Whistling by the graveyard... 2010

My favorite anti-Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) line is Whistler's Defense. It gave me a very nice game against Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks ("blackburne") in one of our games in the 2008 ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Tournament. 

So far this year I've found only 3 examples of Black trying the Whistler: each time White took the poisoned Rook at h8, but twice he escaped. 

UNPREDICTABLE - sharepointme
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

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

7.Qxe5 Qe7

Whistler's Defense.

8.Qxh8

This should lead to disaster.

8...Qxe4+

The proper continuation.

Ineffective was 8...Qf6, as the White Queen escapes and causes problems: 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.0-0 (Black resigned here in Wall - Sepoli, Chess.com, 2010) Bd6 11.d3 Qe5 12.g3 Qg7 13.Qh4 Be7 14.Qf4+ Nf6 15.Qxc7 Qh6 16.Bxh6+ Black resigned, Chainbk - Baffipapa, FICS, 2010.

9.Kf1

Or 9.Kd1 Qxg2 10.Qxh7+ Kf8 11.d4 Qxh1+ and Black has the advantage.

9...Nf6

10.d3 Qa4

This turns the advantage over to White.

Black must play strongly and accurately: 10...Qd4 11.Be3 Qxb2 12.Nd2 Bxe3 (12...Qxa1+ 13.Kd2 Qxh1 14.Ne4 allows White to draw!) 13.Ne4 (13.fxe3 allows Black a timely check of the White King, either by Queen or Knight) Qxa1+ (now this is okay) 14.Ke2 d5 (but not 14...Qxh1, as 15.Qxf6+ allows White to draw through repetition!) 15.Qxf6+ (15.Rxa1 Bg4+ 16.Kxe3 Rxh8 is no better) Qxf6 16.Nxf6 Kxf6 17.fxe3 and White is down a piece with no counterplay.

11.Nc3

Developing a piece, attacking the Queen... and giving up the advantage.

Necessary was a continued focus on releasing or exchanging the White Queen: 11.Bg5 Qd4 12.Qxf6+ Qxf6 13.Bxf6 Kxf6 and White is up the exchange and a pawn.

11...Qxc2 12.Ne4

This move would work, if Black didn't have the following reply (or 12...Qd1 checkmate).

12...Qxd3+

It's all over but the shouting.

13.Ke1 Qxe4+ 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.fxe3 Qxe3+

16.Kd1 d6 17.Rf1 Bg4+ 18.Kc2 Rxh8

19.Rae1 Qc5+ 20.Kb1 Bf5+ 21.Ka1 Re8 22.Rc1 Qe3 23.Rxc7+ Kg8 24.Rcc1 Ng4 25.h3 Nf2 26.Rfe1 Qxe1 White resigned

Endgame Lessons

Transitioning to the endgame can be a powerful winning strategy, even in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). Of course, once you reach the endgame, it is still necessary to play it properly...

perrypawnpusher - zsilber
blitz, FICS, 2010


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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

Black has a strong defense in 5...Kf8. See "Critical Line: 5...Kf8" Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Revisited.

The retreat to e8, however, has the weakness of keeping Black's King on the e8-h5 diagonal.

6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Qh5+

7...g6 8.Qxc5 Nf6 9.0-0 Bb7 10.d3 d6

11.Qc3 Rf8 12.Bg5

This is not best, as Black can now reply with 12...Nxe4, winning a pawn.

12...Kf7

Looking to safeguard his King by castling-by-hand. He gets his wish of King safety, but 13.Qb3+ (instead of what I played) would have cost him a piece.

13.Qxf6+ Qxf6 14.Bxf6 Kxf6

Winning this endgame should be "a matter of technique" for White. [Insert laugh track here.]

15.Nd2 Kg7 16.f4 c5 17.Rae1 Rae8 18.Nc4 Ba6 19.Ne3 Bb7

20.Nd5

Sloppy: White drops one pawn and doubles another in order to get Black to exchange the remaining pieces.

