As the number of posts on this blog approaches 1,900, I realize that I do not remember everything that I have written here.
Take the following game - a "modern" Jerome Gambit variation, so-called because the analyses and games of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome (late 19th century, early 20th century) featured the "classical" move 5.Nxe5, as opposed to the choices of many modern (especially internet) players, which include 5.Nc3, 5.c3, 5.d3 and, as in the following game, 5.d4.
I was not familiar with the line of play when I worked through the game, but it turns out that this blog whole lot of information about it.
VLDHDZ - KlassAct
standard, FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.d4
I almost always play 5.Nxe5+, so it surprised me to discover that there are about 1,800 games in The Database with this move. White scores 38%.
This is in contrast with the over 5,100 games with the "classical" line where White scores 53% - if you combine the results of Nxe5+ with or without the additional development of White's and Black's other Knight (i.e. Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit) .
A look at the move 5.d4 can be seen in "A Closer Look at the Big Picture (Part 3)" and the related, historical "Brilliant But Not Sound".
5...Be7
This is an interesting, but relatively rare response.
More often seen is 5...exd4, and I have a number of references for Readers: "Play 'em Like You got 'em", "Quick As A Flash", "Nothing Going On", "Still Nothing Going On", "Return of Jerome Gambit for Dummies (Part 6)", "Return of Jerome Gambit for Dummies (Part 7)" and "Utterly Fascinating".
Black also has 5...Bxd4, looked at in "Losing a Half Point / Fog of War" and "Still An Interesting Game".
Finally, there is the not-recommended 5...Nxd4, as seen in "Good to the End", "One More Thing", and "Do Not Wander Too Far From Home".
Similarities to the Italian Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4 - best covered in The Italian Gambit (and) A Guiding Repertoire For White - E4! (2006), by Jude Acers and George Laven - are clear.
6.d5 Nd4
Probably better is the retreat 6...Nb8, when the game is about even after 7.Nxe5+ Kf8.
7.Nxe5+ Ke8
8.Qxd4 Bf6 9.Bf4 d6 10.Qa4+ Black resigned
White's Queen escapes from the pin, and when the White Knight withdraws, the first player will be up a couple of pawns with a safer King.
I am playing my last game in the first round of the current Italian Game tournament at chess.com. To date I have scored 5/7 -- including 2/3 with the Jerome Gambit -- and need only a draw (with White) to move on to the next round of play.
Alas, my opponent was not interested in allowing the Jerome Gambit, opting for the Two Knights Defense instead: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6.
Still, I was able to maneuver things so that, after 4.d4 Nxe4 5.dxe5 d6 I was able to play the Jerome-ish 6.Bxf7+, when, after 6...Kxf7 7.Qd5+ Be6 8.Qxe4 I will be ahead material, and Black's King will be displaced. (The game continues.)
That is not quite the same thing as being in the Jerome Gambit after 8 moves (there I would be "objectively" lost) but it may be good enough to move me into the next round of play, where I can try my luck at playing a few more Jeromes.
When I write about "Jerome pawns" I usually refer to two or three linked White center pawns in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) that advance to cramp Black's game, form the front of an attack, or encourage the defender to return the sacrificed piece.
The following game, however, highlights a hungry, hungry "Jerome pawn" that makes its way to promotion - While Black's Bishop tries its hardest to produce a distraction.
Shishkin,A - Makoyedov,A
vk.com, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.0-0 d6 6.h3
White calmly castles and protects his Kingside in this "modern" variation of the Jerome.
6...h5
Black has violent intentions, however.
7.c3 Be6
...And an occasional inattention.
8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Bb6 10.d5
10...Bxh3
This Bishop will chew up White's Kingside while White's pawn chews up Black's Queenside. The outcomes are different, however.
11.dxc6 Bxg2 12.cxb7 Bxf1 13.Qd5+
Support for the pawn is critical.
13...Ke7 14.bxa8Q Bxf2+ 15.Kxf2 Black resigned
ScottWeatherill - Hanjh
standard game, FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3
A topical line of play, generally continuing 6...Kxe5 7.cxd4 with a complex game.
