Jerome Gambit: Updating Early Secrets (Part 2)

Continuing from the previous post, here are a few updates from earlier "Jerome Gambit Secrets".

"Jerome Gambit Secret #4" is as much a good story as it is a secret. It focuses on a reply to the Banks Variation, named after UK player Pete Banks ("blackburne" online), an early Jerome Gambit adopter who caught the eye of

International Master Gary Lane, who commented at length on the opening, and on a couple of Banks' games, in his March ("The Good Old Days") and April ("Chess Made Easy") 2008 "Opening Lanes" columns at ChessCafe.com. IM Lane also mentioned one of Banks' games in his The Greatest Ever chess tricks and traps (2008)...

 The line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.Qh5, hoping to transpose into normal Jerome lines, can be met by 6...Qe7 

The Database has 10 games with this position, with White scoring a thin 30%. Lichess.org's numbers are a little more encouraging: In 132 games White scores 36%.

Of course, as with every line of the Jerome Gambit, familiarity, knowledge and peparation help the attacker.

"Jerome Gambit Secret #5" develops after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ne7 9.Qxe5+ Kc6 with 10.Qc3

The Queen move appears in 12 games in The Database, all wins by White.

"Jerome Gambit Secret #6" also involves International Master Gary Lane, and his suggestion on move 9 in a line that has been called 

the"annoying defense" (because it is) or the "silicon defense" (because of the affinity computer chess programs have for it). It was first seen in D'Aumiller - A.P., 1878 and figured in six of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's games against S.A. Charles in their unfinished 1881 correspondence match.

The line is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 (annoying) 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Nc3

The Database has 29 games, with White scoring 40%. Lichess.org is slightly more encouraging, with 340 games with White scoring 44%. Nowadays, Stockfish 15.1 shows a slight preference for 9.Qh3+.

Alternate Universe

Readers may need a small reminder to recall Mr. David Black, who, a couple of seasons ago, shared one of his blitz games after he had entered "the Jerome gambits alternate universe."

Here is a recent over-the-board game that David supplied, noting 

For some reason in my last league match when presented with a chance to play it I couldn't resist! Despite the result of the game I'm hoping this isn't a trend.

I can understand Mr. Black's hesitation at the thought of playing the Jerome Gambit regularly in league play: he seems like a nice guy, he probably feels that embarassing one opponent is quite enough... 

Black,D - Plumb,M
Portsmouth A vs Chichester B, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

The Sorensen Variation (see "Jerome Gambit Nomenclature")

6.Qh5

The Banks Variation, named after Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks ("blackburne") and discussed by IM Gary Lane in his "Opening Lanes" columns at the Chess Cafe and in his book The Greatest Ever Chess Tricks and Traps . It offers a transposition to the 5.Nxe5 lines.

6...Qf6

Consistent with the early game Banks - Rees, Wolverhampton Summer League, 2003, but 6...Qe7 is likely stronger.

7.Nxd7+ Bxd7 8.Qxc5+ Qe7

White has three pawns for his sacrificed piece. He needs to tend to his development.

Black has a piece for his three pawns. He needs to tend to his King safety.

9.Qe3 Nf6 10.d3

White plans the pawn formation d3 + e4 + f4. He could also have tried d4 + e4 + f3.

10...Kf7 11.f4 Rhe8 12.h3

A useful move, both to keep enemy pieces off of g4 and as a prelude to g2-g4.

It seems odd to point out that what Black really needs is a pawn move like d7-d4, to confront the "Jerome pawns" – but Black no longer has that option.

12...Nb4 13.Na3 c5 14.Bd2 Nc6 15.g4 h6 16.0-0-0 a6

17.Rdf1 Kg8 18.Nc4 b5 19.Nb6 Rab8 20.Nxd7 Nxd7 21.h4

It looks like White has equalized, and has the initiative.

21...Nd4 22.g5 h5 23.c3 Nc6 24.f5 Nce5 25.f6

Relentless.

