Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Roberts. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Roberts. Sort by date Show all posts

Monday, May 21, 2012

A Jerome Look At The Semi-Italian Opening (Part 5)

Shortly after posting yesterday's game   see "A Jerome Look At The Semi-Italian Opening (Part 4)— I discovered an interesting historical encounter in a database of historical California chess games.


First, some atmosphere from an interesting article by John Hilbert on "California Chess 1858-1859"
Interest in chess spread rapidly across the United States following Paul Morphy's sensational victory at New York 1857, followed by his triumphant European tour. New chessplayers and new clubs sprang up across the land, and the clubs already in existence gained greatly by the Morphy boom. California was no different. In its May 1858 issue The Chess Monthly, edited by Morphy and Daniel W. Fiske, reported that the chess bug had indeed hit the West Coast, and that a California Chess Congress inspired by Morphy and New York 1857 was being planned. Curiously enough, while The Chess Monthly detailed the course of the event, it did not provide any games from the tournaments. That detail was left to the pages of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, which published five games from the top tournament. Coverage of the Congress on the East Coast was of course delayed by the lengthy distances such news had to travel.    Three San Francisco chess clubs joined together to host the Congress: the Mechanic's Institute, the German Chess Club of San Francisco, and the Pioneer Chess Club. A committee of management was formed to take charge of the event, its members being Selim Franklin (President of the Congress), W. Schleiden, D.S. Roberts, Wm. R. Wheaton, Geo. Pen Johnston, Willard B. Farwell, Thomas Bryne, B.F. Voorhies, Edward Jones, Charles Mayne, M. Eilas, and H.R. Bacon. Entrance was fixed at five dollars, and players were to be divided into classes according to ability...
...The Morphy chess boom, though, didn't last. Chess in the United States lost many of its gains in the years following Morphy's earliest and grandest successes. By March 13, 1861, a correspondent in California could write The Chess Monthly as follows:"During the latter part of 1858 and the beginning of 1859, while Mr. Morphy was pursing his unparalleled successes, the chess fever reached its height in San Francisco. Several chess clubs were formed, a grand Tournament was held, and all classes of the community were seized with a rage for playing chess. Since then the interest in our game has somewhat declined, and there is now no regular club in the city..."
Some more on the the 1858 tournament
The California Chess Congress of 1858 was one of the earliest tournaments in U.S. chess history. It was held at the Hunt's Building in San Francisco from March 22nd through May 1st. The chess congress was hosted by the Pioneer Chess Club, the German Chess Club and the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club, all located in San Francisco. The worldwide chess fever created by the 1857 world championship victories in New York by young Paul Morphy had reached the Pacific Coast. The 1858 Congress in San Francisco was covered in the May 1858 issue of The Chess Monthly and game details were provided in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper which published five games from the tournament. The event drew lots of spectators and match play continued past midnight. The President of the Congress was Selim Franklin, who came to San Francisco from London in 1849, and played chess in London and New York. The members of the organizing committee included W. Schleiden, Daniel S. Roberts, William R. Wheaton, Geo. Pen Johnston, Willard B. Farwell, Thomas Bryne, B.F. Voorhies, Judge Edward Jones, Charles Mayne, M. Eilas, and H.R. Bacon. The California Chess Congress began on Monday evening, March 22. 
Although the chess database has the game (which we will look at tomorrow) listed as "Byrne" - Farwell, the above listing suggests that it was between Thomas Bryne and Willard B. Farwell.




Monday, June 16, 2014

The What??

I know, I know, it baffles me, too, but some players continue to underestimate the Jerome Gambit - to their own discomfort and demise. While some people would never play the Jerome Gambit, they can be at risk against someone who plays it, and plays it, and plays it...

Wall,B - Guest1872464
PlayChess.com, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7



The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, which can also be reached from the regular Jerome move order: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 Nf6.

6.Qe2 

A favorite move of Bill, and an idea as old as Ruy Lopez, who proposed it in the Bishop's Opening - 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qe2 - in 1561.

