No Ideas vs No Time

The following game is a standard Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+): White sacrifices a piece for two pawns, eventually gets his piece back for one pawn and enjoys a small edge.

Then – he has no idea what to do next.

perrypawnpusher  - taman
blitz FICS, 2010

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

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

One of the standard refutations, although it does allow White to get rid of the enemy dark-square Bishop, which in turn allows an early f2-f4 and a march of the "Jerome pawns".

7.Qd5+

I still like this "nudge" and my opponent often takes time to try to  figure out What is he doing?? (I just want the Black King on the back rank, to interfere with any plans of castling-by-hand; plus, I want my opponent taking time to try to figure out what I'm doing...) 

7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3

9...N8e7

I haven't seen this move played often, although it is very logical: Black will bring his Rook to f8.

10.f4

Or 10.0-0 Be6 (10...Rf8 11.d4 Rf7 12.f4 Nc6 13.f5 Nge7 14.g4 Kf8 15.c3 Kg8 16.Na3 Qf8 17.Bd2 Bd7 18.Rae1 a6 19.c4 Re8 20.e5 dxe5 21.dxe5 Nxe5 22.Qxe5 Nxf5 23.Qxc7 Rxe1 24.Bxe1 Bc6 25.Qb6 Nh4 Black resigned, mrjoker - tomnoah, ICC, 2008) 11.d4 c6 12.f4 Bc4 13.Rf3 Qd7 14.b3 Bf7 15.f5 Nf8 16.f6 gxf6 17.Rxf6 Bg6 18.Ba3 Ng8 19.Rxd6 Qg4 20.Nd2 Rd8 21.e5 Rxd6 22.exd6+ Kd7 23.Re1 Ne6 24.Qe5 Qxd4+ 25.Qxd4 Nxd4 26.Nc4 Nxc2 27.Ne5+ Kd8 28.Rf1 Nxa3 29.Rf8+ Be8 30.d7 Ke7 31.dxe8Q+ Kd6 32.Nf7+ Black resigned, Chemistry - Chamaeleon, ICC, 2003

10...Rf8

11.0-0 Nc6 12.f5 Nge5 13.d4 Ng4 14.Qg3 h5

See "Out of a clear sky..." for tales of Knights-that-go-to-g4.

15.Be3

I didn't like this move, but I couldn't think of something better. After the game Rybka suggested 15.h3 Nf6 16.Nc3, since after 16...Nxd4 White has 17.e5 dxe5 18.Qxe5+ Kf7 19.Rd1 Nc6 20.Qe2 Qe7 21.Qc4+ Ke8 22.Bg5 Ne5 23.Qd4 Nc6 24.Qc4 Ne5 25.Qd4 Nc6 26.Qc4 Ne5 when it suggests that White take the draw by repetition.

analysis diagram






15...Nxe3 16.Qxe3 Qf6 17.c3

This was probably the hardest move in the game for me to play. Too often I try to get Jerome Gambit to act like The Incredible Hulk – you know, Hulk Smash!! – when a quieter and more effective line is available.

17...g6 18.Nd2 g5

Confidently preparing for a counter-attack, but I do not think that this is best, as it lets my pawns advance.

19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Qxe5 21.Qxe5+ Nxe5

22.Rae1 Kf7 23.Rxe5 Kf6

I was happy to reach this position, being a pawn up in the end game – always a reasonable outcome for a refuted opening.

I think my opponent was happy, too, having turned away a scary attack – in fact, it is not immediately clear how much Black's Bishop vs Knight (pawns on both sides of the board) advantage offsets that extra pawn.

The truth is that White is quite a bit better here, but that understanding is based on a tactic that I missed.

24.Re2

Consolidating.

Instead, the Rook needed to remain active: 24.Rc5. Black's best response would have been to activate his Rook as well, with 25...Re8. I saw this far, but also saw that after 25.Rxc7 Black simply had 25...Bxf5, swapping pawns.

The trick is that White then has 26.Rc5 (the active Rook again) Re5 27.Rxe5 Kxe5 28.Nf3+ – when Black cannot now protect his pawn at g5 with 28...Kf6 because of 29.Nd4, winning the Bishop. After 28...Kd5 29.Nxg5 it is clear that White's Knight plus two pawns will outweigh Black's Bishop.

analysis diagram







24...Bd7

The pawn was free to be taken, instead. 

25.Ne4+ Kg7 26.f6+

Simpler and better was to exchange the sickly f-pawn for Black's g-pawn, 26.Nxg5 Bxf5, remaining with an edge. I could see that, but I kept thinking: there has to be more in this position – and I couldn't find it.