25...gxf6 26.gxf6 Nxf6 27.Qg5+

With the pawn sac, the walls of Black's fortress have been breached.

27...Kf7 28.Qxh5+ Ke6 29.Qf5+ Kf7 30.Bg5

30...Rb6 31.Kc2 Rd6 32.Rh3 Qe6 33.Qh7+ Black resigned

Something New In Something Old

In an old line, Black discovers something new.

Not quite new enough, however.

MrJoker  - KnickAtKnight
blitz, 2 12, Internet Chess Club, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

The Sorensen Variation, based on a line recommended by Lt. Sorensen in his article on the Jerome Gambit in the Nordisk Skaktidende, May, 1877. 

The idea is simple: Black does not get greedy, seeing one extra piece as enough to win.

6.Qh5 

The Banks Variation, after Banks,P - Rees,M, Halesowen v Lucas, 2003 (1-0, 45). Pete Banks, playing the Jerome Gambit over-the-board, risked rating points and club pride with "Jerome's Double Opening."

6...Bxf2+

A creative response ("what's good for the goose is good for the gander"), which only shows up in one other game in The Database. Unfortunately for KnickAtKnight, that game was played (and won) by Mr.Joker six months earlier.

It was possible for Black to return to normal Jerome Gambit lines with 6...Nxe5, as in MrJoker - Marduk, blitz, Internet Chess Club 2012 (1-0, 64).

Best for Black seems to be 6...Qe7, discovered four years ago. See "Jerome Gambit, Vlad Tepes, and... Garlic!"

7.Kxf2 Nxe5

As mentioned in the note Black's 6th move, there had already occurred: 7...Qf6+ 8.Nf3 d6 9.d3 Nd4 10.Na3 h6 11.c3 Nxf3 12.Qxf3 Qxf3+ 13.gxf3 Nf6 14.Be3 Bh3 15.Nb5 a6 16.Nd4 Ke7 17.Kg3 Bd7 18.h3 Rhf8 19.Raf1 c5 20.Ne2 Nh5+ 21.Kh4 Nf6 22.f4 Bb5 23.c4 Ba4 24.b3 Bc6 25.Rhg1 Rg8 26.f5 b5 27.Nf4 Be8 28.Ng6+ Bxg6 29.Rxg6 bxc4 30.bxc4 Rab8 31.Rfg1 Kf7 32.R6g2 a5 33.Bc1 a4 34.Bb2 Rb7 35.Bxf6 Kxf6 36.Rg6+ Ke7 37.f6+ gxf6 38.Rxg8 Rb2 39.R1g7+ Ke6 40.Re8 checkmate, MrJoker - Chicagojr, Internet Chess Club, 2012. 

8.Qxe5 Qh4+ 

Black has stalled White's attack and is counter-attacking, but he is doing so a pawn down.

9.g3 Qf6+ 10.Qf4 d6 11.d4 Ke7 12.Qxf6+ Nxf6 13.Nc3 Rf8 14.Bg5 Ke8 15.Bxf6 Rxf6+ 16.Kg2 b6 

White still does not have a raging attack: only a better center, a safer King, and an extra pawn.

17.Rhf1 Re6

Putting pressure on White's center, but exchanging the Rook with 17...Rxf1 18.Rxf1 was probably better, even if it brought the game closer to a simple endgame.

18.Nd5 Kd8

A consistent example of what might be called a "negative halo effect": the second player, having faced the ridiculous 4.Bxf7+ and the outrageous 5.Nxe5 and the preposterous 6.Qh5 shrugs off White's Knight leap as just another simple threat. Otherwise he would have realized that his "best" choice was 18...Re7, "neutralizing" the Knight by exchanging it off for his Rook right away. (Ouch)

19.Rf8+ Kd7 20.Rf7+ Ke8 21.Rxg7 c6 22.Nc7+ Kf8 Black resigned 

Things would settle down after 23.Nxe6+ Bxe6 24.Rxh7 with White ahead the exchange and three pawns.

