Without Thinking

Dear Readers,

Look at the following diagram.

What move would you play for White?

If it takes more than 10 seconds to decide, read further...

perrypawnpusher - javipangea
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.O-O Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

As noted elsewhere, Black's best here is the "fork trick" 4...Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5. This equalizes for Black, but, as with many of the Jerome Gambit refutations, the game does not "play itself" from there, as one of my recent opponents discovered: 6.Bd3 (best) dxe4 7.Bxe4 Bg4 (interesting) 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.0-0 e4 10.Re1 Bc5 (huh?) 11.Rxe4+ Black resigned (a bit early, but perhaps disappointed in the game), perrypawnpusher - NN, blitz, FICS, 2011.

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Nc6

10.Qd3

Twice before I played, instead, 11.Qc4+, but was not happy with the results: perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 26) and perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 19).

I chose the objectively weaker text because I was feeling lucky... (As they warn in those television commercials: Closed course. Professional Driver. Do not attempt.)

10...Nb4

Played without much thought, attacking the Queen – and returning a piece.

11.Qc4+ Nfd5

Unnecessarily generous. After 11...d5 12.Qxb4 dxe4 White would be only a pawn up.

12.exd5 Nxc2

And so we have the position given in the introductory diagram. Material is even, but Black's Knight is threatening White's Rook. More to the point, though, White's Queen is threatening Black's King.

What to move?

13.d6+


Of course.

Not only does White open a line to the enemy King, more importantly he blocks Black's d-pawn, which in turn block's Black's Bishop, which in turn block's Black's Rook...

13...Kf8 14.Rb1

Boooooooo!

The move, saving the Rook, is of course just fine.

However, White's 13th move begs to be followed by the thematic 14.Nd5. Unless Black moves his Knight, he will lose it, yet 14...Nxa1 allows White to mate: 15.Qf4+ Qf6 (15... Ke8 16. Re1+ Qe7 17. Rxe7+ Kd8 18. dxc7#; 15...Kg8 16.Ne7+ Qxe7 17.dxe7 d5 18.e8=Q+ Kh7 19.Qef7 h5 20.Qh6#) 16.Nxf6 gxf6 17.Qxf6+ Kg8 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.Re1 Nc2 20.Re8 checkmate.

Readers with sharp tactical skills probably found 13.d6+ and 14.Nd5 in under 10 seconds.

14...cxd6 15.Ne4 d5 16.Qxd5 Nb4

That pesky Knight is escaping!

17.Qf5+

After the game Rybka suggested the "simple" 17.Qc5+ Kg8  18.Qxb4, collecting the Knight. Was it really that easy?

What about 17...Qe7, blocking the check and protecting the Knight?

Well, it turns out that White can answer with 18.Nd6 (you probably saw that coming) and then answer 18...Na6 with 19.Qd4.

analysis diagram









I was fascinated to see that Rybka rates this position about four and a half pawns better for White. Think about it: material is even and White has one more piece developed than Black (if you count the Rook at f1, but not the Rook at b1). None of Black's pieces are hanging.

What will happen? White will put his Bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal with either Bc1-d2-c3 or b2-b3 & Bc1-b2 and then he will move a Rook to e1. Eventually something will shake loose...

In an 8-game "shootout" match from this position between Rybka 3 Dynamic and Rybka 3 Human, White won all of the games. Likewise, in a "shootout" between Rybka 3 and Houdini 1.5a.  

17...Qf6

A slip. Sometimes it seems that defending against the Jerome Gambit isn't worth my opponents' full attentions.

Of course, after the much better 17...Kg8 White again has 18.Nd6. Understanding that position, as with the earlier one, will open a few more doors in the mystery that is chess.

18.Nxf6 gxf6 19.Qxf6+ Black resigned.

Psychology Rather Than Chessology

Not long after assembling "BSG Talk: Hmmmm..." I ran into the following game which touches on the same theme.


xcaliberpeng - wowgirl
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Ke7

More "Jedi Mind Tricks"? Is the Declined becoming more accepted? Or is this in the spirit of the "Anti-Bill Wall Gambit", that If-you-want-me-to-take-the-Bishop-then-I-won't-take-the-Bishop? In any case, the explanation for the move can more likely be found in psychology rather than chessology.

5.Nxd4 exd4 6.Qh5

Exchanging Knights on the 5th move was a good way to deal with Black's declining the Bishop, but now it is time for White to deal with the Bishop himself. Either 6.Bb3, 6.Bc4 or 6.Bxg8 preserve White's advantage (extra pawn, safer King, easier development).

The text does not.

6...Nf6

The fly in the ointment.

