Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Threat After Threat

In the following bullet game - one minute, no increment time control - White throws threat after threat against Black, knowing that they all can not be stopped.

This is a game that reminds me of a friend's complaint: I was winning, right up until the time you checkmated me. Ouch.

angelcamina - rabirabi
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

angelcamina has also seen the alternative 5...Ke8:  angelcamina - umutkaraca09, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 (1-0, 9); angelcamina - felix_paton, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 (1-0, 12); angelcamina - Skhokho1507, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 (1-0, 19).

6.Qh5 

This move is scary, but not if you think about it. Of course, in a 1-minute game, who can do that?

6...Nf6

The weaker (but still okay) alternative, 6...Qf6, did not work for long in angelcamina - Skhokho1507, lichess.org, 2019 (1-0, 12)

7.Qf7+ 

Another scary Queen move. Black had to be thinking: Can he really do that? Sitting poolside with a cold drink, we can all answer that question, but - with the clock ticking? Anyhow, Black grabs another offered piece.

7...Kxe5 8.f4+ 

8...Kxe4 9.Nc3+ Kf5

Wisely avoiding 9...Kxf4? 10.0-0+! as 10...Ke5 (others lead to checkmate) 11.Rxf6! will lead to the recovery of the sacrificed material (or checkmate).

10.h3

This almost looks like a gotta-make-a-quick-move bullet style move, and it encourages Black to go after a poisoned Rook. Instead, the second player should initiate the exchange of Queens with 10...Qe7+, pretty much safe-guarding his game.

10...Nxc2+

White now has a checkmate in 14 moves, starting with 11.Kf2.

11.Kd1

This gives White the advantage, too.

11...Ne3+ 

Deciding that the Rook is not worth it, but it is too late.

12.dxe3 d5  13.g4 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: "Too Good" (Part 2)

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - Jackcchow
Chess.com, 2019

14.Nc3

This very reasonable move appears to be a novelty, according to The Database.

14...Qe7 15.Qd3 Re8

Clearly, White wants to play e4-e5, while Black would like to prevent that. The post mortem "discussion" was interesting. Chess.com analysis saw Black's move as an "inaccuracy", labeling 15...Nb4 as "best". Stockfish 10, however, evaluated both 15...Re8 and 15...Nb4 as completely equal to each other.

16.Bg5 

Standard Jerome Gambit development.

16...Qf7 17.Rae1 

More of the same.

17...Nb4 18.Qd2

How many times in the Jerome Gambit has Black played ...Nb4, threatening the White Queen? More than a few. I was happy to see the move, as I mis-evaluated it as a waste of time. I was shocked, afterwards, to see that the Chess.com analysis saw it as "best".

 18...Nxa2

What do you think?

The Chess.com analysis called this move an "inaccuracy", preferring 18...h6. Stockfish 10 preferred 18...h6, but, after 19.Bf4, evaluated 19...Nxa2 the same as 19...Kg8, both leading to an equal game. Complicated.

During the game, I hadn't even considered the Knight move, focusing on 18...h6 19.Bh4 Qh5 20.Qf2 Ng4, which seems kind of irrelevant as I now look at it. I think that is enough proof that I was losing the thread of the game.

19.e5 

This move is okay, but, of course, 19.Nxa2 was best.

I think my mistake confused my opponent. After all, I was supposed to know what I was doing. Of course, he was welcome to borrow as much confusion as possible.

19...h6 

This is not correct. The consistent 19...Nxc3 was the way to keep White's edge small.  

20.Bh4 

From a distance, this move doesn't make much sense, especially since Black's Queen has moved out of the pin on the Knight.

The proper move was, of course, 20.e6, attacking the Bishop and the Queen, while cutting off the support of the Knight. My attacked Bishop on g5 was irrelevant.

The Chess.com analysis clearly marked my move as "a missed win". 

20...Nxc3 21.Qxc3 dxe5 

In a chaotic position, it was my opponent's turn to err. Instead of this "normal" move, he had 21...Bb5, when 22.e6 would have lost much of its bite after 22...Qe7. After a bit of scrambling, White would only have a small edge, because of that blockaded advanced "Jerome pawn".

