Jerome Gambit: Learn From Your Games

It is a good idea to play over your games, win or lose. You can pick up tactical tricks that you missed during the contest. You can learn more about your openings and prepare for the next time they show up on the board.

The following game is a good example. Bill's experience with the Jerome Gambit is significant, and his experience with the particular defense that his opponent constructed means that the number of moves that were "new" was quite small. 

Wall, Bill - MYGZ
FICS, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 

This is a reasonable way to deal with White's pawn fork: Black will move one piece and return the other for a pawn. The Database has 314 game examples; White scores 57%. (Since there are 2,018 games with the position after 6.d4, where White scores 55%, Black's choice in this game - from a practical point of view - is, if anything, better than average.)

7.c3 Bxc3+

Bill has already seen 7...Be7 8.dxe5 Nh6 9.Qf3+ Ke6 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qf5 checkmate, Wall, Bill - ChrSav, FICS, 2010.

8.Nxc3 Ng6 

Instead, 8...Nc6 was seen in Wall, Bill - Caynaboos, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 26) and Wall, Bill - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 27).

9.O-O Nf6 

Black tried 9...N8e7 in Wall, Bill - NN, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 18) and Wall, Bill - Jamato, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 55).

10.e5

An improvement over 10.Bg5, as in Wall, Bill - Shatskov, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 16).

10...Ne8

No more effective was 10...Ng8, seen in Wall, Bill - Guest2372880, lichess.org, 2018: 11.f4 d6 12.e6+ Bxe6 13.f5 Bxf5 14.Rxf5+ Nf6 15.Qb3+ Ke8 16.Bg5 Rf8 17.Re1+ Ne7 18.Bxf6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6 gxf6 20.Nd5 f5 21.Nxe7 Qxe7 22.Qg8+ Kd7 23.Rxe7+ Kxe7 24.Qxa8 Black resigned

11.f4

Stronger than 11.Qf3+, seen in Wall, Bill - Boris, SparkChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 31).

11...Rf8

12.f5 Ne7 

This loses quickly, but the "best" move, 12...Kg8, just tosses a piece.

13.Qb3+ d5 14.exd6+ 

Here, Black resigned in Wall, Bill - FJBS, FICS, 2015.

14...Kf6 15.Ne4 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Plenty of Ways to Go Wrong

One of the attractions of the 6.d4 line in the Jerome Gambit (a favorite of Bill Wall) is that Black has to figure out what to do with his dark squared Bishop. As the following game shows, there are plenty of ways to go wrong. White's mating attack is very attractive.

Wall, Bill - Holzkopp
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

6...Bb4+ 7.c3 Bd6

Bill has faced a variety of alternatives:

7...Nc4 as in Wall,B - Anonymous, lichess.com, 2016 (1-0, 18);

7...Qe7 as in Wall,B - Guest3742987, PlayChess.com, 2015 (1-0, 50);

7...Bxc3+ as in Wall,B - Caynaboos, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 26); Wall,B -ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 27); Wall,B -Boris, Sparkchess.com,  2012 (1-0, 31); and Wall,B - FJBS, FICS, 2015 (1-0, 14); and

7...Be7 as in Wall,B - ChrSav, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 11).

Black's strongest response is 7...Qh4!?, which has been seen seen 10 times in The Database (with all wins for Black). See "Gloom and Doom",  "Beyond Gloom and Doom" and "Jerome Gambit: Unresolved".

8.dxe5 Bxe5 

Black would still retain an edge after 8...Be7.

9.Qd5+ 

9.Qh5+ has also been seen: there are 6 wins for White and one draw in The Database.

9...Kf8

Or 9...Kf6 10.f4 Kg6 11.O-O Bf6 12.f5+ Kh5 13.Qd1+ Kh4 14.Rf4+ Kg5 15.Rf3+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest6953174, PlayChess.com, 2016. 

10.Qxe5 d6 11.Qd5 Nf6 12.Qd3 Be6 

White has an extra pawn and the safer King. Black has the better development.

13.O-O c6 14.b3 Kf7 15.Ba3 c5 

The position is complicated. Stockfish 8 suggests, instead, 15...Re8 16.Nd2 d5 17.e5 Ng4 18.Nf3 Kg8. 

16.f4 Qb6 17.c4 Qa5 

Overlooking White's tactical play in the center. 

18.e5 Ng4 19.f5 Nxe5 20.fxe6+ Kxe6 21.Qd5+ Kd7 

22.Qxb7+ Ke6 23.Nc3 

A nice finish: Black cannot afford to capture either of the two offered pieces.

