Jerome Gambit: Messy vs Clear

The following game shows the impact of both messy situations - and clear ones.

White, clearly, wins.

Wall, Bill - Smart

internet, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Nc6 

8.Qc4+ 

Or 8.Qd2, as in Wall,B - 1063314, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 26) and Wall,B - Guest10755845, PlayChess.com, 2018 (1-0, 23); 

Or 8.Qd3 as in Wall,B - Number555777, lichess.org 2017 (1-0, 23), Wall,B - Guest7503555, PlayChess.com, 2017 (1-0, 36) and Wall,B - Aliwael, internet, 2021 (1-0, 21); 

Or 8.Qd1 as in Wall,B - PerGranBom, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 24). 

8...Kf8

Or 8...Ke8 as in Wall,B - Kas55, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 17) 

9.O-O

Or 9.Bd2 first, as in Wall,B - Guest7127865, PlayChess.com, 2019 (1-0, 28).

9...Nf6 

Or 9...Qf6 as in Wall,B - Guest526975, PlayChess.com, 2016 (1-0, 18); or

9...Ne5 as in Wall,B - Guest616903, PlayChess.com, 2020 (1-0, 16).

10.Nc3 Ne5 11.Qb3 d6 12.f4 Neg4 

Black starts his attack.

13.h3 Nh6 

Sharper was 13...h5!? 14.hxg4 hxg4.

14.Be3 Qd7 15.g4 

This is a calculated risk - one that succeeds.

15...Qe6 

Black avoids the messiness of 15...Nxg4 16.hxg4 Qxg4+.

16.Qxe6 Bxe6 17.g5 Nh5 

He should have gone for more mess, again, with 17...Bxh3.

18.gxh6 gxh6 19.f5 Rg8+ 20.Kf2 Bc4 

21.Bxh6+ Kf7 22.Rfe1 Rg3 

23.Be3 

Also 23.Re3

23...Rxh3 24.Rh1 Rxh1 25.Rxh1 Nf6 26.b3 Ba6 

The position seems less messy - but Stockfish 16.1 now assesses it as 3 3/4 pawns better for White.

I don't know how Bill keeps doing this.

27.Bd4 Ng4+ 28.Kf3 Ne5+ 29.Bxe5 dxe5 30.Rxh7+ 

30...Kf6 31.Nd5+ Kg5 32.Rxc7 Rh8 

Black's pieces are active, but they are out-numbered.

33.Rg7+ Kh6 

White now has a forced checkmate.

34.Rg6+ Kh5 35.Nf6+ Kh4 36.Rg4+ Kh3 37.Rg1 Kh2 38.Rg2+ Kh1 39.Ng4 Rh4 40.Nf2 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Bishop's Opening, Boi Variation

 

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5

This opening is sometimes referred to as the Bishop's Opening, Boi variation, apparently named after Paolo Boi, a 16th century Italian chess player. 

Alas, the only Boi variation game featuring Boi that I have found, has him as a defender - and the game quickly transposes to a Giuoco Piano

Scovara - Boi, Paolo, Spain, 1575

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.c3 Qe7 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Qxe4+ 7.Be3 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 d5 9.Bd3 Qe7 10.h3 Nf6 11.Kf1 Kf8 12.g4 Kg8 13.Rh2 Bd6 14.Rg2 White resigned

Sacrificing the Bishop now with 3.Bxf7+, has been referred to as the Jerome Gambit by Gerald Abrahams (The Pan Book of Chess [1965], The Chess Mind [1951]), so I call it the Abrahams Jerome Gambit, in his honor.

Since we have been looking at "hybrid gambits" (see "Jerome Gambit: Two Hybrid Gambits [Parts 1 & 2]"), let me add another move to the line we are considering

3.b4

Referring to last year's post, "Jerome Gambit: A Bit Dizzy"

...1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.b4 has been called the Bishop's opening, wing gambit; the Bishop's opening, McDonnell's gambit; and the La Bourdonnais - Denker Gambit.

