Jerome Gambit Secrets #4

One of my favorite Jerome Gambit "secrets" has actually been solved, but the story is always a good one to tell. And tell again.

Let's look at a line.

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

About 4 1/2 years ago I posted about this move

As early as his first article with analysis (Dubuque Chess Journal 4/1874), Alonzo Wheeler Jerome considered the possibility that Black might refuse to capture the second piece, and play for King safety instead with 5...Kf8.  

This was, in fact, the defense that Jerome, himself, credited to G. J. Dougherty, ("a strong amateur, against whom I first played the opening") of Mineola, New York, in a yet unfound game; that O.A. Brownson, editor of the Dubuque Chess Journal, played against Jerome in an 1875 game (Dubuque Chess Journal3/1875); that magazine editor William Hallock used against D.P. Norton in an 1876 correspondence game played “by special request” to test the gambit (American Chess Journal 2/1877); that William Carrington tried in his 1876 match vs Mexican Champion Andres Clemente Vazquez (Algunas Partidas de Ajedrez Jugadas en Mexico, 1879); and which Lt. Soren Anton Sorensen recommended as “more solid and easier to manage” in his seminal Jerome Gambit essay (Nordisk Skaktidende 5/1877). 

It is interesting that early in Jerome's Gambit's life, there were players willing to accept one "gift" but who were skeptical of accepting two "gifts".

6.Qh5

This move shows up in 38 games in The Database, with White scoring 49%.

As I noted

White also has the option of playing 6.Qh5, the Banks Variation, as in Banks - Rees, Halesowen, 2003, when Black can transpose with 6…Nxe5  as recommended by the American Chess Journal, (3/1877) - "The continuation adopted by Jerome, Qh5 looks promising." 

Pete Banks ("blackburne" online), a stalwart member of the Jerome GambitGemeinde (and still the strongest player I know who has played the Jerome regularly over-the-board in rated contests), brought international attention to Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's invention by writing to International Master Gary Lane, who commented at length on the opening, and on a couple of Banks' games, in his March ("The Good Old Days") and April ("Chess Made Easy") 2008 "Opening Lanes" columns at ChessCafe.com. IM Lane also mentioned one of Banks' games in his The Greatest Ever chess tricks and traps (2008), which reprised some of the earlier material. 

It is humorous to note that in his "Opening Lanes" column Lane wrote, after 5.Nxe5+, "I think anyone with good manners playing Black would now kindly ask their opponent if they wanted to take their move back" while in his book he changed this to "I think anyone with good manners playing Black would now go to another room to carry on laughing." 

Apropos the Banks Variation itself (i.e. playing 6.Qh5 in response to 5...Kf8), IM Lane noted in "The Good Old Days" that "6...Qe7 is a good alternative [to 6...Qf6 of Banks - Rees], because it stops the checkmate and protects the bishop on c5." 

A few months later, 6...Qe7 was tested successfully in a GameKnot.com game, splott - mika76, 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.Qh5 Qe7 7.Ng6+ hxg6 8.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 9.Kf1 Qd4 10.Ke1 Qxf2+ 11.Kd1 d6 12.h3 Qxg2 13.Re1 Qf3+ 14.Re2 Bf2 15.d3 Nd4 16.Nc3 Qh1+ 17.Kd2 Nf3 checkmate. Clearly White, the very-slightly-higher rated player, was taken aback by the move. I asked mika76 if he had been influenced by IM Lane's recommendation, but he said he had come up with the move himself.

Historical Mystery

This week's ChessCafe.com contains International Master Gary Lane's latest "Opening Lanes" column, always a good read for chess players interested in unusual opening choices. In addition, the end of the column presents Lane's readers with a bit of a historical Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) mystery. Check it out!

Blackmar Diemer Gambit

I received a very pleasant email from Guido de Bouver of Grimbergen, Belgium, the other day,

Hello Richard,
I have been following your posts on your blog regularly.
I am not an 1.e4 player but enjoy the attacking positions in the gambit.
I have created a new blog http://blackmardiemergambit.blogspot.com/ on the Blackmar Diemer Gambit.
Please have a look - you might want to add some words on your blog and add a link, so I get some additional publicity!
Thanks for your help and keep up the good work !
Guido

Readers will see that I have added a link to Guido's web page.

After all, not everybody plays the Jerome Gambit all the time, but they still like to attack. (And if you open with 1.e4, looking for the Jerome Gambit, and your opponent plays 1...d5, you can counter his Center Counter with 2.d4 and go for the BDG!)

You should also know that Guido has written a very exciting book on the Blackmar Diemer Gambit (I have a copy, and when Chessville.com comes back online you will be able to see my review): Attack with the Blackmar Diemer, A Computer Analysis of the Teichmann, Gunderam, O'Kelly lines in the Blackmar Diemer Gambit.

International Master Gary Lane, in his "Opening Lanes" column at ChessCafe.com has written about the book "My advice if you have a love of the opening is to seek it out and buy it at the first opportunity."

According to Tom Purser, at Tom's BDG Pages, Guido is working on a second BDG volume, including the Euwe and Bogoljubow Defenses.

