Reversed Jerome Gambit (Part 1)

 

In a recent post, "Jerome Gambit: Oh, Never Mind...", I suggested

Maybe I need to work up a "reversed Jerome Gambit" 

Long-time Readers will have realized that at that point I was suffering from caffeine dificiency disorder. 

Of course I have taken a look at a "reversed Jerome Gambit."

I think that the first time that I mentioned "reversed" was in the post Jerome Gambit: Quick Finishes

Changing sides of the board, Jean_Kn plays a reversed Jerome Gambit, also know as the Busch-Gass Gambit or Chiodini's Gambit

Over time, that led to "Worth a Second Look... (Part 1)"

The opening 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 actually has a long pedigree. When J.H. Sarratt published his The Works of Damiano, Ruy-Lopez and Salvio on the Game of Chess in 1813, he noted Salvio's analysis of the line (from Il Puttino, altramente detto, il Cavaliero Errante, del Salvio, sopra el gioco de Scacchi, 1604), including the following (translated into modern algebraic notation)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 3.Nxe5 Qe7 4.d4 Bb4+ (4...Bd6 5.f4 f7 6.Nc4 Qxe4+ 7.Kf2 Bxf4 8.Nc3 Qf5 9.Bd3 Qg5 10.Re1+; 4...d6 5.dxc4 Qxe5 6.cxd5 Qxe4+ 7.Be3 cxd6 8.Qxd6 Qxc2) 5.c3 Ba4 6.f3 f6 7.Nc4

Continuing in "Worth a Second Look... (Part 2)"

Rainer Schlenker refers to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 (see "Worth a Second Look... (Part 1)") as the "Busch - Gass Gambit" in the May/June 1985 issue (pp. 69-71) of his magazine Randspringer.

He refers to analysis by Oskar Cordel in Führer durch die Schachtheorie (1888)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 3.Nxe5 Qe7 4.d4 Bd6 (4...Bb6 5.Bc4!) 5.f4 f6 6.Nc4 Qxe4+ 7.Kf2 Bxf4 8.Nc3 Qf5 9.Bd3 Qg5 10.Re1+ Ne7 11.Kg1 Nbc6 12.Bxf4 Qxf4 13.Qh5+ Kf8 14.Re4 +/- / +-

and analysis included in Bilguer (1916)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 3.Nxe5 Qe7 4.d4 Bd6 5.Nc3! Bxe5 6.Nd5 Qd6 7.dxe5 Qxe5 8.Bf4 Qxe4+ 9.Qd2

Schlenker, however, modifies the name that Bent Larsen gave to the line ("Busch-Gambit") in Larsen's Sharp Openings (in Danish) based on the game Baird - Busch, 15. Kongresses Deutchen Schachbundes, Nuremberg 1906. Sharp Openings included a portion of the game:

Baird,D - Busch 

Nuremberg, 1906

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nf3 Qe7 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.d4 Nxe4 7.Nd5 Bb4+ 8.Bd2 Nxd2+ 9.Nxe7 Nxf3+ 10.Ke2 Nfxd4+ 11.Kd3 Bxe7 12.c3 Ne6 13.Kc2 0-0 14.g3 d5 15.Bd3 Rd8 16.f4 d4 17.f5 dxc3 18.fxe6 Nb4+ 19.Kxc3 Rxd3+ 20.Qxd3 Nxd3 21.exf7+ Kf8 22.Kxd3 Bf5+ 0-1

Schlenker adds the name "Gass" to the variation after the German master who had been playing the line in the 1970s and 1980s, and gives a few examples.

And, further in "Worth A Second Look...(Part 3)", where I wandered into Chiodini's Gambit

The most recent analysis of 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 (see "Worth a Second Look (Part 1)" and "Worth a Second Look (Part 2)") is by NM Clyde Nakamura, in his very creative "The Search for Dragons & Mythical Chess Openings" column at Chessville. Nakamura refers to the line, after the additional 3.Nxe5 Nc6, as "Chiodini's Gambit" apparently so-named by a chessfriend-of-a-chessfriend. He gives earlier (1998) analysis by Stefano Vezzani and by Sverre Johnsen, and then gives a host of annotated games, including one by Busch and one by Gass.

For historical purposes, I can add that Otto Henshel, playing in the minor tournament of the 5th American Chess Congress of 1880, defended two games with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5, against A. T. Tompkins and against David Graham Baird, although both games continued 3.Bc4 d6.  

This is all well and good, but what about 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 3.Bc4 Bxf2!?+ or 3.Nc3 Bxf2+? 