Attaching Alexander McDonnell's name to the line, however, requires that we look at his 24th match game against Louis Charles Mahe De La Bourdonnais, 1834 -  the game continued 3...Bxb4 4.f4, known as the McDonnell Double Gambit.

That is also the only game that I have found with La Bourdonnais' name.

Then, there is the similarity to the Evans Gambit

Arnold Denker - Arthur Randolph Shayne, Rochester, New York, 1945

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.b4 Bxb4 4.c3 Bc5 5.d4 exd4 6.Nf3 Nf6 7.e5 Ne4 8.O-O Nxc3 9.Nxc3 dxc3 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Qd5 Rf8 12.Bf6 gxf6 13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Rfe1+ Be7 15.Ng5 c6 16.Nxf7 cxd5 17.Nd6 checkmate

 Further, the papachess has this to say

Bishop's Opening: McDonnell Gambit can be a tricky opening to face, but there are several ways to neutralize its effectiveness. The simplest approach is to decline the gambit with 3...Bb6, which gives Black a pawn advantage but allows white to retain control of the center.

Alternatively, Black can accept the gambit with 3...Bxb4 and then focus on defending their position accurately. White's early lead in development can be slowed down with moves such as ...Nc6 or ...d6, which aim to block white's bishop.

If white seems to be putting too much pressure on Black's position, Black can also choose to exchange pieces to relieve the pressure. This is especially effective if white has misplaced pieces or a weak pawn structure.

In sum, the key to countering Bishop's Opening: McDonnell Gambit is to maintain accurate play and avoid positional weaknesses. By doing so, Black can neutralize white's early aggression and gain the upper hand.

Jerome Gambit: Pillar to Post

According to the Cambridge dictionary, "If someone goes from pillar to post, they are forced to keep moving from one place to another"

Similarly to Black's King, in the following example.

Robov - Lalithjathin

15 10 rapid, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Ng6 8.f5+ 

Here, Black resigned, in Robov - joh4nnes, 15 10 rapid, lichess.org, 2023

8...Kf6 9.fxg6 

Or 9.d4 Bxd4 (9...Qe8 10.e5+ Ke7 11.Bg5+ Kf8 12.fxg6 Qxg6 13.Rf1+ Ke8 14.Qxg6+ hxg6 15.dxc5 Rxh2 16.Nc3 c6 17.O-O-O Rxg2 18.Bf4 g5 19.Be3 d5 20.Rh1 Bg4 21.Rde1 Bf5 22.Ne2 Ke7 23.b3 Nh6 24.Bxg5+ Rxg5 25.Nd4 Nf7 26.e6 Nd8 27.Re5 Be4 28.Rxg5 Bxh1 29.Rxg7+ Kf6 30.Rf7+ Nxf7 31.exf7 Kxf7 32.Nf5 Rg8 33.Nh6+ Kg7 34.Nxg8 Kxg8 35.a4 a5 36.c3 Kf7 37.Kd2 Ke6 38.Ke3 Ke5 39.Kd2 Be4 40.Kc1 Kf4 41.Kd2 Bb1 42.Kc1 Be4 43.Kd2 Kf3 44.Kc1 Ke3 45.Kb2 Kd3 46.c4 Kd4 47.Ka3 Kxc5 48.Kb2 dxc4 49.bxc4 Kxc4 50.Ka3 b5 51.axb5 cxb5 52.Kb2 b4 53.Ka1 Bd5 54.Kb2 a4 55.Kc2 a3 56.Kb1 b3 57.Ka1 Be6 58.Kb1 Bd5 59.Ka1 Kc3 60.Kb1 a2+ 61.Ka1 b2 checkmate, Robov - Saske_10, 15 10 rapid, lichess.org, 2023) 10.Bg5+ Ke5 11.Bxd8 Black resigned, Robov - NecropoliX, 15 10 rapid, lichess.org, 2023. 

9...Qe8 

To pin the advanced g-pawn.

