Friday, February 11, 2022

Jerome Gambit: Disruptive Knight


Many Jerome Gambit (
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) games feature White playing Nc3 followed by Nd5 - a disruptive Knight move.

The following game is a strong example. It is particularly enjoyable in that it shows the defeat of a defense that has caused many Jerome Gambiteers serious headaches.


netanya - Nuriy174

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 


Black plays the "annoying" or "silicon" defense. Computers show a preference for it, and - with the King sitting comfortably away from home, without consequence - it can be really annoying.

White continues to develop and look for chances.

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.d3 h6 10.Nc3 Qf6 


Black has a piece for a pawn, and he is developing to keep his King safe. Putting a Queen on f6 is one standard move for the defender.

However, this time the move is out of place, and 10...Nf6 would have been more helpful. Why? Because the d5 square needs to be covered.

11.Rf1 Qe7 12.Nd5 Qd7 


Suddenly, Black's King is at risk. Can you see it?

13.b4  

White can reward his disruptive Knight with 13.Qg6+ Nf6 14.Rxf6+ gxf6 15.Qxf6 checkmate.

13...c6 14.Qf5+  

This leads to checkmate. Also still available was 14.Qg6+ Nf6 15.Rxf6+ gxf6 16.Qxf6 checkmate.

14...Kd6 15.bxc5+ Kxc5 

16.Qf8+ Kb5 17.Rb1+ Ka6 18.Nb4+ Kb6 19.Nd5+ Ka6 20.Qa3 checkmate



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