Jerome Gambit: Addition and Subtraction, Not Calculus

The following game is a good example of how a player's analysis is compressed in blitz, and how Jerome-like play can often succeed when it is too difficult to find the error of its ways.

NapthaGas - tritter88

3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights Defense.

4.Bxf7+ 

Casually referred to as an "impatient Jerome Gambit", as White does not wait for ...Bc5 in order to sacrifice his Bishop.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

Also seen recently, with another kind of Jerome-ish pawn push: 6.f4 Neg4 7.e5 Nd5 8.Qxg4 d6 9.Qf3 dxe5 10.fxe5+ Kg8 11.O-O h6 12.d4 c5 13.c4 Ne7 14.d5 Nf5 15.e6 Qe7 16.Qxf5 b5 17.Nc3 bxc4 18.Ne4 Bb7 19.d6 Bxe4 20.dxe7 Bxf5 21.exf8=Q+ Rxf8 22.e7 Re8 23.Rxf5 Rxe7 24.Bf4 Kh7 25.Rxc5 Re2 26.Rxc4 Rxb2 27.Rc7 Rhb8 28.Rxa7 Re2 29.Bxb8 Black resigned, antoniopowa - anhsyssajsyhjs, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com 2020. 

6...Ng6 7.e5 Ng8 8.Qf3+ Ke8 

Black looks like he is back on his heels, but, remember, he has an extra couple of pieces. Still, this is a 3-minute blitz game, so there is time for addition and subtraction, not calculus...

9.h4 d5 10.Bg5 Be7 11.h5 Bxg5 12.hxg6 Qd7 

Stopping the checkmate threat at f7. Still, stronger was 12...Ne7, giving the Rook some breathing room.

13.Rxh7 Black resigned

It looks like Black is going to lose a Rook, and 13...Rxh7 would allow White's pawn to move to the h-file and then promote.

But what about 13...Qf5 ? Then 14.Rxh8 Qxf3 15.gxf3 Be6 might very well hold. White could try 14.Qxf5 Bxf5 15.Rxh8, but 15...Kd7 16.Rh5 Bc1 17.Nd2 Bxg6 18.Rg5 Bxd2+ 19.Kxd2 Ne7 would leave Black with two pieces against a Rook and a couple of extra pawns - a slight disadvantage, but anything can happen in a blitz game...

Jerome Gambit: Defending Against Creativity

The starting position in the "Piano Piano" tournament at Chess.com comes after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5. That gave me 9 opportunities to play the Jerome Gambit (4.Bxf7+) in the first round, and I took advantage of each. I was a bit surprised to find myself facing the Jerome, coming out of an unusual transposition to a "modern" variation of the opening. 

Roland_Bollinger - perrypawnpusher

3d/move, "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4

The Italian Gambit, explored by Jude Acers and George S. Laven in their book The Italian Gambit System and A Guiding Repertoire for White - 1.e4 (2006).

4...Bxd4 

According to Komodo 10, this is a bit stronger than 4...exd4. The earliest example I have of that move is  Wright - Hunn, Arkansas 1874, which was published in the November 1874 Dubuque Chess Journal.

Related blog posts are "Jerome Gambit: The Improved Face Palm Variation?!" and "The Macbeth Attack".

5.Bxf7+ 

Wow. Suddenly we are in Jerome Gambit territory - and I am defending. This is dangerous stuff for both players.

The Database surprised me with 269 games with this position, although White scored only 22%. 

5...Kxf7 

Interestingly, The Database now has 1,143 games with this position, with White scoring 28%. The increase comes because of the included games with the current move order, and also those arising from a "modern" version (not 5.Nxe5+) of the Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 Bxd4.

Relevant are the posts "Jerome Gambit: Seemed Like A Good Idea at the Time" and "A Whole Lot of Information". 

6.Nxe5+ 

This doesn't work out. A bit better was 6.Nxd4 exd4 and maybe 7.c3.

6...Bxe5 7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.f4

 According to The Database, this is a new move. The attacking idea is clear.

I wanted to develop my extra pieces as quickly as I could.

8...Nge7 9.Qc5 d6 10.Qb5 Bd4 

Escaping the "Jerome pawns" and preventing my opponent from castling.

11.Qc4 d5 12.Qb5 dxe4 

Here, his experiment having gone awry, White allowed his clock to run down and lose on time.

Now, it's my turn to play the Jerome Gambit against him.

(It did not turn out that way after all. The game went 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Black lost on time. Sigh.)

