Bleak Future

From "Jedi Mind Tricks"  to "Don't, Here" this blog has questioned the wisdom of declining the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. So, when I came across a game by Bill Wall, there wasn't much to say, just share the game with Readers.

Wall, Bill -YNZP
FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Ke7

Black not only declines the piece, he has his King step in the way of his Queen, preventing, at least for now, her standard BSG sally ...Qg4.

5.Bb3

White simply retires his Bishop. (5.Bxg8 works, too. 5.Nxe5 is needlessly complicating.) He can figure the rest out as the game progresses. Black's future is bleak.

5...Nf6 6.Nxd4 exd4 7. e5 Ne4

Stockfish 6 suggests instead 7...Qe8 8.exf6+ Kd8+ 9.Qe2 Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 but that is hardly full of joy.

 8.d3 Nxf2

It turns out that the Knight has nowhere safe to go, and it would have to stay on e4 to protect g5 from Bg5+.

9.Qf3 Black resigned

White's threat of checkmate would prompt Black to play 9...d5, but after 10.exd6+ the defender would have the choice of losing his Queen after 10...Qxd6 11.Bg5+ Qf6 (everything else allows a quick mate) or 10...Kd7 11.Qf5+ Kc6 12.Ba4+ and the King will not survive very long.

Led Astray?

When it comes to the Jerome Gambit, Bill Wall may not have seen it all - but he has seen a whole lot of it. So, while it would seem to be a good idea to take him into a side line, finding a place he hasn't been to before can be a bit of a challenge.

Wall, Bill - DYQH
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 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Qf6 9.Be3

Note, 9.f4 allows 9...Nf3+ 10.Rxf3 Qxd4+ winning White's Queen.

9...Nc6

We have come far enough in the game to note that the current game is the only one in The Database to contain this move. Has Black succeeded in leading White astray?

Perhaps not.

There is a game with a similar, alternative move for Black in The Database: 9... Ne7 10. Nc3 Rf8 11. Nb5 c6 12. Nc7 Rb8 13. f4 Nf3+ 14. Rxf3 Qxd4 15. Bxd4 Kg8 16.Bxa7 Black resigned, Wall,B - Foman, Chess.com, 2010. 

10.Qd3 Qxb2

Black's Queen gobbles a poisoned pawn.

11.Nc3 Nb4 

This attack on White's Queen will actually doom the Knight and put Black's Queen at risk. Better was the developing 11...Nf6. 

12.Qc4+ Ke8 13.Rab1 Qxc2 14.Rxb4 Nf6 15.Rc1 Black resigned

Games! We got games!

Along with the game Bill Wall sent (see "Strike First!") recently came the (somewhat abridged) note

Oh, I have all my games up to a few weeks ago on my chess page at http://billwall.phpwebhosting.com/ which may have more Jerome Gambits in it that you may not have seen... It is under the collections column called Bill Wall 1969-2015... Something like 43,800 games so far.

Chess players who enjoy unorthodox chess openings, take note!

In addition, here is a short win by Bill, from about 60 new-to-me games I found in his collection.

Wall, Bill - Kaefer
PlayChess.com, 2013

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

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Qe2 

An favorite line of Bill's, We took a look at this in "Cat-and-Mouse", "Waiting... Pouncing!",  "Something Had to Happen" and "The What?".

6...d6 7.O-O Rf8 8.Qc4+ Be6 

The kind of quick reaction that occurs in blitz, and gets punished, appropriately.

9.Ng5+

Discussed in "Recurring Theme". No doubt played in a nano-second by Bill.

9...Kg6

Or 9...Ke7 10.Qxe6 checkmate, hinders - Devotion, FICS, 2001. hinders played over 30 6.Qe2 games on FICS in 2000 - 2002.

10.Nxe6 

Thinking back upon the post "Wrong Piece - Oh, Never Mind!"  I had to chuckle at the other piece capture, 10.Qxe6. Black should respond with ...Nd4, but, instead played 10...Kxg5 in linders - Lader, FICS, 2000, when the following unfolded 11.d4+ (instead, he had 11.Qf5+ Kh6 12.d4+ g5 13.Qxg5#) 11...Kg6 12.dxc5 Nd4 13. Qh3 dxc5 14. Qg3+ Kf7 15. Qxe5 Re8 16.Nb5? b6? 17.Qg3? Ne2+ White resigned 

10...Bxf2+

Black throws in the towel (and a few pieces). He could have continued to fight, as in an earlier game: 10...Qe7 11.d3 Rfe8 12.Ng5 h6 13.Nf3 Kh7 14.Nh4 Qe6 15.Qb5 Bb6 16.Na4 Nd4 17.Qb4 Nxc2 18.Qd2 Nxa1 19.Qe2 Bd4 20.Qf3 Qg4 21.Qd1 Qxh4 22.g3 Qh3 23.Qf3 Nc2 24.Bd2 Bb6 25.Nc3 Nd4 26.Qd1 Ng4 27.Qxg4 Qxg4 28.h3 Qxh3 29.Nd5 Ne2 checkmate, hinders - Matheusaum, FICS, 2001.

