Jerome Gambit: Italian Game Tournament, Second Round

 

The second round of the "Italian Game" tournament at Chess.com has started.

I am in Group 2 (5 players), and already have two Jerome Gambits started - one against the highest rated player in the group, and one against a player that I have previously dispatched with the Jerome.

Over the next couple of days we will see if any of my other games will go Jerome-ish, as well.

Jerome Gambit: Cranky

 

I think that I am getting cranky in my old age...

My latest online search turned up the recent YouTube video, "The Worst Gambit in Chess? ♟️ | Jerome Gambit", by Plychess.

I am not troubled that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is identified as "the most dubious opening in chess", although others might have their own favorite dubious opening (see all the YouTube videos with "worst" in their titles).

According to the Miriam-Webster Dictionary, "dubious" means 

"questionable or suspect as to true nature or quality".

One of the reasons that I play the Jerome is its dubiousness.

No, my gripe is that the proof of the Jerome Gambit's dubiousness that is given is yet another presentation of the game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885.

Yes, the master destroys the amateur's opening and wins the game brilliantly - so effectively that many writers use that game... over and over and over.

I would like critics to start using the second worst (or third, or fourth)  Jerome gambit as an example, for a change.

That, of course, raises the question: What is the second worst Jerome Gambit game?

I am not sure, although a 239-move draw comes to mind, as well as the 9 games won in 3 or 4 moves - on time.

Reader opinions are solicited.

Jerome Gambit: I Admire Blitz Players

I admire blitz players.

I am astonished by bullet players.

The game gets in my face too fast, events get too messy... I disagree with the Rolling Stones: Time is not on my side.

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) blitz game - not mine - has some fascinating twists and turns.

deusmach - Philas01

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kf8 

According to The Database, White scores 62% in this declined variation. That compares favorably with 53% for White in the main line 4...Kxf7. 

5.Nxe5 

From Jerome Gambit for Dummies 2.0 (Part 3)

Although 98% of the time (according to The Database) Black captures the Bishop [after 4.Bxf7+], the move is not forced. It is simply a choice for the second player between having an "objectively" winning game with 4...Kxf7 and having the worse position after 4...Kf8 or 4...Ke7...

Some players seeking greater complications have left the Bishop in place and tried 5.Nxe5, apparently hoping to continue along orthodox Jerome Gambit lines, gaining a tempo when Black finally plays ...Kxf7. 

5...Nxe5 6.d4 Qf6 

Sure, who needs to capture the Bishop?

7.Bxg8 Ng4

Wait a minute...

8.O-O

Why not 8.Qxg4 ? Things are messy after 8...Bxd4 9.Bb3 Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 d5 but White hangs onto his advantage with 11.Qe2.

Blitz. I blame it on the time control. On the clock.

8...Bxd4 9.Be3 

Ignoring the Knight, again, and going for the knockout.

9...Bxe3 

To quote the sentient computer in 2001 A Space Odyssey

HAL: Well, I don't think there is any question about it. It can only be attributable to human error. This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to human error.

Uh, 9...Bxb2  10.Bb3 h5 and Black is better.

10.fxe3 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Short and Sweet

The following Jerome Gambit game is quickly decided: one King is threatened, while the other King faces checkmate.

HollowFabio - Aruto22

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 

HollowFabio has 805 games in The Database, scoring 55%. They are about evenly split between 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, as in this game, and 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Bxf7+, coming out of the Two Knights Defense.

5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 g6 

It is tempting to kick the White Queen, especially if a defender underestimates her sally to h5 - or the entire Jerome Gambit, itself.

8.Qxe5+ 

The year before this game, White tried 8.Qh3+ and was lucky to escape with the point: 8...Ke7 9. fxe5 d6 10.Qc3 Nh6? 11.d4 Black resigned, HollowFabio - byamba0316, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023. 

8... Kf7 9.Qxh8 Qh4+ 

Instead, 9...Qf6?! did not work out as well, although HollowFabio still scored the point 10.Qxf6+ Kxf6 11.c3 d5 12.e5+ Ke6 13.d4 Bb6 14.O-O c5 15.Be3 Ne7 16.Nd2 Nf5 17.Bf2 cxd4 18.cxd4 Bxd4 19.Bxd4 Nxd4 20.Nf3 Ne2+ 21.Kh1 Nxf4 22.Ng5+ Kxe5 23.Rae1+ Kf5 24.Nh3 g5 25.g3 Kg6 26.Nxf4+ gxf4 27.gxf4 (27.Re8!?) 27...Bf5 28.Rg1+ Kf6 29.Rg5 Rd8 30.Kg1 h6 31.Rh5 Kg6 32.Rh4 h5 33.Re5? Bg4? (33...d4!?) 34.h3 (34.Rg5+) 34...Bf3 $6 35.Kf2 Be4 36.Rhxh5 Rf8 37.Rhg5+ Kf6 38.Ke3 b6 39.h4 a5 40.h5 Rh8 41.Kd4 Rc8 42.Rxd5 Rc4+ 43.Kxc4 b5+ 44.Kxb5 Bd3+ 45.Kxa5 Be4 46.Rde5 Bd3 47.Rgf5+ Bxf5 48.Rxf5+ Kxf5 49.h6 Kg6 50.h7 Kxh7 51.Kb6 Kg6 52.Kc7 Kf5 53.b4 Kxf4 54.b5 Ke5 55.b6 Kd5 56.b7 Kc4 57.b8=Q Kc3 58.a4 Black resigned, HollowFabio - Diman43, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024 

