Jerome Gambit Discovery

I enjoyed looking at positions in the Jerome Gambit with the help of Stockfish 8 - to the depth of 30 ply - that I thought I would look at a few of the classical defenses and see what turns up.

My first surprise came in Blackburne's Defense.
 
dj222 - invincible1
GameKnot.com, 2003

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

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

Blackburne's Defense. It is a complicated, tactical mess. Initially thought to favor Black, and then to favor White, the current assessment has been that it leads to a complicated draw that either player avoids at his own peril. But, maybe it favors White after all.

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.d4

See "Traps and Zaps" for some background. The move was suggested in the notes to Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885, but given scant attention afterward. 

Far more often played is 9.0-0. Although White won in Chandler - Dimitrov, 2004, analysis supported a complicated drawn game.

9...Nf6

Black ignores the danger his Bishop is in. Only one game in The Database has this move, which is Stockfish 8's top choce.

It is hard for Black not to plump for 9...Qxe4+ 10.Be3 Qxg2 with complications, but the text is the second player's best option.

Check out "Opening Traps by GM Ferzbery" for a look.

10.Nd2

White does not go after the enemy Bishop, but keeps White's Queen away from e4.

10...Bxd4 11.Rf1

It was probably best to play 11.0-0 here, and ride out the storm after 11...Qxh2+ 12.Kxh2 Ng4+ 13.Kg3 Bxh8, coming out the exchange ahead.

11...Bh3

Recovering a pawn and offering a Rook while threatening White's Queen! Unfortunately, it is a mistake: Black had better in 11...b6 with the idea of 12...Ba6 and a very complicated, but balanced, game.

12.Qxa8 Bxg2 13.Qxb7 Bxf1 14.Qb3+ Ke7 15.Qg3

White's Queen returns in time to save the King.

15...Qxg3 16.hxg3 Bg2 17.f3 Bh3 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Synthesis

What can we make of the last two posts (see "Jerome Gambit: What Are the Odds?" and "Jerome Gambit: Stockfish 8 Checks In"), each of which provides useful information about the Jerome Gambit?

First, we need to recall Geoff Chandler's very useful and very practical chart.

Here is a one-move blunder table showing how severe the blunder needs to be in a game between two players of the same grade.

All players should be able to spot their opponent leaving a mate in one on.
A 1200 player should win if an opponent blunders a Queen or a Rook. But not necessarily if they pick up a Bishop or Knight.
1500 players often convert piece-up games into a win, but this is not the case if a pawn or two up.
An 1800 player usually wins if they are two pawns up.
In a game between two 2000+ players a blundered pawn is usually enough to win.

This chart immediately addresses a couple of questions:

Q: Why do masters not play the Jerome Gambit?
A: According to Chandler, a pawn advantage is enough for a master to win the game. In the Jerome, White sacrifices one or two pieces, and Stockfish 8 evaluates the position with 4.Bxf7+ as giving Black a 1.85 pawn advantage. That would be self-injurious in a master vs master game.

Q: So why is it that, according to The Database, White scores 45% after 4.Bxf7+ ?
A: Recall that The Database contains primarily club-level games played on the internet. We can see from Chandler's chart that players rated 1200 and 1500 often need more than "almost two pawns" to win. Even an 1800 rated player only "usually" wins when two pawns up - and the Jerome Gambit sacrifices 1.85. The errors of the Jerome Gambit fit right in with the errors of club play.

What else?

Both practice and computer analysis (as well as common sense) strongly suggest that Black should accept the Bishop after 4.Bxf7+. To refuse it is to give White a better (but not necessarily winning) game.

Black should also accept the Knight after 5.Nxe5+ (Stockfish 8's top choice for White here, at 30 ply search; although it rates almost as good 5.0-0, 5.c3, 5.d3, 5.Qe2 and 5.Nc3.) Best play is for the defender to be brave, but that does not always come easy for club players.

Practical play and computer analysis suggest that White garners further risk in playing the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, as opposed to the main line classical variation.

The Database and Stockfish 8 slightly prefer 6.Qh5+ over 6.d4, but only slightly. It is worth being comfortable with both.

Both the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+) and the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+) improve White's chances over the main line Jerome Gambit, according to both The Database and Stockfish 8.

Based on practice, Black defends best against 6.Qh5+ with 6...Kf8. Stockfish 8, instead, prefers 6...Ke6. The move 6...g6 - from Blackburne's wonderful crush of the Jerome - scores poorly according to The Database, while Stockfish 8 says it leads Black to an advantage of 1.55 pawns.

