Jerome Gambit: I'm Really Getting Too Old For This Fast Stuff... (Part 1)

After participating as a subject in the latest round of an ongoing study on dementia - you would think that my devotion to the Jerome Gambit would settle the matter, preemptively - I was restless and decided what I really needed to do was play a 5-minute online game of chess. 

Against a computer program.

Although I did not realize it at the time.

[Insert your own joke here.]

All of the comments by Stockfish came after the game was completed.

perrypawnpusher - guestM

5 1 blitz, FICS, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

I have played it 71 times, scoring 77%.

Not bad, but in the regular Jerome gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - which I have played 436 times - I have scored 81%.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 

9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd3 Re8 

I have also faced 10...Be6 in and perrypawnpusher - hklett, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1 - 0, 18) and perrypawnpusher - obmanovichhh, 14 0 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 34) 

11. O-O Kg8 

Looking over things afterward, it is clear that the computer is doing well, especially since it is unlikely that the "refuted" Jerome Gambit would be deeply covered in its opening "book". 

There is bound to be a reckoning ahead, however.

The issue is not one for the strong contemporary chess programs (e.g. Fritz, Houdini, Komodo, Rybka, Stockfish), but with some of the simpler programs there is the problem that they still play consistently well - so much so that in order to make it "fun" to play against them by the average chess player, they need to be handicapped in some way. For a discussion, see the posts "Artificial Ignorance (Parts 1 and 2)"

Also see Part 2 of this topic, referencing the Maia Chess project.

Meanwhile, instead of the text, I have also seen 11...Nb4 in perrypawnpusher - abczyx, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39) and 11...a6 in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, 6 12 blitz FICS, 2010 (1-0, 46). 

12.b3 Nb4 

This is what I mean.

Instead, after 12...d5 13.e5 (if 13.exd5, then 13...Nb4) d4 14. Ne2 Nd5 15. Ng3 Qd7 16. Bd2 Qf7 17.Rae1 Bd7 Black would be better.

13.Qe2 

Sloppy. 13.Qc4+ would lead to the win of the Knight and an even game. 

13...Bg4 

guestM continues to play "kick the Queen", overlooking the consistent and better 13...d5.

14.Qc4+ 

Given a second chance, I grabbed it.

14...Be6 

Again, the move was 14...d5

15.Qxb4 

Thanks to the slipup, I was suddenly better. 

Of course, in a 5-minute game, lots of things happen "suddenly".

15...c5 

On principle, I do not think that grabbing the b-pawn now is a good idea. See "Jerome Gambit: He Who Takes the Queen's Knight Pawn..." and "Jerome: Risking the Gutter".

16.Qa3 

Stockfish 16 disagrees with me, based on concrete analysis: 16.Qxb7 Rb8 17.Qa6 Bc8 18.Qd3 Bb7 19.Bb2 Nxe4 20.Rae1 Nxc3 21.Qxc3 Qd7 and White is better. 

16...a6 17.Be3 b5 18.Qc1 b4 19. Ne2 Nxe4 

I am used to having the annoying pawns that advance and create disturbances - not facing them.

20.Ng3 Nxg3 21.hxg3 Bg4 22.Qd2 Qf6 23.Rad1 

An oversight that should have cost me the game. The Rook was better  placed at e1.

Blitz requires faster brain calculations than I am usually able to produce. 

You could say that both guestM an I were having "cognitive issues".

23...Rad8 

This had to be the kind of glitch seen on move 12.

24.Qd5+ 

Simply moving the Rook on d1 was the right idea. 

Instead, I was in a bit of a panic, rewriting the old reflection to be "panic sees check, panic gives check" ("panic" instead of "patzer").

24...Kh8 

Undeserved good fortune for me. The Queen should have blocked at either e6 or f7.

25.Rd2 

Throwing a piece away.

25...Rxe3 

At this point I was sincerely regretting my commitment to share every Jerome Gambit I played, win, lose or draw...

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Those Jerome Pawns, Again (Part 1)

My latest Jerome gambit game started out in a rather organized fashion. It was only when things got messy that I was able to wrestle a better position from the hands of a prepared and well-motivated opponent. 

The passive Rook sacrifice at the end of the game allowed the "Jerome pawns" to shine, again.

perrypawnpusher - ManWithABigPlan

2d/move, Chess.com, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. 

The line always makes me feel uneasy, although I generally do pretty well - The Database has 65 games with White scoring 75% - this is not as good as my results with the main line Jerome Gambit - 81% - or the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit - 88%.

