Jerome Gambit: Needing More Than A Parasol

If it's raining outside, you can put on a hat, rain coat, and boots, and carry an umbrella. That will help. If you only take out a little parasol from the last cocktail you had - it won't provide much shelter.

So it is, when you are facing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). You may not need the most exacting defense - say, Whistler's, or the "annoying defense", or even Jerome's defense - but you will need to have some kind of defense prepared. Otherwise, you will just get soaked.

Witness the following game. It shows how White can wrap things up early.

Wall, Bill - Dippoldi
PlayChess.com, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

6...Bb4+ 

This can work, if it is followed up correctly.

7.c3 Bd6

According to The Database, Black has won every time he has played the alternative, 7...Qh4!? - 13 times - except for the 2 times that it was played against Bill Wall.

8.dxe5 Bxe5

Bill points out that 8...Bf8 and 8...Be7 were the way to go. White would have only a small advantage, if any.

9.Qd5+

Also successful was 9.Qh5+  - 9...Ke6 10.Qf5+ Kd6 11.Na3 Ne7 12.Nc4+ Kc6 13.Qxe5 d6 14.Na5+ Kd7 15.Qg5 c6 16.Nc4 b6 17.Bf4 Ng6 18.Qf5+ Kc7 19.Qf7+ Qd7 20.Bxd6+ Kb7 21.Qf3 b5 22.Ne5 Nxe5 23.Bxe5 Ka6 24.g3 Bb7 25.a4 c5 26.axb5+ Kxb5 27.O-O Rhe8 28.c4+ Kc6 29.Rad1 Rxe5 30.Rxd7 Kxd7 31.Qf7+ Kc8 32.Qf8+ Kc7 33.Qxg7+ Kd6 34.Qxb7 Ree8 35.Rd1+ Ke6 36.Qd7+ Kf6 37.Rd6+ Ke5 38.Rd5+ Kf6 39.Rf5+ Kg6 40.Qf7+ Kh6 41.Rh5 checkmate, Sir Osis of the Liver - Crusader Rabbit, Jerome Gambit Tournament 4, ChessWorld, 2009. 

9...Kf6

Just about as effective as 9...Kf8, seen in Wall, - Holzkopp, PlayChess.com, 2017 (1-0, 27).

10.f4

Deadly enough was 10.h4 - 10...Ne7 11.Bg5+ Kg6 12.Qxe5 d6 13.Qxe7 Qxe7 14.Bxe7 Re8 15.h5+ Kf7 16.Bg5 Rxe4+ 17.Be3 Bf5 18.Nd2 Re6 19.O-O-O a5 20.Rde1 Rae8 21.Nb3 Re5 22.Nd4 Bg4 23.Kd2 c5 24.Nb5 Rd5+ 25.Kc1 c4 26.Nc7 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - anaribusm, FICS, 2012.

10...Qe7

Also coming to no good end: 10...Kg6, as in Wall,B - Guest6953174, PlayChess.com 2016 (1-0, 15) and 10...c6 11.fxe5+ Kg6 12.Qd6+ Kf7 13.O-O+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest11386950, PlayChess.com, 2019.

11.fxe5+ Qxe5

Even LuigiBot could not escape, trying 11...Kg6 - 12.O-O Nh6 13.Rf3 Rf8 14.Rg3+ Kh5 15.Qd1+ Rf3 16.Qxf3+ Kh4 17.Rh3 checkmate, Fandral - LuigiBot, FICS, 2013. 

12.O-O+ Black resigned

Jerome Countergambit

The following game could just as easily be called "Buttons, buttons, who's got the buttons?" because White wins in the end simply because he has more buttons - er, pawns.

An interesting question of Jerome Gambit nomenclature comes up, however, hence the title of today's post (and the graphic of the counter-puncher).

Wall, Bill - Guest545050

PlayChess.com, 2013

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

Bill Wall suggests that this variation be called the Jerome Countergambit. I think that name is appropriate, as, in the Jerome Gambit, Black executes the same Bishop sacrifice that White played earlier. However, I would like to expand the name to the whole strategy of Black's counter-sacrifice.

Interestingly, in The Database I found only 8 other examples of 7...Bxf2+ as in the current game.

After a different defensive line, however, that of 6...g6 (instead of 6...Kf8) 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+, I found 84 examples.

While readers may not be surprised that after 6.d3 (instead of 6.Qh5+ as in the game) I found only 1 example of the countergambit 6...Bxf2+, it might be shocking to discover that in the "modern" Jerome Gambit line 5.d3 (instead of 5.Nxe5+) there are 842 examples of 5...Bxf2+.

