Adjudication!?

The other day I was collecting some more Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and Jerome-ish games from the FICS database when I ran across the following game that raised my eyebrows.


Anon - Anon
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Black wins by adjudication 0-1

By adjudication, huh? I've posted about this before, when it was a problem (see "A Sneaky Way to Defeat the Jerome Gambit") and when it was no longer a problem (see "Fool me once...").

I messaged both players, looking for an explanation.

The player of the Black pieces, the winner of the game, responded. He said that his internet connection had broken, but when he reconnected, his opponent did not accept many requests for continuing the game. It was then that he asked for adjudication and received the point. (After all, from a purely materialistic point of view, White is down a couple of pieces.)

So, it turned out that the player of the White pieces – actually, a member of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde, with over 20 games in the updated New Year's Database – apparently had brought the loss upon his own head (I have not heard back from him yet).

Not a happy situation, but not as unjust as I had first feared.

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

One Slip

It is true that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has a number of refutations, but it is necessary for Black to chose one and play it. Treating the opening as toothless can lead to unhappy surprises and poor outcomes.

calchess - Baron wd von Blanc
Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament, ChessWorld, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nc3 Nf6

Here we see the link betwen the "modern" variations of the Jerome Gambit (those without 5.Nxe5) and the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, which reaches the same position from a different move order: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7.

In this game, in "modern" fashion, White does not follow with the usual Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit 6.Nxe5.

6.a3 d5

Thematic and good.

7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Ne4 Bb6

Black is doing well: he has an extra piece and he has the better development. It should take him a couple of moves to castle-by-hand, and then he will be comfortable as well.

Instead, he is lulled by White's calm play, and his next move gives up the advantage.

9.0-0 Bg4

10.Nfg5+ Kg8 11.Qxg4 Nf6

And this "defensive" move loses the game.

12.Qe6+ Kf8 13.Qf7 checkmate

THIS is why I play the Jerome Gambit

The opportunity for an attack on the enemy King is one reason to play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). In the following game, it takes only one poor choice, on move 10, for Black to turn the game over to White, and set that attack in motion.

perrypawnpusher - KnightRoyal
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bd6

An interesting defense. More often seen is 8...Bxd4.

9.dxe5 Bxe5 10.f4

This is a risky idea, as Black can respond 10...Bxc3 and the game can become very tricky, as Rybka indicated after the game: 11.bxc3 Qf8!? 12.e5 Qc5+ 13.Kh1 Ne4 14.f5 Kg8 15.f6 Nf2+ 16.Rxf2 Qxf2 17.Qd5+ Kh7 18.Qd3+ g6 19.Bxh6 Qf5 20.Qe3 Kg8 21.Bg7 Rh7 22.Qd4 Rxg7 23.fxg7 when Black has the advantage.

analysis diagram







10...Bxf4

Black returns the piece, but in a way that lets White grab the advantge.

11.Rxf4 Re8

Thinking of counter-attack, but the prudent 11...d6 was essential.

12.Qd5+ Re6 13.e5 c6 14.Qd4 Kg8

15.exf6 gxf6 16.Rg4+ Kh7

Now mate is inevitable, although 16...Kf7 17.Bxh6 did not hold any happiness, either.

17.Qd3+ Kh8 18.Bxh6

A bit faster was 18.Qg6.

18...Re7 19.Qg6 d6 20.Bg7+ Kg8 21.Bxf6+ Black resigned

Tournament Numbers

In the current Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament at ChessWorld, Daves111 continues to lead the pack with 17 wins out of 18 games, with 6 more games to finish.

In second place is DREWBEAR 63 with 14 wins in 16 games, followed by blackburne with 12 wins in 19 games.

Off the pace, but only because they have completed fewer games, are stampyshortlegs at 7 wins in 10 games and Crusader Rabbit with 6 wins in 10 games.

TWODOGS, at 4 wins in 4 games, and CheckmateKingTwo, with 2 wins in 2 games, continue as dark horses.

So far in this tournament the Jerome Gambit has scored 40% in 89 completed games.

This can be compared with data drawn from the updated New Year's Database, where 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ has scored 44% in 5,628 games. For the record, in the same database the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+, has scored 56% in 2,472 games; and the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 and 5.Bxf7+ has scored 57% in 3,106 games. 

Confundus!

My first Jerome Gambit with AirmanLeonidas (see "Stupefy!") was unusual enough that I thought another one was in order. When I had the chance, I challenged him.

perrypawnpusher - AirmanLeonidas
blitz, 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.

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

8...Nf3+

A very creative response, apart from the normal 8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6, and one that I've not seen before. I felt as if I'd been hit by a Confundus spell...

9.gxf3

Going with the "Jerome pawns," but not the best. After the game Rybka suggested: 9.Qxf3, since if 9...Bxd4 White can regain the pawn with 10.Nb5 Be5 11.Qb3+ d5 12.f4 Bd6 13.Nxd6+ Qxd6 14.e5 Qb6+ 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.exf6 gxf6 when Black may have a small edge if he can use his open lines.

analysis diagram






9...Bb4 10.Qd3 Bxc3 11.bxc3

Now I had more centralized pawns to play with.

