Jerome Gambit: A Decade Ago... (Part 1)

Wandering through The Database I found yet another Jerome Gambit game that I had played, but not posted on this blog. 

It looks a lot like the game perrypawnpusher - GuestJDZB 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2024 (varying on move 10) that I posted a few days ago, but actually was played 10 years earlier than that game.

It was a complicated back-and-forth battle the included more back than forth. The tactics played and missed were interesting. Black's Knights took a starring role, throughout.

perrypawnpusher - CorH

3 12 blitz, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

I just checked: I have scored 80% against this move, and 80% against 6...g6. My score against 6...Ke6 is slightly better, at 83%; and a little worse against 6...Kf8, 74%. (As they say, Your Mileage May Vary.)

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 Qe7 

Challenging the enemy Queen and putting pressure on the e-pawn.

9.Qe3 Nf6 10.Nc3 d6 

More restrained than GuestJDZB's 10...Ng4.

10...Kf7 was seen in perrypawnpusher - frencheng, blitz, FICS, 2010  (1/2-1/2, 34)}) 

Stockfish 16's recommendation is 10...d5. 

11.O-O Ne5 

It looks like my opponent was trying to provoke a pawn advance, which, in this case, would not be a bad thing for me.

Instead, 11...b6 was seen in 4 of my games: perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 22); perrypawnpusher - Navarrra, 6 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 24); perrypawnpusher - alvarzr, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2013 (0-1, 59); and perrypawnpusher - MarkHundleby1, Chess.com, 2013 (1-0, 27). 

There was also 11...Rf8 in perrypawnpusher - chingching, 5 11 blitz, FICS, 2011  (1/2-1/2, 36).

Again, the computer likes 11...d5, with the advantage still with Black.

12.d4 Nc6 

A wandering Knight got into trouble after 12...Nc4 13.Qd3 Na5 (better 13...Nb6) in perrypawnpusher - mikelars, 4 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 50). 

13.f4 

It is funny, Stockfish 16 suggests the Queen-and-Knight dance continue with 13.d5 Nb4 14.Qd4 c5 (not 14...Nxc2 because of 15.Qa4+) 15.Qd1 and White would have an edge.

The problem with the text move is that Black can still respond with 13...d5, giving him a small advantage.

13...Kd7 

Black's King feels the heat, being on the e-file (which may soon open) behind his Queen and decides to vacate. His Majesty blocks his Bishop, however.

Stockfish 16 has a suggestion for a line of play that looks very human-like, with swarming Knights: 13...d5 14.e5 Ng4 15.Qd3 Nb4 16.Qe2 Bf5 17.h3 and here it endorses the offer of a piece with 17...h5!? that should be declined, at least at first. Instead, it proposes the free-wheeling mess 18.Bd2 Nxc2 19.Nxd5 Qd7 20.hxg4 hxg4 21.Qc4 c6 22.Ne3 Nxa1 23.Rxa1 Rd8 24.Rd1 Be6 25.Qd3 Qxd4 26.Qg6+ Bf7 27.Qxg4 Qxb2 28.Ba5 b6 29.Be1 after which it suggests that Black is about a pawn better.

I am tempted to repeat Bobby Fischer's comment, "long analysis, wrong analysis" but I suspect that the computer would have its own criticism of my efforts, along the lines of  "lazy analysis, crazy analysis".

14.e5 

This breakthrough by the "Jerome pawns" (the pawns White has as compensation for his sacrificed piece) is thematic, and advantageous for the first player.

14...Ng4 

How to respond?

A strong line of play shows that, despite my complaints, sometimes Stockfish does play like it "understands" the Jerome Gambit: 14...b6 15.Bd2 (15.exf6 is possible, but 15...Qxe3 16.Bxe3 gxf6 leads to a static position, albeit one where White is a pawn up) 15...Ba6 16.Qh3+ The King hunt is on! 16...Qe6 17.Qxe6+ Kxe6 18.d5+ Nxd5 19.f5+ Kxe5 20.Rae1+ Kd4 21.Re4+ Kc5 22.Na4+ Kb5 23.c4+ Kxa4 24.cxd5+ Kb5 25.Rc1 Bc8 26.dxc6 a5 27.a4+ Ka6 28.Rf1 Rf8 29.g4 h5 30.h3 when Black's Bishop is locked in, and, hence, his Rook.

