Sunday, January 26, 2025

Jerome Gambit: Staggering (Part 1)



As I stagger to the finish line in the Italian Game tournament at Chess.com, I can count no wins and no draws with the Jerome Gambit, against 5 losses. 

Rather discouraging - Or time to improve my game

I will stick with the latter.

Perhaps, next time, I will pick on someone my own size - or rating. As I wrote in an earlier post

One interesting point is that my rating is in the bottom 10 of the tournament’s 50 players, 8th out of 10 in my group, to start. Not quite the same thing as "giving Jerome Gambit odds," but things should become interesting, quickly.

It looks like I will finish 8th in my group.


perrypawnpusher - mathgk

3 d/move, Italian game tournament, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

Introduced by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in his article in the July 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal, titled "Jerome's Double Opening: Third Variation".

The move 6...Kf8 has a lot of numbers attached to it

According to The Database, this is a popular move (3,600 games), and more successful for Black than White (Black scores 53%).

Personally, I have faced 6...Kf8 in 64 games, scoring 70% with White. That is an impressive number.

Also impressive is that playing an opponent  200 point higher than me, my chances are rated at about 25%. 

Finally, it must be added that Stockfish 16.1 (33 ply) evaluates Black as 2 1/2 pawns better. 

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Again, this move has Jerome's stamp on it, as he played it in several correspondence games, against David Jaeger, in 1880.

I have also faced 7...d6 8.Qg3 Qe7 in perrypawnpusher - frencheng, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 17). 

8.Qf4+ Nf6 9.Nc3 

This is a good move, although it still leaves White about 2 3/4 pawn down.

I have also played 9.d3 in  perrypawnpusher - jonathankochems, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39) and perrypawnpusher - frencheng, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2 - 1/2, 31), 

9...d6 

I have faced 9...c6 10.d3 d6 in perrypawnpusher - graintrader69, lichess.org, 2022 (1-0, 45). 

10.O-O Kg8 

Prudently castling-by-hand. 

A different idea was 10...Bd4 as in perrypawnpusher - ERICOLSON, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33). 

11.d3 Bd7 12.Be3 Bb6 


White has clawed back the equivalent of 3/4 of a pawn, but the question is Now what? What do I have?

I am reminded of the lament: If I had some ham, I'd cook some ham and eggs - if I had some eggs.

[to be continued]

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