Jerome Gambit: Strangest Game

The strangest Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game that I have seeen in a while...

Petasluk - bozidaranas

5 2 blitz, FICS, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bd5 Nf6 6.c4 d6 7.h3 Nxd5 8.cxd5 Nd4 9.d3 h6 10.Nc3 Kf7 11.Be3 Rf8 12.Bxd4 Bxd4 13.Nxd4 exd4 14.Ne2 Qf6 15.O-O Kg8 16.Qa4 Qg5 17.Ng3 h5 18.Qxd4 h4 19.Nf5 Bxf5 20.exf5 Rxf5 21.f4 Qg6 22.Rae1 Re8 23.Re4 b6 24.Qa4 Ra8 25.Qc6 Rc8 26.Rfe1 Rff8 27.Qd7 Qf7 28.Re7 Qf6 29.R1e6 Qd4+ 30.Kh1 Qxb2 31.Rg6 Qc1+ 32.Kh2 Qxf4+ 33.Kh1 Qf1+ 34.Kh2 Qf4+ 35.Kh1 Qf1+ 36.Kh2 Qf4+ 37.Kg1 Qf2+ 38.Kh2 Qf4+ 39.Kg1 Qf1+ 40.Kh2 Qf4+ 41.Kh1 Qf1+ 42.Kh2 Qf4+ 43.Kh1 Qf1+ 44.Kh2 Qf4+ 45.Kg1 Qf2+ 46.Kh2 Qf4+ 47.Kh1 Qf1+ 48.Kh2 Qf4+ 49.Kg1 Qf2+ 50.Kh2 Qf4+ 51.Kh1 Qf1+ 52.Kh2 Qf4+ 53.Kg1 Qf2+ 54.Kh2 Qf4+ 55.Kh1 Qf1+ 56.Kh2 Qf4+ 57.Kg1 Qf2+ 58.Kh2 Qf4+ 59.Kg1 Qf1+ 60.Kh2 Qf4+ 61.Kg1 Qf1+ 62.Kh2 Qf4+ 63.Kh1 Qf1+ 64.Kh2 Qf4+ 65.Kg1 Qf1+ 66.Kh2 Qf4+ 67.Kh1 Qf1+ 68.Kh2 Qf4+ 69.Kg1 Qf1+ 70.Kh2 Qf4+ 71.Kh1 Qf1+ 72.Kh2 Qf4+ 73.Kh1 Qf1+ 74.Kh2 Qf4+ 75.Kh1 Qf1+ 76.Kh2 Qf4+ 77.Kg1 Qf1+ 78.Kh2 Qf4+ 79.Kh1 Qf1+ 80.Kh2 Qf4+ 81.Kg1 Qf1+ 82.Kh2 Qf4+ 83.Kg1 Qf1+ 84.Kh2 Qf4+ 85.Kg1 Qf1+ 86. Kh2 Qf4+ 87.Kg1 Qf1+ 88.Kh2 Qf4+ 89.Kg1 Qf1+ 90.Kh2 Qf4+ 91.Kg1 Qf1+ 92.Kh2 Qf4+ 93.Kg1 Qf1+ 94.Kh2 Qf4+ 95.Kg1 Qf1+ 96.Kh2 Qf4+ 97.Kg1 Qf1+ 98.Kh2 Qf4+ 99.Kg1 Qf1+ 100.Kh2 Qf4+ 101.Kg1 Qf1+ 102.Kh2 Qf4+ 103.Kg1 Qf1+ 104.Kh2 Qf4+ 105.Kg1 Qf1+ 106.Kh2 Qf4+ 107.Kg1 Qf1+ 108.Kh2 Qf4+ 109.Kg1 Qf1+ 110.Kh2 Qf4+ 111.Kg1 Qf1+ 112.Kh2 Qf4+ 113.Kh1 Qf1+ 114.Kh2 Qf4+ 115.Kh1 Qf1+ 116.Kh2 Qf4+ 117.Kh1 Qf1+ 118.Kh2 Qf4+ 119.Kh1 Qf1+ 120.Kh2 Qf4+ 121.Kh1 Qf1+ 122.Kh2 Qf4+ 123.Kh1 Qf1+ 124.Kh2 Qf4+ 