Jerome Gambit Nomenclature

Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Bill Wall has been working on an orderly way of naming the various Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) variations.

Sometimes a move or line is given a generic label (e.g. "5.a3 Variation"), but when possible it is given the name of the person known to have played it first.

(This is based upon my 9 years of research into the Jerome Gambit. Of course, further discoveries may change things.)

There are a few exceptions (e.g. 5...Kf8, the "Sorensen Variation"), where the name given refers to someone who did significant analysis of the line, or greatly popularized it (e.g. 7...d6, the "Blackburne Variation").

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.a3
5.a3 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.b3
5.b3 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3
5.c3 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c4
5.c4 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3
5.d3 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4
5.d4 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.g3
5.g3 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.h3
5.h3 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.h4
5.h4 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3
5.Nc3 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5
5.Ng5 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+
5.Nxe5 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8
Sorensen Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.Qh5
Banks Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4
Shinkman Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4
6…Qh4 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6
6…g6 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6
Blackburne Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Nf6
Carrington Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7
Whistler Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
6…Ke6 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7 Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nf3 9.gxf3
Young Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7 Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 c6
Cubitt Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7 Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Ne7
Jaeger Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7 Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6
Colburn Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7 Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3 Nc6
Neufville Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7 Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+
Nibs Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4
D'Aumiller Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Qf6
Schiller Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.O-O d6
Charles Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.d4
Tonetti Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8
Jerome Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
6…Ng6 Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc3 Nf6 10.d3 Rf8
Zim Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc3 Nf6 10.d4
Charlick Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5
Sidran Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.O-O
Brookshire Variation, Jerome Gambit


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Qe2
5.Qe2 Variation, Jerome Gambit

Jerome Gambit Odds

I've mentioned a number of times how the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can be played as a way of giving odds to a weaker player.

White's plan should be to strike quickly, before his opponent gets his bearings.

perrypawnpusher  - Dogyou
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qe8

This move was new to me. It has some of the characteristics of the more usual 8...Qf6, although it doesn't immediately threaten the exchange of Queens.

Sharpest was 8...Qh4+, entering the malestrom of the Nibs Defense. 

9.fxe5+

More precise might be 9.d3, as Rybka suggests that the top two responses are 9...Kc6 and 9...Nxd3, not necessarily a club player's choices. (Rybka's third choice is 9...Nh6, which is what I would go with.)

9...Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6

I've had this position six times before (6-0) and played 11.d3 each time. For some reason, in this game I varied here.

11.Nc3 a6

Again, one of the interesting (and advantageous) things about the Jerome Gambit is how often a defensive move by the Black King is the best choice, despite the adage about not moving a piece too many times.

Here, Dogyou prevents Nc3-b5+, but three of the top four moves that Rybka likes are King moves, the best being 11...Kc6, maintaining a clear advantage for Black.

12.d3

Better here was 12.d4, throwing White's pieces against the enemy Queen and King, e.g. 12...Qxd4 13.Bf4+ Kc6 14.Rd1 Qc4 15.e5+, and Black has only a small advantage. 

There is something about this kind of set-up that makes my opponents prone to an optical illusion. I don't understand it and i can't explain it. There is a blatant threat – is it that hard to see?

12...c6 13.Bf4

This is the sixth time I've gotten away with this, but the trick is as old as Vazquez - Giraudy, Mexico, 1876 (remove White's Queen Rook) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.d4 Bxd4 9.c3 Bb6 10.f4 Qf6 11.fxe5+ Qxe5 12.Bf4 Qxf4 13.Qxf4+ Ke7 14.Rf1 Nh6 15.Qe5+ Kd8 16.Qxg7 Re8 17.Qg5+ Re7 18.Rf8 checkmate

13...Bd4 14.0-0-0

Not bad, but the simple 14.Bxe5+ followed by 15.d4 was stronger.

14...Bxc3

Black's game goes to pieces.

15.bxc3 g5 16.Bxe5+ Kxe5

17.Qf5+ Kd6 18.Qxf6+ Kc7 19.Qxh8 b5 20.Qe5+ Kb6 21.Qd6 Black resigned

Tied Up, or How Much Is A Queen Worth?

There's nothing like receiving the gift of your opponent's Queen in the first twelve moves of a game, especially when you are in a critical line of one of the Jerome Gambit's (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) refutations.

Why, it only took me 32 more moves to end the game!

