Jerome Gambit: Coach (Part 1)

Many years ago, I helped start a few chess clubs in local elementary schools. I made it a practice when I played a student to do a quick assessment of his or her skill level, and then adjust my own play to slightly below theirs - so that paying attention and being careful would bring them a win against me, but sloppiness would not. I was pleased to lose quite a few games.

Recently I decided to introduce the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.BXf7+) to the Chess.com bot Coach Mae. I was surprised to find that the Coach used some of my own coaching strategies in our game.

Coach Mae's comments are in purple. I have added diagrams and a few comments of my own.

perrypawnpusher - Coach Mae bot

Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 

1.e4 can lead to fun, tactical games. 

1...e5 

1.e4 e5, one of the most common ways to start a chess game.

2.Nf3 

Hmm, how should I defend my pawn?

2...Nc6

Let's try the classic, solid Nc6. 

3.Bc4

You've pointed your bishop at my weakest point, the f7 square.

3...Bc5 

The Giuoco Piano. The center is getting quite tense.

4.Bxf7+ 

In the opening, once you move a piece, you should focus on your other pieces.

Somewhat more polite than International Master Eric Rosen's reaction to the Jerome: What is this garbage? 

4...Kxf7 

My king is safe...for now.

5.Nxe5+ 

Hmm... That's an interesting move! 

That sounds like the chess equivalent of Well isn't that special?

5...Nxe5

And of course I take back!

6.Qh5+

You forked me! Nicely spotted.

6...Ke6 

Defending my knight. 

7.Qf5+ 

What an active queen.

The Coach is trying hard to be supportive.

7...Kd6 

What's the best way to kick one of my pieces away?

 8.f4

Great! You're making me dance.

Or ROFL.

8...Qh4+ 

You have something here, I can feel it.

A lost game?

First appearance of this check was in the imaginary telephone chess game between R.F and Nibs, presented in the June 1889 American Chess Magazine.

9.g3

That's the way. Your pawn mightily defends your king - and attacks the attacker! That was the move you needed to play. 

9...Qf6 

Shall we trade?

10.fxe5+ 

Stay away from my queen.

10...Qxe5

How dare you threaten my king.

Here Black resigned in perrypawnpusher - Langan, 8 0 blitz, FICS, 2009  

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Escaping the Mania (Part 2)

 

[continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - LarryFitzgeraldBot

Chess.com, 2023

At this point it was clear that I was better in my battle against the bot (although little credit can be given to the Jerome Gambit) but my imprecise moves reduced that edge.

22.Re5 Rec8

This move put more pressure on the c-file, and my forward c-pawn at that. Fortunately, I had counterplay.

23.Rhe1 g5 

Stockfish 16 recommends, instead, 23...Re8, although White can meet that with the odd 24.Bf8!? - one way to get rid of the drawish Bishops-of-opposite-colors. Still, after  24...Rxf8 25.Rxe6 Rd8 Black might have enough piece activity - and White, enough pawn weaknesses - that the defender might be able to hold.

The text move, instead, blunders away a piece. I am not sure what the LarryFitzgerald bot was calculating. It could be an example of what I have labelled "artificial ignorance".

24.Rxe6 gxf4 25.Re7+ Kf6 26.Rxc7 Rxc7 27.Bd6 

27...Rg7 

This should have been a game-ending blunder, but I missed it.

28.Bxf4 

This was the reason I played 27.Bd6, so I continued as planned - overlooking the skewer 28.Be5+ winning the exchange. 

28...h5 

Consistent, instead, would have been 28...Rxg2. 

29.g3 

Of course, 29.Be5+ etc. 

29...Re7 30.Rxe7 Kxe7 

We were playing without a clock, which would have been my opponent's only chance.

31.Bb8 a6 32.Ba7 b5 33.Kb3 Kf7 34.Kb4 Kg7

Perhaps the bot cannot resign. Likewise, it cannot suffer, as the rest of the play is uncomfortable, at best. 

35.Ka5 b4 36.cxb4 Kf7 37.Kxa6 Ke6 38.b5 h4 39.gxh4 Ke5 40.b6 Kf5 41.b7 Kg4 42.Bf2 Kf5 43.b8=Q 

43...Ke6 44.Qb5 Kf6 45.h5 Kg7 46.Qc6 Kh8 47.Qd7 Kg8 48.c4 

An example of "no think" chess. There were faster checkmates earlier, but this is what I was aiming for.

48...Kf8 49.c5 Kg8 50.c6 Kf8 51.c7 Kg8 52.c8=Q checkmate

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

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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'. 

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