Jerome Gambit: Silicon Clash (Part 3)

 

[continued from the previous post]

Stockfish 14 - Stockfish 14

Chess.com, 2021

Here we have the conclusion of the Stockfish 14 - Stockfish 14 Jerome Gambit battle. Materially, Black has two pieces for a Rook, but White has two extra pawns as compensation. 

For club players, this is probably still a difficult position. but here White troubles Black's Knight and when it is out of position, it turns to the Kingside pawns. The balance in the game solidly tilts toward the first player.

38.Rf4 Bc8 39.Rf7 Re5 40.g4 Ne3 41.h3 h5 

 

42.Rf8 Kb8 43.gxh5 Nf5 44.Rc4 Rc5 45.Rxc5 bxc5 46.Kc3 Nh6 

For the moment, White's two h-file passers are blockaded, but now his King comes into play on the other side of the board.

47.Rf6 Ng8 48.Rb6+ Kc7 49.Rc6+ Kb8 50.h6 Bf5 

51.d4 cxd4+ 52.Kxd4 Bh7 53.Kc5 Bb1 54.h4 Bc2 55.b6 Nxh6 56.Rxh6 Bxa4 

Black's sacrifice of his Knight for two pawns lays bare his dilemma: his opponent still has two advancing passed pawns.

In the final stage, White promotes a pawn and makes the checkmate look easy.

57.Rh8+ Kb7 58.h5 Bd7 59.h6 a4 60.h7 Bf5 61.Rb8+ Kxb8 62.h8=Q+ Bc8 63.Kb4 Kb7 64.Kc5 a3 65.Qa1 Bg4 66.Qxa3 Kc8 67.Qa7 Kd8 68.b7 Ke7 69.b8=Q+ Kf6 70.Qf4+ Bf5 71.Qa8 Kg6 72.Qf8 Be6 73.Q8h6 checkmate

This game is a good example of top level computer play with the Jerome Gambit. It is worth playing over for some insights into strategy in the opening and middlegame..

Jerome Gambit: Silicon Clash (Part 2)

 

[continued from the previous post]

Stockfish 14 - Stockfish 14

Chess.com, 2021

It looks like Black's King is backing away from danger in a Queenless middlegame.

17.c4+ Bd4 18.Bxd4+ Kxd4 19.Nb5+ Kxc4 20.Nxc7 

20...Re8+ 

Giving up the exchange, Black aims for an even game. The alternative, saving the Rook on a8, leads to danger for his advanced King and will cost a Knight after 20...Rb8 21.Rf4+, i.e. 21...Ne4 22.Rxe4. Trying to hide at d3 would be worse - 21...Kd3 22.Rc1, planning Rc3+.

21.Nxe8 Nxe8 22.Rc1+ Kd5 23.Rf8 Nd6 24. a4 Ke6

The position is quite complicated. White's Rook pin on Black's Bishop cannot easily be lifted, as after 24...b6, intending ...Bb7, White has 25.Rc7, which will cause serious material issues, i.e. 25...Bb7 26.Rxa8 Bxa8 27.Rxd7 and Black's pawns are in danger.

It will not take much to upset the balance of the game.

25.Rc3 Ke7 

To eject the annoying Rook. Instead, Stockfish 14.1 recommends 25...b5 26.axb5 Rb8 when White can pursue its favorite pastime, according to many Stockfish evaluations - finding a draw via repetition of position - 27.Re3+ Kd5 28.Rd3+ Ke5 29.Rc3 Ke6 30.Re3+, etc. 

26.Rf4 h6 

It is hard to argue with a computer, even with a computer's assistance, but this appears to be a dangerous waste of time. Both Stockfish 14 and Stockfish 14.1 recommend 26...Ke6, which on the surface looks dangerous for Black, as well.

27.Re3+ Kd8 28. Rf8+ Kc7 29. Rc3+ Kb6 

Here we have a serious Jerome Gambit positional nightmare: Black's Knight blocks the d-pawn which blocks in his Bishop which hems in his Rook, while his King blocks the b-pawn which also blocks in his Bishop which also hems in the Rook. On top of it, Black's Knight cannot move, as he has to protect the Bishop itself.

Even though Black has two pieces for a Rook, Stockfish 14.1 sees White as almost a Rook better.

30.Rg8 a5 31.b5 Ka7 32.Rxg7 b6 33. d3 Rb8 34.Rh7 Bb7 

35.Rxd7 Nf5 36.Kd2 Ka8 37.Rc4 Re8 

Black has untangled his Queenside, but White's pawns are now a problem.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Silicon Clash (Part 1)

A while ago, Sebastian Pereira sent me the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game between Stockfish 14 and Stockfsh 14. He went to the chess.com website and chose the computer at engine level 25 (rated 3200). In a separate tab, he set up the Stockfish 14 engine to play against it.

Who won the game? Well, Stockfish 14, of course.

Along the way, it had some interesting things to show about our favorite opening. 

