The following game is a mess. White makes mistakes (more than usual). Black makes mistakes (plenty enough to lose). Quickly.
Because, to be fair: in a 1-minute (no increment) game, advantages often shift back and forth, until someone wins, or time runs out.
Also, the game is a Jerome Gambit variant, and we know that the Jerome is an oft-refuted line of play. White purposefully gets himself a worse game - and then, often wins. So, maybe things are not so surprising, after all.
angelcamina - eloali
1 0 bullet, lichess.org
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. It can work as a surprise, eating up response time, containing tactics that impact on the clock.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. White has his own tactical surprise.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8
At first glance, this looks safest. As angelcamina knows from earlier experience, however, this move allows the action to focus on the Black King.
6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nxc2+
White's opening continues to cast its spell. This counter-grab of a Rook is always tempting, but, here, it should only lead to an even game, or maybe and edge for White. The correct move was 7...hxg6.
8.Kd1 Nxa1 9.Nxh8+ Ke7
10.Qf7+
The game wouldn't be nearly as interesting after 10.Qe5#, but it would be over.
10...Kd6 11.d4
Highly unusual. angelcamina now misses 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qe5#. It is not safe for Black to keep dancing on the edge of the abyss, however - after the text, White is still better.
11...Kc6 12.Qd5+ Kb6 13.Nc3 c6
14.Qb3+ Kc7
Okay, a couple of "Think Quick!" surprises, there.
15.Bf4+ d6 16.Qf7+ Ne7 17.e5 d5
White has two pawns for a piece in this strange position - and his King is safer.
18.e6+ Kb6 19.Na4+ Ka5 20.b3 b5 21.Bd2+ Ka6 22.Nc5+ Kb6 23.Qf4 Ng6
24.Qe3
Saving the Queen this time, but hanging the Knight. Time had to be a factor.
24...Nxh8 25.Qc3 Bxc5
Falling in with White's plans - it is surprising how often defenders "believe" in their opponents' attacks. Best defense was to return the Knight with 25...Nxb3 26.axb3 a5, with advantage (but that is easiest to see after the game).
26.Qa5+ Kb7 27.Qxd8 Bb6 28.Qe7+ Ka6 29.Qxh7 Bb7
30.e7 Black resigned
In the following game, White improves his play, and quickly ushers his opponent into checkmate. Of course, in bullet chess, everything happens quickly.
angelcamina - apropes
1 0 bullet, lichess.org
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4 8.dxe5 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nxe4 10.Qd5+
Improving over his recent win against Puffy04.
10...Kf8 11.Ba3+ d6 12.Qxe4 Be6 13.O-O-O
It certainly looks like White is enjoying himself.
13...Bd7 14.exd6 cxd6 15.Bxd6+ Kg8 16.Rhe1 Qg5+ 17.Bf4 Qa5 18.Rd7 Qxc3
Last gasp.
19.Rxf7 Kxf7 20.Qe6+ Kf8 21.Bd6 checkmate
I would guess that this game was played after the one previously posted on this blog. Having tasted the Jerome Gambit in a painful bullet (one minute, no increment) game, Black may have decided to avoid that evil line. Not that he was able to escape a similar punishment.
angelcamina - MegaBane
1 0 bullet, lichess.org
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bb4
No Giuoco Piano, so no Jerome Gambit, right?
4.c3 Ba5 5.Bxf7+
Not again.
5... Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6
Reminiscent of the Blacburne Defense in the Jerome Gambit.
8.Qxe5 Bb6 9.Qxh8 d6
Black has a piece for a couple of pawns, but he is about to be crushed.
10.Qxh7+ Kf6 11.O-O Bg4 12.d4 Ne7
13.f4
Here 13.Qh4+, followed by 14.Qxg4, was even stronger, but it doesn't really matter.
13...Qd7 14.h3 Be6 15.e5+ dxe5 16.fxe5 checkmate
Ouch. Again.
Bullet chess - one minute time control, no increment - is beyond my comprehension. So is trying to defend against a strange opening variation like the Jerome Gambit, as it is played by someone skilled in its nuances. Black may have been wondering: Why did I do that?
angelcamina - MegaBane
1 0 bullet, lichess.org
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8
Understandable, but rare and risky.
6.Qh5+
It is possible that 6.Nxc6 is stronger, but who wants to be the first (according to The Database) to meet the dynamic counter 6...Qh4!? - ? Anyhow, the text is thematic and a lot more fun.
6...g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6
Best is 7...Bxf2+, but who thinks of that in a 1 minute game
8.Qxh8 Kf8
9.O-O d6 10.c3 Be6 11.d4 Bb6 12.d5 Bf7 13.dxc6 bxc6
Is it over, yet?
