Jerome Gambit: Discussion Crasher

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) continues to show up in the oddest places. The other day I was reading an interesting post by John Torrie, at chesstalk.com. It started out with a reference to Bobby Fischer, but quickly moved on to an interesting game that featured what is sometimes called the Nachmanson Gambit (see a reference in my post "Kaissiber!"). In the middle of the game - Torrie reflected upon the Jerome Gambit, because of a tactical similarity. (It seems likely that Mr. Torrie is familiar with this blog.) 

I have posted the earliest example of the Nachmanson Gambit that I have been able to find, at the end of this discussion; although I have found no information on Nachmanson, himself. I also dug up an earlier game with a different opening line, but with a similar tactical theme, which you will also find at the end.  

John Torrie  

Wednesday, 21st November, 2018, 11:20 AM 

Apparently the Fischer vs Allan encounter is not the only memorable game from Montreal, Feb. 1964. Dan Elman says that he also squared off with Mr. Allan at the Montreal Chess Club. The first game, with Mr. Allan venturing his Two Knight's Defence, went like this: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Nxe4 6.Nc3 (Dan picked up this peculiarity in the early '60s while he was 'resident chess player' at a Belgium cafe. The owners of the cafe had a deal with Dan, if he played chess with the patrons for wagers of liquor, he could have free lodgings with light fare. Usually the patrons drank beer, while Dan drank ginger ale disguised as 'whisky'. Dan drank a lot of ginger ale while making a lot of whisky sales for the cafe.) 6...dxc3 7.Bxf7+ (Hey Jerome! Jerome! Will the real Jerome please stand up: The 150 year old Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 with attacking chances for white, was the brainchild of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome who also had the distinction of proposing - not without merit - that a pawn be allowed to promote to a king when it reached the 8th rank.) 7...Kxf7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Re1 Be7 10.Rxe4 d6 11.Bg5 cxb3 12.Rae1 h6 13.Bxe7 Nxe7 14.Qh5+ Kf8 15.Ng5 g6 16.Qf3+ Nf5 (Dan points out that if the bishop blocks, Ne6+ forks the queen.) 17.Qc3 Rg8 18.Re8+ Qxe8 19.Qf6+ resigns. (After 19...Qf7, 20.Nh7 makes a model mate.)...

Trajkovic, Mihajlo - Trifunovic, Petar

Belgrade, 1952
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 6.Nc3 Nxc3 7.bxc3 d5 8.Bb5 Be7 9.Nxd4 Bd7 10.Bd3 Ne5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.Bxf5 Nc4 13.Rb1 O-O 14.Bd3 Nb6 15.Qg4 Re8 16.a4 a5 17.Be3 Bf6 18.Bxb6 cxb6 19.c4 d4 20.Rfe1 Qd6 21.g3 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 g6 23.Qf3 Rb8 24.Qf4 Qxf4 25.gxf4 Kf8 26.Kg2 Re8 27.Rxe8+ Kxe8 28.Be4 Ke7 29.Bxb7 Kd6 30.Kf3 Kc5 31.Ke2 Kxc4 32.f5 g5 33.h3 Kc3 34.Ba6 Kxc2 35.Bd3+ Kc3 36.Bb5 Be5 37.Bd3 h5 38.f3 Bg3 39.Bb5 f6 40.Ba6 Bh2 41.Bb5 Bg1 42.Ba6 Kb4 43.Bb5 Kc5 44.Be8 h4 45.Bb5 Kd5 46.f4 gxf4 47.Kf3 Bh2 48.Bd3 Kc5 49.Ke4 Kb4 50.Bb5 Kc3 51.Be2 f3 52.Bxf3 b5 53.axb5 a4 54.Bh5 d3 55.b6 a3 White resigned

McConnell, James - Zukertort, Johannes Hermann
New Orleans, 1884
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.a3 Bxc3 6.dxc3 Nxe4 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxe4 d5 10.Qa4 Rf8 11.Nxe5 Qe7 12.f4 Bd7 13.O-O Nxe5 14.Qd4 Nc6 15.Qxd5 Be6 16.Qb5 a6 17.Qxb7 Qc5+ 18.Be3 Qxe3+ 19.Kh1 Qb6 20.Qxb6 cxb6 21.Rae1 Kd7 White resigned

Chesstalk

I just stopped by the Chesstalk website with my mind on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and read the following exchange including Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Louis Morin, aka mrjoker...

