Jerome Gambit: Ow! Ow! Ow!

When giant05 sent me his first Jerome Gambit game, my first response was "Ow! Ow! Ow!" on behalf of his opponent.

Take a look at the "Buyer's Regret variation".

giant05 - flint78

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 

Dating back to the imaginary telephone chess game between R.F and Nibs, presented in the June 1889 American Chess Magazine.

9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kd1 Qe7 11.Qd5 checkmate

Ow!

White sacrifices two pieces and checkmates in under a dozen moves.

Looks like 2024 is going to be a great year.

 

Jerome Gambit: Coach (Part 3)

 

[continued]

As I previously noted

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...

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

19.e5 

Kicking my knight. 

19...Nh7 

I'm moving out of danger. 

20.Qe4 

You threaten my knight - and responding to the threat would lose me time. 

20...Ng5 

You'll probably see this threat. But it wins me some time. 

21.Qg6 d5 

This move opens up the scope of my bishop. 

22.exd6+ 

En passant - very nice. 

22...Kf8 

Defending my pawn.

23.Rhf1+ 

You occupied the open file. A smart idea.

23...Bf5 

Now you check me, now you don't... 

24.Rxf5+ 

How do I stop your rook? You use it so well. 

24...Kg8 

My king dances out of the way... 

25.h4 

Giving my knight the boot. Ouch! 

25...Kh8 26.hxg5 

You've got an isolated pawn now. It might become a target later.

26...Rf8 

I'm offering you a trade. What will you do? 

27.gxh6 

Checkmate is coming. Good for you. 

27...gxh6 

You take. I take... 

28.Rh1 

You are playing a strong game. Keep pressing. 

28...Rf7 29.Rxh6+ 

You're on the path to winning the game.

29...Rh7 

Time to shield my king from your rook! 

30.Qxh7  

Bravo! That's mate.

Thank you for the lesson, coach.

Happy New Year 2024

 

Happy New Years, Readers!

It's a new year, time to try new things - perhaps make some New Years Resolutions.

I would love it if one of those resolutions was TO PLAY MORE JEROME GAMBITS!

Of course, not everyone feels that way.

Take National Master Robert Plunkett, of "Robert Plunkett's Chess Lab", featuring over 400 educational chess videos. There's a lot to learn, stopping by - which I encourage you to do.

You should start with his "Why I would never Play A Jerome Gambit".

Really.

NM Plunkett makes his case in under 10 minutes, and it certainly is worth watching, especially if you do plan to play a Jerome Gambit.

It is worth going back about 15 1/2 years to the blog post "Is this stuff playable?". The issue addressed is: Under what conditions is the Jerome Gambit playable?

Wherever surprise and chaos can rule, there is room for the Jerome Gambit.

Sometimes Bashi-Bazouk Attacks do win the day. 

But, take National Master Plunkett's concerns seriously. He might chase you off of the Jerome. Fair enough. 

However, if you come away with a set of ideas on how to meet his ideas about how to meet the Jerome Gambit - well, Welcome and Happy New Year!

Was H.Nakamura Right? Is JG ‘Unbreakable’, Is EG ‘Legendary’ For Beginners’ Games? (Part 3)

 

Was H.Nakamura Right? Is JG ‘Unbreakable’, 

Is EG ‘Legendary’ For Beginners’ Games? (Part 3)

(by Yury V. Bukayev)

If an expert’s appraisal is based on something without real proofs, he can be right or “almost right” here sometimes. That is so, even in the case where he realizes that his appraisal is hasty, or non-serious, or bold, or emotional. Sometimes he is right here for a large per cent (for example, 55, 75 or 95) of cases which he appraises.

We remember Rick Kennedy’s post ‘Jerome Gambit: Which Tier? Unbreakable?’ (September 23, 2020) where the notable dialogue about the standard system of the Jerome gambit (JG) between Top GM Hikaru Nakamura and IM Levy Rozman was shown as the part of their popular video and as its approximate text. Thus, they have discussed there what chess opening tier for beginners’ practice is right for it. The end of this text contains several phrases by Mr. Nakamura where he places the standard system of JG near the top of ‘Unbreakable’. Mr. Nakamura’s words contain no proofs of this very high appraisal. In my opinion, the tier’s name ‘Unbreakable’ is very arguable, because we discuss an opening practice, not an opening theory: each opening can be broken in a game as a result of practical mistakes of a player. But this name plays no role for us, just this very high appraisal of 4.Bxf7+ for beginners’ practice is important for our consideration.

