BSG: Later on in the Discussion

Last year I presented part of an old discussion about the Blackburne Shilling Gambit and 4.Bxf7+ at ChessGames.com. A year later the discussion continued. Here are relevant parts, with my comments.

Helmut Wieteck - Klaus Dutschke

Lahnstein, 1999

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.d3 Bh6 10.Na3 Bxc1 11.Rxc1 Qxh8 12.Qc5+ Ke8 13.Qxc7 Nf3+ 14.gxf3 Qxb2 15.Kd2 Qxa3 16.Rhg1 Qxa2 17.Qe5+ Kd8 18.Qh8 Qa5+ 19.c3 Qa2+ 20.Rc2 Qe6 21.Qxg8+ Qxg8 22.Rxg8+ Kc7 23.f4 b6 24.f5 a5 25.f6 Black resigned

TheGreatNN: Is 4.Bxf7! the best way to deal with the Blackburne Shilling Gambit? It looks pretty strong here.

acirce: What happens on 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 instead of 7...Qf6?? Or just 5...Ke7!?

TheGreatNN: I don't think 7...hxg6 is any good because after 8.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxg8 white will be up material, even if black will have a bit better development (e.g. by 10...Qg5 11.Rg1 d5 12.Qxd5 Bg4+ 13.Ke1 Qxd5 14.exd5 etc.) My computer, however, came up with 5...Ke6! It then continued 6.Nd3!? Nf6 7.o-o d6 8.b4 Kf7 9.Bb2 Ne6 and it doesn't appear white has good compensation for his sacrifice. (Arasan 3.5, 9 ply.) But ...Ke6 looks like it's just welcoming disaster, so I don't know what to think.

acirce: Actually, he will be down material! After the line you give I feel that White is pretty much just lost. Better looks 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4 and White has 4 pawns for a bishop but has only developed his queen.

5...Ke6 just has to be unsound but maybe 5...Ke7 is simple and working. At least this is not what you're looking for as White generally speaking.

Cyphelium: We were actually discussing this variation more than a year ago, at this thread:

Muhlock vs B Kostic, 1912

I think we agreed on that 4. Bxf7+ is not convincing. The analysis lead to unclear positions were white often had to defend. One amusing line we finally arrived at was 4... Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 8.Qe5+ Ne6 9.Nxh8 d5!? 10.exd5 Bd6 11.Nf7 Kxf7 12.dxe6+ Bxe6 13.Qe2 Qg8 and black seems to have compensation?! Also, the 4...Ke7!? move was mentioned as playable. The conclusion is, I think, that 4.Bxf7+ is likely to lead to messy and unclear positions...

acirce: Without having looked closely at those concrete lines I think I agree... I do think that 7...hxg6 is better than 7...Nf6 though, if White does sac. In the line given in my previous post it is Black who ends up with the compensation for the material.

Cyphelium: Yes, that 7...hxg6 line is another nail in the coffin for 4.Bxf7+. It might be the best...

Seraphina: Actually Ke6 is rather sound, because white is so underdeveloped. I have actually faced it in friendlies (that says it all). The psychological impact is rough though. You feel denuded, exposed, gaaaa... and the opponent feels overconfident (huga huga). In the other variation you give: 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Qc5+ d6 feels safe, but did you look at 10...Ke8 another K move but: it allows faster development for black 11.QxN d5! Black has a piece for four pawns and must now attack hard and fast before white can get organized. This is a game for bluffers. A lot of fun...

Granite: Bxf7+ seems to give good compensation for the piece. You get two central pawns and the black king is also trapped in the center. Moreso, you gain some time in development. So that's 2 pawns, a loose centralized king, and a gain of time for a piece - I'd say it's probably strong enough to be playable.

Rick: The "best" response to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 has to be either 4.0-0, 4.Nxd4, 4.d3, 4.Nc3 or 4.c3.

4.Bxf7+!? is shocking & unexpected and can lead to exciting and/or unclear play which will favor the better-prepared combatant. The updated New Year's Database has 2,676 games with this move. White scored 56% (only 2% of the games were draws).

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Black has two popular defenses, 5...Ke8 and 5...Ke6, and two lesser-played defenses, 5...Ke7 and 5...Kf6.

Seen most often is 5...Ke8, and after 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6, best play for both sides is 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+, when Black can go for the draw-by-repetition with 9...Ke8; or go for an unbalanced (but largely equal) position as acirce suggested above with 9...Nf6 10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4 when White has four pawns for a piece and it is unclear if Black has an open King or open lines for development.

Seraphina's suggestion of 10...Ke8 (followed by 11...d5) instead of 10...d6 is a thoughtful one and a likely improvement, but the battle of piece vs 4 pawns remains contentious.

The problem with Cyphelium's suggested line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 8.Qe5+ Ne6 9.Nxh8 d5!? 10.exd5 Bd6 is that White can play 11.Qe2!? instead of 11.Nf7, with advantage – although the line that he gives, 11.Nf7 Kxf7 12.dxe6+ Bxe6 13.Qe2 Qg8 may be better for White, anyhow, as he is the exchange and three pawns ahead.

