Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit Declined


I think it was Steinitz who said that the best way to refute a gambit is to accept it. Certainly the strongest "refutations" of the Jerome Gambit are in the accepted lines. 

The same can be said of the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.


Raynier29 - Floppy-Bischer

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Ke7 

I was surprised to find that The Database has over 800 games with this move. White scores 70%, which is pretty significant given that the average rating of White vs Black is almost even (12 points difference).

Posted some time ago

I have met this move before (see "Jedi Mind Tricks", "Jedi Mind Tricks / Rematch", "Sith Still and Don't Move", "Never Mind" and "Platinum Mind Tricks". ), and whatever advantages it has are slight and purely psychological.

Like with the Jerome Gambit Declined, White can now go for complications with 5.Nxe5, withdraw his Bishop with 5.Bc4 or 5.Bb3, or he can settle for a solid game with a clear advantage by exchanging the piece off.

5.Bxg8 Nxf3+ 

This temporarily saves the e-pawn, i.e. 5...Rxg8 6.Nxe5 Qe8 7.d3 Kd8 8.Nc4.

Capturing the Bishop was seen in "Just Look Ahead and Move"

6.Qxf3 Rxg8 

7.d4 d6 

This kind of thing happens in blitz games. Black had to move his King, or play 7...h6. After either move White can play 8.dxe5, with two extra pawns and a safer King (after 0-0).

8.Bg5+ Kd7 9.Bxd8 Black resigned






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