Jerome Gambit Ending: It's Drawn, Unless It Isn't (Part 1)

                                                                     

I won my last Jerome Gambit in the current Chess.com Giuoco Piano Thematic Tournament, so it is time, again, for me to sit and wait and see who catches or bypasses me.

In the meantime, it is fun to share the game, as it required some strategic re-thinking on my part, as well as a pleasant return to some endgame understanding that I acquired about 35 years ago, from a match game I played against my boss.

perrypawnpusher - keshavdmutkule

Giuoco Piano Thematic Tournament,  Chess.com, 2016

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

The Giuoco Piano Thematic Tournament is a 10-player, double round robin, which means that I had 9 chances to play the Jerome Gambit - and, as it turned out, I played 8 at the same time to start the tournament! (I had Black against keshavdmutkule first.) I finished with 4 wins, 3 wins on time, and 2 losses.

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

Ah, yes, the Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit - both care of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome. The defense was played successfully in two correspondence games against Daniel Jaeger in 1880.

To date my record against it is 23-6-3, which is a score of 81%, which is pretty decent.

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Solid. Black's Queen sometimes goes to f6 in different variations, but here it finds itself a different home. I have scored 6-2-2  (70%) against this.

7...d6 was seen in perrypawnpusher - ulisimbolon, Giuoco Piano Thematic Tournament, Chess.com, 2016, (0-1, 22). (keshavdmutkule would have had to look up that game on the Chess.com website, as it wasn't posted on this blog until recently.) 

8.Qf4+ Ke8

I faced 8...Nf6 in the earlier perrypawnpusher - ERICOLSON, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33); perrypawnpusher - frencheng, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2-1/2, 31); and perrypawnpusher - jonathankochems, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39).

The text move strikes me as a bit unusual, and it highlights one of Black's challenges in the Jerome - even if he is still better - and that is: where does his King go?

Of equal interest to me was if my opponent had found this blog, and, more specifically, my notes to my game with auswebby.   

9.O-O

I am not sure if the text is an improvement over 9.Nc3, seen in perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 25) and perrypawnpusher - auswebby, Giuoco Piano Thematic, Chess.com, 2015 (0-1, 37), but the games could have transposed, anyway.

9...d6

More sedate and more solid than 9...Bd6 as seen in perrypawnpusher - dzetto00, Giuoco Piano Thematic, Chess.com, 2016, (1/2-1/2, 25). (Too bad. I was willing to face that line again.)

10.c3 Nf6 11.d4 Bb6 12.Re1 Kf7

Black plans to castle-by-hand on the Kingside.

13.Nd2

I am used to attacking the Black King along the e-file or f-file, or advancing the "Jerome pawns" to cause chaos in the enemy's ranks.

In this game, however, I realized that there was not likely to be any kind of bashi-bazouk attack; instead, I was going to have to adopt the patient style that I have seen in some of Bill Wall's games, where he establishes a solid pawn center and waits for his opponent to bash himself against it. After all, Black has the advantage, so, by rights, he should be the one attacking, right?

13...Re8 14.Nc4 Kg8 15.Nxb6 axb6 16.f3

[to be continued]

I Need to Keep Learning About the Jerome Gambit

The following game is my third Jerome Gambit in the Chess.com Giuoco Piano tournament. With two wins and a draw, I am happy with "my" opening - but, as the following game shows, my middlegame play needs improvement! 

perrypawnpusher - dzetto00
Giuoco Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

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

Here we have the Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit, dating back to a couple of correspondence games, Daniel Jaeger - Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, 1880 (Black won both).

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Ke8 9.O-O

Instead, 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.O-O Bd6 was how perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Italian Game, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 25) continued. Of Black's 10th move I noted "an interesting idea that sets up tactical chances on the Kingside" although I criticized White's next move, 11.Qe3 - "Carrying on as if everything is "normal", while Black actually can play 11...Ng4 now, with serious threats."

