Jerome Gambit: Fun For the Whole Club

 

Perusing The Database, I noticed that the top-rated Jerome Gambiteer is Stockfish 15, at 3880.

The lowest - there are 4 players tied - are at 160.

The losest rated player to achieve a draw with the Jerome was at 400.

It looks like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and its relatives are fun for the whole chess club, regardless of rating.

That's how it should be.

Jerome Gambit: Watch Your Step

If you are standing on ice, a dozen paces from the shore, you need to make twelve good steps - or you will fall.

That warning - in this case, to Black - reminds me of the following game.

MUNJA666 - rajesh99999

10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian Opening

4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

Stockfish 17.1 (30 ply) evaluates the position about 2 1/2 pawns better for Black.

MUNJA666 has 42 games in The Database, scoring 70%.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6 8.Kh1 

A careful step, preparing f2-f4.

There are only 2 games in The Database (143,000 games) with this position.

8...Qg5 

Black hopes to stymie the attack by exchanging Queens.

Also 8...g6 9.Qh3+ Kf7 10.c3 Nf6 11.d4 d5 12.dxe5 Bxh3 13.exf6 Be6 14.e5 d4 15.Nd2 dxc3 16.bxc3 Qd3 17.Rb1 b5 18.Rxb5 Qxb5 White resigned, Robepersky - scalaQueen, 15 0 standard, FICS, 2025 

9.Qh3+ Qg4 10.Qb3+ Ke7 

Black has two extra pieces to White's two extra pawns. 

A 10-minute game is still kind of speedy, but the second player seems to have things in hand.

11.Nc3 Bb6 12.h3 Qg6 13.f4 Nc6 

Black's pieces (except for his King) are safe and sound.

14.f5 Qg3 

Oh, no! Watch your step!

15.Nd5+ Kd8 16.Qxg3 Black resigned

The Jerome Gambiteer survives, again, because, as baseball player and manager Yogi Berra once said, "It ain't over 'til it's over".

(I suspect that Yogi played chess, but not the Jerome.)

Abrahams Jerome Gambit: Another Look

Below, is another look at a Jerome Gambit relative.

The line looks interesting and quite playable - and I wonder why I still haven't tried it..

josesandrasofia - sevilla-ole

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

This is the Abrahams Jerome Gambit line, the attribution based on Gerald Abraham's The Chess Mind (1951) and The Pan Book of Chess (1965).

From a few months ago, the post "Jerome Gambit: One of the Reasons"

One of the reasons that a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) player might want to occasionally toss in a few Abrahams Jerome Gambits is that not all of Black's defenses transfer well from the former opening, to the latter.

josesandrasofia has 348 such games in The Database, scoring 61%. That is well above the average - currently there are 21,025 games, with White scoring 51%.

(For comparison, josesandrasofia has 16 Jerome Gambit games in The Database, scoring 75%.)

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 

Again, from "Jerome Gambit: One of the Reasons"

See "The Abrahams Jerome Gambit (Part I and Part II)" for details...

The only move that keeps Black's advantage is 4...Kf8.

For some numbers from The Database:

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 20,477 games, White scores 52%

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 19,775 games, White scores 51%

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Kf8 6,989 games, White scores 41%

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5193 games, White scores 63%

 So, we can see that 4...Kf8 is the best move for an advantage for Black. 

The game is even - for now.

5.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's move from the main line Jerome Gambit is not sufficient in this situation.

Another indication of the quirkiness of the Abrahams is that now 5...Bxf2+ is the only move to keep the game even, instead of White having an advantage. 

