Anatoly Karpov & Jerome Gambit (Part 6)

                                         

                                                 Anatoly Karpov & Jerome Gambit (Part 6)

  

(by Yury V. Bukayev) 

 

 

The Part 6 of this my work is about the World Champion, Top GM Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov and about his most important Jerome-ish game I know.  

 

These days everyone in the chess world thinks about his health, about the incident in Moscow, because he was a World Champion, the strongest chess player during a very long time, and there are some other “very positive” and “very negative” causes too. I can’t exclude that his thought was about some bright chess event or even about his ‘My Best Games’ up to that dark moment. 

 

Anatoly Karpov’s most important Jerome-ish game was played in the last round of the Top GMs’ tournament, when both opponents of the game pretended to the first place. 

 

Top GM Shirov, Alexei – WCC Top GM Karpov, Anatoly  

 

Vienna Millenium Tournament 

Vienna, 1996 

 

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.0-0 c5 7.c4 Nbc6 8.Nc3 dxc4 9.dxc5 Nd5 10.Nd4 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Bxc5 12.Nxf5 exf5 

 

I’ll not comment this initial stage of the game, but since this exchange of pieces we can start to see an absolutely open position where White has an advantage. 

 

13.Bxc4?! Bxf2+! 

 

Probably, Alexei Shirov missed this World Champion’s Jerome-ish blow. The game continued: 

 

14.Kh1 Qxd1! ,  

 

and Black got a better position here. But, in my opinion, the best way for White was the following one: 14.Kxf2! Qh4+ 15.Kg1! Qxc4. It is one of typical Jerome-ish situations. I disagree with the commentators who say that Black has a serious advantage here, and they haven’t shown a proof of it. The situation is complicated. Here is one of possible variations: 16.Rxf5!? Qxc3!? 17.Rb1! AN Qd4+!? 18.Qxd4 Nxd4 19.Rf2 b6 (19…0-0-0!, although White also continues to attack here successfully in spite of Black’s active counter-play) 20.Ba3 Rc8 21.Bd6! (with the idea 22.Rbf1) with White’s excellent compensation for a pawn, and even more. 

 

We can see the large psychological effect of Anatoly Karpov’s Jerome-ish blow 13…Bxf2+, and it brings this move closer to the Jerome gambit – to its standard system, to its deferred systems including strong ones. 

 

Contact the author:  istinayubukayev@yandex.ru  

 

© 2022 Yury V. Bukayev (Copyright © Bukayev Yury Vyacheslavovich 2022). 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: Losing Time

Attack in chess requires development. 

Development requires time.

Losing time might precipitate an attack.

See how Bill Wall puts it all together in the Jerome Gambit (.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game that follows.

Wall, Bill - Jojop

internet, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nh6 

According to The Database this reasonable move is new. Black develops a piece and protects the f7 square.

10.O-O Ne5 

This helps White build his pawn center - his original plan, anyhow.

11.d4 Neg4 

An empty threat, but at least it allows the Knight to relocate to f6, which is an improvment over its placement at g6 - although at the cost of time.

12.Qe2 Qh4 13.h3 Nf6 14.f4 

14...Qg3 

Black is looking to follow this up with 15...Bxh3. He probably could have simply played 14...Bxh3 15.gxh3 Qxh3, with a small edge, although his attack would be difficult to pursue, as he does not have the development he needs.

15.f5 Bd7 16.Nc3 Re8 

This looks relevant, but either 16...Nf7 or 16...Bc6 were better preparation for 17.e5. 

17.Bf4 Qh4 18.Qc4 

White does not proceed with the expected center pawn break. 

Black now pounces upon what he believes is an error. He probably should now reassigned his Rook to defense with 18...Rc8. 

18...Nxe4 19.Nxe4 Rxe4 20.Qxc7 

If Black can get rid of the enemy pawn at f5, he would still have his threat of ...Bxh3, plus he is threatening the Bishop at f4 twice, and it is only protected once...

The problem is that his King is no longer safe. Irony.

20...Bxf5 

Killing two birds with one stone?

No.

21.Bxh6 

Removing the defender of the Bishop.

21...Qf6 

This move - protecting the Bishop and pawn, and threatening the enemy Bishop - allows checkmate, but the alternative, 21...Ke8 22.Rxf5 gxh6 23.Qg7 was painful, too.

22.Bxg7+ 

Again destroying the defender, this time the defender of the enemy Queen, and, in turn, of the enemy Bishop.

22...Qxg7 23.Rxf5+ Kg8 

Black can give away the store with 24...Ke8 25.Qxg7 Re7 26.Qxh8+, but checkmate will still arrive.

24.Qd8+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Scotch Jerome Hybrid

The following game shows an interesting Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) that could have arisen out of the Scotch Gambit move order (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5). Those who play that latter opening might enjoy the possibilities.

Wall, Bill - Dobrien

internet, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.d4 exd4 

This line has sometimes been called the Macbeth Attack or the Haxo Gambit.

