A Question of Theory and Practice

"Theory" and "practice" in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can be light-heartedly summed up as: the leading theory is not to practice the opening.

Yet, we persist.

Today's game highlights an area of theoretical controversy – that is to say there would probably be a controversy, if enough people played the Jerome Gambit to be aware of it.

In typical Jerome fashion, White loses the theoretical battle, wins the game handsomely, nonetheless – while the rest of the world refines the 18th (or 28th) move of Sicilian Najdorf theory...

mrjoker - annicks
2 12 blitz, ICC 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

Munoz and Munoz wrote in the August 1885 Brooklyn Chess Chronicle

In the American edition of Cook's Synopsis K-K3 [...Ke6] is given as the best defence, but Mr. Blackburne's ingenious counter sacrifice in the present skirmish would seem to show that the text is at least as good.

7.Qxe5 d6

This move is usually given a "!" because the offer of Black's Rook led to a smashing finish in Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885; but, in truth, it deserves a "?!". The best move, instead, is 7...Qe7!, Whistler's Defense, when the Rook is then truly poisoned.

After White captures the Rook in the current game, his biggest "risk" is in allowing Black chances to draw.

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Again, the Brooklyn Chess Chronicle

He should have attempted to free his piece by P to Q4 [d4] before castling.

My database has three examples of the recommendation, although none were available at the time this game was played: 9.d4 Nf6 ( 9...Bb4+ 10.c3 Qxe4+ 11.Kf1 Qd3+ 12.Ke1 Bg4 13.Qxh7+ Kf8 14.f3 Re8+ 15.Kf2 Qe2+ 16.Kg3 Bf5 17.Bh6+ Nxh6 18.Qxh6+ Ke7 19.cxb4 Qxb2 20.Qg5+ Kd7 21.Nd2 Qxd4 22.Rhe1 Rh8 23.Qe7+ Kc6 24.Rec1+ Kb5 25.a4+ Kxb4 26.Ne4 Rh3+ 27.gxh3 Qh8 28.Nf2 g5 29.Qe1+ Kb3 30.Qe3+ Kb4 31.Qd2+ Kb3 32.Qd5+ Kb4 33.Qb5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - bakker, FICS, 2007; 9...Qxe4+ 10.Be3 Bxd4 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.0-0 b6 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.Qxg8+ Kd7 15.Qf7+ Kc6 16.Qf3 Qxf3 17.gxf3 Bh3 18.Rd1 Re8 19.c3 Bc5 20.b4 Bxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Re7 22.Nd2 a5 23.a3 Rf7 24.Ne4 Bg4 25.Ng5 Rf6 26.Rd4 Kd7 27.Rxg4 d5 28.Rd1 c5 29.Rxd5+ Kc6 30.Rd8 axb4 31.axb4 cxb4 32.Rc4+ Kb5 33.Rxb4+ Kc5 34.Ne4+ Kc6 35.Nxf6 Kc7 36.Rd7+ Kc6 37.Be3 b5 38.Rd5 g5 39.Rbxb5 Black resigned, mediax - yorkypuddn ChessWorld.com, 2008) 10.Nd2 Bxd4 11.Rf1 Bh3 12.Qxa8 Bxg2 13.Qxb7 Bxf1 14.Qb3+ Ke7 15.Qg3 Qxg3 16.hxg3 Bg2 17.f3 Bh3 Black resigned, dj222 - invincible1,GameKnot.com, 2003

9...Nf6 10.d4

I have not seen a lot of analysis of this move. The earliest entry in my database is from J. du Mont, in his 1942 200 Miniature Games of Chess, where he only notes that 10.d4 Bxd4 11.c3 would lead back to the Blackburne game. Certainly there must be earlier references.

Hindemburg Melao, Jr., in a 2003 internet article about the Amateur - Blackburne game, at superajedrez.com, mentioned that Idel Becker, in his Manual de xadrez (1974), attributed the move 10.d4 to Euwe, although he did not give the source. In any event, the author was dismissive

but in this case Black could simply follow with 10...Bh3 11.gxh3 (11.Qxa8 Qg4 –+ ) 11...Rxh8 12.dxc5 Qxh3 13.f3 g5 14.Rf2 g4 15.Bf4 (15.fxg4 Qxg4+ –+ )15...gxf3 16.Bg3 h5 17.Nd2 h4 18.Nxf3 Qg4 –+ ...

