Echoes

After a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, I like to consult my database and see if' I've seen that line of play before and see if I've crossed swords with my opponent previously.

The following game contains two strange "echoes".

perrypawnpusher - Kotimatka
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

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

I know that objectively this move keeps Black's advantage, but I'm always glad to see it because it allows me to capture the Bishop on c5, giving my f-pawn a faster chance to get moving.

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

10.0-0 Ne5

After the game I discovered that Kotimatka and I had played a game last year. Even more interesting was how the game went. The opening was a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit: 3...h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Ne5

analysis diagram






11.d4 Ng4 12.Qg3 N8f6 13.Nc3 Be6 14.h3 Bc4 15.Re1 Qd7 16.hxg4 Nxg4 17.f3 Nf6 18.e5 Nh5 19.exd6+ Kf7 20.Qh2 g6 21.Re7+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Kotimatka, blitz FICS, 2009.

In the current game, Black is a tempo ahead of last time, having not played ...h7-h6.

11.f4

Better was 11.d4 Neg4 12.Qb3 b6 13.h3 Nh6 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Nfg8 16.Qf3 Be6 17.Rd1 Qc8 18.Nc3 Ne7 19.Nb5 Rf8 20.Qxa8 Kf7 21.Qxc8 Rxc8 22.Bxh6 gxh6 23.Nxa7 Rg8 24.Kh2 Nf5 25.g4 Ne7 26.Nb5 h5 27.Nxc7 hxg4 28.Rd6 Bf5 29.Rf6+ Kg7 30.hxg4 Bg6 31.Rd1 Bxc2 32.Rd7 Black resigned, Gandybh - Noel1942, Chess.com, 2009

11...Nfg4

12.Qg3 Ng6 13.f5 N6e5

The Knights are begining to trip over each other. Black could have brought about a roughly even game with 13...Qh4, e.g. 14.Qxh4 Nxh4. Perhaps my opponent couldn't tolerate the notion of losing a half-point to the Jerome Gambit.

14.d4 c6

Black gives back the piece and prepares for his Queen to enter the combat.

15.dxe5 Qb6+ 16.Kh1 Nxe5

17.Qxg7 Rf8

18.f6

I looked at 18.Bh6, a better move, but I didn't look deep enough to be comfortable with it. Too bad: 18...Rf7 19.Qg8+ Kd7 20.Bg5 is strong. I missed the Bishop move. 

18...Be6

Okay, so I wasn't the only player to overlook something.

19.Qe7 checkmate

Still Playing That Opening?

I keep playing this Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) variant – and keep not liking it.

Why?  I'm 5-0-2 with it, which is respectable. Oh – I'm only 5-4-0 in the lines with ...h6 and 0-0 added (which should benefit White).

Maybe that's it??   

More likely it's because I need more "help" than usual from my opponents in this line in order to be successful.

perrypawnpusher  - HGBoone
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit

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

7...Bxd4

Someday I'm going to face the line recommended by Rybka after the game: 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.Ne2 c6 10.f4 Bc7 11.e5 Ne4 12.0-0 d5 13.Be3 Re8 14.Nd4 Kg8 15.Rc1 g5

analysis diagram







This doesn't look comfortable for White.

8.Qxd4 Qe7

Well, this is no bed of roses, either, White having a pawn for his sacrified piece. What's a Gemeinde member to do?

9.f4

An alternative was 9.Bg5 Re8 10.Nd5 Qd6 11.0-0-0 Nxd5 12.exd5 Qg6 13.Qf4+ Kg8 14.Rde1 d6 15.h3 Rf8 16.Qe3 Bf5 17.f4 Nc4 18.Qc3 Nb6 19.Qxc7 Rac8 20.Qxb7 Rxc2+ 21.Kd1 Qh5+ 22.g4 Qf7 23.Qxf7+ Rxf7 24.gxf5 Rxb2 25.Rhg1 h6 26.Bxh6 Kh7 27.Bg5 Rxf5 28.Kc1 Rxa2 29.Re6 Rxd5 30.Re7 Ra1+ 31.Kb2 Rxg1 32.Bf6 Rg3 33.h4 Rd2+ 34.Kc1 Rh2 35.Bd4 Nd5 36.Re1 Nxf4 37.Be3 Nd3+ White resigned, Alby - roosje, FICS, 2000

9...Nc6 10.Qd3

After the game Rybka recommended, instead, 10.Qc4+, but after 10...d5 11.Nxd5 Qxe4+ 12.Qxe4 Nxe4 it is hard to get excited about White's position.

10...d6 11.0-0 Bg4

Black plans on returning the piece for a couple of pawns.

12.h3 Bh5 13.g4 Bxg4 14.hxg4 Nxg4

15.Qg3 h5 16.Bd2 Raf8 17.Rae1 Ke8

Each side is gathering its forces. Black is better, but his King remains a target, and the position is not simple.

