The last game of the quartet of selected Jerome Gambits, by CasualGames4ever
Last but not least and techinqually first! My first clash with this opponent set the tone for the rest of our match, we reach the middle game with him still being better, yet I can easily continue whereas he struggles to find decent moves. This quickly leads to a beautiful checkmate, although I would say the first game had the best check mate
CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10
3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6
A standard Jerome Gambit position, where White has pawns to advance - and Black needs a plan.
10.O-O Bd7 11.Nc3 Bc6 12.d4 Qe8 13.d5 Bd7 14.f4 c6
So far, Black is doing fine, and has a small edge. The game is not over yet.
15.f5 Ne5 16.b3 cxd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 Qf7
Attacking White's d-pawn. Black must always be careful, however, when his King and Queen are lined up on the f-file, facing White's Rook.
19.Bb2
Giving the pawn up, as bait. Thematic was 19...f6, as played later.
19...Qxd5 20.Rad1 Qb5 21.Rxd6 Nf7
The kind of double-threat move (defends, attacks) that comes obviously, in a 3 minute game, but is often insufficient.
22.f6 g6
Black can't take the Rook, but he can't escape checkmate, either.
23.Qe7+ Kg8 24.Rxd7 Rf8 25.Qxf7+
A Queen sac finishes the game off.
25...Rxf7 26.Rd8+ Rf8 27.f7 checkmate
Very pretty!
As I mentioned previously, I received an email and some games from CasualGames4ever
So recently, just now, I played a nineteen game match against a similarly rated opponent in 3+0 blitz. As white in all but one game I played the jerome gambit, linking them all would make this email ridiculously long, so I will only link the ones I thought are the best.
Unlike the other two this one demonstrates the attacking potential of this opening rather than the positional ideas. I quickly launch the d, e, and f pawns in a brutal assault towards my opponent's king. This proved immediately fatal.
CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10
3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.O-O d6
Varying from the 2 earlier games we have seen, where Black captured the Knight at e5.
7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.d4 Bb6
9.f4 Ne7 10.f5 Ng8
I was surprised to see that Komodo 10 agreed with this move.
11.Nc3 Qf6 12.Be3 Ne7 13.Qd3 h5
Hoping to let the Rook work from home.
14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Qxe5
The pawn was off limits, as White shows.
16.Bxb6 axb6 17.Qd8+ Kf7 18.Qxh8
19...c5 19.Qxh5+ Kg8 20.Qe8+ Kh7 21.Rf3 Qd4+ 22.Kh1 Nxf5 23.Rh3+ Nh6
24.Rxh6+ Kxh6 25.Qc6+ Qd6 26.Qxa8 Bf5
27.Qh8+ Kg6 28.Qe8+ Kh7 29.Rf1 Bxc2 30.Rf8 Kh6 31.Rh8+ Bh7
Different Rook check, different piece block, same result.
32.Qe4 g6 33.Qh4+ Kg7 34.Rxh7+ Kg8 35.Rh8+ Kf7 36.Qh7+ Kf6 37.Ne4+ Ke5 38.Nxd6 cxd6 39.Re8+ Kd4 40.Qxg6 d5 41.Qg4+ Kd3 42.Qf3+ Kc2 43.Qc3+ Kb1 44.Re1+ Kxa2 45.Qa3 checkmate
Here is another Jerome Gambit game by CasualGames4ever. As he mentioned in a recent email
So recently, just now, I played a nineteen game match against a similarly rated opponent in 3+0 blitz. As white in all but one game I played the jerome gambit, linking them all would make this email ridiculously long, so I will only link the ones I thought are the best
My opponent managed to get a very strong position out of the opening seemingly with a piece for two pawns, yet despite the lack of queens his king proved very unsafe, an aspect I quickly exploited and soon I won material and quickly converted.
CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10
3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8
Like the game in the previous post. The move is as old as Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1/2-1/2, 29).
