What Am I Doing Here (Part 1)

The world of gambits - especially the Jerome - can be fun, with smashing and crashing attacks on the enemy; but it also can lead to odd positions where it has to be asked What Am I Doing Here?

The following game is yet another example.

perrypawnpusher - Zingowahnsinn

"Italian Game" tournament, Chess.com, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights Defense.

Maybe we can visit a relative of the Jerome Gambit?

4.Nc3

Now, 4...Bc5 5.Bxf7+ would be the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. 

4...Nxe4 

Oh, well...

5.Bxf7+ 

The Noa Gambit, otherwise known as the Monck Gambit.

As I wrote in "Jerome Gambit: Powerful Chess"

[M] y choice here is to sacrifice the Bishop, as in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - both lines are objectively bad for White, although the computer sees the Noa as a pawn less worse than the Jerome.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5 

For creativity sake I can mention 6...b5, played in perrypawnpusher - Chidobe Awuzie bot, Chess.com, 2023 that ended quickly 7.Nfg5+ Kg8 8.Qf3 h5 9.Qf7 checkmate

7.Ng3 e4 

Or the more restrained 7...Bc5, as in, perrypawnpusher - Anthony bot, Chess.com 2024 (1-0, 43).

8.Ng1 Bc5  

It is interesting to find in The Database that the two earliest examples of this position come from two games played by Emanuel Lasker (as Black, with opponents in consulation) in 1891 and 1900 - both wins for the World Champion.

By the way, 8...h5 is also challenging, as in perrypawnpusher - BoysRule6969, "Not Only The Italians Play the Italian" tournament, Chess.com, 2025 (0-1, 20).

And there is the Jerome-nemesis move, 8...Qf6, showing up in perrypawnpusher - vityas81, "Play The Italian Game III" tournament, Chess.com, 2023 (0-1, 22).

I am reminded of the song by the Moody Blues, "What Am I Doing Here?"

In all fairness, I did okay against 8...g6 - with some effort - in perrypawnpusher - RemoveKubab1, Italian Game Battlegrounds tournament, Chess.com, 2019 (1-0, 30). 

 9.d3 Re8 

Black also had 9...exd3 and 9...Qf6 to consider 

10.dxe4 Kg8 

Black safeguards his King.

I was amazed to see, after the game, that - despite Black's lead in development and greater King safety - Stockfish 17.1 evaluates the position (32 ply) as even.

11.N1e2 dxe4 12.Qxd8 Nxd8 13.0–0 

Things are looking not quite as dreadful for me, as they were a few moves ago, in this Queenless middlegame. I have castled and my piece development is on par with my opponent's. 

What next?

[to be continued]