No Way A GM Plays the Jerome Gambit! (Part 1)

Readers of this blog have seen a lot of creative and historical coverage of the Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, and related openings, such as the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+. In addition, there have been explorations of "proto-Jerome Gambits" - earlier lines of play that might have inspired Alonzo Wheeler Jerome to create his opening. 

One such Jerome Gambit "relative" was showcased in "Adolf Albin Plays the Jerome Gambit (Part 1 & 2)", highlighting the game Albin,A - Schlechter,C, Trebitsch Memorial Tournament Vienna, 1914. The game began 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Qe2 Bc5 5.Bxf7+, which easily could have been a transposition from 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Qe2 Nf6, a "modern" (no 5.Nxe5+) Jerome Gambit.

White's 4th move was anticipated at least by James Mason, who, in the August 1895 British Chess Magazine, gave a game “played recently by correspondence between Brandfort and Bloemfontein, South Africa” which went 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Qe2 d6. Mason suggested the move 4…Nf6, because “there would be plenty of time to play the Pawn - perhaps two squares instead of one. For, as the Cape Times remarks, if White adopts the ‘Jerome Gambit’ 5.Bxf7+ Black replies 5…Kxf7 6.Qc4+ d5 7.Qxc5 Nxe4 with advantage.”

The Salvio Gambit (see"The Salvio Gambit??" and "The Salvio Gambit?? [more]"), from analysis from the early 1600s, is related: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 and now 3.Qe2 Nf6/Nc6 4.Bxf7+.

It is probably timely to reiterate that I refer to 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ as the "Abrahams Jerome Gambit" (see "Abrahams Jerome Gambit" Part 1 & Part 2), not because Alonzo Wheeler Jerome ever played the line, nor Abrahams, as far as I know, but because it was referred to as the Jerome Gambit in The Chess Mind (1951) and The Pan Book of Chess (1965), by Gerald Abrahams.

It is hard to overlook another possible precursor: the game Hamppe - Meitner, Vienna Club, 1872, which begins a little bit like a reversed Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Bc5 3.Na4 Bxf2+ and is covered in "Godfather of the Jerome Gambit? (Part I, Part II, Part III, and Endnote)".

Another opening with themes akin to the Jerome - with an initial Knight sacrifice at f7 - which may have caught Alonzo Jerome's eye - is the Sarratt Attack, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Ng5 usually followed by 5...Nh6 6.Nxf7 Nxf7 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7. Similar (although I occasionally mix them up) is the Vitzthum Attack, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Ng5 Nh6 followed by 6.Qh5. A good review can be found in the post "Capt. Evans Faces the Sarratt Attack".

Then, of course, there was the rumor that culminated in the post, here,"A GM plays the Jerome Gambit??", followed by "Here, have a Bishop..." and "Here, have another...".

That was topped by the rumor that Alexander Alekhine had defended against the Jerome Gambit - see "The Jerome Gambit is Going to Drive Me... (Part 1 & Part 2)"; and then, sadly "Much Ado About... Nothing".


Oh, oh, oh... Can we get back to the time when a modern, 2700+-rated Grandmaster didn't play the Jerome Gambit??

[to be continued]

A Distant Relative?

While the origin of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) appears to have been some time after Alonzo Wheeler Jerome was mustered out of the army as a 2^nd Lieutenant in August 1865, at Hilton Head, North Carolina (he returned to Mineola, New York, where he worked in a factory that manufactured agricultural machinery); and before "New Chess Opening" appeared in the April 1874 edition of the Dubuque Chess Journal, it is possible that the inventor was influenced by contemporary or past games and analysis.

The spectacular game Hamppe - Meitner, Vienna 1872, has been explored in this column as a possible inspiration: see "Godfather of the Jerome Gambit?" Parts I, II, III, and endnote, as well as "Hamppe - Meitner Revealed" and "Godfather of Oz?".

To this I would like to add an "offspring" game, clearly a decendent of "Hamppe - Meitner", and therefore related, if only by analysis, to the Jerome Gambit.

The game receives coverage in one of Edward Winter's "Chess Jottings" which notes

The game was published in the March 1957 BCM [British Chess Monthly], page 59, the source being Leonard Barden’s The Field column of 17 January 1957. That must mean that Le Lionnais’ ‘1957’ was wrong. The BCM (D.J. Morgan’s Quotes and Queries column) gives ‘1956 Swiss Boys’ Championship’ and states that the players were R. Frauenfelder and M. Gschwend.  