Alternately

9...Bb6 10.d3 Ne7 11.Rf1+ Ke6 12.Nc3 hxg6 13.Qg4+ Kd6 14.Bf4+ Kc6 15.Qf3 d6 16.O-O-O Rh4 17.d4 Bg4 18.d5+ Kd7 19.Qg3 Ng8 20.Rde1 g5 21.Bd2 Bc5 22.e5 b6 23.Ne4 Kc8 24.Nxg5 Rh6 25.Qxg4+ Kb7 26.Nf7 Qh4 27.Nxh6 Qd8 28.Nf7 Qe7 29.Bg5 Qe8 30.exd6 Qb8 31.d7 Nf6 32.Bxf6 gxf6 33.d8=Q Qxd8 34.Nxd8+ Rxd8 35.Rxf6 Ra8 36.Qf4 Rd8 37.Qf3 Rc8 38.d6+ Kb8 39.Rf8 Rxf8 40.Qxf8+ Kb7 41.d7 Bxf8 42.d8=Q Bh6+ 43.Kb1 a5 44.Qd5+ c6 45.Qd7+ Kb8 46.Qxc6 Bf8 47.Qxb6+ Kc8 48.Qc6+ Kd8 49.Qf6+ Be7 50.Qxe7+ Kc8 51.Rf1 Kb8 52.Rf8 checkmate, Robov - Margiris_Zmuida, 15 10 rapid, lichess.org, 2023; and

9...d6 10.Rf1+ Ke7 11.d3 Nf6 12.Bg5 hxg6 13.Bxf6+ gxf6 14.Qf3 Bd4 15.c3 Be5 16.d4 f5 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.exf5 Bxf5 19.Nd2 Rxh2 20.O-O-O Rh8 21.Nc4 Qg8 22.Nxe5 Rh4 23.Qg3 g5 24.Nf3 Rg4 25.Qxc7+ Kf6 26.Rd6+ Be6 27.Nd4+ Ke5 28.Rxe6+ Kd5 29.Rf5 checkmate, Robov - Arvin-Y, 15 10 rapid, lichess.org, 2024 

10.Rf1+ Ke6 11.Qf5+ Kd6 12.Qd5+ Ke7 Black resigned

If now 13.Qxc5+, then 13...Kd8 would be met by 14.Rf8, while 13...d6 would be met by 14.Rf7+ and 13...Ke6 would be met by 14.d4 d6 15.Qxc7 with threats that will win a Queen for a Rook.

Jerome Gambit: Again, The Deadly f-File

In the following game, Black might have mistakenly figured - in a 60-second game, there is not a lot of time for figuring - that his 7th move threat against White's King was deadly.

With a little more time, he might have noticed that it allowed White to proceed with deadly intent.

The battle over the f-file was part of the skirmishing. 

angelcamina - piratekri

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

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

5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qf6 

Sometimes Black's defense includes placing his Queen at f6, but not now. It is the kind of thing that can happen when you have only 60 seconds to complete your game.

This position has been reached 26 times in The Database, with White scoring 73%. The earliest example The Database has is MrJoker - Ronint, 2 12 blitz, Internet Chess Club, 2012 (1-0, 8).

White now captures a piece and has the benefits of the Jerome Gambit while being two pawns ahead, now two pieces behind.

8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 

For the next few moves, White will focus on center control.

9...Be6 10.d4 Nh6 11.O-O Qe7 12.f4 g6 

Black expects f4-f5 at some point - with threats along the f-file as well as to the Knight on h6 - and defends against it.

13.Qf2

More preparation and more pressure. Instead, 13.f5 was already playable. 

13...Kg7 14.Qg3 

Pinning the g-pawn and facing the enemy King.

14...Rhf8 15.Nc3 Rf7 16.Bd2 Raf8 

All eyes are on the f5 square.

17.f5 Bd7 

Saving the Bishop. He probably should have considered something like 17...Nxf5 18.exf5 Bxf5. In any event, Black is worse.

18.Rae1 a5 

Okay, all is in readiness for Black. What does White have?

19.fxg6 hxg6 20.Rxf7+ Rxf7 

Things seem to have settled down. Not so.

21.Nd5 Qf8 22.Qh4 c6 

Overlooking something. Black will now lose his Knight, then his Queen, and then be checkmated.

