The Jerome Gambit: Just Another Walk in the Park

Here we have another example of that odd cousin of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. I've begun to "just play it" with no more concern than a walk in the park.

perrypawnpusher - Avious
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5

The Italian Four Knights Game.

5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

The updated New Year's Database has almost 200 games with this position, with White scoring 46%. (I guess my 3 wins and 2 draws helped.)

7...Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6

This position – with 0-0 and ...h7-h6 added – has appeared twice in my games: perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz FICS 2010 (0-1, 26 ); and perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz FICS 1010 (0-1, 19).

Instead of 8...Nc6, Black also had 8...Re8: 9.0-0 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Kg8 12.Bd2 Nd5, b3 12...a6 13.Rae1 Kh8 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Rxe1 16.Rxe1 Na7 17.Qe4 Bg4 18.h3 Bh5 19.g4 Bf7 20.Bc3 Qe8 21.Qf5 Qf8 22.Qd7 Nb5 23.Re7 Nxc3 24.Rxf7 Qe8 25.Qxe8+ Rxe8 26.bxc3 Kg8 27.Rxc7 b5 28.Kf2 Re4 29.f5 Ra4 30.Rd7 Rxa2 31.Rxd6 Rxc2+ 32.Ke3 Rxc3+ 33.Kd4 Rc4+ 34.Kd3 Rc5 35.Rxa6 Rxd5+ 36.Ke3 Rd1 37.Rb6 Rb1 38.Kd4 Kf7 39.g5 Kg8 40.g6 Rd1+ 41.Ke5 Re1+ 42.Kf4 Re8 43.Rxb5 hxg6 44.fxg6 Rf8+ 45.Rf5 Rxf5+ 46.Kxf5 Kf8 47.Ke6 Kg8 48.Ke7 Kh8 49.h4 Kg8 50.h5 Kh8 51.Ke6 Kg8 52.Kf5 Kh8 53.Kg5 Kg8 54.Kf5 Kh8 55.Ke5 Kg8 56.Ke6 Kh8 57.Kd7 Kg8 58.Ke7 Kh8 59.h6 Kg8 60.h7+ Kh8 61.Kf8, drawn by stalemate, perrypawnpusher - KaZC, blitz FICS, 2010

9.Qc4+ Ke7

Instead, 9...d5 was a bit better.

10.0-0 Re8 11.Bg5 Kf8 12.f4 h6

This should lead to an even game, although it actually introduces a series of misplays by both sides.

After the game Rybka suggested an interesting line for Black, giving up two pieces for a Rook and coming out with a simplified position the exchange ahead: 12...d6 13.e5 Be6 14.Qb5 a6 15.Qxb7 Qd7 16.f5 Bxf5 17.Rxf5 Qxf5 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qxc6 Qxe5.

analysis diagram

13.Bh4

Rybka's post mortem suggestion was: 13.Nd5 Rxe4 14.Qxe4 Nxe4 15.Bxd8 Nxd8 16.Nxc7 Rb8 when White has a Rook and a Pawn for Black's Knight and Bishop; about even.

analysis diagram

13...a6

More useful was 13...d6, but Black has decided to strike out on both wings.

14.e5 b5

See "Perhaps the best chess advice that I ever read..."

15.Qd3 g5

This is over-doing it, however, and should lead to disaster.

16.fxg5 Nxe5 17.Rxf6+

A few moves later, I wondered where my attack and advantage had gone. This move is a mistake, while 17.Qh7 would have been very strong.

17...Qxf6 18.gxf6 Nxd3 19.cxd3 Bb7

Black has the exchange for a pawn, and is better.

I couldn't believe that I had lost my way.

20.g4 Kf7 21.g5 hxg5 22.Bxg5 Rg8 23.h4

Establishing the two passed pawns. My plan looks frail, but it was the best that I could come up with.

23...d5 24.Re1 d4

Black has pawns that he wants to start moving, too. This move allows a critical tempo for me to get my Rook into the thick of things, though – something that 24...Rae8 would have prevented.

25.Re7+ Kg6 26.Ne2 Rae8

27.Nf4+ Kf5 28.f7 Rxg5+

29.hxg5 Rf8 30.g6 Kf6

31.Rxc7

After the game, Rybka pointed out that here I had a mate in 12 with 31.Re6+.

At the time I saw how to slowly improve my position, and I decided to grind things out, especially since my opponent was running low on time.

31...Bc8 32.Nd5+