Jerome Gambit: Puzzled Again

I recently stumbled over a small puzzle on page 44 of the Sunday, October 27, 1929 edition of Cleveland's The Plain Dealer.

The "Chess and Checkers" column by David Robb had a section titled "An Old Time Favorite", including [chess notation changed from descriptive to algebraic - Rick]

The following game is taken from an old chess book of the year 1880.

The opening, a Jerome Gambit, is never played in tournament chess, yet in social chess it is often played, as it generally leads into a bright and lively game, as witness the following

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

This double sacrifice constitutes the Jerome Gambit. It is unsound, but wants very careful meeting, as white can get up a good attack.

The game as given is the same as the well-known Amateur - Blackburne:

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.O-O Nf6 10.c3 Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qxh3 14.gxh3 Bxe4 checkmate 

The problem is the date of the book referred to by Mr. Robb: it is given as 1880.

As I posted here about 7 years ago, in "Jerome Gambit: Dr. Harding Checks In", Amateur- Blackburne was played in 1884. (Tim Harding is the author of many good books, including Joseph Henry Blackburne A Chess Biography).

It is quite possible that Plain Dealer's chess columnist got his dates wrong. 

I also have had a hard time finding any chess books from 1880 that reference the Jerome Gambit.

I suppose that I could go out on a limb and point out that in Mr. Blackburne's Games at Chess (1899), by Joseph Henry Blackburne, the game is given as having taken place "around 1880".  Perhaps there is where 1880 came from for Mr. Robb.

Jerome Gambit: Messy

Sometimes the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) creates a logical, flowing game; sometimes it produces a game of fits and starts, with offsetting errors and, simply, a bit of a mess.

Witness the following game.

 

perrypawnpusher - sinipete

Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 Bd6 8.Qc3 

Deciding not to exchange Queens, e.g. 8.Qf5+ Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 as in perrypawnpusher - dogofthesouth, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2 - 1/2, 59) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 34)

8...Qf6 

Or the Knight can go to f6, as in perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 30).

9.d4 Qe7 

10.Nd2 c6 11.O-O Bb4 12.Qd3 

12...a5 

He would have done better to strike the center with 12...d5.

13.f4 

The computer much prefers 13.c3 b6 14.Rf2 Ba6 16.Qh3 Bd6 17.e5.

13...a4 

The same advice as for Black's 12th move.

14.Nf3 

The same advice as for White's 13th move. 

14...d6 

The same advice as for Black's 12th move. 

15.f5 

The same advice as for White's 13th move.

15...h6 

White's "Jerome pawns" have taken hold of the center.

For the moment, White is better (development, King safety), but that will change.

It was that kind of game.

16.e5 b6 17.c3 Ba6 18.c4 d5 

19.Nd2 

I had considered 19.b3, but after 19...axb3 20.axb3 I could see that Black had 20...Bxc4, attacking my Queen and at the same time uncovering an attack on my Rook at a8. What I foolishly missed was that I could then play 21.Rxa8+ when Black has to give up his Queen to block the check, as 21...Kf7 would be met by 22.e6+ Kf6 23.Bg5!+ hxg5 24.Qe3 Kxf5 25.Nh4+ Kg4 26.Qf3+ Kxh4 27.Qh3 checkmate.

19...Bxd2 20.Qxd2 Bxc4 21.Rf3 c5 

Black's plan is to blow up White's center before it becomes any more dangerous.

22.Qf2 cxd4 23.f6 

Too hurried.

23...gxf6 24.exf6 Qe2 

A strong counter. 

25.Bf4 d3 

Things are still messy, but if Black eliminated Queens with 25...Qxf2+ 26. Kxf2 it is likely his extra piece would give him the advantage. 

26.Qxb6 

Suddenly, White is better. His attack on the enemy King prevails over the threat of two (albeit doubled) passed pawns.

26...Qe8 

Not enough, but his position was troubled. 

27.f7 

This move is okay, and I liked my passer better than his, but 27.Bd6+ would have led more directly to mate.

27...Qd7 28.fxg8=Q+ Kxg8 29.Qg6+ Kf8 30.Bd6 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: You Still Have to Find the Moves (Part 3)

                        

The following game is another "twin", following in the footsteps of three previous games - although, separated by a few years.

