A Closer Look (Part IV)

Until improvements come along in the "modern" lines of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) I'm going to stick with the classical 5.Nxe5+, even it it's a "fish-y" move -- at least it's a fish with attitude.


Here are some more games from the recently completed Ninja Knights T3 Jerome Gambit thematic tournament at ChessWorld (see "A Closer Look (Part I)", "A Closer Look (Part II)" and "A Closer Look (Part III)").

First, a couple of quickies:

braken - queen st, www.chessworld.net 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Be7 8.dxe5 b6 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.0-0 g5 11.Rd1 Bb7 12.e6 d6 13.Qf7

mediax - willitfw, www.chessworld.net 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c3 Nd3+ 8.Ke2 Nf4+ White resigned

Ouch.

Next, Black plays a 6th move TN/TL which seems to confuse White, who has an even game afterwards, but whose game goes quickly downhill nonetheless:

braken - delboy138, www.chessworld.net 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Nd3+ 7.Qxd3 Be7 8.d5 d6 9.Bf4 Nf6 10.Nd2 Rf8 11.Nf3 Kg8 12.Ng5 Nh5 13.Nxh7 Nxf4 14.Qg3 Kxh7 15.h4 Nh5 16.Qh2 Bf6 17.0-0-0 Be5 18.g3 c5 19.f4 Nxf4 20.h5 Bg4 21.gxf4 Bxf4+ White resigned


Here, the tournament winner returns material in a manner that gives White a small but solid plus -- but then hangs on until the Rooks and pawns endgame, where he outplays his opponent.

mediax - Carlos Azcarate, www.chessworld.net 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.d3 d5 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Rf1 Ke8 13.Bh6 Nf6 14.Bg7 Ng4+ 15.Kg1 Rg8 16.Re1+ Kf7 17.Bd4 Rd8 18.Rf1+ Bf5 19.h3 Rxd4 20.hxg4 Rxg4 21.Nc3 c6 22.Rae1 b5 23.Ne4 Kg7 24.Nd6 Rg5 25.Nxf5+ gxf5 26.Re6 Rg6 27.Re5 Rf8 28.Re7+ Kh8 29.Rxa7 f4 30.Rf3 h5 31.Re7 Rfg8 32.Re2 Rg4 33.Kh2 R8g5 34.c4 Kg7 35.b3 Kf6 36.Re4 Rxg2+ 37.Kh3 R2g3+ 38.Rxg3 Rxg3+ 39.Kh2 Rxd3 40.Rxf4+ Kg5 41.Rf2 Kg4 42.Rg2+ Kf4 43.cxb5 cxb5 44.Kg1 b4 45.Rf2+ Rf3 46.Kg2 Rxf2+ 47.Kxf2 Ke4 48.Ke2 Kd4 49.Kd2 h4 50.Ke2 Kc3 White resigned

Next White, the main champion of the "classical Jerome Gambit" in this tournament, comes out of the opening with the advantage and builds on it -- until his unfortunate 23rd move gives the game away.

mediax - queen st, www.chessworld.net 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qc3 Qg5 9.0-0 Nf6 10.d4 Qg6 11.dxc5 Nxe4 12.Qf3+ Bf5 13.cxd6 Nxd6 14.h3 Kf7 15.Qb3+ Be6 16.Qc3 c6 17.Bf4 Ne4 18.Qf3 Rad8 19.Bc7+ Bf5 20.Bxd8 Rxd8 21.Qb3+ Kf8 22.f3 Ng3 23.Rf2 Rd1+ 24.Kh2 Rh1checkmate

Finally, a rock-em, sock'em battle.

mediax - braken, www.chessworld.net 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qe3 Nf6 9.d4 Re8 10.f3 Bf5 11.0-0 Nh5 12.Qb3+ Be6 13.d5 Bc8 14.Nc3 Kg8 15.h3 Nhf4 16.Bxf4 Nxf4 17.Rf2 Bxh3 18.gxh3 Nxh3+ 19.Kf1 Nxf2 20.Kxf2 Qh4+ 21.Ke3 Rf8 22.Ne2 Qh3 23.Ng1 Qh1 24.Qc4 Rxf3+ 25.Nxf3 Qxa1 26.Qxc7 Qxb2 27.Qxd6 Qb6+ 28.Qxb6 axb6 29.Ng5 Rxa2 30.c4 Ra5 31.Kd4 b5 32.cxb5 Rxb5 33.Ne6 Rb6 34.Kc5 Rxe6 35.dxe6 Kf8 36.Kd6 Ke8 37.e5 h5 White resigned


graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

A Closer Look (Part III)

Here are some more interesting and enjoyable games to play over from the recently completed Ninja Knights T3 Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) thematic tournament at ChessWorld (see "A Closer Look (Part I)" and "A Closer Look (Part II)").