Huh?

perrypawnpusher  - elyza
blitz FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

\

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

This is one of the classical refutations of the Jerome Gambit.

Modern players unfamiliar with the Jerome may prefer 6...Ng6, 6...Kf8 or 6...g6 because this line feels more dangerous, but the King is actually safe in the middle of the board – and Black has two extra pieces, as well.

My first conclusion about my opponent, who was playing without much hesitation: he either doesn't like to return material, or he knows what he is doing.

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+

Ah, yes, the "Nibs" defense – or counter-attack, if you will. It's beginning to look like my opponent elyza has stopped by this blog a time or two.

9.g3 Nf3+

Wow! Seriously cutting-edge play. For some background, check out "Repairing a Variation (Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 3) and (Part 4)".

10.Kd1

If you are going to battle the Queen-sac line, I think 10.Kd1 is the right move. If you are looking toward the endgame, 10.Kf1 is to be preferred – "Repairing a Variation (Part 4)"

The alternative: 10.Kf1 Qh6 (10...Qf6 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ Kd8 13.Kg2 d6 14.Qd5 Ne7 15.Qd3 Nd4 16.e5 dxe5 17.c3 Bf5 18.fxe5 Qc6+ White resigned, perrypawnpusher - james042665, Chess.com, 2008) 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ Qd6 13.Qxd6+ cxd6 14.c3 g5 15.Kf2 g4 16.h3 d5 17.hxg4 dxe4 18.d3 d5 19.g5 h6 20.dxe4 dxe4 21.Nd2 Nxd2 22.Bxd2 Bg4 23.Be3 Ke6 24.Rh4 Kf5 25.Bd4 Rh7 26.Rah1 h5 27.Ke3 Ne7 28.R4h2 Nd5+ 29.Kd2 b6 30.Re1 Re8 31.Be3 Rd8 32.Kc2 Rc7 33.a3 Rcd7 34.Bd4 b5 35.Be5 Rc8 36.Kb1 a5 37.g6 b4 38.axb4 axb4 39.g7 b3 40.Bd4 Kg6 41.Kc1 Kf5 42.Rhh1 Nb4 43.Kd2 Rxd4+ White resigned, perrypawnpusher - Temmo, JG3 thematic, Chessworld, 2008.

10...Qf6

Or 10...Qh6 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ Qd6 13.Qxd6+ cxd6 14.c3 Nf6 15.d3 b6 16.Ke2 d5 17.Kxf3 dxe4+ 18.dxe4 Bb7 19.Re1 Kf7 20.Nd2 Rhe8 21.g4 d5 22.e5 d4+ 23.Kg3 dxc3 24.bxc3 Nd5 25.Bb2 Rad8 26.Ne4 Nf6 27.Nd6+ Kf8 28.Nxb7 Rd7 29.Ba3+ Kf7 30.Nd6+ Rxd6 31.exd6 Ne4+ 32.Rxe4 Rxe4 33.Kf3 Rc4 34.d7 Rxc3+ 35.Ke4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - electrahan, blitz FICS, 2009

11.e5+

Fail.

This looked like a great move at the time, but the right path had already been laid out for me by Louis Morin ("mrjoker"), that of simply collecting the dark-squared Black Bishop: 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ d6 13.Qxc7+ Bd7 14.Nc3 Rc8 15.Nd5+ Ke6 16.Qxb7 Qd4 17.f5+ Ke5 18.Qxd7 Nf6 19.Qe6 checkmate, guest2365 - guest2535, Internet Chess Club, 2004

11...Ke7

Wow.

Black was taken in by the move, too. Had he played, instead, 11...Nxe5 12.fxe5+ Qxe5 he would have shown that my pawn advance was a blunder.

12.exf6+ Nxf6

Game over? Hardly. My opponent probably wants me to show him that I have more than just a good sense of humor in the opening. Or maybe he is aware that sometimes I get... tired.

13.Qxc5+ d6 14.Qe3+ Kf7

15.h3

Naturally not 15.Qxf3 Bg4 winning the Queen.

15...Nxd2 16.Bxd2 Re8

17.Qf2 Kg8 18.Re1 Bxh3

I don't mind giving up the pawn. I'm trying to untangle my pieces on the Queenside.

