Jerome Gambit: Overthinking? (Part 1)

A while back, I posted about giving "Jerome Gambit odds" in one of my games, to a player rated lower than me. I predicted that the material that I sacrificed would offset the difference in strength, and that the game would end up a draw. And, so it did.

However, I have received a lot of games where "Jerome Gambit odds" have resulted in smashing wins for White - as well as games where White was the lower-rated player, and still won.

So, maybe I was just overthinking about my game. 

In any event, my opponent played quite well, and, if anything, he would be the one disappointed at "losing a half point". The Chess.com computer analysis after the game put it this way "One player was winning, but then blundered it away". I think that is a bit harsh, especially since its evaluation of Tacotopia's "Accuracy" was 97.3%, vs my own 95.5%.

perrypawnpusher - Tacotopia

1 day / move, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ g6 

According to The Database, I have been in this position 48 times, and have scored 89%.

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's Defense. Prior to this game, I had a couple of wins and a draw against it, scoring 83%. (For the record, I have had 11 wins and 2 losses against the Blackburne Defense, 7...d6, scoring 85%.)

Capturing the Rook, now, is now a big problem for White - or, it should be. The Database has 498 games where White does so, and he scores an amazing 66%. Even in the 375 games where Black properly responds with 8...Qxe4+!, White scores a surprising 62%. 

Okay, okay, the position is complicated, but here are a couple of lines after 8.Qxh8 Qxe4+: 9.Kd1 Qg4+ 10.Ke1 Qxg2 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Rf1 d5 13.d4 Bh3 14.Bh6+ Nxh6 15.Qxh6+ Kg8 16.Nd2 Re8+ 17.Kd1 Qg4+ 18.f3 Qe6 19.Ne4 Bf1 20.Qh7+ Kxh7 21.Ng5+ Kg8 22.Nxe6 Bd6; 9.Kf1 Qh4 10.g3 Qh3+ 11.Ke1 Qe6 12.Kf1 Nf6 13.d3 Qd5 14.Bh6 Qxh1+ 15.Ke2 Qxh2 16.Qg7+ Ke6 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Kxe3 Qg1. Complicated, but Black is clearly better.

8.Qf4+ Qf6 

Black moved to g7 immediately in perrypawnpusher - tmarkst, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 43).

9.Qg3 Kg7 

I faced 9...d6 previously, in perrypawnpusher - alvarzr, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 49) and 9...Ne7 in perrypawnpusher - Yaku, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1/2 - 1/2, 26). 

10.Nc3 c6 11.e5 

My plan was to hold back Black's d-pawn, which would hem in his Bishop, which would block his Rook - a typical Jerome Gambit strategy. It did not work, however, and my opponent developed a more open position for his two Bishops. The simple 11.0-0 was a bit better. The Chess.com computer's post mortem suggestion was 11.d3.

11...Qf5 12.d3 d5 

13.exd6 Nf6 14.O-O Re8 15.Be3 Bd7 

16.Rae1 Nh5 17.Qh4 Bxd6 

Okay. Sometimes the Jerome Gambit leads to crashing victories for White. That's nice. Sometimes, however, Black defends well, and White has to move on to Strategy #2.

Here, the Chess.com computer evaluated Black as having a 1 2/3 pawn advantage here. That's not too much of a problem, but my attack had faded. My pawn majority on each side was only going to pay off in the endgame - if at all. It was clearly time to play solid defense, and see what my opponent could make of his advantage. Often this strategy pays off for the Jerome Gambiteer, if he is patient and alert.

18.f3 Bc5 19.Ne4 

The Chess.com computer suggested, instead, 19.Bd4+, with the idea, I guess, of 19...Nf6 20.Qf2 Bxd4 21.Qxd4. Komodo 10 had the follow-up, instead, 20.b4!?, with an idea that probably would have worked in blitz, 20...Bxb4 21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.Bxf6+ Qxf6 23.Qxb4 - but not with a time control of one day per move. Besides, it recommended answering 20.b4 with 20...g5, and back White's Queen would go to f2, anyhow.

19...Bxe3+ 20.Rxe3 Nf6 

The Black Knight, having bumped the White Queen from her protection on the pawn on d6 - which was subsequently captured - returned to its proper post. While calling it a "good" move, the Chess.com computer preferred 20...Qf4, with an exchange of Queens. I suspect my opponent wanted to leave my Queen offside.

21.Ree1 

This is simply a mistake, although a small one (an "inaccuracy" according to the Chess.com computer). Instead, White could have won the exchange for a pawn with 21.Nd6 Qc5 22.Nxe8+ Rxe8 23.d4 Qxc2 24.Rxe8 Bxe8 25.Qc2. White would have a Rook and a pawn for two pieces, a slight disadvantage in the middle game, but maybe an edge in the endgame.

21... Nxe4 22.fxe4 Qc5+ 23.Qf2 Qxf2+ 24.Kxf2 c5 

Black had a piece for two pawns. He has played well, and held on to his advantage for a couple dozen moves. White had hopes for his protected, passed pawn, but he still looked mostly toward a draw - unless he received some help.

[to be continued]