There are many posts on this blog concerning the opening stages of the game, and more than a few on the endgame (especially the Bishops-of-opposite-colors ending, with and without drawing chances).
If the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) does its job, however (and more and more these days it seems to be doing so: see "Don't Blame the Jerome Gambit" Part 1 and Part 2 for a couple of examples), the focus of this blog's content should be shifting to the middle game.
Or, as in the case of examples of my play, the "muddle" game.
perrypawnpusher - FiNLiP
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6
10.0-0 Ng4 11.Qg3 Qh4 12.Qxh4 Nxh4
Black has derailed any attacking thoughts White might have by exchanging Queens. Still, with two pawns for the sacrificed piece, at the club level the first player can hope for a draw (as I achieved in 54 moves this year, against pitrisko).
13.d4 Rf8 14.f4 Bd7 15.h3 Nh6 16.Nc3 b5 17.Bd2 c5
Lately, I have been using Houdini to help me analyze my games post mortem. I trust Rybka 3's positional sense a bit more, but Houdini is a very fast program, and in positions where there are tactics to uncover, it often gets there faster (and looks deeper).
Still, the kind of advice that Houdini occasionally offers is as far over my head as Rybka's can be. In the above position, for example, during the game, I was trying to figure out how to develop my "Jerome pawns": should I play 18.dxc5 and after 18...dxc5 have the e4 & f4 duo; or advance the d-pawn, followed by advancing and exchanging the e-pawn, giving me the d5 and e5 duo?
In "blunder check" mode, with 5 minutes allocated per move, Houdini suggested 18.dxc5 dxc5 19.f5 Bc6 20.a4 b4 21.Nb5 Rd8 22.Nc7+ Kf7 23.Bg5 Nxg2 24.Ne6 Rd4 25.Nxf8 Kxf8 26.Kxg2 Bxe4+ 27.Kh2 Bxc2 28.Rf2 b3 29.Be3 Rd5 30.f6 Nf5 31.fxg7+ Kxg7 32.Bd2 Bd3 33.Bc3+ Kf7 when White has an edge.
analysis diagram
Wow. If you say so...
The fact is, it will be a very long time before I can play chess like that.
In the game, I made the mistake of advancing the d-pawn.
18.d5 b4 19.Ne2 Bb5 20.Rae1 Kd7 21.Rf2 Rae8
22.Ng3 Ng6 23.f5 Ne5 24.Bxh6 gxh6 25.Nh5 Re7 26.Nf4 a5 27.Ne6 Rff7
Sometimes, when analyzing different Jerome Gambit games, the computers like White's pawn formation (d5-e4-f5) topped by his Knight, and I am sure that such a thing gets evaluation points for being positionally strong. Yet, in the game I wasn't sure what to do with the thing.
Worse, actually, it gave me an idea for a killer combination...
28.Re3
This is not best, but look what Houdini recommended: 28.Rf4 Re8 29.Kh2 Rf6 30.Rh4 Rc8 31.Re3 Rg8 32.b3 Ke7 33.Rg3 Rxg3 34.Kxg3 Be2 35.Rf4 Ba6 36.Kf2 Bc8 37.Rh4 Bd7 38.Ke3 a4 39.Rh5 a3 40.Rh4 Be8 41.Rf4 Bb5 42.g4 Kf7.
analysis diagram
If that's the line of play you chose, you're reading the wrong blog. (p.s. According to Houdini, Black has an edge.)
28...Nc4 29.Rg3 Nxb2 30.Rg8
I was not worried about what Black was doing on the Queenside, as I had a plan!
30...Re8 31.Rxe8 Kxe8
And here I was about to play 32.Nc7+, forking Black's King and Bishop, winning a piece... when I noticed that the c7 square was guarded by Black's remaining Rook. Somehow in my analysis at move 28 the pesky thing had disappeared.
Instead, White can win one of the worthless extra Black h-pawns, but the damage done, and to come, on the Queenside, gives Black the game.
