Jerome Gambit: Boris Trapsky (Part 1)

Wandering the internet this morning, I ran across some information on Boris Trapsky, a special kind of chess computer program.

Boris Trapsky is not the strongest chess computer program running on a PC out there - that title belongs to Stockfish.

It is possible that Maia has a more human-like style.

If so, perhaps Boris Trapsky plays like a coffehouse player. Here is what I found at lichess.org.

Makes you wonder if Boris plays the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), right?

Boris Trapsky

** Blunder to Victory: the Boris Trapsky Story **

Most chess engines cautiously assume their opponent will play the best possible move, but @Boris-Trapsky tries to guess your _actual_ reply.

This study highlights 13 Boris-Trapsky moves from 13 games. Moves that Stockfish disdained, because they would lose ground against a perfect reply. But Boris-Trapsky thought these moves were a good bet over the board. In this study, his gambles paid off.

Challenge @Boris-Trapsky yourself, and see if he can get in _your_ head!

Challenge me to Standard chess---Blitz, Rapid, or Classical. I estimate your skill, then try to play interesting, tricky moves for you. See "Blunder to Victory" lichess.org/study/qDFa6puH for games where I gambled and won. Visit boristrapsky.com/ to read my arrogant, self-serving bio!

Jerome Gambit: A Map

Experience with an opening line is like a map to help you along the way. 

In the following game, White shows that he has the proper directions.

angel_camina - StaleDustyBelly

1 1 bullet, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Bd6 

 Recently seen in "Not Poisoned But Tasty". 

In a bullet game, one grabs whatever tactic or threat is at hand. Unfortunaetly for Black, angelcamina has been in this position 14 times previously and knows that the Rook is not "poisoned".

One player has the map to this opening, the other does not.

8.Qxh8 Qg5 

I would not be surprised to learn that StaleDustyBelly has played the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, as in that counter-attacking defense ...Qg5 is a dynamic part of the opening. 

Alas, The Database has 37 games with 8...Qg5, and White scores  84%. 

9.Qxh7+ Ke8 10.O-O 

No need to be greedy, although 10.Qxg8+ Bf8 11.O-O was an alternate path. 

10...Nf6 11.Qh8+ Ke7 12.d4 

Threatening the Queen, as well as a fork at e5.

12...Qg4 

13.e5 b6 

Hoping against hope: if he can get his Bishop to b7, he can threaten both checkmate and the enemy Queen.

However, White now has a forced checkmate.

14.Qxf6+ Ke8 15.exd6 c6 16.Re1+ Black resigned

White will win Black's Queen after 16...Qe6, and then deliver checkmate the next move.

(Yes, yes, Readers, White also had 16.Qe7 checkmate. You win your way, angelcamina will win his.)

"Jerome Gambit Song" Further Update

 

Dear Rick,

I think, everybody remembers my new invented way (posts of November 01, 2024 and September 25, 2024) of how to popularize your blog. In fact, your blog contains not only Giuoco Piano, but also almost all other Open Games. Once again, here is a text of a popular song 'Japanese Girls' by the music collective 'Joy'. Now let me show my text for my else one analogous song 'Open Chess Games' with the same melody. I have added the words "fair", "peaceful" etc. into it.

Here is the song by 'Joy' again:  

https://youtu.be/Y0a3T6iN0Wk  .

                Japanese Girls ('Joy')

Japanese girls living in a land

So far and lovely

Japanese girls they have set my soul on fire

Japanese girls they're always in my mind

And carry on, carry on, carry on

Japanese girls make me wonder

You are my Japanese girl

I need you so

Japanese girls make me feel good

You are my Japanese girl

I love you so

Japanese girls lovely as a dream

It's like a vision

Japanese girls make me feel so good

Just like in heaven

Japanese girls they're always in my heart

And carry on, carry on, carry on

Japanese girls make me wonder

You are my Japanese girl

I need you so

Japanese girls make me feel good

You're my Japanese girl

I love you so

Japanese girls

Japanese girls

Japanese girls they're always in my heart

And carry on, carry on, carry on

Japanese girls make me wonder

You're my Japanese girl

I need you so

Japanese girls make me feel good

You are my Japanese girl

I love you so

(The source of this text is the same.)  

And here is my new own song:

                             Open Chess Games

Open chess games! From the GOOD chess WORLD -

So FAIR and PEACEFUL!

Open chess games! They have set my soul on fire.

Open chess games! They're always in my mind.

And carry on, carry on, carry on.

Open chess games make me wonder!

Oh, let's play an open chess game - 

I'll need it so!

Open chess games make me feel good!

