Time flies. Pieces, too.

So far, over 1/3 (78 out of 210) of the games in the 15-player, double-round robin Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Thematic Tournament at ChessWorld have been completed. (White has scored about 38%, comparable with other Jerome Gambit Tournaments.)

DREWBEAR 63 is the current leader, both in points (15) and games completed (22). He is followed by Sir Osis of the Liver (10 points out of 14 games completed) and blackburne (8 points out of 14 games completed) & Piratepaul (8 points out of 10 games completed).

Players with the best winning percentages are Luke Warm (1 point out of 1 game), Piratepaul (8 points out of 10 games), and stampyshortlegs (4 points out of 5 games).

There are more battles ahead. Good chess, everyone!

The Fog of War (Part 2)

It's a strange thing, but playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can have unusual effects upon those who play it or who play against it. The following game is as another example...

perrypawnpusher - Lark

blitz 2 12, FICS, 2009

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 The same foggy location as yesterday's post (see "The Fog of War (Part 1)"

7.Qxe5 Bd6 8.Qc3

Alternately: 8.Qh5 Nf6 9.Qf3 Kg8 10.d4 Kf7 11.e5 Black resigned, blackburne - Whiterose, ChessWorld, 2004.

White's Queen seems to be in the way at c3.

8...Nf6 9.d3 Qe7 10.Bg5
A truly impressive oversight!

10...h6


Anyone for "10...Bb4, White resigned", instead?

11.Bh4

Amazing. I have no idea what I was looking at, or what I was seeing.

11... Bc5
That goes for my opponent, too.

12.0-0 d6

Now we're back to a "normal" Jerome Gambit, where Black has his regular advantage of a piece for two pawns. That doesn't mean that the fog has fully cleared up, though.

13.d4 g5 14.dxc5 gxh4 15.cxd6 Qxd6Recapturing with the pawn was correct. Now White has the simple pawn fork, 16.e5.

16.Nd2

Or not.

16...Rg8 17.f4 Bh3 18.Qxh3 Qxd2 19.Rf2 Qd4

White hopes to feast on Black's Kingside pawns, and that he can keep active enough to keep his opponent from doing the same on the Queenside.

20.Qf5 Qxb2 21.Re1 Qb6 22.e5


Getting the piece back and evening up the game.

22...Rg7 23.exf6 Rf7 24.Re6 Qb1+ 25.Rf1 Qxa2 26.Rfe1

Lark has gobbled two pawns, but I clearly have the initiative and the advantage.

26...Qb2 27.Qg6

Missing 27.Re8+ Rxe8 28.Rxe8+ Kxe8 29.Qc8 checkmate

27...Qd4+ 28.Kh1 Qxf4 29.Re7

Missing the much stronger 29.Qd3, but this was a blitz game, and time was running short...

29...Rxe7 30.fxe7 checkmate


...for both of us.

The Fog of War (Part 1)

It's a strange thing, but playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can have unusual effects upon those who play it or who play against it. The following game is as good an example as any...


DREWBEAR 63 - Crusader Rabbit
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

A solid defense as old as 1874, when Alonzo Wheeler Jerome suggested it.

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ An unusual, likely premature, return of material, as in perrypawnpusher - Lindal, FICS 2007.

8.Ke2

Surprising. Perhaps he did not want to play the pawn-up Queenless-middlegame after 8.Kxf2 Qf6+.

8...Qf6

Equally surprising, considering that the Bishop, having done its damage, could retire with 8...Bb6.

9.Qxc7

There was not a lot of excitment in 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.Kxf2 Nxe4+, but it was probably best.

9...Qa6+ 10.d3

10...Bb6

Finally.

11.Rf1+ Nf6 12.Qf4

That's okay: White hopes to win the Knight, anyhow.

12...Bd4 13.c3 Be5

Aha! It is the Bishop, after all!

14.Qxe5 Qe6 15.Qc5+

See what I mean about the impact of the Jerome Gambit. Mind you, each player had several days to consider each move. More helpful would have been 15.Qxe6 dxe6 16.e5, when White has nabbed both the Bishop and Knight.

15...d6 16.Qc7 Bd7 17.h3 Ke7 18.Bg5 Rhf8

19.Nd2 Kf7 20.Nc4 Kg8

21.Nxd6 Nxe4

Oversight or miscalculation? Black's game begins to shudder.

