But Blackburne Made It Look So Easy!

The most famous Jerome Gambit game is the one by Blackburne, where he sacrificed material as Black to build a counter attack that led to a Queen sacrifice and checkmate.

Never mind that subsequent analysis and play has shown that, "objectively", the best Black should be able to hope for is a draw.

The fact is, the Blackburne Defense leads to sharp and complicated play, and it is important to have a concrete knowledge of the line - if either Black or White wishes to survive. As we have seen, and will see in the game below, "half a defense is worse than no defense at all..." Better to "Commit It To Memory".

fehim - KramMan
blitz, FICS, 2015

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5
d6

Here we go! To capture the excitement of the play ahead, it is fun to return to Geoff Chandler's comparison of the Blackburne Defense with "Mars Attacks!"

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.O-O Qxe4

Wait a minute... Sure, Black flashes out his Queen to h4, all big and bad and scary. But - then what? Certainly not to pawn-grab. What did he miss? What did he miss??

Hint: 9...Nf6! Black wants to trap White's Queen and make threats against her (as well as the King), eventually offering his other Rook as well.

10.Qxh7+

This is not going to go well for Black.

10.d3 worked in AlgozBR - khuizen, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 17)

10...Kf8 11.Nc3

Or 11.d3 Qe2 (or 11...Qf5 in obviously - dmyze, GameKnot.com, 2004 [1-0, 20]; or 11...Qe6 in ubluk - bfcace, Chess.com, 2012 [1-0, 18]) 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Kf7 14.Qh7+ Kf6 15.Qxc7 Bf5 16.Nc3 Qxc2 17.Nd5+ Kg5 18.Qe7+ Kh6 19.h4 Rh8 20.Qg5+ Kg7 21.Rae1 Rf8 22.h5 Bxd3 23.h6+ Kg8 24.Nf6+ Kf7 25.Nh7 Kg8 26.Nxf8 Bxf1 27.Rxf1 Bxf2+ 28.Rxf2 Qc1+ 29.Qxc1 Black resigned, ZahariSokolov - pedroregistro, FICS, 2015

11...Qf5

Or 11...Qxc2 12.Qh4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - LtPoultry, blitz, FICS, 2010; or 12.d3 Qxd3 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.Rfe1+ Kd8 15.Qxg8+ Kd7 16.Qe8 checkmate, DREWBEAR 63 - blackburne, JGTourney4, ChessWorld, 2009.

12.d3 Nf6 13.Qh4

This move is okay, as White is up the exchange plus a couple of pawns, so he can consolidate. He could continue his attack, however, with 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.Rae1+ Be6 15.Qg7.

13...Kg7 14.Be3 Be6 15. Bxc5 dxc5 16. Ne4 Nxe4 17. Qxe4 Qf6

The next few moves bring some excitement, but the game is pretty much over. Black's slip at move 23 just ends things

18.c3 Rh8 19.f4 c6 20.c4 Qh4 21.Qxe6 Qxh2+ 22.Kf2 Qxf4+ 23.Ke2 Qg4+ 24.Qxg4 Black resigned

Exploring

After the previous post ("Keep Your Eye on the Prize") I started gathering thousands of Abrahams Jerome Gambit games and adding them to The Database, to develop a better understanding of the opening.

As the following game shows, theory of some of the variations is not far developed.

macele - torment
blitz, FICS, 2005

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Ke6 5.Nf3 

I was surprised to see that this move leads to an even game. So far, less than half of the games in The Database have this move.

Now, after 5...Nc6, the position would resemble a Jerome Gambit where the "ghost" White Queen has passed through the White Knight to deliver check.

5...d6 6.Ng5+ 

I have always been suspicious of this move in the Jerome Gambit proper, but here it seems necessary.