Although the "modern" Jerome Gambit with 5.0-0 (instead of 5.Nxe5; see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter IV") risks less, it also gives White less for his sacrifice, and he must rely on development and attack against the enemy King in order to bring home the point.

The following game has an amusing mate at the end.


drewbear - braken, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.0-0 Nh6 6.d3 Ng4 7.h3 Bxf2+ 8.Rxf2 Nxf2 9.Kxf2 Qf6 10.Nc3 Nd4 11.Nd5 Qd6 12.Nxd4 exd4 13.Qf3+ Ke8 14.e5 Qc5 15.Kg1 c6 16.Nc7+ Kd8 17.Nxa8 Rf8 18.Bg5+ Ke8 19.Nc7 checkmate


Sometimes White just doesn't have enough:

casker - mediax, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.0-0 Nf6 6.d3 Rf8 7.Nc3 h6 8.Be3 Bxe3 9.fxe3 Kg8 10.d4 d6 11.d5 Ne7 12.Ne2 c5 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.b4 Nxe4 15.c3 Ba6 16.Re1 Bxe2 17.Qxe2 Nxc3 18.Qc4+ Ncd5 19.e4 Rc8 20.exd5 cxd5 21.Qb3 Kh8 22.a4 d4 23.b5 Rc3 24.Qb4 Nd5 25.Qb1 Rcxf3 26.gxf3 Qg5+ 27.Kf2 Qh4+ 28.Kg2 Nf4+ 29.Kf1 Qh3+ White resigns

By far the most popular line in the tournament was the "modern" 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 (see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter V" and "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter VI").

Combining 5.d3 with c2-c3 and b2-b4 was seen a number of times, including in the following game:

casker - drewbear, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.d3 Nf6 6.c3 b5 7.0-0 h6 8.Na3 g5 9.b4 Bd6 10.Qb3+ Kg7 11.Nxb5 a6 12.Na3 g4 13.Nh4 Ne7 14.Nc4 Ne8 15.g3 Ng6 16.Nf5+ Kh7 17.Ncxd6 cxd6 18.Qf7+ Black resigned

Sometimes White simply out-played his opponent:

drewbear - queen st, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 Nf6 7.Bg5 Qe7 8.Nc3 Re8 9.Nd5 Qe6 10.Nxc7 Qd7 11.Nxa8 b5 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nh4 Bb7 14.Nf5 Bxa8 15.Qh5+ Kf8 16.Qh6+ Kg8 17.Qxf6 h5 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.Qxh5 Ne7 20.Qh6+ Kf7 21.Nxe7 Kxe7 22.Qh7+ Kd8 23.Qxd7+ Kxd7 24.Kh1 b4 25.c3 Rb8 26.c4 Bd4 27.Rab1 Rg8 28.f3 Kc6 29.a3 Bc5 30.axb4 Bxb4 31.Ra1 Kb7 32.Ra4 Bc5 33.b4 Bd4 34.b5 Kb8 35.Ra6 Bc5 36.g4 Bb7 37.Ra2 Rh8 38.Kg2 Kc7 39.Kg3 Kd7 40.h4 Ke6 41.g5 Bc8 42.Rh1 Kf7 43.h5 Be3 44.g6+ Kg7 45.Re2 Bf4+ 46.Kh4 Bb7 47.Ra1 Ra8 48.Rd1 a6 49.b6 a5 50.d4 Ba6 51.Rc2 Rb8 52.c5 exd4 53.Rxd4 dxc5 54.Rxc5 Be3 55.Rd7+ Kh6 56.Rh7 checkmate

Sometimes when White didn't outplay his opponent, the "clock" proved helpful:

drewbear - willitfw, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 Bg4 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3+ Nf6 9.g4 d5 10.g5 dxe4 11.dxe4 Nd4 12.Qc3 Ne2+ 13.Kg2 Black lost on time.