6...Qg5
Instead, Black plays the thematic move from the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, usually seen at move 4 : 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5?! Qg5!?.
Is Black's threat to g2 real? White doesn't think so! Perhaps he has read "Reeling Sequel" and "Still A Bad Idea". (You're welcome.)
7.cxd4 Qxg2 8.Qb3+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Qd5+ Ke7 11.Qf7+ Kd6 12.Nc4+ Black resigned
Searching the web, again, for Jerome Gambit games (see "Evergreen?" for a recent example) I encountered the following game in a list of miniatures at ChessManiac.com
Wall,B - Socolate
FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Ng6
8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Bg5 b6
An error.
Tactical alertness is a tool that should be in the box of every Jerome Gambit player, as Bill quickly demonstrates.
10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Qd5+ Qe6 12.Qxa8 Black resigned
We now come to the conclusion of this very hard-fought Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game.
Wall, Bill - Guest871838
PlayChess.com, 2014
20...Qd1
The idea behind this move is not apparent (it could be an issue of time pressure, this being a 10-minute game), but the tempos that it yields to White are critical. As mentioned in the previous post, 20... Kd7 may be best.
Black could also try 20...Bxd6, which has the additional benefit of being able to meet 21.d3 with 21...Bxg3+!?, as then 22.Kxg3 Qe5+ could lead to a draw by repetition of position. As if either player were thinking about a draw!
21.Nc3 Qxc2
It is hard to see Black's Queen maneuver as simply wanting to grab pawns, after all the fight he has shown. Perhaps he could have tried 21...Qf1, to delay White's unraveling of his Queenside pieces, although he would have to watch out for 22.d4 Bxd6? 23.Bg5+ winning the Queen, as Bill points out.
22. d4 Qf5 23.dxc5 Rxc5
The smoke is clearing. White has Rook, Bishop, Knight and two pawns for his Queen. He has more than survived - he is winning now.
24.Be3 Rc6 25.Rd1
Bill mentions as even stronger the line 25.Rf2 Qd3 26.Bg5+ Kd7 27.Re1.
25...Qf3
Again, Bill notes, if, instead, 25...Qh5, then 26.Rd5 Qf3 27.Re5 nicely repositions White's Rook. The first player's pieces will overrun the Queen, and then her monarch.
26.Rd3
Threatening 27.Bg5+, winning the Queen.
26...Kd7 27.Rf2 Qh5 28.Rf7+ Ke6 29.Re7+ Kf6 30.Ne4+ Kf5 31.Rd5 checkmate
Beautiful.
We continue from the three previous posts, considering a game that has lept to the top of the heap for Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games this year.
Wall, Bill - Guest871838
PlayChess.com, 2014
14.e5
White offers a pawn to open a line to bring his Queen back to the Kingside. After 14...dxe5 he plans to offer another with 15.d4, after which he can play Nd2-f3; and his Bishop's diagonal will be open, as well. When the reserves arrive, White will not only be up material, with a safe King he will clearly be better.
14...Ng4
Black realizes, in turn, that his chances lie with the attack.
15.exd6+ Kd8
Black chooses the safest retreat for his King, and protects his Rook, threatening the devastating ...Bc6.
16.Qg2
Leaping into the fire. Everything else allows checkmate.
16...Qh5
Maintaining the pressure. Absurd would be 16...Qxg2+ 17.Kxg2, as Bill pointed out, when Black's attack would be exhausted, and White's advantage in material would win.
17.h3 Nxf2 18.Rxf2 Bc6
More pressure on White.
Instead, 18...Bxh3 is kind of a self-block move, as it allows White's Queen to pop up with 19.Qe4 and show that Black's King, too, is at risk.
19.Kh2
Bill notes that, should White play the exhausted 19.Qh2, his King can find eternal rest after 19...Qd1#.
No, the attack (and the game) is not over, and White must now part with his Queen.
19...Bxg2 20.Rxg2
White has a Rook, a Knight, and four pawns for his Queen. Houdini suggests that after 21...Kd7 22.Nc3 Rf8 23.d4 Bxd6 Black could have an edge, but it still looks unclear.
[to be continued]