[to be continued]

Rubbernecking and the Face Palm Variation, Updated

 

I recently read on a lawyer's website what he referred to as "rubbernecking"

What is it about a car accident that makes people want to stop and stare? Do we have some morbid desire to experience suffering, as long as it’s through other people? 

Oh, my.

And, here I was planning to do an update on the infamous Face Palm Variation of the Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+.

Call it rubbernecking.

I stumbled over the line in the early months of this blog (August, 2008), when, in "Carlos Azcarate Topping Ninja Knights T3" I reported the winner of a Jerome Gambit tournament at ChessWorld

The tournament winner uncorked the most surprising opening move of all, not once, but twice, when he followed the routine 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 with 5.Ng5+


While I await detailed analysis, it is possible to point out precedents, the earliest of which in my database is an internet blitz game from a decade ago, lar - babylyub (1/2-1/2, 27).

Back in 2015, when this blog was 7 years old, I wrote in PSA 2.0

The Database has 473 examples of 5.Ng5+, with White over all scoring 24%.

In 2016, in "Another Way to Sacrifice the Knight" I shared

5.Ng5+ 

I would like to attribute this move to a "mouse slip" or a lack of caffeine, but I notice that there are 507 games with 5.Ng5+ in The Database.

Odder, still, White scored 24% in those games.

In 2020, in "Jerome Gambit: The Face Palm Variation" I was more expansive

This line does not have a name that I am aware of [until I gave it one - RK]. It is based on a tactical shot that may be clever, but not convincing. (I gave a warning about a decade ago in the post "Public Service Announcment".)

The Database has 568 games with the line, with White scoring 23%. The earliest games that I have (6 losses) feature TiFoZi, at FICS, in 1999. [Obviously, I had forgotten lar - babylyub, internet, 1998 - RK] I will try to message him there, but, according to the site, the last time he visited was October 22, 2001.

I can understand that a Jerome Gambit player might try the line on a lark, especially at blitz or lightning time controls; I noticed Jerome regulars such as COMTIBoy, DragonTail, drumme, HauntedKnight, JKELSEY, majorminor, MyGameUMove, Petasluk, snthor, sTpny, superpippo, Teterow, thmavz, ZahariSokolov, and yorgos, have given it a try. [Add deusmach, Jagulep, ToFoZi and Bill Wall - RK ]

That brings us to today, when The Database has 854 games with the line, with White scoring 27%.

So, is 27% good or bad for White? Stockfish 16.1 (33 ply) sees Black as over a Rook ahead after capturing the Knight with 5...Qxg5. 

(Actually, if we look at only the games with 5...Qxg5 [in almost 1/3 of the games Black does not capture the Knight?!] White scores even worse, with 21%.)

Under what conditions is it a good idea to give your opponent (according to the computer) what amounts to "Rook odds"?

Again: is 27% good or bad?

I can't find the quote, but there was something about it not being so surprising that someone's dog sings so badly, but that it sings at all...

Happily, I can report that by comparison, today's Database shows White scoring almost twice as well -  53% - in the Jerome Gambit proper, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.not-Ng5+.

Just in case you were ever thinking of trying the Face Palm.

Only One Problem...

 

Well, I found out about "duck chess".

I already knew about "bughouse chess".

I was remembering the Stafford Gambit, the favorite of a chessfriend.

Yes, I was back at that very informal chess club today.

Only one problem: nobody else was there.

Well, actually, the room was completely full - of serious non-chessplayers, doing serious non-chess things.

I waited, but the chess guys didn't show up. Maybe they knew something that I didn't.

Kind of like offering the Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, and having your opponent decline with 4...Kf8.

Oh, well, maybe next time.

Cheapo

 

The title of today's post is a word of caution to defenders - to beware of what the AI Copilot defines

In chess, a “cheapo” is slang for a simple, often crude tactical trick or swindle — usually a primitive trap — set to catch an inattentive, overconfident, or time‑pressed opponent, and sometimes to swindle a win or draw from a losing position 

So, I guess, I could also have used the word swindle.

Anyhow, the game I am going to share is a relative of the Jerome Gambit - the Noa or Monck Gambit. So far, I am 5 - 2 - 2 with it.

perrypawnpusher - NN 

Chess.com, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 

The Two Knights defense.

4.Nc3 

Can I get a transposition to the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit with 4...Bc5 5.Bx7+ ?

4...Nxe4 

Not today.

Very well, you say No and I say Noa. 