9...Bd6

Less aggressive was 9...d6 in Petasluk - ilanel, blitz, FICS, 2014 (0-1, 49)

10.Qf3 

Trying to follow the lesson of  perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Chess.com, 2012. For once I did not want Black's Knight to "harass" my Queen (after 10.Qe3) with a move like 10...Ng4.

10...c5 11.d3 h6 12.Nc3 Nf6 

Black has defended against Bc1-g5, as well as d2-d4.

White's strategy should be to quickly get his Rooks working on the e- and f-files - especially since Black's King and Queen are precariously placed. Unfortunately, that will mean developing his dark-squared Bishop to either a meaningless square (d2) or exchanging it off and easing Black's "traffic jam" (i.e. the Bishop at d6 blocks the pawn at d7 which blocks the Bishop at c8 which blocks the Rook at a8).

13.Bf4 Bxf4 14.Qxf4 d6 15.Rae1 Nh5 16.Qd2 Be6 17.f4

Finally White has a Jerome-looking position! My big challenge was could I make use of the time that my opponent spent on 10...c5, 11...h6 and 15...Nh5 ? The answer is "yes" - and "no".

17...Kd7 18.e5 Rhf8 19.d4

Hoping to open up central files against the King and Queen.

19...Rxf4

A surprise.

20.Rxf4 Nxf4 21.Qxf4 Qg5

Another surprise; and, actually, not the best move.

I exchanged Queens here, as I thought it would mean at least a drawn endgame, with some chances to win. It seemed to be a good idea at the time.

22.Qxg5 hxg5 23.d5

My original idea had been to exchange Queens and then play 23.exd6 Kxd6 24.dxc5, but then I saw that 23...cxd4 for Black, instead, messed up things. I then looked at 23.dxc5 dxc5, but I was concerned that the open position would favor Black's Bishop and make things drawish (or worse).

I finally came upon an idea that was paradoxical (and wrong) - a line where I thought I could get serious play in a closed position.

23...Bf5 24.e5+ Ke7 25.Rf1 Rf8 drawn

I had totally overlooked the simple idea of Black using the Rook for protection of the Bishop. Instead, I was caught up with the ideas behind 25...Bxc2? 26.Rf7+, etc. (I lost our first game by similarly overlooking a move, thinking he had to block a check with his Rook - when I would have good play - when he simply used his Knight, and I was busted.)

My opponent suggested that we had reached a draw, and I agreed by offering one, which he accepted.

By the way, the proper response to 21...Qg5 was 22.Qf3!?, continuing the attack on Black's King, by making use of a diagonal as well as the central files, e.g. 22...Rb8 23.dxc5 Qf5 24.Qd1, but that is computer analysis that I need to study another day...

Toward Disaster

As I have mentioned in an earlier post, I have joined a Chess.com 12-player "Giuoco Piano" tournament (3 groups of 4 players each).

I immediately got to start a couple of Jerome Gambits, so we'll see how they turn out.The first game is racing along the lines of a refutation that has many blog posts here, all saying that White is lost, White is lost...

Well, sad to say, White did lose - but part of the reason was my refusal to play a thematic "Jerome pawn" advance which would have helped keep the play dynamic. The second big mistake was to not be as familiar with Jerome Gambit history as I should be. Ouch.

perrypawnpusher - auswebby
Giuoco Piano Tournament, Chess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Ke8

Instead, 8...Nf6 was seen in a couple of correspondence games between Daniel Jaeger (White) and Alonzo Wheeler Jerome  in 1880.

More reently, Bill Wall faced 8...Qf6 in a handful of games: Wall,B - GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17);  Wall,B - GuestZCLK, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); Wall,B - Guest340293, PlayChess.com 2012 (1-0, 41); Wall,B - Josti, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 26); and Wall,B - Guest4644930, PlayChess.com, 2014, (1-0, 26).

9.Nc3 Nf6 10.0-0 d6 

Or 10...Bd6 as in perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Chess.com 2012, (1-0, 25).