Over the years there have been a number of comments about the ideas behind the Jerome Countergambit, from the thoughts of Brian Wall to today's game by Bill Wall. As for me, I've written a memo: More to explore!

8.Kxf2

Wouldn't you know, one Jerome Gambiteer, the venerable DREWBEAR 63, tried the counter-psych, 8.Ke2!?, and won in 43 moves, in DREWBEAR 63 - Crusader Rabbit, Jerome Gambit Tourney 4, ChessWorld 2009.

8...Qf6+

The alternative, 8... Qh4+, in true Jerome Gambit style, showed up in perrypawnpusher - superlopez, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 71), which apparently, somehow, was never posted here. (I'll remedy that in a few days.)

9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 

As I've mentioned elsewhere, recently, in a similar situation, "Black has an even game. However, given that he had a won game at move 4, this is not actually progress". Actually, things are worse in this particular case, as Black's exchange of Queens has left him a pawn down.

10.Nc3 g6 

Or 10... d6, as in perrypawnpusher - Lindal, blitz, FICS, 2007, (1-0, 45) 

11.d4 d6 12.Bg5 Kg7 

Moving too quickly. (For a recent, similar example, see "By the Numbers".)

As I've said before: as "bad" as the Jerome Gambit is, it still demands the defender's full attention.

13.Bxf6+ Kxf6 14.Nd5+ Kg7 15.Nxc7 Rb8 16.Nb5 Rf8+ 17.Ke2 Bg4+ 18.Ke3 Rbd8 19.Nxa7 Rde8 

20.Nb5 d5 21.e5 Bf5 22.Nd6 Ra8 23. Nxf5+ Rxf5 24.g4 Rf7 25.h4 Raf8 

26.Rh3 Rf4 27.g5 b5 28.a4 bxa4 29.Rxa4 Rf2 30.Ra7+ Kg8 31.Rc7 Black resigned

Black has nothing against the Queenside buttons.

Changing of the Guard

The Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament that is finishing up at ChessWorld is showing the emergence of new faces –AsceticKingK9 and mckenna215, for example, taking first and second place – to stand alogside Jerome Gambit Gemeinde veterans like blackburne and DREWBEAR63.

It will be worth studying the games of the top two finishers to see what they have added to Jerome Gambit theory (for both Black and White). I hope to have all of the Thematic Tournament games added to The Database by New Year's Day, 2012.

In the meantime, take a look at a rather unusual "Modern Delayed-Classical Jerome Gambit" between New and Old Guard.

AsceticKingK9 - DREWBEAR 63
Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament, ChessWorld, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.0-0 h5

This is, among many things, a reminder to White that the second player can respond to the Gambit in many ways and still retain a theoretical advantage. DREWBEAR63 has played this move at least twice before.

6.Nxe5+

The most direct response. Also seen have been:

6.c3 d5 7.d3 Bg4 8.Nbd2 h4 9.exd5 Qxd5 10.Ng5+ Ke7 11.Qxg4 Nf6 12.Qh3 Raf8 13.c4 Qd4 14.Nb3 Qd6 15.Bd2 Nh5 16.Rae1 Ng3 17.hxg3 hxg3 18.Nh7 gxf2+ 19.Kh1 fxe1Q 20.Rxe1 Qg6 21.Bg5+ Ke8 22.Qc8+ Kf7 23.Rf1+ Kg8 24.Rxf8+ Bxf8 25.Qxf8+ Kxh7 26.Qf2 Qh5+ 27.Bh4 Kg8 28.g3 g5 29.Qf5 gxh4 30.Qe6+ Qf7 31.Qg4+ Kf8 32.gxh4 Qf1+ 33.Qg1 Rxh4 checkmate, Crusader Rabbit - DREWBEAR 63, JGTourney4 ChessWorld 2009; and 


6.d4 exd4 7.Ng5+ Kf8 8.Bf4 Bd6 9.e5 Nxe5 10.Qxd4 Qf6 11.Nc3 c5 12.Qe4 Rb8 13.Nd5 Qg6 14.Qxg6 Nxg6 15.Bxd6+ N6e7 16.Bxb8 Nxd5 17.Bd6+ Ke8 18.Rae1+ Nde7 19.Re5 Rh6 20.Bxe7 Nxe7 21.Rfe1 Re6 22.Nxe6 dxe6 23.Rxh5 Kf7 24.Rxc5 b6 25.Rc7 a6 26.Rd1 Kf6 27.Rd8 Kf7 28.Rdxc8 Kf6 29.Rf8+ Black resigned, TWODOGS - DREWBEAR 63, JGTourney5 ChessWorld 2010.