23...Qxc3 24.Qd5+ Ke7 25.Bxc5 Rad8 26.Rae1 Qa5 27.Qf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Over Before It's Over

It helps to know the basics of the opening variations that you are playing. Here, Bill Wall has plenty of experience with the Jerome Gambit. But he also has plenty of experience in transitioning to an advantageous endgame, and then winning it.

Wall, Bill - Jamato
lichess.org, 2017

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Bxc3+

Or 7...Be7 as in Wall,B - ChrSav, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 11).

8.Nxc3 Ng6

Instead, 8...Nc6 was seen in Wall,B - Caynaboos, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 26) and Wall,B - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 27)

9.O-O N8e7

Or 9...Nf6 as seen in Wall,B - Boris, SparkChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 31) and Wall,B - FJBS, FICS 2015 (1-0, 14).

10.f4 Re8

Bill has also faced 10...Rf8 in Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 18)

11.Qb3+ d5 12.f5 Nf8 13.Bg5 c6 14.f6 gxf6 15.Bxf6 Kg8

Surprisingly enough, at this point Bill is ready to let the air out of the position and win the endgame. His opponent trys to tag along, but can not.

16.exd5 cxd5 17.Bxe7 Rxe7 18.Nxd5 Be6 19.Nxe7+ Qxe7 20.Rae1 Qd6

There were better chances to hold the game after 20...Bxb3 21.Rxe7 Bd5.

21.Rxf8+ Rxf8 22.Qxe6+ Qxe6 23.Rxe6 Rf7 24.d5 Rd7 25.d6 Kf7 26.Re7+ Rxe7 27.dxe7 Kxe7

The game is only half over, but it is over.

28.Kf2 b5 29.Ke3 a5 30.Kd4 Kd6 31.g4 h6 32.h4 b4 33.b3 Ke6 34.Kc5 Ke5 35.Kb5 Kf4 36.g5 hxg5 37.hxg5 Kxg5 38.Kxa5 Kf6 39.Kxb4 Ke6 40.Kb5 Kd6 41.Kb6 Kd7 42.a4 Kc8 43.a5 Kb8 44.b4 Ka8 45.Kc7 Ka7 46.b5 Ka8 47.a6 Ka7 48.Kc6 Ka8 49.b6 Kb8 50.a7+ Ka8 51.b7+ Kxa7 52.Kc7 Ka6 53.b8=Q Ka5 54.Qb3 Ka6 55.Qb6 checkmate.

Jerome Gambit: Be Sure to Check the Notes

Sometimes Bill Wall and his opponents leave me little choice. Putting together a blog post, I am just getting warmed up - and the game is over. So I add a bit more to the notes... 

(Does it seem like we have been here before, lately? True; perhaps those who defend against the Jerome Gambit need to catch up on their reading of this blog...)

Wall, Bill -NN
lichess.org, 2016

1 e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4..Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Ba5

Of course, Bill has been this way before. Let's take a look at some alternatives.

7... Bxc3+ The most popular choice for Black in The Database. Black scores 65-77-4 for 46%. He might do better with the alternatives. See below. 8.Nxc3 Ng6 (8...Nc6 9.d5 [9.O-O Qf6 10.e5 Qg6 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Nb5 Kd8 13.Qf8+ Qe8 14.Qxe8+ Kxe8 15.Nxc7+ Ke7 16.Nxa8 Nxd4 17.Bg5+ Ke6 18.Nc7+ Kxe5 19.Rae1+ Kd6 20.Bf4+ Kc6 21.Rc1+ Kb6 22.Nd5+ Kb5 23.Rxc8 Ne6 24.a4+ Kxa4 25.Ra1+ Kb3 26.Be5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Caynaboos, FICS, 2011] 9...Ne5 10.f4 Ng6 11.h4 Nxh4 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qxh4 Qxh4+ 14.Rxh4 Nf6 15.e5 Ne8 16.Be3 c6 17.O-O-O d6 18.e6+ Ke7 19.g4 Nf6 20.f5 gxf5 21.gxf5 cxd5 22.Bg5 a6 23.Nxd5+ Kf8 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25.Rxh7 b5 26.Be7+ Ke8 27.Nf6 checkmate, Wall,B - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012) 9.O-O N8e7 (9...Nf6 10.e5 Ne8 11.Qf3+ [11. f4 Rf8 12. f5 Ne7 13. Qb3+ d5 14. exd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - FJBS, FICS, 2015] 11...Kg8 12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Be3 a6 14.Rae1 c6 15.Qb3 d5 16.f4 Kg8 17.f5 Nh4 18.Qc2 g6 19.f6 Be6 20.Bg5 Qb6 21.Bxh4 Qxd4+ 22.Bf2 Qf4 23.Ne2 Qc4 24.Qd2 Qxa2 25.Nd4 Bf5 26.Nxf5 gxf5 27.Qg5+ Kf7 28.e6+ Kf8 29.Bc5+ Nd6 30.Bxd6+ Ke8 31.f7 checkmate, Wall,B - Boris, sparkchess.com 2012) 10.f4 Rf8 11 f5 Nh8 12.Bg5 Kg8 13.Qb3+ Nf7 14.f6 gxf6 15.Bxf6 d5 16.Nxd5 Re8 17.Qg3+ Kf8 18.Qg7 checkmate, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016).