6...Kd7 7.Nf7 Qf6

One of a few equal responses. Black could have tried 7...Qf8 8.f3 Nf6 9.Qh3+ Kc6 10.g4 Qxf7 11.Qf1 d5 12.exd5+ Qxd5 13.Nc3 Qe6 14.Qb5+ Kd6 15.b4 b6 16.bxc5+ bxc5 17 Ba3 c6 18.Qxc5+ Kd7 19.O-O Nxg4 20.fxg4 Qxg4+ 21.Kh1 Bb7 22.Rg1 Qf3+ 23.Rg2 Re8 24.Kg1 Ba6 25.d3 Bb7 26.Rf1 Qh5 27.Rxg7+ Kc8 28.Qd6 Black resigned, Turkman - andrecoenen,  FICS, 2006. 

Or 7...Qe8 8. Qf5+ (8.Qg4+ Kc6 9.Qxg7 Be6 10.Nxh8 Nd7 11.b4 Bxb4 12.c3 Bc5 13.Ba3 Ndf6 14.Bxc5 dxc5 15.Na3 Rd8 16.Nb5 Rd7 17.Qg3 Kxb5 18.c4+ Bxc4 19.a4+ Kc6 20.a5 Rd3 21.Qg7 Qd8 22.O-O Nxe4 23.Nf7 Qd4 24.Nxe5+ Kb5 25.Rfb1+ Ka6 26.Qf6+ Ngxf6 White resigned, AlexPR - raviven, FICS, 2008; or 8.Qf3 Nf6 9.Nxh8 Qxh8 10.d3 Nc6 11.Be3 [11.c3 Ke8 12.Bg5 Bg4 13.Qg3 Be6 14.Nd2 Kd7 15.f4 Rf8 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.b4 Bd6 18.O-O h6 19.Be3 Ng4 20.Rxf8 Qxf8 21.Rf1 Qe7 22.a3 Nxe3 23.Qxe3 Qg5 24.Qxg5 hxg5 25.Nf3 g4 26.Ng5 Bg8 27.Nf7 Be7 28.b5 Bxf7 29.Rxf7 Nd8 30.Rxg7 Ne6 31.Rxg4 Bxa3 32.h4 Ke7 33.h5 Kf7 34.h6 Nf8 35.Rg7+ Kf6 36.Rxc7 Kg6 37.Rxb7 Kxh6 38.d4 exd4 39.cxd4 Bb2 40.d5 Bd4+ 41.Kf1 Kg6 42.Ke2 Kf6 43.Kf3 Ng6 Black resigned, Philidor 1792 - guest1923, www.bereg.ru, 2015] 11...Bxe3 12.fxe3 b6 13.O-O Bb7 14.Qh3+ Ke7 15.Nc3 Bc8 16.Qh4 Be6 17.Nd5+ Bxd5 18.exd5 Nb4 19.Qxb4
Nxd5 20.Qc4 Ke6 21.e4 b5 22.Qxd5+ Kd7 23.Rf7+ Kc8 24.Raf1 Black resigned, pauldiekrake - AlgozBR, FICS, 2014) 8...Kc6 9.Qh5 (9.Qf3 Nf6 10.Nxh8 Qxh8 11.d3 Bg4 12.Qg3 Nbd7 13.h3 Be6 14.O-O Rf8 15.Be3 Nh5 16.Qh2 b6 17.Bxc5 Nxc5 18.Nd2 Nf4 19.b4 Nd7 20.c4 Kb7 21.a4 g5 22.a5 h5 23.Nf3 g4 24.Nh4 Nf6 25.g3 Nxh3+ 26.Kg2 Bxc4 27.dxc4 Nxe4 28.Ng6 Qf6 29.Nxf8 Qf3 checkmate, RattyMouse - raviven, FICS,  2007) 9...Nf6 10.b4 Bxf2+ 11.Kxf2 Nxh5 12.b5+ Kb6 13.Nxh8 Qxh8 14.d3 Qf8+ 15.Ke2 Bg4+ 16.Ke1 Nd7 17.Nc3 c6 18.bxc6 bxc6 19.Rf1 Ndf6 20.Bd2 Kc7 21.Na4 Qe7 22.Rb1 Nd7 23.h3 Be6 24.Ba5+ Kc8 25.Kd2 Rb8 26.Rxb8+ Nxb8 27.Rb1 Qg5+ 28.Kc3 Qxg2 29.Bb6 axb6 White resigned, AlexPR - raviven, FICS, 2007. 

