Here we have another "Cliff Hardy" adventure, taking place a mere 3 hours after the previous one, against the same opponent.
Again, Cliff plays the Jerome Gambit in a 10 minute game - playing blindfold!
Like any private eye story, first our hero gets into a whole lot of trouble. How he gets out is part of the adventure.
Notes are by Cliff. I have added diagrams and an occasional comment in blue.
Hardy, Cliff - Pomo12
10 0, white playing blindfold
lichess.org, 2018
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
10.O-O Qe7
Black varies from his plan in their previous game, which had seen 10...Ng4 and an eventual exchange of Queens. - Rick
11.Nc3 c6?!
The position is approximately equal. After 11...Kf7 black would have had a slight advantage.
12.d4?!
=/+ ; 12.f4 = was more accurate.
12...Ng4?!
+/= ; 12...Kf7 was better again
"Amazing how popular this move is" was Cliff's comment in an earlier game. - Rick
13.Qg3?!
= ; 13.Qd3! +/= would have been better
13...Nf6 14.Bg5 h6?!
+/= ; 14...Kg8 = would have been less weakening
15.Bxf6?!
= ; 15.Bd2! Nxe4 16.Qxg6 Nxd2 17.Rfe1 +- when white's initiative is well worth the sacificed material
15...Qxf6 16.Kh1?
The point of this lame move was that I intended to play 17.f4 without allowing 17...Qxd4+ but 17.Rad1, defending the d-pawn, would have made more sense, with black then having only a slight advantage.
Cliff continues to be hard on himself. Remember: he was playing this 10-minute game blindfold. - Rick
16...h5?
= ; 16...Nf4 stopping white from playing f4, with a winning advantage for black, would have been better.
17.f4 h4 18.Qd3
With the obvious threat of 18...Nxf4?? 19.Rxf4 Qxf4 20.Rf1 with then a winning advantage for white
18...Kg8 19.Rae1?
This ruined my position. I didn't notice that 18...Kg8 now meant that the f-pawn was under attack. 19.f5 would have been better, with an equal and interesting position.
19...Nxf4 20.Qf3?
20.Qd2 =+ at least would have forced black to weaken his kingside with 20...g5.
20...g5?!
Inaccuracy. Best move was ...Nh5, but black still had a crushing position with the move played in the game
21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Qf5 23.g3 hxg3 24.Qxg3 Be6 25.Re4 Rh4
-+
26.Qxh4
In a totally lost position, I attempted to seize the initiative and take advantage of black's exposed king
26...gxh4 27.Rexf4 Qh3??
After white's following move, black's queen was
trapped! Better would have been 27...Qh5 with a winning advantage for black
28.R4f3
+/=
28...Qxf3+ 29.Rxf3 Rf8
30.Kg2 Rd8 31.Rd3 Rf8 32.Rd6 Bc4
32...Kf7
33.b3 Bf1+ 34.Kg1 h3?
Black's pieces now get tied up in a knot. 34...Bh3! 35.Rd1 should come out to a draw with accurate play.
35.Ne4 Bg2 36.Nf6+ Kg7 37.Kf2 Rh8 38.Kg3 Rh6 39.Kg4 Rg6+ 40.Kf5 Kh6?!
41.Rd7
Still winning but 41.Ng4+ Kh5 42.Rxg6 was even better
41...Rg5+ 42.Kf4 Kg6 43.Ng4? Rf5+ 44.Kg3 Rg5 45.Rd6+
and black lost on time, admittedly in a lost position.
Black is helpless against a general advance of White's pawn and pieces, e.g. 45...Kf7 46.Kf4 Rg6 47.Nh6+ Kg7 48.Nf5+ Kf7 49.Rd7+ Kf8 50.Rxb7 Bd5 51.c4 Be6 52.Nd4 Rg4+ 53.Ke3 Rg6 54.Nxc6 etc. - Rick
It's time for another "Cliff Hardy" adventure!
I think Readers will admit that it takes a certain amount of courage to play the Jerome Gambit.
Playing the Jerome in a 10 minute game takes nerves of steel.
But - Playing a 10 0 Jerome Gambit game, blindfold??
I recently received three new Hardy Jerome Gambits. Like in any good private eye story, at first the hero takes it on the chin...
Notes are by Cliff. I have added diagrams and an occasional comment in blue.