125.Kh1 Qf1+ 126.Kh2 Qf4+ 127.Kh1 Qf1+ 128.Kh2 Qf4+ 129.Kh1 Qf1+ 130.Kh2 Qf4+ 131.Kh1 Qf1+ 132.Kh2 Qf4+ 133.Kh1 Qf1+ 134.Kh2 Qf4+ 135.Kh1 Qf1+ 136.Kh2 Qf4+ 137.Kh1 Qf1+ 138.Kh2 Qf4+ 139.Kh1 Qf1+ 140.Kh2 Qf4+ 141.Kh1 Qf1+ 142.Kh2 Qf4+ 143.Kh1 Qf1+ 144.Kh2 Qf4+ 145.Kh1 Qf1+ 146.Kh2 Qf4+ 147.Kh1 Qf1+ 148.Kh2 Qf4+ 149.Kh1 Qf1+ 150.Kh2 Qf4+ 151.Kh1 Qf1+ 152.Kh2 Qf4+ 153.Kh1 Qf1+ 154.Kh2 Qf4+ 155.Kh1 Qf1+ 156.Kh2 Qf4+ 157.Kh1 Qf1+ 158.Kh2 Qf4+ 159.Kh1 Qf1+ 160.Kh2 Qf4+ 161.Kh1 Qf1+ 162.Kh2 Qf4+ 163.Kh1 Qf1+ 164.Kh2 Qf4+ 165.Kh1 Qf1+ 166.Kh2 Qf4+ 167.Kh1 Qf1+ 168.Kh2 Qf4+ 169.Kh1 Qf1+ 170.Kh2 Qf4+ 171.Kh1 Qf1+ 172.Kh2 Qf4+ 173.Kh1 Qf1+ 174.Kh2 Qf4+ 175.Kh1 Qf1+ 176.Kh2 Qf4+ 177.Kh1 Qf1+ 178.Kh2 Qf4+ 179.Kh1 Qf1+ 180.Kh2 Qf4+ 181.Kh1 Qf1+ 182.Kh2 Qf4+ 183. Kh1 Qf1+ 184.Kh2 Qf4+ 185.Kh1 Qf1+ 186.Kh2 Qf4+ 187.Kh1 Qf1+ 188.Kh2 Qf4+ 189.Kh1 Qf1+ 190.Kh2 Qf4+ 191.Kh1 Qf1+ 192.Kh2 Qf4+ 193.Kh1 Qf1+ 194.Kh2 Qf4+ 195.Kh1 Qf1+ 196.Kh2 Qf4+ 197.Kh1 Qf1+ 198.Kh2 Qf4+ 199.Kh1 Qf1+ 200.Kh2 Qf4+ 201.Kh1 Qf1+ 202.Kh2 Qf4+ 203.Kh1 Qf1+ 204.Kh2 Qf4+ 205.Kh1 Qf1+ 206.Kh2 Qf4+ 207.Kh1 Qf1+ 208.Kh2 Qf4+ 209.Kh1 Qf1+ 210.Kh2 Qf4+ 211.Kh1 Qf1+ 212.Kh2 Qf4+ 213.Kh1 Qf1+ 214.Kh2 Qf4+ 215.Kh1 Qf1+ 216.Kh2 Qf4+ 217.Kh1 Qf1+ 218.Kh2 Qf4+ 219.Kh1 Qf1+ 220.Kh2 Qf4+ 221.Kh1 Qf1+ 222.Kh2 Qf4+ 223.Kh1 Qf1+ 224.Kh2 Qf4+ 225.Kh1 Qf1+ 226.Kh2 Qf4+ 227.Kh1 Qf1+ 228.Kh2 Qf4+ 229.Kh1 Qf1+ 230.Kh2 Qf4+ 231.Kh1 Qf1+ 232.Kh2 Qf4+ 233.Kh1 Qf1+ 234.Kh2 Qf4+ 235.Kh1 Qf1+ 236.Kh2 Qf4+ 237.Kh1 Qf1+ 238.Kh2 Qf4+ 239.Kh1 

Game drawn by the 50 move rule

This easily beats the longest Jerome Gambit game I had mentioned in the earlier post "The Database: The Long And The Short Of It (Part 1)".