Risky, but not necessarily "unsound", 5...Ke6 provokes feelings wonderfully described by Seraphina. In 667 games in the Database, White scores 50% (again, draws make up only 2% of the games). Best seems to be 6.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Ke6 and Black's King runs for cover as White develops his pieces, with roughly an equal game.

After 5...Ke7 (330 games in the Database, White scores 47%, draws are 4%) I think White does best again with 6.c3, and after 6...d6 7.cxd4 dxe5 8.dxe5 Qd3!? the game is unclear, but likely balanced.

Finally, I think 5...Kf6 (78 games in the Database, White scores 60%, draws are 1%) should be met by 6.Nf3, again with an even game.

BSG Talk: Hmmmm....

I was doing a Google search on "4.Bxf7+" to see what was out there on the internet these days, and I ran across a discussion of the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Nd4) at Wikipedia titled "Talk:Italian Game, Blackburne Shilling Gambit", first visited by this blog in "Talk" a couple of years ago.

The writers referenced Wikipedia's article on the BSG, and one opined

Another suggestion not mentioned in the article is that after 1.P-K4,P-K4 2.N-KB3,N-QB3 3.B-B4,N-Q5?...I should have thought the most enterprising way of punishing black's loss of tempo is with 4.BxPcheck!! (eg. ....KXB .NxPcheck etc. with ample compensation for the piece and a probably winning attack. —

This was met at first with skepticism

Disagree. After 5. ... Ke7 white has no way to continue the attack or even getting more piece in to contine. Moving the Queen out 6. Qg4 d6 7. Qg5+ Nf6 =+ or 6. Qh5 can be met with Nf6 =+. Black is better and white's 4. Bxf7 is an unsound sacrifice.

However, after the correction

Mi scusi, per favore. But what about the reply 5. Nxe5 to 4. Bxf7+?! Ke7!?

The skeptic relented

Much to my surprise I agree. After 4. Bxf7+ Ke7 5. Nxe5 White is better, White could of even retreated the bishop by playing 5. Bc4, so 4...Ke7 is not enough.

There is much to comment upon, here...

In "Talk" I had written

I like the thoughts contained in the first paragraph, especially "ample compensation for the piece," although "and a probably winning attack" may be over-stating it a bit.

I still agree – if "ample compensation" means "an even game", which is what White gets against best play by Black.

But what about that line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Ke7 ? Is there more to it than a "Jedi Mind Trick"?

I checked The Database and ran an Opening Report. There are 299 games with that line, and "Black scores badly (31%)." No surprise, there.

What of 5.Nxe5 ? Well, in 125 games "White scores above average (60%)" That sounds okay, right?

But, wait a minute.

With 5.Nxd4 (56 games) White "scores well (72%)".

For that matter, with 5.Bxg8 (60 games) White "scores excellently (78%)" and also with 5.Bc4 (20 games) White "scores excellently (80%)". Likewise with 5.c3 (5 games) White "scores excellently (80%)".

Further, with 5.Bb3 (5 games) White "scores excellently (100%)".

It is important not to get too carried away by the Opening Report, which also says that with 5.0-0 and 5.d3 (5 games each) which allow 5...Kxf7, White still "scores excellently (100%)" — both moves are clearly inferior choices (they lose a piece). For that matter, in The Database the strong 5.Bd5 (6 games) only "scores below average (50%)" for White.

So, play 5.Nxe5 for variety, but retreat (or exchange) the Bishop for the best play.

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit 2

When it comes to the Blackburne Shilling Gambit – 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4!? – White has several moves that can lead to good play: 4.Nxd4 (followed by 5.c3), 4.c3, or even simply 4.0-0.

Or there is the Jerome Gambit-ish 4.Bxf7+


Master Tim McGrew discussed the latter line in one of his "The Gambit Cartel" columns at ChessCafe, titled "A Shilling in the Mailbag".

Dennis Monokroussos sent a note...

Dennis analyzes 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+, “another fun possibility,” he writes, “when Black has to play very accurately to get even a small edge.”

His analysis runs 5...Ke7! 6.c3 d6! 7.Nc4 Nc6 8.d4 Nf6 9.0-0 Kf7. “White probably doesn't have enough for the piece,” Dennis concludes, “but White is better here than Black is after anything normal but 4.Nxe5.”

Does anybody feel like trying Black’s position after 5...Ke6 instead of Dennis’s 5...Ke7? Truly, this begins to look like a line that only a computer could love!

Believe it or not, this has been tried in a tournament game. Wieteck - Dutschke, Lahnstein, 1999 saw 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+!? Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8? Allowing the check at h5 is unwise. 6.Qh5+ (White could also consider 6.c3 Nc6 7.Qh5+ g6 when both 8.Nxc6 and 8.Nxg6 come into consideration.) 6...g6 7.Nxg6 and now Black committed suicide with 7...Qf6??, but after 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+! Nf6 10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4

White has four (!) pawns for the bishop and Black’s king will be exposed long-term.

