With the time control being a speedy 5 5, the following "Delayed Jerome Gambit" game was more of a brawl than anything like serious chess. I'm glad that I got the last clout in.
perrypawnpusher - Tlslevens
blitz 5 5, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 a6
Okay, this is not a "proper" Jerome Gambit, but there is always the possibility of a "Delayed Jerome Gambit," should my opponent choose.
4.0-0 Bc5
Other delayed Jerome Gambits arrived after 4...Bb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.Bxf7+ (perrypawnpusher - dabbling, blitz, FICS, 2009); and
4...h6 5.Nc3 Nf6 (5...Bc5 6.Bxf7+ perrypawnpusher - angelosgoulianos, blitz, FICS, 2007) 6.d3 Bc5 7.Bxf7+, perrypawnpusher - tschup, blitz, FICS, 2010.
5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke6
I've looked at this move in the regular Jerome Gambit, after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6, in "A Strange, But Intriguing, Path (Part 1)", "(Part 2)" and "(Part 3)".
It's funny that in two subsequent games (perrypawnpusher - johnde, blitz, FICS, 2010 and perrypawnpusher - crayongod, blitz, FICS, 2010) I forgot my recommended continuation, 6.Qg4+!?.
It should come as no surprise that I forgot it in the current game in the Delayed Jerome Gambit, too...
7.Qh5
White gets the advantage with 7.Qg4+ Kxe5 8.d4+, whereas the text allows Black to keep his advantage – and transpose back into more "normal" Jerome Gambit lines.
7...Nxe5 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.d4
The position is similar to one from the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, where Black has played 3...h6 instead of the 3...a6 in this game. Because the Black Bishop is still alive at c5, White has to make the less effective d-pawn move, instead of being able to play f2-f4.
9...Bxd4 10.Rd1 c5 11.c3 Nh6
Who invited him to the fight? Black chooses an "aggressive" move, when he should have stayed with the more purposeful 11...Kc7.
12.Qh3
White would have an edge after the complex 12.Bxh6 Rf8 13.Bg5 g6 14.cxd4 gxf5 15.dxe5+ Kxe5 16.Bxd8 Rxd8 instead.
12...Kc6 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Rxd4 d6
White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece, but Black's vulnerable King makes the game close to even.
15.Qc3+ Kd7 16.Bf4 Nhg4
This Knight can provide its support more effectively from f7.
17.h3 Nxf2
A wild sacrifice – but this kind of thing can be successful in fast games, where attacking is everything.
After the game Fritz8 recommended 17...Qf6 18.Bg3 Nh6 19.Bxe5 Qxe5 20.Nd2 Qe7 when White is better.
18.Kxf2
Sloppy. Best was 18.Bxe5, as the Knight on f2 has nowhere safe to go. After 18...Qh4 19.Bg3 Nxh3+ 20.gxh3 White is up a piece and clearly better.
18...Qh4+
Swinging wildly. The proper way to counter-attack was 18...Qf6 leading to a balanced game.
19.g3
Better 19.Bg3.
19...Qxh3 20.Bxe5 Rf8+ 21.Ke2
As smart as poking myself in the eye. Instead, 21.Bf4 kept White's advantage, while now Black has a forced checkmate.
21...Qg2+
Now Black is landing the punches, but he missed 21...Qf1+ 22.Ke3 Rf3+ 23.Kd2 Rf2+ 24.Ke3 Qe2 checkmate. We were moving quickly.
22.Kd3 Rf3+ 23.Kc4 Rxc3+ 24.Nxc3
White has only a Knight and a Rook for his Queen, and his King is in more danger than Black's.
24...Qxb2 25.Rxd6+ Ke7
A blitz slip.
26.Nd5+ Kf7 27.Bxb2
Whew! Now I'm winning again.
27...Be6 28.Rf1+ Black resigned
I was wandering through the updated New Years Database and noticed that about once a year someone playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) makes a particular unfortunate oversight and gets crushed...
drumme - Cascagians
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4
6...Qf6 7.dxe5 Qxf2 checkmate
Last year the same moves (and result) showed up in Nusiance - acuriel, blitz FICS 2009.
Two years ago, the Black Queen went to h4, instead, with the same outcome: 6...Qh4 7.dxe5 Qxf2 checkmate, stretto - DjinnKahn, FICS, 2008.
Take care: Forwarned is forarmed!
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.
perrypawnpusher - dkahnd
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5
4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8
7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qe7
Starting the counter-attack in the center.