20...Bxd5 21.exd5 Rxe1 22.Rxe1 Rxf4 23.Re7+ Rf7 24.Rxf7+ Kxf7

The game is still a win for White. He has to properly manage the tempos in the position, however.

25.Kf2 Kf6 26.Ke3 Ke5 27.c4 h5

28.h4

It was important for White to see 28.d4+ cxd4+ 29.Kd3. Black's King will eventually have to move away from protecting the pawn at d4.

The text weakens White's Kingside, even if it does help in the battle of the tempos.

28...Kf5 29.Kf3 a5 30.b3 Ke5 31.Ke3 Kf5

32.Kf3

Something to be aware of here was the alternative 32.d4 as White can then get a passed pawn in the center or on the Queenside faster than Black can get one on the Kingside: 32...Kg4 33.dxc5 dxc5 34.Ke4 Kg3 35.Ke5 Kxg2 36.Ke6 Kh3 37.Kd7 Kxh4 38.Kxc7 etc. or 32...cxd4+ 33.Kxd4 Kg4 34.a4 Kxh4 35.b4 axb4 36.a5, etc.

Alas, I missed it. But that was not my only chance to win.

32...g5 33.g3

Static, stagnant and stultifying!

The proper route was 33.hxg5 Kxg5 34.Kg3 h4+ 35.Kh3 Kh5, when White can head for the strategy named above with 36.g4+ hxg e.p. 37.Kxg3 when White's King will head for e3 in order to play d3-d4.

Now the game is even.

33...gxh4 34.gxh4 Ke5

35.a3

Because White's last few moves have weakened his Kingside, he does not have the resources of d3-d4.

For example, 35.Ke3 Kf5 36.d4 Kg4 37.dxc5 dxc5 38.a3 Kxh4 39.b4 cxb4 40.axb4 a4 41.c5 a3 42.d6 cxd6 43.cxd6 a2 44.d7 a1/Q 45.d8/Q and the Q + P vs Q + P ending is likely drawn.

White had a swindle available, after 35.Ke3 Kf5 36.d4 Kg4. He could play 37.a4!? instead of 37.dxc5. If Black took the bait and played 37...Kxh4?, then White would Queen first with 38.dxc5 Kg5 (38...dxc5 falls to 39.b4 cxb4 40.c5, etc.) since 39.c6! allows White's pawns to advance and fall to clearance sacrifices.

However, if after 35.Ke3 Kf5 36.d4 Kg4 37.a4!? Black brings his King back with 37...Kf5, the game is drawn.

35...Kf5 36.a4 Ke5 37.Ke3 Kf5 38.Kf3 Ke5 39.Ke3 Kf5 40.Kf3 Ke5 41.Ke3 Kf5 42.Kf3 Game drawn by repetition

Another Lesson in the Jerome Gambit

Chris Torres of the blog Chess Musings reports having "so much positive feedback" after his column on Blackburne's destruction of the Jerome Gambit (see "The Most Violent Chess Game Ever Played!") that he's returned with "Another Lesson in the Jerome Gambit."

He gives one of his own games – a win with White in 26 moves – with the comment "Have fun and study at your own risk!"

Many thanks, Chris, for mentioning this blog, as well – and for including it in your Blogroll!

Quite Ill

Readers should not take the wrong lesson from the following game. My opponent declined the Bishop sacrifice in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and later won the game.

Following the recent three straight losses to MRBarupal (see "Nemesis") and relieved only by a he-blundered-more-than-me rematch (see "Recovering A Measure of, er, Self-Respect"), an "optical illusion" win against Jeffgazet (see Comment to "Disdainful Defender Defense") and a pathetic draw against SkypeFro (see "Tactics Galore"), I have to say that this left me quite ill.

Of course, my opponent's opening strategy actually left White with a much better position after 4 moves, the exact opposite of what usually happens in the Jerome Gambit. Only later, tactical errors, gave Black the win.

perrypawnpusher  - ibeje
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kf8 5.Bb3 h6

This looks like a time-waster and a position-weakener, but my opponent was actually preparing a surprise for me.

