Jerome Gambit: Against A Decent Sparring Partner

Playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) against a top level computer at its highest rating would be a recipe for disaster. However, finding the right program at the right level of play means a decent sparring partner, and an enjoyable game. Here is an example, with another one in the notes.

carlopatti - Computer Level 6

Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

(6...Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qe7 9.d3 Nh6 10.Qxe5+ Qxe5 11.fxe5+ Kxe5 12.Rf1 Ke6 13.Nc3 Rf8 14.Nd5 Rxf1+ 15.Kxf1 Bd6 16.Bf4 b6 17.e5 Bxe5 18.Bxe5 Kxe5 19.Nxc7 Rb8 20.Re1+ Kd6 21.Ne8+ Kc5 22.Re5+ Kc6 23.Nxg7 Bb7 24.c4 Rg8 25.Nh5 Rh8 26.d4 a5 27.d5+ Kc5 28.b3 Ba6 29.Nf6 Kd6 30.Re4 Bc8 31.h4 Ba6 32.g4 Rb8 33.g5 Rf8 34.Ke2 b5 35.Nxh7 Rf7 36.Nf6 Rxf6 37.gxf6 Kc5 38.Kd3 a4 39.b4+ Kxb4 40.cxb5+ Kxb5 41.Kd4 Kb6 42.Re7 Nf5+ 43.Ke4 Nd6+ 44.Ke5 Kc5 45.h5 Bd3 46.Rxd7 Be2 47.h6 Nc4+ 48.Kf4 Nb6 49.Re7 Kc4 50.Rxe2 Nd7 51.f7 Nf8 52.Re8 Nd7 53.f8=Q Kxd5 54.Qe7 Nf6 55.Qe5+ Kc4 56.Rc8+ Kb4 57.Qc5 checkmate, carlopatti - Computer Level 6, Chess.com, 2020) 

7.Qxe5 Nf6 

When Black plays 6...g6 as part of a plan, he is ready to sacrfice his Rook after either 7.Qxe5 d6 or 7.Qxe5 Qe7. When he plays 6...g6 as a knee-jerk reaction to White's Queen check, he winds up protecting the Rook in this way, but dropping his Bishop.

8.Qxc5 Nxe4 

Yes. The computer risks 9.Qd5+ Kg7 10.Qxe4 because of 10...Re8, pinning and winning the Queen. Beware the e-file!

9.Qc4+ d5 10.Qd4 Ng5 11.O-O Bf5 12.d3 c5 

An interesting idea to exchange c-pawns, but the computer has not looked deep enough.

13.Qxc5 Rc8 14.Qxa7 Ne6 15.Na3 Rc7 

16.Nb5 Rc5 17.Qxb7+ Kf6 18.b4 Rc8 19.c4 Rf8 20.cxd5 Rc2

 

Black's Rook finally gets to c2 - without a pawn capture. It keeps White's Bishop off of b2, but the move costs material.

21.dxe6 Bxe6 22.Bh6 

White keeps coming with threats. Even a computer respects that.

22...Rg8 23.Rae1 Bc8 

Attempts at defense fail.

24.Qf3+ Bf5 25.Re3 Rc8 26.Rfe1 Qd7 27.Qf4 g5 28.Re6+ Qxe6 29.Bxg5+ Rxg5 30.Rxe6+ Kf7 31.Qxg5 Kxe6 32.Nd4+ Kd5 33.Qxf5+ Kxd4 34.Qxc8 

The smoke has cleared. The computer hangs on to the bitter end.

34...h6 35.b5 h5 36.b6 h4 37.b7 Ke5 38.b8=Q+ Kf6 39.Qb5 h3 40.Qbf5+ Kg7 41.Qcf8 checkmate