Even the idea of a "delayed classical Jerome Gambit" popped up:

mediax - casker, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.d3 h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.Bf4 Qf6 10.c3 Qxf5 11.Bxe5+ Qxe5 12.Nd2 Ke7 13.0-0 Qg5 14.Nf3 Qg6 15.d4 Bb6 16.Nh4 Qh7 17.f4 Kd8 18.f5 Nf6 19.e5 Nd5 20.Rad1 Ne3 21.Ng6 Nxd1 22.Rxd1 Re8 23.b4 d5 24.c4 dxc4 25.Kh1 Bxf5 26.Nf4 Bd3 27.e6 Qf5 28.g3 Qe4+ 29.Ng2 White resigned

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

A Closer Look (Part II)

The recently completed Ninja Knights T3 Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) thematic tournament at ChessWorld – won by Carlos Azcarate – has many interesting and enjoyable games to play over (see "A Closer Look (Part I)").

A number of players followed up 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 in the "modern Jerome Gambit" fashion with 5.c3 (for a discussion of this move, see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XII").


Piratepaul - drewbear, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5...Nf6 6.Ng5+ Kg8 7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4 Bxd4 9.Qb3+ d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.0-0 h6 12.Ne4 b6 13.Nbd2 Kh7 14.Nf3 Be6 15.Qc2 g6 16.Qxc6 Bf5 17.Ng3 Bd3 White lost on time;

delboy138 - Carlos Azcarate, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5...Nf6 6.Qb3+ Ke8 7.Ng5 Qe7 8.d3 d6 9.0-0 b6 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.fxe3 Ng4 12.Qd5 Qxg5 13.Qxc6+ Bd7 14.Qxa8+ Ke7 15.Qxh8 Qxe3+ 16.Kh1 Nf2+ 17.Rxf2 Qe1+ White resigned

casker - delboy138, www.chessworld.ne 2008: 5...Nf6 6.0-0 Rf8 7.Qb3+ d5 8.d3 Kg8 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nbd2 Kh8 11.Ne4 Bd6 12.Qxd5 Bf5 13.Neg5 Bg6 14.Nh4 Be7 15.Nxg6+ hxg6 16.Nf7+ Rxf7 17.Qxf7 Qd6 18.Be3 Rf8 19.Qc4 Qf6 20.Rae1 b6 21.h4 Bd6 22.Qxc6 Qxh4 23.g3 Qg4 24.Qh1+ Kg8 25.f3 Qe6 26.b3 Qd5 27.f4 Qxd3 28.fxe5 Bxe5 29.Rxf8+ Kxf8 30.Qh8+ Ke7 31.Bg5+ Kd7 32.Qd8+ Black resigned;


queen st - drewbear, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5...Qf6 6.0-0 h5 7.b4 Bb6 8.c4 Nxb4 9.Qb3 a5 10.c5+ Kg6 11.cxb6 cxb6 12.a3 Nc6 13.Bb2 d6 14.d3 Ra6 15.Bc1 Be6 16.Qd1 Bg4 17.h3 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Qxf3 19.gxf3 Nd4 20.Nd2 Kh7 21.Kh1 Ne7 22.Nc4 Nxf3 23.Nxd6 Ng6 24.Kg2 Ngh4+ 25.Kg3 b5 26.Nxb7 Rg6+ White resigned;


casker - braken, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5...Nf6 6.d3 Rf8 7.Qb3+ d5 8.Ng5+ Kg8 9.0-0 Kh8 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.fxe3 Nxe4 12.Nf7+ Rxf7 13.Rxf7 Be6 14.Rf1 Nc5 15.Qd1 Qg5 16.Qf3 Nxd3 17.g3 Nxb2 18.Na3 e4 19.Qf2 Nd3 20.Qe2 Nce5 21.Nb5 Bh3 22.Rf4 Nxf4 23.exf4 Nf3+ 24.Kf2 Qe7 25.Nd4 Nxh2 26.Kg1 Ng4 27.Qb5 e3 28.Qxd5 e2 29.Ne6 Re8 30.f5 Qg5 31.Qe4 Qe3+ 32.Qxe3 Nxe3 33.Kf2 Nc2 34.Rc1 e1Q+ 35.Rxe1 Nxe1 36.Kxe1 Bxf5 37.Kd1 Bxe6 White resigned

The majority of the games continued after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 with either the "modern" 5.d3 or 5.0-0, or the classical 5.Nxe5, each which requires a separate "closer look".

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

A Closer Look (Part I)

The recently completed Ninja Knights T3 Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) thematic tournament at ChessWorld – won by Carlos Azcarate – showed White scoring 65.5 points out of 156 games, for 42%, a figure consistent with that of other recent Jerome Gambit tournaments.

