Just Another Walk in the Park

Here we have another example of that odd cousin of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. I've begun to "just play it" with no more concern than a walk in the park.

perrypawnpusher - Avious
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5

The Italian Four Knights Game.

5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

The updated New Year's Database has almost 200 games with this position, with White scoring 46%. (I guess my 3 wins and 2 draws helped.)

7...Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6

This position – with 0-0 and ...h7-h6 added – has appeared twice in my games: perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz FICS 2010 (0-1, 26 ); and perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz FICS 1010 (0-1, 19).

Instead of 8...Nc6, Black also had 8...Re8: 9.0-0 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Kg8 12.Bd2 Nd5, b3 12...a6 13.Rae1 Kh8 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Rxe1 16.Rxe1 Na7 17.Qe4 Bg4 18.h3 Bh5 19.g4 Bf7 20.Bc3 Qe8 21.Qf5 Qf8 22.Qd7 Nb5 23.Re7 Nxc3 24.Rxf7 Qe8 25.Qxe8+ Rxe8 26.bxc3 Kg8 27.Rxc7 b5 28.Kf2 Re4 29.f5 Ra4 30.Rd7 Rxa2 31.Rxd6 Rxc2+ 32.Ke3 Rxc3+ 33.Kd4 Rc4+ 34.Kd3 Rc5 35.Rxa6 Rxd5+ 36.Ke3 Rd1 37.Rb6 Rb1 38.Kd4 Kf7 39.g5 Kg8 40.g6 Rd1+ 41.Ke5 Re1+ 42.Kf4 Re8 43.Rxb5 hxg6 44.fxg6 Rf8+ 45.Rf5 Rxf5+ 46.Kxf5 Kf8 47.Ke6 Kg8 48.Ke7 Kh8 49.h4 Kg8 50.h5 Kh8 51.Ke6 Kg8 52.Kf5 Kh8 53.Kg5 Kg8 54.Kf5 Kh8 55.Ke5 Kg8 56.Ke6 Kh8 57.Kd7 Kg8 58.Ke7 Kh8 59.h6 Kg8 60.h7+ Kh8 61.Kf8, drawn by stalemate, perrypawnpusher - KaZC, blitz FICS, 2010

9.Qc4+ Ke7

Instead, 9...d5 was a bit better.

10.0-0 Re8 11.Bg5 Kf8 12.f4 h6

This should lead to an even game, although it actually introduces a series of misplays by both sides.

After the game Rybka suggested an interesting line for Black, giving up two pieces for a Rook and coming out with a simplified position the exchange ahead: 12...d6 13.e5 Be6 14.Qb5 a6 15.Qxb7 Qd7 16.f5 Bxf5 17.Rxf5 Qxf5 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qxc6 Qxe5.

 



analysis diagram






13.Bh4

Rybka's post mortem suggestion was: 13.Nd5 Rxe4 14.Qxe4 Nxe4 15.Bxd8 Nxd8 16.Nxc7 Rb8 when White has a Rook and a Pawn for Black's Knight and Bishop; about even.

analysis diagram







13...a6

More useful was 13...d6, but Black has decided to strike out on both wings.

14.e5 b5

See "Perhaps the best chess advice that I ever read..."

15.Qd3 g5

This is over-doing it, however, and should lead to disaster. 

16.fxg5 Nxe5 17.Rxf6+

A few moves later, I wondered where my attack and advantage had gone. This move is a mistake, while 17.Qh7 would have been very strong.

17...Qxf6 18.gxf6 Nxd3 19.cxd3 Bb7

Black has the exchange for a pawn, and is better.

I couldn't believe that I had lost my way.

20.g4 Kf7 21.g5 hxg5 22.Bxg5 Rg8 23.h4

Establishing the two passed pawns. My plan looks frail, but it was the best that I could come up with.

23...d5 24.Re1 d4

Black has pawns that he wants to start moving, too. This move allows a critical tempo for me to get my Rook into the thick of things, though – something that 24...Rae8 would have prevented.

25.Re7+ Kg6 26.Ne2 Rae8

27.Nf4+ Kf5 28.f7 Rxg5+

29.hxg5 Rf8 30.g6 Kf6

31.Rxc7

After the game, Rybka pointed out that here I had a mate in 12 with 31.Re6+.