The Norton - Hallock Game (Part 3)

While it can be fun to read contemporary analyses of a chess game (see "The Norton - Hallock Game" Part 1 and Part 2), the personal involvement of the commentators / players can get in the way. 

I sat down with my friend Rybka and my ChessBase files to go over this particular Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game and evaluate what American Chess Journal editor William Hallock and gambit originator Alonzo Wheeler Jerome had to say about it.

Norton,D.P. - Hallock,W.A.
correspondence, 1877

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

Hallock: The usual continuation is 5...Nxe5 but this seems equally good.

Jerome: Note (a) to your game with Norton says 5...Kf8 "seems equally good with 5...Nxe5" which is a mistake in fact and theory. 5...Nxe5 if properly followed up wins White's KBP, wheras 5...Kf8 leaves White's pawns intact while Black has lost two strong pawns and doubled another. This defense was adopted by G.J. Dougherty of Mineola, NY, a strong amateur, against whom I first played the opening, and I think he will agree that 5...Kf8 is not a good defense. He generally played 6...bc [after 5...Kf8 6.Nxc6] and that was the play of Mr. J. C. Young of Danville, KY, who subsequently abandoned the game. Why, I do not know, as it was not necessarily lost to either of us. It is a question with which Pawn it is best to take.

It is interesting to point out that this "discussion" between Hallock and Jerome about the merits of 5...Kf8 took place in the February and March 1877 issues of the American Chess Journal, two months before Lt. Sorensen published his very influential article on the Jerome Gambit in the May 1877 issue of the Danish chess magazine Nordisk Skaktidende. (For a taste of the article, see "Bashi-Bazouk Attack".)

It is quite possible that the Americans only became aware of Sorensen's work when his article was translated into English and was reprinted in the August 1877 issue of the Chess Player's Chronicle.

Sorensen considered 5...Kf8 the best defense for Black, and he recommended it as "more solid" and "easier to manage" than 5...Nxe5. After 5...Kf8 6.Nxc6 he gave the 6...dxc6 capture as best, continuing 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Qf3, as in Jerome - Brownson, USA 1875 (1/2-1/2, 28)

A modern assessment supports Sorensen's (and thus, Hallock's) point of view – but only marginally. After four moves Black already has enough material to win the game, and therefore he does not need to complicate the game further by grabbing another piece with 5...Nxe5. The Danish author was already being influenced by Steinitz's "positional" style, as opposed to his (and the chess world's) earlier "romantic" (attacking) style.

On the other hand, Rybka shows a clear preference for 5...Nxe5 over 5...Kf8 (by about 3/4 of a pawn) – showing that even with its positional "insights" the computer software still has a materialistic side.

6.Nxc6

Hallock: The continuation adopted by Jerome, 6.Qh5 [instead] looks promising.

Jerome: The move suggested in note (b) 6.Qh5, is not my idea, but belongs to Mr. Norton himself, and I have to acknowledge that I thought it unsound when he suggested it to me, during the process of the game, because 6...Qf6 gets up a counter attack at once; but 7.Ng4 compels Black to "crawfish" and permits White to castle with a good game. However if Black play 7...Qe7 it makes White 's game uncomfortable. But White may play 7.Nxd7+ Bxd7 8.Qxc5+ with 3 Pawns for his Knight which the books hold to be an equivalent. And I would not hesitate to exchange Queens if offered. Norton thinks [5...Kf8 6.Qh5] 6...Qe7 best; I think [5...Kf8 6.Qh5] 6...Nxe5 best; if 7.Qxe5 Qe7.

The variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.Qh5, which was mentioned by Brownson in the March 1875 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal, while commenting upon Jerome - Brownson, USA, 1875 (1-0, 28), is currently known as the Banks Variation, after the game Banks - Rees, Wolverhampton, 2003 (1-0, 45).

