It had been months since I had played the Jerome Gambit at blitz speed, and I worried that I might have forgotten too much. The following game, however, shows that the opening was as reliable as ever for me.
perrypawnpusher - grosshirn
2 19 blitz, FICS, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6
Somewhat inexact. See the note (below) to White's 11th move.
9.Qd5+ Ke7 10. Qxc5+ d6
Better than 10...Ke8 as seen in perrypawnpusher - parlance, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 22).
11.Qe3
After 11 moves we have reached a position in which White has an extra move (f2-f4) in comparison to the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke7 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3. So, if Black wants to give up his King's Bishop and post his Knight at g6, 6...Ng6 might have been a better choice.
Interestingly, Stockfish 7 recommends the alternate retreat 11.Qc3 (no example in The Database), suggesting that Black meet that with 11...Kf8 (11...Nxf4?12.Qxg7+ Ke8 13.O-O Qf6 14.Qxf6 Ne2+ 15.Kf2 Nxf6 16.Kxe2 Nxe4 with advantage to White) 12.O-O Nf6 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc6 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Qd4+ 17.Qxd4 Nxd4 18.Na3 Ne8) with an equal game.
11...Nf6
The text is about equal to 11...Kf8 (perrypawnpusher - Valseg, blitz, FICS, 2011 [1-0, 39]), better than 11...Bd7 (perrypawnpusher - GabrielChime, blitz, FICS, 2009 [1-0, 29]), and much better than 11...Be6 (perrypawnpusher - MrNatewood, blitz, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 12]).
12.O-O
Or 12.d4 as in perrypawnpusher - thinan, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 31).
12...Rf8
This seems reasonable at first glance, as Black is considering castling-by-hand. However, 12...Re8 was probably better, as in perrypawnpusher - spydersweb, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 24) and perrypawnpusher - tjaksi, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 18).
13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc4 15.Qd3 Nb6 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bh4 Nbd7
Black has covered up with his pieces, and still has his piece-for-two-pawns material advantage, but White's "Jerome pawns" and freer development give him the advantage.
18.Nc3 c6 19.Rae1 Qb6 20.Kh1 Ke8
Breaking the pin on his Knight, but White is ready to crash through, anyhow.
21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Ng8 23.f6
Even better, according to Stockfish 7 after the game, was 23.Ne4 Ne7 24.Qd6 Rf7 25.e6 with a forced checkmate.
23...gxf6 24.exf6+ Kd8 Black resigned
Checkmate will be coming soon after 25.f7+.
In light of the earlier "The Pawns! The Pawns!", alternate titles for this post easily came to mind, such as "Nothing Succeeds Like Excess" or "Too Much is Not Enough" - but whatever you call it, today we see more bad dreams for Black, thanks to the "Jerome pawns."
Wall, Bill - Atacan
PlayChess.com, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3
9...Be6
Also seen is 9...N8e7, from perrypawnpusher - rsiemon, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0,23).
10.f4
Or 10.O-O, as in Wall,B - Parsom, Chess.com, 2010, (1-0, 25).
10...Bd7
The Bishop can also go the other way, 10...Bf7, as in perrypawnpusher - Kingsmeal, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 25) and perrypawnpusher - GabrielChime, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 33).
A more spirited reply is 10...Qh4+, as in perrypawnpusher - udofink, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29).
11.O-O N8e7 12.d4
Or 12.f5 as in perrypawnpusher - nmuffjgp, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 23).
12...h5
Black looks like he wants to join in the pawn fun, but he soon is out-played.
13.c4 h4 14.b4 h3 15.g3 Bg4 16.f5 Nf8 17.d5
The "Jerome pawns" in all their (initial) glory.
A humorous alternative, pointed out by Bill, is 17.Rf4 Bh5 18.Rh4 winning Black's advanced pawn.
17...c6 18.a4 cxd5 19.exd5 Qc7 20.Rf4 Bd1
Humorous, but Black cannot really afford this levity.