For example, 5...Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Qf6+?! (6...Nf6) 7.Nf3 Ne7 (7...Qxe5 8.Nxe5+ Ke6 9.d4 b6 10.Rf1 Bb7 11.Nc3 Bxe4 12.Nxe4 Nf6 13.Ng5+ Kd5 14.c3 Ng4+ 15.Nxg4 Rf8+ 16.Nf3 h5 17.Ne3+ Kc6 18.Kg1 d5 19.Ne5+ Kd6 20.Rxf8 c5 21.Nxg6 cxd4 22.cxd4 b5 23.Nf5+ Ke6 24.Bf4 a5 25.Re1+ Kd7 26.Bxb8 Rxb8 27.Rxb8 Kc6 28.Re6+ Kd7 29.Re7+ Kc6 30.Rd8 Kb6 31.Rd6 checkmate,  josesandrasofia - sevilla-ole, lichess.org, 2025) 8.Rf1 d6 9.Qb5 Bg4 10.Kg1 Bxf3 11.Rxf3 Qxf3 12.gxf3 Nf5 13.exf5 gxf5 14.Qxb7 Nc6 15.Qxc6 Rae8 16.Qxc7+ Re7 17.Qxd6 Rhe8 18.Nc3 Re1+ 19.Kf2 R8e7 20.Qd5+ Kg6 21.d3 Rh1 22.Qd6+ (22.Qg8+ Rg7 23.Qe6+ Kh5 24.Qh6#) 22...Kf7 23.Bg5 Rxh2+ 24.Qxh2 Rb7 25.Qxh7+ Ke6 26.Qxb7 f4 27.Bxf4 (27.Qd5#) 27...a5 28.Ne4 Kf5 29.Qd5+ (29.Qf7#) 29...Kg6 30.Qe6+ Kh5 31.Qg4 checkmate, josesandrasofia - sevilla-ole, lichess.org, 2025; 

A few other, related, lines:

5...Nh6? 6.Qxc5 d6 7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.d4 Bg4 9.Bxh6+ Ke8 10.Qxb7 Na6 11.Qxa6 Rb8 12.b3 Rf8 13.Bxf8 Kxf8 14.Qd3 Qg5 15.Nd2 Bh3 16.Qxh3 Qb5 17.Ne2 Re8 18.c4 Qg5 19.f4 Qe7 20.0–0 g5 21.fxg5+ Kg8 22.Rf4 Qxg5 23.Rg4 Qg7 24.Nf4 Re7 25.Rxg7+ Rxg7 26.Ne6 Re7 27.Qg4+ (27.Rf1 Rf7 28.Qg3+ Kh8 29.Rxf7 d5 30.Qg7#) 27...Kf7 28.Qf5+ Ke8 29.Qf8+ Kd7 30.d5 (30.Rf1 Re8 31.Rf7+ Kc6 32.Qxe8+ Kb7 33.Rxc7+ Kb6 34.Qb5#) 30...Re8 31.Qxe8+ Kxe8 32.Nxc7+ Kd7 33.Ne6 a6 34.Rf1 a5 35.Rf7+ Ke8 36.Rxh7 a4 37.g4 axb3 38.axb3 draw, josesandrasofia-sevilla - ole, lichess.org, 2025; 

5...Nf6?! 6.Qxc5 Nxe4 7.Qd5+ Kg7 8.Ne2 Qf6 9.0–0 Nxf2 10.Rxf2 Qxf2+ 11.Kxf2 d6 12.b3 Rf8+ 13.Kg1 Bg4 14.Bb2+ Kh6 15.Ng3 Bd1 16.d3 Bxc2 17.Bc1+ Kg7 18.Nc3 Bxd3 19.Qxd3 Nc6 20.Nd5 Rae8 21.Qc3+ Kg8 22.Nf6+ Rxf6 23.Qxf6 Rf8 24.Qe6+ Rf7 25.Bb2 Nd4 26.Bxd4 c5 27.Rf1 cxd4 28.Rxf7 d3 29.Qe8  checkmate, josesandrasofia-sevilla - ole, lichess.org, 2025; and

5...Qf6? 6.Qxc5 d6 7.Qxc7+ Qe7 8.Qxc8 Nf6 9.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 10.Kf1 Qxc2 11.Nc3 Nc6 12.Qxa8 Nd4 13.Qxb7+ Ke6 14.Qc8+ Ke5 15.Nf3+ Kf4 16.Nxd4 Qd3+ 17.Nde2+ Ke5 18.f4 checkmate, josesandrasofia-sevilla - ole, lichess.org, 2025.