5.Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 

Black has a piece for a pawn. He is well-placed to castle-by-hand.

White has the typical Jerome strategems: he can castle either Kingside or Queenside, he can play Bc1-g5 with pressure on f6, he can advance his pawn f2-f4.

The text move is probably the strongest response.

I have also seen

8...Qe7 in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, 6 12 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 27), perrypawnpusher - BigKalamar, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 49), and perrypawnpusher - OudeKwakkelaar, 2 10 blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 16); and

8...Re8 in perrypawnpusher - hklett, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 20), perrypawnpusher - KaZC, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2 - 1/2, 61),  perrypawnpusher - Fazmeister, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 36),  perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Italian Game Tournament, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 34), and perrypawnpusher - spince, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2014 (0-1, 41), 

9.O-O 

After the game, Stockfish 13 showed a slight preference for 9.Bf4 and 9.Bg5. I never considered the first move - although I now see that the early Jerome Gambit enthusiast yorgos played it 10 times, scoring 50%, a dozen years ago. I have played the second move once, in perrypawnpusher - wuolong, Chess.com, 2013 (1-0, 16). 

9... Re8 10.Bg5 c5 

Striking out at the Queen like this always seems anti-positional to me, leaving a hole at d5, but it has been successful in a number of past games.

I have also faced

10...Kg8 transposing to perrypawnpusher - hklett, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 20) above, and 

10...Be6, in  perrypawnpusher - andrewLLL, Italian Game Battlefield, Chess.com, 2020 (1-0, 39). 

11Qd2 Kg8 12.f4 Nf7 

Black removes his Knight from attack by the pawn, protects the d-pawn and attacks the Bishop at g5. It is hard to find another move that does that much work.

Now I was ready to complete my development, and was not afraid of a possible ...Nxg5, as that would open up the f-file for my Rook and place an annoying pawn at g5.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Getting More Right This Time (Part 1)

The following game, a rematch in the fourth round of the "Italian Game Battlefield" tournament at Chess.com, was another (see "Jerome Gambit: His Trap Was Part of My Trap") Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. Much to my relief, after my exhausting struggle against Tacotopia (see "Jerome Gambit: Overthinking?" Parts 1 & 2), I was able to find the win of the exchange and use it to win the endgame.

perrypawnpusher - andrewLLL

Italian Game Battlefield tournament, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

7...Bxd4

Previously, andrewLLL had played 7...Bd6 against me. According to The Database, I was 1 - 2 - 0 (33%) against 7...Bd6 before that game.

Komodo 10 sees 7...Bd6 as slightly stronger than 7...Bxd4. Against 7...Bxd4, I was 15 - 7 - 1 (67%).

All in all, I was happy to see the text move.

8.Qxd4 d6 

The strongest response. I have also seen

8...Qe7 in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 27), perrypawnpusher - BigKalamar, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 49), and perrypawnpusher - OudeKwakkelaar, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 16); and

8...Re8 in perrypawnpusher - hklett, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 20), perrypawnpusher - KaZC, FICS, 2010 (1/2 - 1/2, 61),  perrypawnpusher - Fazmeister, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 36),  perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 34), and perrypawnpusher - spince, blitz, FICS, 2014 (0-1, 41),

9.O-O 

Stronger than 9.Bg5 in perrypawnpusher - wuolong, Italian Game tournament, Chess.com, 2013 (1-0, 15).

9...Re8 10.Bg5 Be6

This move is not a mistake, but I am always happy to be able to advance my f-pawn and cause the Bishop to move again.

11.f4 Nc6 12.Qd3 Qd7 

This move doesn't look right, however. Although this game was played at a 3 days / move time control, it is possible that my opponent was using the Chess.com app on his phone, and mis-keyed the move (instead of, say, 12...Qe7) and quickly but mistakenly sent it. Just a guess - I have done that before, myself.

Better was 12...Kg8, castling-by-hand.

13.f5 Bxf5

After the game, Komodo 10 recommended 13...Bxa2 instead.

14.Rxf5 

With plans to put pressure on the Knight at f6, taking advantage of the pin to the enemy King. This is stronger than 14.exf5, which might be what my opponent expected, and which would have left me with only a slight - if any - edge.

14...Re5 15.Raf1 Rxf5 16.Rxf5 Ne7 

Material is even, although White's pressure - especially along the f-file - should allow him to win a pawn. White's isolated e-pawn participates in the attack, which would not have been the case, had the pawn captured on move 14.

