Jerome Gambit: It Only Takes One Slip

One attraction of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) for club players is that it might only take one slip for the defender to fall into significant danger.

The following game is an excellent example. Instead of looking more deeply into the position at move 8, Black saves time and relies on a remembered chess maxim - which, in this case, leads to disaster.

AyltsMe - Huy0404

10 5 rapid, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 g6

Black remembers the old piece of advice: If your piece is attacked, you might not have to move it away, if you can attack one of your oppoent's more valuable pieces.

In this case, however, the advice fails. In an instance, the game goes from (theoretically) "Won for Black" to "Won for White".

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 

Can White now afford to capture Black's Rook?

Years ago, I faced that question, in  perrypawnpusher - spontex, 8 8 blitz, FICS, 2009 (1/2-1/2, 59), and played 10.Qd5+, going for a non-existant checkmate. It was better to simply take the Rook

I corrected the mistake in  perrypawnpusher - vermifugo, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 38).

10.Qxh8 

10...Qh4+ 

Black responds sharply, as he must.

Stockfish 16.1 suggests 10...b6 or 10...b5, with the idea of Black's King retreating to b7; but the text move appears more human.

11.g3 Qh3 12.Qxg8 Qg2 

Black's Queen hopes to duplicate the infliction of mayhem, but events overtake the defender.

13.Qd5+ Kb6 14.Rf1 d6 15.Qb3+ Kc6 16.Nc3 Bg4 17.Qb5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: From Over 20 Years Ago (Part 2)

 

In yesterday's post, I presented James F. Holwell's (chessteacher ) suggestion in a long-ago Yahoo.com Chess_Improvement discusstion that in the Jerome Gambit line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ke6  that 7.c4 was "very strong".

I was surprised to find that there were no 7.c4 games in The Database (containing almost 116,000 Jerome Gambit and Jerome-related games).

A quick trip to lichess.org turned up 7 games of various time controls and player strengths -

MohamedAliMD - Trichom

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c4 Ne7 8.O-O N7g6 9.Nc3 d6 10.Kh1 Qh4 11.Qe2 Rf8 12.Nd5 Kd7 13.f4 Ng4 14.g3 Qh5 15.b4 Bd4 16.Rb1 c6 17.Ne3 Nxe3 18.dxe3 Bf6 19.Qxh5 1-0

GokhanP - NeightE

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c4 Qf6 8.O-O g6 9.Qh3+ Kf7 10.Rd1 d5 11.d4 Bxh3 12.dxe5 Qxe5 13.Rxd5 Qxe4 14.Rxc5 Qxg2# 0-1

sammyobb  - RayDonovan23

10 5 rapid, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c4 Nf6 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.f4 Nd3+ 10.Kd1 Nxc1 11.Qe5+ Kc6 12.Kxc1 b6 13.d4 Bf8 14.Qb5+ Kb7 15.e5 Ne4 16.Qd5+ Kb8 17.Qxe4 Bb7 18.Qc2 Qh4 19.Nd2 Qxf4 20.d5 Bc5 21.Kb1 Qxe5 22.Nb3 d6 23.a4 Bc8 24.Qd2 Bf5+ 25.Ka2 Kb7 26.a5 a6 27.Rhe1 Qxh2 28.Re7 Rhg8 29.axb6 Bxb6 30.Na5+ Ka7 31.Nc6+ Kb7 32.Qb4 Kc8 33.Rf7 g6 34.Ne7+ Kb7 35.Nxg8 Rxg8 36.Qxd6 Qxd6 37.Rxh7 Qb4 38.b3 Re8 0-1

simonpedroaedo - findyourownself

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c4 Nd3+ 8.Ke2 Nf4+ 0-1

lazernicky - TTnnyy

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c4 Qf6 8.O-O d6 9.b4 Bd4 10.Nc3 Ne7 11.Rb1 Nd3 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.Qxd5+ Ke7 14.Bb2 Nxb2 15.e5 Bxe5 16.f4 Bd4+ 17.Kh1 c6 18.Rbe1+ Kd7 19.f5 cxd5 0-1

behlul_ken - PatriKarp

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Bxf7+ Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ke6 7. c4 Nd3+ 8. Ke2 Nxc1+ 9. Kd1 Nd3 10. Nc3 Nxf2+ 11. Kc2 Nxh1 12. Rxh1 Nf6 13. Qxc5 d6 14. Qf5+ Ke7 15. Nd5+ Nxd5 16. Qg5+ Nf6 17. Rf1 Rf8 18. e5 dxe5 19. Rf5 Bxf5+ 20. Qxf5 Qd7 21. Qxe5+ Qe6 22. Qxc7+ Nd7 23. Qc5+ 0-1

