ZahariSokolov has played some very interesting Jerome Gambits at FICS lately. The following games shows off one of the aspects of the Jerome - that even the "winning" lines for Black are tricky for the second player, as are the "losing" lines for White.
So much of the complexity this time is in the notes.
ZahariSokolov - GhengusFungus
standard, FICS, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nf3+
This rogue knight move marks the "Norton Variation", as opposed to one move later - 8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+!? - which would lead to a very sharp and complicated Queen sacrifice that wins for Black.
Nonetheless, The Database has 9 games with the Norton line, and White wins 8 of them. There are 44 games with the Queen check line, and White wins half of them.
Perhaps GhengusFungus was unfamiliar with the Queen sac, or he found the Knight move to be disturbing enough.
9. gxf3
I was able to get away with the erroronious 9.Kf1? twice, in blitz games, perrypawnpusher - igormsp, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 13) and perrypawnpusher - rheapennata, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 12); but long ago, at a slower pace, the Gambit's creator was not Jerome,A - Norton,D, Correspondence 1876 (0-1, 42).
9... Qh4+ 10.Kd1
Again, this is the correct square for the King, although two games in The Database show White winning after 10.Ke2? Young,J - "Chess Challenger 10" Computer, 1979 (1-0,18) and gibonacci - jschulte, GameKnot.com ,5d/move, 2007 (1-0, 48).
10... Qe7
In "Vortex" I wrote
White's best chance is 11.Qe5+ Kc6 12.b4!? when White can probably eke out a draw, whether or not the pawn is captured, but the play is very difficult.
That is a fair assessment of this Norton variation: a very complicated game, but a draw, with a lot of hard work by White.
Two games show White successful after 10...Ne7!?: CFBBlind -Quandary, FICS, 2001 (1-0, 18) and perrypawnpusher - sjeijk, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0,19); while White had a draw against 10...Qf2 - until he was given more in perrypawnpusher - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (1-0,19).
How did Black deal with all these complications? Apparently he relaxed too soon.
11. Qd5 Black checkmate
I have updated The Database with games from FICS (Free Internet Chess Server) through 2014. It now contains over 39,000 games.
The basic Jerome Gambit position, after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, appears in about 11,600 games. White scores 45%
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+, appears 2,300 times. White scores 38%.
Interestingly, the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 h6 5.0-0 Bc5 6.Bxf7+, appears only 120 times, but White scores 65%. Note the "power" (or lack of) ...h6.
This is reflected in the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+, appearing in about 160 games, where White scores 66%. Interestingly, with 4.Nc3, in about 130 games, White scores only 54%.
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+, appears in about 5,000 games, with White scoring 56%.
Recent examples of the Abrahams Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+, have been added. There are a little over 2,500 examples, and White scores 50%.
Because the line continues to show up, and is worth knowing, the nameless 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5 4.Bxf7+ appears in The Database 2150 times, with White scoring 72%.
There is also a large selection of Jerome-ish lines, featuring, for example, an early Bxf7+ by White. Some Reversed Jerome Gambit games have been included, as well.
In the ongoing RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit thematic tournament, a couple of kinds of players need to be mentioned: those who join because the opening looks new and interesting or challenging or fun; and those who join because they have some knowledge of the opening, and want to test their understanding against others.
Although SeinfeldFan91 does not appear to have experience in the Jerome Gambit, according to The Database, he again shows an understanding of the opening beyond that of his experienced opponent, winning his mini-match with rigidwithfear, 2-0.
SeinfeldFan91 - rigidwithfear
Giuoco Piano Jerome gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+
It is worth mentioning that Bill Wall has played this move with success on a number of occasions.
8...Be6 9.Qxb7 Nf6 10.d3 Qd7 11.Nc3 Rhb8 12.Qa6 Kg8
Finally departing from Siggus - metalshredder, standard, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 39) which had the equally playable 12...Rb6. In both cases, Black has the advantage.
13.O-O Nh4
This move and Black's next are not the best way to start the Kingside attack, as it allows the "Jerome pawns" to come to White's rescue.
14.f4 Bg4 15.f5 Nxf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.Qa3 Bg6
Black has returned his extra piece, and now White has a pawn edge. Now SeinfeldFan91 proceeds to outplay his opponent.
18.Bg5 Rf8 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Nd5 f5 21.Qc3 Qf7 22.Qc6 Rae8 23.Rf2 Rec8 24.Re1 Qg7 25.Ne7 Black resigned
Swiss Toni, Marko Krale, jecidi (Group 1), and Red House and SeinfeldFan91 (Group 2) have advanced to Round 2.
In the ongoing RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit thematic tournament , a couple of kinds of players need to be mentioned: those who join because the opening looks new and interesting or challenging or fun; and those who join because they have some knowledge of the opening, and want to test their understanding against others.
The following game features a player who has Jerome Gambit experience - but it was not enough to prevent his opponent from evening their mini-match (see jecidi - Red House, Giuoco Piano Jerome gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2014).
Red House - jecidi
Giuoco Piano Jerome gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.d3
A "modern" Jerome Gambit - no 5.Nxe5+. It must be said, though, that the move would be increasingly playable on White's next two moves.
5...h6 6.O-O a6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Na4 Ba7 9.c3 Rf8
Planning to castle-by-hand, but 9...b5 is stronger.
10.Re1 d6 11.b4 Kg8
Mission accomplished.
12.Be3 Bd7 13.d4 exd4 14.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.Bd4 Bxd4 16.cxd4 Re8
17.Nc3 c6 18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5 Nh7 20.f4 Bf5 21.Qf3 Qd4 22.Kh1 Qxb4
The "Jerome pawns" are not adequate compensation for the sacrificed piece.
23.a3 Qe7 24.Ne4 Bxe4 25.Rxe4 Nf8 26.a4 Rad8 27.h3 Ne6 28.f5 Ng5 29.Qe2 Nxe4 30.Qxe4 Qxe5 31.Qc4 Qd5 32.Qf4 Qe5 33.Qg4 Qxa1 White resigned
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