Certainly the automatic draw function was not set for either Petasluk or bozidaranas; the draw could have been claimed about 200 moves earlier.

I messaged Petasluk - who has 561 games in The Database - about the game, but his mailbox was full. 

bozidaranas appears in a baker's dozen games, all defending; I have messaged him as well. 

Jerome Gambit: Chessified

 

If you like to snack on short chess videos, I can recommend "Chessified" at YouTube.com. It features a large number of quick looks at opening lines, specific games, and challenges.

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) video touches upon only the first 6 moves, but is notable because of its assessment 

In theory this gambit is awful but in practice it is really fun because White has so many interesting options.

This reminds me of  FM William Graif's comment which I quoted in an earlier blog post named the same

The Jerome Gambit isn't an opening. It's a philosophy.

Jerome Gambit: Checkmated in Front of the Queenside Pawns

It is not safe out there. Pawns are for protection. Kings don't need that much fresh air.

In the following game, Black's King forgets these warnings.

jpayero - nathanael31

3 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.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Kc6 

The "sillycon defense": Black's King tries to tip toe away from danger.

9.Qxe5 d6 10.Qd5+ Kb6 

The history of chess has a multitude of games where the King is checkmated in front of his Queenside pawns. More prudent was the withdrawal 10...Kd7. 

11.d4  

Makes sense.

Stockfish 15 prefers to see 11.Qb3+ Kc6 first, and then 12.d4. Why? 

Because the computer recommends Black to respond to 11.d4 with 11...Bb4+ and the Queen intermezzo would make that move unplayable.

11...Qe8

The Queen plans to intervene directly in the defense of her King.

An alternative was to bring heat to the enemy, e.g. 11...Bb4+ 12.c3 Qh4+ 13.g3 Qh3 14.cxb4 Qg2 with an uneasy but even game.

12.dxc5+ dxc5 13.Be3 Qc6 14.Qb3+ Qb5 15.Qc3 Nf6 

King safety is the major difference between the two sides.

In this case, White can deliver checkmate.

16.Na3 Qc6 17.Nc4+ Kb5 18.a4+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: It's the Check that Counts

I recently (in "Jerome Gambit: Gift Horses") mentioned the "Counter-Jerome Defense" or the "Counter-Jerome Gambit" as a strategy that defenders might use - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+

The idea is to follow up 8.Kxf2 with 8...Qf6+ and exchange of Queens. In effect Black returns a sacrificed piece to stifle White's brutal attack and force him to play an (allegedly) painful pawn-up game.

Sometimes White tries to counter this counter with a counter of his own, by declining the Bishop. That might be a bit too much "psychology". 

Black has a quirky 8th move alternative to 8...Qf6+ that I have looked at in the past (see"Jerome Gambit: In The End A Win", "Jerome Gambit: How Much A Victory For Black?", "More Useful Junk" and "I don't get it") and which appeared in a recent game.

What if the second player avoids the Queen swap and threatens to fork the enemy King and Queen all in one move - with 8...Nf6 ?

I know, it all sounds a bit theoretical, and not a little sketchy, but it has happened in 4 previous games. Admittedly, White won 3 of the games, but ironically he dropped a game where he later did allow Black to fork his King and Queen.

Let's take a look at the recent outing, a 5-minute blitz game. There is a lesson in there, somewhere.

Selrah - Fernandoagua

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

Reaching the above diagram.

8.Kxf2 Nf6 

The alternative.

9.Rf1 

Thinking ahead.

9...Ng4+ 10.Kg1+ 

Played with check. Bummer.