Black overlooks the move's intention, and suddenly White is OK.

6...Rf8?! 

More solid for Black was 6...d6 7.Qc4+ (7.0-0, Wall,B - Darkmoonstone, Chess.com, 2011, [1-0, 29]) as in Wall,B - Guest1459913, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 38); or

6...h6 7.Qc4+ as in Wall,B - DarkKnight, Cocoa Beach, FL 2012 (1-0, 23); or the direct

6...d5 as in Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25). 

7.Qc4+ d5 

Black tried 7...Ke8 in Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0,17) and Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22). 

8.Qxc5 dxe4 

Or 8...d4 as in Wall,B - NFNZ, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15). 

9.Nxe5+ Nxe5 10.Qxe5 Re8 11.Qf4 Kg8 12.0-0 c6 




13.b3 Bg4 

An aggressive and thought-out move, but Bill suggests instead 13...Be6

14.Bb2 Bh5 15.Rae1 

Threatening 16.Nxe4. 

15...Bg6 16.Qg5 Nd5 17.Qg3 Rc8?


Alternatives: 17...Nb4 18.Nxe4 Nxc2 19.Qc3 Qd4; or 17...Qd7

18.Nxe4 Qd7 

Not 18...Bxe4?? 19.Qxg7#. 

19.Nd6 Rxe1 20.Rxe1 Rf8 21.d3 Nb4 22.a3 Nxc2?


Black cuts his material imbalance to one pawn, at the risk of trapping his Knight. More solid was 22...Nd5. 

23.Re2 Bxd3? 

Black might have tried 23...Rd8 as after 24.Rxc2? (correct would be 24.Qe5) 24...Qxd6 25.Qxd6 Rxd6 26.Rd2 Rxd3 the game would be even. 

24.Qxd3 Rd8 25.Qc4+ Kh8 26.Rd2 

An alternative was 26.Qf7 Qxf7 27.Nxf7+ Kg8 28.Nxd8. 

26...Qe7 27.Nf7+ Kg8 28.Rxd8+ Qxd8 29.Nxd8+ Kh8 30.Qf7 Black resigned

Mate is unavoidable.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

The Proper Perspective



Recently Ty Kroll made a post at the Yahoo "Unorthodox Chess Openings" Group that caught my eye and which I think is well worth sharing.

He was writing in reference to "the Fishing Pole" (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Ng4!?), a Ruy Lopez defense variant that has been enthusiastically embraced by National Master Brian Wall.

The Fishing Pole has its critics, and, like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) also has its refutations (although the 'Pole is not nearly as bad as the Jerome). Under the right circumstances, both can also be a lot of fun to play.

It was equally interesting to see a response by N. Earl Roberts.

First Ty,

I think there's a lot of fun, if nothing else, to be had in unorthodox lines which are actually bad.
I've been playing the line Brian dubbed "Tyler Hughes" in the 2 knights since he brought my attention back to it from this forum, in Blitz, and it's a lot of fun, but only because the opponents almost never respond with the winning variation for white, because they've never analyzed the line before and have probably never even seen it. I can even imagine such tricks working under slower time controls. It's the surprise factor.
I mostly play lines like that for the fun value, though. If I ever write anything about that variation (and I doubt it hasn't "all been written" already) it would start with the refutation because that's the best line, the correct line; that's real theory. All the fun I have with it in nearly every game would go in theoretical sidelines.
Writing any other way is a fantasy. I'd like to see all such lines addressed in that context. ... the fishing pole included if it is unsound.
I agree with Ty. Readers of this blog should be well aware of the many refutations of the Jerome Gambit. As more turn up, you'll see them here, too.