Bill has also seen

5...Bxd4

Wall - Guest1366999, PlayChess.com, 2011 (1-0, 38);

Wall - Guest2627909, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1/2-1/2, 26);

Wall - PKGR, internet, 2021 (1-0, 14); and 

Wall - Singh, internet, 2022,\ (1-0, 40)

5...Nxd4

Wall - Guest757851, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 42); and

Wall - Guest11058730, PlayChess.com, 2019 (1-0, 21)

6.c3 Nf6

The solid 6...d6 was seen in Wall - Anonymous, lichess.com, 2016 (1-0, 23).

Taking the pawn with 6...dxc3 would be risky. There are 1,343 games with that move in The Database. White scores 67%. Stockfish 15 evaluates the position after 7.Qd5+ and 8.Qxc5 as being about a pawn better for White.

7.e5 Ne4 8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Nbd2 d5 10.O-O 

So far, Black has defended well and has the advantage.

He now plans to emulate White and castle - by hand. This is a common strategy when defending against the Jerome Gambit, but in this case there are special circumstances to consider.

10...Rf8 11.Nxe4 dxe4 12.Ng5+ Kg8 

All according to plan. 

As Bill shows, however, the more risky-looking 12...Kg6 was a better reply. 

13.Qb3+ Kh8 14.d5 

Kicking the Knight that protects the Bishop that is attacked by the Queen.

Note if 14.Nf7+ Black can simply sacrifice the exchange with 14...Rxf7 15.Qxf7 and then pick up a pawn with 15...Nxd4, remaining better. 

14...e3 

It is not clear what Black had in mind here.

He could have tried the routine 14...Nxe5, returning material for development, when 15.Qxb4 Nd3 16.Qxe4 Bf5 17.Qc4 would be equal, and would allow the interesting 17...b5!? 18.Qc6 (not 18.Qxb5 Nxc1 followed by 19...Qxg5) 17...Nxc1 18.Qxc1 Qxd5 with things remaining in balance.

15.Bxe3 Nxe5 16.Qxb4 a5 

Material is even. White's development is better.

Black decides to deflect the enemy Queen.

17.Qe4 Ng6 18.Ne6 Bxe6 19.dxe6 Qe7 

At first glance it looks like Black will be able to swing a Rook over to the e-file and then capture the pawn on e6 with hopes for an equal game. However, the "Jerome pawns" are not cooperative.

20.f4 Rae8 21.f5 Rf6 

Using the Queen and the Rook as blockaders for the pawns limits their effectiveness. How much so? Stockfish 15 now evaluates White as over a Queen better.

22.Bd4 

Ouch.

22...Nf8 23.Bxf6 Qxf6 24.Qxb7 Black resigned

Black is down the exchange and a couple of pawns and he still has to deal with those advanced pawns.

Jerome Gambit: pwned

There are a lot of games in the notes to the following game. Follow as many or as few as you would like. It only seemed fair to share the efforts of the explorer of the line.

mbokhari - KhaledSalahH

7 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 h6 4.Bxf7+ 

If anyone can be said to "own" a variation, it can be said about mbokhari and this line. He has scored 23 - 16 - 3 with it - and he is the only player in The Database to even play it.

In all fairness, White can get an advantage without sacrifice instead by playing 4.Nxe5, but the text allows another look at exploitation of weak light squares.

4...Kxf7 

Declining the piece with 4...Ke7 was seen in mbokhari - alymani33, lichess.org, 2021 (1-0, 21)