32.Rf4 Be2 33.Rh4 h5 34.Nf4 Bd1 35.Nxh5 Bxh5 36.Rxh5
Given enough time, White can make something of his Kingside pawn majority; but he will not have the time to do so.
36...Nd1 37.g4 Nc3 38.g5 Nxa2 39.g6 hxg6 40.fxg6 Rg7 41.Rg5
Instead, White could go after Black's Queenside with 41.Rh8+ Ke7 42.Ra8 but his pawns would continue to fall, e.g. 42...Rxg6+ 43.Kf2 Nc3 44.Rxa5 Nxe4+ and Black's Knight proves his worth.
41...Nc3 42.h4 Nxe4 43.Rg2 Nf6 44.Rg5 a4 45.h5
The pawn race has only one outcome.
45...Nxh5 46.Rxh5 Rxg6+ 47.Kf2 a3 48.Ke2
Not best, indicated Houdini after the game, as it allows a mate in 54... I played on, hoping that my opponent would err, but he had a winning plan that actually won.
48...Rg1 49.Rh8+ Ke7 50.Ra8 Ra1 51.Kd3 Kf6 52.Kc4 Ra2 53.Rf8+ Ke5 54.Rf2 Rb2 55.Re2+ Kf5 56.Rf2+ Kg4 57.Rf6 a2 58.Rxd6 a1Q 59.Kxc5 Rxc2+ White resigned
I felt like ground meat after this game.
My congratulations to FiNLiP for some serious schooling.
In response to a Comment to a post here (see "GM Larry Evans and the Jerome Gambit"), continuing from yesterday's post (see "Instead of the Sunday Book Review"), here is a closer look at Whistler's Defense to the Jerome Gambit, through my most recent game at FICS.
perrypawnpusher - Yaku
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7
The American Chess Journal of December 1876, referring to their correspondence match, noted, "This is the key move to Lt. Whistler's defence, adopted in all his games with Mr. Jerome."
8.Qf4+
Of 8.Qxh8? the American Chess Journal of June 1876 commented, in presenting Jerome - D.P. Norton, correspondence, 1876 (1/2-1/2, 20) "Played experimentally; and analysis will probably show the capture to be unsound."
In the December 1876 issue, the ACJ was more succinct in its assessment of 8.Qxh8? in Jerome - Whistler, correpsondence, 1876: "Weak." The game continued 8...Qxe4+ 9.Kd1 Qg4+ 10.f3 Qxg2 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Re1 d5 13.Qh4 Qxf3+ 14.Re2 Bg4 15.Nc3 Bf2 White resigned.
The alternative, 8.Qxe7+, seems to surrender White's chances for attack, leaving him with two pawns for the sacrificed piece, but lagging in development. Still, it was successful for White in the two games in The Database: obviously - flatchio, GameKnot.com, 2004 (1-0, 41) and Nesseerd - grandmasterrick, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 38).
Although 8.Qd5+ was given by the December 1876 American Chess Journal as better than 8.Qxh8?, it has received little attention: The Database has only one game, levigun - obviously, GameKnot.com, 2004 (0-1, 11) which is not very convincing.
8.d4 and 8.f4 remain untested, but as both allow the exchange of Queens, they seem as (in)effective as 8.Qxe7+.
8...Qf6
I faced, and eventually overcame, the sensible 8...Kg7 in a totally unconvincing win in perrypawnpusher - tmarkst, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 43), although my notes to the game have some ideas for White to try.
The text is a better way to block White's Queen check than 8...Nf6, showing that Black has to have some idea about how to play the Whistler Defense if he wants to keep his advantage. After 9.e5 Re8 10.d4 Bxd4 11.Qxd4 Qxe5+ 12.Qxe5 Rxe5+ 13.Be3, Black outplayed White with 13...Ng4 in Jerome - Jaeger, correspondence, 1879 (0-1, 45) while Black was outplayed by White after 13...Nd5, in abhailey - cruciverbalist, net.chess.com, 2008 (1-0, 51). The problem with 8...Nf6 is that it leads to a rather small edge for Black, nothing more.