6.O-O Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Qf6
The same threat to win White's Queen as we have seen.
9.Qc5+ Qd6 10.Qxd6+ cxd6 11.f4 Nc4
11...Nf7, as we have seen earlier, but which was actually played later, is safer.
12.b3 Nb6
13.Ba3 Kf7 14.Bxd6 Nf6 15.Nc3 Re8
Black has an extra piece (for two pawns) but White's Bishop block's his pawn, which blocks his Bishop, which hems in his Rook...
16.Rae1 a5
One way to activate the Rook.
17.e5 Nfd5 18.Ne4 h6 19.f5 a4 20. Bc5 axb3 21.Nd6+ Kf8
22.Nxc8+
This works. 22...f6 was even more explosive.
22...Kg8 23.Nxb6 Nxb6 24.Bxb6 Rxa2
Black misses his chance to make things a bit muddy with 24...bxc2.
25. cxb3 Rb2 26.Re3 d6 27.Bd4 Rd2 28.Bc3 Rc2 29.e6 d5 30.Rd1 b5 31.Rxd5 Rc1+ 32.Kf2 Ra8
33.e7 Kf7 34.Rd8 Ra2+ 35.Kg3 Rg1 36.Rf8 checkmate
I want to share some more games and overviews that have arrived in the email. (The notes in the game are mine.) As they used to say, in the heydays of snail mail, "Thanks, and keep those cards and letters coming!"
Hello Rick! So recently, just now, I played a nineteen game match against a similarly rated opponent in 3+0 blitz. As white in all but one game I played the jerome gambit, linking them all would make this email ridiculously long, so I will only link the ones I thought are the best, but If you wish to view them all, CasualGames4ever is my username.
...This one was one of the last games, at which point he had stopped taking the sacrificed knight. I only salvaged a pawn for a piece, but eventually I managed to target his weak points to win more pawns, and soon gained a crushing attack.
CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10
3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8
It is interesting that the lichess.org computer considers this move a mistake. Although it is probably not as strong as the routine 5...Nxe5, it is a reasonable move for a defender who is not wanting to be too greedy.
6.O-O
Waiting for his opponent to come to his senses and take the Knight. Castling is usually helpful for the Jerome Gambiteer.
6...Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Qf6
Ah, yes, an attention test. Did you notice Black's threat of ...Nf3+, winning the Queen? It's always something to be aware of.
9.Qc5+ Qd6 10.Qxd6+ cxd6 11.f4 Nf7 12.b3 Ke8 13. Bb2
Nf6 14. Nd2 Rg8 15. Rae1 Kd8 16. Nc4 d5
Black wants to solve a classic Jerome Gambit problem - his pawn blocks a pawn which blocks his Bishop which confines his Rook... It looks like he has avoided castling-by-hand on the Kingside, in order to place his Rook on g8 and start a counter-attack - but that never happens.
17.e5 Ne4 18.Ne3 b6 19.Nxd5 Bb7 20.c4 Nc5
21.f5
Overlooking Black's threat? I don't think so. This is a 3 0 blitz game, and I think White had a plan to create dangerous chaos on the board, knowing that the defender would not be able to keep up.
21...Nd3 22.e6 dxe6 23.fxe6 Nd6
The simplest, safest move that first comes to mind - but 23...Ng5 was stronger.
24.Ba3 Nxe1 25.Bxd6 Nd3
What could be more sensible? But, it keeps White's attack rolling.
26.Nc7 Rc8 27.Rf7
27...Nc5
Stopping the immediate checkmate 28.Rd7# but that is not all that is in play. 27...Rxc7 was best but would still lose.
28.Rd7+ Nxd7 29.e7 checkmate
Nice, right?
In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+) game, White reaches a point where he has an overwhelming advantage. He figures out a win by checkmate, and pursues it, bypassing faster mates - in a blitz game, this is not unusual, and a win is what is necessary, not necessarily the fastest win.
otipicni - Yusiflimunire
3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+
4... Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8
This move is at least as old as Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1/2 - 1/2, 29). Some history.