I cannot resist the opportunity to point out the (distant but discernable) analogy between Dennis’s second line and the Jerome Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+. The Jerome is, of course, completely unsound; it is a kind of miracle, and a tribute to Jerome’s tenacity, that it was analyzed seriously at all.

Dennis has produced a number of chess videos – which I recommend highly, for both their instructional and entertainment value – including "Master Lesson - Improvisation in the Italian Game" which has more recent analysis on the Jerome-ized Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

By the way, I took up Tim's challenge, and gave the position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 to the new Rybka 3.0 for a minute or two. (One of these days I'll let it run overnight.)

Rybka suggested that after 6.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4 Ke6 8.Nc3 d5 things were about equal. Which side would be more comfortable for a person to play, though?

Black could probably eat another pawn with 7...Kxd4 (instead of 7...Ke6) but look at what might happen: 8.Nc3 (8.d3 Ke5 9.Qg4 Ne7 10.Bg5 d5 11.Qh5 Ke6 12.0-0) c6 9.d3 Kc5 10.Bf4 Kb6 11.Qb3+ Ka6 12.a4 b6 13.Nd5 cxd5 14.Qb5 Kb7 15.Qxd5 Ka6 16.0-0 Ne7 17.Qxa8 Nc6 18.a5 bxa5 19.Rfc1 Bb4 20.Rxc6 dxc6 21.Qxc6 and we have a typical drawn position... (Ha!)

All very, very complicated - a line that only a computer could love, as Tim said.

Game examples are very welcome.

A Discussion Continued

After this game was finished, I checked with The Database, and discovered that my opponent and I had "discussed" this opening (over the board) several times previously.

In addition, before I post a game on this blog, I usually "discuss" it with either Houdini 3 or Stockfish 6, hoping for enlightenment.

This time, however, my two electronic "friends" did not always agree in the early stages, occasionally sounding like a couple of know-it-all kibitzers, leaving a current assessment of the opening lines a bit unsettled.

Ironically, the game was tipped by the endgame play of both me and my opponent - as HAL 9000 once said, "It can only be attributable to human error."

perrypawnpusher - michon
blitz, FICS, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 

My opponent declined the piece a couple of times, a couple of years ago, with 4...Ke7, but without success: perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 8) and perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 41). 

5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

Instead, 5...Ke6 was seen in perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 23); while 5...Ke7 was seen in perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0,18). 

6.Qh5+

This move was preferred by Houdini 3 after some deep thought.

Some human input: In over 70% of the over-2,100 relevant Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit games in The Database, White chose 6.Qh5+, scoring 60%.

Instead, Stockfish 6 preferred 6.c3.

Again: In 21% of the relevant Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit games in The Database, 6.c3, was the people's choice, scoring 55%.

I checked, and noticed that 6.c3 was first mentioned on this blog in "Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit", 7 years ago.

Interestingly, an earlier version of Stockfish expressed a preference for 6.c3 about 5 years ago.

The choice of 6.Qa5+ or 6.c3 still seens to be an "Unfinished Discussion" (posted 3 years ago), although it seems that 6.c3 may have appeared in more blog posts than 6.Qh5+.

Here are a couple of examples of the 6.c3 Nc6 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.d4 Qh4 line suggested by Stockfish 6: 9.0-0 (9.g3 Qxe4+ 10.Qe2 Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2 Bg4+ 12.f3 Bf5 13.Re1 Bxb1 14.Kf1+ Be7 15.Rxb1 Kd7 16.Re2 Re8 17.Be3 Nf6 18.c4 Rhf8 19.b4 Ng4 20.Kg2 Nxe3+ 21.Rxe3 Bxb4 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Rxb4 Re2+ 24.Kh3 Rxa2 25.Rxb7 Ra4 26.Kg4 Rxc4 27.Rxa7 Rxd4+ 28.f4 c5 29.Ra8 c4 30.Rh8 c3 31.Rxh7 c2 32.Rxg7+ Kc6 33.Rg6+ Rd6 34.f5 c1Q 35.Rxd6+ cxd6 36.f6 Qc4+ 37.Kf5 Qf1+ 38.Ke6 Qh3+ 39.Ke7 Qd7+ 40.Kf8 d5 41.f7 d4 42.Kg8 Qg4+ 43.Kh8 Qh5+ 44.Kg8 Qg6+ 45.Kf8 d3 46.Ke7 Qxf7+ 47.Kxf7 d2 48.h4 d1Q 49.h5 Qxh5+ White resigned, marinrouge - homerg, FICS, 2002) 9...Ke7 10.Nd2 Nh6 11.Nf3 Qh5 12.Qd3 Kd8 13.Bg5+ Be7 14.Bxh6 gxh6 15.Ne5 Bd6 16.Qg3 Be6 17.f4 Bxe5 18.fxe5 Rg8 19.Qf3 Bg4 20.Qf7 Qxf7 21.Rxf7 Kc8 22.Kh1 b6 23.Raf1 Kb7 24.Rxh7 h5 25.Rff7 Rac8 26.d5 cxd5 27.exd5 Be2 28.d6 Rgf8 29.Rxc7+ Rxc7 30.Rxc7+ Ka6 31.h3 h4 32.Kh2 Bb5 33.Rg7 Bc6 34.e6 b5 35.d7 Rf6 36.Re7 Bd5 37.d8Q Rg6 38.Qc8+ Ka5 39.Qc7+ Ka4 40.Rg7 Rxg7 41.Qxg7 a5 42.Qd4+ b4 43.cxb4 Black lost on time, dzomba - VendettaA, lightning [!], FICS, 2006. 