Or 7...Nf6 8.Qf5+ (8.Qh4 Bxf2+ 9.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 10.Qxe4 Qf6+ 11.Qf3 Qxf3+ 12.gxf3 Rf8 13.Ng5 h6 14.Nh3 Nc6 15.c3 Kd8 16.d3 Bxh3 17.Rg1 Rg8 18.Bxh6 Kd7 19.Bxg7 Rae8 20.Nd2 Bf5 21.Ne4 Bxe4 22.dxe4 Kc8 23.b4 Kb8 24.b5 Na5 25.a4 Nc4 26.Rab1 Nd2 27.Rbd1 Nb3 28.Bh6 Rxg1 29.Rxg1 Nc5 30.a5 Nd3+ 31.Ke3 Nc5 32.h4 Ne6 33.Bg5 Ng7 34.Rg4 Nh5 35.Bh6 a6 36.bxa6 bxa6 37.Rg5 Nf6 38.Rg6 Ng8 39.Bg5 Rf8 40.h5 Kb7 41.h6 Nxh6 42.Bxh6 Rh8 43.Bg7 Rg8 44.f4 exf4+ White forfeited on time, radejanus - Erge, FICS, 2008; or 8.Qe2 Qf8 9.Nxh8 Qxh8 10.O-O h5 [10...Nc6 11.c3 Ke7 12.h3 Be6 13.Na3 a6 14.Nc4 Qc8 15.d3 Bxh3 16.gxh3 Qxh3 17.Be3 Ng4 18.f3 Qg3+ 19.Qg2 Qxg2+ 20.Kxg2 Nxe3+ 21.Nxe3 Bxe3 22.Rh1 h6 23.Rh5 g6 24.Rh4 Bf4 25.Rah1 Rh8 26.Rg4 Kf6 27.a4 Ne7 28.b4 Bd2 29.d4 Bxc3 30.dxe5+ Bxe5 31.b5 axb5 32.axb5 g5 33.Kf2 d5 34.Ke2 dxe4 35.Rxe4 Nd5 36.Kd3 Kf5 37.Kc4 Nb6+ 38.Kc5 Nd7+ 39.Kd5 Nf6+ 40.Kc4 Nxe4 41.fxe4+ Kxe4 42.Re1+ Kf4 43.Kd5 Rd8+ 44.Ke6 Rd6+ 45.Ke7 Bd4 46.Rf1+ Kg4 47.Rh1 h5 White resigned, ndizvoh - sniktawiii, FICS, 2014] 11.h3 Ke7 12.d3 Qh7 13.Bg5 Qg6 14.Qd2 Kf7 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Kh2 Nd7 17.f4 exf4 18.Rxf4 Ne5 19.d4 Nc4 20.Qf2 Bb6 21.b3 Na5 22.c3 c5 23.Nd2 cxd4 24.Rf1 Bd8 25.cxd4 Nc6 26.e5 dxe5 27.dxe5 Nxe5 28.Ne4 Nd3 29.Rxf6+ Bxf6 30.Qd4 Bf5 31.Qd5+ Kg7 32.Qxb7+ Kh6 33.Nxf6 Rf8 34.Nd7 Rf7 35.Qf3 Rxd7 36.Qxf5 Qxf5 37.Rxf5 Nc1 38.Rf2 a5 39.Rc2 Nd3 40.Rc6+ Kg5 41.Rc2 Nb4 42.Rc5+ Rd5 43.Rxd5+ Nxd5 44.a3 Nc3 45.Kg3 Ne4+ 46.Kf3 Nc5 47.b4 axb4 48.axb4 Na4 49.b5 Nb6 50.Kg3 h4+ 51.Kf3 Nc4 52.g3 Ne5+ 53.Kg2 hxg3 54.Kxg3 Nc4 55.h4+ Black forfeited on time, ndizvoh - LadyBishop, FICS, 2014; or 8.Qh3+ Ke7 9.Nxd8 Bxh3 10.gxh3 Rxd8 11.d3 Nc6 12.Nc3 Nd4 13.O-O Nxc2 14.Rb1 Nd4 White forfeited on time,  Djmilen - Torny, FICS, 2006) 8...Kc6 9.Nxd8+ Rxd8 10.Qg5 Rg8 11.d3 Bd4 12.Na3 Na6 13.Be3 Nb4 14.O-O-O Nxa2+ 15.Kb1 Nc3+ 16.bxc3 Bxc3 17.d4 Nxe4 18.Qh4 Bf5 19.f3 g5 20.Qxh7 Bxh7 21.fxe4 Bxe4 22.dxe5 dxe5 23.Rhf1 Bxg2 24.Rg1 Bf3 25.h4 Bxd1 26.Rxd1 gxh4 27.Rd3 Bb4 28.Nc4 e4 29.Ne5+ Kb5 30.Rb3 a5 31.c4+ Ka6 32.Ka2 c5 33.Nd7 Rg2+ 34.Kb1 b6 35.Ne5 a4 36.Rd3 exd3 37.Nc6 d2 38.Nxb4+ cxb4 39.Kc2 Rd8 White resigned, austindark - AkeZ, FICS, 2008. 