6.Nxc6
The most straight-forward continuation, although it is also possible for White to simply castle - a move that usually occurs in main line Jerome Gambit play - and look for transpositions.
Recent examples:
6.O-O Nxe5 (6...d6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.d4 Bb6 9.f4 Ne7 10.f5 Ng8 11.Nc3 Qf6 12.Be3 Ne7 13.Qd3 h5 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Qxe5 16.Bxb6 axb6 17.Qd8+ Kf7 18.Qxh8 c5 19.Qxh5+ Kg8 20.Qe8+ Kh7 21.Rf3 Qd4+ 22.Kh1 Nxf5 23.Rh3+ Nh6 24.Rxh6+ Kxh6 25.Qc6+ Qd6 26.Qxa8 Bf5 27.Qh8+ Kg6 28.Qe8+ Kh7 29.Rf1 Bxc2 30.Rf8 Kh6 31.Rh8+ Bh7 32.Qe4 g6 33.Qh4+ Kg7 34.Rxh7+ Kg8 35.Rh8+ Kf7 36.Qh7+ Kf6 37.Ne4+ Ke5 38.Nxd6 cxd6 39.Re8+ Kd4 40.Qxg6 d5 41.Qg4+ Kd3 42.Qf3+ Kc2 43.Qc3+ Kb1 44.Re1+ Kxa2 45.Qa3, checkmate, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 6...Bb6 7.d4 Nxd4 8.Nc4 Nc6 9.Qf3+ Qf6 10.Qa3+ Qe7 11.Nxb6 Qxa3 12.Nxd7+ Bxd7 13.Nxa3 Nf6 14.Re1 Re8 15.f3 Nd4 16.c3 Ne6 17.Nc4 h5 18.Be3 a6 19.Rad1 Bc6 20.Ne5 Ke7 21.Ng6+ Kf7 22.Nxh8+ Rxh8 23.Bd4 Rh6 24.h3 h4 25.e5 Nh5 26.Be3 Rg6 27.Bd4 Bxf3 28.Rd2 Nhf4 29.Rf2 Nxh3+ White resigned, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 6...Qf6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.c3 Bb6 9.d4 Ba6 10.Re1 d6 11.f4 Re8 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Rxe5 14.a4 Rxe1+ 15.Qxe1 c5 16.a5 cxd4 17.axb6 dxc3 18.Rxa6 cxb2 19.Bxb2 Qxb2 20.bxa7 Nf6 21.a8=Q+ Kf7 22.Qxh8 Qb6+ 23.Rxb6 cxb6 Black resigned, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 7.d4 Bxd4 (7...Bb6 8.dxe5 Qe7 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Nc3 c6 11.Bf4 Nh6 12.Qg3 Bd4 13.Rad1 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 Nf7 15.Bg3 b6 16.f4 Ba6 17.Rf2 c5 18.f5 Bb7 19.f6 gxf6 20.exf6 Qe6 21.b4 Rc8 22.Rfd2 cxb4 23.Qxb4 Bc6 24.Rd6 Qg4 25.Rxd7 Qxd1+ 26.Rxd1 Rc7 27.Bxc7 Nd6 28.Qxd6 Kf7 29.Qe7 Kg6 30.Qg7+ Kh5 31.Bf4 h6 32.g4+ Kh4 33.Bg3+ Kh3 34.Rd3 Bxe4 35.Bf4+ Kh4 36.Rh3+ Kxh3 37.Be3 Bf3 38.Qc7 Kxg4 39.Qg3+ Kf5 40.h3 Ke6 41.Qxf3 Rg8+ 42.Kf1 Rg6 43.Ke1 Rxf6 44.Kd2 Kf7 45.Qe4 Re6 46.Bf4 Rxe4 47.Kd3 Rxf4 48.c4 Rh4 Black won on time, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 7...Nc6 8.dxc5 d6 9.cxd6 Qxd6 10.Qe2 Be6 11.Rd1 Qe7 