Jerome Gambit: Success Is Just Around the Corner... (Part 1)

Sometimes during a chess game I will give myself encouragement by suggesting that success lies ahead, just around the corner. 

Sometimes it is - but in the following game it felt like those corners were missing.

In truth, I had my chances but did not take advantage of them.

In the meantime, my opponent out-played me and deservedly won.

perrypawnpusher - vityas81

"Play The Italian Game III" tournament, Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

Oh, well. I had been hoping for 3...Bc5 and then 4.Bxf7+, the Jerome Gambit.

 4.Nc3 

A "beginner's error", because of Black's next move.

4...Nxe4 5.Bxf7+

Here we have the Monck or Noa Gambit.

Recommended, instead, is 5.Nxe4, when Black can use a pawn fork to recover material, 5...d5 6.Bd3 dxe4 with an even game. I remember that from Reuben Fine's Chess The Easy Way (1942), my very first chess book.

My perspective is that

at the club level, the Noa Gambit - "objectively" assessed as losing for White - can cause difficulties for Black if he is not prepared.

Also see "Jerome Gambit: Chaos in a Two Knights (Part 1)"

This is enough of an issue that it has been discussed a number of times on this blog. For ideas, you could try "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense" Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4. Follow that up with "Further Explorations" (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5).

That is certainly enough coverage of the line that I should have done a better job in the current game.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Ng3

Black's pawn center is something of concern.

The earliest game with the gambit that I have in The Database continued 7.Nfg5+, Pollock,W - Amateur, Dublin ,1895, (1-0, 19). 

7...e4 8.Ng1 Qf6 

8... g6 was seen in perrypawnpusher - RemoveKubab1, Italian Game Battlegrounds tournament, Chess.com, 2019 (1-0, 30) - an uncomfortable game, which makes me wonder why I was willing to experience that again.

Instead, 8...h5 is a recommendation of Stockfish, also seen in the early game Noa, J - Makovetz, G, Dresden, 1892 (0-1, 27). 

9.d3 exd3 10.Qxd3 

Black maintains the initiative. In addition, there is an annoying weakness in White's position - the c2 square.

10...Nb4 

A corner? 

During the game I figured this was another one of those "Let's attack the Queen" efforts that are commonly seen in the Jerome Gambit.

After the game I was surprised to see that this was Stockish 15.1's first choice.

11.Qb3 

As a measure of some of White's difficulties, consider that Stockfish preferred blocking White's Bishop with 11.Qd2. On top of that, in response to Black's expected 11...Bc5, it recommended 12.N1e2, which would, of course, allow 12...Qxf2+. Instead, it suggested 12...h5.

As Oliver Hardy used to say to Stan Laurel, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into."

11...Be6 

"Danger, Will Robinson!" said Robbie the Robot on "Lost in Space". That certainly applies here.

12.Nf3 Bd6 

Things certainly look dire for White, here.

This was one of my 3-days-per-move games, so I should have been able to find the routine 13.0-0, which keeps the game level, or even the unexpected 13.Ng5+!?, which the computer later came up with.

Instead I focused on the bothersome Knight.

13.Bd2 a5 

It was time to play the dangerous 13...d4, instead, uncovering the Bishop's attack on the Queen. An interesting line then would be 14.c4 dxc3 15.Qxc3 Qxc3 16.Bxc3 Bc4 17.Bxb4 Bxb4+18. Kd1 Rhd8+ 19.Kc2 Kg8 when Black's two Bishops would outshine White's two Knights.

analysis diagram 

[to be continued]