Dany Sénéchaud

French chess player, openings explorer and author - Emil Joseph Diemer (1908-1990): missionnaire des échecs acrobatiques - Dany Sénéchaud sent the following game, which opens up more understanding of Bxf7+ in the double e-pawn openings and gives a possible contribution to the lineage of the Jerome Gambit.

Millet,C - Sénéchaud,D

Rochefort, 1995

(notes by Sénéchaud, with additions)

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.c3 Nc6!!?

3...Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 d5 

4.d4! exd4 5.Bxf7+ 

The position after 4 moves, and this sacrifice - reminiscent of the Abrahams Jerome Gambit - is rare, although it goes back at least as far as Philidor, who thought it playable. Could this have been one of the early influences that led Alonzo Wheeler Jerome to his Gambit?? For other ideas, see "Proto-Jerome Gambits?" Part 1 and Part 2 as well as "Godfather of the Jerome Gambit" Parts i, ii, iii and endnote. - Rick

5...Kxf7

Of course, someone had to try declining the sacrifice, although that can hardly be recommended: 5...Kf8 6.Bxg8 Rxg8 7.Nf3 h6 8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Qe7 10.0-0 Qxe4 11.Bxb4+ Nxb4 12.Qb3 Nc2 13.Ne5 d5 14.Nd2 Qf5 15.g4 Qh7 16.Qxd5 g5 17.Qd8+ Kg7 18.Qxc7+ Black resigned, Wassilieff,H - Akadegawa,K, email 2000 - Rick 

6.Qh5+ 

6...Kf8 7.Qxc5+ d6

Also seen: 7...Qe7 8.Qxe7+ Ngxe7 9.Ne2 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxd4 Nxd4 12.cxd4 Nb4 13.Na3 Nd3+ 14.Ke2 Bf5 15.Rd1 Re8+ 16.Kf1 c6 17.b3 Kf7 18.Be3 Rd8 19.Ke2 Nb4 20.Nc4 Rhe8 21.Ne5+ Kf8 22.a3 Nc2 23.Ra2 c5 24.g4 Nxe3 25.fxe3 Rxe5 26.gxf5 cxd4 27.Rd3 Rde8 28.e4 Rxe4+ 29.Kf3 Re3+ 30.Rxe3 Rxe3+ 31.Kf4 Rxb3 32.Rc2 Rc3 33.Rb2 b6 34.a4 d3 35.Ke3 Rc5 36.Kxd3 Rxf5 37.Rc2 g5 38.Rc8+ Kg7 39.Kc4 h5 40.Rc7+ Rf7 White resigned, Fekete,J - Fenyes,G, Goed op 1st, 2004 - Rick 

8.Qg5

White has tried two alternatives:

8.Qc4 Qe7 9.f3 Nf6 10.cxd4 d5 11.Qc3 dxe4 12.f4 Nd5 13.Qb3 Ndb4 14.Be3 Be6 15.Qc3 Nd5 16.Qd2 Ncb4 17.Kd1 Nd3 18.b3 Rd8 19.Ne2 c5 20.Nbc3 c4 21.bxc4 Nb2+ 22.Kc2 Nxc4 23.Nxd5 Bxd5 24.Qc1 Qb4 25.Nc3 Rc8 26.Rb1 Na3+ 27.Kd2 Nxb1+ 28.Qxb1 Qxc3+ 29.Ke2 Qc2+ 30.Bd2 Qxb1 31.Rxb1 Kf7 32.Ke3 Rc2 33.Rb5 Rd8 34.a4 Ra2 35.a5 Ra3+ 36.Kf2 Rd3 37.Be3 Rd7 38.f5 Rc3 39.Bd2 Rc4 40.Ke3 Kf6 41.Kf4 Rc2 42.Be1 Rxg2 43.Bh4+ Kf7 44.Bg3 Rd2 45.Ke5 Bc6 46.Rb4 e3 47.Bf4 Rd3 White resigned, Ramakrishna, G - Guo Yuth, Belconnen op, 2005; and 

8.Qb5 Qe8 9.f3 Nge7 10.Ne2 dxc3 11.Nbxc3 Nd8 12.Qd3 Kf7 13.f4 Qd7 14.0-0 Re8 15.f5 Nec6 16.Bf4 a5 17.Rad1 Ra6 18.Qf3 h5 19.Nd5 Kg8 20.Nxc7 Black resigned, Morrison,J - Storr Best,J, Bromley prelim C, 1925 - Rick

8...Nf6 9.f3 h6 10.Qg3 dxc3 11.bxc3!?

