Jerome Gambit: Beware the e-File

Again, we have a recent Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game that emphasizes the dangers that can arrive along the opened e-file - for White, as well as Black. Both often do well to find their own versions of castling.

fcristian - rrw23

5 3 blitz, BLM tournament, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

10.f4 Kf7 11.e5 

This should cost a pawn. Beware the e-file.

11...Re8 12.O-O Kg8 

Choosing to castle-by-hand, allowing White to reinforce his e-pawn.

13.d4 dxe5 14.dxe5 Nd5 

15.Qe4 Rf8 16.f5 Nge7 17.Bg5 Bxf5 18.Qc4 Be6 19.Nc3 c6 20.Rxf8+ Qxf8 21.Rf1 Qe8 

Black has reinforced his position, and remains better.

22.Ne4 Qd7 23.Nc5 Qc8 24.Qh4

White's threat is clear. Unfortunately, a couple of oversights now end the game quickly. Time issues?

24...Bf7 25.Bxe7 Nxe7 26.Qxe7 b6 27.Qxf7+ Kh8 28.Ne6 Qd8 29.Qxg7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Not Enough Time

Taking or not taking White's e-pawn is the theme of the following Jerome Gambit bullet game. The problem for the defender is that there just isn't enough time to work things through.

angelcamina - Angoolir

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Nf6 

There are different ways for Black to give back material. He might have tried 7...d6 or 7...Qf6, which give back only one piece. In a 1-minute game, these snap decisions can be difficult.

8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxc5 d6 

A mistake is 9...Nxe4, quickly shown 10.Qd5+ Kg6 11.Qxe4+ Kh5 12.g4+ Kxg4 13.Rg1+ Kh3 14.Qf3+ Kxh2 15.Qh1 checkmate, spidershadow33 - spinatkaaim, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020.

A little more adventurous is 9...Re8, when Black can then take the e-pawn, but, recently, he decided to castle-by-hand instead: 10.O-O Kg8 11.d3 d6 12.Qg5 h6 13.Qg3 b5 14.f5 Bb7 15.Bxh6 Re7 16.Bg5 Rf7 17.Nc3 a6 18.Ne2 c5 19.Nf4 Qe8 20.Ng6 Nh7 21.Qh4 Qd7 22.Rf3 c4 23.Qxh7+ Kxh7 24.Rh3+ Kg8 25.Rh8 checkmate, Wall,B - Harnza,S, FICS, 2020. 

10.Qe3 Re8 

10...Nxe4 worked, too, because White cannot recapture 11.Qxe4 Re8, winning the Queen.

11.d3 Ng4 

Black changes the focus of his attack to the Kingside.

12.Qf3 Qh4+ 13.g3 Qh3 14.Nc3 Nf6 15.Bd2 

15...Bg4 16.Qe3 

White hopes for more than 16.Qf1 and an exchange of Queens.

16...Rad8 17.Ne2 d5 

Surprisingly, it was possible to take the e-pawn: 17...Nxe4 18.dxe4 Qg2 19.0-0-0 Bxe2 is even.

18.e5 

18...d4 19.Nxd4 

Black was probably wondering, I thought he couldn't do that... He would be right - now 19...Rxd4 is fine, because 20.Qxd4 Qg2!? would be bad for White.

19...Nd5 20.Qf2 c5 21.Nf3 c4 

A slip.

22.Ng5+ Kg8 23.Nxh3 Bxh3 24.O-O-O cxd3 25.cxd3 Rc8+ 26.Kb1 Bf5 27.Bc3 Nxc3+ 28.bxc3 Rxc3 29.Qd4 Rec8 30.e6 White won on time.

The clock decides. On top of that, White has a material advantage, and his oft-threatened e-pawn is advancing as well.

Jerome Gambit: Until He Falls

In a Jerome Gambit game played at bullet speed - 1 minute, no increment - it is necessary to focus on the tactical basics, and continue to push your opponent until he falls. Even in complicated positions, even with not-perfect moves: push, push, push!

angelcamina - Destroyu

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020

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

 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qf6 

This saves the Rook but surrenders the Bishop. That might have been Black's plan - especially in bullet - but it immediately gives White better prospects.

