Sometimes I run into a line in the Jerome Gambit that I don't (yet) know what to do with. A good (bad) example is in the following game. I have alluded to Black's 7th move in several posts (see here and here for examples). Here are the games from The Database where the move appears. Maybe readers have some ideas.
chessmanjeff - sergbond
blitz, FICS, 2013
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Qh4
Black's counter-attack appears manic, but is quite strong. He does not bother saving either his Knight or his Bishop, but develops another piece.
8.Qb3+
Also seen are:
8.O-O Nc6 9.cxb4 (9.Qf3+ Qf6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qd5+ Qe6 12.Qxe6+ dxe6 13.cxb4 Nxd4 14.Na3 Ne2+ 15.Kh1 Nf6 16.Re1 Nxc1 17.Raxc1 c6 18.Nc4 Rd8 19.e5 Nd5 20.Nd6+ Ke7 21.Re4 a5 22.b5 cxb5 23.Rh4 h5 24.Nxb5 Nb4 25.Nd6 Bd7 26.Nxb7 Rdc8 27.Rxc8 Rxc8 28.h3 Rc2 29.Nxa5 Rxb2 30.a3 Nd3 31.f4 Ne1 32.Nc4 Rxg2 33.Nb6 Rc2 34.Nd5+ exd5 35.f5 Nf3 White resigned, Gamin - JumpNMustangII, FICS, 2001) 9...Qxe4 10.Be3 Nf6 11.Nc3 Qf5 12.b5 (12.Qb3+ d5 13.Nb5 Ne8 14.Nc3 Be6 15.b5 Ne7 16.Rae1 Nd6 17.Qb4 Rhc8 18.Re2 Ng6 19.Rfe1 Nh4 20.f3 Kg8 21.Bf2 Nxg2 22.Kxg2 Rf8 23.Bg3 Qxf3+ 24.Kg1 Nf5 25.Rxe6 Nxg3 26.hxg3 Qxg3+ 27.Kh1 Qh4+ 28.Kg1 h6 29.R6e2 Qg3+ 30.Rg2 Qxe1+ 31.Kh2 Rf1 32.Rxg7+ Kh8 33.Rh7+ Kxh7 34.Qe7+ Qxe7 35.Kg2 Qf7 36.Kh2 Qf3 37.Nxd5 Rh1 checkmate, Deep Sjeng 1.5 - Hiarcs 9, The Jeroen Experience 2003) 12...Nb4 13.Rc1 c6 14.a3 Nbd5 15.Qb3 Re8 16.Rce1 b6 17.h3 Bb7 18.g4 Qf3 19.g5 Ne4 20.Nxd5 cxd5 21.Qd3 Nxg5 White resigned, RevvedUp - Crafty 19.19, blitz, 2006;
8.Qe2 Bxc3+ 9.Nxc3 Nc6 10.g3 Qe7 11.Qc4+ d5 12.Qxd5+ Be6 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qf3+ Kg7 15.d5 Ne5 16.Qd1 Bg4 17.Qd4 Nf6 18.Bg5 Nf3+ White resigned, Maza - aqeel, FICS, 2003;
8.dxe5 Qxe4+ 9.Be3 (9.Kf1 Bc5 10.h4 Qxe5 11.Rh3 Nf6 12.Bg5 Re8 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Rf3 d5 15.Nd2 Bg4 16.Rxf6+ Kxf6 17.Nf3 Qe4 18.Ng5 Qc4+ 19.Kg1 Bxd1 20.Rxd1 Re2 21.Nxh7+ Kg7 22.Ng5 Rxf2 23.Kh1 Rf1+ 24.Rxf1 Qxf1+ 25.Kh2 Bd6+ 26.g3 Qf2+ 27.Kh1 Bxg3 28.Ne6+ Kh6 29.Nxc7 Qh2 checkmate, HauntedKnight - hellg, FICS, 2010) 9...Bc5 (9...Qxg2 10.Rf1 Be7 11.Qh5+ g6 12.Qe2 Ke8 13.Nd2 Qxh2 14.O-O-O Qxe5 15.Rfe1 Kd8 16.Qc4 Qg7 17.Bd4 Nf6 18.Ne4 h6 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Nxf6 Qxf6 21.f4 d6 22.Re4 Bf5 23.Red4 Qe6 24.Qb4 Qxa2 25.Qxb7 Qb1+ 26.Kd2 Qc2+ 27.Ke3 Re8+ 28.Kf3 Qe2+ 29.Kg3 Re3+ 30.Kh4 Qf2 checkmate, HauntedKnight - Makaroni, FICS, 2011) 10.O-O Bxe3 11.fxe3+ Ke8 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qg5 h6 14.Qg3 Ne7 15.Nd2 Qd3 16.Rad1 Qd5 17.b3 d6 18.e4 Qxe5 19.Qf3 Be6 20.Nc4 Qc5+ 21.Kh1 Kd7 22.Rfe1 h5 23.e5 Bg4 24.e6+ Bxe6 25.Qxb7 Bd5 26.Rxd5 Nxd5 27.a4 Rab8 28.Qa6 Qf2 29.Ne5+ dxe5 30.Rf1 Rb6 31.Qd3 Qc5 32.c4 Qd4 33.Qh3+ Ke7 34.cxd5 Qg4 35.Qc3 Qd4 36.Qxc7+ Ke8 37.Qf7+ Kd8 38.Rc1 e4 39.Qc7+ Ke8 40.h3 Qxd5 41.Qc8+ Qd8 42.Qc2 Re6 43.Re1 Rf8 44.Rxe4 Rf1+ 45.Kh2 Qd6+ 46.g3 Rf2+ 47.Qxf2 Rxe4 48.h4 Qd3 49.Kh3 Re2 50.Qf6 Qd7+ White resigned, HauntedKnight - dwws, FICS, 2012;
