Jerome Gambit: In the End, It Was the Pawns (Part 2)

 

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - jjdd57

3 d/move, "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2021

10.Nc3 

The notion here is to develop a piece and discourage ...d7-d5. A dozen years earlier, I had given up on that idea, and played 10.d3, instead, only to face 10...d6, in perrypawnpusher - pfink, 10 0 blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 25) 

10...d5 11.exd5 

After the game, Stockfish 14 showed a preference for either 11.d3 or 11.f3 followed by h2-h4-h5 against 11...Kf7. Uh, okay.

11...Qxe3+ 

The computers think that this exchange is an error, suggesting that Black should focus, instead, on winning White's advanced d-pawn with 11...Kf7 and 12...Rd8.

12.fxe3 Bf5 

It is time to take stock.

White has 3 pawns for his sacrificed piece, which is probably why the Chess.com computer gives Black an slight advantage (a little more than 1/2 pawn), while Komodo 12 sees White ahead by about that much, and Stockfish 14 sees the game as about even.

Black has fended off any wild attack by White, and so can consider his opening successful. On the other hand, if White has sacrificed two pieces and is now "even", he has sufficient compensation.

The opening battle between us was a draw.

Entering the middlegame without Queens, Black has the better development, while White has an interesting central pawn mass.

13.d3 Bd7 14.O-O Ke7 15.e4 Rae8 16.Bg5 Rhf8 

Both sides develop. Black can castle-by-hand in either direction.

From a club player's point of view, the "extra" pawns can be easier to work with than the "extra" piece. At this point, the computers agree.

17.d4 h6 18.Bd2 c6 

19.d6+ 

Slipping past Black's c-pawn.

Things are already becoming complicated. Stockfish 14 suggests, instead, 19.e5 Nh5 (19...Nxd5 20.Nxd5 cxd5 21.Bb4+ Ke6 22.Bxf8 would win the exchange for a pawn) 20.Rfe1 Nhf4 21.e6 Bc8 22.dxc6 bxc6 23.Ne4 Nh4 24.d5 cxd5 25.Bb4+ Kd8 26.Ba5+ repeating the position, for a draw. Stockfish loves to see White fight for a draw in the Jerome Gambit.

19...Kd8 20.e5 Nd5 21.Ne4

Rather than exchange the Knight, I would prefer to keep it and kick Black's Knight with an eventual c2-c4.

21...Bf5 

White has two protected passed pawns, but they look like they could be easily blockaded.

22.Rae1 Bxe4 

Maybe giving up the "minor exchange" wasn't best.

23.Rxe4 Rxf1+ 24.Kxf1 Nf8 

White still has 3 pawns for the sacrificed piece. Black's Knight eyes e6 as a blockading square. White has a chance to add some mobility to the center pawns by advancing the Queenside ones.

The middlegame battle, too, has been a drawn.

[to be continued] 

Jerome Gambit: In the End, It Was the Pawns (Part 1)

I just completed a complex and challenging Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game in the second round of the "Piano Piano" tournament at Chess.com.

It doesn't feel like it should have gone that way - either I should have crushed my opponent, or he should have refuted me, right? That's the Jerome way.

Instead, we fought in the opening, we fought in the middlegame, and we fought in the endgame.

My opponent resigned when we were in a King and pawn vs King endgame and it was clear that the pawn was going to advance and promote.

Before that, a balanced Queenless middlegame tilted my way because of my "extra" pawns against his "extra" piece.

Of course, it all went back to the opening, where I "purchased" those pawns for the price of one little piece...

I am going to rely on post mortem analysis by Stockfish 14 and the Chess.com computer - plus looks into The Database - to help make sense of what happened.

(My opponent was rated over 150 points above me. I suspect he will utterly destroy me in our next game, now that he has the White pieces.💀)

perrypawnpusher - jjdd57

3 d/move, "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2021

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

The other day I was watching a video of Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura viewing the Chess.com analysis of 4.Bxf7+ from a game - he couldn't believe that the program considered the move "book"!

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

Once again the Chess.com computer fusses that this is an "inaccuracy" (of about 1 1/4 pawns), preferring 6...Kf8. Fair enough. The Database shows 2,874 games with 6...Ng6, with Black scoring 45%, against 941 games with 6...Kf8, where Black scored 50%.

