Jerome Gambit: Panikin_Skywalker, Again (Part 2)

                                       

[continued from the previous post]

Panikin_Skywalker - nyanners, casual bullet game, lichess.org, 2026

The battle continues.

26...g5 

Perhaps due to the clock, missing 26...Nxd3 27.cxd3 Rxe5, maintaining an advantage. 

27.Bxf4 gxf4 28.Rxf4 Kf7 29.Kg3 Rg8 

White's extra pawns - two of them passed, connected, and protected - now give him the advantage.

30.Kf3

Improving the position of his King.

With all the time in the world, and a leisurely cup of coffee at hand, I can suggest the dissolution of the position: 30.Rh1 Rh8 31.Rh6 Rad8 32.g5 Rdg8 33.Rg4 Rg7 34.g6+ Kg8 35.Rgh4 Be8 36.Kg4 Bxg6 37.fxg6 Rxg6+ 38.Rxg6+ hxg6 39.Rxh8+ Kxh8 40.Kg6 and White wins.

Now the Rooks and pawns fly, and I won't comment...

30...Rg7 31.Rg1 Rag8 32.Ke3 h5 33.e5 Rxg4 34.Rgxg4 Rxg4 35.Rxg4 hxg4 

Things continue to happen quickly. In fact, had each player used a couple of seconds' thinking time per move, both flags would have fallen by now.

But - they are thinking faster than that!

White strikes first.

36.e6+ Bxe6 37.fxe6+ Kxe6 38.Kf4 Kd5 39.c3 b5 

40.Kxg4

It turns out that the other enemy Knight pawn needed to be attended to, first, with 40.b4, when White's Queenside pawn majority will win the game.  

40...b4 41.c4+ Kd4 42.Kf5 Kxd3 43.Ke5 Kc3 44.Kd5 Kb2 45.Kc5 a5 

Cleaning up the pawns at eyeblink speed.

46.Kb5  

It is maddening to realize that play could have gone 46.Kc6 Kxa2 47.Kxc7 Kxb3 48.c5 a4 49.c6 a3 50.Kb6 a2 51.c7 a1Q 52.c8Q with a Queen vs Queen-plus-pawn endgame that could be drawn.

Remember, Readers, this is a 1-minute game.

46...Kxa2 47.Ka4 Kb2 48.c5 c6 49.Kxa5 Kxb3 50.Kb6 Kc4 51.Kxc6 b3 52.Kd6 b2 53.c6 b1=Q 

International Master William Hartson has pointed out that in the endgame, Black pawns move faster?!

54.c7 Qd3+ 55.Kc6 Qf5 

Wait a minute! 

With more time, there was 55...Qd5+ 56.Kb6 Qa8 57.c8Q+ Qxc8 58.Ka7 Qd7+ 59.Kb6 Kb4 60.Ka6 Kc5 61.Ka5 Qa7# 

Now the game enters the odd Queen-versus-an-advanced-Bishop- pawn (would also work with the Rook pawn) and an advanced King - known to be a draw. (Thank you, Reuben Fine.)

56.Kb7 Qb5+ 57.Ka8 Qc6+ 58.Kb8 Qb6+ 59.Ka8 Qc6+ 60.Kb8 

Here, White offered a draw.

60...Qb6+ 61.Ka8 Qa6+ 62.Kb8 Kb5 63.c8=Q Qd6+ 64.Qc7 Qxc7+ 65.Kxc7 draw

An up-and-down battle that averaged less than one second per move thinking time, ending in lone King versus lone King.

Wow!

Jerome Gambit: Panikin_Skywalker, Again (Part 1)

We have met Panikin_Skywalker previously.

As I wrote, then

One more note: Depending on how Black defends, the Jerome Gambit can present as a Bashi-Bazouk attack, sweeping all before it; or it can become a slow-and-steady game, with White advancing toward the full point with all deliberate speed - as in the following game.

What follows is a game full of excitement - with one minute per side.

Panikin_Skywalker - nyanners, casual bullet game, lichess.org, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

(Unlike the previous Panikin_Skywalker game, I have left out a lot of the computer kvetching about move after move.)

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.d3 Qe7 

Standard Jerome Gambit themes appear: Black has a piece for two pawns, but an uneasy King, and a strongly-placed-but-attackable Queen; White places his hopes in the "Jerome pawns", supported by his own active Queen, using his Rook along the f-file that targets the enemy monarch.