18.Nd5 Qd7 19.Bc3 Rhg8

Getting the Rook off of the a1-h8 diagonal that the White Bishop just moved onto. Moving the King out of the center, instead, with Ke8-d8-c8 was probably a bit better.

20.e5

After the game Rybka preferred a long-winded line leading to a draw: 20.Qh4 Nf6 21.Kf2 Qf7 22.Nxf6+ gxf6 23.Rh1 Qxa2 24.Qxh5+ Rf7 25.Bxf6 Qc4 26.c3 Qd3 27.Reg1 Rxg1 28.Rxg1 Qd2+ 29.Kf3 Qd3+ 30.Kf2 Qd2+ etc, drawn by repetition.

analysis diagram







20...dxe5 21.Rd1

The move 20.e5 was a mis-calculation that I caught and tried to correct with 21.Rd1. Of course, it is possible to mis-understand my moves, and look at 20.e5 as a tricky sacrifice of a pawn, to open up lines toward the enemy King...

...In which case, that might cause a certain amount of (unnecessary) anxiety, and even provoke a quick defensive move that has a flaw in it.

21...Qe6

Ouch.

Rybka shows that Black can weave his way through the complications to a better endgame, although from a practical point of view, White may have drawing chances there (Bishop vs Knight, useful King placement): 21...Ne7 22.Ne3 Qe6 23.Nxg4 exf4 24.Rxf4 Rxf4 25.Qxf4 Qxg4+ 26.Qxg4 hxg4 27.Rd4 g3 28.Rd3 Nf5 29.Be5 Ke7 30.Bxc7 Rc8 31.Rc3 Kd7

analysis diagram







22.Nxc7+ Kf7 23.Nxe6

23...Kxe6 24.fxe5 Rxf1+ 25.Rxf1 Ncxe5 26.Bxe5 Nxe5 27.Re1

Black resigned

Shocked

Several times in the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game – a pretty serious struggle – my opponent made shocking moves that had devastating effects – on his own game.

I couldn't figure it out at all.

perrypawnpusher  - fortytwooz
blitz FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

A very practical defense, as old as Jerome - Brownson, USA 1875 (1/2-1/2, 29) and enthusiastically endorsed by Lt. Sorensen in his 1877 article on the Jerome Gambit in Nordisk Skaktidende.

6.Nxc6

The standard reply, although there have been other interesting lines of play:

6.Nd3 Bb6 7.0-0 Qf6 8.Nc3 Nge7 9.Na4 Kf7 10.Nxb6 axb6 11.Qh5+ g6 12.e5 gxh5 13.exf6 Kxf6 14.b3 Rg8 15.a4 d6 16.Bb2+ Kg6 17.Rae1 Bf5 18.Nf4+ Kh6 19.d3 Rg4 20.Bc1 Kg7 21.f3 Rg6 22.Nxg6 hxg6 23.Bb2+ Kf7 24.Re2 Rg8 25.Rfe1 Nd5 26.Kf2 Nf4 27.Rd2 Nb4 28.Kg3 g5 29.h4 Ne6 30.hxg5 Rxg5+ 31.Kh4 Kg6 32.g3 Nc5 33.Re7 Kh6 34.Rxc7 Nd7 35.Rxb7 Nf6 36.Bxf6 Black resigned, Wall - Tim93612, Chess.com, 2010;

6.d4 Nxe5 7.dxe5 Qh4 8.0-0 Qxe4 9.Nc3 Qxe5 10.Re1 Qd4 11.Qf3+ Qf6 12.Qe2 Qe6 13.Ne4 d6 14.Bg5 h6 15.Qf3+ Qf7 16.Bf4 Nf6 17.Nxc5 dxc5 18.Rad1 Bg4 19.Qxb7 Re8 20.Rxe8+ Nxe8 21.Re1 Qxf4 22.Qxa7 Kf7 23.Qxc5 Qd6 24.Qc4+ Be6 25.Qe4 Nf6 26.Qf3 Re8 27.h3 Bd5 28.Qf5 Rxe1 checkmate, Petasluk - robertj, FICS, 2005;

6.Ng4 d6 7.0–0 Nf6 8.Nxf6 Qxf6 9.c3 Ne5 10.d4 Ng4 11.dxc5 Qh4 12.h3 Nf6 13.cxd6 cxd6 14.Qxd6+ Kf7 15.Qc7+ Kg6 16.e5 Ne8 17.Qc5 Rf8 18.Be3 Rf5 19.Nd2 Qh5 20.Nf3 Kf7 21.Rad1 Qg6 22.Nh4 Qh5 23.Nxf5 Qxf5 24.Rd8 Kg8 25.Rxe8+ Black resigned naffets - pavlo, FICS, 2008; and