8.cxb4 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 (9.Be3 Qxg2 10.Rf1 Nf3+ 11.Ke2 d5 12.Nc3 Bg4 13.Qb3 Nxd4+ White resigned, jfhumphrey - hvutrong, FICS, 2010) 9...Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 Nc6 11.Rd1 Nxb4 12.Na3 Nf6 13.Re1 Re8+ 14.Kf1 Rxe1+ 15.Kxe1 d5 16.Be3 Bf5 17.Nb5 c6 18.Nc3 Nc2+ 19.Ke2 Nxa1 White resigned, Teterow - geneve, FICS, 2011.
8...Ke8 9.O-O Ng4 10.h3 Be7 11.hxg4 h5 12.g3
White kicks the enemy Queen. For better or for worse he had to try 12.g5.
12...Qh3 13.g5 h4 14.g4 Qxg4+15.Kh2 h3 16.Rg1 Qxe4 17.Na3
It is hard to find a good move here. This one leads to checkmate.
17...Qf3 18.Be3 Bd6+ 19.Rg3 Qg2 checkmate
Wowzer.
Concerning the following game, I have already written...
If you play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) long enough, you will eventually play the 6.d4 variation (4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4) and one day you will come face-to-face with the best in-your-face variation for Black since J.H. Blackburne offered his Rook...
Sometimes, when you play the Jerome Gambit, you encounter an opponent who knows one of the refutations and who plays very well against you. It happens.
Wall,B - Guest6296711
PlayChess.com, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4
This line doesn't have a name attached to it, but I have referred to it in earlier posts as "A Pie-in-the-Face Variation". The earliest example that I have of it in The Database is Sorensen - Anonymous, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27).
It is interesting to note that The Database has 1213 games reaching the position after 6.d4, with White scoring 50%. Of those games, only 17% of the time does Black continue with 6...Qh4 - but he scores 70% with it.
7.0-0 Qxe4
The weaker alternative, 7...Ng4, was seen in Sorensen,S - X, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27), Sir Osis of the Liver - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (0-1, 38) and Wall,B - Rajiv, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 33).
8.dxc5 Nf6 9.Nc3 Qc4
Instead, Black played 9...Qc6 in Wall,B - Gorodetsky,D, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 18) and Wall,B - felineMMXI, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 18).
10.Be3
This is a small improvement over 10.Re1 Qxc5 11.Be3 Qc6 in Deep Sjeng 1.5 - Junior 7, The Jeroen Experience, 2003 (0-1, 46).
Black's extra piece outweighs White's two extra pawns.
10...Re8 11.Bd4 d6 12.b3 Qa6 13.cxd6 Qxd6 14.Nb5 Qc6 15.Nxa7 Rxa7 16.Bxa7 b6
17.Qd4 Ba6 18.c4 Nf3+
Black finishes off with sacrificial flair.
19.gxf3 Qxf3 20.Qd1 Re2 21.Qd8 Qg4+ 22.Kh1 Bb7+ White Resigned
Bill Wall has championed the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) as well as many other unorthodox openings, but in the ongoing "Play the Jerome Gambit Quad" at Chess.com each player has to defend against the Jerome as well as play it. So, with perhaps a bit of reluctance...
bfcace (1437) - billwall (2489)
Play The Jerome Gambit Quad
Chess.com, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.f4 Qf6 8.Nc3 Qxf4
Black declined the f-pawn with 8...g6 in bfcace -DeDrijver, Play the Jerome Gambit Quad, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 18).
