Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Trying to Stay Out of the Weeds


In the following game I tried not to get bogged down in the sidelines and pushed ahead, looking for a lasting advantage. Black's occassional inaccuracies helped me move along.


perrypawnpusher - carzair

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6 

A slip.

A dozen years ago I wrote in the post"Ghost of Compensation"

This is an example of the defender relaxing a bit too soon. Certainly he should feel confident, as he is two pieces ahead. He has every reason to believe that White, having played foolishly, will continue in his bizarre ways. Yet, a bit of care in analyzing the position would have shown that the attacker can now regain significant material.

According to The Database, 6...Kf6 has been played 349 times, with White scoring 77%.

Alternatives were 6...Kf8 (White scoring 48%), 6...Ke6 ( White scoring 56%), and 6...g6 (White scoring 71%).

7.Qf5+ 

Instead, 7.d4 is either a case of over-thinking or under-thinking. Clearly, White threatens two pieces and also the skewer of Black's Queen to her King, with 8.Bg5.

Of course, as the game we are looking at shows, 7.Qf5+ leads to the win of two pieces, not just threats.

Surprisingly, The Database has 23 games with 7.d4, with White scoring 87%. How can that be?

Well, on average, White in those games was rated 120 points higher than his opponent, which suggests that he had the expectation of 2/3 winning chances.

Black could have defended with 7...Bb4+ 8.c3 Nd3+ (8.Nc3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nf7 giving back a piece after 10.e5+ Ke7 11.Bg5+ Nf6 12.exf6+ gxf6) 9.Kd2 d5!? threatening to out-bizarre White, since 10.e5+ Ke6 11.Kxe3 Be7 probably would leave Black better. (It is not surprising that The Database has no game examples of 9...d5.) 

Also: It's the Jerome Gambit. Stuff happens.

And, of course, there is perrypawnpusher - Tensecterror, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 45).

7...Ke7 8.Qxe5+ 


8...Kf7 

There is not much difference in 8...Kf8, as in perrypawnpusher - badhorsey, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 30) and  perrypawnpusher - buddybuckets-dog (c), Chess.com 2023 (1-0, 32). 

9.Qd5+ 

Or 9.Qxc5 directly, as in bloodlet - perrypawnpusher, 3 12 blitz, FICS, 2007 (unfinished, 13) and perrypawnpusher - anelante, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 22).

9...Ke8 

Not 9...Kg6 as in perrypawnpusher - Navarrra, blitz, FICS, 2011, (1-0, 26). 

10.Qxc5 b6 

Or 10...d6 as in perrypawnpusher - chingching, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 36) or 10...Qe7 in perrypawnpusher - Leontes, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 11). 

11.Qe3 Nf6 12.d4 Ng4 


Not long ago (see "Jerome Gambit: Assumed, Not Easily Seen"), I fussed about this move and ...Nb4; some times they achieve little.

13.Qg3 d5 14.e5 Rf8 15.O-O c5 16.c3 cxd4 17.cxd4 Qe7 


White needs to work on his piece development, although his King is safe and he has two extra pawns.

18.Nc3 Qb7 

Creative.

19.h3 Nh6 20.Bxh6 gxh6 

Add better pawn structure to White's list.

21.Qh4 Qg7 22.Qh5+ Rf7 


Not the best piece to block the check. 

23.e6 Qg6 

If 23...Bxe6 then 24.Rae1 Qxd4 (24...Qf6 25.Qxd5 Rd8 26.Rxe6+) 25.Rxe6+. 

24.exf7+ Kxf7 

Not the position completely unravels.

25.Qxd5+ Be6 26.Qxa8 Qc2 27.Qf3+ Ke7 28.Rfe1 Qg6 29.d5 Black resigned.




Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Another Day at Work


Sometimes a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game moves right along to a solid conclusion, just like a day at work.


Etus11 - perrypawnpusher

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.d4 exd4 

5...Bxd4 was seen in eliadr - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024 (0-1, 18) and  FurkanFexsv - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024 (0-1, 9). 

6.Bg5 

Instead, 6.c3 was consistent. Then, 6...dxc3 would be met by 7.Qd5+. The best response would be 6...Bb6, when 7.cxd4 would bring about a position that shows up in The Database 6 times, with White winning 5 times.

I have also faced 6.Qd3 in Temmo - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit 3, ChessWorld.net 2008 (0-1, 32). 

