Jerome Gambit: One Reason

 

One reason that I enjoy putting this blog together is that I get to hear from a lot of chess players from around the world.

It is fun to share a recent email (with the writer's permission)

 

Sir, I am a casual chess player that plays games once in a while.

I have read and enjoyed the contents in your blog. I was particularly intrigued by the idea of a bishop sacrifice on f7 and how it can catch opponents off guard with the right moves.

Some time went by and I accumulated quite a lot of games with the Jerome Gambit. I want to share this one with you -- it was played in a 10-minute rapid game against a college friend of mine. He is higher rated, so I had to take him to the dark, shadowy forests of the gambit. Here is the PGN of the full game below.

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2025.01.04"]
[Round "?"]
[White "hoonkyung"]
[Black "geodh106106"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "600"]
[WhiteElo "1730"]
[BlackElo "2022"]
[Termination "hoonkyung won by resignation"]
[ECO "C51"]
[EndTime "14:18:26 GMT+0000"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/129738528925?move=0"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.O-O Be6 11.Nc3 Rf8 12.f4 Ng4 13.Qg3 Qf6 14.f5 Qd4+ 15.Kh1 N6e5 16.h3 Rf6 17.d3 Nh6 18.Bxh6 Rxh6 19.fxe6 Rxe6 20.Qxg7 Kd8 21.Rf8+ Re8 22.Rxe8+ Kxe8 23.Qg8+ Kd7 24.Qxa8 Qf2 25.Qg8 Qxc2 26.Nd5 Qxb2 27.Qg7+ Kc6 28.Qxc7+ 1-0

The start of the Jerome Gambit. We can observe the classic line of 4. Bxf7+

Opponent chooses to play 6. ...Ng6 in response to the queen check on the h-file.

And this was probably the moment I turned the tables around, with 12. f4!

This move foresees a fork of Black's light squared bishop and knight in the future.

The fork happens at 14. f5

I cannot take the bishop yet because that would lead to checkmate in 1 move in the back ranks.

Therefore, I kicked the knight out with 16. h3

Black tries to be tricky with 16. ...Rf6

If I take the knight, the rook would land a check on the h-file, forcing me to lose a queen for a rook.

Thus, the only logical move, 17. d3!

I proceeded to win the rest of the game.

Thank you for your passion for chess.

Sincerely, Hoon Kyung

And thank You, sir, for your game, notes and diagrams! - Rick