Jerome Gambit: Rooks at Large

The most well-known defense against the Jerome Gambit is the one that J.H. Blackburne used in a game over 130 years ago. As we have seen on this blog many times, however, it is a tricky defense, and the better player usually wins, despite the "objective" assessment of the line (i.e. it is dynamically equal). This caveat is especially apparent in the following game, where Black errs early - but White makes some later slips, only scoring the full point after much further work. It is not a safe game for Rooks.

ehmorris3 - F-Dynamics
10 0, lichess.org, 2017

1.e4  e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ g6 7. Qxe5 d6

Blackburne's Defense, famous since Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884. Black offers a Rook, with the plan to trap White's Queen, and, while she is entombed, to attack White's King.

8.Qxh8 Be6 

It is difficult to grasp the idea behind this move, unless it is simply to follow up the sacrifice with further development. Perhaps Black believes that his opponent will need time to put his Queen back into play. White immediately moves to make sure his Queen will be free.

9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.d4 

Sacrificing a pawn to prepare for further development.

Instead, 10.Qxg6 was seen in perrypawnpusher - saltos, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 40) and Wall,B - VJCH, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 16).

An alternative, 10.O-O, was seen in mosinnagant - mumbaII, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 38) 

10...Bxd4 11.Bh6+ 

The idea. White has to be careful about his own Rook on the a1-h8 diagonal, however.

11...Nxh6 

An earlier game had gone 11... Ke8 12.Nc3 Qf6 13.O-O Bf7 14.Nd5 Qe6 15.Nxc7+ Kd8 16.Nxe6+ Black resigned, Petasluk - cuadriculas, FICS, 2008. 

12.Qxh6+ Ke8  13.Qxg6+ Bf7 

A very dynamic position, with White better. The first player has the advantage of a safer King and is three pawns and the exchange ahead in material - but his Queenside is about to be demolished.

In the meantime, where should White's Queen go? There is only one safe square that keeps his advantage.

14.Qg3 

White needed to play 14.Qf5!? in order to be able to answer 14...Bxb2 with the fork 15.Qb5+, when he can then pick up the Bishop. Once Her Majesty  is safe, White can then play c2-c3 or Nb1-c3 to keep the enemy attack on b2 stifled.

14...Bxb2 15.c3 Bxa1 16.O-O Bxa2  

White's original idea might have been to block Black's Bishop in at a1, and then capture it, but that will not work out.

This odd position is about equal.

17.Na3 Bxc3 

Black surrenders his piece too quickly He could have tried 17...Bb2 18.Nb5 a6 19.Nd4 Qf6 20.f4 c5 and held the advantage - according to Stockfish 8. It is really hard for me to judge this unbalanced position.

18.Qxc3 d5 19.Qe5+  Kd7  

Each side has 3 connected passed pawns!  

20.Nb5 Kc8 21.Rd1 Kb8  

Black has castled-by-hand, but in doing so has entombed his Rook. He will not be able to escape checkmate.

22.exd5 b6 23.d6 cxd6 24.Rxd6 Kb7 

Yes, things are this bad. However, even after surrendering the Queen, there will still be checkmate.

25.Rxd8 Rxd8 26.Qe7+ Kc8 27.Nd6+ 

There was also 27.Qc7#, but White has the game in hand.

27...Rxd6 28.Qxd6 Kb7 29.h4 b5 30.h5 Black resigned