The Nightingale Gambit etc. (C70, C20, C60): Bombs

 The Nightingale Gambit etc. (C70, C20, C60): Bombs 

 

(by Yury V. Bukayev) 

 

 

In this our analytical investigation we’ll consider the enough strong attack which is common for some different opening systems (the Nightingale gambit – C70, the Woman Player’s Luck opening – C20 and the Popov variation – C60). 

 

Part 1: The Nightingale gambit (C70) 

 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 b5 5.Bb3 Na5 6.Bxf7+!? [This variation of the Spanish game (Ruy Lopez opening, C70) has a traditional name “the Nightingale gambit”.] 6…Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Ke7 8.Nf7!? Kxf7 9.Qh5+ g6! [9…Ke7?! 10.Qe5 Kf7 11.Qd5 Ke8 12.Qa8, and White has an advantage] 10.Qd5+ Kg7! 11.Qxa8 

 

1. 11…Nc6  

[The modern chess opening theory considers this line as “Black has a large advantage”, as the proof of a weakness of White’s move 8.Nf7.] 12.c3! AN [This move makes 8.Nf7 playable and, moreover, makes it enough good.] 12…Nf6! [12…Ne5 13.Qd5! (White plans to save the Queen by Qd5-d4-e3 if it’s necessary.) 13…Qf6 14.0-0! Ne7 15.Qd4 Nec6 16.Qe3 with a complicated fight.] 13.d3 [13.f3?! Ne4! 14.fe Qh4!; 13…Ne5 14.Ke2! with a complicated fight; the gambits 13.d4!? and 13.0-0!? are not bad, and the position is unclear in both cases] 13…Ne5! 14.Bg5! with the unclear position. Thus, the ways 14…h6 15.Bxf6+ Kxf6! 16.0-0! (or even 16.Ke2!?) and 14…Be7 15.Ke2!? lead to a complicated fight with unclear positions. [The “natural” move 14…Nd3?? is a mistake: 15.Ke2!. White wins. For example: 15…Ne5 16.f4! d6 (with the idea 17.fe?? Bg4!) 17.Bf6!. After 14…h6 15.Bf6 Kf6! 16.0-0! the “natural” move 16…Nd3? is a mistake too: 17.Qd5 Ne5 18.Qd4 Ke6 19.f4 Nf7 20.f5; 19...Nc6! 20.f5.] 

 

This defence no.1 in our analysis shows also that “the Nightingale gambit” isn’t a true gambit, in fact. Of course, White can choose another move instead of 8.Nf7 (analogously to the Queen’s gambit accepted where White can choose not 3.Qa4 Nc6 4.e3), but “the Nightingale gambit” isn’t a true gambit in this case too (analogously to 2.c4 after 1.d4 d5). Moreover, it isn’t even a pseudogambit: two minor pieces and one Rook with two pawns have only an approximately equal material value. 

In fact, we can receive a related true gambit (C70) in the Chase variation (3…a6 4.Ba4 b5 5.Bb3 Na5) after 6.d4 exd4!?: it is 7.Bxf7+?! AN. The name “the Chase variation” has a lot of synonyms (Taimanov variation, Norwegian variation, Norwegian defence, Wing variation, Accelerated counterthrust variation etc.), but it is the most correct of all used names, its best translation into Russian is “вариант «Погоня»”. [Thus, the name “the Accelerated counterthrust variation” isn’t very good, because the Bird’s defence 3…Nd4 is more accelerated Knight counterthrust and because the Exchange variation 3…a6 4.Bxc6 is also Black’s accelerated Pawn counterthrust in comparison with a-Pawn counterthrust in the Yanish gambit (Jaenisch gambit) 3…f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 a6!? AN, for example (here after 5…a6!? the position is unclear).] We suggest the name “the Chase First gambit” for 7.Bxf7+?! (its translation into Russian is “первый гамбит варианта «Погоня»”). Its consideration isn’t a topic of this investigation. 

Moreover, this defence no.1 in our analysis shows also the bright example of Wilhelm Steinitz’s fighting strong King in Open Games, and it is “centralized” (Ke1-e2) not as a result of an opponent’s check in some cases. 

  

2. 11…Qg5!? AN  

[Several other moves are possible too, but this move is the most dangerous for White besides 11…Nc6.]  

