JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 7)

 JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology 

(Part 7)

  

(by Yury V. Bukayev) 

 

 

In the Part 2 and in the Part 6 it was fixed that after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qh3+! Kf7 8.Qh5+! Black can play not only 8…Ke6, but also its alternatives, although the explanation why a player’s psychology can prevent to do it here was given. Now we’ll consider my new invented way for White how it is possible to play after 8…g6 9.Qxe5 Qe7 10.Qd5+!? Ke8!? in a blitz game against the above cautious opponent. 

Let’s forget temporally about the sequence 6…Ke6 7.Qh3+! Kf7 8.Qh5+! g6, and we’ll consider the general sequence of moves: 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 (the Whistler’s defence) 8.Qd5+!? Ke8!?. Thus, in this blitz game White can try the following trap: 9.d4?!. (I suggest to call it ‘the Centre variation’. I found that here Black can get a won game after 9…Bb4+! 10.c3 Nf6! with 11.Qe5! Bd6! N 12.Qxe7+ Bxe7 or with 11.Qc4 N Qxe4+ 12.Kd1 Be7.) Your very fast play as White will cause his thought that your preparation is very good, and your cautious opponent will play 9…Bb6!? probably. And after 10.0-0! N Nf6 11.Qc4 (11.Qb3!? is another interesting attacking way) Black has a temptation to capture White’s pawn - 11…Qxe4?, because Black’s material advantage immediately grows further here, because a vertical pin is impossible now and because Black will be able to play …d7-d5 or …Qe4xd4. You’ll play 12.Nc3! immediately, and your opponent will start to consider different variations. They are here: 

1) 12…Qxd4 13.Re1+ Kd8 (13...Kf8 14.Bh6#) 14.Bg5!? with a strong attack, e.g.: 14...Re8? 15.Rxe8+ Kxe8 16.Re1+ with a win; 14...Rf8! 15.Qe2!? Qxf2+ 16.Qxf2 Bxf2+ 17.Kxf2 h6! 18.Bxf6+ Rxf6+ 19.Kg3, and White's attack continues; 

2) 12...d5 13.Nxe4 dxc4 14.Nxf6+ Kf7 15.Nd5! with the advantage; 

3) 12...Qf5 13.Re1+ Kd8 14.Re5!? with the advantage; 

4) 12...Qe6! 13.d5!? 

4a) 13...Qf7 14.Re1+ Kd8 15.Bg5 h6 16.d6! Qf8 17.Nd5! with a win; 

4b) 13...Qf5 14.Re1+ with enough strong attack. After 14...Kd8 White has good attacking ways: 15.Bf4, 15.Be3, 15.Qh4. 

4c) 13...Qg4 14.Re1+ Kf8 (14...Kd8? 15.Qxg4 Nxg4 16.Bg5+ with a mate). White can make a draw, if White wants: 15.Bh6+ Kf7 16.d6+!? Qxc4 17.Re7+ Kg8 18.Rg7+ Kf8 19.Re7+ etc. (1/2  - 1/2). But White can play much stronger: 16.Ne4! with a very strong attack. 

I think, Black has no chance against you in this blitz game. Moreover, after 12.Nc3! you will be able to fight for a win in a classical game too. 

 

Jerome Gambit: Surviving Scary

Scary movies are - scary.

Scary chess games are, too.

I still root for the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), even when it gets very scary.

Take a look - if you dare.

Thomas, Able - West, James

2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

This can lead to either Blackburne's or Whistler's defense (or a handful of ineffective ones), both of which are complicated.

Both also involve the sacrifice of a Rook. See "Jerome Gambit: What About the Rook?"

Blackburne's defense is the more notorious of the two, because of the beautiful counter-attack and sacrificial checkmate that The Black Death dealt the Jerome Gambit in 1884. The main theme is that of trapping the White Queen while pursuing the checkmate of the White King - sacrificing if necessary.

With best play White's Queen can escape, or at least deliver repeated checks that lead to a draw. In practice, according to The Database, White scores 71% - a testimony to the skills of the first player.

Whistler's defense is less well known, but can be quite dangerous if White takes the offered Rook - otherwise, it can be somewhat tedious. (For an example see "Jerome Gambit: Overthinking [Parts 1 & 2") The Database shows that White scores 63% against the Whistler, and 65% if he makes the capture - again, a testimony to the skills of the first player.

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's it is.

"Is this a trick or is he bluffing?" GM Hikaru Nakamura asked himself when he found himself in a similar situation, in a recent Jerome Gambit. He concluded "I don't think he's bluffing".

