Jerome Gambit: A Serious Affair

The latest Youtube video featuring the Jerome  Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) is a serious affair, challenging my perception that Stockfish really doesn't "understand" the Jerome. 

Take a look at"Stockfish 15.1 Plays the Jerome Gambit vs - Chess.com MAXIMUM bot (3200) / Brilliant Game!!", presented by Value of Training, who has a number of videos on his site, including some focused on Rubik's cube!

At move 51, Stockfish has a checkmate in 16 moves, but its opponent, Maximo, does not last that long.

Jerome Gambit: Morphy vs the Mefistopheles

Yury V. Bukayev has provided several links to what may well be the earliest* Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) related fiction.

The Spanish language newspaper, La correspondencia de Puerto Rico, published on a daily basis, from February 20, 1906 to March 18, 1906, successive chessboard positions from a game it identified as "Mefistofeles vs Morphi". (This allowed readers to follow the progress of the game without needing to know chess notation.)

Of course Paul Morphy's opponent played the Jerome Gambit-like Polerio Gambit aka the Abrahams Jerome Gambit aka the Polerio Knightless Jerome Gambit.

Here is the game, with diagrams.

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Kf8 5.Qxe5 d6 6.Qf4+ Nf6 7.Nf3 Nc6

The position looks very Jerome Gambit-ish, although the White Queen is oddly out of place.

8.c3 Ne5 9.Nxe5 dxe5 10.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

Here apparently White resigned, facing 11.Kxf2 Ng4+, forking the King and Queen.

After a day without the "Ajedrez" column, the newspaper returned to more ordinary topics and started presenting the game between Emanuel Lasker and Leon Paredes...

*-Did you miss "The Verdun Gambit", another piece of fiction from 1917? You can check it out here (Part 1) and here (Part 2)

Jerome Gambit: Arena (Part 6)

Here are a couple of  3 0 blitz games from the fourth place finisher in the 2021 Jerome Gambit Arena at lichess.org.

zfruzn - KAPANN

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, Jerome Gambit Arena, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d3 g6 7.Nc3 Bd4 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 d6 10.O-O b6 (more active is 10...Qh4 or 10...Nf6) 11.Bxe5 (causing trouble, better is 11.f4) 11...dxe5 12.Qf3+ Nf6 13.a4 Rf8 14.a5 Kg8 15.axb6 cxb6 16.Qe2 b5 17.h3 Rb8 18.c4 bxc4 19.dxc4 Ba6 (or 19...Nh5) 20.Rab1 (20.Rxa6) 20...Rb4 21.b3 Qb8 22.Qd3 Rd8 23.Qe3 Qb6 24.Qxb6 axb6 25.Rfd1 Rxd1+ 26.Rxd1 Rxb3 27.Rd8+ Kg7 28.Ra8 Bxc4 29.Ra4 Bb5 30.Ra7+ Kh6 31.g3 Nxe4 32.Rb7 Bc6 33.Rc7 Rc3 34.Kg2 Rc2 35.h4 Rxf2+ 36.Kh3 Rc2 37.Kg4 Nf2 checkmate

KAPANN - kayrasemerci

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Bd6 8.Qc3 Nf6 9.O-O Nxe4 10.Qe3 Qh4 11.h3 Nf6 12.Nc3 Be5 (hangs a piece, better 12...Qf4) 13.d3 (13.Qxe5) 13...d6 14.f4 Bxf4 (drops a piece, better 14...Bxc3 15.bxc3 Bd7) 15.Rxf4 Kg8 (15...Qh5) 16.Rxh4 h6 17.Nd5 Nxd5 (allows checkmate, better 17...Bf5) 18.Qe8+ Kh7 19.Qe4+ (faster 19.Rxh6+ gxh6 20.Qf7#) 19...Kg8 20.Qxd5+ (20.Qe8+ Kh7 21.Rxh6+ gxh6 22.Qf7#) 20...Kh7 ( no escape: 20...Kf8 21.Bg5 g6 22.Bf4 h5 23.Qd4 Rh7 24.Qf6+ Rf7 25.Bh6+ Ke8 26.Re1+ Kd7 27.Qxf7+ Kc6 28.Rc4+ Kb5 29.Qxc7 Ka6 30.Ra4+ Kb5 31.Qc4+ Kb6 32.Be3#) 21.Qf7 Bxh3 22.Rxh6 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Arena (Part 5)

Here are a couple of  3 0 blitz games from the third place finisher in the 2021 Jerome Gambit Arena at lichess.org.

