Jerome Gambit: Thicket of Problems

In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, White makes his way through a thicket of problems to a clearing where he is better - only to succumb to what looks like a time pressure slip. Of course, a 5-minute blitz game is constant time pressure, and it is easy to miss the subtleties that arise. Play over the game, and see for yourself.

PikaPwn - Bromberry

5 0 blitz, Chess.com 2020

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qf6 

This position is a pretty good example of the options that Black has on defense - he ignores the attack on two pieces, and develops a third. He could have similarly played 6...Qh4.

7.dxc5 Ne7  8.O-O Rf8 9.f4 N5c6 10.e5 Qf5 11.Nc3 Kg8  

Black has a piece for two pawns, has better development, and has castled-by-hand.

White's pawns clamp down on the d6 pawn and give some counterplay.

12.Nd5 

Another way to attack c7, one that does not risk the exchange of Knights, is 12.Nb5.

12...Nxd5 13.Qxd5+ Kh8 14.c3 d6 15.cxd6 Be6 16.Qb5 cxd6 17.Qxb7 

White has been tearing up Black's pawns, but there is danger associated with this capture.

17...Nxe5 

Possible because the Knight cannot be captured without allowing checkmate.

18.Be3 a5  

Perhaps planning 19...Rfb8, harassing the Queen, but missing the fact that the capture of the Knight is now on.

19.fxe5 Qd3 20.Rxf8+ Rxf8 21.Bd4 

The position features Bishops of opposite colors. Will that matter? It will, if the heavy pieces come off the board, when an extra pawn or two for White will not prevent the possibility of a draw. However, with heavy pieces on the board, the player who can attack has the advantage.  

21...Bc4 22.h3 dxe5 23.Bxe5 

White threatens checkmate at g7. In blitz, direct threats are good. Had he more time, however, he might have opted for 23.Bc5, when the game might have devolved into a draw, e.g. 23...Rf1+ 24. Rxf1 Qxf1+ 25. Kh2 Qf4+ 26. Kh1 Bxa2 27. Qa8+ Bg8 28. Qxa5 Qc1+ 29. Bg1 Qxb2 30. Qxe5 h6 31. Bd4 Qb1+ 32. Kh2 Qg6 - the extra pawn is probably not enough to win.

23...Rf1+ 

Black jumps too quickly, because he is thinking of his own chances for checkmate. There was a piece to be won with 23...Qe3+ 24. Kh1 Qxe5. 

24.Rxf1 

This move is okay, but how would Black have answered 24.Kh2 - ? It would have cost a lot of material.

24...Qxf1+ 25.Kh2 Qf7 26.Qc8+ Qg8 

27.Qg4 

Exchanging Queens would have led to a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, which might have been a win for White, although it would take some work.

27...Be6 

This overlooks a tactic. He probably should have gone ahead with 27...Bxa2. 

28.Qa4 

There was, instead, 28.Bxg7+ Qxg7 29. Qxe6 winning a pawn, but time was short and there was no reason to complicate.

28...Bxa2 

29.Qxa2 

An unfortunate oversight. Grabbing the pawn was more likely to win. Now White's only chance lies with the clock.

29...Qxa2 30.b4 axb4 31.cxb4 Qd5 32.Bc7 Kg8 33.Ba5 Kf7 34.Kg1 Ke6 35.Kf2 Kf5 36.Kg3 g5 37.Kh2 Qe5+ 38.Kh1 Kf4 39.Bd8 Kg3 40.b5 Qe1 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Follow the Yellow Brick Road

The following game wanders off the Yellow Brick Road that leads to the Jerome Gambit - but only for a short time. Upon its return, White proves himself enough of a wizard to collect the full point in under ten moves.

BenSomeone - DanielMaeng

2 1 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nxe5 

This reminds me of Chicago Gambit, (also known as the Irish Gambit or the Razzle Dazzle Gambit) - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nxe5 -  and the Halloween Gambit (also known as the Müller–Schulze Gambit or the Leipzig Gambit) - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5.

I was surprised to find over 200 games with 4.Nxe5 in The Database.

4...Nxe5

Now Komodo 11 recommends either 5.Be2 Ng6 6.d4 Bb6 or 5.d4 Bb4+ 6.c3 Nxc4 7.cxb4 d5.