Hardy, Cliff - Pomo12
10 0, white playing blindfold
lichess.org, 2018
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
10.O-O Ng4
"Amazing how popular this move is" was Cliff's comment in an earlier game. - Rick
11.Qg3 Qh4
Exchanging queens would seem to make the blindfold player's calculation task easier, but perhaps black chose the line simply because he saw it as best. - Rick.
12.Qxh4 Nxh4 13.f4 Ng6
Leaves black with a slight advantage.
An improvement over 13...Ke7?!, seen in Hardy,C - NN, FICS, 2017 (1-0, 19), with a roughly even game. - Rick
14.d4 h5 15.Nc3 c6 16.f5 Ne7 17.Bf4 d5
18.h3 Nf6 19.e5 Ne4 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.e6
The "Jerome pawn" at e6 blocks the light-squared bishop, which in turn blocks the rook. White seems to have compensation for his sacrificed piece. - Rick
21...Nd5 22.Bd6+ Ke8 23.Rae1 Nf6 24.Be5?!
White has some good pressure, and after 24.c4 white has a slight edge, Stockfish, but I chose (incorrectly) to capture on f6, in order to win the pawn on e4.
24...Ke7 25.Bxf6+? gxf6 26.Rxe4
26...b6 27.c4 a5 28.Rc1 Bb7 29.b3 Rac8 30.a3 Rcg8
Black's bishop and queenside rook have taken up more aggressive positions. - Rick
31.Rc3 Rg5 32.d5
For better or for worse, white needed to try 32.g4. - Rick
32...Rxf5 33.d6+ Kxd6 34.Rd3+ Kc7 35.Rd7+ Kc8 36.Rf7 c5
37.e7 Re8 38.Re6 Re5 39.Rfxf6 Rxe6 40.Rxe6 Kc7
41.Kf2 Bc6 42.Kg3 Kd7 43.Rg6 Rxe7 44.Kh4 Rh7 45.Rg5 Kc7 46.g3 Be8
White's best chance now rests with his opponent's ticking clock, and he hangs in, battling all the way - but this time the opposition is going to get away. - Rick
47.Re5 Kd7 48.Kg5 Rg7+ 49.Kf4 Rf7+ 50.Ke3 Re7 51.Kf4 Rxe5 52.Kxe5 Ke7 53.Kd5 Kd7 54.g4 hxg4 55.hxg4 Bg6
56.b4 cxb4 57.axb4 a4 58.c5 a3 59.c6+ Kc7 60.Ke6 a2 61.Kf6 Be4 62.Ke5 Bxc6 63.g5 a1=Q+ 64.Kf4 Qg7 65.Ke3 Kd6 66.Kf2 Ke5 67.Kg3 Qxg5+ Black won on time
A major theme in the Jerome Gambit, and related openings, is the play White gets with the pawns he has in exchange for the piece(s) he sacrificed. In lines of the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, this can be an interesting 4 pawns vs a piece. Will White attack with the pawns, or wait for the endgame? Will Black try to pick the pawns off as they come into range?
The following game answers none of these questions - although I suspect they rattled around in Black's head, nonetheless. In fact, that might explain how White was able to successfully hold back, let his opponent try to figure out what was going to happen - and then take advantage of the resulting tactical oversight.
Wall, Bill - Guest748831
PlayChess.com, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. It often comes as a surprise for Black, and there are tactical opportunities that can be taken - or avoided.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6
The right idea.
Bill has faced lesser alternatives:
7...Nxc2+ 8.Kd1 Nxa1 (8...Nf6 9.Qe5+ Be7 10.Nxe7 Qxe7 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 12.Kxc2 Nxe4 13.Re1 d5 14.d3 Bf5 15.f3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Schlier,A, Chess.com, 2010) 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qe5 checkmate, Wall,B - Apple69, Chess.com, 2010;
7...Nf6 8.Qe5+ Ne6 9.Nxh8 Bg7 10.O-O Qe7 11.f4 Ng4 12.Qh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - DSLC, FICS, 2013; and
7...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.Nf7+ Ke7 10.d3 Nxc2+ 11.Kd1 Qxf2 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.Nd2 Nxa1 14.e5 Bg7 15.Bxf6+ Bxf6 16.exf6+ Qxf6 17.Re1+ Kf8 18.Ng5 d6 19.Re8+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Sharkia,A, Chess.com, 2010.
8.Qxg6+
Not 8.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxg8 Qg5 and Black is better.