Of course, Black does not have to play 14...b6. Instead, 14...Re8 15.d5 Nb4 16.Qd4 a5 17.exf6 Qxf6 would create another position where White is a pawn ahead, and Black's King is still unsafe and blocking his development.

It goes without saying that none of these lines of play, or the insights that go with them, ever occured to me during the game. I show them to illustrate the richness of the Jerome Gambit.

[to be continued]

The Bukayev-Grischuk Variation in Two Games – without and with the Winning Blow Bxf7+!

 

The Bukayev-Grischuk Variation in Two Games –

without and with the Winning Blow Bxf7+!    

(by Yury V. Bukayev)

 

Last year my article with the start of my old tournament game against the future World Blitz Chess Champion Alexander I. Grischuk was published on ‘Bruno’s Chess Problem of the Day’ website with my analyses of it.

I should repeat the following from that my article. This notable tournament chess game Bukayev, Yury V. – Grischuk, Alexander (Aleksandr) I. was played at the Moscow Junior Championship, in 1993 (the address is Moscow, Marshal Vasilevsky street, 9), 30 years ago, with a standard time control. It was the 2^nd tour, and it was a Swiss-system tournament, we both had 1 tournament point after the 1^st tour. Alexander Grischuk was 10 years old that time, I was 11. He was a real chess star in the world among young chess players: he was the U10 World Vice-Champion (1992). He was almost a CM in chess, I had the 2^nd category only, the first chess tournament in my life was started in the end of 1991 only... Nobody prepared me to the game against Alexander, unfortunately. I have lost this game in 42 moves by resignation after 2 hours (approximately) of fighting.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nf3 e4 6.Nd4 d5 7.e3 Nc6 8.Nc3 dxc4

I’ll not repeat my commentaries of these moves. Here is a continuation of this game.

 9.Bxc4!

This my strong move leads to much more complicated play than its very good alternative – 9.Nxc6!, which was analysed on ‘Bruno’s Chess Problem of the Day’. Nobody in the world has played 9.Bxc4! earlier, and further play has been strong, so it can be named as ‘Bukayev-Grischuk Variation’ or ‘Bukayev-Grischuk System’ of Anti-Benoni (A31), analogously to ‘Hamppe-Meitner Variation’ from the ‘Immortal Draw’ game between these two masters. I hope to publish my more large analysis of this my game since 9.Bxc4 on ‘Bruno’s Chess Problem of the Day’ soon.

 9…Ne5 10.Be2

It is a very good move, although 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.0-0! is the best way, where White has some advantage in the complicated play.

 10…Bc5 11.0-0 0-0 12.h3?!

When Top GM Ian Nepomniachtchi has played h2-h3? against World Champion Top GM Magnus Carlsen during the World Chess Championship Match in 2021 and when Top GM Ding Liren has played h2-h3? against Top GM Ian Nepomniachtchi during the World Chess Championship Match in 2023, many commentators have started to search explanations of these grandmaster ideas. Here commentators can explain my choice more easily, but it isn’t so important. The best move could be 12.Qc2! here, and White could fight for the advantage. Probably, the glory of my opponent affected me negatively, my thoughts were not brave, my notes of moves became not very good too…

 12…Qe7!

 Bravo, Alexander! Black gets the advantage, although White has serious defensive resources yet.

 13.a3 Rd8 14.b4 Bd6 15.f3?! Nc6?! 16.Qc2?

This pressure doesn’t work here, the move 16.f4 is necessary. Now Black gets an extra pawn.

 16…Qe5! 17.f4 Nxd4 18.exd4 Qxd4+ 19.Kh1

My mood became very bad after my loss of the pawn, and I tried absently to make an impossible move instead of 19.Kh1, so Alexander was forced here to attract my attention that his 18^th move is a check…

 19…Re8?