White can now try 7.Qc5+ Kxf7 8.Qxd4 and have two pawns for his sacrificed piece, but his attacking chances have been dulled by Black's Knight on f6.

Instead, White seems to whip up a "mind trick" of his own. In blitz chess, that is relatively easy to do.

7.Qg5 Kxf7 8.e5

Black's King has escaped the pin on his Knight, but the Queen has not. But – wait a minute – Black has a pin of his own that he can use.

8...Nd5

Ouch!

After 8...Qe7 first, then 9.0-0 Nd5 the Knight would have escaped. Now the Queen falls.

9.Qxd8 Nf4 10.0-0 Ne2+ 11.Kh1 Rg8 12.Qxc7 b6 13.Qc4+ Black resigned

Further on Down the Broken Path

The last time I took a look at this Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit line (see "Pathbreaking") I pulled together some information that would be helpful for both Black and White, if they chose to wander further down the path. As the following game shows, it is important to either pay attention to the road signs or have a good GPS available

HJBUCK - fastglass

blitz, FICS, 2011

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

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.f4

"Common, but perhaps not best."

6...Bd6

"An odd sideline that puts Black at great risk."

7.Qg4+

This is why: "Next time White can come armed with 7.Qg4+..."

7...Ke7 8.Qg5+

Ooops.

The path was 8.Qxg7+ Ke8 9.Qf7 checkmate.

8...Nf6

Also driving into the rough.

With 8...Ke8 Black could have defended and shown that his threats were an equal to White's (which means, being a piece up, Black would be better): 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.Nf7+ Ke7 11.Nxh8 Nxc2+ 12.Kd1 Nxa1.

HJBUCK didn't need a second invitation.

9.Qxg7+ Ke8 10.Qf7 checkmate

This line should join the one in "Instant Victory" in the bag of tricks that anyone who plays the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. 



Serious About Silliness

I have been watching the early movies of the Marx Brothers, and I have to say that they are pretty serious about their silliness. In a similar way (except for my glaring lack of talent) I can be rather serious about the silliness that is the Jerome Gambit (and its relatives). 

Fortunately, not everyone is.

HauntedKnight  - sarahdaniel
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

The good old Jerome Gambit. I've researched its history, analyzed its lines, annotated games and gathered a large database.

As Chico might say, "Why a duck?"

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6

This unusual defense seems to be borrowed from the "fork trick".

The Database has 41 games with this line. White scores 61%.

7.dxe5 Bxe5 8.Qh5+

This is the strongest line for White. It is interesting to note, however, that in the 24 games with 8.Qh5+ in The Database, White has scored 54%.

Yes, that's right: the best move scored worse than the lesser alternatives.

8...Ke6 9.Qf5+

Again, this is the strongest continuation of the attack for White; yet it appeared in less than 1/4 of the games in the 6...Bd6 line: 10. In those, White scored only 50%, a result less succesful than that of the worse alternative moves combined.

Happily for HauntedKnight his opponent now responded with

9...Resigns. 

Other games from The Database continued. We will look at them, too.

9...Kd6

10.Na3

This is White's strongest move, planning a Knight fork to the enemy King and Bishop, with check, winning a piece. It is not easily met, but after 10...Bf6 11.e5+ Ke7 12.exf6+ Nxf6 13.Bg5 d5 14.Bxf6+ gxf6 15.Qf3 followed by 0-0 or 0-0-0 White will have equalized in material while having the better pawn structure and safer King.

analysis diagram








Instead of the text, 10.f4 is very Jerome-ish. With 10...Bf6 Black can return the piece (i.e. 11.e5+) for an even game. The contest wzeller - bourgas, FICS, 2005 instead entered the world of "optical illusions" with 10...Qf6 11.fxe5+ Qxe5+ 12.Bf4 and White won (1-0, 62).

10.Nc3 is not dangerous enough, although White won against 10...a6 in jfhumphrey - jrhicksdotnet, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 14). The better defense 10...Qf6 brought Black victory in jfhumphrey-biryuk, FICS, 2010 (0-1,65) and duanezz - pawelek, FICS, 2005 (0-1, 38).

Likewise, 10.0-0 also falls to 10...Qf6 but not as often as expected. White's plan is to continue his attack on the King with 11.Rd1+, and after 11...Ke7 12.Bg5 he was successful ("optical illusions" again!) twice: EvanJunior - BeNumberOne, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 22) and AGRPlayer - trebbor, FIC, 2010 (1-0, 19). However, Black's King should escape the Rook check to fresh air with 11...Kc6 instead and then White cannot conjure up either an attack or a recovery of material, as seen in carlkrull - bodensee, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 28).