6...g6 7.Nxg6 

7...hxg6 

Here we have another dispute.

Stockfish 6 prefers 7...Nxc2+, suggesting that after 8.Kd1 hxg6 (8...Nxa1? 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qe5#) 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 10.Qg5+ (Houdini prefers 10.Kxc2 with an edge for White) 10...Ke8 11.Qg6+ Ke7 12.Qg5+ White draws by repeating the position (Houdini prefers 12.Kxc2 with an edge for White).

8.Qxg6+

A number of years ago I got away with the weaker 8.Qxh8?! after 8...Nh6 when 8...Nxc2+, instead, would have led to an edge (Houdini) or an advantage (Stockfish 6) for Black after 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxg8 in perrypawnpusher - tampajake, blitz, FICS 2009 (1-0, 12).

8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6

Here Stockfish 6 says Black has the advantage, while Houdini 3 says the position is equal.

Both prefer the text to 9...Ke8  of perrypawnpusher - adamzzzz, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 39). 

10.Qc5+

Better than 10.e5 of perrypawnpusher - JokeritT, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).

10...d6

Stockfish 6 slightly prefers 10...Ke8 to the text, while Houdini 3 thinks 10...d6 is better. 

11.Qxd4 Be6 

Here, Houdini 3 likes White, while Stockfish 6 prefers Black.

Of course.

For the record, I have also seen:

11...c5 in perrypawnpusher - foreverblackman, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 21) and perrypawnpusher - vlas, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 23);

11...Qd7 in perrypawnpusher - theferno, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28);

and 11...Bg7 in perrypawnpusher - Raankh, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 49). 

12.Nc3

Also possible is 12.f4 c5 when again Houdini 3  likes White, while Stockfish 6 likes Black.

12...Bh6 13.d3 Bxc1 14.Rxc1

Both Stockfish 6 and Houdini 3 suggest 13...c5 first, to displace the White Queen.  

White has four pawns for his sacrificed piece. Even if the position is "objectively" even, his prospects are good at club play level.

The next few moves show that both players are blind to some tactical possibilities, however.

14...Qg8 15.g3 Bh3 16.Nd5+?! Nxd5 17.Qxd5? Qxd5 18.exd5 Rae8 

Both players overlook the fork 18...Bg2! when Black can grab a pawn and increase Kingside pressure after 19.Rg1 Rxh2 20.c4 Rf8.

19.Kd2 Kd7 20.c4 Re7 21.f4 Rhe8 22.Rce1 Rxe1 23.Rxe1 Rxe1 24.Kxe1

Both computer programs see the position as equal.

What follows goes along with suggestion that a bad plan is better than no plan at all - which is a nice way of saying that my bad idea worked, while my opponent missed some good ideas.

24...Bg4 25.Kf2 Ke7 26.Kg2?! Kf6?! 

Black is worried about stopping the Kingside pawns, when he probably should look at using his Bishop to capture a couple of center pawns: 26...Be2 27.d4 Bxc4 28.a3 Bxd5+ 29.Kf2 b6. After this, Black can look to create his own passed pawn, which should counter White's activity.

27.h3 Bd7?!

Again, 27...Be2 was to be preferred. Black's Bishop has to cut down the number of enemy pawns before they become a real problem. 

28.g4 Bxg4

This is tantamount to resignation. White can now develop play on both wings. At least one passer is bound to get through.

29.hxg4 

29...a6 30.Kf3 c5 31.dxc6 bxc6 32.Ke4 Kg6 33.d4 a5 34.b3 Kf6 35.a3 Kg6 36.b4 

Black resigned

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: 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. The following game, and its notes, illustrate this.

