JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 12)
(by Yury V. Bukayev)
Here I continue to develop the modern theory of the variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ of the Jerome gambit (JG), although my invented attacks with 7.Qh3+! are much stronger. My previous inventions after 7.Qf5+ Kd6 were published mostly in the posts: ‘Jerome Gambit: Article’ (2020), ‘JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 4)’ (2020), ‘Anatoly Karpov & Jerome Gambit (Part 4)’ (2022).
Let’s consider my new attacking way after 7…Kd6 8.d4 (the Tonetti variation). Thus, after 8…Bxd4! White can play 9.0-0!? AN. Of course, an Italian castling is forbidden by modern chess rules, but players of old times could use the more strong move 9.0-0 (Kh1, Rf1)!? AN (I have mentioned an Italian castling in my recently published analytical research ‘Who is the 1st inventor of JG in chess - A.Jerome or G.Tonetti? The new approach (Part 1)’) with the plans which are very similar to those ones which you’ll see below.
After the recent castling incident at the FR Chess Championship 2022 with the reigning World Champion the following question is interesting: is it possible to meet attempts of an Italian castling in the modern chess practice? Let me tell one short story about myself. Approximately in 1999, when I have had the 1st Category in chess, I have been a participant of the simultaneous exhibition in Moscow against dear “FIDE Master Mr. Nosov”, according to dear organizer’s words. My strong opponent has started the game with the King’s gambit:
FM (?) Nosov – 1st Cat. Yury Bukayev
Moscow, simul., 1999
Result: 0 : 1
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d5 4.exd5 Nf6 5.Bb5+ c6 6.dxc6 Nxc6 7.0-0 (Kh1, Rg1) .
I was shocked, but quickly attracted Mr. Nosov’s attention to his forbidden move. He apologized and corrected it by the modern castling, because it was his only possibility to correct it:
7.0-0 .
Of course, I have used opponent’s blunder:
7…Qb6+ ,
and then Black plays 8…Qxb5 with an easy win. It is notable that players in old times might play 7.0-0 (Kh1, Rg1)!? here, and this move was normal.
This story shows that it is possible to meet attempts of forbidden Italian castling in the modern chess practice (please, be attentive including in non-web bullet Jerome gambit games), even at enough high level, although it is a museum-piece only.
Let’s return to our Jerome gambit topic of the modern opening theory. After White’s castling Black’s “most natural” response is 9…Qf6!? and the strongest response is 9…g6!. After
I)9…Qf6!? 10.Qh5!
the risky position of Black’s King permits White to get a certain chance. For example, the move 11.Kh1 could be a wonderful start of an attack or (more often) an initiative which is also a psychological weapon for chess practice:
A)10…Nf3+ 11.Kh1!
B)10…Ke6 11.Kh1!
B1)11…g6 12.Qd1! Bb6!?, and White’s possible ways are:
B1a)13.a4!?
B1b)13.Bd2!? Nc6 14.a4
B1c)13.f4 Nf7 [13…Nc6?! 14.f5+] 14.Bd2!? Bd4 15.f5+!? Ke7 16.fxg6 Qxg6 17.Bb4+ d6 18.Qxd4 c5 19.Bxc5 dxc5 20.Qxc5+ Ke8 21.Nc3 with the attack
B2)11…d6 12.Qd1! Bb6!? 13.f4 Nf7!? 14.e5
B3)11…Bb6 12.f4 .
Here is Black’s strongest move:
II)9…g6! [After 9…Ne7!? 10.Qh5! White gets an initiative too.] 10.Qh3, and Black can start to hide his King with the large advantage after the serious fight.
These are first analytical steps in the variation 9.0-0!? AN only.
Of course, ‘the Fantastic Star Jerome Gambit Deferred’ and ‘the Triumphant Jerome Gambit Deferred’ (these are my most strong deferred lines of JG, real parts of JG, they were invented and published in 2022 in my article ‘Lose Never with a Strong Deferred Jerome Gambit! (Part 2)’) will be much more attractive for a lot of experts of the modern chess opening theory than the standard line of JG.
