Jerome Gambit: A Pleasant Variation of the Giuoco Piano (Part 1)

An interesting and challenging Jerome Gambit against a chessfriend - what could be better than that?

Preparing for this post, I noticed the game starts along a familiar path, but soon wanders off.

perrypawnpusher - rffuse

Chess.com, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

The July 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal had an article on "Jerome's Double Opening" with the the following comment

Note: It should be understood that Mr. Jerome claims in this New Opening "only a pleasant variation of the Giuoco Piano, which may win or lose according to the skill of the players, but which is capable of affording many new positions and opportunities for heavy blows unexpectedly."

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

A position seen in that issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qf6 

An all-purpose move, putting pressure on the a1-h8 diagonal and the f-file.

I had previously seen 8...Be6 in perrypawnpusher - GuestGCSC, blitz, FICS, 2023 (0-1, 49). 

9.d3 

I had also played 9.O-O g6 10.Nc3 c6 11.d3 in perrypawnpusher - kashifnaseem, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 34); as well as 9.Nc3 in perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 37) and perrypawnpusher - Igorrud, Chess.com, 2024 (1/2-1/2, 24).

9...Nh6 

This move took me by surprise, although, as I worked on these notes, I was able to look up my game from 16 years ago, perrypawnpusher - recreation, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 13).

In fact, a number of Jerome Gambit players have faced 9...Nh6, here, including angelcamina, DrMarlonsky, Jagulep, mrjoker, Pauze, petsluk, ryuugu-rena, shugart, TePart0, Tracy824, and Wall,

10.Nc3 Ng4 

Putting more pressure on f2.

11.Be3 

To counter the pressre along the a7-g1 diagonal.

The alternative, 11.O-O, protecting the f-pawn with a Rook (and safeguarding the King), is evaluated (35 ply) the same by Stockfish 17.1.

11...Nxe3 12.fxe3 Qh6 

This is a fun move: my pawn on f2 thought it would be safer on e3, only to find itself in the crossfire, again.

The computer has no sense of humor, however, evaluating the game as even after this move, and recommending, instead, 12...Qg6.

13.O-O+ 

It was not time to throw my hat in the air, but I was glad to activate my Rook and link it with its sibling.

I don't have any games with this position in The Database.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Cousin Redux

angel_camina opens his game with a cousin of the Jerome Gambit, and does quite well with it.

It is a good illustration of the maxim that A move isn't bad, if the opponent does not refute it.

angel_camina - iShowSidd

1 1 bullet, Chess.com, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ 

Quoting from an earlier post, "Not Regarded to Be A Very Good Move (Part 1)"

The Bishop sacrifice goes by different names.

It has been referred to as the Noa Gambit. Charles Thomsas Blanshard, in his Examples of Chess Master-Play (1894) said of 5.Bxf7+ "The text move, a hobby of Dr. Noa, develops Black's game." See Noa,J - Makovetz,G, DSB-07 Kongress, Dresden, 1892 (0-1, 27).

It has also been called the Monck Gambit. In Pollock Memories: A Collection of Chess Games, Problems, &c., &c., Including His Matches with Eugene Delmar, Jackson Showalter, and G.H.D. Gossip (1899), William Henry Krause Pollock gave a crushing 19-move miniature ending in checkmate as "[A] very fine example, known in Dublin years ago as the 'Monck Gambit' ." 

More recently, Rev. Tim Sawyer, of Blackmar Diemer Gambit fame, applied the very apt name "Open Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit".

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Neg5+ 

Despite the opening's overall reputation, angelcamina has scored 11 - 0 from this position. 

He has also been successful with 7.Nc3 e4 8.Ng1 Bc5 9.d4 Bxd4 10.Nge2 Bb6 11.O-O Rf8 12.Nxd5 Kg8 13.Nxb6 axb6 14.Qe1 Ne5 15.Qc3 Qf6 16.Bf4 Ng4 17.Qxf6 Nxf6 18.Bxc7 Bg4 19.Ng3 Rac8 20.Bxb6 Rxc2 21.Bd4 Rd8 22.Bc3 b5 23.a3 Rd3 24.h3 Be6 25.Rad1 Bb3 26.Rxd3 exd3 27.Rd1 ? Bc4 28.Ne4 Nd5 29.Nd2 Nxc3 30.Nxc4 Rxb2 31.Rxd3 Nd1 32.Kh2 Rc2 33.Rd8+ Kf7 34.Ne3 Nxe3 35.fxe3 Rf2 36.Rd7+Kg6 37.Ra7 1-0 angelcamina - florianschreib, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019. 