5.Nxe5+ Ke7 

Stronger is 5...Kg8, played in a lot of mbokhari's games. It can be met by

6.c3 Qe7 (6...d6 7.Ng6 Rh7 (7...Be6 8.Nxh8 Kxh8 9.d3 Qe7 10.O-O Nc6 11.Be3 d5 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Re1 Qf6 14.Qd2 Bd6 15.Na3 Rf8 16.Nc4 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 Bxc4 18.dxc4 b6 19.Rad1 Bc5 20.Qf3 Bxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Qh4+ 22.Kg1 Rxf3 23.gxf3 Qxc4 24.a3 Qb3 25.Rd2 Qf7 26.Kg2 Qg6+ 27.Kh1 Qf5 28.Kg2 Qg5+ Black resigned, mbokhari - mahmuod1997, lichess.org, 2021) 8.d4 Qe8 9.Nxf8 Qxe4+ 10.Be3 Kxf8 11.Nd2 Qxg2 12.Rf1 Qxh2 13.Qc2 Qh3 14.f3 Bf5 15.Nb3 Bxc2 White resigned, mbokhari - Khalid_azazy1, lichess.org, 2021); 6...Nxe4 7.Qb3+ (7.O-O d6 8.Ng6 Rh7 9.Qf3 Nf6 10.d3 Kf7 11.Nxf8 Kxf8 12.Nd2 Kg8 13.Nc4 Nc6 14.d4 d5 15.Ne5 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Ne4 17.Bf4 Be6 18.Rad1 Qh4 19.h3 Rf8 20.Bg3 Rxf3 21.Bxh4 Rf4 22.Be7 g5 23.Ba3 h5 24.f3 Ng3 25.Rfe1 g4 26.Kf2 h4 27.c4 dxc4 28.Rd8+ Kg7 29.Bf8+ Kg6 30.Be7 gxh3 31.Bxh4 Rhxh4 32.Kxg3 h2 33.Rh1 Kg5 34.Re8 Bf7 35.Re7 Bg6 36.e6 Rd4 37.Rxc7 Rd2 38.Rg7 Rxb2 39.e7 Rb1 40.Rxg6+ Kxg6 41.e8=Q+ Kg5 42.Qe5+ Kg6 43.Qd6+ Kh5 44.Qd5+ Kh6 45.Qe6+ Kh5 46.Qf5+ Kh6 47.Qxb1 Rd4 48.Qxb7 Black resigned,  mbokhari - AVUKAT123, lichess.org, 2022) 7...Kh7 8.O-O d5 9.Nf7 Qf6 10.Nxh8 Kxh8 11.d3 Nc5 12.Be3 Nxb3 13.axb3 a6 14.Bd4 Qf5 15.Rd1 c5 16.Be3 Nc6 17.d4 cxd4 18.cxd4 Bd6 19.Nc3 Be6 20.Nb5 Bf4 21.Bxf4 Qxf4 22.Nc7 Qxc7 White resigned,  mbokhari - AskarAlzhanov, lichess.org, 2021); 6...Bc5 7.d4 Bb6 8.O-O d6 9.Ng6 Rh7 10.Nd2 Bg4 11.Qc2 Nh5 12.e5 Bh3 13.Nf3 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 dxe5 15.Qb3+ Qd5 16.Qxd5 checkmate, mbokhari - ZoOmQ, lichess.org, 2021) (6...Nc6 7.Ng6 Kh7 8.Nxh8 Kxh8 9.d3 Bc5 10.O-O d5 11.d4 Nxd4 12.cxd4 Bd6 13.e5 Black resigned, mbokhari - little_grade, lichess.org, 2022) 7.f4 (7.d4 d6 (7...Nxe4 8.O-O Kh7 9.Qd3 d5 10.f3 Bf5 11.fxe4 Bxe4 12.Qg3 Qf6 13.Rxf6 Black resigned, mbokhari - valk55577, lichess.org, 2021) 8.Qb3+ Kh7 9.Nf3 Nxe4 10.O-O Bg4 11.Nfd2 Nxd2 12.Bxd2 b6 13.h3 Bf5 14.Qd5 Be4 15.Qb3 Nd7 16.Re1 Re8 17.f3 Qh4 18.Rxe4 Rxe4 19.fxe4 Qxe4 20.Na3 d5 21.Re1 Qf5 22.g4 Qf7 23.Qc2+ g6 24.Nb5 a6 25.Nxc7 Bd6 26.Ne6 Qf3 27.Re3 Qf4 28.Nxf4 Bxf4 29.Re6 Nf8 30.Re7+ Kg8 31.Bxf4 Black resigned, mbokhari - mah22_ood, lichess.org, 2021) 7...d6 8.Ng6 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 Qxg6 10.O-O Kh7 11.d4 Bf5 12.Re1 Nbd7 13.Nd2 d5 14.Nf3 Bd6 15.Bd2 Ne4 16.Be3 Rhe8 17.Nh4 Qg4 18.Qxg4 Bxg4 19.Nf3 Bxf3 20.gxf3 Nef6 21.Kf2 Rf8 22.f5 Nh5 23.Rg1 Rxf5 24.Rg5 White resigned, mbokhari - bojawad, lichess.org, 2020;