6.Nxe5 Nxe5 7.d4 Qh4

This position resembles one from a Jerome Gambit accepted: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 something that I have referred to as a "pie-in-the-face variation". 

analysis diagram







Of course, in the current game, I still have my light-squared Bishop.

8.dxc5

Note that 8.0-0, a good response to the above line with 6...Qh4, is also fine here.

8...Qxe4+ 9.Qe2

Playing this game over, this move leaves me feeling quite ill. It has all of the markings of the psychological errors that I am prone to in my chess games, starting with: I'm a pawn up, time to exchange everything...

The text move is an error that gives Black the edge. The fact that my opponent overlooked the best response (9...Qxg2 10.Qf1 Nf3+) doesn't let me off the hook.

With 9.Kf1 White would have that edge.

9...Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2

10...b6 11.cxb6 Ba6+ 12.Ke1 Re8 13.Be3

13...cxb6 14.Nc3 Nc4 15.Bxc4 Bxc4 16.Rd1 Nf6

White is a comfortable pawn ahead.

17.b3 Ba6 18.Nd5 Ng4

Black should have exchanged Knights.

19.Nc7 Nxe3 20.Nxe8

A tactical error. With 20.fxe3 Rxe3+ White would come out better: 21.Kf2 Re2+ 22.Kf3 Rxc2 23.Nxa6 Rxa2 24.Rxd7 Kg8 25.Nc7.

20...Nxd1

Black errs as well. With 20...Nxg2+ he would have been better.

21.Kxd1

After this move I looked up and saw that I was going to be a piece down after my opponent's next move. What happened?  After 21.Nc7 Bb7 22.Kxd1 Bxg2 the game would have been even. 

21...Kxe8

Tactics, tactics, tactics. Black gave this game to White on a silver platter, and White dropped it in the mud...

Twenty-five more moves don't erase this fact.

22.Re1+ Kd8 23.c4 Rf8 24.f3 b5 25.cxb5 Bxb5

26.Re5 a6 27.Ke1 Re8 28.Rxe8+ Kxe8 29.a4 Bc6 30.Kd2 d5

31.Ke3 Ke7 32.Kd4 Kd6 33.f4 Bd7 34.g3 g5 35.fxg5 hxg5 36.h4 gxh4 37.gxh4

37...Be8 38.a5 Bf7 39.b4 Be8 40.h5 Bxh5 41.b5 axb5 42.a6 Be8 43.a7 Bc6 44.Kc3 Kc5 45.Kb3 d4 46.Kc2 b4 White resigned

White's resignation was long overdue.

graphic by The Wizard of Draws

Recovering A Measure of, er, Self-Respect

After three straight poundings of my Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – see "Nemesis" – my opponent may have gotten a bit bored with me, as he allowed me to grab back a win, and with it, a small measure of self-respect...


perrypawnpusher  - MRBarupal
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

All four of my games vs MRBArupal reached the position after 9.Qe3, and three of them followed with 9...Nf6 (the fourth saw 9...Qe7 and then 10...Nf6) – this made sense for my opponent: why change a winning plan?

10.f4 b6

The fianchetto of Black's Queen Bishop against the Jerome Gambit has been seen before, but not at this point, in this position. Given the dangers that White faces along the e-file, this tempo played "elsewhere" gives the first player a chance to recover.

11.f5 Ne5 12.d4 Neg4

It is interesting, but it you replace MRBarupal's ...b6 with ...Kf7 you have the game perrypawnpusher - SkypeFro, blitz, FICS, 2010 – where White is more vulnerable in the center.

13.Qg3 Qe7

This positioning of Knights and Queen was successful for my opponent in an earlier game (see "Nemesis").

 14.Nc3

A blunder – the game is still about the center.

After 14.0-0 first, White has chances for equality after 14...Kf7 (not 14...Qxe4? which is answered by the thematic 15.Re1) and then 15.Nc3 Re8.