7...Ke8 

Or 7...Kg8 8.d4 -

        8...Bg4 9.dxe5+ Nxe5 10.Qd4 Bxf3 11.Nxf3 Qe7 12.Bg5+ 1-0,            angelcamina - GrainBowl, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023;

        8...e4 9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 h6 11.Nxe4 Bb4+ 12.c3 Be7 13.Ng3 c6 14.0–0 Be6 15.f4 Kh7 16.f5 1–0, angelcamina  - Otschin_Karascho, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024;

        8...e4 9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 Be7 11.Nxe4 dxe4 12.Qxd8+ Bxd8 13.Bf4 Bf5 14.0–0–0 Be7 15.e6 Rd8 16.Rxd8+ Bxd8 17.Re1 Bf6 18.f3 exf3 19.e7 f2 20.e8Q#, angelcamina  - rutkaycabuk, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024; 

        8....e4 9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 c6 11.Nxe4 Bf5 12.Ng3 Bg6 13.0–0  h6 14.f4 Be7 15.f5 Bf7 16.Qg4 Kh7 17.Nh5 Bxh5 18.Qxh5 Qb6+ 19.Kh1 Rhf8 20.Qg6+ Kh8 21.f6 gxf6 22.exf6 c5 23.Qg7#, angelcamina  - Lelzwashere, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024;

        8....e4 9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 h6 11.Nxe4 Bg4 12.Qxg4 dxe4 13.Qxe4 Bc5 14.Bd2 Qe7 15.0–0–0 a5 16.f4 b5 17.f5 Kf7 18.e6+ Kf6 19.Bc3+ Kg5 20.h4+ Kh5 21.g4#, angelcamina - dv_66, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025;

        8....e4 9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 Be7 11.h4 c6 12.Qh5 Qf8 13.e6 h6 14.Nf7 Rh7 15.Qg6 Bxe6 16.Nxh6+ Kh8 17.Qxe6 gxh6 18.Be3 Re8 19.Bd4+ 1–0, angelcamina - CATCHESS11, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025;

        8....e4 9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 Be7 11.h4 h6 12.Nh3 Bxh4 13.Nf4Bg5 14.Qxd5+ Qxd5 15.Nxd5 c6 16.Bxg5 hxg5 17.Ne7+ Kf7 18.Rxh8 Kxe7 19.0–0–0 b5 20.Rdd8 Bb7 21.Rxa8 Bxa8 1–0, angelcamina - filipe-abc,1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025;

        8....h6 9.Nh3 e4 10.Ne5 Nxe5 11.dxe5 Bxh3 12.gxh3 Bc5 13.Rg1 c6 14.Qg4 g5 15.h4 Kh7 16.hxg5 hxg5 17.Qh5+ Kg7 18.Rxg5+ Qxg5 19.Qxg5+ Kf7 20.Qf6+ Kg8 21.Be3 Bf8 22.0–0–0 Bg7 23.Rg1 Rh7 24.Bh6 Rxh6 25.Qxh6 Kf7 26.Rxg7+ Ke8 27.Qh8#, angelcamina - lalakt, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

Or 7...Kg6 8.d4 h6 9.Nxe5+ Nxe5 10.dxe5 hxg5 11.Qd3+ Kf7 12.O-O Bc5 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.fxe3+ Kg8 15.e4 dxe4 16.Qxd8+ Kh7 17.Qxg5 Be6 18.Qh4+ Kg8 19.Qe7 Bf7 20.Rxf7 Kh7 21.Rxg7+ Kh6 22.Qf6+ Kh5 23.Rg5+ Kh4 24.Qf4 checkmate, angelcamina - cheesecomputer, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

8.d4 e4 9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 

Stockfish 17.1 (35 ply) evaluates this position as completely even (0.00) and I will have to take its word for it. Fortunately, I have more than one minute to evaluate the whole game.

10...Bf5 

Over-protecting the pawn at e4. The move will quickly prove useful.

11.Be3 h6 12.Qh5+ 

Ouch.

White wins if his opponent now moves his King or his Bishop, but what about the g-pawn?

12...Kd7

Like I was saying...

The clock pressures both the attacker and the defender.

13.Qf7+ Be7 

The King would not find safety on the Queenside.

One nightmare will suffice: 13...Kc6 14.Qxf5 hxg5 15.Qe6+ Kb5 16.a4+ Kb4 17.Bxg5!?

14.Qxf5+ Kc6 15.Ne6 Qd7 

Giving up the ghost.

16.Nd4+ Black resigned

Black's Queen will fall, and then mate will arrive in a half-dozen moves.

