Jerome Gambit: Chaos Rules

I enjoy playhing over the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games of ZahariSokolov playing at FICS. He shows an understanding of the opening, and brings a creativity that expands its impact.

In the following very difficult, complicated game, however, his opponent presents an odd, rarely-played defense, and the game quickly leaves recommended play. Still, it takes oversights on both sides before the winner is finally decided.

ZahariSokolov - mmamaju
standard, FICS, 2015

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7

Here we have the "Jerome Gambit, Paulsen Variation", otherwise known as "An Odd Line in an Odd Line". It is more of a psychological ploy than a solid defense - but, in this game at least, it is successful.

6.Nc4 

Electing to retain his Knight. In similar situations (see below) it can be exchanged to double Black's pawns.

6.Qh5 is the strongest response, although there are not many examples in The Database: 6...Qf8 (6...d6 7.Qf7# stivb_99 - spymaster, GameKnot.com, 2008) 7.Nxc6+ (7.0–0 d6 8.Ng6+ hxg6 9.Qxh8 Nd4 10.Na3 Ne2+ 11.Kh1 Be6 12.d4 Bxd4 13.f4 Qf6 14.Nb5 Bb6 15.Bd2 a6 16.Nc3 Nxc3 17.Bxc3 Bd4 18.e5 dxe5 19.fxe5 Qxe5 20.Bxd4 Qxd4 21.c3 Qe5 22.Rae1 Qd5 23.Qxg7+ Kd6 24.Rd1 Qxd1 25.Rxd1+ Kc6 26.Qxg6 Black resigned, guest1200 – satmonger, Internet ChessClub, 2001) 7...dxc6 8.Qxc5+ Ke8 9.Qxf8+ Kxf8 10.c3 Nf6 11.d3 Kf7 12.0–0 Rf8 13.f4 Kg8 14.f5 Bd7 15.h3 Rae8 16.g4 h6 17.Bf4 Rc8 18.Nd2 c5 19.Nf3 c6 20.Nh4 Rf7 21.c4 Rd8 22.Ng6 Be8 23.Rf3 Rfd7 24.Ne5 Re7 25.Rd1 Nd7 26.Nxd7 Rexd7 27.Kf2 Bf7 28.Ke3 Kf8 29.h4 Ke7 30.g5 hxg5 31.hxg5 Ke8 32.g6 Bg8 33.Rh3 Kf8 34.Rh8 b5 35.b3 a5 36.Rdh1 Rxd3+ 37.Ke2 R3d7 38.Bg5 Re8 39.Ke3 bxc4 40.bxc4 Rd4 41.R8h4 Rxc4 42.Rb1 Rb4 43.Rxb4 cxb4 44.Kd3 Rc8 45.e5 Rd8+ 46.Kc2 Rc8 47.f6 c5 48.f7 Bxf7 49.gxf7 Kxf7 50.Rc4 Ke6 51.Bf4 Kd5 52.Kb3 a4+ 53.Kxa4 Kxc4 54.e6 Re8 55.Ka5 Rxe6 56.Bc7 Kc3 57.Bb6 c4 58.Bc5 Re5 59.Kb5 b3 60.axb3 cxb3 61.Kc6 Rxc5+ 62.Kxc5 b2 63.Kd5 b1Q 64.Ke6 Qb5 65.Kf7 Kd4 66.Kxg7 Qc6 67.Kf7 Ke5 68.Kf8 Qd7 69.Kg8 Kf6 70.Kh8 Qg7 checkmate, UNPREDICTABLE - aladu, FICS, 2009.