Oh, let's play an open chess game - 

I'll need you so!

Open chess games lovely as a dream -

It's like a vision.

Open chess games make me feel so good!

Just like in heaven.

Open chess games! They're always in my heart.

And carry on, carry on, carry on.

Open chess games make me wonder

Oh, let's play an open chess game - 

I'll need it so!

Open chess games make me feel good.

Oh, let's play an open chess game - 

I'll need you so!

Open chess games!..

Open chess games!..

Open chess games! They're always in my heart.

And carry on, carry on, carry on.

Open chess games make me wonder!

Oh, let's play an open chess game - 

I'll need it so!

Open chess games make me feel good!

Oh, let's play an open chess game - 

I'll need you so!

    (Copyright (c) Yury V. Bukayev 2024. Feel free, please, to refer to this text.)

Dear readers, thank you a lot for your letters! Feel free, please, to contact the author: istinayubukayev@yandex.ru !

Jerome Gambit: Beware

The following game is reminiscent of the post "Jerome Gambit: Beware the e-file" - you have been warned.

M_Nekemievich_Tal - NirmitPitroda

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

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 Qe7 

10.Nc3 Nf6 11.d3 

Also played: 11.O-O Be6 12.f4 Bc4 13.d3 Ba6 14.f5 Ne5 15.Qg3 h6 16.Bf4 Kd7 17.d4 Nc4 18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5 Nh5 20.e6+ Kc8 21.Qf3 Nxf4 22.Qxf4 Nd6 23.Nd5 Qg5 24.Qa4 Bxf1 25.Qd7+ Kb8 26.Qxc7 checkmate, M_Nekemievich_Tal-merida6, blitz, lichess.org, 2022. 

11...Bd7 12.O-O Bc6 13.f4 

Black's extra piece slightly outweighs White's two extra pawns, despite the riskier placement of his King.

13...Kd7 14.Qh3+ Ke8 

Returning home, but d8 was a bit safer, as will be seen.

15.Bd2 d5 

In many lines, ...d5 is effective for Black, but here it allows the opening of the e-file, with his Queen and King on the same file. Disaster follows.

16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Bxd5 18.Rfe1 Be6 19.Rxe6 

Black resigned

After 19...Qxe6, 20.Qxe6, White has a mate in 8.

Jerome Gambit: Objective vs Subjective

The following game got me thinking about something I wrote in "Blackburne Shilling JeromeGambit: Objective and Subjective"

When putting together a Jerome Gambit repertoire, it is useful to have access to both "objective" evaluations - say, from a computer chess engine - and "subjective" evaluations - as from a collection of games that can tell you how successful a line has been. Often a move that is not "objectively" best may score very well in actual play. 

angelcamina - LechstergFelix3

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. 

White has calmer and more sober responses in 4.0-0, 4.Nxd4, and 4.d3, but the Bishop sacrifice is more Jerome-ish.

To be fair, I have not found any games with Alonzo Wheeler Jerome playing this line. 

I also have not found any games with Joseph Henry Blackburne playing his "shilling gambit," either.

See "Jerome Gambit: Blackburne Shilling / Kostic Jerome Gambit (Parts 1 & 2)".

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

An overview of angelcamina's games with the gambit can be found at "Jerome Gambit: No One Ever Won A Game By Resigning"  

It can be said that Stockfish 16.1, at 31 ply, evaluates the alternative 5...Ke8 as strong as 5...Ke6.

6.Qh5

angelcamina is 11 - 14 -1 in games with this position. Given that the computer rates Black as being 3 1/3 pawns better (30 ply), that is a decent result.

Also seen here is 6.c3. Play might continue 6...Nc6 (6...Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Ke6) 7.d4 Nxe5 8.dxe5 Kf7 (8...Kxe5 9.Qd5+ Kf6 10.Bg5+ Kg6 11.Qf5+ Kh5 12.g4#) 9.e6+ Ke8 (9...Kxe6 10.Qd5+ Ke7 11.Bg5+ Nf6 12.e5) 10.Qh5+ as in the twin games wolfpack123 - chessgeekdavidb, GameKnot.com 2006 and wolfpack123 - dbohm, GameKnot.com 2006 (1-0, 34).

6...Nf6 7.Qf7+ Kd6 

Black turns down the offer of a piece that he could have had with 7...Kxe5. With the clock ticking, quick decisions have to be made.

8.Nc4+ Kc5

8...Kc6 

If Black's King looks like he is in danger, that is because he is. He can survive his perilous position, but it will take care.

9.b4+ 

Throw another log on the fire.

9...Kxb4 

Skeptical. He figures he can give back a piece and survive.

