Technical Difficulties (Part 5)

Just when I was certain that the recent rash of going online chess-playing "technical difficulties" had ended – I was the cause of one, myself.

Pity, it was a good game, and I was winning handily.


perrypawnpusher - Angstrem
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+

Of course.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bb4

Fascinating.

If you look at Matt Pullin's fine "fork trick" video, which focuses upon a similar strategy in the regular Italian Four Knights Game – 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nxe4 d5 5.Bb5 –you will see that Angstrem here is using an idea that Pullin refers to as "quite sharp, but bad if Black [in this case, White] knows what to do".

9.dxe5 Nxe4

Now 10.Qg4 would analagous to Pullin's suggestion in the "fork trick", but the move has little meaning with Black's King protecting g7. However, White doesn't have to go that far...

10.Qf3+ Kg8 11.Qxe4

White is now a pawn ahead, with the safer King.

11...c5

12.Nd5 Ba4 13.Be3 b6 14.Rad1

Just putting pressure on the position, although Black's next move allows for a tactical shot.

14...Bb7

15.Nf6+

This is not White's strongest move – that would be 15.c3, intending b2-b4, trapping and winning Black's Bishop in a5 – but it is the most surprising one.

15...gxf6

Better was 15...Qxf6 16.Qxb7 Qc6 17.Rxd7 and White would be a clear two pawns up.

16.Qxb7

There was a checkmate with 16.Qg6+, but I could not work it out in my head at the time:  16...Kf8 17.exf6 d6 18.Bxh6+ Rxh6 19.Qg7 (a nice move I overlooked) Ke8 20.Rfe1+ Bxe1 21.Rxe1+ Be4 22.Rxe4+ Qe7 23.Qxe7 mate.

The move that I played was also good, especially after my opponent's inaccurate reply.

16...fxe5

Here the followup move 17.Rxd7 will win Black's Queen.

However, it was not to be. My wife had gotten up to answer the telephone, and, becoming dizzy, had taken several steps before tripping over our dog, subsequently falling hard to the floor.

Neither of us are young kids any more. I needed to go to her aid, and as a result I lost this game on time. That was unfortunate, but as they say: into each life, some falls must reign...

I messaged my opponent later, to explain my sudden disappearance from the board.

Technical Difficulties (Part 4)

It seems that I have had a bad run of "technical difficulties" in my online play lately. I hope that today's game is the last one, for a long, long time.

If a chess player makes a poor move, it is no surprise that he or she might get frustrated. How about "Win with grace, lose with dignity," as Susan Polgar suggests?

perrypawnpusher  - foreverblackman
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. The updated New Year's Database has 2,365 games with this position, with White scoring 56%.  (I have scored 88%. Remember: when it comes to statistics, Your Mileage May Vary.)

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6

7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+

This is a safer capture for White than 8.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxh8 Qg5, when Black grabs the initiative.

8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4

White has four pawns for his sacrificed piece, and a lot of practical chances for advantage.

11...c5 12.Qe3 Bh6 13.Qe2

I didn't like having my Queen pushed around like this, but White has to come up with a way to keep his King safe before he can think about advancing his "Jerome pawns" against Black's King.

13...Bg4 14.f3 Bh5 15.Nc3 a6

After the game Rybka suggested play that also kept the game even: 15...Bf7 16.g4 d5 17.e5 Nd7 18.0-0 d4 19.Ne4 Bf4 20.d3 Rxh2 21.Rf2 Rxf2 22.Qxf2 Bxc1 23.Rxc1 Qh8 24.Re1 Be6 25.Qg3 Rg8 .

analysis diagram







I like Black's position a bit better, but what do I know?

16.d3 Bxc1 17.Rxc1 Qb6

18.Rb1

Still keeping the position closed.

