Today marks the third "birthday" of this blog, where I have posted daily since the beginning.
Readers have stopped in from around the world, from over 100 different countries according to Google Analytics. So far, no one from North Korea has checked in, but they have from Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Libya, Lituania, Luxembourg, Macedonia [FYROM], Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela and Vietnam.
Many players have shared their games and analyses, and I want to express a special "thank you" to them.
The Database, containing Jerome Gambit games and those with related openings, has grown to over 27,500 games.
Looking forward: When I first started posting on this blog, I did not have any of my own examples of the Jerome Gambit to share, as it seemed too risky an opening for me to play. I finally started offering the Gambit, tentatively, and then played it more and more, as I found out that, whatever its "objective" worth, I scored over 80% in my games.
My most recent 10 games (three losses, two draws, five lucky wins) have convinced me that in our current relationship, curiously enough, the Jerome Gambit and I have traded places.
In each game, the opening (in cooperation with my opponent, of course) has offered me many opportunities for exciting, dynamic, winning play – even as I have been slowly increasing the level of strength of my opponents – and the failures have been my own, usually tactical ineptitude.
Far from the Jerome Gambit letting me down in our games, I have let it down. My goal for this coming year is to play up to its expectations, by sharpening my play to match the adventures of 4.Bxf7+.
Thanks to the efforts of chessfriend Julio Alberto González, who has been following this blog, selected posts from jeromegambit.blogspot.com are now available in Spanish at his website, http://www.notichess.com.ar/.
Fantástico!
Y gracias, mi amigo
The title of this post was pronounced in the November, 1874 Dubuque Chess Journal about a move that transposed a game into a Jerome Gambit. It applies to Black's 7th move in the following game – which we have seen before, but should examine again.
MrJoker - Melbourne
blitz, 2 12, Internet Chess Club, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Nd3+
Ahhh... The joys of being two pieces ahead! There are so many ways for Black to return material.
Jerome Gambiteers should pay attention, as this admittedly unpopular move, nonetheless, leaves Black better.
8.cxd3
Take the Knight. Luke Warm - eddie43, Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament, ChessWorld, 2010 continued instead 8.Kd1 Nf2+ 9.Ke2 Nxh1 10.Qe5+ Kf7 11.Qd5+ Ke8 12.Qxc5 d6 13.Qd4 Nf6 14.d3 Qd7 15.f5 Qf7 16.Nc3 Qh5+ 17.Kf1 Qxh2 18.Qg1 Ng3+ 19.Kf2 Ng4+ 20.Kf3 Qxg1 21.Kxg3 h5 22.Ne2 Qf2+ 23.Kh3 Qxe2 24.Bg5 Ne3 White resigned
8...Bd4 9.Qd5+ Black disconnected and forfeited
As you might guess, that is not the complete story.
Three days later the two opponents met again, and this time Black wisely retreated the Bishop. In the end, though, White prevailed in MrJoker - Melbourne, blitz, 2 12, Internet Chess Club, 2011: 8...Bb6 9.b3 Qf6 10.Qe8+ Qe7 11.f5+ Kf6 12.Bb2+ Kg5 13.Qxe7+ Nxe7 14.Bxg7 Rg8 15.f6 Ng6 16.h4+ Kh5 17.g4+ Kxg4 18.h5 Bd4 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.f7 Bxa1 21.fxg8Q Bxg7 22.Qxg7 d6 23.Qxg6+ Black disconnected and forfeited.
A couple of months later, White again benefitted from the hanging Bishop, in MrJoker - wikidguru, blitz, 2 12, Internet Chess Club, 2011: 8...Bd4 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxd4 Nf6 11.b3 d6 12.Ba3 Bg4 13.e5 Ne8 14.Nc3 Kf7 15.0-0 h5 16.Ne4 dxe5 17.fxe5+ Kg8 18.Qc4+ Kh7 19.Qf7 Qd7 20.h3 Qd4+ 21.Kh1 Qxe5 22.hxg4 hxg4 23.g3 Rd8 24.Kg2 Qf6 25.Nxf6+ Nxf6 26.Rh1+ Black resigned
Another Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member, Petasluk, had already handled the situation when Black supported the Bishop, rather than retreat or abandon it, in Petasluk - lowmiles, blitz, FICS, 2010: 8...d6 9.Nc3 c6 10.Ne2 g6 11.Qf3 Qh4+ 12.g3 Qh3 13.d4 Bb4 14.a3 Ba5 15.b4 Bb6 16.Bb2 Nf6 17.0-0-0 a5 18.d5+ cxd5 19.exd5+ Kf7 20.Bxf6 Kxf6 21.Qc3+ Kf7 22.Qxh8 axb4 23.axb4 Qg2 24.Nc3 Qf3 25.Qxh7+ Ke8 26.Rde1+ Kd8 27.Qe7 checkmate
As I've mentioned in "Housekeeping..." and "Barely Legal", there is still a chance for satisfaction when you try for a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and your opponent opts for a defense with ...d7-d6
perrypawnpusher - Olito
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian opening.
