I have always found the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit to be one of the more difficult variations in the Jerome. This is probably due to the additional development which, among other things, restricts my Queen from making wild advances.
Even Bill Wall has experienced relative "difficulty", scoring only 91% in his games with the line. The following game is quite a rarity.
Wall, Bill - Guest343560
PlayChess.com, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
5...Kxf7 6.Qe2
Also seen are 6.d4 and 6.Nxe5+.
6...d5
Other moves have allowed Bill to utilize his Queen on a different diagonal, e.g. 6...Rf8, which led to 7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4 Qe7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4 12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2 14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 17.Qf7 checkmate Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010. See also Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22); Wall, Bill - NFNZ, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); and Wall,B - Guest1872464, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 30).
Or 6...d6 7.Qc4+ as in Wall,B - Guest1459913, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 38).
Or 6...h6 7.Qc4+ d5 8.Qxc5 as in Wall,B - DarkKnight, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 23),
7.exd5
Better was 7.Nxd5, as in Wall, Bill - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25)
7...Nd4
This is an improvement over 7...Nxd5 8.Qc4 Nce7 9.Nxe5+ Ke6 10.Qxc5 Kxe5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.c4 b6 13.d4+ Ke4 14.Qc6 Be6 15.Qxe6+ Kxd4 16.cxd5 Qxd5 17.Be3+ Kc4 18.Rc1+ Kb5 19.Qxd5+ c5 20.O-O Rhd8 21.Qc4+ Kc6 22.b4 Kb7 23.Qd5+ Ka6 24.Qc6 Rac8 25.Qa4+ Kb7 26.Rfd1 Rxd1+ 27.Rxd1 cxb4 28.Qxb4 Rc7 29.Qb5 h6 30.Rd7 Rxd7 31.Qxd7+ Ka6 32.Bd2 g5 33.a4 g4 34.Qb5+ Kb7 35.Bxh6 a6 36.Qd7+ Kb8 37.Bf4+ Ka8 38.Qc7 b5 39.Qb8 checkmate, papernoose - jsit, FICS, 2004.
8.Nxe5+ Kg8 9.Qc4 Qd6 10.O-O a6 11.Nd3 Ba7 12.Rb1 Bf5
Black is developing, while White struggles to get his pieces coordinated. An attack on White's King combined with an attack on his Queen brings the game to a quick conclusion.
13.a3 Ng4 14.g3 Nxh2 15.Kxh2 b5 White resigned
Lately, not a lot of opponents have answered 3...Bc5, which would give Bill Wall a chance to play the Jerome Gambit. In the following game he shows some patience, and it turns out that he is okay with the delay.
Wall,B - Marz
PlayChess.com, 31.08.2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6
The Two Knights Defense.
4.0-0
This reasonable move was looked at in "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 4)".
Bill has also played 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 as in Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com 2010 (0-1, 25); Wall,B - Roberts, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17); Wall,B - DarkKnight, Cocoa Beach, FL 2012 (1-0, 23); Wall,B - Guest1459913, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 38); Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS 2011 (1-0, 22); Wall,B - Guest1872464, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 30).
Of course, Philidor1792 has played 4.Bxf7+ here, any way, in 3-minute games.
4...Bc5
Or 4...Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ as in Wall, B - NTLZ, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 42).
Now there is a chance for a Delayed Jerome Gambit.
5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6
This kind of retreat is seen by White in response to the "fork trick" in the Italian Four Knights Game. Here 7...d6 improves.
8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.f4 Nxe4
Looking for more trouble. Instead, 9...Bd6 10.e5 Bc5+ 11.Kh1 d5 12.exf6 gxf6 when White has an edge.
10.fxe5+ Nf6
Defense with 10...Ke8 is best, but after 11.Qg4 Qe7 12.Qxe4 White is a piece up.
11.exf6 g6
Now the Jerome Gambiteer finishes with style.
12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.f7+ Ke7 15.Qe5 checkmate
I know, I know, it baffles me, too, but some players continue to underestimate the Jerome Gambit - to their own discomfort and demise. While some people would never play the Jerome Gambit, they can be at risk against someone who plays it, and plays it, and plays it...
Wall,B - Guest1872464
PlayChess.com, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, which can also be reached from the regular Jerome move order: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 Nf6.