Second best seems to be 6.d4 Bb4+ (6...Nxe5 7.dxc5 d6 8.Bg5+ Nf6 9.f4 Nc6 10.O-O h6 11.cxd6+ Qxd6 12.e5 Qxd1 13.Rxd1 hxg5 14.exf6+ Kxf6 15.fxg5+ Kxg5 16.Nc3 Bf5 17.Rd2 g6 18.Nd5 Rad8 19.Rad1 Bg4 20.Re1 Nb4 21.Re5+ Bf5 22.Rf2 Rxd5 23.h4+ Kxh4 24.g3+ Kg5 25.Ree2 Nxc2 26.Kg2 Nb4 27.Kf3 Bg4+ 28.Kg2 Bxe2 29.Rxe2 Rhd8 30.Re7 R5d7 31.Re5+ Kf6 32.Rb5 Nxa2 33.Rxb7 c5 34.Rb5 c4 35.Ra5 Nc1 36.g4 Nb3 37.Rb5 Nd4 38.Rb4 Rc7 39.b3 c3 40.Rxd4 Rxd4 41.Kg3 c2 42.b4 c1=Q 43.b5 Rc3+ 44.Kh4 Qh1 checkmate, ainafets - Straineryou, FICS, 2007; 6...Nxd4 7.Bg5+ Nf6 8.O-O d6 9.Ng4 Bxg4 10.Qxg4 Ne6 11.Rd1 Nxg5 12.Qxg5 Kd7 13.Qf5+ Ke7 14.Nc3 Qf8 15.e5 Bxf2+ 16.Qxf2 dxe5 17.Qc5+ Kf7 18.Qxc7+ Kg8 19.Qxe5 Re8 20.Qc7 Ng4 21.Qc4+ Qf7 22.Qxg4 Black resigned, trebbor - saucer, FICS, 2001) 7.c3 d6 8.Bg5+ Nf6 9.Bxf6+ gxf6 10.Nxc6+ bxc6 11.cxb4 c5 12.a3 cxd4 13.O-O Qg8 14.g3 Be6 15.Qxd4 Bc4 16.Re1 Qe6 17.Nd2 f5 18.exf5 Black resigned, Darthnik - Amoxicillin, FICS, 2011.

There is also the reasonable-looking 6.Nxc6+ bxc6 (6...dxc6 7.d3 Nf6 8.Bg5 Be6 9.O-O Kd7 10.e5 h6 11.Bh4 g5 12.Bg3 Ng4 13.h3 Ne3 14.fxe3 Bxe3+ 15.Bf2 Bxf2+ 16.Rxf2 Ke7 17.c3 c5 18.d4 Qd5 19.Qf3 Raf8 20.Qxd5 Bxd5 21.Nd2 Rxf2 22.Kxf2 b5 23.Nf3 Rf8 24.a3 h5 25.Kg3 Rg8 26.Rf1 g4 27.hxg4 Rxg4+ 28.Kf2 Rf4 29.Ke3 Re4+ 30.Kd2 Rg4 31.Rf2 Black forfeited on time, perrypawnpusher - salla, blitz, FICS, 2010) 7.d4 Bb6 (7...Bb4+ 8.c3 Bd6 9.Bg5+ Nf6 10.e5 Bxe5 11.dxe5 Kf8 12.O-O h6 13.exf6 gxf6 14.Be3 d5 15.Bc5+ Kg8 16.Nd2 h5 17.Nf3 Bg4 18.Qd3 Bxf3 19.Qg6 checkmate, CoachCrupp - zzzozzzo, FICS, 2008) 8.Bg5+ Nf6 9.e5 Ba6 10.exf6+ gxf6 11.Be3 Qg8 12.Rg1 Re8 13.a4 c5 14.a5 cxd4 15.axb6 dxe3 16.Rxa6 axb6 17.fxe3 Qg5 18.Qf3 Kf7 19.Kd2 Re7 20.Nc3 Rhe8 21.Nd5 Re4 22.Nf4 Qc5 23.Ra3 Qe5 24.Rd3 Qa5+ 25.c3 Qb5 26.Qh5+ Qxh5 27.Rxd7+ Black resigned, jankrb - Red House, RedHotPawn.com, 2013;

6...Ne5

Black's best response is 6...d5, which would be a TN, keeping his advantage.