Or 7... g6 8. Qg4+ Black resigned, Kazzakii - kkpsA, FICS, 2014. 

Or 7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Nf6 9.Qh3+ Kc6 10.Qc3+ Kd7 11.Nxd8 Kxd8 12.d3 Ng4+ 13.Ke1 Nc6 14.Bg5+ Ke8 15.h3 Nh6 16.Bxh6 gxh6 17.Rf1 Be6 18.Qd2 Nd4 19.c3 Nc6 20.Qf2 Ke7 21.Qf6+ Kd7 22.Qg7+ Ne7 23.Qxh6 Rag8 24.g4 Ng6 25.Qe3 Nf4 26.Rxf4 exf4 27.Qxf4 Rf8 28.Qe3 b6 29.Nd2 Rf7 30.Kd1 Rg8 31.Kc2 Rgf8 32.d4 Kc8 33.d5 Bd7 34.Qe2 Kb7 35.Rf1 Black resigned, Mannixcannon - Txanan, FICS, 2014)

8.Qf5+

Instead, 8.Qf3 seems essential.

Alternately 8.Qg4+ Ke7 9.Qg5 Kxf7 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.d3 Ng4 12.O-O Nc6 13.c3 Be6 14.b4 Bb6 15.a4 a6 16.h3 Nf6 17.Bg5 Nh5 18.Nd2 h6 19.Bh4 g5 20.Bg3 Raf8 21.Nf3 Ke7 22.b5 axb5 23.axb5 Na5 24.c4 Nb3 25.Ra3 Nd4 26.Nxd4 Bxd4 27.Ra7 Bxa7 28.Bh2 Nf4 29.Bxf4 gxf4 30.Kh1 Rhg8 31.f3 Rf6 32.Kh2 Rg3 White resigned, drcollie - nytwotwenty, FICS, 2006; or 8.O-O g6 (8...Nc6 9.Nxh8 Nd4 10.Na3 Bxa3 11.bxa3 Nxc2 12.Rb1 b6 13.Rb2 Nd4 14.Rb1 Bb7 15.d3 Ne7 16.Nf7 Rf8 17.Ng5 Ba6 18.Rd1 g6 19.Qxh7 Ne2+ 20.Kh1 Nxc1 21.Nf3 Ne2 22.Rd2 Nd4 23.Nxd4 exd4 24.Rf1 Rf7 25.Qh3+ Kd8 26.f4 Nc6 27.Qf3 g5 28.f5 Ne5 29.Qg3 Nxd3 30.Rxd3 Bxd3 31.Qxd3 Qe5 32.Re1 Rh7 33.h3 g4 34.Kg1 gxh3 35.Qxh3 Rxh3 36.gxh3 Qg3+ 37.Kf1 Qxh3+ 38.Kf2 Qh2+ 39.Kf3 Qh3+ 40.Kf4 Qxa3 41.Re2 Qe3+ 42.Rxe3 dxe3 43.Kxe3 Ke7 44. Kf4 Black forfeited on time, RattyMouse - attackme, FICS, 2008) 9.Qh3+ (9.Qf3 Qxf3 10.gxf3 Ke7 11.Nxh8 Kf8 12.d3 Kg7 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.c3 Bh3 15.Re1 Nd7 16.a4 Rf8 17.b4 Bb6 18.a5 Bxf2+ 19.Kxf2 Ngf6 20.Kg3 Be6 21.h4 Nh5+ 22.Kf2 Bg4 23.Nd2 Nf4 24.Kg3 Nxd3 25.Re3 Nxc1 26.fxg4 Ne2+ 27.Rxe2 c6 28.Rh1 Black resigned, radejanus - Blus, FICS, 2014) 9...Kc6 10.Qf3 Qxf3 11.gxf3 Bh3 12.Re1 Nf6 13.Nxh8 Nbd7 14.Nf7 Nh5 15.Ng5 Nf4 16.Nxh3 Nxh3+ 17.Kg2 Nxf2 18.c3 Nf6 19.b4 Bb6 20.c4 Nd3 21.Rd1 Nxb4 22.Ba3 Nc2 23.Nc3 Nxa1 24.Rxa1 Rf8 25.Rf1 Nh5 26.h3 Nf4+ 27.Kg3 Nd3 28.Ne2 h6 29.Kg4 Nf2+ 30.Kg3 g5 31.c5 Nxe4+ 32.fxe4 Rf2 33.Kxf2 Bxc5+ 34.Bxc5 Kxc5 35.Ng3 Kd4 36.Nh5 Kd3 37.Nf6 Kxd2 38.Nd7 Kd3 39.Kf3 Kc4 40.Rc1+ Black forfeited on time, Rattymouse - COHGNH, FICS, 2007. 