6.d3 Qe7 (6...d6 7.Ng6 Rh7 (7...Bg4 8.f3 Bh5 9.Nxh8 Kxh8 10.Be3 (10.Nc3 Nbd7 11.O-O Be7 12.Be3 Qf8 13.a3 b6 14.Nb5 c6 15.Nd4 Rc8 16.Qd2 Bf7 17.c4 c5 18.Nf5 Ne5 19.h3 Bg6 20.Nxe7 Qxe7 21.b3 a5 22.a4 Qf8 23.f4 Nc6 24.f5 Bh7 25.Rf3 Ne5 26.Rg3 Nh5 27.Bf4 Nxg3 28.Bxg3 Qf6 29.Rf1 Rf8 30.d4 Nc6 31.dxc5 dxc5 32.Bc7 Qd4+ 33.Qxd4 Nxd4 34.Bxb6 Nxb3 35.Rb1 Nd2 36.Re1 Nxc4 37.Bxc5 Re8 38.Kf2 Nb2 39.Re3 Nd1+ 40.Ke2 Nxe3 41.Bxe3 Bg8 42.Kf3 Bb3 43.Bb6 Bxa4 44.Bxa5 Bc6 45.g4 Bxe4+ 46.Kf4 Bg2 47.h4 Re4+ 48.Kg3 Bf1 49.Bd8 Be2 50.g5 hxg5 51.hxg5 Kg8 52.f6 g6 53.Ba5 Kf7 54.Bd2 Rd4 55.Be3 Rd5 56.Kf2 Bh5 57.Kg3 Rf5 58.Bf4 Ke6 59.Bd2 Rf3+ 60.Kg2 Kd5 61.Bc1 Ke4 62.Bb2 Rf5 63.Bc1 Kd3 64.Kg3 Ke2 65.Bf4 Bg4 66.Kxg4 Kf2 67.Bc1 Kg2 68.Bf4 Kf2 69.Bg3+ Kg2 70.Bf4 Kf2 draw, mbokhari - victorolosaurus, lichess.org, 2022) 10...Nc6 11.Nc3 Ne5 12.O-O d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bd4 Nc6 15.Bf2 Nf4 16.Ne4 Ne5 17.Bg3 Nxg2 18.Bxe5 Ne3 19.Qd2 Nxf1 20.Qxh6+ Kg8 21.Rxf1 gxh6 White resigned, mbokhari - abouali9, lichess.org, 2022) 8.c3 (8.Nxf8 Qxf8 9.b3 Ng4 10.O-O h5 White resigned, mbokhari - Saudalosaimi, lichess.org, 2021) 8...Bg4 (8...Nbd7 9.Qb3+ d5 10.exd5 Qe8+ 11.Be3 Qxg6 12.d6+ Qf7 13.dxc7 Qxb3 14.axb3 Nd5 15.c4 Nxe3 16.fxe3 Bd6 17.O-O Bxc7 18.Nc3 Be5 19.Nd5 Bd6 20.d4 b6 21.b4 Bb7 22.b5 Bxd5 23.cxd5 Nf6 24.Rf5 Ng4 White resigned,  mbokhari - Ranamb, lichess.org, 2022) 9.f3 Bh5 10.Qb3+ d5 11.Nxf8 Qxf8 12.Qxb7 Nbd7 13.Qxc7 g5 14.O-O Re7 15.Be3 Ne5 16.Qa5 Rae8 17.Bc5 Nxd3 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.b4 dxe4 20.fxe4 Ng4 21.Qd5+ Bf7 22.Qxd3 Qe5 23.g3 Qc7 24.Qf3 Ne5 25.Qf2 Ng4 26.Qd4 Rd8 27.Qc5 Qb8 28.Rxf7 Kxf7 29.Qf5+ Kg8 30.Qxg4 Qb6+ 31.Kh1 Qf2 32.Na3 Rd2 33.Qe6+ Kg7 34.Qe7+ Kg8 35.Qe6+ Kg7 36.Qh3 Qf3+ 37.Kg1 Qf2+ 38.Kh1 Qf3+ 39.Kg1 Qf2+ 40.Kh1 draw, mbokhari - RJose3126, lichess.org, 2021) 7.Ng6 Qb4+ 8.c3 Qc5 (8...Qd6 9.Bf4 Qe6 10.Nxh8 Kxh8 11.O-O d6 12.h3 Nbd7 13.Nd2 Ne5 14.Nb3 Ng6 15.Be3 b6 16.f4 d5 17.f5 Qe5 18.Bd4 Qg3 19.fxg6 Bxh3 20.Rf3 White resigned, mbokhari - kareemmahmoud123, lichess.org, 2022) 9.Be3 Qb510.Nxh8 Qxb2 11.Qb3+ Qxb3 12.axb3 Kxh8 13.Nd2 d6 14.h3 Nc6 15.O-O Be6 16.d4 Ne7 17.d5 Bf7 18.f4 Ng6 19.c4 Re8 20.Rxa7 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Rxe4 22.Bc1 Re2 23.Rxb7 Nh4 24.g3 Nf5 25.Rxc7 Nxg3 26.Rxf7 Nxf1 27.Rxf8+ Kh7 28.Kxf1 Rh2 29.Rf7 Rh1+ 30.Ke2 Rxc1 31.Rd7 Rc3 32.Rxd6 Rxb3 33.h4 Kg8 34.c5 Kf7 35.c6 Ke7 36.Rd7+ Ke8 37.Rxg7 Rc3 38.c7 Kf8 39.Rh7 Kg8 40.Rd7 Rc2+ 41.Kd3 Rc5 42.Kd4 Rc1 43.Rd8+ Kf7 44.c8=Q Rxc8 45.Rxc8 Kf6 46.Rc6+ Black resigned, mbokhari - bahyt80, lichess.org, 2021; 

6.Ng6 Rh7 7.Nxf8 Qxf8 8.d3 Qb4+ 9.Bd2 Qc5 10.O-O Qd4 11.Bc3 Qd6 12.Nd2 h5 13.e5 Qe6 14.exf6 Qxf6 15.Ne4 Qg5 16.Nxg5 Black resigned, mbokhari - Raghad_Jaradat, lichess.org, 2021;

