Yury V. Bukayev brings to my attention that 12 years ago the website NotiChess started to make Spanish language translations of this blog, among materials by several famous chess persons ( https://web.archive.org/web/20110818013744/http://www.notichess.com.ar/ ). The Wayback Machine has saved it. Very nice! Check it out.
In the following game, White - Tr1ck5t3r77, with 186 games in The Database - faces a line designed to be a surprise, and meets it with a surprise of his own.
When the defender's Knight goes wandering, that is where the trouble multiplies.
Tr1ck5t3r77 - jawa_barat
5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2018
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
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The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. A surprise?
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. Most likely a surprise.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3 Nb5
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A creative idea, but there was nothing wrong with the main line retreat 6...Nc6, leaving Black with an edge.
White's pawn on c3 is doing more than just expelling the enemy piece. It is not surprising that The Database shows the first player scoring 18 - 3 (86%).
7.d4 d6
The poor Knight on b5 needed to come home with 7...Nd6. It has lost its way, and soon will simply be lost.
8.Qb3+ d5 9.Qxb5 c6 10.Qe2 Nf6 11.exd5+ cxd5 12.Nc6+ Black resigned
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A few weeks ago, in a post ("Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Tactics") covering mir252 - Pranep, 5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2023, the game had continued 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.Qg4+ Kxe5 7.f4+ Kd6 when I noted
Not 7...Kxe4 8.Nc3 checkmate. It could happen in blitz.
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It turns out, upon consulting The Database, it apparently has happened at least 10 times (although two were 15-minute games), the first being Cherokee - Gepetto, 15 2 standard, FICS, 2000 and the most recent being jdpz - isaac1331, blitz, 2018.
In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) game, if the defender was surprised by the opening he did his best, in turn, to surprise the attacker. To his misfortune, the line of play he chose was not at all a surprise to his opponent.
angelcamina - Fabio-rj
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8
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For the record, The Database has 453 games with this position, with White scoring 55%.
6.Qh5+
Consistently played.
Stockfish 15.1 recommends 6.Nxc6, instead, followed by the very aggressive 6...Qh4!? and White is better - but I am not surprised that the line does not show up at all in The Database.
6...g6
A quick finish was 6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4, checkmate, angelcamina - SammmDBest, lichess.org, 2021
7.Nxg6 Bxf2+
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This surprising move (best in the position) is as old as the identical games Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA, 1960 (1-0, 13) and Blackstone,J - Dommeyer,C, Campbell, CA, 1960 (1-0, 13).
Also:
7...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.Qxc5 Qxh8 10.Qf8 checkmate, angelcamina - DenBlood, lichess.org, 2022;
7...hxg6 8.Qxh8 Kf8 9.O-O d6 10.c3 Be6 11.d4 Bb6 12.d5 Bf7 13.dxc6 bxc6 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, angelcamina - MegaBane,1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019; and
7...Nf6 8.Qh4 Nxe4 9.Qxe4+ Ne7 10.Nxh8 d6 11.Qxh7 Be6 12.O-O Qd7 13.Ng6 Nxg6 14.Qxg6+ Bf7 15.Re1+ Kf8 16.Qh6+ Kg8 17.c3 Qf5 18.d4 Bb6 19.Bg5 d5 20.Bf6 Qh7 21.Qg5+ Qg6 22.Qh4 Qh7 23.Qg3+ Qg6 24.Qxg6+ Bxg6 25.Nd2 c6 26.Re7 Bc7 27.Rae1 Bd6 28.Rd7 Bf8 29.Nf3 Rb8 30.Be7 b5 31.Bxf8 Kxf8 32.Ree7 Be8 33.Rxa7 White won on time, angelcamina - stockfishdanirealno1, lichess.org, 2021
8.Kxf2 Qf6+
Black's idea, but he has overlooked something. It's bullet.
9.Nf4+
The Knight that blocks the check is unprotected, but the discovered check must be attended to first.
9...Kd8 10.d3 Nd4
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Instead, 10...d6 11.Rf1 Qd4+ 12.Be3 Qf6 13.c3 Black resigned was Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA, 1960 / Blackstone,J - Dommeyer,C, Campbell, CA, 1960.
11.Rf1 Nh6 12.Kg1 Qd6 13.Nd5 Ne6
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Recalled.
14.Qxh6 c6 15.Qh4+ Ke8 16.Nf6+ Kf7 17.Bf4 Qe7 18.Qh5+ Kg7 19.Bh6 checkmate
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A blog on the Chess.com website presents the "10 craziest gambits" and includes, of course, the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - which is listed as #2, although there may be no significance to the order.
There is a short informational paragraph and, kindly, a link to this blog, but no analysis.
As long as they spell your name right...
Anatoly Karpov & Jerome Gambit (Part 7)
(by Yury V. Bukayev)
The Part 7 of this my work is about wrong Anatoly Karpov (in contrast with the Part 2 and with the Part 6). Thus, it’s a story about my new notable Jerome gambit (JG) game against the well-known (due to his last games against me and not only it) chess amateur Anatoly Karpov, a father of a little boy (my first game against him was shown in the Part 3). This new game was played in Moscow this month.