7...Be7 (In The Database Black scores 3-3 for 50% with this move) 8.dxe5 Nh6 9.Qf3+ Ke6 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qf5 checkmate, Wall,B - ChrSav, FICS, 2010. 

7...Qh4 is a feisty choice; Black is 10-0, scoring 100%, according to The Database.

The solid 7...Ng6 shows up in The Database 4 times, Black is 2-2, scoring 50% 

7...Bc5 is untested and funny, but probably playable. 

8.dxe5 d6 9.Qd5+ Black resigned

White will capture the offside Bishop on his next move, and will be a couple of pawns ahead. Black's lead in development - say, after 9...Be6 10.Qxa5 dxe5 11.Qxe5 Nf6 - will not be enough compensation. Black would prefer to move his attention to another game.

Jerome Gambit: Yet Again

*

It can be a challenge to surprise an experienced Jerome Gambit player. Even if you go into the game with a plan for an unusual line, you might find that your opponent has "been there" already!

In the following game, the "Jerome pawns" and a Rook on the f-file play starring roles.

Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+

Interesting. See "Further Exploration of An Odd Line".

7.c3 Bxc3+

This was Black's idea. He could also have tried 7...Be7 8.dxe5 Nh6 9.Qf3+ Ke6 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qf5 checkmate, Wall,B - ChrSav, FICS, 2010.

8.Nxc3 Ng6

The Knight becomes a target here. It could also go the other way, although Bill has some experience with that plan as well: 8...Nc6 9.d5 (9.O-O Qf6 10.e5 Qg6 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Nb5 Kd8 13.Qf8+ Qe8 14.Qxe8+ Kxe8 15.Nxc7+ Ke7 16.Nxa8 Nxd4 17.Bg5+ Ke6 18.Nc7+ Kxe5 19.Rae1+ Kd6 20.Bf4+ Kc6 21.Rc1+ Kb6 22.Nd5+ Kb5 23.Rxc8 Ne6 24.a4+ Kxa4 25.Ra1+ Kb3 26.Be5 Black resigned, Wall,B-Caynaboos, FICS. 2011) 9...Ne5 10.f4 Ng6 11.h4 Nxh4 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qxh4 Qxh4+ 14.Rxh4 Nf6 15.e5 Ne8 16.Be3 c6 17.O-O-O d6 18.e6+ Ke7 19.g4 Nf6 20.f5 gxf5 21.gxf5 cxd5 22.Bg5 a6 23.Nxd5+ Kf8 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25.Rxh7 b5 26.Be7+ Ke8 27.Nf6 checkmate, Wall,B - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012.

9.O-O N8e7

Or 9...Nf6 10.e5 Ne8 11.f4 (11.Qf3+ Kg8 12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Be3 a6 14.Rae1 c6 15.Qb3 d5 16.f4 Kg8 17.f5 Nh4 18.Qc2 g6 19.f6 Be6 20.Bg5 Qb6 21.Bxh4 Qxd4+ 22.Bf2 Qf4 23.Ne2 Qc4 24.Qd2 Qxa2 25.Nd4 Bf5 26.Nxf5 gxf5 27.Qg5+ Kf7 28.e6+ Kf8 29.Bc5+ Nd6 30.Bxd6+ Ke8 31.f7 checkmate,  Wall,B - Boris,sparkchess.com, 2012) 11...Rf8 12.f5 Ne7 13.Qb3+ d5 14.exd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - FJBS, FICS, 2015

10.f4 Rf8 11.f5 Nh8 12.Bg5 Kg8 

Black has withdrawn his threatened Knight and castled-by-hand. Although he is a bit cramped, he seems to have solved his problems. He has not.

