Jerome Gambit: Escaping the Mania (Part 1)

I recently took on another bot at Chess.com, and, in time, things became balanced - a bit unusual for an opening that has two pieces sacrificed.

If Readers find the line of play to be interesting, there are many links to other, related Jerome Gambits to check out.

perrypawnpusher - LarryFitzgeraldBot

Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

The Database has 3,343 examples, with White scoring 40%; compared to 33,916 games with the basic Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, with White scoring 52%

Happily, in my 69 games with the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, I have scored a more substantial 77%.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 

Once, I met 6...Ke8 in perrypawnpusher - opazovalec, 10 2 blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 16). 

7.d4 Bd6

LarryFitzgerald's move is natural enough, although I have met others:

7...Neg4 in perrypawnpusher - xxfred, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 28); 

7...Bxd4 in perrypawnpusher - Fazmeister, 2 12, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 36) and perrypawnpusher - spince, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2014 (0-1, 41); 

7...Bb4 in perrypawnpusher - kezientz, 10 0 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 9); perrypawnpusher - Abatwa, 12 4 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 17); perrypawnpusher - Gibarian, 6 6 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 33); perrypawnpusher - obmanovichhh, 14 0 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39); perrypawnpusher - LydenChess, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); perrypawnpusher - Aerandir, 4 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); perrypawnpusher - SSGSSGSSG, 5 5 blitz, FICS, 2018 (1-0, 20); 

7...Re8 in perrypawnpusher - strandskatan, 5 5 blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 38); perrypawnpusher - hklett, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 31); 

7...Nd3+ in perrypawnpusher - genericme, 10 0 blitz, FICS, 2015 (1-0, 22); and

7...Nf3+ perrypawnpusher - wertu, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 20) and perrypawnpusher - catmandu, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2014 (0-1, 12).

8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.f4 

Probably better is 9.Ne2 as in perrypawnpusher - lixuanxuan, 14 0 blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 22);  perrypawnpusher - andrewLLL, lichess.org, 2020 (0-1, 18); perrypawnpusher - LttlePrince, lichess.org, 2020 (0-1, 29); and perrypawnpusher - rusalka, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2023 (1-0, 17) 

9...Bxc3+  10.bxc3 

10...b6

Or 10...d6 as in perrypawnpusher - joseluislopez, blitz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 55). 

11.e5 Ne4 

I wondered if the bot was going to grab the e-pawn on move 10. Instead, he puts his Knight on e4 on move 11 - with equally unfortunate results. Continuing as planned with 11...Bb7 was best; and 11...Qe7 was good, as well.

12.Qd5+ Kf8 

Here, we have a basic choice: which piece to capture?

It is interesting that, after the game, Stockfish 15.1 recommended checking the King and then grabbing the Knight, i.e. 13.Ba3+ Ke8 14.Qxe4, slightly ahead of grabbing the Rook directly with 13.Qxa8. Simply grabbing the Knight with 13.Qxe4 was ranked even below 13.0-0.

So, you can guess my move...

13.Qxe4 

White is still better, with more material, better center control, and a safer King.

13...d5 14.exd6 

Probably 14.Qf3 was better, preserving the advanced, supported d-pawn. 

14...Bd7 15.dxc7 Qe8 16.Ba3+ Kf7 17.Qxe8+ Rhxe8+ 

My tripled, isolated c-pawns look vulnerable on the c-file. Will the Bishops-of-opposite-colors turn the game drawish?

18.Kd2 Rac8 19.Rae1 

It would have made more sense (and been stronger) to play 19.Bd6.

19...Be6 

In turn, 19...Rxc7 was the move. 

20. Kc1 h6 21.Kb2 Rxc7 

Things have turned drawish. I suppose that means that both of us have escaped the mania of the Jerome Gambit.

But there is still more chess to play.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Cat-Astrophe

 Continuing my Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) play against chess bots at Chess.com (see my games against DeadLost, Grandpa Gambit, and Antonio), I decided to take on Mittens.

A kitty cat. What could possibly go wrong?

A whole lot, actually, as it turned out.

After the game, I learned that Mittens was rated 3300.

perrypawnpusher - MittensBot

Chess.com, 2023

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Kc6

This is the sillycon defense, with the King moving, instead of the Knight, to the c6 square.

I faced it in a couple of games, a couple of years ago, in perrypawnpusher - jonmather, Giuoco Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2021 (1-0, 33) and perrypawnpusher - alfil_7, Piano Piano, Chess.com, 2021 (0-1, 13).

The Database has 44 games with the defense, with White scoring 34%.

9.fxe5 

This was something new, according to The Database.

I played 9.Qxe5 in the above-mentioned games.

Stockfish 15.1 (30 ply) prefers the Queen capture by 1/50th of a pawn.

9...b6 10.c3 Nh6 11.Qh5 Ba6 12.d4 Be7 

Black is ahead in development. Still, I figured that if I could castle Queenside, I might have something. 

13.Bxh6 

Planning to grab a pawn.

Looking at the computer's recommendation after the game - 13.b3 Qe8 14.Qxe8 Raxe8 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.c4 Kb7 17.Rf1 d6 18.exd6 Bxd6 - it is easy to see how scary the lead in development might play out. Especially after 19.e5 Rxe5!? Those Bishops!

13...gxh6 14.Qxh6+ Kb7 15.Nd2 Bg5 

Time to make a reference to "cat scratch fever"?

16.Qh3 Qg8 17.O-O-O 

The escape is an illusion.

