.O-O-O Kg8 16.Nb5 Bb6?? 17.Nxd4 Bxd4 18.c3, Black resigned, MrJoker - rgiblon, Internet Chess Club, 2013; and

11.d3 (best) Kf7 12.c3 Qd8 13.d4 exd4 14.b4 Be7 15.O-O+ Ke8 16.Qxg7 Bf6 17.Qg3 Qe7 18.Bf4 a5 19.e5 Bh4 20.Qf3 axb4 21.cxd4 Qf7 22.g3 Be7 23.Rf2 h5 24.Qe4 h4 25.Nd2 Qf5 26.Qf3 Nh6 27.Nf1 Ng4 28.Ne3 Nxe3 29.Qxe3 Be6 30.Qf3 hxg3 31.hxg3 c6 32.g4 Qg6 33.Bh2 Rh4 34.Rg2 Bd5 35.Qf5 Qxf5 36.gxf5 Bxg2 37.Kxg2 Rxd4 38.Bg1 Rd2+ 39.Kf1 b3 40.f6 b2 41.Rb1 Rad8 42.Be3 Rd1+ 43.Kf2 Rxb1 44.fxe7 Rd5 White resigned, Junior 7 -Fritz 8, The Jeroen Experience, 2003.

11...Kd6

Somewhat better was 11...Ke8, 12. Nc3 Qf2+ 13. Kd1 Nf6 14. Re1 Rg8 15. Qxg8+ Nxg8 16. Ne2 Qxg2 17. d4 Bxd4 White resigned, Fritz 5.32 - Fritz 8, The Jeroen Experience 2003.

12.Kd1

The text is better than White's other choice in the tournament: 12.d3 Qf2+ 13.Kd1 Nf6 14.Bg5 Bg4+ 15.Kc1 Be3+ 16.Bxe3 Qxe3+ 17.Nd2 Raf8 18.d4 Rhg8 19.dxe5+ Kc6 20.Qe7 Nxe4 21.Qb4 Nxd2 22.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 23.Kxd2 Be6 24.g3 Rf2+ 25.Ke3 Rf5 26.Rhe1 Rxe5+ 27.Kf2 Rf5+ 28.Kg1 Bd5 29.c4 Bf3 30.Re6+ Kd7 31.Rae1 h5 32.Re7+ Kc8 33.R1e5 Rff8 34.Rc5 c6 35.Ra5 Kb8 36.Ra3 Rg5 37.Rae3 Bg4 38.b4 Bc8 39.c5 Rd5 40.R7e5 Bh3 41.Re8+ Rxe8 42.Rxe8+ Kc7 43.Kf2 Rd2+ 44.Re2 Rxe2+ 45.Kxe2 Bg4+ 46.Ke3 b6 47.Kd4 a5 48.a3 a4 49.Kc3 b5 50.Kd3 Kd7 51.Ke3 Ke7 52.Kd3 Kf6 53.Ke4 Bf5+ 54.Kf4 Bh3 55.Ke4 Ke6 56.Kd4 Bf5 57.h3 Bxh3 58.Ke4 White resigned, Zarkov 4.70 - La Dame Blanche 2.0c, Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009.

12...Qxe4 13.h3 Qg6

14.Qxh8

This leads to checkmate in 11 moves. (These are computer chess players we are talking about.)

14...Qh5+ 15.Ke1 Qh4+ 16.Ke2 Bxh3 17.Rxh3 Qf2+ 18.Kd3 Qf1+ 19.Ke4 Qxg2+ 20.Rf3 White resigned

There follows 20...Qg4+ 21.Rf4 Qxf4+ 22.Kd3 Qf3+ 23.Kc4 Qe4+ 24.Kc3 Qd4+ 25.Kb3 Kb4 checkmate