22.dxe4 Rxf1 23.Rxf1 Rf8 24.Rxf8+ Kxf8 25.Qd8+ Be8 26.Nxe8 Qxe8 27.Be7+ Kf7 28.Qxe8+ Kxe8

The exchanges have left White with a won endgame.

29.Ba3 a6 30.b4 Kd7 31.c4 Ke6 32.Kd3 g6 33.Bc1 Kf7 34.a4 Ke6 35.Kd4 b6 36.c5 b5 37.axb5 axb5 38.e5 h5 39.Bh6 Kd7 40.Kd5 Kc7 41.e6 Kd8 42.Kc6 Ke7 43.Kxb5 Black resigned

Oooooooops... 2

As I've said before: Playing – or defending against – the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) requires close attention to what is going on, so that every tactical opportunity can be caught. Take advantage of your chances, you could take the point. Overlook a chance or two, and ooooooops...


calchess10 - blackburne
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.a3 Nf6 6.d3 Rf8 7.Nc3 d6 8.0-0 Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Kg8 11.Qg3 Nh5 12.Qg4 Nf4 13.Bxf4 Rxf4 14.Qg3 Nd4 15.Nd5 Ne2+ 16.Kh2 Nxg3 17.Kxg3 Qg5+ 18.Kh2 Bxf2 19.Nxc7 Qg3+ 20.Kh1 Raf8 21.Ne6 Rh4 22.Nxf8 Rxh3+ 23.gxh3 Qxh3 checkmate



calchess10 - Haroldlee123
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.c3 Bb6 9.Bf4 Qf6 10.Bxe5 Qxf2 checkmate




Sir Osis of the Liver - GladtoMateYou
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Qf6 9.Qd5+ Qe6 10.Qd4 d6 11.Nc3 c6 12.0-0 c5 13.Qe3 Qg6 14.Nd5 Ne7 15.Qf4+ Kg8 16.Nxe7+ Black resigned

Crusader Rabbit - Sir Osis of the Liver
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6 6.c3 Nxe4 7.d4 exd4 8.Re1 d5 9.Qb3 d3 10.Be3 Na5 11.Ne5+ Kf8 12.Qc2 dxc2 White resigned

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

The Modern Jerome Gambit

I have been using the games of the current Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) thematic tournament at Chessworld to gain a better understanding of the "modern" (non-5.Nxe5) variations, especially since they make up about 80% of the games there.

Here is a sampling of recent trials.

eddie43 - DREWBEAR 63 JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.d3 h6 7.h3 d6 8.a3 Be6 9.Bd2 g5 10.Nh2 Rg8 11.g4 Qf8 12.Na4 b5 13.Nxc5 dxc5 14.Nf3 c4 15.Qe2 cxd3 16.Qxd3 Bc4 17.Qc3 Nxe4 18.Qe3 Nxd2 19.Qxd2 e4 20.Nd4 Ne5 21.b3 Bd5 22.Qe3 Nf3+ 23.Ke2 Nxd4+ 24.Qxd4 c6 25.b4 Kg6 26.Kd1 Qf3+ 27.Kd2 Rad8 28.Qxa7 Bc4+ 29.Kc1 Qxh1+ 30.Kb2 Qf3 31.Rc1 Ra8 0-1 gwyn1 - blackburne JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3 d6 6.d3 Nf6 7.Bg5 Rf8 8.b4 Bb6 9.Qb3+ Be6 10.c4 Kg8 11.0-0 h6 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 Qd7 14.h3 Bxh3 15.Nh2 [15.gxh3 Qxh3 16.Qc2 Ng4 17.Qe2 Nxe3 terrible pins 18.Qxe3 Nd4 19.Nbd2 Rf6] 15...Be6 16.Nd2 Ng4 17.Ndf3 Nxe3 18.Rfe1 Ng4 19.Nxg4 Bxg4 20.Nd2 Nd4 21.Qc3 Be2 [21...Qf7] 22.Rf1 Bxf1 23.Rxf1 Ne2+ 24.Kh1 Nxc3 25.Nf3 Qg4 26.Nh2 Rxf1+ 27.Nxf1 Rf8 28.Ne3 Qh4+ 29.Kg1 Ne2 checkmate