Rudolf Frauenfelder – Max Gschwend

Oerlikon, July 1956  

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Qe2 Na5

Although this is not a Giuoco Piano game, readers have seen both the Qd1-e2 and ...Nc6-h5 themes covered here. The following move is no surprise, either.

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Qh5+

White's two Queen moves have "reversed colors" for the opening, and what follows are the moves of Hamppe - Meitner.

5...Ke6 6.Qf5+ Kd6 7.d4 Kc6 8.Qxe5 Kb6 9.Na3 a6 10.Qxa5+ Kxa5 11.Nc4+ Kb5 12.a4+ Kxc4 13.Ne2 Bb4+ 14.Kd1 Bc3 15.b3+ Kb4 16.Nxc3 Kxc3 17.Bb2+ Kb4 18.Ba3+ Kc3

Drawn by perpetual check.

The Jerome Gambit pops up in the oddest places...

I was doing a Google Books search for Jerome Gambit references, and came across the following one from a review in The British Chess Magazine, Volume 108, 1988




Lettisches Gambit by Dr. L. Orban, Verlag Das Schach Archiv, Hamburg x: 1987 L. 90pp. ₤ 7.12 overseas ₤7.32 US $13.50

100 games with light notes on 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 f5. Also four - numbered five - supplementary games, though one of these illogically opens 2.Bc4 f5 and another one: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 4 Bxf7+ - The Jerome Gambit! Many CC games of course.

The Pete Banks Annotated Collection

For readers who have been wondering, "What has Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks / "blackburne" been up to lately?" (besides his recent article "How to Win Without Thinking" in the British Chess Magazine, and his appearances in GM Gary Lane's ChessCafe column and recent book The Greatest Ever Chess Tricks and Traps), I would like to direct you to his web page, The Pete Banks Annotated Collection.

If you play over some of the games, you will see that he often has Bxf7+ on his mind – even against the Sicilian Defense. (No surprise there.)

"How to Win Without Thinking"

It's time to point out to all readers that the latest BCM has an article written by Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Gemeinde member Pete Banks ("blackburne"), titled "How to Win Without Thinking."

Check it out!

British Chess Magazine : November 2009
Cover photo: Magnus Carlsen wins in Nanjing

Nanjing - it was Magnus Carlsen all the way at the ‘Pearl Spring’ tournament – which could prove to be one of the most significant turning points in the past decade. Ian Rogers was present to witness Carlsen’s star turn and annotate all his key games.

Short-Efimenko - Nigel Short faced a tough assignment in Ukraine, playing one of that country’s best young grandmasters. He lost the first game – could he recover? Read on...

Paignton - this well-loved congress is almost as traditional as Devon cream – Keith Arkell writes about one of his favourite events and annotates some games.

Read the November 2009 new book reviews

Kasparov-Karpov, Valencia • Speelman on the Endgame • Inventi Antwerp • Games Department with Sam Collins • A Reader Recollects... Mike Read • Spot The Continuation • How to Win Without Thinking • News in Brief • Quotes and Queries (with Phil Hughes) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)

Debut Vazquez

Here are two selections from the British Chess Magazine, from the January and February 1892 issues, concerning Andres Clemente Vazquez, an early member of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Gemeinde, recently spotlighted on this blog for his 1891 match with J.H. Blackburne (see "Alas, it was not meant to be").

Senor A.C. Vazquez, in La Strategie, says that after ten or fifteen years of conceding odds in Mexico, he as acquired some practice of the game. Experience has showed him the necessity of avoiding the exchanging of pieces from the commencement of the game, until, in short, the inferior player commits himself. The following variation, he believes, fills the bill. With it he has accomplished excellent results in Havana. It was designated by the late Captain Mackenzie, a "Terrible Opening."

(Remove White's Queen Knight)
1.c3 e5
2.Qc2 d5
3.d3 Nf6
4.Bd2 c5
5.0-0-0 Qa5
6.Kb1 Nc6
7.h3 Be6
8.e3 Be7
White proceeds 9.g4.

Variation :–
5...Nc6 6.f4 Bd6 7.g3 0-0 8.e4 Qc7 9.f5, &c.