6.Qe2
A favorite move of Bill, and an idea as old as Ruy Lopez, who proposed it in the Bishop's Opening - 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qe2 - in 1561.
Black overlooks the move's intention, and suddenly White is OK.
6...Rf8?!
More solid for Black was 6...d6 7.Qc4+ (7.0-0, Wall,B - Darkmoonstone, Chess.com, 2011, [1-0, 29]) as in Wall,B - Guest1459913, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 38); or
6...h6 7.Qc4+ as in Wall,B - DarkKnight, Cocoa Beach, FL 2012 (1-0, 23); or the direct
6...d5 as in Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25).
7.Qc4+ d5
Black tried 7...Ke8 in Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0,17) and Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22).
8.Qxc5 dxe4
Or 8...d4 as in Wall,B - NFNZ, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15).
9.Nxe5+ Nxe5 10.Qxe5 Re8 11.Qf4 Kg8 12.0-0 c6
13.b3 Bg4
An aggressive and thought-out move, but Bill suggests instead 13...Be6.
14.Bb2 Bh5 15.Rae1
Threatening 16.Nxe4.
15...Bg6 16.Qg5 Nd5 17.Qg3 Rc8?
Alternatives: 17...Nb4 18.Nxe4 Nxc2 19.Qc3 Qd4; or 17...Qd7.
18.Nxe4 Qd7
Not 18...Bxe4?? 19.Qxg7#.
19.Nd6 Rxe1 20.Rxe1 Rf8 21.d3 Nb4 22.a3 Nxc2?
Black cuts his material imbalance to one pawn, at the risk of trapping his Knight. More solid was 22...Nd5.
23.Re2 Bxd3?
Black might have tried 23...Rd8 as after 24.Rxc2? (correct would be 24.Qe5) 24...Qxd6 25.Qxd6 Rxd6 26.Rd2 Rxd3 the game would be even.
24.Qxd3 Rd8 25.Qc4+ Kh8 26.Rd2
An alternative was 26.Qf7 Qxf7 27.Nxf7+ Kg8 28.Nxd8.
26...Qe7 27.Nf7+ Kg8 28.Rxd8+ Qxd8 29.Nxd8+ Kh8 30.Qf7 Black resigned
Mate is unavoidable.
As a therapist in my "day job" I often have the opportunity to help my clients expand their understanding of consequences of behaviors by asking them to look further: "And then what...?"
In the following game Black does a good job of defusing the primar threat behind White's 6th move, but he then becomes lax at just about the time he should have asked himself "And then what...?"
Wall,B - Guest1459913
Playchess.com, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
5...Kxf7 6.Qe2
A quiet move that you can find in a number of Bill's Jerome Gambit games.
6...d6
Dodging the misfortunes of 6...h6 7.Qc4+ in Wall,B - DarkKnight, Cocoa Beach, FL 2012 (1-0, 23); 6...Rf8 7.Qc4+ in Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17), Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22) and Wall,B - NFNZ, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15).
An alternate was 6...d5 as in the rare Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25)
7.Qc4+ Be6?
You can almost read Black's mind: I took care of that move with 6...d6. Now I strike back by attacking the Queen with my Bishop!
8.Ng5+
Oh, well, yes, there is that...
8...Kg6 9.Nxe6 Qd7
10.f4
Threatening 11.f5+ Kf7 12.Nxc5+, winning the Queen.
10...h6 11.fxe5 Nxe5 12.Nxc5 Nxc4 13.Nxd7 Nxd7 14.d3 Nce5 15.0-0 c6
Players like myself (and perhaps Guest1459913) are often relieved, if not downright hopeful, when we find ourselves facing a strong player like Bill, being "only" a pawn down - with Queens off of the board, to boot.
This is usually an error in thinking: strong players can wield that extra pawn the way ordinary players wield an extra piece.
16.h4 Rhf8 17.Bd2 Kh5 18.Ne2 Kxh4 19.Nd4 g5 20.Nf5+ Kh5 21.Nxd6 b6
In case anyone is paying attention, White now has a protected passed pawn.
22.d4 Ng4 23.Nf5 Kg6? 24.Ne7+ Kh5
25.Nxc6
This wins another pawn, although Bill points out that 25.Rf3! was stronger.