By the way, those with an interest in music, voice, and the occasional chess post might want to visit his blog at
http://ne0romantic.livejournal.com/

Here I can follow up with Earl's post

As for the value of the "Fishing pole" itself, I actually agree with you that perhaps its value lies in its surprise, but I must point out that there is a vast difference between "playable" and "sound".
I am sure Mr. Wall does well believe that the "Fishing Pole" is playable because in those posts that I have seen, he clearly demonstrates that he is obviously the vastly stronger player....at blitz.
Here in lies the clear difference between the two, an opening is made "playable" by who it is used against relating to what medium it is used. Example, the original exclamation ridden game concerned. Mr. Wall clearly shows that over a ratings difference of around 300 points minimum (that's at a guess of the difference between 1700 and the master strength he clams to be) in a game of blitz, that the "Fishing pole" is quite playable.
The argument for it being sound on the other hand might well reduce with the rating difference coming closer together and game time being extending to a sensible length for proper consideration of moves.
Finally, refutations. Refutations are only relevant when people know them. I think Mr. Wall knows this and probably why he continues to play the "Fishing Pole" with such success in the bubblegum medium of internet chess blitz and good on him to, I am happy for him.
One of the curse of the internet Ty is people will always have an opinion and when it comes to refutations, people will always be there to line up with even more opinions... and in some way, that's not all together a bad thing.

Thank you, gentlemen.


Friday, July 1, 2016

At Long Last, A Jerome Gambit

!

The following game (with interesting lessons) is one that I have referred to a number of times on this blog, but never presented it in full, or with notes. I am only 6 years late, but, here we go...

Wall, Bill - Roberts, Conner
Chess.com, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 



4...Kxf7 5.Nc3

Bill chooses one of the "modern" Jerome Gambit lines. As far as I can tell, in the days of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, the "classical" 5.Nxe5 was always played.

5...Nf6

A few games with different responses, to study:

5...d6 6.O-O Bg4 7.d3 Nd4 8.Nxe5+ dxe5 9.Qxg4 Nf6 10.Qd1 c6 11.Na4 Bd6 12.Be3 Ne6 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.Nc3 Rad8 15.Ne2 Rhf8 16.Qc3 Kg8 17.Qb3 Rde8 18.Bxa7 Kh8 19.Be3 Ng4 20.Bb6 Qb8 21.h3 Nf6 22.Ng3 Nd4 23.Qc4 Nd7 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Qxd4 c5 26.Qa4 Rd8 27.Nf5 Nb6 28.Qb5 Qc7 29.Ne3 Qc6 30.Qxc6 bxc6 31.a4 Ra8 32.a5 Nd7 33.Nc4 Be7 34.e5 Rfb8 35.b3 h6 36.f4 Bd8 37.a6 Nb6 38.Na5 Rxa6 39.Nxc6 Rxa1 40.Rxa1 Rc8 41.Nxd8 Rxd8 42.Ra5 Ra8 43.Rxc5 Ra2 44.c4 Rd2 45.e6 Rxd3 46.e7 Re3 47.Re5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Rahman,N, Chess.com,  2010; and 

5...h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 (8...Kf8 9.Qxc5+ N8e7 10.f4 d6 11.Qf2 Nc6 12.d4 Qh4 13.g3 Qh3 14.f5 Nge7 15.f6 Nf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Nd5 Rhf8 19.Nf4 Rae8+ 20.Be3 Qg4 21.h3 Qg5 22.O-O-O Nb4 23.Qd2 Qxg3 24.Nh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Jllib976, Chess.com, 2010) 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qa3 N8e7 11.O-O Nh4 12.d4 Neg6 13.f4 Rf8 14.Be3 Bg4 15.Qb3 Rb8 16.f5 Ne7 17.Bf2 Nexf5 18.exf5 Nxf5 19.Rae1+ Kd7 20.Qe6+ Kc6 21.d5 checkmate, Wall,B - Mbgmxm, Chess.com, 2010.

6.Qe2

Here Black's brain should be screaming "Why Did He Play That Move?" I guess it wasn't. After all, he was playing against a ridiculous opening, and it was easy to feel comfortable and conficent and slow down his effort...

6...Rf8

To be fair, this move is often part of castling-by-hand to give Black's King needed safety. However, it is not well-timed.

