1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ...and related lines
(risky/nonrisky lines, tactics & psychology for fast, exciting play)
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Complications, Anyone?
You might not be a fan of the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, and you might not be a fan of the Jerome Gambit, but you would have to be a pretty jaded chess player not to appreciate the complications stirred up in the following game.
richiehill - fidotopdog
standard game, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6
6.c3 d6
Recently looked at on this blog: see perrypawnpusher - ozypawnstar, blitz, FICS, 2010.
7.Qg4+
Reviving and older line and introducing further complications.
7...Ke7
Capturing the Knight with 7...Kxe5 is only asking for trouble, although if Black has his wits about him he can still draw.
White can split the point after that with 8.f4+ Kxe4 (8...Kf6 costs Black his queen after 9.Qh4+ Kf7 10.Qxd8 but he can limp on with a worse position after 10...Nc2+ 11.Kf2 Nxa1) 9.f5+ Kd5 (or 9...Ke5 10.cxd4+ and White is better; or 9...Kd3 10.Qxd4+ Kc2 11.Na3#) 10.Qxd4+ Kc6 11.Qc4+ Kd7 12.Qe6+ Kc6 13.Qc4+ draw by repetition, as White has nothing better.
White has tried for more after 7...Kxe5 with 8.cxd4+ and gotten lucky after both 8...Kf6 9.Qh4+ Kf7 (9...g5 was necessary to keep the game even) 10.Qxd8 Be7 11.Qxc7 Nf6 Black resigned, Jeopar - InduMMS, FICS, 2009;
and 8...Kxd4 9.Qe2 (9.Qf3 is unclear) 9...Nf6 10.d3 (better 10.Nc3 Ke5 11.f4+) 10...Ke5 11.f4+ Ke6 12.d4 Kf7 when Black was better, but White won in 26 moves in SynapticGap - osmann, FICS, 2006.
It is easy to see why fidotopdog retreated his King in this game!
8.Qg5+ Nf6
This looks natural, but Black would have done better exchanging Queens, i.e. 8...Ke8 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8. He probably avoided this line because of 10.Nf7+ Ke8 11.Nxh8, but his position would have been better after the reciprocal 11...Nc2+ 12.Kd1 Nxa1. That kind of thing is easier to see after the game.
9.cxd4 dxe5
10.Qxe5+
Choosing to win the Bishop rather than the Knight, but this takes some cooperation. Better was the straight-forward 10.dxe5, when 10...Qd3!? 11.exf6+ gxf6 12.Qf4 would give White the edge.
10...Be6
Falling in with White's plan. Instead, 10...Kf7 leads to a position where Black has a piece for three pawns. richiehill might have been happy with that, but "objectively" Black would have been better.
11.d5 Ng4
A panic-induced attack on the enemy Queen.
As often happens in the Jerome Gambit family of games, there comes a time for Black to return his extra piece for some pawns. After 11...Nxd5 12.exd5 Qxd5 White can try the scary-looking 13.Qxc7+ to go two pawns up, but 13...Kf6, preparing ...Bd6 (the power of the two Bishops), shows Black's better development to good advantage. After 14.Qf4+ Qf5 15.d4 Bb4+ 16.Nc3 Rac8 White's best might well be to return a pawn with 17.0-0 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Rxc3 when the impact of the first player's extra pawn may not be very much.
12.Qxe6 checkmate
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Delayed Jerome Gambit
Here's the latest "Delayed Jerome Gambit" from Bill Wall.
An execution delayed is still an execution.
Wall,B - Santiago,D
Chess.com, 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, or the Delayed Jerome Gambit, if you will.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Re8?!
Not exactly new, and not exactly bad, but not exactly best, either.
9.dxc5 Kg8?!
Completing the castling-by-hand.
10.f4 Nc4
Certainly there was nothing wrong with 10...Nf7 or 10...Nc6. Mr. Santiago seems destined to reaffirm the belief: "You can play anything against the Jerome Gambit (if you are willing to risk a loss)."
11.e5 Nh7
Now the other horse wobbles.
It was probably time to give the piece back for a couple of pawns with 11...Nxe5 12.fxe5 Rxe5, although White is better after 13.Qd3, for example 13...Rxc5 14.Bxh6.
12.Qd5+ Kh8 13.Qxc4 b6
14.Nd5 bxc5 15.Qxc5 c6 16.Nb4 a5 17.Nd3 Nf8 18.f5
Those annoying "Jerome pawns" are putting a cramp in Black's game.
18...Ba6 19.c4 Rb8 20.b3 d5 21.exd6 Nd7 22.Qxc6 Bb7 23.Qc7 Qf6
24.Qxd7 Qxa1 25.Bb2 Qxf1+ 26.Kxf1 Rg8 27.Qe6 Rbe8 28.Qxh6 checkmate
Friday, November 26, 2010
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
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.)
Thursday, November 25, 2010
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
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
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
Labels:
Banks,
Chess Cafe,
Jerome Gambit,
Lane,
Plumb,
Rees
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
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.)
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.)
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
It's Not A Blunder If It Doesn't Get Refuted

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
Monday, November 22, 2010
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
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
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