The Proper Way To Blunder A Piece

I was looking for a short Jerome Gambit game to share with Readers, and stumbled upon an "old colleague" - a line of play that keeps showing up, regardless of expectations.

KAVUA - wojowhiskey
standard, FICS, 2013

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

4...Kxf7 5.Ng5+ 

I was surprised to note that this line has been seen in 445 games in The Database. Amazingly, the natural response, 5...Qxg5, was seen in only 318 of those games. 

The first mention of the line on this blog was in "A Closer Look (Part I)" 2008 when I noted that

"The in-your-face 5.Ng5+ was championed by tournament winner Carlos Azcarate (see "Carlos Azcarate Topping Ninja Knights T3") to the tune of one win and four losses."

A year later, when talking about 4 more examples in "Eyeblink Chess: Crash", I wrote

"Relax, readers. This blog, and the support of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde will help you avoid such crashes."

Alas, it was not to be. The following year "Opening Tale" featured bit of a mystery involving a player who wanted to know what to do, after losing to 5.Ng5+ (put forward by one of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde).

"..I'm pretty bad at openings I don't know, and lower rated opponents beat me at these, here's a worst case example:"

Later on in 2010, "Death of A Variation" pointed out that

"DREWBEAR 63's only loss to date in the ongoing Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament at ChessWorld came with the White pieces against his primary rival, Daves111, under unclear circumstances." 

[Daves111 finished first in the tournament with 21 points; DREWBEAR 63 tied for second with 17 1/2 points.]

"Theory From the Thematic Tourney (2)" in the same year presented 5 more games with the line, including 2 wins by White

To reinforce my message, I posted "Reinventing the Flat Tire" making it clear that the line was

"Outrageous, even by Jerome Gambit standards. On the surface, White hopes to exchange his Knight for Black's Bishop at c5 – but the game quickly becomes too chaotic for that."

All the games mentioned to date were played online at FICS, but during 2011, in "Relayed Deaction" I was able to post an over-the-board example of the line from the Nana Alexandria Cup, Poti, Georgia, 2009.

I posted my first PSA later, "Public Service Announcement" with 5 games.

In 2012, I pointed out that "A Mention Is Not An Endorsement".

Even as recently as this year, in "Truth Is Stranger Than - Whatever" I opined

"This move seems to throw away a piece. I much prefer that White throw away a piece, instead, with 5.Nxe5. Even the Jerome Gambit has its limits."

6.d4

This is White's "plan"...

6...Bxd4 7.Bxg5 Black resigned.

...And it worked to perfection.

Of course, it would only be fair to point out that Black's alternative, 6...Qxg2, wins crushingly.

Further Updating the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit

Today we return to a rare line in the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, on behalf of HauntedKnight of FICS, who has over 230 Jerome Gambit and Jerome-related games in The Database.

HauntedKnight - keeper
blitz, FICS, 2012

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4. O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6. Nxe5+ Nxe5 7. d4 Qh4

Mentioned previously in "Updating the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit". The move is reminiscent of what I have called a "Pie-in-the-Face Variation" in the regular Jerome Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5+ 6.d4 Qh4!?

The question here, in the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, is, how much does giving White a useful move (0-0) and having Black waste a move (...h6), change what is a clear plan of refutation in the Jerome Gambit proper.

8.dxe5

For starters, White gets to capture one of Black's pieces in this variation. In the regular Jerome Gambit line, of course, capturing the Knight with 7.dxe5 would lead to 7...Qxf2#. (There is actually one such game in The Database.) Capturing the Bishop with 7.dxc5 in the regular line would lead to 7...Qxe4+ (best) and White was lucky to score 28% out of 52 games in the Database.

In the current game, White's King is castled, and thus safer. Still, he should have captured the other Black piece with 8.dxc5, leading to an almost-balanced game.

Instead, this move and his following move turn Black's Bishop into a monster. In unexplored territories - remember, this is the only 7.d4 Qh4 Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit game in The Database - there are often monsters.

8...d6 9.exd6

White had to try to hang on with 9.Nc3. 

9...Bxd6 

White now fights valiantly, but to no avail.

