Monumental Effort

The following game is a titanic struggle and monumental effort by both parties. White's early Queen moves prompt his opponent to try to punish them. Before a couple of dozen moves are past, an unbalanced (but balanced) endgame presents itself, and the game is not yet half over.

Bill Wall's endgame play is worth studying by any Jerome Gambiteer who suspects that he might not win all his games by first round knockout.

Wall,B (2000) - Seven11
Chess.com, 2008

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+

A different way to "put the question to the Bishop." Does Black want to play 8...Be6 and allow 9.Qxb7, ?

In three previous games, Bill's opponents have answered no, no, and yes with 8...Ke7 (Wall - Guest 4395, Microsoft Internet Gaming Zone, 2001 [1-0, 18]), 8...Kf8 (Wall - Chung, Chess.com, 2010 [1-0, 25]) and 8...Be6 (Wall - CheckMe, Chess.com, 2010 [1-0, 23]). - Rick

8...Ke8

9.d3 c6 10.Qb3 Nf6 11.0-0 Qe7 12.Nc3 Be6 13.Qa4 b5 14.Qa6 Qc7 15.Be3 Ke7 16.f4 Bc8 17.Qa3 c5 

Black's play against White's Queen has been quite aggressive (13...b5!?, 15...Ke7!?, 16...Bc8!?) and although White may "objectively" have a whisper of an advantage in the diagrammed position (at least if it is Houdini 3 doing the whispering) the game is tense and complicated.

18.Nxb5

The natural move that White wants to make, and that Black wants him to make.

The un-natural (read: computer) move is 18.e5!? when 18...b4 19.exf6+ Kf7 20.Qb3+ Be6 21.Nd5 Qb7 22.c4 Bxd5 23.cxd5 gxf6 would be a mess, but, perhaps, a White-tinged mess.

18...Qc6 19.Nxa7 Qb7 20.Nxc8+ Rhxc8 

White now has four pawns for his sacrificed piece, but Black's pressure on the Queenside is substantial.

Black's goal is to recover some material. Whit'es goal is to move into an endgame where he has the prospects of converting a pawn.

21.Qc3 Qb4 22.f5 Qxc3 23.bxc3 Ne5 

24.Bf4 Kd7 25.Bxe5 dxe5 26.a4 Ra5 27.Rfb1 Rc7 28.Rb5 Rca7

Houdini 3 says that 28...Rxb5 29.axb5 c4 30.Ra3 Kd6 31.Ra6+ Kc5 32.Re6 cxd3 33.cxd3 Kxb5 34.Rxe5+ Ka4 would also be equal, 

analysis diagram

but wouldn't you rather have White?


29.c4 

Bill suggests 29.Rxa5 Rxa5 30.h3 as an alternative.

29...Kc6

Likewise, Bill points out that 29...Rxa4 30.Rxa4 Rxa4 31.Rb7+ Ke8 32.Rxg7 Ra1+ 33.Kf2 Rc1 34.Kf3 Rxc2 would get rid of the annoying a-pawn and keep Black's remaining Rook active.

30.Rxa5 Rxa5 31.Kf2 Nh5?! 

Getting active on the Kingside, and thus keeping White's King there. Bill prefers that Black shift his King over that way.

32.g4 Nf6 33.g5 Nh5

Not 33...Ng4+? 34.Kf3 Nxh2+ 35.Kg3 and the greedy Knight is trapped; while if 33...Nd7 then 34.h4. 

34.Ke3 Nf4 

White still has all of his pawns.

35.f6?!

Perhaps a bit precipitate. Bill prefers 35.h4 h5 36.gxh6 gxh6 37.c3.

 35...g6? 

Better: 35...gxf6 36.gxf6 Kd6 and still a game in balance.

36.c3?!

Better, too, to move the King to prepare to advance his h-pawn, 36.Kf3 Ne6 37.Kg4.

36...Nh3 

Or 36...Ng2+ 37.Kf3 Nf4 38.d4 cxd4 39.cxd4 Nh3 40.dxe5 Nxg5+ 41.Kf4 

37.d4

There is not much more in 37.Rf1 Ra8 38.a5 Nxg5 39.a6.

37...exd4+ 38.cxd4 cxd4+ 39.Kxd4 Nxg5 

White now has four (!) passed pawns, and the easier game to play, but, to be fair to his opponent, the game is still even.