25...Ndf6 26.Bb4 Rfc8 27.Ne7 Rxc2? 28.Rf3
Threatening 29.Rh3 mate
28...Ne3 29.Rxe3 Rxb2 30.Rh3+ Kg4 31.Rf1 Nxe4 32.Nd5 Re2 33.Ne3+ Rxe3 34.Rxe3 Ng3 35.Rff3 Nh5 36.Bd6 Rd8 37.Re4+ Nf4 38.Bxf4 Black resigned
This past week was a good one for receiving Jerome Gambit games in the email. First Argentina, then the United Kingdom, and now from the United States, thanks to Bill Wall.
Rick,
Here is my latest game, a Four Knights Jerome Gambit, played at 15
minutes per game. He got his queen and king pinned on move 23. He gave up
another pawn after 12...Rf8, trying to makle a discovered attack on my queen.
After 18...Rf5, I had to watch out for Rg5. After 20.Rae1, he can't play
20...Qxa2 due to Qxg7 mate.
Bill
Wall,B - DarkKnight
15 0, Playchess.com 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
5...Kxf7 6.Qe2
A line Bill has had success with.
6...h6
Likewise 6...Rf8 7.Qc4+ as in Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17); Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22); and Wall,B - NFNZ, FICS, 2011 (1-0,15).
More in sync with the position is 6...d5 as in Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25).
7.Qc4+ d5 8.Qxc5 dxe4 9.Nxe5+ Nxe5 10.Qxe5 Re8 11.Qf4 Kg8
12.0-0 Rf8 13.Nxe4 Bd7 14.d3 Bc6
15.Nxf6+ Rxf6 16.Qg3 Qd7 17.Bd2 Raf8 18.Bc3 Rf5
19.h4 Qf7 20.Rae1 g5 21.h5 Kh7 22.Bb4 Rg8 23.Re7 Black resigned
Here is another short Jerome Gambit game from Bill Wall. It contains a motif that has showed up in recent posts – that of Ng5+ with an attack on Black's King as well as on a piece at e6 (see "Sunday Tournament Update" and "Ng5+") – and comes with a reminder that snap defensive moves can have long term consequences.
Bill has utilized the Qe2 attack before ("No Getting Around This Wall" is particularly interesting), so, for study purposes, I have included earlier games of his, even when he has played the move sooner than in the text. I have also included a number of games by hinders, of FICS, who played the line (with mixed success) a while back.
Wall,B - DDRM
FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5
The Italian Four Knights Game.
5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.0-0
Instead: 6.Qe2 d6
a) 6...Rf8 7.Qc4+ d5 (7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Be6 10.d3 Kf7 11.Ng5+ Ke7 12.Bd2 Qd7 13.0-0 h6 14.Nxe6 Qxe6 15.f4 Ng4 16.Qg3 h5 17.h3 Nf6 18.fxe5 dxe5 19.Nd5+ Nxd5 20.exd5 Qxd5 21.Qxg7+ Kd6 22.Rxf8 Black resigned, Wall, B-Hamilton, E, FICS, 2011) 8.Qxc5 d4 9.Nb5 Nxe4 10.Nxe5+ Nxe5 11.Qxe5 Ng3 12.fxg3 Re8 13.0-0+ Kg8 14.Qxc7 Qg5 15.Qf7+ Black resigned, Wall, B-NFNZ, FICS, 2011;
b) 6...d5 7.Nxd5 Nxd5 8.Qc4 Qd6 9.exd5 Nd4 10.Nxd4 exd4 11.0-0 b5 12.Qb3 Re8 13.Qf3+ Kg8 14.d3 Bb7 15.a4 b4 16.Qg4 Qxd5 17.Bf4 Re2 18.Bh6 Qxg2+ 19.Qxg2 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 gxh6 21.Rac1 Rf8 22.b3 Bd6 23.h3 Kg7 24.a5 Rf5 25.a6 Bf4 White resigned, Wall,B-Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010;
7.0-0 h6 8.h3 Rf8 9.d3 Nd4 10.Nxd4 Bxd4 11.Nb5 Bd7 12.Nxd4 exd4 13.f4 Kg8 14.Qe1 Qe7 15.Qb4 Bc6 16.Qxd4 Qf7 17.Bd2 Qg6 18.f5 Qe8 19.Bc3 Rf7 20.Rf3 Nd7 21.Rg3 Ne5 22.Rf1 Qe7 23.Qe3 Kh8 24.f6 Rxf6 25.Rxf6 Qxf6 26.d4 Nc4 27.d5 Qh4 28.Bxg7+ Kh7 29.Qd3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Darkmoonstone, FICS, 2011.