19.Nc3 Bg4+ 20.Kc1 c5 21.b3 b5 22.Kb2 b4 23.Ne2 Ne4

This is getting annoying.

24.Qe3 a5 25.Qd3 a4 26.Ng1 a3+ 27.Kc1

27...Rad8

I was getting frustrated. Being this tied up was ridiculous!

28.c4

This is not a BLUNDER, but it is clearly an INACCURACY – see "Italian Game Anti-Fried Liver Defense (Part 2)" – since 28.Rxe4 was the best move. (Would it have ended the game? Probably not.)

Here is my new annotation for "I should have had some coffee":

28...Nf2 29.Rxe8+ Rxe8 30.Qxd6 Ne4

31.Qd5+ Be6

A slip. It helped.

I knew that I was going to have to go all the way to checkmate with my opponent, though, and time was running low.

32.Qxe4 Bf7 33.Qg2 Bh5 34.Kc2 Bg6+

35.Kd1 Be4 36.Qf2 Bf5 37.Nf3 Bg4

38.Be3 Rd8+ 39.Ke1 Rd3 40.Rd1

At last!

40...Rc3 41.Rd8+ Kf7 42.Ne5+ Ke7 43.Qd2 Bf5 44.Qd6 checkmate

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, The Wizard of Draws

Repairing a Variation (Part 4)

Once you have defined the problem (Part 1) with an opening variation, reviewed some game history (Part 2), and seen what has been written about the line (Part 3), it is time to analyze and test out new ideas.

In the case of the "Nibs" defense of the Jerome Gambit, (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) there are three strategies to choose from.


#1) Embrace the chaos

You may choose to continue to play the main line, anyway, believing that it is so complicated that your opponent will never find a way through to the advantage. (So far, only one player, peonconorejas has.) In this case, it is important to be familiar with the places (especially moves 10 through 17) where Black might slip up, so that your greater understanding of the strategic and tactical nuances gives you the better chances.

An example is perrypawnpusher - electrahan, blitz FICS, 2009.

Black did not discover the killer 10...Ne7 (and the idea behind it) and instead retreated his Queen with 10...Qh6.

Three moves later I reached the following position.

My comment at this point of the game was

My one advantage against electrahan was that I was more familiar with the positions and play, and so was significantly ahead on the clock.

The game continued to be very interesting, and I prevailed in 35 moves.

#2) Find a Jerome Gambit endgame that you are comfortable with.

Much to my annoyance, despite a lot of hard work (with the help of Rybka 3, Fritz 8 and ChessBase 8) I have not yet found a "bust" to Black's Queen sacrifice in the "His Nibs" defense.

Players who are comfortable with a Jerome Gambit endgame (blackburne and mrjoker come quickly to mind) – with one, two or three pawns for the sacrificed piece; ideally, also with an active King – can look at the following line.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kf1

If you are going to battle the Queen-sac line, I think 10.Kd1 is the right move. If you are looking toward the endgame, 10.Kf1 is to be preferred.

10...Ne7 The same strong move with the same strong threats. 11.Qxc5+ This move will either displease or please your opponent, depending on whether the second player knows the Queen-sac line or not. 11...Kxc5 12.gxh4

This is an interesting position. White has two pawns for a piece, although the one at h4 is threatened. As long as a lot of pieces remain on the board, Black's King is at risk; but with each exchange, he becomes more of an attacker than a defender. Black's advanced Knight may or may not be in danger, similar to the game perrypawnpusher - Temmo, Chessworld, 2008.

It's not very exciting for White after 12...Nxh4 13.Nc3 (with d2-d3 and possibly Rh1-g1 to follow) but if Black's Knight becomes dim on the rim, or if White's King can mosey over that way, there may be some play to be had.

#3) Change to another line of play.

In this case, it might be worth investigating 7.f4, instead of the 7.Qf5+ and 8.f4 line, something that I am doing right now.

(But I still hope to be able to crack the Queen-sac some day!)

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, The Wizard of Draws

Repairing a Variation (Part 3)

The next step in repairing a variation, after you have defined the problem (Part 1) and reviewed some game history (Part 2), is to see what has been written about the line.

Unfortunately, when you are dealing with a variation of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), reading up on the "His Nibs" Variation (4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Ke6 8.f4 Qh4) can be done during a coffee break.
There are only two sources in print that I have been able to find in about 8 years of study of the Jerome Gambit.

