Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Jerome Gambit: Deadlost (Part 1)

 


The online website Chess.com has a bevy of computer-based characters you can  play against.

I have shared my adventures against a couple of dog characters, buddybuckets-dog and Wishboy. Nice boys...

Recently, I tried my hand against Deadlost, Chess.com's warped interpretation of Marvel comics' "merc with a mouth", Deadpool.

The site warns "Don't be distracted when he breaks the 4th wall", and believe me, he does yammer a lot. Well, he produces text commentary regularly. I quote some below, in red.

The biggest distraction, however, was the constant appearance of the "Page Unresponsive" warning from my own computer, which meant I was battling even more to stay focused on my moves and those of my opponent.

Of course, the perfect weapon for me to brandish was the Jerome Gambit.

perrypawnpusher - DeadlostBot
Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 


Impressive bishop capture! But how does a chess bot know the exact move you just made? Do I know too much? Do I transcend virtual and physical planes with my omnipotence? Help, I'm scared.

Deadlost can keep that chatter up, but I will edit (or cut) some of the future comments - Rick

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 

I'm going to "retcon" your piece from being on the board to not being on the board (you like that lingo, comic book nerds?)

6.Qh5+

Ouch! It literally, physically hurts when you put me in check. Ouch it still hurts! Please have mercy on me!

The Jerome Gambit can have that effect on some people.

6...Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4

Threatening my piece, huh? In comic books, we call that an "inciting incident" for a "villian arc."

8...Nc6

Stronger was 8...Qf6, or 8...Qh4+ or 8...Kc6, the sillycon defense, with the King moving, instead of the Knight, as I faced in perrypawnpusher - jonmather, Giuoco Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2021 (1-0, 33) and perrypawnpusher - alfil_7, Piano Piano, Chess.com, 2021 (0-1, 13).

9.Qd5+ 

Yury V. Bukayev has invented the following and comments: "More interesting is my 9.Nc3!? N because it is a trap. For example, after the 'natural' 9...Bb6? White gets the advantage by 10.Qf7!!"

9...Ke7


The engine says our midgame is equal. But you really shouldn't trust computers...

Deadlost is onto something. Stockfish 15.1 (30 ply) sees Black as being about 1 1/2 pawns ahead.

10.Qxc5+ d6

I'm here to chew bubblegum and capture your queen. And I'm all out of bubblegum.

11.Qe3 Qf8 

I knew that move was a mistake, but I made it anyway to be edgy and cool.

Instead, 11...Nf6 12.O-O Rf8 was seen in perrypawnpusher - trombose, 2 19 blitz, FICS, 2013  (1-0, 31).

I was pleased that the Jerome Gambit had set some problems for my opponent, but there was much more work to do.

[to be continued]


Monday, December 11, 2023

"Jerome Gambit is The Best Chess Opening"



For a very well done introduction ot the Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, take a look at the YouTube video "Jerome Gambit is The Best Chess Opening" by "A GOOFY Chess Player", as he calls  himself.

It is the video I wish I had made - that I wish I had the skill to make.

Hats off to the creator. 

Sunday, December 10, 2023

JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 17) [Part 2]

 


[continued from the previous post]

[Here is Yury's Jerome Gambit game, mentioned in the previous post. I have added diagrams - Rick]


Yury_V_Bukayev - WaleraG

15 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+


4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.O-O 

9...Nxe4 10.Qf4+ Nf6 11.b4 Bb6 12.Bb2 c6 

13.a4 Kf7 14.Ra3 d5 15.Rf3 Rf8 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Qh6 

17...Rh8 18.Qh5+ Kf8 19.Qh6+ Kf7 20.Qh5+ Kf8 21.Qh6+ Kf7 

The game is a draw


Saturday, December 9, 2023

JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 17) [Part 1]



 JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 17)

(by Yury V. Bukayev)

In the Part 6 of this my analytical research on the standard system of the Jerome gambit (JG) it was fixed that after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 (this move was highly recommended by several very strong players including the famous English GM Jonathan Simon Speelman in his article (‘Jon Speelman’s Agony Column’, #24, 2016) on chessbase.com – the article which was criticized analytically in my Part 4) 8.Qg3 Nf6 White can avoid 9.d3 and 9.Nc3 by the way-invention 9.b4.