23.Bxh6+ Kg8 24.Bxf8 Rxf8 25.Ne7+ Kf7 26.Rf1+ Kg7 27.Rxf8 Kxf8 28.Nxg6+ Kg7 

29.Qg5 Kf7 30.h4 Kg7 31.h5 Kh7 32.Nf4 Be8 33.h6 Bf7 34.Qg7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Two Hybrid Gambits (Part 2)

 

The following game illustrates the Jerome Evans Gambit.

Wall, Bill - Guest5570343

PlayChess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.b4 Bb6 

Or 5...Bxb4 6.c3 Be7 7.Qb3+ Kf8 8.O-O Nf6 9.Re1 b6 10.d4 d6 11.Nbd2 Bd7 12.Nc4 Na5 13.Nxa5 bxa5 14.dxe5 Rb8 15.exf6 Rxb3 16.fxe7+ Qxe7 17.axb3 Qf6 18.Rxa5 Qxc3 19.Rxa7 Ke7 20.e5 dxe5 21.Bg5+ Kd6 22.Rd1+ Kc6 23.Rc1 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest3166817, PlayChess.com 2018; or

5... Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nf6 7.Rf1 Nxe4+ 8.Kg1 Rf8 9.b5 Kg8 10. bxc6 dxc6 11.d3 Nc5 12.Ba3 b6 13.Qe1 Bg4 14.Nbd2 Bxf3 15.Nxf3 Rxf3 16.Rxf3 Qd4+ 17.Kh1 Re8 18.Bxc5 bxc5 19.c3 Qd5 20.Qf2 e4 21.Re1 h6 22.Rxe4 Rxe4 23.dxe4 Qd1+ 24.Qf1 Qc2 25.Rf8+ Kh7 26.Qf5+ g6 27.Qf7 checkmate, Wall,B - WNXR, FICS, 2010 

6.b5 Nd4 7.Nxe5+ Ke8 8.Qh5+ 

8...g6 9.Nxg6 hxg6 10.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 11.Kd1 Nxa1 

12.Qxg8+ Ke7 13.Qg7+ Ke8 14.Qxg6+ Kf8 15.d4 

15...Bxd4 16.Bh6+ Ke7 17.Bg5+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Two Hybrid Gambits (Part 1)

 

As early as Charlick,H - Holloway,A, Australia, 1877 (1-0, 76), a few adventurous chess  players have combined the Evans Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc4 4.b4) with the Jerome Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

See "The Evans Jerome Gambit" and "Exploring the Evans Jerome Gambit" for a couple of posts on the topic.

The Evans Jerome Gambit is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc4 4.b4 Bxb4 (or 4...Bb6 or 4...Be7) 5.Bxf7+ (or 5.c3 Bb6 6.Bxf7+ or 5.c3 Bc5 6.bxf7+ or 5.c3 Be7 6.Bxf7+).  

The Jerome Evans Gambit is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.b4.

lichess.org has almost 1400 game examples.

In the following games, Bill Wall experiences a few light-hearted Evans Jerome Gambits.

Wall, Bill - Goblin

internet, 2004

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 

4...Bd4 

Also:

4...Nxb4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Kf8 7.O-O d6 8.Nf3 Bg4 9.d4 Bb6 10.c3 Nc6 11.h3 Bh5 12.Nbd2 Nf6 13.Re1 Qd7 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Benitez,H, internet, 2010;

4...Nd4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.bxc5 Nf6 7.Nxe5+ Ke8 8.Bb2 d6 9.Bxd4 dxe5 10.Bxe5 Nxe4 11.Qe2 Qd5 12.d4 Rf8 13.f3 Bg4 14.Qxe4 Qxe4+ 15.fxe4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Deadbird, internet, 2010; and

4...Bb6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.b5 Bxf2+ 7.Kxf2 Nd4 8.Nxe5+ Kf8 9.Nf3 Qf6 10.Bb2 Black resigned, Wall,B - Disco, internet, 2010. 