Jerome's mention of 5...Kf8 6.Qh5 Qf6 7.Ng4 Qe7 is a red herring, as his later suggestion of 7.Nxd7+ Bxd7 8.Qxc5+ – a line which Banks successfully followed against Rees – gives White comparatively better prospects.

Modern theory holds 6...Qe7 to be the best response to 6.Qh5.

6...dxc6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.e5

Jerome: Norton's first mistake was in playing 5.e5 instead of 5.Qf3 as in game 472, Dubuque Chess Journal where the defense was the same.

8...Bg4

Hallock: An excellent move cramping White's game and enabling Black to optimally deploy his forces.

Jerome: Ending notes (c) and (d) at the first glance, seems as safe as endorsing U.S. Treasury notes, but closer examination will show that 8...Bg4 loses Bishop as I think I will prove in the correction of note (f).

White's 8.e5 was an error – one that Sorenson made note of in his Nordisk Skaktidende article, giving "8.e5 Bg4 9.Qe1 Kf7!", showing that he was likely aware of this Hallock - Norton game.

The above-mentioned Jerome - Brownson, USA, 1875 game continued with 8.Qf3, better than Norton's 8.e5, but not as strong as 8.d3 (which would show up a couple of years later in Lowe - Parker, England, 1879 – one of the games recently supplied by Senior International Master of Correspondence Chess Tim Harding). Nonetheless, even after 8.d3 Black would retain the advantage.

Hallock's response, 8...Bg4, is a good move, as he maintains, with positional strengths; although Rybka sees 8...Ng4 as a bit less than 1/2 a pawn better.

We will tackle Jerome's argument that "8...Bg4 loses [the] Bishop" in tomorrow's post.

[to be continued] 

Jerome Gambit: Earlier Days...

Yesterday's post mentioned early Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) explorer Pete Banks - blackburne in online games, whose name has been attached to the Banks Variation (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.Qh5) - and got me thinking about earlier days...

Before starting this blog, I wrote a substantial article on the Jerome Gambit and submitted it to Stefan Bücker's chess magazine Kaissiber. Bücker tried repeatedly to edit the piece to make it publishable - see "Delusions of Grandeur" - but it was a lot like trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear... He could not make it work.

Kaissiber ended its publication before Bücker was able to do so, reminding me a bit of Ben Bova's 1966 short story, "Stars Won't You Hide Me" (see review).

In any event, I finally posted the article on this blog. See "The Jerome Gambit Article (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8)".

Not wanting to dip into the article too much before it saw publication, I encouraged Pete to contact International Master Gary Lane as the Jerome Gambit point man, which he easily was able to do, hence the appearance of blackburne - karmmark, Jerome Gambit thematic tournament, ChessWorld.net, 2007 in two of IM Lane's ChessCafe.com "Opening Lanes" articles titled "The Good Old Days" and "Chess Made Easy" as well as his book book The Greatest Chess Tricks and Traps (2008).

So there are any number of people these days who connect Pete Banks through his games with the Jerome Gambit, while being unaware of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome himself. This kind of thing has happened before, as I noted in "The Jerome-Kennedy Gambits!?" 

As I noted in my afterward to the posts on the Literary Digest game [see Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5], Mr. Jerome has had a hard time holding on to "his" opening: sources such as Cook's Synopsis of the Chess Openings (1882), The American Supplement (1884), and Freeborough and Rankin's Chess Openings Ancient and Modern, (1889) were happy to keep the name "Jerome Gambit", but identified the chief analyst of the opening as "Mr. S. A. Charles of Cincinnati, Ohio." Sic transit gloria mundi.

I am hoping that Pete reads the previous post and this one, and contacts me. I bet he has some very interesting Jerome Gambits to share.

Another RHP Jerome Gambit Tournament - Game 1

Instead of grabbing the second sacrificed piece, Black plays a defensive system - but he plays it too defensively. Hanging on to material, instead of returning it at the right moment, can spell disaster, even (especially) against the Jerome Gambit.

jankrb (2055) - musirpha (1874)
Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit tournament, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

6.Nxc6 

Experimental are 6.Nd3, from Wall,B - Tim93612, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 36) and 6.0-0 from billwall - DeDrijver, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 20).