8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 

Also seen recently:

9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qxb7 Black resigned, s34nuk - Carborundissimo, 2 1 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; and

9.Qc4+ Be6 10.Qc3 Qh4 11.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 12.Kf1 Bc4+ 13.d3 Bxd3+ 14.cxd3 Qxd3+ 15.Ke1 Re8+ 16.Be3 Rxe3+ 17.fxe3 Qxe3+ 18.Kf1 Qc1+ 19.Kf2 Qxh1 20.Qxh7+ Kf8 21.Qxg6 Qc1 22.Nc3 Qxa1 23.Qf5+ Ke8 24.Qg6+ Kd7 25.Qxg8 Qxb2+ 26.Kg3 Qxc3+ 27.Kh4 Qd4+ 28.g4 Qf2+ 29.Kh5 Qc5+ 30.g5 d5 31.Qg7+ Kc6 32.g6 d4+ Black won on time, ianfencer - thepaperboy, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020.

9...Be6 10.O-O Ne7 11.Nc3 Nc6 

12.d4 

Could be a small oversight, but, in a bullet game, it's only the big ones that count.

12...Nxd4 13.f4 Nxc2 14.Qe2 Nxa1 

Okay, but will the Knight return to play, or will his inactivity make it as if he had only won the exchange, not an uncompensated Rook.

15.Be3 Nb3 

Give me liberty, or give me death!

But there is more to the picture.

16.axb3 

The position is devilishly complicated, and the alternative, 16.f5, was the strongest move. Then 16...gf5 17.exf5 Bd7 18.Qc4+ Kf8 19.Nd5!? Qe5 20.Qxb3 leads to a position where the danger to Black's King seriously outweighs the sacrificed exchange.

16...Bxb3 17.e5 

With more time, White would have discovered, to his delight, that Black's Bishop is a lost soul, and that after 17.Qb5!? Be6 18.f5 gxf5 19.exf5 it still struggles to find safety, e.g. 19...Ba2 20.Qa4.

17...Qe6 18.f5 

Open lines!

18...gxf5 19.Qh5+ Qg6 20.Rxf5+ Kg7 

Things do downhill after this.

21.Rg5 Bf7 22.Rxg6+ Bxg6 23.Bh6+ Kf7 24.Qf3+ Ke6 25.Qf6+ Kd7 26.e6+ Kc6 27.Qf3+ Kb6 28.Be3+ c5 29.Qd5 Rhe8 30.Qxd6+ Ka5 31.Qxc5+ Ka6 32.Qb5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Keep Your Head

While I have no reason to believe that writer Rudyard Kipling ever played the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+), I am reminded of his advice to his son, referencing "If you can keep your head when All around you are losing theirs and blaming it on you..."

In the following game, SurgeonOfDeath27 keeps his head amidst swirling tactics, and is rewarded with a win.

SurgeonOfDeath27 - ajirin
15 10 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 

9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf8+ 

A line looked at by Michael Dunagan, although SurgeonOfDeath27 played this game before my blog posted "Jerome Gambit Refuted by A 1140 Player".

10...Kc6 11.Qf3 d6 

Black has a piece for a pawn, but his King is a bit awkwardly placed. 

12.c3 Bb6 13.d4 Qe7 14.O-O 

14...Nf6 

Overlooking the discovered check, or believing that he has prepared for it.

15.e5+ Nd5 16.Re1

Protecting the e-pawn, because the d-pawn is pinned by Black's Bishop. If White takes advantage of his pin with 16.c4, then 16...Qxe5 17.cxd5+ Qxd5 and Black has an edge, with an extra pawn and a not-quite-at-risk King. White can duck out of the pin with 16.Kh1, but complications ensue: 16...Be6 17.c4 Rhf8 18.Bf4 dxe5 19.Nc3 Rxf4 20.cxd5+ Kd7 21.dxe6+ Qxe6 22.Qxb7 Qc6 23.Qxc6+ Kxc6 24.dxe5 Rxf1+ 25.Rxf1 Re8 devolving into an even game. (Thank you, Komodo 10)

The position is messy, and both players get part of the above analysis - White gets the larger.

16...h5 

17.Kh1 Bg4 18.Qe4 dxe5 19.c4 Rad8 20.cxd5+ Rxd5 

Rushing into another pin.

21.Nc3 Bxd4 22.Qxd5+ Black resigned

It is checkmate the next move.

Jerome Gambit: Wild

I received a friendly email from Andrew Hubbard, containing a wild Jerome Gambit game .