Probably, it is a psychology: probably, Alexander was sure that his position is very easy to win and that his opponent can’t fight already… Here after my thinking I wanted to make the move 20.Nb5!?, but it was too difficult for me to calculate 20…Qxa1! 21.Nxd6! enough well. When my fingers were above my Knight on c3 to make it, my mind cried: “No! There are some more easy alternatives!” And my fingers ran back abruptly and touched the crown of my Queen on c2 by accident. Very unfortunately, I was silent that moment… The best move was 20.Bb2! with enough compensation for a pawn, and I think, I could choose it. And my initial idea 20.Nb5 Qxa1 21.Nxd6 was also enough good (and very good for a practical game!), in fact.

But I had to make a Queen’s move as a result of my accidental touch… All possible Queen’s moves were very weak or enough weak, and my mood became very bad again.

 20.Qd2? Qxd2

Alexander got an easily won position, and I’ll not comment the following rest of the game, although it contains opponents’ mistakes too.

21.Bxd2 Bd7 22.Be3 Rac8 23.Rac1 a6 24.Rfd1 Bb8 25.a4 Be6 26.b5 Bc4 27.Bxc4 Rxc4 28.Rd2 Rec8 29.Rdc2 Nh5 30.bxa6 bxa6 31.Bd2 Bxf4 32.Bxf4 Nxf4 33.Rb1 Ne6 34.Rcc1 Rxc3 35.Rxc3 Rxc3 36.Rb8+ Nf8 37.Kg1 e3 38.Kf1 Ra3 39.Re8 f6 40.Ke2 Kf7 41.Rxe3 Rxa4 42.Kd2

White resigned.

 

And in 30 years I have played a thematic blitz game against my father Vyacheslav where the Bukayev-Grischuk Variation has become a result of our agreement. Here it is.

 

Bukayev Yury – Bukayev Vyacheslav 

blitz 5+0

Moscow, 2023

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nf3 e4 6.Nd4 d5 7.e3 Nc6 8.Nc3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Ne5 10.Bb5+ Ned7 11.Nf5 a6 12.Ba4 b5 13.Bb3 Nc5??

It is a ‘natural’ blunder. And White wins immediately.

 14.Bxf7+!

Black resigned. After 14…Kxf7 15.Qxd8 he has no opportunities to save the game.

 

 

 

Contact the author:  istinayubukayev@yandex.ru

 

 

Jerome Gambit: The Game Is Afoot, Again! (Part 2)

                                              

Although I remained skeptical that Paul Morphy ever played the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - see the previous post - this blog has been around for over 15 years, and I think someone might have mentioned it by now - I decided to do a litte digging.

 My first visit was to the website THE FULL MORPHY, which, among other things

contains all of Morphy's surviving 415 games - 253 regular games, 156 odds games, and 6 game positions 

There were no Jerome Gambit games.

I then looked for Morphy games with Black's King on its home square and White's Bishop on f7, checking, unsupported by White's Queen on b3.

Discarding King's Gambit and Evans Gambit games, I found Morphy defending against The Sarratt or Vitzthum Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.Nxf7 Nxf7 7.Bxf7+) in two games: Meek - Morphy, Mobile, 1855 (0-1, 21) and Kennicott - Morphy, New York, 1857 (0-1, 24).

Pushing on, I visited Chessgames.com and checked out the Morphy page. It had 457 games. There was no Jerome Gambit game, however.

I even checked with chess history-wise and Morphy-knowledgeable Sarah Beth Cohen, who was not aware of any Morphy Jerome Gambits, either.

I was beginning to suspect that the report of Morphy playing the Jerome Gambit was simply an oversight. Perhaps the author mis-remembered the Jerome for the Evans - Morphy played or defended against the Evans Gambit in 50 games.

End of excitement.

Jerome Gambit: The Game Is Afoot, Again! (Part 1)

Lately, I have been thinking, as I did in the post "Jerome Gambit: Worse vs Best (Part 1)"

As a serious fan of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) I like to think about what would happen if the best chess players ever faced the opening - or, even more improbably, if the "best" ever played the "worst". 