Now, the game plays out to my advantage.

22.dxe5 Nd5 23.Qc5+ Kg8 24.e6 Bxe6

Giving the piece back makes the most sense.

25.fxe6 Qh5 

At first glance, the position looks balanced (except for Black's unfortunate Rook) but White is due to win a piece, one way or another - at least, that's what Stockfish 10 suggested afterward. I just wanted to get my Bishop to safety.

26.Bg3 b6 27.Qc6 Re7 28.Re5 Black resigned

Okay, now Black will lose a piece.

Pretty scrappy play by Jackcchow.

Me? Lost in the woods, or at least the tree of variations. Luckily, I had company.

Jerome Gambit: "Too Good" (Part 1)

I have spent a lot of time uncovering refutations of the Jerome Gambit, and sometimes I get the incredibly foolish notion that I am "too good" for the opening. It only takes a game like the following one to readjust my perspective: too often, the Jerome Gambit is "too good" for me. (But, still, I persist).

Yes, Jackcchow, at Chess.com, worked hard to put me back in my place. Pretty impressive, given it was only the second time he had faced the Jerome Gambit.

After the game, I asked my old "friends" The Database (60,700 Jerome Gambit and Jerome-related games, representative of online club play) and Stockfish 10 to help make sense of it all. I also referred to Chess.com's post-game analysis, which made some interesting points.

perrypawnpusher - Jackcchow
Chess.com, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

I am usually happy to see this move, not so much because it is "bad" (it isn't) but because the game that White gets is comfortable. According to The Database, I have reached this position 132 times, scoring 80%.

After the game was over, I asked the Chess.com website for a report on the game, and was surprised when it awarded the move a "?!" and the label "inaccuracy" (preferring 6...Ke6, and the annoying or silicon defense, 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5, a line that computers often love). That seemed a bit harsh to me.

7.Qd5+

I call this move "the nudge", and it is at least as old as Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1-0, 28). In blitz games, it can give Black pause, as he spends precious seconds wondering What is this move all about?

Is the move worth playing? That is a good question. On one hand, it chases Black's King to the 8th rank, where it can be further exposed to attack, and where it might impede the development of his Rook. Also, if Black chooses to castle-by-hand, he will later need to spend a move on ...Kf7. Still, White has spent 2 moves to capture the Bishop, so it balances out: 7.Qd5+ Kf8/e8 8.Qxc5 Kf7 would lead to the same position as the direct 7.Qxc5.

Examining The Database is enlightening, however. There are 711 games with "the nudge", with White scoring 68%. On the other hand, there are 1,285 games with 7.Qxc5, and White scores only  46%. Make of that what you will. YMMV. (I suspect that one factor may be that those who know about playing "the nudge" know more about the main line play of the Jerome Gambit, in general.)

I chuckled at the Chess.com post-game assessment, seeing 7.Qd5+ as the "best" move.

7...Kf8

In response to "the nudge," Black's King usually goes to f8 or e8. Which square is better? Stockfish 10 assesses them as nearly identical, varying in mere hundreths of a pawn. The Database has 213 examples of 7...Kf8, with White scoring 65%; it has 467 examples of 7...Ke8, with White scoring 68%.

8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

Black has a piece for two pawns, with a somewhat exposed King.

White, the gambiteer, is behind in development.

By the way, Chess.com's assessment is that 9...Nf6 is "good," but 9...d5 is "best". The Database has no examples of the latter move.

10.O-O Be6 

I can't let pass Chess.com's assessment of this move as an "inaccuracy". The Database has 6 games with the move, but White scores a rather ordinary 3 - 2 - 1. The knock on 10...Be6 is that it gives some boost to White's next move, with a threatened pawn fork. Curiously, until now, The Database had only 2 games with 11.f4 - a draw and a loss for White! 

11.f4 Bd7 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc6 

At this point, after the game the Chess.com analysis saw the position as equal, while Stockfish 10 gave White a slight edge. White's 2 "Jerome pawns" give him sufficient compensation for the sacrificed piece - but the position is going to get more complicated. 