9.d4 Nf6 10.Qh3+
Instead, White exchanged Queens with 10.Bxf4 Nxh5 11.Bxe5 Bb6 in the silicon slugfest, Fritz 5.32 - Deep Sjeng 1.5, The Jeroen Experience, 2003: 12.a4 Ba5 13.0-0 Bxc3 14.bxc3 d6 15.Rf5 Nf6 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Raf1 Rf8 18.Kf2 Bd7 19.a5 Ba4 20.Ke3 Rae8 21.R1f2 Bd7 22.c4 b6 23.axb6 cxb6 24.c3 Ra8 25.g4 Ke7 26.Rh5 Bxg4 27.Rxh7+ Rf7 28.Rh6 Be6 29.d5 Bd7 30.h4 a5 31.Ra2 f5 32.exf5 Bxf5 33.Rb2 Ra6 34.Re2 Kd7 35.Kd2 Kc7 36.Rf2 Ra8 37.Kc1 Raf8 38.Rf3 Kd7 39.Kb2 Be4 40.Rg3 Rf3 41.Rg7+ R8f7 42.Rg8 Rf1 43.Kb3 Rb1+ 44.Ka3 Ra1+ 45.Kb2 Rh1 46.Kb3 b5 47.Rhh8 Rb1+ 48.Ka3 bxc4 49.Rd8+ Kc7 50.Rc8+ Kb6 51.Rxc4 Bxd5 52.Rb8+ Rb7 53.Rxb7+ Kxb7 54.Rd4 Kc6 55.c4 Be6 56.Re4 Bd7 57.Rd4 Ra1+ 58.Kb2 Rh1 59.Kc3 Rh3+ 60.Kb2 Kc5 61.Rd5+ Kxc4 62.Rxd6 Bb5 63.Rh6 a4 64.Ka2 Kd4 65.Rd6+ Kc5 66.Rd1 Bc4+ 67.Kb1 a3 68.Rc1 Rxh4 69.Kc2 Rh2+ 70.Kc3 Rh3+ 71.Kc2 Kb4 72.Kb1 Rh2 73.Ka1 Kb3 74.Rb1+ Rb2 75.Rd1 Ra2+ 76.Kb1 Rc2 77.Ka1 Be2 78.Rb1+ Rb2 79.Rd1 Ra2+ 0-1
10...Qg4 11.Qxg4+ Nexg4 12.dxc5 c6
Black has a piece for a pawn, and, with the Queens off of the board he does not have to worry about immediate danger to his King.
For curiosity's sake, I can mention that two computer-vs-computer games saw Black defend differently:
12...Ne8 13.0-0 b6 14.cxb6 axb6 15.Nd5 Ba6 16.Rf5 d6 17.b3 Bb7 18.c4 Ngf6 19.Rf4 Nd7 20.Bd2 c6 21.Nc3 Nef6 22.Be3 Rhe8 23.Rd1 Ra3 24.h3 Re7 25.Rf2 Rf7 26.Rfd2 Ne8 27.Ne2 Re7 28.Bf4 Ndf6 29.Nc3 Kf7 30.Re1 Re6 31.Be3 Nd7 32.g4 h6 33.g5 hxg5 34.Bxg5 Kg8 35.Rg2 Bc8 36.h4 Nef6 37.Rd1 Ne5 38.Rf1 Kh7 39.Kh1 Nfd7 40.Bc1 Ra6 41.Bg5 Nc5 42.Rf8 Bd7 43.Be3 Ng6 44.Rd8 Nxe4 45.Bd4 c5 46.Rxd7 cxd4 47.Nxe4 Rxe4 48.h5 Ne7 49.h6 Kxh6 50.Rxd6+ Kh5 51.c5 Nf5 52.Rxb6 Ra5 53.Rb8 Rxc5 54.Rh8+ Nh6 55.Rd2 Kg4 56.Rf8 Rh5+ 57.Kg2 Nf5 58.a4 Re3 59.Rxf5 Rg3+ 0-1, Hiarcs 8 - Fritz 7, Utrecht, Engine Tournament, 2002; and
12...d6 13.Nb5 Kd7 14.cxd6 Re8 15.0-0 cxd6 16.h3 Ne5 17.Bh6 Nxe4 18.Bxg7 b6 19.Bxe5 Rxe5 20.Rf7+ Ke6 21.Rxa7 Rxa7 22.Nxa7 Bb7 23.a4 Rd5 24.Nb5 Rd2 25.Re1 Ke5 26.Na3 Kd4 27.Rf1 Nc5 28.Rf4+ Be4 29.Rg4 d5 30.b3 Rd1+ 31.Kf2 Kc3 32.Rg3+ Kb4 33.Ke2 Ra1 34.Nb5 Bxc2 35.Nd4 Bxb3 36.Nxb3 Nxb3 37.Rg7 Ra2+ 38.Kf1 d4 39.Rd7 Kc3 40.Rc7+ Nc5 41.a5 Rxa5 0-1 Zappa 1.1 - Pro Deo 1.1, Blitz:5, 2006.