In both cases, says the writer, White has a good position for attack, always reckoning the inferiority of the opponent. The "Debut Vazquez" is singular in this, that on [sic] matter what Black plays, White can always make the first five moves given above. Senor Vazquez hopes that the masters will analyze this opening and make their opinions known – Baltimore Sunday News

In our January number it was stated (p.11), on the authority of the Baltimore Sunday News, that the first player, conceding the odds of Q Kt, can always make the five following moves, whatever Black may reply :– 1.c3, 2.Qc2, 3.d3, 4.Bd2, 5.0-0-0. "East Marden," however, suggests for Black :– 1.e6, 2.Qf6, 3.Bc5, 4.Qxf2+ (no castling for White now!), 5.Qxf1, 6.Qxg2, 7.Qxh1! and White's game is hopeless. Senor Vazquez, who proposes the opening, would of course alter his tactics at the fourth move to avoid the impending catastrophe. All that is asserted is it is incorrect to say that the five moves can in all cases be played.

To play chess well

From the February 1900 issue of the British Chess Magazine

Game Department

The Openings - A correspondent writes to us that he has carefully gone through Mr. Blackburne's lately published book [Mr. Blackburne's Games at Chess], and he finds that in nearly every game won by Mr. Blackburne, from weaker opponents, the loser had really a lost game, theoretically, somewhere about the tenth move in the game, and in many games even earlier. We cannot say whether this be so or not, as we have not had the leisure to play all the games over, but we incline to the belief that our correspondent's conclusion is pretty nearly correct. Our own experience is that at least 90 per cent of games played between experts and inexperienced amateurs are practically lost by the amateurs before they have made a dozen moves. To play chess well, a fair knowledge of the openings is absolutely essential. The chess player who tries to construct his game on a faulty opening, is like the architect who builds his edifice on a rotten foundation. Both are bound to collapse to well-directed pressure. Moral: look to your theory, and beware of the individual who ostentatiously tells you, as if it is something to be proud of, that he knows nothing of the openings. If you search him, it is more than likely you will find him possessed of a pocket edition of the chess openings, to which he refers much oftener than to his bible or prayer-book – Hereford Times

Adolf Albin Plays the Jerome Gambit (Part 1)

With the miracle of chess opening transpositions, and the inclusiveness of the "modern" variations of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), a bit of chess revisionism is hardly difficult to perform at all...

The Modern Jerome Gambit

The "Modern" Jerome Gambit – so-called because it was not seen during the days of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, and has only recently (within the last 10 - 15 years) appeared – can be classified as "1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Not-Nxe5+":

5.0-0, 5.Nc3, 5.d3, 5.a3, 5.h3, 5.Qe2, etc. All of those fifth moves for White can be safely submitted to chess analysis engines and all will receive a "better" score than 5.Nxe5+.

Let's take a look at 5.Qe2: it received attention as the backbone of GladtoMateYou's play (see "Home Cooking") with White in the current Chessworld Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament. As Black's response, let's give the reasonable 5...Nf6.

And now a bit of a historical digression...

According to the August 1895 issue of the British Chess Magazine, the cities of Brandfort and Bloemfontein, South Africa, played a game of correspondence chess that year. It began 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Qe2 d6, and James Mason (writing for the BCM) wrote

Better 4...Nf6. There would be plenty of time to play the Pawn - perhaps two squares instead of one. For, as the Cape Times remarks, if White adopts the "Jerome Gambit" 5.Bxf7+ Black replies 5...Kxf7 6.Qc4+ d5 7.Qxc5 Nxe4 with advantage.

(It should be noted that despite Mason's assessment, GladtoMateYou won 3 of the 4 games in the Thematic Tournament that reached that position after 7 moves.)

We are now ready to proceed to Albin - Schlechter, Trebitsch Memorial Memorial Tournament, Vienna, 1914.

In the next post, that is...

Wildest!

Here's a Wild Muzio, presented in Edward Winter's 1996 Chess Explorations (source British Chess Magazine, September 1903, page 392):

Blackburne, J.H. - Amateur

simultaneous exhibition

Canterbury, 1903

(notes by Blackburne)

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4

On this occasion, to follow the fashion, I offered the King's Gambit wherever I had the chance; and to my utter astonishment, nearly allwere accepted. 'That's the way to learn chess', said I.

3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Bxf7+

An almost obsolete variation. Some 40 years ago or more, I frequently played it, but came to the conclusion that it did not lead to such a lasting attack as the ordinary Muzio.