5.Bxf7+ 

The Database has 18 previous examples, with White scoring 10 - 8. Only four of those games featured the best response, 5...Nxf7 - Black has two pieces for two pawns, and his King can castle to safety in a few moves -  and, somewhat surprisingly, White scored 2 - 2.

5...Kxf7 

Suddenly, White is on the safe path of the Jerome Gambit.

6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 b6

Seen in five previous games; tempting, but losing.

8.Qd5+

Recently seen, but not as accurate: 8.Qf5+ Nf6 9.e5 d6 10.e6+ Kg8 11.d3 Nh4 12.Qg5 Nf5 13.Qxf5 Qe7 14.0–0 Bxe6 15.Qf4 Nh5 16.Qf3 Rf8 17.Qe3 Nf4 18.Qe4 d5 19.Qe5 Nxg2 20.Kxg2 Rf5 21.Qe3 Kf7 22.Re1 Qh4 23.Qxe6+ Kf8 24.Qe8 checkmate, Akash_12345 - S_P_Kushwaha, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 

8...Ke8 9.Qxa8 Black resigned

White is up two pawns and the exchange.

Jerome Gambit: The Problems of Safety

In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, Black seems uncomfortable defending the gambit, and seeks safety through several reasonable moves. That seems to allow him to relax - which, against the Jerome, can lead to very un-safe happenings.

f3_kf2 - Romanoe

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qxc5 Qe7 8.Qf5+

Also seen, recently: 8.Qxe7+ N8xe7 9.Nc3 d6 10.f4 Ke8 11.O-O Rf8 12.d4 Nc6 13.Be3 Bd7 14.Nd5 Kd8 15.f5 Nge7 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bh4 Rf7 18.c3 Kc8 19.Ne3 b6 20.g4 Kb7 21.Bg3 Re8 22.Rae1 Nc8 23.Ng2 a6 24.Nf4 N6e7 25.e5 d5 26.e6 Bxe6 27.Nxe6 Nd6 28.Bxd6 cxd6 29.Re2 g5 30.Rfe1 Rc8 31.Nxg5 hxg5 32.Rxe7+ Rxe7 33.Rxe7+ Kc6 34.Rg7 Kb5 35.Rxg5 Kc4 36.f6 Rf8 37.Rf5 Kd3 38.g5 Kc2 39.Rf2+ Kd3 40.g6 Ke3 41.g7 Rg8 42.Kf1 b5 43.f7 Rxg7 44.f8=Q Re7 45.Qf3 checkmate, SanitationEngineer - NN, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020. (Yes, White is the U.S. champion, GM Nakamura.)

8...Nf6 9.O-O d6  

So far, Black can be happy, with his piece for two pawns, and better development.

10.Qa5 Rf8 11.Nc3 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand. His next move, an offer to exchange Queens, is another safety move.

12.d3 Qe5  13.Qxc7 

White grabs a pawn, but this leaves him open to the strong attacking move, 13...Ng4.

13...Qc5 14.Qxc5 dxc5 

Black has found safety in a largely even game. Club players familiar with the Jerome Gambit would probably prefer to play as White.

15.f4 Be6 

In relative safety, he relaxes...

16.f5 Bd7 17.fxg6 hxg6 18.Be3 b6 19.h3 Bc6 20.Bg5 Rae8 

White is a couple of pawns ahead.

21.Rae1 Nd7 22.Rxf8+ Kxf8 23.Rf1+ Kg8 24.Rf3 Ne5 25.Re3 Nf7 26.Bf4 g5 27.Bg3 Ne5 28.Bxe5 Rxe5 

White has maintained his material advantage. Also, his position is easier to play - a factor in blitz games.

29.Kf2 Kf7 30.Rf3+ Ke6 31.g4 g6 32.Nd1 c4 

33.dxc4  

Giving Black a bit of what he wants. Simpler and stronger was 33.Nc3. 

33...Bxe4 34.Re3 Bxc2 

A tactical slip. Black attacks the Knight, but misses the fact that he is trapping his own Bishop.

35.Nc3 

Just so.