8...Qxf5 9.exf5 Nf6 10.Nxh8 Ke7 11.c3 Bxf5 12.d4 Bb6

Black is temporarily down the exchange, but White's Knight on h8 will soon be lost, giving the defender the advantage.

13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Bg5 Nc6 15.O-O Rxh8 16.Re1 h6 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 Rd8 19.Na3 a6 20.Nc4 Ke6 21.f3 Nd5 22.Re2

A slip, which compounds White's problems.

22...Bd3 23.Rd2 Bxc4 24.b3 Be2 25.Rxe2 Nxc3 26.Rc2 Rd1+ 27.Rxd1 Nxd1 28.Rd2 Nc3 29.a3 Nd4

30.Kf2 Kf5 31.Rd3 Nd5 32.g3 g5 33.g4+ Kf4 34.h3 c6 35.Kg2 Ne2 36.Kf2 Nc1 37.b4 White forfeited by disconnection

Commit It To Memory

At the end of last month I posted the famous Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4Bxf7+) game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885, which had been published in The Newcastle Courant of Saturday, December 3, 1898, with the admonition that Students would do well to commit it to memory, as strong players have a peculiarity of springing the opening upon the unwary.


"Students" who have not chosen to "commit it to memory" but who have, instead, relied on retaining a general idea of Blackburne's plan, have repeatedly learned, however, that often "half a defense is worse than no defense at all."

The newest example is from the ongoing "Play The Jerome Gambit Quad" at Chess.com.

ubluk (1864) - bfcace (1572)
Play The Jerome Gambit Quad
Chess.com, 2012

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6

Black's "generous" counter-offer of material.

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Qxe4

A key move in Blackburne's Defense is 9...Nf6, working on trapping White's Queen. If she escapes, as in this game, Black will regret his counter-sacrifice of a Rook.

