Sunday, September 22, 2024

Was H.Nakamura Right? Is JG ‘Unbreakable’, Is EG ‘Legendary’ For Beginners’ Games? (Part 4)

 


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

For Beginners’ Games? (Part 4)   

  

(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, Part 3 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.6 - which is based on a similar ‘natural’ reaction of a beginner. 

 

Trap 6. 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.d4 Bxd4 9.Bg5 (It’s Mr. Tonetti’s idea.) 9…Ne7 10.Bxe7+ Qxe7 11.c3 AN (It’s the 1st part of my new trap.) 11…Bb6?! (It’s a typical reaction for beginners and not only for them. But Black has still a very large advantage.) 12.f4 Nd3+!? (It’s a typical reaction for everyone.) 13.Kd1 (It’s the 2nd part of this trap against beginners. They start to see 13…Nf2+ with the possibility of 14…Nxh1, and they start to celebrate their future win without thinking about plans of the silly unknown opponent.) 13…Nf2+ 14.Kc2!? (White’s position is absolutely terrible, but above psychology works.) 14…Nxh1?? 15.Qd5 checkmate. 

 

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

 

It maybe, the invention of my Trap 1, my Trap 4, my Trap 5, my Trap 6 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). 

Saturday, September 21, 2024

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Knight vs Knight


Mutual Knights threating enemy Rooks - the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit has tactics across the board.

In the following game, Black pauses - and the game soon goes to his opponent.


Kmighty - Bibson24

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 

Each side enjoys Knight tactics.

7...Qf6

Black decides not to go down the rabbit hole of 7...hxg6 8.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxg8 Qg5, although it would bring him a small advantage.

However, this turns the game over to White.

8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.d3 

Chosing not to horse around with 9.Nf7+ Ke7 10.d3 Qxf7 11.Qc5+ d6 12.Qxd4 - introducing a threat that is overlooked. 

9...Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Nxa1 11.Bg5 Black resigned


Ouch.


Friday, September 20, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Find The Mate

 


Sometimes the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) provides an attack that takes down the opponent quickly.

Other times, it leads to an advantage in the endgame.

The following diagram shows such a game after Black's 66th move.

It is a blitz game, so it is not just important to find the checkmate, it is important to find it quickly.

How would you play?


How did you do?

The game actually unfolded this way: 67.Kd7 Kd5 68.Qf6 Ke4 69.Kd6 Kd3 70.Qe5 Kc4 71.Kc6 Kd3 72.Qf4 Ke2 73.Kd5 Kd3 74.Qd4+ Kc2 75.Kc4 Kc1 76.Kc3 Kb1 77.Kb3 Kc1 78.Qd3 Drawn by stalemate

That's got to sting.

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Jerome Gambit: A Tactic To Remember



Things happen quickly in blitz games, and they are often ended by a killing tactic.

The following game is a brutal example.


rajasthan - twagner

3 0 blitz, FICS, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.c3 

Having sacrificed a piece, White returns to the "Quiet Game".

There are 2,400 games in The Database with this position, with White scoring 46%.

By comparison, there are about 38,000 games with 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, with White scoring 52% - suggesting that, comparatively, 5.c3 may not be the strongest path forward.

5...Qf6 6.d3 

Quieter, yet.

6...d6 7.Qb3+ Qe6 

Black responds too quickly: Let's exchange, shall we?

8.Ng5+ 

Oh.

8...Ke7 9.Nxe6 Bxe6 10.Qxb7 Rb8 11.Qxc6 Black resigned 


A dive into The Database shows 304 games with White's Knight forking Black's King and Queen - and White scores 85%.

A tactic to remember.