21.Nc3 Bc2 22.f6 gxf6 23.Nb5 Qb6 24.c5 dxc5 25.bxc5 Qa5
Now comes the finish, and the "Jerome pawns" do their part.
26.Rxf6 Qd8 27.Nd6+ Kd7 28.Nxb7 Qe8 29.c6+ Kc7 30.d6+ Kxc6 31.Qc5+ Kxb7 32.Qc7+ Ka6 33.d7+ Black resigned
A couple of years ago I suggested the George J. Dougherty Club, with special membership for those chess players who had suffered the ignominity of losing to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - like Mr. Dougherty, who was the first one to face Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's gambit, and the first one to fall to it.
In light of my most recent Jerome Gambit, I was thinking of suggesting a "club" for those who play the Jerome, and who lose spectacularly with it. Then I thought again, and realized that the oft-refuted opening is supposed to fail gloriously for White, so such a club would "honor" more of "dog bites man" than "man bites dog."
Still, the following game is likely to cause members of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde to howl...
perrypawnpusher - darkwight
blitz, FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Ne5
Certainly a provocative move, now, or a move or two later.
10.0-0
The Database shows a couple of alternatives: 10.d4 Ng4 11.Qg3 N8f6 12.f3 Qe7 13.0-0 Nh6 14.Nc3 Bd7 15.Bg5 Nf7 16.Nd5 Qd8 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Qg7 Be6 19.Nxf6+ Ke7 20.b3 Qf8 21.Qxf8+ Raxf8 22.Nh5 Ng5 23.h4 Nf7 24.Nf4 Bc8 25.Nd5+ Kd8 26.c4 c6 27.Nc3 Nh6 28.g4 Bxg4 29.fxg4 Nxg4 30.Rxf8+ Rxf8 31.Rf1 Rg8 32.Rf4 Ne5+ 33.Kf1 Nd3 34.Rf7 Kc8 35.Rxh7 Rf8+ 36.Ke2 Nf4+ 37.Kf3 Nd5+ 38.Kg4 Nxc3 39.e5 dxe5 40.dxe5 Ne4 41.h5 a5 42.h6 Nc5 43.Kg5 Ne4+ 44.Kg6 Rg8+ 45.Kf7 Rd8 46.Rg7 Rd7+ 47.Kg6 Black resigned, MrJoker - DanK28, Internet Chess Club, 2011; and
10.f4 as in perrypawnpusher - GabrielChime, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 21).
10...Qh4
Less aggressive were: 10...h6 11.d4 Nc6 12.f4 Nge7 13.Bd2 a6 14.d5 Nb8 15.c4 Bd7 16.Bc3 Rg8 17.Rf3 Black resigned, MrJoker - Melbourne, Internet Chess Club 2011; and
10...Nf6 as in perrypawnpusher - mikelars, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 26).
11.d4 Ng4 12.Qf4 N8f6 13.h3 Nh5 14.Qf3 Rf8 15.Qe2 Nf4
Black has whipped up an initiative, and his 4 attacking pieces are really looking scary. For some reason, I didn't think that my opponent could play his last move, and it caused me some surprise - followed by panic.
16.Qb5+
I was totally embarrassed after the game to realize that 16.Bxf4 was perfectly playable here, and White can continue to defend, e.g. 16...Rxf4 17.Nc3 Nxf2 (retreating the Knight allows White to fork the Rook and Queen with g2-g3) 18.Rxf2 Rxf2 19.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 20.Kxf2 and White is a pawn up.
16...Bd7 17.Qxb7
Now Black concludes his attack.
17...Nxh3+ 18.gxh3 Nxf2
Horrors!
The right move was 18...Rxf2!, when 19.Qxa8+ Kf7 20.Qd5+ Kf8 21.Qa8+ Be8 22.Qxe8+ Kxe8 23.Be3 Qg3+ 24.Kh1 Rh2 is checkmate.
Smashing!
19.Qxa8+ Ke7 20.Qxf8+ Kxf8 21.Rxf2+
Now White has two Rooks, a Knight and a pawn for his Queen, and should win - if he avoids time trouble.