18...Rag8 19.g3

After the game Rybka suggested blowing the game open for a slight advantage for White, but too much of the recommendation felt like "computer chess": 19.g4 Bf7 20.h4 d5 21.g5 Rxg5 22.hxg5 Rxh1+ 23.Kd2 Rxb1 24.Nxb1 Nd7 25.exd5+ Kf8 26.Qh2 Bxd5 27.Nc3 Be6 28.Qh6+ Kg8 29.Qg6+ Kf8 30.Qe4 Bf7 31.Kc1.

analysis diagram







19...Qc6

Rybka's sound-and-fury-signifying-nothing suggestion was that Black go, instead, for the draw by sacrificing his Queen with: 19...Bf7 20.Qf2 Qa5 21.Qd2 Qc7 22.g4 d5 23.g5 Qg3+ 24.hxg3 Rxh1+ 25.Ke2 Rh2+ 26.Ke1 Rh1+ etc

analysis diagram







20.Nd5+ Nxd5

Oops. 

Of course, 20...Kf7 keeps the position balanced and the game uncertain.

21.exd5+

Here, seeing that his Queen was destined to leave the board, Black disconnected.

Best was 21...Kf6 22.dxc6 Re8 when Black can win White's Queen – at the cost of a Rook. White will be the exchange and several pawns ahead.

White was later awarded the win by adjudication

Technical Difficulties (Part 3)

As a parent and a long-time child therapist, I have learned that for many young kids there are only two outcomes to a game that they are playing: either #1 "I win!" or #2 "You cheated!!"

Some adults' attitudes are not much different.

With that in mind, I'd like you to take a look at the following diagram, from a recent internet game that I played at FICS.

There's nothing particularly unusual about it, except that it is not a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and I am playing the Black pieces.

The tactical questions are: Should White play d2-d4? Why, or why not?

The solution is not difficult: White should not play d2-d4, as he will lose the pawn – and he might be tempted to do something even worse.

For example, here is the position after 1.d4 cxd4 2.Nxd4 Nxd4 3.Qxd4, which my opponent played.

Black now has the simple tactical shot 3...Bxh2+ (which I played), exposing an attack on White's Queen and winning it on the next move.

Who amongst us hasn't fallen for this kind of thing on occasion? Cuckle or sigh, tip your King, start another game...

However, myy opponent's response was to post the message is everybody on this site a grimy rat bastagescumbag cheater?????????????????????????// and then disconnect...

(Much to FICS's credit, my request for an adjudicated win was granted almost instantaneously.)

Technical Difficulties (Part 2)

Sometimes when I play chess online – usually at FICS and usually a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) or related opening – I encounter "technical difficulties" to be overcome, along with the expected chess resistance. Luckily, as yesterday's and today's posts show, these problems can be overcome.

perrypawnpusher - szuwarek
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2010

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

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

This move usually signals pretty bad news – if it means that my opponent is familiar with the Whistler Defense – or pretty good news – if it means that my opponent remembers something about Blackburne's Defense.

7.Qxe5 d6

Blackburne.

8.Qxh8

As in Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885, the best-known Jerome Gambit game.

Despite Blackburne's crushing win, modern theory holds that if Black is well-prepared, he may be able to work out a draw; otherwise, he loses to a knowledgeable opponent.

8...Qf6

Okay, make that "pretty good news" – for White.

9.Qxh7+

By coincidence, both ecimsa - Mordent, FICS, 2006 and irvpat - Mordent, FICS, 2009 ended here with Black's resignation after White's ninth move.

One of my earlier games continued with the less exact 9.Qxf6+: 9...Nxf6 10.d3 Be6 11.Nc3 Re8 12.0-0 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bd2 Bb4 15.a3 Bd6 16.Nxd5 Bxd5 17.Rae1 b6 18.Rxe8 Kxe8 19.Re1+ Kf7 20.Bc3 a5 21.Be5 Ba2 22.Bxd6 cxd6 23.b3 a4 24.bxa4 d5 25.f3 h5 26.Ra1 b5 27.Rxa2 bxa4 28.Rb2 Ke6 29.Kf2 Ke5 30.Ke3 d4+ 31.Kf2 Kf4 32.Rb4 Ke5 33.Rxa4 h4 34.Rb4 g5 35.a4 g4 36.fxg4 h3 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - nicholasjanssen, blitz FICS, 2009.