10.b3 contains a great little trap – if Black now takes the Rook with 10...Bxa1 he is checkmated after 11.Ba3+ c5 12.Qxc5+ Ke6 13.Qf5# – but the proper response, 10...Qf6 White could not escape in ljar - Castled, FICS, 2006 (0-1, 39)

10...Qf6

Not the strongest response, as indicated in the note to 10.Na3, but certainly one that White can expect to see.

11.Nc4+ Ke7

Falling in with his opponent's plan too quickly. He should have at least tried 11...Kc5, since after 12.Nxe5 Qxf5 13.exf5 White's advantage is only a doubled pawn. After the better 12.Qxe5+, however, Black needs to cooperate with 12...Qxe5 13.Nxe5, as the obstreperous 12...Kxc4 – which may have been Black's intent – falls to chekmate after 13.b3+ Kb4 14.c3#.

12.Qxe5+ Qxe5 13.Nxe5 d6

White is a safe pawn up in a quiet position.

However, in the Jerome Gambit "safe" and "quiet" are relative terms, and Black eventually won in noatun - Papaflesas, FICS, 2008 (0-1, 48)...

(By the way, all of the games mentioned here are available in The Database – just email me and ask.)




graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the WizardofDraws

It's hard to know...

It's hard to know what progress, if any, the following game shows for my recent play. Several times when things were getting interesting, the bottom dropped out of my opponent's play...

Of course, it was nothing like our first game.


perrypawnpusher - VGxdys
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

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

8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 N8e7

11.f4

I have had similar positions coming out of the regular Jerome Gambit line (i.e. no ...h6, not yet 0-0) and it is clear that White benefits here from the Semi-Italian move order.

11...Qd7

A bit puzzling: I really don't know what this move was about. Black can't afford to throw tempi about. Instead, perrypawnpusher - apinheiro, blitz, FICS, 2011, continued 11...Rf8 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 14.Qg3 Rg8 (1-0, 25)

12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4

14.Qe2

Grabbing a tempo by attacking the Knight, while staying on the e-file with the enemy King (and off the d-file with the enemy Queen). After the game Rybka expressed a preference for 14.Qg3.

14...b5 15.b3

Another kick at the Knight, while preparing to put my Bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal (a plan that I subsequently dropped).

An alternate idea was to undermine Black's Knight with 15.a4. It looks like after the consistent liquidation 15...d5 16.axb5 Nd6 17.Nc3 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Qxe4 Qd5 20.Qxd5 Nxd5 21.c4 Nf6 
White's 3 pawns balance out Black's Knight.

analysis diagram









15... Ba6

A strange oversight. Retreating the Knight to b6 was the move.

16.bxc4 bxc4 17.Nc3 Rf8

The nice thing for Black about the Jerome Gambit is that he can often drop a piece, and still have a tolerable game.

Here, White is better (up a pawn, more center control, safer King) but the game is far from over. My plan was to break through with e4-e5, but only after I had made sure that I could do so safely and with proper development.

18.Ba3

Linking my Rooks and targetting e7 and f8.

18...Kd8 19. g4 Nc6 20. Rad1

20...g5 21.e5 Nxd4

Again, incomprehensible.

22.Rxd4 h5

A spirited notion: how about some counterplay on the h-file?

23.h3

This was an I-don't-want-to-think-about-it-right-now move. Too bad I missed 23.Bxd6.

23...hxg4

24...Qh7

Planning to back the Queen up with ...Rh8 if he gets a chance.

He doesn't.

25.exd6 Kc8

If, instead, 25...c5, one of the few moves that does not lead directly to checkmate, I had 26.Qe7+, ending all counterplay and winning the exchange as well with 26...Qxe7 27.dxe7+ Kxe7 28.Bxc5+

Now it all tumbles to an end.

26.d7+ Kb8 27.d8=Q+ Rxd8 28.Rxd8+ Kb7 29.Qe4+ c6 30.Rxa8 Kxa8 31.Qxc6+ Bb7 32.Qe8+ Black resigned

A Tale of Two Pawns

I really like this game, but I have to admit that my attack was made possible by my opponent keeping his d-pawn un-moved for too long. After the game, Houdini and Rybka also criticized me for leaving my f-pawn still – true, but when I pushed it, things really started to move!


perrypawnpusher - Frele
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

The Semi-Itlian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Re8

One of a number of "okay" defenses in this line (solid strategic idea, keeps Black's advantage) that still are not "best". Black develops his Rook and prepares to castle-by-hand.

9.dxc5 Kg8

Black immediately went after the forward White c-pawn with 9...b6 in  perrypawnpusher - catri, blitz, FICS, 2010 (½-½, 42) and with 9...d6 in perrypawnpusher - louarn, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 49).