11...Rf8 12.e5 Nh7

Thoughtless (Confundus!?); better was 12...Ne8. Now Black's game spirals quickly downward.

13.Qxh7 d6

14.Bxh6 Ke8 15.Qxg7

Good enough. Very strong was 15.Rae1

15...Rf7 16.Qg6

Again, good enough. Stronger was 16.Qg8+.

16...Bf5 17.Qg8+ Ke7 18.Bg5+ Black resigned

Stupefy!

"Kennedy Kid" Jon is home from Haiti and watching Harry Potter movies.

A "Stupefy!" spell might explain the following game.

perrypawnpusher  - AirmanLeonidas
blitz game 2 12, FICS, 2010


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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Kf8

Oddly enough, the updated New Year's Database, with over 18,650 games (and free for the asking), has only one example of this move – and none of Black's very reasonable next move.

Rybka recommends, instead, 7...Ke6 8.Qh3+ Ke7 9.Qc3 d6 10.d4 Bxd4 11.Qxd4 Nf6 12.f4 Nc6 13.Qc3 Rf8 14.b4 Kf7 15.Bb2 Kg8 16.b5 Ne7 when Black has a clear advantage.

8.Qxe5 Qe7

Also seen is 8...Bd6 9.Qd4 Qh4 10.g3 Qh5 11.Qe3 c6 12.d4 b6 13.e5 Bc7 14.f4 Ne7 15.Nc3 b5 16.Ne4 Bb7 17.Nc5 Bc8 18.f5 d6 19.Ne6+ Kg8 20.Nxc7 Nxf5 21.Qf4 Rb8 22.exd6 Bd7 23.Bd2 Rf8 24.Rae1 Kh7 25.Qe5 Qh3 26.Bf4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - LethHansen, blitz, FICS, 2009.

9.Qf4+ Nf6

Black's King does better to eacape with 9...Ke8. After 10.Nc3 c6 or 10...Bd6 the second player is still for choice. 

10.e5

Here I waited patiently as the clock moved on, for something like 10...d6 11.exf6 Qxf6 12.Qxf6 gxf6 when White has an edge: up a pawn, with better pawn structure, against the two Bishops.

Instead, Black resigned, right before his time ran out.

Endgame swindle

When you play the nefarious Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) you have to get your wins where you can find them. Sometimes it is in the opening, happily, against a stunned opponent. Sometimes it is in the middle game, catching an unprotected King. Sometimes it is in the endgame, if you are lucky...

perrypawnpusher - richardachatz
blitz, FICS, 2010

This is not my typical Jerome Gambit endgame. Black is ahead a piece and a pawn and probably has a checkmate in 25 moves or so.

Still, there is something quirky about the position – and if I "sell" just the right idea to my opponent, I might be able to make use of it to swindle him. After all, it is a blitz game, and the clock is ticking.

48.Kb7

Here's my story: White will capture Black's Queenside pawns, but it will be to no avail, as Black's Knight will keep the White a-pawn in check while his King captures my King Rook pawn and very closely shepherds his own pawn to the Queening square.

48...h5 49.Kxa7 h4 50.Kxb6 Nb2

At this point, if this were an over-the-board game, I would put on my most intense expression, bite my lip worriedly, stare intently at Black's h-pawn and begin to gallop my King over to the Kingside in a useless attempt to stop that passer...

51.Kc5 Kf4 52.Kd4 Kg3 53.Ke3 Kxh3 54.Kf3 Kh2 55.Kf2 h3 56.Kf1

Phooey! He got there first! But – careful! I might still win your pawn! I might blockade it, too! 

Of course, I didn't say any of that, or type any of that to my opponent. But I wouldn't be surprised if that's what richardachatz was thinking. Which is just what I wanted him to be thinking...

56...Kh1

Well, that certainly takes care of any plans that I might have had to get in front of the h-pawn. No blockade for me!

(Of course, there was the alternative 56...Kg3 57.Ke2 h2 58.Kd2 h1Q 59.Kc3 Qc1+ 60.Kd4 Kf4 61.Kd5 Qc7 62.a4 Nc4 63.a5 Ne5 64.a6 Qc6+ 65.Kd4 Qc4 checkmate.)

57.Kf2

57...h2

And that ends any chance that I could sneak up on the pawn from behind and capture it while it was unguarded!

(Of course, if Black played instead 57...Kh2 my King would have to give way, he could play 58...Kg3 and then he would have a checkmate in a dozen moves.) 

It takes a while for my opponent to realize it, but the position is now a dead draw: Black's King blockades his own pawn, and I will shuttle my King from f2-f1 and back, keeping him in that position. The Knight and my passed pawn are irrelevant (for now).

58.Kf1 Nc4 59.a4 Ne3+ 60.Kf2 Nd1+ 61.Kf1 Ne3+ 62.Kf2 Nd1+ 63.Kf1 Nc3 64.a5 Nd1 65.a6 Ne3+ 66.Kf2 Ng4+ 67.Kf1 Ne3+ 68.Kf2 Ng4+ 69.Kf1 Ne3+ 70.Kf2 Ng4+ 71.Kf1 Ne3+ Game drawn by repetition

Probably a good thing: my pawn was beginning to look dangerous...