...The best option seems to be 10.Qd8 after 10...Bb6 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qd3 is not clearly how the Black people can be successful. For example 12...Bf5 13.Qb3+ (13.Qg3 Qxg3 14.hxg3 Bxc2µ) 13...Kg7 14.d4 Rd8 15.Nd2 (15.dxe5? Qxf2+! 16.Rxf2 Rd1#) 15...Qxd4 16.c3 (16.Nf3? Qxf2+!) 16...Qc5 with compensation for the material

10...Bxd4 11.Qd8

The game Glameyer - Piske, www.freechess.de, 2006, continued unsuccessfully 11.Be3 Ng4 12.Qxh7+ Qxh7 13.h3 Bxb2 White resigned.

In our game Black has walked by his chance for advantage, allowing White's Queen to both attack c7 and pin the Black Knight. Best for the second player at this point is 11...Bb6, although White's Queen can still be released with 12.e5 dxe5 13.Be3 (or 13.Qd3).

11...Bf5

Quickly losing the thread of the game.

12.Qxc7+ Bd7 13.Qxd6

White has his choice of ways to win now.

13...Bb6 14.e5 Ng4

This only looks dangerous.

15.Qxd7+ Kg8 16.h3 Bxf2+

An attempt to swindle: 17.Rxf2? Qxf2+ 18.Kh1 Qf1 checkmate!

17.Kh1 h5 18.Bf4 Black resigned

Another Krejcik

Recently Geoff Chandler ("greenpawn" at redhotpawn) posted an interesting Krejcik Gambit (1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4) game at the RedHotPawn website. As that opening's just been touched upon here (see "I want my Jerome Gambit!") I thought I'd share it with readers. It features another relentless King hunt.

Thalassa - MHT

redhotpawn.com, 2004

1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4 2...Nxe4 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ 4...Kf6

This does not look any wiser than the 4...Ke6 of perrypawnpusher - computer, internet 2009. Better was either 4...Kg8 5.Qd5+ e6 6.Qxe4 d5 or 4...g6 5.Qd5+ e6 6.Qxe4 Bg7.

5.Qf3+ Ke5

Hanging onto the Knight! This is not as dangerous as 5...Kg5 6.Qf7 Nf6 7.d4+ Kf5 8.f3 h5 9.Ne2 h4 10.g4+ hxg3 11.Nxg3 checkmate, but; 5...Kg6 was to be preferred (although White still is better).

6.d4+ Kxd4

7.Ne2+

Interestingly, a bit better was 7.Nc3 Nxc3 8.bxc3+ Ke5 9.Nh3 with a serious attack. It's a position worth looking at.

analysis diagram

7...Ke5

A better defence was 7...Kc5, but it's really coming down to which way Black wants to lose.

8.Bf4+ Ke6 9.Nd4+ Kd5
10.Nc3+ Kxd4 11.0-0-0+

White has his choice of checkmates.

11...Kc5 12.Nxe4+

12...Kb6 13.Qb3+ Kc6 14.Qc4+ Kb6 15.Qb4+ Black resigned

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

"I want my Jerome Gambit!"

The other night I was spending time on my computer, when I decided to go to a website that I'd not visited before, and try out their chess wares. I was having no luck finding an opponent, so I quickly latched onto the resident computer program. I noticed that it was at its default setting, and decided to throw a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) at it.

Bad idea. The silicon warrior did not want to enter a Giuoco Piano, no matter how many times I took the White pieces. Furthermore, it kept insisting that I alternate playing Black. I had to make at least a few moves on defense: once I resigned as my first "move", only to find the computer the next game responding to my 1.e4 with "resigns." Silly computer...

I'd just about given up, and thought about going to bed, when the computer offered to play an Alekhine's Defense. Aha! At least I could go out with Jerome-ish play: I would try the Krejcik Variation!

perrypawnpusher - computer
internet, 2009

1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4

Sources refer to this as the Krejcik Variation, although the only game I've been able to find by Josef Emil Krejcik, against the player Gottlieb in 1922, went 1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4 d6 3.Nc3 Nxe4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe4 e5 6.Qf3+ Kg8 7.Ng5 Black resigned

2...Nxe4 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+



4...Ke6


The best defence for Black is supposed to be 4...Kg8 5.Qd5+ e6 6.Qxe4 d5, which seems quite playable for White to any Jerome Gambit player.







analysis diagram





5.Qg4+ Kd5

The program foolishly holds onto its material. Certainly 5...Kf7 was an option.

