Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Jerome Gambit: One of the Reasons




One of the reasons that a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) player might want to occasionally toss in a few Abrahams Jerome Gambits is that not all of Black's defenses transfer well from the former opening, to the latter.


maestro_rabbittry01 - uktik

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 


See "The Abrahams Jerome Gambit (Part I and Part II)" for details.

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 

The only move that keeps Black's advantage is 4...Kf8.

For some numbers from The Database:

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 20,477 games, White scores 52%

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 19,775 games, White scores 51%

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Kf8 6,989 games, White scores 41%

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5193 games, White scores 63%

5.Qxe5 Bd6 


Attack the Queen, give up the Rook?!

Better to give up the Bishop, grab a pawn, and safeguard the Rook with 5...Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nf6 

6.Qxh8 Qe7 

So that the Knight isn't pinned, so that it can go to f6 - but that boat has sailed.

7.Qxh7+ Kf6 8.Qxe7+ 

Simplifying, as he has enough material advantage.

8...Nxe7 

9.Nf3 Nbc6 10.d4 Nb4 

Countering a threat with a threat - but then forgetting something.

11.Na3 b6 12.e5+ Black resigned


The fork wins more material.


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