13.0-0 Ne5 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 b6 16.b4 Ba6 17.Rf2 Rhf8 18.a4 bxc5 19.b5 Bb7 20.a5 cxb5 21.Nxb5 Rab8
White's actions on the Queenside have stirred things up, and this emboldens him to take direct action against Black's King, but the idea rebounds.
22.Rd1 Bxe4 23.Rd6+ Ke7 24.Bxf6+ gxf6 25.Nc3 Kxd6 26.Nxe4+ Kc6
A Rook is a Rook.
27.h4 Ng4 28.Rf1 d5 29.Nd2 Ne3 30.Rc1 Rb2 White resigned
Imagination and sheer force of will help the Jerome Gambiteer take a "bad" or "lost" position and make something out of it. In the following game, White finds himself in deep trouble (definition: playing White in the Jerome Gambit); and focusing only on his subsequent loss would blind observers to the actual chances that he created for himself.
HauntedKnight - Makaroni
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4
This line has advantages and disadvantages over 6.Qh5+, and, at one time, was Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's preference.
4...Bb4+ 7.c3 Qh4
At first glance it looks like Black is in a panic, throwing pieces around and leaving some en prise. As I pointed out in "Gloom and Doom", however, this is a strong counter-attack for Black.
8.dxe5
Previous experience (including a couple of earlier games by HauntedKnight) has not been encouraging for White (8.0-0 seems "best"):
8.0-0 Nc6 9.cxb4 (9.Qf3+ Qf6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qd5+ Qe6 12.Qxe6+ dxe6 13.cxb4 Nxd4 14.Na3 Ne2+ 15.Kh1 Nf6 16.Re1 Nxc1 17.Raxc1 c6 18.Nc4 Rd8 19.e5 Nd5 20.Nd6+ Ke7 21.Re4 a5 22.b5 cxb5 23.Rh4 h5 24.Nxb5 Nb4 25.Nd6 Bd7 26.Nxb7 Rdc8 27.Rxc8 Rxc8 28.h3 Rc2 29.Nxa5 Rxb2 30.a3 Nd3 31.f4 Ne1 32.Nc4 Rxg2 33.Nb6 Rc2 34.Nd5+ exd5 35.f5 Nf3 White resigned, Gamin - JumpNMustangII, FICS, 2001) 9...Qxe4 10.Be3 Nf6 11.Nc3 Qf5 12.b5 (12.Qb3+ d5 13.Nb5 Ne8 14.Nc3 Be6 15.b5 Ne7 16.Rae1 Nd6 17.Qb4 Rhc8 18.Re2 Ng6 19.Rfe1 Nh4 20.f3 Kg8 21.Bf2 Nxg2 22.Kxg2 Rf8 23.Bg3 Qxf3+ 24.Kg1 Nf5 25.Rxe6 Nxg3 26.hxg3 Qxg3+ 27.Kh1 Qh4+ 28.Kg1 h6 29.R6e2 Qg3+ 30.Rg2 Qxe1+ 31.Kh2 Rf1 32.Rxg7+ Kh8 33.Rh7+ Kxh7 34.Qe7+ Qxe7 35.Kg2 Qf7 36.Kh2 Qf3 37.Nxd5 Rh1 checkmate, Deep Sjeng 1.5 - Hiarcs 9, The Jeroen Experience, 2003) 12...Nb4 13.Rc1 c6 14.a3 Nbd5 15.Qb3 Re8 16.Rce1 b6 17.h3 Bb7 18.g4 Qf3 19.g5 Ne4 20.Nxd5 cxd5 21.Qd3 Nxg5 White resigned, RevvedUp - Crafty 19.19, blitz 2 12, 2006;
8.cxb4 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 (9.Be3 Qxg2 10.Rf1 Nf3+ 11.Ke2 d5 12.Nc3 Bg4 13.Qb3 Nxd4+ White resigned, jfhumphrey - hvutrong, FICS, 2010) 9...Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 Nc6 11.Rd1 Nxb4 12.Na3 Nf6 13.Re1 Re8+ 14.Kf1 Rxe1+ 15.Kxe1 d5 16.Be3 Bf5 17.Nb5 c6 18.Nc3 Nc2+ 19.Ke2 Nxa1 White resigned, Teterow - geneve, FICS, 2011;
8.Qe2 Bxc3+ 9.Nxc3 Nc6 10.g3 Qe7 11.Qc4+ d5 12.Qxd5+ Be6 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qf3+ Kg7 15.d5 Ne5 16.Qd1 Bg4 17.Qd4 Nf6 18.Bg5 Nf3+ White resigned, Maza - aqeel, FICS, 2003.