6.Qf5+

Going for the quick knockout.

Later, Rybka 3 recommended: 6.Nf3 d6 7.c4+ Kc6 8.Qxe4+ Kd7 9.0-0 Qe8 10.d4 Kd8 11.Qe3 g6 12.Nc3 Bg7 13.Bd2 Rf8 with a White advantage.

There was also the dangerous (for Black) line 6.d3 Kc6 7.Qxe4+ d5 (7...Kc5 8.Be3+ Kd6 (8...Kb5 9.Nc3+ Ka6 10.Qa4#) 9.Bf4+ e5 (9...Kc5 10.Qc4+ Kb6 11.Nc3 a5 12.Be3+ c5 13.Qxc5+ Ka6 14.Qb5#) 10.Bxe5+ Ke7 11.Bxc7+ Kf7 12.Bxd8 +- ) 8.Qa4+ b5 9.Qa5 e6 10.a4 b4 11.Qb5+ Kd6 12.Nf3 Qf6 13.Qxb4+.

6...Kd4

Stubborn to the very end. Less painful was either 6...e5 7.Nf3 d6 8.c4+ Kc6 9.Qxe4+ Kd7 or 6...Kc6 7.Qxe4+ but both involved surrendering the Knight.

7.Nf3+ Kc4 8.Na3+ Kb4 9.Qb5 checkmate








































graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

Again and again...

While it is true that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can have quite an impact when it comes as a surprise, there are some players who are willing to play it again and again against the same opponent, as long as it leads to good results. Mrjoker, for example, has played the Jerome Gambit 16 times against his worthy opponent PhlebasP. Scoring over 80% so far, he is unlikely to give up the opening in their next clash.

mrjoker - PhlebasP blitz 2 12 ICC, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

6...Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qe7

a)7...Bd6 8.Qf5+ Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.Nc3 (10.d3 Kf7 11.f4 Re8 12.0-0 Ng8 13.Be3 b6 14.Nc3 Bb7 15.Rae1 Bb4 16.g4 Bxc3 17.bxc3 Re6 18.f5 Rc6 19.c4 Re8 20.Bf4 Ne7 21.e5 Kg8 22.Re4 Rc5 23.Rd4 Bc6 24.Re1 Ra5 25.f6 Ng6 26.fxg7 Kxg7 27.Bg3 Rxa2 28.Re2 Re7 29.h4 Nf8 30.Rf4 Ne6 31.Rf6 Ra1+ 32.Kf2 Nd4 33.Rd2 Ra2 34.Ke3 Rxc2 35.Rxc2 Nxc2+ 36.Kf4 Rf7 37.g5 Nd4 38.h5 Ne2+ 39.Kg4 Nxg3 40.h6+ Kf8 41.Kxg3 Rxf6 42.exf6 Kf7 43.Kf4 Kg6 44.d4 a5 45.d5 Bb7 46.Ke5 a4 47.Kd4 a3 48.Kc3 a2 49.Kb2 Ba6 White resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC 2008) 10...Be5 11.d3 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 d6 13.0-0 Kf7 14.f4 Rf8 15.h3 Kg8 16.g4 Bd7 17.Kh2 Rae8 18.Ba3 Ba4 19.Rf2 Nd7 20.Re1 Ne5 21.Ref1 Nf7 22.Kg3 h6 23.h4 c5 24.Re1 b6 25.c4 a6 26.Bb2 b5 27.cxb5 axb5 28.g5 hxg5 29.hxg5 b4 30.Rh1 Nd8 31.f5 Nc6 32.g6 Ne5 33.Bxe5 Rxe5 34.Rfh2 Black resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, CC, 2008;