7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9. Qc4 Qe7 



10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4



Black is down a pawn, so, of course, he plays to get one back, and there seems to be one available (with White's King uncastled on the same file as Black's Queen!) but in this case he seems to have been affected by the "negative halo effect"
When people notice a good trait in a person, they often assume other positives. With the Jerome Gambit  often a negative "halo effect" occurs – if the early moves are bad, many of the other ones must be bad, too.
No, Bill did not leave the e-pawn hanging.

12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2

Black decides to go out in a blaze of glory.

14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 



Threatening checkmate!

17.Qf7 checkmate

Monday, September 8, 2014

Okay With The Delay


Lately, not a lot of opponents have answered 3...Bc5, which would give Bill Wall a chance to play the Jerome Gambit. In the following game he shows some patience, and it turns out that he is okay with the delay.

Wall,B - Marz
PlayChess.com, 31.08.2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 


The Two Knights Defense.


4.0-0


This reasonable move was looked at in "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 4)".


Bill has also played 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 as in Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com 2010 (0-1, 25); Wall,B - Roberts, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17); Wall,B - DarkKnight, Cocoa Beach, FL 2012 (1-0, 23); Wall,B - Guest1459913, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 38);  Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS 2011 (1-0, 22); Wall,B - Guest1872464, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 30).


Of course, Philidor1792 has played 4.Bxf7+ here, any way, in 3-minute games.


4...Bc5


Or 4...Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ as in Wall, B - NTLZ, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 42).


Now there is a chance for a Delayed Jerome Gambit.


5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6 




This kind of retreat is seen by White in response to the "fork trick" in the Italian Four Knights Game. Here 7...d6 improves.


8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.f4 Nxe4


Looking for more trouble. Instead, 9...Bd6 10.e5 Bc5+ 11.Kh1 d5 12.exf6 gxf6 when White has an edge.


10.fxe5+ Nf6


Defense with 10...Ke8 is best, but after 11.Qg4 Qe7 12.Qxe4 White is a piece up.


11.exf6 g6 


Now the Jerome Gambiteer finishes with style.


12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.f7+ Ke7 15.Qe5 checkmate




Friday, March 1, 2013

And then what...?



As a therapist in my "day job" I often have the opportunity to help my clients expand their understanding of consequences of behaviors by asking them to look further: "And then what...?"

In the following game Black does a good job of defusing the primar threat behind White's 6th move, but he then becomes lax at just about the time he should have asked himself "And then what...?"


Wall,B - Guest1459913

Playchess.com, 2013

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



5...Kxf7 6.Qe2 


A quiet move that you can find in a number of Bill's Jerome Gambit games.


6...d6 


Dodging the misfortunes of 6...h6 7.Qc4+ in Wall,B - DarkKnight, Cocoa Beach, FL 2012 (1-0, 23); 6...Rf8 7.Qc4+ in Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17), Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22) and Wall,B - NFNZ, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15). 


An alternate was 6...d5 as in the rare Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25) 


7.Qc4+ Be6? 


You can almost read Black's mind: I took care of that move with 6...d6. Now I strike back by attacking the Queen with my Bishop!


8.Ng5+ 


Oh, well, yes, there is that...


8...Kg6 9.Nxe6 Qd7 


10.f4


Threatening 11.f5+ Kf7 12.Nxc5+, winning the Queen.


10...h6 11.fxe5 Nxe5 12.Nxc5 Nxc4 13.Nxd7 Nxd7 14.d3 Nce5 15.0-0 c6 


Players like myself (and perhaps Guest1459913) are often relieved, if not downright hopeful, when we find ourselves facing a strong player like Bill, being "only" a pawn down - with Queens off of the board, to boot.


This is usually an error in thinking: strong players can wield that extra pawn the way ordinary players wield an extra piece.


16.h4 Rhf8 17.Bd2 Kh5 18.Ne2 Kxh4 19.Nd4 g5 20.Nf5+ Kh5 21.Nxd6 b6 


In case anyone is paying attention, White now has a protected passed pawn.


22.d4 Ng4 23.Nf5 Kg6? 24.Ne7+ Kh5 




25.Nxc6 


This wins another pawn, although Bill points out that 25.Rf3! was stronger.