7.d3

White should simply take the Knight on e5 and be better. With the text, he returns the advantage to his adversary.

One wonders if one of Alekhine's cats jumped on White's keyboard. 

7...Nxc4 8.dxc4 h6 9.Nc3 c6 10.Qg4 Qf8 11.O-O Kd8 12.Be3 Be7 13.e5 d6 14.Qh5 

14...Kc7 15.exd6+ Bxd6 16.Ne4

A slip. Better was 16.c5 Be7 17.Qd5+. 

16...Nf6 17.Qf3 Bg4 18.Qf4

Perhaps Stockfish 7's suggestion held out more hope: 18.Bf4 Bxf3 19.Bxd6+ Qxd6 20.Nxd6 Kxd6 21.gxf3. 

18...Bxf4 19.Bxf4+ Kc8 20.Nd6+ Kd7 21.Nxb7 Be2 22.Rfe1 Bxc4 23.Rad1+ Bd5 24.c4 Kc8 25.Nd6+ Kd7 26.cxd5 Nxd5 27.Bg3 

White has been fighting back fiercely since losing his Queen, and he is helped by Black's next move, which actually gives the attacker the advantage in the game. Perhaps time problems?

27...Re8 28.Ne4

A missed opportunity for White, as he had 28.Rxe8 Qxe8 29.Nxe8 Rxe8 with a small advantage.

Black is now able to move on to victory. 

28...Re6 29.f3 h5 30.Rc1 Rg6 31.Nc5+ Kc8 32.Ne6 Qb4 33.Rb1 Qb6+ 34.Bf2 Qa6 35.a3 Re8 36.Nc5 Rxe1+ 37.Rxe1 Qc4 38.Ne4 Qb3 39.Nc3 Nxc3 40.bxc3 Qxc3 41.Re8+ Kd7 42.Re1 Qxa3 43.Bh4 Qb4 44.Kh1 Qxh4 White resigned

Sang Froid

The ongoing RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit tournament continues to produce interesting and educational games.

Be sure to follow the games in the notes, too, for extra excitment!


golddog2 - deriver69
Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit Tournament
RedHotPawn.com, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 7.Nc3 

Sang froid. White answers Black's wild counter-attack (which leaves two pieces en prise; see "A Pie-in-the-Face Variation") with a rare, but simple developing move. Anything is worth a try in such a precarious position.

For the adventurer with White, despite what a computer player might say about the position, it is reassuring to know that in 222 games in The Database, White scored a scintillating 67%!

7...Bb4

Instead, 7...Nd3+ was the odd idea of the coputer Milobot, in a crazy game that veered all over the place: 8.cxd3 (8.Qxd3) 8...Bf8 (8...Bxd4) 9.Qf3+ (9.Qb3+ or 9.O-O) 9...Qf6 10.Qh5+ Qg6 11.Qd5+ Ke8 12.O-O a6 13.f3 Ra7 14.Bf4 b5 15.Bxc7 Nh6 (15...Rxc7 16.Qe5+ Kd8) 16.f4 Qf7 (16...Rxc7) 17.Rae1 (17. Qe5+) 17...Qg6 (17...Rxc7) 18.f5 Qg4 $18 19.Qe5+ Be7 20.Bd6 Qxg2+ 21.Kxg2 Kf8 22.Qxe7+ Kg8 23.Qf8 checkmate, LeoJustino - MiloBot, FICS, 2012. Wow.