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Rerun

The Jerome Gambit opening variation in the following bullet game is a repeat of the previous game preseted by angelcamina. Moving on familiar territory only speeds up White's play, and intensifies his attack when Black falters.

angelcamina - samchess20
1 0 bullet, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Be7 

Most recently seen in the post "Jerome Gambit: Home-Made Defense", this defense doesn't really work.

 8.Qxh8 Bf6 9.Qxh7+ Bg7 10.O-O d6 11.d3 

A slight improvement over 11.f4, played in angelcamina - medved29 , 1 0 bullet, lichess.org.

11...Qf6 12.f4 Bg4 13.h3 Bd7 14.f5 Ne7 

Pretty much ending the game, except for chances on time.

15.fxg6+ Nxg6 16.Rxf6+ Kxf6 17.Bh6 Bxh6 18.Qxh6 Rg8 19.Nc3 Kf7 20.Rf1+ Ke7 21.Nd5+ Kd8 22.Rf6 Ne5 23.Rf8+ Rxf8 24.Qxf8+ Black resigned

Checkmate is coming.

Jerome Gambit: First Time's A Charm

I recently received an email and Jerome Gambit game from Jackcchow, who plays at Chess.com.

I was surprised as black to have been involved in the Jerome gambit. I had never had it played against me and had to play this with a lot of thought and improvisation.  After the game I had to look this up...

Later, he shared his strategy

It was an entertaining experience to play this out. At key points of the game I saw a variety of lines that could have played out with chances for either black or white. Not knowing the standard variations during play, I relied on key principles and classical objectives such as seizing whatever files, ranks and diagonals as I could (or denying those to white) and trying to exchange material to accentuate the lead I was conferred by the gambit itself.  I tried to maintain tempo and use sharp lines of counterattack during white's pawn advance.

Let's take a look.

AlexBuranov - Jackcchow
Chess.com, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Ng6 

This is not an often-played move - The Database has 31 examples. White scores 58%, but if you subtract Bill Wall's 5 wins (and no losses) - he is successful in every line in the Jerome Gambit - that drops to 50%. Solid, for Black.

7.dxc5 Qe7 8.Qd5+ Qe6 9.O-O Qxd5 10.exd5 Nf6 11.c4 c6 12.d6 

Allowing the exchange of Queens was probably not White's strongest idea, but he has clearly latched upon a truism in the Jerome Gambit: Black loses many games by leaving his light-squared Bishop at home, where it blocks the development of his Rook. So: White locks it all down.

Almost.

12...b6 13.Be3 Rb8 14.cxb6 axb6 15.Nc3 Ba6 

The Bishop emerges.

16.b3 b5 17.c5 

If only he could now get in b3-b4, but Black moves first.

17...b4 18.Na4 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Ng4 20.Bd4 Nxh2+ 21.Ke2 Rhe8+ 22.Kd3 Ng4 

White is down a Rook for a pawn; pretty grim. Black continues his steady play,

23.Nb6 N4e5+ 24.Kc2 Rb7 25.Re1 Ra7 26.Kb1 Ng4 27.Rf1 Re2 

28.Na4 Rd2 29.Bb2 Rxf2 30.Rh1 Nf6 31.Bxf6 Kxf6 32.Rxh7 Rxg2

33.Rh3 Ke5 34.Rd3 Nf4 35.Re3+ Kd4 36.Rf3 Nd3 37.Rf1 Ra8 38.Rd1 Rf8 White resigned

Black's extra Rook will enter the fray and finish things off. Pretty good result for being surprised by the Jerome Gambit.

Jerome Gambit: Home-Made Defense

If the Jerome Gambit comes as a surprise, the defender has to construct some kind of defense, even if it is home-made. In the following bullet game, Black's efforts lead to a quick disaster.

angelcamina - medved29
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Be7 

With one minute (and no increment) for the whole game, it is difficult to create a defense from scratch.

Instead, 7...d6 would have been the Blackburne defense, while 7...Qe7 would have been the Whistler defense. Both lead to lively play.