6.0–0 Qf6 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.c3 Qh4 9.Qf3+ Nf6 10.e5 Bg4 11.Qf4 Qh6 12.Qxh6 gxh6 13.exf6 Kf7 14.d4 Bf8 15.f3 Be6 16.Bf4 Bd6 17.Bxh6 Kxf6 18.Nd2 Kg6 19.Be3 Rae8 20.Rfe1 Bf5 21.Nc4 Re6 22.Nxd6 cxd6 23.d5 Ree8 24.dxc6 bxc6 25.g4 Bd7 26.Rad1 d5 27.c4 Rhf8 28.Kg2 Re5 29.h3 Rfe8 30.Kf2 Bc8 31.f4 Re4 32.cxd5 cxd5 33.f5+ Kf6 34.Rxd5 Bb7 35.Rd7 h6 36.Rxb7 Black resigned,  natarajanm - BiH, FICS, 2008,

6...dxc6

This capture prevents d2-d4 by White, at the slight cost of making the e-pawn passed.

The alternative was seen in the sloppy game perrypawnpusher - hdig, blitz FICS, 2007: 6...bxc6 7.d4 Bb6 8.0-0 d6 9.f4 Bb7 10.Nc3 Qf6 11.e5 dxe5 12.fxe5 Bxd4+ 13.Kh1 Qxf1+ 14.Qxf1+ Ke8 15.Bg5 Kd7 16.Qf7+ Kc8 17.Qe8 checkmate

7.d3

I've been here before, playing a bit differently: 7.0-0 (7.Nc3 Nf6 8.d3 Kf7 9.0-0 Rf8 10.Bg5 Kg8 11.e5 Bg4 drawn, perrypawnpusher - Ykcir, blitz FICS, 2009) Be6 (7...Bd6 8.f4 g6 9.d4 Bd7 10.Nc3 Nh6 11.f5 Qh4 12.e5 Nxf5 13.exd6 cxd6 14.g4 Re8 15.gxf5 Bxf5 16.Qf3 Qxd4+ 17.Kh1 Kg7 18.Qf2 Black forfeited on time, perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz FICS, 2009; 7...Nf6 8.Qf3 Qd4 9.d3 Bg4 10.Qg3 Bb6 11.e5 Nh5 12.Qh4 Be2 13.Qxd4 Bxd4 14.Re1 Bxe5 15.Rxe2 Re8 16.g3 Kf7 17.f4 Bd4+ 18.Kf1 Nf6 19.Nd2 Rxe2 20.Kxe2 Re8+ 21.Ne4 a5 22.Kf3 h6 23.c3 Ba7 24.Be3 Bxe3 25.Kxe3 Ng4+ 26.Kf3 Nxh2+ 27.Kg2 Ng4 28.Re1 b6 29.a4 Rd8 drawn, Jerome - Brownson, USA 1875) 8.Qf3+ Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.d3 Kf7 11.Bg5 Rhe8 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nd2 Bd4 14.c3 Bb6 15.d4 Rad8 16.f4 c5 17.d5 Bd7 18.c4 c6 19.Rae1 cxd5 20.cxd5 Ba5 21.Rf2 Bb6 22.Nc4 Bc7 23.e5 fxe5 24.fxe5+ Kg7 25.e6 Bb5 26.Rf7+ Kh8 27.Re4 Bxc4 28.Rxc4 Rxd5 29.Rh4 Be5 30.Rhxh7+ Kg8 31.e7 Rd1+ 32.Kf2 Bd4+ 33.Ke2 Rc1 34.Kd2 Rf1 35.Rxf1 Kxh7 36.Re1 Bf6 37.Kd3 Rxe7 38.Rxe7+ Bxe7 39.Ke4 Kg6 40.b3 Kh5 41.a4 Bf6 42.Kf3 Bd4 43.g3 a6 44.h3 b5 45.axb5 axb5 46.Kf4 Kg6 47.g4 Bc3 48.h4 Bd2+ 49.Ke4 Kf6 50.Kd5 Be3 51.Ke4 Bf2 52.Kd5 Bd4 53.Ke4 Kg6 54.Kd5 Kf6 55.Ke4 Ke6 56.g5 Bf2 57.h5 Kf7 58.Kd5 Be3 59.g6+ Kf6 60.Ke4 Bd4 61.Kf4 Be5+ 62.Ke4 Bd4 63.Kf4 Kg7 64.Kf5 Kh6 65.Kg4 c4 66.bxc4 bxc4 67.Kf3 c3 68.Ke2 Kxh5 69.Kd3 Bg7 70.Kc2 Kxg6 71.Kd3 Kf5 72.Kc2 Ke4 73.Kd1 Kd3 74.Kc1 Bh6+ White resigned, perrypawnpusher - CorH, blitz FICS, 2009;

7...Qf6 8.0-0

8...Qg6 9.Kh1 Bg4 10.f3 Be6 11.f4 Bd7

One difference between computer and human chess players is that the former is not embarassed by a repetition of moves. Here 11...Bg4  is what Black needed to play, keeping a small edge. This is not the last time that my opponent's reluctance to play that move costs him the advantage.

