Influence

It is always great to hear from people who have visited this site – doubly so when someone gives the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) a try and then is willing to share the results.

Is that me in the picture to the left, sharing some analysis?*

Inspired by your great website i decided to launch myself into the Jerome gambits alternate universe with this game of blitz. A few classic Jerome motifs i've picked up from your site crop up here. The "nudge", the Jerome pawns... Just remember it's all your fault from here in.. :)

mrddblack - afghanguy
blitz GameKnot, 2010

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

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

7.Qd5+

The "nudge".

7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

A standard Jerome Gambit position. Black is better, and his prospects would be awesome if he could castle next move. This last factor, however – Black's King stuck in the middle – often combines with a few other tasty ingredients. 

10.f4 Ng4

Harassing the Queen can sometimes seem irresistable. Other continuations include:

10...Kf7 11.0-0 Rf8 12.Qb3+ Be6 13.Qxb7 Ne7 14.f5 Bd7 15.Qb3+ Ke8 16.Nc3 c6 17.Kh1 Qb6 18.Qa3 c5 19.d3 Bc6 20.Bf4 Kd7 21.b3 Ng4 22.Qc1 Ne5 23.Bxe5 dxe5 24.Qg5 Rg8 25.a3 a5 26.Qg3 Qc7 27.Qh3 Rh8 28.f6+ Kd6 29.fxg7 Rhg8 30.Rf6 checkmate, Fritz 8 - RevvedUp, 2006; and

10...Rf8 11.0-0 Kd7 12.Nc3 b6 13.d4 c6 14.f5 Ne7 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Nfd5 17.e6+ Kc7 18.Qe5+ Kb7 19.Qxg7 Nf6 20.Bg5 Nfg8 21.f6 Qd4+ 22.Kh1 Rxf6 23.Bxf6 Nxf6 24.Qxe7+ Nd7 25.exd7 Qxd7 26.Qxd7+ Bxd7 27.Rf7 Kc7 28.Rd1 Rd8 29.Ne4 Kc8 30.Nf6 Be6 31.Rxd8+ Kxd8 32.Rxa7 Bf5 33.Nxh7 Bxc2 34.h4 Ke8 35.h5 Bxh7 36.Rxh7 Kf8 37.h6 Kg8 38.Rb7 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - blackburne, JG3 thematic, Chessworld 2008.

11.Qf3 Bd7

An earlier game continued: 11...Rf8 12.d4 Qh4+ 13.g3 Qh3 14.Qe2 Nf6 15.Nc3 Bg4 16.Qf2 b5 17.e5 dxe5 18.dxe5 Nh5 19.Nxb5 Rf7 20.Nxa7 Nxe5 21.Qe3 Bf3 22.Qxe5+ Re7 23.Rf1 Rxe5+ 24.fxe5 Qg2 25.Rxf3 Qxf3 26.Nb5 Qh1+ 27.Kf2 Qxh2+ 28.Ke3 Qxg3+ 29.Kd4 Rd8+ White resigned, guest4578 - guest7450. ICC, 2004

12.h3 Nh6

13.d4 Qh4+ 14.g3 Qe7 15.Nc3 c6 16.Bd2 Nf7

White's pawns hold a lot of promise in a roughly balanced position.

17.0-0-0 b5

Black envisions opposite-side pawn storms. He will need something to distract his opponent.

18.f5 Nf8

Rybka suggests as a stronger defense: 18...Qf6 19.Qe3 Ne7

19.g4 b4 20.Na4 c5

Consistent play against the Knight and White's King's position. However, White has a number of tactical shots at his disposal.

21.b3

As an example of how tactical a Jerome Gambit game can get, look at the (stronger) alternative 21.e5. The opened a8-h1 diagonal  forces Black to play 21...d5 (if 21...Bxa4 22.exd6 Qxd6 23.Rhe1+ Kd7 24.Qxa8) when after 22.f6 gxf6 23.exf6 Qd6 White continues to pile on the pressure with 24.Rde1+ Kd8 25.Nxc5 (with Re7 coming up).

analysis diagram






21...Bxa4

Black would have done better to ignore the Knight and play 21...Bc6, covering the diagonal.

22.bxa4

Rybka's take on the position is quite extraordinary: apparently White doesn't need to racapture: 22.e5 Rb8 23.exd6 Qb7 24.Rhe1+ Kd8 25.Qf2 Nd7 26.dxc5 Bc6 27.Re7 Nfe5 28.Qh4 Kc8 29.Qxh7 Rd8 30.Qxg7 Nf3 31.Be3 Qa6 32.f6 Qxa2 33.f7 with an edge. Oh, those Jerome pawns!

analysis diagram







22...cxd4

Very dangerous.

23.e5 Nxe5

24.Qxa8+ Kf7 25.Bxb4

White is ahead the exchange and some pawns – and his attack continues.
25...d3 26.Qd5+ Ke8

27.cxd3 Qc7+ 28.Kb1 Kd7

29.Rc1

Black resigned. He could have played long enough to win a piece with 29...Qb8, but after 30.Rhe1 Qb4+ 31.Ka1 he will soon see his Knight on e5 expire, followed by his King.

Quite an exciting first Jerome Gambit for mrddblack!





*Oh, no, wait, that's Fagin, from Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, equally subverting others.