4.O-O d6
The Hungarian Defense, or a variation of the Philidor.
5.d4 Bg4 6.Nc3 Nxd4 7.Nxe5 Bxd1
Oooops.
8.Bxf7+ Ke7 9. Nd5 checkmate
The following game is from the recent collection sent to me by Louis Morin. It again shows that if your opponent becomes disoriented by the Jerome Gambit, the game can be over before he even knows it.
James Mason in America
The Early Chess Career, 1867-1878
Joost van Winsen
hard cover
(McFarland, 2011)
I wanted to title this review "Mason, James Mason; International Man of Mystery".
I know that mashes together a couple of movie concepts: the "Bond, James Bond" self-introduction from Ian Fleming's secret agent, and the reference to the spoof "Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery."
Yet, the question Joost van Winsen addresses in his very readable book is: Who is James Mason? The query has several interesting aspects.
A good place to start would be to acknowledge that for the years covered by James Mason in America, the titled player was arguably the strongest among active players in the country, save, perhaps, for George H. Mackenzie.
Too many readers, I am afraid, would respond: Who is George H. Mackenzie?
Ah, yes.
If you are interested in the history of chess play in the United States, James Mason in America is a rich look at the early career of a fine player and writer (columnist for The Spirit of the Times and The American Chess Journal ) – and the development of the American chess scene, especially in the post-Morphy era, and especially in New York.
Even if the reader is not a chess history buff, the 200 plus games and positions in the book give a lot of entertainment and instruction on the play of double King pawn and double Queen pawn openings, including gambits – drawn from club and match play, and far more likely to be relevant to the study of modern day club players than, say, the latest tweaks in the Catalan as played by today's 2700+ rated gladiators.
If you are looking for the latest Informant-style analysis; well, best look for the latest Informant, instead.
The post-Civil War period was a time of the rise of American chess clubs, where a man like Mason, an Irish immigrant from Kilkenny, could not only move up among the ranks of players by dint of skill and effort, he would have a chance to make business contacts that might allow him to move up financially and socially, as well.
It was also a time of rivalries – between individuals, factions, clubs, cities and regions. Who would, for example, pull together everything for an international chess congress for the country's centennial year? Could there be an early American Chess Association? Who was the best American player? How did the Americans stand up to European chess play?
Personal battles were not just fought over the chessboard, but in print, via rival chess news sources. A look back at American chess in this period showed the beginnings (later, perfected by Steinitz) of a third phase of combat: one could claim that he lost the game, for example, but won the post-mortem analysis, only to be trumped again in the coverage of the match...
It is interesting in this light to see the British Henry Bird complain that during his sojourn in America, no matter how many games he won, it seems that the papers mostly published his losses. He even had Fischer-like complaints that in a particular tournament, the Americans conspired against him to make their own wins easier, and his more difficult.
Van Winsen paints an intriguing picture of Mason, and it is a compelling one, if at times containing somewhat un-heroic elements. Having negotiated a match with Max Judd in St. Louis for 1876, Mason surprised his opponent by simply not showing up, in the city or for the match. Apparently they met later and played some games, although neither could agree in print, who won, how many games, etc.
Mason won the Fourth American Chess Congress amidst charges that he bought and sold games. Mason claimed innocence, of course. On the other hand, he became a strong voice for proper recompense for play, an advocate for the professional chess player.
As James Mason in America shows, in its notes (by Mason) to games and in articles and letters by its subject, that Mason was an instructive writer and a fine annotator. This is value beyond taking the reader back in time to a rich, varigated chess world that was remarkably different – and, at times, remarkably similar – to our own, today.