Anonymous - Anonymous
5 8 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit, a tricky, trappy line that Black hopes comes as a surprise for White.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, which usually comes as a surprise for Black.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Black often plays 5...Ke8, encouraging White's Queen, as several recent games show: 6.Qh5+ g6 (6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ (7.d3 Nf6 8.Qh4 d6 9.Bg5 dxe5 10.Nc3 Nxc2+ 11.Kd1 Nxa1 12.Nd5+ Kf7 13.Nxf6 Be7 14.Qh5+ g6 15.Qh4 Bxf6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qg3 Rf8 18.f3 Kg8 19.Kd2 Qf4+ 20.Qxf4 exf4 21.Rxa1 Be6 22.Rd1 Bxa2 23.Ke1 Bb3 24.Kf1 White resigned, Akash_12345 - lord-stanly, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 7...Kd6 8.Nc4+ Kc6 9.Qd5 checkmate, Akash_12345 - Oliv99, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 7.Nxg6 hxg6 (7...Nxc2+ 8.Kd1 Nxa1 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Nc3 Bg7 13.Qf7+ Kd6 14.Qxg7 Nf6 15.Nf7+ Black resigned, Akash_12345 - me_am_emson, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 7...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.Nf7+ Ke7 10.Ne5 d6 11.d3 dxe5 12.Bg5 Nxc2+ 13.Kd1 Nxa1 14.Bxf6+ Nxf6 15.Qxe5+ Kf7 16.b3 Bb4 17.Qxa1 Bg4+ 18.f3 Be6 19.Qd4 Be7 20.Qe3 b6 21.Qf4 Bd6 22.e5 Be7 23.exf6 Bxf6 24.g4 Ke7 25.Qxc7+ Bd7 26.Re1+ Be5 27.Rxe5+ Black resigned, Akash_12345 - dibeantonio, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 8.Qe5+ Ne7 9.Qxh8 Black resigned, brunchess34 - Anonymous, Chess.com, 2020, 9...Ng8 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2020.

For the record, The Database has 1,788 games with 5...Ke8, with White scoring 60%.

6.Qg4+ 

The Database has 121 games with this move, with White scoring 42%.

Also recently seen: 6.Qh5 Nf6 7 Qf7+ Kxe5 8.f4+ Kd6 9.e5+ Kc6 10.exf6 Qxf6 11.Qc4+ Kb6 12.O-O a6 13.d3 c5 14.Be3 Be7 15.c3 Nc2 16.Qb3+ Nb4 17.cxb4 Kc7 18.bxc5 Kb8 19.Nc3 d6 20.Nd5 dxc5 21.Nxf6 Black resigned, angelcamina - luquitas2018, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020. The Database has 155 games with 6.Qh5, with White scoring 57%

White's strongest move, "objectively", is 6.c3. The Database has 392 games with 6.c3, with White scoring 62%.

6...Kxe5 7.f4+ Kxe4

One of the reasons White plays 6.Qg4, is so that if Black grabs the Knight, he can offer more material with 7.f4+, because if Black grabs the e-pawn... What happens next??

Don't worry. White was asked this question 24 times in The Database, and only scored 50 %.

Wait until next time! That's why I analyze games and share them. 

8.d3+ Kd5 9.c4+ Kc6 10.O-O Nc2 

There is nothing exactly wrong with this move, but shouldn't Black be thinking about safeguarding his King, not grabbing more material? If I were White, even though I was down 2 pieces, I would feel a stirring of hope.

11.Qf3+ Kb6 12.Qf2+ c5 

Proof that Black considers the game already won. Otherwise, what move would he have played that definitely would have produced "resigns"?

13.Qxc2 Qf6 

Amazingly enough, now, with 14.Nc3 (with the plan to go to d5) White would equalize.

14.Qb3+ Kc7 15.Qa3 d6 16.Nc3 Qd4+ 17.Kh1 Qxd3 

Time error?

18.Nb5+ Black resigned

Ow.

White never gave up.

BSHG: Know Your Defense

In the following game, White is more familiar with the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit than Black is with the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. The result is predictable.

Mbokharie - saeedhashem1988

10 5 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Or 5...Ke7 6.c3 Ne6 7.d4 d6 8.Nf3 Nf6 9.d5 Nc5 10.Bg5 Ncxe4 11.Bxf6+ gxf6 12.O-O Bf5 13.Re1 Kd7 14.Nd4 Bg6 15.Qg4+ f5 16.Nxf5 Nf6 17.Qh3 c6 18.Ng7+ Kc7 19.Ne6+ Kb6 20.Nxd8 Rxd8 21.Qe3+ c5 22.Na3 a6 23.Nc4+ Ka7 24.b4 b5 25.Na5 Nxd5 26.Qf3 Rd7 27.Qxd5 Bg7 28.bxc5 Bf7 29.Qd2 d5 30.c6 Rc7 31.Qe3+ Black resigned, Mbokharie - baba_jdw78, lichess.org, 2023; or 

5...Ke8 6.c3 Nc6 (6...Ne6 7.d4 Qf6 8.O-O d6 9.Qa4+ Ke7 10.f4 c6 11.Nf3 b5 12.Qc2 Ba6 13.e5 Qf7 14.exd6+ Kd7 15.f5 Nd8 16.Ne5+ Kc8 17.Nxf7 Nxf7 18.Qe4 Bxd6 19.Qxc6+ Kb8 20.Qxa6 Ne7 21.Qxb5+ Kc7 22.Qa5+ Kd7 23.Nd2 g6 24.fxg6 hxg6 25.h3 Ng5 26.Nc4 Nf5 27.Nxd6 Kxd6 28.Bxg5 Black resigned, Mbokharie - sohaib75, lichess.org, 2023) 7.Qh5+ Ke7 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc5 10.Qd5 checkmate, Mbokharie - saeedhashem1988, lichess.org, 2023. 