It is a tribute to the fighting nature of the players that there was only 1 draw in the whole tournament -- which amounts to about 6/10th of 1% of the games.

An overwhelming 92% of the games featured the "modern Jerome Gambit" – 5th move alternatives to the traditional 5.Nxe5+.

Three defenders declined the Bishop sacrifice (not recommended!) – 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ – with 4...Kf8, and two of them "got away with it": 5.Bb3

5.Bc4 Nf6 6.d3 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 b6 Black claimed a win on time. 0–1 TJay2465 - yorkypuddn, www.ChessWorld.net 2008;

5.d3 Kxf7 6.c3 Nf6 7.Ng5+ Ke7 8.Qb3 Ng4 9.d4 exd4 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Nf7 Nb4 13.cxb4 Bxb4+ 14.Bd2 Nf6 15.Bxb4+ d6 16.Nxd8 Nxd5 17.Bd2 Rxd8 18.exd5 b6 Black claimed a win on time, eddie43 - yorkypuddn, www.ChessWorld.net 2008

5...Nge7 6.Ng5 Nd4 7.Nf7 Qe8 8.Nxh8 d6 9.Bf7 Qb5 10.d3 Qb4+ 11.c3 Qa5 12.b4 Qb5 13.bxc5 dxc5 14.cxd4 Qb4+ 15.Qd2 Qxd2+ 16.Bxd2 Bg4 17.dxe5 g6 18.Bh6 checkmate, drewbear - yorkypuddn, www.ChessWorld.net 2008

Three times White proceeded 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 successfully, with two wins on time (willitfw - TJay2465; Piratepaul - jemasc) and a third one "for real": willitfw - queen st, www.ChessWorld.net 2008 5...exd4 6.Ng5+ Ke7 7.Nf3 d6 8.Bg5+ Nf6 9.Bxf6+ gxf6 10.a3 Be6 11.b4 Bb6 12.c3 dxc3 13.Nxc3 Qg8 14.0-0 Bh3 15.Nh4 Ne5 16.Nd5+ Kf7 17.Nxb6 axb6 18.Qh5+ Ke7 19.Nf5+ Bxf5 20.Qxf5 Qg7 21.f4 Nd3 22.e5 dxe5 23.Qxd3 Rhg8 24.fxe5 fxe5 25.Rae1 Rgd8 26.Qb5 Rd6 27.Rxe5+ Kd8 28.Re8 checkmate

The exotic choices 5.a3 and 5.b3 also scored with the clock, although the latter saw a couple of games through to conclusion:

queen st - Piratepaul,www.ChessWorld.net, 2008: 5.b3 h6 6.Bb2 d6 7.0-0 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Na3 a6 10.d4 exd4 11.g4 Bg6 12.Re1 Nf6 13.Nc4 Rf8 14.Bxd4 Kg8 15.e5 Nxd4 16.Nxd4 Bxd4 17.Rb1 Bxe5 18.Qe2 Re8 19.Rbd1 Bh2+ 20.Kxh2 Rxe2 21.Rxe2 Kh7 22.f4 Bf7 23.h4 Nxg4+ 24.Kg3 Bh5 25.Re6 Qd7 26.Rde1 Nf6 27.Na5 c5 28.Re7 Qg4+ 29.Kh2 Qxf4+ 30.Kh1 Bf3+ 31.Kg1 Qg3+ White resigned

braken - yorkypuddn, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.b3 d6 6.Bb2 Nd4 7.c3 Nxf3+ 8.Qxf3+ Nf6 9.d4 exd4 10.cxd4 Bb4+ 11.Nc3 Rf8 12.e5 dxe5 13.dxe5 Bg4 14.Qf4 Kg8 15.Qxb4 Nd5 16.Qxb7 Nxc3 17.0-0 Ne2+ 18.Kh1 Rb8 19.Qe4 Qh4 20.Qd5+ Kh8 21.e6 Rxf2 22.Qe5 Rg8 23.e7 Bd7 24.Rad1 Bb5 25.Qxg7+ Rxg7 26.Rd8+ Rf8 27.Rdxf8 checkmate

The in-your-face 5.Ng5+ was championed by tournament winner Carlos Azcarate (see "Carlos Azcarate Topping Ninja Knights T3") to the tune of one win and four losses

Carlos Azcarate - Piratepaul, www.ChessWorld.net 2008: 5...Qxg5 6.d4 Qxg2 7.Rf1 Qxe4+ White resigned;