12.Nd2 Nf6 13.Nf3

13...Ng4

fortytwooz wants to attack my King, but 13...Bg4 was a bit more to the point.

14.Qe2 Ke7

Planning to swing the Queen Rook over to join the attack.

I can't sit still, I have to activate the "Jerome pawns".

15.d4 Bb6 16.f5 Qf7

17.h3 Rae8

This came as quite a shock. There are other ways to give the piece back, including the cold-blooded 17...h5. Choosing this way, Black probably should have put his Queen on h5 at move 16.

18.hxg4 Kd8 19.e5

Here come the pawns.

Still, after the game Rybka suggested that stronger was some piece development first: 19.Ne5 Qg8 20.Be3 Kc8 21.a4 a6 22.c4 Rd8 23.b4 h5 24.g5 Qe8.

analysis diagram







19...Qd5

20.Bg5+ Kc8 21.c4

21...Rxe5

Whoa.... What's this??

After 21...Qg8 Black will have to give up a piece (for two pawns)22.e6 Bxe6 23.fxe6 Rxe6 but the text is hard to fathom. (Perhaps Black saw the d-pawn as pinned?)

22.dxe5 h6

Okay, I give up; I don't know what's going on.

23.cxd5

23...hxg5+ 24.Nh2 cxd5

25.e6 Bc6 26.e7 a6 27.f6

27...Bb5 28.Qe6+ Kb8 29.f7 Black resigned

A Line of Play Everyone Should Know About

Sometimes your opponent will not even wait until you play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) to try to cross up your plans.

Most readers are familiar with the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 .Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4) which is such an effort, but it is not Black's only way of trying to offer a surprise.

perrypawnpusher  - sebapvar
blitz FICS, 2010

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

Let me first say that this is not a good idea, that White can now get an advantage with the logical 4.Nxe5, winning a pawn.

4.Bxf7+

Irresistable. See "Offside!" and "The Other Side".

My own database has 1,270 games with this line in it, with White scoring 70%. This is a tribute to those who play White, as the position soon arrived at is "objectively" equal.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+

5...Ke8

Already a problem for Black, as this is the weakest of his four possible replies.

After 5...Kf6, White has a number of interesting moves, including 6.d4 and the untested 6.Nc3!?, but his strongest is probably 6.Qh5 when 6...g6 is forced, and then the "retreat" 7.Qf3+ causes all sorts of problems, for example 7...Ke6 (if 7...Kxe5 then 8.d4+) 8.d4 and Black will have to give back material, as in 8...Bb4+ 9.c3 Qf8 10.cxb4 Qxf3 11.Nxf3 Nc4.

analysis diagram







A bit better move for Black, leading to an even game, is 5...Ke6, when 6.d4 (6.Qg4+ Kxe5 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.Qxa5 Qf6 may not give White enough, but should be playable for the adventurous) Nf6 is probably best met by the untested 7.Nd3, with pawn play in the center to follow.

analysis diagram







Black's best chance for advantage (see my comment after move 3) – if only for confusion's sake – is 5...Ke7.

After a lot of thought, Rybka thinks that the game should continue 6.Nc3 Qe8 7.d4 Kd8 8.0-0 Nc6 9.Bf4 d6 10.Nf3 Bd7, which looks about even to me, although I can't explain some of Black's moves. (I mean, he's not going to castle Queenside, right?)

analysis diagram







6.Qh5+

Back to the game.

6...g6 7.Nxg6

7...Bg7

Putting and end to things. He had to take the Knight with 7...hxg6. White then would have two choices, each leading to a slight advantage.

Most attractive is the grab 8.Qxh8, when 8...Kf7 9.Qc3 Nc6 gives White an edge, with a Rook and three pawns vs two pieces.

Trickier, and therefore better from a practical point of view, is to capture the pawn instead: 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.d4. White is then threatening all sorts of horrors starting with Bc1-g5,  and the only move to save Black is 9...Bh6.

Still, White will play 10.Bg5+ any way, and after 10...Bxg5 11.Qxg5+ Ke8 (if 11...Nf6, 12.e5) he can pick up the stranded Knight with 12.Qxa5, having four pawns for the sacrificed piece.

8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Qxg7 Black resigned

White is ahead a Rook and three pawns, and threatens to capture more material.