b)7...d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 ( 8...Qf6 9.0-0 (9.c3 Qg6 10.Qxg6 hxg6 11.d4 Bb6 12.0-0 c5 13.Be3 cxd4 14.cxd4 Bd7 15.Nc3 Rc8 16.f4 Ke8 17.h3 Bxh3 18.gxh3 Rxh3 19.Bf2 Nf6 20.Kg2 Rd3 21.Rad1 Rxd1 22.Rxd1 Ba5 23.e5 Ng4 24.Ne4 Nxf2 25.Nxd6+ Kd7 26.Kxf2 Rc2+ 27.Ke3 Rxb2 28.Nc4 Rxa2 29.Nxa5 Rxa5 30.d5 Ra3+ 31.Ke4 Ra4+ 32.Kf3 b5 33.d6 b4 34.e6+ Black resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC, 2009; 9.Nc3 Be6 10.d3 h6 11.Be3 Ne7 12.0-0 Ke8 13.Rad1 Nc6 14.Ne2 Nd4 15.Nxd4 Bxd4 16.Bxd4 Qxd4 17.c3 Qf6 18.d4 Qg5 19.Qd3 c6 20.f4 Qb5 21.b3 Qxd3 22.Rxd3 g6 23.Rg3 Rg8 24.f5 gxf5 25.Rxg8+ Bxg8 26.Rxf5 Bh7 27.Rf6 Ke7 28.Rxh6 Bxe4 29.Kf2 Rf8+ 30.Ke3 Bxg2 31.Rg6 Bh3 32.Rh6 Be6 33.Rh7+ Rf7 34.Rh8 Kf6 35.Rh6+ Ke7 36.Rh8 b5 37.h4 Bf5 38.Kf4 Bb1+ 39.Kg5 Bxa2 40.h5 Bxb3 41.h6 Bc2 42.Ra8 Ke6 43.Re8+ Kd5 44.Re2 Bh7 45.Re8 a5 46.Ra8 a4 47.Ra6 c5 48.dxc5 dxc5 49.Rb6 Kc4 50.Rc6 a3 51.Ra6 Kb3 52.Rf6 Rxf6 53.Kxf6 a2 54.Kg7 Bd3 55.h7 Bxh7 56.Kxh7 a1Q White resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC, 2008) 9...Ne7 10.c3 Kf7 (10...Qg6 11.Qf3+ Qf6 12.Qxf6+ gxf6 13.d4 Bb6 14.Bh6+ Kf7 15.Nd2 Rg8 16.Kh1 Rg6 17.Be3 c5 18.f4 cxd4 19.cxd4 Bd7 20.f5 Rgg8 21.Nc4 Bc7 22.Bf4 d5 23.Bxc7 dxc4 24.d5 Rac8 25.Ba5 Rc5 26.Bb4 Rb5 27.a3 Rg4 28.Rae1 Nc8 29.h3 Rg3 30.Kh2 Rb3 31.Bc3 Nb6 32.g4 Na4 33.g5 Nxc3 34.bxc3 Rxc3 35.gxf6 Rb2+ 36.Kg1 Rg3+ 37.Kh1 Rxh3+ 38.Kg1 Rbh2 39.e5 Rh1+ 40.Kg2 R3h2+ 41.Kg3 Rxf1 42.Rxf1 Ra2 43.e6+ Bxe6 44.fxe6+ Ke8 45.f7+ Kf8 46.e7+ Black resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC, 2009) 11.d4 Bb6 12.Bg5 Qg6 13.Qf3+ Ke8 14.Qe3 Rf8 15.f4 c5 16.Nd2 cxd4 17.cxd4 Bd7 18.Nc4 Bc7 19.f5 Qf7 20.Rac1 Nc6 21.g4 Qg8 22.Kg2 Rc8 23.Bf4 b5 24.Nxd6+ Bxd6 25.Bxd6 Rf7 26.e5 Kd8 27.e6 Bxe6 28.fxe6 Rxf1 29.Rxf1 Nxd4 30.Qxd4 Rc2+ 31.Kg3 Qxe6 Black resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC, 2009) 9.d3 Be6 (9...h6 10.0-0 Kf7 11.c3 Rf8 12.d4 Bb6 13.Qd3 Kg8 14.f4 Nxe4 15.Qxe4 Bf5 16.Qf3 Qh4 17.g3 Qh3 18.Be3 Rae8 19.Nd2 Rf6 20.Rae1 Rfe6 21.Bf2 c6 22.Rxe6 Rxe6 23.Re1 Bg4 24.Qg2 Qh5 25.Rxe6 Bxe6 26.Qf3 Qxf3 27.Nxf3 Bxa2 28.Nd2 Be6 29.Ne4 d5 30.Nd6 Kf8 31.Nxb7 Ke7 32.Kg2 Kd7 33.b4 Kc7 34.Nc5 Bxc5 35.dxc5 g6 36.Bd4 Bf5 37.h3 Bd3 38.g4 Kb7 39.Bg7 h5 40.gxh5 gxh5 41.Kg3 a5 42.bxa5 Ka6 43.Kh4 Bg6 44.Kg5 Be8 45.f5 Kxa5 46.Kf6 Kb5 47.Ke7 Kxc5 48.Kxe8 Black resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC, 2009) 10.0-0 Qd7 11.Be3 Bb6 12.Nd2 Ng4 13.Bxb6 axb6 14.h3 Nf6 15.a3 h6 16.f4 Rg8 17.f5 Bf7 18.Qe3 Re8 19.g4 Nd5 20.Qd4 c5 21.Qf2 Nf6 22.b3 b5 23.Qf4 Qc7 24.a4 bxa4 25.Rxa4 b5 26.Ra6 Rd8 27.Rfa1 Ke7 28.Ra7 Black resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC, 2009;