11.d3

White got away with the Knight jump 11.Nd5 in xcvbnm -SAHFAN, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 28), but I should have been more familiar with the game (in The Database) as Black was better most of the game; and White's win came only when his opponent blundered into a mate-in-2.

11...Be6 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Qxe3 Kd7 14.f4 Rhf8 15.f5 Bg8 16.d4 Rae8 17.Rae1 Kc8 18.Qg3 

Instead, it was time for 18.e5. The text allows Black to take a step toward preventing that move, and my response (see the note to White's 11th move) sealed my doom.

18...Nd7 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.exd5 Qf6 

I thought I had a few tricks against Black's King on the back rank, but, really, there was nothing.

21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.c3 Nb6 23.Re1 Qf7 24.f6 Rxe1+ 25.Qxe1 Qxf6 26.Qe8+ Qd8 27.Qf7 Qh8 28.b3 Nd7 29.c4 Kd8 30.Kf2 Qf8 31.Qxf8+ Nxf8 32.Kf3 Ke7 33.Ke4 Kf6 34.c5 Ng6 35.g3 b6 36.b4 Ne7 37.a3 b5 White resigned.

Riddle Me This, Fat Man

The following game can be looked at as a series of riddles posed to the "hero" (that would be me, I guess) on his way to an unexpected victory - isn't that the only kind of win for White that comes in the Jerome Gambit?

Sadly (for him), my opponent could not solve his own final riddle...

I have given game references for early in the play, to see how to deal with riddle #1 (7...Qe7, the Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit, by the way) and riddle #2 (9...Nh6), but after that you are largely on your own - as I was.

perrypawnpusher - Kleini
blitz, FICS, 2013

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+

I would rather not exchange Queens at this point.

8...Qf6 

The alternative 8...Nf6 is as old as two Jaeger,D - Jerome,A correspondence games from 1880, wins for Black in 14 and 40 moves.

At a faster time control, I have been more successful: perrypawnpusher - ERICOLSON, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33);  
perrypawnpusher - frencheng, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (½-½ , 31); perrypawnpusher - jonathankochems, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39); and perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 25). 

9.Qg3 

Not 9.Qxc7? Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 d6. 

9...Nh6 

An interesting novelty of questionable value. 

Previously seen have been 9...d6 in Wall,B - Guest340293, Playchess.com, 2012 (1-0, 41), perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 37), and Wall,B - Josti, Playchess.com, 2013 (1-0, 26); and 9...Bd6 in perrypawnpusher - molerat, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 23). 

10.Nc3 d6 11.Nd5 Qf7 12.0-0 c6 

13.Nc3 

Houdini 3's solution to the riddle of this position is 13.d4!? The silicon superstar sees White drawing by repetition after 13...cxd5 14.dxc5 dxe4 (14...dxc5 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.Qd6+ Kg7 17.Qg3+ etc.) 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.Qxd6+ (16.f3!? is an interesting attempt for more, e.g. 16...e3 17.Rfe1 Bf5 18.Rxe3 Qf6 19.Qf4 Rg8 20.cxd6 ) Kg7 17.Qg3+ Qg6 18.Qc7+ Qf7 19.Qg3+, etc.

It's all  a bit over my head. Okay, more than "a bit". 

13...Be6 14.d3

Again, 14.d4!? seems to be the key to the position, 14...Bb4 15.a3 Bxc3 16.Qxd6+ Qe7 17.Qf4+ Kg8 18.bxc3 and Black's edge is minimal.

14...Qg6 

15.Qxg6

By now the alternative (according to Houdini 3) should be predictable: 15.d4!? Bb4 16.a3 Bxc3 17.Qxd6+ Kg8 18.bxc3 Nf7 with a small edge to Black.

15...hxg6 

White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece. 

The Knight escapade that I started with my next move was a bad idea, and led to a lost position. I should have moved the piece to the Kingside with 15...Ne2.