13.Qb3+ Nf7 14.f6 gxf6 15.Bxf6 d5 16.Nxd5 Re8 17.Qg3+ Kf8 18.Qg7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Toolbox for Black

Along with White, who has his "toolbox" of moves in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), Black has his own set of "tools" - standard moves or ideas to make sense of the opening.

Wall, Bill - Guest6953174
PlayChess.com, 2016

1.e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 

The "tool" stays in the toolbox. The wildest move here is the "pie-in-the-face" 6...Qh4!?. True, Black's Queen loves to come to e7 or f6, but there are times when this move is critical.

The Database has 1,459 games with 6.d4, but only 223 times (15%) is it answered by 6...Qh4. Admittedly, the move makes the same "mistake" as White's early Queen development, so it is probably not on Black's mind.

It takes a search depth of 23 ply for Stockfish 7 to settle on 6...Qh4, so it is not the first thing to come to the computer's "mind" either. 

7.c3 Bd6 

Sometimes Black just leaves the Bishop on b4. See "Further Exploration of An Odd Line".

Bill has seen several responses:

7...Nc4 8.cxb4 Qf6 9.Nc3 c6 10.b3 Qg6 11.Qf3+ Nf6 12.bxc4 Re8 13.O-O Kg8 14.e5 Ng4 15.h3 d6 16.hxg4 Bxg4 17.Qg3 Rf8 18.exd6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2016;

7...Qe7 8.dxe5 Bc5 9.Qd5+ Ke8 10.O-O c6 11.Qd1 d6 12.b4 Bb6 13.exd6 Qe5 14.Bb2 Nf6 15.Nd2 Be6 16.Nf3 Qf4 17.Bc1 Qg4 18.Re1 Nxe4 19.Be3 Rf8 20.Bxb6 axb6 21.Qd4 Rf4 22.h3 Qg6 23.Ne5 Qf5 24.Nd3 Rh4 25.Qxg7 Qf7 26.Qd4 Rd8 27.Rxe4 Rxe4 28.Qxe4 Rxd6 29.Re1 Kf8 30.Ne5 Qf5 31.Qe3 Bxa2 32.Qxb6 Rd2 33.Qe3 Rd6 34.Qc5 Qe6 35.Re3 Qh6 36.Nd7+ Kg8 37.Qe5 Rd1+ 38.Kh2 Rxd7 39.Qe8+ Qf8 40.Qxd7 Bf7 41.Qxb7 Qd6+ 42.g3 Kf8 43.Rf3 Qe6 44.Qxf7+ Qxf7 45.Rxf7+ Kxf7 46.c4 Ke6 47.b5 Kd7 48.f4 Kd6 49.b6 c5 50.f5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest3742987, PlayChess.com, 2015;

7...Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 Ng6 (8...Nc6 9.d5 [9.O-O Qf6 10.e5 Qg6 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Nb5 Kd8 13.Qf8+ Qe8 14.Qxe8+ Kxe8 15.Nxc7+ Ke7 16.Nxa8 Nxd4 17.Bg5+ Ke6 18.Nc7+ Kxe5 19.Rae1+ Kd6 20.Bf4+ Kc6 21.Rc1+ Kb6 22.Nd5+ Kb5 23.Rxc8 Ne6 24.a4+ Kxa4 25.Ra1+ Kb3 26.Be5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Caynaboos, FICS, 2011] 9...Ne5 10.f4 Ng6 11.h4 Nxh4 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qxh4 Qxh4+ 14.Rxh4 Nf6 15.e5 Ne8 16.Be3 c6 17.O-O-O d6 18.e6+ Ke7 19.g4 Nf6 20.f5 gxf5 21.gxf5 cxd5 22.Bg5 a6 23.Nxd5+ Kf8 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25.Rxh7 b5 26.Be7+ Ke8 27.Nf6 checkmate, Wall,B - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012) 9.O-O  Nf6 10.e5 Ne8 11.f4 (11.Qf3+ Kg8 12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Be3 a6 14.Rae1 c6 15.Qb3 d5 16.f4 Kg8 17.f5 Nh4 18.Qc2 g6 19.f6 Be6 20.Bg5 Qb6 21.Bxh4 Qxd4+ 22.Bf2 Qf4 23.Ne2 Qc4 24.Qd2 Qxa2 25.Nd4 Bf5 26.Nxf5 gxf5 27.Qg5+ Kf7 28.e6+ Kf8 29.Bc5+ Nd6 30.Bxd6+ Ke8 31.f7 checkmate, Wall,B - Boris, Sparkchess.com, 2012) 11...Rf8 12.f5 Ne7 13.Qb3+ d5 14.exd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - FJBS, FICS, 2015; and

7...Be7 8. dxe5 Nh6 9. Qf3+ Ke6 10. Bxh6 gxh6 11. Qf5 checkmate, Wall,B - ChrSav, FICS, 2010.

