Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Pssssst... A Tip For Black


Dear Defender,

This is a blog for those interested in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and related openings.

I am sure that you can tell, if you read a few posts, that I like the Jerome, I play the Jerome, and I celebrate Jerome Gambit victories.

If you stick around this blog and look a bit deeper, you will also see that I try to be fair in my evaluations. After all, the Jerome Gambit was practically born refuted.

So, this post is for you, and everyone else who wishes to rain on my parade. Just a little tip...

perrypawnpusher - AcesFullofKings
blitz, FICS, 2011


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


The Semi-Italian Opening, the name given in Euwe and Meiden's Chess Master vs Chess Amateur (1974).

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+


The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, so named because it transposes after the Black King captures the White Bishop to a "modern" variation of the Jerome Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 "classical" Jerome Gambit variations continue with 5.Nxe5+, "modern" Jerome Gambit variations try something else 5...h6, etc.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6  8.Qxe5


Here, Black resigned. He looks to lose a Rook or a Bishop, remaining with an uneasy King, down a couple of pawns.

But look closer.

As I pointed out in the notes to my game with alekbb a year ago (and a couple of times before that, going back 3 years) Black is actually better in the final diagram.

The resolute 8...Bf8 ("box" as they say) saves the Black Bishop and poisons the Black Rook: 9.Qxh8? Bg7 10.Qh7 Nf6 and the White Queen is lost.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Having A Bad Day



I am sure that the following game does not show my opponent at his best. He was probably just having a bad day, maybe experiencing some kind of an attack... Perhaps a bad case of Jerome Gambit-itis?


perrypawnpusher  - Valseg
blitz, FICS, 2011

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


The Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6


7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6

This move transposes to the 6...Ng6 line, although a comparison, i.e. 7.Qd5+ Ke7 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3, will show that in the current game White picks up the extra move f2-f4.

9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ d6 11.Qe3



Although Rybka 3 and Fritz 8 still see Black as better (i.e. the extra piece outweighs the extra pawns) my opponent was uncomfortable enough with his King's placement to now move it off of the e-file.

11...Kf8 12.0-0 Nf6 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Neg4


While this position seems to be unique in The Database, there are 20 games with the particular arrangement of Black Knights and White Queen with her d-, e- and f-pawns. White scores 78%.

Instead of kicking the Queen, the Knight should have retired to c6.

15.Qg3 Kf7

Still nervous about the placement of his King. After the game, Rybka 3 suggested 15...h5.

16.e5

This is premature, as after 16...dxe5 17.dxe5 Black has the simple 17...Qd4+ followed by 18...Qxe5

16...Bxf5

Probably an oversight. Black's game now falls apart, despite strong effort on his part.

17.Rxf5 Rg8 18.exf6

Relying on the pin, 18.Qxg4 first was stronger. 

18...gxf6

19.Qf3 c6 20.Nc3 d5 21.h3 Qe7 22.hxg4 Qe1+ 23.Qf1 Qh4 24.Be3 Rae8



25.Re1 Rxg4 26.Bf2 Qh6 27.Rxe8 Kxe8 28.Qe2+ Re4 29.Nxe4 Qc1+

30.Be1 Kd8 31.Nxf6 Qxb2 32.Qe8+ Kc7 33.Bg3+ Kb6 34.Nd7+ Ka6 35.Qe2+ b5 36.Nc5+ Kb6 37.Qd2 Qxa2 38.Rf7 Qa3 39.Rb7 checkmate

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Not Yet the Sunday Book Review



Consistent with the theme of past Sunday Book Reviews (and references; see Catalog of Chess Mistakes, Why You Lose At Chess, Surprise in Chess, and Sense of Danger) a  trio of relevant quotes, pro, con and general:


One of the important ways of conducting a chess game is to develop in such a way that the opponent will slightly overrate his position, that he will feel obligated to attain something, that his expectations will be somewhat greater than justified. When such is the case, the opponent tends to omit in his calculations considerationf of any and all continuations which give results inferior to his expectations.
Grandmaster Larry Evans, Chess Life, 1961



When your opponent complicates things, there is a strong temptation to look for a refutation of his idea, to pick up the gaunlet, to rise to the challenge. Of course, this is exactly what he wants and why such distractions must be resisted. If you have already decided on a good strategy, why drop it for something that suits your opponent? This requires strong self control, as pressure to switch can be both internal and external. Your ego wants to prove you can beat him at his own game as well as to quiet your critics - actual or potential.
Gary Kasparov, How Life Imitates Chess, 2007 



Abstract
Expert chess players, specialized in different openings, recalled positions and solved problems within and outside their area of specialization. While their general expertise was at a similar level players performed better with stimuli from their area of specialization.* The effect of specialization on both recall and problem solving was strong enough to override general expertise – players remembering positions and solving problems from their area of specialization performed at around the level of players one standard deviation above them in general skill.** Their problem solving strategy also changed depending on whether the problem was within their area of specialization or not. When it was, they searched more in depth and less in breadth; with problems outside their area of specialization, the reverse. The knowledge that comes from familiarity with a problem area is more important than general purpose strategies in determining how an expert will tackle it...



[* I guess this is why we study our favorite chess openings, especially our "pet lines" as GM Alburt calls them RK]
 
[** After posting "A Slice of Jerome Gambit" I asked ChessBase8 to check, and it seems that when I play the Jerome Gambit online my performance rating is about 225 points above my actual (mostly-FICS) internet rating. I do not know how that translates into standard deviations for FICS (and elsewhere), but if the United States Chess Federation standard deviation is around 200 points, the 225 points of improvement seems to be about what Bilalić and Peter McLeod were suggesting.  RK]

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Needles and Pins



Here is the latest Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game (with notes) from Bill Wall. He does make it all look so simple.





Rick,

I was on pins and needles (well, mostly pins) with this game. It does look like the pin is stronger than the sword in the Jerome Gambit.

Wall,B - XCCY
FICS, 2011

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


4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6


7.f4 Qf6 8.Rf1


Pin; 8.fxe5 Qf2+ 9.Kd1 Qxg2

8...g6 9.Qh3+ Ke7


Not 9...Kf7?? 10.fxe5, pin.

10.Nc3

Threatening 11.Nd5, fork.

10...c6 11.fxe5 Qxe5 12.d3 Nf6 13.Qh4


Pin on the Knight.

13...Bd4 14.Bg5

Pin.

14...Bxc3+ 15.bxc3 Qxc3+ 16.Ke2 Qxc2+ 17.Bd2 Qb2?


18.Rxf6! Qxf6 19.Bg5

pin

19...Rf8 20.Bxf6+ Rxf6 21.e5


pin

Black resigned





Friday, August 12, 2011

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."

Thursday, August 11, 2011

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!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

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!