16.Na4 Bd4 17.c3 Bf6 18.b3 b5 19.Nb2 Bxc3

20.Rb1 Ke7 21.Nd1 Bd4 22.Ne3 Ng4 23.h3 Nxe3 24.fxe3 Be5 25.d4 Bg3 26.Rf3 Bh4 

Black's two Bishops are scary. He just has to be careful, and he can bring home the point.

Of course, that was true 20 moves ago, too.

27.Ba3 Rhf8 28.Rbf1 a5 

I don't blame you if you didn't shout "He should have exchanged Rooks before playing that move!" I didn't realize that it was that critical, either.

29.Bxd6+

Exchanging Rooks, too, here is supposed to be stronger, according to Houdini 3. I was just glad to have a shot at bringing the game closer to equal.

29...Ke8 

Wow. Surprised by my move, my opponent stumbles hard. That's blitz for you.

Instead, after 29...Kxd6 30.Rxf8 Ra7!? Houdini 3 believes Black's two Bishops balance out White's Rook and two extra pawns. Play would remain tricky, but if White can collect and/or exchange some pawns, he should be able to split the point.

30.Rxf8+ Black resigned

Sound So Easy

Here is the latest Jerome Gambit that I received from Bill Wall, with the comment: It looks like an interesting game as I threw everything I could on the Kingside to expose his King.  I found a way to swap some pieces for his Queen.  I almost missed getting mated by his doubled Rooks, or at least a draw by perpetual check if I didn't find 30.h3 (I think 30.h4 draws after 30...Rg3).  After that, my Queen picks up pieces and I push a pawn to get another queen, forcing his resignation.

He always makes it sound so easy...

Wall,B - Guest1718599
playchess.com, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

From Bill:  Here is my most recent Jerome Gambit on playchess.  He played 6...Kf8?! rather than 6...Ke6, the stronger move.  I can almost say that if my opponents do not find ...Ke6, they are not going to win.  

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Nf6 

Continuing to offer the exchange of Queens with 8...Qf6, was seen in perrypawnpusher - molerat, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 23) and Wall,B - Guest340293, playchess.com, 2012 (1-0, 41) as well as elsewhere.

8...Ke8, as in perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 25), seems riskier, but has the benefit of vacating the f-file for Black's Rook 

9.Nc3 c6 

It seems necessary to mention 9...d6, from Wall,B - Davis,A, Chess.com, 2010 (½-½, 65), as it was one of the few games where Bill "lost" even a half-point while playing the Jerome Gambit. The game is in The Database.

10.0-0 Kg8?! 

Bill recommends, instead, 10...Bd6 11.Qh4. 

The tempo surrendered by the text allows White to advance his "Jerome pawns". 

11.e5 Ne8 

Or 11...Nd5 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.d4

12.Qc4+ Kf8 13.d4 Bb6 

14.Be3 d5 

Black's pawn gets a foothold in the center, at the cost of giving White a protected, passed pawn – not a bad price, as he opens up the game for his two Bishops (one of them is "extra", too).

Readers should cue the squeaky violins in the background, as a form of foreshadowing, however. A White pawn at e5 in a Jerome Gambit game often means that a pawn storm is coming on the Kingside, and Black's King should remain aware.

15.Qd3 Be6 16.f4 g6 17.f5 

This may have come as a surprise to Black, having just played a move that was supposed to prevent it. There is no need for the second player to panic – yet – but the wall of "developed" pieces that blocks his King from escape has to be a bit unsettling.

17...gxf5 18.Ne2 Ng7 19.g4 Qd7 

Instead, 19...Ke8 20.gxf5 Nxf5 21.Rxf5 Bxf5 22.Qxf5 would leave Black up an exchange for a pawn.

The text leads to an equal game, if followed up correctly.

20.gxf5 Bxf5?! 

Better was 20...Nxf5 21.Ng3, which leads, after 21...Rg8 22.Rxf5+ Bxf5 23.Rf1 Ke7 24.Rxf5 to a similar exchange-for-a-pawn material advantage, although White would have some interesting tactical tries against the enemy King.

21.Ng3 Ke7 22.Nxf5+ Nxf5 23.Rxf5 Rhg8+ 

Black tries to show that he has the attack, but it is not so.