The computer's choice of 6...Ke6, which it rates as -2.42, fits in well with computers in general preferring the "annoying defense" (continuing 7.f4 d6) and pushes the defender's advantage to almost 2 1/2 pawns. It may be the complexity of the line, or it may be that it is played by weaker club players, that accounts for being less successful (per The Database) than 6...Kf8 in play. 

Finally: the Jerome Gambit is a light-hearted opening for practicing attack (or defense) and performs best in casual or blitz play, or when White is giving a lesser-rated player "Jerome Gambit" odds. You are not likely to see Magnus Carlsen playing any time soon.

More About The Jerome Gambit

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The Jerome Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+.

You might be asking yourself: But is this stuff playable??

Luckily, I have already addressed this - many places on the blog - but especially in the posts "But is this stuff playable??" parts 1 and 2.

Visit the library or bookstore and you will find many helpful introductory books in the "...For Dummies" series. They are very popular.

So - why not a "Jerome Gambit for Dummies" book?

That was my inspiration for a series of posts - "Jerome Gambit for Dummies" 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Later I offered "The Return of Jerome Gambit for Dummies" 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Wondering how others play the Jerome Gambit? I have collected over 55,000 Jerome Gambit and related games in "The Database".

What if a strong human player and a team of computers decided to take on the Jerome Gambit? What if, after their first game, the human played another game (changing colors) against another computer, using the line played by the first player? What if this "consultation", getting deeper into the heart of the opening, continued for 30 games?

This is what is chronicled in the posts "Jerome Gambit: Drilling Down" from part 1 to part 30. Definitely worth checking out.

There are plenty of Jerome Gambit games played by (or against) computers mentioned on this blog, but let me point out a couple of classic collections - "Ionman vs the Bots" and"Jerome Gambit and the Perfesser" parts 1, 2, 3 and 4.

You might prefer the "Bots on Our Side" series 1, 2 and 3.

Of course, I would be remiss if I left out one of the funniest blog post, thanks to Geoff Chandler's wicked imagination. Please enjoy "Mars Attacks!"

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

Updating the Blackburne Defense (Part 2)

Here we continue from our previous post, "Updating the Blackburne Defense (Part 1)", a look at the Blackburne Defense and what is new (or newer). 

For earlier efforts, see also "Update: Old Dog Can Still Bite","Junk Openings", "A Closer Look (Part V)", "Update: Blackburne Defense" and "Traps and Zaps".

perrypawnpusher - lfcanales
blitz, FICS, 2014

9...Nf6 10.Qd8 Qxe4 

Black's move allows White's Queen to escape and counter-attack. There are a number of alternative moves for Black, two of which bear attention.

Not 10...a6?, as in piratebopper - MiloBot, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 24).

Nor 10...a5? as in perrypawnpusher - MiloBot, blitz, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 24).

Played, if in a stumbling manner, is 10...Bd7?. The core game continued 11.Qxc7 (instead, 11.Qxa8? Nxe4? [Black should finish Blackburne-style: 11...Ng4 12.h3 Bxf2+ 13.Kh1 Qg3 14.Rxf2+ Nxf2+ 15.Kg1 Nxh3+ 16.Kh1 Nf4 17.Qf8+ Kxf8 18.d3 Qxg2#] 12.d4 Bxd4 13.Be3 Bxb2 14.Qxb7 Bxa1 15.Qxc7 Nf6 16.Qxd6 Kg7 17.Qc5 Ne4 18.Bd4+ Bxd4 19.Qxd4+ Kh6 20.f3 Black resigned, UNPREDICTABLE - choron, FICS, 2009) 11...Bb6? (instead, 11...Rc8 12.Qxb7 Ke7 is "gloriously obscure" according to Dr. Andrew Walker, University of Nottingham, personal communication, 2001. Probably 13.Qb3 with the idea of Qg3 is White's answer - not 13.Nc3? Ng4 when Black mates)  12.g3?! (12.Qxd6) 12...Qh3 13.Qxd6? Bc6 14.g4 Qxg4+ White resigned, Harris,S - Quayle,E, Los Angeles, CA, 1944.

Certainly solid, and Rybka's recommendation, is 10...Bb6. White should spring his Queen with 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qd3. The earliest reference that I have seen to this line is from The Art of the Checkmate by Renaud and Kahn (1953), which says White has the advantage. This proved true in Wall,B - Foo,N, Palm Bay, FL, 2010 (1-0, 33).

