Jerome Gambit: How's That For A Kick In The Head?

It is quite possible that playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7) at slower time controls allows you to absorb enough knowledge about the opening that you can play it at a very fast speed, as well. Here is a third game from our featured anonymous player. It finishes with a bang that is overwhelming - maybe the defender could find a way out, if only he had enough time...

Anonymous - Anonymous
1 0 bullet, Chess.com, 2020

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 

This position goes back at least as far as the game Charlick - Mann, correspondence, Australia, 1881 (1-0, 72).

10.Nc3 Bd7 

This move is new, according to The Database. It develops a piece, modestly, and avoids percipitating f2-f4, which would have happened after 10...Be6, and avoids forcing White to strengthen his center, with 10...Bg4 11.f3.

11.d4 Kf7 12.f3 Re8 13.b3 Kg8 14.Bb2 

Black has castled-by-hand. White has a solid, but not particularly mobile, center.

14...a5 15.a4 c6 16.h4 

With aggressive intent.

16...Nh5 17.Ne2 Nxh4 

I don't think that the pawn is worth the risk.

18.O-O-O 

The reason he took Kingside liberties with his 16th move: His Majesty is going Queenside, a very reasonable decision that can be made in an eyeblink, even with the risks that sometimes occur when Kings find their homes on opposite sides of the board.

There was also the possibility of 18.Qf2 directly, but it leads to the kind of messy play you might want to avoid in bullet chess: 18...g5 19.g3 Rf8 20.gxh4 g4 21.Rg1 Qf6 22.Ba3 Qxf3 23.Qxf3 Rxf3 24.Bxd6 and it is not clear whose passed pawn is better, and if the whole thing is going to boil down to a Bishops-of-opposite-colors ending that would be quite drawish.

18...b5 19.Nf4 

Tricky, relying on the Rook on the open h-file, but 19...Ng3 is a proper response. Again, he could have considered 19.Qf2.

19...Nxf4

That's the thing about bullet play: aggression is often rewarded because defense takes time to figure out. 

20.Qxf4 Ng6 21. Qxd6 bxa4 22. d5 axb3 

There's aggression on both sides of the board.

23.Rxh7 

"How's that for a kick in the head?", as they used to say.

Stockfish 10 says that Black can take the Rook and still draw, but computers do not live in the real world. I'm pretty sure Black crossed his fingers for luck and played...

23...bxc2 

Grandmasters might play: 23...Kxh7 24.Rh1+ Nh4 25.Qg3 g5 26.Rxh4+ Kg6 27.dxc6 Rc8 28.f4 Rxe4 29.cxd7 Rxc2+ 30.Kb1 Rxb2+ 31.Kxb2 Qf6+ 32.Kb1 Rd4 33.Qg4 Qf5+ 34.Qxf5+ Kxf5 35.fxg5 Rxd7 36.Kb2 Rd2+ 37.Kxb3 Rxg2 38.Ka4 Rxg5 39.Kxa5 and each would then complain about "losing a point".

If it's any consolation, 23...Ne5 24.Rh5 bxc2 would probably lead to a draw, as well.

24.Rxg7+ Kh8 25.Rh1+ Nh4 26.Qh6 checkmate

Very, very nice.

Jerome Gambit: A Good Idea

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can affect defenders differently. Some will think "Somehow I never learned about this crushing attack, I am doomed" while others will think "I now have a won game that will play itself". Both mind sets can lead to disaster over-the-board, and another thought, that there are other games to play... 

chagnusmarlson - oslang
10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 b6 9.Qd5 

9.Qe3 Ba6 (9...Bb7 10.d4 Nf6 11.Nc3 Qe7 12.O-O Ng4 13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.c4 13.Qg3 Nf6 14.Bg5 d6 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Rfe1 Qf7 18.Rxe5+ Kf8 19.Rae1 Qg6 20.Nb5 Rd8 21.Nxc7 Kf7 22.Qb3+ Nd5 23.Nxd5 Bxd5 24.Rxd5 Rxd5 25.Qxd5+ Kf8 Black resigned, Charlick,H - Cooke,W, Adelaide Chess Club, 1884) 10.d3 N8e7 11.O-O c6 12.f4 Rf8 13.Nc3 Rc8 14.Bd2 d6 15.Rae1 Bb7 16.e5 dxe5 17.fxe5 Rxf1+ 18.Rxf1 c5 19.Ne4 Nd5 20.Qf3 21.Nd6+ Kd8  22.Bg5 Qxg5 23.Nf7+ Kd7 24.Nxg5 Nxe5 25.Qf5+ Kd6 26.Qe6+ Kc7 27.Qxe5+ Kc6 28.Nf7 Kb5 29.Nd6+ Ka6 30.Nxc8 Bxc8 31.Qxd5 Bg4 32.Qg5 Be2 33.Rf2 Bxd3 34.cxd3 b5 35.Qxg7 Ka5 36.Rf5 b4 37.Rxc5+ Kb6 38.Qc7+ Ka6 39.Qa5+ Kb7 40.Rc7+ Kb8 41.Qxa7 checkmate, Lumix - ItsEricxm, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020.