6...Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6

Giving back a piece directly with 7...Bxd4 was simpler and more likely to help Black keep his advantage. Instead, White is allowed to continue winning tempi.

8.dxe5 Bxe5

9.Qd5+ Kf6 10.f4 Kg6 11.fxe5 Qe7

White has open lines against the enemy King, and Black's Queen cannot provide enough protection.

12.Nc3 c6 13.Qd3 Nh6 14.Qg3+

White's position has grown strong enough that he could also offer a piece with 14.Nd5, because of 14...cxd5 15.exd5+ Nf5 16.Qxf5 checkmate. 

14...Kh7

Castling-by-hand does not help at this point.

15.Bxh6 Kxh6 16.Rf5 Qe8 17.Qg5+ Kh7 18.Raf1 d5 19.Rf7 Black resigned

As in many Jerome Gambit victories for White, Black's Queenside tells the story, even as his Kingside awaits the checkmate.

Daves111 Tops ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Thematic

Dominating the field like What's-His-Name in the picture on the left, Daves111 left his twelve opponents in the dust as he stormed to the top in the just-completed (or "just about" completed: the remaining game is a mate-in-two) double round robin ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament.

Daves111 scored 21 points out of 24 games, taking 10 out of 12 points available with the White pieces and 11 out of 12 points with the Black pieces.

He was followed by CheckmateKingTwo and Jerome Gambit veteran DREWBEAR 63, each with 17.5 points. My guess is that the tie break will go to CheckmateKingTwo, as he beat DREWBEAR 63 in their two games.

In fourth place, with 16 out of 24 points, was blackburne, the tournament organizer and long-time member of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde.

TWODOGS and Crusader Rabbit achieved plus scores, with 13.5 and 13 points respectively.

shm19cs broke even with 12 points and eddie43 just missed that mark with 11.5 points.

There followed LukeWarm with 10 points, stampyshortlegs with 9 points, calchess10 with 8 points and Baron wd von Blanc, heart pirate with 7 points. anbeks finished with 0 points.

The top scorers with the Jerome Gambit were Daves111 (10 points), CheckmateKingTwo (8.5) and DREWBEAR 63 (7.5).

The top scorers against the Jerome Gambit were Daves111 (11 points), DREWBEAR 63 (10 points) and CheckmateKingTwo (9 points).

The greatest upset was calchess10 winning a game against an opponent with a rating 350 points higher.

The Jerome Gambit itself scored 46%, which is consistent with how well it has done in past thematic tournaments.

King Daves111 ?

The Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament taking place at Chess.com looks like it is close to crowning its winner.

Daves111 leads with 21 points, having finished all 24 of his games.

If TWODOGS, at 8 points from 11 games, wins all of his remaining games (13) he could catch Daves111 and tie for first.

Of course, if dark horse CheckmateKingTwo, at 2 points from 4 games, wins his final 20 games, he could leapfrog over both Daves111 and TWODOGs...

Not in the battle for top honors, but fighting for second place, are DREWBEAR (17 points out of 21 games) and stampyshortlegs (9 points out of 16 games).

Blackburne (12 points out of 21 games) and Crusader Rabbit (10 points out of 18 games) are on their heels.

To Catch A Front-Runner

Daves111 continues to lead the Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament (with a record of 18 wins out of 21 games, with 3 to complete) at ChessWorld, although recently he suffered a couple of losses (followed by a rebounding win).

How do you catch a front-runner?

You stay alert and look for your chances, even in a difficult position.

This is Crusader Rabbit - Daves111. Black has a Rook more, and can look ahead to a comfortable win.

However, Daves111 – perhaps momentarily looking ahead – played 22...Qd8, and saw 23.Qxg7 checkmate pop up in front of him. Ouch! 

This is Daves111 - TWODOGS. Despite even material, White actually has a difficult position.

The first player moved 28.Rd7, putting pressure on g7 and the Black King – and then resigned, as 28...Rf1 is checkmate. 

(For the record, this is the 800th straight daily post without interruption. Who'd a' thunk it?)

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

Tournament Numbers

In the current Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament at ChessWorld, Daves111 continues to lead the pack with 17 wins out of 18 games, with 6 more games to finish.

In second place is DREWBEAR 63 with 14 wins in 16 games, followed by blackburne with 12 wins in 19 games.

Off the pace, but only because they have completed fewer games, are stampyshortlegs at 7 wins in 10 games and Crusader Rabbit with 6 wins in 10 games.

TWODOGS, at 4 wins in 4 games, and CheckmateKingTwo, with 2 wins in 2 games, continue as dark horses.

So far in this tournament the Jerome Gambit has scored 40% in 89 completed games.