My own record in 137 previous games with White against 6...Ng6 is 79% (with virtually no difference in results between 6...Ng6 and 6...Kf8).

YMMV.

7.Qd5+ Kf8 

Interestingly enough, the Chess.com computer considers this move only "good", assessing 7...Ke8 as "best". The difference would be moot if I had played the "best" move on move 9, exchanging Queens - in which case it would not matter on which of the two squares the Black King was, as the computer considered capture by the King (instead of the Knight) as "best".

The Database nods ever so slightly: 7...Kf8 appears in 362 games, with Black scoring 32%; 7...Ke8 appears in 782, with White scoring 34%.

I think this is another example of how a strong computer chess program can provide intellectually interesting insights of little practical value to club players. Of course, tactical insights are another thing, and I appreciate and prize those efforts. 

8.Qxc5+ Qe7 9.Qe3 

This is an "inaccuracy" according to the Chess.com computer, dropping the assessment of my position about a pawn's worth. It preferred 9.Qxe7+.

This could be a helpful assessment, going forward, contributing to a reassessment, particularly because The Database disagrees: it has 67 games with 9.Qe3 (certainly the position is more familiar), with White scoring 72%, and only 11 games with 9.Qxe7+ (White usually avoids trading Queens), with White scoring 64%.

9...Nf6 

A solid alternative is 9...d5, which has appeared in a couple of games, with a win for each side. By transposition, 10.d3 Nf6 11.f3 would then be 1-0 perrypawnpusher - marbleschess, 10 0 blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 26)

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: For Club Players

 

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is for club players.

I know, I know, under special circumstances, the occasional master or grandmaster (e.g. GM Hambleton and GM Nakamura) will give it a try, for fun and adventure.

Mostly, though, it is for club players.

That is why I am going to mention the YouTube video "How to defend against the Jerome Gambit!", one of the videos presented by AimlockR.

In the video, a young player explores the Jerome Gambit, using the Chess.com interface and its computer analysis for guidance. He doesn't actually present new lines, and although he has played the Jerome, it turns out that he played his game on a different site, so it is not available at the time he put the video together. 

Yet "How to defend against the Jerome Gambit!" is such a wonderful example of the energy and enthusiasm of a club player, I found it quite enjoyable, and I suspect you will, too.

Jerome Gambit: Relaxing

 

After yesterday's video slugfest of a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, I thought I would share the link to a recent short, straight-forward Jerome miniature.

One of the YouTube.com  "The Master Tricks" videos, "jerome gambit । the jerome gambit । how to play the jerome gambit । The Master Tricks । chess traps" is a pleasant and not too long (11 moves) battle.

The game in the video, unattributed, can also be found in the notes to analysis in Grandmaster Simon Williams' “My Favorite Opening Traps”.

I do not know if either the creator of  "The Master Tricks" or GM Williams were aware of blackburne - karmmark, Jerome Gambit thematic tournament, ChessWorld.net, 2007, which is the earliest (and only) example I can find of the game.

Jerome Gambit: What If?

 

I just finished watching the fun YouTube video "Stockfish 14 Tests the Jerome Gambit! (vs Magnus Age 30 Bot)"

It features the  Stockfish 14 NNUE engine, playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), against the age 30 version of the Play Magnus [Carlsen] bot.

Serious entertainment. A bit of education, too.

I would be happy to show you the moves of the game, but that would remove most of the suspense.

Check out the video!

Jerome Gambit: Delayed "His Nibs"

 

Yesterday I took a look at the Norton Defense to the Jerome Gambit. Today I was looking to see if there was anything new with the related "Nibs" defense, and discovered the "delayed His Nibs" variation.

Curious.

I thought it deserved a look.

John_Koss - obrigachka

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.Nc3

White develops, bypassing the more dynamic 8.f4. The text shows up in 147 games in The Database, with White scoring 27%. 

8...a6 

I was surprised that this was not a novelty, because it seems to be a quiet move in what could become a very noisy position. Is the idea to stop White from playing Nb5+? In fact, 8...a6 shows up in The Database 17 times. Even more interestingly, Black scored 13 - 4.

