Spectacular Chess

The 7...Ke6 line in the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit is a difficult one for both players. Black holds onto the second sacrificed piece, planning to return it for a pawn or two, and the chance to castle-by-hand – on the Queenside. While White is objectively worse, he has the chance for an attack on the Black King, and an opportunity to produce some spectacular chess, as the following game showcases.


olpaBlind - engnader
blitz, FICS, 2011


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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.d4

White has already castled, while Black retains his dark-squared Bishop, so the standard f2-f4 pawn advance is not possible; the center thrust seems best.

9...Bxd4 10.Rd1 c5 11.b4

A new move (11.c3 has been seen several times before) that opens very interesting possibilites. White's game goes from "bad" to "worse", but he is counting on the swirling fog of war to increase his chances.

11..Qf6 12.bxc5+ Kxc5 13.Ba3+ Kc4

At first glance, we see that Black is up two pieces, with better development to boot. He even threatens to trade off White's "attacking" Queen. Some gambit!

Furthermore, Black owns the a1-h8 diagonal, and is beginning to add pressure to f2 along the a7 to g1 diagonal.

This being a blitz game, I have to wonder: did either player realize that at this point Black is busted!?

14.Qh3 Qxf2+

Since this appears to be crushing, it seems silly to mention that Black has better chances for survival by returning a piece with 14...Nf3+ or trying the alternative check 14...Bxf2+; in each case, followed by 15...Kb5.

15.Kh1

So, what, exactly, is going on here?

Well, as sharp-eyed Readers no doubt have noticed, White inconveniently threatens checkmate.

At first this seems simple to deal with: Black has 15...Qxc2, covering the b3 square and ending the mate threat. He seems ready to allow White to pin his Queen to his King with 16.Rc1, as 16...Qxc1 17.Bxc1 Bxa1 actually gives him two Rooks for the Queen. Plus his additional two pieces.

analysis diagram




The issue for Black here, though is that his extra pieces are undeveloped. Over time, White can both harass the King and win back material, e.g. 18.Qb3+ Kc5 19.Qd5+ Kb6 20.Qd6+ Nc6 21.Be3+ Ka6 22.Qa3+ Na5 23.Qd3+ Nc4 24.Qxc4+ b5 25.Qc5 Bb2 26.Qd6 Kb7 27.Nd2 Ne7 28.Qxe7

Of course, not every defender is ready to part with his Queen, anyhow. Black might simply prefer to block White's Queen's access to b3 with 15...Be3 (instead of 15...Qxc2). Still, this is inadequate: 16.Bd6 (locking in the undeveloped pieces) Kb5 (the only move) 17.Na3+ Ka6 18.Rf1 Qd2 19.Rad1 Qc3 20.Bxe5

analysis diagram





and it is again a question of developed pieces vs a vulnerable King that gives White the better game.

Black can also block White's Queen's transit to b3 with the counter-sacrifice 15...Nf3. After the cheeky 16.Nd2+!?, however, Black's King is on the run with 16...Kb5, when a sequence like 17.Rab1+ Ka6 18.Nxf3 d5 19.Qh5 Nf6 20.Qg6 b6 21.Rxd4

analysis diagram





shows Black developing more pieces, but losing two of them...

Black's best defense is to acknowledge that his 13th move was unlucky and to evacuate his King with 15...Kb5. White's followup if familiar by now, 16.Qb3+ Kb6 17.Qa4+ Kb6 18.Bd6. Storm clouds are gathering around Black's King... Black can try the very funny 18...Ng4!?, threatening the mate by ...Qg1+ and ...Nf2; but this is well met by 19.Bg3, e.g. 19...Be5 20.Nc3 a6 21.Bxf2+ Nxf2+ 22.Kg1 Nxd1.

analysis diagram





Black temporarily has three minor pieces and a Rook for his Queen, but his King is too open and White's Queen is too active, e.g. 23.Qb4+ Ka7 24.Qc5+ b6 25.Nb5+!? axb5 26.Qxe5 Ne3 27.Qxg7 Bb7 28.Qxh8 and White is still not through collecting material.

What to do? What to do? What to do?

Black's actual move in the game "solves" everything.

15...d6 16.Qb3 checkmate

I think that it is worth the time to play over this game and examine the lines of play available to Black at move 15 onward. I have only touched upon how spectacular the chess is at that point.

Fantastic game, gentlemen!

Return of an Old Friend

When it comes to a happy-to-see-it defense from Black when White offers the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) there's nothing quite like the "Optical Illusion variation": a little bit of the "Halo Effect" and a whole lot of the "Disdainful Defender Defense".

You are always welcome, old friend!


perrypawnpusher - recreation
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

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

Last year my opponent played the equally fine 6...Kf8 in perrypawnpusher - recreation, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 13).

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6

A very sound and practical move.

9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3 Rf8

The moves have been flying quickly, as Black first held onto his extra material with 6...Ke6; then brought out a strong defender with 8...Qf6, threatening to diffuse the attack with the exchange of Queens; then hammered at White's e-pawn with 10...Nf6; and finally with 11...Rf8 lined up heavy artillery on the f-file with White's Queen. Take that, you impudent Jerome Gambiteer!

This is all well and good – unless Black has temporarily, momentarily and inexplicably, but unquestionably and unfortunately, overlooked something.

12.Bf4

Black resigned

(I am sure that if we were playing a standard game, and not blitz, that he would have ripped my lungs out...)

Diversion

Why not take a moment to check out a pleasant discussion on the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4?!, including the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, 4.Bxf7+!?, at RedHotPawn.com, initiated by Honorable Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Geoff Chandler?

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.

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

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...

Merim Bilalić and Peter McLeod, "Specialization Effect and its influence on Memory and Problem Solving in Expert Chess Players"

[* 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]

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