Mosotho1 - mehdiafrica

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c4 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Kg1 g6 10.Qe2 Nh6 11.d4 Nef7 12.d5+ Ke7 13.Nc3 d6 14.Be3 Bg4 15.Qd2 Bd7 16.Bxh6 Nxh6 17.Qxh6 Rhf8 18.Qd2 c6 19.h3 cxd5 20.exd5 Qf5 21.g3 Kd8 22.Kg2 Qf3+ 23.Kh2 Qh5 24.Rhf1 Qxh3+ 25.Kg1 Qxg3+ 26.Qg2 Qe3+ 27. Kh1 Rxf1+ 28.Rxf1 Kc7 29.Rf7 Qe1+ 30.Qg1 Qh4+ 31.Qh2 Qe1+ 32.Kg2 Qe2+ 33.Nxe2 Kb6 34.Rxd7 Re8 35.Qxd6+ 1-0

Jerome Gambit: From Over 20 Years Ago (Part 1)

I found the following Yahoo.com Chess_Improvement messages from over 20 years ago - before the start of this blog - tucked in one of my databases... 

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Chess_Improvement/message/1885    

From: "James F. Holwell" <chessteacher@y...>   

Date:  Sat Jun 19, 2004  3:28 pm  

Subject:  The Jerome Gambit ! ?    

...Here is something for you and the rest of the group to deal with...

  Is White's sacrifice of a BISHOP at move FOUR correct?

See this -- Set up your chess pieces, this is not a computer exercise. Just do it, trust me.    

In a game on CowPlay, your chessteacher played 16. ...Ne7 and went down in  flames. If anyone is interested in how White actually dealt the fatal blow,  here is a link to the game:  http://www.cowplay.com/index.php?cmd=viewchessgame&id=7365 

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Bxf7+ 

This is the Jerome Gambit. Can White get a winning attack in return for the brave Bishop?

Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ke6 7. Qh3+ $1 

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/chess_analysis/message/1798  From:  "Clint" <hp2guns@y...>   

Date:  Mon Jun 21, 2004  2:34 pm   

Subject:  jerome gambit    

give me black anytime after 7. Qh3+ Ke7. This might be a cute attack against a new player who panics, but whites attack peters  out. Interesting for white is 7.c4. I will look into this line some  when i have more time, just wanted to say hi to the group, thanks to the owner. I was looking for a club like this to help me return to  otb chess after a long layoff. 

(7. c4) 7... Kd6 Clearly White's 7th move is very strong, and we are wondering if the black king should be scurrying back to f7. 

8. O-O Qf8 9. c3 Bb6 

The chessstudent should be making notes of moves that he or she would like to have considered. We are all looking for ways to improve Black's defense, and we are also looking at ways to make White's attack even stronger.  It would seem that Back should have winning chances, IF he she can repel the attack and remain with a material advantage. 

10. d4 Ng6 11. Bg5 c6 12. Qg3+ Ke6 13. Na3 Nf6 14. Nc4 Kf7 15. e5 Ne8 16. f4 Ne7 

In a game on CowPlay, your chessteacher played 16. ...Ne7 and went down in flames. If anyone is interested in how White actually dealt the fatal blow, here is a link to the game: http://www.cowplay.com/index.php?cmd=viewchessgame&id=7365 

16... d5 $5 17. Nxb6 axb6 18. f5 Nxe5 19. dxe5 h6) *

I have to admit that I have zero games with the "very strong" 7.c4 in The Database. Something to look into.

Jerome Gambit: Dodgy Defense

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game illustrates an interesting defense.

It also provides a warning to players to be careful not to lose their focus as they play, lest unfortunate events ensue.

joker0909 - GioPika70

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qh4 

As I wrote in "Jerome Gambit: Not So Fast"

In this position, Black usually sacrifices his Rook with either 7...d6, Blackburne's defense, or 7...Qe7, Whistler's defense.