9.f4 

Three alternatives have not been successful

9.d4 Bxd4 10.Nd5 c6 11.Bd2 cxd5 12.Bb4+ Kc6 13.exd5+ Kxd5 14.c4+ Kxc4 15.a3 Qf6 16.Rc1+ Kb3 17.Qc2+ Ka2 18.Ra1+ Kxa1 19.O-O+ Ka2 20.b3+ Bb2 21.Bc3 Nf3+ 22.gxf3 Qxc3 23.Qb1+ Kxb3 White left the game, Azerbaijan12385 - Hans1955, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021;

9.O-O Qf6 10.Qh3 c6 11.a3 Kc7 12.b4 Ba7 13.d3 d5 14.exd5 Bxh3, White resigned, dierv - Raklado, 3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2021; and

9.d3 Qf6 10.Bf4 (10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.Bf4 Ke6 12.O-O d6 13.a3 Rf8 14.Bg3 Nh5 15.Bh4 c6 16.Ne2 Nf4 17.Nxf4+ Rxf4 18.g3 Nf3+ 19.Kg2 Nxh4+ 20.gxh4 Bd7 21.Rad1 Raf8 22.Rd2 Ba7 23.b4 Rxh4 24.c4 Bd4 25.Kg3 Rhf4 26.f3 Ke5 27.h4 h5 28.a4 R8f6 29.b5 axb5 30.axb5 cxb5 31.cxb5 Bxb5 32.Rc2 Bxd3 33.Rc7 Bxf1 White resigned, ZahariSokolov - PeterKlo, 5 0 blitz, FICS, 2017) 10...Qxf5 11.exf5 Nf6 12.Ne4+ Nxe4 13.dxe4 g6 14.O-O-O+ Kc6 15.Bxe5 Re8 16.Bc3 Rxe4 17.Rd3 gxf5 18.Rhd1 Bxf2 19.b4 Be3+ 20.Kb2 f4 21.a4 Kb6 22.a5+ Ka7 23.g3 d6 24.gxf4 Bxf4 25.Bd4+ b6 26.axb6+ cxb6 27.Ra1 Be5 28.Bxe5 dxe5 29.b5 a5 30.Rg3 Bb7 31.Rg7 Rb4+ 32.Kc3 Rxb5 33.Rxh7 Rc8+ 34.Kd3 Rbc5 35.Ra2 Rc3+ 36.Kd2 e4 37.h4 e3+ 38.Ke2 Ka6 39.Re7 Rxc2+ 40.Rxc2 Rxc2+ 41.Kxe3 Rc5 42.Kd4 Rh5 43.Kc3 Rxh4 44.Re5 Bc6 White resigned, soraneptune - dhanraj1234, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020.

9...Qh4+ 

Black strikes with something new. The computer prefers 9...Kc6 - a delayed Sillycon Defense.

10.g3 Nf3+ 

Compare this with the original "His Nibs" defense, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+

11.Kd1 Qf6 

Black has to retreat his Queen, and Stockfish 14 recommends he play 11...Qh6.

Play according to the "His Nibs" variation does not work: 11...Ne7 12.e5+ Kc6 13.Qe4+ d5 14.exd6+ and now the thematic 14...Nd5 would lose to 15.Qxd5+ because of White's developed Queenside Knight. So, in this "delayed" variation, ...a6 does not appear to help Black, while ...Nc3 is a plus for White.

12.Qd5+ 

White is better with this move - which initiates a familiar series - but it is quite likely that the time control - 5 3 blitz - kept him from finding the better 12.e5+, where White unprotects his Queen, but with check. Black's best would then be to return one of the sacrificed pieces with 12...Nxe5 13. fxe5+ Qxe5. White's Queen would still be attacked but unprotected, but now would come 14.Ne4+. Black gives up his Queen, or soon is checkmated.

12...Ke7 13.Qxc5+ d6 14.Nd5+ 

14...Kf7 

Another one of the move choices that would benefit from more thinking time, to come up with 14...Kf8 15.Qe3 Qd4 16.Qxf3 Bg4 17.Qxg4 Qxe4 18.Rf1 Qxd5 19.Qf3 Qxf3+ 20.Rxf3 and about an even game.

15.Qxc7+ Black resigned

White's Queen is safe, but Black's is not.

Jerome Gambit: Updating the Norton Defense

Here is an update of a Jerome Gambit variation, the Norton Defense, which is creative and interesting - even if it is not the strongest line available to Black.

I have covered the line extensively in earlier posts; however, there are three new games from last year and this, worth mentioning.