Thus, after his losses in our games of 2022 Anatoly wanted to prove that he can play strongly and that his knowledge of the standard line (4.Bxf7+) of JG theory and practice can lead him to a win or to a draw. So he suggested me to play again. He asked me to play my ‘Anti-Hambleton variation with 9.b4’ (it’s his variant of the name of 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qd5+!? Kg7!? 9.b4, where 9.b4 is a good method to prevent the not good way 9.d4 – the way which was shown in the first GM Aman Hambleton’s video about JG). I have understood that dear Anatoly has prepared to this variation, and it will be not easily to beat him. Thus, here is our new game:
Bukayev, Yury – Karpov, Anatoly (father)
rapid, 30+0
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qd5+!? Kg7!? 9.b4 Bxb4 10.Bb2+ Nf6 11.0-0 AN .
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This my new strong invented attack leads to a complicated play.
11…c6 12.Qd4 Bc5 13.Qc4 .
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We have played very strongly, but after …Bb4-c5 Anatoly, probably, hasn’t been ready to see my Queen on c4. Thus, I think, if it has been his home preparation, then it hasn’t included this my response, so he has waited for 13.Qd3 or 13.Qc3.
{I can’t exclude that Anatoly was ready to get a draw (and his moral victory) as a result of a possible and not the best sequence 13.Qc3 Bb4 14.Qd4 Bc5 15.Qc3 Bb4 16.Qd4.
This year I have told him my created chess anecdote (my large improvement of the other Russian anecdote – with a running dog in it), and I have published it in Russian earlier. It has something common with my previous anecdote about possible dialogue between young Bobby Fischer and his opponent Jacob Altusky (look, please, at one of my recent works on this blog). Here is this new anecdote. In a game the first chess player (Russian speaking or not) has a worse position, doesn’t want to fight on the board and asks his Russian speaking opponent slyly in Russian to receive his key answer also in Russian: “Excuse me, WHOSE [ЧЬЯ – in Russian] chess clock’s button is hard to push: both my and your one? The arbiter can substitute our clock now” – “NOBODY’S [НИЧЬЯ – in Russian, and the second meaning of the Russian word ‘НИЧЬЯ’ is a DRAW IN SPORT]…” – “Yes, НИЧЬЯ, but let me ask the arbiter”. The first player demands a draw from arbiter quietly in English which is known very badly to the second player. The second player doesn’t understand and doesn’t react. The arbiter asks him in English: “<…> a draw really?” The second player feels a shame to show that he can’t understand the question, sees arbiter’s wish to take their chess clock and says: “YES, it plays no role for me”. And arbiter fixes a draw, so an immediate protest can’t be accepted already…
Of course, the way 13.Qc3 Bb4 14.Qd4 Bc5 15.Qc3 Bb4 16.Qd4 is absolutely legal for White to get a draw in contrast with one from my above anecdote, but in both cases a draw would be a result of Black’s not right final reaction. Well, let’s return to our game.}
Anatoly’s face was calm during first seconds, but - after he started to think - difficulties became seen to him. During some time he thought and tried to not lose the calmness. In result, he responded:
13…a6? .
Black’s probable idea …b7-b5 is good, but it required to be done immediately, without the preparation by …a7-a6, instead.
14.e5 .
White created a direct threat. Anatoly started to choose a defence. It was enough difficult. During else some minutes he thought (and I thought here too). In result, he responded:
14…Nd5 15.e6+ Nf6 .
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Probably, 15…Kg8 AN was the best way instead, with a complicated play, but it’s difficult to find and to choose this move when you must play enough quickly.
16.Bxf6+ .
Anatoly was surprised a lot. And after
16…Qxf6 17.Qxc5
he responded mistakenly:
17…Qxa1? .
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It has been White’s very strong way with a beautiful trap simultaneously. And this trap has been worked well. After 17…d5! AN with the idea to capture the extremely strong pawn e6 with 18…Bxe6 instead of it Black could keep approximately equal chances and fight for an advantage even, probably.
18.Nc3 .
White avoids some less good ways including the fast perpetual check as a result of 18.Qe7+ Kh6 19.Qh4+ Kg7 20.Qe7+. Anatoly was shocked. He started to think again. In result, he responded by the best way, but it couldn’t save already:
18…Qxf1+
After the attempt to save the material advantage by 18…Qb2 White gets a winning attack: 19.Qe5+ (or 19.Qd4+) 19…Kg8 20.e7 Kf7 21.Qxh8 Kxe7 22.Nd5+ cxd5 23.Qxb2. The move 19…Kh6 is stronger in both cases, but Black also can’t save his King. The way 19.Qe7+ Kh6 (19…Kg8?? 20.Qf7 checkmate) 20.Qh4+ Kg7 21.Qd4+ is also good for practice.
19.Kxf1 Re8
After 19…dxe6 20.Qe5+ Kg8 21.Ne4 White wins easily. Other responses can’t help too.
20.Qd4+ Kg8 21.exd7 Bxd7 22.Qxd7 Rad8 23.Qxb7 Rxd2 24.f3 Rd6 25.Ne4, and Black resigned.
The game is very notable, since it develops the Jerome gambit theory strongly! I thank Anatoly very much!