It is easy to overlook such a thing in blitz play.

Now Black is in trouble.

10...Kg8 11.Qd5+ Kg7 12.Qd4+ 

It is already possible to point out 12.Qf7+ Kh6 13.d3+ Qg5 14.Bxg5+ Kxg5 15.Qf4+ Kh5 16.Rf3 Nf2 17.g4+ Kh4 18.Qh6+ Kxg4 19.Rg3#.

White has his own ideas about winning. He checkmates faster than my suggestions, anyhow.

12...Kg8 13.Qc4+ Kg7 14.d3 

For the record: 14.Qf7+ Kh6 15.d3+ Qg5 16.Bxg5+ Kxg5 17.Qf4+ Kh5 18.Rf3 g5 19.Qf7+ Kh4 20.Rh3#. Not that it matters.

14...Qh4 15.Qf7 checkmate

Brutal.

Jerome Gambit: Welcome to the Jungle

Some lines in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) are clearer than others. Some are a vast jungle.

In the following game both players wander through a difficult and dangerous variation where one misplay can be disastrous.

Schauspielerr - Boxberg666

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4  Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+ 

Here we have the "Nibs" defense or variation. It dates back to at least 1899 and is not the kind of thing that a player usually just stumbles into. Yet I have not found any other games with the line featuring either Schauspielerr or Boxberg666.

There is a significant amount of information on "His Nibs" in the blog posts "Entering the Maze (Parts 1, 2 & 3)". It is well worth checking out.

I have done well with White in the line, and The Database shows 144 games with White scoring 59%, but this has to do, in part, with familiarity with the play, as Stockfish 15 (25 ply) asseses Black as being almost a Rook better!

10.Kf1 

The computer sees little difference between the text move and 10.Kd1. The Database, however, has 35 games with 10.Kf1 (White scores 76%) and 86 games with 10.Kd1 (White scores 65%).

The inference to be drawn from both evaluations is that White should definitely avoid 10.Ke2.

10...Ne7 11.e5+ 

A practical choice, although the silicon choice is 11.Qxc5+. 

11...Kc6 12.Qe4+ Kb6

Missing the tricky escape path: 12...d5 13.exd6+ Nd5 14.gxh4 Bh3+!? when Black's extra pieces will best White's extra Queen. 

13.gxh4 Nxh4 

The situation has changed. Black's King is in greater danger, as his opponent shows.

14.d4 d5 15.dxc5+ Kxc5 16.Be3+ Kc6 17.Qa4+ b5 18.Qb4 Nhf5

19.Qc5+ Kd7 20.Nc3 b4 21.Nxd5 Ba6+ 22.Kf2 Nxe3 23. Qxe7+ Kc6 24. Nxb4+Kb5 26.Nxa6 Kxa6 27.Rad1 Black resigned

No exit.

BSJG: The Pieces Do Not Fit

Some openings have thematic moves that have to fit together if they are going to be effective.

The following game shows a time where the pieces did not fit.

pablosko - ChessFever73

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6

The Queen check. The pawn block. The Knight sacrifice. All pieces of the BSJG.

7...Nf6 

Clever. Black does not want to play 7...hxg6 and let his Rook hang.

The problem is that taking the Knight is the right move, nonetheless.

8.Qe5+ Be7 

Developing a piece and preparing for 8.Qxd4 hxg6 when Black would be better.

Buckling up with 8...Ne6 was the way to go, although it would cost the Rook with 9.Nxh8.

9.Nxh8

Capturing the Rook after all.

Stronger play by White allows Black to threaten to capture a Rook, as well (another piece in the BSJG puzzle): 9.Nxe7 Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Qxe7 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 12.Kxc2 White is better.

9...Nxc2+ 10.Ke2 d6 11.Qg5 

The game has shifted. Black has the advantage, especially after he captures the a1 Rook - although 11...Be6, protecting the g8 square, would be prudent.

11...Ng4 

Unleashing the power of his two Bishops against the enemy Queen. However, White shows that there are still safe diagonals.