Monday, June 13, 2016

From the Scacchi64.com Jerome Gambit Thematic

Torneo tematico GaJero00-A 2009

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 Rybka 2.3.2a (2 CPU) ** 11 01 01 1½ 11 11 11 11.5/14
2 WB Nimzo 2000b 00 ** 01 11 1½ 11 ½1 11 10.0/14
3 SOS 5.1 10 10 ** 00 11 11 11 ½1 9.5/14
4 Comet B48 10 00 11 ** 10 01 11 11 9.0/14
5 Zarkov 4.70 0½ 0½ 00 01 ** 1½ 01 11 6.5/14
6 DrunkenMaster 1.2 00 00 00 10 0½ ** 10 11 4.5/14
7 La Dame Blanche 2.0c 00 ½0 00 00 10 01 ** 01 3.5/14
8 Demon 1.0 00 00 ½0 00 00 00 10 ** 1.5/14

The crosstable above is for the Jerome Gambit thematic chess tournament presented at the Scacchi64.com website, referred to in an earlier post (see "The Macbeth Attack").

As can be seen, 56 games games were played (with an average of 51 moves) with White scoring 31%.

This compares to the 12,478 games in The Database with the 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ move order, with White scoring 45%, in games averaging 31 moves.

The difference in performance for White between the tournament and the larger collection can be in part attributed to sampling bias (players tend to more often publish their wins with their favorite openings, rather than their losses, and these could be over-represented in The Database) but the fact that about 80% of the relevant Jerome Gambit games in The Database are drawn from 17 years of games from the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS) - regardless of outcome - mitigates against that. It is likely that computers defend better than average club players when it comes to facing "refuted" opening play.

The difference in average game length between the two collections can be attributed to computer engines tendency to play to mate. It is interesting to point out several long games from the thematic tournament

WB Nimzo 2000b - La Dame Blanche 2.0c

drawn after 109 moves, via the 50-move rule; little progress can be expected in this Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame anyhow

Zarkov 4.70 - DrunkenMaster 1.2

drawn after 93 moves, again via the 50 move rule

Some of the endgames were quite hard-fought, however. Consider the following position, from Rybka 2.3.2a - Zarkov 4.70, after 62.Kg7

There is a lot going on, even for a computer chess engine to grasp. Black wins by giving up his Knight and bringing his Rook back to exchange itself for White's advanced passed pawn (!) with 62...Rd2! 63.Kxf7 Rd7+ 64.Kg6 Rxh7 65.Kxh7 b4 and Black's passers will produce a winning Queen.

Instead, the game continued

62...Rh2!?

A very direct move and sacrifice that, unfortunately, serves only to draw.

63.Rxh2 a1=Q 64.Kxf7 Qa7+

Black must check the enemy King and hold the enemy pawns back, hoping for repetition.

65.Kg6 Qb6+ 66.Kh5 Qd4 67.Rh3+

White, too, must worry about the enemy passed pawn - as well as the fact that Black has Q vs R.

67...Kc2 68.g5 b4 69.Rh2+ Kc3 70.Rh3+ Kb2 71.Rd3

Nice. If Black now takes the Rook, White Queens his h-pawn. Either way, however, the game remains drawn.

71...Qh8 72.g6 Qf6 73.Rg3 Qg7 74.Re3 Qf8 75.Re7

The same idea as above: taking the Rook leads to pawn promotion (and a draw).

75...Qf5+ 76.Kh6 Qf8+ 77.Kh5 Qh8 78.Kh6 Qd8 79.g7

It looks like Rybka will finally break through, but Zarkov has the half-point in hand.

79...Qd6+ 80.Kh5 Qh2+ 81.Kg6 Qc2+ 82.Kh6 Qh2+ 83.Kg6 Qc2+ 84.Kh6 Qh2+ 85.Kg6 drawn

Saturday, June 11, 2016

A Fierce Jerome Gambit Battle

I received another Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game from chessfriend Vlastamil Fejfar, of the Czech Republic. It appears to be a correspondence game, and is a very difficult battle, ultimately being won by his opponent. It should be of interest to Readers.

Fejfar, Vlasta - Chvojka
correspondence (?) Czech Republic, 2016

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

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

The annoying "Annoying Defense", favorite of computer engines (hence the name, as well, "Silicon Defense"), which drains a lot of the play out of the opening and leaves White grasping at ways to continue his attack.