25...Ndf6 26.Bb4 Rfc8 27.Ne7 Rxc2? 28.Rf3



Threatening 29.Rh3 mate 


28...Ne3 29.Rxe3 Rxb2 30.Rh3+ Kg4 31.Rf1 Nxe4 32.Nd5 Re2 33.Ne3+ Rxe3 34.Rxe3 Ng3 35.Rff3 Nh5 36.Bd6 Rd8 37.Re4+ Nf4 38.Bxf4 Black resigned


Saturday, October 17, 2015

Shared Difficulty


I have always found the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit to be one of the more difficult variations in the Jerome. This is probably due to the additional development which, among other things, restricts my Queen from making wild advances.

Even Bill Wall has experienced relative "difficulty", scoring only 91% in his games with the line. The following game is quite a rarity.


Wall, Bill - Guest343560

PlayChess.com, 2013

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




5...Kxf7 6.Qe2


Also seen are 6.d4 and 6.Nxe5+.


6...d5


Other moves have allowed Bill to utilize his Queen on a different diagonal, e.g. 6...Rf8, which led to 7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4 Qe7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4 12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2 14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 17.Qf7 checkmate Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010. See also Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22); Wall, Bill - NFNZ, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); and Wall,B - Guest1872464, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 30).


Or 6...d6 7.Qc4+ as in Wall,B - Guest1459913, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 38).


Or 6...h6 7.Qc4+ d5 8.Qxc5 as in Wall,B - DarkKnight, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 23),


7.exd5


Better was 7.Nxd5, as in Wall, Bill - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25) 


7...Nd4 


This is an improvement over 7...Nxd5 8.Qc4 Nce7 9.Nxe5+ Ke6 10.Qxc5 Kxe5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.c4 b6 13.d4+ Ke4 14.Qc6 Be6 15.Qxe6+ Kxd4 16.cxd5 Qxd5 17.Be3+ Kc4 18.Rc1+ Kb5 19.Qxd5+ c5 20.O-O Rhd8 21.Qc4+ Kc6 22.b4 Kb7 23.Qd5+ Ka6 24.Qc6 Rac8 25.Qa4+ Kb7 26.Rfd1 Rxd1+ 27.Rxd1 cxb4 28.Qxb4 Rc7 29.Qb5 h6 30.Rd7 Rxd7 31.Qxd7+ Ka6 32.Bd2 g5 33.a4 g4 34.Qb5+ Kb7 35.Bxh6 a6 36.Qd7+ Kb8 37.Bf4+ 
Ka8 38.Qc7 b5 39.Qb8 checkmate, papernoose - jsit, FICS, 2004

8.Nxe5+ Kg8 9.Qc4 Qd6 10.O-O a6 11.Nd3 Ba7 12.Rb1 Bf5




Black is developing, while White struggles to get his pieces coordinated. An attack on White's King combined with an attack on his Queen brings the game to a quick conclusion.


13.a3 Ng4 14.g3 Nxh2 15.Kxh2 b5 White resigned





Friday, November 14, 2008

Cha - ching!


N. Earl Roberts, whose comments on playability and refutation of a disreputable opening were reflected in the post "The Proper Perspective" is the first visitor to this blog to receive the third PGN file of games presented at jeromegambit.blogspot.com.

This file (plus the first and second ones of course) is available for the asking, although if you wanted to send along a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) of your own along with your request, that would be really nice, too.

Or you could procrastinate until the next file is assembled – say, when 1,000 games have been posted (or referred to) here; we're already 3/4 of the way there!

Friday, September 1, 2023

Jerome Gambit: Willie Sutton Again


Here is a recent Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7) game by Bill Wall.

Why does Bill play the Jerome?

I have quoted Willie Sutton before: When he was asked why he robbed banks, he said, “Because that's where the money is.”

Why does Bill play the Jerome Gambit? 

Because that is where the points are. In over 1,150 Jerome Gambit games in The Database, he has scored 94%.


Wall, Bill - Kumar

internet, 2023

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

5.Nc3 

Delaying the second Jerome sacrifice.