What Jerome Gambit fan wouldn't want to track down stories suggesting that Alekhine once played the Jerome; or that Steinitz, and later, Lasker, actually faced the Jerome.

Those might be some fascinating games.  

I tried, without success, to discover them. See "Jerome Gambit: Excitable" for links to relevant posts. The claims of an Alekhine or a Steinitz Jerome Gambit game appear completely unsubstantiated; the Lasker game did happen, but I have not been able to find the moves of the game.

Of course, Blackburne once destroyed the Jerome Gambit. You can see that game many places, including on this blog, for example, in"Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit!"

If you count transpositions - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Qe2 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ being equal to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Qe2 Nf6 I guess you could settle for Adolf Albin. See "Adolf Albin Plays the Jerome Gambit (Part 1) and (Part 2)".

So, imagine how excited I got when my Google Alert - set to let me know when it ran across "Jerome Gambit" on the internet - pointed me to "Traps and Gambits" ("For 1000-1600 players that enjoy aggressive openings, sacrifices, and traps"), specifically "Giuoco Piano Game: Jerome Gambit" and I read the title "The Jerome Gambit: A Daring Dive into Chess Romanticism".

What really struck me was the following

This opening has been used in a number of famous games, including some by the legendary Paul Morphy, whose attacking prowess was unparalleled in his time.

Paul Morphy played the Jerome Gambit??

And with that, I could not help myself, I was off searching again on a fool's errand...

Jerome Gambit: Unsafe (for me) At Any Speed (Part 3)

 

[continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - GuestJDZB

2 12 blitz, FICS, 2024

I had one eye on the board and one eye on the clock.

26...Rc7 27.Rxb5 Rxc2 28.Rxb6 Rxa2 29.Rxb7

 Sadly, White's Queenside passer looks interesting, but will not amount to anything.

29...Ra1+ 30. Kg2 Ra2+ 31. Kh3 Ne7 32. b4 Rb2 

Rooks belong behind passed pawns.

33.b5 g6 34.f5 gxf5 35.exf5 Nxf5 36.Rxh7 Rxb5 

I jettisoned my b-pawn to reach safe harbor.

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome was probably turning in his grave at my meekness, but there really was not anything left.

37.Rh5 Nd6 38.Rxb5 

After the game Stockfish 16 proposed a line, through move 49, that improved my position from the current 0 pawn advantage to 2/100th of a pawn advantage.

38...Nxb5 

Neither of us was critical on time, and Black's King is properly placed to intercept my pawns.

39.Kg4 Kf7 40.Kf5 Nd6+ 41.Kg5 Kg7 42.h4 Ne4+ 43.Kf4 Nf6 44.g4 Kg6 45.h5+ 

Here my opponent offered a draw, which I accepted.

I guess he didn't want to finish with 45...Nxh5 46.gxh5+ Kxh5 with naked Kings.

It was an exciting game, and I salute my opponent.

The next one will be played with a slower time control.

Jerome Gambit: Unsafe (for me) At Any Speed (Part 2)

 

[continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - GuestJDZB

2 12 blitz, FICS, 2024

13...dxe4 14.dxe4

Instead, Stockfish 16 prefers exchanging Queens with 14.h3 N4e5 15.Qxe4 Nc6 16.Nd5 Qxe4 17.dxe4 Rf7, although it sees Black as better. I don't really understand its "reasoning", and we are entering a part of the game where, afterwards, I found much of the computer's suggestions impenetrable.

14...Be6 

Developing quickly, but leaving himself open to a possible pawn fork if I were to play f2-f4-f5. 

15.Be3 

I will give you Stockfish 16's preference, without comment: 15.h3 N4e5 16.Qh5 Kf7 17.Bg5 Qb4 18.f4 Qxb2 19.fxe5+ Kg8 20.Bd2 Qxc2 21.Qg5 Qd3 22.Rxf8+ Rxf8 23.Rd1 c6 24.Be1 Qc4 25.Kh2 Qc5 26.Rd6 Bc8 27.Qg3 Nxe5 28.Rd1 Ng6 29.a4 Be6 30.Rd2 Qe5 Black is about 3/4 pawn better. 