40.h4 Ne6+

There is no more in 40...Nf3+ 41.Kc3 Nxh4 42.f7 Ra8 43.a5 g5 44.a6 Ng6 45.a7 g4 46.Kc4 g3 47.Ke3 g2 48.Kf2 Ne5.

analysis diagram

41.Kc3 Nc5 

Bill points out that shifting defenders doesn't accomplish much: 41...Re5 42.a5 Rxe4 43.a6 Nc7 44.Rf1.

42.f7

Nothing more is available from 42.e5 Nd7 43.f7 Rxe5. 

42...Ra8 43.Rf1

Or 43.e5 Kd7 44.Rf1 Rf8. 

43...Nxe4+??

Black gobbles a poison pawn (with check). Who can blame him? He needed the patience to find 43...Rf8 44.e5 Kd7 45.Kd4 Ne6+ 46.Kd5 Ke7 47.c5 Rd8+ 48.Kc4 Rc8 49.Kb4 Kf8, when White's energy exhausts itself, e.g. 50.a5 Nxc5 51.Kb5 Ne6 52.Rd1 Kxf7 53.Rd7+ Kg8 54.Rd6 Re8 55.Kb6 Nd8 56.a6 Nf7 57.Rd5 Nxe5 58.a7 Re6+ and Black's checks will keep White's last dangerous pawn from Queening. Whew!

44.Kd4 Rf8

Bill gives this move a "?", but after the alternative 44...Ng3 45.f8Q Rxf8 46.Rxf8 Nf5+ 47.Kc3 Nxh4 48.a5 White is more than just the exchange ahead. His a-pawn will cost Black his Knight, and his Rook can feast on the remaining two Black pawns long before they become threats to Queen.

45.Kxe4 Kc5 

46.a5 Kxc4 47.a6 Kb5 48.a7 Kb6 49.Ra1 Ra8 50.Rb1+ Kc6 51.Rb8 Black resigned

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's Dream

If Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, the creator of the Jerome Gambit, ever dreamed of an exciting game, it might very well have looked like the following one.

Wall,B - Guest1157782
playchess.com, 2013

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Ng6

The kind of move - withdrawing a piece from attack - that someone unfamiliar with the Jerome Gambit might make quickly. (Best was 7...Qf6).

My guess is that at this point Bill got out his psychic micrometer, measured the apparent depth of his opponent's experience with (or understanding of) the opening, and chose a line of play that was most efficacious against an unschooled or uneasy opponent. 

8.f5+

Also seen:

8.Qf5+ as in Idealist - pvm, FICS, 2003 (1-0, 42), Petasluk - jackla, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 31), and Petasluk - popasile, FICS 2011 (0-1, 35);

8.Qxc5 as in Permanence - Pianisimo, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 17) and Permanence - jgknight, FICS, 2008 (0-1,38); and

8.Qd5+ as in Siggus - svetma, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 36).

All of these games can be found in The Database.

8...Kd6

Or 8...Ke5, which led to a quick win for White in Superpippo - HarryPaul, FICS 2001 (1-0, 15).

9.fxg6 Kc6

Instead, Black had to fight back with 9...Nf6.

10.Qd5+ Kb6 11.Qb3+ Kc6

Surprisingly enough, Black's King can escape with 11...Ka6 - if he keeps his wits about him. Sure, White can then win back a piece with 12.Qc4+ b5 13.Qxc5, but after the counter-attack 13...Qh4+!? Black can get his Queen over to protect His Majesty, e.g. 14.Kf1 Qxe4 (Black could also try 14...Ne7 with the idea of 15...Rf8+)15.d3 Qc6 when 16.Qxc6 dxc6 17.gxh7 gives White a small advantage, according to Houdini 3.

12.Nc3 hxg6 

Now White finishes things off.

13.Qd5+ Kb6 14.Na4+ Ka5 15.b4+ Kxa4 16.Qb3+ Kb5 17.a4+ Kc6 18.Qd5+ Kb6 19.Qxc5+ Ka6 20.Qa5 checkmate

Opening Encyclopedia 2013

Chess Base has come out with a new Opening Encyclopedia for 2013.

Albert Silver, in his review, was quite impressed, noting "It quite literally comes with more material than you could view in a lifetime, or several lifetimes..." and reassuring readers "it has material to answer your questions in every chess opening there is."

