Saturday, August 22, 2020

Jerome Gambit: Study This Game


One way of learning the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is to go beyond the opening moves and take a good look at middlegame structures, and the attacks that come out of them. The following game is worth playing over and over, to catch the ideas that underly the attack. Both attack and defense can be improved - but, that is the point: the more you study the game, the more you will understand.

By the way, the game arrived with the following encouraging note 
I've been experimenting with the Jerome Gambit in a few anon games on lichess.com, and this one in particular led to a pretty nasty attack and checkmate. I thought you would enjoy this game. I'm going to keep playing it until I see someone defend against it well.

Anonymous - Anonymous
5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 


4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 


The Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit, played at least as early as Jaeger, D - Jerome, A.W., correspondence, 1880, but already suggested in Jerome's 1874 analysis in the Dubuque Chess Journal.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qf6 

9.Nc3 Be6 10.d3 h6 11.O-O Ne7 


12.Kh1 Kf7 13.f4 Rhf8 14.Bd2 Kg8 


Black is keeping pace with White, and still holds his extra piece for two extra pawns. He has castled-by-hand, although in this case it provides less security than expected.

White now begins his Kingside attack.

15.f5 Bd7 16.Rf4 Rf7 17.Rh4 Kh8 18.Rf1 


White could also have brought his Bishop into the attack with 18.Bg5. Komodo 10 suggests that the only way Black could keep his edge would be to return his piece (for 2 pawns) with 18...Nxf5, or 18...Qe5 19.Bf4 Nxf5. The problem with 18...Qd4 is 19.Bxh6 and an even game (although Black has to see to his defense).

18...b5

A sharp distraction.

19.Qh3 Kh7 

Black protects his h-pawn, but he might have backed away, instead, with 19...Kg8.

20.Rg4 

Consistent, but 20.g4!? would have been sharper.

20...Ng8 

It was time to believe in his counter and try 20...b4 21.Nd1 d5 when he would probably be better in a complicated situation.

21.Nd5 Qxb2

Looking for safety for his Queen, at a distance, but 21...Qe5 was the way to keep an edge.

22.Bc3 

The last piece in White's attack.

22...Qxc2 23.Qh5 Raf8 24.Qg6+ Kh8 25.Bxg7+ Rxg7 26.Qxg7 checkmate



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