A Real Game

Here is Louis Morin again, showing that when it comes to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), if Black doesn't quickly hammer out one of the available refutations then White has the opportunity to make a real game out of it – and maybe a real win, too.

guest1730 - guest1656
ICC 2 12, 2001

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7



Part of the interest of the Jerome Gambit is how many different ways Black solves his situation. In this case, he chooses a slow method that allows White to equalize. The alternative, 8...Qe7, maintains Black's advantage.

9.0-0 b6 10.Qe3 Bb7 11.f4 Rf8 12.d4 d6 13.f5 Nh8 14.g4 Qd7 15.c4


White has been playing out his trumps – his pawns – and is looking to attack. Black would do best now to get his King out of the center by castling-by-hand, to the Kingside or the Queenside.

15...Nf7 16.Nc3 Kd8 17.b3 h6 18.h4 g5 19.h5



Prudently avoiding opening the Kingside – otherwise Black might have a avenue of counter-attack. White must also be aware of possible dangers along the a8-h1 diagonal.

19...Nc6 20.Ba3 Qe8 21.Rad1 Kd7



Making room for his Rook to get to d8, but this is risky and encourages White to break in the center.

22.e5 Nfxe5 23.dxe5 Qxe5

Black has returned his extra piece for two pawns (often a good strategy in the Jerome Gambit), and now offers to exchange Queens. White's protected passed pawn at f5 could prove a nuisance in the endgame, but perhaps the second player judged the position to be defensible.

24.Qd3 Rae8 25.Rde1


Despite White's determined play, Black is still doing fine.

25...Qd4+ 26.Qxd4 Nxd4 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.Bb2 Nf3+ 29.Kf2 Nh2


Black needs to be careful that his minor piece gymnastics do not get him into trouble.

30.Rg1 Bf3 31.Rg3

Better: 31.Kg3

31...Bxg4 32.Rg2 Bxf5 33.Rxh2


Oddly, the players' roles have been reversed: White now has the extra piece, while Black has the extra two pawns. The second player continues in a way suggesting that he was either short on time, or disspirited at the turn of events.

33...c6 34.Kf3 Rf8 35.Kg3 Be6 36.Ne2 c5 37.Bg7 Rf1 38.Bxh6 Ra1 39.Nc3 Rg1+ 40.Kf2 g4

Hastening the end.

41.Kxg1 g3 42.Rg2 Bg4 43.Rxg3 Bxh5 44.Ne4 Kc6 45.Rg5 b5 46.Rxh5 bxc4 47.bxc4 a5 48.Bf4 a4 49.Rh6 Kb6 50.Rxd6+ Ka5 51.Bd2 checkmate