Before writing of my Part 1 of this analytical research (please, look at it: it’s a blog post of October 16, 2022) it was enough difficult for me to prove this Hikaru Nakamura’s appraisal, for a large per cent of cases. It was necessary to choose a certain control of time for beginners’ games, and I have chosen an unlimited one. And in the Part 1, Part 2 of this research I have made some clear proofs of this Mr. Nakamura’s appraisal and some “not absolutely clear proofs” of it. We shouldn’t forget that the word ‘unbreakable’ includes a draw, not only a win.

And here is my new invented trap - no.5 - which is based on a similar ‘natural’ reaction of a beginner.

Trap 5. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 (Black defends his pieces, it is a typical response for an unlimited game.) 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.Nc3 Qf6 (Not every beginner can find this strongest move, but all alternative - less strong - moves lead to White’s traps too.) 9.d4 Bxd4!? 10.Nb5+ Kc5!? (This way of playing - Black’s 9th and 10th moves - is ‘natural’ for a beginner (and also for many other players including very strong ones): “Why would I play 9…Qxf5 10.dxc5+ with 11.exf5, where I should say goodbye to my Bishop with no fight for it?”) 11.Qh3 AN (It is my new trap.) 11…Qxf2+ 12.Kd1 Kxb5?? (It’s a typical reaction for the beginner who tries to get a maximum material advantage. After 12…d6 Black wins.) 13.Qb3+!, and now Black can’t hide his King: 13…Kc6 14.Qd5+! Kb6 15.Qb3+ Kc5 16.Qd5+ Kb6 17.Qb3+!, ½-½. The situation is completely analogous after 11…Kxb5?? 12.Qb3+!.

That is why White will get here also a very large per cent of identical successful results against beginners.

It maybe, the invention of my Trap 1, my Trap 4, my Trap 5 and my approaches (Part 1, Part 2) will cause Mr. Nakamura’s and Mr. Rozman’s wish to replace the standard system of JG into their top tier ‘Legendary’ (on ‘GMHikaru’ YouTube channel).

Contact the author: istinayubukayev@yandex.ru

© 2023 Yury V. Bukayev (Copyright © Bukayev Yury Vyacheslavovich 2023). All rights reserved.

[A legal using of this investigatiation with a reference to it is permitted and doesn’t require author’s consent.]

Jerome Gambit: Coach (Part 2)

 [continued from the previous post]

As I wrote in the last post

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

Chess.com, 2023

11.Qf3 

Staying out of my reach, a fun choice. 

I tried the exchange of Queens on e5 against Kevin the fruitbat, 15 years ago.

11...Nf6 

Winning a pawn would be nice. 

12.d3 

Unfortunately for me, you noticed your pawn needed protection. 

It is interesting to note that, except for White's g-pawn being on g3 instead of g2, this is the same position as Jerome - Shinkman, Iowa, 1874 (0-1, 21).

12...Re8 

My queen is lined up with my king... 

The coach gives me a break.

Previously, I saw 12...b6 in perrypawnpusher - jeffgazet, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 31) and 12...Ke7 in perrypawnpusher - Buddy_Thompson, Chess.com, 2014 (0-1, 27).  

13.Bf4 

You got it. You immobilized my queen by pinning it to my king. That was the move! 

Thanks, coach!

13...h6 14.Nc3

You can start to think about castling. 

14...c6 15.O-O-O 

A fine move that connects your rooks!

15...Re6 16.Bxe5+ 

My favorite piece...gone. 

16...Rxe5 

I can take that, what else did you have in mind? 

17.d4 

You got me! Nice fork. 

17...Re8 

Moving my rook to a safer square! 

18.dxc5+ 

And now my king must deal with the discovered check... 

18...Ke7 

It's clearly time for my king to move. 

[to be continued]

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