Another Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member (with a pleasant 57% score with the Gambit) had an oddly de-caffeinated moment and paid for it: 9.0-0 Qxh8 10.c3 Be6 11.d4 Bb6 12.Bg5 Nf6 13.e5 dxe5 14.dxe5 Ne4 15.Na3 Nxg5 White resigned, Superpippo - ddp, FICS, 2001.

9...Ke6

This move costs a piece, but interposing the Queen allows White to exchange, arriving at a calm position where the first player is ahead the exchange and three pawns: 9...Qg7 10.Qh4 (10.Qxg7+ Kxg7 11.c3 Be6 12.d4 Bb6 13.Bg5 Bc4 14.Nd2 Bd3 15.f3 Rf8 16.Kf2 c5 17.Ke3 Ba6 18.Rad1 cxd4+ 19.cxd4 d5 20.e5 Rf5 21.f4 Nh6 22.Bxh6+ Kxh6 23.g4 Rf8 24.Rc1 Bd8 25.Rc8 b5 26.Ra8 g5 27.f5 Re8 28.Rxa7 Bc8 29.Rc1 Bb6 30.Rf7 Rxe5+ 31.Kd3 Re4 32.Rf6+ Kg7 33.Nxe4 dxe4+ 34.Ke3 Kxf6 35.Rxc8 Black resigned, tedhort - ElMagoVago, FICS, 2009) 10...Qf6 11.Qxf6+ Nxf6 12.0-0 Nxe4 13.d3 Nf6 14.Be3 Bf5 15.Nc3 Bb4 16.Nb5 c6 17.Nd4 Bd7 18.c3 Bc5 19.Nf3 Bxe3 20.fxe3 Re8 21.Ng5+ Kg7 22.e4 Be6 23.Rf3 Bg4 24.Rg3 Bh5 25.Rh3 Ng4 26.Rg3 Rf8 27.Rf1 Rxf1+ 28.Kxf1 Kf6 29.Rf3+ Kxg5 30.Rg3 Kf6 31.Rf3+ Ke7 32.Rg3 Ne5 33.d4 Nc4 34.b3 Nd2+ 35.Kf2 Nxe4+ White resigned, Nesseerd - oldway, FICS, 2005

10.Qxg8+ Kd7 11.0-0 b6

12.Nc3 Bb7 13.Qh7+ Ke6 14.Qh3+

The Queen returns safely. All Black has for his missing Rook is a handful of attacking files and diagonals.

14...Ke7 15.Nd5+ Bxd5 16.exd5

From this position White will be able to exchange Queens then a Rook, after which the extra Rook will win in the endgame.

However, my opponent made no moves in the roughly 8 minutes he had left on his clock. Oddly, after running down to zero his clock then began to rack up "negative" minutes, despite my call for a win on time. 

At 5 minutes after his flag fell, with his clock still running, I asked for a courtesy adjournment.

I then sent my opponent a message, asked for a continuation of the game, left the site, returned to the site, and reissued the continuation request.

I'm not sure what my opponent was seeing at his end of the chess board, but he did not respond to any of this, and actually started a game with another player.

After a few days of not hearing from my opponent, I requested and almost immediately received an ajudicated win.

Technical Difficulties (Part 1)

When I play chess online (usually FICS) people all over the world get a chance to take a swing at the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and similar openings.

Sometimes, "technical difficulties" have to be overcome, along with the expected chess resistance.

perrypawnpusher - BHAseagull
blitz FICS, 2010

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

The Semi-Italian Opening is more popular with club players than with the chess elite, but Grandmaster Pavel Blatny has shown it to be much more playable than generally believed.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

I am not aware of GM Blatny ever facing the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, however.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6

I've faced this set-up 8 times before and surrendered 1/2 a point. Still, an objective look at the position shows that Black is better.