15...Qd6 

To quote the comic Rodney Dangerfield, I tell ya, I don't get no respect.

My King is safely castled, his is in the middle of the board - but which one is being attacked? Mine.

Respect? I respect my opponent's play.

16.g3 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 a6 

Keeping my Knight off of the b5 square.

Can I keep him from castling? 

18.Rad1 Qb6 19.Qxb6 

I was not happy to see my Queen go, but it messed up his pawns.

19...cxb6 20.f4 Bc4 21.Rf2 Rd8 22.Rfd2 Rxd2 23.Rxd2

Can the "Jerome pawns" help me hold on? (Where, oh where, did my attack go?)

23...Rf7

Preparing to swing the Rook over to the d-file and exchange. The move gave me a breather, as I could work against his Bishop.

24.b3 Bb5 25.Nxb5 axb5 26.Rd5 

Black's Queenside pawns are a vulnerable nightmare.

Hope danced in my head, in the form of the phrase No losing chances - if I could get there.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Unsafe (for me) At Any Speed (Part 1)

I wanted to play a game of chess.

I went online to the Free Internet Chess Server.

I challenged a Guest.

I should have paid more attention.

Hey! Wait a minute! What is the time control for this game? 2 12? What am I doing playing at this speed? 

perrypawnpusher - GuestJDZB

2 12 blitz, FICS, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5...

I was banging out my moves, hoping that I could use my knowedge of the opening lines to put some increment time on my clock. 

8...Qe7 

At this point I had the suspicion that my opponent had met the Jerome Gambit before, although there is no way to check The Database, due to his use of the "Guest" handle.

As I mentioned back in the post "Fire Exit"

It's always a good thing if Black can get in ...Qf6 or ...Qe7 in a meaningful way.

Interestingly, The Database has 315 games with this position, with White scoring 53%. By comparison, the lichess.org website has 8,071 games with the position, with White scoring 51%. Close.

9.Qe3 Nf6 10.Nc3 Ng4 

There are 8 examples of 10...Ng4 in The Database, with White scoring an understandable 54% (see previous note). Surprisingly, the 33 games at lichess.org show White scoring 71%.

I don't know how to account for the discrepancy.

I have also faced 10...d6 in a number of games:

perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 22);

perrypawnpusher - Navarrra, 6 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 24);

perrypawnpusher - chingching, 5 11 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1/2 - 1/2, 36);

perrypawnpusher - mikelars, 4 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 50);

perrypawnpusher - ZhekaR, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 36);

perrypawnpusher - MarkHundleby1, Chess.com, 2013 (1-0, 27);

perrypawnpusher - alvarzr, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2013 (0-1, 59) 

perrypawnpusher - CorH, 3 12 blitz, FICS, 2014 (0-1, 41)

[That's right, it looks like I have discovered one more of my games that has not yet made it into this blog. It will appear soon. - Rick]

I have also faced 10...Kf7, in perrypawnpusher - frencheng, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2-1/2, 34) 

11.Qe2 d5 

A thematic move in the Jerome Gambit - in other lines. I was surprised to see, after the game, that both my opponent and I had overlooked that ...d5 here simply drops a pawn to 12.Nxd5. 

(This is even more puzzling when I recall that I chose 10.Nc3 over 10.d3, in order to hit the d5 square. Tick, tick, tick... For both of us.)

Instead, there was 11...Nf6 12.d4 d5 13.e5 Ng8 14.Nxd5 Qd7 15.Nc3 and now taking the d-pawn would be even, although the computer slightly prefers (by a half-pawn) 15...N8e7. 

12.d3 Rf8 

Instead, 12...d4 would have withdrawn the opportunity of my grabbing that pawn.

13.O-O 

Uh, 13.Nxd5 would have kept the game even. 

[to be continued]