7...Ng4, like the text in the game, also preserves Black's advantage 8.Qf3+ (8.g3 Qf6 9.Qxg4 Bxd4 10.Nd5 Qxf2+ 11.Kd1 d6 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qh4 Qf3+ 14.Kd2 Qxh1 15.c3 Qg2+ 16.Kd3 Be5 17.Bh6 Qh3 18.Qd8 Qxh6 19.Qxc7+ Ke8 20.Rf1 Qg7 21.Qc4 Be6 22.Nc7+ Kd7 23.Qxe6+ Kxc7 24. Rf7+ Qxf7 25.Qxf7+ Kc6 26.Qc4+ Kd7 27.Qf7+ Ne7 28.Qb3 b6 29.Qb5+ Nc6 30 b4 Rhf8 31.Qd5 Rf3+ 32.Ke2 Raf8 33.b5 Rf2+ 34.Ke1 Bxc3+ 35.Kd1 Rd2+ 36.Ke1 Rxd5+ White resigned, CoachCrupp - mathgk, FICS, 2010) 8...N8f6 9.dxc5 Nxh2 10.Qh3 Qxh3 11.gxh3 Nf3+ 12.Ke2 Nd4+ 13.Kd3 Nc6 14.a3 b6 15.Be3 Ba6+ 16.Kd2 Ne5 17.Rad1 Rhe8 18.Kc1 Nc4 19.cxb6 cxb6 20.Bf4 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Rxe4 22.Rxd7+ Ke6 White resigned, Darthnik - picator, FICS, 2011. 

8.dxe5 

The wildness continued after 8.O-O with 8...Ng4 9.h3 h5 10.Qf3+ Qf6 11.hxg4 hxg4 12.Qxg4 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Qh4 14.Qf5+ Nf6 15.f3 d6 16.Qf4 Qxf4 17.Bxf4 b6 18.e5 Nd5 19.Bd2 Ba6 20.Rf2 dxe5 21.dxe5 Rae8 22.f4 g6 23.Re1 Ke6 24.g4 Rhf8 25.Kg2 Ne7 26.Kg3 Bb7 27.c4 c5 28.Bc3 Ba6 29.Re4 Rd8 30 a4 Rd1 31.Rh2 Rg1+ 32.Kf3 Bb7 33.Ke3 Rxg4 34.Rf2 Black forfeited on time in a winning position,  PLURkidIT - CEZRUN, FICS, 2007.

8...Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Qxe4+ 10.Qe2 Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2 Ne7 

A lot of the tension has been taken out of the position, and with only a pawn for his sacrificed piece, White needs to find a way to make use of his open lines and Black's slightly unsafe King.

This time, he is not successful.

12.c4 b6 13.g4 Bb7 14.f3 Rae8 15.Bb2 Ng6 

16.Kf2 Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Rxe5 18.Rad1 d6 19.Rd3 Rhe8 20.Rf1 Re2+ 21.Kg3 Rxc2 22.Rd4 Ree2 23.h3 g5 24.f4 Re3+ 25.Rf3 Rxf3 checkmate

Another RHP Jerome Gambit Tournament - Game 2

If you are playing an opening that is "off the beaten path" and your opponent takes you off of that path, is it a good thing or a bad thing? In the following game Black's opening creativity serves him much less well than following the stodgy main line of the Jerome Gambit.

jankrb (2055) - Red House (1588)
Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit tournament, RedHotPawn, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7

Of the almost 4,600 games in The Database which reach the position after White's 5th move, only 9 show Black's 5th move response, with the simple Knight recapture being the most popular alternative. See "An Odd Line In An Odd Line" and "Jerome Gambit, Paulsen Variation".

6.Nxc6+

Best play now appears to be 6.Qh5! which appeared in 3 games: guest1200 - satmonger, Internet Chess Club, 2001 (1-0, 26); stivb_99 - spymaster, GameKnot.com, 2008 (1-0, 7);  and UNPREDICTABLE - aladu, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 70).

Each time, Black missed the best defense, pointed out by Rybka, 6...Bxf2+!? 7.Kxf2 Qf8+ 8.Nf3 Nf6, although White would still have an edge.

6...bxc6

Stronger was 6...dxc6, preventing the White d-pawn from advancing 2 squares, as in perrypawnpusher - salla, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 31).

