I think I have a win, but it will take time...

When I play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) I realize that several of my "allies" during the game, which I hope afflict my opponent at every move, are: surprise, inattention, over-confidence, shallow analysis and a well-timed unfortunate blunder. 

It should not be surprising, then, that my opponent expects the same of me – after all, I am the one playing the Jerome Gambit!

perrypawnpusher - PravinMamania
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6

This is similar to the 6...g6 defense in the Jerome Gambit, leading to the Whistler and Blackburne variations.

8.Qxe5 Be7

In other games, twice my opponents have blocked my attack on the Rook, leaving me the Bishop to capture: 8...Nf6 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Ng4 (10...Qe8 11.Nc3 c6 12.d3 Be6 13.f4 Ke7 14.f5 gxf5 15.exf5 Kd7 16.Qxe6+ Qxe6 17.fxe6+ Kxe6 18.Bd2 Kd7 19.Rxf6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - wadada, blitz FICS, 2009 ) 11.Qf4+ Kg7 12.d4 Rf8 13.Qg3 g5 14.Nc3 c5 15.f4 cxd4 16.Ne2 Ne3 17.Bxe3 dxe3 18.Qxe3 gxf4 19.Nxf4 Qg5 20.Nd5 Qxe3+ 21.Nxe3 Be6 22.Nf5+ Bxf5 23.exf5 Rae8 24.Rae1 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Rxf5 26.Re7+ Kf6 27.Rxb7 Rc5 28.Rxa7 Rxc2 29.Rb7 Rc1+ 30.Kf2 Ke5 31.Rb3 Rc2+ 32.Kf3 d5 33.Re3+ Kf5 34.Re2 Rc4 35.g3 h5 36.b3 Rc5 37.Ke3 Rc3+ 38.Kd4 Rf3 39.Kxd5 Kg4 40.b4 h4 41.gxh4 Kxh4 42.b5 Rd3+ 43.Kc4 Rd7 44.b6 Rb7 45.Kc5 Rxb6 46.Kxb6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, blitz FICS, 2008

It is probably useful for both Black and White to know that Rybka's recommended move is: 8...Bf8, which keeps Black's advantage.

In part this is because if White then takes the Rook with 9.Qxh8, Black traps it with (of course) 9...Bg7. If White wriggles with 10.Qh7, Black has the simple 10...Nf6. Either way, White will wind up with only a Rook and a couple of pawns for his Queen – not to mention a vanished attack.

analysis diagram







White does best after 8...Bf8, instead of capturing the Rook on h8, to retreat his Queen to Qg3 and then develop his "Jerome pawns" and pieces as in a regular Jerome Gambit game.

9.Qxh8

What difference does having the Bishop on e7 instead of f8 make? Can't black play the similar 9...Bf6?

Yes, he can, but after 10.Qh7+ Bg7 White's situation is different, because Black has taken 4 moves to get his piece to g7, instead of 3 moves in the case of 8...Bf8.

analysis diagram







As a result, Black's Knight is still at home on g8, and White can use his extra tempo to play 11.e5.

What follows then would be a back-and-forth battle to capture or free White's Queen, for example 11...d6 12.d4 Bf5 (new plan: support the Black Bishop with the Black Queen, then play ...g6-g5, discovering an attack on the White Queen)  13.Re1 Qd7 14.Na3 g5
15.e6+ Qxe6 16.Rxe6 Bxh7.

A very complicated situation!

Now, back to the game:

9...Nf6

In comparison to what we have just looked at, allowing White to exchange off his Queen produces a much simpler position, and one in which White is the exchange and two pawns ahead.

10.Qxd8 Bxd8 11.Nc3 d6 12.d3 Be6

I think I have a win, but it will take time.

13.Bxh6 Ng4 14.Bf4 Bh4 15.h3 Nf6 16.g3 Nh5 17.Be3 Bf6 18.g4 Ng7 19.f4 Rh8

Both of us have made progress. The two Bishops will help Black in defending.

20.Kg2 Bh4 21.f5 gxf5 22.exf5 Bd7

23.Bf2 Bc6+ 24.Ne4 d5 25.Ng3 Bg5 26.Rae1 Bd2 27.Re2 Bg5

28.Bd4 Rh7 29.Bxg7 Kxg7 30.Nh5+ Kf7 31.Kg3 Bd7

Slowly White's pawns creep up the board as the Rooks threaten invasion.

32.Rfe1 Kg8 33.h4 Bd8 34.d4

Locking up the light-squared Black Bishop, but there was a better move – which I played next.

34...c6

It was necessary for Black to play 34...Kf8 and keep the Rook out.

35.Re8+ Bxe8 36.Rxe8+ Kf7 37.Rxd8 b5

Resistance is futile.