GLORIARODRIGUEZ_UNE - onderch01

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d3 Be7 7.d4 Ng6 8.Qh5 (or 8.Nc3 or 8.f4) 8...d6 9.e5 (or 9.Nc3 or 9.f4) 9...dxe5 10.dxe5 Qd5 11.O-O Qxe5 12.Qxe5 Nxe5 (White is down two pieces for a pawn, with the Queens off of the board) 13.Re1 Ng6 14.Re3 Nf6 15.Nc3 b6 16.Rf3 Bb7 17.Re3 Bc5 18.Rf3 Bxf3 19.gxf3 Nf4 20.Bxf4 Rhe8 21.Na4 Bd6 22.Bxd6 cxd6 23.Nc3 Rac8 24.Kf1 a6 25.Ne4 Rxc2 26.Nxf6 gxf6 27.Kg2 Ree2 28.Rg1 Rxf2+ 29. Kh1 Rxh2 checkmate

onderch01 - KAPANN

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qe3 Nf6 9.Qf3 (9.d3) Bg4 10.Qb3+ Be6 11.Qxb7 Rb8 12.Qxa7 Nxe4 13.O-O h5 14.d3 Nf6 15.Bg5 h4 16.h3 Rh5 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Nc3 Ra8 19.Qe3 Rg5 20.Ne4 Rh5 (a bit better was 20...Rf5) 21.Qf3 (21.g4 Rh8 22.f4 Bd5 23.f5) 21...f5 (lets the Rook hang; better 21...Rf5) 22.Nxd6+ (the simple 22.Qxh5) 22...cxd6 (22...Qxd6 23.Qxh5 Rh8 24.Qf3 Nf4 is even) 23.Qxh5 Qb6 24.b3 Rh8 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Arena (Part 4)

The second place finisher in the 2021 Jerome Gambit Arena at lichess.org played some interesting 3 0 blitz games.

GlobalChess_Twitch - sametneni

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bd6 (not a viable defense; better was 7...Qe7 or 7...d6) 8.Qxh8 Qe7 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxe7+ Bxe7 (White is up 3 pawns and the exchange.) 11.Nc3 c5 12.d3 d6 13.h4 Bg4 14.f3 Bh5 15. g4 Bxg4 16.fxg4 g5 17.Bxg5 Bxg5 18.hxg5 Re8 19.Nd5 Re5 20.Kd2 Rxg5 21.Raf1+ Ke8 22. Rhg1 Kd7 23.Rf7+ Kc6 24.c4 Nh6 25.Rc7 checkmate

sey1t - GlobalChess_Twitch

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qh3+ Ke7 8.Qh4+ (8.Qc3) Nf6 9.c3 d6 10.d4 Nd3+ 11.Kd2 Nxc1 12.dxc5 dxc5+ 13.Kxc1 Bg4 (better to step out of the pin with 13...Kf7) 14.f3 Bh5 15.Nd2 (15.e5) 15...Qd6 (unpin 15...Kf7) 16.Qg3 (last chance 16.e5) 16...Qxg3 17.hxg3 Bf7 18.Kc2 b6 19.Rae1 Rad8 20.f4 Ng4 21.Rd1 Ne3+ 22.Kc1 Nxd1 23.Rxd1 Rd7 24.b3 Rhd8 25.e5 Bg6 26.g4 Rd3 27.Kc2 Rg3+ (FYI 27...Rxd2+ 28.Kc1 Rc2+ 29. Kb1 Rxd1#) 28.Kb2 Rxg2 29.Kc1 Rd3 30.f5 Be8 31.Nb1 Rxd1+ 32.Kxd1 Bc6 33.b4 cxb4 34.cxb4 Rxg4 35.Nc3 Rxb4 White resigned

GlobalChess_Twitch - onderch01

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 Bd4 10.O-O h5 11.c3 Be5 (more consistent as 11...h4 12.Qf4 Bb6 or 11...b6) 12.f4 h4 13.Qf2 Ng4 14.Qe2 Bf6 15.h3 Nh6 16.e5 Be7 17.d4 Nf5 18.Qd3 Ng3 19.Rf2 c5 20.Nd2 Bf5 21.Qe3 cxd4 22.cxd4 dxe5 23.fxe5 g6 24.Nf3 Kg7 25.Bd2 Rc8 26.Bc3 Rf8 27.Rd1 Kh7 28.d5 Bc5 29.Bd4 Ne4 (29...Qxd5) 30.Re2 (30.Bxc5 Rxc5 31.Rd4 Nxf2 32.Rxh4+ Kg7 33.Qxc5 Ne4) 30...Be7 (last chance 30...Qxd5) 31.d6 Bxd6 32.exd6 Ng3 33.Ng5+ Kh6 34.Nf7+ Kh7 35.Qh6+ Kg8 36.Qg7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Arena (Part 3)

The winner of the 2021 Jerome Gambit Arena at lichess.org also played a trio of 3 0 blitz games that lasted a bit longer.