Or 11.Nxc3 Nb4 12.Kd1.

11...Ne5 !!? 12.f4 Nxe4 13.Qe3 Nf2 !!? 14.fxe5 Nxh1 15.Qf3+?

Instead, 15.Nf3 &16.Ba3.

15...Kg8 16.g3 dxe5 17.Qxh1 Bg4 18.Nd2 e4 19.Qxe4 Qd7 20.Qd4 Re8+

21.Kf2 Qf5+ 22.Ndf3 Kh7 23.Bf4 Rhf8 24.Qd1 g5 25.Be3
Qe4 26.Qb1 Bxf3 White resigned

Good to the End

The Jerome Gambit is a strange opening. White gets what he wants by giving Black a winning game. Black often fights to reach an even game, by giving up his advantage. The winner is the one who makes sense of this, and wins in the end.

Wall,B - Guest75785
PlayChess.com, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 Nxd4

I have to say that I am not very familiar with this "modern" (no 5.Nxe5) Jerome Gambit variation, even though I discovered that there are over 530 games in The Database with this position, including games by Jerome Gambit regulars like Darrenshome, DragonTail, drumme, ItsAllBullCheck, and yorgos.

Of course, Bill Wall is willing to experiment just about any game.

6.Nxe5+ Kf8 7.Be3 Ne6 8.Qh5 Qe7

Bill notes 8...Qf6 9.Nxd7+ Bxd7 10.Bxc5+ Ne7 11.Nc3 Nxc5 12.Qxc5 Qb6; not 8...g6? 9.Nxg6+.

9.Nc3 c6

White has equalized. It is important to remember the old adage: In the Jerome Gambit, when White has equalized, he has the advantage.

10.Ng6+ hxg6 11.Qxh8 Bxe3 12.fxe3 Ng5 

Bill prefers 12...Nd8.

13.Rf1+ Nf7 14.h4 Qe5 

As is frequently the case, 14...d5! is the move.

15.0-0-0 Qh5 16.Rxf7+ Kxf7

Not 16...Ke8?? 17.Qxg8#

17.Rf1+ Nf6 18.Qxh5 gxh5 19.e5 d5 20.exf6 gxf6

Black - or is it White? - has made it through the opening and the middle game and now has a roughly even endgame.

21.e4 d4

Or 21...Be6 22.exd5 cxd5 23.Nb5

22.Ne2 c5 23.e5 f5 24.Nf4 Be6 25.Nxh5 Rh8 26.g4

26...Kg6

Better 26...Rh6 or 26...b5. 

27.Nf4+ Kf7 28.gxf5 Bxf5 29.h5 Re8

This is a mistake that turns a position with a lot of drawing potential into a loss. The "Jerome pawns" can no longer be contained.

30.Nd3

Threatening 31.Rxf5+.

30...Ke6 31.Nxc5+ Kd5

Not 31...Kxe5? 32.Re1+

32.Rxf5 Kxc5 33.Rf7 Rxe5 34.h6 Rh5 35.h7 Kc6

36.Kd2 Rh3 37.Ke2 a5 38.Kf2 b5 39.Kg2 Rh5 40.Kg3 b4 41.Kg4 Rh2 42.Kg5 Black resigned

Still A Bad Idea

One benefit of Jerome-izing the Blackburne Shilling Gambit is that the game becomes transformed, and ideas that were playable in the original opening become sketchy in the "modified" version. That was true when we looked at the opening variation in the following game, four years ago, and it remains true today.

Oak  - sealse
blitz, FICS, 2013

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

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3 Qg5

A thematic move for the plain Blackburne Shilling Gambit, as covered in "Reeling Sequel", but not as strong here as taking the Knight.

7.cxd4 Qxg2 

Still leading to mate. It is worth knowing these things.