Louis Morin
Location: Montréal
Re : Re: Gambiteers Unite

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Pacey

Even against much weaker players, I would just use the Evans, or possibly the KG, nowadays if I was in the mood to gambit against 1.e4 e5.

Why not the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+)? There is a very entertaining blog dedicated to it: http://jeromegambit.blogspot.com/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Kevin Pacey  
Re: Re : Re: Gambiteers Unite

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louis Morin

Why not the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+)? There is a very entertaining blog dedicated to it: http://jeromegambit.blogspot.com/

Oddly or not, I don't think I have any books that mention this gambit.

I visited your given linked blog briefly, and I saw that the author was interested in the Jerome Gambit as White, but even the analysis given there seemed to show that Black is quite fine in theory, if he plays properly, despite the ultimate result of the games given.

As I mentioned in a comment on the Goring Gambit in an earlier post, I gave that one up as soon as I convinced myself Black could equalize by force. I'm sure that, like with the Jerome Gambit, I could beat a weaker/much weaker player with it, or almost any opening, but usually, if the game matters at all, I'd stick to my principles and play an opening that has a better theoretical status for White. In the case of the Jerome Gambit, White probably shouldn't even get equality if Black plays well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kevin Pacey
Re: Re : Re: Gambiteers Unite

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louis Morin

Why not the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+)? There is a very entertaining blog dedicated to it: http://jeromegambit.blogspot.com/

This blog mentions the sequence 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6. To show that people play just about anything, an expert-strength player in my old Brampton club (then not CFC rating its games) played this 'opening' now and then. Apperently it had some theory devoted to it, at least back in his homeland.

White needs to play precisely, it would seem, to make the most out of his position. My own analysis (without a computer or books, etc.) would go:

4.d4!

(if 4.0-0 Black has 4...Nf6 and after 5.d4 he can play 5...d6 without dropping a pawn; if 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 then possible is 5...exd4 [5...d6 is 'solid'] with the idea 6.cxd4 Bb4+ and Black has the extra move ...h6 included in an otherwise normal mainline, or 6.e5 with the idea 6...d5 7.Bb5 Ne4 and if 8.Nxd4 White almost has a mainline position, except Black has traded ...h6 for c2-c3, which may not be too much of a gain for White)

4...exd4

(4...d6? drops a pawn after 5.dxe5)

5.0-0!

(not 5.Nxd4 when Black can play 5...Nf6 or the more adventurous 5...Ne5)

and White has a favourable version of a normal mainline, where Black has substituted ...h6 for the more useful ...Nf6. Play might continue 5...Bc5 6.c3! and if 6...dxc3 (better is 6...d3, but White stands better after 7.b4) 7.Bxf7+! (a familiar trick for Italian/Evans Gambit players) 7...Kxf7 8.Qd5+, intending Qxc5 with advantage.

For example, now 8...Ke8 (to avoid Qxc5 with check) could be answered by 9.Qxc5 anyway, with advantage in spite of ...cxb2 since the displacement of the Black king is worth more than the pawn. However 9.Qh5+ works, as 9...g6 10.Qxg6+ Kf8 (10...Ke7 11.Qg7+) 11.Qf5+ Qf6 (or ...Nf6) allows 12.Qxc5 with check anyway, followed by Qxc3.


(Thanks to Louis for suggesting the Jerome Gambit. A note for Kevin: GM Pavel Blatny has played 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 with Black, a number of times, with success. Thanks for your analysis, too! -- RK)