He continues

Don’t think this is only about mainline theory either. Although you will assuredly find every nook and cranny of the Najdorf, Gruenfeld and QGD being scrutinized, you will also find a wealth of material on offbeat lines such as the Fajarowicz Gambit (two articles), the From Gambit, the Evans, the Snake Benoni, the Keres Defense, the Latvian Gambit, the Elephant Gambit (eight articles) and every oddball line that may tickle your fancy. Someone played a gambit or line at your club or online and you had no idea what to do? Rest assured, there is an article here to enlighten you.

Wow.

I wrote ChessBase immediately

I was impressed by Albert Silber's review of Opening Encyclopedia 2013. Tell me that it covers the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ and I'll reach for my wallet.

We shall see... 

Jeromezzzzzzzzzz... Gambit

Somehow, the following game escaped being posted here shortly after being played, three years ago. Perhaps I tried to put it up, but kept falling asleep.

It is another example of the Jerome Countergambit, and it shows that leaving White a pawn up is not a guaranteed win for the first player, or loss for the second.

perrypawnpusher - superlopez
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

The Jerome Countergambit.

Black reasons that if there is anything useful in the Bishop sacrifice, he would like to have a bit of it as well. Also, he gets to exchange Queens and blunt White's attack.

8.Kxf2 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 

What I remember from my first chess book, Chess the Easy Way, by Fine, is that all White has to do now is exchange down to the K + P vs K endgame and collect the point. Of course, it has been about 50 years since I read the book, so maybe I am simplifying it in my mind...

11.Nc3 d6 12.d3 Kf7 13.Bg5 Rf8 14.Bxf6 Kxf6 15.Ke3 Ke7 16.Nd5+ Kd8 

17.Rhf1 Rxf1 18.Rxf1 c6 19.Rf8+ Kd7 20.Nc3 Ke7 21.Rh8 h6 22.Ne2 b6 23.Nf4 

Here I missed a chance to grab another pawn with 23.Nd4 Bb7 24.Nf5+ Kf6 25.Rxa8 Bxa8 26.Nxd6. 

23...Bb7 24.Rxa8 Bxa8 25.d4 Kf6 26.h4 c5 27.dxc5 dxc5 28.c4 g5 29.hxg5+ hxg5 30.Nd5+ Ke5 

White has a pawn advantage, but Black's active King and Bishop vs Knight give the second player significant drawing chances (especially in blitz).

31.Nc3 a6 32.a4 

Still thinking in a static manner, whereas 32.Nd5 b5 33.Nc7 Bxe4 34.cxb5 axb5 35.Nxb5 would have won a useful second pawn.

32...Bc6 33.b3 Bb7 34.Nd5 

34...b5

Actually, Black has established a very strong blockade of White's pawns and pieces, and he probably could have held the game after 34...Bc6! for example 35.Nxb6 a5 36.Nd5 Bb7 37.Kf3 Bc8 38.Nc3 Bd7 39.Nd5 Bc8 40.Nc7 Kd4 41.Nb5+ Ke5 42.Ke3 Bg4 and it is hard seeing White make any headway.

35.axb5 axb5 36.Nc3 

More plodding play, when 36.cxb5 was the right move, as 36...Bxd5 37.exd5 Kxd5 is answered by 38.Kf3 and success on the Kingside.

36...bxc4 37.bxc4 Ba6 

Again, 37...Bc6 contained the drawing idea. 

38.Nb5 Bc8 39.Nc3 Bh3 40.Na4 Bf1 41.Nxc5 Bxc4 42.Nd3+ Ke6 43.Nc5+ Ke5 

44.Nd7+ Ke6 45.Nc5+ Ke5 46.Nd7+ Kd6 

Black does not want the draw by repetition of position. He should have been happy with 46...Ke6.

47.Nf8 Bf1

The Bishop needed to go to g8 to help continue the blockade. Now White makes progress.

48.Nh7 g4 49.Nf6 Bh3 50.Kf4 Ke6 51.e5

Playable was 51.Nxg4. 