12.Nc3 Rd8 13.Be3 Rxd1+ 14.Rxd1 Nf6 15.Qb5 Kf7 16.Qxb7 Ne5 17.f4 Neg4 18.Bxa7 Rd8 19.Rf1 Bc4 20.Ra1 c5 21.Qxe7+ Kxe7 22.h3 Nh6 23.Bxc5+ Kf7 24.g4 Nd7 25.Rd1 Ke8 26.Bd4 g6 27.Nd5 Bxd5 28.exd5 Nf7 29.Re1+ Kf8 30.c4 Nd6 31.c5 Nb5 32.Bf2 Nf6 33.a4 Na7 34.Bh4 Kf7 35.d6 Nd5 36.Bxd8 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest626645, PlayChess.com, 2020) 8. Qxd4 Qf6 9.Qc5+ Qd6 10.Qxd6+ cxd6 11.f4 Nf7 12.b3 Nb6 13.Ba3 Kf7 14.Bxd6 Nf6 15.Nc3 Re8 16.Rae1 a5 17.e5 Nfd5 18.Ne4 h6 19.f5 a4 20.Bc5 axb3 21.Nd6+ Kf8 22.Nxc8+ Kg8 23.Nxb6 Nxb6 24.Bxb6 Rxa2 25.cxb3 Rb2 26.Re3 d6 27.Bd4 Rd2 28.Bc3 Rc2 29.e6 d5 30.Rd1 b5 31.Rxd5 Rc1+ 32.Kf2 Ra8 33.e7 Kf7 34.Rd8 Ra2+ 35.Kg3 Rg1 36.Rf8 checkmate, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, lichess.org, 2020) 12.b3 Ke8 13.Bb2 Nf6 14.Nd2 Rg8 15.Rae1 Kd8 16.Nc4 d5 17.e5 Ne4 18.Ne3 b6 19.Nxd5 Bb7 20.c4 Nc5 21.f5 Nd3 22.e6 dxe6 23.fxe6 Nd6 24.Ba3 Nxe1 25.Bxd6 Nd3 26.Nc7 Rc8 27.Rf7 Nc5 28.Rd7+ Nxd7 29.e7 checkmate, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020.
6...dxc6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.d3 Bg4 9.f3 Be6
Here we have the classic Jerome Gambit imbalance: Black has an extra piece, White has 2 extra pawns.
Black's capture 6...dxc6 was designed to slow down White's possible d2-d4, but, as the game develops, the move becomes possible. Also, the capture turns White's e-pawn into a protected passer, which may be telling, much later in the game.
10.Ne2 Kf7 11.d4 Bb4+ 12.c3 Ba5 13.b4 Bb6
It is still a battle of pieces vs pawns, and Black's 2 Bishops look valuable, but the defender is lacking the usual counter-stroke, ...d7-d5.
14.O-O Bc4 15.Rf2 h5 16.e5 Ne4
A strange oversight - in a 3 0 blitz game, however.
17.fxe4+ Ke6 18.Nf4+ Kd7 19.Ng6 Qe8
Choosing to give up the exchange, rather than play the stultified 19...Rh7.
20.Nxh8 Qxh8
Hoping to build a Kingside attack, anyhow.
21.Bg5 Rf8 22.Rxf8 Qxf8 23.Qxh5 Bd3
Things are getting a litte sloppy, perhaps an indication of the impact of the clock, this being a 3 0 game.
24.Qg6
Strong enough, although sharp-eyed Readers may have spotted 24.Qg4+ leading to 24...Qf5 (ouch) 25.Qxf5+ Ke8 26.e6 Bxd4+ (what else?) 27.cxd4 Bc4 28.Qf7 checkmate.