5...h6 

Transposing to a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

White gains more from his 5th move than Black gains from his.

Bill has also seen 5...d6 6.O-O (6.d3 h6 7.Na4 Bb4+ 8.c3 Ba5 9.O-O Nf6 10.h3 b5 11.Qb3+ d5 12.Qxb5 Qd6 13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Qxc6 Qxc6 15.Nxe5+ Ke6 16.Nxc6 Bb6 17.Bf4 Nd5 18.Rfe1+ Kf5 19.Re5+ Kxf4 20.g3+ Kf3 21.Nxb6 axb6 22.Nd4 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest190971, PlayChess.com 2020) 6...Bg4 7.d3 Nd4 8.Nxe5+ dxe5 9.Qxg4 Nf6 10.Qd1 c6 11.Na4 Bd6 12.Be3 Ne6 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.Nc3 Rad8 15.Ne2 Rhf8 16.Qc3 Kg8 17.Qb3 Rde8 18.Bxa7 Kh8 19.Be3 Ng4 20.Bb6 Qb8 21.h3 Nf6 22.Ng3 Nd4 23.Qc4 Nd7 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Qxd4 c5 26.Qa4 Rd8 27.Nf5 Nb6 28.Qb5 Qc7 29.Ne3 Qc6 30.Qxc6 bxc6 31.a4 Ra8 32.a5 Nd7 33.Nc4 Be7 34.e5 Rfb8 35.b3 h6 36.f4 Bd8 37.a6 Nb6 38.Na5 Rxa6 39.Nxc6 Rxa1 40.Rxa1 Rc8 41.Nxd8 Rxd8 42.Ra5 Ra8 43.Rxc5 Ra2 44.c4 Rd2 45.e6 Rxd3 46.e7 Re3 47.Re5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Rahman,N, Chess.com 2010; or

5...Nf6 6.Qe2 (6.d3 Re8 7.Bg5 d6 8.O-O Nd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.Nd5 Be6 11.c3 Bxd5 12.cxd4 Bc6 13.d5 Bd7 14.f4 Kg8 15.Qb3 Qc8 16.fxe5 Rxe5 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Rxf6 b6 19.Raf1 Qb7 20.Rf7 Bg4 21.Qc2 Rc8 22.Qf2 Qb8 23.Qf6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Benjamin, internet, 20236...Rf8 (6...d6 7.Na4 Nb4 8.Qc4+ Ke8 9.a3 b6 10.axb4 Bxb4 11.Qxb4 Bg4 12.Nc3 c6 13.d4 d5 14.Nxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest153817, PlayChess.com 2018) 7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4 Qe7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4 12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2 14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 17.Qf7 checkmate, Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010. 

6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6

Bill has also faced 7...Ng6 8.Qd5+ Kf8 (8...Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qa3 N8e7 11.O-O Nh4 12.d4 Neg6 13.f4 Rf8 14.Be3 Bg4 15.Qb3 Rb8 16.f5 Ne7 17.Bf2 Nexf5 18.exf5 Nxf5 19.Rae1+ Kd7 20.Qe6+ Kc6 21.d5 checkmate, Wall,B - Mbgmx, Chess.com 2010) 9.Qxc5+ N8e7 10.f4 d6 11.Qf2 Nc6 12.d4 Qh4 13.g3 Qh3 14.f5 Nge7 15.f6 Nf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Nd5 Rhf8 19.Nf4 Rae8+ 20.Be3 Qg4 21.h3 Qg5 22.O-O-O Nb4 23.Qd2 Qxg3 24.Nh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Jllib976, Chess.com 2010.

8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.b4 Bb6 

Or 9...Bxb4 10.Nb5+ Kc6 11.Nxd4+ Kd6 12.Nb5+ Kc6 13.Qxe5 d6 14.Nd4+ Kd7 15.Qe6 checkmate as in Wall,B - My10, 2017.

10.f4 Qf6 


Sometimes Black's Queen belongs on f6, sometimes not.