51...Kf7 52.Ne4 Ke6 53.Nf2 Kd5 54.Kf5 Kd4 55.e6 Bf1 56.e7 Bb5 57.Nxg4 

57...Kd5 58.Nf6+ Kd6 59.e8Q Bxe8 60.Nxe8+ Ke7 61.Nf6 Kf7 62.g4 Kg7 

63.g5 Kf7 64.Nh5 Kg8 65.Kf6 Kf8 66.g6 Kg8 67.g7 Kh7 68.Kf7 Kh6 69.Nf6 Kg5 70.g8Q+ Kh6 71.Qg6 checkmate

After this game and the one in the last post, I got to thinking that it might be time to go through some standard Jerome Gambit endgames. Of course, Bill Wall sent one right away.

Jerome Countergambit

The following game could just as easily be called "Buttons, buttons, who's got the buttons?" because White wins in the end simply because he has more buttons - er, pawns.

An interesting question of Jerome Gambit nomenclature comes up, however, hence the title of today's post (and the graphic of the counter-puncher).

Wall, Bill - Guest545050

PlayChess.com, 2013

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

Bill Wall suggests that this variation be called the Jerome Countergambit. I think that name is appropriate, as, in the Jerome Gambit, Black executes the same Bishop sacrifice that White played earlier. However, I would like to expand the name to the whole strategy of Black's counter-sacrifice.

Interestingly, in The Database I found only 8 other examples of 7...Bxf2+ as in the current game.

After a different defensive line, however, that of 6...g6 (instead of 6...Kf8) 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+, I found 84 examples.

While readers may not be surprised that after 6.d3 (instead of 6.Qh5+ as in the game) I found only 1 example of the countergambit 6...Bxf2+, it might be shocking to discover that in the "modern" Jerome Gambit line 5.d3 (instead of 5.Nxe5+) there are 842 examples of 5...Bxf2+.

Over the years there have been a number of comments about the ideas behind the Jerome Countergambit, from the thoughts of Brian Wall to today's game by Bill Wall. As for me, I've written a memo: More to explore!

8.Kxf2

Wouldn't you know, one Jerome Gambiteer, the venerable DREWBEAR 63, tried the counter-psych, 8.Ke2!?, and won in 43 moves, in DREWBEAR 63 - Crusader Rabbit, Jerome Gambit Tourney 4, ChessWorld 2009.

8...Qf6+

The alternative, 8... Qh4+, in true Jerome Gambit style, showed up in perrypawnpusher - superlopez, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 71), which apparently, somehow, was never posted here. (I'll remedy that in a few days.)

9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 

As I've mentioned elsewhere, recently, in a similar situation, "Black has an even game. However, given that he had a won game at move 4, this is not actually progress". Actually, things are worse in this particular case, as Black's exchange of Queens has left him a pawn down.

10.Nc3 g6 

Or 10... d6, as in perrypawnpusher - Lindal, blitz, FICS, 2007, (1-0, 45) 

11.d4 d6 12.Bg5 Kg7 

Moving too quickly. (For a recent, similar example, see "By the Numbers".)

As I've said before: as "bad" as the Jerome Gambit is, it still demands the defender's full attention.

13.Bxf6+ Kxf6 14.Nd5+ Kg7 15.Nxc7 Rb8 16.Nb5 Rf8+ 17.Ke2 Bg4+ 18.Ke3 Rbd8 19.Nxa7 Rde8 

20.Nb5 d5 21.e5 Bf5 22.Nd6 Ra8 23. Nxf5+ Rxf5 24.g4 Rf7 25.h4 Raf8 

26.Rh3 Rf4 27.g5 b5 28.a4 bxa4 29.Rxa4 Rf2 30.Ra7+ Kg8 31.Rc7 Black resigned

Black has nothing against the Queenside buttons.

Flash

Depending upon your view of lightning chess, the Jerome Gambit may a very good - or very bad - fit for such hectic play.

In the following game, Black's quick-play strategy is to move his pieces, not his pawns. This falls right into White's hands, however.

KingDeath - FoxTerrier
lightning, FICS, 2013

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

Transposing to a "modern" variation of the Jerome Gambit - 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6 9.Qc4+ Kf8

10.Bg5 Qe7 11.Nc3 Qe5 12.f4 Qe8 13.e5 Ng8

14.Nd5 Qf7 15.Qc5+ 

Black forfeited on time.

A good exercise is to see how many times a pawn move would have suited Black better than the move he chose. (My guess is at least on moves 9, 10, 11, 13 and 15.)