Alternate Universe

Readers may need a small reminder to recall Mr. David Black, who, a couple of seasons ago, shared one of his blitz games after he had entered "the Jerome gambits alternate universe."

Here is a recent over-the-board game that David supplied, noting 

For some reason in my last league match when presented with a chance to play it I couldn't resist! Despite the result of the game I'm hoping this isn't a trend.

I can understand Mr. Black's hesitation at the thought of playing the Jerome Gambit regularly in league play: he seems like a nice guy, he probably feels that embarassing one opponent is quite enough... 

Black,D - Plumb,M
Portsmouth A vs Chichester B, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

The Sorensen Variation (see "Jerome Gambit Nomenclature")

6.Qh5

The Banks Variation, named after Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks ("blackburne") and discussed by IM Gary Lane in his "Opening Lanes" columns at the Chess Cafe and in his book The Greatest Ever Chess Tricks and Traps . It offers a transposition to the 5.Nxe5 lines.

6...Qf6

Consistent with the early game Banks - Rees, Wolverhampton Summer League, 2003, but 6...Qe7 is likely stronger.

7.Nxd7+ Bxd7 8.Qxc5+ Qe7

White has three pawns for his sacrificed piece. He needs to tend to his development.

Black has a piece for his three pawns. He needs to tend to his King safety.

9.Qe3 Nf6 10.d3

White plans the pawn formation d3 + e4 + f4. He could also have tried d4 + e4 + f3.

10...Kf7 11.f4 Rhe8 12.h3

A useful move, both to keep enemy pieces off of g4 and as a prelude to g2-g4.

It seems odd to point out that what Black really needs is a pawn move like d7-d4, to confront the "Jerome pawns" – but Black no longer has that option.

12...Nb4 13.Na3 c5 14.Bd2 Nc6 15.g4 h6 16.0-0-0 a6

17.Rdf1 Kg8 18.Nc4 b5 19.Nb6 Rab8 20.Nxd7 Nxd7 21.h4

It looks like White has equalized, and has the initiative.

21...Nd4 22.g5 h5 23.c3 Nc6 24.f5 Nce5 25.f6

Relentless.

25...gxf6 26.gxf6 Nxf6 27.Qg5+

With the pawn sac, the walls of Black's fortress have been breached.

27...Kf7 28.Qxh5+ Ke6 29.Qf5+ Kf7 30.Bg5

30...Rb6 31.Kc2 Rd6 32.Rh3 Qe6 33.Qh7+ Black resigned

Busted!

I've been playing too much chess lately, breaking my rule to follow Dan Heisman's (of the "Novice Nook" articles at Chess Cafe) suggestion mentioned in a Chess Life article earlier this year

...set up a "feedback loop" whein one studies something (adds positives), applies it with careful practice, gets expert help to correct mistakes (subtracts negatives), and then repeats ad infinitum. this loop, which is essentially practiced in every school, is a key for getting better at any complex endeavor, whether it be chess, math, skiing or pharmacy.

I've been dropping points and half-points here and there, and even my wins have been ragged and have had more to do with good fortune than good play.


Tonight I hit my nadir


perrypawnpusher -TrentonTheSecond
blitz, FICS, 2010


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

The Italian Four Knights Game.

5. Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6. Nxe5+ Nxe5 7. d4

7...Re8

I faced this move for the first time a few days ago and won in a baker's dozen worth of moves, ending with 13.Qd5+.

8. dxc5 Nc4

9. Qd5+??

Unbelievable.

9...Nxd5 White resigned

I've decided: no more playing chess games until next month. Study, analyze, learn: no pawn-pushing.

Readers probably won't even notice, however, as I have a backlog of about a dozen games to post here...

Eric Schiller Doesn't Play the Jerome Gambit

American author and FIDE Master Eric Schiller doesn't play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). Despite his interest in unusual opening lines, he has spent far more time providing the club player with refutations of the Jerome.

His 2003 (with John Watson) Survive and Beat Annoying Chess Openings has a chapter on "Bashing the Jerome Gambit," which would be something akin to "Weapons of Mass Destruction versus the Mosquito" if it didn't at least shine a light on the poor, neglected creation of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome.

Still, as a followup to my two posts on Adolf Albin and the Jerome Gambit (see Part 1 and Part 2), I was wandering through my database when I came across the following game. There's at least a slight resemblance in the play to, well, you know...

Schiller - Shipman
New York, 1981

1.e4 Nc6 2.Bc4 e5 3.d3 Na5


4.Bxf7+
International Master Gary Lane (author of a couple of books on the Bishop's Opening), in one of his Opening Lanes columns at ChessCafe, wrote, in response to a reader who had asked about this line

I wanted to dismiss this bishop sacrifice, but in the spirit of the King's Gambit, I had to see what happens. I was surprised to realize that White is doing very well.

Michael Goeller (maintaining the best online resource for the Bishop's Opening), in his article on "The Hamppe - Meitner Motif" (see "Hamppe -Meitner Revealed" as well as "Godfather of the Jerome Gambit?" Part I, Part II, Part III, and Endnote) for the Kenilworth Chess Club website is more assertive, noting

If White does not have this move it's hard to see how he might even try to gain the advantage.