Jerome Gambit: One Minute Ninja

White's play in the following game reminds me of a ninja attack. He quickly gains the better position, then takes advantage of his opponent's mistake, delivering checkmate. All with only a minute to play.

angelcamina - x2ornot2b

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.Nc3 Nf6 5.O-O Bc5 6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. The Database has 151 games with this position, where White scores 65%.

Angelcamina, however, is 3 - 0.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Nc6 10.Qc4+ Ke8 

Komodo 10 sees the position as equal, although we need to remember the maxim: When White has equalized in the Jerome Gambit, he has the advantage.

11.f4 d6 12.b3 Kf8 13.Ba3 Qe7 14.Rae1 

White's pieces quickly move into position.

14...Be6 15.Qb5 Rb8 16.e5 dxe5 

A slip. This is bullet. It happens.

White finishes quickly.

17.Bxe7+ Nxe7 18.fxe5 Kf7 19.exf6 gxf6 20.Ne4 Nd5 21.Nxf6 Nxf6 22.Rxf6+ Kxf6 23.Qe5+ Ke7 24.Qxe6+ Kd8 25.Rd1 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Good vs Bad

In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game Black reaches an even, and safe position, but he soon has to deal with a "bad" Bishop vs a "good" Knight, and untangling that situation costs pawns - and the game.

Wall, Bill - NN

lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.O-O Nf6 

9.f4 

Also recently played by Bill:

9.Nc3 a6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Rad1 Re8 13.f4 Nc6 14.Qc4+ Kf8 15.f5 Ne5 16.Qxc7 b5 17.Nd5 Qg5? 18.Nb6 Re7 19.Qd8+ Re8 20.Qxg5 hxg5 21.Nxa8 Black resigned, Wall,Bill - Guest498574, playchess.com; and

9.Re1 Be6 10.Nc3 Rf8 11.b3 Kg8 12.f4 Nc6 13.Qd2 a6 14.Bb2 Nh5 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.Qxd5+ Kh8 17.Qxh5 Rxf4 18.Rf1 Rxf1+ 19.Rxf1 Ne5 20.Bxe5 dxe5 21.Qxe5 Qd7 22.Qc5 h6 23.Rf8+ Rxf8 24.Qxf8+ Kh7 25.Qf5+ Qxf5 26.exf5 h5 27.Kf2 Kh6 28.h4 Kh7 29.c4 Kg8 30.Ke3 Kf7 31.Kf4 Kf6 32.a4 b6 33.b4 c6 34.b5 axb5 35.cxb5 c5 36.a5 bxa5 37.b6 c4 38.b7 c3 39.b8Q c2 40.Qf8 checkmate, Wall,Bill - Anonymous, lichess.org,2020.

9...Nc6 10.Qd3 Bd7 11.e5 dxe5 12.fxe5 Nxe5 13.Qd5+ Be6 14.Qxe5 Qd6 

Black has returned the sacrificed material to reach an even game - which, he believes, will even be safer after an exchange of Queens.

15.Qxd6 cxd6 16.Nc3 d5 17.Bg5 Rac8 18.Rf2 h6 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Raf1 f5 

White's pawns look healthier, and his Knight has more potential than his opponent's Bishop.

21.Nb5 Ke7 22.Nd4 Kd7 23.Re2 

It would be a mistake to win the f-pawn with 23.Nxf5, as Black would be able to exchange off his stifled Bishop with 23...Bxf5, etc. and then get back the "lost" pawn.

23...Rhe8 24.Re5 Kd6 25.Rfe1 Bd7 

Now the situation has changed, however, and White's Knight can capture, with check. 26...Bxf5 would lose the exchange, but the move that Black chooses surrenders some pawns.

26.Nxf5+ Kc5 27.Ne7 Rcd8 28.Rxd5+ Kb6 29.Rd6+ Kc5 30.Rxh6 Black resigned

Black's Bishop is free - but White's 3 extra pawns give a winning advantage. 

Jerome Gambit: A Plan

When facing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) it is always usefule to have a plan. It is also helpful if the plan has been tested and shown to be safe. In the following gambit, this is not the case.

Wall, Bill - JQZY

FICS, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

7.f4 Ng6 

This is a drastic way to return some of the sacrificed material, but Black has a plan.