The only things going right for me at this point were that I was ahead on time, and that my opponent continued to think that I was up to something.

26...Kg6 27.Rfe1

Same criticism: better to let the weaky go with 27.f7 Rxf7 28.Rxf7 Kxf7 29.Nxg5+.

27...h4

Suspecting (correctly) that I was just shuttling pieces at this point, (trying not to make things worse) my opponent went in for a plan that would eat up a few moves – he was beginning to feel the time crunch.

28.c4 g4 29.Rf2

29...Rae8 30.Rfe2 Bc6 31.Nd2 Rd8

32.Ne4 h3 33.gxh3 gxh3 34.Kf2 Rde8 35.Kg3 Black forfeited on time

White has a small edge in the final position, but Black can exchange his Bishop for White's Knight and then win the f6-pawn, leaving White to win the h3-pawn. It is not clear then that White's extra pawn at h2 would be worth much in a two Rook vs two Rook endgame. 

Jedi Mind Tricks

Other than a few rather inexplicable moves, this game progresses as might be expected for two club players: my opponent tosses the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4) at me and I counter with a form of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). But what about those strange moves...?

perrypawnpusher - zadox
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ Ke7

Highly irregular. There can be only one reason that my opponent (rated higher than me) would do this...

5.Bxg8 Ke8

Stranger still.

6.Nxe5

No, no, no, no, no... This is the only move that gives the BSG any power! 

Clearly, this is some kind of Jedi "mind trick"!

Simple enough was 6.Nxd4 exd4 7.Bg3 or 6.Nxd4 Rxg8 7.Nf3 with a clear advantage to White.

6...Qg5

7.Nf3

More madness. White should castle and then retreat whichever piece Black doesn't capture – leaving a pawn or two up.

Now Black is better.

7...Qxg2 8.Nxd4 Qxh1+ 9.Ke2

9...Qxd1+

Strange.

Instead, 9...Qxe4+ 10.Kf1 Rxg8 11.Qe2 Qxe2+ 12.Nxe2 d5 and Black has won the exchange, has the two Bishops and will develop faster.  

10.Kxd1 Rxg8

Black is still for choice, but I have time to catch my breath.

11.d3 d6 12.Nc3 Bg4+ 13.f3 Bh5 14.Bg5 c5

15.Nf5 Bxf3+ 16.Kd2 h6

A messy position, but I felt that I had made some progress.

17.Bf4 g6

18.Nxd6+ Bxd6 19.Bxd6 Kd7 20.Bxc5 b6

Black's Kingside has the possibility of developing a passed pawn, but otherwise I was comfortable with two "Jerome pawns" for the exchange.

21.Be3 Rac8

This and Black's next move allow me to get my Rook into play, to gather more pawns.

22.Rf1 Bg4 23.Rf7+

In the absence of any pawn play on the Kingside, White is going to maintain an initiative.

23...Ke6 24.Rxa7 g5 25.Ra6 Rc6 26.Nd5 Rgc8

27.Rxb6 Kd7

Allowing further problems.

28.Rxc6 Kxc6 29.Ne7+ Black resigned

Pawn Wave

Whether it is in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.various Bc5 5.Bxf7+), or the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nc4 4.Bxf7+), the pawns that White receives for his sacrificed piece(s) are very important. Sometimes these "Jerome pawns" advance like a wall and make mischief. Sometimes they advance like a wave.

perrypawnpusher - theferno
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

Wow – didn't I just play this?

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+

I'm sure glad that I read this blog, where this line was recently analyzed.

The New Year's Database has 61 games with this line, with White scoring 61%. (Remember the caution about statistics: Your mileage may vary.)

8... Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6

This move is stronger than 9...Ke8, which should have led to a draw after 10.Qg6+ etc. Instead, perrypawnpusher - adamzzzz, blitz FICS, 2009 continued: 10.Qe5+ Qe7 11.Qxd4 Bg7 12.Qc4 Kd8 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.0-0 c6 15.d4 d5 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 cxd5 18.Qxd5+ Qd7 19.Bg5+ Kc7 20.Qc5+ Qc6 21.Qxc6+ bxc6 22.c3 Rb8 23.b3 Rh5 24.Bf4+ Kb7 25.Bxb8 Kxb8 26.Rae1 Ba6 27.Re8+ Kc7 28.Rfe1 Bh6 29.R8e5 Rxe5 30.Rxe5 Bd2 31.c4 Bc3 32.Re4 Bb7 33.d5 cxd5 34.cxd5 Bxd5 35.Re7+ Kb6 36.h4 Bf6 37.Rd7 Be6 38.Rd6+ Kc7 39.Rxe6 Black resigned

10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4

Fritz8 gives a slight edge to Black here, but I am sure that any Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member would be happy with the four pawns that White has in exchange for his sacrificed Bishop.