6.c3 Qg5 

This is the thematic move for the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, but better in this position was 6...Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Ke6 8.d5+ Kd6 9.d4 Qh4 10.Nc3 c6 11.e5+ Kc7 12.d6+ Bxd6 13.exd6+ Kxd6 14.O-O Nf6 15.Qf3 Kc7 16.Bf4+ d6 17.Bg3 Qg4 18.Qxg4 Nxg4 19.Ne4 Rd8 20.Rac1 Bf5 21.Nc3 Rac8 22.Nb5+ Kb8 23.Nxd6 Rxd6 24.Bxd6+ Ka8 25.Rfe1 Nf6 26.Re7 Be4 27.Rxg7 Bd5 28.Be5 Ne4 29.Rxh7 Bxa2 30.f3 Ng5 31.Rh8 Rxh8 32.Bxh8 Ne6 33.Re1 Kb8 34.Re5 Kc8 35.Rf5 Kc7 36.Be5+ Kb6 37.h4 a5 38.h5 Bb1 39.Rf6 Ng5 40.h6 a4 41.d5 Bd3 42.dxc6 bxc6 43.Rd6 Bf5 44.Bf4 Ne6 45.Be3+ Kc7 46.Rd2 Nf8 47.g4 Bh7 48.Bc5 Ng6 49.Rd6 Nh4 50.Kf2 Ng6 51.g5 Kb7 52.Rd7+ Black resigned, Mbokharie - baba_jdw78, lichess.org, 2023 

7.cxd4 Qxg2 8.Qb3+ Kd6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd8 11.Qxf8 checkmate

Opening Reports on the New Year's Database

Using the New Year's Database of Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+), and Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0/4.Nc3/4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+) games, I enlisted ChessBase8 to run a series of Opening Reports. The results were enlightening.

Starting with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, the Report found 6,507 games. White "scored badly" at 44%, while Black scored 56%.

As for Black's replies, 4...Kxf7 was played in 6,124 games, when Black "scored well" with 56%, as compared to scoring "averagely" (46%) with 4...Kf8 and "badly" with 4...Ke7 (30%).

These statistics, like all statistics, should be taken with a grain of salt. Still, it is clear at this point that Black gains nothing (and White loses nothing) by avoiding the capture of the Bishop. Too, if the Opening Report considers 46% to be "average", White's 44% is not far off the mark.

Finally, the Critical Line is given as 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qe7 where White scores 33%. This is interesting, but Readers know that 6...Qh4+ is the actual critical line, even if it has scored poorly in the database.

I re-ran the Opening Report after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 and was not surprised to find that while 5.Nxe5+ was played in 2,677 games and scored "averagely" with 53%, all other White choices scored "below average" (5.c3 47%;), "badly" (5.b3 43%; 5.d4 40%; 5.0-0 36%;) or "miserably" (5.Qe2 33%; 5.d3 32%; 5.a3 31%; 5.h4 31%; 5.Nc3 27%; 5.c4 25%; 5.Ng5 23%; 5.g3 0%; 5.Ng1 0%) – with the exception of 5.b4, transposing to the Jerome Evans Gambit, where White scored "well" at 67% (in 6 games).

I re-ran the Opening Report on 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+, and noticed that White scored 74% against 5...Ke8; 67% against 5...Ke7; 53% against 5...Nxe5; 45% against 5...Kf8; and 38% against 5...Ke6.

Clearly that last move needs more analysis on behalf of White. 

In general, it still looks like White does best to stick with the Jerome Gambit "book" and that Black takes more risks when he knowingly or unknowingly plays away from "book".

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

Talk

Wikipedia not only has a listing for the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 Bxf7+), among many chess openings, (see "Hey, Wiki, it's me, Ricky..."), it also has coverage of the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4)

Recently on Wikipedia I stumbled across Talk: Blackburne Shilling Gambit which had the following:

...Another suggestion not mentioned in the article is that after 1.P-K4,P-K4 2.N-KB3,N-QB3 3.B-B4,N-Q5?...I should have thought the most enterprising way of punishing black's loss of tempo is with 4.BxP check!! (eg. ....KXB 5.NxPcheck etc. with ample compensation for the piece and a probably winning attack. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 212.85.28.67 (talk) 12:52, 28 February 2009 (UTC)

Disagree. After 5...Ke7 white has no way to continue the attack or even getting more piece in to contine. Moving the Queen out 6. Qg4 d6 7. Qg5+ Nf6 =+ or 6. Qh5 can be met with Nf6 =+. Black is better and white's 4. Bxf7 is an unsound sacrifice. SunCreator (talk) 15:04, 28 February 2009 (UTC)

If one likes this sort of sacrifice for White (compare the Cochrane Gambit against Petroff's Defense: 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7?!), it seems to me that one ought to play against the Blackburne Shilling Gambit 4.Nxe5!? Qg5 5.Bxf7+! Ke7 6.0-0, which gives White a similar but much improved form of piece sacrifice. In that line, White gets to chase around not only Black's king, but also his knight (c3) and queen (d4) with gain of tempo. Krakatoa (talk) 22:06, 28 February 2009 (UTC)

I like the thoughts contained in the first paragraph, especially "ample compensation for the piece," although "and a probably winning attack" may be over-stating it a bit.