38.Rd7+ Kg8 39.Rxh7 Kxh7 40.g5 b4 41.Kf4 a5

42.Nf6+ Kg7 43.h5 Kf7 44.h6 Ke7 45.h7 Kf7 46.h8Q

46...a4 47.Qe8+ Kg7 48.Nh5+ Kh7 49.Qg6+ Kh8 50.Qg7 checkmate

Readers who think (not me) that my opponent hung on too long and should have resigned earlier are asked to check out my post "If you want them to stop laughing...".

A Long Day's Journey Into Checkmate

Welton Vaz shows that if you can't win a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game quickly (see "Provoked!", "Moment of Truth" and "Another Miniature from Brazil") it's okay to once again win it slowly.

Ghandybh  - nosseir

Chess.com, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+

6...Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.d3

This is an unusual alternative to the more frequently played 8.f4. Clearly White avoids the complexities associated with that move – 8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+, for starters – while preparing to put pressure on the Knight at e5 with Bc1-f4. On the other hand, he battles along lines where White remains two pieces down. 

8...Nh6

Black, in turn, takes immediate aim at the White Queen.

Two alternatives have been seen: 8...Qf6 9.Be3 Bxe3 10.fxe3 Ke7 11.d4 Nc4 12.Qc5+ Nd6 13.e5 Qh4+ 14.g3 Qe4 15.exd6+ Ke6 16.Qe5+ Qxe5 17.dxe5 cxd6 18.exd6 Kxd6 19.Nc3 Nf6 20.Nb5+ Ke7 21.0-0-0 b6 22.Rd4 Bb7 23.Rhd1 Bc6 24.Nc7 Rac8 25.Na6 Rhe8 26.Nb4 Kf8 27.Kd2 Re4 28.Re1 Rxd4+ 29.exd4 Re8 30.Rg1 Bb5 31.b3 Ne4+ 32.Kc1 Nc3 33.Kb2 Ne2 34.c4 Bc6 35.Rd1 Be4 36.d5 Kg8 37.Rd2 Ng1 38.Na6 Nf3 39.Rf2 Ne5 40.Kc3 Ng4 41.Rd2 Rf8 42.Rd4 Rf3+ 43.Kb4 Nf6 44.a4 Bc2 45.Nc5 bxc5+ 46.Kxc5 Ne4+ 47.Rxe4 Bxe4 48.b4 Rf6 49.a5 Kf8 50.Kd4 Bc2 51.b5 Ke7 52.c5 d6 53.c6 Kd8 54.b6 axb6 55.axb6 Bb3 56.Ke4 g6 57.h4 Rf5 White resigned, dott - dj-travis, GameKnot.com, 2004;

and 8...Nf6 9.Bf4 Qe7 10.0-0 g6 11.Bxe5+ Qxe5 12.Qxe5+ Kxe5 13.c3 Be7 14.Nd2 d6 15.g3 Bh3 16.Rfe1 Rhf8 17.d4+ Ke6 18.e5 dxe5 19.Rxe5+ Kd7 20.Rae1 Rae8 21.f3 Bd6 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Rxe8 Kxe8 24.g4 h5 25.Nc4 Bf4 26.Ne5 Be3+ 27.Kh1 g5 28.Nc4 hxg4 29.Nxe3 gxf3 30.Kg1 g4 31.Kf2 Ne4+ 32.Ke1 Kd7 33.c4 c6 34.d5 c5 35.Nf5 b6 36.Ng3 Nxg3 37.hxg3 Kd6 38.Kf2 a6 39.b3 b5 40.a3 bxc4 41.bxc4 Ke5 42.Ke3 Bf1 White resigned, Nestor250168 - karmmark, thematic, Chessworld.net 2008.

9.Bxh6 gxh6

Rybka's assessment is that things have already entered the Twilight Zone, suggesting instead: 9...Rf8 10.Bg5 Rxf5 11.Bxd8 Rxf2 with a clear advantage to Black.

10.Nc3

Here 10.f4 would have led to the recover of a piece as well. 

10...Rf8 11.Nb5+ Kc6 12.Qxe5 d6

Capturing the White Knight with the King would have only led to an exchange of pieces (12...Kxb5 13.a4+ followed by 14.Qxc5), so Black protects his Bishop first.

He had sharper play in 12...Bxf2+ 13.Ke2 d5 14.a4 Bg4+ 15.Kd2 Qg5+ 16.Qxg5 hxg5 17.exd5+ Kb6 but it can be difficult to think of "attack" when your King needs "defense."

analysis diagram







13.Nd4+

Rybka points out the sneaky alternative 13.Qd5+, as 13...Kxb5 leads to checkmate, while 13...Kb6 and 13...Kd7 allow 14.d4.