1. 12.Qxc8 Qxg2! 13.Qxd7+ Be7! 14.Rf1 Qxe4+! 15.Kd1 Qf3+! 16.Ke1 Qe4+! = 

B) 12.b4 Bb7! [12…Qg2? 13.Bb2 Kf7 (13…Nf6 14.Bf6!) 14.Qd5 with 15.Rf1 (White stands better).] 13.Bb2+  

B1) 13…Kf7 14.Qa7 Qxg2! 15.Rf1 Qxe4+! 16.Kd1 Qf3+! [16…Qg2 17.Re1 Bf3 18.Kc1 Nc6 19.Qe3. White stands better.] 17.Kc1 Qe2 [17…Nc4 18.Bh8! Qe2 19.Rd1, and White stands better.] 18.Rd1 Bb4 19.Qe3 with the unclear position. 

B2) 13…Nf6 14.Qd8!  

x) 14…Nc6 15.Qxd7+! Ne7 [15...Be7 16.0-0! with the advantage] 16.Qd4 Nc6 17.Qxf6+ Qxf6 18.Bxf6+ Kxf6 19.c3 Ne5 20.f3! with the advantage. 

y) 14…Bxb4 15.Qxd7+! =. 

 

Part 2: The Woman Player’s Luck opening (C20) 

 

The above new analysis of the Nightingale gambit allows to get new appraisals of some systems of the Woman Player’s Luck opening (the Bednikova opening, C20): 

 

I) 1.e4 e5 2.b3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3!? AN Ba5 [4…Bc3 5.dc, and White has a good position, because after 5…Ne4?! White gets an advantage: 6.Qd5 (or 6.Qg4) 6…Nc3 7.Qe5 Qe7 8.Qe7 Ke7 9.Bb2 with 10. Bg7.] 5.b4!? Bb6 6.Na4 [We can see the Chase variation reflected here. If you play as White and know that your opponent likes the Nightingale gambit very much (when he plays as White) and if you want to play against it, then the Woman Player’s Luck opening is an excellent way for you to start this game.] Thus, after 6…Bxf2+!? we can see the Nightingale gambit reflected.  

 

II) 1.e4 e5 2.b3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Na4!? Bxf2+!? 5.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 6.Ke2 Nf2!? AN [Our first novelty was 4.Na4 here, but it was published (with our whole tree of subvariations) in our article ‘The Only Opening Named after a Woman: the New’ on the page “Bruno’s Chess Articles”, so it’s a part of the modern chess opening theory now.] 7.Kxf2 Qh4+ 8.g3! [8.Ke2?! Qe4 9.Kf2 Qd4 10.Ke1 Qa1, and Black has an advantage] 8…Qd4+ 9.Kg2! Qxa1 10.Nc3!?  

1. 10…c6?! 11.Nf3. Here the way 11…d6? 12.Ne4 Bg4 is bad, because after 13.Nxd6+! Ke7 14.Ne4! (with the idea 14…f5?? 15.Ba3 and 16.Qa1) White wins. Black can play 11…d5 or 11…0-0 instead with White’s response 12.Nxe5 in both cases, but White has a large advantage in both cases, because White can play 13.Ba3!? Qxd1 14.Nxd1. Also Black can play 11…e4 12.Nxe4 0-0!, but after 13.Nc3!? White plays 14.Ba3!? and has a large advantage too. 

2. 10…b6 11.Be2 Bb7+ [or 11…Na6!? with the unclear position] 12.Bf3 Nc6 with the unclear position. 

3. 10…0-0 [It’s a sacrifice of the c-pawn.] 11.Nd5 Nc6 12.Nxc7 Rb8 13.a3 Qd4!? with the unclear position. 

 

Part 3: The Popov variation (C60) 

 

Easily each Internet user can find initial stages of two games with the Spanish opening (Spanish game, C60) by the Bulgarian ICCF GM Georgi Popov where he has played successfully as Black: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a5!? with the move 4…Na7 after 4.d3?! (against Mr. Nikolov, 1990) and after 4.0-0! (against Mr. Kuczynski, 1991). Thus, several experts call 3…a5 as “the Popov variation” (or as “the Bulgarian variation /defence”), other experts use this name for 3…a5 4.d3 Na7 and 3…a5 4.0-0 Na7 only. The move 3…a5 isn’t a very good defence, but the modern chess opening theory doesn’t give real proofs for this conclusion. Our new following analysis permits to get these proofs for these two lines. 