8.Qb3+ Kf6

Black holds out a move longer with 8...d5, i.e. 9.Qxd5+ Kf6 10.Qf7+ Kg5 11.h4+ Kh6 12.d3+ g5 13.hxg5# 

9.Qf7+ Kg5 10.d3+

Or 10.h4+ Kh6 11.d3+ g5 12.hxg5#

10...Kh4 11.Nf3+ Kg4

Black holds out longest, not that it means a lot, with 11...Qxf3 12.Qxf3 Bb4+ 13.Kf1 Be7 14.Qg3+ Kh5 15.Qh3+ Bh4 16.Qf3+ Kg6 17.Qf5#

 12.Qf5 checkmate

Snake Eyes

Shades of "Jerome's Double Gamble", the following game is the only one in the current Italian Game Thematic Tournament at Chess.com where I was able to play a Jerome Gambit - and it has the same feel as Bill Wall's last game: the wrong opponent at the wrong time...

perrypawnpusher (1747) - Buddy_Thompson (2051)
Italian Game Thematic Tournament, Chess.com, 2014

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6 10.fxe5+ Qxe5

11.Qf3 Nf6 12.d3 Ke7 13.Nc3 d5

14.Bf4 dxe4 15.dxe4 Qh5 16.Qxh5 Nxh5 17.Nd5+ Kd7 18.Nxc7

In retrospect, 18.Bxc7 was better, although White's game would remain difficult.

18...Nxf4 19.Nxa8 Ng2+ 20.Ke2 Kc6 21.Kf3 Ne3 22.b4 Rf8+ 23.Ke2 Bg4+ 24.Kd3 Rd8+ 25.Kc3 Bd4+ 26.Kd3 Bxa1+ 27.Kxe3 Be5 White resigned

Updating the Blackburne Defense (Part 2)

Here we continue from our previous post, "Updating the Blackburne Defense (Part 1)", a look at the Blackburne Defense and what is new (or newer). 

For earlier efforts, see also "Update: Old Dog Can Still Bite","Junk Openings", "A Closer Look (Part V)", "Update: Blackburne Defense" and "Traps and Zaps".

perrypawnpusher - lfcanales
blitz, FICS, 2014

9...Nf6 10.Qd8 Qxe4 

Black's move allows White's Queen to escape and counter-attack. There are a number of alternative moves for Black, two of which bear attention.

Not 10...a6?, as in piratebopper - MiloBot, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 24).

Nor 10...a5? as in perrypawnpusher - MiloBot, blitz, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 24).

Played, if in a stumbling manner, is 10...Bd7?. The core game continued 11.Qxc7 (instead, 11.Qxa8? Nxe4? [Black should finish Blackburne-style: 11...Ng4 12.h3 Bxf2+ 13.Kh1 Qg3 14.Rxf2+ Nxf2+ 15.Kg1 Nxh3+ 16.Kh1 Nf4 17.Qf8+ Kxf8 18.d3 Qxg2#] 12.d4 Bxd4 13.Be3 Bxb2 14.Qxb7 Bxa1 15.Qxc7 Nf6 16.Qxd6 Kg7 17.Qc5 Ne4 18.Bd4+ Bxd4 19.Qxd4+ Kh6 20.f3 Black resigned, UNPREDICTABLE - choron, FICS, 2009) 11...Bb6? (instead, 11...Rc8 12.Qxb7 Ke7 is "gloriously obscure" according to Dr. Andrew Walker, University of Nottingham, personal communication, 2001. Probably 13.Qb3 with the idea of Qg3 is White's answer - not 13.Nc3? Ng4 when Black mates)  12.g3?! (12.Qxd6) 12...Qh3 13.Qxd6? Bc6 14.g4 Qxg4+ White resigned, Harris,S - Quayle,E, Los Angeles, CA, 1944.

Certainly solid, and Rybka's recommendation, is 10...Bb6. White should spring his Queen with 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qd3. The earliest reference that I have seen to this line is from The Art of the Checkmate by Renaud and Kahn (1953), which says White has the advantage. This proved true in Wall,B - Foo,N, Palm Bay, FL, 2010 (1-0, 33).

The most exciting move in the position is Chandler's 10...Bh3!?, when White has to temporarily forego the Rook at a8 and focus on checking Black: 11.Qxc7+ (11.g3? Qxe4 12.Qxc7+ Kf8 White resigned, Siggus -toe, FICS, 2007; 11.Qxa8? Qg4 12.Qe8+ Nxe8 13.g3 Qf3 14.Re1 Qg2#) 11...Kf8! (11...Kg8 lost in Chandler,G - Dimitrov, T/5 minute special game 2004; in Hiarcs 8 - RevvedUp, blitz 2 12, 2006 [1-0, 17]; and AsceticKingK9 - blackburne, ChessWorld JG6, 2011 [1-0, 22] ) and analysis by Geoff Chandler and, later, Dennis Monokroussos (see the two posts on his blog) show that the outcome is a draw, as it is too dangerous for either player to look for more.