24...a5 25.b5
Okay, but there was also the march of the terrible "Jerome pawn": 25.e6+ Kc8 26.e7.
25...cxb5 26.Rd1 Bc2 27.Rd2 Ba4 28.Rf2 c5
A slip, but he was already facing a forced checkmate, so trying to clear the a7-g1 diagonal for his Bishop was as good as anything.
29.Rxf8 cxd4 30.Qxg7+
White has figured out his winning line, and that is enough. Readers, without the clock ticking, may want to find some alternatives.
30...Kc6 31.Rf6+ Kc5 32.Qxb7 dxc3 33.Qxb6+ Kb4 34.Qd4+ Ka3 35.Rf3 Kxa2 36.Qxc3 b4 37.Qd2+ Kb1 38.Rf1+ Bd1 39.Rxd1 checkmate
Some Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) lines have been quite popular, of late. Defenders have opted for 6...Kf8,
the Jerome variation, first played in a couple of correspondence games between Daniel Jaeger and Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in 1880.
The games in the notes to the main game, below, are worth playing over, too, to get a better understanding of White's and Black's play.
It must be pointed out that the Jerome Gambit player's ever-present ally - the chess clock - also had a hand in some of the games presented, as well. Most show White winning while having only 1 or 2 seconds of thinking time per move!
Raiderduck - xavierjerome
5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+Kf8
7.Qxe5
An interesting idea from a recent game is 7.Qf5+, which played out 7...Nf6 8.Qxe5 d6 9.Qf4 Qe7 10.Nc3 Qe5 11.Qh4 Qh5 12.Qf4 Qg4 13.Qxg4 Nxg4 14.f3 Nf615.Ne2 Kf7 16.d4 Bb6 17.Bf4 Bd7 18.O-O-O Rhe8 19.Ng3 g6 20.c3 Be6 21.Kb1 Rad8 22.Rhe1 Kg7 23.b3 h6 24.c4 g5 25.Bc1 Kg6 26.Bb2 Nh5 27.Ne2 c6 28.d5 cxd5 29.exd5 Bf5+ 30.Ka1 Re3 31.g4 Rxf3 32.gxh5+ Kxh5 33.Ng3+ Kg6 34.Nxf5 Rxf5 35.Re6+ Kh5 36.a3 Rf2 37.h4 gxh4 38.Rh1 Rf4 39.Bc1 Re4 40.Rxh6+ Kg4 41.R1xh4+ Kf3 42.Rxe4 Kxe4 43.Re6+ Kd3 44.Kb2 Bd4+ 45.Ka2 Be5 46.Bb2 Ke4 47.Bxe5 dxe5 48.Re7 Rg8 49.b4 Rg2+ 50.Kb3 Kd4 51.Rxb7 e4 52.Re7 Rg3+ 53.Ka4 e3 54.d6 Kd3 55.d7 Rg8 56.Re8 Black resigned, BoomBoomTNT-YT - chess_is_a_great_art, Chess.com, 2020.