 

I) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a5!? 4.d3?! Na7 5.Bc4! [It’s our new appraisal of this move. The way 5.Ba4 b5 6.Bb3 is good too, and it’s also our new appraisal.] 5…b5 6.Bb3 [6.Bf7! AN is good too.] 6…a4 7.Bxf7+! AN Kxf7 8.Nxe5+ Ke7 9.Nf7!? [Other moves will not be considered here, although there are some strong attacking ones among them.] 9…Kxf7 10.Qh5+ g6 [10…Ke7?! 11.Qe5 Kf7 12.Qd5 Ke8 13.Qa8, and White has an advantage] 11.Qd5+ Kg7 12.Qxa8 Nc6  

A) 13.c3 with a complicated fight where White gets an advantage. 

B) 13.Be3 with a complicated fight where White gets an advantage. 

C) 13.Na3 Bxa3 [13…Nb4 14.Be3 with the advantage; 13…Nd4 14.Qd5 with the advantage] 14.bxa3 Nf6! 15.Bb2, and White gets an advantage. 

 

II) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a5!? 4.0-0! Na7 5.Bc4! AN [The little-known way 5.Ba4 b5 6.Bb3 a4 7.Bf7! is good too.] 5…b5 6.Bb3 [6.Bf7! AN is good too.] 6…a4 7.Bxf7+! Kxf7 8.Nxe5+ Ke7 9.Nf7! [Other moves will not be considered here, although there are some strong attacking ones among them.] 9…Kxf7 10.Qh5+ g6 AN [10…Ke7?! 11.Qe5 Kf7 12.Qd5 Ke8 13.Qa8, and White has an advantage] 11.Qd5+ Kg7 12.Qxa8 Nc6 13.c3! with a complicated fight where White gets an advantage. 

 

Moreover, it should be added that 4.Nc3 [GM Lubomir Kavalek recommended it in his newspaper chess column in 1998, May 4, as the best move and as the refutation of the Popov variation: “Of course, after 3…a5 white plays 4.Nc3 and the Bulgarian defense is shelved”.] should be met by 4…Nd4! AN, and the position is unclear [Black has or the equal position, or even the advantage]. 

 

Note 1: Everywhere in the text the words “we” and “our” mean “author” and “author’s”. 

Note 2: Author’s theoretical novelties-moves are marked by the symbol “AN”. 

 

Contact the author:  istinayubukayev@yandex.ru  or  Facebook  

 

 

© 2021 Yury V. Bukayev (Copyright © Bukayev Yury Vyacheslavovich 2021). All rights reserved.  

[A legal using of this investigation with a reference to it is permitted  

and doesn’t require author’s consent.] 

 

Jerome Gambit: Good Try

 

Things have not gone well for Black in the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game.

Take a look for yourself.

TePart0 - lazlo3000

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

White, to move, has a checkmate in 3: 47.Qf4 Kg8 48.Qf7+ Kh8 49.Qf8#.

But White doesn't have to think that hard. Instead, he can just push pawns.

Why doesn't Black resign? Well, first of all, it's a 3-minute blitz game, so anything can happen, including White losing on time. Secondly - stalemate?

Meanwhile, White just keeps on pushing.

47.b4 Kh6 48.b5 Kg7 49.b6 Kh6 50.b7 Kg7 51.Qc7+ Kh6 52.b8Q Kg5 53.g7 Kh4 54.h6 Kg4 55.h7 Kf3 56.h8Q Ke2 57.g8Q 

Well, I would be persuaded to resign here.

57...Kd2 58.Qd5+ Kc1 59.Qbb2 checkmate

Oh, well, good try.

Jerome Gambit: A Tricky Endgame

It has always been true that knowing the opening moves of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is not enough. It is necessary to have the tactical skills to take you to and through the middle game, as well. Finally, it is useful to know enough about the endgame to convert your andvantage to a win - and, sometimes, to avert disaster.

The following endgame is educational, for what happened, and what did not. It comes after White used the Jerome Gambit against a higher rated player in a blitz game, and clearly had a win in hand. However, there were a few technicalities to grasp along the way, and a 3-minute blitz game does not always allow that.

SensGuy - huarsan2

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

White's 2-pawn advantage is winning. His King plans to escort one or both of the passers to their Queening squares. Black should be able to catch one of them, but not both.

56. Kb6 Kd6 57. a5 Rb2+

Black's best chance is to check from afar.

58. Ka7 Rc2 

Now White can toss the c-pawn with 59.c8Q Rxc8 when, after 60.Kb7 he can find a way to deal with Black's Rook's checks, e.g. 60...Rc1 61.a6 Rb1+ 62.Kc8! Kd5 63.a7 Ra1 64.Kb8 Rb1+ 65.Rb7, when his remaining pawn will promote.