21...Kg8 22.Bf4 Bxh3 23.Nc3 Qg4+ 24.Kh2 Qd7
Both of us were bothered by the ticking clock. I was trying not to get checkmated before I got my troops assembled, and my opponent was trying to create as much mischief as possible. Neither one of us were at our best for the rest of the game.
25.Bg3 h5 26.Rg1 g5 27.e5 h4
Advancing pawns against the enemy King is fun, but this overlooks something essential.
28.Bxh4 dxe5 29.Rxg5+ Kh7 30.Rg3 exd4 31.Rxh3 Qd6+
A final slip.
32.Bg3+ Black resigned
What "chances" White has in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) come from a myriad of sources, not the least of which is opponent loss of focus or intensity. Too many games have ended up "1-0" because the defender did not see the necessity of putting all of his skill to use against a foolish, refuted opening.
perrypawnpusher - spydersweb
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6
Since one of the time-proven strategies to defuse the Jerome Gambit has been returning a piece, this defense can not technically be considered "bad".
Yet, after 11 moves (see diagram below) the players reach a position in which White has an extra move (f2-f4) in comparison to the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke7 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3. So, if Black wants to give up his King's Bishop and post his Knight at g6, the alternative might be a better choice.
9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ d6
10...Ke8 is an alternative, as in perrypawnpusher - parlance, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 22).
11.Qe3
Notable is 11.Qf2 Nf6 12.d3 Rf8 13.0-0 Kf7 14.Nc3 Kg8 15.f5 Ne5 16.Bg5 Nf7 17.Bh4 c6 18.Ne2 Ne5 19.h3 Bd7 20.g4 h6 21.Nf4 a6 22.Rae1 Qe7 23.d4 Nf7 24.Ng6 Qd8 25.Nxf8 Qxf8 26.Bxf6 gxf6 27.h4 Kg7 28.Kh2 Qe7 29.Qf4 Re8 30.Rg1 Kh7 31.c3 Rg8 32.Re3 Rg7 33.Reg3 Bc8 34.g5 fxg5 35.hxg5 Nxg5 36.f6 Qf7 37.Qh4 Qxf6 38.Qh5 Qf4 39.e5 dxe5 40.dxe5 Qxe5 41.Kh1 Be6 42.Qd1 Bd5+ 43.Kh2 Nf3+ 44.Kh3 Nxg1+ 45.Rxg1 Qe3+ 46.Kh2 Qf2+ 47.Kh3 Rxg1 White reigned, guest725 - guest114, Internet Chess Club, 2002.
11...Nf6
Alternatives:
11...Kf8, perrypawnpusher - Valseg, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 39);
11...Be6 12.f5 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - MrNatewood, blitz, FICS, 2010;
11...Bd7 perrypawnpusher - GabrielChime, blitz, FICS,2009 (1-0, 29).
12.0-0
It is probably better to tuck away the King first than create a broad center with 12.d4, as in perrypawnpusher - thinan, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 31).
Also seen was 12.Nc3 as in mrjoker - PhlebasP, Internet Chess Club, 2008 (0-1, 34).
12...Re8 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Neg4
It's always fun to harass the Queen, but 14...Nc6 was the right idea, as White then does not get much with 15.e5 Kf8 16.e6. Instead, I had planned on 15.Qd3 Kf8 16.Bg5.
15.Qd3 Kf8 16.Bg5
A bit better might have been the thematic 16.h3 Nh6 17.Bxh6 gxh6 18.Nd2
16...h6 17.Bxf6
This capture is not actually necessary as 17.Bh4 g5 18.fxg6 leads to an advantage for White. Best for Black after 17.Bh4 would be 17...h5, giving Black's advanced Knight a retreat square. Still, the second player's Kingside looks weakened, and White would probably not be worse.
17...Qxf6
The Queen is poorly placed only because the Knight is poorly placed. Better was 17...Nxf6 18.Nc3 with an edge to Black.