Once again, the "tool" stayed in the toolbox. As an alternative, Black had 7...Qh4!?, which was seen 10 times in The Database, with 10 wins for Black. It is slightly less mysterious: Stockfish 7 takes only 15 ply to find the move. 

8.dxe5 Bxe5

There was reason to admit that move 7 was a mistake, and to try 8...Be7.

9.Qd5+ Kf6 10.f4 Kg6 11.O-O Bf6 

This allows mate.

12.f5+ Kh5 13.Qd1+ Kh4 14.Rf4+ Kg5 15.Rf3+ Black resigned

Never Send A Pawn to Do A Job...

I don't know if anyone ever opined "Never send a pawn to do a job a piece could do..." but the exact opposite is true in the following game. Bill Wall's 11th move improvement over an earlier game he played leads to an even faster win.

Wall,B - FJBS
FICS, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+

As befits the wackiness of the Jerome Gambit, this idea was seen in a game played 10 years earlier in a Jerome Gambit thematic tournament featuring two double-forfeits.

7.c3 Bxc3+

Bill has also faced 7...Be7 8.dxe5 Nh6 9.Qf3+ Ke6 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qf5 checkmate, Wall,B - ChrSav, FICS, 2010.

An interesting idea: 7...Qh4 instead.

8.Nxc3

Stronger than 8.bxc3, as in HauntedKnight - OneNoTrump
blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 10) and shugart - chingching
blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 25).


8...Ng6 

Or 8...Nc6 9.d5 (9.0-0 Qf6 10.e5 Qg6 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Nb5 Kd8 13.Qf8+ Qe8 14.Qxe8+ Kxe8 15.Nxc7+ Ke7 16.Nxa8 Nxd4 17.Bg5+ Ke6 18.Nc7+ Kxe5 19.Rae1+ Kd6 20.Bf4+ Kc6 21.Rc1+ Kb6 22.Nd5+ Kb5 23.Rxc8 Ne6 24.a4+ Kxa4 25.Ra1+ Kb3 26.Be5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Caynaboos, FICS, 2011) 9...Ne5 10.f4 Ng6 11.h4 Nxh4 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qxh4 Qxh4+ 14.Rxh4 Nf6 15.e5 Ne8 16.Be3 c6 17.0-0-0 d6 18.e6+ Ke7 19.g4 Nf6 20.f5 gxf5 21.gxf5 cxd5 22.Bg5 a6 23.Nxd5+ Kf8 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25.Rxh7 b5 26.Be7+ Ke8 27.Nf6 checkmate, Wall,B - ChessFlower, PlayChess.com, 2012. 

9.0-0 Nf6

9...d6 was AsceticKingK9 - Luke Warm, Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament, ChessWorld, 2011 (1-0, 16). Beware the "Jerome pawns"!

10.e5 Ne8 11.f4

This addition to the pawn chain is an improvement over 11.Qf3+ (but still: 11...Kg8 12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Be3 a6 14.Rae1 c6 15.Qb3 d5 16.f4 Kg8 17.f5 Nh4 18.Qc2 g6 19.f6 Be6? (19...Kf7 20.Na4) 20.Bg5 Qb6 21.Bxh4 Qxd4+ 22.Bf2 Qf4 23.Ne2 Qc4 24.Qd2 Qxa2 25.Nd4 Bf5 26.Nxf5 gxf5 27.Qg5+ Kf7 28.e6+ Kf8 29.Bc5+ Nd6 30.Bxd6+ Ke8 31.f7 checkmate, Wall,B - Boris, SparkChess.com 2012) 

11...Rf8

Planning to castle-by-hand.

12.f5 Ne7

For better or worse Black had to continue with 12...Kg8, returning the piece.

13.Qb3+ d5 14.exd6+ Black resigned

White will deliver checkmate in a couple of moves.