Jerome Gambit: The "Jerome Pawns" Strike Again

The Jerome Gambit has a way of mixing things up in a chess game. 

The following game, featuring the "Jerome pawns", is an example of how things can go from a quiet position to checkmate very quickly.

angelcamina - Krmdmn

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 h6 5.O-O a6 6.a4 Bc5 

The position is an Italian Four Knights Game, where Black has moved his Rook pawns one step forward - for safety reasons. He has reachd a calm and equal position after 1.3 seconds on his clock.

White decides to Jerome-ize the position. 

7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Nxe5+ Nxe5 9.d4 Bxd4 10.Qxd4

Although the computer evaluates Black as better, it quickly becomes clear that the defender is not familiar with this type of position, while White is.

10...Ng6

Keeping the Knight near his King, but this defense is not enough.

11.e5 Nh7 12.f4 Rf8 

Hoping to castle-by-hand, but White will not allow it.

13.Qd5+ Ke8 14.f5 

Those "Jerome pawns"!

14...c6 15.Qd6 Ne7 16.f6 

16...gxf6 17.Bxh6 Rf7 18.exf6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6 Nxf6 20.Qxf6

 20...Qb6+ 21.Kh1 Qxb2 22.Qf8 checkmate

Abrahams Jerome Gambit: Against A Grandmaster?!

Is it brave, or is it foolish, for an average club player to go up against such a powerful foe like Andrew Tang?

In any event, it is over quickly.

kristina_bolbat90 - penguingim1

0 30 lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

I call this line the Abrahams Jerome Gambit.

3...Kxf7 4.Ne2 

I admire a player who will play the Jerome Gambit against an opponent rated 1,300 points higher than himself - in a 30-second game.

This move suggests that White wishes to ride out the game: to hang on for, at maximum, a full minute, and maybe get lucky when Black's flag falls.

Something more thematic, Jerome-ish, might have been 4.Qh5+ Kf8 5.Qxe5. 

4...Qh4 

Very well, Black will take over the attack.

5.O-O Nf6 6.d3 

I give you some lines from the computer, if only because things are about to end quickly: 6.d4 exd4 (6...Bxd4 7.Nxd4 exd4 8.e5 Ng4 9.h3 Nxe5 10.f4 Nec6) 7.Nd2 Qh5 8.Nf3 Bd6 9.Ng3 Bxg3 10.fxg3 d6 (10...Nxe4 11.Ne5+) 11.h3 Kg8 12.g4 Qe8 13.g5 Nxe4 14.Nxd4 

6...Ng4 7.Be3 Qxh2 checkmate

Looking at the Elo Win Probability Calculator, based upon the two player's ratings, White's expected score was 0.000002270.

Still, a brave try.

 This could probably serve as a Public Service announcement.

Jerome Gambit: Rapid Reversal of Fortune

Everything happens fast in a 1-minute game - especially when it is a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

One moment you are winning (or losing), the next you are losing (or winning) - as in the following game, sent to me by chessfriend Yury V. Bukayev.

Radanya_Official - Anwesh9792

1 0 bullet, lichess.org. 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 Be6 10.O-O Qd7 11.Bd2 Re8 12.Nc3 

White develops.

Black develops.

White's King is safe.

Perhaps Black's King would be safe it got to the Queenside. Or, maybe it should settle in on g8.

Think fast, it is a 1-minute game!

12...Ke7

A slip. 

Instead, the computer suggests something like 12...h5 13.Bg5 Qf7 14.h4 a6 15.Rae1 Bd7 16.Kh1 Kg8 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Nd5 Qd8 19.f4 Bg4 when Black would be better. 

13.Qxg7+ Bf7 

Probably the intended idea, 13...Kd8 was now best, although it would lose a piece to 14.Qxf6+.

What a rapid reversal of fortunes! 

14.Bg5 Bd4 15.Bxf6+ Bxf6 16.Nd5+ 

Black resigned

Black will lose his dark square Bishop after all.

White will be ahead three pawns, and the open lines against his King will not be enough compensation for Black.

The Scourge of the Jerome Gambit

If you play the Jerome Gambit, you have seen it.

Your position in the game is even, or maybe even a bit worse.

But your opponent is not familiar with the Jerome, and things are kind of weird and uncomfortable for him.

Suddenly, the game is yours. How? Why?

Jerome Gambit.

GENCALOGLU53 - kaisen27

10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

Declining the second piece goes as far back as Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1/2 - 1/2, 29). The resulting position is still good for Black, although Stockfish 16.1 sees the move 5...Nxe5 as about a pawn better.