Jerome Gambit: Do What You Can

The theme of the following Jerome Gambit game could reflect upon the comment by Theodore Roosevelt: "Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are."

Never mind the "objective" assessments of the computer, White has a lot of pawns - so he uses them.

angel_camina - romainbourgeois04

1 1 bullet, Ches.com, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 c6 

The Database has 22 games with this position. White scores 57%. 

9.O-O N8e7 

angelcamina has also faced 9...Nf6 10.Nc3 Qb6 11.Qg5 d6 12.Na4 Qb5 13.Qxb5 cxb5 14.Nc3 a6 15.f3 Be6 16.d4 Bc4 17.Re1 b4 18.Na4 b5 19.Nb6 Rb8 20.Nxc4 bxc4 21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Nd5 23.Bg5 Rf8 24.Rad1 Rb5 25.e6 Nge7 26.Re5 h6 27.Bxe7 Nxe7 28.Rxb5 axb5 29.Rd7 Rf6 30.Rb7 Rxe6 31.Rxb5 Kf7 32.Rxb4 Rc6 33.a4 Nd5 34.Rb5 Ne3 35.c3 Nc2 36.Kf2 Re6 37.Rf5+ Rf6 38.Rb5 Rf5 39.Rb7+ Kg6 40.Rb6+ Rf6 White resigned, angelcamina -WilliamsU, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023 

10.d4 

Similarly, 10.f4 b6 11.Qe3 Bb7 12.d4 Qc7 13.f5 Nf8 14.Qg5 g6 15.f6 Ng8 16.f7 checkmate, angelcamina - youni30, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 

10...d6 11.Qc4 Qd7 

Black decides to "shelter in place" and keep his defensive pieces close to home.

12.f4 Qe6 13.Qd3 Qf7 

See the above note.

14.f5 Nf8 15.Bg5 Nd7 16.Nc3 Nf6 

Black's "Knight tour" has taken time, and White has put it to good - attacking - use.

17.Rae1 Kd7 

Leaving the endangered e-file, and avoiding the endangered f-file. However, the d-file is no safer.

18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5+ Nfd5 20.e6+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Two New Videos from Reject Club

Two new videos from "ද Reject Club" give a balanced and thoughful introduction to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+.

Thinking about playing the Jerome Gambit, but not sure where to start, or if it is for you? Before you read all 5,120 blog posts here, check out the videos.

"Jerome Gambit Opening | Italian Game Double Sacrifice | Crazy Double Sacrifice in Chess #shorts"

"Jerome Gambit Chess Opening Explained Chess | Trap & King Hunt | The Wild Italian Game Attack"

Jerome Gambit: Like Lightning Out of A Clear Sky

In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, the defender drives back the attacking enemy Queen, and the first player is forced to make a couple of apparently innocuous moves. 

One of those moves, however, contains a threat which might have been see-able, if the time control had been different.

Instead, lightning strikes.

Panikin_Skywalker - secret_tony

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qe7 

This position is found in 632 games in The Database. White scores 61%.

However, Stockfish 17.5's (30 ply) analysis of the position, in contrast to the outcome of those games, is about 2 pawns better for Black. 

Three-minute games do not give a lot of time for thinking and evaluating; hence, the contrast.

9.Qe3 Nf6 10.d3 d5 11.b3 

This works, most likely, because Black expects the enemy Bishop to go to b2, overlooking a more dangerous deployment.

11...dxe4 12.Ba3 

Ouch.

12...c5 

Or 12...Ng4 13.Bxe7+ Black resigned, chessriddler - jeisonlucio, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025; 

Or 12...exd3 13.Bxe7+ Nxe7 14.cxd3 Kf7 15.O-O c6 16.Nc3 Bd7 17.Ne4 Bf5 18.Ng5+ Kf8 19.Rae1 Re8 20.Ne6+ Kf7 21.Ng5+ Kf8 22.Qf4 h6 23.Ne6+ Bxe6 24.Rxe6 Ned5 25.Qd6+ Kf7 26.Rfe1 Rhf8 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.Rxe8 Kxe8 29.Qb8+ Kf7 30.Qxb7+ Ke6 31.Qxc6+ Kf5 32.Qc8+ Nd7 33.Qxd7+ Kf4 34.Qxd5 g5 35.Qf3+ Ke5 36.Qe4+ Kf6 37.Kf1 a5 38.Ke2 a4 39.Qd5 g4 40.Ke3 g3 41.fxg3 a3 42.Kf4 h5 43.Qe5+ Kg6 44.Qg5+ Kh7 45.Kf5 h4 46.Kf6 h3 47.Qg7 checkmate, chessriddler - Mag375, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025. 