onderch01 - Cetin_Demirkol

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.c3 Nd3+ 9.Kd1 Nxf2+ 10.Kc2 Nxh1 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ d6 13.Qg5+ Nf6 14.Qxg7+ Ke6 15.d4 d5 16.Bg5 dxe4 17.Nd2 (17.d5+) Nf2 (17...Rg8 was the move for advantage) 18.Rf1 (18.Bxf6 Qf8 19.Qxh8 Qxf6 20.Qe8+ Qe7 21.Qh5 equal game) 18...Rf8 (again 18...Rg8, i.e. 19.Bxf6 Rxg7 20.Bxd8 Rxg2 Black is better) 19.Rxf2 Qe7 20.d5+ Ke5 21.Bxf6+ (21.Qxe7+ Kxd5 22.c4+ Kc6 23.Rxf6+ Rxf6 24.Qxf6+ Be6 25.Qxe6+ Kc5 26.Be7+ Kd4 27.Qxe4#) 21...Qxf6 22.Nc4+ Kxd5 23.Rxf6 Rxf6 24.Qxf6 b5 25.Ne3+ Kc5 26.Qe5+ (26.b4# is quicker, but White has his own plan for winning) 27...Kb6 28.c4 Bd7 29.cxb5 Bxb5 30.Qd4+ c5 31.Qf6+ Ka5 32.b3 Bd3+ 33.Kd2 Kb4 34.Qc3+ Ka3 35.Qc1+ Kb4 36.a3+ Kxb3 37.Qc3+ Ka4 38.Qxc5 Rg8 39.Qb4 checkmate

Cetin_Demirkol - GLORIARODRIGUEZ_UNE

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena,lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke7 (this error largely decides the game as White recovers his material and transitions to a pawn-up Queenless middlegame) 7.Qxe5+ Kf7 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qf3+ Qf6 11.Qxf6+ Nxf6 12.d3 d5 13.e5 Ng4 14.d4 b6 15.h3 Nh6 16.Bxh6 c5 17.c3 cxd4 18.cxd4 Bf5 19.Nc3 a6 20. O-O b5 21.Nxd5 Ke6 22.Ne3 Bd3 23.f4 Bxf1 24.d5+ Kd7 25.Kxf1 Rac8 26.Ke2 Ke7 27.Bg7 Rhg8 28.Bf6+ Kd7 29.e6+ Kd6 30.Be5+ Kc5 31.Rc1+ Kb6 32.Rxc8 Rxc8 33.d6 Rc2+ 34.Nxc2 b4 35.e7 Kc6 36.e8=Q+ Kb7 37.Qd7+ Kb6 38.Qc7+ Black resigned

GlobalChess_Twitch - Cetin_Demirkol

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c3 (White does not recover from this move) Nd3+ 8.Kd1 Nxf2+ 9.Kc2 Nxh1 10.d4 (10.Qxc5) 10...Bf8 11.Qf5+ Ke7 12.Na3 d6 13.Bg5+ Nf6 14.Qf3 Kf7 15.Rxh1 Be7 16.e5 Rf8 17.exf6 Bxf6 18.Qh5+ Kg8 19.Bd2 g6 20.Qd5+ Kg7 21.h4 c6 22.Qe4 Bf5 White resigned

Jerome Gambit: Arena (Part 2)

 

The 2021 Jerome Gambit Arena event at lichess.org (see the previous post) included some very one-sided victories. Some players appear not to have been ready for the conflict.

UzunMehmetErdem - GLORIARODRIGUEZ_UNE

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 White resigned

Dolar3lira - Cetin_Demirkol

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 White resigned

GLORIARODRIGUEZ_UNE - sey1t

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Black resigned

Cetin_Demirkol - zfruzn

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Nh6 9.Qxd8 Black resigned

KAPANN - sey1t

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Nf6 9.Qxd8 Black resigned

Cetin_Demirkol - root129

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bd6 8.Qxh8 Nf6 9.Qxd8 Black resigned

And then there was this wild affair

GLORIARODRIGUEZ_UNE - GlobalChess_Twitch

3 0 blitz, Jerome Gambit Arena, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Ng6 8.f5+ (attractive, but 8.Qxc5 is stronger) Kf7 (cooperative, 8...Ke7 was stronger) 9.fxg6+ hxg6 10.Qxh8 Qf6 11.c3 (11.Rf1 would win the Queen) 11...d5 (instead, 11...Qf2+ 12.Kd1 Qxg2 is overwhelming) 12.d4 (or 12.Rf1) Bb6 13.exd5 (or 13.e5 or 13.Rf1) 13...Qe7+ 14.Kd1 Bg4+ 15.Kc2 Qe2+ 16.Nd2 Bf5+ 17.Kb3 Qb5+ 18.Ka3 Bc2 (18...Qa6+ 19.Kb3 Qb5+ 20.Ka3 a5) 19.Rf1+ Nf6 20.Qxa8 (White needs to get his Queen back into play while protecting his King, e.g. 20.Rxf6+ Kxf6 21.Qh4+ g5 22.Qf2+ Kg6 23.b3 Re8 24.Nc4 Bd3 25.Qg3 Bxc4 26.bxc4 Qxc4 27.Qxg5+ Kf7 28.Bd2 Qa6+ 29.Kb3 Bxd4 30.d6 Bf6 31.Qd5+ Kg6 32.dxc7 Qb6+ 33.Kc2 Qxc7 34.Re1 Rxe1 35.Bxe1 Qe7) 20...Qa5 checkmate