The most exciting move in the position is Chandler's 10...Bh3!?, when White has to temporarily forego the Rook at a8 and focus on checking Black: 11.Qxc7+ (11.g3? Qxe4 12.Qxc7+ Kf8 White resigned, Siggus -toe, FICS, 2007; 11.Qxa8? Qg4 12.Qe8+ Nxe8 13.g3 Qf3 14.Re1 Qg2#) 11...Kf8! (11...Kg8 lost in Chandler,G - Dimitrov, T/5 minute special game 2004; in Hiarcs 8 - RevvedUp, blitz 2 12, 2006 [1-0, 17]; and AsceticKingK9 - blackburne, ChessWorld JG6, 2011 [1-0, 22] ) and analysis by Geoff Chandler and, later, Dennis Monokroussos (see the two posts on his blog) show that the outcome is a draw, as it is too dangerous for either player to look for more.

11.Qxc7+

This is an improvement over 11.Nc3 Qe7 (11...Qxc2 12.Qxc7+ Nd7 13.Nd5 Qe4 14.Nc3 Qe5 15.d3 Qd4 16.Re1 Qxf2+ White resigned, ionman - GriffyJr, FICS, 2005 (0-1,16); Interested readers should check out "Ionman vs The Bots" ) 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 as in RevvedUp - Shredder 8, blitz 2 12, 2006 (0-1, 25).

11...Kg8

radicalmove played over a dozen games against LuigiBot on FICS in 2012, testing the somewhat weaker 11...Bd7 (see "Poor, Poor Computer" for a couple of examples). The games are in The Database.

Likewise, ionman took on the computer GriffyJr a couple of times at FICS in 2005, over the somewhat weaker 11...Qe7 (the games are also in The Database). White triumphed in Shredder 8 - RevvedUp, blitz 2 12, 2006 (1-0, 28).

12.Nc3

Maybe a little better was 12.Qd8+ Kf7 13.d3 Qe5 14.Bh6 Qe8 15.Qxe8+ Nxe8.

12...Qxc2

The pawn is poison.

13.Qd8+ 

After the game Houdini preferred 13.d4!? Bb6 (13...Bxd4 14.Bh6 Bd7 15.Qc4+ d5 16.Qxd4) 14.Qe7 when White steals the Knight in broad daylight.

13...Kg7 14.Qe7+ Kh6 15.Qxf6 Black resigned

Updating the Blackburne Defense (Part 1)

Chess players who know about the Jerome Gambit are most familiar with the game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885. Many believe that the Blackburne Defense, when played properly, leads to an advantage for the second player.

Players a bit more familiar with the Jerome Gambit and past published analysis might well believe that White has the advantage.

Readers familiar with this blog would know that modern analysis has termed the Blackburne Defense as difficult, but actually a draw.

I thought of all of this as I played my most recent game, and decided that the Blackburne Defense needed another update.

Of course, you can start first with earlier efforts: "Update: Old Dog Can Still Bite", "A Closer Look (Part V)", "Update: Blackburne Defense" and "Junk Openings".

perrypawnpusher - lfcanales
blitz, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

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

Here is the famous Blackburne defense, from Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885. The Brooklyn Chess Chronicle (edited by J.B. and E.M. Munoz) Vol. III, August 15, 1885, p. 169, noted the game was

"played some months ago in London between Mr. Blackburne and an Amateur..."

8.Qxh8 Qh4

Here Amateur played 9.0-0. The editors of the Brooklyn Chess Chronicle suggested

He should have attempted to free his pieces by P to Q4 before castling. 

Although my opponent lfcanales played 9.0-0 as well, I would like first to look at the under-investigated 9.d4. After all, if 9.0-0 leads to a draw, as Chandler and Dimitrov have argued, then 9.d4 might be the better chance for White to fight for an advantage.

Here is some of what I have found.

After 9.d4, thematic and best for Black is 9...Nf6, although other moves have been played.