7...Qe7
About equal in strength is 7...d6, which was also seen in a number of recent games: 8.Qg3 (or 8.Qc3 Nf6 9.d3 Qe8 10.O-O Qh5 11.b4 Ng4 12.h3 Bxf2+ 13.Rxf2+ Nxf2 14.Kxf2 Ke7 15.Qxg7+ Ke6 16.Qxh8 Ke7 17.Qg7+ Kd8 18.Bg5+ Black resigned, cowcium - Vince25, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; or 8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.d3 Qxf4 10.Bxf4 Ne7 11.Nc3 Bd4 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 c6 14.Kd2 g6 15.Rhf1+ Kg7 16.a4 a5 17.Rab1 Rf8 18.Rxf8 Kxf8 19.b3 Kg7 20.h4 Ng8 21.b4 axb4 22.Rxb4 Nf6 23.Rd4 Ne8 24.Ke2 Ra5 25.Rc4 Nc7 26.Kf3 d5 27.Nxd5 Nxd5 28.exd5 Rxd5 29.e4 Ra5 30.d4 h5 31.Ke3 Kf6 32.Rb4 Ke6 33.c4 Kd6 34.c5+ Kc7 35.Kf4 Bd7 36.e5 Ra8 37.Kg5 Bf5 38.Kf6 Rd8 39.e6 Rf8+ 40.Ke7 Rd8 41.Kf7 Rh8 42.e7 Bd7 43.Rb2 Be8+ 44.Kg7 Black resigned, Mizter_gm - Cgei, 5 0 blitz, Chess24, 2020) 8...Nf6 9.Nc3 c6 (9...Be6 10.O-O Qd7 11.d3 Qf7 12.Be3 Bb6 13.d4 Bc4 14.Rfe1 Re8 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Bxe3 17.Rxe3 Qg6 18.Qxg6 hxg6 19.exf6 Rxe3 20.fxe3 gxf6 21.Ne4 Ke7 22.b3 Bb5 23.c4 Bc6 24.Nc3 Rd8 25.Rd1 Rxd1+ 26.Nxd1 Ke6 27.Kf2 Ke5 28.Nc3 a6 29.h3 Bd7 30.h4 Bf5 31.Kf3 Bd3 32.g4 c6 33.c5 Bc2 34.b4 Bd3 35.a3 Bc4 36.h5 gxh5 37.gxh5 Bg8 38.h6 Bh7 39.Na4 Be4+ 40.Kg4 Bh7 41.Kf3 Be4+ 42.Kf2 Bh7 43.Nb6 Kf5 44.Nd7 Kg6 45.Kf3 f5 46.Kf4 Kxh6 47.Nf6 Bg6 48.Nd7 Kg7 49.Ne5 Bh7 50.Nc4 Kf6 51.Na5 Ke7 52.Nxb7 Kd7 53.Nd6 Kc7 54.Nxf5 Kb7 55.e4 a5 56.e5 Bg8 57.Ne7 axb4 58.axb4 White won on time, h3h6 - Labourdeaunet, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 10.O-O h5 11.d3 h4 12.Qf4 h3 13.g3 Kg8 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.Qxe3 Rh5 16.f4 Ng4 17.Qd4 Qf6 18.Ne2 Qxd4+ 19.Nxd4 Ne3 20.Rf2 c5 21.Nb5 d5 22.Re1 d4 23.c3 Bd7 24.Nd6 Ng4 25.Rc2 dxc3 26.bxc3 Bc6 27.d4 cxd4 28.cxd4 Rd8 29.e5 Rh6 30.Rc5 Bg2 31.Rc7 b6 32.Rxa7 Re6 33.Rd1 Ne3 34.Rd2 Bd5 35.Re2 Nc4 36.f5 Rexd6 37.exd6 Nxd6 38.g4 b5 39.Ree7 Bf7 40.g5 g6 41.fxg6 Bd5 42.Rg7+ Kh8 43.Rh7+ Kg8 44.Rag7+ Kf8 45.Rh8+ Kxg7 46.Rxd8 Bxa2 47.Rxd6 Bc4 48.d5 b4 49.Rc6 Bxd5 50.Rb6 White won on time, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
