Ad Ridiculum

Earlier this year I mentioned that the March 2011 issue of Chess Life contained Grandmaster Lev Alburt's "Back to Basics" column titled "How to Trick the Trickster", featuring my Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit game against PunisherABD.

Readers who are members of the United States Chess Federation, or those who have access to Chess Life, may have noticed that the May 2011 "Back to Basics" column, focusing on "Transposing Into Your Pet Line", also referenced my work on the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

The desire to get "your own" pet position is quite understandable; if such an attept is good, bad, or in-between, depends on circumstances.

Here is an example ad ridiculum:

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 there is a well-known trap, 3...Nd4 hoping for 4.Nxe5? Qg5, with advantage for Black. In the March 2011 issue, Rick Kennedy submitted his game, where he played 4.Bxf7+, which should lead to approximate equality after 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ (Several "normal" moves: 4.Nxd4!; 4.c3; and 4.0-0 give White an edge).

Writes Rick:

"I have actually faced 4...Ke7? with the idea that after White's bishop retreats Black can play 5...Ke8, hoping again for 6.Nxe5?, when 6...Qg5! would again stir things up in Black's favor.

However, White answers 5...Ke8 with 6.Nxd4 exd4 7.Qh5+ and a strong attack."

Don't Blame the Jerome Gambit (Part 2)

Yesterday's game featured White reaching a fine Jerome Gambit position out of the opening, only to miss all of the attacking splendor that he had available. Sad.

In today's game, Black understimates the danger that he faces and quickly goes from two pieces up to two pawns down. Instead of my usual, conservative, "consolidate at all costs" approach, I decided to attack violently.

And it would have worked, too, if I hadn't hung my Queen.

Again: don't blame the Jerome Gambit for this "0-1".

perrypawnpusher - chingching
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6

A rare, usually careless (see the "Halo Effect" theme) response that takes Black quickly from a won game to nearly lost one. It is not an "instant victory", but it should be close. 

7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qd5+ Ke8 10.Qxc5 d6 11.Qe3 Nf6

The Queen checks were covered in the notes to my recent games against badhorsey (1-0, 30) and navarrra (1-0, 26). Her Majesty has now returned home safely, two pawns to the better.

12.Nc3 Kf7 13.0-0 Re8 14.d3 c6 15.f4 Ng4

Completing castling-by-hand with 15...Kg8 or striking the center with 15...d5 were better ideas than the off-task, but irresistible, strike at the White Queen.

16.Qg3 Kg8 17.Bd2 d5 18.Rae1 Qb6+

This move caught me by surprise. It is actually a time-waster: compare White's Bishop and Rooks to Black's Bishop and Rooks and ask should Black be taking his Queen away from the action to win a pawn or two?

The similarity to the wandering enemy Queens in my games against irak (1-0, 33) and jgknight (1/2-1/2, 49) encouraged me.

19.Kh1 Qxb2 20.f5 Qxc2

21.Qxg4

Unnecessarily acrificing the Bishop at d2 because I believed that I had a "killer" followup move.

After the game, Houdini suggested the prudent 21.Nb1, instead, as White actually has time to protect his Queenside minor pieces because the Black Knight on g4 isn't going anywhere: after 21...Nf6 White would play 22.e5 and Black's "best" would be to hang his horsie out to dry again with 22...Nh5 23.Qf3.

Houdini's suggestion of 21.Nb1 Rf8 22.Rc1 allows Black to complete his Queenside meal with 22...Qxa2, but after 23.Qxg4 White will go a piece up and soon position his Bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal and advance his "Jerome pawns" with a winning attack on the King.

21...Qxd2

Now, the rather pathetic 22.Ne2 would preserve whatever was left of White's initiative, giving him a small edge at the very best, due to Black's delayed development.

22.f6

Well, at least I could say that the odds were with me: Black has 41 possible responses, and 40 of them lose, almost all of them very quickly.

22...Bxg4

Of course, that one remaining move wins my Queen...

I played on a bit longer and recovered some material, but there was no way that I was going to survive being down a Rook for a Queen.

23.f7+ Kf8 24.fxe8Q+ Kxe8 25.exd5+ Kd7 26.dxc6+ Kxc6 27.Ne4 Qxd3 28.Rc1+ Kb6 29.Rb1+ Ka5 30.Nf2 Qc4 31.Rfc1 Qd4 32.Nxg4 Qxg4 33.Rc3 b5 34.Ra3+ Kb6 35.Rab3 a6 36.Rd3 Rc8 White resigned

My opponent finished up nicely and deserved his comeback win.

Again, don't blame my loss on the Jerome Gambit!

Don't Blame the Jerome Gambit (Part 1)

My opponent in the following game had faced the Jerome Gambit before, and shortly after our match he played it, victoriously, of course... I would like to think that he learned something about the opening from me, but improved on the follow-up.


perrypawnpusher - darqknight
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

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

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

10.0-0 Kf7 11.f4 Re8 12.f5 Ne5 13.Nc3 c6

So far we have a fairly typical 6...Ng6 Jerome Gambit, with Black planning to castle-by-hand and White using his "Jerome pawns" to kick a Knight or two. Black has an edge, but it is not something to put off the Jerome Gambiteer.