6...Qe8 7.Qe2 

Simpler and stronger was 7.O-O. 

7...d5 

8.Nh4 Qxe4 9. Qxe4 dxe4 10.O-O Nf6 


Black leads in material and development and has a powerful pawn center.

White can fight back, to some extent.

11.Nd2 Bd7 

Giving back a pawn to continue development. Better was 11...Re8

12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nxe4 Bb6 14.Rad1 

14...Rad8 15.Rd3 Rhe8 16.Ng3 Ne5 17.Rd2 c5 


Black slowly builds.

18.f4 Nc4 19.Rd3 Nxb2 20. Rdf3 c4 21.f5 

Black's advanced pawns are ready to take over.

21...d3+ 22.Kh1 d2 23.h3 d1=Q 24.Rxd1 Nxd1 


The Black d-pawn cost White a Rook.

But the c-pawn remains.

25.c3 Re1+ 26.Rf1 Rxf1+ 27.Nxf1 Nxc3 

Freeing the c-pawn.

28.Kh2 Nxa2 29.Nd2 c3 30.Nb3 c2 31.Kg3 c1=Q 


 This Queen will not last, either, but, again, it will cost White a piece.

32.Nxc1 Nxc1 33.Kf3 Bc6+ 34.Kf4 

34...Rg8 

I wish that I had found 34...Ne2+ 35.Kg4 Rd4+ 36.Kh5 Ng3+ 37.Kh6 Rxh4 checkmate.

It didn't matter.

35.Ng6 hxg6 36.fxg6+ Rxg6 37.g4 Ne2+ 38.Kf5 Rg5 checkmate 

I suspect that one reason my opponent fought to the bitter end is that he is in a battle for third place in our group in the tournament, and only three players from a group will advance to the next round. Every point and half point counts.




Monday, April 15, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Just When Things Started to Become Interesting... (Part 2)


The following recent game had barely gotten going before it ended.

Again, not everyone has time for everything, every day.

 

cool64chess - perrypawnpusher

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.O-O 

A "modern" approach to the Jerome Gambit, as opposed to the "classical" 5.Nxe5+ that Alonzo Wheeler Jerome played.

5...Nf6 6.d3 

White followed the plan of 6.c3 and then 7.d4 in Philidor1792 - perrypawnpusher, Chess.com, 2015 (1-0, 36) and carzair -perrypawnpusher, Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024 (0-1, 28). 

I was shocked to discover that there were 766 games with 6.Ng5+ in The Database, with White scoring 35%. My recent game continued 6...Kg8 7.d3 h6 8.Nf3 d5 9.Nc3 dxe4 10.Nd2 Bg4 11.Qe1 exd3 12.cxd3 Qxd3 13.Nd1 Be2 14.Ne3 Bxe3 15.fxe3 Bxf1 16.Nxf1 Kh7 17.Ng3 Rad8 18.b3 Qc2 19.Nf5 Rd1 White resigned, 123456789qeeed - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

Instead, 6.d4 exd4 7.Ng5+ was seen in 27 games in The Database (White scored 48%) including yoyokskr - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024 (0-1, 27).

Alternately, 6.Nc3 Rf8 7.Ng5+ was seen in leobrazer - perrypawnpusher, 3 0 blitz, FICS, 2009  (0-1, 48). 

Finally, 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 transposed to familiar lines in perrypawnpusher - Freddy1201, Play The Italian Game III Chess.com 2023 (0-1, 23) and perrypawnpusher - vityas81, Chess.com 2023 (1-0, 16). 

6...Rf8 

Black hopes to castle-by-hand.

7.c3

Instead, one more check from g5: 7.Ng5+ Kg8 8.Nf3 d5 White resigned, Capt.Mandrake - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008.

7...Bb6 

My King did get to scurry to safety with 7...Kg8 in ecimsa - perrypawnpusher, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 32). 

8.Qb3+ 

Halting the Black King, at least for a moment.

There was also 8.Bg5 in xulian - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

8...d5 

Here, Black won on time. 







Sunday, April 14, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Help Arrives in Time



The Jerome Gambit can complicate a game to the point where the clock can be a factor - even in a game where the time control was 1 day per move.

This time, once again, the clock became an ally.


perrypawnpusher - cool64chess

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

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 

Stockfish 15.1 (35 ply) sees little difference between this check-and-retreat maneuver by Black's Queen and the simple 8.Qf6 - 2/100th of a pawn.