11.Qxc7+

This is an improvement over 11.Nc3 Qe7 (11...Qxc2 12.Qxc7+ Nd7 13.Nd5 Qe4 14.Nc3 Qe5 15.d3 Qd4 16.Re1 Qxf2+ White resigned, ionman - GriffyJr, FICS, 2005 (0-1,16); Interested readers should check out "Ionman vs The Bots" ) 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 as in RevvedUp - Shredder 8, blitz 2 12, 2006 (0-1, 25).

11...Kg8

radicalmove played over a dozen games against LuigiBot on FICS in 2012, testing the somewhat weaker 11...Bd7 (see "Poor, Poor Computer" for a couple of examples). The games are in The Database.

Likewise, ionman took on the computer GriffyJr a couple of times at FICS in 2005, over the somewhat weaker 11...Qe7 (the games are also in The Database). White triumphed in Shredder 8 - RevvedUp, blitz 2 12, 2006 (1-0, 28).

12.Nc3

Maybe a little better was 12.Qd8+ Kf7 13.d3 Qe5 14.Bh6 Qe8 15.Qxe8+ Nxe8.

12...Qxc2

The pawn is poison.

13.Qd8+ 

After the game Houdini preferred 13.d4!? Bb6 (13...Bxd4 14.Bh6 Bd7 15.Qc4+ d5 16.Qxd4) 14.Qe7 when White steals the Knight in broad daylight.

13...Kg7 14.Qe7+ Kh6 15.Qxf6 Black resigned

Updating the Blackburne Defense (Part 1)

Chess players who know about the Jerome Gambit are most familiar with the game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885. Many believe that the Blackburne Defense, when played properly, leads to an advantage for the second player.

Players a bit more familiar with the Jerome Gambit and past published analysis might well believe that White has the advantage.

Readers familiar with this blog would know that modern analysis has termed the Blackburne Defense as difficult, but actually a draw.

I thought of all of this as I played my most recent game, and decided that the Blackburne Defense needed another update.

Of course, you can start first with earlier efforts: "Update: Old Dog Can Still Bite", "A Closer Look (Part V)", "Update: Blackburne Defense" and "Junk Openings".

perrypawnpusher - lfcanales
blitz, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6

Here is the famous Blackburne defense, from Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885. The Brooklyn Chess Chronicle (edited by J.B. and E.M. Munoz) Vol. III, August 15, 1885, p. 169, noted the game was

"played some months ago in London between Mr. Blackburne and an Amateur..."

8.Qxh8 Qh4

Here Amateur played 9.0-0. The editors of the Brooklyn Chess Chronicle suggested

He should have attempted to free his pieces by P to Q4 before castling. 

Although my opponent lfcanales played 9.0-0 as well, I would like first to look at the under-investigated 9.d4. After all, if 9.0-0 leads to a draw, as Chandler and Dimitrov have argued, then 9.d4 might be the better chance for White to fight for an advantage.

Here is some of what I have found.

After 9.d4, thematic and best for Black is 9...Nf6, although other moves have been played.