From a historical perspective, it is worth starting with "A sparkling variation to the tiresome Piano game".

For a serious examination, it is best to work through "Jerome Gambit: Deep Dive (Part 1 and Part 2)"

iammahgoat - Lalrindikachhangte

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nf3+ 

First seen in Jerome - Norton, correspondence, 1876 (0-1, 42).

The computer at lichess.org, rates the move a blunder, which is a bit harsh. It is true that the game is now about even, at least in an "objective" sense; but the psychological impact of the move on White should not be underrated.

Over 20 years after the Norton game, the even more complicated "Nibs" variation, 8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+ was a significant improvement.

9.gxf3 Ne7 

This attack on the Queen is more significant after Black's ...Qh4+. In fact, one has to wonder if Black has simply mixed up the order of his moves. 

At this point in the game, the Knight move is more of a lost opportunity.

Two recent games continued: 9...Qh4+ (the right idea) 10.Kd1 Ne7 (10...Qf2 11.Qe5+ Kc6 12.Qd5+ Kb6 13.e5 c6 14.Qb3+ Kc7 15.Na3 b5 16.c4 a5 17.cxb5 a4 18.Qc3 Bxa3 19.bxa3 c5 20.Rb1 Kb6 21.Bb2 Bb7 22.Re1 Bxf3+ 23.Kc1 Qxe1+ 24.Kc2 Be4+ 25.d3 Qe2+ 26.Kc1 Bxd3 White resigned, SensGuy - Hassan313, lichess.org, 2020) 11.e5  (better was 11.Qe5+ Kc6 12.b4 Bxb4 13.Nc3 b6 14.Nd5 Bd6 15.Nxe7+ Kb7 16.Qd5+ Kb8 17.Nxc8 Qxf4) 11...Kc6 12.Qe4+ Nd5 (better 12...d5) 13.Nc3 b5 14.Qxd5+ Kb6 15.Qxa8 Bb7 16.Nd5+ Ka6 17.Nxc7+ Kb6 18.Nd5+ Kc6 (better 18...Ka6 19.Qxh8)  19.Qxh8 Kxd5 20.Qxg7 Ke6 21.Qg3 (bettr 21.f5+ Kxf5 22.Qxd7+ Kxe5 23.Qxb7 Kd6 24.Qxb5 Qh5 25.Qd3+ Kc7 26.Qe4 Bd6 27.d3 Be5) 21...Qh5 (better 21...Qxg3 22.hxg3 Bxf3+ 23.Ke1 Bxh1 24.Ke2 Bc6 25.d3 Bd4 26.c3 Bxe5 27.fxe5 Kxe5 28.Bh6) 22.Qg4+ Qxg4 23.fxg4 Bxh1 24.d3 Bf3+ 25.Ke1 Bxg4 26.Kf1 Bh3+ 27.Ke2 Bg1 28.Be3 Bxh2 29.Rh1 Bg4+ 30.Kf2 Black resigned, Deuslevult - Lavrenteva, lichess.org, 2021)  

Stockfish 14 winds its way through the line: 9...Qh4+ 10.Kd1 Nf6 11.e5+ Kc6 12.exf6 Qxf6 13.Qd3 Qd4 14.Qxd4 Bxd4 15.Nc3 Re8 16.Ne2 Bf6 17.h4 d5 18.a4 Bd7 19.Ng3 b6 20.d3 Kb7 21.a5 Rg8 22.h5 c5 23.axb6 axb6 24.Rxa8 Rxa8 with an edge to Black

10.Qe5+ Kc6 11.Qc3 a5 

Black's Bishop is going to fall due to the pin.

12.d4 b6 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Be3 d6 15.Qxg7 Rg8 16.Qc3 Ba6 17.Nd2 Ng6 18.O-O-O Kd7 

White's attack will come. Stockfish 14 recommends 18...Qb8 and 19...Qb4, hoping to get the Queens off of the board, but White would still be better.

19.e5 Be2 20.Ne4 

White can afford to give up the exchange to keep things moving.

20...Bxd1 21.Rxd1 Ke8 

22.exd6 c6 

This hurries the end.

23.d7+ Kf7 24.Ng5+ Kf8 25.Nxh7+ Kf7 26.Ng5+ Ke7 27.Bxc5 checkmate

Impressive piece cooperation!