The Database shows the direct 8.Qf6 to be more popular than 8.Qh4+ g3 9.Qf6 - 441 games vs 62 games - but both score 57%.

10.fxe5+ 

The diversion 10.Qh5 did not work out well for me in perrypawnpusher - 1zscha2014, GameKnot.com, 2014 (0-1, 32) 

10...Qxe5 11.Qxe5+ 

Stockfish 15.1 frowns on 11.Qf3, and I have had mixed success with it:  perrypawnpusher - jeffgazet, blitz, FICS, San Jose, California US 2010}(1-0, 31)  perrypawnpusher - Buddy_Thompson, Chess.com, 2014 (0-1, 27)  perrypawnpusher - Coach Mae, Chess.com, 2023 (1-0, 30).

The Database has similar results: 31 games, White scores 66%.  

11...Kxe5 12.b4 Bd4 

I have faced 12...Bf8 in perrypawnpusher - Kevin the fruitbat, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic, Chessworld.net, 2008 (1-0, 38)

13.c3 Bb6 

14.d4+ Ke6 15.Bb2 d6 16.Nd2 Nf6 17.O-O Bd7 

With an extra piece for a pawn, Black is still better, even with his uneasy King.

Once again, the "Jerome Pawns" will have to step up fpr White.

18.Rae1 Raf8 19.c4 c6 20.Kg2 Ke7 21.Nf3 Kd8 

Black's response has been to retreat his King to safety.

22.c5 

A little sharper was 22.e5. 

22...dxc5 23.dxc5 Bc7 24.e5 Nd5 25.e6 Rxf3 


26.Rxf3 

The computer prefers 26.Kxf3 but I am not quite sure why.

26...Re8 27.Bxg7 Bxe6 28.a3 

Unfortunately for my opponent - perhaps the outside world intruded - here White won on time. 

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Tournament Outcomes

 


The Italian Game tournament at Chess.com has finished.

The winner, Seal_Island_Puffin, was also the top-rated player, of eight.

I managed to finish second in the tournament, despite scoring only one draw against two losses, with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

The Jerome Gambit Classic #1, at Chess.com, continues. I will move on to the third round, having gone 22 - 0 in the second round, that is, 11 wins with the Jerome, and 11 wins against

Some of my games from Classic #1 have been posted, but I have about 8 more which will soon appear. 

I will also try to collect the games played by others in the Classic #1, but there are 224 players in all, so that may take a while. 

Because of exciting play among the others in the tournament, I will finish first in the second round of the Giuoco Fun tournament at Chess.com, scoring three wins (1, 2, & 3 ) and one draw with the Jerome Gambit. On to the third round!

Friday, April 12, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Happiness and Sadness

 


The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and its relatives can produce very pretty games - and very ugly ones.

It can produce a lot of happiness - and a lot of sadness.

Take the following position, from the aforementioned game Habitus - amaudsylvain, lightning game, FICS, 1999 (0-1, 38), which started out as a Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+).

White has an overwhelming position; in fact, he has a mate-in-one, and it is his move.

Alas, before he could play 39.Qg6#, his flag fell, and White lost on time.

Sic transit gloria eius mundi



Thursday, April 11, 2024

Jerome Gambit: Just When Things Started to Become Interesting... (Part 1)


The clock intervenes, again...

perrypawnpusher - Borislav007

Giuoco Fun, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 


We have reached a standard Jerome Gambit position. In The Database are 906 games with this position. White score 64%.

10.O-O Qe7 11.d3 

Usually, I have played 11.Nc3 as in  perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 31); perrypawnpusher - mikelars, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 50); perrypawnpusher - Unimat, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 25); perrypawnpusher - Solaar, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 33); perrypawnpusher - parlance, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22); perrypawnpusher - chingching, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1/2 - 1/2, 36); perrypawnpusher - tuffnut, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 62); and perrypawnpusher - johnde, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 55).

11...d5 

Or 11...Be6 as in perrypawnpusher - Edvardinho, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 57)

12.f3 

White won on time

The earliest example of White's pawn "triangle" in a Jerome Gambit game that I can find is Lowe - Parker, corr, 1879 (1-0, 37). 

The earliest example of the pawn "triangle" in a Jerome Gambit game being properly challenged by ...d5 is Habitus - amaudsylvain, lightning game, FICS, 1999 (0-1, 38)