35...Rxe3 36.Kxe3 Ke5 37.Ne2  

With a little more time, White might have figured out that 37.Kc7 was strong. If 37...Be4, then 38.Nxe4 Kxe4 39.Kc3 would leave Black in a dilemma, as White has a dangerous Queenside pawn majority that will produce a passed pawn; and if Black seeks to create his own passer on the Kingside with 39...Kf3 40.Kd4 Kg3 41.Ke3 Kxh3 42.Kf3 he will find nothing. Perhaps Black's best chance was 37.Kc7 Bf5, when White would still be better, but the clock might be a factor in determining things.

37...Be4 38.Nd4 Bg2 39.Nf3+ Bxf3 

This exchange simplifies things - for White.

40.Kxf3 Kd4 

41.b3 Kc3 

This is Black's hope, to win White's Queenside pawns. The problem is that White can create a passed pawn - and, that time is running out.

42.Ke4 Kb2 43.b4 White won on time

Jerome Gambit: St. Jerome vs St. George.

The following game might be referred to as "St. Jerome vs St. George" - if St. Jerome had anything to do with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), which he didn't. I am just looking for an excuse to quote past World Champion Lasker

Emmanuel Lasker seems to have had the best, if not the last, word on the gambit, responding to a letter to “Our Question Box” in the March 1906 issue of Lasker’s Chess Magazine

No; the Jerome gambit is not named after St. Jerome. His penances, if he did any, were in atonement of rather minor transgressions compared with the gambit.

Anonymous - Anonymous

5 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 a6 

The St. George Defense, sometimes referred to as the Baker Defense, as the earliest known game with the line was a simultaneous game win by J. Baker against Wilhelm Steinitz on December 11, 1868.

It is worth quoting what Wikibooks has to say on the subject

When played seriously this defence is workable. Black lets White grab the center like in a "hypermodern" opening, while gaining power on the queenside. Usually, b5 and Bb7 will follow soon (attacking e4 pawn, eventually with help of Nf6). That way, Black can enter a very playable middlegame, contrary to what might have been expected. It remains viable in highly skilled games, such as Tony Miles overcoming Karpov using this opening.

In response to this move, White can either start taking control of the center with 2.d4 or try to prevent the b5 move with 2.c4. But this last move is considered inferior because of 2...e5, where Black would have a slight advantage (the same goes for 2.a4).

Also note that White can try to set a powerful trap for unadvised Black players (but those who play the St. George as Black are generally advised players) by playing 2.Bc4. If 2...b5, then 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ and White can manage to win a rook.

White can also choose to develop a Knight first with 2.Nf3 or to challenge Black on the diagonal with 2.g3.

In this game, White has his own ideas.

2.a4 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

Stockfish 11 sees the addition of a2-a4 and ...a7-a6 as helping Black by a little less than a half a pawn. If Black was planning on playing the St. George, however, and wound up facing the Jerome, that probably helps White.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 

8.Qd5+ Ke8 9. Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Nf6 

Except for the a-pawns, this is a familiar Jerome Gambit position.

11.Nc3 Be6 

This allows the typical pawn advance f2-f4, threatening f4-f5, forking two pieces, but White has a different idea in mind.

12.b3 Rf8 13.Bb2 Kf7 14.O-O-O Kg8 

White has castled Queenside. Black has castled-by-hand. Now the pawns begin to march.

15.h3 c6 16.Rhf1 b5 17.f4 Bf7 18.g4 

18...Nd7 

Probably better was the consistent 18...d5, as 19.e5 could be answered by 19...d4.

19.Qd4 c5 20.Qxd6 c4 21.e5 Re8 22.d4 cxb3 23.f5 bxc2 24.Kxc2 Ngf8 

25.e6 

This wins a pawn in true Jerome fashion, but White's King is the one more at risk at this point. Even more so because White chose the "berserk" option in playing this game, giving him only about half of the time he would otherwise have, 2 1/2 minutes.

25...Nxe6 26.fxe6 Rxe6 27.Qf4 Bg6+ 

Who is better? Although material is equal, Stockfish 11 rates Black the equivalent of a Queen ahead!

Black's follow through is faulty, however.

28.Kc1 bxa4 

Okay, but 28...b4 was stronger.

29.d5 Rf6 

Tempting, but 28...Rb6 was stronger.

