Friday, June 21, 2019

Jerome Gambit: He Should Have Read This Blog

Sometimes it feels like it has all been said, before.

Take the following game. Black decides to be creative in his defense to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), and even finds a novelty on move 7.

Alas, he is checkmated on move 8.

As I point out in the notes, there was a ton of information on the line - as well as a fascinating game example - available on this blog.

But, of course, you have to read the blog. (Forewarned is forearmed.)


Wall, Bill - Guest13762608
PlayChess.com, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 



4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 



Wow. Black decides that accepting 1 piece is enough. There is a whole lot to say about this - check out the game Wall, Bill - Guest4105968, PlayChess.com, 2018 (1/2 - 1/2, 50) that I covered in detail in "Jerome Gambit: Over the Rainbow", Parts 1, 2 & 3.

For now, I can point out that the current Database has 29 games with this position, with White scoring 66%. In the 7 games that have the strongest followup (see below), White scores 79%.

6.Qg4+ Ke7 

Black needed to play 6...Kxe5, and hang on.

7.Qxg7+ Ke8 

The move 7...Kc6 would cost Black his Queen (after 8.Nf7+). Instead, the text costs him his King.

8.Qf7 checkmate


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