At the time I saw how to slowly improve my position, and I decided to grind things out, especially since my opponent was running low on time.

31...Bc8 32.Nd5+

32...Kg7 33.Ne7 Be6 34.Rc6 Bxa2

Readers may notice (I didn't) that this allows a creative mate in 3: 35.Nf5+ Kh8 36.g7+ Kh7 37.Rh6 #

analysis diagram







35.Rxa6

35...Bxf7 36.gxf7 Rxf7

A consequence of my un-hurried strategy, but the game is still well in hand for White.

37.Nd5 Rf3 38.Nb4 Re3 39.Kf2 Re5 40.Rd6

At this point Black lost on time.

Alekhine - Marshall, Baden-Baden 1925

When International Master Gary Lane wrote about the Marshall Defense to the Queen's Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6) in his March 2010 column at Chess Cafe, I decided to send him an English language version of the article that I had written on the defense, as highlighted in the game Alekhine - Marshall, Baden-Baden 1925, that was published in Kaissiber #27.

The article is now available in the "Skittles Room" at Chess Cafe. 

Danger

In this particular Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), White's Queen and Black's King each do a lot of running around the board, into and out of danger. It is only when the Queen evades a trap that she can help drive the King into one.

perrypawnpusher - useche
blitz FICS, 2010

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

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

7.Qd5+ Kf6

8.Qxc5

A couple of years ago I tried 8.d4 instead, and after 8...Bb4+ 9.c3 c6 was able to win Black's Queen with 10.Qg5+ Ke6 11.Qxd8, perrypawnpusher - whitepandora, blitz FICS, 2008 (1-0, 41).

The line isn't that strong.

Black's defensive strategy should be similar to that of the recent Wall-SavenRain, Chess.com, 2010 (see "Falling off the Wall") – moving the King, even if it seems like the monarch has moved too many times already. So: 8.d4 Bb4+ 9.c3 Ke7 – to make room for the Knight at f6, to block the anticipated check at g5.

analysis diagram






White now would have 10.Bg5+ Nf6 11.cxb4, when Black would still better.

8...d6 9.Qe3 N8e7

Black's King gets in the way of his pieces, and it will have a longer walk than usual if he wants to castle-by-hand.

10.d4 c5

11.dxc5 Qa5+ 12.Nc3 Qxc5 13.Qf3+ Ke6

So far, Black's King has lived a charmed life.

14.0-0 Ne5 15.Qh3+ Kf7

16.Qh5+ N7g6 17.Be3

The position is still somewhat better for Black, but only if he realizes what is going on.

Can you see Black's best move?

17...Qb4

White's Queen is hemmed in, so Black should have tried either 17...Bg4 as a counter-attack, or the inventive 17...Qxc3 18.bxc3 Bg4.

The text move gives White the tempo he needs to press his attack and relieve his Queen.

18.f4

18...Nc4

Better was 18...Re8 19.fxe5+ Kg8, although Black would be down two pawns.

19.f5 Nxe3 20.fxg6+

Black's best now is 20...Ke8, although this is well met by 21.Qxh7.

20...Kg8 21.gxh7+ Rxh7 22.Qe8 mate

...sometimes the bear gets you

Everyone who plays the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and related lines should keep in mind the old saying that goes: Sometimes you get the bear, and sometimes the bear gets you.


perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse
blitz 2 12, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit (known to me personally as the Why-Am-I-Still-Playing-This Opening??).

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4

For his sacrificed piece White will have a pawn, a semi-exposed King target – and a lot of high hopes.

8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Nc6

10.Qc4+ Kg6

Cue the ominous background violin music... This move was last seen in my debacle that was chronicled in "Bloodied but Unbowed".

11.f4

After the game Rybka suggested the sharper 11.Qd3, which is something that I will keep in mind if I ever pass this way again.