5.c3 Bb6 6.Bxf7+ 

6...Kxf7 7.b5 Nce7 8.Nxe5+ Ke8 

9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qf3 d6 11.Qf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Merapi

Looking further at the Jerome Gambit line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.a3, (see "Jerome Gambit: Counting Up the Numbers [Part 2]"), The Database has 32 game examples, with the earliest two played in 2002.

Merapi - tvc

2 0 lightning, FICS, 2002

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.a3 Nf6 6.b4 Bb6 7.Qe2 d6 8.Qc4+ Kf8 9.d4 Nxd4 10.Ng5 Qe7 11.Nf7 Qxf7 12.Qc3 Nc6 13.Qf3 Bd4 14.c3 Bb6 15.Rg1 Bg4 16.Qg3 Qg6 17.Nd2 Nh5 18.Qh4 Nf4 19.a4 a5 20.bxa5 Bxa5 21.Ra2 Bxc3 22.a5 Rxa5 23.Rxa5 Bxa5 24.Bb2 Nd3+ 25.Kf1 Nxb2 26.Nb3 Bc3 27.f4 Nd4 28.Qd8+ Qe8 29.Qxc7 Black lost on time

Merapi - GCH

5 0 blitz, FICS, 2002

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.a3 Nf6 6.b4 Bd6 7.Qe2 Re8 8.Qc4+ Kf8 9.d4 exd4 10.e5 Bxe5 11.Qc5+ Bd6+ 12.Ne5 Bxc5 13.f4 Nxe5 14.bxc5 Nd3+ 15.Kd2 Nxc5 16.Bb2 Re3 17.Bxd4 Re4 18.Bxc5+ Kg8 19.f5 d6 20.Kd3 Bxf5 21.Bd4 Re1+ 22.Kc4 Rxh1 23.a4 Be6+ 24.Kd3 Bf5+ 25.Ke2 Bxc2 26.a5 Qe7+ 27.Kf3 Qe4+ 28.Kf2 Qxd4+ 29.Kf3 Qxa1 30.Nd2 Be4+ 31.Nxe4 Nxe4 32.Kxe4 Re8+ 33.Kd5 Qxa5+ 34.Kc4 Qa4+ 35.Kd3 Qb4 36.g3 a5 37.h4 a4 38.Kc2 a3 39.Kd3 a2 40.g4 a1=Q White resigned

What I found interesting, when I checked for more information about Merapi at FICS, was the note

 1: Hello! I am a Java Chess Engine.

 2: Running on a PIII 128Mb 800Mhz

 3: MicroMaster is operating me.

 4: Todo list:

 5: create an opening book

Jerome Gambit: Counting Up the Numbers (Part 2)

In the previous post (see "Jerome Gambit: Counting Up the Numbers [Part 1]") we looked at the massive collection of games at the lichess.org site and saw how some Jerome Gambit lines - accepted and declined - fared in club level play.

What does the computer engine Stockfish 16.1 think of all of this?

Well, for starters, in evaluating 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ it does not place 4.Bxf7+ in the top 25 fourth-move choices for White.   

Further, at 36 ply depth of evaluation, it sees 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ as about 2 3/4 pawn better for Black.

(New Readers, please do not panic. The Jerome Gambit is considered by masters to be disreputable - if still fun to play in certain circumstances. Club players count on the considerable "shock and awe" chaos it engenders to even the odds.) 

White is happier if the Bishop is not accepted, as 4...Kf8 is about 4 3/4 pawns better for him than 4...Kxf7, and 4...Ke7 is about 5 1/4 pawns better for him than 4...Kxf7  (31 ply).

Clearly the Jerome Gambit accepted lines are the ones that give the first player the greatest challenge.

At 36 ply, the popular 5.Nxe5+ is rated as about 3 pawns better for Black, as opposed to 5.O-O, which is rated as about 3 1/8 pawns better for Black.

Interestingly, 5.b4 is rated as about 3 1/3 pawns better for Black, while 5.Nc3 and 5.a3 are rated slightly even more favorable for the second player.

5.d4 is assessed as about 3 1/2 pawns better for Black, as is 5.c3. 