And now, back to the game...

6.Qxh8 

This Rook is not poisoned. 

6...Qf6 

Black threatens White's King

Against 6...Qxe4+, White tried7.Kf1 Qxc2 8.Nc3 Qd3+ 9.Nge2 Bb4 10.Qxh7+ Kf8 11.Qh4 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qc2 13.Ba3+ Ne7 14.Qxe7+ Kg8 15.Qf8+ Kh7 16.Qf7+ Kh6 17.Bf8+ Kg5 18.h4+ Kh5 19.Ng3+ Kg4 20.Qf3 checkmate, josesandrasofia-sevilla - ole, lichess.org, 2025. 

7.Qxh7+ Kf8 8.Nf3 d6 

It is Black's King who is in danger. He is also down the exchange and three pawns in material.

9.c3 Bg4 10.d4 Bxf3 11.gxf3 

11...Bxd4 

This looks like desperation, but Stockfish 17.1 sees it only about 1/4 of a pawn worse than retreating the Bishop.

The clock might also be affecting play in this 3-minute game..

12.cxd4 Qxd4 13.Qxg6 Qb4+ 

Ideas, anyone? Black really does not have anything.

14.Nc3 Qd4 15.Be3 Nd7

At this point, it really does not matter.

16.Bxd4 Re8 17.Qg7 checkmate

 

Jerome Gambit: It's Time

Jerome Gambit players know that if they keep pressing, playing their game, there is a good chance tht the defense will suddenly fail...

angelcamina - Arves_1

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6 

9.Qc4+ Ke8 

Sharper was 9...d5.

10.O-O

Or 10.Bg5 as in angelcamina - Kostya_N, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024 (1-0, 24),

10...d6 

Or 10...Rf8 first, then 11.f4 d6 12.b3 Bd7 13.Ba3 Qe7 14.e5 dxe5 15.Bxe7 exf4 16.Bxf8 Kxf8 Black resigned, angelcamina - sarina86, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 (1-0, 16).

11.f4 

Or 11.Bg5, as in angelcamina - e4bout, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 (1-0, 19) and angelcamina - DorianW, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020 (1-0, 26).  

11...Qe7 

Or 11...Nd7 as in angelcamina - Dome1411, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 (0-1, 26); or 11...Be6 as in angelcamina - vryzrtr, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024 (1-0, 36).

White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece, but he keeps making solid moves. He can always keep in mind the post "Waiting for the Blunder Bomb"

One theory of chess play is that each person has a set of imaginary "blunder bombs" inside of himself or herself that explode rarely if the player is very strong, but explode frequently, if the player is not so strong. Under this model, a stronger player can expect to win if he or she plays simple, safe moves, waiting for the weaker player's "blunder bomb" to go off first. Of course, if the stronger player introduces an unusual and tricky opening such as the Jerome Gambit, the opponent's bomb might go off even sooner...

12.b3 Be6 

Or 12...Na5 13.Qa4+ Nc6 as in angelcamina - majorj10, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021 (1-0, 33). 

13.Qb5 Rb8 14.Ba3 a6 15.Qd3 Kd7 

Black's King moves and connects his Rooks, but this placement is risky. There is danger along the a3 - f8 diagonal and the center files, as White demonstrates.

16.Rae1 Rhg8 17.e5 

17...Nd5 

Remember, this is a 1-minute game, and such slips happen.

18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Qxd5 Qh4 

This counter allows checkmate.

20.exd6 Rge8 21.dxc7+ Kxc7 22.Bd6+ Kb6 23.Qc5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Fort Zinderneuf (Part 2)

[continued from the previous post]

Marching out to the battlefield...

perrypawnpusher - rffuse

Chess.com, 2026

                                   

20...Kg8 

The King steps out of the line of fire and protects the h-pawn.