5.Bxf7+ 

The Noa Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Neg5+ Kg8 

8.d4 Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 

After the game, I checked with lichess.org. It has 584 games with this position, with about 2/3 of them having the recapture I chose - with the Queen.

10.Qxf3 

I played this move because it has what the guys at the club used to call "cheapo potential".

10...Qf6 

Instead, 10...Qd7 keeps the game even.

11.Qxd5+ 

Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Thin Ice (Part 2)

                                                            

                                              [continued from the previous post]

                                                 

13.Re1

Later, Bill tried 13.Qe2 as in Wall,B - Mart, SparkChess 2025 (0-1, 23)

13...Ned7 14.Qd2 Rf8 15.Rad1 Ne5 16.Qg5 Be6 17.f4 Nf7 

Both sides have been shuffling their pieces around, perhaps searching for a plan.

18.Qg3 Nh8 

A sturdier defensive move would be, 18...Kh8, unpinning the g-pawn, but the text seems fine, at first. 

19.f5 Bd7 

It was time to return some of the sacrificed material, for example, and even exchange Queens: 19...Rae8 20.fxe6 Ng6 21.Rf1 Nxe4 22.Qg4 Nxc3 23.Bxc3 d5 24.Rxf8+ Rxf8 25.Qd4 Qb6 when White would only have an edge.

The text allows White a strong shot.

20.Nd5 

Hitting Black's vulnerable Knight at f6 again.

20...Kf7 

Not 20...Nxd5 21.Qxg7 checkmate 

21.Qh4 

Overwhelming the defense. 

21...Nxd5

Stockfish's idea 21...Qxd5 shows how dire the defender's position is. 

22.exd5 Qxc2 

Oh, well.

23.Re7+ Kg8 24.Rxg7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Thin Ice (Part 1)

There are dangers for both players in the Jerome Gambit.

In the following game, Bill Wall shows his experience in ice walking.

Wall, Bill - Guest564938

PlayChess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qe7 

Instead of moving either the Bishop or Knight, or protecting them with the d-pawn, Black uses his Queen. This defense was most recently looked at in the post "Jerome Gambit: Make Haste, Slowly".

Notice that Black's Knight is between his Queen and White's e-pawn, making things different than in Whistler's defense.

7.dxc5 

Stockfish 16.1 (30 ply) considers this move about 1/4 of a pawn better than castling, but White is still walking on thin ice.

7...Qxc5 8.O-O 

8.Be3 is about an equivalent choice, and Bill has tried it a few times - followed quickly by castling, i.e.: 8...Qe7 9.O-O as in Wall,B - Guest457006, PlayChess.com, 2018 (1-0, 30);  Wall,B - Guest3172540, PlayChess.com, 2019 (1-0, 27); and Wall,B - Ahmad, SparkChess, 2026 (1-0, 32). 

8...Nf6 

Or 8...d6 9.Be3 Qc6 as in Wall,B - Guest927010, PlayChess.com 2017 (1-0, 47) 

9.Be3 

Again, similarly, 9.Nc3 Rf8 10.Be3 as in Wall,B - Pachuco, internet, 2023 (1-0, 19).

9...Qc6 

Black still has choices as to where to place his Queen:

9...Qb5 as in Wall,B - Guest3992982, PlayChess.com, 2015 (1-0, 23) and Wall,B - Guest11373407, PlayChess.com, 2019 (1/2-1/2, 23); or

9...Qd6 as in Wall,B - Youi, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 24); or

9...Qc4 as in Wall,B - Guest8692633, PlayChess.com, 2018 (1/2-1/2, 43). 

10.Bd4 d6 

11.f3 

The pawn could also take two steps, 11.Nc3 Re8 12.f4 as in Wall,B - NN, lichess.org 2016 (0-1, 30) 

11...Re8 12.Nc3 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand. He is still better - but the game is only half over.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Advancing

 

So far, I am 5 - 0 in the second round of "The Italian Game" tournament at Chess.com. Even with three games still unfinished, this is good enough to allow me, when the round ends, to advance to the third round.

Two of those wins are with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+): #1 & #2.

I am hopeful for a positive outcome in the remaining, unfished, Jerome Gambit game.

In the mean time, there is one game left to be completed in the third round of the "Bishop's Opening Cup 2025" at Chess.com., with 92 players still competing.

I have not yet had the opportunity to play an Abraham's Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+), but I am ready.

In the "Not only the Italians plays the Italian game" tournament at Chess.com, there are two more games to be completed before I can move into the third round. I am 4 - 0 with the Jerome Gambit, and 1 - 1 with the Noa Gambit.