14...Bxf5

Taking advantage of the pin of White's e-pawn to win the f-pawn. Instead, 14...Nxe4 15.Qxg4 Nxc3+ finishes the game. 

15.0-0

This move is like medicine for the position and especially White's King: the game is even.

15...Bg6 16.Bg5 Kd7 17.e5

17...Nh5

An oversight.

18.Qxg4+ Black resigned

Tactics Galore

The following game shows how often the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can lead to tactical opportunites in club and blitz play. Truth be told, I missed many of them, and the resulting draw is a bit of an embarassment, but I can't blame that on the opening.


perrypawnpusher - SkypeFro
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

We have a standard Jerome Gambit position, with Black up  a piece, and White having two pawns as compensation. The second player will have to invest a few moves to castle his King by hand.

10.f4 Kf7 11.f5

Sloppy and dangerous.

Rule #1 for White in this kind of position is to postpose f2-f4 until Black has played Ng8-f6 and is thus unable to play Qd8-h4+.

Rule #2 is for White to always be on the lookout for danger along the e-file: White Queen in front of White King, Black Rook on e8.

Here Black's 10...Kf7 suggested strong attention to Rule #2. (White should have castled instead.)

11...Ne5

A wasted opportunity. Better was 11...Bxf5 12.exf5 Re8 when 13.fxg6+ Kxg6 14.0-0 Rxe3 15.dxe3 gives White only a Bishop and a Rook for his Queen. Plus, Black's King is safe.

analysis diagram






12.d4 Neg4

This attack on the Queen can feel irresistible, but 12...Nc6 was better. With the right response, White can now reach an even game.

13.Qf3

The right idea was 13.Qb3+ d5 14.e5 Re8 15.0-0  when Black does best to return his extra piece and grab a handful of pawns in return with 15...Nxe5 16.dxe5 Rxe5 17.Bf4 Rxf5. Rybka says the game is even, despite the second player being a pawn up.

analysis diagram






13...Re8 14.Nc3

14...Bxf5

This looks like a visual slip. The straight-forward 14...Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Nf6 works well for Black. He tries a similar idea, but the text gives up a piece in the process.

15.Qxf5 g6 16.Qf4 Kg7 17.h3 Nxe4 18.Nxe4 Nf6

19.0-0 Rxe4 20.Qh6+ Kg8

The King needed to go to h8. It looks like a small slip, but Black would then be able to answer White's next move with 21...Ng8.

21.Bg5 Re6 22.Qh4

Stronger and more direct was the kick 22.d5.

22...Kf7

23.Bxf6

This is good, but 23.Qxh7+ was immediately crushing. 

23...Rxf6 24.Qxh7+ Ke6

25.Rae1+

Again, this is okay, but 25.c4, setting up a mating net, was a much sharper tactic. The problem with second-best moves is that they can eventually lead to a second-best outcome.

25...Kd5

26.Qg7

Pedestrian. White should have played 26.Rxf6 Qxf6 27.Qxc7 with serious threats. 

26...Rxf1+ 27.Rxf1 Qg5

Black is still in trouble. The text leaves the pawn on c7 unprotected, but 27...Kc6 would allow, among other moves, the simple 28.Qxg6.

28.Qf7+ Kxd4

This should be the end of things.

29.Rf4+

Much more to the point were 29.Rd1+ or 29.c3+.

29...Kc5 30.Qc4+

Instead 30.Qxc7+ leads to checkmate. 

30...Kb6

I could not believe that there wasn't a checkmate here, but I had squandered those possibilities earlier.

31.Qb3+ Kc6 32.Rc4+ Kd7 33.Qxb7

This looks like progress, but Black has a simple repetition of position now, for the draw. Ouch!

33...Qe3+ 34.Kh2 Qe5+ 35.Kh1 Qe1+ 36.Kh2 Qe5+ 37.Kh1 Qe1+ 38.Kh2 Qe5+ 39.Kh1 Game drawn by repetition