[to be continued]

Chess Is Not Life

Despite what different masters are reported to have said, it is not true that "Chess Is Life". Sometimes it appears that "life" is what keeps us busy, and occasionally from playing chess, though...

perrypawnpusher  - mnoori
blitz, FICS, 2014

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 Qf6

10.Nc3

The is one move among many possible.

Bill Wall has played 10.d3, as in Wall,B - G3LC, PlayChess.com 2011 (1-0, 22).

Louis Morin has show an interest in 10.d4, as in mrjoker - Igor77, Internet Chess Club, 2008 (1-0, 70), guest2199 - guest401, Internet Chess Club, 2004 (1-0, 87) and MrJoker - Melbourne, Internet Chess Club, 2011 (1-0, 13).

I've varied with 10.0-0, as in perrypawnpusher - TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25). 

10...Be6

Possibly better was 10...c6, as in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 28), perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0,59) and MrJoker - ZICO, Internet Chess Club, 2012 (1-0, 34).

11.0-0 N8e7 12.f4 Bd7 

In this kind of position, I usually see things differently during the game than Houdini sees afterwards. I think "tactics" and play f4-f5, "kicking" Black's Knight, hoping to chase him to e5 when I can "kick" it again with d2-d4. Houdini "thinks" "position" and chooses d2-d4 instead, suggesting that Black respond to a later f4-f5 by withdrawing his Knight to g8.

13.f5 Ne5

In all fairness, had my opponent played 13...Nf8 here instead, I would have followed up with 14.d4.

14.d4 Nc4

My opponent prefers to play actively, but 14...N5c6 was probably better, with and edge to Black.

15.Qd3 b5 

I was pretty sure during the game that Houdini would want me now to play 16.a4, but I couldn't figure out what would be wrong with Black simply defending with 16...c6. After the game Houdini showed me 17.e5 dxe5 18.Ne4!? with a sharp attack - good for you, Readers, who figured that out!

I was unhappy with the possibility of 16.a4 b4 as well, although, again, after the game Houdini said "no worries" after 17.Nb5 Bxb5 18.axb5 and White will eventually capture the pawn at b4. Well, okay...

16.b3 Nb6

After the game Houdini again pointed out that if 16...b4, White would have the familiar 17.e5 dxe5 18.Ne4!? I think I would have answered 16...b4 with 17.bxc4 bxc3 18.Qxc3 and been happy with my broad pawn center.

17.Nxb5 

At this point my opponent seems to have disappeared, and Black forfeited on time. Quite likely, "life" intruded; I hope nothing bad. 

Instead, after 17...Bxb5 18.Qxb5+ Nd7 19.Bb2 White would have a comfortable game, with three pawns for his sacrificed piece, and possibly a small edge.

Deus ex Chess Clock

When I play through Jerome Gambit games by Bill Wall or Philidor 1792, I imagine a hero emerging, unscathed, from the center of whirling, churning chaos...

When I play the Jerome Gambit, though, it is a lot more like riding in a car that is careening out of control, heading for a cliff - and, if I am lucky, I can jump out in time...

Something like the following game.

perrypawnpusher - OudeKwakkelaar
blitz, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ 

My opponent has faced this opening a few times earlier, and may not have been impressed:

6.0-0 Rf8 7.Nd5 Kg8 8.d3 h6 9.Nh4 Nxd5 10.Nf5 Nde7 11.Nxh6+ gxh6 12.Bxh6 Rf6 13.Bg5 Rg6 14.Qh5 Qf8 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 16.Qxe5 Bd6 17.Qb5 Qh6 18.h3 b6 19.Rae1 Qg5 20.g3 Qxb5 White resigned, maharishi - OudeKwakkelaar, FICS, 2006; and
6.Ng5+ Ke8 7.d3 d6 8.0-0 Rf8 9.Nd5 Nxd5 10.exd5 Nd4 11.c3 Nf5 12.Nxh7 Rh8 13.Qh5+ Ke7 14.Bg5+ Kd7 15.Bxd8 Rxd8 16.Qf7+ Black resigned, BurtForFun - OudeKwakkelaar, FICS, 2012.

6...Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4

This is a slight improvement over our earlier game, which continued with 7...d6, in perrypawnpusher - OudeKwakkelaar, blitz, FICS, 2011 (½-½ , 62).

