Instant Victory

I've been looking at the latest games downloaded from the FICS games database and have found some interesting examples. Today we examine three games featuring a line that should scream "instant victory!" to White and save him time calculating variations.

jandewit - foduck
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

There has been much discussion about this defense on the blog. A good peek can be found here.

6.Qh5+ Ke7

The game has barely started, but this move signals The End. (Black needed to try 6...g6, with even chances.)

It is disappointing to consult the updated New Year's Database and see that there are 155 games with this position, with White scoring only 66%.

Attention class, look closely!

7.Qf7+

The recent game HJBUCK - MischaMaisky, FICS, 2010, continued 7.d3 d6 8.Bg5+ Nf6 9.Qf7 checkmate. 

The outcome is fine for White, but 7...Qe8 would have defended for Black. Also, White could have checkmated a move sooner than he did.

7...Kd6

The updated New Year's Database has 80 games with this position. Amazingly, White lost 15 of them. Perhaps the fact that most were either blitz or lightning games factored in.

8.Nc4+

nanebe - MischaMaisky, FICS, 2010, continued 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Qxd4 Two pawns down, Black resigned.

8...Kc6 9.Qd5 checkmate

(By the way, don't feel too bad for MischaMaisky, who lost two of the above games. He played two Blackburne Shilling Gambits against HJBuck on the same day, choosing 5...Ke6 in the other game and checkmating his opponent in 28 moves.)

Alternate Universe

Readers may need a small reminder to recall Mr. David Black, who, a couple of seasons ago, shared one of his blitz games after he had entered "the Jerome gambits alternate universe."

Here is a recent over-the-board game that David supplied, noting 

For some reason in my last league match when presented with a chance to play it I couldn't resist! Despite the result of the game I'm hoping this isn't a trend.

I can understand Mr. Black's hesitation at the thought of playing the Jerome Gambit regularly in league play: he seems like a nice guy, he probably feels that embarassing one opponent is quite enough... 

Black,D - Plumb,M
Portsmouth A vs Chichester B, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

The Sorensen Variation (see "Jerome Gambit Nomenclature")

6.Qh5

The Banks Variation, named after Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks ("blackburne") and discussed by IM Gary Lane in his "Opening Lanes" columns at the Chess Cafe and in his book The Greatest Ever Chess Tricks and Traps . It offers a transposition to the 5.Nxe5 lines.

6...Qf6

Consistent with the early game Banks - Rees, Wolverhampton Summer League, 2003, but 6...Qe7 is likely stronger.

7.Nxd7+ Bxd7 8.Qxc5+ Qe7

White has three pawns for his sacrificed piece. He needs to tend to his development.

Black has a piece for his three pawns. He needs to tend to his King safety.

9.Qe3 Nf6 10.d3

White plans the pawn formation d3 + e4 + f4. He could also have tried d4 + e4 + f3.

10...Kf7 11.f4 Rhe8 12.h3

A useful move, both to keep enemy pieces off of g4 and as a prelude to g2-g4.

It seems odd to point out that what Black really needs is a pawn move like d7-d4, to confront the "Jerome pawns" – but Black no longer has that option.

12...Nb4 13.Na3 c5 14.Bd2 Nc6 15.g4 h6 16.0-0-0 a6

17.Rdf1 Kg8 18.Nc4 b5 19.Nb6 Rab8 20.Nxd7 Nxd7 21.h4

It looks like White has equalized, and has the initiative.

21...Nd4 22.g5 h5 23.c3 Nc6 24.f5 Nce5 25.f6

Relentless.

25...gxf6 26.gxf6 Nxf6 27.Qg5+

With the pawn sac, the walls of Black's fortress have been breached.

27...Kf7 28.Qxh5+ Ke6 29.Qf5+ Kf7 30.Bg5

30...Rb6 31.Kc2 Rd6 32.Rh3 Qe6 33.Qh7+ Black resigned

Looking Toward the New Year

On the first day of 2010 I offered interested Readers 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 "Happy New Year!") – over 17,000 games, at that time. 

I have updated the file over the year. It is still available for free – just email me: richardfkennedy@hotmail.com.

On January 1, 2011, I will add games with the move order 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5 4.Bxf7+ (variation so far unnamed) to the database (which I will start referring to as "The Database".)

This seems like a logical expansion, as in this line of play Black tries with his third move to avoid a possible Jerome Gambit, only to face the Bishop sacrifice anyhow. White's chances are similar to those in the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. (Of course, White can also simply play 4.Nxe5 with advantage.)