14.d4 Neg4 15.Qf3 Qe7

Putting extra pressure on the White e4 pawn, but this gives the first player a needed tempo. 

16.h3 Nh6 17.Bxh6 gxh6

White's minor piece is developed, and his Rooks are ready for action; compare with Black's Queen Bishop and Queen Rook.

18.Rae1 Rg8

Thinking "counter attack on the wing" but the center is where the play will be. 

19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Nd5

The fierce "Jerome pawns" face the enemy King and Queen and snarl menacingly. Black would have done better to give a piece back with 20...Kg7 21.exf6+ Qxf6 but he still would have much the worse game.

So: a score of moves played, none of them looking like howlers for Black, and yet White is poised to crush.

Almost.

21.Qh5+ Kf8 22.Qxh6+

Capturing Black's Knight (Rybka 3 does not think he can afford to recapture) with 22.Nxd5 followed by 23.Nf4 (if the White Knight is not captured) or 23.e6 would have been more powerful than mere pawn-hunting. I was playing "strong moves" without a "strong plan" in mind.

22...Ke8

Interposing the Queen had to be safer.

23.f6 Qf7

24.Nxd5

The alternative 24.Ne4 contained more threats.

White is still better, but I was still playing move-to-move, and every moment that I do not put my opponent away, he gets another chance to put me away, or I get a chance to do myself in.

24...cxd5 25.Qe3

Taking the "short" view of things.

Had I looked "longer" it would not have been hard to find 25.e6 Bxe6 26.Rxe6+ Qxe6, removing the blockader, so that after 27.f7+ Kd7 28.fxg8Q Rxg8 29.Qxh7+ the game has simplified to one where White is two pawns up, and Black has little compensation.

That is the kind of combination that the Big Boys don't miss.

25...Be6

Psychologically, the end of the game.

While White may be even (or a tiny bit better), the blockade of his pawns stifles his initiative and the rest of the game sees a transfer of the balance, step-by-step, into Black's hand.

26.Qd3 a6 27.Kh2 Rc8 28.c3 Rc4 29.b3 Rh4 30.Rf3 Qh5 31.Ree3

The game is still even, but what have I done besides shift pieces?

31...Qh6

Okay, okay, this is the kind of oversight that an opponent will sometimes toss my way, even when it is highly undeserved.

Especially when it is highly un-noticed.

32.Rg3

If you saw the opportunity for White to sacrifice both "Jerome pawns" and suddenly come roaring back, good for you!

Take a look at 32.f7+ Bxf7 33.e6.

analysis diagram





Now 33...Bxe6 is met by 34.Qxd5 Rg6 35.Qxb7 and suddenly Black's King faces horrible mating threats.

Rybka 3 prefers 33...Rxg2+, but that is a loser, too, after the straight-forward 34.Kxg2 Qg6+ 35.Rg3 Qxd3 36.exf7+ Kf8 37.Rxd3 Kxf7. A Rook is a Rook is a Rook.

32...Rxg3 33.Rxg3 Qf4 34.Qe3 Qxe3 35.Rxe3 Rf4 36.Kg3

36...Rf5 37.Kh2 Rg5 38.g3

Hoping to activat the Kingside pawns to help in the fight against the Bishop, but a more effective way was to first get rid of the Rooks, starting with Rg3, headed toward g7, forcing Black's hand. Still, the defense will hold. 

38...Rh5 39.h4 Rf5 40.Kg2 Kf7

The blockade remains supreme!

41.g4

Rushing headlong into disaster. 

41...Rf4 42.g5 Rxh4 43.Kf2 Rg4 44.Rg3 Rxg3 45.Kxg3 Kg6

46.Kf4 b6 47.a4 b5 48.axb5 axb5 49.c4 dxc4 50.bxc4 bxc4

All in vain: even if White reaches a K vs K + B + RP endgame, it is the Bishop of the Right color.

51.Ke4 c3 52.Kd3 Kf5 53.Kxc3 Kxe5 54.Kd3 Kf5 55.Ke3 Kxg5 56.Kf3 Kxf6 57.Kg3 Kg5 58.Kh2 h5 59.Kg3 h4+ 60.Kh2 Kg4 61.Kg2 h3+ 62.Kh2 Bd5 63.Kg1 Kg3 White resigned

A very nice recovery by darqknight!

Quick Peeks

Looking at some of the recent games played at FICS, I came up with a few snapshots of play from Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and related games.




After a lot of conflict, two players reached the safety of the Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, drawing in over 70 moves

JMonson-Waveylines, blitz, FICS, 2011

A couple of others players showed that it was not that hard to reach the same result in 64 moves, with less material

BBendingR - cortijlo, standard, FICS, 2011

In the following position White lost on time, which is a pity, as the position, odd as it is, is drawn: White checks repeatedly with his Rook or uses it in cooperation with the King to hold the pawns off (which advance at their peril).

KCOLD - bohnster, blitz, FICS, 2011

In a related position, White won on time, although, objectively his opponent was better (Black promotes his a-pawn to draw White's King away, and then advances his King to escort the remaining pawns).