11...Qd7

I am not sure of Black's idea, here. Perhaps he initially thought of following this up with ...Qd7-g4 – a good idea against my next move (12.f3 was more to the point). Otherwise, 11...Bg7 was a good alternative.

12.Nc3 Bg7

Again, 12...Qg4 was a reasonable choice.

13.Nd5+

After the game Rybka preferred: 13.h3 b5 14.d3 c5 15.Qe3 Bb7 16.Ne2 Kd8 with and edge to White. Must be the pawns.

analysis diagram






13...Nxd5

This capture is a mistake. Better, according to Rybka, was 13...Kf7 14.Ne3 Qc6 15.d3 Ng4 16.Qd5+ Qxd5 17.Nxd5 Nxh2 18.Ke2 c6 19.Ne3 Be6 20.f4 Rag8 21.Bd2 Ke7 22.Bc3 Bxc3 23.bxc3 when Black's pieces put good pressure on White's pawns, for an advantage.

analysis diagram





14.Qxg7+ Ke6 15.Qxh8 Nb4

White is up the exchange – plus those great Kingside pawns – so the next move is not hard to understand.

16.Qh3+ Ke7 17.Qxd7+ Bxd7 18.Kd1 Rf8

Black has a temporary advantage in development, but once White is safe, the pawns can roll.

19.f3 Kd8 20.d3 d5

21.Bg5+ Kc8 22.e5 Rf5 23.f4 d4 24.g4 Rf8 25.f5

25...Nd5 26.e6 Bc6 27.Re1 Rg8 28.h4

Black resigned

Walled In

The following game, featuring a Semi-Italian Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6) with a Jerome Gambit twist (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), shows how much you can achieve with a basic "sac and attack" attitude.

Of particular interest is the positional role that the "Jerome pawns" play early on.

 Wall - Ydiens

blitz 15 0, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

4.Bxf7+

Bill Wall is determined to have his attack, and wastes no time on "tempo moves" like 4.0-0 or 4.Nc3 or even 4.d3 which would give Black a chance to move his Bishop to where it could become a target at c5.

What surprised me when I looked up this position in the New Year's Database was how frequently 4.Bxf7+ had been played – there are 857 such games. Alas, White scored only 39% in them. (Of course, that could mean that Bill hasn't played enough 4.Bxf7+ games yet, so he hasnt' had much chance to boost the average.)

By contrast, there were only 157 games which went 4.0-0, 4.Nc3, or 4.d3 followed by 4...Bc5 5.Bxf7+. White scored 51% in them. (4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ scored best at 85%).

4...Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6

6.d4 

At this point, out of the blue, I remembered another Wall game, a proto-Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit: Wall - Vargas, San Antonio, 1979: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 h6 6.Nh4 Nxe4 7.Qh5 g6 8.Bxf7+ Kxf7 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 10.Nf5 checkmate

analysis diagram





6...exd4 7.e5

Let's say you were going to play the Max Lange, but your opponent played ...h7-h6 instead of ...Bf8-c5, and you wanted to play e4-e5 without Black responding ...d7-d5 – hitting your Bishop – so you decide to sac your Bishop before he gets the chance...

Okay, okay, actually I don't know what's going on, but like a Supreme Court justice once said, "I don't know what 'good chess' is, but I know it when I see it!"

Or something like that.

7...Nd5 8.Nxd4 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 c6

Black has a piece for a pawn, but his practical difficulties give White some compensation: the unsheltered King and the poor state of Black's development.

10.c4 Ne7 11.c5 Nd5

The Knight has gotten a little exercise, but the "Jerome pawns" have been working, too. With Black so cramped, White doesn't feel a need to hurry.

12.Nc3 Nxc3 13.Qxc3 Be7

It seems a bit contrary to advise Black to not develop a piece, but attacking the advanced pawn at c5 with ...b7-b6, on this move or the next, was better.

14.f4 Re8 15.f5

15...Bg5

We've seen this kind of position before: the computer says that things are about even, but White's position is a lot more fun to play.

16.Qb3+ Kf8

Rybka prefers 16...d5 17.cxd6+ Kf8, although one glance is enough to know why Black avoided that line: the pawns!

17.f6

17...g6 18.Bxg5 hxg5 19.Qh3

The end is near. The pawns are still walling Black in.

19...d5 20.Qh8+ Kf7 21.e6+ Black resigned