8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 b6

This move is new to me here. It was played, without 0-0 and ...h6, in gobo - HPotter, ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Tournament, 2005 (1-0, 45).

It is no longer a surprise when I see the Jerome Gambit – a "hyper-classical" opening if there ever was one – be met with a hypermodern style defense.

10.Qe3 Bb7 11.Nc3 Nf6

Now, if only Black could castle, he wouldn't have a care in the world.

12.f4 Qe7 13.d3 d6 14.f5 Nf8

A bit defensive, but Black has serious plans about protecting his King.

15.Bd2 Kd7 16.Rae1 Re8 17.Qd4 Kc8

Yes, Black plans to castle-by-hand on the Queenside. His position is solid enough that he can afford the time involved.

18.Qa4 Kb8 19.Nb5 Ba6

Inexplicable. My opponent made a comment (after the piece disappeared) indicating that he knew he had goofed.

Black defends and keeps his advantage, instead, with ...a7-a6.

Now White is winning, if he can avoid blunders.

20.Qxa6 Qd8 21.Qxa7+ Kc8 22.Qa8+ Kd7 23.Qxd8+ Kxd8

I was comfortable being three pawns up in an uncomplicated position. The only "exciting" moment left in the game comes about ten moves later.

24.Bc3 N8d7 25.Nd4 c5 26.Ne6+ Ke7

27.Nxg7 Reg8 28.Bxf6+ Kxf6 29.Ne6 Re8

30.Re3 b5 31.Rg3 b4

Adding to Black's technical difficulties over-the-board was the quickly disappearing time on his clock. 

32.Rg6+

At this point my opponent disconnected.

In the past, this kind of thing (with a different opponent, I hasten to add) has been a source of fustration.

However, this time my opponent was amenable to resuming the game a couple of days later.

BHAseagull signed on, joined the game – and then let the last 35 seconds on his clock run out, losing on time.

What an Idea

Gerald Abrahams wrote in his book, The Chess Mind, that the smallest unit in a chess game was not the move, but the idea. I've always believed that he was onto something, although I'm sure that he still divided ideas into good and bad ones, just as he divided moves into good and bad ones. After all, he once wrote

...and nobody in their right senses plays... Jerome's Gambit

perrypawnpusher - GiantReign

blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6

The Two Knights Defense. No Jerome Gambit today, I guess. Unless... 

4.Nc3 h6 5.0-0 Bc5

6.Bxf7+

Ah, the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit... But, do I really want that? As they say: be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!

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

8...Neg4

Fascinating.

Maybe I'm supposed to kick the Knight with h2-h3, while Black withdraws his Bishop to b6 and looks at the possibility of  h6-h5, opening the King's Rook file...? 

9.dxc5 Re8

I settled for just taking the Bishop. In turn, Black's move prepared for castling-by-hand. He also prepared an unfriendly retort to my see-able 13th move... 

10.h3 Ne5 11.f4 Nc6 12.e5 Nh7

Those frisky "Jerome pawns"! The game is about even.

13.Qd5+ Kf8 14.Bd2 d6 15.cxd6 Be6

After the game Rybka suggested a line that was stronger for Black then this move, but messier: 15...cxd6 16.Ne4 Qb6+ 17.Kh2 Be6 followed by 18.Qxd6+ Kg8 19.Qd3 Qxb2 20.Nd6 Rad8 21.Rab1 Qxa2 22.Rxb7 Re7 23.Rfb1 Qd5 with an even game. 

16.Qe4 cxd6

Probably an oversight: 16...Kg8 minimized White's edge. 

17.Qxh7

17...dxe5

Still hammering at the center pawns, but the game has taken a bad turn in any event.

18.fxe5+ Ke7 19.Qxg7+ Bf7 20.Qxf7 checkmate