8.Qxh8 

White shows that he is brave and confident in his ability to escape from risky situations.

Less courageous people like myself play 8.Qf4+. I have also tried 8.Qd5+, although the full story on that line will appear in an upcoming analysis by Yury V. Bukayev.

8...Qxe4+ 

This is the problem for White when he plays 8.Qxh8.

9.Kd1 Qg4+ 10.Ke1 Nf6 

This is a new move, according to The Database. More usual is 10...Qxg2, but Black first wants to keep White's Queen trapped.  

11.d3 Qxg2 12.Rf1 d5 13.Nd2 

White's Knight hurries to help on the defense.

White's Queen can move to escape with 13.Qd8, but 13...Bh3 14.Qxc7+ (not 14.Qxa8 as that leads to checkmate in a few moves after 14...Bb4+) Nd7 does not look good.

Also, active is 13.Bh6, but Black has 13...Qxf1+ 14.Kxf1 Bh3+ 15.Kg1 Rxh8. 

13...d4 

The opening variation is complicated, and it is not fair to expect Black to know the ins and outs of it.

The text move is fine, but he could have pursued his opponent's resignation with 13...Bf8 and 14...Bg7, winning the Queen. There are other lines of play, equally brutal.

14.Ne4 Nxe4 15.Qxh7+ Kf6 16.Qh8+ Kf5 17.Qh4 Nf6 

White's Queen has escaped and will soon put an end to Black's attack.

18.Qg3 Qxg3 19.fxg3+ Ke5

 

White has a Rook and a pawn for two pieces, a satisfactory outcome to all his excitement. Computers and chess masters will probably assess Black as better, but it's still a fight for club players.

It is not clear what the time control of the game was.

20.Bg5 Nd5 21.a3 b6 22.Kd2 Bg4 23.Rae1+ Ne3

 The Knight looks powerful, but it soon leaves its outpost.

24.Rf4 Kd5 25.c4+ dxc3+ 26.bxc3 Ng2 27.Rxg4 Nxe1 28.Kxe1 Bxa3 

Black's protected passed a-pawn looks dangerous, but the position remains balanced.

29.Bf4 Re8+ 30.Kd2 Re6 31.Bxc7 a5 32.Bf4 a4 

Many Jerome Gambit games are saved in the endgame. A word to the wise Reader...

33.c4+ Kd4 

Yeow! There are tactics in the endgame, as White now shows.

34.Bd6+ Re4 35.Rxe4 checkmate

A very entertaining game.

Jerome Gambit: Check It Out

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game features a defense that always brings a smile to my face - because of its creativity, because of its audacity, and because, according to The Database, White scores 90% against it. 

Wall, Bill - Elviejoben

Internet, 2021 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

6...Nf3+ 

Simple and elegant: Black has to give a piece back, so he decides to break up White's Kingside with this sacrifice before retreating his Bishop.

What comes to mind is the quote by H.L. Mencken

There is always a well-known solution to every human problem—neat, plausible, and wrong.

7.Qxf3+ 

This is not the only time in this game where Black overlooks the fact that a move will be played with check.

The text leads to an advantage for White, as he will have time to capture a second piece. The alternative, 7.gxf3, would lead to Black's advantage after he moved his Bishop.

7...Nf6 

Bill has also seen 7... Qf6 8.Qb3+ (8.dxc5Qxf3 9.gxf3 Nf6 10.Nc3 Re8 (10...Rf8 11.Bf4 Ne8 12.Nd5 c6 13.Nc7 Nxc7 14.Bxc7 Ke6 15.Ke2 a5 16.a4 Rf6 17.Rag1 g6 18.h4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest5649018, PlayChess.com, 2018) 11.Nb5 Re7 12.Nxc7 Rb8 13.Bf4 b6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Bxb8 bxc5 16.Bd6 Re8 17.Bxc5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest151963, PlayChess.com, 2011) 8...d5 9.Qxd5+ Be6 10.Qxc5 Nh6 11.Qxc7+ Qe7 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 13.Bxh6 gxh6 14.f4 Rhg8 15.g3 Rac8 16.Nc3 a5 17.d5 Bg4 18.e5 Bf3 19.Rf1 Bg2 20.Rf2 Bh1 21.O-O-O Black resigned, Wall,B - Gian, PlayChess.com, 2017. 