When I sacrificed the bishop, one of the lookers-on asked what Gambit I called that, pointing to the next board. 'That', I said, 'is the Bishop's Gambit, and this is the Archbishop's'. The Archbishop was present at the time.

5...Kxf7 6.Ne5+ Ke8

The only move. Any other loses immediately.

7.Qxg4 Qf6

The correct reply is 7...Nf6

8.d4 Bh6 9.0-0 Qg7 10.Qh5+ Ke7 11.Bxf4 Bxf4 12.Rxf4 Nf6 13.Qh4 d6 14.Nc3 c6 15.Raf1 Rf8 16.Nf7

16.Nxc6+ would equally have won, but I could not resist this; it is the sort of move sure to intimidate the ordinary amateur. Anyway it somewhat non-plussed my opponent, for he immediately exclaimed, 'What have you taken?'

16...Rxf7 17.e5 dxe5 18.dxe5 Nbd7 19.exf6+ Nxf6 20.Ne4 Be6 21.Nxf6 Kf8 22.Nxh7+ Kg8 23.Rxf7 Bxf7 24.Nf6+ Kf8 25.Qb4+

How's that, umpire?

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, Wizard of Draws

Godfather of the Jerome Gambit? (Part I)

It is not (yet) clear from what Alonzo Wheeler Jerome received his inspiration to create the Jerome Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ but the following legendary game must have gotten his creativity stirred up.

From the British Chess Magazine, November 1899

We take the score of the following extraordinary game from the Glasgow Herald, which was indebted for it to Capt. Mackenzie. It is said to have been played about 20 years ago in the Vienna Club, and was first published, we find, by Turf, Field, and Farm, and afterwards reprinted in the Chess-Player's Quarterly Chronicle of 1872.
Notes by C.E. Ranken [translated from descriptive to algebraic notation] 

Hamppe - Meitner
Vienna Club, 1872


1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Bc5 3.Na4 Bxf2+

We cannot believe this sacrifice to be sound. The simple retreat of the B to e7 is sufficient answer to White's bizarre third move, since it leaves his N out of play.

4.Kxf2 Qh4+ 5.Ke3
A feasible course seems to be as follows: 5.g3 Qxe4 6.Qe2! Qxh1 (If 6...Qxa4 White at once recovers his two pawns, with the better position) 7.Nf3 Nf6 (This or 7...Nh6 is obviously the only move to save the Queen) 8.h3 (Better than 8.Qxe5+ ) 8...e4 (If 8...Ng4+ 9.hxg4 d6 10.d4 Bxg4 11.Bg2 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 and wins) 9.Bg2 Ng4+ 10.hxg4 Qh6 11.Qxe4+ Qe6 12.Nc5 Qxe4 13.Nxe4 d5 14.Nc3 c6 15.g5 and Black has only Rook and Pawn against the two minor pieces

5...Qf4+ 6.Kd3 d5 7.Kc3 

7.Nc3 might perhaps be ventured, and if 7...dxe4+ 8.Kc4; Or White could play 7.Qe2 and if 7...dxe4+ 8.Kc3 

7...Qxe4 8.Kb3

A pretty variation would arise here from 8.d4 exd4+ 9.Qxd4 Qe1+ 10.Bd2 Qxa1 11.Nf3! Qxa2 (if 11...Kf8 12.Qxd5 Nc6 13.Bc4 Be6 14.Qc5+ and wins) 12.Qxg7 Qxa4 13.Qxh8 Qc6+ There appears nothing better. 14.Kb3 Qg6 15.Bd3 with a winning attack. 

8...Na6 9.a3 Qxa4+

An exhibition of fireworks worthy of Morphy or Blackburne. This brilliant sacrifice will, as far as we can see, stand the test of analysis, and but for White's able defence it might have won.

10.Kxa4 Nc5+ 11.Kb4 

Best; if 11.Kb5 the reply would be 11...b6 

11...a5+ 12.Kxc5



If 12.Kc3 then 12...d4+ 13.Kc4 b6 and still White would have no escape. 

12...Ne7 13.Bb5+

The only way to escape mate. 

13...Kd8 14.Bc6 b6+ 15.Kb5 Nxc6 16.Kxc6


If 16.Ka4 Nd4 and mates next move. If 16.c3 then 16...Bd7 with the same result 

16...Bb7+ 17.Kb5 

Should 17.Kxb7 then 17...Kd7 18.Qg4+ Kd6 and White has no resource 

17...Ba6+ and draws by perpetual check