The idea is that after 11...Nb4 White can keep Black busy enough that the threat to c2 (and then the Rook at a1) never comes into play: 12.Qg3+ Kh7 13.e5 Ne8 14.f4 Qe7 15.f5 Qf7 16.Rf2 Rf8 17.Be3 d6 18.e6 Qh5 19.Raf1 Nf6 and Black's edge is small. 

analysis diagram






11...Re8

An earlier game saw 11...Rf8 12.f5+ Kh7 13.g4 Nxg4 14.Qe2 Nf6 15.e5 Nd4 16.Qf2 Ng4 17.Qxd4 Qh4 18.Qf4 d5 19.f6 gxf6 20.Nxd5 fxe5 21.Qe4+ Kg7 22.Bxh6+ Qxh6 23.Qg2 Be6 24.h3 Bxd5 25.Qxg4+ Kh8 26.Kh2 Qd2+ White resigned, perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz FICS, 2010.

Both Rook moves are fine. A bit stronger would have been 11...d6.

12.f5+

There is not much of a threat in this move – and White needs threats to stay in the game. He still had to try 12.Qd3, as 12...d6 13.e5+ Bf5 14.Qg3+ Kh7 15.exf6 Qxf6 left him only a pawn down. 

analysis diagram







12...Kh7 13.Bf4 d6

White's "Jerome pawns" are frozen. Chances for the first player are dwindling.

14.Rae1 Ne5 15.Bxe5

A desperate kind of move that accomplishes nothing. I was getting seriously out-played.

15...Rxe5 16.Qd3 Qe7 17.Qg3

17...Bd7 18.Qg6+ Kh8 19.g4

The final mishap.

19...Be8 White resigned

Am I smarter than a fifth grader?

I've never seen the show "Are you smarter than a fifth grader?" but I suspect that I know the answer, and it wouldn't be a flattering one...

The following game, another bizarre Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit (why am I still playing this opening??), I get befuddled, as usual, and wind up taking refuge in a draw by repetition.

perrypawnpusher  - FrankMCMLVII
blitz 13 0, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5

5.Bxf7+

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

7...d6

Nice move. Not the best (7...Bd6), but with some thought behind it.

8.dxc5 dxc5 9.Qe2

There was no need to panic: 9.Qh5+ Nxh5 White resigned, Alby - stoneeybridge, FICS, 2000;

There were alternatives: 9.Nd5 Nxd5 10.exd5 Re8 11.Qh5+ Ng6+ 12.Be3 Rxe3+ 13.fxe3 Qh4+ 14.Qxh4 Nxh4 15.0-0+ Ke7 16.Rad1 b6 17.e4 Ba6 18.Rf4 g5 19.Rg4 h5 20.Rxg5 Kf6 21.Rxh5 Ng6 22.Rf1+ Kg7 23.Rff5 Re8 24.d6 cxd6 25.Rd5 Nf4 26.Rhg5+ Kh6 27.Rdf5 Rxe4 28.h4 Ne2+ 29.Kh2 Rxh4 checkmate, yorgos - blore, FICS, 2009;

or 9.0-0 Be6 10.Bf4 Ng6 11.Bg3 Qe7 12.Nb5 Rhd8 13.Qf3 c6 14.Nc7 Rac8 15.Nxe6 Qxe6 16.e5 Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Qxe5 18.Rae1 Qg5 19.Qb3+ Kf8 20.Qxb7 Nh5 21.Re3 Nf4 22.g3 Nh3+ 23.Kh1 Black resigned, theboy - Montblanc, FICS, 2001.

9...Bg4

There were still plenty of alternatives: 9...Nfg4 10.Bd2 Be6 11.0-0-0 Qd4 12.f4 Nf2 13.Be3 Black resigned, Wall - Yperalilos, Chess.com, 2010;

or 9...Qd4 10.Be3 Qb4 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.0-0 Qd4 14.Qh5+ Ke6 15.Rad1 Qb4 16.Nd5 Rh7 17.Qf5+ Kd6 18.Qxh7 Qxb2 19.Nxf6+ Ke6 20.Qxh6 Qxc2 21.Ne8+ Ke7 22.Nxc7 Rb8 23.Qh7+ Kf6 24.Rd6+ Kg5 25.Qf5+ Bxf5 26.exf5 Qxf5 27.Rd5 Qe4 28.f4+ Kf5 29.Rxe5+ Qxe5 30.fxe5+ Kxe5 31.Re1+ Kd6 32.Nb5+ Kc6 33.Nxa7+ Kb6 34.h4 Kxa7 35.g4 c4 36.Rc1 Rg8 37.g5 Rh8 38.Rxc4 b5 39.Rb4 Kb6 40.Rg4 Kc5 41.Kg2 b4 42.Kg3 Kb5 43.g6 Rg8 44.h5 Ka4 45.h6 Re8 46.g7 Re3+ 47.Kf4 Rc3 48.g8R Rc4+ 49.Kf3 Ka3 50.Ra8+ Kb2 51.Rxc4 b3 52.axb3 Kxb3 53.Rca4 Kb2 54.Rc8 Kb3 55.Ra7 Kb4 56.Rb7+ Ka5 57.Ra8 checkmate, yorgos - capitainehaddock, FICS, 2009;