8...Qxe4+ 9.Be3
HauntedKnight has a very creative idea: let Black choke on captured material while White castles Queenside and uses open lines for his pieces.
An earlier 9.Kf1, which might be "objectively" stronger, did not fix things in HauntedKnight - hellg, FICS, 2010.
9...Qxg2 10.Rf1 Be7 11.Qh5+ g6 12.Qe2 Ke8
13.Nd2 Qxh2 14.0-0-0 Qxe5
15.Rfe1 Kd8 16.Qc4 Qg7
Black prepares for trouble.
17.Bd4 Nf6 18.Ne4 h6
White is down a piece and two pawns, but his Rooks are knocking on Black's front door, While Black's are still in the garage.
19.Bxf6
Rybka suggests preparing for a breakthrough with 19.Be5, as in 19...d6 20.Nxd6 cxd6 21.Rxd6+ Bxd6 22.Qd4 Qd7 23.Bxd6 Rf8 24.Be7+ Ke8 25.Bxf8+ Kf7 26.Re7+ Qxe7 27.Bxe7 Kxe7
analysis diagram
Both Rybka and Houdini see White as having almost equalized in this unbalanced position.
With the text, White clears the lines for his Rooks, but Black's defensive resources prove sufficient to hold off the attack.
19...Bxf6 20.Nxf6 Qxf6 21.f4
21...d6 22.Re4 Bf5 23.Red4 Qe6 24.Qb4 Qxa2 25.Qxb7
White's Queen has finally broken through, but so has Black's.
25...Qb1+ 26.Kd2 Qc2+ 27.Ke3 Re8+ 28.Kf3 Qe2+ 29.Kg3 Re3+ 30.Kh4 Qf2 checkmate
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the King of Draws
In "My House! My House! My Kingdom for a House!" I mentioned Grandmaster John Nunn's acronym, LPDO, as a reminder that "Loose Pieces Drop Off". In the following game, Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member HauntedKnight takes that notion into account when planning his play, and it helps him grab a "loose" Knight. Black's resignation, only a pawn down, might be a bit early, but it is easily understood.
HauntedKnight - OneNoTrump
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+
Computers tend to like this move, for their own computer-ish reasons. For examples, see "Jerome Gambit: Drilling Down (1)" for RevvedUp's 2008 tag-team match against Hiarcs 8, Shredder 8, Yace Paderborn, Crafty 19.19 and Fritz 8, where this move showed up, played by Crafty. It also appears in Jeroen's earlier 2003 Jerome Gambit computer tournament in the game Deep Sjeng 1.5 - Hiarcs 9.
If the computers are given enough time they often find the recommended 6...Qh4!? as well.
Has OneNoTrump examined the Jerome Gambit with a computer, or is this a knee-jerk reaction (my Bishop is attacked, move it and attack White)?
7.c3 Bxc3+
A clue: this looks like a human decision. The 75 games that have this move in The Database all have a person playing Black.
Computers realize, of course, that Black must return a piece, and suggest something like 7...Ng6/c6 8.cxb4 to mess up White's pawns a bit; or they let White choose which piece he wants by playing 7...Qh4.
8.bxc3
Bolstering White's center, but 8.Nxc3 was probably a bit better: development and all that.
8...Nc4 9.Qh5+ g6
Reflex.
Better was 9...Kf8 and Black keeps his edge, even against 10.Qc5+ Nd6 11.e5, because he has 11...b6 12.Qb4 Qe7 when after 13.0-0 the Knight escapes with 13...Nf7.
10.Qd5+ Black resigned
The loose piece at c4 will drop.
