Thursday, August 7, 2025

Jerome Gambit: Familiar



I am playing in Chess.com's second "Italian opning [sic] rapid players". In the first round, Group 1, I have managed to play only one Jerome Gambit game, but it was a successful one.

Past experience prepared me for a good start in the game.


perrypawnpusher - BIJAN_H_F

italian opning rapid players, Chess.com, 2025

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 Nf6 

This is a familiar position. The Database has 1,300 games where it occurs, with White scoring 63%.

Closer at hand, I have reached this position in 64 games, scoring 78%.

10.O-O 

Or 10.f4 as in perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal, blitz, FICS,2010 (1-0, 18)

10...Rf8 

I have faced 10...Kf7 a number of times; 

perrypawnpusher - Feestt, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19);

perrypawnpusher - thehunterrjames, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 25);

perrypawnpusher - Nadante, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 59);

perrypawnpusher - stcamillis, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 18);

perrypawnpusher - Jore, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 32); 

perrypawnpusher - avgur, blitz, FICS, 2013 (0-1, 27); 

perrypawnpusher - kenkenaditya, blitz, FICS, 2014  (1-0, 33); 

perrypawnpusher - scarsetto, blitz, FICS, 2014 (0-1,18); and

perrypawnpusher - acasimon1987, Chess.com, 2021 (0-1, 38) 

Also 10...Ng4  

perrypawnpusher - jgknight, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2-1/2, 58); 

perrypawnpusher - lorecai, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 47);

perrypawnpusher - dkahnd, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 24);

perrypawnpusher - FiNLiP, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 59); and

perrypawnpusher - Riversider, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 18)

After 10...Qe7

perrypawnpusher - Edvardinho, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 57); and

 perrypawnpusher - Borislav007, Chess.com, iPhone 2024 (1-0, 12)

11.f4 Rf7 

Or 11...Ng4 as in

perrypawnpusher - blackburne, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic, chessworld.net, 2008 (1-0, 38);

perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 47);

perrypawnpusher - jgknight, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2 - 1/2, 58);

perrypawnpusher - dkahnd, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 37);

perrypawnpusher - lorecai, blitz, FICS, 2010  (1-0, 47); and

perrypawnpusher - dkahnd, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 24)

Enough history. Back to the game.

12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 

Or 13...Neg4, perrypawnpusher - dkahnd, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 30) 

14.Qd3 Nb6 

Also possible was 14...b5. In similar positions, however, I have scored 7 - 1- 1. In this game, I now have a small advantage, based on my pawn center and Black's King's uneasy placement.

15.Bg5 h6 16.Bh4 Nbd7 

This move takes away a resource - exchanging Queens - that was still possible after 16...Bd7 17.e5 dxe5 18.dxe5 Bc6 19.exf6 Qxd3 20. cxd3 gxf6 and White has only a small advantage. 

17.Nc3 Nf8 

The Knight has been around: Nc6-e5-g6-e5-c4-b6-d7-f8.

18.Rad1 g5 19.Bg3 

Stockfish 16.1 prefers more active play, showing how to take advantage of the weak Black Kingside; 19.fxg6 Nxg6 20.Bxf6 Rxf6 21.Nd5 Rxf1+ 22.Rxf1 Be6 23.Qg3 Bf7 24.Rf6 c6 25.Rxg6 Bxf6 26.Qxg6+ Kf8 27.Qxh6+ Kf7 28.Qxh6+ Kf8 29.Nc7

19...N8d7 20.e5 


White will win material, and maintain his advantage.

20...dxe5 21.dxe5 Qe7 

It is hard for Black to come up with an answer, as White's e-pawn not only threatens to take the Knight on f6, it threatens to advance to e7, forking two pieces.

22.exf6 Qxf6 

23.Rfe1+ 

Even stronger was 22.Nd5 right away.

23...Kf8 24.Nd5 Nc5 

Worth a try, but White will not slip at this point.

25.Qe3 b6 26.Qe8+ Kg7 27.Nxf6 Bb7 28.Nh5+ Black resigns


It is checkmate after 28...Kh7 29.Qxf7+ Kh8 30.Qg7# 

No comments: