Other Online Computer Foes?

The email continues this week, with an interesting game, and an over-arching question, from Bill Wall. Can readers help identify other online computer foes?


Rick,

After reading your latest blog on Boris at sparkchess, I decided to play a Jerome Gambit against it as well.
Here is my effort.  Do you happen to know other links that one may be able to play a Jerome against a computer online?
I can't get any of the engines at FICS to play a Jerome.

Bill


Wall, Bill - Boris
sparkchess.com, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.O-O Ke8 6.Nxe5 Nf6

According to The Database, this is a Theoretical Novelty. It is likely that after 5.0-0 Boris was out of it's "book" and was thinking on its own. The play continues to have a quirky feel for both sides.

7.Nd3

This is an interesting move, as if Bill knows how Boris will respond. That reminds me of the query, if a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around to hear it, does it make a noise? only in this case it would go, if Boris is a computer, and doesn't really "think", is it possible for Bill to read its mind?

7...d6 8.Nxc5 dxc5 9.Nc3 Kf7 10.d3 Kg8 

Typical Jerome Gambit play: White has his central "Jerome pawns" ready to roll, while Black has "castled-by-hand".

11.Bg5

Again, this is an interesting move, as if Bill knew that he could get Boris to over expand on the kingside. Of course, pressure on f6, including the use of the White Rook on the f-file, is thematic in the Jerome Gambit, too.

11...h6 12.Bh4 g5 13.Bg3 Be6 14.f4 gxf4 15.Bxf4 

15...Qd4+ 16.Kh1 Rc8 17.Qd2 h5 18.Ne2 Qxb2 

Not a good time for the computer to turn greedy.

19.Rab1 Qa3

It was time to surrender some material with 19...Nxe4. Now Boris is in deep trouble.

20.Be5 Nxe4 21.dxe4 Nxe5 22.Qg5+ Kh7 23.Rf6 Qc1+ 24.Rxc1 Bg4 25.Rh6 checkmate

By the way, if you Google "play chess against the computer online" you will find plenty of online sites with computer programs to try the Jerome Gambit against... 

In the Email

This past week was a good one for receiving Jerome Gambit games in the email. First Argentina, then the United Kingdom, and now from the United States, thanks to Bill Wall.

Rick,

Here is my latest game, a Four Knights Jerome Gambit, played at 15 minutes per game.  He got his queen and king pinned on move 23.  He gave up another pawn after 12...Rf8, trying to makle a discovered attack on my queen.  After 18...Rf5, I had to watch out for Rg5.  After 20.Rae1, he can't play 20...Qxa2 due to Qxg7 mate.

Bill


Wall,B - DarkKnight
15 0, Playchess.com 2012


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

5...Kxf7 6.Qe2 


A line Bill has had success with.


6...h6 


Likewise 6...Rf8 7.Qc4+ as in Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17); Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22); and  Wall,B - NFNZ, FICS,  2011 (1-0,15).


More in sync with the position is 6...d5 as in Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25). 


7.Qc4+ d5 8.Qxc5 dxe4 9.Nxe5+ Nxe5 10.Qxe5 Re8 11.Qf4 Kg8 

12.0-0 Rf8 13.Nxe4 Bd7 14.d3 Bc6 

15.Nxf6+ Rxf6 16.Qg3 Qd7 17.Bd2 Raf8 18.Bc3 Rf5 

19.h4 Qf7 20.Rae1 g5 21.h5 Kh7 22.Bb4 Rg8 23.Re7 Black resigned

Help-mate

I was wandering through The Database when I ran across the following amusing game. It finishes like a "help-mate", which is probably not too surprising for a Jerome Gambit played at a lightning time control...


JKELSEY - raol 
lightning, FICS, 2001


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kf8


The Jerome Gambit Declined, a rare choice.


5.Bb3 Ke7


An extravagance that Black can ill afford; but the Jerome can leave a defender dizzy.


6.d3 Nf6 7.Bg5 Re8 8.Bxf6+ gxf6 9.Nh4 Kd6 10.Nf5 checkmate

Boris Isn't So Hot...

From the email bag, a note and a game from Dave Black, who has graced these pages before...

Hi Rick,

I came across a site with a online chess program so I thought I would give it a bash with the Jerome.

http://www.sparkchess.com/

The program has 3 levels available to play for free named Cody, Claire and Boris. Boris's blurb states "Get ready for a challenge. Boris will do his best to beat you, play if you're an advanced player." 

I will let you judge just how advanced Boris is.  ;)

Dave Black - Boris
sparkchess.com, 2012
(notes by Rick)


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 g5

To go from a won game to a worse (if not lost) one so quickly, deserves recognition,  but this defense has been played before.