6.Nxc6 

Alternatives playd by GENCALOGLU53

6.d4 Bxd4 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.Be3 c5 9.c3 Bxc3+ 10.Nxc3 Be6 11.Qf3+ Bf7 12.Bxc5+ Ne7 13.Nd5 Ke8 14.Bxe7 Qd7 15.O-O Bxd5 16.exd5 c6 17.d6 g6 18.Rfe1 Black resigned, GENCALOGLU53 - Tico_JK, 10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2024; 

6.c3 Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.f4 Bd6 10.e5 Bc5 11.Qd5 Bb6 12.b4 c6 13.Qe4 Nh6 14.h3 d5 15.Qf3 a5 16.Be3 axb4 17.cxb4 d4 18.Bf2 Qe7 19.a3 Bf5 20.Nd2 Kf7 21.O-O Rhd8 22.Nc4 Bc7 23.g4 Bc8 24.Rfd1 c5 25.bxc5 Qxc5 26.Nd6+ Bxd6 27.exd6 Rxd6 28.Rdc1 Qd5 29.Qd3 Kg8 30.f5 Nf7 31.Bg3 Rh6 32.Kh2 Ne5 33.Qe2 Nf3+ 34.Kg2 Ng5+ 35.Kf2 Nxh3+ 36.Ke1 d3 37.Qe3 Ra4 38.Rd1 Re4 39.Bf2 Rxe3+ 40.Bxe3 Qe4 41.Kd2 Rc6 42.Rdc1 Qg2+ 43.Kxd3 Rd6+ 44.Kc3 Qc6+ 45.Kb3 Qb5+ 46.Ka2 Qd5+ 47.Kb2 Bd7 48.Bc5 Qd2+ 49.Rc2 Qxc2+ 50.Kxc2 Rc6 51.Rd1 Rxc5+ 52.Kb3 Bc6 53.Rd8+ Kf7 54.Rh8 h6 55.Rd8 Nf4 56.Rd4 Ne2 57.Rd2 Rc3+ 58.Kb4 Re3 59.a4 Nf4 60.Rd4 Nd5+ 61.Kc5 Rc3+ 62.Kd6 Nf4 63.Rxf4 Ra3 64.Rb4 Rxa4 65.Rxa4 Bxa4 66.Kc7 Bc6 67.Kd6 Bf3 White resigned, GENCALOGLU53 - shezinmv1, 10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2024; and

6.Qf3+ Qf6 7.Nxc6 Qxf3 8.gxf3 dxc6 9.c3 Be6 10.d4 Bb6 11.Be3 Bf7 12.Nd2 Ke7 13.O-O-O Rd8 14.Rhg1 g6 15.Bg5+ Nf6 16.e5 h6 17.Bxf6+ Black resigned, GENCALOGLU53 - subhashc37, 10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2024. 

6...dxc6 

Capturing "away from the center" is recommended in this case, as the opened d-file helps prevent White from directly playing d2-d4.

Still, White has captured with the b-pawn in other games:

6...bxc6 7.d3 (7.d4 Bb4+ 8.c3 Ba5 9.e5 d6 10.Qf3+ Ke8 11.Qxc6+ Bd7 12.Qd5 Bb6 13.O-O Ne7 14.Qe4 Ng6 15.exd6+ Kf8 16.dxc7 Bxc7 17.g3 Qf6 18.Qxa8+ Kf7 19.Qd5+ Be6 20.Qc6 Rc8 21.f4 Ne7 22.Qf3 Qg6 23.f5 Nxf5 24.Na3 Kg8 25.d5 Bd7 26.Bf4 Bb6+ 27.Kh1 Re8 28.Rae1 Rf8 29.Nc4 Bc5 30.Ne5 Qe8 31.Nxd7 Qxd7 32.Qe4 Ne7 33.Qe6+ Qxe6 34.Rxe6 Nxd5 35.Re5 Nxf4 36.Rxc5 Ne6 37.Rxf8+ Kxf8 38.Rc8+ Kf7 39.Ra8 Nc5 40.Rxa7+ Kg6 41.b4 Nd3 42.Ra6+ Kf5 43.Rd6 Nc1 44.a4 Na2 45.Rc6 Ke4 46.a5 Kd3 47.a6 Nxc3 48.Rxc3+ Kxc3 49.a7 Kxb4 50.a8=Q Black resigned, GENCALOGLU53 - geologochess, lichess.org, 2025) 7...Nf6 8.O-O d6 9.d4 Bb6 10.e5 dxe5 11.dxe5 Qxd1 12.Rxd1 Nd5 13.c4 Nb4 14.Na3 Be6 15.b3 Ke7 16.Bg5+ Kf7 17.Rac1 h6 18.Bf4 g5 19.Bg3 Rhd8 20.Rf1 Nxa2 21.Kh1 Nxc1 22.Rxc1 Rd2 23.f4 Rad8 24.fxg5 hxg5 25.b4 Rd1+ 26.Be1 Rxc1 White resiged, GENCALOGLU53 - Arman4Desire, 10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2024.