11.b3 

Preparing to develop his dark square Bishop without disturbing his Queen. 

11...Kf7 

Or 11...Qe5 as in chessriddler - Okierete01m lichess.org, 2023 (1-0, 22); or 11...Bd7 12.O-O Re8 as in chessriddler - Let_It_Rip, lichess.org, 2025 (0-1, 42) 

12.O-O 

Instead, chessriddler - meisam1993, lichess.org, 2023 (1-0, 41) saw 12.h3 Re8 13.O-O etc.

12...Re8 

Or 12...Rf8 as in chessriddler - CarlsenNepo21, lichess.org, 2024 (0-1, 61). That's a lot of moves in one minute.

13.Bb2 Kg8 

White has his plan. Does Black?

14.Nd2 Ne5

I see this often in defenses to the Jerome Gambit. It mostly serves as a target for White to play f2-f4.

15.h3 Qf7 16.f4 Nc6 17.Nf3 Qg6 

At this point, Stockfish 16.1 optimistically assessed the position as about even.

White starts something on the Kingside, while Black reacts.

18.Qf2 Qh6 19.f5 Ne5 

This Knight has gone from b8 to c6 to e5 to g6 to e5 to c6 to e5!

20.Nxe5 

And now, off of the board.

20...dxe5 21.Rae1 Bd7 

22.Qg3 Nh5 23.Qh2 Nf4 24.g4

The kind of aggression that sometimes works in bullet, sometimes not. 

 24...Qxh3 25.Bxe5 Qxh2+ 26.Kxh2 

After some tactics, Black will now have to surrender his Knight, leaving White a pawn up - with Bishops-of-opposite-colors on the board.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Chasing Opportunities

 

Chasing opportunities to play more Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games, I have joined the new "The Italian Game" tournament at Chess.com.

So far, I have one Jerome, with the possibility of up to three more.

Readers will see what I come up with, in due time.

Jerome Gambit: Panikin_Skywalker (Part 2)

                                    

[continued from the previous post]

Panikin_Skywalker - qaflan71

3 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

It looks like the gambit player will have to grind out a win.

14.Ke1 Nh5 15.g3 Bh3 16.Rxf8+ Rxf8 17.Nd2 Nf6

18.Ke2

This move allows the annoying enemy Knight to become more annoying. Simply 18.Bxf6 Rxf6 first would prevent some of the following headaches.

But, remember: in a 3-minute game, you have to portion out your time carefully.

18...Ng4 19.Bd4 Nxh2 20.Rh1

Attacking the doubled pieces, but Black can untangle himself.

20...Bg4+ 21.Ke1 Nf3+ 22.Nxf3 Rxf3 23.Bf2 a6 24.Rh4 h5

Despite the presence of Rooks, the Bishops-of-opposite-colors give the position a drawish hue.

What to do, what to do, what to do?

White advances his pawn majority on the Queenside.

25.Kf1 Kf7 26.Kg2 Ke6 27.Rh1 Rf7 28.Re1 b5 29.d4 d5

30.e5

Creating a protected, passed pawn, which looks more attractive than 30.exd5+ Kxd5, which allows the enemy King to advance, but both are still drawish.

What to do, what to do, what to do?

30...b4 31.Re3 Bf5 32.Be1 Be4+

33.Kh2

From g1, the King would still keep the enemy Rook off of f1.

33...a5 34.c4 Rf1

Oops.

35.g4

Trying to mess up the Kingside pawns.

35...h4

The clock continues to tick.

With enough time, Black would find 35...Rh1+ 36.Kg3 Rg1+ 37.Kf2 Rxg4 38.Rg3 Rxg3 39.Kxg3 Bb1 and would be winning.

36.Bxh4 Rh1+ 37.Kg3 Rg1+ 38.Kh3 c5 39.dxc5 Kxe5 40.c6

White's passer looks scary. Should Black chase it, or create a passer of his own?

40...d4

There is an even position after 40...Kd6 41.Bd8 Kxc6 42.Bxa5 g5 43.Bxb4 Rh1+ 44.Kg3 Rg1+ 45.Kf2 Rg2+ 46.Kf1

41.Rxe4+ Kxe4 42.c7

The passed pawn is suddenly a real threat.

42...d3 43.c8=Qd2

Will Black now promote his pawn?