10.f4 Nf6 11.e5 Ng4 12.h3 Bc5+ 13.Kh1 Nf2+ 14.Rxf2 Qxf2 15.Qh5+ g6 16.Qd1 

White can only annoy the Black King, and then fall back on defense.

16...Bf5 17.Qd5+ Be6 18.Qd1 Rad8 19.Nd2 Bd5 20.Qf1 Qxf1+

Black is content to simplify; perhaps it was a question of time on the clock. With 20...Qg3 he would have a checkmate in 7 moves. 

21.Nxf1 Kg7 22.Be3 Bxe3 23.Nxe3 Bc6 24.Kh2 Rhf8 25.g3 g5 26.Nf5+ Rxf5 White resigned

Despite the outcome of this game, White should not fear 7...Qh4, but go ahead and capture the Bishop with 8.dxc5, followed by development of his pieces and then the advance of his "Jerome pawns".

Nothing Subtle

mmorris - crownking
blitz, FICS, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

7...Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.f4 Nc6

10.Qa4 

Previous games have seen 10.Qc4+, 10.Qd5+, 10.Qf2 and 10.Qd2.

10...Nge7 11.f5 Kg8 12.f6 

There is nothing subtle about White's intentions.

12...gxf6 13.Rxf6 Bd7 

Black is too casual about defending his King, which is suddenly checkmated.

14.Qb3+ d5 15.Qg3+ Kh7 16. Rf7 checkmate

Updating the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit

I have had a long-term interest in the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, so-called because it can arise from the move order - among others - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 h6. (For example, see "A Jerome Look At The Semi-Italian Opening" Parts 1, 2, and 3).

More than a third (37%, actually) of the games in The Database with this move order were played by me, and I've scored 89% with the line.

I thought it was a good time to take another look at some recent games and update my knowledge.

ndrwgn - latang
standard, FICS, 2013

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4. O-O Bc5 5. Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 

I was surprised to see that Houdini 3 prefers this move to my choice, 7.Qh5+. I have played 7.d4 in only 3 of my 54 Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit games. Shows what I know.

7...Bxd4 

I wondered how often Black played 7...Qh4!? in this position, similar to 6...Qh4!? in the main line Jerome Gambit with 6.d4 (instead of 6.Qh5). It turns out that there is only one game example in The Database, HauntedKnight - keeper, blitz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 26). This line deserves further exploration.

8.Qxd4 d6

There are 9 examples of ndrwgn playing this position in The Database, and he has scored 56%.

9.f4 c5 

"Meeting A Threat With A Threat", but 9...Nc6 was a more stable alternative. The text causes immediate difficulties. 

10.Qd5+ Be6 11.fxe5+ Ke8 12.Qxe6+ Ne7 13.exd6 Qb6 14.Qxe7 checkmate

Bop!

Playing the Jerome Gambit is a lot like giving your opponent a weapon - and then stepping in and bopping him on the nose before he figures out how to use it. If you are fast or skilled (or lucky) enough, you can walk away with a win.

IagainstI - kingphilippineda
blitz, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 

This is Whistler's Defense, as opposed to the much better known 7...d6, Blackburne's Defense. The offered Rook is poison.

8.Qxh8 

When Alonzo Wheeler Jerome played this move against D.P. Norton in a correspondence game in 1876, the American Chess Journal, June 15th, noted that it was "[P]layed experimentally; and analysis will probably show the capture to be unsound." White was fortunate to draw the game, however.

8...Qxe4+

Black immediately lost his way with 8...Qf6 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.O-O Black resigned, Wall,B - Sepoli, Chess.com, 2010. Bop! 

9.Kf1

Even worse is 9.Kd1 although you couldn't tell by the result of  Wall,B - Mathieubuntu, FICS, standard 40 0, 2011 (1/2 - 1/2, 14). Bop!

A  more representative 9.Kd1 game is blackburne - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (1-0, 17). The earliest example, equally educational, is Jerome,A - Whistler,G, correspondence, 1876 (0-1, 15).

9...Qc4+ 

9...Nf6 was the start of White getting off the hook in Jerome,A - Norton,D, correspondence, 1876 (1/2, 1/2, 20). Bop!

Likewise, the text gives White a breather, and that is all that he needs to reverse his fortunes.