Apparently, according to the computer, White should smile if his Bishop is declined, and bear down if it is not, putting his effort into 5.Nxe5+, although 5.O-O, 5.b4, 5.Nc3, 5.a3, 5.d4 and 5.c3 are are not evaluated as much worse for him.

Clearly the Evans Jerome Gambit - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.b4 - needs another look; as does the counter-intuitive 5.a3, first mentioned in September 2008's "A Closer Look (Part I)" and in the games panga74 - vlad-tepes, GameKnot.com, 2008 (1-0, 16) and (1-0, 31).

It is also worth mentioning "More Russian Home Cooking" from a dozen years ago, where Yury V. Bukayev noted

I have the following new present for you! It's my discovery! 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 h6 5.a3 (White has the auxiliary threat: 6.b4.) 5...Nd4? 6.Bf7!! White has a very strong attack! (6.Ne5?! Qg5!-+; after 6.Na4 or 6.b4 black can play 6...Bd6! without fast white's winning.) If you agree, you may call it as "Bukayev GP Jerome counter gambit", where "GP" is the well-known words: "giuoco piano". 

Jerome Gambit: Counting Up the Numbers (Part 1)

While I maintain, and frequently refer to, The Database - currently about 110,00 Jerome Gambit and related games - I occasionally like to drop in at lichess.org, an online playing site that has almost 6 billion games.

What are the simplest conclusions that I can draw from that massive collection of online club level play?

There are 804,8800 games with the Jerome Gambit line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, with White scoring 49.5%.

Black does best to accept the Bishop with 4...Kxf7. The lichess.org database has 783,491 games with that move (the overwhelming choice), with White scoring 49.5%.

Instead, against declining the piece with 4...Kf8, seen in 18,867 games, White scores 58.5%.

Against the other declination, 4...Ke7 - 2,522 games - White scores 64%.

After Black takes the piece with 4...Kxf7, White has seven main continuations.

Most frequently played is the thematic 5.Nxe5+, appearing in 506,616 games, with White scoring 52%.

It is interesting to note that 5.c3, while appearing in only 62,659 games, scores a bit better than that for White, at 53%.

Next in success for White is 5.O-O, appearing in 67,291 games and delivering 49%.

That is followed by 5.d4 (85,87 games, White scores 47%), 5.d3 (39,832 games, White scores 43%), and 5.Nc3 (6,771 games, White scores 41.5 %).

The notorious "Face Palm" variation, 5.Ng5+  appears in 35,765 games and scores 31%.

For comparison, the main line of the Giuoco Piano, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3, appears in 22,953,410 games in the lichess.org database, with White scoring 54%. That is clearly better (but not by a lot) than the Jerome Gambit accepted, but not as good as the Jerome Gambit declined lines.

[For a similar, 14 1/2-years-earlier look at Jerome Gambit lines, check out "A Closer Look at the Big Picture (Parts 1, 2 and 3)" which noted "Likely what is needed some time in the future is a Closer Closer Look at the Big Picture.".]

Jerome Gambit: Stuff Happens

At least as long ago as Traité Théorique et Pratique du jeu des Echecs, par une Société des Amateurs (1786), chess players have suggested that if Black and White each play perfectly, the result will be a draw.

Club level play often varies quite a bit from "perfect", however, reflecting the lament that stuff happens.

The following game illustrates.

angelcamina - iciaren

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4 

Hoping that the pin on the Knight will allow the capture of the pawn on e4, but he has not seen far enough.