The second paragraph seems to miss White's best play against 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 – White should probably play 6.c3 Nc6 7.d4 with an okay game.

Paragraph three suggests 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.0-0 – which, after the natural 6...Qxe5 7.Bxg8 Rxg8 8.c3 Nc6 9.d4 is similar to the line just mentioned. (Geoff Chandler finished off a troubled Stockbridge "NN" in 1983 with 9...Qa5 10.d5 Ne5 11.Qh5 Nf7 12.d6+)

Bots on Our Side (Part 2)

As I noted in the previous post, I have written here about computer vs computer Jerome Gambit games, and about human vs computer Jerome Gambit games (see "Ionman vs the Bots").

The other day I also ran into some games in The Database where a computer, GriffyJr at FICS - which had starred as the defender against Ionman in the Jerome Gambit games mentiond above - was playing White.

Like the play of GriffySr, I wanted to see what "junior" was playing!

GriffyJr - ManOOwar
FICS, 2003

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian game. If Black plays ...Bc5 at some point, it can turn into a Jerome Gambit. White needs a "waiting" move or two.

4.d4

Or 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 d6 6.dxe5 Nxe5 7.Nxe5 dxe5 8.Bxf7+ Ke7 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.Nd2 Bd6 11.b4 Rf8 12.Bc4 Bd7 13.O-O b5 14.Bb3 Re8 15.a4 bxa4 16.Bxa4 Bxa4 17.Rxa4 Ke7 18.Rd1 Reb8 19.f3 Kf8 20.Nc4 Rd8 21.Be3 a6 22.Rda1 Ne8 23.b5 a5 24.Nxa5 Be7 25.Nc6 Rxa4 26.Rxa4 Rd3 27.Kf2 Rxc3 28.Nxe5 Bd6 29.Ng6+ Kf7 30.Nh8+ Kg8 31.Ng6 Rc2+ 32.Kf1 Rb2 33.e5 Bf8 34.Rf4 Rb1+ 35.Kf2 Rb2+ 36.Kg3 Black forfeited on time, GriffyJr - ABOSS, FICS, 2009.

4...Nxd4 

Better is the capture 4...exd4 5.Nxd4 (5.c3 dxc3 6.Nxc3 Na5 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qh5+ Ke7 10. Qxa5 Nf6 11.e5 Ng4 12.h3 c6 13.Qxd8+ Kxd8 14.hxg4 d5 15.Ng5 Kc7 16.e6 Be7 17.Bf4+ Kb6 18.Nf7 Rf8 19.Be3+ Kc7 20.Nxd5+ Kb8 21.Bf4+ Bd6 22.Bxd6,  checkmate GriffyJr - godina, FICS, 2009) 5...Bc5 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxc5 Nf6 (9...Ne7 10.O-O d6 11.Qd4 Be6 12.Nc3 Rf8 13.Bxh6 Rg8 14.Rad1 c5 15.Qd3 Nc6 16.Qg3 Ne5 17.f4 Nd7 18.Bg5 Qc8 19.Rf3 Nf6 20.Bxf6 Kxf6 21.e5+ Ke7 22.exd6+ cxd6 23.f5 Bxf5 24.Rxd6 c4 25.Qe5+ Kf7 26.Rf6+ Kg7 27.R6xf5+ Kh7 28.Rh3 checkmate, GriffyJr - korrigan, FICS, 2009) 10.e5 Nd5 (10...Qe8 11.O-O Nd5 12.c4 Nb6 13.Na3 Ba6 14.Bf4 Kg7 15.e6 Rf8 16.Qe3 g5 17.Be5+ Kg8 18.exd7 Qxd7 19.Rad1 Qf5 20.b3 Rae8 21.Rde1 Nd7 22.Qxa7 Nxe5 23.Qxa6 Nd3 24.Rxe8 Rxe8 25.Qxc6 Re1 26.f3 Rxf1+ 27.Kxf1 Nf4 28.Qe8+ Kg7 29.Qe7+ Kg6 30.Qe8+ Kf6 31.Qf8+ Ke5 32.Qg7+ Qf6 33.Qxc7+ Kf5 34.Qh7+ Qg6 35.Qxg6+ Nxg6 36.b4 Ne5 37.Ke2 Kf4 38.g3+ Kf5 39.b5 Ke6 40.b6 Kd6 41.f4 Nc6 42.fxg5 hxg5 43.Ke3 Kc5 44.b7 Kb6 45.Nb5 Kxb7 46.a4 Na5 47.Kd4 Kc6 48.g4 Nb3+ 49.Ke5 Kc5 50.Nd6 Kb4 51.Kf6 Kxa4 52.Kxg5 Kb4 53.Kf6 Kc5 54.Ke5 Nd4 55.h3 Nf3+ 56.Kf4 Nh4 57.Ke5 Ng6+ 58.Kf5 Ne7+ 59.Ke6 Nc6 60.h4 Kd4 61.h5 Ne5 62.g5 Ng4 63.g6 Ke3 64.g7 Black resigned, GriffyJr - VovaWest, FICS, 2009) 11.O-O Bb7 (11...Qe7 12.Qd4 Qe6 13.c4 Ne7 14.Nc3 Nf5 15.Qe4 Rb8 16.Rd1 Bb7 17.f3 c5 18.Qf4 g5 19.Qg4 Nd4 20.Qxe6+ Kxe6 21.f4 gxf4 22.Bxf4 Rhg8 23.g3 h5 24.Na4 d6 25.Nc3 Rbf8 26.Bh6 Rf3 27.exd6 cxd6 28.Re1+ Kd7 29.Rad1 h4 30.Ne2 Nf5 31.Bf4 hxg3 32.hxg3 Ba6 33.Kg2 Rxf4 34.Nxf4 Rxg3+ 35.Kf2 Bxc4 36.Re5 Rg5 37.Rxc5 Bxa2 38.Ra5 Be6 39.Rxa7+ Kc6 40.Nxe6 Nh4 41.Nxg5 Nf5 42.Ra5 Black resigned, GriffyJr - Zugzwango, FICS, 2009) 12.Na3 d6 13.Qd4 Qe7 14.Nc4 c5 15.Qg4 dxe5 16.Qe4 Rae8 17.Re1 Kf6 18.Qf3+ Kg7 19.Nxe5 Qf6 20.Qe4 Rhf8 21.Bxh6+ Kxh6 22.Ng4+ Kg7 23.Nxf6 Rxe4 24.Nxe4 Nb4 25.Nxc5 Bc6 26.Ne6+ Kf7 27.Nxf8 Kxf8 28.Re2 Bb5 29.Rd2 c5 30.a3 Nc6 31.Re1 Nd4 32.Re5 a6 33.Rxc5 Ne6 34.Re5 Kf7 35.Rd6 Nf4 36.b3 Be8 37.c4 Nh5 38.Kf1 Black resigned, GriffyJr - Hatashi, FICS, 2002. 