8.fxe5 Kxe5


Chess software these days is not supposed to be so materialistic, but, in Boris' defense, its position was already critical.


Black's simplest continuation was 8...Nf6, and, after 9.exf6 Qxf6 he can play on, a pawn down.


Otherwise, he had the thematic 8...d5, although after 9.d4 his position requires much thought: 9...Be7 (there is no time for 9...Bxd4, and the pawn at g5 needs defending) 10.0-0 (with mate threats) Kd7 11.Qf7 and Black is so tied up, if he does not want to immediately return a piece with ...Nh6 then he has to try something tortured like 11...Kc6, when 12.Nc3 b6 13.exd5+ Kb7 14.Qg7 is just one possible unfortunate outcome.


9. c3


Previously GuestCRJQ - Despistado, FICS, 2009, continued 9.Rf1 d5 10.d4+ Bxd4 11.Bxg5 Kd6 12.Bxd8 Be6 13.Qh4 Bxb2 14.Qg3+ Kd7 15.Qxc7+ Ke8 16.Qxb7 Rxd8 17.Qxb2 d4 18.Qb5+ Bd7 19.Qe5+ Be6 20.Qxh8 d3 21.Qg7 Ne7 22.Rf8+ Kd7 23.Rxd8+ Kxd8 24.cxd3 h5 25.Nc3 Ke8 26.Rb1 Black resigned


Analagously, 9.d4+ was also playable.


9...Be7 10.d4+ 


Going for the jugular with 10.Qf7 was stronger, but, like I indicated above, the position is complicated. What is relevant is that Dave has a "feel" for it, while Boris does not.


10...Kd6 

11.O-O Kc6 12.Na3 Kb6


Black should have tried "castling" with 12...b6 and 13...Kb7.


13.Qf7 

13...Bxa3


Opening the b-file for White's Rook can hardly be a good idea.


14.bxa3 h6 15.Rb1+ Ka5 16.Qd5+ c5 17.Qxc5+ Ka6 18.Qb5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit, Over the Board, Around the World

From a recent email:


Dear Rick,

I send you a Jerome Gambit played yesterday in the championship in my city (Chivilcoy, Buenos Aires province, Argentina). The game... shows that there are brave players who dare to play the Jerome. The game was played 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment. The characters are low level players, but Carlos Barsoba has read the few articles of yours that I have translated into Spanish in my website.

Regards!

-- 
Julio Alberto González
NotiChess Ediciones
Web: www.notichess.com.ar


Many thanks, Julio! My thanks, as well, to Sr. Barsoba, for his play of the Jerome Gambit!

Barsoba,C - Gomez,F
Chivilcoy CACh Mayor Chivilcoy ARG, 2012


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Bc4 h6 

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Kf8 

Alternatives: 7...Ng6; 7...Ke6; and 7...g6.


8.Qxe5


Not 8.f4? Nf6-+


8...d6


From The Database: 8...Bxf2+ 9.Kxf2 Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ gxf6 11.Nd5 c6 12.Nc3 d5 13.d3 d4 14.Ne2 Bg4 15.Nxd4 Ne7 16.Bf4 Rd8 17.Nb3 b6 18.h3 Be6 19.Nd2 f5 20.Rhe1 Rg8 21.exf5 Bxf5 22.Nf3 h5 23.Ng5 Nd5 24.Ne6+ Ke7 25.Nxd8+ Kxd8 26.Be3 Nxe3 27.Rxe3 Re8 28.Rxe8+ Kxe8 29.Re1+ Kd7 30.Re5 Be6 31.Rxh5 Black resigned, kardiuno - Brillig, FICS, 2006.


9.Qf4+ Qf6 10.Qxf6+ 


Instead, 10.Nd5!? Qxf4 11.Nxf4 Kf7 12.c3 Nf6 13.d4 Bb6 14.f3 Re8.


10...Nxf6 

11.0-0 Kf7 12.d3 Rf8 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.fxe3 Kg8 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Rxf8+ Kxf8 17.exd5 Bd7 

18.Rf1+ Kg8 19.h3 Rf8 20.Rxf8+ Kxf8 21.Kf2 Kf7 22.g4 h5 23.Kg3 hxg4 24.hxg4 g5 

25.c4 Kf6 26.d4 Be8 27.e4 c5 28.dxc6 Bxc6 29.Kf3 a6 30.Ke3 b5 

31.d5? 


Better 31.cxb5 Bxb5 32.b3 Ke7-+.