59.a6 

Bringing the a-pawn closer to promotion - but there is a problem that is specific to Rook pawns.

59...Rc3 

Instead, Black had 59...Rxc7+ 60.Rxc7 Kxc7 when Black can pin White's King to the side of the board, keeping him from getting out of the way of the pawn, i.e. 61.Ka8 Kc8 62.a7 Kc7 stalemate.

60.Kb8 Rb3+ 

White is winning, again, and Black has to resort to checking the King again.

61.Ka8 Rc3 

The Rook can go to any of 14 squares, but only one contains a drop of hope.

62.a7 

62...Rxc7 63.Rxc7 

White needed to chase the enemy King away with 63.Rg6+ Kd5 64.Kb8 when the only way Black can stop the pawn from promoting is to sacrifice his Rook for it.

One last chance at a swindle for Black would be to answer 63.Rg6+ with 63...Kd7, hoping for 64.Rg7+ Kd6 65.Rxc7? Rxc7 stalemate. 

63...Kxc7 Draw by stalemate

If you are not familiar with this kind of endgame, it would be difficult to win under significant time pressure. 

However, if you play this endgame over a few times, you will be familiar.

Jerome Gambit: Counter-Jerome Gambit Declined

Intercrosse - azizmasud

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+

The Counter-Jerome Gambit, an interesting bit of chess psychology. Black seems to be saying "If you can sac your Bishop and move my King, I can do the same to you!"

The Bishop sacrifice in the Counter-Jerome Gambit is often the start of a combination that removes the Queens from the board. Black transforms an opening where he is 2 pieces better to one where he is a pawn down - but he does end White's ferocious attack. There is a chance that the attacker will have a problem moving from wild agression to steady, grinding play; perhaps that is Black's plan.  

8.Ke2 

The Counter-Jerome Gambit Declined, a rare choice. (The Database has 6 earlier games with the move, with White going 3 - 2 - 1.) It is as if White were saying "There's got to be something behind this move, so if he wants me to capture - I won't!" This is similar to Black's thinking behind the Jerome Gambit Declined (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Ke7).

The problem is that White remains a piece down.

It is not clear how much trouble White would actually be in after playing 8.Kxf2, anyhow. There is not much in 8...Qh4+ for Black, as it can be answered by 9.g3, and the Queen will have to return with 9...Qf6+ entering the regular Counter-Jerome Gambit with 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 when White's pawn on g3, instead of g2, makes little difference.

For the most recent look at 8.Kxf2 see "Jerome Gambit: Tactical Awareness".

8...Nf6

Intercrosse also faced 8...Bh4 in a game that continued 9.Qxh8 d5 10.Qxh7+ Kf8 11.Qxg6 dxe4 12.Rf1+ Ke7 13.b3 (better 13.Rf7+ Ke8 14.Qxg8#) 13...Kd7 14.Qf5+ Kc6 15.Qxe4+ Qd5 16.Qg6+ Nf6 17.Rxf6+ Bxf6 18.Qxf6+ Be6 19,Nc3 Qxg2+ 20.Qf2? Qg4+ (20...Bg4+!) 21.Qf3+ Qxf3+ 22.Kxf3 Rf8+ 23.Ke3 Rh8 24.Bb2 Rxh2 White resigned in a winning position, possibly a time issue, Intercrosse - jakshy, blitz, lichess.org, 2020. 

9.Rf1 Bh4 10.g3 Bxg3 

Black gives up the Bishop, after all.

Stockfish 13 points out that Black had strong attacking chances, even after exchanging Queens e.g. 10...Re8 11.Qf4 d5 12.Nc3 Kg8 13.Qxh4 Nxe4 14.Qxd8 Bg4+ 15.Kd3 Nc5+ 16.Kd4 Ne6+ 17.Ke3 Raxd8 

11.hxg3

Instead, 11.Qxg3 might have reduced the Queen's exposure to attack. 

11...Kg7 12.b3 Rf8 13.Bb2 d6 

14.Qg5 h6 15.Qh4 g5 16.Qh1 

 The Queen finally finds respite - for a moment.

16...Kg8 

Black's King's attempt at safety has the opposite effect. If His Majesty was to move, it should be to g6. 

17.Qxh6 Bg4+ 18.Ke1 

The computer will nit-pick that 18.Kd3 was stronger, but the text is fine, and, remember, this is a 3-minute game.

18...Nxe4 

Oooops.

19.Qg7 checkmate