12.Qh5+ Kf8 

Ooops.

Stockfish 15 suggests that the game should play out 12...Kd7 13.Qxg4+ Kc6 14.Qg7 Bf6 15.Qxh7 Qxh8 16.Qxh8 Bxh8 17.d4 Nxa1 18.Be3 Kd7 19.Kd2 c5 20.dxc5 Bxb2 21.Nc3 dxc5 22.Rb1 Bxc3+ 23.Kxc3 Kc6 24.Rxa1 The Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame is not enough to save Black.

13.Qf7 checkmate

JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 15)

 JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 15)

(by Yury V. Bukayev)

In this part of my research on the standard system of the Jerome gambit (JG) we’ll consider my new invented way for White how it is possible to play after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qh3+! Kf7 8.Qh5+! g6 9.Qxe5 Qe7 10.Qd5+!? Kg7!?.

Let’s forget temporally about the sequence 6…Ke6 7.Qh3+! Kf7 8.Qh5+! g6, and we’ll consider the general sequence of moves: 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 (the Whistler defence) 8.Qd5+!? (of course, White avoids the famous trap 8.Qxh8? Qxe4+) 8…Kg7!?. The modern theory considers 8…Kg7 as the strongest response. Thus, my invention is the following way: 9.b4! N. Of course, it will be a strong psychological blow for your opponent (Black). Probably, your opponent will see that 9…Bxf2+ 10.Kxf2!? Qf6+ (with the idea 11…Qxa1) and 9…Qf6 (with the ideas 10…Qxf2+ or 10…Qxa1) require to be analysed at first, because 9…Bxb4 10.Bb2+! Nf6 leads to a very complicated fight where Black’s material advantage isn’t very large and where White gets an attack. Let’s consider these two opportunities at first.

I)9…Bxf2+ 10.Kxf2 Qf6+ 11.Ke2

A)11…Qxa1 12.Qb3! (12.Nc3?! Nf6!), and White stands better

B)11…Ne7 12.Qb3!, and White stands better.

II)9…Qf6 10.bxc5! (10.Qxc5!? Qxa1! 11.0-0, and White attacks) 10…Qxa1 (10…Ne7? 11.e5 or 11.Qb3!; 10…c6? 11.e5 or 11.Qb3) 11.Qb3 Nf6 12.c3! (White prevents the retreat of Black’s Queen to e5 or d4.)

A)12…Nxe4 13.0-0! Nxc5 14.Qc2 d6 (14…Na4 15.Qxa4 Qxb1 16.Qd4+, and White has a strong attack; 14…Nd3 15.Qxd3 Qxa2 16.Qd4+ Kg8 17.c4, and White has a strong attack) 15.Bb2! (15.c4! Kf7 16.Bb2 Qxa2 17.Qc3! – 15.Bb2! Qxa2 16.c4+ Kf7 17.Qc3!) 15…Qxa2 (15…Bf5 16.c4+ Kh6 17.Qc3!; 16…Kf7 17.Qc3!, and White has a strong attack in both cases) 16.c4+ Kf7 17.Qc3! Rf8 18.Qf6+!, and White has a strong attack

B)12…d6 13.0-0 Be6 (13…Re8 14.Bb2 Be6 15.c4! Bxc4 16.Qc3! Qxa2 17.Qxf6+, and White wins) 14.Qxe6! Qxb1 15.Qe7+ Kg8 16.Qxf6, and White has a strong attack.

I think, your opponent will not solve all the problems during a game.

Of course, ‘the Great Complex Jerome Gambit’, ‘the Fantastic Star Jerome Gambit Deferred’ and ‘the Triumphant Jerome Gambit Deferred’ (these are my most strong deferred lines of JG, real parts of JG, they were invented and published in 2022-2023 in my analytical research ‘Lose Never with a Strong Deferred Jerome Gambit’ (Part 2, Part 3)) will be much more attractive for a lot of experts of the modern chess opening theory than the standard line of JG