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Ke7

For the alternative 9...Kd6 see Fejfar,V - Pressl, corr Czech Republic, 2015 (1/2-1/2, 15) and Fejfar,V - Kyzlink, corr Czech Republic, 2015 (1-0, 22).

10.Qg3 Kf7 11.Qxe5

11...Qh4+

Instead, 11...Bd4 was seen in Fejfar,V - Goc,P, 2015, (1/2-1/2, 70).

For 11...Qd6 see Wall,B - Qi,H, Chess.com, 2011 (1-0, 14); for 11...b6 see Wall,B - Redom,T, Chess.com, 2010, (1/2-1/2, 59).

12.g3 Qe7 13.Qxe7+ Nxe7

See "Philidor1792 vs The Annoying Defense" Parts 1 and 2.

White has two central pawns for his sacrificed piece, and would probably hold the game in club play or online blitz play. The fact that he can make no progress against his opponent in this game strongly suggests that it was a correspondence match.

14.h3 Be6 15.d3 Rhf8 16.Ke2 Nc6 17.c3 Kg8 18.Be3 Bd6 19.g4 Ne5

20.b3 Ng6 21.Nd2 Nf4+ 22.Bxf4 Bxf4 23.Nc4 a6 24.d4 Rae8 25.e5 b5 26.Ne3 c5

27.Rhf1 b4 28.Nf5 g5 29.Nd6 Re7 30.cxb4 cxd4 31.Kd3 Rb8 32.Ne4 Bf7 White resigned

Thursday, June 9, 2016

The Macbeth Attack

I recently discovered a page on the Italian language website Sacchi64 devoted to what it calls "the Macbeth Attack" (after Shakespeare's "Macbeth") 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ which the site also refers to as "the Crazy Attack". It includes a file of 56 computer-vs-computer games in a 2013 thematic tournament.

This line was seen (by transposition) as early as Wright - Hunn, Arkansas, 1874, referred to in the November 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal as "An unsound variation of Jerome's double opening."

Sacchi64 also has a page on the Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ as well as a file of 56 computer-vs-computer games in another thematic tournament (from 2009). I am playing through them, and am pleased to see that a few of the computers appear to have included the Jerome Gambit in their "books". As I noted in an earlier post

Given that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is not likely to be deemed "best" play for White by the analysis of any competent computer, any time the opening is played by a program, it is likely that the Jerome has been included in the opening "book".

I will share relevant games in future posts.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

To Jerome or Not Jerome

???????

Although the Jerome Gambit Declined, 1.e5 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8/e7 is rare (2.5 %, about 300 examples in the roughly 12,400 Jerome Gambit games with this move order in The Database), I always respond with the ordinary 5.Bb3, callously abandoning gambit play.

This is in contrast to how I face the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4, - by sacrificing with 4.Bxf7+ instead of the perfectly normal options 4.Nxd5, 4.0-0, 4.c3 or 4.d3 - or also chancing 4.Bxf7+ against the nameless 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5 when the sedate 4.Nxe5 would do fine.

Similarly, against the Semi-Italian opening, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6, I prefer the waiting moves 4.0-0 or 4.Nc3, giving Black the chance to come to his senses and play 4...Bc5 when I can still gambit the Bishop with 5.Bxf7+.

Yet, in the Semi-Italian opening there is also the not-waiting choice 4.d4 which is the subject of the following game, one played by Darrenshome at lichess.org that I recently discovered.

Darrenshome - Gagar1n
4 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2014

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.d4

For some background on this move, check out "A Look At the Semi-Italian Opening" Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

4...exd4

For a look at troubled alternative, 4...d6, see "The Jerome Gambit Treatment - Unbelieveable!" as well as the "Addendum" and "A Bit More".

