Jerome Gambit for Dummies 2.0 (Part 6)

                                                       

[continued from previous post]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

Looking now at 6.d4, Black has three main choices: move, his Bishop, move his Knight, or leave both their own fate and do something else.

The most frequent Bishop move is also the simplest, is 6...Bxd4, surrendering a piece. It occurs as 38% of the responses to 6.d4, and after 7.Qxd4 d6 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.f4 Nc6 we have a typical battle between White's center pawns and Black's extra piece.

The alternative 6...Bb4+ - which makes up a little more than 1% of the responses to 6.d4 - returns a piece for a pawn after 7.c3 Bxc3+, whichever way White captures the piece. Retreating with 7...Ba5 instead of capturing is rare and slightly better for Black. Overall, White scores 57%.

The straight Bishop retreat 6...Bb6 - which makes up a fraction of 1% of the response to 6.d4 - gives up the Knight with 7.dxe5. White scores 57%.

The rare 6...Be7 likewise gives up the Knight with 7.dxe5. Curiously, White scores only 34% in this line.

Black hopes for recapture after 6...Bd6 - which makes up a fraction of 1% of the response to 6.d4 - 7.dxe5, but realizes that the Bishop will be lost after 7...Bxe5 8.Qd5+. In all, White scores 73%.

Turning to Knight moves, both 6...Nc6 and 6...Ng6 are relatively rare and simply surrender the Bishop, ultimately making it easier for White to play f2-f4. The first player has the advantage against either move.

The strongest reaction to 6.d4 - making up 14% of the responses - is to ignore the threats to the minor pieces and go on the attack with 6...Qh4. After 7.0-0 Qxe4 8.dxc5 Nf6 9.Nc3 Qc6 White's center has dissolved, and he is at risk for losing the one pawn that is compensation for his sacrificed piece. The play is complicated, however, and The Database, nonetheless, shows that White scores 63% against 6...Qh4.