Beaten, Off Of The Beaten Path

The following game, from the newest version of The Database, shows HauntedKnight, a regular Jerome Gambiteer, wandering into largely unexplored opening territory. He makes some plucky choices, and as a result his opponent loses his way, as well. Still, the last tactical shot goes to the defender.


HauntedKnight - sfanel
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Re8 8.dxc5

Earlier in the year, White had tried the other capture: 8.dxe5 Rxe5 9.0-0 Nxe4 10.Nxe4 Rxe4 11.Qh5+ g6 12.Qxc5 d6 13.Qd5+ Re6 14.Bg5 Qe8 15.f4 c6 16.Qb3 d5 17.f5 Re2 18.fxg6+ Kxg6 19.Bh4 Rxg2+ 20.Kxg2 Qe4+ 21.Qf3 Qxc2+ 22.Rf2 Qe4 23.Qxe4+ dxe4 24.Re1 Bf5 25.Bg3 Rf8 26.Rd2 Re8 27.Rd6+ Kg5 28.h4+ Kg4 29.Rd4 c5 30.Rc4 b5 31.Rxc5 e3 32.Rxb5 Be4+ 33.Kh2 Kf3 34.Rb3 Bc2 35.Rb4 e2 36.Rf4+ Ke3 37.Rf6 Kd2 38.Rg1 e1Q 39.Bxe1+ Black forfeited on time, HauntedKnight - DrywallRickshaw, FICS, 2011.

8...d5

Several alternatives: 8...Nc4 9.Qd5+ Nxd5 White resigned, perrypawnpusher - TrentonTheSecond, blitz, FICS, 2010;


8...Nc6 9.0-0 Kg8 10.Bg5 Re5 11.f4 Rxg5 12.fxg5 Ne8 13.Qd5+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - hudders, blitz, FICS, 2010.


The unplayed 8...Qe7 may be best.

9.Nxd5

Rybka's recommendation, 9.cxd6 Qxd6 10.Qxd6 cxd6, is not for everyone.

9...Nxd5 10.Qh5+

Again, Rybka recommends exchanging Queens (10.Qxd5+ Qxd5 11.exd5) but it is hard to see how White can then reach the kind of tricky position that he needs, in order to induce Black to err.

The text, by comparison, is immediately successful.

10...g6

Of course Black should have played 10...Ng6, as the Knight on d5 is not really hanging, thanks to the pin of the White e-pawn by the Black Rook at e8.

11.Qxh7+ Kf6

"Out of the frying pan, into the fire."

Black's better choice was the dangerous-looking 11...Ke6, when 12.exd5+ Kxd5 (12...Qxd5 is also well met by 13.0-0) 13.0-0 Kc6 14.b4 a5 15.b5+ Kxb5 16.Bf4 Qe7 17.Rab1+ Kxc5 18.Qh6 Kc6 19.Bg3 Qf7 Black has an edge, according to Rybka. 

12.exd5

Played a move too soon.

White could have tried 12.h4!? which looks stronger the more you look at it, with the main threat being, of course, Bc1-g5+.

Black's King can dodge the threat with 12...Ke6 (if 12...Ne7, then 13.Bg5+ Ke6 14.Qg7 Rf8 15.f4 and the heat is on), blocking the e-file, when 13.exd5+ Qxd5 (13...Kxd5 leads to a crazy position after 14.Bg5, where White's threat of a Rook skewer on the d-file trumps Black's discovered check on the e-file!)14.0-0 gives a balanced game where White has 3 pawns for the sacrificed piece, and the much safer King.

12...Nf3+ 13.Kd1 White resigned

Almost

Sometimes the person playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) gets just enough assistance from the defender that the opening can almost look like it really does lead to a powerful attack...

perrypawnpusher - obturator
blitz, FICS, 2012

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 Rf8 11.f4

Equally strong was 11.d4, as in fehim - cybernoid, FICS, 2006: 11...Be6 12.e5 dxe5 13.dxe5 Ne7 14.exf6 Rxf6 15.b3 Nd5 16.Qe4 Qd6 17.Bb2 Rh6 18.g3 Kd7 19.Rd1 Re8 20.c4 Bg4 21.Qxg4+ Black resigned.

Instead, 11.f3 was the introduction to an ultimate "Jerome pawn" game, mrjoker - PhlebasP, ICC, 2009 (1-0, 35).

11...Qe7

I have also faced 11...Rf7 in perrypawnpusher - dkahnd, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 30) as has Louis Marin, in mrjoker - Mandragora, ICC, 2008 (1-0, 49);

as well as 11...Ng4 in perrypawnpusher - dkahnd, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 24), perrypawnpusher - lorecai, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 47), and perrypawnpusher - jgknight, blitz, FICS, 2010 (½-½, 58).