5.c3

So far we have been following the blindfold simultaneous game Morphy - Bousserolles, Paris, 1859, according to the ChessBase Big Database 2016, which continued 5...Nge7 6.Qb3 d5 7.exd5 Nb8 8.d6 Qxd6 9.Bxf7+ Kd8 10.cxd4 Nbc6 11.Nc3 Na5 12.Qa4 Nac6 13.O-O Bd7 14.Be3 Qf6 15.Bc4 Kc8 16.Rfe1 Nd8 17.Qb3 a6 18.Ne5 b5 19.Bd5 c6 20.Ne4 Qh4 21.g3 Qh5 22.Nd6+ Kc7 23.Bf3 Qh3 24.Rac1 Kxd6 25.Bf4 Be6 26.Nd3+ Kd7 27.Rxe6 Nxe6 28.Bg4 Qxg4 29.Ne5+ Ke8 30.Nxg4 Nxd4 31.Qe3 Black resigned

5...dxc3 6.Nxc3

Here we have a Scotch Gambit or Goring Gambit-style position where Black's ...h6 puts him further at risk. One example I have found is Levy - Bouaziz, Oerebro, 1966, which continued 6...Bb47.O-O Bxc3 8.bxc3 d6 9.Qb3 Qf6 10.Nd4 Bd7 11.f4 Na5 12.Qb4 Nc6 13.Qb2 Nge7 14.e5 Qg6 15.Qxb7 Rb8 16.Qxc7 Rc8 17.Qxd6 Qxd6 18.exd6 Nxd4 19.cxd4 Rxc4 20.Re1 Be6 21.dxe7 Rxd4 22.Rb1 Kd7 23.Rb7+ Kc6 24.Rxa7 Rd5 25.Be3 Rb8 26.Rc1+ Kd6 27.Rb7 Re8 28.Rcb1 Rd3 29.R1b6+ Kd5 30.Rb5+ Kc6 31.Kf2 Ra3 32.R5b6+ Kd5 33.Rb2 Raa8 34.Rd2+ Kc6 35.Rb6+ Kc7 36.Rc2+ Kd7 37.Rb7+ Kd6 38.Bc5+ Kc6 39.Rbb2 Kd5 40.Bb4 Rac8 41.Rxc8 Bxc8 42.Rd2+ Kc6 43.Rd8 Bd7 Black resigned

Part of what got me interested in presenting Darrenshome's game was the opportunity to look at the alternative, outrageous Jerome-ish move, 6.Bxf7+, the subject of posts on Chess.com in 2010 by metallictaste - see "My own chess opening: rebuking the anti-fried liver!" [The name "anti-fried liver" refers to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6, what I call here, after Euwe, the Semi-Italian Opening - Rick]

metallictaste's idea can be seen in 6...Kxf7 7.Qd5+ Ke8 (if 7...Ke7 8.e5 d6 9.Ng5 hxg5 10.Bxg5+ Nf6 11.exf6+ gxf6 12.Bxf6+ Kxf6 13.Nxc3) 8.Nxc3 (8.Qh5+ Ke7 9.Ng5 Nf6 [9...Qe8! was suggested by PrawnEatsPrawn at Chess.com] 10.Qh4 Nf6 11.Nxc3 Kd8 12.O-O Be7 13.Nf3) 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Nxc3 Ne5 12.Nb5+ Kc6 13.Be3 Kxb5 14.Qb3+ Kc6 15. Qc3+ Kd6 16.Qc5 checkmate, metallictaste - anon, chess.com, 2010.

Some opening lines - and the Jerome Gambit is a perfect example - continue to be invented and re-invented, so it is fun to delve into The Database and discover:

7.Nxc3 Ke8 8.O-O Bb4 9.Nd5 Nge7 10.Qd4 Nxd5 11.Qxg7 Rf8 12.exd5 Ne7 13.Bxh6 Nf5 14.Qxf8+ Bxf8 15.Bxf8 Kxf8 16.Rfe1 d6 17.Re2 b6 18.Rae1 Ng7 19.Nd4 Ba6 20.Nc6 Qh4 21.Re7 Nf5 22.Rxc7 Nd4 23.Ree7 Nxc6 24.Rf7+ Kg8 25.Rh7 Qc4 26.Rhg7+ Kf8 27.Rgf7+ Ke8 28.Rxc6 Qf1 checkmate, Darrenshome - raykou, FICS, 2007;