This can be compared with data drawn from the updated New Year's Database, where 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ has scored 44% in 5,628 games. For the record, in the same database the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+, has scored 56% in 2,472 games; and the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 and 5.Bxf7+ has scored 57% in 3,106 games. 

A Blistering Pace

As the current Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament at ChessWorld nears the half-way point (in terms of games completed) the race for first place continues to be red hot.

Top-rated player Daves111 has scored 17 wins in 18 games, with only 6 more for him to complete. 

He is followed by long-time Jerome Gambit tournament player DREWBEAR 63 who has 11 wins in 12 games.

Not surprisingly, Daves111's only loss is to DREWBEAR 63, and DREWBEAR 63's only loss is to DAVES111.

In third place is blackburne with 10 wins in 16 games.

It is interesting to note that not all of the players have been completing their games so quickly (in fact, the thoughtful CheckmateKingTwo has completed none yet). TWODOGS has 2 wins in 2 games, with 22 left to complete.

Certainly Crusader Rabbit, with 5 wins in 7 games, and stampyshortlegs, with 4 wins in 7 games, can keep in contention by winning and winning some more.

Of the 71 finished games, White has won 28, and Black 43 (with 0 draws), giving the Jerome Gambit a 39% score, somewhat lower than usual for a thematic tournament. But – there is plenty of play left!

Final: JGTourney4 ChessWorld 2009

JGTourney4 ChessWorld 2009

----------------------1--2--3--4--5--6--7--8--9-10-11-12-13-14-15

1 Piratepaul --------** 01 10 11 11 10 11 01 11 11 01 11 11 10 11 -22.0/28
2 stampyshortlegs ---10 ** 11 01 01 11 01 10 10 1½ 11 11 11 10 11 -20.5/28
3 Sir Osis ----------01 00 ** 00 11 11 11 11 11 00 01 11 01 11 11 -19.0/28
4 DREWBEAR63---------00 10 11 ** 11 01 01 01 00 00 11 11 01 11 11 -17.0/28
5 GladtoMateYou------00 10 00 00 ** 01 01 01 11 01 11 11 11 11 11 -17.0/28
6 Luke Warm ---------01 00 00 10 10 ** 10 01 ½1 11 01 01 ½1 11 01 -15.0/28
7 Haroldlee123-------00 10 00 10 10 01 ** 11 11 00 0½ ½0 11 11 11 -15.0/28
8 eddie43------------10 01 00 10 10 10 00 ** 11 1½ 10 00 01 11 11 -14.5/28
9 TWODOGS------------00 01 00 11 00 ½0 00 00 ** ½1 11 11 01 11 11 -14.0/28
10 Black Puma--------00 0½ 11 11 10 00 11 0½ ½0 ** 01 00 01 01 11 -13.5/28
11 blackburne--------10 00 10 00 00 10 1½ 01 00 10 ** 11 11 01 11 -13.5/28
12 gwyn1-------------00 00 00 00 00 10 ½1 11 00 11 00 ** 01 00 11 -9.5/28
13 metalwarrior1969--00 00 10 10 00 ½0 00 10 10 10 00 10 ** 01 11 -9.5/28
14 Crusader Rabbit---01 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 10 10 11 10 ** 00 -7.0/28
15 calchess10--------00 00 00 00 00 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 11 ** -3.0/28

Prized Players

Prizes have been mailed to the top three finishers of the Chessworld Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Thematic Tournament: Piratepaul, stampyshortlegs and Sir Osis of the Liver.

I would like to express my thanks to blackburne, who hosted the tournament, and to all of the other players who combined to produce 210 interesting Jerome Gambit games: DREWBEAR 63, GladtoMateYou, Luke Warm, Haroldlee123, eddie43, TWODOGS, Black Puma, gwyn1, metalwarrior1969, Crusader Rabbit and calchess10.

In the hands of a "spoiler"

With only four games left to complete in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Thematic Tournament at Chessworld, Piratepaul holds a slim .5 point lead (21.0 out of 26 games) over stampyshortlegs (20.5 out of 27 games). All three of their games are against Crusader Rabbit (5.0 out of 25 games), who has secured 14th place, but who clearly can play the role of spoiler. If Crusader Rabbit wins all his games, or loses all his games, Piratepaul will hang onto first place; but the proper distribution of wins, losses and draws could put stampyshortlegs on top. This exciting tournament of 210 games could come down to the final move!

King in Peril: Comment & Reply

From the comment to "King in Peril", which we repeat, along with answers...

