The Name Is Jerome. Alonzo Jerome.

                                    

Doing an internet search on "Jerome Gambit" always reminds me of that quote in the movie "Forest Gump"

My mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

So, once again, how nice to come across the following

The Jerome Gambit: A Bold Strategy in the World of Chess

In the world of chess, strategies and tactics play a crucial role in determining the outcome of a game. One such daring and unconventional strategy is the Jerome Gambit. 

Ah! Music to my ears. Or, art to my eyes?

But - wait.

Named after the 19th-century French chess player Jules Arnous de Riviere, who first introduced it... 

Sigh. The Jerome Gambit was named after Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, the 19th-century American farmer and chess player.

...the Jerome Gambit is known for its aggressive nature an ability to surprise opponent...

Okay, so maybe you do know my friend, Jerome.

...This audacious opening has garnered attention from chess enthusiasts around the world and has been the subject of much analysis and debate among chess experts...

Actually, it's largely been ignored by chess experts, but my hope is that this blog has helped the Jerome Gambit "garner attention from chess enthusiasts around the world".

After some more praise of the opening, there comes exactly what I had expected/feared

The gambit arises after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4, with White offering the b4 pawn as a gambit.

Well, no - that is the Evans Gambit, which Jules Arnous de Riviere did enjoy playing.

I have not been able to find any Jerome Gambit game played by him.

JeromeGambit: What If?

 

The recent YouTube video by Nenthop asked the question Can Hikaru defend Magnus Jerome Gambit Edition #chess #gothamchess #chesscom #chessgame

Not that this game would ever be played, but the match-up led to an 85-move game, and...

Is Hikaru Nakamura's experience with the Jerome Gambit (check out the posts with Search This Blog) built into the Hikaru bot?

Does the 300 point advantage that the Magnus bot has give the defender an edge?

Yes - defender. You might think that "Can Hikaru defend Magnus" means that the Magnus bot was playing the Jerome Gambit, but the game shows the Hikaru bot playing White in the Jerome.

Should it have been "defeat" rather than "defend"?

Jerome Gambit: Pretty Ragged

It was a muggy, rainy day, and I was in a fussy mood, so I decided to take it out on a 1500-rated bot.

The game turned out to be far from relaxing.

My play was pretty ragged - even though it was a Jerome Gambit - but my opponent showed the difficulty that some silicons have with endgame play, and I was able to stumble my way to the full point.

Next time, I will just take a nap.

perrypawnpusher - Jaylen Brown bot

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 Qe7 

I have played the position after 8.f4 over 110 times, but this is the first time that I have seen 8...Qe7. I treated it the way I treat 8...Qf6.

9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qxe5+ Kxe5 11.b4 Bd4 12.c3 Bb6 13.d4+ Ke6

Wise (if a computer can be so). Taking the pawn proved dangerous in perrypawnpusher - djdave28, Italian Game tournament, Chess.com 2015 (1-0, 22).

Now follows a good bit of wood-shifting.

14.O-O Nf6 15.Nd2 d5 16.e5 Ne4 17.Nxe4 dxe4 18.Re1 a5 19.Rxe4 axb4 20.cxb4 Rd8 21.Bb2 Kf5 22.Rh4 Ra4 23.a3 h6 24.Rf1+ Kg5 25.g3 Kg6 26.Kg2 Bf5 27.Rhf4 Be6 28.h3 Rd5 29.g4 h5 30.Kg3 Ba7 31.gxh5+ Kxh5 32.Rh4+ Kg6 33.Rhf4 Rd7 34.Rd1 

White has the two pawns for Black's extra piece, but the piece is worth more, especially since is part of the two Bishops.

White's prospects are gloomy, even given the limitations of Black's Rook on a4 and its Bishop on a7.

Still, the bot has to win the game.

34...Rf7 

In the abstract, exchanging pieces when ahead in material is a good idea, but in this particular case, taking pressure off of White's center allows it to expand. 

35.d5 Rxf4 36.Kxf4 Bg8 37.e6 Kh5 

Huh?

Further neglect of the center, allowing me to draw even. 

38.e7 g5+ 

The bot's comment was "Careful. Don't let me win this". But this move gives White the advantage.