31...Bd7 32.cxb5 axb5 33.Kd4 Bxg4 34.e5+ dxe5+ 35.Kc5 Bd7 36.Kd6 Be8 37.Kc7 Bg6 38.d6 Bf5 

 39.b4 g4 40.a4 g3 41.axb5 g2 42.b6 g1Q 43.d7 Bxd7 


Or 43...Qc1+ 44.Kb7 Be4+ 45.Ka6 Qc4+ 46.Ka5 Qd5+ 47.b5 Qd2+ 48.Ka4 Bc2+ 49.Ka3 Qc3+ 50.Ka2 Qb3+ 51.Ka1 Qb1#


44.Kxd7 Qxb6 White resigned

Be Careful What You Read

It was pleasant to have my opponent choose the defense that he did, as it leaves White with a pawn plus advantage, even if attacking prospects have diminished. (Alas, because I believed that previous statement, I eventually got careless in my "zombie walk" and drew the game, as you will see.)




perrypawnpusher - HelloGoodby
blitz, FICS, 2012


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

This defense does not have a name, but it might as well be called "the thinking player's defense," as it usually is composed by Black on the fly, to force the exchange of Queens and stifle White's attack. It is all very logical, although Black does exchange a won position for one that has him a pawn down...


8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.Nc3 

Or 10.d3 as in perrypawnpusher - ScudRocket, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 24) 


10...d6 


I have also played 10...Re8 as in perrypawnpusher - BEEB, blitz, FICS, 2011 (½-½, 63) and perrypawnpusher - Conspicuous, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22); and 10...Rf8 as in perrypawnpusher - Edvardinho, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 42). 


11.Rf1 


Alternatives include 11.d4 from perrypawnpusher - Mences, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 48) and 11.d3 from AlonzoJerome - adroit, ICC, 2011 (1-0, 25). 


11...Kg7 12.Kg1 Re8 


With aggressive intentions, but I have to think that the more modest 12...Rf8 would have been better. 


13.d3 a6 14.Bg5 Rf8 15.Bxf6+ Rxf6 16.Rxf6 Kxf6 17.Nd5+ 

Leading to the gain of a secone pawn. Black's better King position and Bishop do not compensate.


17...Ke5 18.Nxc7 Rb8 19.Rf1 Bg4 20.Nd5 

After the game Rybka preferred more aggressive play: 20.Rf7 d5 (20...Bd1 21.Kf2 Bxc2 22.Ke3) 21.Nxd5 Be6 22.Rxh7 Bxd5 23.exd5 Kxd5. 


20...Rc8 21.Rc1 


Making routine, not-thought-out moves, instead of 21.c3 Be2 (21...Bd7 22.d4+ Kxe4 23.Nf6+; or 21...Be6 22.d4+ Kxe4 23.Ne7 Re8 24.Re1+) 22.Rf7 Bxd3 23.Re7# 


To checkmate a King, you first have to realize that it might be possible, and then look for the right lines.


21...Be6 22.Ne3 


Thoughtless. Why not 22.Nc3 ? 


22...Bxa2 

Losing this pawn is not the end of the world for White, but it almost looks like the beginning of the end, and White's thinking has collapsed.


23.b3 Bxb3 24.Rb1 Bxc2 


Too greedy. Rybka suggested: 24...Kd4 25.Rxb3 Kxe3 26.Rxb7 Rxc2 27.h4 Kxd3 28.Rxh7 Kxe4.


25.Nxc2 


Overlooking the opportunity of 25.Rc1.


25...Rxc2 26.Rxb7 h6 

I have managed to squander my two pawn advantage, and Black might well be better here. Time to use the active Rook to get the draw.


27.Ra7 Ra2 28.Rh7 h5 29.Rg7 Kf6 30.Rd7 Ke6 31.Rg7 Kf6 32.Rd7 Ke6 33.Rg7 Kf6 34.Rd7 Ke6 Game drawn by repetition 

I suppose that both of us felt lucky with the outcome.

An Even Longer Day...

Here is another travelogue through the landscape of the Jerome Gambit, disguised as a blitz chess game... So much to see, so much to think about, so much to evaluate, so much to try to understand...


perrypawnpusher - paulpee
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 Qf6 

As long as Black avoids the "optical illusion variation", this is a very steadfast defense for Black. White scores 55% in the games in The Database, but that statistic is misleading.


9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 h6 

Chess is a constant battle of ideas, and here Black comes up with a new move that has an old idea: keep his Queen in the center and White's Bishop off of the f5 square.


The move changes the nature of the position, however, and the tempo would be better spent on 10...Nf6, with the game continuing 11.d3 Kc6 (avoiding the skewer) 12.c3 and Black is clearly better. 


11.d3 


"Business as usual", ignoring the opportunities given by 10...h6. After the game Rybka suggested the pawn sac 11.d4, and it looks good. After 11...Qxd4, 12.Nc3 arrives with all kinds of threats, keeping the game even.