For example, Black has the alternative 9...Qxe4+ 10.Be3 Qxg2 -best - there have been several games with lesser 10th moves:
     1)10...Bb6?! 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Nc3 Qe7 13.Qxe7+ Nxe7 14.0-0-0 Bf5 15.Bg5 Nc6 16.Nd5 Be6 17.Nxb6 axb6 18.d5 Bxd5 19.Rxd5 Nb4 20.Rd4 Nxa2+ 21.Kb1 Ra5 22.Bd2 Black resigned,  MrJoker - carrotop, Internet Chess Club, 2011; 
     2)10...Bxd4 11.Qxh7+ (better 11.Qxd4) Kf8 12.0-0 b6 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.Qxg8+ Kd7 15.Qf7+ Kc6 16.Qf3 Qxf3 17.gxf3 Bh3 18.Rd1 Re8 19.c3 Bc5 20.b4 Bxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Re7 22.Nd2 a5 23.a3 Rf7 24.Ne4 Bg4 25.Ng5 Rf6 26.Rd4 Kd7 27.Rxg4 d5 28.Rd1 c5 29.Rxd5+ Kc6 30.Rd8 axb4 31.axb4 cxb4 32.Rc4+ Kb5 33.Rxb4+ Kc5 34.Ne4+ Kc6 35.Nxf6 Kc7 36.Rd7+ Kc6 37.Be3 b5 38.Rd5 g5 39.Rbxb5 Black resigned, mediax - yorkypuddn, ChessWorld.net  2008; 
     3)10...Bh3 (shouldn't work here) 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Qxh3 Bxd4 13.Qf3+? (13.Nd2) 13...Qxf3 14.gxf3 Bxb2 15.Rg1 Kf7 16.Nc3 Bxc3+ 17.Ke2 Bxa1 18.Rxa1 Ne7 19.Rb1 b6 20.f4 Rh8 21.Rh1 Nd5 22.Bd2 c5 23.h4 Kf6 24.Kf3 b5 25.Kg4 Ne7 26.h5 gxh5+ 27.Rxh5 Rxh5 28.Kxh5 Kf5 29.Kh4 Nd5 30.Kg3 c4 White resigned, chrisdeb - stephPaillade, Echecs.com 2004; 
     4)10...Qxc2 11.dxc5 dxc5 12.Qc3 Qxc3+ 13.Nxc3 Bf5 14.Bxc5 Re8+ 15.Be3 Re5 16.0-0 Bd3 17.Rfd1 Bc2 18.Rd7+ Re7 19.Rxe7+ Nxe7 Black resigned, Marfia,J - Stelter,J, offhand game, 1964; 
     5)10...Nf6 11.Nd2 Qxg2 12.0-0-0 and White wins, comment by Bad Temper, Chessgames.com, 2005; 

Continuing -11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Rf1 Bh3 (12...Bb6 13.Nd2 Bf5 14.c3 Bd3 15.0-0-0 winning for White - personal communication, Paul Keiser, 2004) 13.Bh6+ Nxh6 14.Qxh6+ Kf7 15.Qf4+ Kg7 16.Kd2 Qxf1 17.dxc5 Rd8 18.Qd4+ Kh7 19.b3 Qb5 20.Qh4+ Kg7 21.Qxd8 Qxc5 22.Qe7+ Kh6 23.Qh4+ Kg7 24.Qxh3 Qxf2+ 25.Kc3 Qc5+ 26.Kb2 Qe5+ 27.Qc3 Black resigned, darumsdad - KolaTwoOFour, FICS, 2013. 

Black can also respond to 9.d4 with 9...Bb4+ 10.c3 Qxe4+ (not 11.Kf1? from perrypawnpusher - bakker, blitz, FICS, 2007) 11.Be3 Qxg2 12.Qxh7+ Kf8 13.Rf1 when White will hold on and keep his advantage.

10.Nd2 Bxd4 11.0-0

Given by Hindemburg Melao, in an internet article  at www.superajedrez.com, (which identified Blackburne's opponent as "Millner") as good for White. 

Instead, 10.dxc5 was given in Chess Openings: Traps and Zaps, by Bruce Pandolfini (1989) - see""Traps and Zaps" -  10...Qxe4+ 11.Be3 Qxg2 12.Rf1 where he wrote

Scenario: Don't be misled by White's extra Rook. It's a meaningless ornament. White is in serious trouble. His King is exposed and his cornered Queen is in danger of being trapped. The cruncher is 12...Bh3 which wins White's Queen by discovery from the a8-Rook.

Actually, the correct response to 11...Qxg2? is 12.Nc3!? which later prevents Black's Knight from moving to e4 and giving mate. After  12...Qxh1+ 13.Kd2 Qxa1? White turns the tables with 14.Bd4! (13...Qxh2 would keep Black's Queen in play) when Black's extra Rook would mean little in the face of White's strong counterattack.