12.Nc3

Also possible was 12.f5 Ne5 13.Nc3 b6 14.d4 Nc4 15.Qg5 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 Qxe4 17.Qxg7 Bxf5 18.Bh6 Rf7 19.Qg5 Kd7 20.Rae1 Qxd4+ 21.Kh1 Nd2 22.Rxf5 Rxf5 23.Qxf5+ Kc6 24.Bxd2 Qxd2 25.Rf1 Re8 26.Qf3+ Kc5 27.Qa3+ Kc6 28.Qa4+ b5 29.Qa6+ Kd7 30.Qxb5+ c6 31.Rf7+ Re7 32.Qb7+ Kd8 Black resigned, holofernes - kdosch, FICS, 2001.

12...Ng4

Also seen is 12...c6 as in perrypawnpusher - parlance, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 20), although 12...Kf7 with plans to continuing castling-by-hand may be best.

13.Qg3 Bd7 14.f5 N6e5 15.d4 d5

Black returns a piece and undermines White's pawn at f5, but this might be less painfully accomplished (at least the first step) by 15...Nf6 16.dxe5 dxe5.

Now White's game takes a step forward.

16.Nxd5 Qd6 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Bf4 Qc5+ 19.Kh1 Nf7 20.Nxc7+ Ke7


21.Nxa8

I was pleased to be the exchange and a few pawns ahead, but 21.Qh4+, continuing the attack on the King, was stronger.

21...Rxa8 22.Bg5+

This was a nervous, short-of-time move. Better was the straight-forward 22.Qxg7.

22...Ke8 23.c3 Bc6 24.Rae1 h6 25.Be3 Qc4 26.Qxg7 Bxe4 27.Qg8+ Kd7 28.Qxa8

I had my clock back under control, and needed only avoid a serious blunder to bring home the point.

28...Qc6 29.Rd1+ Kc7 30.Bf4+ Kb6 31.Qg8 Black resigned

Scary Movie

I have made the comparison before (see "Jerome Gambit: Don't open that door!"), but sometimes when I play over a Jerome Gambit game I secretly identify with the defender with the Black pieces who seems to be in a scary movie... I keep yelling at the screen: Don't turn that way! Don't enter that room! Don't open that door!

Wall,B - Rami
10 min game, PlayChess.com, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bxf7+

We have come, by tranposition, through the Semi-Italian Opening to the Italian Four Knights Game to the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit...

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Qe7 9.dxc5 Qxc5 10.Be3 Qc6 TN

10...Qc4 was seen in perrypawnpusher - cinamon, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 21).

11.Bd4 Nc4

This is getting scary. Does the Knight have to run away from the King?

12.e5 Nd5

Okay, now another guard is wandering away...

13.Qf3+ Kg8?

Oh, no! (Doesn't Black realize that he has an extra piece, one he can return with the much safer 13...Nf6 ? )

14.Nxd5 Nd2

The final flail.

15.Ne7+ Kh7 16.Qf5+ and Black resigned as it is mate after the next move.

Charlatan

After studying the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) for over a decade, I sometimes like to think that I know something about the opening. Then, I play a game like the following one, and I am unmasked as much of a charlatan.

perrypawnpusher - Ondras
blitz, FICS, 2012

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nh6

Black's move is a rare one, yet I have seen it twice before and should have been more prepared to face it.

9.Qxe5+ Kc6

Here, perrypawnpusher - GPP, blitz, FICS, 2010, ended as a win for White by ajudication

10.Qd5+ Kb6 11.Nc3

So far, so good. The text is actually an improvement over 11.d4 Bxd4 (11...Ng4 12.Qxc5 checkmate, UNPREDICTABLE - acuriel, blitz, FICS, 2009) 12.Qxd4+ as in perrypawnpusher - hotintheshade, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 46)

11...d6

Compartively better were 11...c6, 11...a6 and 11...a5, all of which would give Black's King a retreat square in return for his Bishop after 12.Na4+ and 13.Qxc5.

12.Na4+

After the game, Rybka pointed out the checkmate that I "knew" was there, but could not find: 12.Qb3+ Bb4 13.Qxb4+ Kc6 14.Qb5#.

12...Ka6 13.Nxc5+

Players in tune with the spirit of the Jerome Gambit would have tried 13.b4!? instead, knowing that open lines against the Black King were well worth a pawn.

13...dxc5 14.Qxc5 b6

At this point it was becoming clear to my opponent (and me) that my attack was nothing more than a paper tiger. I could withdraw my Queen and take "satisfaction" in the fact that I had three pawns for my sacrificed piece, with roughly equal game – but we both knew that I had misplayed.

15.Qe3 Kb7 16.d4

Black has castled-by-hand on the Queenside, and I thought I would make a show of my pawns with this move. Wiser was 16.0-0.

16...Kb8

Black's King is not cowering: he visualizes his light-squared Bishop on the long diagonal, as part of a counter-attack on my King! Perhaps I was fortunate that my opponent felt so emboldened, as after the game Rybka suggested that center play, instead, could have crippled my pawns: 16...Re8 17.e5 Qd5 18.Qf3 Qxf3 19.gxf3 Nf5 and Black would be better.

17.0-0 Bb7

18.c4

Figuring, I guess, that if three central pawns did not scare my opponent, four might. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. The Great Oz has spoken...