The database will then contain about 22,222 games, which seems fitting for its second version.

(By the way, today marks the 900th consecutive post to this blog. The Jerome Gambit and its variants have not gone away, and neither have I.)

It's Not A Blunder If It Doesn't Get Refuted

I was feeling pretty good about the following game until I played it over and almost choked on the winning 21st move. I wonder if my opponent had the same experience? Oh, well, strange things happen in blitz...

perrypawnpusher  - dkahnd
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

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

My opponent and I have met a couple of times before. Once he chose 6...Kf8 (1-0, 20) perrypawnpusher - dkahnd, blitz, FICS, 2010.

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.0-0

There are 48 games with this position in the updated New Year's Database. White has scored 66%, but it has caused me my share of headaches.

10...Rf8 11.f4

Here 11...Ng4 12.Qg3 looks critical.

MRBarupal beat me with 12...Qh4 (perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal, blitz, FICS, 2010 [0-1, 47]) while I was able to hold jgknight to a draw in that line (perrypawnpusher - jgknight, blitz, FICS, 2010 [½-½, 58]).

Less effective was 12...h5 (perrypawnpusher - lorecai, blitz, FICS, 2010, [1-0,47]).

Strongest may be 12...Qf6, which was reached by transposition (10.f4 Ng4 11.Qg3 Rf8 12.0-0 Qf6) in perrypawnpusher - dkahnd, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 37).

11...Rf7

11...Kd7 was perhaps a bit too risky in perrypawnpusher - blackburne, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld, 2008 (1-0, 38)

12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Neg4

Certainly tempting, given the above lines, but 13...Nc6 might be better.

14.Qf3 Re7

15.h3 Rxe4

The play is heating up. Black did not like the looks of 15...Nh6 16.Bxh6 gxh6, so he pushes ahead.

16.hxg4

After the game Rybka offered 16.Bg5 Rxd4 17.hxg4 as a bit better.

16...Rxg4 17.Re1+ Kf8 18.Nc3

A reasonable pawn sacrifice to focus on development to further the attack.

18...Rxd4 19.Bg5 Bd7 20.Qe3

More in line with the position was repositioning the Knight with 20.Ne2 Rc4 21.Nf4 giving an edge to White.

20...c5 21.Nd5

Wow.

If we had eggs, we could have ham an eggs – if we had ham.

Readers can probably see that 21.Rad1 keeps the game even.

21...Rg4

Double Wow.

Now Black goes down in flames.

22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.Qh6+ Rg7 24.Re7

24...Qxe7 25.Nxe7 Re8 26.Re1 Rexe7 27.Rxe7 Kxe7 28.Qxg7+ Kd8 29.Qxf6+ Kc7 30.Qe7 Black resigned

A Trip to the Dark Side

When I'm in a Jerome Gambit mood at FICS I want to play White, so I take my turns with Black at a quicker time control like 3 0 – probably too fast for me – to get back to a chance for my favorite opening as soon as possible.

In the following game, however, I noticed that my opponent was fmarius, who I recall has a gazillion games in the updated New Years Database (okay, about 130), so I decided to see if he wanted to play the Jerome against me.

fmarius - perrypawnpusher
blitz 3 0, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4

That's right, he also likes to go into the Jerome out of the Italian-Gambit-turned-Scotch-Gambit (as well as the regular Jerome Gambit move order)...

Yes, he'll also play 4.Bxf7+ against your Blackburne Shilling Gambit, too.

In fact, he'll play it against the Semi-Italian Opening, not even waiting for ...Bc5.

4...exd4 5.c3 dxc3 6.Bxf7+

6...Kxf7 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5

Oddly, Fritz8 recommends the intermediary 8.Qh5+, seeing the position after 8...g6 9.Qxc5 cxb2 10.Bxb2 as even. I am sure that fmarius would have been thrilled with that position, though, with the white pieces.

8...d6

I had no interest in 8...cxb2 9.Bxb2 Nf6 10.0-0 d6

9.Qxc3 Nf6 10.0-0 Bg4

White has an edge here, but I noticed that my opponent was going through his time even faster than I was. I figured that if I gave him a few more things to think about, that problem might only get worse. 

11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.e5 dxe5

I think he was expecting ...Nxe5, so this elicited more thought.

14.Nbd2 Rd8 15.Rae1 Kd7

Queenside castling-by-hand. Probably not best, but safest; and something to do as the clocks tick.