9...Ba6 10.d3 Nf6 11.Qb3 d5

Often a good move for Black, it is not well-timed here, as he has overlooked something.

12.Qa4+ Black resigned

Clearly, Black was discouraged after his slip. The game could have continued 12...Qd7 13.Qxa6 dxe4 14.0-0 exd3 15.Rd1 Qe6 16.Qxd3 Kf7, when Black would have simply been down a pawn.

The Jerome Gambit has a way of making opponents think that moving on to the next game might be a good idea...

Jerome Gambit: The Little Things Add Up

Sometimes the Jerome Gambit results in a tactical explosion that clearly wins the game. Other times, as in the following encounter, it leads to positions where an observer might muse "Sure, okay, but that's just a little thing, right, how can it lead to a loss?" The little things add up.

Wall, Bill - Guest7121133
PlayChess.com, 2020

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

Bill is 8 - 0 from this standard position, which goes back at least as far as Charlick - Mann, corresponcence, Australia, 1881 (1-0, 72). The Database has 196 games with this position, with White scoring 71%.

10.d4 Rf8 11.O-O Rf7

It probably would have been more prudent for Black to have castled-by-hand with 11...Kf7 and 12...Kg8.

12.Nc3 Bd7 13.f4 Ng4 

After White's Queen has made so many early moves - Qh5, Qd5, Qxc5, Qe3 - it might seem logical to "punish" her for those misdeeds; but, by wasting a tempo here and there, Black seems to actually reward such sallying.

14.Qe2 a6

This looks like a waste of time. It is enjoyable to see the recommendation of Komodo 10 (26 ply): 14...Qf6 15.Qd3 Qh4 16.h3 Nf6 17.f5 Ne7 18.Bd2 Kf8 19.Rf4 Qg5 20.Rf2 Qh4 21.Rf4, etc, draw. I have pointed out before that computer engines seem to think so little of White's play in the Jerome Gambit that they grab a chance for the first player to force a draw by repetition, salvaging a half point, whenever possible. I doubt that Bill would have gone along with such a plan.

15.f5 Qh4 16.h3 

The Knight must retreat, and Black must surrender a piece. He would do it best with the straight forward 16...Nf6 17.fxg6 hxg6, with advantage to White.

16...Nh6 

This gives White too much along the f-file.

17.fxg6 Rxf1+ 18.Qxf1 b5 19.Bxh6 Black resigned

Really, The Jerome Gambit Is Playable (Part 1)

Louis Morin's ("MrJoker") second Jerome Gambit game in the recent Quebec Open again fulfills the mission of an effective chess opening - one that allows him to reach a playable middlegame.

He still has to work hard for the full point, succeed in a tricky endgame, and dodge time trouble in the process, but the game is a battle well worth playing over.   

Morin, Louis - Weston, Paul
Quebec Open, 2018
40 moves / 90 minutes, then 30 minutes

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

Often Black adopts this defense on-the-fly, because it makes sense: he saves one piece and lets the other one go, as he will still be a piece ahead. In addition, he keeps his King on the 7th rank, the better to allow him to develop his Rook to f8 or e8.

Sometimes, however, the Knight on g6 is part of a long term plan - and, in this game, the King moves to and stays in the center. That is an interesting contrast to Louis's earlier Jerome Gambit.

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

A standard setup in the 6...Ng6 variation.

Recently I wrote on this blog about Sheldrick, Kevin - Bhat, Vishal
Australian Open, 2017 (1-0, 20)

This position is as old - fittingly - as Charlick - Mann, correspondence, Australia, 1881 (1-0, 72). The Database has 163 games with the position, with White scoring 70%. Mind you, beside this one, only one other game (by Guido de Bouver of Flanders, Belgium) is an over-the-board encounter.

Of course, we can now add Louis' over-the-board game.

According to The Database, he has had this position in over 50 games.

How do you win with the Jerome Gambit? Experience, experience, experience.

10.O-O Ng4

Interesting. This could be a naive harassment of the White Queen, or the start of tactical operations on the Kingside.

11.Qg3 h5

Wow. Weston is following Bhat's line of play from the Australian Open! (He could also be following perrypawnpusher - Riversider, blitz, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 18] - but, come on, seriously?!)

12.d4!?

An improvement - consciously or unconsciously - over "Cliff Hardy's" risky 12.h3?!.

12...h4

Consistent, although 12...Qh4!? would have forced 13.Qxh4 Nxh4 taking the Queens off of the board. However, Black is more interested in developing his attacking chances than snuffing out White's.

13.Qd3 h3 14.g3 Ne7 

15.f3 Nf6 16.c4 c6 17.d5 

Or 17.Nc3.

17...cxd5 18.cxd5 Bd7 19.Nc3 Qb6+ 

Black continues operations with his King in the center.

20.Rf2 a6 21.Be3 Qb4 22.a3 Qb3

An observer who walked by the board at this point would have a hard time realizing that the position came from an opening in which White sacrificed two pieces.

Stockfish 9 now recommends 23.Bf4 Qb6 24.Be3 Qb3 25.Bf4 Qb6, etc. with a draw by repetition of position.