JMonson - Tseatsy, blitz, FICS, 2011

Finally, a drawn position that brings to mind a quote attributed to Alexander Alekhine

The fact that a player is very short of time is, to my mind, as little to be considered an excuse as, for instance, the statement of the law-breaker that he was drunk at the time he committed the crime.

GeorgeCool - xadrezedificil, blitz, FICS, 2011
Black ran out of time and White has no material to mate

Warning: a1 & h8

Chessfriend Welton Vaz has again generously provided a collection of recent (July 2011) Jerome Gambit (and related) games from the FICS database. One game, in particular, holds a warning for those who would meet the Blackburne Shilling Gambit with 4.Bxf7+!?


albgameiro - Alekingg
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+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nxc2+

Points of relevance:

1) The Blackburne Shilling Gambit is a fun way to try to bamboozle White with trappy play.

2) The Jerome Gambit treatment of the BSG, 4.Bxf7+, leads to an objectively even game, although White has great practical chances if Black is taken unawares.

3) Black's defense with 5...Ke8 as played in the game, is good, especially if he is happy with a draw; providing that he answers 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 with 7...hxg6. See "Incomplete" for a recent examination.

4) The text move for Black risks little, as long as the second player is aware of all of the consequences, and especially if he avoids the punishment for greed by returning to the ...hxg6 line on his next move (if White plays 8.Kd1).

5) The tactical play is more complex than If-you-take-my-Rook-then-I-will-take-your-Rook, requiring some planning (preferrably before the game).

8.Kf1

The wrong direction. 

Correct was 8.Kd1 as in perrypawnpusher - lourotors, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 37);  perrypawnpusher - robertpthom, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 32); and perrypawnpusher - ZekeTheWolf, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 30).

The difference is that after 8.Kd1, 8...Nxa1 leads to mate (see "The Somnambulists"). White gets a bit of an edge after 8.Kd1 Nf6 9.Qe5+ Be7 10.Nxe7 Qxe7 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 12.Kxc2.

After 8.Kd1 hxg6 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 10.d4 White has threats that Black did not meet in three games in The Database, but 10...Bh6!? seems to hold after 11.Kxc2 or 11.Bg5+, with White's extra pawns balanced by Black's extra piece.

However, in the game, White's King moved away from the marauding Knight.

8...hxg6

Rybka 3 suggests that after 8...Nf6 9.Qe5+ Be7 10.Nxh8 d6 11.Qc3 Nxa1 12.b3 Be6 13.Qxa1 Kd7 14.Qd4 Qxh8 White does not have enough compensation for his missing piece.

The text is a test of White's greed.

9.Qxh8

The players could have arrived at this position through the move order 7...hxg6 8.Qxh8? Nxc2+ 9.Kf1?! When Black, likewise, would be better.

Taking the Black g-pawn with 9.Qxg6+ would have reduced, but not eliminated, Black's advantage, especially if the second player utilized a timely ...Bh6.

9...Nxa1

This is a complicated position, played at blitz speed, so it is not fair to go too hard on either player; but White's a1 Rook wasn't going anywhere, so 9...Kf7 first would have spared Black's King Knight. 

10.Qxg8 Qf6

11.e5

The idea here seems to be 11...Qxe5 12.Qxg6+ and a balanced game.

11...Qa6+

Seeking to free his Knight with ...Qxh2, perhaps, but achieving a whole lot more than that.

12.d3

Maybe White, wishing the Knight at a1 dead and gone for so long, thought it had by now departed.

12...Qxd3+ 13.Ke1 Nc2 checkmate

Not the Sunday Book Review

This Sunday's Book Review has been replaced by an attractive screen shot of a Chinese language website, where the comment on 4.Bxf7+ in the Jerome Gambit seems to suggest that it is a good move, but one played too early...

Shorter and Even More Unbecoming

I just meant to check on my opponent, but I hit the "play" button instead of the "history" button, and wound up inflicting another annoying game on him. Perhaps it was his extravagant use of time, again, but for the second game in a row my play was sad, sad, sad. 


perrypawnpusher - Conspicuous
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

The Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

A strong and practical defense: Black decides that he has enough material to win, and takes no further risks.

6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.d3 Qf6

Commanding the dark squares and targetting f2.

8.0-0 Nh6 9.Be3 Bd6

10.f4 Ng4 11.e5

This move apparently scared my opponent, but it is a disaster-in-the-making for me. Sadly, I was clueless at the time.

11...Nxe3

Instead, Black should escape the fork with 11...Qh6 and after 12.h3 (to stop mate) administer one of his own with 12...Nxe3.

12.Qe2

Horrible. Instead, 12.Qf3 would have kept Black's advantage to a minimum.

12...Nxf1

Lucky for me Black was seeing as much (or as little) as I was, or he would have simply played 12...Bxe5, since 13.fxe5 Qxf1+ 14.Qxf1+ Nxf1 15.Kxf1 Ke7 would leave him a Rook ahead.

13.exf6 Black resigned

I don't think I dare play Conspicuous again!