9.Qg3 Ne7 10.0-0
At this point White's "compensation" for his sacrifice is looking a bit thin. He needs to keep developing and looking for opportunities.
After the game, Houdini suggested 10.Nc3 as a bit better than castling, but Black would still be better.
10...Rf8
Houdini's post mortem suggestion was 10...d5, which is one reason that White might have preferred 10.Nc3.
Intentionally or not, Black's move offers a pawn, which I decided to grab. That would give me three pawns for the sacrificed piece, and if I could keep my position solid until I got something going... Well, a guy can dream, can't he?
11.Qxc7 b6 12.Qg3
With Black getting ready to move ...Bb7, it looks like White is going to get punished for both taking the pawn and playing the Jerome Gambit in the first place. Still, the position is a problem that Black has to figure out.
12...Kg7 13.d3 Bb7 14.Nc3 Kg8
Black has castled-by-hand, but taken two moves to get his King to g8. (Perhaps he was first worried about the possibility of Bc1-h6 ?) The lost tempo is not a lot, but it does mean that White has been allowed one more small step toward equality.
15.Be3 Bxe3 16.fxe3 Qc6 17.Qg5 Rxf1+18.Rxf1
18...Qc5 19.Qf6
Another example of the warning, when you find a good move, sit on your hands and look for a better one... The threat to Black's King is real, and the offer of the e-pawn to distract Black's Queen is tempting, but White can accomplish the same (without the sacrifice) with 19.Qf4.
19...Qxe3+ 20.Kh1 Qc5
White is thinking "draw by repetition."
Is Black thinking "that's okay"?
If so, he misses 20...Nf5, which returns the piece but gives him a better endgame after 21.exf5 Rf8 22.Qh4 Rxf5 23.Qe1 Qxe1 24.Rxe1 Rf2 25.Rc1 Rxg2 26.Ne4 Re2 27.Kg1 Bxe4 28.dxe4 Kf7
21.Qf7+
With the draw available, I grabbed it.
Too bad. White could have tried 21.Na4, pressuring Black's Queen (which protects Black's Knight). If 21...Qxc2 then 22.Qf7+ Kh8 23.Qxe7 because if Black moves to keep material even with 23...Qxa4?, he will be checkmated. After 23...Qc8 24.Nc3 Qe8 25.Rf7 Qxe7 26.Rxe7 Rd8 it will be White who has the better endgame.
Of course, the rest of the moves in this game flashed by on the way to the draw, taking with them a few more chances for White to win.
21...Kh8 22.Qf6+ Kg8 23.Qf7+ Kh8 24.Qf6+ Kg8 25.Qf7+ Kh8 26.Qf6+ Kg8 Game drawn by repetition
Four days ago (see "GM Larry Evans and the Jerome Gambit"), Guido de Bouver, author of a rowdy, rollicking and bodacious book on the Blackmar Diemer Gambit, had a Comment to make on the post, which, of course, I took time to answer.
Guido De Bouver said...
Great work Rick ! Really great. I replayed the Evans game and it feels good to see also grandmasters are only human after all. But by curiousity, what do you play after 6...g6 7.Qxe5+ Qe7. I guess 8.Qf4+ but then black has both 8...Qf6 and 8...Kg7 ?
guido
Rick Kennedy said...
Hi Guido,
Here, as with an earlier comment (readers should check out "Slaughter" from 6/22/2011), you have touched on a very difficult defense for White to handle, Whistler's Defense, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7! played by Lt. G.N. Whistler, Secretary of the Lexington, Kentucky Chess Club, against Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, in a set of correspondence games in 1876.
The Database contains 37 games with this defense, including one of the Jerome - Whistler games (0-1, 15) and a Jerome - D.P. Norton game (1/2-1/2, 20) from the same year. (I have a win from each side of the board.)
White scored 51% in The Database games, which seems a bit optimistic to me.
White's best response is 8.Qf4+, as you suggest.
8.Qxh8?? is, of course suicidal for the first player, although The Database has White scoring 55% in 29 games!