7.d4 Bb6

There is no need to repeat the offbeat 7...Bb4+, from CoachCrupp - zzzozzzo, FICS, 2008: 8.c3 Bd6 9.Bg5+ Nf6 10.e5 Bxe5 11.dxe5 Kf8 12.0-0 h6 13.exf6 gxf6 14.Be3 d5 15.Bc5+ Kg8 16.Nd2 h5 17.Nf3 Bg4 18.Qd3 Bxf3 19.Qg6 checkmate.

8.Bg5+ Nf6 9.e5 Ba6 

10.exf6+

An interesting try, according to Houdini, is 10.Qf3!? Kf7 (not 10...Bxd4 11.Bxf6+ gxf6 12.Qxf6+ Ke8 13.Qxh8+ Ke7 14.Qxh7+) 11.Nd2 h6 (a bit better than 11...Bxd4 12.exf6 Re8+ 13.Ne4 Rxe4+ 14.Qxe4 Bxb2 15.Rb1 Bxf6 16.Qf3 Qe7+ 17.Kd1 Re8 18.Bxf6 gxf6±) 12.Be3 Re8 13.0-0-0 and White has an advantage as he will recover his sacrificed piece.

10...gxf6 11.Be3 Qg8 12.Rg1 Re8 13.a4 c5 14.a5 cxd4 15.axb6 dxe3 16.Rxa6 axb6 17.fxe3 Qg5

Both Kings remain uneasy, but White has an extra piece which he can make use of as soon as he consolidates his position.

18.Qf3 Kf7 19.Kd2 Re7 20.Nc3 Rhe8 21.Nd5 Re4 22.Nf4 Qc5 23.Ra3 Qe5 24.Rd3 Qa5+ 25.c3 Qb5 26.Qh5+ Qxh5 27.Rxd7+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit Doctor

Periodically in this new year we will be looking at different lines in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and be providing ideas (and study material) which may deliver "first aid" or heavier "fixes" in situations where White's play has been injured.

Here is a game by HauntedKnight, a regular player of things Jerome. He has 144 games in The Database, scoring an over-all 49%, which is the over-all average for White in those 27,400 games. With the Jerome Gambit proper he scores 42%, which is comparable to the 43% of all Jerome Gambit games in The Database.

HauntedKnight - Josue
standard game, FICS, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Be7 

Josue, the higher-rated player, chooses a very reasonable, if unpopular line. The Database has only 12 games with this move, but White has scored only 38% against it.

7.dxe5

White avoids the ostentatious 7.f4 which brings a lot of visual excitement, but more "flash" than "bang": 7...Nc6 8.d5 Nb4 9.a3 Na6 10.0-0 Nf6 11.e5 Ne8 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qh6 Bf8 14.Qh3 d6 15.e6+ Kg7 16.b3 Be7 17.f5 Nf6 18.Bb2 c6 19.c4 cxd5 20.Nd2 dxc4 21.Ne4 Nc5 22.Nxf6 Bxf6 23.Bxf6+ Qxf6 24.bxc4 b6 25.Qg3 Bb7 26.Qxd6 Rad8 27.Qf4 Rd4 28.Qe3 Re4 29.Qd2 Rd8 30.Qf2 g5 31.Rad1 Red4 32.Qf4 Rxf4 White resigned, wirerabbit - SimpleOne, FICS, 2007

7...d6

Alternatives include:

7...g6 8.Qd5+ Kg7 9.b3 h5 10.Bb2 Kh7 11.Nd2 c6 12.Qd3 d6 13.exd6 Bf6 14.e5 Bg7 15.0-0-0 Bf5 16.Qe2 Be6 17.h3 b5 18.g4 h4 19.f4 Bd5 20.Ne4 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 Qa5 22.Kb1 Rd8 23.g5 Nh6 24.gxh6 Bxh6 25.f5 Rhg8 26.Rhg1 g5 27.f6+ Rg6 28.e6 Qb6 29.e7 Rxd6 30.e8Q Rxd1+ 31.Rxd1, Black resigned, gollydali - Letranite, FICS, 2011;