8.Qxe7+ ( 8.f4 Qxe5 9.fxe5 Ne7 10.c3 Ng6 11.d4 Be7 12.0-0+ Ke8 13.Be3 Rf8 14.Nd2 Rxf1+ 15.Rxf1 b6 16.g3 d6 17.exd6 cxd6 18.h4 Ba6 19.Rf2 Kd7 20.h5 Nf8 21.Rf7 Ne6 22.d5 Nc5 23.Bg5 Re8 24.Rxg7 Bd3 25.Rxh7 Nxe4 26.Nxe4 Bxe4 27.Rg7 Kd8 28.Bxe7+ Rxe7 29.Rg5 Re5 30.Rg8+ Kc7 31.g4 Rxd5 32.h6 Rd1+ 33.Kf2 Rh1 34.g5 Rh2+ 35.Ke3 d5 36.Rg7+ Kb8 37.Kd4 Rxb2 38.h7 Bxh7 39.Rxh7 Rxa2 40.g6 Black resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC,2009) 8...Nxe7 9.c3 b5 ( 9...Kf7 10.d4 Bb6 11.Be3 Rf8 12.Nd2 d6 13.0-0 Kg8 14.f4 c6 15.Rae1 Bd7 16.h3 Rf7 17.Kh2 Raf8 18.g4 c5 19.dxc5 Bxc5 20.Bxc5 dxc5 21.f5 Ng6 22.fxg6 Rxf1 23.gxh7+ Black resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC, 2009) 10.d4 Bb6 11.0-0 d6 12.Be3 g6 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.Nd2 Bd7 15.Rae1 Kd8 16.f4 Kc8 17.Bg5 Re8 18.h3 Kb7 19.g4 Ng8 20.Kg2 Rf8 21.f5 h6 22.Bf4 g5 23.Bg3 Rae8 24.e5 Bc6+ 25.Kh2 dxe5 26.dxe5 Rd8 27.Nb3 a5 28.Rd1 a4 29.Nd4 Bxd4 30.cxd4 Bd5 31.a3 c6 32.Rfe1 Ne7 33.Rd2 Rde8 34.e6 Nxf5 35.gxf5 Rxf5 36.e7 Kc8 37.Bd6 Kd7 38.Bc5 h5 39.Ree2 g4 40.Rf2 Rf3 41.Rxf3 gxf3 42.Rd1 Rg8 43.Rg1 f2 44.Rxg8 f1Q 45.e8Q+ Kc7 46.Qc8 checkmate, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC, 2008;

6...Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ d6 11.Qe3 Nf6 12.Nc3 Kf7 13.0-0 Re8 14.Qf3 Kg8 15.d4 Nh4 16.Qd3 b6 17.f5 a5 18.Bg5 Ba6 19.Nb5 c6 20.Bxh4 Bxb5 21.c4 Ba6 22.Rae1 Qd7 23.Re3 d5 24.Bxf6 Bxc4 25.Qd1 gxf6 26.Rg3+ Kh8 27.Rf4 Rxe4 28.Rxe4 dxe4 29.b3 Bd5 30.Qh5 Rg8 31.Rh3 e3 32.g3 Rg5 33.Qe2 Qxf5 34.Qxe3 Qxh3 White resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC, 2008