8.Qxc5 Qh4+ 

Also seen recently - 8...Nxf4  9.O-O (9.Qf5+ Ke7 10.Qxf4 Nf6 11.O-O d6 12.e5 dxe5 13.Qxe5+ Kf7 14.d4 Re8 15.Qh5+ g6 16.Qxh7+ Kf8 17.Bh6# Umang360YouTube - 3ABXO3, 2 1 blitz, Chess.com, 2020 ) 9... Ng6 10. Qd5+ Ke7 11. Rf7+ Ke8 12. Rxg7 Qf6 13.Rxg8+ Rxg8 14. Qxg8+ Ke7 15. Qxh7+ Ke6 Black Resigned, Umang360YouTube - NN, Chess.com, 2020

9.g3 Qe7

Mission accomplished: the Queen has loosened White's Kingside. But, in her return, she has accomplished far more than that.

10.Qf5+ Kd6 11.Qd5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Tripping Over Each Other

In the following game, Black develops his pieces quickly. However, they seem to be a bit jumbled, tripping over each other - and, soon, the Queen is lost. Not too long after, the King is lost as well.

Wall, Bill - Guest2399892

PlayChess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Qf6 8.Rf1 Ne7 

9.Qh3+ Kd6 10.d4 Bxd4 

Giving back some material to make things less complicated is a good idea, but he might have considered 10...Nd3+ 11.cxd3 Qxd4 instead.

12.Bf4 

12...Bxb2 13.Bxe5+ Bxe5 14.Nc3 Kc6 

Seeking to escape the busy center.

15.Qd3 d6 16.Qb5 checkmate

Merry Christmas

 

Santa says, "Remember that when it comes to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) it is better to give than to receive!"

(Long time Readers will recall this post from a decade ago.)

Jerome Gambit: Roller Skating on Ice

The following game brings to mind the notion of roller skating on ice - the defender never seems to get his balance, and a fall is always expected. It is useful to play over the game, move-by-move, and ask yourself what White should do, next - someday you may have such an opportunity, and it is good to be ready.

Wall, Bill - Guest2756586

PlayChess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d5 

The move ...d7-d5 is often helpful in double e-pawn openings, and that includes the Jerome Gambit, but here the defender has overlooked the fact that his Knight is en prise. Better 7...d6.

8.Qxe5 Qd7 

Creative. Safer was 8...Nf6. 

9.Qh5+ Kf8 10.Bg5 

Komodo 10 recommends 10.Qxd5, but there has to be more to the position, from a human point of view, than entering a Queenless middlegame after 10...Qxd5 11.exd5.

10...Nh6 

No doubt avoiding White's intended 10...Nf6 11.Bxf6, but the time for psychology was well passed.

11.Bxh6 gxh6 12.Qxh6+ Ke8 

13.Nc3 Rg8 

To support the Queen when she comes to g7 to make the exchange...

14.Nxd5 Qg7 15.Nf6+ Black resigned

Disrupted to the end: Black can move his King and protect his Rook, only to realize that after 15...Kf7 16.Nxg8 White has protected his own Queen, and 16...Kxg8 17.Qxg7+ Kxg7 is not survivable, unless White's clock is ready to flag. 

Jerome Gambit: Classical vs Hypermodern

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is a fascinating battle between classical attack - featuring pawns in the center - and hypermodern defense - utilizing pieces that are often willing to retreat, yield ground, and then return to apply pressure.

Bill - Guest_1410

ChessTempo, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 Nf6 

Black decides to forego the usual 8...d6.

9.O-O b6 10.Qc3 Bb7 

Black takes a hypermodern approach to the defense, planning on controlling the center with his pieces, not his pawns.

11.d3 Rf8 

Anticipating Bg5.

12.f4 c5 13.f5 Nh8 14.e5 Ng8

Are the "Jerome pawns" over-extended?

15.Nd2 Ne7 16.Nc4 Qc7 

More consistent would have been 16...Nf7, although the move would have been met by 17.Nd6+ anyhow. 

17.Nd6+ Kd8 18.Bg5 Nf7 19.Bh4 Bd5 

20.f6 gxf6 21.Rxf6 Rg8 

Counting on the counter attack.

22.g3 Nh8 23.Nf5 Nhg6 24.Rxg6 hxg6 25.Nxe7 g5 26.Nxd5 Qc6 27.Bxg5+ Rxg5 

The tactical dust is beginning to settle. White has 3 pawns for the exchange. His Knight is more useful that Black's Rook at a8.

28.Qc4 Qh6 29.Qe4 Rb8 30.Rf1 Rg8 31.Nf6 Rf8 

32.Rf4 Rh8 33.h4 Qg7 34.Kg2 Rf8 35.h5 d6 

Finally, the center pawn advances, but White finishes off with a flurry of moves.

36.h6 Qxh6 37.Qc6 Qg7 38.Qxd6+ Kc8 39.Nd7 Rxf4 40.Qxb8+ Kxd7 41.Qxa7+ Black resigned