the sturdy 7...Nh6 8.Qd5+ (8.Qh5) 8...Kf8 9.Bxh6 gxh6 10.Nc3 c6 11.Qd3 d6 12.Qf3+ Kg8 13.0-0-0 Bg4 14.Qxg4+ Kf8 15.Qf4+ Ke8 16.e6 Bg5 17.Qxg5 Qxg5+ 18.Kb1 Qxg2 19.Rhg1 Qxe4 20.Nxe4 Ke7 21.Rxd6 Rhg8 22.Rxg8 Rxg8 23.c4 Rg4 24.Rd7+ Kxe6 25.Nc5+ Kf6 26.Rxb7 Rxc4 27.Nd3 Rd4 28.Kc2 Rh4 29.Rxh7 Rxh2 30.Kc3 Kf5 31.b4 a6 32.a4 Ke4 33.Re7+ Kd5 34.Re5+ Kd6 35.f4 h5 36.Rg5 h4 37.Kc4 Rc2+ 38.Kd4 h3 39.Rh5 h2 40.Rh6+ Kd7 41.Nc5+ Kc7 42.Rh7+ Kb6 43.Rb7 checkmate, exatapalov - MeTaLoV, FICS, 2011;

the solid 7...Ke8 8.0-0 h6 9.Qg4 Bf8 10.Qg6+ Ke7 11.Nc3 c6 12.Be3 Qe8 13.Qd6+ Kd8 14.Qd4 Kc7 15.Bf4 Qe6 16.Rad1 a6 17.Na4 b5 18.Qb6 checkmate, CoachCrupp - tuffnut, FICS, 2008;

and the overly-casual 7...Nf6 8.exf6 Bxf6 returning the piece 9.0-0 Re8 10.e5 (10.Qd5+) Rxe5 11.Bf4 Re7 12.Qh5+ Kg8 13.Bg5 Bxg5 14.Qxg5 d6 15.Qh5 Re5 16.Qf3 Qe7 17.Nd2 Bd7 18.Nc4 Rf8 19.Qb3 Be6 20.Rfe1 Rxe1+ 21.Rxe1 Qf6 22.Ne3 Qxf2+ 23.Kh1 Qxe1+ 24.Nf1 Qxf1 checkmate, Howtocastle - svadali, FICS, 2003. 

8.Qf3+ 

Probably best, although after 8.exd6 White had interesting play 8...Qxd6 9.Qe2 (9.Qf3+ Nf6 10.0-0 Bg4 11.Qb3+ Be6 12.Qxb7 Rhb8 13.Qa6 Qxa6 14.Nc3 Qxf1+ 15.Kxf1 a6 16.Be3 Ng8 17.Rd1 Rxb2 18.Bd4 Rxc2 19.Ne2 Bc4 20.Kg1 Bxe2 21.Re1 Bb5 22.f4 Rd8 23.Bf2 Rdd2 24.Bg3 Rxg2+ 25.Kh1 Rgd2 26.e5 Bc6+ 27.Kg1 Bc5+ 28.Kf1 Bg2 checkmate, Idealist - fake, FICS, 2000) 9...Be6 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.0-0 Rhf8 12.e5 Qc6 13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Qh5+ Kg8 15.Be3 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Qxc3 17.Qh4 b6 18.Bd4 Qc4 19.c3 c5 20.Rac1 cxd4 21.cxd4 Qxa2 22.Qg5 Rf7 23.f4 Raf8 24.Rcd1 Qd5 25.Kh1 Qxg5 26.fxg5 White resigned, stretto - ifufocop, FICS, 2007 (26); 

