Jerome Gambit: Gambit Duel (Part 1)

 

I recently learned (thank you, Dan) of a 3-minute Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game played at lichess.org between wgraif (2525) and EricRosen (2591).

Although the game was ultimately won by Black on move 84, the play was complicated and very interesting; and White certainly had his chances.

By the way, International Master Eric Rosen is known for his interest in unusual chess openings, especially the Stafford Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6). His videos can be found on YouTube, and he streams on Twitch.

National Master William Graif also streams on Twitch, where you can find a few videos highlighting his "Gambit Duel" with IM Rosen. The two players are clearly having fun - starting with the use of a "gambit wheel" which spins to choose the opening to be played.

Their Jerome Gambit game can be seen at about 26:22, where NM Graif opines accurately "A fan favorite. It has to be the most dubious line here."

wgraif (2525) - EricRosen (2591)

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

It is interesting that the lichess.org computer, in its brief analysis, gives Black's move a "?", preferring 6...Ke6. From a silicon point of view, that might be correct, but in human vs human play 6...Kf8 is just fine.

The Database notes that in 1,850 games with 6...Kf8, Black scores 52%; while in 2,775 games with 6...Ke6, Black scores 45%. (All warnings about statistics should be heeded, but the numbers are included here to suggest that the computer's argument is not the only one available.)

7.Qxe5 d6

The computer labels this move an "inaccuracy", suggesting that 7...d5 was best. This is a very good point. The Database has only 4 games with 7...d5, with Black scoring 75%.

I have previously mentioned (see "Jerome Gambit: More Recent Videos") the video "Everything You Should Know About the Jerome Gambit" by GM Cemil Can Ali Marandi. The grandmaster is worth quoting

...[I]n this video I would like to analyze the Jerome Gambit for you guys. You might have heard about the Jerome Gambit and I would like to make sure that everybody understands the ideas behind this gambit and how you should actually proceed. The Jerome Gambit is becoming very popular lately, but you have to kind of understand that this is obviously not the right way to play the game of chess. If you're looking for something which is entertaining, if you're looking for interesting sacrifice right off the bat in the opening this is a gambit for you but it's only for educational and fun purposes. It is really not good for a regular classical game or and over-the-board practice...

The grandmaster's comment on 7...d5 is also educational. After pointing out that "The king is very safe on f8", when he gets to Black's 7th move  

...[T]he best move is 7...d5. The reason is when you're up in development advantage, in this case Black is up in development advantage and he's also a piece up, the idea is to open up as many files as many diagonals as possible toward the enemy King. So White can't really go for the Queen trade. What he can go for is he can take the pawn 8.exd5 but this has its own disadvantage as well because you can realize that White has only played with his Queen and his pawn so far, because he just lost two of his pieces, which he developed earlier, so now Black has to somewhat try to start an attack on this weakened White King...

...and after a move like 7...d5 White obviously doesn't want to trade the Queens because in this position if you trade the Queens, well now Black is simply a piece up and he will be winning the game very easily. Therefore, trading queens when you are attacking, especially down a piece, is generally not a good thing...   

8.Qg3 Nf6 9.Nc3 Be6 10.0–0 Qd7 11.d3 h5    

White has 2 pawns for his sacrificed piece. He is behind in development, and has to deal with the annoying dark square Bishop on c5.

NM Graif makes an interesting comment during the game, that one problem with the Jerome Gambit is that the pawns get in the way of the Rooks. In fact, his next move is designed to physically impede a pawn which will be in front of a Rook that wants to attack White's King...

[to be continued]