8.Qxd4 Qe7 9.0-0 

This is a little bit better than 9.f4 as in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 27); but 9.Bg5, which I played next move, is probably best. 

9...Re8 10.Bg5 Qd6 

The prudent 10...Kg8 was seen in perrypawnpusher - BigKalamar, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 49).

11.Qe3

I just knew that after the game Houdini was going to scold me for not playing 11.Qxd6 and it did, suggesting 11...cxd6 12.Nb5 and Black has an edge, which he keeps, of course, after 12...Rg8 13.f4 Nc4 14.b3 Nd2 15.Nxd6+ Ke6 16.Rfe1 Kxd6 17.Rad1 h6 18.Rxd2+ Ke7 19.Bh4 g5 20.fxg5 hxg5 21.Bg3 b6. 

Now my game is headed for a cliff...


11...Neg4 12.Qh3 h6 13.Bh4 Qc5 14.Qd3 Qh5

Black would have done better with 14...d6, but Houdini still says that White has very little for his sacrificed piece. 

15.Bg3 d6 16.f4 

Here, however, Black forfeited on time.


Once again, White is saved by the Jerome Gambit's "secret weapon".

A Long Day in the Life of the Jerome Gambit

The following game shows White surviving his unsound opening, moving gradually to an even position; later, taking advantage of Black's tactical slips to obtain an advantage; later, still, mis-playing his advantageous middlegame into a better endgame; and, further, almost frittering that endgame advantage away... before winning. 


perrypawnpusher - strobane
blitz, FICS, 2012


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 Qf6 10.Nc3 

Or 10.d3 as in Wall,B - G3LC, Playchess.com, 2011 (1-0, 22); or 
10.0-0 as in perrypawnpusher TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25); or
10.d4 as in guest2199 - guest401, ICC, 2004 (1-0, 87) and mrjoker - Igor77, ICC, 2008 (1-0, 70). 


10...N8e7 


Also played: 10...c6 in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 28); and 10...b6 in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 59).


This is familiar territory, so the moves are coming relatively quickly, which is useful in blitz. 


11.0-0 Rf8 12.d4 Kf7 

Black castles-by-hand. The game is sliding toward roughly equal. 


13.f4 Kg8 14.f5 Nh8 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Qb6 

A reasonable, even scientific idea: exchange Queens to blunt any possible White attack; and consider returning a piece for the "Jerome pawns" with an even game.


17.g4 Qxe3+ 18.Bxe3 Bd7 19.Bc5 Rae8 20.f6


After the game,  Rybka 3 preferred 20.e6, but at the time that looked too static for me.


20...gxf6 21.exf6 Bxg4 

I am guessing that this was just a blitz oversight. 


22.fxe7 Rf5 23.Rxf5 Bxf5 24.Rf1 Bg6 

Okay, the advanced "Jerome pawn" has become quite powerful. Take a few moments to plan out White's winning plan.


25.Rf8+ Kg7 26.Bd4+ Kh6 27.Rxe8 


IF you saw 27.Nd5, headed to c7 or f6 to harass the Black Rook and fight for the e8 square, good for you. 


27...Bxe8 28.Bxh8 Kg6

A piece ahead, I was happy with my game, but I never really developed a "winning strategy" from this point, so the game soon turns into an oddly psychological wander.


29.Bd4 Kf7 30.Bxa7 Kxe7 31.Nd5+ Kd6 32.Nf6 Bg6 33.Be3 Bxc2 34.Kf2 c6 35.Kf3 Ke5 36.Ng4+ Kf5 37.Nf2 Bb1 38.a3 Ba2 39.Nd3 Bd5+ 40.Kf2 h5 

Ideas for White? Now 41.Bb6 would put a nice cramp on Black's position.


41.Nc5 


I had decided that the only thing that I could do with my extra piece would be to exchange it for two pawns. That would leave me in a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, and I would have to use my knowledge, skill and experience there to make something of the drawish situation.


That would be a pretty sad outcome for what seems to be a "won" game.


Black's next move introduces another possibility: White can work to advance his a-pawn and create a passer. I overlooked that possibility totally.


41...b5 42.Kg3 Kg6 43.Kh4 Bf3 44.Nd7 Kf5 45.Nb8 Kg6 46.Na6 Kf5 47.Nb4 Kg6 48.Bd2 Kf5 49.Nxc6 Bxc6 50.Kxh5 Bg2 

Here is a rather annoying thought for White: even if he were able to create a passed a-pawn with b2-b3 and a3-a4 (something that Black can prevent by either covering b3 or getting his Bishop to d1 in a timely fashion) leaving himself with two Rook-pawn passers, Black could afford to sacrifice his Bishop for the h-pawn, as this would leave White with a drawn RP + Bishop of the wrong color endgame!