10.c3+ Kb5 11.cxd4 

11...c6  

An escape hatch, if Black's King can reach it.

12.Nba3+ Ka6 13.O-O b5 

Probably better was 13...d5.

14.Ne3 Kb7 

White is now a pawn ahead, and Black has castled-by-hand, but the biggest disparity is the first player's lead in development.

15.e5 Nd5 

Stockfish 16.1 suggests the unpalatable 15...Ne8, instead.

16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.Qxd5+ Kb8 

18.d3 Bb7 19.Qxb5 Qg5

Time slip? Mouse slip? It is now essentially Game Over.

20.Bxg5 h6 21.Bf4 

Setting up a discovered check, showing that angelcamina always has tactics in mind. Still, 21.Rab1 would put Black out of his misery quicker.

21...g5 22.Bg3 Bg7 23.e6+ Kc8 24.e7 Black resigned

Checkmate in 3 is threatened.

Jerome Gambit: White Declines

I am familiar with a number of lines in the Jerome Gambit where Black declines a sacrificed piece, e.g. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8, or, further, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8.

In both cases mentioned, the computer would indicate that "declined" is not as strong as "accepted", but psychological factors - e.g. the sacrificer's possible disappointment - also come into play.

Occasionally Black returns the favor, by giving back some material.

I recently tripped over a line where White declines a sacrifice (counter-sacrifice?), much to his dismay.

The time control may have been a factor, but the ending may have come as a surprise.

nsmanoj - goingtowinliketal

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

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

And now the most popular responses for Black are 7...d6, Blackburne's defense, and 7...Qe7, Whistler's defense, in both case sacrificing the Rook for strong counterplay.

7...d6

Blackburne, it is.

8.Qxh8 

White is happy to take the Rook - and, if he is up on theory, he and his Queen will escape with at least a draw.

8...Bxf2+

This is a departure from Joseph Henry Blackburn's idea.

Black intends to answer 9.Kxf2 with 9...Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 and, as I noted back in 2011 in "Short and Unbecoming"

At the cost of exchanging a won game for one in which he is a pawn down, Black has reached a Queenless middlegame that is not what every Jerome Gambiteer wishes for.

9.Kd1 

nsmanoj has played games where Black has declined sacrifices - Why not White?

(Please remember that this was a 3-minute blitz game - although both players were rated above 2000.)

9...Bg4 checkmate

Ouch.

Jerome Gambit: Wandering Again

                                  

The following game suggests that if you are going to wander, it is best to wander in a productive direction.

Alas, I did not.

perrypawnpusher - SerhilTiutiunnyk

Italian Game, Chess.com, 2024

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.Nc3 

After the game, Stockfish 16.1 recommnded 10.h4!?, something I would never have thought of, but which has the feel of the kind of a move that a master may play. Indeed, checking The Database, it does have one example of a game with 10.h4, played online, and White is rated almost 2250. (It ended as a draw in 49 moves.)

I have played 10.O-O here, in perrypawnpusher - hogmaster, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic, ChessWorld.net 2008 (1-0, 37),  perrypawnpusher - Mences, blitz, FICS, 2009 (38), and perrypawnpusher - DysonLin, blitz, FICS, 2009 (23).

10...Kf7 

A bit better than 10...c6 as found in perrypawnpusher - joejox, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1/2 - 1/2, 27) and perrypawnpusher - andrecoenen, blitz, FICS, 2010  (1-0, 25).

11.O-O Rf8 12.f4 Kg8 13.d4 c6 

Black avoids the frisky 13...Ng4 of perrypawnpusher - kertt1, Chess.com, 2024 (1-0, 57). 

14.f5 Nh8 15.Qf3 

Moving the Queen to d3, instead, was better; and moving a pawn to h3 was better, still.

15...Bd7 

Patient.

16.Bg5 

It wasn't necessary to pin the Knight, and the other Knight could now come out from retirement to help, with tempo, with 16...Nf7.

Instead, 16.e5 Ne8 17.Qd3 Nc7 18.Be3 Bc8 would have kept the game even.

16...Qb6 

Just as good as 16...Nf7.

17.Qd3 Rae8 18.Kh1 Bc8 19.Rae1 Nf7 

20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Rf4 

Losing the thread of the game. Instead, re-deploying the Knight with Nc3-e2-f4-h5 was a positive idea.

Now, however, my pieces wander until I call them back to the sidelines.

21...Kh8 22.Rd1 Rg8 23.Qh3 Rg7 24.Qh4 Qxb2 25.Rf3 Qxc2 White resigned

Nice game by SerhilTiutiunnyk!