TacticalRain - sriramv
Internet, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

When Black plays this sacrifice - here, and in other Jerome Gambit variations - his reasoning is usually one or more of the following

a) If you're going to knock my King about, I'm going to knock yours about, too;
b) If you're going to capture my Bishop, I might as well get a pawn for it;
c) I'm going to exchange Queens, even if it leaves me a pawn down, because it will deflate your attack

What can happen if White goes along with Black's plan is a pretty level position: 8.Kxf2 Nf6 9.Rf1 Re8 10.Qg3 Nxe4+ 11.Kg1+ Kg8 12.Qf4 d5. Should White be happy, because he no longer is two pieces down? Or, should he be disappointed, because his wild attack has dissipated? No doubt, this leads to White's choice in the game.

8.Kd1 

The same psychology in any declined gambit or counter-gambit: If you want me to take the sacrifice, then I will refuse it.

The Database has 6 earlier examples of this move, with White scoring 50%. Possibly, that is because Black did not find the strongest response.

8...Qf6 

Offering the exchange of Queens, which is good enough, but the real danger came from 8...Qh4, threatening 9...Qg4 mate! This is not an idle threat - for example, if White guards the g4 square with 9.h3, then 9...d6 both attacks White's Queen and threatens 10...Bg4+ 11.hxg4 Qxg4 mate.

White can answer 8...Qh4 with 9.c3, creating an escape outlet for his King, but the situation remains dire: 9...Nf6 10.d3 Qg4+ 11.Kc2 Qxg2 12.Nd2 Qxh1, although White can recover a piece with 13.Qf4 followed by e4-e5. He can improve the line by checking the enemy King a bit, first: 9.Qd5+ Kg7 10.Qe5+ Nf6+ 11.Qe7+ Kg8 12.c3, because now 12...Qg4+ 13.Kc2 Qxg2 would lead to 14.Qxf6 Qxh1 15.Qd8+ Kf7 16.Qxh8 Qxh2 when Black would have only a small edge. However, instead of hunting material, Black improves with 12...b6 and 13...Ba6, or 12...d5 and is still better.

This is almost enough to rename this blog post "Jerome Gambit Secrets #13".

9.Qxc7 

White is not seeking a draw. In the meantime, he holds up the pawn that blocks the Bishop that hems in the Rook.

9...Nh6 10.Rf1 Ng4 

The Knight provides extra protection for the Bishop, while scheming to undermine the Rook; but the Black King would do better to acknowledge the danger down the f-file and move off of it with 10...Kg7.

11.d3 Nxh2 

Overlooking both the fact that White's Queen protects the h-pawn and that White has a developing and attacking move to complicate things further.

12.Bg5 Qxg5 13.Rxf2+ Kg7 14.Qc3+ 

14...Kh6 

Black's King is usually safer at home, although White grabs a piece after 14...Kg8 15.Rf8+ Kxf8 16.Qxh8+ Kf7 17.Qxh7+ Kf8 18.Qxh2. Once again, things would not be as simple as they first seem, as Black's response 18...d5 has an echo of the threat analyzed after move 8 - 19.Nd2 dxe4 and if 20.Nxe4, then 20...Bg4+ will lead to mate. White probably would do best to play 20.Qh8+ and force a draw by way of repetition.

15.Qxh8 

Now things are going White's way.

15...Qg4+ 16.Re2 Nf1 

A slip.

17.Qf8+ Kh5 18.Qxf1 d5 

Too late to the party.

19.Nc3 dxe4 20.Nxe4 Bf5 

One final Oooops.

21.Nf6+ Black resigned

Wild!

Jerome Gambit Refuted by A 1140 Player

I have enjoyed email from players around the world who have discovered the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). Some send games and analysis, which I always find helpful, even when it labeled, as a recent missive from Michael Dunagan, "Jerome Gambit refuted by a 1140 player: Me".

Let me share his note, as well as my response. (He sent position screenshots; I have replaced them with the underlying moves and my standard diagrams.)

Hi,

I first learned of the Jerome Gambit when YouTube suggested GM Amen Hambelton's episode.

I have been looking at it for four days since I first was shown it:

Essentially, I think Black just slips into a "Fried Liver" Defense with 6...Ke6, and it's good night ladies.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

I do not have a chess engine but I thought White's best response is 7.f2-f4 attacking Black's Knight on e5.

7.f4

I guess chess.com has a little "scoreboard" to the left of the board.  The scoreboard likes 7...d7-d6 for Black. 

7...d6

White does get a Knight back with 8.f4xe5 and after 8...d6xe5  9.O-O controls the "F* file.

8.fxe5 dxe5 [Here White cannot castle, as suggested.]