11.Rxf2 Nxe4 12.Nxf8+ Qxf8 13.Qxe4+ Black resigned

Strike First!

Blitz games tend to be less strategic subtleties and more tactical tricks and turns. If you are planning on checkmating someone, it is best to be sure that he can't do the same to you, sooner.


Wall,B - Mydrik,M
PlayChess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

Black would like to take a detour into the Two Knights Defense. One way for White to hold out for a Jerome Gambit is now 4.Nc3, planning on meeting 4...Bc5 with 5.Bxf7+. Bill tries something else.

4.0-0

It is worth taking a minute to go back to the post "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 4)"

4...Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

5...Kxf7

White has transposed to a "modern" variation of the Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6. Bill has 11 examples in The Database, all wins. He decides to throw Nxe5+ in, anyhow.

6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 

It is the pawns (White has two extra) vs the pieces (Black, temporarily, has two more), a typical Jerome Gambit imbalance. Bean counters look elsewhere.

7...Nxe4

Black probably would have done better with 7...Bxd4. 

8.Qh5+ Ng6 9.Qd5+ 

Bill stays true to his Jerome Gambit roots and "nudges" the enemy King to the back row. 

9...Kf8 10.dxc5 Nf6 11.Qd4 d5 12.Nc3

12...c6 13.Bg5 Kf7 14.Rae1 Rf8 15.Re2 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand, a practical decision in light of White's lead in development. 

16.Rfe1 Bf5 17.f3 Qd7 18.g4 Nxg4 

Black believes his return of the extra piece is exactly what he needs to press the attack. He is almost right here, but the correct move, leading to a complicated position, was 18...Ne4!.

Now White grabs the initiative.

19.fxg4 Bxg4 20.Re7 

This had to come as a surprise.

20...Nxe7 21.Rxe7 

Best for the defense now is 21...Rf7, when, after 22.Rxd7 Rxd7 White would have the advantage of a Queen and Knight against two Rooks and a pawn, but there would be plenty of play left in the game.

Instead, Black threatens mate - and receives it in turn.

21...Qf5 22.Qxg7 checkmate

"Reality" vs "the Book"

Working on the previous blog post, I noticed that the defender (counter-attacker) had played that variation a few years earlier. The game was interesting enough to share, especially since the defender seemed conversant in Jerome Gambit strategies.. Again, however, "reality" outplayed "the book".

iconsisonline - atizzle
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 

7.O-O

This is stronger than 7.dxc5 of Sutarsa - atizzle, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 19).

7...Ng4 8.h3 Bd6 9.e5 Bxe5

Following Sorensen - NN, Denmark, 1888, pragmatically returning the extra piece for a pawn (or two). Alternatives:

9...Nxf2 10.Rxf2+ Nf6 11.Rf4 Qg3 12.Rf3 Qg6 13.exd6 cxd6 14.c3 b6 15.Qb3+ Ke7 16.Re3+ Kd8 17.Na3 Bb7 18.Re2 Nh5 19.Nb5 Ng3 20.Rf2 Ne4 21.Re2 Rf8 22.Be3 Ng3 23.Rd2 Qe4 24.Re1 Rf3 25.Bg5+ Black resigned, Darthballz - Leftang, blitz, FICS, 2011; and

9...Nxe5 10.dxe5 Bxe5 11.f4 (11.Qd5+ Kf8 12.Qxe5 d6 13.Bg5 Qxf2+ 14.Rxf2+ Black resigned, ndrwgn - balahap, standard, FICS, 2013) Bd6 12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Nd2 Nf6 14.Qd3 b6 15.Ne4 Bb7 16.Nxd6 cxd6 17.Qxd6+ Kf7 18.Qd3 Rhe8 19.Bd2 Kg8 20.f5 Nh5 21.Bc3 Nf4 22.Qc4+ Kh8 23.Rxf4 Qh6 24.Rg4 Rg8 25.f6 g6 26.f7+ Rg7 27.Qb4 d5 28.f8Q+ Rxf8 29.Qxf8 checkmate, Darthnik - aufdermaur, blitz, FICS, 2011

Black's best defense seems to be 9... Be7 10.hxg4 d6. 

10.dxe5 N4h6

Sorensen's opponent tried 10...Nxe5, which is playable, if risky, after 11.Qd5+ Kf6. 

11.Nc3 Ne7 12.Re1 Rf8 

Again, Black shows his understanding of the "big issues" in the defense, as he prepares to castle-by-hand.

Unfortunately, the move allows his Queen to be trapped.

White follows up quickly.

13.Re4 Qxe4 14.Nxe4 Kg8 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.Nf6+ Kh8 17.Qd3 Ng6 18.Qc3 c6 19.Nh5 Rf5 20.e6+ Ne5 21.e7 Black resigned

Keep Fighting

When you are new to playing the Jerome Gambit, you are bound to miss some of its "subtleties", as, most likely, will your opponent. The best advice, as with all gambits, is to "Keep fighting".