6...d6 7.Qe2
7...Bg4
Or 7...Ke8 8.Qc4 Rf8 9.d3 Qd7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nb5 Bb6 12.Na3 Qe6 13.Qd3 Bd7 14.c3 Ne5 15.Ng5 Nxd3 16.Nxe6 Bxe6 17.Bd2 Nxb2 18.cxd4 Bxd4 19.Nb5 Bb6 20.a4 a5 21.Nc3 Nc4 22.Rab1 Nxd2 23.e5 dxe5 24.Nb5 Nxf1 25.Rxf1 Ng4 26.h3 Bc4 27.Nc3 Bxf1 White resigned, hinders - Lukino, FICS, 2001;
Or 7...Rf8 8.Qc4+ Be6 9.Ng5+ Ke7 (9...Kg6 10.Qxe6 Kxg5 11.d4+ Kg6 12.dxc5 Nd4 13.Qh3 dxc5 14.Qg3+ Kf7 15.Qxe5 Re8 16.Nb5 b6 17.Qg3 Ne2+ White resigned, hinders-Lader, FICS, 2000) 10.Qxe6 checkmate, hinders - Devotion, FICS, 2001;
Or 7...Nd4 8.Qc4+ Be6 9.Ng5+ Ke7 10.Na4 Bxc4 11.d3 Nxc2 12.Rb1 Bxd3 13.Nc3 Nd4 14.Ra1 Bxf1 15.Be3 Nc2 16.Rc1 Bd3 17.Nd5+ Nxd5 18.exd5 Bxe3 19.fxe3 Nxe3 20.Re1 Nxd5 21.Rd1 Bc4 22.b3 Nc3 23.Re1 Bb5 24.a4 Ba6 25.b4 Nxa4 26.Ra1 Nb6 27.Rb1 Kd7 28.Ne4 Nc4 29.b5 Bxb5 30.Rxb5 Qh4 31.h3 Qxe4 32.Rxb7 Qe1+ 33.Kh2 Ne3 34.Rb3 Rhf8 35.Rc3 Rf5 36.Ra3 Rg5 37.Rxe3 Qxe3 38.Kh1 Qg3 39.Kg1 Qxg2 checkmate, hinders - putoamo, FICS, 2001;
Or 7...Be6 8.Ng5+ Ke7 9.a3 h6 10.b4 Bd4 11.Nf3 Rf8 12.Nb5 Bxa1 13.Nh4 Bd4 14.Ng6+ Ke8 15.Nxf8 Kxf8 16.c3 Bb6 17.a4 a6 18.Na3 Kg8 19.a5 Ba7 20.b5 axb5 21.Qxb5 Bc5 22.Qxb7 Nxa5 23.Qb1 Nc4 24.Nb5 Qb8 25.d4 Bb6 26.Qd3 Bf7 27.Qg3 Nxe4 28.Qg4 Ng5 29.h4 Ne6 30.Bxh6 Qe8 31.dxe5 Bh5 32.Qf5 gxh6 33.exd6 Qg6 34.Qd5 Nxd6 35.Qxa8+ Black resigned, hinders - kimk, FICS, 2001.
8.Qc4+ Be6
Moving his Bishop a second time, to block the check, of course, but also to harass the White Queen. Risky business.