The final mystery, which the author explores to the best of current resources, is the fact that James Mason was not actually James Mason. While not quite on the level of claims such as William Shakespeare's works being actually penned by, say, Sir Francis Bacon, it is fascinating to consider in yet another way that a pre-teen "Patrick Dwyer" (currently the best guess) might have completely re-invented himself on this side of the Atlantic, plunging into the world of chess and emerging as "James Mason".
James Mason's early chess career in the United States ended with his return to the Old World. It is hoped that author Joost van Winsen will return, as well, with further chronicles of his subject.
Assessing play against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can be a topsy turvy affair. Take the following game. Black was probably most in danger when his position was objectively winning. Likely, he felt more comfortable as his game became less and less in his favor. When he reached a drawn endgame – that's when his troubles really began.
mrjoker - lilred
blitz, 2 12, Internet Chess Club, 2009
White has just regained his sacrificed piece, and the game resembles the dreaded/revered "drawish" Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame that can come about in Jerome Gambit games.
White's passer can be blockaded by Black's King and/or Bishop. Black can create counter-play by working to get his own passer on the Queenside. The Kingside may or may not become critical.
Knowing how to play this kind of endgame (any endgame, really) is essential for Jerome Gambiteers. mrjoker does a great job, at blitz speed.
32.h3 h5 33.gxh5+ Kxh5 34.Kg2 Kh4 35.Bf2+ Kg5 36.Kg3 Kf5 37.Kf3 g5 38.Ke3 Bb7 39.h4 g4
Almost all of White's pawns are on the dark squares of his Bishop; all of Black's pawns are on the light squares of his Bishop.
None of the passers are likely to make progress any time soon.
Black should advance his Queenside majority and aim for another passer. He should advance his g-pawn when possible, if only to distract White.
The game is, and should remain, even. However, "even" endgames favor the more knowledgeable player.
40.Bg3 a5 41.a3 Bd5
He could also have continued with 41...b4 42.axb4 axb4 43.Bd6 c3 44.bxc3 bxc3 (or 44...b3) but each side will still be able to blockade the other's pawns and be unable to advance his own.
42.Bc7 Bc6 43.Bxa5
White has gained a pawn, but it is only symbolic, or, perhaps, psychological. The game is still even.
43...g3 44.Be1 Kg4
This looks like a logical followup to the previous move: advance the g-pawn then use the King to defend it while also attacking the enemy h-pawn. The problem is that Black need something to keep White distracted, lest he make use of his two passed pawns.
Therefore 44...g2 was called for, a move to tie up White's King while Black can use his King to blockade one enemy passer and his Bishop to blockade the other.
45.Bxg3
A shocker.
45...Kxg3
It is now only a choice between losing quickly and losing slowly.
After declining the Bishop with 45...Be8 46.Be1 White's King will eventually maneuver it's way to the Kingside to escort his h-pawn to the Queening square, winning Black's Bishop; or make his way to the Queenside and win Black's b-pawn, making his a-pawn a threat.
Now, without the distraction of a passed pawn, Black cannot hold back both of White's passers.
But, don't leave yet.
46.h5 Bd5 47.h6 Bg8 48.Ke4 Kg4 49.d5 Kg5
50.d6
A surprising slip. Instead, 50.Ke5, closing out the Black King and preventing the blockade of the d-pawn, wins.
It seems hard to believe, but Black now has an escape here with 50...Kf6, making sure that his King gets to the enemy d-pawn. After 51.Kd4 Ke6 52.Kc5 Kd7 53.Kxb5 Kxd6 White has several of paths to take, none of them yielding more that half a point.
He can give up his h-pawn for Black's c-pawn with 54.h7 Bxh7 55.Kxc4, but 55...Kc6 will put Black's King (along with his Bishop) in a favorable position to resist the advance of White's pawns.
He can keep his King ahead of Black's King in the race to a8, and move his a-pawn up as well, but 54.Kb6 Kd7 55.Kb7 Black will check him back with 55...Bd5+.
Finally, he can advance his a-pawn with 54.a4, but Black's King can quickly get in front of it.
50...Kxh6
Now the d-pawn simply advances and promotes.
Black resigned