Today, not.

11.fxe5+ Qxe5 12.Nb5+ Black resigned


Black's Queen is about to be robbed of her support.


Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Happy Birthday: Twelve months of blog...

Today marks the 1 year "birthday" of this daily-posted blog. Thanks for stopping by!

Many people have provided information on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and other openings for both jeromegambit.blogspot.com and my (unreleased) article on the history of the Jerome Gambit.

I want to express my heartfelt thanks to each of those who have helped, starting with the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde, of course, but including: Jude Acers, Deanna Austin, Kent Ball, Pete Banks, Teni Bedrosian, Martin Bennedik, Eric Bentzen, John Blackstone, Harold Bohn, Neil Brennen, Paul Broekhuyse, Stefan Bücker, J. Gayle Camarda, Franklin Campbell, Geoff Chandler, Adailton Chiaradia, Sarah Cohen, Coxsackie Historic Preservation Commision, Kristina Daily, Dan DeHann, Todor Dimitrov, Steven Dowd, Paul Dunn, Bob Durrett, Erik at Chess.com, Wayne Everard, Andrew Fabbro, Malcolm Farley, Steve Farmer, Ward Farnsworth, Micah Fisher-Kirshner, Sam Fore, Richard Forster, Ken Fraser, Steve Frymer, Kapil Gain, Gary Gifford, Scott Givens, Michael Goeller, Green County Historical Society, A.B. Hailey, Tim Harding, Keith Hayward, Jyrki Heikkinen, Dan Heisman, Adam Henderson, John Hilbert, Owin Hindle, James F. Holwell, Colin James III, Thomas Johansson, Fyhn Karsten, Ara L. Kaye, Paul Keiser, Libby Ford Kennedy, Rick Kinkaid, Tom Klem, Korch of Korch's Corner, Michael Kramer, Ty Kroll, Robert Kruszynski, Rosemary Kurtz, Gary Lane, Heather Lang, Stan Larsen, George Laven, Peter Lupu, Jeff Martin and the staff of the John G. White Collection at the Cleveland Public Library, Missi Matt, Tim McGrew, Hindemburg Melao, Anna Maria Mihalega, Martin Moller, Dennis Monokroussos, Louis Morin, Mark Morss, Robert Murnan and the staff at the Cleveland Research Center, Clyde Nakamura, Christopher Nelson, Anne Newman, Russ Newman, Jan Newton, Reg Nonni, Ryan North, William Paulsen, James Pratt, Tyrin Price, Tom Purser, Francesco Recchia, Marianne Reynolds, Peter Reuter, N. Earl Roberts, Magnus Rosenstielke, Tim Sawyer, Eric Schiller, Rainer Schlenker, Anne Sebba, Daaim Shabazz, Jeremy Spinrad, Peter Stockhausen, Susan Strahan, Jason Stratman, David Surratt, Joseph Tanti, Pat Tavenner, Anders Thulin, Randy Tipton, Toby and Traci at TobyChess, Attila Turzo, Cindy Ulrich, Olimpiu Urcan, Bill Vallicella, Jaap van der Kooij, Jeroen van Dorp, Vedder Memorial Library staff, Lissa Waite, Andrew Walker, Art Wang, Bill Wall, Brian Wall, Ken Whyld, Edward Winter, Peter Wong, Ed Yetman, Jack Young, Bradley Zang and Lev Zilbermints.


As a "birthday present" to all who are interested, I have put together a PGN database of over 1,100 games: mostly Jerome Gambits or Jerome-ish Gambits, with occasional forays into other unorthodox opening areas, as they have been touched upon on in the first year of this blog.

I also have .pdf files for the Unorthodox Openings Newletter issues #17, #18 and #21 for the articles "Jerome Gambit, or Jerome Gamble?" by Rick Kennedy & G. K. Gifford; "Jerome Gambit – Revisited," by Rick Kennedy; and "Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit!" by Rick Kennedy; respectively.


Finally, it is possible to provide the first year of this blog as one file that can be viewed with a web browser, off-line – all of the fun, none of the bandwidth.