18...Ng4 19.Qd3 c5

Black strikes back, with a plan.

20.d5 Re8 21.h3 Nf6 22.e5 Nxd5

I was impressed at my opponent's willingness to return a piece for a couple of pawns. Had he also calculated a transition into a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame?

23.cxd5

Sadly, I had looked at, and then rejected, the much better 23.Rd1.

23...Bxd5 24.Be3

Once again, 24.Rd1 was stronger. 

24...Kb7 25.b3 h6

Black casually goes about preparing the pawn break ...g7-g5!? with plans to attack my King. Although I was almost certain that my position was better, I began to feel a bit like the cowardly lion...

26.Rae1

The tactical shot 26.Bxc5 would have led to some reassuring simplification, e.g. 26...Bxg2 27.Qxd8 Raxd8 28.Kxg2 bxc5.

26...g5 27.fxg5 Rxe5 28.gxh6 Qg8 29.Rf2

29...Rf8 30.Ree2 Ref5

A lucky break for me, based on an optical illusion. If I did not have a Rook on e2, hiding behind my Bishop, I would be unable to capture twice at f5. 

31.Rxf5 Rxf5 Black resigned

Update

Readers who enjoy visiting "Bruno's Chess Problem of the Day" (one of the sites this blog is linked to) and appreciate Yury V. Bukayev's opening analysis (see "Something New in Something Old" and "Even in the Most Respectable of Settings" for examples) are encouraged to check out his further examinations of the Nh4-Bukayev Gambit (earlier article is here).

But what is chess...?

There is a fine line in chess between "chaos" and "complications" – and the Jerome Gambit and its relations, in this case, the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit – tend to trample all over that line, especially in blitz chess.

crokit - sahistonline
blitz, FICS, 2011


1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Ke7 5.Nxe5

Needlessly complicating the position – but what is chess without complications?

5...d6

An earlier battle between the two players continued 5...Nf6 6.c3 d6 7.cxd4 dxe5 8.Qb3 Nxe4 9.0-0 Qxd4 10.Qf3 Nxd2 11.Bxd2 Bg4 12.Bg5+ Kd7 13.Qxb7 Rc8 14.Qb5+ c6 15.Qb7+ Rc7 16.Qb8 Rc8 17.Qb3 Bc5 18.Be3 Qd6 19.f3 Bxe3+ 20.Kh1 Be6 21.Bxe6+ Qxe6 22.Rd1+ Ke7 23.Qxe3 Black resigned, crokit - sahistonline, FICS, 2011.

6.Qh5

Letting slip the thread of the game. Earlier in the year Black faced the stronger 6.Bxg8 (good at move 5 as well):  6...Rxg8 7.c3 (7.Nd3 Ke8 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qd5 Nxc2+ 10.Kf1 Rg7 11.Nf4 Re7 12.d3 Nxa1 13.Qc4 a6 14.b3 Bd7 15.Bb2 Nxb3 16.Qxb3 Bc6 17.Bf6 Qd7 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Ne6 Kd7 20.Nf4 Bh6 21.g3 g5 22.Nd5 Qe6 23.Kg2 Rf8 24.Nd2 Qf7 25.Rf1 Bb5 26.a4 Bc6 27.Qc4 g4 28.Qc1 Bxd5 29.exd5 Qxd5+ 30.Kg1 Qxd3 31.Rd1 Qd4 White resigned, Doctoroldhead - sahistonline, FICS, 2011) 7...dxe5 8.d3 Ne6 9.Qh5 h6 10.0-0 g6 11.Qe2 Ke8 12.Be3 Qd6 13.Nd2 b6 14.Nc4 Qd8 15.Nxe5 Bd6 16.Nc4 Be7 17.d4 Bg5 18.f4 Bh4 19.b4 Bb7 20.d5 Ng7 21.Ne5 Nh5 22.Nf3 Be7 23.Ne5 Bf6 24.Nxg6 Ng3 25.hxg3 Bxc3 26.Rac1 Bxb4 27.Qh5 Qd7 28.Ne5+ Black forfeited on time, Darthnik - sahistonline, FICS, 2011.

6...Nxc2+ 7.Ke2

Probably best was 7.Kd1, as after 7...Nf6 8.Ng6+ hxg6 9.Qxh8 Nxh8 Black does not have as great an advantage as after the text.

7...Nf6 8.Ng6+ Kxf7 9.Nxh8+ Ke7

Snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory. (...Kg8 looked safe enough)

10.Qf7 checkmate

Sunday Tournament Update

With only two games left to complete in the ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament, the standings are as follows

AsceticKingK9        27/28

mckenna215         23.5/28

braken                  19.5/28

Rikiki00               18.5/27

Knight32              18.5/28

shm19cs               16.5/28

blackburne              15/28

Magni                     14/28

Haroldlee123         12/28

DREWBEAR 63   11/28

pixifrufru                 9/28

Luke Warm             8/28

Baron wd von
Blanc, heart pirate 7.5/27

klonka59                 5/28

martind1991           3/26