Jerome Gambit: Outrunning the Predator

There is that old joke about two men walking in a forest, when they are suddenly spotted by a large predator. One of the guys starts to change into his running shoes. "You'll never outrun that beast," says his friend. "I don't have to," says the first guy, "I just have to outrun you."

And so it is with the chess clock, especially at short time controls, such as 1 minute, with no increment, as is the case in the following game. Black not only has to defend against the Jerome Gambit, he has to outrun White when it comes to the predator clock. 


angelcamina - pippol7
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qe7 

Black is doing well, so far.

10.Nc3 Nf6 11.O-O Kf7 12.d4 Re8 13.f3 Kg8

14.Qf2 Qf7 15.Bg5 Ne7 16.Rae1 Qg6 

17.Bc1 Nh5 18.f4 Nc6 19.f5 Qf7 20.Qf3 Nf6 21.Bf4 Qc4 

Black is still doing well - but at what cost? The game now becomes a scramble to beat the clock.

22.e5 dxe5 23.dxe5 Nd7 24.f6 g6 25.Bd2 Ncxe5 26.Qd5+ Qxd5 27.Nxd5 Nf7 

The advantage has gone back and forth, but here Black hands his opponent a checkmate in 3 moves. White, however, doesn't need it.

28.Ne7+ Rxe7 29.fxe7 Black lost on time