The player of the white pieces in the following game has only one Jerome in The Database. Yet his play could be a lesson to veterans of the opening.

Sutarsa - atizzle
blitz, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

This move, as opposed to 6.Qh5+, was Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's preference when he started playing the opening.

The Database has 1,346 games with 6.d4; White scores 51%. By comparison, it has 3,520 games with 6.Qh5+; White scores 55%.

6...Qh4 

Black's move, a bold counter-gambit seen as early as 1888 in Sorensen - NN, Denmark, is what makes White's 6th move risky - although you will have to take my word for it.

The move shows up only 214 times in The Database (16% of the 6.d4 games) and White scores a misleading 68%.

On the other hand, in a blitz or club game, you might like your odds as White.

7.dxc5

This is a dangerous position for White. Best is 7.O-O. 

7...Qxe4+ 8.Be3 Nf6

Black's move is solid and good, but the consistent 8...Qxg2 is better. 

9.O-O Neg4 10.Nc3 Nxe3 11.fxe3 Qxe3+ 12.Kh1 Rf8 

Black has only one other game in The Database himself, from four years earlier, but he understands the necessity of safeguarding his King - here, by castling-by-hand.

White has to act fast. While behind in material, he can at least take small encouragement in his opponent's undeveloped Queenside.

13.Qd5+ Qe6 14.Qg5 Kg8 15.Rae1 Qc6

This simple "get out of the way of the Rook" move is the cause of Black's upcoming troubles. Instead, 15...h6 16.Qg6 Qf7 would help him consolidate.

16.Re7 Rf7

The alternative isn't much better: 16...Ne8 17.Rxf8+ Kxf8 18.Nd5 Qxc5 19.Rxe8+ Kxe8 20.Nf6+ gxf6 21.Qxc5.

17.Nd5 Qxd5

Black slides toward checkmate instead of surrendering his Queen. Instead, he could have tried 17...h6 18.Nxf6+ Qxf6 19.Rxf6 Rxe7 (19...hxg5 20.Re8+ Kh7 21.Rxf7) 20.Qd5+ Re6 21.Rxe6 dxe6 22.Qd8+ Kh7 23.Qxc7 or 17...Kf8 18.Rxf7+ Kxf7 19.Qh5+ Kf8 20.Nxf6 gxf6 21.Re1 Qe6 22.Rxe6 dxe6 with dreary prospects. Both lines are worth playing over to see the attack unfold.

18.Qxd5 Nxd5 19.Re8+ Black resigned.

Still More Errors in Thinking 4.1

[continued]

perrypawnpusher - apurv83

Giuoco Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2015

At this point I decided that Black was behind enough in development - either blocked on the Queenside or over-shifted in that direction - that I could use up a few tempos myself.

19.Qh3 Rh8 20.Qh6 Qd8

Well, my opponent had "un-developed" his two pieces in his last two moves - that had to count for something, right?

Maybe I could now get a Rook into play like I tried to do against Hywel2 and Heler.The ongoing question is: what can Black do in the meantime?

21.Rf3 Nxe4 22.Qh5+

I found this move after initially wanting to play 22.Rg3, which would fall to 22...Bxf5 23.exf5 Nxf5 and while Black would have returned his extra piece, White's "Jerome pawns" would be all gone (and he would be a pawn down). True, then 24.Qg5+ Ke6 would get all weird - and then I noticed that the simple refutation of 22.Rg3 is 22...Ne2+. Oops!

22...Kf8 23.Rg3 Ne2+

A surprise move, but encouraging. Black giving back a piece to displace the White Queen meant I was getting close to something.

24.Qxe2

24...c6 25.Qh5

Very committal, but logical. Black's Bishop is still parked at home, and it still blocks the neighboring Rook. If Black takes the Knight, then exd5 will open the e-file against the King for my other Rook.

Instead, 25.Nf4 seemed playable, but slow. After the game, Stockfish 6 pointed out that 25.Qg4 was the killer move.

25...cxd5 26.Qh6+ 

Here I expected 26...Ke8, when, after 27.exd5 White will have too many open lines into Black's position for the latter to survive. Instead, my opponent gave me one more important tempo, and this led to mate.

26...Ke7 27.Rg7+ Ke8 28.Qh5+ Kf8 29.Qf7 checkmate

It looks like the defense based on ...Kf7, ...Rh8 and ...Qd8 will have to be re-thought a bit.

That is a good thing. Only one more game needs to be completed in the Italian Game tournament at Chess.com before I move on to the next round and try my hand at some Jerome Gambits (if allowed this time).

In the Giuoco Piano tournament at Chess.com, where this (i.e. perrypawnpusher - apurv83) game was played, I had given up on advancing to the next round, as only one player from my group will make the cut. However, the aggression between players has been strong enough that I now find myself at the top of the heap, a half-point ahead of auswebby, whose last game sees him currently down the exchange and a couple of pawns (his opponent has three connected passed pawns). Of course, if auswebby is able to recover and win, he will leap over me to first place; and if he draws, his tie-break (he beat me twice) should be enough to again assure that he advances. More nail-biting, but I have been here before.