Aggressive was 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Nc3 c6 11.0-0 (11.Bf4) dxe5 12.Rd1 Qc7 13.Qg3 Nf6 14.Be3 Be6 15.Bh6 Rd8 16.Qf3 Rxd1+ 17.Rxd1 Kf7 18.Bg5 Rd8 19.Rxd8 Qxd8 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.h4 h5 22.Qe2 b5 23.Nd1 a5 24.Qe1 a4 25.Ne3 Bxh4 26.b3 Bg5 27.f4 Bxf4 28.Nf1 Kg7 29.g3 Bg5 30.c4 bxc4 31.bxc4 Bxc4 32.Qb4 Bxf1 33.Kxf1 Qd3+ 34.Kg2 Qd2+ 35.Kh3 Qxb4 36.a3 Qxa3 White forfeited on time, Stockholm - MorphyLives, FICS, 2007. 

8...Ke8 

9.Be3 

Alternatives:

9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qf3 dxe5 11.Nc3 Be6 12.0-0 c6 13.Be3 Nf6 14.Rad1 Qc7 15.Bh6 Bg4 16.Qd3 Bxd1 17.Rxd1 Rd8 18.Qc4 Rxd1+ 19.Nxd1 Qd6 20.Nc3 Qb4 21.Qe6 Qxb2 22.Bg7 Qc1+ White resigned, quixote - RRustyy1, Chess.com, 2012; 

9.exd6 Qxd6 10.Bf4 Qb4+ 11.Nd2 Qxb2 12.0-0 Nf6 13.Bxc7 Bg4 14.Qd3 Rc8 15.Nc4 Qb5 16.Nd6+ Bxd6 17.Qxd6 Nxe4 18.Rfe1 Be2 19.Qe6+ Kf8 20.Qxe4 Rxc7 21.Rxe2 Kf7 22.Qf4+ Kg6 23.Re5 Qb2 24.Qg5+ Kf7 25.Rae1 Qb6 26.Qf4+ Qf6 27.Rf5 g5 28.Qxc7+ Black resigned, jfhumphrey - JeversonM, FICS, 2012; 

9.e6 Bxe6 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.0-0 Rf8 12.Qg3 Nh5 13.Qd3 Nf4 14.Bxf4 Rxf4 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Rh4 17.Rae1 Qd7 18.Re6 Kf8 19.Qf3+ Kg8 20.Rfe1 Re8 21.Qe3 Rh6 22.Rxh6 gxh6 23.Qxh6 Bf8 24.Qg5+ Bg7 25.Rf1 Qe7 26.Qg3 Qe2 27.f3 Qxc2 28.Qg4 Qg6 29.Qd7 Re2 30.Qc8+ Bf8 31.Qh3 Rxb2 32.f4 Rxa2 33.f5 Qg5 34.f6 Qxd5 35.f7+ Kh8 36.Qg3 Qd4+ 37.Kh1 Qg7 38.Qf3 c5 39.h4 c4 40.Qxb7 c3 41.Qf3 c2 42.h5 Rb2 43.Kh2 c1Q 44.Rxc1 Qe5+ 45.Kh3 Qe6+ 46.Kh2 Rb4 47.Qc3+ Qe5+ 48.Qxe5+ dxe5 49.Kh3 Kg7 50.Rf1 h6 51.g4 a5 52.Rf5 Rb3+ 53.Kh4 Be7+ 54.g5 Bxg5+ 55.Kg4 Rb4+ 56.Kf3 e4+ 57.Ke2 Rb2+ 58.Kd1 Kf8 59.Rxa5 Kxf7 60.Rf5+ Ke6 61.Rf8 Ke5 62.Re8+ Kd4 63.Rd8+ Ke3 White resigned, jfhumphrey - fischbroetchen, FICS, 2011; 

