Further Exploration

Here is another Jerome Gambit exploration by Philidor1792, tackling an annoying defensive variation (for a game, and a discussion by MrJoker, see "Theory From the Thematic Tourney" Part 3 and Part 4), battling with his opponent and prevailing.

Philidor1792 - NN
Casual game, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Ke7 

9...Kd6 was seen in Yace Paderborn - RevvedUp, 2006 (1-0, 48) and Morin,L-Dumont,F, Montreal, 2011 (0-1, 57). 

10.Qg3 Kf7 11.Qxe5 Qh4+ 

Other choices by Black (all in The Database):

11...Qd6 in Wall,B, - Qi,H, Chess.com, 2011 (1-0, 14); 
11...b6 in Wall,B - Redom,T, Chess.com, 2010 (½-½,59); 
11...Bd4 in Fritz 5.32 - Junior 7, The Jeroen Experience, 2003 (0-1, 32)

12.g3 Qe7 13.Qxe7+ 

Or 13.Rf1+ in Colossus - Rybka v1.0 Beta.w32, USA, 2006 (0-1,42).

13...Nxe7 14.c3 Bb6 15.d4 Ke8 

Here we have a typical Jerome Gambit Queenless middlegame/endgame, where Philidor1792 wants to make the most of his "Jerome pawns".

16.Be3 Nc6 17.Nd2 Ne5 18.Kd1 Ng4 19.Ke2 Be6 20.Bf4 Kd7 21.Raf1 Raf8 22.h3 Nf6 23.Kd3 Kc8 24.Re1 Nh5 25.Be5 Rf7 26.Rhf1 Nf6 

White patiently maneuvers and improves the placement of his pieces.

27.g4 Nd7 28.Bg3 Rxf1 29.Rxf1 a6 30.Nc4 Ba7 31.b3 h5 32.Ne3 hxg4 33.hxg4 Bb6 34.Rf3 Nf6 35.g5 Nh5 36.Be5 Kd7 

37.Nf5 Rf8 38.c4 Bxf5 39.exf5 c6 40.Ke4 Rf7 

A slip, but the game remains drawish..

41.Rh3 c5 42.Rxh5 cxd4 43.Bxd4 Bxd4 44.Kxd4 Rxf5 

45.Ke4 Ke6 46.b4 Re5+ 47.Kd4 b6 48.Rh8 Rxg5 49.Rb8 Rg4+ 50.Kc3 Rg3+ 51.Kd4 Rg4+ 52.Kc3 Rg3+ 

Has White reached his goal of an endgame draw with the Jerome Gambit?

53.Kb2 

No!

White wants more.

This seems to upset Black, who soon settles for less.

53...b5 54.Rb6+ Ke5 55.cxb5 axb5 56.Rxb5+ Kd4 57.Rc5 g5 58.a4 g4 59.a5 Rg2+ 60.Kb3 Rg3+ 61.Ka4 Rg1 62.Kb5 g3 63.a6 Ra1 64.Rg5 Ra3 65.Kb6 Black resigned

Long Lost Cousin?!

Much like the long lost cousin who you wish had stayed lost, the Knight sacrifice in the Exchange Variation of the Ruy Lopez bears a family resemblance to the Jerome Gambit. 

Jerome Gambit

Ruy Lopez Jerome Gambit

Still, as suggested in the notes to Pigjuice - perrypawnpusher, blitz, FICS, 2011, 6...Qxe4+ was stronger than the move played and reduces the resemblance. The following ICCF game, where a 2200+ player is schooled by someone rated over 450 points lower, puts things in perspective.

Christiaens,R (2242) - Dumont,G (1777)
Tournoi Accession 009, ICCF, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6

The good old Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variation.

Black's coming pawn grab and Knight sacrifice are not considered part of his best defense.

5.Nxe5 Qd4 6.Nxf7

Recommended by Rybka is 6.Nf3 Qxe4+ 7.Qe2 Qxe2+ 8.Kxe2 Be6 9.Re1 0-0-0 10.d3 h6 11.Kf1 Nf6 12.h3 Bd6 13.Nbd2 Rhe8 14.b3 Nd5 15.Nc4 where Black has an edge.

6...Qxe4+

If, instead, the weaker 6...Kxf6, the game takes on a resemblance to the Jerome Gambit after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Kf8 6.Nxc6 dxc6. Amusingly, in the Spanish Game the White Bishop is exchanged on c6 and the Knight is sacrificed on f7, while in the Jerome Gambit the Bishop is sacrificed on f7 and the Knight exchanged on c6.

7.Kf1 Kxf7 8.Nc3 Qf5 9.h3 Bb4 10.a3 Bxc3 11.dxc3 Nf6

White's compensation for the piece is negligible. His timid play hastens the end.

12.b4 Be6 13.Bb2 Bc4+ 14.Kg1 Rad8 15.Qc1 Rhe8 16.Kh2 Re2 17.Re1 Qxf2 18.Rf1 Qxg2 checkmate

I probably will continue to investigate the "Ruy Lopez Jerome Gambit" for historical purposes (and I have added the couple hundred games that I have uncovered to The Database), but after tomorrow's post –  letting a self-styled "hopeless patzer" have the final words – I will not inflict it further upon readers.

To the winners go the awards

As mentioned in yesterday's post it is possible to identify the three top finishers in the soon-to-be-completed (one game unfinished) ChessWorld Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Thematic Tournament:

1st Place: Piratepaul
2nd Place: stampyshortlegs
3rd Place: Sir Osis of the Liver

Congratulations, all!

The tournament, sponsored by blackburne, has light-hearted prizes (sponsored by jeromegambit.blogspot.com) for the first three finishers. For Piratepaul, in case he wants to expand his attacking openings, there is An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Player by Raymond Keene and David Levy. For stampyshortlegs, who showed skill in playing the offbeat Jerome Gambit, there is Baroque Chess Openings by Richard Wincor – containing a whole new set off unorthodox openings. For Sir Osis of the Liver, there is The Basis of Combination in Chess by Julius Du Mont, so that he can continue his tactical ways.

All three are asked to contact me (richardfkennedy@hotmail.com) to provide mailing addresses.