The first, in Randspringer #6 1990-1991, was in an article by Jack Young, author of many hysterical "Bozo's Chess Emporium" articles for Chess Horizons.

"Meet Jerome"

The Jerome Gambit (also known as the "Kentucky Opening" according to Blackburne), like the Reynolds Gambit, like the Chicago Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nxe5!! Nxe5 4.d4), like the Fred (1.e4 f5!!) desrves to be in the arsenal of every serious tournament player. Don't know the Jerome? That's OK but if you play through the following game I would not be surprised if it convinced you to venture the Jerome in your next serious tournament game. This important theoretical battle featured some real "high caliber" opposition and makes a good case for the playability of the Jerome Gambit...

...Young - Computer, 1991: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+! Kxf7 5.Nxe5+! Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4?! Another computer defused the attack after 8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6

I admit that this is only a snippet of a mention, but I include it for a couple of reasons. First, it is also the first game (even if a partial) after "R.F" - "Nibs", 1899, that I have in my database. Secondly, it shows that the Black Queen check-and-return was primarily to disrupt White's kingside, not the beginning of a complicated Queen sacrifice.

The second reference I reviewed is from the unusual chess book Unorthodox Chess (2005), by the even more unusually-named author, Some Loser. (I reviewed the book for Chessville here.)

...the Jerome Gambit - an old favorite of mine, back in the good old days when I used to imagine I could get away with anything. It goes like so: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+!! Kxf7 5.Nxe5+! Nxe5 6.Qh5+ White will be able to recover one of the sacrificed pieces, after which Black's exposed King position plus the two Pawns, not to mention the fabulous shock value, almost compensate for the other piece. Ah, those were the days... and hard to swallow as it may seem, it has actually been known to work from time to time.
For instance 6...Ke6?! 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+?! 9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kf1 Nxh2+?! 11.Kg2 Qd8 [11...Qg4 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Qxc5+ d6 14.Qf2 Nf6 15.Rxh2 Nxe4 16.Qe3 Qe6] 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Qxc5+ d6 14.Qg5+ Ke8 15.Qxd8+ Kxd8 16.Rxh2 Nf6 17.d3 Ng4? 18.Rh4 Nf6 19.Be3 Bg4?! 20.Bd4 Bd1? 21.Na3 Be2 22.Kf2 Bxd3 23.cxd3 c5 24.Bxf6+ gxf6 25.Nc4 Ke7 26.Ne3 Kf7 27.Rah1 Kg6 28.Rh6+ Kg7 29.Nf5+ Kg8 30.Rxf6 d5 31.Nh6+ Kg7 32.Rf7+ Kg6 33.e5 Rhg8 [33...Rab8 34.f5+ Kg5 35.Rg7#; 33...Rag8 34.Rf6+ Kg7 35.Nf5#] 34.Rf6+ Kg7 35.Nf5+ Kh8 36.Rxh7+ Kxh7 37.Rh6#

The lesson from Some Loser's game (or analysis, it is not clear from the text) is that the White King move 10.Kf1 is not an improvement over abhailey's and R.F.'s 10.Kd1. This was confirmed in both perrypawnpusher - james042665, Chess.com, 2008 (0-1, 18) and perrypawnpusher - Temmo, chessworld.com, 2008 (0-1, 43), even though both defenders did not follow the best line of play.
Black's 10...Nxh2+ vs Some Loser was a mistake which surrendered the second player's advantage. As in abhailey - peonconorejas, net-chess, 2008, the best move was 10...Ne7 with similar powerful play against White's Queen and King. Also, 10...Qd8 gave White the advantage, whereas 10...Qg4 would have led to an equal game.