Here, however, Black offers a finesse: after 8.Qxh8, then 8...Qxe4+ would transpose to the strong attack that comes out of  Whistler's defense, without having offered or allowed the exchange of Queens that could happen in the ordinary Whistler, i.e. 8.Qxe7+.

I am tempted to call this the "DodgyGong defense", based on the early game perrypawnpusher - DodgyGong, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 34).

8.Qxc5 Qxe4+ 9.Kd1 

White's King steps aside, planning to bring his Rook to the e-file.

Stockfish 17.1 prefers 9.Kf1, protecting the g-pawn. 

It is a small sample, but The Database shows in previous games that 9.Kd1 scored 2 - 2,  While 9.Kf1 scored 4 - 1. YMMV.

9...d6 

Missing an opportunity to play 9...Qg4+ 10.f3 Qxg2, or 9...Qxg2, directly, both times keeping the game even, because of drawing chances.

10.Qxc7+ Ne7 

White now has the opportunity to stymie Black's threats along the a8-h1 file and the d1-h5 file, with 11.f3. Further play would allow the first player to keep an edge: 11...Bg4 12.Rf1 (reinforcing the pawn at f3) Rhc8 13.Nc3 Qxc2+ (a small combination that wins a pawn) 14.Kxc2 Bf5+ 15.d3 Rxc7 and White is better.

In a 3-minute blitz game, that can be missed. 

11.Re1 Qxg2 

Instead, 11...Bg4+ 12.f3 Bxf3+ 13.gxf3 Qxf3+ 14.Re2 Qf1+ 15.Re1 Qf3+ etc, draws by repetition.

12.Qxe7+ 

Does it matter which piece captures at e7?

If you are a computer, it does: 12.Rxe7+ Kf6 13.Rf7+ Kg5 14.d3+ Kg4 15.f3+ Qxf3+ 16.Rxf3 h6 17.Rg3+ Kh5 18.Qf7 Bg4+ 19.Rxg4 Kxg4 20.Qf4+ Kh5 21.Qf3+ Kh4 22.Qg3+ Kh5 23.Qh3 checkmate

Egads.

Of course, after the text move, White is better. 

12...Kg8 13.Qe8+ Kg7 14.Re7+ Kh6 

15.Qf7 

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Adding a piece to the attack was the way: 15.d3+ g5 16.Re6+ Bxe6 (16...Kg7 17.Qe7+ Kg8 18.Qd8+ Kg7 19.Qf6+ Kg8 20.Re8#) 17.Qxe6+ Kh5 18.Be3 Rae8 19.Qf7+ Kh6 20.h4, when Black's checks will be ineffective.

15...Bg4+ 16.Ke1 Qg1 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Cool! A 19-Move Something-or-Other

The intricacies of the following bullet game can better be appreciated if we slow time down - with annotations.

I continue to be impressed by players who need only a minute or two to succeed with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). 

Redtheone - arashtash1976

2 1 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ne7

There are 65 games in The Database with this position. White scores 72%. 

Best for Black, here, is 8...Kc6!? first seen, according to The Database, in Philidor1792 - NN, 2012 (0-1, 17). 

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.d4 

White's move is sharp, but not as effective as 10.Qc3. See Jerome Gambit Secrets #5