Instead, he could have braved 20...dxe5 21.fxe5+ Kg8, as his extra and well-placed Knight would rule the field.

21.Rae1 

Missing my last chance: 21.f5 Nb4 (21...Qxe5 22.Rae1 Ne3 23.Rf3) 22.Qc3 Qxe5 23.Qxb4 with an even game.

21...dxe5 22.Rxe5 Qb6+ 23.Kh1 Rxe5 24.fxe5 Ne7 

White's isolated, passed pawn is no match for Black's Knight.

25.Qd7 Rf8 26.Rxf8+ Kxf8 27.e6 

I thought I might have a chance, until I saw my opponent's next move.

27...Qd6 

Now what do I do?

28.h3 

After the game, Stockfish 17.1 (34 ply) suggested that the pawn take 2 steps, although it saw the text as only 6/100th of a pawn worse than that choice.

28...g5 

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

                              - Bob Dylan,  "Subterranean Homesick Blues"

Black plans simply to have his King cooperate with his Queen to capture my advanced pawn, extinguishing all hope.

29.a3 Kg7 30. Kg1 Kf6 31.Kf2 Qxe6 

32.Qxc7 

Overlooking Black's response.

32...Qb6+ 33.Qxb6+ axb6 34.Ke3 Ke5 White resigned

Nicely done, my friend!

Jerome Gambit: Fort Zinderneuf (Part 1)

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can lead to adventurous games - not, necessarily, successful ones, but adventurous.

The following game shows a chessfriend who is familiar with the Jerome, handing me a well-deserved defeat: there are moments in the opening where White has to act decisively, or lose the thread of the game.

perrypawnpusher - rffuse

Chess.com, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

I usually play 6.Qh5+.

The one time I tried 6.d4, the game was a swindle of a draw: perrypawnpusher - 4xel, Jerome Gambit Fun tournament, Chess.com, 2017 (1/2-1/2, 29).

I am 5 - 0 against 6.d4, however.

6...Bxd4 

The alternative 6...Qh4 (the so-called Pie-in-the-Face Variation, played as early as Sorensen - Anonymous, Denmark 1888) was seen in my game against 4xel.

7.Qxd4 d6 8.O-O Qf6 

The position of both Queens should remind Readers of the threat covered in "Jerome Gambit: Beware Threat Position". White must protect his Queen - or move it.

9.Be3 Ne7 10.Nc3 Bd7 11.f4 N5c6 

Black is well-prepared for any action in the center.

12.Qd2 Rhe8 13.e5 

Probably premature. 13.Rae1 comes to mind.

13...Qe6 14.Nb5 

14...Nd5 

Black plays solidly in this game, and this move is a slip - although, it turns out, it does not cost him. 

Better is 14...Rac8 with a clear advantage.

15.c4 

Returning the favor. 15.Rae1 Kf8 16.f5 (or 16. Bf2) was more in the spirit of the opening.

15...Nxe3 16.Qxe3 Rac8 17.Qd3 

17...Nb4 

Attacking the Queen, and offering the h-pawn. Of course, if now 18.Qxh7, then 18...Rh8 and the Rook has an attacking file against the White King.

18.Qc3 Bxb5 19.cxb5 Nd5 20.Qd3 

White's Queen runs around like John, at Fort Zinderneuf, in P. C. Wren's novel Beau Geste.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Return of the Kat

 

Last year, Bill Wall informed me that there was a book on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) out there, on the internet, and I spent time searching for and examining it, as related in a series of posts, "Jerome Gambit: Book (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8 )"

Now, while using a search engine to look for something else, I ran across a couple more books from "Chess Notes" (nothing to do with Edward Winter and his better know Chess Notes), The Kitty Kat Collection 2000 Annoted Games (Volume 1 & 2).

Alas, there were no Jerome Gambits in either of the volumes.