I thought that Jon Speelman had had the last, friendly, justifiable, Grandmaster laugh at the Jerome Gambit four years ago, in his "Agony Column #24" over at chessbase.com, where he dissected a couple of my games that I had shared with him - but it turns out that I was wrong.
YouTube.com has recently posted a video by Canadian GM Aman Hambleton (aka TOMMYFOOKINSHELBY, at Chess.com, see the previous blog posts "Jerome Gambit: Smash Finish" and "Unasked Questions") that hilariously gives the Jerome Gambit, this blog, and me, our just due - and then some. All in good fun.
It is must viewing for all Readers.
In the meantime, especially to those new to this blog, let me quote from a post from the first month of this blog, a dozen years ago, titled "But - Is this stuff playable? (Part 1)"
Of course not.The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has many refutations.
I'm glad that's settled.
Maybe a more useful question would be -- Under what conditions might the Jerome Gambit be playable?
Perhaps in friendly games, in bullet games, in blitz games, in games where you are giving "Jerome Gambit odds" to a weaker player - the opening might just be playable. (It is helpful to keep in mind Geoff Chandler's whimsical "blunder table" in this regard.)
I am reminded of Gary Kasparov's response, when someone suggested 1...g5!? as a response to 1.c4 - "Chess isn't skittles". Certainly he was right - at the grandmaster and master level of play. But, for many club and amateur players, chess is skittles; and the Jerome Gambit fits right in.
By the way, from an academic point of view, the Jerome Gambit is often a study of "errors in thinking" - exactly how does someone lose to "the worst chess opening, ever"?
Thank you for this post. Found you because of Aman's video. Chessbrah has some great funny content that got people like me interested in chess again, after forgetting about it and thinking that was boring. But this kinds of sites too give that spice to chess that makes it so fun.
ReplyDeleteKeep doing you,
Have a nice day!
Wow. This post has given me a whole new way of thinking about chess!!! I'm going to be perusing all of your posts to examine what errors of thought can make the Jerome work... and use it to improve my own chess thinking!!! Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog and your passion for the Jerome Gambit!
ReplyDeleteCheers
I find your passion for this opening absolutely amazing, you're right, chess can be fun and to your point, I "jeromed" someone on lichess the other day, and it was very satisfying!
ReplyDeleteCheers from Canada!
Hey finally found your mention of the Aman game ! Found your blog through his video and I've been having a blast reading your all your analysis. Your passion for this opening is fascinating !
ReplyDeleteKeep up the outstanding research!!
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