Also seen was 7...Be7 8.O-O Nf6 9.Nc3 d6 10.Qg3 b6 11.d4 Bb7 12.f3 Nh5 13.Qf2 Bh4 14.g3 Be7 15.Bd2 g6 16.Bh6+ Kf7 17.f4 Nf6 18.f5 gxf5 19.Qxf5 Bc8 20.Qh5+ Ke6 21.d5+ Kd7 22.Qf7 Ng4 23.Bg5 Rf8 24.Qe6+ Ke8 25.Rxf8+ Kxf8 26.Rf1+ Ke8 27.Qg8+ Kd7 28.Qxh7 Ba6 29.Rf7 Ne5 30.Rxe7+ Kc8 31.Rg7 Black resigned, OrcaTec - jappleyardm, 7 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020;
as well as 7...Bd6 8.Qf5+ Qf6 9.Qh3 Bc5 10.O-O d5 11.Qh5 Bd4 12.Qxd5 Bxb2 13.Bxb2 Qxb2 14.Nc3 Ne7 15.Qd8+ Kf7 16.Qxh8 h6 17.Qd8 Qxc2 18.Rac1 Qb2 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.Qxd5+ Kg6 21.Rxc7 Qf6 22.e5 Qg5 23.h4 Qf5 24.Rf7 Qxf7 25.h5+ Kxh5 26.Qxf7+ g6 27.Kh2 Bf5 28.Kg3 Rd8 29.Rh1+ Kg5 30.f4 checkmate, a-jerome-gambit-fan - Johnjohn, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org 2020)
8.Qf4+
Or 8.Qf5+ Qf6 9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qxc7 Ne7 11.O-O g6 12.d3 Kg7 13.Qc3 Qxc3 14.Nxc3 a6 15.Be3 Nc6 16.f4 Nb4 17.Rfc1 Bd7 18.a3 Nc6 19.Nd5 Rae8 20.Nc3 Be6 21.Ne2 d5 22.e5 Rhf8 23.g3 Rc8 24.Nd4 Nxd4 25.Bxd4 Kf7 26.Be3 Ke7 27.c4 dxc4 28.dxc4 Bxc4 29.Rc3 Be6 30.Rac1 Rxc3 31.Rxc3 Rd8 32.Kf2 Rd7 33.Rc2 Bb3 34.Rd2 Rc7 35.Bb6 Rc6 36.Ba5 Rc5 37.Bb4 Black resigned, milomallaby - ElBreg, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com 2020.
8...Qf7
About equal is 8...Nf6, for example 9.Nc3 Bd4 10.d3 d5 11.O-O Bxc3 12.bxc3 dxe4 13.Re1 Qd6 14.Qh4 Kf7 15.dxe4 Re8 16.Bf4 Qc6 17.e5 Nd5 18.Bg3 Kg8 19.c4 Nb6 20.h3 Qxc4 21.Re4 Qxc2 22.Rae1 Bf5 23.R4e2 Qc4 24.Qg5 Qe6 25.Bh2 Nd5 26.g4 Bd3 27.Rd2 h6 28.Qh4 Bb5 29.f4 Qb6+ 30.Qf2 Rad8 31.f5 Nb4 32.Rxd8 Rxd8 33.Qxb6 axb6 34.e6 Nd5 35.Rd1 c6 36.Bc7 Ra8 37.Bd6 Rxa2 38.Re1 Be2 39.e7 Kf7 40.Kf2 Bc4+ 41.Kg3 Ke8 42.Re6 Nf6 43.Re3 Bd5 44.Kf4 Rf2+ 45.Ke5 Rf3 46.Re1 Nd7+ 47.Kd4 Nf6 48.Be5 c5 checkmate, KNVB - Maxterlopezm Chess.com, 2020) and 8...Qf6: 9.Qxc7 Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 Bb6 11.Qd6+ Ne7 12.Nc3 Bc5 13.Qd3 Qxg2 14.Rf1+ Ke8 15.Nb5 Qg4+ 16.Ke1 Kd8 17.b4 Bb6 18.Bb2 a6 19.Nd6 Rg8 20.Qc4 Qh4+ 21.Ke2 Qg4+ 22.Kd3 Qh3+ 23.Ke2 Qg4+ 24.Rf3 Qg2+ 25.Ke1 Qg1+ 26.Rf1 Bf2+ 27.Ke2 Qg4+ 28.Kxf2 Qf4+ 29.Kg1 Qg4+ 30.Kh1 Qe6 31.Nf7+ Ke8 32.Nd6+ White won on time, Lucia243 - emandr, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020)
9.d3
White agrees to the exchange of Queens.