10.Qxh7+

Or 10.d3 Qe5 11.Qxh7+ as in AlgozBR - khuizen, FICS, 2009 (1-0,17)

10...Kf8 11.d3

A bit better than 11.Nc3 as in perrypawnpusher - LtPoultry, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 12) and DREWBEAR 63 - blackburne, Jerome Gambit Thematic, ChessWorld, 2009 (1-0, 16).

11...Qe6

Previously seen was 11...Qf5 in obviously - dmyze, GameKnot.com, 2004 (1-0, 20).

12.Qxc7 Bb6 13.Qc3 Nf6

Black is down three pawns and the exchange (plus an unsafe King). This should tell as soon as White completes his development.

14.Bh6+ Kf7 15.Nd2 Bd7 16.Rae1 Qf5 17.Ne4 Rh8 18.Nxd6+

A final slip. Black resigned

Blackburned! #2

My heart pounds when I start a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game.

It's always a gamble – the Jerome Gamble, Gary Gifford calls it – how much of the many refutations does my opponent know?

Can he get to me before I can get to him??

perrypawnpusher - LtPoultry
blitz 10 0, FICS, 1020

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

Our story begins...

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

This can lead to the dreaded Whistler Defense, or the much misunderstood Blackburne Defense. Quo vadis?

7.Qxe5 d6

Blackburne! Sac that Rook! Trap that Queen! Mate that King!

8.Qxh8

Falling for the Blackburne bait.

8...Qh4

Yes!

9.O-O

Telegraphing where the King will be, when Black wants to attack.

I've always been a bit uneasy about the "refutation of the refutation" 9.d4.

9...Qxe4

Uh oh... This doesn't look right.

Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885 continued 9...Nf6, trapping the White Queen, before a series of sacrifices finished White off 10.c3 Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qxh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxe4 checkmate.

Of course, I would have veered off with 10.Qd8.

10.Qxh7+

Letting my Queen escape immediately.

Instead, AlgozBR - khuizen, blitz FICS, 2009 continued: 10.d3 Qe5 11.Qxh7+ Qg7 12.Qh4 Be6 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Ne4 Bb6 15.Be3 Qxb2 16.Qh7+ Qg7 17.Ng5+ Black resigned

10...Kf8 11.Nc3

A bit better was 11.d3, as in obviously - dmyze, GameKnot.com, 2004: Qf5 12.Qxc7 Nf6 13.d4 Be6 14.dxc5 Bc4 15.Bh6+ Ke8 16.Re1+ Ne4 17.Nc3 Qxf2+ 18.Kh1 Qf7 19.Rxe4+ Be6 20.Qxd6 Black resigned.

11...Qxc2 12.Qh4  Black resigned

White's Queen is not trapped, Black's King is at risk, and White is ahead the exchange and a couple of pawns. 

It was not completely necessary to resign here. DREWBEAR 63 - blackburne, JGTourney4, ChessWorld, 2009 continued a few more moves, for example – after 12.d3 instead of 12.Qh4 – without changing the outcome: 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.Rfe1+ Kd8 15.Qxg8+ Kd7 16.Qe8 checkmate

A Pie-in-the-Face Variation

If you play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) long enough, you will eventually play the 6.d4 variation (4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4) and one day you will come face-to-face with the best in-your-face variation for Black since J.H. Blackburne offered his Rook...  

This move (6...Qh4) was first seen in Sorensen - Anonymous, Denmark 1888 (see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter X").

I have 193 games with 6...Qh4 in my database, with only 10 wins for Black, but those numbers are deeply flawed, as most of the games are computer vs computer, and the great majority of those come from a source that only provided White wins (see "Bright Ideas from Silicon"). Of the 8 person vs person 6...Qh4 games in my database, White has won 4 and lost 4, which still seems overly optimistic to me.

Here's a quick game to try to sort out the variation.