30.Qxa4 Rxf1 31.Rxf1 Qg5+ 

Attacking the enemy King, and keeping and eye on the Kingside pawns.

32.Qf4 Qh4 33.Qc4 Nb6 34.Qd4 Qg5+ 35.Qf4 

It is hard to believe, but the computer suggests that afte 35.Kd1, White would have an edge.

Instead, he offers to exchange Queens, something Black declined a few moves ago - but not now.

35...Qxf4+ 

Black's instincts were right the first time. He should play 35...Qh4, for the advantage. With the text, he looks for a draw.

36.Rxf4 Rd8 37.Rd4 Kf7 38.Kd2 h5 39.Ke3 hxg4 40.hxg4 Bc2

41.Rf4+ Kg8 42.Rd4 Nc8 43.Ne4 Bxe4 

The Bishop might have been useful in reaching a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame.

44.Kxe4 Nd6+ 

The Knight is a solid blockader, but he may not be enough against White's aggressive King.

45.Ke5 Nf7+ 46.Ke6 Rd6+ 47.Ke7 Rb6 48.Bc1 Nd6 

49.Bf4 Nb5 50.Rd1 Rb7+ 51.Ke6 Kf8 52.d6 Rb6 

53.Kd5 

Just enough. He could have taken an easier route with 53.Be5 53.g5 or

53...Nc3+ 54.Kc5 Nxd1 55.Kxb6 

White's central passed pawn easily outweighs Black's outside one.

55...Ke8 56.Kc7 Nc3 57.d7+ Kf7 58.d8=Q Nd5+ 59.Qxd5+ Kf6 60.Qe5+ Kg6 61.Qf5 checkmate

An interesting and exciting game!

Jerome Gambit: Even More Risk

Playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - a refuted opening - involves some risk, although, against the right opponent, with the right time control, under the right conditions, this risk can be reduced.

However, the following game - White, the stronger player, gives "Jerome Gambit odds" - has a very luxurious time control, which would seem to negate the clock advantage of blitz or bullet for White.

Furthermore, White enters a line that is even riskier than usual.

All is well, in the end, however. These refuted openings can prove to be tricky. Plus, Jerome Gambiteers are a special kind of chess player. 

Anonymous - Anonymous

1 move / 3 days, Chess.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.fxe5 

Courting serious danger. "Book" is 8.Rf1.

8...Qf2+ 9.Kd1 Qxg2 10.Re1 

In a recent much quicker time control game, White made a weaker move, but achieved an acceptable result: 10.Qe8+ Be7 (10...Ne7 would be decisive) 11.Re1 Qg4+ 12.Re2 Qg1+ (12...b6 and 13...Bb7 would win the White Queen) 13.Re1 Qg4+ 14.Re2 Qg1+ 15.Re1 Qg4+ draw, AntiquatedTechniques - giorgosentropy, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020 

10...g6 11.Qe2 Qxe2+ 12.Kxe2 Kxe5

As Ollie said to Stan, in "Double Whoopie" (1929), "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into."

13.c3 Nf6 14.d4+ Bxd4 

Black returns material. Komodo 11's suggestion, 14...Kxe4 is not to everyone's taste.

15.cxd4+ Ke6 

White's pawn center provides compensation for his pawn minus.

16.Nc3 c6 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bxf6 Kxf6 19.Rf1+ 

White goes after the f-file.

19...Kg7 20.e5 b5 

Gerald Abrahams wrote in The Chess Mind (1951) that the smallest piece of a chess game was not a move, but an idea. Here, White's e-pawn restrains Black's d-pawn, which blocks in his Bishop, which restrains his Rook. So, Black finds a way to develop his Bishop.

21.Rf6 b4 22.Raf1 

A serious oversight. Simpler and better was 22.Ne4.

22...Ba6+ 23.Ke3 Bxf1 24.Ne4 

Pushing ahead, White will have to work with what he has.

24...Bc4 25.b3 Bg8 26. h4 g5 27.h5 Bf7 28.Ng3 Be6 

Under normal circumstances, White might be inclined to resign, being a Rook down. But - the Jerome Gambit is anything but normal. Things happen.

29.Rg6+ Kh7 30.Ne4 Bf5 31.Nf6 checkmate

See?