The position has become complicated for both players, a situation that favors the one more familiar and comfortable with this kind of play.

13...Bxd4 14.Qd5+ Kd7 15.Qxd4

15...Qf6 16.Qxf6 Rxf6 17.f3

Black has managed to remove the immediate danger to his King, and he has the standard small advantage of a piece for two pawns, but this kind of position is like one's own back yard to a Jerome Gambit player. 

17...b6 18.Rf1 Bb7 19.Kd2 Rg8 20.g3 Kc8

21.f4 Rf7 22.f5 Rg5 23.Rae1 Rh5

Black has underestimated or overlooked his opponent's reply.

24.h4 Rg7 25.Rf3

25...d5

This only unleashes the "Jerome pawns".  

26.f6 Rf7 27.e5 d4 28.e6 Rf8 29.e7 Rh8

30.Rf4

Finally, Black catches a small break. White does not really need to worry about saving his Rook: after 30.f7 Bxf3 he can play 31.f8/Q+ Kb7 32.Qxf3+ Ka6 33.Qxh5 and be a Queen ahead, with another pawn ready to promote!

 30...Bd5 31.f7 Bxf7 32.Rxf7 Re8

Perhaps Black even chuckled here, and reminded himself of the old saying All Rook and pawn endings are drawn.

33.Re4 c5 34.Rf8 Kd7 35.Rf7

At this point, this Rook and pawn ending does look drawn.

But looks can be deceiving.

35...a5 36.a4 b5 37.axb5 Rd5 38.Rxh7 Rd6

White's pawns are beginning to look like ants at a picnic.

39.c3 dxc3+ 40.Kxc3 Re6

41.Rxe6 Kxe6 42.b6 Kd6

43.Rxh6+ Kd7 44.b7 Kc7 45.Re6 Kxb7 46.Kc4 Kc7

47.Kxc5 Kd7 48.Kd5 Rxe7 49.Rxe7+ Kxe7

Black keeps capturing pawns, and his position keeps getting worse.

50.h5 Kf6 51.g4 Kg5 52.Kd6 Kxg4 53.h6 Kg5 54.h7 Kf4

55.h8Q Ke3 56.Qe8+ Kxd3 57.Qg6+ Kd2 58.Qb1 Ke3 59.Qa2 Kf4 60.Qxa5 Ke3 61.Qd5 Black resigned

Busch-Gass Pass

As much as I like surprising my opponents with unusual openings like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – that's how much I dislike being surprised by my opponents.

The following game is also about having a "Plan B" for when you can't follow "Plan A".

perrypawnpusher  - vladchess
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5

My opponent offers to play the Busch-Gass Gambit  (see "Worth a Second Look... Part 1", "Part 2" and "Part 3"), an opening with a number of Jerome-ish characteristics.

The idea is that if White now plays 3.Nxe5, Black can follow with 3...Bxf2+ 4.Kxf2 Qh4+ with mischief ahead.

3.Bc4

I decided to "pass" on the pawn offer.

Maybe Black will relent and play 3...Nc6, allowing me to play the Jerome Gambit after all?

3...f6

This is an awkward transposition to a variation of the Damiano Defense, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6, suggesting that my opponent was not prepared for me to decline his gambit.

Better were 2...Nc6, 2..d6 or 2...Qe7.

4.Nxe5

As in play against the regular Damiano setup.

4...d6

Another surprise.

Black probably would have done best by staying within Damiano lines as well: 4...Qe7.

analysis diagram






Because Black's Bishop will be hanging on c5 – as opposed to being safe at f8, as in the original Damiano Defense – White can now play out his Queen with 5.Qh5+, as after 5...g6 6.Nxg6 Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Black's Damiano-ish 7...Qxg6 could be met with 8.Qxc5.

analysis diagram






Black can desperado that Bishop with 7...Bxf2+ (instead of 7...Qxg6), but after 8.Kxf2 Qxg6 9.Qc5 White will have several advantages that will only grow over the next few moves: King safety, development, the usefulness of the two Bishops.

analysis diagram







5.Qh5+ g6

6.Nxg6 Kd7

The alternative, 6...hxg6 7.Qxh8+ followed by capturing the Knight on g8 is not attractive, either.

7.Nxh8 Qe7 8.Qf7

Stifling any thought of counter-play.

8...Nc6 9.Be6+ Kd8 10.Qxg8+ Black resigned

After 10...Qe8 I planned to quiet things down with exchanges after 11.Nf7+ Ke7 12.Qxe8+ Kxe8 13.Bxc8 Rxc8 14.Nh6, remaining up a Knight, a Rook and two pawns.