Again, a recent game where that did not happen immediately: 9.Qg3 Nf6 10.d3 d5 11.Nc3 dxe4 12.dxe4 Ng4 13.O-O Bxf2+ 14.Rxf2 Qxf2+ 15.Qxf2+ Nxf2 16.Kxf2 c6 17.Be3 Be6 18.Bd4 Kf7 19.Ke3 Rhd8 20.Ne2 b6 21.Bc3 Rd7 22.Nd4 c5 23.Rf1+ Ke7 24.Nc6+ Ke8 25.Ne5 Rc7 26.a3 Rd8 27.h3 Bc8 28.Rf3 Bb7 29.Nd3 Re7 30.Nf2 Rd6 31.Rg3 Rde6 32.Rg4 g6 33.h4 h5 34.Rf4 Kd7 35.g3 Kd8 36.Bf6 Kd7 37.Bxe7 Kxe7 38.Nd3 a5 39.c3 a4 40.Nf2 Ba6 41.g4 Rd6 42.gxh5 gxh5 43.Rf5 Rg6 44.Rg5 Rxg5 45.hxg5 Bf1 46.Kf4 Ke6 47.Nd1 h4 48.Ne3 Be2 49.Ng4 h3 50.Nh2 Kf7 51.Kg3 Kg6 52.Nf3 Bxf3 53.Kxf3 Kxg5 54.Kg3 h2 55.Kxh2 Kf4 56.e5 Kxe5 57.Kg2 Kd5 58.Kf2 Kc4 59.Ke2 Kb3 60.Kd3 Kxb2 61.c4 Kxa3 62.Kc3 Ka2 63.Kc2 Ka3 64.Kc3 Ka2 65.Kc2 a3 66.Kd3 Ka1 67.Kc3 a2 68.Kd2 Kb1 69.Kd3 Black resigned, KNVB - PsychoPato, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com 2020.
9...Qxf4 10.Bxf4 d6 11.c3 Ne7 12.a4 Ng6 13.Bg3 a5 14.d4 Bb6
15.Nd2 Kf7 16.Nc4 Rd8 17.O-O Be6 18.Ne3 c6 19.f4 Bc8 20.f5 Ne7 21.Nc4 Bc7 22.Rae1 Kg8
The game looks balanced. Komodo 10 thinks White should noodle around with 23.Bh4 and 24.Bg3, but this is a 5-minute game, and the first player opens things up - not necessarily to his advantage.
23.f6 gxf6 24.Rxf6 Ng6 25.e5 dxe5 26.Nxe5 Bxe5 27.dxe5 Rf8 28.Rd6 Bf5 29.Rd2 Rad8
For the moment, at least, Black's pieces look more impresive than White's extra pawns.
30.Rde2 Be6 31.Bf2 Rf5 32.Bd4 Nf4 33.Re4 Bd5 34.Bb6 Re8 35.R4e3 Nxg2 36.Rg3+ Kf7 37.Rxg2 Bxg2 38.Kxg2 Rexe5 39.Rxe5 Rxe5
Black has consolidated his advantage, up the exchange.
40.Kf3 Ke6 41.Bc7 Rh5 42.Ke4 Kd7 43.Bg3 b5 44.axb5 cxb5 45.Kd4 Kc6 46.c4 b4 47.Kd3 a4 48.Kc2 Kc5 49.b3 a3 50.Bf4 Rh3 51.Bg3 h5 52.Kb1
Things look dire for White, but, what have I been saying the last couple of weeks?
Black can sometimes "solve" the Jerome Gambit, if he is given enough time. The thing is, in bullet and blitz chess, he often does not have enough time.
And, so here, not surprisingly... Black lost on time
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"
