Jerome Gambit: White's Game Is In Its Last Throes (Again)

According to the hypermodern player Gyula Breyer, after 1.e4 White's game is in its last throes.

Subsequently, many played 1.e4, and lost.

Of course, many played 1.e4, and won.

Chess is complicated like that. Even after you play the right, best move - you have to play another one, and another one, and then another one...

In the following Jerome Gambit game, Black plays a very promising 6th move, but his opponent does not oblige him by resigning. Instead, the game goes on, and before 20 more moves are played, it is Black who has to turn over his King. 

Wall, Bill - Mecnieri
PlayChess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

The Database has 250 of Bill's games with this position. (White scored 91%.)

6...Qh4

Possibly Black's strongest reply - but only played against Bill 30 times. (White scored 85%.)

7.O-O Ng4 8.h3 Bd6 

The position looks scary for White.

9.e5 Nxe5 

"Scientifically" returning one of the sacrificed pieces for a couple of pawns. Bill pointed out the alternative 9...Be7 10.hxg4 d6 and Black is still better.

10.dxe5 Bxe5 11.Qd5+ 

11...Kf8 

Black returns the second sacrificed piece, but could well have played 11...Kf6 12.Re1 Bd4. 

12.Qxe5 d6 13.Qa5 Qe7

Material equality has been reestablished. White's King is safer, however. It is also good to remember the curious Jerome Gambit bromide: when White has equalized, he has the advantage. 


14.Nc3 Nf6 15.Nb5 c6 16.Nd4 h6 

Black moves to keep White's Bishop off of g5, but he doesn't have time for this.

17.Re1 b6 18.Qc3 Nd5 

A tactical slip. He would have done better with 18...Qd7. 

Now White puts on the pressure and wraps up the game.

19.Nxc6 Nxc3 20.Nxe7 Bb7 21.Ng6+ Kg8 22.Nxh8 Kxh8 23.bxc3 Black resigned

Everything looks pretty well balanced - until you notice that White is up a Rook.