7.Qd5+ Ke8

7...Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.f4 Ng4 11.Qf3 Nh4 12.Qe2 Kf7 13.0-0 Rf8 14.g3 Ng6 15.h3 Nf6 16.f5 Ne5 17.d4 Nc6 18.g4 Kg8 19.c3 Kh8 20.Bg5 Qe8 21.Nd2 b6 22.Rae1 a5 23.Qe3 Ba6 24.Rf2 Qd7 25.c4 Rae8 26.e5 dxe5 27.Bxf6 Rxf6 28.Ne4 Rff8 29.d5 Nd4 30.b3 b5 31.Nc5 Qc8 32.Ne6 Rf7 33.Nxd4 bxc4 34.Ne6 cxb3 35.axb3 Bb7 36.Qxe5 Qa8 37.Rd2 Qa7+ 38.Kh2 Ba6 39.Rc1 Qb6 40.Rc6 Qb5 41.Rxc7 Rxc7 42.Qxc7 Rg8 43.f6 gxf6 44.d6 Qe5+ 45.Kg2 Qe4+ 46.Kf2 Qxe6 47.d7 Qxb3 48.d8Q Qxh3 49.Qxg8+ Black resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC 2008

8.Qxc5 Qe7

8...d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.0-0 Rf8 ( 10...Be6 11.f4 Bf7 12.d4 Kf8 13.b3 h5 14.f5 Ng4 15.Qg3 Ne7 16.Bg5 Nf6 17.Nd2 Qd7 18.Rae1 Re8 19.c4 c5 20.d5 Ng4 21.Nf3 b5 22.h3 Nf6 23.Nh4 bxc4 24.bxc4 Qa4 25.Bxf6 gxf6 26.Ng6+ Bxg6 27.fxg6 Kg7 28.Qxd6 Rhf8 29.Qxc5 Qxa2 30.d6 Ng8 31.Ra1 Qe2 32.Rxa7+ Kxg6 33.Qf5+ Kh6 34.Rh7 checkmate, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC 2009) 11.f3 Kf7 12.Qb3+ Be6 13.Qxb7 Kg8 14.d3 Nd7 15.d4 Bc4 16.Re1 Qb8 17.Qxb8 Raxb8 18.b3 Ba6 19.c4 Nf4 20.Bxf4 Rxf4 21.Nc3 c6 22.Ne2 Rf6 23.f4 Rbf8 24.g4 h6 25.h4 Bc8 26.Kg2 Nb8 27.Kg3 Na6 28.a3 Nc7 29.g5 hxg5 30.hxg5 Rg6 31.d5 cxd5 32.exd5 Bf5 33.Nd4 Na6 34.Nxf5 Rxf5 35.Kg4 Black resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, CC 2009

9.Qxe7+ N8xe7 10.0-0 Kf7 11.f4 Rf8 12.d4 Kg8 13.f5 Nh8 14.g4 d6 15.Bg5 Nc6 16.c3 Nf7 17.Bf4 b6 18.b4 Ba6 19.Re1 Rae8 20.Nd2 Ne7 21.a4 c5 22.b5 Bb7 23.d5 Nc8 24.Nc4 h6 25.Rad1 Re7 26.Kg2 Rfe8 27.Kf3 Kh7 28.h4 a6 29.g5 hxg5 30.hxg5 Ne5+ 31.Bxe5 dxe5 32.Rh1+ Kg8 33.g6 axb5 34.Rh7 Rd7 35.f6 Black resigned

Out of a clear sky...

In posts like "I apologize, Jerome Gambit" and "Diagnosis: Misplaced Knight" I have fussed and fumed about the kind of bother that Black's Knights can cause, even in main-line Jerome Gambits (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), so when I saw the following game, I thought I'd share it: for those who defend the Jerome, another annoying idea; and for those who play the Jerome, something to prepare for...

mrjoker - weiran
blitz 2 12, Internet Chess Club, 2008

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

I have 29 games in my database with this position – almost 2/3 by Louis Morin ("mrjoker") – so, you see, lightning can flash out of a clear sky and strike even the best of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde.

10.0-0 Ng4 A new move. Where should the Queen go?

Rybka 3.0 suggests the line: 11.Qg3 Rf8 12.Nc3 Nf6 13.d4 Nh5 14.Qe3 Nhf4 15.g3 Nh3+ 16.Kg2 Kf7 17.f4 with a small, but bearable, advantage to Black.

The move White chooses seems thematic (i.e. centralized and on the file opposite the un-castle-able King) in a harmless position.

11.Qe2 Qh4

Suddenly, things are very bad.

12.h3 Nf4 13.Qf3 Ne5

Annoying, yes?

White's response now loses his Queen, but Rybka 3.0 suggests that the "best" move was to give it up anyway with 14.Qxf4.