10.f4 Nc6


This retreat seems okay to me, but after the game Houdini preferred 10...Nf7. The advance 10...Nc4 proved unfortunate after 11.e5 Nh7 12.Qd5+ Kh8 13.Qxc4 in Wall - Santiago, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).


11.e5 Nh7 12.Qd5+

I admit that I was mostly looking for the cheapo 12...Re6? 13.f5 with this move; but the check does little harm.

12...Kh8

White has locked down Black's d-pawn, and that is why most of Houdini's post mortem suggestions for the second player included playing ...d7-d6, anyway, even if it required temporarily sacrificing a pawn. Black cannot afford to play the game without his Queen Bishop and Queen Rook.

13.Bd2 Ne7

While Houdini holds that this still gives Black an edge, it prefers 13...d6 14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Qxd6 Qxd6 16.exd6 Bf5 17.Nd5 Rad8 18.Rfe1 Nf6 19.Nxf6 Rxe1+ 20.Bxe1 gxf6 21.Rd1 Bxc2 when Black's extra piece outweighs White's two pawns.

analysis diagram







14.Qd3 Rf8


The recommendation was still 14...d6.


15.f5 Nc6

The loss of time with this Knight gives White tactical chances.

Still, against both 15...b6 and 15...d6 White now has 16.f6!? with an even game, maybe a bit more.

16.Rae1

Houdini suggested, instead, 16.f6 – a move that I was preparing, something that I didn't want (like in earlier games) to rush into.

Its analysis shows White taking advantage of a lead in development and the available tactical nuances – to achieve a winning endgame: 16...gxf6 (here, the computer dismissed the pawn grab that attacks my Queen, 16...Nxe5, with 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Qg3+ Ng6 19.Nd5 vacating c3 for the dark-squared Bishop Ng5 20.Bc3+ Kg8 21.Qd3 Nh4 22.Kh1 Ne6 23.Bf6 Qe8 24.Ne7+ Wow) 17.exf6 d6 18.Nd5 Be6 19.Bxh6 (the real reason behind 16.f5-f6) Rf7 20.Rad1 Qd7 21.Bg7+ Rxg7 22.fxg7+ Qxg7 23.cxd6 cxd6 24.Nf4 Rg8 25.Rd2 Bg4 26.h3 Ne5 27.Qc3 Bc8 28.Rxd6 Ng5 29.Ng6+ Nxg6 30.Rxg6 Qxc3 31.Rxg8+ Kxg8 32.bxc3.

analysis diagram








Um... sure... right...

Okay, I guess that proves I'm not a computer... Back to the game.

16...Ng5

My opponent hurries to reposition his Knight at f7, for defensive purposes.

You can imagine that Houdini, as a computer, was doubly horrified: Black doesn't play the necessary 16...d6 (leading to only a slight edge for White) and his move allows for the killer 17.f6.

(Silicon Dude! This is a blitz game between two club players! Relax!)

17.Nd5

Of course, everyone saw that 17.f6 again forced a winning endgame, right? After 17...gxf6 18.exf6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6 Qxf6 20.Re8+ Kg7 21.Nd5 Qd4+ 22.Qxd4+ Nxd4 23.Nxc7 Rb8 24.Bc3 Kf7 25.Bxd4 Ne6 26.Be5 Nxc7 27.Rh8 Ra8 28.Bxc7 Kg7 and there you have it...

17...Nf7 18.Bf4

Protecting the e-pawn so that I can play f5-f6, but this was unnecessary, as after 18.f6 Nfxe5 19.fxg7+ Kxg7 20.Qg3+ White's attack would be strong.

18...Re8 19.f6

If it could sigh, I sure that Houdini did when I finally played this move.

19...gxf6


After the proper defense 19...Rg8 White can apply pressure with 20.Qg6 although after 20...Qf8 it would take another tactical mele, starting with 21.Nxc7 to demonstrate my advantage (eventually finding my way to an ending where my Rook and several pawns outweights Black's two extra Knights).

Sometimes it feels that if it were not for mistakes, chess would be too hard.


20.Nxf6

The correct recapture. My 17th move not only kept Black's Queen at home with the threat of Nxc7, it also strongly supported the (eventual) advance f5-f6. Now White's pieces will swarm the Kingside.

20...Kg7 21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.Bxh6+ Ke7 23.Nd5+ Ke6 24.Nf4+


A little nervousness, missing the mate in one, but it did not get away, and I saw it the second time around. 


24...Ke7 25.Ng6+ Ke6 26.Qxf7 checkmate