Carlos Azcarate - eddie43, www.ChessWorld.net 2008: 5...Qxg5 6.d4 Qxg2 7.dxc5 Qxh1+ 8.Ke2 Qxe4+ White resigned;

Carlos Azcarate - casker, www.ChessWorld.net 2008: 5...Qxg5 6.0-0 b6 7.Qf3+ Nf6 8.d4 Nxd4 9.Bxg5 Nxf3+ 10.gxf3 Nh5 11.Nc3 h6 12.Bd2 Rf8 13.Nd5 Bd6 14.c4 Ba6 15.b3 Kg8 16.Kh1 Rxf3 17.Ne3 Bb7 18.Nf5 Bxe4 19.Nxd6 cxd6 20.Kg1 Rf5 21.Rae1 Bb7 22.h4 g5 23.hxg5 hxg5 24.Bb4 Kf7 25.Bxd6 Ke6 26.Rd1 Nf4 27.Kh2 Rh8+ White resigned;

Carlos Azcarate - drewbear, www.ChessWorld.net 2008: 5...Kf8 6.Qf3+ Qf6 7.Qxf6+ Nxf6 8.0-0 h6 9.Nf3 Nxe4 10.d3 Nxf2 11.Nh4 Ke8 12.Rxf2 Bxf2+ 13.Kxf2 Rf8+ 14.Kg1 Nd4 15.Nc3 Nxc2 16.Nd5 Kd8 17.Rb1 c6 18.Ng6 Rf5 19.Nde7 Rf6 20.Bd2 Nd4 21.b4 d5 22.Re1 Bf5 23.Nxf5 Nxf5 24.Nxe5 g5 25.Nf3 Kc7 26.a4 b5 27.a5 g4 28.Ne5 g3 29.Nf3 Rg8 30.Bc3 Rfg6 31.Ne5 gxh2+ 32.Kh1 Rxg2 33.Nf3 d4 34.Re7+ Nxe7 35.Bxd4 Nf5 36.Be5+ Kb7 37.Bxh2 Ne3 38.Bd6 Rd8 39.Bc5 Rxd3 40.Ne1 Rd1 White resigned;

Carlos Azcarate - queen st, www.ChessWorld.net 2008: 5...Ke8 6.Nf3 Qf6 7.c3 d6 8.0-0 Bg4 9.b4 Bb6 10.Bb2 Qg6 11.d3 Bh3 12.Nh4 Bg4 13.Nxg6 Bxd1 14.Nxh8 Bc2 15.b5 Na5 16.d4 Nc4 17.Ba3 Ba5 18.Bc1 Bxe4 19.Nd2 Bxc3 20.Nxe4 Bxa1 21.Ng5 Nh6 22.Ne6 Kd7 23.Bxh6 gxh6 24.Rxa1 Kxe6 25.a4 Rxh8 26.Rc1 Nb6 27.Rxc7 exd4 28.a5 Na4 29.Kf1 Rb8 30.Rxh7 d3 31.Rxh6+ Kd5 32.Ke1 Nc3 33.Rh5+ Kc4 34.b6 Re8+ 35.Kf1 Re2 36.Rh4+ Kb5 37.Rd4 Rd2 38.g4 Kxa5 39.bxa7 Kb6 40.a8Q Nb5 41.Qd8+ Kc5 42.Qg5+ Kb6 43.Qxd2 Nxd4 44.Qxd3 Nb5 45.h4 Black resigned

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

Unorthodox Duo

I suppose that it is possible that chess players who like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) might like other unorthodox chess openings as well.

With this in mind, I'd like to steer them to the latest issue (#22) of the Unorthodox Openings Newsletter, edited by Gary K. Gifford (see "But - Is this stuff playable?? (Part II)" and "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter IV") for download at http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Chess-Unorthodox-UON/files/

Earlier editions of UON would also be of interest, I'm sure.

I'd also like to mention that Gary, along with Davide Rozzoni and Bill Wall, have an impressive new book out: Winning with the Krazy Kat and Old Hippo (Lulu Press, 2008) at http://www.lulu.com/content/3292224

A Jerome Gambit "Challenger"

The other day I was thinking about my old, old chess computer, the Fidelity "Chess Challenger 7" from the late 1970s / early 1980s.

Back then, playing my first "chess computer," even set at the fastest time setting, I had to actually think about my moves or I would get into trouble.


That was well before I had discovered the Jerome Gambit, however.


So I decided to put the old CC7 to the test!


