Jerome Gambit: Pawn and Knights

In the following game, White makes use of his advanced pawns and Knights, to dominate his opponent.

Wall, Bill - Iiii

SparkChess, 2026

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Bxf7+ Kf8

Checking Bill's games, I see White is 10 - 1 in this Jerome Gambit Declined line. 

Oh, and in that one loss by White, Bill was playing Black. 

5.Bxg8 Rxg8 

Capturing with the King would move it a step away from the center. Instead, after the Rook capture, the piece is now placed to advance his g-pawn. 

6.Nc3 

It was possible to execute the standard Jerome Gambit tactic, 6.Nxe5 Nxe5 7.d4. 

By declining the offered Bishop, Black has changed the game from a wild gambit to a quiet, pawn-up game for White.

Bill can deal with that.

6...d6 7.d3 Bg4 8.O-O Ne7 

I am not sure what the Knight is doing. White motors on.

9.h3 Bh5 10.a3 a6 11.b4 Ba7 12.Rb1 h6 13.Re1 g5 

With a Rook on b1, White is not likely to fianchetto his Bishop.

Without his light-squared Bishop, he will want to deal with the pin on his f3 Knight a different way.

14.Be3 Bxe3 15.Rxe3 Kg7 

Black castles-by-hand.

16.d4 Rf8 17.g4 Bg6 

18.dxe5 Nc6 19.e6 

This advanced "Jerome pawn" will cause Black difficulties.

19...Ne7 20.Nd4 Rf4 21.Nf5+ Bxf5 22.exf5 

And then there were two.

22...Nc6 23.Nd5 Ne5 24.e7 Qd7 

25.Nxf4

The removal of this defender spells upcoming checkmate.

25...gxf4 26.Rxe5 Re8 27.Re6

Black resigned

White is up a Rook and a pawn. He also threatens checkmate in 14.

In Contrast with the Post ‘Worst Piece Attack’

 

In Contrast with the Post ‘Worst Piece Attack’ 

 

(by Yury V. Bukayev) 

 

Dear readers, now let me continue to tell you some new bright things about “rare” responses after 1.d4 including the opening variation 1.d4 e6, which is extremely far from Open Games, but got some connection with Jerome gambit due to the post ‘Worst Piece Attack’ on this famous blog. 

I offer the new name for 1.d4 e6 – the ‘Stop trompowskism opening’. As you know, the ‘Trompowsky attack’ in chess is 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5. Here White plays 2.Bg5 with forming no pin. Let’s consider the position after 1.d4. After all (excluding 1…e6) Black’s possible known strong responses – 1…d5, 1…c6, 1…d6, 1…f5, 1…c5, 1…g6, 1…Nf6 – White can play 2.Bg5 and get a position (with no pin) which is playable for White as minimum. White’s idea 2.Bg5 in all these openings is enough similar to the Trompowsky attack, so we can connect 2.Bg5 here everywhere with Trompowsky’s name as trompowskism. And 1…e6 is an alone strong response which can stop White’s 2.Bg5 (1.d4 e6 2.Bg5?? Qxg5 is a start of White’s worst piece attack in chess, as you know), all alternative ways to stop 2.Bg5 – 1…h6, 1…f6, 1…e5 – are weak and can’t be recommended for a grandmaster level of play.  

It should be noted that the name ‘Pseudo-Trompowsky’ (or ‘Pseudo-Tromp’ – briefly) is used sometimes for variation 1.d4 d5 2.Bg5, but this name is used sometimes also for 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 d5 3.Bg5, so its meaning isn’t certain, I shouldn’t use “pseudo-” to form my offer. And the old name of 1.d4 e6 isn’t absolutely right. So my offer is explained now. 

And you can see, there is no move 1…a6!? in my above list of first moves, because it isn’t known yet as a strong response. But let us consider it more attentively. This move can be extremely useful for Black when we look at early stages of Slav defence, Benoni defence, English opening and some other important openings. Here are my new variations: 

1.   1.d4 a6!? 2.c4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 (or 4…Nc6 with the idea e7-e5), 

2.   1.d4 a6!? 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5.  

3. 
   

Everywhere the pawn a6 plays an important role here.  

Finally, let me show you my new opening idea after 1.d4 a6 2.Bg5 c6 3.c4 (3.e3?? Qa5+): it is 3…d5 4.e3?! dxc4!, and the pawn c4 will be not weak, Black stands very well.