9.Nc3
Alternatives: 9.d3 d5 (9...Nf6 10.0-0 Qe5 11.Qf3 Bg4 12.Qg3 Qxg3 13.hxg3 Ke7 14.c3 Be2 15.Re1 Bxd3 16.e5 Ng4 17.exd6+ Kxd6 18.Be3 Nxe3 19.fxe3 Ke6 20.Nd2 Rad8 21.Kh2 Rhf8 22.Nf3 Rf6 23.e4 Rh6+ 24.Nh4 g5 25.Rad1 gxh4 26.g4 Bd6+ 27.Kh3 Bb5 28.Rd4 Bg3 29.Red1 Rxd4 30.cxd4 Bd7 31.b3 Rg6 32.e5 h5 White resigned, Petasluk - pawnloss, FICS 2006) 10.0-0 dxe4 11.Re1 Qd6 12.Bf4 Qd4 13.Be5 Qd7 14.Rxe4 Qf5 15.Qxg7+ Ke8 16.Bg3+ Qxe4 17.dxe4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - frencheng, blitz, FICS, 2010.
9...Nf6 10.d3 Ng4
Here comes the counter-attack on f2 again (see "Frying Pan Minus Perspective Equals Fire").
Two different courses of play: 10...b6 11.Na4 Bb4+ 12.c3 b5 13.cxb4 bxa4 14.Bd2 Qe5 15.Qxe5 dxe5 16.Rc1 Ne8 17.Bc3 Be6 18.a3 Rd8 19.Ke2 Nd6 20.Bxe5 Nb5 21.Bxc7 Nxc7 22.Rxc7 Bd7 23.Rxa7 Ke7 24.Rc1 Rc8 25.Rac7 Rxc7 26.Rxc7 Rc8 27.Rxc8 Bxc8 28.Ke3 h6 29.Kd4 Kd6 30.f4 g6 31.Kc3 Ba6 32.d4 Bf1 33.g3 Bg2 34.e5+ Kd5 35.b5 Ke6 36.Kb4 Kd7 37.Kxa4 Bh3 38.Ka5 Kc7 39.b6+ Kb7 40.d5 Bg2 41.d6 Bh3 42.Kb5 Bd7+ 43.Kc5 Be6 44.a4 h5 45.b4 Black resigned, levigun - dmyze, GameKnot.com, 2004; and
10...h6 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.fxe3 Qe5 13.Qxe5 dxe5 14.Rf1 Ke7 15.Nd5+ Nxd5 16.exd5 Bd7 17.Rf2 Rhf8 18.Rxf8 Rxf8 19.Ke2 Bg4+ 20.Ke1 g5 21.c4 Kd6 22.b4 b6 23.a3 a6 24.Ra2 Bf5 25.Rf2 Ke7 26.e4 Bg4 27.Rxf8 Kxf8 28.Kd2 Ke7 29.d4 exd4 30.Kd3 Kd6 31.Kxd4 c5+ 32.dxc6 Kxc6 33.c5 bxc5+ 34.bxc5 h5 35.g3 h4 36.gxh4 gxh4 37.Ke5 Kxc5 38.Kf4 Bd7 39.h3 Bxh3 40.Kg5 Bg2 41.Kxh4 Bxe4 42.Kg4 a5 43.Kf4 Bc2 44.Ke3 Kc4 45.Kd2 Kb3 46.a4 Kb2 47.Ke1 Bxa4 48.Kd2 Bc2 White resigned, rhoadarmer - partha, Gameknot.com, 2006.
11.0-0 Ke8 12.Nd5 Qf7
Black continues his preparations even though the game has leveled out.
13.h3
More to the point, as with perrypawnpusher - marianomocoroa, blitz, FICS 1020, was 13.Be3.
13...Nxf2
This is an error that 14.Be3 would have pointed out – just because White's early moves were bad doesn't make all of his other moves, or his position now, bad.
13...Rxf2 Rf8
Consistent, but 13...Bxf2+ 14.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 15.Kxf2 Rf8+ 16.Kg3 Rf7 18.Be3 would have given Black a position with the exchange for a pawn. Now White recovers.
15.Be3 Bxe3 16.Qxe3 Qd7
17.Rxf8+ Kxf8 18.Rf1+ Kg8 19.Qf3
Even stronger was 19.Qg5, when Black will have to give up his Queen (e.g. 19...h6 20.Qg6 Qe6 21.Nf6+ Qxf6 22.Rxf6) to avoid checkmate.
19...Qd8 20.Qf7+ Black resigned
In the following game Black has a new idea in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) 5...Kf8 defense. It is dynamic and sound, but quick play leads to a quicker end for the second player.
perrypawnpusher - marianomocoroa
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8
A solid defensive choice.
7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 Ng4
Black is happy with his King's safety, and instead of looking to castle-by-hand (with 9...Kf7) he immediately counter-attacks. There are no examples of this move in the updated New Year's Database, but there should be.
10.0-0 Qf6 11.Nc3 c6
12.Be3 Nxe3
An interesting continuation of the attack would be 12...h5!?