Stockfish 14 - Stockfish 14

Chess.com, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

I find it interesting that Stockfish 14 prefers this move to 6...g6. I know that in its evaluations it is skeptical of Blackburne's defense, 7.Qxe5 d6, but it rates Whistler's defense, 7.Qxe5 Qe7 highly. Perhaps the computer is still in "book", and the move choice reflects the choices in place there. 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6 

Again, Stockfish avoids a wild move - this time, 9...Nf3+!? leading to a Queen sacrifice - and plays a move that is solid and reliable for Black.

10.Qxe5+ Qxe5 11.fxe5+ Kxe5 12.b4

The Database has 4 previous examples of this move, all intenet games, all wins for White. One of them is a game that I played, and one was played by GM Hikaru Nakamura. I would happily give the name of the earliest player to use 12.b4, but it is given as NN in a 2004 game. At about the time of the current game, detonacasano won a rapid game at lichess.org.

It is also very relevant to read up on the Jerome-Mills variations, as analyzed by Yury V. Bukayev.

12...Bd4 

Of course, taking the pawn with 12...Bxb4 leads to instant trouble because of 13.Bb2+, as in detonacasano - yokucht, 15 10 rapid, lichess.org, 2021: 13.Bb2+ Ke6 14.Bxg7 Nf6 15.Bxh8 Nxe4 16.a3 Bc5 17.d3 Nf2 18.0–0? (18...Rf1) 18...Nxd3+ 19.Kg2 b6 20.cxd3 Bb7+ 21.Kh3 Rxh8 22.Nc3 Ke7 23.g4 Ba6 24.Rad1 Bd4 25.Ne4 Rg8 26.Ng3 Bc5 27.a4 Rg6 28.Kh4 Rh6+ 29.Nh5 Re6?! 30.g5 Re2 31.h3 Bf2+ 32.Kg4 Ra2 33.Nf4 Kd6 34.Ra1 Rd2 35.h4 Bd4 36.Rae1 Ra2 37.h5 Rxa4 38.h6 Ra3 39.Re4 Bc3?! 40.g6 hxg6 41.d4 Bb7 42.h7 Bxe4 43.h8Q Bf5+ 44.Kg5 White won on time

Simply backing up the Bishop with 12...Bb6 was reasonable, and was seen in NN - Gain,K, internet, 2004, (1-0, 55). 

Then there is the interesting 12...Bf8, protecting against the coming threat along the a1-h8 diagonal, as in perrypawnpusher - Kevin the fruitbat, Jerome Gambit thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (1-0, 38).

13.c3 Bb6 14.Bb2 

About equally strong is 14.d4+ as seen in the grandmaster vs grandmaster blitz game, SanitationEngineer - GM_dmitrij, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com 2020, (1-0, 28). 

14...Kxe4 

This is the kind of risky move that a human would make. I am not sure what Stockfish 14 saw, or didn't see - and Black is still better after this move; but moves like 14...Nf6, 14...d6 or 14...c6 seem more reasonable.

15.Rf1 Nf6 16.Na3 Ke5 

Stockfish 14.1, given enough thinking time, recommends 16...Re8 17.O-O-O Kd3 which can lead to some wild play. Despite silicon calculations, I think it is a good idea to move the Black King closer to home.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: One of the Attractions

One of the attractions of the wild Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is that an unprepared defender can get into trouble very quickly. The following game is a good example: After 5 moves, the computer would give Black a winning advantage, but after 8 moves it would be much more in favor of White.

Record another Jerome Gambit miniature.

yigitcetintas - AlchemistD

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

Black might enjoy "kicking" the enemy Queen with this pawn, but he has commited himself - knowingly or unknowingly - to sacrificing his Rook.

7.Qxe5 Bd6 

Here is the first mistake. It follows the first bit of advice in a blitz game: Make threats. However, it misses the caution, above.

8.Qxh8 Qe7 

Whistler's defense relies upon this threat to White's e-pawn - but played a move earlier.

Now White can both extract his Queen and dissolve Black's Kingside in a few moves. 

9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxe7+ Bxe7 

White is up the exchange and three pawns. He still has to play this Queenless middlegame and be careful about Black's two Bishops, but his position is much easier to play - and that counts for something in a blitz game.

11.O-O Nf6 12.d3 b6 13.Nc3 Bb7 14.Bg5 Ng4 15.Bxe7+ Kxe7 

White is not in a hurry. He develops his pieces. Pawn moves will follow.

16.h3 Nf6 17.Rfe1 Kf7 18.Nb5 c6 

This looks like a time error.

19.Nd6+ 

Winning a piece.

Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Updating An Old Line

The following game is a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) miniature with a brutal ending.

It touches upon a blog post from 13 years ago, based upon a game from 145 years ago. 

sith_nich - thombolo

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nf3+ 

9.gxf3 

Instead, 9.Kf1 was seen in  Jerome,A - Norton,D, Correspondence, 1876 the first example of the Knight sacrifice.

9...Qh4+ 10.Kd1 Nf6 

In an early blog post, "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter III", I mentioned that 

The American Chess Journal editor William Hallock [September 1876 ] assessed Black as better after [10...Qf2]. Not so.