6.d4 Nxe4 7.O-O d6 8.Ng6 Rh7 9.Qd3 Bf5 10.Nxf8 Qxf8 11.Qb3+ Kh8 12.Qxb7 Nd7 13.Qxc7 Nb6 14.b3 Qf6 15.Bb2 g6 16.f3 Rxc7 17.c4 d5 18.c5 Nd7 19.fxe4 dxe4 20.Bc3 Kh7 21.g4 Qg5 22.h3 Rf8 23.b4 Nb8 24.Kh2 Qh4 25.gxf5 Rxf5 26.Rxf5 gxf5 27.Na3 Qf4+ 28.Kh1 Qf3+ 29.Kh2 Qxc3 30.Nb5 Qxa1 31.Nxc7 Qxa2+ 32.Kg3 Qb3+ 33.Kf4 Qf3+ 34.Ke5 e3 35.Ne6 Nd7+ 36.Kd6 e2 37.Kxd7 e1=Q 38.Nf8+ Kg7 39.Ne6+ Kf6 40.Nf8 Qe7+ White resigned, mbokhari -Raghad_Jaradat, lichess.org, 2021

Also played: 5...Ke6 6.Ng6 (6.d4 d6 7.f4 dxe5 8.fxe5 Nxe4 9.Nc3 Qh4+ 10.g3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Qe4+ 12.Kf2 Qf5+ 13.Qf3 Qxc2+ 14.Kg1 Qf5 15.d5+ Kxe5 16.Bf4+ Kf6 17.g4 Qxg4+ 18.Qxg4 Bxg4 19.Bxc7 Bc5+ 20.Kg2 Re8 21.Raf1+ Bf5 22.Bg3 g6 23.Re1 Be4+ 24.Kh3 Bf5+ 25.Kh4 g5+ 26.Kh5 Rxe1 27.Rxe1 Bf8 28.Be5+ Kf7 29.d6 Nd7 30.Bg3 Nf6 checkmate, mbokhari - EmirQ, lichess.org, 2020) 6...d5 7.Nxh8 Bc5 8.exd5+ Qxd5 9.O-O Ne4 10.Qg4+ Kd6 11.Qg6+ Ke5 12.Qxg7+ Kd6 13.Qxh6+ Be6 14.d3 Bxf2+ 15.Rxf2 Nxf2 16.Kxf2 Qf5+ 17.Qf4+ Qxf4+ 18.Bxf4+ Kd5 19.Nc3+ Kd4 20.Ng6 Nc6 21.Be3 checkmate, mbokhari - nghriwati, lichess.org, 2020. 