Will White find his checkmate in 17 moves?

This game must have provided a lot of excitement for those who watched it.

44.Qe6+ Kd3 45.Qd5+ Kc2 46.Qe4+ Kc1 47.Qe3 Rh1+ 48.Kg3

Black resigned

The excitment ends with a whisper: 48...Re1 49.Bg5!? Rxe3+ 50.Bxe3 Kc2 51.Bxd2!? Kxd2 52.c5 and White's passed pawn will advance, promote, and win the game.

Whew!

Jerome Gambit: Panikin_Skywalker (Part 1)

 

Regarding the Jerome Gambit player (elsewhere known as chessriddler, for example, in "Jerome Gambit: Just in Time") in the following game, he self-describes...

Experience as a gas engineer, chess innovator, fire fighter, lifeguard, Royal Marines Overall Best Recruit in training, passionate motorcycle instructor and full of general handy tips and tricks. Sometimes even cooking, should make a varied channel... Eventually!! Mainly chess psychology theory and play.

(Compare that with my own career as a therapist, encapsulated by one of my children, "You talk to kids all day, how hard could that be?" - Rick)

One more note: Depending on how Black defends, the Jerome Gambit can present as a Bashi-Bazouk attack, sweeping all before it; or it can become a slow-and-steady game, with White advancing toward the full point with all deliberate speed - as in the following game.

Panikin_Skywalker - qaflan71

3 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2025 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

Analysis from lichess.org - Stockfish 18? - indicates that this last move ("??") is a "Blunder. d3 was best", moving the evaluation of the position from 0.20 [a slight edge for White] to -2.71 [a won game for Black].

Sic transit gloria mundi.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

Again, giving Black's last move a "?", the lichess.org engine opines "Mistake. Ke6 was best" as it moves the evaluation of the position from -3.56 to -1.70 - although that is still better for the second player.

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+

As far as I know, this move does not have a name. The earliest example that I have of this return sacrifice, in The Database, is from erik - TheLatvian, blitz, FICS, 2000 (1/2-1/2, 52).

Not surprisingly, the computer gives the move a "??", evaluating it as a "Blunder. Qe7 was best" moving its assessment from -2.02 [better for Black] to 1.25 [better for White].

It is important to note that humans choose their moves for a lot of different reasons, including psychological impact. Being transformed from the attacker to the attacked can have an unsettling effect.

But, is qaflan71 attacking, or simply letting the air out of Panikin_Skywalker's game?

8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6

At the cost of a pawn, Black has exchanged Queens and slowed the game down. This might be frustrating to his opponent.

10.d3 d6 11.Rf1 Kg7

Black's King steps out of the line of fire along the f-file, so White decides to open the a1-h8 diagonal.

12.b3 Rf8 13.Bb2 Kg8

White has an extra pawn, and is developing pressure on the Knight at f6.

Black's King is safe, and, by exchanging Queens, Black has slowed the game down.

There is much more game to go, but the "refuted" opening has done well, so far.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Dangerous Places

Jerome Gambit games often feature action on the e- and f-files. As a result, they can be dangerous places for enemy Kings and Queens.

Danger can arrive quickly, or by slow step-after-step.

angelcamina - duppi1

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6 

9.Qc4+ Ke8 

Black's move is okay, although 9...d5 10.exd5 Re8+ is stronger.

10.O-O d6 11.Bg5 Qe7 

There is a risk in placing the Queen and the King in the same central file.

Previously seen -

11...Ne5 angelcamina - DorianW, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020 (1-0, 26); and

11...Rf8 12.Nd5 (12.f4!?) 12...Be6 13.Nxf6+ (13.Nxc7+!?) 13...gxf6 (13...Qxf6) 14.Qxe6+ Qe7 15.Qxe7+ Nxe7 16.Be3 Kd7 17.f3 Rg8 18.Rad1 f5 19.exf5 Nxf5 20.Bf2 Raf8 21.Rfe1 h5 22.h3 h4 23.Rd2 Ng3 24.Bxg3 Rxg3 25.Re3 c5 26.Rde2 b5 27.b3 a5 28.Re7+ Kc6 29.Rh7 Rfxf3 30.Kh2 Rc3 31.Rxh4 Rg6 32.Rf4 a4 33.bxa4 b4 34.a5 Ra3 35.c4 bxc3 36.Rf3 Rxa5 37.Rc2 d5 38.Rfxc3 d4 39.Rd3 Kd5 40.Rg3 Rxg3 41.Kxg3 Ra3+ 42.Kf2 d3 43.Rd2 Kd4 44.Ke1 c4 45.Rf2 c3 46.Rf4+ Ke3 47.Rf8 c2 Black won on time, angelcamina - Jsolee, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025.