Rick - Chess Challenger 7
USA, 2008


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

We're out of Chess Challenger 7's opening book, and Blackburne's move 6...g6 followed by Whistler's Defense 7.Qxe5 Qe7 is probably too long for the computer to calculate.

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4



I held my breath. Modern calculating machines can jump on 8...Qh4+ these days, and even work out the later Queen sacrifice to crush White. They also can see the safety in returning material with 8...Qf6.

8...Nc4 TL

A new move, a "Theoretical Novelty" that is actually a "Theoretical Lemon." But – don't go away. There are some interesting ideas behind this move, surprising for such and old machine. The game is not over.

9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ Nd6 11.e5 Nf6


Hey! Give the old machine some props, huh? It's going to lose a piece, and developing like this doesn't change that situation – it just gives Black more development.

12.0-0 Qg8

Again, CC7 is content to let me capture whichever Knight I please, and plans a counter-attack!

Great-grandchild Rybka suggests a tougher line: 12... b6 13. Qa3 (I can affort to "ignore" the capture for now, too) 13... Re8 14. Nc3 Bb7 15. d3 Kf8 16. exd6 c5 17.f5 a6 18. Bg5 Qb8 19. Rad1 Qxd6. (analysis diagram) White has an edge, sure, but the computer would live to fight on.

13. Nc3 g5


Never say die!

Still, Black's best try, leading to a relatively stable position two pawns down, was 13... b6 14. exd6+ cxd6 15. Re1+ Kd8 16. Qxd6

14.exf6+

This move is good enough to win, although Rybka prefers 14. Qxc7 Nde8 15. exf6+ Kf8 16. Qd8 Qe6 17. fxg5 as stronger.

14... Kxf6

Short-sighted, or greedy? This makes matters worse.

15. fxg5+

If I'm going to point out Chess Challenger 7's failings, I might as well point out mine: Rybka calculates checkmate: 15. Qe5+ Kg6 16. fxg5 Qe6 17. Rf6+ Kh5 18.Rh6+ Qxh6 19. gxh6+ Kg6 20. Qxh8 c5 21. d4 cxd4 22. Qg8+ Kf6 23. Bg5+ Kf5 24.Rf1+ Kg4 25. Rf4+ Kh5 26. Rh4#

15... Kg7


Shortening the pain, which would have continued a bit longer after 15... Kg6 16. Qe5 Qd8 17. Rf6+ Kg718. Rxd6+ Kg8 19. Rf6 c6 20. Nd5 Qxf6 21. gxf6 Kf7 22. Qe7+ Kg6 23. g4 Kg5 24.d4+ Kh4 25. Qd6 Kxg4 26. Qf4+ Kh3 27. Qg3#

16. Qe5+ Kg6 17. Qf6+ Kh5 18. Qh6+Kg4 19. h3+ Kg3 20. Ne2 checkmate



graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

Sac a pawn, or a piece, or a...

Why, oh why, do people play such a scary thing as the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+)?

I play the opening myself, and I still ask that question. I found one kind of answer in a recent Chess Cafe book review by Steve Goldberg. He was writing about Timothy Taylor's new Pawn Sacrifice! (Everyman Chess, 2008)

Of course, in the Jerome Gambit White sacrifices more than a pawn, but often his two-pawns-for-a-piece material disadvantage is on the same level of loss.

Chapter 12, titled "Confusion," represents an interesting use of pawn sacrifices. Taylor explains, "Sometimes your opponent is just too smug. You look across the board, and there he is, wearing his Andy Warhol t-shirt, dreamily calm in the midst of his prepared variation/middlegame he’s crushed GMs with/grinding ending, and he just knows he’s going to win, and you’re just going to have to sit there and suffer, and he’s going to enjoy it."

Taylor’s advice is to "rip the gauzy comfort zone right off his smiling face! What do you do? You sacrifice a pawn for no other reason than to confuse your opponent! He says to himself, ‘That can’t be good!’ Then he thinks: ‘But why did he do it? – there must be some idea!’ Then, ‘I can refute this, but I have to leave my beloved comfort zone! Ohhhhh no!’"

Five games are presented in this chapter, and four of these "go from objectively lost, to confused, to winning." Fritz doesn’t approve any of these sacrifices, but Taylor states, "The confusion sacrifice is a very effective weapon against humans … The next time you have a bad position, or a position you simply don’t like, cheer yourself up! Sac a pawn just for confusion, then watch your opponent flounder! You will win many more games this way than if you drearily and unhappily defend."