"blackburne" said...
That one was a real battle. Interesting feature that the Black King gets back to his starting square after moving 12 times in the 26 moves! Is this a record? :)

The latest a Black King ever returned "home" in a regular Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game according to my database was move 58 in HIARCS 11.1 UCI - Rybka 2.3.1 32-bit 2008:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 7.0–0 Nf6 8.dxe5 Ng4 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Bf4 Rf8 11.Bg3 Rxf3 12.Bxh4 Rf7 13.Bg3 Bd4 14.Nc3 Kf8 15.Nb5 Bxe5 16.Bxe5 Nxe5 17.Nxc7 Rb8 18.Nb5 b6 19.a4 Bb7 20.Nd6 Rf4 21.f3 Ke7 22.Rfd1 Kf6 23.b4 Kg5 24.a5 b5 25.Nxb7 Rxb7 26.Rd5 Kf6 27.a6 Rb6 28.Ra5 Rc6 29.Raxb5 d6 30.Rb7 Rxa6 31.b5 Ra1+ 32.Kf2 Ke6 33.Rxg7 Ra2 34.Ke3 Rh4 35.Rc7 Rxh2 36.f4 Ra3+ 37.c3 Nf7 38.Rf5 Nh6 39.Rf8 d5 40.e5 Ng4+ 41.Kf3 Nxe5+ 42.fxe5 Kxe5 43.Re8+ Kf5 44.Rd8 Ke5 45.Rc5 Ra2 46.Rdxd5+ Ke6 47.Re5+ Kf6 48.Rf5+ Ke6 49.Rce5+ Kd6 50.c4 Kc7 51.c5 Rhxg2 52.Rf7+ Kd8 53.Rxh7 Rgb2 54.Rg5 Rf2+ 55.Ke4 Rfe2+ 56.Kd5 Ra1 57.Kc6 Rae1 58.Rd5+ Ke8 59.Rdd7 Rf2 60.Kc7 Rf7 61.Rhxf7 a5 62.Rh7 Re7 63.Rhxe7+ Kf8 64.Kd6 a4 65.Rd8#.

The record for the Black King returning to his original square for internet games is 54 moves, in UNPREDICTABLE - fireONmaui, blitz, FICS, 2009: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qe3 N8e7 9.0-0 Rf8 10.c3 Be6 11.d4 Kg8 12.d5 Bf7 13.b3 c6 14.c4 cxd5 15.cxd5 Ne5 16.Bb2 N5g6 17.f4 Qb6 18.Bd4 Qa6 19.Nd2 b6 20.Nc4 Rad8 21.Bb2 Qb5 22.Qd4 Qc5 23.g3 Qxd4+ 24.Bxd4 Nxd5 25.exd5 Bxd5 26.Rae1 Rfe8 27.h4 Ne7 28.g4 Bxc4 29.bxc4 Ng6 30.h5 Rxe1 31.Rxe1 Nxf4 32.Re7 Ne2+ 33.Rxe2 g6 34.h6 Kf7 35.g5 d5 36.cxd5 Rxd5 37.Bf6 a5 38.Re7+ Kg8 39.Rg7+ Kf8 40.Rxh7 Rd1+ 41.Kf2 Rd2+ 42.Ke3 Rxa2 43.Rb7 Rh2 44.h7 a4 45.h8Q+ Rxh8 46.Bxh8 Kg8 47.Bf6 a3 48.Rxb6 a2 49.Ra6 Kf7 50.Rxa2 Ke6 51.Ke4 Kd6 52.Ra5 Ke6 53.Ra6+ Kf7 54.Ke5 Ke8 55.Ke6 Kf8 56.Ra8#

The record for human correspondence games is 41 moves, Charlick - Mann correspondence Australia, 1881:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.d4 Qe7 11.0-0 Ng4 12.Qe2 Qh4 13.h3 Nf6 14.f4 Nh5 15.Qf2 Qxf2+ 16.Rxf2 Rf8 17.f5 Ne7 18.c4 c6 19.g4 Nf6 20.Nc3 d5 21.e5 Nd7 22.cxd5 Nxd5 23.Ne4 N7b6 24.b3 a5 25.e6 h6 26.Bb2 Ke7 27.Re1 Ra7 28.Nc5 Na8 29.Nd3 b5 30.Ne5 Kd6 31.Rc1 Ra6 32.Rc5 Bb7 33.Rfc2 Rc8 34.Bc1 a4 35.b4 a3 36.Bd2 Nab6 37.Be1 Na4 38.Bg3 Ke7 39.Nd7 Nxc5 40.dxc5 Rg8 41.Bd6+ Ke8 42.Rd2 Ra4 43.Rxd5 cxd5 44.f6 gxf6 45.Nxf6+ Kd8 46.e7+ Kc8 47.Nxg8 Bc6 48.Nf6 Rxb4 49.e8Q+ Bxe8 50.Nxe8 Rb1+ 51.Kf2 Rb2+ 52.Kf3 Rxa2 53.Nc7 b4 54.Nxd5 b3 55.c6 Rc2 56.Bxa3 Ra2 57.Bd6 Rc2 58.Be5 b2 59.Nb6+ Kd8 60.c7+ Rxc7 61.Bxb2 Rc5 62.Bd4 Rb5 63.Nc4 Ke7 64.h4 Ke6 65.Ke4 Rb1 66.Ne3 Kf7 67.h5 Kg8 68.Nf5 Kh7 69.Be3 Re1 70.Nxh6 Rxe3+ 71.Kxe3 Kxh6 72.Kf4 Black resigned