I faced 10...Qf2 and showed that the best Black had was a draw, although when he pushed for more, he had a loss, in perrypawnpusher - Sir Osis of the Liver, Jerome Gambit thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (1-0, 19) 

I also noted that

[A]fter 10...Ne7 11.Qe5+ Kc6, although 12.b4!? would keep things interesting.

This was borne out in the recent game Littleplayerparis - Bepis, blitz, lichess.org, 2021: 10...Ne7 11.Qe5+ Kc6 12.b4 d6 13.Qc3 Qf2 14.bxc5 dxc5 15.Qe3 Qg2 16.Rg1 Qxh2 17.Rxg7 Qh1+ 18.Rg1 Qh5 19.Nc3 Be6 20.f5 Bc4 21.d3 Ba6 22.Nd5 Nxd5 23.exd5+ Kd7 24.Rg7+ Kc8 25.Qe6+ Kb8 26.Rg8+ Black resigned

White has only one piece developed, and his King cannot castle, but his opponent must still be careful, as the rest of the game demonstrates.

11.e5+ Ke7 

It is unfortunate that trying to sneak out of the center does not help Black's King.  Instead, 11...Kc6 12.exf6 Qxf6 13.Qd3 Qd4 14.Qxd4 Bxd4 would give the defender a slight edge, with his two Bishops vs White's broken Kingside pawn structure. 

12.exf6+ Kd6 

Possibly clock, possibly shock. In either event, things end quickly.

13.Nc3 Qf2 14.Qd5 checkmate

Excellent!

Jerome Gambit: Adding to the Bullet

Yury V. Bukayev adds some more to the report on two online bullet games between top GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave ("LyonBeast") and top GM Hikaru Nakamura (" Hikaru ") - see "Jerome Gambit: Modern Top GM Interest's Origins (Parts 1 & 2)".

There is coverage of the second game, from 2020, in the YouTube video "Nakamura vs MVL | Speed Chess Championship Final | Peter Leko & Tania Sachdev" (time mark 3:44:00 untill 3:46:20).

Commenting on the Hamppe-Muzio variation of the Vienna Gambit as it was played, GM Leko says "It's not going to work, and anyway even if by a miracle it would work, it would not bring anything..." He is reflecting upon the fact that GM Nakamura was too far ahead in the match at that point for a win to matter.

As Yury pointed out earlier, the opening line did work the first time the two players contested it, in 2016, and GM Vachier-Lagrave won. In the 2020 game covered in the video, GM Nakamura improved upon his play and took the full point.

Jerome Gambit: New Idea, Unsuccessful

Not every new defensive idea in an opening is successful. The following game is a good example - but the game is played at a blitz time control, and Black has another great chance. Apparently time pressure settles things down, though, and White goes on to win.  

Tiny25 - Akatian

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

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

It is tempting to play this pawn move in response to the check by the Queen, but Black must be ready to surrender the Rook.

7.Qxe5 d6 

Blackburne's defense. It leads to complicated play, as Black attacks the enemy King and works to trap the enemy Queen. White captures a Rook, and has different ways for his Queen to escape.

This is a 3-minute game, which also has an impact.

8.Qxh8 Bd7 

A novel and interesting idea - there is only one other game with it in The Database - but it doesn't do the job. The consistent idea is 8...Qh4. 

9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxg6 Be8 

The idea, but White's four extra pawns (three connected and passed) added to the advantage of the exchange give him a clear advantage.

11.Qf5+ Bf7 

Or 11...Nf6 12.d3 Bd7 13.Bh6+ Kf7 14.Qf4 Qe7 15.Nc3 Rg8 16.Bg5 Bd4 17.Nd5 Qe6 18.Nxc7 Qe7 19.O-O-O Be5 20.Qf3 Rxg5 21.Nd5 Qe6 22.Nxf6 Bxf6 23.Kb1 Qe5 24.c3 Bg4 25.Qe3 Bxd1 26.Rxd1 Rxg2 27.Qxa7 Rxf2 28.Qxb7+ Ke6 29.Qc8+ Kf7 30.Qd7+ Be7 31.Rg1 Qxh2 32.Rg7+ Kxg7 33.Qxe7+ Rf7 34.Qg5+ Kf8 35.Qd8+ Kg7 36.Qg5+ Kf8 37.Qd8+ Kg7 38.Qg5+ draw Star10sj- CheesE220, lichess.org, 2021

12.Nc3 Nh6 13.Qh7 Qf6 

14.d3 

Oh, no. With 14.d4 Ng4 15.Bh6+ Ke8 16.O-O-O White's uneasy King would find safety.

14...Bh5 

Bad luck - blame it on the clock.

Instead, Black had 14...Qxf2+ 15.Kd1 Bh5+ 16.g4 Bxg4+ 17.Ne2 Qxe2 checkmate 

15.Qxh6+ Qxh6 16.Bxh6+ Black resigned