It looks like it is time for me to post an update on the status of the Whistler Defense.
Thanks for your comments.
Rick
So, I guess it is time to have another "Update", this time on the Whistler Defense, which runs
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5+ 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7
As it turns out, only a few hours after I posted my response to Guido's Comment, I played a Jerome Gambit game at FICS – and somebody played the Whistler against me!
My opponent played his moves quickly, especially his 6th and 7th. Not for the first time did I suspect that I had found a defender who had been reading this blog...
So, I have jumped this most recent game to the top of the list (I usually present my games in the order that they were played) and will use it as the backbone of the Update.
Let me start by saying that, unless you are someone like Bill Wall, who can "bend steel in his bare hands" or who has the power to "cloud men's minds," don't play 8.Qxh8.
The game UNPREDICTABLE - sharepointme, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 26) is a lesson hard-learned (although I do not know if UNPREDICTABLE has learned it, as he has played 8.Qxh8 seven times, with a 4-3 record, at that).
Black can play 8...Qxe4+ and very bad things (Tyrin Price and Brian Wall have done a comprehensive analysis of the brutality, right down to the very last coffin nail, but I can't find a url to reference) can happen to White's King...
To Be Continued...
Almost all of my games with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) played at FICS have been at blitz speed (the one notable exception being a mismatched game against MiloBot). I have decided to try the opening out at slower time controls. The following is my second non-blitz FICS game.
perrypawnpusher - kashifnaseem
standard, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8
The Jerome Variation of the Jerome Gambit.
7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qf6
Including this game, The Database has 47 games with this move (reinforcing Black's hold on the dark diagonals), with White scoring 50%. Of interest are the 8 games between mrjoker and PhlebasP, where the first player scored 6-1-1.
Alternatives include 8...Nf6 (64 games in The Database, White scores 52%), as in perrypawnpusher - klixar, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33), perrypawnpusher - marianomocoroa, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 14), perrypawnpusher - salla, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 18), perrypawnpusher - caterwaul, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39); perrypawnpusher - maxmi, blitz, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 42), Wall - Badbeat994, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 48), Wall - Milsrilion, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 50), and perrypawnpusher - truuf, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 32).
Also 8...Qe7 (6 games in The Database, White scores 67%) as in perrypawnpusher - frencheng, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 17), perrypawnpusher-dkahnd, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 20) and Banks,P - Dunne,D, Worcestershire v Derbyshire, 2010, (1-0, 35); and 8...h5 (3 games in The Database, White scores 67%), as in Wall - Thieveyen, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 61).
9.0-0
Or 9.Nc3 as in Wall - GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17).
9...g6
Creating a refuge for his King.
10.Nc3 c6 11.d3 Be6
12.Be3 Bd4
Black sees the c3 spot as vulnerable, and figures that if White exchanges off the Bishop, the Queen will recapture and be centrally placed. This is an error that we both missed – which I realized as soon as I played my next move. This is something that I had hoped that "more time on the clock" would fix.
13.Bxd4
Too much of a reflex: after 13.Qxd6+ Black will simply lose the Bishop.
13...Qxd4 14.Kh1 Nf6 15.f4 Ng4
Eyeing the square e3, which no longer has the protection of White's dark-squared Bishop.
16.Rae1
This move is okay (protecting the square, developing a Rook) but after the game Houdini pointed out that I could have pushed 16.f5 anyhow, as I would not be losing the exchange, I would be getting two pieces for a Rook (leaving me up two pawns for the exchange): 16.f5 Ne3 17.fxe6+ Nxf1 18.Rxf1+ Kg8 19.Qg5 and White's Queen is ready to invade Black's fortress.
16...Qb4
This is the kind of move that makes my heart soar, especially after my games against irak, smarlny and chingching – it is dangerous for Black to let his Queen go wandering.
17.f5 gxf5 18.exf5 Bxa2
19.Nxa2
After the game Houdini pointed out that 19.Re4, both threatening to win the Knight at g4 and chase the Queen away from protecting the pawn at d6, was even stronger.