8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Ke8
A bit better than the text is 9...Nf6, as in 10.Qc5+ d6 (10...Kf7 11.Qxd4 Qe8 12.Nc3 c5 13.Qe3 Qe5 14.h3 Bh6 15.Qf3 Qf4 16.Qe2 d6 17.d4 Qh4 18.Bxh6 Qxh6 19.dxc5 dxc5 20.e5 Nh5 21.Qc4+ Be6 22.Qxc5 Black resigned,Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016) 11.Qxd4 d5 12.e5 Ne4 13.d3 b6 14.dxe4 c6 15.Bg5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest5170841, PlayChess.com, 2015.
10.Qe5+ Qe7
Black stays on course, avoiding:
10...Ne6 11.Qxh8 Qg5 12.O-O Nf4 13.g3 d6 (13...Ne2+ 14.Kg2 Nf4+ 15.Kh1 Qg4 16.f3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Creel,A, Chess.com, 2010) 14.Nc3 Nh6 15.d3 Ne2+ 16.Nxe2 Black resigned, Wall,B - Amoex, PlayChess.com, 2013; and
10...Be7 11.Qxh8 Black resigned, Wall,B - Takra, lichess.org, 2016.
11.Qxd4
Not the embarassing 11.Qxh8? Qxe4+ 12.Kf1 Qe2+ 13.Kg1 Qe1 checkmate.
Now, what will White do with his extra 4 (connected, 3 passed) pawns? He has other things to do, first.
11...Bg7 12.Qe3 d6 13.O-O Bd7 14.Nc3 Bc6 15.d4 b6
The game is about even. White has 4 pawns for the sacrificed piece, as well as a more secure King (although he needs to be careful that Black does not develop an attack along the open lines on the Kingside.)
16.d5 Bb7 17.Bd2 Qe5 18.h3 Kd7 19.Nb5 a6 20.Bc3 Qe7 21.Nd4 Rd8
Black intends to castle-by-hand on the Queenside, but never gets the chance. Instead of bringing the Rook to the center (perhaps he anticipates f2-f4 followed by e4-e5) he would have done better to remove the White Knight with 21...Bxd4. The exchange would have also prevented the following tactical oversight. (Too many things on his mind?)
22.Nf5 Qf8 23.Bxg7 Black resigned
Black dropped a piece, and will lose a Rook to the Bishop fork.
Creating complicated positions increase the likelihood of our opponent making an error.
There is an interesting article on the 1918 Rye Beach Masters' Tournament at the eclectic, educational and entertaining Tartajubow on Chess II website. I am always pleased to find "Danvers Opening", "Kentucky Opening" and "Jerome Gambit" on the same page.
Check it out.
When I am trying to make sense out of different lines of play of the Jerome Gambit - to post on this blog, or to prepare for a game - I generally use 3 tools.
It is often helpful to know what a computer chess engine "thinks" of a line or position. I currently use Stockfish 8 & 9, but have also used Houdini, Rybka, Fritz and Crafty. Computers are very good at pointing out tactical shots, and have been getting better and better at understanding positional nuances. (I have not tried Komodo, but it is supposed to be advanced in positional assessment.)
Of course, "objective" evaluation of the Jerome Gambit can be meaningless by itself. If machines could talk (I'm looking at you, Talking Fritz), after move 4 they would say "White, you are busted, why not stop wasting your time and just start another game?"
I leaven the serious look at Jerome lines with a peek at games drawn from The Database, currently 56,000+ Jerome Gambit and Jerome-related games that generally reflect online club play. Some players are very successful with my favorite "refuted" chess opening!
While I would not, ever, compare the Jerome Gambit to the Najdorf variation of the Sicilian defense, nor compare myself to Bobby Fischer, I was always impressed when Bobby would play Black with the Najdorf and win - and then turn around and take White and beat the Najdorf. Bobby was an awesome player, but he also showed the benefit of really knowing, down deep, the opening you play.
Finally, I always appreciate the wisdom of Geoff Chandler's humorous, but intuitively correct, "blunder table". In master and grandmaster games, the advantage of a pawn is frequently enough for a win. As we move down to the play of less-developed players, however, it can sometimes take a Knight or a Rook before one side has a "winning" advantage.
So, while the top players would hardly play an opening that involves the sacrifice of two pieces, it is not at all surprising (despite computer carping) to find that in club games - especially fast ones - that the Jerome Gambit can find its place - especially in lines where Black returns a piece, leaving him with a piece for two pawns (essentially a pawn ahead). That is hardly enough to guarantee a win for the second player!