7.Nxc3 Bc5 8.Qd5+ Kg6 9.Qxc5 Nf6 10.e5 Ne4 11.Qe3 d5 12.Nxc3 Nxc3 13.Qxc3 Be6 14.Nd2 Rf8 15.f4 Kh7 16.f5 Bxf5 17.Nf3 Qe7 18.Bxh6 gxh6 19.Nh4 Be6 20.Qd3+ Kg7 21.Qg6+ Kh8 22.Qxh6+ Qh7 23.Ng6+ Kg8 24.Qxh7+ Kxh7 25.Nxf8+ Kg8 26.Nxe6 Nxe5 27.Nxc7 Rc8 28.Ne6 Re8 29.Nd4 Nd3 30.Nb5 a6 31.Nd6 Re6 32.Nf5 Nxb2 33.Rab1 Rb6 34.Rf2 Nc4 35.Rxb6 Nxb6 36.Nd6 d4 37.Nxb7 d3 38.Rd2 a5 39.Nc5 Nc4 40.Rxd3 Nb2 41.Rd8+ Kf7 42.Ra8 Nc4 43.Ne4 Ke6 44.Nc5+ Kd5 45.Nb7 a4 46.Rxa4 Kc6 47.Rxc4+ White ran out of time and Black had no material to mate, draw, Darrenshome - arkascha, FICS, 2007; and

7.O-O Nf6 8.e5 Ne4 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxe4 d6 11.Nxc3 Be6 12.Qh4+ g5 13.Bxg5+ hxg5 14.Qxh8 Kd7 15.exd6 Kxd6 16.Rad1+ Ke7 17.Rxd8 Rxd8 18.Nxg5 Nd4 19.Nxe6 Nxe6 20.Re1 Kd6 21.Rd1+ Ke7 22.Rxd8 Nxd8 23.Nd5+ Kd6 24.Qd4 Ne6 25.Qb4+ Nc5 26.Qf4+ Kxd5 27.Qxf8 c6 28.h4 Kc4 29.h5 Na4 30. 3+ Kc3 31.bxa4 Black resigned, Darrenshome - arkascha, FICS, 2007.

6...Bc5 7.Bxf7+

The Jerome-like tactical response to Black's last move.

7...Kxf7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qh5+

Varying from his earlier 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qh5+ Kf8 11.O-O Nf6 12.Qb5 a6 13.Qe2 Bg4 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Ne5 16.Be3 Nxf3+ 17.gxf3 Bh3 18.Rfe1 Qe8 19.Bf4 Qg6+ 20.Bg3 Kg8 21.Qe7 Kh7 22.Qxc7 Rhe8 23.Rxe8 Rxe8 24.Qxb7 Qc2 25.Bxd6 Qd2 26.Bg3 Re1+ 27. Rxe1 Qxe1 checkmate, Darrenshome - soacgyngo, FICS, 2007

9...Kf8 10.Qxc5+ d6 11.Qe3 Nf6

White has a comfortable edge after less than a dozen moves, a pleasant outcome in either the Jerome Gambit or the Scotch/Goring Gambit.

12.O-O Bg4 13.Nd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 Qe7

Black has a defensive plan: exchange pieces and utilize the Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame to draw. However, a moment of distraction while dealing with the advancing "Jerome pawns" leads to disaster.

15.Be3 Qe5 16.Qb4 b6 17.f4 Qe6 18.e5 Nd5 19.Nxd5 Qxd5 20.f5 Qxe5 21.Qxg4 Qxe3+ 22.Kh1

Black's extra pawn is offset by his King's uneasy placement. White should be able to push and hold the draw. Instead, Black, feeling the danger along the f-file, slips.

22...Ke7 23.Rae1 Black resigned

His Queen is pinned and lost.