19...Qxb2 20.Qxd6+ Kg8 21.Qe6+ Kg7 22.Qe7+ Kh6 23.Qh4+ Kg7 24.Qxg4+ Kf6 25.Re6+ Kf7 26.Qh5+ Kf8 27.Qh6+ Qg7
I am sure that there was a checkmate after 27.f6, but, having gone up a piece, I decided to play it safe and exchange Queens.
28.Qxg7+ Kxg7 29.f6+ Kf7 30.Re7+ Kf8 31.Rxb7 Re8 32.Rxa7 Rg8 33.f7 Re6 34.Ra8+ Kg7 Black resigned
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws
Today's game is an interesting example of chess thought, emotion and error in defending against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).
perrypawnpusher - Sonndaze
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6
Black offers to play the Two Knights Defense, a very reasonable sidestep of the Jerome Gambit. This is not a strategic error like the Jerome Gambit Declined, but it does require the second player to be ready to sacrifice a pawn for counterplay (especially after 4.Ng5).
4.Nc3
White is not interested in the Two Knights, and he is willing to risk playing against the "fork trick" or entering the Italian Four Knights Game, which has a reputation for being very dull.
4...Bc5
Black opts for "dull" himself. Maybe he was having 2nd thoughts about the 2Ns. Maybe he was taking a relaxed approach to the opening.
5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. Relaxation time is over.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4
7...Bb4
This is one of several responses that Black has at his disposal. (You have choices when you are a piece ahead.) It is not the strongest (7...Bd6) or the most common (7...Bxd4) but it is playable, provided that Black keeps his wits about himself.
8.dxe5 Nxe4
This follows through on Black's previous move, attacking the pinned White Knight on c3, but it overlooks something.
After 8...Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 and then a retreat by the Knight, or even 9...Re8, Black would retain a small edge.
9.Qd5+ Black resigned
Black's disappointment at missing White's win of his Knight no doubt fed into his decision to resign.
Still, if the game were an important one, Sonndaze might have tried continuing with 9...Kf8 10.Qxe4 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 d5 12.exd5 e.p. Qxd6 when White's pawn weaknesses in the middle game or the Bishops-of-opposite-colors in the end game would have given him chances to fight for the draw.
I have mentioned elsewhere GM Bronstein's lighthearted comment that in chess, three small errors tend to add up to one big error. In the following game, Black suffers a loss more because he loses his way against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxv7+) than because of any great blunder.
perrypawnpusher - Unimat
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6
10.0-0 Qe7 11.Nc3 Be6
Black has any number of alternatives, including 11...b6 as in perrypawnpusher - Navarrra, blitz, FICS, 2011, (1-0, 24); 11...Rf8 as in mrjoker - rex3, Internet Chess Club 2009 (1-0, 50), perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 31), perrypawnpusher - parlance, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 20) and perrypawnpusher - chingching, blitz, FICS, 2011 (½-½, 36); 11...Ne5 as in perrypawnpusher - mikelars, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0,50); and 11...Kd7 as in perrypawnpusher - parlance, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22).
The text encourages White to play f2-f4-f5.
12.f4 Bd7
Losing a tempo.
The alternative, 12...Bc4, was seen in QuadCoreBR - Alecs, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 27) and perrypawnpusher - ZhekaR, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 36).
Too risky is 12...Kd7 as in perrypawnpusher - Solaar, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 33).
13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc4 15.Qd3 Nb6
The "Jerome pawns" are rolling and White has the advantage.
16.Bg5 h6 17.Bh4 Qf7
Moving out of the pin on the Knight, but it is interesting to see what Houdini recommended after the game: 17...Rd8 18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5 Bc6 20.exf6 gxf6 21.Qg3 Kd7 22.Rae1 Qc5+ 23.Qf2 Qxf2+ 24.Rxf2 Rde8 25.Rfe2 Rhf8 26.Rd1+ Kc8 27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Bxf6 Nc4 29.Nd5 Bxd5 30.Rxd5 Ne3 31.Re5 Rxe5 32.Bxe5 Nxf5.
analysis diagram
White's attack has been neutralized, but his extra pawn and Bishop vs Knight should win in the end.