Or 8...Ke7 9.Ng5 Qg8 10.Qd3 h6 11.Kh1 hxg5 12.Qb5 a6 13.Qxb7 Nd4 14.Qxc7+ Bd7 15.Rb1 Nxc2 16.d3 g4 17.Bd2 g3 18.fxg3 Ng4 19.Bg5+ Black ran out of time, hinders - HoChiMin, FICS, 2001
9.Ng5+
9...Ke7
Or 9...Kg6 10.Nxe6 Bxf2+ 11.Rxf2 Qe7 12.Ng5 Nd4 13.d3 b5 14.Qb4 c5 15.Qa5 a6 16.Be3 Nc6 17.Qa3 b4 18.Qb3 Nd4 19.Qa4 Rhb8 20.Nd5 Qd8 21.c3 bxc3 22.Nxc3 Rb4 23.Qd1 Rab8 24.b3 h6 25.Nh3 Qd7 26.Rf1 a5 27.Qe1 Kh7 28.Qg3 Nc2 29.Bxh6 Nxa1 30.Rxa1 Nh5 31.Qh4 Qf7 32.Nd5 gxh6 33.Ne3 Rd4 34.Ng4 Rxd3 35.Rc1 Rd2 36.Re1 Black ran out of time, hinders - bambaladam, FICS, 2001
10.Qxe6+ Kf8 11.Qf7 checkmate
graphic by Jeff Buccino, The Wizard of Draws
The following game from Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Bill Wall arrived with a note: "For your database. I got lucky in the end. I just had to play aggressive, keep the threats open and something had to happen."
Wall,B - Darkmoonstone
Chess.com, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Qe2 d6
This is an improvement over 6...Rf8 in Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22) and Wall,B - NFNZ, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); and a bit better than 6...d5 in Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25).
7.0-0 h6 8.h3 Rf8 9.d3 Nd4 10.Nxd4 Bxd4 11.Nb5 Bd7
White works with the tools that he has: he will get rid of the pesky Black Bishop (allowing f2-f4) and replaces it with a doubled pawn.
12.Nxd4 exd4 13.f4 Kg8 14.Qe1 Qe7 15.Qb4 Bc6
Black focuses on developing his pieces and improving his position, rather than protect the pawn at d4 with the "ugly" (but stronger) 15...c5. White accepts the gift.
16.Qxd4 Qf7 17.Bd2 Qg6 18.f5 Qe8 19.Bc3 Rf7 20.Rf3 Nd7 21.Rg3 Ne5
22.Rf1 Qe7 23.Qe3 Kh8 24.f6
Returning the pawn to develop play against Black's Queen and King. While Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgames tend to be drawish, their middlegames favor the attacking player.
24...Rxf6 25.Rxf6 Qxf6 26.d4
26...Nc4 27.d5
A tricky move that does Black in.
27...Qh4
After the exchanges 27...Nxe3 28.Bxf6 gxf6 29.dxc6 Nc4 30.cxb7 Rb8 31.Rc3 Na5 32.b4 Nxb7 33.Rxc7 White can probably hold the draw, as Black's extra Knight will not easily protect his isolated pawns.
28.Bxg7+ Kh7 29.Qd3
Black resigned.
After 29...Ne5 30.Bxe5 dxe5 31.dxc6 White would clearly be winning.
Bill Wall plays a cat-and-mouse game with his opponent's King as it tries to escape to its hole in the wall – er, castle-by-hand.
Wall - Hamilton
Chess.com, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5
The Italian Four Knights Game.
5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Qe2
An interesting idea. The Database has over 30 games by "hinders" at FICS with this move, winning over 50% of the time, in the years 2000-2002.
6...Rf8
The theme of the game: Black would like to move his King to safer quarters. White does not allow this.
7.Qc4+ Ke8
Black's King is spooked. Otherwise he would have played the thematic 7...d5. After 8.Qxc5 Nxe4 9.Nxe4 dxe4 10.Nxe5+ Nxe5 11.Qxe5 Kg8 a lot of attacking pieces have been exchanged, and Black's pawn at e4 is remarkably resilient. White would be up a pawn, but it will be a while before it means anything – and there is always the notorious Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame for Black to aim for.
8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Be6
White has an extra pawn and a safer King.
10.d3 Kf7 11.Ng5+
Meow!
11...Ke7 12.Bd2 Qd7 13.0-0 h6 14.Nxe6 Qxe6
It's the same story: development is even (maybe better for Black, if you count his King as developed), while White has an extra pawn. Open lines will show which monarch is safer.
15.f4 Ng4
Irresistible as ever.
16.Qg3 h5 17.h3 Nf6
Now Wall wraps things up.
18.fxe5 dxe5 19.Nd5+ Nxd5 20.exd5 Qxd5 21.Qxg7+ Kd6 22.Rxf8 Black resigned