And: 5...Ke8 6.d4 (6.Ng6 Rg8 7.e5 (7.Nxf8 Rxf8 8.e5 Nh7 9.O-O Ng5 10.d4 Rf7 11.f4 Ne6 12.Nc3 Kf8 13.d5 Nc5 14.Qd4 b6 15.f5 Bb7 16.b3 Nba6 17.a3 d6 18.f6 dxe5 19.fxg7+ Kxg7 20.Qxe5+ Kg8 21.Rxf7 Kxf7 22.Bxh6 Nd7 23.Rf1+ Nf6 24.Qh5+ Kg8 25.Qg6+ Black resigned, mbokhari - Petit_Papillon, lichess.org, 2021) 7...Nh7 8.d4 d6 9.O-O Bf5 10.Nxf8 Rxf8 11.Nc3 dxe5 12.Qe2 a6 13.Qxe5+ Qe7 14.Qc5 Qxc5 15.dxc5 Bxc2 16.Nd5 Kd7 17.Be3 Be4 18.Nc3 Nc6 19.Nxe4 Rae8 20.Ng3 g5 21.a3 Ne5 22.Bd4 Nc4 23.Rac1 Na5 24.Rfd1 Kc8 25.b4 Nb3 26.Rb1 Nxd4 27.Rxd4 c6 28.Ne4 Kc7 29.Rbd1 Re7 30.h3 Nf6 31.Nd6 Nd5 32.g4 Re2 33.Nf5 h5 34.a4 Rf7 35.b5 axb5 36.axb5 cxb5 37.Rxd5 Kc6 38.Rd8 Kxc5 39.Rc8+ Kb6 40.Rd6+ Ka7 41.Kf1 Rb2 42.Rg6 hxg4 43.hxg4 Rb1+ 44.Kg2 Rh7 45.Rxg5 Rhh1 46.Ne3 Rbg1+ 47.Kf3 Rh3+ 48.Ke2 Rhh1 49.Rxb5 Ka6 50.Rb4 Re1+ 51.Kf3 Rh3+ 52.Kg2 Rh6 53.Ra8 checkmate, mbokhari - raluka, lichess.org, 2020) (6.d3 Qe7 (6...Bd6 7.Ng6 Rg8 8.e5 Bxe5 (8...Bc5 9.exf6 Qxf6 10.Qe2+ Kd8 11.Nf4 Re8 12.Be3 g5 13.Nd5 Qxb2 14.O-O Qxa1 15.Nbc3 Bxe3 16.Rxa1 Bxf2+ 17.Qxf2 Black resigned, mbokhari - hai_wenzheng, lichess.org, 2022) 9.Nxe5 Qe7 10.O-O g5 11.Nc3 d6 12.Nf3 Ng4 13.Re1 Be6 14.Nd5 Qf7 15.Rxe6+ Qxe6 16.Nxc7+ Kd8 17.Nxe6+ Kc8 18.Nfd4 Re8 19.Qxg4 Nc6 20.Nc5+ Kb8 21.Nxc6+ bxc6 22.Nd7+ Kc7 23.Nf6 Re1 checkmate, mbokhari - abo3amr83, lichess.org, 2021) (6...d6 7.Ng6 Rh7 (7...Rg8 8.Nxf8 Rxf8 9.h3 Qe7 10.O-O Be6 11.b3 Qd7 12.Nc3 Bxh3 13.Nd5 Bg4 14.f3 Bh3 15.Nxf6+ Rxf6 16.Bb2 Rg6 17.Rf2 c5 18.Kh2 Be6 19.d4 cxd4 20.Bxd4 d5 21.exd5 Qxd5 22.c4 Qh5+ 23.Kg1 Nc6 24.Bc3 Rd8 25.Qe2 Nd4 26.Bxd4 Rxd4 27.Re1 Rh4 28.Rff1 Rh1+ 29.Kf2 Qc5+ 30.Qe3 Qxe3+ 31.Rxe3 Rxf1+ 32. Kxf1 Kd7 33.Kf2 Bf5 34.g4 Bb1 35.Re2 Ra6 36.a4 Rb6 37.Rb2 Bd3 38.c5 Rc6 39.Ke3 Bf1 40.Kf2 Bd3 41.Rd2 Rxc5 42.Rxd3+ Ke6 43.Kg3 h5 44.f4 hxg4 45.Kxg4 b5 46.b4 Rf5 47.a5 a6 48.Rc3 Rd5 49.Rc6+ Rd6 50.f5+ Kd7 51.Rxd6+ Kxd6 52.Kg5 Ke5 53.Kg6 Kf4 54.f6 gxf6 55.Kxf6 Ke4 56.Ke6 Kd4 57.Kd6 Kc4 58.Kc6 Kxb4 59.Kb6 Ka4 60.Kxa6 b4 61.Kb6 b3 62.a6 b2 63.a7 b1=Q+ 64.Kc7 Qc1+ 65.Kb8 Qb1+ 66.Kc7 Qh7+ 67.Kb8 Qh8+ 68.Kb7 Qh7+ 69.Kb8 Qg8+ 70.Kb7 Qf7+ 71.Kb8 Qe8+ 72.Kb7 Qd7+ 73.Kb8 Qd8+ 74.Kb7 Qd7+ 75.Kb8 Qd8+ 76.Kb7 Qd7+ draw, mbokhari - Yakupbey00, lichess.org, 2022) 8.h3 Kf7 9.Nxf8 Qxf8 10.Nc3 Qe7 11.O-O h5 12.Be3 Ng4 13.Qf3+ Kg8 14.hxg4 hxg4 15.Qxg4 Bxg4 16.g3 Qf6 17.Bf4 Qg6 18.Nd5 Qh5 19.Ne7+ Kf7 White resigned, mbokhari - blallalabdala, lichess.org, 2022) (6...Bc5 7.O-O Ke7 8.Ng6+ Kf7 9.Nxh8+ Qxh8 10.Nc3 Bd6 11.Be3 Qe8 12.h3 Qe5 13.f4 Qe7 14.e5 Bxe5 15.fxe5 Qxe5 16.Qf3 Nc6 17.Rae1 Qa5 18.a3 Qa6 19.Nd5 Ne5 20.Qf2 Kg8 21.Nxc7 Black resigned, mbokhari - Avi_Xav_2021, lichess.org, 2022) 7.Ng6 Qe5 8.Nxe5 Nc6 9.f4 d6 10.Ng6 Rg8 11.Nc3 Bd7 12.O-O Be6 13.f5 Bf7 14.Nxf8 Rxf8 15.Be3 Kd7 16.d4 Rae8 17.e5 Nd5 18.e6+ Bxe6 19.fxe6+ Kxe6 20.Qg4+ Ke7 21.Nxd5+ Kd8 22.Rxf8 Rxf8 23.Qxg7 Black resigned, mbokhari - mahmuod1997, lichess.org, 2021) (6.Qh5+ Nxh5 White resigned, mbokhari - suntzuchess, lichess.org, 2021) (6.Nc3 Bd6 7.f4 Bxe5 8.fxe5 Nxe4 9.Nxe4 Qe7 10.Ng3 Qxe5+ 11.Qe2 Qxe2+ 12.Nxe2 Kf7 13.d3 Re8 14.Kd2 d6 15.Rf1+ Kg8 16.Nf4 Rf8 17.Rf2 g5 18.Nh3 Rxf2+ 19.Nxf2 Nc6 20.c3 Bf5 21.h3 Re8 22.g4 Bg6 23.Kc2 Re3 24.Bxe3 Ne5 25.Ne4 Bxe4 26.dxe4 Black resigned, mbokhari - spider2200, lichess.org, 2021) (6.O-O Qe7 7.Ng6 Qxe4 8.Nxh8 d5 9.Re1 Qxe1+ 10.Qxe1+ Be7 11.Ng6 Nc6 12.d3 Bf5 13.Nxe7 Nxe7 14.Nc3 d4 15.Nb5 Kd8 16.Nxd4 Black resigned, mbokhari - Marianna_Sha, lichess.org, 2021) 6...Nxe4 (6...d6 7.Nd3 Be7 8.e5 Nd5 9.Qh5+ Kf8 10.c4 Nb6 11.Nf4 Bg5 12.Ng6+ Kg8 13.Bxg5 Qe8 14.O-O Nxc4 15.Nc3 Nxb2 16.exd6 cxd6 17.Rae1 Qf7 18.Re7 Qf8 19.Nxf8 Kxf8 20.Qe8 checkmate, mbokhari - Yela, lichess.org, 2020) 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qxe4 Rg8 10.Nc6+ Black resigned, mbokhari - Srishanth_35, lichess.org, 2020. 