or 9...Rf8 10.f4 (10.Bg5 Kg8 11.Nd5 Qd6 12.0-0-0 Nxd5 13.Rxd5 Qe6 14.Rhd1 Nf7 15.Bf4 b6 16.Bxc7 Bb7 17.R5d2 Qxe4 18.Qg4 Qxg4 19.Rd8 Nxd8, White resigned, tintagel - smarlny, FICS, 2009)10...Bg4 11.Qf2 Nc6 12.0-0 Kg8 13.Qxc5 Qd4+ 14.Be3 Qxc5 15.Bxc5 Rfe8 16.e5 Nd7 17.Be3 b6 18.h3 Bf5 19.g4 Bxc2 20.Rac1 Bg6 21.f5 Ndxe5 22.fxg6 Nxg6 23.Bf2 Nce7 24.Bg3 Rac8 25.Nb5 Nd5 26.Nxa7 Ra8 27.Nb5 Rxa2 28.Nxc7 Nxc7 29.Bxc7 Rxb2 30.Rcd1 Nh4 31.Bd6 h6 32.Bc7 Ree2 33.Rd8+ Kh7 34.Kh1 Nf3 35.Rdd1 Rh2+ White resigned, stretto - Kjaran, FICS, 2008.

10.f3 Bh5

The Bishop did better to return to e6. Still, Black is still better.

11.Be3 b6 12.0-0 Rb8

I wasn't sure what my opponent was planning with this move, but I decided to get my "Jerome pawns" moving.

13.g4 Bg6 14.g5 Nh5 15.f4 Nc6 16.f5

16...Nd4

Leading to only a slight disadvantage, instead, was 16...Kg8 17.fxg6 hxg6 18.a3 Kh7 – an odd way to castle-by-hand.

17.fxg6+ Kxg6 18.Qg4

Later, Rybka preferred 18.Qd3

18...Rf8

After this move, Rybka saw Black as being more than a Rook worse. I still can't see that.

19.Bxd4

Returning the game to even. Here's Rybka's recommended line: 19.Nd5 Re8 20.Nf6 Nxf6 21.gxf6+ Kf7 22.fxg7+ Ke7 when 23.Bg5+ wins Black's Queen – for starters.

analysis diagram







Anyone who saw White's possible Knight maneuver and sacrifice – good for you!

19...cxd4

Black insists on getting into trouble – 19...Qxd4+ would have kept the game even.

20.Qe6+

White, in turn, keeps insisting on giving up his advantage, instead of playing the winning: 20.Rxf8 Qxf8 21.Nd5 – another cool Knight move that I missed.

analysis diagram







20...Kxg5 21.h4+

I figured that there had to be a checkmate here, but I was wrong: Rybka pointed out later that I could have (should have) grovelled for a draw with: 21.Rxf8 Qxf8 22.Rf1 Qd6 23.Rf5+ Kh4 24.Rxh5+ Kxh5 25.Qh3+ Kg6 26.Qf5+ repeating the position.

21...Kxh4 22.Qe5

I suddenly had the feeling that things had gone terribly wrong.

They had.

22...dxc3 23.Qh2+ Kg5 24.Qe5+ Kh4

Of course, if my opponent had found 24...Kg6 here, I'd have been ruined. He seemed caught up in my "brilliant" sacrifice of my Knight to achieve the draw, or perhaps he felt he was escaping mate...

25.Qh2+ Kg5

Here 25...Kg4 wins for Black.

27.Qh2+ Kg5 28.Qe5+ Kh4 29.Qh2+ Game drawn by repetition ½-½