It ended abruptly, while my position was still, admittedly, worse.

Jerome Gambit.

perrypawnpusher - Seishiro_Chess

Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 

                                   

9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qxe5+ Kxe5 

11.b4 Bd4 

Instead, 11...Bb6 was seen in perrypawnpusher - djdave28, Chess.com, Italian game tournament, 2014 (1-0, 22). 

12.c3 Bb6 13.d4+ Ke6 

Black can take the e-pawn (see perrypawnpusher - djdave28, Italian Game tourney, Chess.com, 2015 [1-0, 32] ) and survive, but why borrow trouble? The text preserves his advantage.

14.O-O 

A bit better was 14.Bb2. 

14...Nf6 15.Nd2 d6 16.Bb2 

Black resigned

This came as a bit of a surprise, especially since the game was still following perrypawnpusher - Altotemmi, Giuoco Piano Thematic Tournament, Chess.com, 2016 (0-1, 51).

A look at the crosstables showed that my opponent had resigned all of his games.

Jerome Gambit: You Still Have to Find the Moves (Part 2)

 

The following game is a twin of the previous on - a fraternal twin, not an identical one. Similar look, but not quite the same.

Check it out.

Seishiro_Chess - perrypawnpusher

Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's defense.

8.Qxh8 

Same dangerous choice. 

8...Qxe4+ 9.Kf1 

9...Qh4 10.g3 Qh3+ 11.Ke1 

                                                       

11...Nf6 

Against wofwerner I played the weaker 11...Qg2.

Now, with the White Queen sidetracked, I could focus on the White King.

12.d3 Qg2 13.Rf1 d5 

This seems to be an exit for my opponent's Queen, but he misperceives.

14.Qd8 Qxf1+

Seeing 15.Kxg1 Bh3+ 16.K-moves Rxd8 similar to wolfwerner - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024   White resigned

Jerome Gambit: You Still Have to Find the Moves (Part 1)

One of the nice things about playing in a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game is that sometimes, if things go well, you can feel like you are playing like the attackers or counter-attackers of old. 

The wild game gives you the chance. You still have to find the moves.

wolfwerner - perrypawnpusher

Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's defense.

8.Qxh8 

A very dangerous capture. He should have bailed out with 8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.Qg3.

8...Qxe4+ 

9.Kf1

Not any stronger is 9.Kd1 as in Jerome, A - Whistler, G, correspondence, 1876 (0-1, 15 ) ; blackburne - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit3 thematic, ChessWorld.net 2008 (0-1, 17);  F0nix - perrypawnpusher, Chess.com, 2021 (0-1, 13); and REustace - perrypawnpusher, Chess.com, 2022 (0-1, 20). 

9...Qh4 10.g3 Qh3+ 11.Ke1 

Or 11.Kg1 as in IndeedPerhapsYes - perrypawnpusher, Chess.com, 2021, continuing 11...Qe6 12.Kg2 Qe4+ 13.Kg1 Qe1+ 14.Kg2 Qxf2+ 15.Kh3 d5+ 16.g4 Qf3+ 17.Kh4 Qxg4 checkmate
. 

11...Qg2 

Thinking that I was pursuing the attack, this move throws away all of Black's advantage.

The same thematic idea could have been played after 11...Qe6+ 12.Kf1 Nf6 13.d3 -  and then 13...Qh3+ 14.Ke1 Qg2 15.Rf1, etc. 

12.Rf1 

White's escape was with 12.Qxh7+ Kf8 13.Rf1 when Black might just have to settle for 13...Qf3+ 14.Ke1 Qe4+ 15.Kf1 Qf3+, etc and a draw by repetition.

12...Nf6

Covering the pawn at h7. Things are back to how they were.

13.d3 d5 14.Bg5 

Threatening Black at f6, but it is too late.

14...Qxf1+ 

Not too hard to find, but pretty, nonetheless.

15.Kxf1 Bh3+ 16.Kg1 Rxh8 

Black is ahead a piece for a pawn. Time to wrap things up.

17.Nd2 Ng4 18.Be3 Nxe3 19.fxe3 Bxe3+ White resigned

White is down a piece, and soon it will be two.

