The Pete Banks Annotated Collection

For readers who have been wondering, "What has Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks / "blackburne" been up to lately?" (besides his recent article "How to Win Without Thinking" in the British Chess Magazine, and his appearances in GM Gary Lane's ChessCafe column and recent book The Greatest Ever Chess Tricks and Traps), I would like to direct you to his web page, The Pete Banks Annotated Collection.

If you play over some of the games, you will see that he often has Bxf7+ on his mind – even against the Sicilian Defense. (No surprise there.)

Happy New Year!

Readers interested in a PGN database of Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+), and Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0/4.Nc3/4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+) games (see "Sharing the Wealth" and "Success!") – over 17,000 games, at last count (transpositions to "Modern" Jerome Gambit lines are plentiful) – can email me: richardfkennedy@hotmail.com and make the request.

(I began posting to this blog on June 10, 2008 and have been posting daily ever since. Today's post, the first of 2010, is the 572nd.)

Søren Anton Sørensen

I have been visiting Martin Møller´s (see "Jerome Gambit Strikes in Denmark!" and "Deadly Duel in Denmark" among others) online Skakjournal, which he describes:

This is an attempt to describe Danish chess history from its beginnings around 1830 until the first Danish championship 1923. I will include Niemzowitsch and also Jens Enevoldsens first Danish championship 1940.

Lt. S. A. Sørensen wrote in the May 1877 issue of the Danish chess magazine, Nordisk Skaktidende, a very influential article on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – see "Bashi-Bazouk Attack" – and later played an interesting game against a little-known defense in the 6.d4 variation (Sørensen - Anonymous, Denmark 1887)

 
Møller tells us:

Søren Anton Sørensen (January 31, 1840 - February 11, 1896)

Søren Anton Sørensen was taught chess at the age 11 (1851) by H.Møller, when he was a regular visitor at Sulsted præste-gård (vacarage) - (H.Møller was former chairman in the first Copenhagen chess club/Københavns skak forening 1844-1846).

When Søren Anton Sørensen was 18 the following episode occured : One day S.A.S. came into a café in Aalborg where he saw two amateurs playing chess, when one of the players made a blunder, S.A.S. could not help but notice it. The two men got angry beeing corrected by a boy and challenged him to play for money, S.A.S. said he would be delighted but he would then play both men blindfold ! Needless to say S.A.S. won convincingly.

Around 1860 S.A.S. came to Copenhagen and soon got involved in the Copenhagen Chess scene.

I hope to learn more about chess history in Denmark from Martin, and maybe even discover one or two more early Jerome Gambits! 

Moment of Truth

Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Gemeinde member Welton Vaz ("Ghandybh") sends a victory over a defense that everyone who plays the Jerome Gambit will eventually see. (My database has 33 wins for White, 11 wins for Black and 6 draws.)


Ghandybh - brownplant
Chess.com, 2009

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

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

The moment of truth: will we see Blackburne's defense, Whistler's defense, or what?

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+

For comments on this return of material, see "Jerome Gambit Strikes in Denmark" and "A Side Line to Watch". It simplifies the game and protects Black's King, in exchange for giving White the advantage.

8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6

White is a pawn up. He can get his pieces out and then go to work.

10.Nc3 Re8 11.d3 c6

12.Ke2

Adding excitement to the game. A quieter alternative was to castle-by-hand with 12.Rf1 and 13.Kg1.

12...d5 13.Rf1 Bg4+ 14.Kd2 dxe4

Black seems to be getting counter-play by opening up the position around White's King, but the first player still has the game under control.

15.Nxe4 Re6

The pin along the f-file is deadly.

16.Ng5+ Ke7 17.Nxe6 Bxe6

White is now a pawn and the exchange up.

18.b3 Rd8 19.Ba3+ Kf7 20.Bb2 Black resigned

White will be a Rook up after 20...Bf5 21.Bxf6 Kxf6 22.g4, etc. A very workman-like game.

It Worked -- This Time

After eight years (or more) of studying the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and kindred lines, I still have solved only a piece of its complexity.

Luckily, most of my opponents have solved even less.


perrypawnpusher  - metheny
blitz FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5

I have looked at this line (see "Offside!" and "The Other Side") but never faced it.

4.Bxf7+

Of course.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6

A very interesting and about even position. After the game Rybka suggested that play now continue 6.d4 Nf6 7.Qe2 b6 8.0-0 Bb7 9.Nc3 c5 with maybe a small edge to White.

analysis diagram

6.Qh5 d6

Instead, Black could get an edge with 6...Nf6 7.Qh3+ Ke7 8.Ng6+ hxg6 9.Qxh8 Kf7 10.Qh4 Nc6 11.0-0 d5.

7.Qf5+

Best. BunkerBuster - Ricdah, FICS, 2007 continued: 7.Qf7+ Kxe5 8.d4+ Kxe4 9.Be3 (9.c3+ Kxd4 10.Qd5#) 9...Bf5 (9...Qf6 10.Nd2+ Kf5 11.g4+ Kxg4+ 12.Rg1+ Kh4 13.Nf3+ Qxf3 14.Bg5+ Kh3 15.Qf3+ Kxh2 16.Qg3#) 10.Nc3 checkmate

7...Ke7 8.Qf7 checkmate

 This game was anticipated by forqueray - bhull, blitz FICS, 2006.

Answer to Quiz #7:

The problem with this line for White is that if he follows 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 with the thematic 5.Nxe5+, after 5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

there is no loose Bishop on c5 (as in the Jerome Gambit) for the Queen to pick up. White remains with two pawns for two pieces, and Black's unsafe King is not enough compensation for such a sacrifice.

This is not an improvement upon the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

Jerome Gambit Quiz #7

This is the seventh in a series of quizzes to test the reader's understanding of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and related openings.The answer to each quiz can be found at the end of the following day's post.

White shows some impatience going after the semi-Italian opening, sacrificing his Bishop as soon as possible: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.Bxf7+.

What do you think? What are some of the benefits of this line? What are some of the difficulties that it creates?

Answer to Quiz #6:

The main advantage of Black's idea (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6) is that it might surprise White and produce a less-than-best response.

The only move that leads to White advantage is the sharp 6.Qg4+.

After 6...Kxe5 (practically forced) 7.d4+ Bxd4 8.Bf4+ Black will lose his Queen: 8...Kf6 9.Bg5+ Kf7 10.Bxd8 but he will have compensation after 10...Bxb2 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Nc3 Bxa1 13.Bxc7. Black has two pieces and a Rook for a Queen and a pawn, but his King's lack of safety means more, and White has the edge.

This new line will give the defender something tricky to use against the Jerome Gambit. White must be prepared.

Jerome Gambit Quiz #6

This is the sixth in a series of quizzes to test the reader's understanding of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and related openings.The answer to each quiz can be found at the end of the following day's post.

Black is being creative: he doesn't capture the Knight at e5 and he doesn't wait for White's Queen to chase him to e6, he goes there voluntarily.

What do you think of Black's idea? What are some of the benefits of the line? What are some of the difficulties that it creates?

Answer to Quiz #5:

White can play the Evans Gambit confidently, with every chance for an intense, fighting game ahead.

He can also try to play the Jerome Evans Gambit, as Charlick (of 1.d4 e5 notoriety) once did: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bc4 6.d4 exd4 7.Bxf7+

If you play the Evans Gambit, it is probably best to stay with its stongest lines. Leave the Jerome Gambit for another day.