Jerome Gambit: Complications Favor the Strong

The story of the following game is straight-forward: after a few chuckles in the opening, complications ensue. In complicated positions, stronger players are more likely to find their way, while more average players are more likely to get lost. And so it goes...

Wall, Bill - Guest2910393
PlayChess.com, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 

I always get a chuckle out of this move. Black simply threatens to play ...Nf3+, winning the - currently - unprotected White Queen. Maybe. The move is as old as Jerome - Norton, correspondence, 1876 (unfinished).

7...Qf6 is a good move, Stockfish 10's second choice, behind 7...d6. 

Furthermore, The Database - a reasonably representative sample of online club chess play - has 180 games with 7...Qf6, with White scoring only 40%.

Interestingly enough, The Datbase has 21 games where White does not move or protect his Queen, and Black executes the King-and-Queen-fork. However, there are 40 games where White does not move or protect his Queen, and Black overlooks the King-and-Queen-fork. Ooooops.

This split is illustrated in the experience of a long-time Jerome Gambit player who has 187 games in The Database, and who has been forked 3 times from this position. However, 8 other times his opponent was presented with the opportunity, but missed the Knight check.

Chaos runs deep in the Jerome Gambit. Club play is not a simple thing.

8.Qc5 

This move is Bill's favorite, although he has also tried 8.Nd2, 8.Be3, 8.Qc3, 8.Qd2 and 8.Qe3.

8...Ne7 9.Nc3 

In an earlier game Bill grabbed a pawn, and then slowly ground down his opponent: 9.Qxc7 b6 10.Qc3 Ba6 11.Qa3 Qg6 12.Qxa6 Qxe4+ 13.Kf1 Qxc2 14.Nc3 Nd3 15.Be3 Rac8 16.Qa3 Qxb2 17.Qxb2 Nxb2 18.Bd2 Nf5 19.Re1 Nd6 20.Re2 Ndc4 21.Be1 Rce8 22.Nb5 Nd3 23.Bc3 a6 24.Nc7 Rc8 25.Nxa6 Nce5 26.Bd2 Rc4 27.g3 Ra8 28.Nb4 d6 29.Nxd3 Nxd3 30.Re3 Ne5 31.a3 Rd4 32.Bb4 Nc6 33.Kg2 Ra6 34.Rf3+ Ke6 35.Re1+ Kd5 36.Rf5+ Ne5 37.Bxd6 Kxd6 38.Rfxe5 Rxa3 39.Re6+ Kd7 40.Rxb6 Ra7 41.Rbe6 Rda4 42.h4 R4a5 43.f4 Ra1 44.Rxa1 Rxa1 45.Re5 Ra7 46.Kf3 Kd6 47.Kg4 Ra3 48.h5 Ra1 49.Re8 Rb1 50.f5 Rb7 51.Kg5 Rb4 52.Rg8 Rb7 53.g4 Rc7 54.Rh8 h6+ 55.Kg6 Ra7 56.Rg8 Ra4 57.Kh7 Ke5 58.Rxg7 Kf4 59.Kxh6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Computer-13, Chess.com, 2017.

9...Ng4 

10.f3 Ne5 11.Qxc7 

Grabbing the pawn, after all.

11...N7c6 12.O-O 

A complicated position. Black has an extra piece for two pawns, and is slightly better developed, although he has the standard problem often facing those who defend against Jerome Gambit: his pawn blocks his Bishop which blocks his Rook... A significant factor is that White's Queen is a bit trapped in the enemy position, and Stockfish 10 suggests White work towards b2-b3, Ba3, and then Qd6, exchanging the Queen. If Black could then focus on untangling his pieces, he would maintain an edge. 

12...Kg6

The first of two puzzling moves that end the game.

My guess is that Black was unpinning his d-pawn so that it could advance, but the King move is too risky.

13.Nd5

White now has the advantage in a tricky position, but Black is not finished with his surprises.

13...Qe6 14.Nf4+ 

Black resigned