Further, dear Rick Kennedy in his post (September 28, 2021) published some of my new ideas-inventions about 9.0-0 Nxe4!? 10.Qf4+! Nf6 11.b4! and 11.d4.

Now we’ll consider why 9.d3?! and 9.Nc3?! lead to a collapse of White’s plan theoretically. And we’ll consider other possibilities (9.b4, 9.0-0!).

I)9.d3?! Nh5! 10.Qf3+ Qf6 11.Qe2 [11.Qxh5? Qxf2+ 12.Kd1 Qxg2! with 13…Bg4+ and with a win] 11…Nf4! 12.Qf3 [12.Bxf4?AN Qxb2!] 12…Ne6! 13.Qe2AN [13.Qg3AN loses after 13…h5 or 13…Nd4] 13…Nd4 14.Qd2 Bh3! 15.c3 Qg6!. Black has a threat …Qxg2 and wins. In all cases White’s pawns have made no moves (besides 15.c3), so it’s a theoretical collapse of White’s plan.

II)9.Nc3?! Nh5!

A)10.Qd3AN Qg5! 11.Qf3+ [11.0-0 Nf4!] 11…Qf4 12.Qe2 Qg4 13.f3 Qh4+ with Black’s win.

B)10.Qf3+ Qf6 11.Qd3AN [11.Qe2 Nf4!] 11…Qg5! with Black’s win.

In all cases White’s pawns have made no moves (besides 13.f3), so it’s a theoretical collapse of White’s plan.

This my analysis shows that the outstanding maestro Speelman was right in his conclusion about 9.d3 and 9.Nc3, but he hasn’t found other possibilities.

The same analysis leads me also to the thought that after 9.b4 Bd4!? 10.c3 Bb6 11.d3 Black can use the same plan successfully: 11…Nh5!AN 12.Qf3+ Qf6! 13.Qe2 [13.Qxh5? Qxf2+ 14.Kd1 Qxg2! with 15…Bg4+ and with a win] 13…Nf4! 14.Bxf4 Qxf4. Black has a large advantage. But here White doesn’t have such theoretical collapse of his plan, because White’s pawns will be moved.

According to my conclusion, the gambit move 9.0-0! is much better, because the pawns f2 and g2 are protected here, so White’s Queen is free. Maestro Speelman missed this very good possibility. Here is my new game with 9.0-0 (Yury V. Bukayev – Valery P. Golshev, 15+0, Lichess.org, 2023). It is important for Jerome gambit theory!

[to be continued]

Friday, December 8, 2023

Jerome Gambit Odds Again

 


Grandmaster Aman Hambleton is familiar with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). He has played it at least a couple dozen times under his handle KNVB.

He has also played it several times, with a blitz time control of 3 1, in online Titled Tuesday events at Chess.com. See "Jerome Gambit: Titled Tuesday".

Here is another.

At +250 rating points (Chess.com rating), you might suspect that the Grandmaster was giving "Jerome Gambit odds" to his opponent, but can you really do that to someone who is rated 2445 and expect to win?


Hambleton, Aman - Jiang, Andrew

3 1 blitz Titled Tuesday,Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 


I don't know how familiar Andrew Jiang is with the Jerome Gambit (he does not appear in The Database) but this move is practical: there is no need to explore what might happen after 6...Ke6, and 6...Kf8 might block a Rook that would eventually want to come to the center. So, 6...Ng6 it is.

7.Qd5+ 

Grandmaster Hambleton is familiar with the "nudge", sending the enemy King to the back rank after all.

7...Kf8 

I suppose that 7...Ke8 could be a tiny bit better, as the capture of the Bishop would not come with check, so Black could find another move to play. If he were later to play ...d5, he would have saved a tempo.

8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.Nc3 Kf7 


Persistent.

11.d3 Re8 12.O-O d5 13.Qg3 Be6 


This move does not appear in The Database, and White quickly shows why.

It is quite possible that Black, with an extra piece and better development, simply felt he had sailed through the rough waters of the turbulent opening, and was now ready to develop regularly. Quite possible in a 3-minute game.