6.Ng6+ Ke8 7.Nxh8 Nxe4 

Greedy, but he was down the exchange.

8.Qh5+ Ke7 

This speeds up the checkmate. A longer route was 8...g6 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 10.Qxe4+ Kd6 11.Nf7+ Kc5 12.Qe3+ Kb5 13.Nc3+ Ka5 14.Qe5+ d5 15.Nxd8 Na6 16.Qxd5+ c5 17.a3 Nc7 18.Nxb7+ Bxb7 19.Qxb7 Re8+ 20.Kd1 Re1+ 21.Rxe1 c4 22.Qxc7+ Ka6 23.Qc6+ Ka5 24.Qb5# 

9.Qe5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Experience Counts

One counter to surprise in chess is experience. Surprise unsettles confidence and calculation. Experience reassures, and provides a pathway forward.

The following Jerome Gambit game by Bill Wall is an example. By the way, Bill has over 1,000 games in The Database.

Wall, Bill - Kahve

internet, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

6...Bb4+ 7.c3 Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 Ng6 9.O-O 

Stockfish 15 evaluates this position as even. White's 2 pawns, central control, lead in development and safer King balance Black's extra piece.

Bill Wall has reached this position 16 times previously - and he has won every time.

9...d6 

It is interesting that Stockfish 15 recommends 9...d5 10.Nxd5 Nf6 11.Nc3 Rf8 12.f4 Kg8 to keep the game even. In that line Black has sacrificed an additional pawn, but he has been able to castle-by-hand and achieve a small advantage in development. 

10.f4 h6 

I suspect that most club players would be happier here with the extra pawns. Defending against the onrush takes some thought - and can lead to weaknesses. Probably better was 10...N6e7. 

11.e5 

Using the pawns to break in the center and open lines. The alternative, 11.f5 N6e7 12.Bf4, would lead to a central clamp on the position.

11...dxe5

It is easy and natural to make this pawn exchange, but in this case it only helps the attacker. Again, 11...N8e7 would be for choice. 

12.fxe5+ Ke6 

American grandmaster Reuben Fine encouraged "The King is a strong piece - use it!" but that was in another time, in another situation.

Black's weakness on the light squares should have convinced his King to retreat. Nonetheless, after 12...Ke8 13.Qb3!? Qxd4+ 14.Kh1 Qd7 Black would be on the defensive and White's open lines would call to his pieces: 15.Nb5 N8e7 16.Be3 Rf8 17.Rfd1 Qc6 18.Rac1 Be6 19.Qa4. Black's defense finds no rest.

13.Qb3+ Kd7 14.Qd5+ Black resigned

It is checkmate next move.

Jerome Gambit quick checkmate

The new short YouTube video "Jerome Gambit quick checkmate" is entertaining and raises a number of questions that are great fun to try to answer.

Stockfish - Cramlingbot

Chess.com, 2021

So, we have a game between two computer chess engines, the second representing Anna Cramling, Twitch chess streamer.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Qf6 8.Rf1 Kd6 

This is an unexpected move.

More usual would have been 8...d6, offering to return a piece with the same idea as in the "silicon" or "annoying" defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6). Stockfish 15 then shows that 9.fxe5 Qg6!? is the only way for Black to continue to maintain his advantage.

The Database has 6 games with 8...d6. Black won 5 of them.

What to make of Black's 8th move? It looks like a "mouse slip", a very human type error. Computers don't "mouse slip" do they? 