16.Nxe5+ Nxe5

17.Qd4+

Time pressure slip. Instead, 17.Rxe5 kept White's edge.

17...Kc8 18.Rxe5 Rxd4

In lost position, White forfeited on time

White was better most of the game. I am not sure that I am ready to face fmarius and his Jerome repertoire at a slower time control

Declined Becoming More Accepted??

I peeked in on a blackburne game at ChessWorld.net the other day, and was surprised to see his opponent respond to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) by declining the sacrificed Bishop.

While this is well in line with a recent game of mine (see "Here's My Plan...") as well as all of the "Jedi Mind Tricks" that I have been observing in the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+), where Black also declines the Bishop, it can hardly be called more than a psychological ploy.

It is as if Black declined being given "Jerome Gambit odds" and offered, instead, odds of "pawn and two moves" himself!

Watchwords for White in such cases must be: The price of victory is eternal vigilance...

blackburne - Talwhu
Chess.com, 11.2010

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

4...Kf8

A hint from the updated New Year's Database: If Black is going to decline the Bishop, this is probably how he should do it. In 161 games, White scored only 54% as opposed to when Black played 4...Ke7, when, out of 26 games, White scored 71%.

5.Bb3 Nf6

Instead, perrypawnpusher - ibeje, blitz, FICS, 2010 continued in exciting fashion with 5...h6 6.Nxe5 Nxe5 7.d4 Qh4  although I blundered in the endgame and lost (0-1, 46). 

6.Nc3 d6 7.d3 Bg4

blackburne had an earlier battle with some similar themes: 7...Bd4 8.Bg5 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 h6 10.Be3 Bg4 11.0-0 Qe7 12.h3 Bh5 13.Kh2 a5 14.a4 Nd7 15.Qd2 Bxf3 16.gxf3 Nf6 17.Rg1 Rd8 18.Rg2 g5 19.Rag1 d5 20.Bxg5 hxg5 21.Rxg5 Rd7 22.Rg7 Qd6 23.R7g6 Ne7 24.Rg7 Rh7 25.Rxh7 Nxh7 26.exd5 Nxd5 27.Bxd5 Qxd5 28.Qh6+ Ke8 29.Rg7 Rxg7 30.Qxg7 Nf8 31.Qxc7 Ng6 32.Qc8+ Kf7 33.Qc7+ Kf6 34.Qb6+ Kf5 35.Qe3 Nh4 36.Qe4+ Qxe4 37.fxe4+ Ke6 38.Kg3 Ng6 39.c4 b6 40.c3 Nf4 41.d4 Nd3 42.h4 exd4 43.cxd4 Nb4 44.Kf4 Na6 45.d5+ Kd6 46.h5 Nc7 47.h6 Black resigned, blackburne - BrainFreeze, Chessworld.net, 2008.

8.Bg5 Nd4

This move should fail due to the tactical shot 9.Nxd4, as 9...Bxd1 is well answered by 10.Ne6+ Ke7 11.Nxd8 Bxc2 12.Nxb7 Bxb3 13.Nxc5 Bf7 14.Na6 when White remains a piece up.

9.0-0

9...Nxf3+ 10.gxf3 Bh3 11.Re1

This move seems okay to me, but Rybka was uncomfortable enough with it to suggest instead an exchange sacrifice: 11.f4 Bxf1 12.Qxf1 even giving White an edge after 12...Qd7 13.f5 c6 14.Be6 Qe8.

11...h6 12.Bxf6

It seems risky to invite the enemy Queen to join the party.

Rybka suggests 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.fxe3. Blackburne may have been wary of a further 13...Nxe4, as 14.fxe4? (or 14.dxe4?) loses quickly to 14...Qg5+. Still, 14.Nxe4 would provide a defense, e.g. 14...d5 15.Ng3 h5 16.f4, covering the critical g5 square.

12...Qxf6

13.Re3

Again, jettisoning the exchange with 13.Kh1 Bxf2 14.Rf1 Bxf1 15.Nd5!? was probably the best way to get some counterplay, even thought Black would have an edge in the resulting position. 

13...Qg5+ White resigned

The Threat Is Mightier Than Its Execution

I'm well aware that some players are uneasy when being attacked, across-the-board, even when they are facing a refuted, disrespected opening like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). All-in-all, they'd really rather not...

Still, I think that my opponent's resignation in the following game was a bit premature.

perrypawnpusher - VGxdys
blitz, FICS, 2009

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3

Black resigned