The record for over-the-board play was 42 moves, in Vazquez - Carrington, Mexico, 2nd match (9), 1876: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.c3 Qd3 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Be6 10.d4 Bc4+ 11.Kd1 Be7 12.Bf4 Nf6 13.Nd2 Bd3 14.Re1 Rc8 15.Re3 Ba6 16.h3 h6 17.e5 Nd5 18.Rf3 Nxf4 19.Rxf4+ Ke8 20.Kc2 Rf8 21.Rxf8+ Kxf8 22.f4 Bh4 23.Ne4 Bc4 24.b3 Bd5 25.Kd3 b5 26.g4 Ke7 27.c4 bxc4+ 28.bxc4 Bg8 29.Rb1 Bh7 30.f5 g6 31.f6+ Ke6 32.Nc5+ Kf7 33.Rf1 g5+ 34.Kc3 Bg3 35.e6+ Kf8 36.Nd7+ Ke8 37.f7+ Ke7 38.f8Q+ Rxf8 39.Nxf8 Bg8 40.d5 Bd6 41.Ng6+ Kd8 42.Rf7 Ke8 43.Rg7 Black resigned

As for the number of times the Black King moved in a Jerome Gambit, the most seems to be 57 times, in the 147-move computer game HIARCS 11.1 UCI - Rybka 2.3.1 32-bit, 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 7.0-0 Nf6 8.dxc5 Qxe4 9.Nc3 Qb4 10.Be3 d6 11.cxd6 Qxd6 12.Qxd6 cxd6 13.Nb5 Nc4 14.Bf4 Bd7 15.Nxd6+ Nxd6 16.Bxd6 Rhe8 17.Rfe1 Bb5 18.Rac1 Rad8 19.Bb4 Be2 20.Bc5 a6 21.Be3 Bg4 22.c4 Be6 23.h3 Rd3 24.Kh2 Ne4 25.Bf4 Nc5 26.Be3 Nd7 27.b3 Ne5 28.Re2 Bf5 29.Rce1 Nc6 30.Bc5 Rxe2 31.Rxe2 Kf6 32.Ba3 Nd4 33.Bb2 h5 34.g4 hxg4 35.hxg4 Bh7 36.Re3 Rd1 37.Kg3 Bb1 38.f4 Kf7 39.Bxd4 Rxd4 40.Re2 Be4 41.Kf2 Bc6 42.Kg3 Rd3+ 43.Kh4 Bf3 44.Rh2 Kf6 45.Rh3 b6 46.Rh2 g6 47.Rc2 Rd1 48.c5 bxc5 49.Rxc5 Rg1 50.g5+ Ke6 51.Ra5 Rh1+ 52.Kg3 Bb7 53.b4 Rb1 54.a3 Re1 55.Kg4 Kd6 56.Rc5 Rg1+ 57.Kh3 Bd5 58.Ra5 Bc4 59.Re5 Be6+ 60.Kh2 Rg4 61.Re4 Bd5 62.Rd4 Rg2+ 63.Kh3 Rg1 64.Rd3 Rc1 65.Kg4 Rc2 66.Kg3 Rg2+ 67.Kh4 Ke6 68.Kh3 Rg1 69.Re3+ Kd7 70.Rd3 Kd6 71.Re3 Rg2 72.Re5 Rc2 73.Re3 Kc6 74.Kg4 Kb5 75.Re5 Kc4 76.Kh4 Rc3 77.f5 Kd4 78.Re8 gxf5 79.a4 Bc6 80.Rf8 Ke5 81.g6 Rc4+ 82.Kh5 Bf3+ 83.Kh6 Rh4+ 84.Kg7 Rxb4 85.Re8+ Kf4 86.Kf8 Rxa4 87.Rd8 Ra5 88.g7 Bd5 89.Rxd5 Rxd5 90.Ke7 Re5+ 91.Kf7 a5 92.g8Q Rd5 93.Ke6 Rb5 94.Qg1 Ke4 95.Qe1+ Kd4 96.Qa1+ Kc5 97.Ke5 Kc4+ 98.Kf4 Rd5 99.Qa4+ Kd3 100.Qb3+ Kd4 101.Qb6+ Kc4 102.Qc6+ Kd4 103.Kf3 Rc5 104.Qa6 Kc3 105.Qd6 Kc4 106.Qd7 Kb4 107.Qd4+ Kb5 108.Qb2+ Kc4 109.Qa3 Rd5 110.Qa2+ Kd4 111.Qd2+ Kc4 112.Qc2+ Kb4 113.Qb1+ Kc5 114.Qa1 Kc4 115.Qa4+ Kc3 116.Qc6+ Kd4 117.Ke2 Rc5 118.Qa4+ Kd5 119.Kd3 Kd6 120.Qa3 Kc6 121.Qb3 Rd5+ 122.Kc3 Re5 123.Qa4+ Kd6 124.Qd4+ Ke6 125.Qb6+ Ke7 126.Qc7+ Ke6 127.Qc6+ Kf7 128.Qd7+ Kf6 129.Qd8+ Ke6 130.Qb6+ Ke7 131.Kd4 Re4+ 132.Kd5 a4 133.Qg6 a3 134.Qg7+ Ke8 135.Kd6 Rd4+ 136.Qxd4 Kf7 137.Ke5 Kg7 138.Qa7+ Kg6 139.Qxa3 f4 140.Qd6+ Kg5 141.Qf6+ Kg4 142.Qxf4+ Kh3 143.Ke4 Kg2 144.Qh4 Kf1 145.Kf3 Kg1 146.Qf2+ Kh1 147.Qg2#