The Jerome Gambit has, again, delivered a "playable middlegame".

[to be continued] 

Another Charlick Gambit

Henry Charlick was known for his gambit 1.d4 e5!?, (also known as the Englund Gambit). That was not his only sacrificial creation, however. One is reminiscent of a reversed Jerome Gambit.

From the Adelaide Observer, Saturday, June 14, 1884 (page 44) column CHESS, "Chess in Adelaide". Notes are from the column, changed from descriptive notation to algebraic notation. Diagrams have been added.

Appended are two [see previous post for Charlick - Cooke, Adelaide Chess Club, 1884, a Jerome Gambit - Rick] of a series of even games now being contested between Messrs. H. Charlick and W. Cooke, of the Adelaide Chess Club. The notes are by Mr. E. Govett, of the Semaphore Chess club.

Cooke, W. - Charlick, H.
Adelaide Chess Club, 1884

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5!

The Charlick Gambit. This move will probably not more surprise our readers than it did Mr. Cooke. No walnut shells are needed. Mr. Cooke humourously dabbed this "alarming sacrifice" the " Charlick Gambit."

[The line is also known by the modern name the Busch-Gass Gambit, although Salvio's analysis of the line, from Il Puttino, altramente detto, il Cavaliero Errante, del Salvio, sopra el gioco de Scacchi, dates back to 1604. After a further 3.Nxe5 Nc6 it is known as Chiodini's Gambit. The similarity to a reversed Jerome Gambit is noted. - Rick] 

3.Nxe5 Bxf2+!!

"Let shining charity adorn your soul."

4.Kxf2 Qh4+ 5.g3 Qxe4 6.Nf3 Nf6 

7.Qe2 d5 8.Qxe4+

This must have placed Black in the same uncomfortable position as the woman who - 

Before her face her handkerchief she spread  

To hide the flood of tears - she did not shed.

8...dxe4 9.Nd4 O-O

10.Bg2

He should stop the range of the N. 

10...Ng4+ 11.Ke2 f5 12.h3

Somewhat weakening. He should develop his pieces quickly.

12...Ne5 13.d3 c5 14.Nb5 Nbc6 15.dxe4

The Black pawns have a sinister look, but there is nothing immediately dangerous about them if White's position is assisted by Be3, Nd2, and so on. Taking the P only opens out Black's game. 

15...a6 16.Nc7 Nd4+ 17. Kd2 Ra7 18.Na3 b5 19.c3 Ndc6 

20.Nd5 fxe4 21.Ke3 b4 22.Nc2 Nc4+ 23.Kxe4 Rb7!!

24.Nce3

Out of the frying-pan (...Bf5+) into the fire (an exquisite little mate in two). 24.Bf4 would have enabled him to hold out a little longer.

And Black mates in two moves. Time, 80 minutes.

Jerome Gambit: Overlooking Something in the Notes

When presenting a chess game, it is easy to overlook something in a suggested line. Modern annotators have the help of computer chess engines, but 130 years ago, they were, of course, not available.

From the Adelaide Observer, Saturday, June 14, 1884 (page 44) column CHESS, "Chess in Adelaide". Notes from the column, by Mr. E. Govett, of the Semaphore Chess club, have been changed from descriptive notation to algebraic notation. Diagrams have been added.- Rick

Charlick, H. - Cooke, W.
Adelaide Chess Club, 1884

1.e4

This is a sacrifice of the same kind as that in the previous game
[Cooke - Charlick, Adelaide, 1884, a Charlick Gambit, see next blog post - Rick]. It is a sacrifice of sound chess to benevolence.

1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+

This is good after the fourth more. White obtains two Pawns for his piece, and has withal a fairly open position. 

5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 b6 9.Qe3 Bb7 

10.d4 Nf6 11.Nc3 Qe7! 12.O-O 

We prefer 12.f3, as by the text White lays himself open to the loss of a Pawn or two with no compensating advantage. 

12...Ng4

But Black does not avail himself of it. He should play 12...Nxe4 when one of the two following continuations would probably follow 13.Nxe4 (13.Nb5 0-0 [the columnist forgets that Black can no longer castle - Rick] 14.Nxc7 Rac8 15.Nb5 Rxf2 with a fine game [I have corrected move numbers - Rick. The Saturday June 21, 18814 CHESS column in the Adelaide Observer - the next week - noted "In the Jerome Gambit, published last week, the note to Black's 12th move should have had the moves numbered 12, 13, 14, &c., instead of 16, 17, 18, &c." There was no correction, however, about the suggestions to castle - Rick] 13... Bxe4 14.c4 0-0 and he should win [But Black is still unable to castle - Rick]. 

13.Qg3 Nf6 14.Bg5 d6 

Disastrous. He should play 14...Qf7. 

15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Rfe1 Qf7 18.Rxe5+ 

And finishes off with no difficulty. 

18...Kf8 19.Rae1 Qg6 20.Nb5 Rd8 21.Nxc7 Kf7 

22.Qb3+ Nd5 23.Nxd5 Bxd5 24.Rxd5 Rxd5 25.Qxd5+ Kf8 

White mates in two moves.