After the game, Stockfish 16.1 recommended 38...Bf7 39.Kg3 Be8 40.Rd3 Ra6 41.Rf3 Rg6+ 42.Kh2 Ba4 43.Rf8 Bg1+ 44.Kh1 Bb6 45.e8Q Bxe8 46.Rxe8 Kh4 47.Rh8+ Kg3 48.Rh7 c6 49.dxc6 Rxc6 50.Rxg7+ Kxh3 51.Rxb7 Bf2 52.Rh7+ Bh4 53.Rd7 and the game has fizzled out.

39.Kg3 Bf7 40.Re1 

The wrong idea. Better was 40.Rf1, followed by 41.Rf8

40...Bg6 

A blockade of White's advanced pawn was necessary to hold the game: 40...Be8 41.Rf1 Be3 42.Rf8 Bf4+ 43.Kf3 Ra8 44.Rh8+ Kg6 45.h4 Kf7 46.Rh7+ Kg6 and White will not make any headway.

41.e8=Q Bxe8 42.Rxe8 

White is only a pawn up, but it is plenty.

The computer hangs on to the very end

42...c6 43.dxc6 bxc6 44.Rc8 Bd4 

Incomprehensible.

Stockfish 16.1's post mortem suggested a skirmish on the Queenside, although White would still be winning: 44...c5 45.bxc5 Rc4 46.c6 Bb6 47.Be5 Re4 48.Bc7 Bc5 49.Kg2 Re2+ 50.Kf1 Rf2+ 51.Ke1 Ra2 52.Be5 Bb6 53.Bd6 g4 54.hxg4+ Kxg4 55.c7 Bxc7 56.Rxc7 Kg5 57.Bb4 Kf6

45.Bxd4 Rxa3+ 46.Kg2 Kg6 47.Rxc6+ Kh5 48.Rc3 Ra2+ 49.Kg3 Rb2 50.Bc5 Rb1 51.Rc2 Rf1 52.Rb2 Rd1 53.b5 

The b-pawn will cost Black its Rook. 

The game is pretty much over.

After Black's next move Stockfish assesses that White has a checkmate in 15 - but bots play to the very end.

53...Kh6 54.b6 Rd8 55.b7 Kh5 56.b8=Q Rxb8 57.Rxb8 Kg6 58.Kg4 Kg7 59.Rb6 Kf7 60.Kxg5 Ke8 61.Rb7 Kd8 62.h4 Kc8 63.Rg7 Kd8 64.h5 Kc8 65.h6 Kb8 66.h7 Kc8 67.h8=Q checkmate

I am not sure if the Jerome Gambit carried me in this game, or I carried the Jerome.

Jerome Gambit: Develop, UnDevelop

Sometimes the Jerome Gambit seems to be the chess opening that keeps on giving. Consider the following game.

ZeKnightRider - Andrusha29

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Nxg6 Bf8 8.Nxh8+ 

Black resigned

Black's un-development of his Bishop on move 7, after developing it on move 3, is a bit odd, but the idea is not unprecedented. Consider the following game

jthurman - ptmitch

5 0 blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nc6 8.Nxh8+ Black resigned

In this case, Black developed, then un-developed, his Queen's Knight - and the game reached the same position as the diagram above. 

It is also interesting that 8 games in The Database - 7 of which were played at blitz speed, which may be relevant - reached the position after 7...Nc6 or 7...Bf8 and all preferred capturing Black's Rook, instead of 8.Ne5+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc5 11.Qd5+ Kb4 12.Nba3 Ka4 13.Qb5 checkmate

analysis diagram

No problem: A win is a win is a win.

Jerome Gambit: Time to Give Back

It can be argued that in some of the famous attacking games that we all grew up enjoying, at least a few of the times the defender "helped" his demise by playing less-than optimal moves, like hanging onto sacrificed material too long.

Of course, it is hard to play your best when facing an opponent bent upon your destruction.

The following blitz game brought all of this to mind.

ZeKnightRider - Pippi999

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.Nc3 

Bringing in another piece, instead of the standard 8.f4.