Instead, 6.Qh5 is the rowdy Banks Variation, from Banks,P - Rees,M, Halesowen v Lucas BS, 2003 (1-0, 45). It is interesting to compare this line with the Paulsen Variation, where Black has placed his King on e7, instead of f8, e.g. the recently-discussed jankrb - Red House, Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit tournament, RedHotPawn, 2013.

6...bxc6 

As noted as recently as in the game jankrb - Red House, Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit tournament, RedHotPawn, 2013, the preferred capture is 6...dxc6, preventing 7.d4. The Database has many examples.

7.d4 Be7

A bit better was 7...Bb6 as in perrypawnpusher - hdig, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 17) and perrypawnpusher - mika76, GameKnot.com, 2008 (1-0, 17). 

8.Qf3+ 

Certainly an improvment over 8.f4 of perrypawnpusher - badhorsey, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 26). 

8...Ke8 9.0-0 d6 10.c4 Nf6 11.e5 dxe5 12.dxe5 Ng8

This retreat spells trouble.

13.Rd1 Bd7 14.e6 Nf6 15.exd7+ Kf7 16.Qxc6 Bd6 17.c5 Be5 18.f4 Black resigned

The Seventeenth Man

Eight pawns. Two Rooks. Two Knights. Two Bishops. A King and a Queen. We all start out a chess game with the same number of chessmen. However, as the following game by Dave Black shows, being familiar with and playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can give the first player an edge in thinking time; and with the clock as White's "seventeenth man" that can tip the advantage in his favor.

mrddblack - gradivus
blitz, 1011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

Declining the second piece is a reasonable and time-honored defensive plan.

6.Qh5

The Banks Variation, after Pete Banks ("blackburne") of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde. In this game Black decides to transition back to main lines.

6...Nxe5 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qf6

9.0-0 Ne7 10.c3 Qg6 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.d4 Bb6 13.Nd2 Rf8 14.Qe2 Bd7

15.f4 Qg4 16.Qe3 Kd8 17.Nc4 h6 18.e5 d5 19.Nxb6 axb6 20.a3 Bb5

Black still has his extra piece, and, hence the advantage. White hopes to get his "Jerome pawns" running to balance things out.

21.Rf3 Nf5 22.Qf2 Kd7 23.Bd2 Rae8 24.h3 Qg6 25.g4 Ne7 26.f5 Qh7 27.e6+ Kc8 28.Bf4 Ng8

Black has stopped the progress of White's "Jerome pawns" at the cost of stifling his Queen and Knight. White decides to open a second front, which has the eventual result of lifting the semi-blockade.

29.a4 Ba6 30.b4 Bc4 31.a5 bxa5 32.Rxa5 b6 33.Ra3 Kb7 34.Qe1 Ra8 35.Rxa8 Rxa8 36.Qe5 Rc8 37.Rf2 Nf6 38.Qe1 Qh8 39.Qa1 Qe8 40.Be5 Ra8 41.Qb2 Qa4

42.Kg2 Qa1 43.Qxa1 Rxa1 44.Kg3

He might have tried 44.Bxf6 gxf6 first.

44...Bb5 45.h4 Ra3

Black needed to keep the pressure on with 45...Rg1+. This may have been the result of increasing time pressure.

46.Rf3 Ne4+

This looks forward-going, always attractive when time is short, but it turns the advantage over to White. Better: 46...Ra1

47.Kf4

Here, with White better (the "Jerome pawns" are about to become unbound), his "seventeenth man" checked in: Black lost on time

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service

Although he finished in the top half of the standings, with a plus score, long time Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks ("blackburne") – still, to the best of my knowledge, the top-rated modern player to venture the Jerome Gambit in serious over-the-board games, risking his rating (and the ribbing of his mates) – did not seem, in the ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament, to be at the top of his game.