Probably best is 9.Bf4 dxe5 10.Bxe5 Nf6 11.0-0 Bd6 12.Bd4 c5 13.e5 cxd4 14.exd6 Qxd6 15.Re1+ Kf8 16.Na3 Kg8 17.Nc4 Qc6 18.Qb3 Be6 19.Rxe6 Qxe6 20.Qxb7 Rf8 21.b3 h5 22.Qxa7 Qg4 23.h3 Qf4 24.Re1 Rh7 25.Re7 g5 26.Rxh7 Nxh7 27.a4 Qxf2+ 28.Kh2 Rf7 29.Qa8+ Kg7 30.Qd5 g4 31.hxg4 hxg4 32.Qd6 g3+ 33.Qxg3+ Qxg3+ 34.Kxg3 Ng5 35.Kh2 Ne4 36.g3 Rf2+ 37.Kh3 Rxc2 38.Kg4 Rc3 39.Kf4 Rxb3 40.Ne5 Rb4 41.Ng6 Rxa4 42.Ne7 Kf7 43.Nf5 Nxg3 44.Nd6+ Ke7 45.Nf5+ Ke6 46.Nd6 Kd5 47.Kg4 Kxd6 48.Kg5 drawn, soonFM - vessoj, FICS, 2005.

9...Nh6

Black is planning something wicked, a threat that shows up in several of the above games. Probably his best move was 9...dxe5.

10.Nc3 

It is prudent to note here that White can take the draw with 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qh5+ Kf8 12.Qf3+ Kg7 13.Qg3+ Kf7 14.Qf3+ Kg8 15.Qb3+ Kg7 16.Qg3+ Kf7, etc.

If White wants to play on, it would seem that 10.Qh5+ Nf7 11.exd6 followed by 12.Nc3 would be best.

10...Bg4 

The unhappy point: White will lose his Queen.

11.Qg3 Bh4 12.Qf4 Rf8 13.Qxf8+ Kxf8 

White continued the fight, but it was too much. 

14.g3 Bg5 15.f4 Be7 16.Kf2 Qe8 17.h3 Bd7 18.Ke2 dxe5 19.fxe5 Qh5+ 20.Kd2 Bg5 21.Rae1 Bxe3+ 22.Rxe3 Qxe5 23.Kc1 Kg8 24.Rd1 Bxh3 25.Rd5 Qf6 26.b3 Rd8 27.Rc5 Qf2 28.Nd5 Rxd5 29.Rec3 Rxc5 White resigned

(This time I saw it)

Early last year I played a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) against Banassi (see "Platypus Perils and Follies"), and succeeded when my opponent lost his way in a complicated refutation line.

Although I won the game, I was so nervous at the time that I overlooked a checkmate-in-one along the way.

This time, I saw it.

perrypawnpusher - thinan

blitz FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

One of the many ways to defeat the Jerome Gambit, others being 6...g6, 6...Ng6 and 6...Kf8.

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+

Wow!

The simpler 8...Qf6 was an effective defense, as was 8...Qd8, or 8...Qd7 or even 8...Kc6. The text holds the promise of a Queen sac, however.

9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kd1

Now Black has 10...Ne7 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qe4+ d5 13.exd6+ Nd5 14.gxh4 Bg4

analysis diagram







as in abhailey - peonconorejas, net-chess.com, 2008, which finished with 15.Qa4+ b5 16.Qa6+ Nb6 17.c4 Nd4+ 18.Ke1 Rhe8+ 19.Kf2 Nf5+ 20.Kf1 Bh3 checkmate.

analysis diagram







10...Qe7 

Taking the Queen out of danger, but allowing...

11.Qd5 checkmate

This was anticipated by CoachCrupp - jirikb, blitz FICS, 2008.

perrypawnpusher - Banassi, blitz FICS, 2009 continued: 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qe4+ Kb6 13.Qxf3 d6 14.Nc3 Be6 15.Na4+ Kb5 16.Qxb7+ Bb6 17.Nxb6 axb6 18.Qxa8 dxe5 19.a4+ Kc5 20.d3 exf4 21.b4+ Kd6 22.Bxf4+ Kd7 23.Qb7 Bg4+ 24.Kc1 Ke8 25.Qa8+ Kf7 26.Qd5+ Kf8 27.Qe4 Qxb4 28.Qxb4+ Black resigned.