51.h4 Bf3+ 52.Kh6 Ke5 53.Kg6 Be4+ 54.Kg5 Kd5 55.h5 Kc4

A very surprising slip after 30 decent moves of defense. Black's King and Bishop were doing a good job of defending against White's hopes to advance his h-pawn. Now the monarch goes too far away, to attack pawns that are easily defended.


56.h6 Kb3 57.Bc3 Bh7 58.Kf6 Be4 59.Kg7 Bd3 60.h7 Bxh7 61.Kxh7 

61...Kc4 62.Kg6 Kd5 63.Kf5 Kc4 64.Ke4 Kc5 65.Bb4+ Kb6 66.Kd4 Kc6 67.b3 Kb6 68.Kd5 Black resigned

Hurry! (You first...)

The standard advice when your opponent is low on time is to take your time and play good moves. Good moves will cause your opponent more problems, and cause him to take even more time, or force him into making bad moves.

The temptation is great, however, to blitz an opponent who is short on time. I think that this is what happened in the following game, when Black should have spent a bit more time on his own moves instead of trying to hurry me and mine.

perrypawnpusher - HGBoone
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5

I had forgotten at the time of this game, but HGBoone and I had played twice previously, both games being Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambits: perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 27) and perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 46)

4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qf6

10.Nc3

I played 10.0-0 previously, in  perrypawnpusher - TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25). 10.d4 was an option of about equal strength.

10...b6

Instead, the more prudent 10...c6 was my opponent's choice in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 28).

11.Nd5 Qd8 12.0-0

White could grab a pawn, instead, and have a roughly equal game after 12.Qc3, e.g. 12...Kd7 13.Qxg7+ N8e7 14.d4 Bb7 15.Nf6+ Kc8.

The text move is okay, but it shows the shallowness of my planning.

12...Bb7 13.f4 N8e7 14.f5 Ne5

15.d4

This is the standard Knight-kick, but 15.f6 was probably better.

15...Ng4 16.Qe2 h5

Black has aggressive intentions, or else he would have played 16...Nf6.

17.Nf4 a5 18.Ne6 Qd7 19.Nxg7+ Kd8 20.Nxh5

Knocking the prop out from under the advanced enemy Knight.

My time was getting short, and I noticed that a few times my opponent replied almost instantly. His next move was too quick.

20...Nf6

Bad. I had expected the straight forward 20...Rxh5 21.Qxg4.

21.Nxf6 Qc8 22.Qg4 Ba6

At long last my opponent gets to play a move that he had planned for when my Queen and Rook were on the same diagonal.

23.Re1

Stronger was 23.Qg7, now or on the next move.

23...Rf8 24.e5 Nxf5 25.Bg5 Ne7 26.Qxc8+

I think this surprised my opponent, the idea that I would swap Queens in the middle of an attack; but I figured that the Bishop pin was enough to win. I did not want to waste too much time figuring out better alternatives that also won.

26...Rxc8

The rest of the game is just the playing out of White's advantage.

27.Nd5 Re8 28.exd6 cxd6 29.Bxe7+ Rxe7 30.Nxe7 Rxc2

31.Nf5 Bb7 32.Ne3 Rxb2 33.Reb1 Re2 34.Re1 Rd2 35.d5 Rd3

Black is down a Rook. Winning the d-pawn will only un-complicate the game further for White by removing the minor pieces.

36.Rab1 Kc7 37.Kf2 Rd2+ 38.Re2 Rd4 39.Rc2+ Kb8 40.Rxb6 Rf4+ 41.Kg3 Re4 42.Kf3 Rb4 43.Rb2 Rxb6 44.Rxb6 Ka7 45.Rxd6

45...a4 46.Ke4 a3 47.Ke5 Ka8 48.Rd8+ Ka7 49.d6 Bc6 50.d7 Kb7 51.Kd6 Bb5 52.Rh8 Bxd7 53.Kxd7

53...Kb6 54.Rh5 Kb7 55.Nc4 Kb8 56.Rb5+ Ka7 57.Kc7 Ka6 58.Nxa3 Ka7 59.Ra5 checkmate