Jerome Gambit: Success Is Not Around the Corner in A Circular Room (part 2)

 

[continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - mconto

Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

An optimist might look at White's position and muse

White has pawn majorities on each wing. In the future, I can see two passed pawns. Then if the Queens, Rooks, Bishops and one Knight each are exchanged, White will have an endgame where the enemy Knight will have to hop back and forth to stop the pawns. Sounds like a draw to me.

The funny thing is, that is what almost happened.

Almost, but not quite.

19.Bg5 Qd5 20.Qxd5+ 

It was probably better to let Black initiate the exchange, and develop a piece instead, say 20.Nd2 Qxe4 21.Nxe4.

Still, the Queens are off the board.

20...Nxd5 21.Nd2 h6 22.Bf4 Nxf4 23.Rxf4 Bd7 

So far, so good.

Black is still better, mind you, but the imaginary position (see above) is closer.

24.Re1 Rae8 25.Rfe4 Na5 26.h3 Rxe4 27.Rxe4 Re8 28. Rxe8+ Bxe8

29.Kf2 Bf7 30.b3 Nc6 31.Ke3 Bd5 32.Kf4 Kf7 

33.h4 Ne7 34.g5 

It turns out that Black does not have to exchange pawns on g5.

Stockfish 15.1 suggests, instead, 34.Nf1 Bc6 35.Ne3 g6 36.c4 Bd7 37.fxg6+ Nxg6+ 38.Kg3 Ne7 and White wouldn't be much worse than 20 moves earlier. 

34...b6 

Preparing to withdraw the Bishop in the event of c3-c4.

More direct was 34...Bc6 35.c4 Bd7 36.f6 Ng6+ 37.Kg3 hxg5 38.hxg5 gxf6 39.gxf6 Kxf6.

35.Ne4 

Too cooperative, but this endgame was a bit beyond me. After the game the computer suggested 35.Nf1 Bh1!? 36.Ne3 although 36...Nd5+ would force an exchange, 37.Nxd5 Bxd5, which would leave Black with a Bishop instead of a Knight.

35...Bxe4 36.Kxe4 h5 

37.d5 g6 38.fxg6+ Kxg6 White resigned

Black's Knight will come to f5 and then take the White h-pawn.

White's pawn majority on the Queenside is too slow to counter the advance of Black's h-pawn.

Well played,  mconto!

Jerome Gambit: Success Is Not Around the Corner in A Circular Room (part 1)

My first loss in the Jerome Gambit Classic #1 tournament at Chess.com com had a straight-forward explanation: I got out-played by my opponent.

Still, the game has its interesting moments. Take a look.

perrypawnpusher - mconto

Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 

A standard Jerome Gambit position. Black has an extra piece, White has two extra pawns.

9...N8e7 

The Knight more frequently goes to f6.

10.O-O Rf8 11.f4 Kf7 

Stockfish 16 frowns upon this move, because it leads to an even game. 

Black is castling-by-hand, which seems fine to me.

The computer recommends, instead, 11...d5. I can understand why a human might want to safeguard his King before opening the center.

Slower were 11...Bd7 as in perrypawnpusher - louarn, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 44) and 11...Nc6 as in perrypawnpusher - taman, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 35). In each case I was able to respond with 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4, forcing play. 

12.f5 

Inaccurate was 12.d4 as in perrypawnpusher - wbrandl, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 28), since Black's King could immediately find shelter. 

12...Ne5 13.d4 N5c6 

Instead, 13...Nc4 did not lead to much in perrypawnpusher - bnxr, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1/2 - 1/2, 32).

14.Qb3+ 

Hoping to keep Black's King in the center. Probably 14.c4 or 14.Nc3 were a bit better.

14...d5 15.c3

I was getting nervous about both my d- and e-pawns.

I looked at 15.Bg5 Nxd4 16.Qd3 dxe4 17.Qxe4 and it felt like things were slipping away from me. This pessimism was unwarranted - after the game the computer assesed Black to be only 1/2 pawn better in that line.

15...Kg8 16.g4 

To bolster my f-pawn.

16...Na5 17.Qc2 dxe4 18.Qxe4 Nac6 

White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece. His pawns control territory, expecially in parts of the center, but his development is lacking.

Black is better.

[to be continued]