Also, 10.e5 does not appear as strong as 10.Nd2 - and seems more dangerous for White - after 10...dxe5 11.Nd2 (11.dxc5? Qe4+; 11.dxe5?? Qxf2+ 12.Kd1 Bg4 mate) Bxd4 12.0-0 Be6!? 13.Qxa8 Bd5 14.Qc8 Ng4 15.Qxc7+ Ke6 16.Nf3 Bxf3 17.Bf4 Bxf2+ 18.Kh1 exf4 19.Qxf4 g5 20.Qb8 Be2 21.c4 Bxf1 22.Rxf1 Nf6 23.Qc8+ Ke5 24.Qxb7 Ne4 White has an edge, analysis by Houdini.

[to be continued]

More to the Point...

[continuing the imaginary discussion of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) started yesterday with "It's hard to explain..."]

Explanations for any success of the Jerome Gambit (and there are players like Bill Wall who score 95%+ with it) must be found in the  blitz and casual practice of club chess players, not the international tournaments of masters or grandmasters.

That now seems obvious. "The masters, they are different", right?

More important is the way in which club players are different. A good example is Geoff Chandler's fanciful "Blunder Table" which, when the laughter is done, contains a lot of chess truth. Chandler suggests that in a game between players rated over 2000, the loss of a pawn should be enough to decide the outcome. For players rated around 1800, a couple of pawns would be the winning advantage. For a game between two 1500 players, however, an extra Bishop or Knight would be necessary to "guarantee" one side a win.

[Blush] [Silence] [Drumming of fingers]

In many Jerome Gambit games, White has given up a piece for two pawns – the equivalent of spending about a pawn to get to the kind of positions that he is comfortable with, and his opponent, far more likely than not, is not. That amounts to "suicide" among masters, but "unclear" among many club players.

True, but can't Black take the time to settle himself down and work out a defense?

Of course, and the stronger the defender, the more likely that is to happen. In blitz games, however, that will cost time. And in casual games, it will require attention.

Delaying, but not eliminating the "blunder bomb"?

Exactly. Also, some "advantages" are easier for club players to take advantage of, while some are more challenging. For example, which would you rather have, an extra piece, or an extra two or three pawns?

Well, it depends, doesn't it?

It almost always "depends", yes, but, remember, it is the Jerome Gambiteer choosing when such a thing happens. I have seen hundreds of games where White advances his two "Jerome pawns" against Black's position, and the "logical" outcome – instead of allowing his position to become fatally cramped or dangerously opened up via pawn exchanges – should be that the defender "simply" returning the extra piece for the foot soldiers, with at least an even game. But it rarely happens.

Sometimes returning the extra piece is anything but simple.

Ah, so I see that you have tumbled to the Jerome Gambit as well, eh?

Perhaps we can continue this discussion another time...

[to be continued]

Nostalgia

Having taken a look back at earlier times in this blog with yesterday's post, I would like to continue by pointing out some more, early, distinctive items. Newer Readers might be interested at what has gone on. Older Readers might enjoy the nostalgia.


Of course, it all started in mid-2008 with a "Welcome!". This was followed quickly with a post on the first published analysis, by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in "In The Beginning..."


Before starting this blog, I had written a history of the Jerome Gambit, and International Master Stefan Bücker, has, over the years, tried to find a way to publish a version of it in his fantastic magazine, Kaissiber. I don't know how many Readers believe this tale, but it has been told occasionally on this blog, starting with "To Infinity... And Beyond! (Part II)."


Of course, it is hard to overlook Geoff Chandler's send-up of the Jerome Gambit by pairing the moves of the infamous game, Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885, with pictures from the even-more-infamous collector cards of "Mars Attacks!"


An early mention of "My Jerome Gambit Database" mentioned a whopping 950 games. Currently, The Database contains over 26,500 games, including Jerome Gambit (around 20,000) and related (e.g. Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit) games.


It was fun pointing out "Pitfall Numero Uno in the Jerome Gambit", as well as speculating on the possible "Godfather of the Jerome Gambit?". I was pleased to see that Wikipedia would let me link this blog to their entry on the Jerome Gambit (see "Hey Wiki, it's me, Ricky..."). It was easy to post Jerome Gambit resources with "Jerome Gambit Scrapbook".


There have been many opportunities for historical research. Whether or not Winston Churchill was related to Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, it was funny to report, as Anne Sebba wrote in American Jennie The Remarkable Life of Lady Randolph Churchill

And when Jennie displayed some daring originality or eccentricity the relations would comment: 'How very American. How very Jerome.'

Computers, smart and not-so, have weighed in on the value of the Jerome Gambit, including a massive and interesting computer vs human match.