18.h3 Ne5
Played perhaps a bit too automatically. Play looks relatively equal after 18...d5 19.hxg4 Rxe4 20.c3 Rxg4 21.Nd2 c6 22.Rae1 Bd7.
19.dxe5 Qxe5 20.Nc3
How many times has White's advantage in the Jerome come down to better development, while Black's Queen Bishop sits at home, cutting off his Queen's Bishop?
20...c6 21.Rad1 d5
A miscalculation.
22.exd5 c5
Better, but not saving, was 22...Qe3+ 23.Qxe3 Rxe3 24.dxc6 bxc6.
23.f6 g5 24.Qg6 Black resigned
My opponent's play was bold enough to give me trouble, and even if he did not solve all of the mysteries of the Jerome Gambit, he played a game which left me feeling constantly as if I were one step behind.
perrypawnpusher - magza
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Be6
This move provokes f2-f4 by White, but it is only the beginning of Black's sharp play.
10.0-0
Or 10.f4 as in mrjoker - Melbourne, blitz, ICC, 2008 (1-0, 38), mrjoker - tomnoah, ICC, 2009 (0-1, 42), perrypawnpusher - GabrielChime, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 33); perrypawnpusher - udofink, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29), and perrypawnpusher - Kingsmeal, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 25).
10...Kd7
My opponent practically screams "Come and get me!"
Alternatives include 10...Qf6, as in perrypawnpusher - OverwiseMan, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 24); 10...Nf6, as in perrypawnpusher - dirceu, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 16) and perrypawnpusher - nmuffjgp, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 22); and 10...h6 as in MrJoker - pds1, ICC, 2011 (1-0, 28).
(All of the games referred to can be found in The Database.)
11.f4 N6e7 12.f5 Bf7 13.d4 Bc4 14.Rd1 Nf6
Black's pieces keep close watch on White's "Jerome pawns."
"Just a couple more moves," I told myself, "and I'll have an even game."
15.b3
Either 15.e5 or 15.Na3 might have been a tiny bit better.
15...Ba6 16.Nc3
A curious move.
I know that I did not play 16.e5 because I was worried about 16...Nxf5, but that was just poor "analysis", as 17.Qf3 wins back the sacrificed piece with advantage to White. Black does better to answer 16.e5 with 16...Ng4, and after 17.Qg5 he holds his own (or better) in the tactics on the Kingside.
Consistent was 16.c4 followed by 17.Nc3.
16...Re8
This move was my "opportunity", the one that usually comes knocking in the Jerome Gambit. Black's best was 16...Qf8 working against the line given concerning 15.e5. In fact, White's next move should be 17.e5.
17.Qg5 Rg8 18.e5 Nfd5
19.Bb2
Developing the Bishop, protecting the Knight, uniting the Rooks: and it all still feels too slow.
After the game, Houdini suggested 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Qg4 (coming soon: c2-c4) with an edge for White.
19...h6 20.Qd2 Nxc3 21.Bxc3 Nxf5
Bleh. A score-and-one moves, and White has little to say about his position, while Black's pieces are beginning to glow again.
22.d5 Qe7
Possible, and better, was 22...dxe5
23.e6+ Kc8 24.Bb2 b6 25.c4 Kb7
Black has castled-by-hand on the Queenside, and his light-squared Bishop looks a little bit odd. White has his dark-squared Bishop on a strong diagonal, and a protected, passed pawn at e6.
Houdini gives Black only a slight edge, but the question is: Where will White get his play? Black's pieces are well-placed to defend against the one plan that suggests itself, infiltrating along the f-file to f7: 26.Rf1 Raf8 27.Rf2 g6 28.Raf1 h5.
26.b4
Opting to stir things up on the Queenside.
26...Bxc4 27.Rdc1
Making the same kind of mistake referred to in the notes to White's 16th move, concerning 16.e5. Here the right move was 27.Qf4, although after 27...Bxd5 28.Rxd5 g6 Black has returned his extra piece for some pawns, and is a pawn ahead.
White's e-pawn would be weak, not strong, and that would give Black the advantage in the long run.
