BSJG: Off-Setting Surprises

One reason club players employ the Jerome Gambit - or its relative, the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, as in this game - is the surprise or shock value. Putting the defender off his or her game can lead to quick gains.

perrypawnpusher - zgajek

Not only the Italians play the Italian, Chess.com, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

See "Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit" with my note to the game perrypawnpusher - patitolo FICS rated blitz, FICS, 2005 (1-0, 18)

Here I was supposed to capture the e-pawn and foolishly fall to my death: 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Nxf7 Qxg2 6.Rf1 Qxe4 7.Be2 Nf3 checkmate as in Muhlock - Kostic, Cologne 1912

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

So-called, even though I have not yet found any Joseph Blackburne games with either the Shilling Gambit or the Shilling Jerome Gambit; and the same for Alonzo Wheeler Jerome. The earliest example of the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit  in The Database is Nater, Carl - Rogers, Ian, Begonia op 9th, Ballarat, 1975 (0-1, 46). 

I suspect that I was supposed to be surprised by Black's third move; and it looks like he was surprised by my fourth move.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3 

The Database shows that I am 8 - 0 with this move, in this opening.

6...Nc6 

Black's move is Stockfish 16.1's choice (30 ply), assessing the position as about 3/4 pawn better for the second player.

7. d4 Nce7 

Avoiding the pawn fork, but the straightforward 7...Nxe5 8.dxe5 is fine as long as Black retreats his King with 8...Kf7 or challenges the center right away with 8...d6.

8.d5+ 

Or 8.Qg4+ Black resigned, in perrypawnpusher - Abatwa, blitz, FICS, 2010.

8...Kxe5 

Might as well, as all moves lose, e.g. 8...Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc5 10.b4+ Kb5 11.Nba3+ Ka6 12.Qa4 checkmate; and 8...Nxd5 9.Qxd5+ Kf6 10.Qf7+ Kxe5 11.Bf4+ Kxe4 12.Nd2+ Kd3 13.Qf5 checkmate 

9.Qd4+ Kd6 10.Bf4 checkmate