14.Bh6+ Ke7 15.Bg5+ Nf6 16.Bxf6+ Ke6 17.Bxd8 Rxd8 18.Qxd8 Bxf2+
19.Rxf2 d5 20.exd5+ cxd5 21.Rf6+ Ke5 22.Nd2 c5 23.Qe7+ Be6 24.Qxe6 checkmate
"All" you have to do to defeat the Jerome Gambit is: pay attention, then pay some more attention, and then continue to pay attention... Don't lose focus, though, especially in a bullet game.
angelcamina - ELVerdugo
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6
9.Qc4+ d5 10.exd5 Ne5 11.Qf4 Qd6 12.O-O Re8 13.Be3 Kg8
Okay. Black has a piece for two pawns, and he has castled-by-hand.
14.Bd4 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Qxd5 16.Bxe5 Rxe5
Black's game is rock solid. What could go wrong? Ah, but, remember, the time control is one minute, no increment. Anything can happen.
17.Rad1 Qe6
Careless, and therefore, painful. Focused play was 17...Qb5.
18.Rd8+ Qe8 19.Rxe8+ Rxe8 20.Qxc7 Be6
Now the advantage is to White, if he can bring it home.
21.b3 Bd5 22.c4 Bc6 23.f3 Rac8 24.Qa5 Rcd8 25.Re1 Rf8 26.Re7 Rd6 27.Qc3 Rff6 28.Qe3 Rd1+ 29.Kf2 Rdd6 30.h4 Be8 31.g4 Bg6 32.Kg3 Rf8 33.h5
Black resigned
I remember a trend, years ago, in some of the science fiction that I was reading. Travel by space ship "at the speed of light" became so routine that something faster was needed. I then began to read about travelling "at the speed of thought". That seemed really fast.
So many Jerome Gambit bullet games (one minute time limit, no increment) seem to travel at that speed of thought. Players have to think fast - or else.
angelcamina - puffy04
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
Black started out with the Petroff Defense, and then moved along to the Four Knights opening, hoping to keep things solid and calm. However, this transition to the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit quickly upset his equilibrium.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4
This kind of move you would think should work: Black's Bishop escapes danger and pins White's only developed piece; while the second player remains two pieces up. The only problem is that it surrenders most of Black's advantage. Better was 7...Bd6.
8.dxe5 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3
9...Nxe4
The kind of move that comes to mind when there are "free pawns" on the board, but angelcamina shows that nothing is free. After 9...Re8 10.exf6 Rxe4+ 11.Be3 Qxf6 12.0-0 d6 Black would still have an edge.
10.Qf3+
Even stronger was 10.Qd5+, followed by picking up the Knight. This double attack shows up in a number of Jerome Gambit lines.
10...Nf6 11.exf6 gxf6 12.O-O d6
A glance at this position, a moment's thought, would suggest that Black has bought peace and equality with his return of material. (Look at White's pawn structure.) However, White quickly shows that this is not true. (Always remember the warning: When White has equalized in the Jerome Gambit, he has the avantage.)
13.Qh5+ Kf8 14.Bh6+ Kg8 15.Rfe1 Bf5
It looks like Black wants to put this Bishop on g6, to guard against the threatened check by White's Rook, on g3 - but he overlooks that the piece is unprotected.
16.Qxf5 Kf7 17.Qh5+ Kg8 18.Re2
This looks like a mouse slip - the Rook was heading to e3, and then on to g3, ending the game. No matter. (White also had 18.Qd5#, but he can checkmate as he pleases.)
18...Rc8 19.Qg4+ Kf7 20.Qg7 checkmate
One of the reasons that many of us play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is that it is so outrageous, our opponents can't help but underestimate its dangers - and, too often, they quickly tumble into the abyss.
Check out this recent game by Bill Wall.
Wall, Bill - Guest9006209
PlayChess.com, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6
Black is up 2 pieces, and generously decides to give one back, pocketing a pawn for himself in the process.
I think Bill is 14 - 0 in games from this position. It's not a guaranteed win for White, but Black is going to have to do some serious analysis to survive.
7.dxe5 Bxe5
And, there you have it, figures Black. He would have done better to put the Bishop on e7.
8.Qd5+
Also, 8.Qh5+ works, and Bill has a couple of wins to show it.
8...Kf6
Hang onto the Bishop. Bring the Knight to e7 to chase away the Queen. I got this...
9.f4 Bxf4
All right, take the Bishop. I'm still even in material.
10.Bxf4 d6 11.Bg5+ Black resigned
Yikes.