11...g5 12.h4


I am not quite sure where this idea came from, but Rybka's post mortem suggestion is almost as goofy: 12.Rf1 b6 13.c3 Ba6 14.d4 Qe6 15.e5+ Ke7 16.Qxa8 Bxf1 17.Be3 Ba6 18.Qf3 Rh7.


12...Qf6 13.hxg5 Qxf3 14.gxf3 b6

Black has managed the exchange of Queens, and feels comfortable handling the "two Bishops" against the "Jerome pawns."


15.c3 Kc6 16.d4 Bf8 17.Be3 d6 18.Nd2 Bd7 19.0-0-0 Kb7 

20.f4


Probably better was 20.Rdg1.


20...Bg7 21.f5 hxg5 22.Rxh8 Bxh8 23.Rh1 Nf6 24.Bxg5 Bg7 

25.Bxf6 


An odd idea. Better was the straight-forward 25.e5, although it looks like Black will be able to blockade the two advanced, passed, "Jerome pawns".


25...Bxf6 26.Rh7 Rd8 27.Nf3 Kc8 28.e5


Simply a tactical oversight that my opponent overlooked.


28...dxe5 29.dxe5 Bh8 

Without the ticking clock, 29...Bxf5 is not hard to see.


30.e6 


Rybka's preference was 30.f6, instead, no doubt because it stifle's Black's Bishop at h8. It sees the game, then, as slightly better for White, but its suggestions have the "Jerome pawns" stay where they are after that. I was trying to get something out of the pawns, instead, which meant, of course, that I made moves Rybka did not like.


In the meantime, my opponent's time was slipping away.


30...Bc6 31.e7 Re8 32.Nd4 Bxd4


An understandable error, as when time is in short supply it is tempting to make moves that lead to predictable positions.


33.cxd4 Be4 34.Rf7 Kd7 35.f6 Bd5 

36.Rf8 Rxe7


A very interesting idea. Black exchanges his Rook for three pawns, believing that he can hold the pawn-for-the-exchange endgame. Rybka's suggestion was to grab the a-pawn instead, and then,  a few moves later, start repeating the position.


37.fxe7 Kxe7 38.Rh8 Bxa2 

39.Kc2


Rybka's suggestion would win a pawn, but would not change the game much: 39.Ra8 a5 40.Ra7 Kd7 41.b4 a4 42.Rxa4 Bb3 43.Ra3 Bc4 44.Rg3 Kd6 45.Kd2 c6 46.Rg7 Kd5 47.Kc3 b5.


39...Bd5 40.Rh7+ Kd6 41.Kc3 Kc6 42.Kb4 a5+ 43.Kc3 Kb7 

Around here my opponent made a series of draw offers, which I declined. Although it could probably be said that the game now is probably "objectively" drawn, it could also be said the it was "objectively" won for Black after four moves...


However, I thought I would see if I could find a few helpful ideas before I split the point, especially since my client had about 20 seconds to play, plus the 12 second increment, and I had a couple more minutes than that.


44.Rd7 Bc6 45.Rh7 a4 46.Kc4 Be4 47.Re7 Bc2 48.Kb5 Bb3 

49.d5


Showing that up to this point, I had not found any good ideas. Instead, 49.Rg7 would have brought about a zugzwang position where Black would have to shed a pawn with 49...a3, although I do not think that would have changed much.


49...Bxd5 50.Kxa4 Bc6+ 51.Kb4 Kc8 52.Kc4 Kb7 

Black is convinced (correctly) that the game is drawn, and repeats moves to make his point. Had he not been short on time, I would have taken the "hint", but, as it was, his moves gave me an idea... 


53.Kd4 Kc8 54.Ke5 Kb7 55.Ke6 Kc8 56.Rg7 Kb7 

Missing my point.


57.Ke7 Bd5 58.Kd8 Ka6


The first real sign of lack of faith (or time). I think Black should have played the stoic 58...Kc6 59.Rxc7+ Kb5 and shaken off the loss of a pawn.


59.Rxc7 


Capturing with the King was much stronger.


59...b5 

Returning the favor. After 59...Kb5 White's win, if there is one, is still a long way off. 


60.b4 Kb6 61.Rc5 Bc4 62.Kd7


My first thought was to exchange my Rook for Black's Bishop and pawn, and then Queen the b-pawn.


62...Kb7 63.Kd6 Kb6 64.Ke5 Kb7 65.Kd4 Be2 66.Re5 Bf1 67.Kc5 Bd3 

68.Re7+ Kc8 69.Kc6 


Combining a checkmate threat with the threat on the pawn (and a thinly-veiled threat on the Bishop).


69...Kd8 70.Rd7+ Ke8 71.Rxd3 Black resigned

Whew! This was my longest Jerome Gambit win, although I have lost to CorH in 84 moves and drawn alsuarezdi in 88.