10...Bd6 

Redtheone has faced the stronger 10...d6, but not necessarily successfully: 11.Qxg7 (11.d5+?! Kb6 [11...Kd7 12.Qg5 Qf8 13.g3 c6 14.dxc6+ Nxc6 15.Qd5 Qe7 16.b3 Re8 17.e5 Kc7 18.Ba3 Bxa3 19.Nxa3 dxe5 20.Nb5+ Kb8 21.O-O-O exf4 22.gxf4 a6 23.Nd6 Qe3+ 24.Kb1 Rd8 25.Qf7 Ka7 26.Nxc8+ Raxc8 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 28.Qxg7 Qxf4 White resigned, Redtheone - mohammadhosseynchess, lichess.org, 2024] 12.Qc3 Nxd5 13.exd5 Qh4+ 14.g3 Re8+ 15.Kf1 Bh3 checkmate, Redtheone - Gnel_Danielyanm lichess.org, 2024) 11...Bb6 12.c3 Rg8 13.Qxh7 Rxg2 14.Nd2 Bg4 15.Nc4 Re2+ 16.Kf1 Nc8 17.h3 Bf3 18.Rg1 Bxe4 19.Nxb6? Bxh7 20.Nxa8 (Black now has a forced checkmate, and he eventually gets there) Bd3 21.Rg2 Rxg2+ 22.Kxg2 Ne7 23.Nxc7 Kxc7 24.Be3 Qg8+ 25.Kf2 Nf5 26.Rg1 Qxg1+ 27.Kxg1 Nxe3 28.Kf2 Nc4 29.b3 Nb6 30.h4 Nd7 31.Kg3 Nf6 32.Kf3 Bb1 33.a3 Bc2 34.b4 Bf5 35.Ke3 b5 36.Kf3 a6 37.Ke3 Kc6 38.Kd2 Kd5 39.Ke3 Kc4 40.Kd2 Kb3 41.a4 Kxa4 42.Ke3 Kb3 43.Kd2 Kc4 44.h5 Nxh5 45.Ke3 Kxc3 46.d5 Kc4 47.Kd2 Kxb4 48.Ke3 Kc4 49.Kd2 Nxf4 50.Ke3 Nxd5+ 51.Kf3 Nc3 52.Kf4 Be6 53.Ke3 Bd5 54.Kd2 a5 55.Kc2 a4 56.Kb2 a3+ 57.Kxa3 b4+ 58.Kb2 Bc6 59.Kc2 d5 60.Kd2 d4 61.Kc2 d3+ 62.Kd2 b3 63.Kc1 Bd5 64.Kb2 d2 65.Ka1 d1=Q+ 66.Kb2 Qc2+ 67.Ka3 Qa2 checkmate, Redtheone - jaisnana, lichess.org, 2025

11.d5+ Kb6 

Black's King looks for safety, far from home.

The tables have turned, and White is better.

12.Qd4+

Redtheone has also tried 12.Be3+ c5? 13.Qxd6+ Ka5 14.Qxc5+ (14.Bd2+ Kb5 15.a4+ Kc4 16.Na3+ Kd4 17.Qe5 checkmate) b5 15.b4+ (15.Qa3 checkmate) Ka6 16.a4 Qb6 17.axb5+ Kb7 18.Qxb6+ axb6 19.Rxa8 Kxa8 20.Bxb6 Ng6 21.g3 d6 22.Bc7 Bg4 23.Bxd6 Re8 24.e5 Bf3 25.O-O Bxd5 26.Rc1 Bc4 27.b6 Kb7 28.Bc5 Ne7 29.c3 Nd5 30.Na3 Bd3 31.c4 Nxb6 32.Bxb6 Kxb6 33.c5+ Kc6 34.b5+ Kb7 35.c6+ Kb6 36.c7 Rc8 37.Rc3 Bxb5 38.Nxb5 Kxb5 39.Kf2 Kb6 40.Ke3 Rxc7 41.Rxc7 Kxc7 42.Ke4 Kd7 43.f5 Ke7 44.g4 Kf7 45.h4 Ke7 46.Kf4 Kf7 47.g5 Ke7 48.f6+ gxf6 49.gxf6+ Kf7 50.h5 h6 51.Kf5 Kg8 52.Kg6 Kf8 53.Kxh6 Kf7 54.Kg5 Ke6 55.h6 Kxe5 56.f7 Black resigned, Redtheone - wejaq, lichess.org, 2024 

Untested is 12.Qc3!?

12...Bc5 13.Qxg7 Ng6 14.Nc3 

14...a6 

Seeking shelter for his King. He might have tried, instead, putting his King on a6, or looking to exchange Queens with 14...Qe7.

15.Na4+ Kb5 16.Nxc5 Kxc5 17.Qc3+ Kb6 18.Be3+ Kb5 19.a4 checkmate

A quick glance at this game might allow a viewer to think Cool! A 19-move Jerome Gambit checkmate! but checking out the individual moves, and the notes, above, would change that perception to Cool! A 19-move Jerome Gambit escape - and then checkmate!