Instead, Black needed to continue to both attack and defend with 9...Qh4.

10.d3

The only move.

10...Qxc2 11.Qxh7+

Now White's Queen is more dangerous, and Black's King is more at risk.

11...Kf8 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Kf7 14.Qf4+

Or 14.Qd2 Qa4 15.Nc3 d6 16.Nxa4 Black resigned, in Abijud - Jeru, blitz, FICS, 2005. Bop!

14...Ke8 15.Nd2 Qxd3+ 16.Kg1 Bd6 17.Re1+ Kd8

Black resigned

Mate will arrive in a couple of moves.

Even against the better defense 17...Be7, Black's unsafe King would guarantee more suffering, e.g. 18.Qf6 Qd6 19.Qh8+ Kf7 20.Nc4 when the entry of White's Knight will either cost Black his Queen, or lead to checkmate. Bop!

Not Just An Option

When playing the Italian Game, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5, the Jerome Gambit - 4.Bxf7+ - is one option, among several, for White.

When facing the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4, the Jerome approach - 4.Bxf7+ - is, again, one option among others.

However, as we see in the game below, when facing the Semi-Italian Opening, if Black goes overboard with 4...Na5 (hoping to exchange his Knight for White's "Italian Bishop"), then 4.Bxf7+ is not just an option, it is probably the best way for White to respond.

This post is another "public service announcement" for Black's own protection.

jlsdr - WMozartA
standard, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian Opening. Some authors give Black's last move a "?", although, "objectively" it is probably more deserving of a "?!" - I have seen grandmaster games where Black has won with the defense; but the move sometimes is played by an overly-timid club player (instead of 3...Nf6 or 3...Bc4), and perhaps that is why it gets full condemnation 

4.0-0 Na5 

As we have seen in "Too Much of A Bad Thing" and "Final Nail In The Coffin" this is not correct. It must be punished, Jerome-style.


5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxg6+ Black resigned

If Black defends well, he will still end up down the exchange and three pawns, with no compensation.

Meeting A Threat With A Threat

In analyzing tactics for a position, players are encouraged to not just find a defensive solution, but to look for a possible counter-threat that would grab the initiative and force their opponents to defend their threats.

This idea of "meeting a threat with a threat" is clearly on the mind of Bill Wall's opponent in the following game. It is interesting to watch Bill meet the new threat with another one of his own - with telling effect.


Wall,B - Guest1561957 
PlayChess.com, 2014

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.0-0

Previously, Bill has played 8.Qd5+ as in Wall,B - Guest344942, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0,20).

8...Nf6 9.Nc3

Instead, 9.f4 was seen in Jerome,A - Shinkman,W, Iowa, 1876  (½-½, 42).

Earlier, Bill had played 9.f3, i.e. Wall,B - Guest903719, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 47).

9...Re8 10.Bg5 h6 

Black continued without this "kick", with 10...Nc6, in perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 34). 

11.Bh4

Bill notes, as an alternative, 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Rad1 Nc6 13.Qc4+ Be6, which may be less strong than the text. 

11...Be6

Black could also have castled-by-hand with 11...Kg8.

12.f4 c5

Black decides to "meet a threat with a counter-threat", but the straight-forward 12...Nc6 was better. 

13.Qa4 Ng6

Black retreats with a threat, but he has missed one of those by White.

14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.f5 b5

Again, Black conters a threat with a threat, but simpler would have been 15...Kg7 16.fxe6 Rxe6 17.Qb3, although White would be better. 

16.Qxb5 Bd7 17.fxg6+ Kxg6 18.Qd3 Kg7

The smoke has cleared, and White has an extra pawn.

19.Qxd6 Rc8 20.Rad1 Rc7 21.Qg3+

Equally 21.Rxf6 Qxf6 22.Qxc7. 

21...Kh7 22.Nd5 Rc6 

23.Nxf6+ Rxf6 24.Rxf6 Qxf6 25.Rxd7+ Black resigned.

White is ahead three pawns, and Black has no counterplay.

[Readers of this blog in the month of September, 2014 set a new record for visits, the highest - by far (24% above the previous high) - since the blog began in June, 2008.
I noticed a lot of referrals from reddit.com. Many thanks, and please do come back - Rick]