If the White Queen checks instead with 7.Qh5-f5+, the King saunters to d6, 7...Ke6-d6 8.f2-f4 Qd8-e7.  Gotta take the Knight before it moves away to safety 9.f2xe5,  with the reply Qxe5 offering a.trade of Queens.

[From second diagram, above] 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qe7

Whether White trades Queens or not, he does not get Black's Dark Square Bishop, at least not in the opening as I have seen in other lines of play.

White would love to Castle but the c5 Bishop controls g1, the King's landing square.  White could "harrass a check" on f8, but as the Black King electric slides to c6, now she is under attack from the c5 Bishop and she must retreat with 4 escape landing spots: d8, f1, f3 f5 where the latter put the trade in play again.

I intuitively, down a Bishop for a Pawn, save the Queen with escaping to f3.  Chess.com agrees with this is the beat for White with (-5.38) as opposed to going back to e5 offering a trade (-6.25).

++++++

And now we are some 7-9 moves from the opening and white is going to have its head spin on how fast Black will develope with move like Ng8-f6 closing the "F" file and doubling up pressure on the d4 Pawn.

The best I could do for both sides

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qe7 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf8+ Kc6 11.Qf3 Nf6 12.Nc3 d5 13.d3 Bg4

And now white has to trade Queens in order to not drop the pinned e4 Pawn.

Needless to say that chess.com believes this position is scores at (-5.81) or just short of a rook and a pawn or just short of two minor pieces.

And after this position,  I cannot find any chess.com good scoring moves for White.  I would think knocking the Black  bishop around with h2-g4 so a Queen side Castle would be good but it only increased Blacks score on chess.com...

Regards,

Michael P. Dunagan

Hi Mr. Dunagan,

Thank you for taking the time to analyze the Jerome Gambit, and then share what you have found with me.

It must have taken a good bit of time and effort to put all of that in, from your phone. I appreciate the effort.

It is not clear from GM Ambleton's hysterically funny video that I never said the Jerome Gambit was a great opening, or even a good one. Of course, my blog is approaching its 3,000th post, so there is no way that Aman would ever have read it all...😊

I do admit that I waited to the 5th blog post, back in 2008, to mention Henry Joseph Blackburne's fantastic crush of the Jerome Gambit:  Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884 (0-1, 14). Most likely, if anybody has ever heard of the Jerome, they have seen this beauty.

It was probably blog post #17 when I first asked the question, "But - Is this stuff playable?" You might be surprised that my response was an immediate 

Of course not. The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has many refutations. I'm glad that's settled.

However, I wasn't finished.

     Maybe a more useful question would be --
     Under what conditions might the Jerome Gambit be playable?

     In casual or blitz games among "average" players , perhaps -- when Grandmaster Nigel Davies' words from his Gambiteer I (2007) are relevant:

Having examined literally thousands of club players’ games over the years, I have noticed several things:
1) The player with the more active pieces tends to win.
2) A pawn or even several pawns is rarely a decisive advantage.
3) Nobody knows much theory.
4) When faced with aggressive play, the usual reaction is to cower.

That is the gist of my work, right there. I was led by the question "Who is this Jerome guy, and why are they blaming this terrible opening on him?" The answers were fascinating.

I have published on my blog every refutation that I have found, and would be happy to publish yours. I have published almost every Jerome Gambit that I have played (I keep finding a few I missed) - won or lost. Especially lost.

While examining the history of "Jerome's Double Opening" I discovered something curious: there are players who have won a majority of their games with the Jerome Gambit, despite its refuted status. Some (including me) have won over 75% of the time. That's downright weird.

So, the blog also became an exploration for me into what I called "errors of thinking". I was fascinated: how did anyone ever lose to the Jerome Gambit?

All the while, people all over the world have sent me their games. Mostly club players - but some stronger players, too. I now have a database of Jerome and Jerome-related games containing over 62,000. Only 15,256 come directly from the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, but that's still more than I ever thought I would find.

I think it's fun to have a chess "secret weapon". As defenders get stronger and wiser, the Jerome Gambit becomes, more than ever, a school for tactics. Sometimes, a school for defense. Always, a school for being aware of opportunities. At some point, the Jerome brings more pain to the user than it does to the defender, and it will be set aside.

Whew. That was a bit long. I would love to share with you my specific thoughts on your analysis, but I think I've taken up enough of your time right now.

Again, thank you for the work you have done. I look for the whole story of the Jerome Gambit, not just the dashing wins.

Best wishes,

Rick

Let me also add that Mr. Dunagan has also sent me "Improving the Jerome", but I am going to hold off on that one for a while.