8...Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.d3 Bd4 

Black assesses that the attack is over, the Queens are off the board, and he is two pieces up, so another exchange is in order.

He is largely correct.

Stockfish 16.1's recommendation is difficult to understand, although, of course, it also keeps Black's advantage: 10...Kc6 11.a4 b6 12.a5 d6 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.fxe3 a6 15.axb6 Kxb6 16.Kd2 Kb7 17.Rhf1 Rb8 18.b4

11.Nb5+ 

White immediately forks the enemy King and Bishop.

If Black remembers that he is two pieces ahead, he should now calmly retreat his King to e7 and surrender one of them.

11...Kc5 

This move is okay - as long as he notices a wrinkle in the position.

12.Nxd4 Kxd4 

He doesn't see it.

13.Be3 checkmate

Before capturing the Knight at d4, Black really needed to give back one of his pieces with 12...Nxd3+ 13.cxd3  when 13...Kxd4 would leave him better (a piece for a pawn) - and with an escape square at e5 - although he would still need to be careful for his King.

Jerome Gambit: Eight Moves!

                                    

Having enjoyed the recent post "Jerome Gambit: Seven Moves!" it was hard not to share the following recent game.

ZeKnightRider - NN

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Kf6

No good will come of this move - there are 366 games in The Database with this move, with Black scoring 24%.

Better was 6...Kf8, 6...Ke6, 6...g6 or 6...Ng6.

Although, a year earlier ZeKnightRicer - Kralin, lichess.org, 2023 continued 6...Ke6 7.d3 Nf6 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.Nc3 and White won in 19 moves.

 7.d3 

Calm, calm, calm, as in his earlier game, although 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+ was for choice.

7...d6 

Lulled by White's last move?

He could have tried 7...Ke6, when 8.Qf5+ would have transposed to regular lines (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+) where White would have the extra move d2-d3; but Black would still be better. 

The only game in The Database with those moves is PureProxy - RonyRonaldo, lichess.org, 2021 (1-0, 31).

8.Bg5+ 

Ouch.

Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Archeological Correction

 

In the early years of my exploration of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) I played a couple of online blitz games at FICS (Free Internet Chess Server) against the player Jore.

The first game, in 2010, was a win for me in 32 moves, and it appeared on this blog soon after it was played - see "Steady As She Goes...".

The second game, a year later, was a loss in 16 moves. I made reference to the game several times (see "Battle Again" as an example) but each time the link I mistakenly provided was to the earlier game.

That's embarassing.

However, it only seems fair to share that "missing" game - and it's really embarassing.

perrypawnpusher - Jore

5 12 blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.Nxc6 dxc6 

Stronger than 6...bxc6 which can be met by 7.d4 as in perrypawnpusher - hdig, 7 4 blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 17) 

7.d3 

Or 7.O-O as in perrypawnpusher - Lark, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 18) and perrypawnpusher - CorH, 3 12 blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 74); 

Or 7.Nc3 as in perrypawnpusher - Ykcir, 14 0 blitz, FICS, 2009 (1/2 - 1/2, 11). 

7...Qf6 8.O-O Ne7 

I have also seen 8...Qg6 in perrypawnpusher - fortytwooz, 10 0 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29); and 8...Nh6 in perrypawnpusher - Conspicuous, 3 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 13).

9.Nc3 Kf7 

Black hopes to castle-by-hand, but this leaves his Bishop at c5 vulnerable to a Queen fork.

10.Be3

I missed 10.Qh5+ Ng6 11.Qxc5. 

10...Bd6 

A bit better was 10...Bb6.

11.f4 Qg6 12.a3 

Missing 12.f5 Qf6 13.d4 Nxf5 14.exf5 Rf8 15.Qd3 Kg8 16.Ne4 with a clear advantage.

12...Rf8 

13.e5 

Pouncing on the blocked-in enemy Bishop, but overlooking the vulnerability of my own Bishop. First 13.Qd2, to protect, then 14.e5

13...Nf5 

The right counter-stroke.

14.exd6 

Stubborn.

14...Nxe3 15.Qe2 Nxf1 

16.Qe6+ 

A mouse-slip instead of my intended 16.Qe7+, which still would not have remedied things.

White resigned