The most the Black King moved in a Jerome Gambit correspondence game seems to be the much more reasonable 15 times in Charlick - Mann, correspondence Australia, 1881: see above.

The most the Black King moved in a Jerome Gambit over-the-board game is 12 times, in Vazquez, - Carrington, Mexico, 2nd match (5), 1876:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Nf6 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Re8 10.d3 Ng4 11.Qf3+ Kg7 12.0-0 Rf8 13.Qg3 Qf6 14.h3 Ne5 15.Nc3 c6 16.Bg5 Qe6 17.Qh4 Nf7 18.f4 h6 19.f5 hxg5 20.fxe6 gxh4 21.Rxf7+ Rxf7 22.exf7 Kxf7 23.Rf1+ Kg7 24.e5 d5 25.Ne2 b5 26.Nd4 Bd7 27.Rf6 Rc8 28.Rd6 Be8 29.Kf2 Kf7 30.Kf3 c5 31.Ne2 d4 32.Kg4 Rc6 33.Kxh4 Rxd6 34.exd6 Kf6 35.Ng3 Bc6 36.Ne4+ Bxe4 37.dxe4 a5 38.e5+ Ke6 39.Kg3 Black resigned

The highest ratio of the number of Black King moves to the number of moves in Jerome Gambit game is .50, in Tonetti - Ruggieri, Rome, 1863:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Bg5 Nf6 10.c3 Bc5 11.b4 Bb6 12.0-0 Re8 13.Rd1+ Kc6 14.b5+ Kxb5 15.Na3+ Ka5 16.Nc4+ Kb5 17.Nxe5 d6 18.Rab1+ Ka6 19.Qf3 c6 20.Qd3+ Ka5 21.Nc4+ Ka6 22.Nxb6+ Ka5 23.c4 Black resigned

blackburne - Crusader Rabbit, JGTourney4, ChessWorld, 2009, with 12 of its 26 moves being by Black's King, comes close with a ratio of Black King moves to the number of moves in the game of .46 .

King in Peril

The task of defeating the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can be turned into a simple rule: exchange down to the endgame and make your extra piece count*. Of course, the asterisk (*) is there to remind defenders that they shouldn't let anything bad happen to their King while they are following the rule...

blackburne - Crusader Rabbit

JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

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

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

A tough defense for White to handle, if Black knows what he's doing. Fortunately for the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde, that doesn't always happen.

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.0-0 Ne7 TN

Many excursions away from "book" are not improvements; but this move is just fine. Hats off to Crusader Rabbit.

9.Qf4 N7g6 10.Qg3 Qe7

This is solid, but better was either breaking the pin with 10...Ke6 or offering to exchange Queens with 10...Qh4. White's response is thematic.