18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5
19...Nfd5
This raises the level of danger, but Houdini's suggestion 19...Qc4 20.Qxc4 Nxc4 21.exf6 will lead to a two-pawn advantage for White, any way.
The tactics all go White's way now.
20.e6 Qh5 21.exd7+ Kxd7 22.Nxd5 Nxd5 23.Qxd5+ Kc8
24.g3
The computer later pointed out that the Bishop was untouchable: 24.Rad1 Qxh4 25.f6 leads to mate.
24...Rd8 25.Qxd8 checkmate
I just received an interesting email from Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Gemeinde member Bill Wall. Below is his discovery, with some notes that he has added (in blue). I've added a few things (in red) as well.
Rick,
I just noticed a Jerome Gambit in Chess Catechism by Larry Evans. I had not seen it before or paid attention. On page 42-43, he writes:
3. Trying for a First-Round Knockout
Where angels fear to tread, the slugger rushes in. He is "head-hunting" from the sound of the gong. Pawns, pieces, material – they are so much clutter! He throws everything at you – one sacrifice after another – often without follow-up. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.
The important thing to remember is that a premature attack must fail against proper defense. A rather crude example:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5
So far, so good. Both sides have developed their pieces toward the center with economy. But now, for some reason, the slugger feels that he "has something" in the position and decides to sacrifice.
4. Bxf7+!?
4...Kxf7
White keeps punching.
5.Nxe5+!? Nxe5 6.Qh5+
Now we see White's "idea." He figures that, on 6...Ng6 7.Qxc5, he regains one piece and, even though he is still a Knight down, has two Pawns for it, with the semblance of an attack. Then, again, Black might always stumble into 6...Kf6?? 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxc5, regaining all the loot plus two Pawns. But no such luck!
6...g6! 7.Qxe5 d6!
Black sacrifices his Rook and lures his hunter on to destruction.
8.Qxh8 Qh4! 9 O-O
Now White looks safe enough.
9...Nf6!
White's Queen may as well be behind bars now.
10.Nc3 Bh3! 11.Qxa8 Qg4 12.g3 Qf3
White resigns; he cannot avert mate. His "attack" has boomeranged.
Well, here are my comments.
If 6...Ng6, 7.Qd5+ seems stronger than 7.Qxc5.
6...g6 may not be the best move. 6...Ke6 seems stronger, or even 6...Kf8.
Evans gives 6...Kf6 two question marks, but that may be too much. Black may be able to hold in some variations after 6...Kf6 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf7 (or 8...Kf8) 9.Qxc5 Nf6, with some advantage to White, but not an overwhelming advantage.
Evans gives 7...d6 an exclamation point. But 7...Qe7 seems stronger for Black.
Evans says that after 9...Nf6! "White's Queen may as well be behind bars now." Well, White can escape with advantage after 10.Qd8, since 10...Bh3? allows 11.Qxc7+ and Qxb7, and White is probably winning.
After 9...Nf6 10.Nc3? Black has a stronger move than 10...Bh3. He can play 10...Ng4!, threatening 11...Qxh2 mate. If 11.h3, then 11...Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5! 13.Qxa8 Qg3! 14.hxg4 Qh4 mate.
In Evan's analysis, after 10...Bh3, 11.Qxa8?? does lose, but White can offer more resistance with 11.Qxf6+ Kxf6 12.gxh3 Qxh3 13.d3 or 13.Nd5+ perhaps.
Bill
Both Evans and Wall pay homage to the notorious Jerome Gambit game, Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.c3 Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qxh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxe4 checkmate.
Evans' 10.Nc3? (instead of the 10.c3 played against Blackburne) is a curious move, showing up only once in the 24,500-game collection The Database – and White won when Black misplayed Blackburne's "mating attack": 10.Nc3 Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qxh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxe4+ 15.Nxe4 Black resigned, KONB - elmflare, standard, FICS, 2011.
Rick