Actually, there is a funny Tweet that suggests that the Cramlingbot is capable of such an error

The

@AnnaCramling

bot on

@chesscom

is pretty accurate, they even programmed it to mouse slip in the endgame.

9.Nc3 

The right choice of moves.

Grabbing a piece with 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qxe5+ Kxe5 or 9.Qxe5+ Qxe5 10.fxe5+ Kxe5 would take the Queens off of the board, leaving White with only one pawn for his sacrificed piece, and Black with a well developed and relatively safe King.

White was successful after 9.d4 Bxd4? 10.fxe5+ Bxe5 11.Rxf6+ Bxf6 12.Bf4+ Ke7 13.e5 d6 14.exf6+ Nxf6 15.Qe2+ Kf7 16.Nc3 Bf5 17.Kd2 Rae8 18.Qc4+ Be6 19.Qxc7+ Re7 20.Qxd6 Rd7 21.Re1 Rxd6+ 22.Bxd6 Rd8 23.Kc1 Rxd6 24.h3 Nd5 25.Ne4 Rd7 26.Ng5+ Kf6 27.Nxe6 Re7 28.g4 Rxe6 29.g5+ Kf7 30.Rf1+ Ke7 31.h4 Nf4 32.Rxf4 Re2 33.Rb4 b6 34.Ra4 Kd6 35.Rxa7 White was better and won on time, jpayero - nathanael31, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022.

However, 9...Nd3+ 10.cxd3 Qxd4 instead would have given Black an edge. 

9...Qe6 

Another curious move. (There are ways to make a smart computer dumber. See "Jerome Gambit: Artificial Wha?")

Certainly Black could have played 9...Nc6, 9...Nb6 or 9...Nf7, instead, planning on meeting 10.e5+ with 10...Nxe5, returning a piece. That would be a reasonable plan, but The Database has no games with any of those 3 moves.

Another idea would be to move the King again, i.e. 9...Kc6 10.fxe5 (10.b4!?) 10...Qg6 11.Qe2 a6? (11...b6) 12.Qc4 (12.b4!?) 12...Qe6 13.Nd5 Ne7?! (13...b5) 14.d4 b6 15.Nxe7+ Qxe7 16.Qd5+ Kb5 17.c4+ (17.a4+ Ka5 18.Bd2#) 17...Ka4 18.b3+ Ka5 19.Bd2 checkmate, jpayero - nathanael31, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022.

A reasonable choice was 9...c6, which appeared in 2 games: 10.fxe5+ (10.Ne2 g6?! 11.fxe5+ Qxe5 12.Qxe5+ Kxe5 13.b4 Bxb4 14.Bb2+ Black resigned, VM5715080 - draveilpb, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021) 10...Qxe5 11.Rf5 Qd4 (11...g6?! 12.Rxe5 gxh5 13.Re8 Kc7 14.d3 b6 15.Bf4+ d6) 12.Qg4 Qg1+ (12...Nf6) 13.Rf1 Qd4 14.d3 Nf6?! (14...Kc7) 15.Bf4+ Ke7 16.Qxg7+ Kd8 17.Qxh8+ Ke7 18.Bg5 Kd6 19.Bxf6 Qe3+ 20.Ne2 (20.Kd1 Qd4 21.Qe8 Qxf6 22.Rxf6+ Kc7 23.Qe5+ d6 24.Rf7+ Kb6 25.Qe7 a5 26.e5 Ka6 27.exd6 Bg4+ 28.Kd2 Rb8 29.Qc7 Ba7 30.d7 Rd8 31.Qxd8 Bc5 32.Qa8+ Ba7 33.d8=Q Bc8 34.Qaxc8 Be3+ 35.Kxe3 h5 36.Qxb7#) 20...Bb4+ 21.c3 Kc5 22.d4+ Kc4 23.cxb4 Kd3 24.Rc1? (24.Rf3 Qxf3 25.gxf3 Kc4 26.Qf8 b6 27.a4 c5 28.Qh6 cxd4 29.Qd2 Kb3 30.Ra3+ Kc4 31.Qxd4#) 24...Qxe2 checkmate, carlson85 - E-Shaposhnikov, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020) 

10.d4 Bb4

This move does not help things, but 10...Bxd4 would lead to complications and the loss of a piece after 11.Nb5+ i.e. 11...Ke7 12.Nxd4. It turns out that Black can not protect the Bishop with 11...Kc5 because 12.Nxd4 Kxd4 13.Be3+ would lead to checkmate. (12...Qd6 would be better than the recapture, but would drop the piece.)

White's attack now builds and ends in mate.

11.fxe5+ Ke7 12. Bg5+ Nf6 13.exf6+ Kf8 

14.fxg7+ Kxg7 15.Bh6+ Kg8 16.Qg5+ Qg6 17.Qd8+ Qe8 18.Qxe8+ Bf8 19.Qxf8 checkmate

 

Happy Halloween!

I admit, it would be scarier if the pieces showed the Jerome Gambit.