Black Puma - blackburne JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 Nf6 6.0-0 Rf8 7.c3 Kg8 8.a4 a6 9.b4 Ba7 10.Bg5 d6 11.Nbd2 Bg4 12.Qb3+ Kh8 13.h3 Bh5 14.a5 Qd7 15.Bh4 Rf7 16.Ng5 Re7 17.Ngf3 Rf8 18.c4 Bxf3 19.Nxf3 Nd4 20.Nxd4 Bxd4 21.Ra2 Ref7 22.Kh1 Nh5 23.Qd1 Nf4 24.Bg3 Nxh3 0-1 calchess10 - gwyn1 JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.h3 Nge7 6.a3 h6 7.Nc3 a6 8.b4 Bb6 9.d3 d6 10.Ne2 Ke8 11.c3 Be6 12.0-0 Kd7 13.a4 a5 14.b5 Na7 15.Nh4 g6 16.d4 g5 17.Nf3 Ng6 18.dxe5 g4 19.hxg4 Bxg4 20.Nh2 Nxe5 21.Nxg4 Nxg4 22.Ng3 Bxf2+ 23.Rxf2 Nxf2 24.Kxf2 Rf8+ 25.Nf5 Qh4+ 26.g3 Qf6 27.Bf4 Rae8 28.c4 Rxe4 29.c5 Qxf5 30.Kg2 Rg8 31.cxd6 Qxf4 32.dxc7+ Kc8 33.b6 Rxg3+ 34.Kh2 Qh4 checkmate

* Poof! *

Remember the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Thematic Tournament that I mentioned a few posts ago (see "Busy!") – the one that I had joined, a 10-player double-round robin?

Turns out almost nobody was interested in playing the Jerome Gambit – only 3 games out of 81 went that way. My hat off to leif41no and Namecheck for playing a couple of Jerome-ish games with each other (actually, the games started 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). I will let you know how they do.

In the meantime, I have one Jerome against jamtaylo. Since I don't plan on contesting the non-Jerome Gambit games, and will lose them by forfeit, that raises an interesting question: am I being unfair to jamtaylo?

Yes, Sir!

Here are three more games from the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) thematic tournament at Chessworld – this time, three wins by a Jerome Gambit veteran, Sir Osis of the Liver.

Sir Osis of the Liver - calchess10

JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 Bxd4 6.Bg5 Nf6 7.Nxd4 g6 8.Nb5 d6 9.N5c3 Be6 10.0-0 a6 11.Na3 b5 12.Nd5 Bxd5 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qxd5+ Kg7 15.f4 exf4 16.Qxc6 Rac8 17.Rf3 Qxb2 18.Qd7+ Kh6 19.Rh3+ Kg5 20.Rb1 Qxa2 21.Qe7+ Kg4 22.Qh4 checkmate

Sir Osis of the Liver - gwyn1

JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Nd3+ 8.cxd3 Bd6 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.Qf5+ Kf7 11.e5 g6 12.Qh3 Bxe5 13.fxe5 d6 14.Qf3 dxe5 15.Ne4 Bf5 16.Ng5+ Ke7 17.Qxb7 Bxd3 18.b3 h6 19.Qc6 hxg5 20.Ba3+ Kf7 21.0-0-0 Be4 22.Qc5 Re8 23.d3 Bd5 24.Bb2 c6 25.Rhf1 Bxg2 26.Rf2 Bd5 27.Rdf1 g4 28.Rxf6+ Kg7 29.Qe3 Bf3 30.Bxe5 Kh7 31.Rf7+ Kg8 32.Rg7+ Kh8 33.Qh6 checkmate

eddie43 - Sir Osis of the Liver

JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6 6.d4 exd4 7.e5 Nd5 8.a3 Rf8 9.Ng5+ Kg8 10.Nf3 d6 11.b4 Bb6 12.Bd2 dxe5 13.h3 Be6 14.Re1 Qf6 15.Bg5 Qg6 16.Qd2 h6 17.Bxh6 Qxh6 18.Ng5 Nf4 19.Nxe6 Qxe6 20.a4 a5 21.b5 Nb4 22.Re4 d3 23.c3 Bxf2+ 24.Qxf2 Nxh3+ 25.gxh3 White resigns