Jerome Gambit: Awaiting A Hero!

While talking down the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in his Gambit Chess Openings (2002) National Master Eric Schiller suggested that the opening was still "awaiting a hero!"

While I'm willing to sign on as a "advocate" of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's creation, my play – while frequently successful – remains too skittish to qualify me as a genuine "hero."

Fortunately, other members of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde, far move brave and ruthless than I, are stepping forward regularly to defend the Gambit's "honor."

Here is my latest Jerome Gambit effort, an online blitz game played at 2 12.

perrypawnpusher - DodgyGong
FICS rated blitz game, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5



Black is set up to play Whistler's Defense (see "Beware: Mad Dog!" and "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter VIII"), 7...Qe7! and begin the destruction of my position.

7...Qh4

Wow! I've never seen this move before – yet it kind of makes sense: counter-attacking with the threat of mate.

Still, it seems I can just capture the Bishop and come out ahead...

8.Qxc5 Qxe4+


9.Qe3

Handing the game back over to Black!
Unbelievable...
9.Kf1 was necessary, when White maintains his edge.

9...Qxc2

No, no, no... When you strike at a King, you must kill him...
If Black plays 9...Qxg2 then he has a step-by-step path to victory: 10.Rf1 (this Rook is vulnerable) Nf6 11.Qb3+ d5 12.d4 Bh3 13.Qb5 Rhe8+ (this file is a danger) 14.Be3 a6 15.Qe2 c5 16.c3 cxd4 17.cxd4 Ng4 18.Nd2 Nxh2 (this pawn is just gravy) 19.0-0-0 (this "escape" is irrelevant) – you get the idea.

10.0-0 Nf6

The game is even.

11.Nc3 Ng4 12.Qf4+

More thoughtful – and therefore stronger – was 12.Qd4 Nf6 13.Qc4+ Kg7 14.d3, when Black's Queen is out of play.

12...Nf6 13.Nd5

Better yet, as above, was the transposition 13.Qc4+ Kg7 14.d3.

13...Qf5 14.Qxf5 gxf5 15.Nxc7
All hail the conquering hero!
My insipid plan was to grind out a pawn-plus endgame.

15...Rb8 16.Nb5 a6 17.Nc3 d5 18.d4 Be6
Now here's a "blood thirsty" idea: play against the "bad" Bishop.

19.Bf4 Rbg8 20.Be5 h5 21.Rae1 Rh6 22.Bxf6 Kxf6 23.Re3
23...Rhg6 24.Rg3 Rxg3 25.hxg3 Rg4 26.Ne2 b5 27.Rc1 Re4




Looks like a case of "good" Rook vs "bad" Rook, too. Black's game slips, then slides away from him.

28.Kf1 h4 29.f3 Re3 30.Kf2 Rd3 31.gxh4 Kg6 32.Nf4+ Kf6 33.Nxd3 f4 34.Rc6 Black resigns

Ok: a win, and I'm scoring better than 80% overall with the Jerome Gambit – but I still don't feel like a hero.

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"