Jerome Gambit: Blackburne's Ghost

 

We have looked at Blackburne's defense to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) recently - see "Jerome Gambit: Distant Psychological Effects" and "Jerome Gambit: Not So Easy" - and the caution has been that play for both sides has is complicated, although not as powerful for Black as Blackburne's crush of the Jerome might have led you to believe.

Solving the challenges for each side while playing a 3-minute blitz game can be hazardous, and it is most likely that the players will see most deeply into the game - after it has been completed.

TePart0 - Vencedor96

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 

Blackburne's defense, which features the offer of a Rook. White's Queen can become trapped, and further attacking ideas can involve more sacrifice by Black.

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.O-O

This move is sound, although the alternative, 9.d4, is stronger, as Stockfish 13 illustrates in one of its lines: 9...Bb4+ 10.c3 Bh3 (a typical Blackburnish move) 11.gxh3 Re8 12.O-O Nf6 13.Qxe8+ Kxe8 14.cxb4 Nxe4 15.Nc3 Nxc3 16.bxc3 Qxh3 17.Bf4 Kd7 18.Rae1 Qg4+ 19.Bg3 h5 20.f3 Qg5 21.f4 Qg4 22.f5 h4 23.f6 hxg3 24.f7 and White is clearly better. 

Check out "Jerome Gambit: It Helps to Be Prepared" for 9.d4 games and ideas.

9...Nf6 10.Qd8 

White's Queen seeks an exit from the back rank. Black can now impede that for a move by protecting the c-pawn with 10...Bb6, but after 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qd3 Her Majesty has escaped.

10...Bh3  

Great fun! Black offers a second Rook.

11.Qxc7+ 

White is not tempted. If 11.Qxa8 then 11...Qg4 would lead to checkmate, e.g. 12.g3 Qxe4 13.Qe8+ Nxe8 14.a3 Qg2#.

Of course, if 11.gxh3 then 11...Rxd8. 

The move in the game is enough to draw - with correct play on both sides - which is why the earlier option of 9.d4 might be preferred (with proper preparation).

11...Kg8

It makes a big difference which square Black's King retreats to. He will need an effective block to White's Queen check, and this move does not allow it.

Compare with 11...Kf8. White's plan at this point is to find a draw, and he has several paths

 

12.Qxb7 Bxg2! 13.Qxa8+ Ne8 (not 13...Kg7? because 14.Qb7+ Kh6 15.d3+ Kh5 16.Qg7 and Black is busted, e.g. 16...Bxf1 17.Qh6+ Kg4 18.Qh4+ Kxh3 19.Kxf1 when White is a Rook and three pawns ahead ) 14.Kxg2 and White is ahead so much material that Black must force the draw with 14...Qg4+ 15.Kh1 Qf3+ 16.Qg4+ etc.

12.gxh3 Qxh3 13.d3 and again, as in the note to the line above, Black is forced to find the draw 13...Qg4+ 14.Kh1 Qf3+ 15.Kg1 etc.

12.e5 Ne4 does not change things after 13.gxh3, when Black again has to pursue 13...Qxh3 14.d3 Qg4+ 15.Kh1 Qf3, etc.

Now White has two possible lines to pursue. Which should he take?

12.gxh3 

This move looks reasonable enough, but it should only lead to a draw.

Because Black does not have an effective block to White's coming Queen check (see note after two diagrams above), 12.Qxb7 is now strong, for example 12...Bxg2 13.Qxa8+ Kg7 (the King must flee as in the losing line after 11...Kf8, above, because he has no way of blocking the check) 14.Qb7+ Kh6 15.d3+ Kh5 16.Qg7 Bxf1 17.Qh6+ Kg4 18.Qxh4+ Kxh4 19.Kxf1 and White is better. 

If Black moves the Rook in response to 12.Qxb7, say with 12...Re8, White can count up material, see that he is the exchange and 4 pawns ahead, and go for 13.Qb3+ Be6 14.Qg3 putting an end to Black's attack on his King. 

12...Qxh3 13.Qxb7 

It is time for Black to split the point with 13...Qg4+ etc, but he has one more try, instead.

13...Ng4 

Now, White can still play for 3 results.

He can go after the draw with 14.Qxa8+ Kg7 15.Qb7+ Kf8 16.Qb8+ Ke7 17.Qc8+ Kd8, etc.

He can find the win by exchanging Queens 14.Qb3+ Qxb3 15.axb3 remaining a Rook and several pawns ahead.

He can show exhaustion at all of the variations that have been analyzed up to this point, and, even with about a minute left on his clock, turn over his King. 

The Jerome Gambit. A 3-minute game. A complicated variation.

White resigned