Danivarl - Bb35
echecsemail.com, 2005

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7

5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4

7.dxc5

This move is simply wrong. If White wants the piece, he should castle first, then go after it: 7.0-0 Qxe4 8.dxc5

Would it be helpful to mention that in their games Deep Shredder 10, Deep Sjeng 1.5, Gambit Fruit1,  Hiarcs 11.1 and Shredder Paderborn all chose 7.0-0 instead of 7.dxc5?

7...Qxe4+

Also leading to an advantage for Black (but not as big a one) is 7...Ng4, from a game earlier this year where the second player was finally able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory: 8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.g3 Qf6 10.Be3 Ne7 11.Qd2 Qxb2 12.0-0 Qxa1 13.Nc3 Qb2 14.f3 Nxe3 15.Qxe3 Qxc2 16.Ne2 Qxa2 17.f4 d6 18.f5 Nc6 19.f6 Bh3 20.fxg7+ Kxg7 21.Qg5 checkmate, yorgos - mofte, FICS, 2009.

8.Be3

A bit better (but still very good for Black) was 8.Kf1, but after 8...Nf6 White has to be scolding himself: I sacrificed a piece for this position?? 

8...Qxg2

Black went after the other Knight pawn with 8...Qb4+  in AlgozBr - nikolasa, FICS 2009, a wild game where the second player maintained his advantage for a score of moves and then swapped blunders with White at the end. To be fair, the first player waited to get a winning position before resigning (or losing on time): 9.Nc3 Qxb2 10.Qd5+ Kf8 11.0-0 Qxc3 12.Bd4 Qxc2 13.Qxe5 Qg6 14.Qf4+ Nf6 15.Qxc7 Nd5 16.Qd8+ Qe8 17.Bxg7+ Kxg7 18.Qg5+ Qg6 19.Qxd5 Rg8 20.Rae1 Kh8 21.Re7 d6 22.cxd6 Bh3 23.Rfe1 Bxg2 0-1

9.Rf1 Nf3+ 10.Ke2 Nf6

Just to show you that the Jerome Gambit belongs to the Twilight Zone of chess openings, here is a game where Black chose 10...Qg4 instead,  11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxf3 Qxf3+ 13.Kxf3 d5 14.Bd4 Nf6 15.Nc3 Bg4+ 16.Kf4 h5 17.Rae1+ Kd7 18.f3 Bh3 19.Rg1 Rae8 20.Rxg7+ Kc8 21.Reg1 Nd7 22.R7g3 Rhf8+ 23.Kg5 Be6 24.Kxh5 Rh8+ 25.Kg5 Rxh2 26.Kf4 Rxc2 27.Nb5 c6 28.Nd6+ Kd8 29.Nxe8 Kxe8 30.b4 Rc4 31.Ke3 Rxb4 32.Rh1 Kf7 33.Rg7+ Ke8 34.Rh8+ Nf8 35.Rg6 Bf7 36.Rg5 Rb1 37.Re5+ Kd7 38.Rxf8 Re1+ 39.Kf4 Rxe5 40.Bxe5 Be6 41.Kg3 a5 42.f4 Ke7 43.Rf6 a4 44.Rh6 Kf7 45.Rh7+ Kg6 46.Rxb7 Kf5 47.Rb6 Ke4 48.Rxc6 Bf5 49.Ra6 Kd3 50.Rxa4 Kc2 51.c6 d4 52.c7 d3 53.Rd4 Kd1 54.c8Q Black resigned, yorgos - ErrareHumanumEst, FICS, 2009

Yes, the name of the second player translates from the Latin as "to err is human."

11.Qd3

You know you're doomed when you can play a move like 11.Nd2 instead and Black can safely ignore it, as after 11...d5 12.Nxf3 Bg4 it is still a sad position for White.

11...Ne5 12.Qb3+ d5 13.Nd2 Bg4+

White's downfall is his unsafe King: the irony!

14.Ke1 Rhe8 15.Qxb7

Leading to an explosive conclusion.

15...Nd3+ 16.cxd3 Rxe3+ White resigned

White: Looking For Opportunites

Not every Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc3 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can be a swash-buckling win for White. Often the first player must keep the game (sometimes, even the draw) in hand while looking for an opportunity to present itself (see "It's not over until the Lady sings..."). At the right moment he can strike back, like in the following game, and win the day.