They are yours for the asking, with my thanks for stopping by to celebrate.

Friday, July 10, 2020

Jerome Gambit: Easy Does It

cartoon polar bear relaxing

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is largely known for its wild "Bashi-Bazouk" style of attack. However, in the following game, Bill Wall, with over 950 games in The Database, shows he can play the Jerome slow and easy, as well.


Wall, Bill - Guest190971
PlayChess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 




4...Kxf7 5.Nc3 

This is one of the "modern" Jerome Gambit variations. The "classical" lines continue with 5.Nxe5.

5...d6 

Bill has also seen:

5...Nf6 6.Qe2 d6 (6...Rf8 7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4 Qe7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4 12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2 14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 17.Qf7 Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010) 7. Na4 Nb4 8. Qc4+ Ke8 9.a3 b6 10.axb4 Bxb4 11.Qxb4 Bg4 12.Nc3 c6 13.d4 d5 14.Nxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest153817, PlayChess.com, 2018; and

5...h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 (8...Kf8 9.Qxc5+ N8e7 10.f4 d6 11.Qf2 Nc6 12.d4 Qh4 13.g3 Qh3 14.f5 Nge7 15.f6 Nf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Nd5 Rhf8 19.Nf4 Rae8+ 20.Be3 Qg4 21.h3 Qg5 22.O-O-O Nb4 23.Qd2 Qxg3 24.Nh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Jllib976, Chess.com 2010) 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qa3 N8e7 11.O-O Nh4 12.d4 Neg6 13.f4 Rf8 14.Be3 Bg4 15.Qb3 Rb8 16.f5 Ne7 17.Bf2 Nexf5 18.exf5 Nxf5 19.Rae1+ Kd7 20.Qe6+ Kc6 21.d5 checkmate, Wall,B - Mbgmx, Chess.com 2010 

6.d3 

Or 6.O-O Bg4 7.d3 Nd4 8.Nxe5+ dxe5 9.Qxg4 Nf6 10.Qd1 c6 11.Na4 Bd6 12.Be3 Ne6 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.Nc3 Rad8 15.Ne2 Rhf8 16.Qc3 Kg8 17.Qb3 Rde8 18.Bxa7 Kh8 19.Be3 Ng4 20.Bb6 Qb8 21.h3 Nf6 22.Ng3 Nd4 23.Qc4 Nd7 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Qxd4 c5 26.Qa4 Rd8 27.Nf5 Nb6 28.Qb5 Qc7 29.Ne3 Qc6 30.Qxc6 bxc6 31.a4 Ra8 32.a5 Nd7 33.Nc4 Be7 34.e5 Rfb8 35.b3 h6 36.f4 Bd8 37.a6 Nb6 38.Na5 Rxa6 39.Nxc6 Rxa1 40.Rxa1 Rc8 41.Nxd8 Rxd8 42.Ra5 Ra8 43.Rxc5 Ra2 44.c4 Rd2 45.e6 Rxd3 46.e7 Re3 47.Re5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Rahman,N, Chess.com  2010 

6...h6 7.Na4 Bb4+ 8.c3 Ba5 9.O-O Nf6 



10.h3 b5 

Black believes he has trapped White's offside Knight. He is mistaken. In his attempt to hold things together, he surrenders his advantage. 

11.Qb3+ d5 

Bill suggests 11...Kg6 12.Qxb5 Qe8 and White has grabbed the pawn, but he still has work to do.

12.Qxb5 Qd6 

This move doesn't work. Why not?

13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Qxc6 Qxc6 15.Nxe5+ Ke6 16.Nxc6 Bb6


White is now ahead 3 pawns, and Black's Bishop pair and slightly better development are not adequate compensation.

17.Bf4 Nd5 18.Rfe1+ Kf5 19.Re5+ 



This looks like a simple attempt to exchange his Bishop for the Knight, but it is more than that.

19...Kxf4 20.g3+ Kf3 21.Nxb6 axb6 22.Nd4 checkmate


Very nice.


graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"