4...Kxf7 5.Qh5+ Ke6
Of course, the Jerome-ish 5...g6 was an option for Black, but not a particularly good one.

White plays 6.Qxe5 attacking the knight and rook, when 6...Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Nf6 8.Bxb4 is just very good for White – LaneInteresting, but ultimately unsatisfactory, is 5...g6!? 6.Qxe5 Nc6 7.Qxh8 h6 8.Bxh6! (8.Qc3?? Bb4! points up how much difference d3 for White can make!) 8...Bxh6 (8...Nxh6 9.Nc3) 9. Nf3 and White's Queen will not be trapped, meaning White retains a slight material edge and the safer King – Goeller

6.Qf5+

White has a much simpler alternative here: 6.Nf3! Qf6 (6...Nc6? 7.Ng5+ Ke7 8.Qf7+) 7.Ng5+ Ke7 8.Nc3 c6 and White wins back his material with advantage by 9.b4 or 9.Nxh7!? – Goeller
Instead, 6.Nf3 is met by 6...d6! and this simple way to deal with the threat against the e5-pawn 7.Ng5+ Kd7 8.Nf7 Qe8 9.Qf3 Nf6 10.Nxh8 Be7 slightly favors Black because he has two pieces for the rook, but 11.d4 is interesting since the king is misplaced on d7 – Lane

6...Kd6 7.d4

It appears that Schiller wished (mistakenly) to transpose directly to Hamppe - Meitner, but he thus missed his chance to turn White's extra tempo to advantage – Goeller

The move 7.f4 is stronger, according to Goeller and Lane ("The chase is on and White is in hot pursuit of the king").
7...Kc6 8.Qxe5 d5
9.exd5+ Kb6

Black can play for the win with 9...Qxd5! 10.Qe8+ Bd7!! 11.Qxa8 Nf6 12.Qxa7 (12.Nc3 Qxg2 13.Be3 Nc4 14.O-O-O Nxe3 15.fxe3 Qxh1) 12...Qxg2 13.Qxa5 Qxh1 14.d5+ Nxd5 15.Qa4+ Kb6 16.Qxd7 Qxg1+ 17.Ke2 Qxc1 18.Qxd5 Bc5. The text move should also favor Black, but it is much less clear – Goeller

10.Nc3 Qe7 11.Na4+ Kb5 12.Nc3+
Here 12.b3 was the move to draw.

12...Kb6
There was more in 12...Ka6.
13.Bf4 Bf5 Drawn

If Black had wanted to play for a win, he might have tried 13...Nc4!. It remains unclear to me whether this was a pre-arranged draw gone wrong or a real contest – Goeller

Sicilian Jerome Gambit

In a comment to my post "Attacking the King" Jyrki Heikkinen, the creative gambiteer host of the blog "Gambits and Pieces" mentioned that he had played a Sicilian Jerome Gambit (see "Sicilian Jerome"):

Jyrki Heikkinen - Timo-Pekka Lassila,

Tampere, Finland, 1987

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Nf3 e5 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8 7.Qxd4 Nc6 8.Nxc6 dxc6 9.Qc4 Qa5+ 10.Nc3 Bb4 11.Bd2 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Qb5 13.Qd4 Kf7 14.a4 Qg5 15.O-O Bh3 16.Qc4 Kg6 17.g3 Bxf1 8.Rxf1 Rae8 19.f4 Qg4 20.f5+ Kh5 21.Qf7+ g6 22.Qxf6 Qxe4 23.h3 Qe3+ 24.Kg2 Qe2+ 25.Rf2 Qe4+ 26.Kh2 Black resigned

An equally outrageous anti-Sicilian line, although a bit less Jerome-ish, can be seen in Stefan Bücker's ChessCafe.com Over the Horizons column, titled "Don't Name the Gambit after Me", where he presents the Al Hadhrani Gambit (with deep analysis that improves on the outcome of this game):

Al Hadhrani - Klinger

Novi Sad Olympiad, 1990

1.Nc3 c5 2.e4 a6 3.Bc4 b5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Qh5+ g6 6.Qd5+ e6 7.Qxa8 Qc7 8.d3 Bb7 9.Bf4 d6 10.Qa7 b4 11.Na4 e5 12.Be3 Nd7 13.Nf3 Ne7 14.Bxc5 dxc5 15.Nxe5+ Nxe5 16.Nxc5 Bg7 17.Nxb7 Rb8 18.Qxa6 Rxb7 19.Qa4 b3 20.axb3 Qxc2 21.0-0 Qxd3 22.f4 Ng4 23.e5 Qxb3 24.h3 Ne3 25.Qxb3+ Rxb3 26.Rf3 N7d5 27.Ra2 Kg8 28.Ra8+ Bf8 29.g4 Kf7 30.f5 gxf5 31.gxf5 Bc5 32.Kh1 Rxb2 33.h4 Rb1+ 34.Kh2 Ng4+ 35.Kh3 Nxe5 White resigned