8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Qxe4 

10...Qe7 

angelcamina has also faced 10...Bxc3+, e.g. 11.bxc3 Qe7 12.0–0 d6 13.Ba3 (13.f4 Bd7 14.Ba3 Bb5 (14...Bc6 15.Qe3 Re8 16.Rad1 g6 17.Qg3 Kg7 18.c4 Rhf8 19.Bb2 Kg8 20.f5 Black resigned, angelcamina - CATCHESS11, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024) 15.c4 Bc6 16.Qe3 Ke8 17.Rae1 Kd8 18.Rd1 Kc8 19.Qh3+ Bd7 20.Qg3 g6 21.exd6 cxd6 22.Bxd6 Qe4 23.Rfe1 Qf5 24.Re5 Qg4 25.Qd3 Bc6 26.g3 Rd8 27.Re7 Qf3 28.Rc7+ Kb8 29.Rxc6+ Rxd6 30.Qxd6 checkmate, angelcamina - Heptrook, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025) 13...Kg8 14.Qf3 Qxe5 15.Rae1 Qf5 16.Qxf5 Bxf5 17.Re7 h6 18.Rxc7 Bxc2 19.Rxb7 Kh7 20.Re1 Rhf8 21.Ree7 Rf6 22.Rxg7+ Kh8 23.f3 Bd3 24.c4 Bxc4 25.Bb2 Rff8 26.Rh7+ Kg8 27.Rbg7 checkmate, angelcamina - likinfride, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019. 

Also, 10...Qe8 11.Qxb4+ Black resigned, angelcamina - ngx11, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020. 

11.O-O d6 12.Nd5 

White will win the Bishop, but he also had the simple 12.Qxb4.

12...Qxe5 13.Qf3+ Bf5 14.Nxb4 

14...Ke7 15.Bg5+ Kd7 16.Rfe1 c6 

Ooops, the Queen is hanging... Remember, this is a bullet game, and stuff happens.

17.Rxe5 dxe5 18.Rd1+ Kc7 19.Qxf5 Rhf8 20.Qd7+ Kb6 21.Be3+ c5 22.Rd6+ Ka5 23.Qxb7 Black resigned

Checkmate is coming.

Jerome Gambit: Complications Benefit Who?

When playing the Jerome Gambit, do the complications favor the attacker or the defender?

I am not sure, but I do think that they favor the player more familiar with the opening - as shown in the following game.

Wall, Bill - Nesa

SparkChess, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ 

Giving the King a "nudge".

7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc3 Nf6

 

Bill has also seen 9...Qh4 in  billwall - NFTM, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 36) and 9...Qf6 in Wall,B - VQR, internet, 2022 (1-0, 26). 

10.d3 

Or 10.f3 d5 11.O-O as in Wall,B - Jaar,J, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 19).

Or 10.O-O right away, as in Wall,B - Varitt, FICS, 2020 (1-0, 48); Wall,B - Attia, M, internet, 2022 (1-0, 32); and Wall,B - Irineu, internet, 2024 (1-0, 20).

10...h6 11.O-O Qe7 12.f4 Rf8

Black wants to castle-by-hand. White has to hurry.

 

13.f5 Ne5 14.Bf4 Bd7 

Black offers the c-pawn. He can get compenation for it - if he follows up correctly.

15.Qxc7 Rc8 

This allows White's Queen to grab another pawn, and run.

16.Qxb7 Rxc2 

Black's capture of the c-pawn keeps the game in balance, but it will take care to keep things that way.

17.Na3 Rc8 18.Rad1 Kf7 19.Qxa7 Kg8 

Black has a piece for four pawns, and might have a slight edge. What will his plan be?

20.Qd4 Nh5 21.Bd2 Nf6 

Perhaps he is not sure. Perhaps he is waiting for White to try something.

22.h4 Nfg4 23.g3 Nc6 24.Qd5+ Kh8 25.Nb5 Nf6 

Black's development is such that he can afford to give up the d-pawn - again, if he follows up correctly.

In the mean time, White's pawns gain importance, should the future come to pass.

26.Qxd6 Qxd6 

A strategic misfire. With 26...Rb8!? 27.Qxe7 Nxe7 28.a4 Bxb5 29.axb5 Rxb5 30.Bc3 Nc6 things would be in balance.

27.Nxd6 Rb8 28.Bc3 Ng4 29.Nc4 Rfe8 

Black still has the pawn center under pressure, but White has 5 pawns for his opponent's extra piece.

30.Rf4 Nce5 31.h5 Bb5 32.Nd6 Ne3 

A tactical slip in a still-complicated position.

33.Rd2 Nxd3 34.Rf3 Red8 35.Nf7+ Black resigned