7.d3 

Or

7.c3 Nf6 8.e5 Qe7 9.d4 Bb6 10.O-O Ng4 11.h3 Nh6 12.Qf3+ Nf7 13.Na3 a6 14.Nc4 Be6 15.Nxb6 cxb6 16.a4 Qe8 17.b3 Kg8 18.c4 Rd8 19.Be3 Bd7 20.Rfe1 Qe7 21.Bf4 Be6 22.Rad1 Ng5 23.Bxg5 Qxg5 24.d5 Rf8 25.Qxf8+ Kxf8 26.dxe6 g6 27.f4 Qxf4 28.Rf1 Qxf1+ 29.Rxf1+ Ke7 30.Rf7+ Kxe6 31.Rxb7 Kxe5 32.Rxb6 Kd4 33.Rxc6 Rb8 34.Rxa6 Rxb3 35.Ra7 Kxc4 36.Rxh7 Kb4 37.Ra7 Ra3 38.a5 g5 39.a6 Ka5 40.Ra8 Ra1+ 41.Kh2 Rb1 42.a7 Rb7 43.Rg8 Ka6 44.Rxg5 Rxa7 45.h4 Rh7 46.Kh3 Kb6 47.g4 Kc6 48.h5 Kd6 49.Rg6+ Ke7 50.Kh4 Kf7 51.g5 Kf8 52.Rf6+ Kg7 53.Ra6 Kg8 54.Ra8+ Kg7 55.Ra7+ Kh8 56.Rxh7+ Kxh7 57.Kg4 Kg7 58.Kf5 Kh7 59.h6 Kh8 60.Kg6 Kg8 61.Kf6 Kh7 62.Kf5 Kg8 63.g6 Kh8 64.Kf6 Kg8 65.Kg5 Kh8 66.Kh5 Kg8 67.g7 Kh7 68.Kg5 Kg8 69.Kh5 Kh7 70.g8=Q+ Kxg8 71.Kg6 Kh8 72.h7 draw, GENCALOGLU53 - John_keles, 10 0 rapid, lichess.org,  2024; and

7.O-O Qf6 8.c3 b5 9.d4 Bb6 10.e5 Qf5 11.Be3 Bd7 12.Nd2 Ke7 13.Nf3 Rf8 14.a4 a6 15.axb5 axb5 16.h3 Nh6 17.Bxh6 gxh6 18.g4 Rhg8 19.Nh2 Qe6 20.f3 h5 21.Qe2 hxg4 22.fxg4 h5 23.Rxf8 Rxf8 24.Rf1 Rxf1+ 25.Kxf1 hxg4 26.hxg4 Qa2 27.Kg2 Qd5+ 28.Kg3 Qh1 29.Qf3 Qe1+ 30.Kf4 Qd2+ 31.Qe3 Qxh2+ 32.Qg3 Qxg3+ 33.Kxg3 c5 34.d5 c4 35.Kf4 b4 36.g5 bxc3 37.bxc3 Ba5 38.Ke4 Bxc3 39.g6 Kf8 40.Kf4 Kg7 41.e6 Bb5 42.e7 Kxg6 43.Ke4 Bf6 44.d6 c3 45.dxc7 Bc6+ 46.Kd3 Bb5+ 47.Kc2 Ba4+ 48.Kc1 Bg5+ 49.Kb1 c2+ 50.Kb2 c1=Q+ 51.Ka2 Qc2+ 52.Ka3 Qb3 checkmate, GENCALOGLU53 - Ivans-Ivans, 10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2025 

7...Nf6 8.O-O Kf7 9.c3 Rf8 

White has castled. Black hopes to castle-by-hand.

10.d4 Bb6 

The retreat to e7 would have been more helpful, as White shows.

11.Bg5 

Planning on playing e4-e5, but that could have been played immediately.

 11...Qd6 

Could be the clock. True, the Knight is no longer pinned to the Queen, but...

The ordinary 11...h6 would have been fine.

12.e5 Black resigned

The pawn fork looks scary, especially since a moment ago the Knight was pinned to the Queen.

But now, with 12...Qd5, Black would still have an even game, even though it will cost him the Knight (not the Queen). After 13.c4 Qxd4 14.exf6 Qxd1 15.Rxd1 gxf6 16.Be3 Bg4 17.Re1 Rfe8 18.Nc3 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 Rxe3 20.fxe3 the game is balanced.

Jerome Gambit: Wherefore, Art Thou

 

Chess.com has "Wherefore, Art Thou, O Jerome?" by Jason Fikes, of readeroftomes.

It is comprehensive, as the contents show:

Contents

    Stats

    The Opening Unveiled

    Indecision

    Why 6...Ke7?? Is Terrible

    Sort of Ok

    The King Walk

    The Easiest Approach

    Blocking with 6…Ng6

    Longer Video Lectures

Check it out.

17 Years Old!

17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17*17

Today this blog celebrates its 17 birthday, having come into the world with the post "Welcome!"

I do not know how many other chess blogs have lasted this long, but I am sure that I could not have persisted without the support - and games and analysis - of the many Readers.

Thank you, all.

Pausing To Reflect

In past posts we have looked at a form of a reversed Jerome Gambit, Chiodini's Gambit or the Busch-Gass Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5).

A fun new video by KaspaChess, "Always Stun Everyone With This Shocking Chiodini Gambit [Busch-Gass]" is worth viewing.