Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter IV

Today's game selection is a two-fer, for reasons that will soon become obvious.




Capt. Mandrake - perrypawnpusher
JG3 thematic, www.chessworld.net, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0–0




Here we see a "modern" approach to playing the Jerome Gambit, which would include the similar 5.d3 and 5.Nc3. The earliest examples I have in my database are about a decade old.

White is of the opinion that it is a bad investment to sacrifice the second piece with 5.Nxe5 and instead focuses on development.

As Unorthodox Openings Newsletter editor Gary K. Gifford wrote in "Jerome Gambit, or Jerome Gamble?" (UON #17)

I am pretty much convinced that White has a forced loss after: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Bxf7+ Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5.

I believe White is taking a big gamble.... and that "The Jerome Gamble" may be a more appropriate name.

If there is any soundness to be found in the Jerome, then I believe it involves replacing 5. Nxe5+ with a different move.

Capt. Mandrake, indeed, played 5.0-0 seven times in this tournament.

5...Nf6 6.d3 Rf8 7.Ng5+ Kg8 8.Nf3 d5



Black has castled by hand, made a pawn break in the center – and is a piece to the good.

Here White overstepped the time limit.

That may seem a bit odd, given that players had up to 5 days to make each move. Maybe the good Captain simply lost interest.

In some ways it's refreshing to think that there are more important things in a person's life than the Jerome Gambit.

perrypawnpusher - Capt. Mandrake
JG3 thematic, www.chessworld.net, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8


This defense was first suggested by Jerome in the July 1874 Dubuque Chess Journal. It is a line he played successfully against his own gambit in two correspondence games against Daniel Jaeger in 1880.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qf4+ Nf6 9.0–0


In the DCJ Jerome gave 9.c3 followed by 10.d4. White still has a lot of work to do – before he can even dream about equalizing the game.

However, here Black over-stepped the time limit again.

In fact, Capt. Mandrake in effect withdrew from the tournament by losing all but two of his games on time. The remaining pair he lost, anyhow. I didn't feel bad about receiving the gift of two points, as everyone benefited equally.




graphic from clipartheaven .com