24.Kh1 Raf8 25.Bg5+ 

The text move is good, but Bill pointed out that better was 25.e6 which causes Black's game to unravel, for example. 25...Kxe6 26.Re1 Rxf5 27.Bg5+ Kf7 28.Re7+ Qxe7 29.Qxf5+ Ke8 30.Bxe7 Kxe7.

25...Ke8 26.e6 Qxe6 27.Re5 Qxe5 28.dxe5 Rxg5 

White's Queen is stronger than Black's Rook and Bishop, but the second player is not ready to surrender.

29.Qxh7 Rfg8 

Bill points out that this threatens 30...Rg1+ 31.Rxg1 Rxg1 mate 

30.h3 

Just so. The more "energetic" 30.h4?! would allow Black to draw with 30...Rg3!, when the checkmate threats would force White to repeat the position either with King moves or Queen checks (or both).

Now White's Queen gobbles up some pawns, which make his own footsoldiers even more dangerous.

30...R8g7 31.Qh8+ Kd7 32.Re1 Bc5 33.Qb8 Ke6 34.Qc8+ Kf7 35.Qxb7+ Kg8 36.Qxc6 Bb6 37.Qxd5+ Kh7 

38.Qe4+ Kh8 39.Rf1 Rg1+ 40.Rxg1 Rxg1+ 41.Kh2 Rg7 42.e6

42...Bc7+ 43.Kh1 Bd6 44.Qd4 Be7 45.c4 a5 46.c5 Kh7 47.c6 Rg3 48.c7 Rxh3+ 49.Kg2 Rh4 50.Qd3+ Kg7 51.Qg3+ Kf8 52.c8Q+ Black resigned

Chaos

The following game has its chaotic features. At the end, the positions were complicated enough that I am not at all surprised that we missed things. Toward the beginning, however, we also missed a lot, as, after the game, Rybka (in "blunder check" mode) was criticizing almost every move each of us made.

Still, the game moved me to 2-0 with the Jerome Gambit in the Italian Game tournaments, and that's nice.

perrypawnpusher (1820) - Chesssafety (1523)
Italian Game, Chess.com, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qe7 

The earliest examples I have of this position are from a couple of correspondence games, Daniel Jaeger - Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, 1880 (Black won both). 

8.Qf4+ Ke8 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.0-0 Bd6 

This is an interesting idea that sets up tactical chances on the Kingside – of which my opponent and I remain blissfully unaware.

11.Qe3

Carrying on as if everything is "normal", while Black actually can play 11...Ng4 now, with serious threats.

11...c6

"Normal" again, while 11...Ng4 was the way to go.

12.d4 

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Better was 12.h3 to keep the enemy Knight off of g4.

12...Bc7

All according to plan, but a better plan included 12...Ng4.

13.f4 Bb6 14.e5 Nd5 15.Nxd5 cxd5 

16.Qd3 d6 17.Bd2 g6 18.Bb4 Bd7 

This move gave me pause. My guess is that my opponent suddenly realized that after 16...d6 I could have won a pawn with 17.Qb5+ and 18.Qxd5. He suddenly takes time to cover up that glitch.

Actually, 17.Qb5+ Bd7 18.Qxd5 is well met by 18...Bc6 19.Qc4 dxe5 20.fxe5 Qxe5.

19.Bxd6

Actually, 19.Rae1 might be a little bit better here, according to the computer.

19...Qh4 

All those pawns, Bishops and Queens looking diagonally...

20.c3 Bf5 21.Qb5+ Bd7 22.Qxd5 

White has four pawns for his sacrificed piece, and they look like they can both provide protection as well as cause trouble, provided White doesn't allow himself to be checkmated first.

22...Rc8

I was expecting 22...Bc6, which I was going to answer with 23.Qe6+. 

23.Qxb7 Qg4

Positioning the Queen for defense and attack, but it is too late.

24.e6 Qxe6 25.Rae1 Black resigned