Perhaps he was playing this one for fun, which would explain his sometimes "casual" approach to an opening which, for all of its off-beat style, still has a certain amount of "theory" to acknowledge.

The title of this post comes from signs placed at some retail establishements, suggesting that people who have taken a casual approach to attire need not enter.

In the following game, however, blackburne got seriously served.

blackburne - shm19cs
Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament
ChessWorld, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.f4

A theoretical novelty (TN), but there is no need to add insult to injury and name it after the player of the White pieces, especially as there is already a Banks Variation in the Jerome.

6...Nxe5

Black immediately puts his finger on the problem with White's move.

7.fxe5 Qh4+

The game resembles a reversed Damiano Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6 3.Nxe5 fxe5 4.Qh5+), although in this case it is the defending side that had sacrificed a piece.

8.g3 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 Qxh1+ 10.Qf1+ Qxf1+ 11.Kxf1 d6

12.exd6 cxd6 13.c3 Bh3+ 14.Ke2 Nf6 15.d4 Re8+ 16.Kd3 Bb6 17.Bg5 Bf5+ 18.Kd2 Ne4+

The final indignity. White resigned.

Upon Reflection

Every once-in-a-while I get the sense that I am learning from my mistakes and using in later games what I learned from earlier games. Upon reflection, this gives me a small sense of accomplishment.

perrypawnpusher - smarlny
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

Black is content with the material advantage that he has, and backs his King away from danger. Let White do what he will!

I am always tempted now to play 6.Qh5, the Banks Variation (after Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks) but I am still uncertain how to best meet 6...Qe7.

6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.0-0 Ne7

The alternative, 7...Nf6, is as old as Jerome,A - Brownson,O, Iowa, 1875 (½-½, 29).

7...Bd6 was seen in perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 18) and 7...Be6 in perrypawnpusher - CorH, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 74).

8.d3

After the game Rybka 3 pointed out that here White can already "punish" his opponent for his inaccurate 7th move by playing for a draw with 8.Qf3+ Kg8 9.Qb3+ Kf8 10.Qf3+ Kg8 11.Qb3+, etc.

As if.

8...Ng6 9.Be3 Bd6

Not wanting to open the f-file for White's Rook with 9...Bxe3, Black positions the Bishop on the attacking diagonal b8-h7.

The piece continues to shuffle from square to square, however, and I wonder if, upon reflection, my opponent would have preferred to simply have exchanged it.

10.f4 Qh4 11.Nd2 Kf7

To castle-by-hand, but, somehow, this never happens.

12.Nf3 Qe7 13.e5 Bc5 14.d4 Bb6

15.Qd3

Preparing f4-f5, but the move was playable immediately, thanks to a tactical trick that would not have been too hard to find, if I had looked for it: 15.f5 Bxf5 16.Ng5+ followed by 17.Rxf5.

15...h6

Obviously my opponent saw the Knight check from g5. This gives the "Jerome pawns" time to rumble, however.

16.f5 Nf8

This game was beginning to feel like my game against irak: comparing White's Rooks (linked) and Black's Rooks (on their home squares, two pieces between them), there has to be an attack coming.

17.f6 gxf6 18.exf6 Qe6

Taking the pawn on f6 would have been deadly, but the danger remains.

19.Rae1 Qd5 20.Ne5+ Ke8 21.c4 Qa5

White now has a number of ways to win. The flashiest would be to sacrifice two pieces with 22.f7+ Kd8 23.Bg5+ hxg5 24.Nxc6+ bxc6 25.Qe3 and mate is inescapable.

I found something simpler.

22.Bd2 Qxa2 23.Ng6+

I thought that the loss of a Rook would prompt my opponent to resign, so I looked no further, missing all of the fun that could happen after 23.f7+.

23...Kd8 24.Nxh8 Qxb2 25.Nf7+ Black resigned