10.g3 

The earliest example of this line in The Database now continued 10...Qh5 11.Qc3 d6 12.d4 Bb6 13.Be3 Bg4 14.Nd2 Re8 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Ne7 (16...Qh3) 17.Bxb6 cxb6 18.Ne4 Bf3 19.Qc4+ (19.Qxf3 Qxf3 20.Ng5+ Kg8 21.Nxf3) 19...Kf8 20.Nf6 Qf5 21.Nxe8 Black resigned, filidor - frotz, blitz, FICS, 2000. 

10...Qh3 11.f5 

With his Queen on walkabout and enemy forces knocking at the door, White calmly moves to open the f-file against Black's King.

 11...Qg2 12.fxg6+ 

Precise.

Saving the Rook with 12.Rf1 allows 12...Qxe4+ 13.Kd1 Qg4+ 14.Ke1 Qe4+ etc. with a draw.

Likewise, after 12.Qxh7+ Kf8! White has nothing better than 13.Rf1, when 13...Qxe4+ 14.Kd1 Qg4+ 15.Ke1 Qe4+ etc. is again a draw.

12...hxg6 

Moving his King does not help.

13.Rf1+ 

Black must now give up his Queen - or his King.

13...Ke7 

There is now a checkmate in 6 moves

14.Qe5+ Black resigned

The ending might go 14...Kd8 15.Qg5+ Nf6 (15...Kf8 16.Qxg6+ Ke7 17.Rf7+ Kd8 18.Qxg8+ Bf8 19.Qxf8)16.Qxf6+ Ke8 17.Qh8+ Ke7 18.Qf8+ Ke6 19.Qf6 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Chessy, Fun, Chaos, Wild Games

There is a lot to appreciate at Chessy's online site.

I'll just focus on its takedown of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

One of the most infamous unsound gambits in chess history — White tosses a bishop into f7 after just four moves, betting entirely on shock value. Stockfish condemns it at −2.36 (Black's favour), and across 483,060 Lichess games White scores only 45.9%. Play it on Chessy and see how far chaos takes you.

Yes, that's right, you can play on the website and try your luck - er, skill - with the Jerome.

In the meantime, the assessment is a sober one

The engine verdict: objectively losing for White

After 4.Bxf7+ Stockfish evaluates the position at −2.36 — over two pawns in Black's favour at depth 16. White has sacrificed a bishop for a single pawn and has no real compensation: no open file, no lasting initiative, no structural benefit. The principal variation runs 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+, where White picks up a knight but remains down a piece. This is not a temporary imbalance — White is simply worse, and the engine knows it. 

 Chessy's insight is clear, though

Why would anyone play the Jerome Gambit?

Shock value and fun. At club level and in rapid games, many players have never seen it. The chaos it creates can produce wild games — just understand you're betting on your opponent's ignorance, not on objective truth.

 Ah, yes: fun, chaos and wild games. That is what brings many readers to this blog (and, in all fairness chases many away).

Google Alert: ROFL

My Google Alert, set to scoop up references to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), has come up with another gem. 

Does anyone play the Jerome's gambit in chess? - Facebook

Facebook

Does anyone else play the Jerome #chess #chessmeme #chessmemes #memes #onlinechess #meme

I had to laugh out loud when I saw the accompanying graphic:

Here is another from Chess Master

Yes, clearly, here is person who understands that the Jerome Gambit goes best with a sense of humor!

Mingrelia Defense Videos

 

I enjoy the videos created by KaspaChess, especially his recent ones on the Mingrelia Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Qf6) - "A NEW DEADLY OPENING FOR BLACK NOBODY CAN BEAT... Easily" and "Destroy Everyone With This Early Queen Development Fast - CST #2".

Clearly the creator enjoys chess, enjoys exploring openings, and enjoys sharing what he has uncovered.

Also, check out the earlier posts on this blog: 

"The Mingrelia Defense: The Jerome Gambit Contravened"

"The Mingrelia Defense Returns (Part 1)"

"The Mingrelia Defense Returns (Part 2)"

"Some more on Prince Andre Dadian of Mingrelia and Greco"