A routine continuation of the attack would be 12...Bb6.
Instead, confident at being higher-rated than me and certain that the refuted Jerome Gambit can be quickly wiped from the board, Black errs.
13.fxe3
The kind of thing that happens in blitz play.
12...Bf5
Panic, but 13...Ke8 14.Rxf6 gxf6 15.d4 leaves White with a Queen and a couple of pawns against a Rook and Bishop – and vulnerable King.
14.Rxf5 Black resigned
As given in an earlier blog post (see "Les Femmes des Echecs... & the Jerome Gambit") I lost my first Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in a 3 0 game at FICS:
perrypawnpusher - MsD, blitz, FICS, 2009.
The other day I was wondering if MsD had played against other Jerome Gambits and other Jerome-ish openings, so I checked out the updated New Year's Database. I was quite impressed by what I found: in 35 games, she had accumulated 33 wins and 2 losses, scoring 96%!
Here is one example.
Daisuke - MsD
blitz, FICS, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4
6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.0-0 Nf6 9.Bg5 Be6 10.f4 Nc6
11.Qe3 Rf8 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Qd4
14.Qxd4 Nxd4 15.exf6 Nxc2 16.fxg7+ Kxg7 White resigned
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws
The following game has another drawish-looking endgame that is more than meets the eye. Finding those "extra" half-points that don't seem there at first is an important part of improving in chess play.
perrypawnpusher - catri
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.
6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4
8...Re8
Fascinating!
This is a defense that I've not seen before, although there are a few similar games in my database in games without ...h6 and 0-0.
When you are up two pieces, as Black is, there are so many ways to play the opening!
9.dxc5 b6
Black can keep his advantage with 9...Qe7, but he wants to develop his Queen Bishop.
10.cxb6 axb6 11.f4 Ba6
This is Black's idea, but it is tactically suspect.
12.fxe5 Rxe5 13.Re1 c6 14.Bf4 Rc5
Black wants to keep his Rook "active," but it was safer and more effective at Re6.
White gets a chance to take over the game.
15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 Rxd5 17.Qh5+ Kg8
When a sufficient advantage has been obtained, a player must attack or the advantage will be dissipated said Steinitz.
White now has 18.Bxh6 gxh6 19.Qg6+ Kh8 20.Qxh6+ Kg8 21.Re3 and he will win. Black defends better with 18...Rd4, but then White can play 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Re3 with similar play. Again, Black can defend instead with 19...Qh4, but White can just exchange Queens and then withdraw his Bishop, having gained two pawns.
18.Rad1
Playing positionally instead of tactically, focusing on the "hole" in Black's positon at d6. White still has a small advantage.
18...b5
It is hard to understand why Black chose this over the simple exchange of Rooks.
19.Rxd5
A bigger advantage was to be found with 19.Bxh6 as above.
I have a tendency to substitue "strategic" moves for analysis and tactical shots.
19...cxd5 20.g4
It is ironic that this "attacking" move surrenders White's advantage, while the "positional" move 20.Qd1 kept it. I was seriously out of synch with the needs of my game at this point.
20...Qb6+ 21.Be3 Qe6
Better was 21...d4.
22.Qf5 Rf8 23.Qxe6+ dxe6 24.Rf1 Rxf1+ 25.Kxf1
This game has taken on the tone of the previous one (see "More Than Seen At First Glance Part 1") – chosing to reduce the game to a pawn-up Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame with the overheated belief that I can out-play my opponent...
25...b4+ 26.Ke1 Kf7 27.Kd2 Kg6 28.a3
Stronger was 28.Bc5 Kg5 29.Bxb4 Kxg4 30.a4 although Black's Kingside pawns looked dangerous.
28...bxa3 29.bxa3 h5 30.gxh5+ Kxh5 31.Bf4 g5 32.Bg3 Kg4
This looks like a typical Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame – but is it?
At this point it looks like Black's King can get over to the Queenside in time to blockade White's a-pawn, but first it will be wise to slow its advance with 33...Bb5
33.Ke3 Kf5 34.Kd4
White needed to take advantage of his opportunity and play 34.a4 with a good chance that his King could then advance on the Queenside, and eventually win Black's Bishop for the a-pawn.
34...Bc4 35.a4
Now White should have a win – if he sees it.
35...g4 36.a5 Ba6
37.c3 Bc4 38.Ke3
Totally missing the winning opportunity presented by 38.Kc5.
38...Ba6 39.Kd4 Bc4 40.Ke3
Oh, no, I did it again!
40...Ba6 41.Kd4 Bc4 42.Ke3
And again. An advantage isn't an advantage if you don't take advantage of it...
Game drawn by repetition.
Oh, well: yesterday I won a drawn position, today I drew a won position. I guess it balances out...
