Jerome Gambit: Strategy and Tactics

 

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game is a good example of the quip by Tartakower,

Tactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do. Strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do.

While it is fun to have a winning smash-and-crash attack right out of the opening, sometimes the game takes a peaceful turn, and the Jerome Gambiteer has to bide his time, making small improvements until he finally gets the opportunity to bring the full point home.

Wheeler, Jerome H. - despistado

RedHotPawn, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke7 

There is little difference between 7...Ke8, 7...Kf8 and 7...Ke7.

The Database has 737 games with 7...Ke8. White scores 66%.

It has 333 games with 7...Kf8. White scores 68%.

It has 19 games with 7...Ke7. White scores 68%

Stockfish 13 (35 ply), with due consideration, prefers 7...Ke8 for Black over the other two moves, by about 1/3 of a pawn.

8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.d4 Re8 11.Nc3 Kf8 12.f3 c6 

Black has a piece for two pawns and has almost castled-by-hand.

White has opted to reinforce his center, and for now will refrain from wild attacks.

Steinitz believed that the side with advantage must attack, or watch his advantage waste away. This is another reason White can afford to be patient.  

13.Bd2 d5 14.O-O-O dxe4 15.fxe4 Kg8 16.Qd3 Bg4 17.Rdf1 Be6

18.Bg5 

White targets the f6 square and thinks of breaking up Black's Kingside.

18...Rf8 19.h4 Qa5 

Black does not appear to be concerned. This puts pressure on White's King, and is an ingenious way to prevent 20.h5

20.Bxf6 Rxf6 21.Rxf6 gxf6 

Now White will cut Black's Queen off from the Kingside, and give the remaining enemy Knight the boot.

22.d5 cxd5 23.exd5 Bf7 24.h5 

Sure, the computers are okay with Black's position, but Black's amygdala has to be pumping out "Danger" messages.

24...Nf4 

This is what White has been waiting for. Instead, the retreat 24...Ne7 was called for, when the attack will continue at a slower pace.

25.Qg3+ Kh8 

Giving back a piece with 25...Ng6 would not fix things, but it might slow them down.

26.Qxf4 Qb6 27.d6 Rg8 

White now shows why he weakened f6.

28.Qxf6+ Rg7 29.h6 Qe3+ 30.Kb1 Qg5 31.hxg7+ Qxg7 32.Qxg7+ Kxg7 33.d7 Black resigned

A "Jerome pawn" tiptoes toward the Queening square... Nice!