The Jerome Gambit: Jerome Gambit Book (Part 6)

The following game - and 13 others in the Jerome Gambit book - all have the same introduction

C50: Hungarian Defence and Giuoco Pianissimo Melbourne Leader, 1881; GA MacDonnell; Lane: 'Main notes are from Melbourne paper but GA MacDonnell also published it in ISDN for 3 Sept 1881 - he has got it from Adelaide Observer. 'A very interesting game played by correspondence a short time ago between Messrs H. Charlick and J. Mann.'' Melbourne Leader, 1881; GA MacDonnell; Lane: 'The variations preceded by "RR" were given by Gary Lane in an internet article on the Jerome Gambit at www.chesscafe.com in 2008.'

Indeed, reference to Charlick - Mann, correspondence, Australia, 1881 (1-0, 72) appears in the notes of 13 of the games, including the following

Mantau, Jan - Witt, Monika

corr RSRANDOM-225, 20116

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.Qc4

White prevents ...Be6. The Database has 138 games with this position, with White scoring 66%.

An active response would be 9...Qg5 10. Rg1 Nh4.

9...c5

To dissuade White from playing d2-d4.

10.Nc3 Ne5

Attacking the enemy Queen is always attractive. In this case, it chases the Queen to a more effective position.

More dynamic is 10...Qg5.

11.Qe2 Nf6 12.h3

Keeping the Knights and a Bishop off of g4.

12...c4

Again, encouraging White to avoid playing d2-d4 - but an oversight.

13.f4 Nc6 14.Qxc4 d5

Just so.

15.exd5 Qe7+

This check appears attractive, and now 16.Qe2 Qxd2+ 17.Nxe2 Nxd5 would favor Black, but there is risk in placing the Queen on the same file as the King, as White demonstrates.

The routine 15...Ne7 would have given Black an edge.

16.Kd1 Qb4 17.Qe2+

Stockfish 16.1 evaluates as stronger a Rook check: 17.Re1+ Kd8 18.b3 Qxc4 19.bxc4 Ne7 20.d3 and White, with four pawns for a piece, is better.

17...Ne7 18.a3

White can attack his opponent's Queen, too. Here, he gives his opponent an opportunity to be distracted.

18...Qxf4

White has so many pawns lying around, so, why not?

Black's proper response was annoyingly retreat-like: 18...Qb6 19.Re1 Qd8 20.Qc4 Kf8 21.Re5, when White can afford to respond to 21...Ng6 with 22.d3, as 22...Nxe5 23.fxe5 gives the first player 4 "Jerome pawns" and an attack for his opponent's extra Rook.

analysis diagram

Suggested lines of play (30 ply) which favor White include:

23...Nd7 24.e6 Nf6 25.Be3 Kg8 26.Kd2 h6 27.Rf1 Rh7 28.Bd4;
23...Ne8 24.Qf4+ Kg8 25.Be3 Qg6 (25...Qxb2 26.Bd4) 26.Kd2 h6 (26...Qxg2 27.Rf1) 27.g4;
23...Ng8 24.Qf4+ Nf6 25.Ne4 Rg8 26.Be3 Qxd5 27.Bc5+ Kf7 28.Nxf6 g5 29.Qf2 Qxe5 30.Nxg8+ Qf4 (30...Kxg8 31.Qf8#) 31.Qxf4 gxf4 32.Ne7

Back to the game.

19.Re1 Ne4

Giving back material. Instead, 19...Nfg8, but 20.d3 Qd6 21.Bg5 would still show White's pressure.

White's attack builds and builds.

20.Nxe4 Bf5