When I add this blog contains "lots and lots of games" that I have uncovered, and that  friends of this blog have added; and toss in "lots of analysis"; all I can say is: and this is just from the year 2008...


There is sooooo much more. Check it out.

War

As the 2011 edition of the ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament comes to a close, it seems fitting that the first full game looked at in any depth be one between the tournament's top-rated & top-finishing player, and the current top over-the-board Jerome Gambiteer.

The game quickly becomes as sharp and as theoretical as any modern opening line.

AsceticKingK9 - blackburne
ChessWorld, JG6 tournament, 2011


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

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

The Blackburne Defense, harking back to Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885. See "Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit!"

Not surprisingly, the modern "blackburne" has played this sacrificial line as well. See "blackburne as Blackburne with black".

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0

An alternative, but still complicated, line of play (see "Update: Blackburne Defense") is preferred by Houdini (who prefers White): 9.d4 Nf6 10.Nd2 Bxd4 11.0-0 Ng4 12.Nf3 Qxf2+ 13.Rxf2 Bxh8 14.Ne5+ Kg8 15.Nxg4 Bxg4 16.c3 Bg7 17.Be3 Re8 18.Re1 Rxe4 19.Rf4 Rxf4 20.Bxf4 Kf7 where Black has the two Bishops and a pawn for the exchange. 

9...Nf6 10.Qd8 Bh3

Having sacrificed one Rook, Black now offers the other.

Not quite as strong is 10...Bb6 as with 11.e5 White frees his Queen: 11...dxe5 12.Qd3 e4 13.Qc3 Nd5 14.Qg3 Qf6 15.Nc3 Nxc3 16.dxc3 Be6 17.a4 Rc8 18.Re1 Bf5 19.a5 Bc5 20.Bg5 Qc6 21.Be3 Bd6 22.Bf4 Bxf4 23.Qxf4 h5 24.h3 Qf6 25.g4 hxg4 26.hxg4 Be6 27.Rxe4 g5 28.Qg3 Bd5 29.Re5 Be6 30.Rae1 Re8 31.Qd3 Kg7 32.Rxe6 Rxe6 33.Qd7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Foo,N, Palm Bay, FL, 2010.

11.Qxc7+

Of course, 11.Qxa8? would have led quickly to mate after 11...Qg4.

Equally disastrous was the related 11.g3 Qxe4 12.Qxc7+ Kf8 White resigned, Siggus - toe, FICS, 2007.

11...Kf8

The proper retreat square, not 11...Kg8 12.Qxb7 Qg4 (12...Re8 13.d4 d5 14.gxh3 Qxh3 15.Qb3 Qg4+ 16.Qg3 Qxe4 17.dxc5 Black resigned, Hiarcs 8 - RevvedUp, blitz 2 12, 2006) 13.Qb3+ and White won, Chandler,G - Dimitrov,T, 5 minute special game, 2004.

12.Qxb7

The critical position.

White is ahead the exchange and four pawns, and threatens to grab a Rook – with check. Still, he should realize that he is on the defensive.

Black's pieces are very active, but the best he can do now is to force White to sue for peace with checks and repetitions.

12...Re8

Instead, 12...Qg4, threatening mate, seems essential.

White's only viable response is to grab the Rook, and then check like crazy, for example, 13.Qxa8+ Kf7 14.Qb7+ (14.e5 d5 and Black will mate) 14...Kf8 15.Qa8+ draws by repetition. 

13.gxh3 Qxh3

Black probably figured that with mating threats like ...Nf6-g4 and drawing threats like ...Qh3-g4+-f3+ he would be okay.

White does not give him a chance, however.

14.e5 Rxe5 15.Qg2

Dumping cold water on the attack. When White gets his pieces developed, his extra Rook will tell.

15...Qf5 16.d3 Re2 17.Bh6+ Kf7 18.Nd2 Rxd2 19.Bxd2 Ke6 20.Qb7 Ng4 21.Rae1+ Kf6 22.Qe7 checkmate

Lies, Jerome Gambits, and Statistics...

Over the past few years I have heeded the call of Readers who have asked for some statistical information about the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). Relying on results of Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournaments, or on games collected in The Database, I have shared some numerical insights. Some examples for you number crunchers out there: 

"A Slice of Jerome Gambit"

"A Closer Look at the Big Picture" Part 1, Part 2, Part 3


"Another Closer Look"


"Opening Reports on the New Year's Database"


"Stats (Huh?)"


"Stats" Part 1, Part 2, Part 3




And, just to take the edge off of the seriousness, Geoff Chandler's "Blunder Table"