There is also 4...d6 5.dxe5 Nxe5 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.Bxf7+ Ke7 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 c6 10.Be3 Nf6 11.O-O-O+ Kc7 12.f3 Bd7 13.a3 Rd8 14.Kb1 Bd6 15.Bxa7 b6 16.Bxb6+ Kxb6 17.Rxd6 Kc7 18.Rdd1 Be8 19.Rxd8 Kxd8 20.Rd1+ Ke7 21.Bb3 Bf7 22.Bxf7 Kxf7 23.Rd6 Rc8 24.a4 Ke7 25.Rd3 Nh5 26.a5 Nf4 27.Rd2 Ne6 28.Kc1 Nc7 29.Kd1 Rd8 30.Rxd8 Kxd8 31.Ke2 Kd7 32.Ke3 g5 33.Kd3 Kd6 34.Na4 Na6 35.Nb6 Kc7 36.Nc4 Nc5+ 37.Ke3 Nd7 38.a6 Kb8 39.h4 Ka7 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Nd6 Kxa6 42.Nf7 Kb5 43.Nxg5 Kc4 44.Ne6 Nc5 45.b3+ Kc3 46.Nxc5 Kxc2 47.g4 Kc3 48.Kf2 Kd4 49.Ne6+ Kc3 50.g5 Kxb3 51.g6 Kb4 52.g7 c5 53.Ke2 c4 54.g8=Q c3 55.Qb8+ Kc4 56.Qb1 Black resigned, GriffyJr - ManchesterUtd, FICS, 2009.

5.Bxf7+ 

GriffyJr treats the position as if it were a Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+). White's loss of his d-pawn actually helps the attack. 

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8

This move allows a forced checkmate - which GriffyJr misses!

No matter; White still has a won game.

Not much better was 6...Ke6 7.Qxd4 Nf6 8.Ng6 Kf7 9.Nxh8+ Kg8 10.Ng6 c5 11.Qd3 Be7 12.O-O d6 13.Bf4 Qb6 14.Nxe7+ Kf7 15.Bxd6 Qxb2 16.Nc3 Be6 17.e5 Nd7 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.Nf5+ Kg8 20.Qxg7 checkmate, GriffyJr - itsanelmo, FICS, 2009. 

7.Qh5+ Ke7 

7...g6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc6 (10...Kc5 11.Qd5+ Kb4 12.Bd2+ Ka4 13.Qa5 checkmate GriffyJr - augustwest, FICS, 2006) 11.Qd5 checkmate, GriffyJr - RedPimpernel, FICS, 2004

8.Ng6+

The mate is 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc5 10.Qd5+ Kb4 11.Bd2+ Ka4 13.Qa5, the same idea as in the later game against augustwest, above.

8...Kf6 9.Qh4+

Instead, 9.Nxh8 was stronger, but the bot knows that many human players do not like to lose their Queen...

9...Kxg6 10.Qxd8 Be7 11.Qxc7 Black resigned

These moves also occurred in GriffyJr - materialist, FICS, 2001