8.dxc5 Qe7 9.Nc3 Qxc5 10.O-O d6 

White is a solid pawn ahead, and his King is safe. He doesn't have a smash-and-crash attack, but he does have a position that he can improve slowly and steadily. (I guess you can say that Black sacrificed a pawn to frustrate White's ambitions, similar to the Counter-Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+)

11.Be3 Qc4 12.Qg3 Bg4 13.f3 Nh5 

See the note to White's 7the move.

14.fxg4+ Black resigned

There is time for White to capture the Bishop with check, and then, the Knight, after 14...Nf6 15.g5.

Jerome Gambit: More Concrete

Last year (see "Jerome Gambit: Concrete") I made a point about a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) variation that I had covered a number of times in blog posts, with history, games and analysis.

It can be fun experimenting with different lines in the Jerome Gambit, but it is helpful to know about some common mistakes that Black might make and how to respond to them in a concrete manner.

The following game is a good example. I suspect that White played his 6th move instantaneously, and so should you.

Wall, Bill - Skandervitch

Internet, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

In "Jerome Gambit: Analysis or Game?" I pointed out

[T]he Cheltenham Examiner article [Wednesday February 21, 1906] has the first - and only, so far as I have found - recommendation that I have seen for 5...Ke6. The writer's assessment that the move "should win" is a bit optimistic... 

 My reaction to the current game is the same one that I had when I wrote "Jerome Gambit: He Should Have Read This Blog" a couple of years ago

Wow. Black decides that accepting 1 piece is enough. There is a whole lot to say about this - check out the game Wall, Bill - Guest4105968, PlayChess.com, 2018 (1/2 - 1/2, 50) that I covered in detail in "Jerome Gambit: Over the Rainbow", Parts 1, 2 & 3.

Yet, here we go again.

6.Qg4+ 

White insists that Black capture the Knight after all.

6...Kxe5 

This is the only move worth considering.

Of course, 6...Kf6 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4 checkmate is the quickest proof of that.

If 6...Kd6 then Black loses his Queen after 7.Nf7+ Ke7 8.Nxd8.

Similarly, after 6...Ke7 7.Qxg7+ Kd6 (anything else leads to checkmate, including 7...Ke8 8.Qf7#, Wall,B - Guest13762608, PlayChess.com, 2019) 8.Nf7+ Ke7 9.Nxd8+ Kxd8 10.Qxh8 Black has lost his Queen and a Rook.

7.d4+ 

This is the proper followup. In fact, all other moves leave Black better.

7...Kxd4

Black craters immediately.

8.Be3+ Kc4 9.Qe2+ Kb4 10.Bd2+ Ka4 11.b3 checkmate, 

This was all also seen in Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016.

What should Black have played instead of 7...Kxd4?

His best line of play was 7...Bxd4 8.Bf4+ (the only move) Kf6 9.Bg5+ (again, the only move) Kf7 10.Bxd8 Nxd8 

analysis diagram

White has a Queen and a pawn for 3 pieces. Black's King is somewhat exposed.

11.Qf3+ Nf6 12.Nc3 leading to an eventual draw was seen in Wall,B - Guest4105968, PlayChess.com, 2018, mentioned above.

Stockfish 13 likes the sacrificial line  11.Qf3+ Nf6 12.Qb3+ d5 13.Nd2 Re8 14.0-0-0 Bg4 15.f4 Bxd1 16.Rxd1 Re6 17.Qd3 Nc6 18.e5 Bxe5 19.dxe5 Nxe5 with White having a clear advantage - but it still seems unclear to me.

Jerome Gambit: Fizzle

 

Some tactics are explosive, but some of them fizzle. The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game is a quiet example - where disappointment leads to resignation.

Wall, Bill - Chedmas

Internet, 2021

1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 8.Nd2 Ne7 9.O-O Re8 

Black has the typical piece-for-two-pawns advantage. He is ahead in development and will soon castle-by-hand. His prospects are bright.

The Jerome Gambit has a history of crushing such dreams.

10.f4 N5c6 11.Qe3 Kg8 12.Nf3 Nd5 

Black notices the pin on White's e-pawn and indulges in a favorite pastime of Jerome Gambit defenders - attacking the Queen. It is quite possible that he saw the better move, 12...d5, but discarded it because the response 13.e5 would attack his own Queen.

13.Qb3 

White's Queen escapes from the pin and creates one of her own, allowing her to win the enemy Knight.

After 13...Rxe4 14.Qxd5+ Qe6 15.Qxe6+ Rxe6 the position would be equal, which is not all bad. Yet, missing the tactic must have been disappointing, because here

Black resigned

Yet another curious example of the warning, When White has equalized in the Jerome Gambit, he has the advantage.