Jerome Gambit: While Pondering

While I continue to ponder the game Salov,V - Vancouver, Friedel 1991 (1-0, 22) in The Database, I thought I would share a game that recently appeared online, with the same opening moves. 

thecheckmatelogic - Sermichar

5 0 blitz, ChessFriends.com, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ 

The earliest example of this opening idea that I have found is in the aforementioned game. (See "Jerome-Knightmare" for some thoughs on the line.)

Questions.

Was "V. Salov" top grandmaster Valery Salov?

Was his opponent actually a player named "Vancouver", or was the grandmaster, perhaps, playing a demonstration game (or games) in Vancouver, Canada?

Was "Friedel" the location where the game was played, or does it refer to Frederick Friedel, co-founder of the chess database company, ChessBase? Looking at my somewhat out-of-date Big Database (2016), I can not find a Salov game with those opening moves.

3...Kxf7 4.Nf3 

4.d4 led to Salov,V - Vancouver, Friedel, 1991.

4...d6 5. d3 h6 6. O-O Bg4 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 Kg8 

Both Kings have been tucked into safety.

Black has a piece for a pawn, and is better - but this is a 5-minute game, and things can change.

9.Qg3 Nc6 10.c3 b6 11.Nd2 a5 12.Nf3 Qd7 

The focus is on g7, which is, for now, well-defended.

13.Nh4 Rh7 14.Nf5 d5 

Black strikes back in the center.

15.Be3 d4 16.cxd4 exd4 17.Bf4 Re8 18.Rac1 

White also focuses on c7 - and then, on to g7.

18...Nb4 

There was a lot to consider. The defender had 18...g5, when 19.Rxc6!? or 19.Bxg5!? would have complicated things - but Black still would have been better.

19.Rxc7 Qb5 

Black counter-attacks with pressure on White's d3 pawn.

Stockfish 16.1 suggests, instead, that he hold on with 19...Qd8, for example 20.Nxh6+ Rxh6 21.Bxh6 Nh5!? 22.Qg6 Qxc7 23.Qxe8 Nf6 24.Qe6+ Qf7 25.Qxf7+ Kxf7 26.Bg5 Nd7 27.Rd1 Nxa2 28.Kf1 Be7 29.Bf4 Nc5 30.Bc7 Nb3 31.Bxb6 a4 32.g3 Nc3!? 33.Re1 Na2 34.f4 Bb4 35.Re2 Nac1 36.Rc2 Nxd3 37.Ke2 Ndc1+ 38.Kd1 Nd3 39.Ke2 Nbc1+ 40.Kd1 Nb3 41.Ke2 Nbc1+ and will draw by repetition of position.

Perhaps Bobby Fischer did say "Long analysis, wrong analysis", but it is worth playing through Stockfish's line. 

20.Bxh6 Nxd3 

Again, the computer explicates: 20...Qe5 21.Bf4 Qe6 22.Nxd4 Nh5 23.Nxe6 Nxg3 24.fxg3 Rxe6 25.Rc8 g5 26.Bxg5 Rf7 27.d4 Rxf1+ 28.Kxf1 Kf7 29.e5 Nxa2 30.Kf2 when White has 4 pawns for a piece and is better.

Egads.

21.Bxg7 

White breaks through.

21...Bxg7 22.Rxg7+ Kh8 23.Rxh7+ Nxh7 24.Qg7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Proceed Carefully

 

Almost 400 games in The Database have the features illustrated in the following position.

It is Black's move, and he should do what? (Assume his King is not in check.)

This is a situation White should never find himself in. 

(Hint: the Queen is unprotected.)

Recall from "Jerome Gambit: What Did Both Black and White Miss?"

My warning came a couple dozen years ago, in "Something to Watch Out For".

Of course, if it is White to move, he should relocate his Queen.

The earliest example that I have of this arrangement of pieces is in Jerome - Norton, correspondence, 1876 (unfinished), where it was White to move, and Alonzo Wheeler Jerome retreated his Queen.  

Looking at The Database, there are 11 games with this arrangement, and White moved or protected his Queen only 3 times.

On the other hand, in those 11 games, Black played ...Nf3+ only twice.

What can I say? Jerome Gambit.