Sicilian Jerome Gambit Redux

 

Although the focus of  this blog is the Jerome Gambit - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ - I have occasionally examined the sacrifice Bxf7+ in other openings.

For example, about 15 1/2 years ago, in "Sicilian Jerome Gambit", I looked at the game Jyrki Heikkinen - Timo-Pekka Lassila, Tampere, Finland, 1987 (1-0, 26,) which started 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Nf3 e5 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Bxf7+, a Sicilian Defense that took on Jerome-ish quality.

Recently, chessfriend Yury V. Bukayev pointed me toward another Jerome/Sicilian hybrid. It was chosen "Game of the Day" at ChessGames.com.

Rhine, Frederick - NN

blitz, lichess.org, 2018

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 

So far, we have a Smith-Morra gambit in the Sicilian.

4...e5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bc4 Na5 

This can't be good. Black looks to win the "minor exchange" of Bishop for Knight, but this is a time-waster. Compare the move to the outcome of 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5, where White scores 71%.

7.Bxf7+ 

Even Stockfish 16.1 prefers the Bishop shot over the quiet alternative, 7.Nxe5 Nxc4 8.Nxc4. 

7...Kxf7 8.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Black's King advances to his doom.

Better was 8...Ke8, although then 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Nxg6 Nf6 11.Qe5+ Be7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 13.Qxa5 would be winning for White, too. 

9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Nb5+ 

This gets the job (checkmate) done, but faster was 11.Bf4 Qg5 12.Nxd7+ Qxf4 13.Nb5+ Kc6 14.Qd5#

11...Kxe5 

Or 11...Kc5 12.Qd5+ Kb6 13.Be3+ Bc5 14.Bxc5+ Ka6 15.Qd3 Nc4 16.Nxc4 Kxb5 17.Na3+ Kxc5 18.Rc1+ Kb6 19.Qb5#.

12.Bf4+ 

White can see his way to a pretty end. Impatient Readers can try 12.Qf5#. 

12...Kxe4 13.Nc3+ Kd3 14.O-O-O  checkmate

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome would be pleased.

Jerome Gambit: Countering the Counter

How to counter the counter-Jerome gambit?

Bill Wall has enough experience, he could do it with his eyes closed. Take a look.

Wall, Bill - Basiq

SparkChess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

Here we go again: "Jerome Gambit: What About the Rook?"

So, the warning is - be aware, defenders, that 6...g6 means you want to sacrifice your Rook. Play becomes awkward without this awareness.

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

As mentioned in "Jerome Gambit: Still Waters Run Deep"

The "Counter-Jerome Defense" or the "Counter-Jerome Gambit". See "Jerome Gambit: How Bad Has It Gotten?", "Jerome Gambit: Tactical Awareness" and "Jerome Gambit: Be Careful, Look Both Ways".

For more recent examples, see "Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit (Part 3)" and "Jerome Gambit: Psychology".

Black gives up a piece in a way that disturbs White's King. There are 560 games in The Database, with White scoring 72%.

The second player would do better with the more frequently played 7...d6, or possibly the strongest move, 7...Qe7; neither of which looks as scary as the text move.

8.Kxf2 Nf6 

In other games, Black has exchanged Queens with 8...Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 (or 9...Kxf6 as in Wall,B - Kumar, internet, 2024 [1-0, 22]):

Wall,S - Guest658246, PlayChess.com 2013 (1-0, 34); Wall,B - Guest4380606, PlayChess.com 2015 (1-0, 15); Wall,B - SCMJ, FICS 2020 (1-0, 24); and Wall,B - Naren, SparkChess 2024 (1-0, 19). 

Black can also throw in 8...Qh4+ first, as in Wall,B - Guest1443273 PlayChess.com 2012 (1-0, 36); Wall,B - Guest2115687, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 21); and Wall,B - Guest592370, PlayChess.com 2017 (1-0, 30).

9.Rf1 d6 10.Qg3 Nxe4+ 

This looks scary - for a second.

11.Kg1+ 

The check makes all the difference.

11...Kg7 12.Qf3 Bf5 13.g4 Qg5 14.d3 Qxg4+ 15.Qxg4 Bxg4

But, wait, there is one more move...

16.dxe4 Rae8 17.Nc3 a6 18.Nd5 Rxe4 19.b3 Bh3 20.Bb2+ Re5 21.Rfe1 Black resigned

Black will lose too much material.