17...Qxa2 18.Kc2 Qa4+ 19.Kb1 Raf8 

20.Nf3 

This development un-defends the King. The result is immediate.

20...Rxf3 21.gxf3 Bc4 22.Rdg1 Bd3 checkmate

Whew! What a catastrophe.

Merry Christmas 2023

 

Merry Christmas!

Against the Knights

                                               

A cousin of the Jerome Gambit brings home the full point, quickly.

angelcamina - GrainBowl

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights Defense, one way to side-step the Jerome Gambit.

4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ 

The Noa Gambit, otherwise known as the Monck Gambit, otherwise known as the Open Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. White gets his sacrifice, after all.

Also see "Further Explorations" (Part 2, 3, 4, & 5)

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Neg5+ 

angelcamina also played 7.Nc3 e4 8.Ng1 Bc5 in angelcamina -florianschreib, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 (1-0, 37) 

7...Kf6 

In 1-minute games, aggressive and risky moves like this appear. While it pressures the Knight at g5, it creates a danger for Black along the d8-h4 diagonal.

8.d4 Bg4 

More pressure on a Knight.

Not 8...e4, because of 9.Nxe4+ dxe4 10.Bg5+, an x-ray attack winning the Queen.

Best would be 8...exd4, when possible would be 9.O-O h6 10.Re1 Bf5 11.Nh4 hxg5 12.Nxf5 Kf7 (12...Kxf5 13.Qd3+ Kf6 14.Bxg5+ Kxg5 15.Re6 Qf6 16.f4+ Kh6 17.Qh3+ Kg6 18.Rxf6+ Kxf6 19.Qxh8 White is better) 13.h4 gxh4 14.Qg4 Kg8 15.Nh6+ Rxh6 16.Bxh6 White is better

9.dxe5+ Nxe5 10.Qd4 

Pressure on another Knight.

10...Bxf3 11.Nxf3 Qe7 

Overlooking...

12.Bg5+ Black resigned

Chess.com Awards

 

It is the time of the year when the Chess.com website asks their readers to vote on their Awards - for 

Player of the Year

Woman Player of the Year

Creator of the Year

Game of the Year

Move of the Year

Rising Star of the year

ChessKid of the Year

Commentator of the  Year

Event of the Year

Member of the Year

Book of the Year

Chessable Course of the Year

You might (or might not) consider the Jerome Gambit's "4.Bxf7+" to be the Move of the Year, but you certainly could consider this blog when you look at Creator of the Year.

Just sayin'. 

Write in.

Jerome Gambit: Antonio-bot (Part 3)

 

                                               [continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - Antonio-bot

Chess.com, 2023

This is the conclusion of my game against the Chess.com bot, Antonio.

Antonio's comments are in brown.

31.e7

Someday, my laziness is going to get the best of me. A little thought would have found 31.Rf8+ Qxf8 32.Rxf8+ Kxf8 33.Qg6 h4 34.Qf7 checkmate. 

31...Nxe7 32.Rxe7 Qc8 33.Rff7 Qg4 

34.Qxg4 

There goes the queen. Oh well.

My need to "simplify" allows me to miss the Queen sacrifice at the front of a checkmating sequence: 34.Qxh7+ Kxh7 35.Rxg7+ Kh8 36.Rh7+ Kg8 37.Reg7+ Kf8 38.Be7+ Ke8 39.Rh8+ Kd7 40.Bg5 checkmate 

34...hxg4 

Gotcha! 

35.Rxb7 Rc8 36.Ne4 Rf8 37.Rxf8+ Kxf8 

Anthony will hold out until the very end 

38.Nxd6 g6 39.Rxh7 g3 40.hxg3 a5 41.Nb7 Kg8 42.Rc7 Kf8 43.d6

I'm starting to get a bit worried here.

43...a4 44.d7 Kf7 45.d8=Q+

Uh oh. I better find a good defense.

45...Ke6 46.Qd5 checkmate

Wow! You're able to put together some pretty moves. Can I have another try?

Why not? Some players do better against the Jerome Gambit the second time around. - Rick

Jerome Gambit: Antonio-bot (Part 2)

 

                                            [continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - Antonio-bot

Chess.com, 2023

Continuing my game against the Chess.com Antonio bot, whose comments are in brown.

19...Bxe6 

This return of material does not work.

Stockfish 16, instead, recommends 19...Qf8 20.c4 h6 21.Bxf6 Qxf6 22.Qxf6 gxf6 23.Nc3 b6 24.d5 with a congested and largely balanced position.

20.fxe6 

You're a very clever player, but can you finish off the game? 

20...Qc8 21.Bxf6 Ng6 

Not a "fix" for the position, but 21...gxf6 and 21...Qxe6 are equally sad alternatives.

22.Qe4 c5 

Allowing the e6 pawn to be reinforced again.

23.Bg5 

Sharp readers probably saw 23.Bxg7 Kxg7 24.Rf7+ Kg8 25.Nc3 Nf8 26.Qg4+ Ng6 27.Nd5 Qd8 28.Raf1 c4 29.R1f6 c3 30.Rxg6+ hxg6 31.Qxg6 checkmate.

I didn't. 

Just wanted to save the Bishop

23...Qe8 24.d5 

24...h6 25.Bd2 Ne7 26.c4 Qb8 27.Nc3 Qe8 

If the player of the Black pieces were human, I would diagnose anxiety.

28.Rf7 Rh7 29.Raf1 h5 30.Bg5 Nc8 

[to be continued]