A Sneaky Way to Defeat the Jerome Gambit

If things weren't bad enough for the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – an opening with several refutations – last week I found another way to get beaten. This one might be The End for the Jerome, at least as it is played in the on-line communities such as the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS).

perrypawnpusher - "anonymous"

blitz 10 0, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+

At this point, my opponent disconnected from FICS.

I waited a couple of minutes, and, sure enough, he re-connected.

I issued a "resume" offer. He ignored it. Then, a bit later, he started a game with someone else.

Being a patient (but persistent) guy, I "observed" that second game, and when it was over, I issued another "resume" offer to "anonymous".

My opponent ignored it again.

Being also polite, I "messaged" him that I hoped we could run into each other again online, and finish our game.

I stopped back at FICS several times a day over the next few days, but did not run into "anonymous". I did not receive any return "message" or email, either.

Then I received a "message" that the game had been adjudicated in my opponent's favor.

Of course, I protested this in a return "message", but my "message" was met with the notice "mailbox full". (Later I learned that the adjudication message had come from a 'bot.)

I then "messaged" and emailed The Powers That Be at FICS, and learned back from them... 

If you have a question regarding an outcome of adjudication you may appeal the decision by messaging adjudicate. Make sure the game is still in your history or at least in your journal so that they may review it again...We cannot do anything if the game is no longer able to be viewed...

This was no help. I suppose that as long as the game was "adjourned", it was in my history, but as soon as perrypawnpusher - "anonymous" was adjudicated, the game was over and apparently it disappeared.

...You will have to provide analysis why you feel that the decision was incorrect...

 If I had analysis proving that White was better or even in the Jerome Gambit, I'd be writing a book about it (with a Foreword by Magnus Carlsen). All I have is my 87% score with it and a willingness to gamble.

...A disconnect is not adjudicated as an automatic loss. The loss was because you were behind in material and your opponent took advantage of that fact when requesting an adjudication. Sometimes when a gambit is being played and the material count is reflecting that, an abusive user can take advantage by disconnecting...

Really.

So, here is a caution to anyone playing the Jerome Gambit and its relatives – especially AlgozBR, BobTheBeginner, DragonTail, drumme, fmarius, Irvpat, Itajuba, jfhumphrey, Petasluk, Rattymouse, sTpny, stretto, UNPREDICTABLE, yorgos and hundreds of others who play Jerome-ish openings at my favorite chess site, FICS – know the rules of your site regarding disconnections, know who you are playing against, and be careful that your opponent is an above-the-board player, or your next Jerome Gambit might look like this:

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 Black disconnected, game later adjudicated a win for Black.

Even folks who play the King's Gambit might have to fear

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 Black disconnected, game later adjudicated a win for Black (see "The King's Gambit is Busted" by R. Fischer).