13.Bxc5 

At this point, Black resigned in Panikin_Skywalker - WolfsClaw123, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023 and Panikin_Skywalker - KR4, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2026.  

13...exd3 14.Bxe7+ Nxe7 15.cxd3 

Black resigned

This was also the final position for chessriddler - Wootzyy, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024.

Jerome Gambit: Showing Up In the Strangest Places

 

I am not sure how I ran across Charts and Graphs: An Introduction to Graphic Methods in the Control and Analysis of Statistics by Karl G. Karsten (1923), but it contains an interesting chart titled "Chess Openings: The Evans Gambit and its immediate alternatives".

Can you find the Jerome Gambit there?

Jerome Gambit: My Advice Is Leave the Rook Alone

When given the opportunity in the Jerome Gambit to capture Black's Rook on h8, it is worth considering the chances. 

Against Blackburne' defense, the game is complicated, but White can probably grab the Rook with his Queen, and Her Majesty can escape, after some trials.

Against Whistler's defense, however, the game is also complicated, but White risks too much with the Rook grab. Best leave it alone.

Niclas - rob34

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 

Also 5...Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 8.Qxc5 hxg6 9.Nc3 d6 10.Qe3 Bd7 11.d4 Qe7 12.Bd2 Ng4 13.Qg3 Nxd4 14.O-O-O Bb5 15.Qxg4 a6 16.Qxg6+ Kd7 17.Nd5 Qe6 18.Qg7+ Kc6 19.Qxd4 (19.Qxc7#) 19...Rh5 20.Qc3+ Kd7 21.Qxc7+ Ke8 22.Qxb7 Rd8 23.Nc7+ Ke7 24.Nxe6+ Kxe6 25.f4 Rh4 26.f5+ Ke5 27.Qe7+ Black resigned, Niclas - Kumpel365, 2 1 bullet, lichess.org, 2021 

6.Qh5+ g6

Or 6...Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Nf6 9.d3 d6 10.Nc3 Be6 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.Qxe3 b6 13.O-O-O a5 14.f4 Bd7 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Ng4 17.Qf3+ Qf7 18.Qxa8+ Be8 19.Rhf1 Black resigned, Niclas - manu2906, 5 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2021; or

6...Kf6 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qc3 Nf6 11.d3 Kf7 12.Qc4+ Be6 13.Qc3 Rf8 14.Bg5 Kg815.O-O Nxe4 16.Bxd8 Nxc3 17.Nxc3 Raxd8 18.Rae1 Rde8 19.Re3 d5 20.Nb5 c6 21.Nc7 Black resigned, jeteracontemempas - rob34, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org. 2021

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's defense, named after Lt. G.N. Whistler, USA, Secretary, Lexington Kentucky Chess Club, who played it several times in correspondence games against Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, in 1876.

8.Qxh8 

As I wrote in "Jerome Gambit: What About the Rook?"

Whistler's Defense, 7...Qe7, says Go ahead and take the Rook, I am aiming at your King... Black's best chances come after he sacrifices the Rook.

In The Database today there are 757 games with 7...Qe7, with White scoring 50%.

White's scoring actually increases slightly in the 549 games where he captures the Rook, to 51%.

That's the Jerome Gambit for you.

Still, my advice is Leave the Rook alone!

Try something like 8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.Qg3 

8...Qxe4+ 9.Kf1 Qxc2

Black threatens checkmate in one (while grabbing a pawn), but this move decreases his advantage; 9...Qh4 was best. 

 10.Qxh7+ Kf8 11.Nc3 

11...d6

White is rated about 1,000 points above his opponent, which is probably why he gave "Jerome Gambit odds" in the first place. 

Here, Black's "reasonable" move is an error, while his best move - 11...b6 - is not the first (or second, or third) one that comes to mind.

In a 3-minute game, that matters.

12.d4 

The position has gotten messy.

For starters, White's King is too hemmed in, while Black's King is too much in the open. White is ahead the exchange and a pawn, but it is not clear how he will use that advantage.

He decides to give up a pawn for some breathing room.

12...Qd3+ 

Hard to understand this move. Time trouble?

There was nothing wrong with the simple 12...Bxd4. 

13.Kg1 Nf6 

Yep, must be the clock. 

...Bxd4 was still best, although White could gain luft by moving his h-pawn one or two squares.

14.Bh6+ Ke8 15.Re1+ Ne4 16.Rxe4+ Black resigned

Black will lose his Queen, and then be checkmated in a few moves.