14.f4 dxe4 15.f5 Bxf5 16.Rxf5 exd3 


Black has returned some of the sacrificed material and is probably equal now after White finds the thoughtful 17.Qf2.

17.cxd3 

White may have missed Black's next move, or he may simply have seen it and assessed the resulting position as playable. With an even game, he can grind his opponent in search of the full point.

17...Qd4+ 18.Kh1 


Possible was 18.Kf1, but White plans to put his Queen's Rook on that square.

18...h6 

Preventing the thematic 19.Bg5. He could probably pressurize his opponent, himself, after 18...Qg4 19.Rf1 Qxg3 20.hxg3 Rad8.

Now Grandmaster Hambleton finds a nice shot.

19.Bxh6 gxh6 

Natural. Stockfish 15.1, however, suggests Black had better chances than with the text, with 19...Re5 20.Rf3 Qh4 21.Bf4 Qxg3 22.Bxg3 Rc5, although the Rook would be awkwardly placed and he would be down a pawn.

20.Raf1 

Putting pressure on the Knight, the immediate byproduct of the piece sacrifice.

20...Re6 21.Ne4 Rae8 22.Nxf6 R8e7 


Not 22...Rxf6 23.Rxf6+ costing the Queen.

23.Nd5+ Ke8 24.Nxe7 Nxe7 25.Rf8+ Kd7 26.R8f4 Qxb2 


Being down the exchange is enough to cost the game, but now things fall apart.

27.Rc4 c6 28.Qh3 Qe2 29.Rg1 b5 30.Re4 Black resigned


Ouch!


Thursday, December 7, 2023

Jerome Gambit: Think Fast



I was looking over a bullet game between two 2400+ players, a Four Knights Game that added a Jerome Gambit style sacrifice after Black innovated a bit too freely: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Nd4 5.Bxf7+ 


One interesting thing is that the game continued until the 73rd move, which means that the players were using, on the average, 8/10th of a second thinking time each move.

That's fast!

It is no surprise, then, that the game ended this way - by stalemate.



Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Does the Jerome Gambit Have Anything to Teach?

A friend of mine taught his daughter to open every game of chess with 1.Nf3, 2.g3, 3.Bg2 and 4.O-O. That way, in four moves she would have developed some pieces and safe-guarded her King.

I remember early in my chess play, I would essay 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 and then offer to split the point, as "everyone knows" that the Four Knights Game is a draw.

What, then, of the subject of this blog? Does the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) have anything to teach new players about chess?

Recently I reviewed a number of games by someone relatively new to Caissa's creation, who was also interested in Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's contraption. One game, in particular, addressed that question and inspired this blog post.


3l0Zer0 - HambaAllah1203

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Bc4 


Both players focus on getting out their pieces. 

We can leave a discussion of the "fork trick" for another day.

4...Nd4 

An aggressive move, but one that abandons further piece development.

I would prefer to see 4...Bc5, if only because White could then play the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit with 5.Bxf7+!? 

5.Bxf7+ 

Not the "best" move, "objectively" - that would be 5.Nxe5, taking the now-unprotected pawn and threatening mischief on the f7 square - but a fine practical move, given the situation.

The Database has only 7 earlier games with 5.Bxf7+ - all of them wins by White

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8 

Black's King is now stuck in the center, like in the Jerome Gambit.

7.Nd5 

White's Knight takes an advanced outpost, but repeats Black's Knight's mis-step.

Next time we will probably see 7.O-O or 7.d3. Why? Because Black is still, technically, better, with a Bishop for two pawns, which means that White benefits from safeguarding her King or preparing for further piece development.

7...d6 

I am sure that my grandson, Cole, would play 7...Nxe4 and say "Look at those four Knights!". 

8.Nxf6+


White stirs in a little surprise by not moving her attacked Knight on e5.

She also relies on a bit of chess wisdom - it is not wise to move the Queen early in the game - to encourage her opponent to play the wrong move.

8...gxf6 

The alternative, capturing with the Queen, 8...Qxf6, is the right idea. 

The text is bad for Black, as 3l0Zer0 immediately shows.

The light squares leading to Black's King are calling to White's Queen, just like in the Jerome Gambit.

9.Qh5+ Ke7 10.Qf7 checkmate


Very nice!