14.Qc3 Ne2+ White resigned

A lesson worth remembering.

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, The Wizard of Draws

Pandora's Box

I've been digging through my database since I wrote "What Have YOU created lately?" trying to find any kind of creativity in my own play in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). My games are more likely to follow "book" lines (such as there are), waiting for my opponents to get creative.

In the process, I turned up another of my games that I don't think has appeared on this blog. Here we go...

perrypawnpusher - whitepandora
blitz 3 10, FICS, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

A defense as old as A.W. Jerome - O.A. Brownson, Iowa, USA, 1875 (1-0, 25)

7.Qd5+

The infamous "nudge".

7...Kf6
This is new.

8.d4

Attacking the enemy Bishop with the pawn and threatening an attack on the d8-h4 diagonal, winning the Queen. Annoyingly, my computers tell me that a) Black is still better and b) the thematic 8.f4 is probably better than the text move.

8...Bb4+ 9.c3 c6

Wow!

Essential was 9...Ke7 10.cxb4 Nf6, keeping the advantage.

Whitepandora was lucky to be playing against me, and not any other member of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde.

10.Qg5+

Or 10.Bg5 checkmate, take your pick.

Ow!!!

White is still winning with the text move, but a 10-move Jerome Gambit checkmate would have been something to smile about.

10...Ke6 11.Qxd8

With a Queen and two pawns for two pieces, there is no way that this game should last – how many? – 41 moves. I suppose that it is a tribute to my creativity that I find a way.

11...Nf6 12.Qc7 Bd6 13.Qa5
Her Majesty escapes unharmed.

13...Kf7

Instead, 13...Nxe4 grabbed a pawn. Might not help. Couldn't hurt.

14.e5 Re8 15.0-0 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Rxe5

Black has some dangerous-looking development... and it keeps growing.

17.Qa4 b5 18.Qd4

More to the point was 18.Qb3+ Re6 19.Re1, when White will be able to trade off one of the attackers.

18...Rd5 19.Qe3 Bb7

This is getting creepy. One indication of how quickly Black's development has grown was in the line 19...Bxh2+ 20.Kh1 (if 20.Kxh2, 20...Ng4+ winning the Queen) Rh5 21.g3 Bf5 22.Re1 Bxg3+ 23.Kg2 Rh2+ 24.Kxg3 (24.Kg1 Bxf2+) Rh3+ 25.Kf4 Rxe3 26.Rxe3 when the second player has cut the deficit to a Rook for two pawns.

20.Nd2

Planning to get the Knight to its defensive post at f3, but, oddly enough, the best move was to put the Queen there.Now Black has some more hair-raising tactics, such as: 20...Bxh2+ 21.Kh1 Rh5 22. g3 c5+ 23.f3 Bxg3+ 24.Kg2 Nd5 25.Qxc5 (what else?) Nf4+ 26.Kxg3 Ne2+ 27. Kf2 Rxc5 28.Kxe2 Re8+. White has a piece for a (passed) pawn – and is still way behind in development.



analysis diagram







20...c5 21.Nf3

Whew!

21...Ng4

Black should have taken his opportunity to develop his last piece with 21...Re8.

22.Qe1 Re8 23.Be3 Rh5
24.h3 Ne5 25.Nxe5+ Rexe5 26.Rd1 Bc7

This finally felt like a won game to me.
27.Rxd7+ Re7 28.Rxe7+ Kxe7 29.Bxc5+ Kd7

30.Qe7+ Kc8 31.Qe8+ Bd8 32.Qxh5 Ba6 33.Rd1 Bc7 34.Qe8+ Kb7 35.b4 g5 36.Rd7 h5 37.Qf7 Kc8 38.Rxc7+ Kb8 39.Bxa7+ Ka8 40.Qe8+ Bc8 41.Qxc8 checkmate

In the hands of a "spoiler"

With only four games left to complete in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Thematic Tournament at Chessworld, Piratepaul holds a slim .5 point lead (21.0 out of 26 games) over stampyshortlegs (20.5 out of 27 games). All three of their games are against Crusader Rabbit (5.0 out of 25 games), who has secured 14th place, but who clearly can play the role of spoiler. If Crusader Rabbit wins all his games, or loses all his games, Piratepaul will hang onto first place; but the proper distribution of wins, losses and draws could put stampyshortlegs on top. This exciting tournament of 210 games could come down to the final move!