White's game now just flows from bad to worse.
27...b5 28.a4 a6 29.a5 g6 30.Rxc4 bxc4 31.Rc1 Qg5 32.Qxg5 hxg5 33.Rxc4 Ne3
White's sacrifice of the exchange only means that he is now a Rook behind.
34.Re4 Nxd5 35.Rg4 Rae8 36.Rxg5 Nxb4 37.Rg4 Nd3 38.Bc3 Rxe6 39.Rd4 Nc5 40.Rb4+ Kc6 White resigned
GM Bronstein suggested that in chess three "little" mistakes add up to one "big" mistake.
That could well be the watchwords of the Jerome Gambit player who would gladly accept a blunder on his opponent's part, but who otherwise hopes to see about three little mistakes to even out the game after his own big mistake – playing the Jerome Gambit, of course!
perrypawnpusher - parlance
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6
9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ Ke8
A rare move. Usually seen is 10...d6 as in perrypawnpusher - GabrielChime, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 29)
11.0-0 d6 12.Qe3 N8e7
Probably stronger was 12...Nf6. White is now even, if not a bit better.
13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Ng4
Rash, but irresistible.
White can now answer this move with 15.Qg5 reaching a complicated position after 15...Nf6 16.Qxg7 Rf8 – the same he could have achieved in the game.
15.Qg3 h5
After the game Rybka gave a preference for retreating the Knight with 15...Nf6 16.Qxg7 Rf8 (as above). It then looks like an even game is the result of 17.Nc3 d5 18.e5 Nxf5 19.Rxf5 Bxf5 20.exf6 Qxf6 21.Qxf6 Rxf6, with White having two pawns for the exchange (after 22.Nxd5).
analysis diagram
Probably White can do better in this line with 18.Bg5 instead of 18.e5 – this is another example of a time when the center pawn advance is not best. After 18...Rf7 19.Qh6 Nxe4 20.Rae1 Nxg5 21.f6 Ne6 22.fxe7 Rxf1+ 23.Rxf1 Kxe7 24.Qh5
analysis diagram
White's lead in development and attack against Black's King will fully compensate for the sacrificed piece and even give White the advantage (again, according to Rybka).
Going over the game afterwards I was stunned by the computer's suggestion that 15...Nf6 16.Qxg7 Rf8 17.Nc3 d5 18.Bg5 Rf7 could also be met by White with 19.Qh8+ (instead of the more prudent 19.Qh6) Rf8 20.Bxf6!? – with an even game (according to Rybka) after the Queen sacrifice 21...Rxh8 22.Nxd5.
analysis diagram
I'll let readers figure that out while I return to the game at hand...
16.h3 Nf6 17.Qxg7 Rf8
The position is similar to one we looked at above, with the addition of ...h7-h5 and h2-h3. Clearly 18.Bg5 or 18.Nc3 should be played.
18.e5
This leads only to an even game.
18...dxe5 19.Bh6
Panic.
White can hold on with the intended 19.dxe5 although he will drop two pawns after 19...Qd4+ 20.Kh1 Qxe5 21.Bg5 Bxf5.
analysis diagram
After 22.Nc3 White maintains many threats and Rybka's suggestion is for Black to liquidate to an even game with 22...Ng4 23.Qxe7+ Qxe7 24.Bxe7 Kxe7 25.hxg4.
19...Qxd4+ 20.Kh1 Rf7
Even stronger was 20...Rg8 which would win the Queen after 21.Qxf6 Nd5.
21.Qh8+ Neg8
This move gives White a slight chance out – he should have blocked with the other Knight.
22.Nc3
Collapsing.
After 22.Bg7 Kd7 23.Nc3 Kc6 24.Rad1 Qc4 25.Bxf6 Nxf6 26.Qh6 Rybka evaluates the game as about even – White either wins the pinned Knight at f6 or bring his Queen close enough to Black's King to deliver a repetition of checks.
22...Rh7 White resigned
Black wins White's Queen. Nicely done!