For example, Black has the alternative 9...Qxe4+ 10.Be3 Qxg2 -best - there have been several games with lesser 10th moves:
     1)10...Bb6?! 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Nc3 Qe7 13.Qxe7+ Nxe7 14.0-0-0 Bf5 15.Bg5 Nc6 16.Nd5 Be6 17.Nxb6 axb6 18.d5 Bxd5 19.Rxd5 Nb4 20.Rd4 Nxa2+ 21.Kb1 Ra5 22.Bd2 Black resigned,  MrJoker - carrotop, Internet Chess Club, 2011; 
     2)10...Bxd4 11.Qxh7+ (better 11.Qxd4) Kf8 12.0-0 b6 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.Qxg8+ Kd7 15.Qf7+ Kc6 16.Qf3 Qxf3 17.gxf3 Bh3 18.Rd1 Re8 19.c3 Bc5 20.b4 Bxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Re7 22.Nd2 a5 23.a3 Rf7 24.Ne4 Bg4 25.Ng5 Rf6 26.Rd4 Kd7 27.Rxg4 d5 28.Rd1 c5 29.Rxd5+ Kc6 30.Rd8 axb4 31.axb4 cxb4 32.Rc4+ Kb5 33.Rxb4+ Kc5 34.Ne4+ Kc6 35.Nxf6 Kc7 36.Rd7+ Kc6 37.Be3 b5 38.Rd5 g5 39.Rbxb5 Black resigned, mediax - yorkypuddn, ChessWorld.net  2008; 
     3)10...Bh3 (shouldn't work here) 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Qxh3 Bxd4 13.Qf3+? (13.Nd2) 13...Qxf3 14.gxf3 Bxb2 15.Rg1 Kf7 16.Nc3 Bxc3+ 17.Ke2 Bxa1 18.Rxa1 Ne7 19.Rb1 b6 20.f4 Rh8 21.Rh1 Nd5 22.Bd2 c5 23.h4 Kf6 24.Kf3 b5 25.Kg4 Ne7 26.h5 gxh5+ 27.Rxh5 Rxh5 28.Kxh5 Kf5 29.Kh4 Nd5 30.Kg3 c4 White resigned, chrisdeb - stephPaillade, Echecs.com 2004; 
     4)10...Qxc2 11.dxc5 dxc5 12.Qc3 Qxc3+ 13.Nxc3 Bf5 14.Bxc5 Re8+ 15.Be3 Re5 16.0-0 Bd3 17.Rfd1 Bc2 18.Rd7+ Re7 19.Rxe7+ Nxe7 Black resigned, Marfia,J - Stelter,J, offhand game, 1964; 
     5)10...Nf6 11.Nd2 Qxg2 12.0-0-0 and White wins, comment by Bad Temper, Chessgames.com, 2005; 

Continuing -11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Rf1 Bh3 (12...Bb6 13.Nd2 Bf5 14.c3 Bd3 15.0-0-0 winning for White - personal communication, Paul Keiser, 2004) 13.Bh6+ Nxh6 14.Qxh6+ Kf7 15.Qf4+ Kg7 16.Kd2 Qxf1 17.dxc5 Rd8 18.Qd4+ Kh7 19.b3 Qb5 20.Qh4+ Kg7 21.Qxd8 Qxc5 22.Qe7+ Kh6 23.Qh4+ Kg7 24.Qxh3 Qxf2+ 25.Kc3 Qc5+ 26.Kb2 Qe5+ 27.Qc3 Black resigned, darumsdad - KolaTwoOFour, FICS, 2013. 

Black can also respond to 9.d4 with 9...Bb4+ 10.c3 Qxe4+ (not 11.Kf1? from perrypawnpusher - bakker, blitz, FICS, 2007) 11.Be3 Qxg2 12.Qxh7+ Kf8 13.Rf1 when White will hold on and keep his advantage.

10.Nd2 Bxd4 11.0-0

Given by Hindemburg Melao, in an internet article  at www.superajedrez.com, (which identified Blackburne's opponent as "Millner") as good for White. 

Instead, 10.dxc5 was given in Chess Openings: Traps and Zaps, by Bruce Pandolfini (1989) - see""Traps and Zaps" -  10...Qxe4+ 11.Be3 Qxg2 12.Rf1 where he wrote

Scenario: Don't be misled by White's extra Rook. It's a meaningless ornament. White is in serious trouble. His King is exposed and his cornered Queen is in danger of being trapped. The cruncher is 12...Bh3 which wins White's Queen by discovery from the a8-Rook.

Actually, the correct response to 11...Qxg2? is 12.Nc3!? which later prevents Black's Knight from moving to e4 and giving mate. After  12...Qxh1+ 13.Kd2 Qxa1? White turns the tables with 14.Bd4! (13...Qxh2 would keep Black's Queen in play) when Black's extra Rook would mean little in the face of White's strong counterattack.

Also, 10.e5 does not appear as strong as 10.Nd2 - and seems more dangerous for White - after 10...dxe5 11.Nd2 (11.dxc5? Qe4+; 11.dxe5?? Qxf2+ 12.Kd1 Bg4 mate) Bxd4 12.0-0 Be6!? 13.Qxa8 Bd5 14.Qc8 Ng4 15.Qxc7+ Ke6 16.Nf3 Bxf3 17.Bf4 Bxf2+ 18.Kh1 exf4 19.Qxf4 g5 20.Qb8 Be2 21.c4 Bxf1 22.Rxf1 Nf6 23.Qc8+ Ke5 24.Qxb7 Ne4 White has an edge, analysis by Houdini.

[to be continued]

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".