11.d4 Bxd4 12.Rd1 Kc5

Black will have to return a piece, but it looks like the only thing he has to be worried about is his wandering monarch.

Looks can be deceiving: the next time this position appears, White should look at the shot 13.Rxd4, as after 13...Kc6 (13...Kxd4? 14.Qe3+ Kc4 15.Qb3+ Kc5 16.Be3+ Kc6 17.Qd5 checkmate) 14.f4 the game is even.

Gotta love that Jerome Gambit!

13.c3 Bxf2+ 14.Qxf2+ Kc6

Despite his exposed King, Black is doing fine. It is White's job to make as much mischief as possible.

15.Qd4 b5

Either too casual or too panicky. The routine 15...Qc5 was what the position (and the King) needed. Now things get dangerous for Black.

16.Qd5+ Kb6 17.Be3+

17...Ka6

Another reflection of the psychological stress of defending (against the Jerome Gambit, of all things): Black's inconsistency is his undoing. He should have continued with 17...c5, when White's followup will produce a complicated game that still favors the second player: 18.b4 d6 19.Qxa8 Bb7 20.Rxd6+ Kc7 21.Qxa7 Qxd6.

White is now winning.

18.a4 c5

The addition of White's Rook to his attack is devastating. Black's "best" was 18...c6 when White's play unfolds with intensity: 19.axb5+ Kb7 20.bxc6+ Kc7 21.Bc5 dxc6 22.Bd6+ Kd7 23.Qc5 Qe6 24.Bxe5+ Ke8 25.Bxg7

19.axb5+ Kxb5 20.Qxa8 Nc6 21.Na3+

White's Queen is safer than Black's King.

21...Kb6 22.Nc4+ Kc7 23.Rxa7+ Nxa7 24.Qxa7+ Kd8

25.Bxc5 d6 26.Bb6+ Ke8 27.Nxd6+

All of White's pieces join in. Compare that with Black's Rook in the corner.

27...Kf8 28.Nxc8

28.Qa8 leads to mate; but the text wins easily as well.

28...Qe6

Allowing mate.

29.Rd8+ Qe8 30.Rxe8+ Kxe8 31.Nd6+ Kf8 32.Qf7 checkmate

Piratepaul Tops Wild Muzio Tournament

Some time back (see "Wild!") I mentioned that Chessworld was holding a Lolli / Wild Muzio (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Bxf7+) Gambit Thematic Tournament (for some Wild Muzio's see "Wilder!", "Wildest!", and ""And Yet Wilder Still...") that might be of interest to Jerome Gambiteers.

The tournament is now complete, and Piratepaul – who is also leading the current Chessworld Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Thematic Tournament – was the winner, with 24 wins out of 28 games. Second place, on a tie-break, was blackburne, nudging out BigFace888 and Crusader Rabbit, all scoring 18 points out of 28.

Here are a few of the short games – one by the tournament winner, one by the runner-up, and one (his sole win, but always fighting) by the tail-ender, brain50.

Piratepaul - Macken
Chessworld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Bxf7+

5...Kxf7 6.Ne5+ Ke8

7.Qxg4 d6

Black needed to play 7...Nf6, and according to old analysis after 8.Qxf4 d6 9.Nf3 Rg8 10.0-0 Rg4 11.Qe3 Rxe4 he would be much better.

8.Qh5+ Ke7 9.Qf7 checkmate




TWODOGS - blackburne
Chessworld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Bxf7+

5...Kxf7 6.Ne5+ Ke6 7.Qxg4+ Kxe5

8.d4+ Kxd4


Here, Black claimed a win on time – just when the game was getting interesting.

White had the crafty move 9.b4, and play could have continued 9...Bxb4+ 10.c3+ Kc5 – instead, 10...Bxc3+ 11.Nxc3 Kxc3 12.Bb2+ Kxb2 13.Qe2+ Kxa1 14.Kf2 checkmate was played by Spencer (see "And Yet Wilder Still...") – 11.cxb4+ Kb6 12.Bb2 and White had a chance for advantage.



brain50 - DREWBEAR 63
Chessworld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Bxf7+

5...Kxf7 6.Ne5+ Ke6 7.d4 White's best was, instead, 7.Qxg4+ so that after 7...Kxe5 he would be able to force a draw by repeatedly checking Black's King.

Now Black can play 7...Qh4+ (a move familiar to those who play the Jerome Gambit) with advantage. Instead, he plays a quieter move.

7...d6 8.Qxg4+ Kf6

Black's best was 8...Ke7 9.Qh4+ Nf6 10.Ng6+ hxg6 11.Qxh8 with an unclear game that is still playable.


9.Qxf4+ Ke7 10.Qf7 checkmate