8.Qxh8 Bf6 

Black's idea, but it doesn't work. He could have kept his deficit at the exchange and a couple of pawns with 8...Nf6 9.Qxd8 Bxd8 10.Nc3 d5, but he would still face the prospect of being ground down.

9.Qxh7+ Bg7 10.O-O d6 11.f4 Nf6 12.Qh4 Qe7 

13.Nc3 Be6 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 Rh8 16.Qg3 Black resigned

Black will lose the Knight, leaving him a Rook and a couple pawns down.

Jerome Gambit: What Can I Say?

In my second game in the first round of the "Italian Game Battlegrounds" tournament at Chess.com, I got the chance, again, to play in Jerome Gambit style when it wasn't absolutely necessary. What can I say? 

perrypawnpusher - Aborygen
Italian Game Battlegrounds, Chess.com, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5 

I have covered this line in many past posts. It doesn't seem to have a name. The idea, apparently, is that Black wants to exchange a Knight for a Bishop, after 4.Bb3 Nxb3, etc.

White's best response to 3...Na5 is to go along with the plan, after grabbing a pawn: 4.Nxe5 Nxc4 5.Nxc4 d5 (Stockfish's suggestion) 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Ne3, when it is difficult to find Black's compensation for the material, other than whatever psychological discomfort White may have for being pulled out of his opening routine.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Jerome Gambit treatment. What can I say?

I have played this three times before: perrypawnpusher - metheny, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 8); perrypawnpusher - sebapvar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 10 ); and perrypawnpusher - wred, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 35).

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 

Strange, because it seems to block Black's development, but after the game Stockfish 10 identified this move as best.

6.Nc3 Nf6 7.d4 d6 

White has 2 pawns for his sacrificed piece, and Black's King is uneasy, while one of his Knights appears unemployed.

8.Nd5+ 

The idea here is that Black needs more than 8...Nxd5 9.exd5 dxe5 because of 10.Bg5+, winning the Queen.

8...Ke8 9.Bg5

This seems to be a novelty, according to The Database, but it is a reasonable idea: if, now, 9...dxe5, then 10.dxe5, and Black's Knight at f6 is pinned and will be lost. Still, that might have been the best route for my opponent to take.

9...Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Qh5+ 

The idea behind exchanging on f6.

11...g6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Qxg6+ 

White is down 2 pieces for the moment, but he has 4 extra pawns.

13...Kd7

Black's King seeks safety on the Queenside. It might have been a bit more secure on the Kingside, after 13...Kf8 14.Nxf6 Qe7, but White would still be better, as his 4 pawns would outweigh Black's extra piece.

14.Nxf6+ Kc6 

15.b4

Hitting the offside Knight.

15...Nc4 16.b5+ 

A two-fold move: If Black captures the pawn, White's Rook can come into play, with check, with Rb1+; and if Black does not capture the pawn, White has stopped him from playing ...b7-b5 - I had been looking at a possible Qf7, attacking the Knight and possibly bringing the Queen over to the Queenside, but what if the defender just supported the Knight with the pawn? 

16...Kb6 

Black does not want the pawn, yet, and now White's 17.Qf7 would be met by 17...Rf8, and things would not be so clear after 18.Qxc4 Qxf6. Time to get White's Knight out of the way.

The position is complicated, but White has to at least gain back material - while threatening checkmate various ways.

17.Nd5+ Ka5 

Persistent in resisting the pawn, but this opens up another avenue of attack for me.

18.Qg3 

If Black now captures the b-pawn, White gathers in some material: 18...Kxb5 19.Qb3+ Kc6 20.Qxc4+ Kd7 21.Nxc7 and White would simply be 4 pawns up. In the meantime, White threatens to bring his Queen to c3 or b3 - with check.

18...Qh4 

Threatening White's pawn at e4, and possibly, after that, White's uncastled King; but it is too late. White keeps moving with check.

19.Qc3+ Kxb5 20.Nxc7+ Kb6 21.Nxa8+ Black resigned

If, now, 21...Kb5, White's Rook would finally enter the fray with 22.Rb1+, and the Knight would be lost.