12.Rae1 

Lining up the Rook. 

Two more themes - attack the Queen, pressure on f6 - were seen in angelcamina - Mangoland, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024 12.Nd5 Qf7 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Qd3 Be6 15.Nf4 Rg8 16.c3 Ne5 17.Qb5+ c6 18.Qb4 Nf3+ 19.Kh1 Ng5 20.Qxd6 Rd8 21.Qa3 Nxe4 22.Rae1 Ng5 23.h4 Nf3 24.Rxe6+ Kd7 25.Qd6+ Kc8 Black won on time ; 

12.f4 was seen in angelcamina - e4bout, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 (1-0, 19) 

12...Be6 13.Qb5 Rb8 14.f4 Qf7 

Black's Queen gets out of the pin on the d8-h4 diagonal, although 14...Qd7 might have been a safer move. 

15.e5 dxe5 

This is one example of why I admire successful bullet players like angelcamina, who create problems on the chessboard that can be very difficult to solve, in the time alotted.

Here, I never would even have examined 15...h6 16.exf6 Kf8 17.Ne4 Bc4 18.fxg7+ Kxg7 19.Bf6+ Kg6 20.f5+ Kh7 21.Qa4 - Black's best chance to keep White's advantage to an edge.

16.fxe5 Bc4 

Black may have been relying on this riposte, but White's response forces checkmate.

17.exf6+ Kd8 

For the record, Stockfish 16.1 gives the path of greatest (but futile) resistance: 17...Kf8 18.fxg7+ Kxg7 19.Rxf7+ Bxf7 20.Qf5 h6 21.Rf1 Nd8 22.Bf6+ Kg8 23.Qg4+ Kf8 24.Qg7+ Ke8 25.Bxd8 Rh7 26.Qxh7 Kd7 27.Qxf7+ Kxd8 28.Rd1+ Kc8 29.Qe8#.

18.fxg7+ Kd7 19.Rxf7+ Bxf7 20.Qf5+ Be6 21.Qxe6 checkmate

Adding It All Up

 

Well, let's see...

With the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in "Wal2010's Third Thematic Tournament" I won one game.

In the "Not only the Italians plays the Italian" tournament I won one game and lost one.

In the "6th Thematic Quick KOs: Italian Game" I tallied three wins, one loss, and one draw.

That's scoring 69% - okay, but not Bill Wall level play.

Jerome Gambit: Batman? (Part 2)

                                                

[continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - NormanBauschke

6th Thematic Quick KOs: Italian Game, 2026

24.h3 Kh8 25.Qe4 Rg8 26.Qd5 

26...Qc6 

A slip. I like to simplify games by exchanging Queens, so this move supposedly gives me what I want; but it is an error.

Protecting the d-pawn with 26...Rd7 was the right idea for my opponent. 

27.Qxc6 Nxc6 28.Rxd6 Nd4 

After the game, the computer evaluated this position as White having over a 4 pawn advantage.

I couldn't see it.

29.Rxa6 Nxc2 30.Rc6 c4 31.bxc4 bxc4 32.Rf4 Ne3 

Stockfish sees the a-pawn as a strong passer.

During the game, I saw it as a handy target for my opponent.

33.Rf2 Re8 34.Bxe3 

There was no need for me to give up "the minor exchange". 

I figured that I was reducing things to an already drawn endgame. 

The right way to go was 33.Re6, i.e. 34...Rfe7 35.Bxe3 Rxe3 36.fxe6 Rxe6 37.Bd4 and White is a piece up.

34...Rxe3 35.Rxc4 Ra7 36.Kh2 

There might still have been something in 36.a4, but, in my mind, the game was over and I had already split the point.

36...Rea3 37.Rcc2 Kg7 38.Rf4 Rxa2 39.Rxa2 Rxa2 40.Rg4+ Kf7 41.Rh4 Kg7 42.Rg4+ Kf7 43.Rh4 

Here, I offered a draw and it was accepted.

Somewhere in the game, Batman had turned into Bruce Wayne...