AlgozBR - WeiJ

blitz, FICS, 2009

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

Given by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in his analysis in the July 1874 Dubuque Chess Journal.

7.Qxe5 Qe7

As far as I can tell, this was first played by Jerome himself, in two 1880 corresponcence games with Daniel Jaeger.

8.Qf4+ Nf6 9.0-0 TN

Or 9.Nc3 d6 ( 9...c6 10.d3 d6 11.h3 h6 12.0-0 g5 13.Qg3 Qe5 14.Qxe5 White resigned, Jaeger - Jerome, correspondence, 1880) 10.0-0 Bd4 11.d3 a6 12.Ne2 c6 13.Nxd4 b5 14.Nxc6 Qe6 15.Nd4 Qe7 16.Bd2 Kg8 17.Nf5 Qc7 18.Qxd6 Qxd6 19.Nxd6 Be6 20.f4 g6 21.Bc3 Nd7 22.Bxh8 Kxh8 23.f5 gxf5 24.exf5 Bd5 25.Rae1 Nf6 26.Ne4 Bxe4 27.dxe4 Rc8 28.e5 Nd5 29.e6 Rxc2 30.e7 Nxe7 31.Rxe7 Rxb2 32.f6 Rd2 33.Re8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - ERICOLSON, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2007

9...d6 10.Re1 Be6 11.e5

Breaking in the center at the earliest moment, to facilitate an attack on the enemy King and Queen.

11...dxe5 12.Rxe5 Bd6

Black has to feel like he already has the game in the bag – always a dangerous mind-set.

13.d4 Kg8 14.Nc3 14...Bxe5 15.dxe5 Nd5 16.Qg3 h6

Okay, if you're going to look for a swindle, er, opportunity, where would you start?

17.Ne4 Kh7 18.c4 Nb6 19.Qd3

There are so many reasons why this shouldn't work, but it's a blitz game, and Black gets careless...

19...Rhf8 20.Nf6+ Kh8 21.Qh7 checkmate

One More Bit of Advice...

If you are going to be playing or facing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) or one of its cousins, probably the best piece of advice I can offer – to avoid untold heartbreak – is the standard offering from every teacher: Pay Attention! Witness the following short games from my database...

AlgozBR - AbdiAshirta

blitz FICS, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Nf6?? 9.Qxd8 1-0

AlgozBR - Coxybleue

blitz FICS, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ Ke7 [ 6...g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7=/+] 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4+ Kc6 [ 8...Kc5 9.Qd5+ Kb4 10.a3+ Ka4 11.Nc3#] 9.Qd5#

AlgozBR - nikolasa

blitz FICS, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 8.Qc4+?? Nxc4 0-1

CesarDK - moadib

blitz FICS, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 6.Qh5 Nh6 7.d4 d6 8.Bg5+ Ke6 9.Bxd8 1-0

UNPREDICTABLE - DAVIDSTEINFELD

blitz FICS, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 Qe7 8.d3?? Qxc5 0-1

UNPREDICTABLE - ViveLaVie

blitz FICS, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 Qe7 8.d3?? Qxc5 White resigns 0-1

UNPREDICTABLE - papin (1361)

blitz FICS, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Nf6?? 9.Qxd8 Ng8 1-0

itajuba - barcellos

blitz FICS, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3 Nf6 6.b4 Bb6 7.Qb3+ Kf8 8.Ng5 Ng4?? 9.Qf7#

richiehill - PlatinumKnight

blitz FICS, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.Nc4 Qg5 7.0-0 Bd6 8.d3 Ne7?? 9.Bxg5 1-0

yorgos - MichaelOlsson

blitz FICS, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Ng5+ Kg8 7.Qe2 h6 8.Qc4+ Kf8?? [ 8...d5 9.exd5 b5 10.Qxc5 Nd4-/+] 9.Qf7#