Repairing a Variation (Part 2)

It is helpful to look at some early play in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) to develop a feel for the line that needs repairing (see "Repairing a Variation (Part 1)" ). The first example in my database of a game with 8...Qh4+ is an imaginary game presented in the June 1899 issue of the American Chess Magazine. In an article titled "A CHESS SCRAP" by "R.F." it is supposedly an early example of chess-by-telephone – filled with all of the difficulties that came from using a then new and unproven technology. "R.F." - "Nibs" telephone chess, 1899 "HULLO! Is this Nibs? I move 1.e4 --yes, I get you - 1...e5 now 2.Nf3 Black 2...Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 NOW 4.Bxf7+

"HULLO! Centr-r-r--what's up? YOU'RE not referee! -- pre-ee-kwu-ror-bing!!! "YES, I get you - Black 4...Kxf7 now 5.Nxe5+ --yes, I mean it --What opening? you'll see -- it's the END I'm after -- a variation on the Spanish -- fire away! 5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 all right -- "You want 1/3 OFF! Who are YOU?--Hullo--I'm not talking to Drex-irrwhixzyvilling--SAY, CENT, you've cut us off; what ails you?--Give me 725 38-- "Now, Nibs - 7.Qf5+ Kd6 I thought so -- this game adjourned till we check, Central. 8.f4 "NO, O-O -- WE'RE NOT THROUGH YET!! Hold the wire, what, your 8th? 8...Qh4+ ? Regular El Caney move -- "SPELL-ELL it - groorumbrkyxgz -- HBLLULLOOA YOU mind your biz! Send your manager to the wire - whyer-er-ert-r-roontoonmuling--Is this Central? Well, I've sent to a pay station to ring up your manager -- WHO HAS? I, I, myself, have, give me 725 38 -- You, Nibs? 9.g3 Nf3+ "Hang this-- match--You'll hang it up very soon now! 10.Kd1 Ne7 yes, not quite through- 11.e5+ Kd5 that can't draw you out, see? 12.Qd3+ check--your 8th move cooked your defence--goodbye, Central, you've mated him."

A few comments:

Fortunately, telephone service is far improved today, especially with the absence of an interrupting Central operator.

The American Chess Magazine article did not say if this "game" was based on a real game or someone's analysis.

The "El Caney" reference was to a July 1898 battle during the Spanish-American War, when 500 Spanish soldiers withstood the attack of 8,000 American soldiers for 12 hours. It is odd that the author attributes this to a Black move, as it is clear from diagram three that the second player in the game had more "troops" in the field.

The final comment – "you've mated him" – was incorrect. However, after 12...Nd4 White can play 13.gxh4, winning the enemy Queen, with a significant advantage.

A Dangerous Place

In a chess game, like when on a long walk, if you're not paying attention to where you're going, you could wind up in a dangerous place. If you happen to be playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) you are almost certain to find some danger.
I think that my opponent, electrahan, knew something about the Jerome Gambit. Our game quickly travelled to a very complicated line of defense – nothing like the Najdorf Sicilian, but Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XVI and Jerome Gambit: Fools walk in... are almost "required reading" to appreciate what follows.

perrypawnpusher - electrahan
blitz 9 5, FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

Welcome, Mr. Electrahan, shall we go for a walk?
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+
As far as you are willing to go, Mr. Pawnpusher...

Sometimes referred to as "His Nib's Defense," (see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter II") this line has caused me no small amount of headaches. And excitement. And wonder. There's a Queen sacrifice hidden somewhere, and even if it doesn't come off, the game becomes very unclear.

9.g3 Nf3+
Before this game I had losses to Temmo (0-1, 43) and James042665 (0-1, 18) in this line.

10.Kd1
This is the line that "R.F." originally played against "His Nib's", but in my earlier games I had preferred 10.Kf1, which was the better choice.

Now Black can sacrifice his Queen (as in abhailey - peonconorejas, net-chess.com, 2008, 0-1, 20) with 10...Ne7 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qe4+ d5 13.exd6+ Nd5 14.gxh4 Bg4 and win – but you really have to know the line, as it would be difficult to suss out over-the-board in blitz.

10...Qh6
This retreat – which is similar to Temmo's Queen retreat (with my King on f1) and Kevin the fruitbat's Queen retreat to f6 in a comparable position (perrypawnpusher - Kevin the fruitbat, chessworld, 2008, 1-0, 38) – still leaves Black with a slight advantage.

11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ Qd6 13.Qxd6+ cxd6
The same dilemma that I faced against Temmo: if the advanced Black Knight stands, the second player is better; but if it falls, I am even, and may have the advantage.

My one advantage against electrahan was that I was more familiar with the positions and play, and so was significantly ahead on the clock.
14.c3

To keep the Knight put.

After the game Rybka 3 recommended 14.b3 Nf6 15.Bb2 d5 (working to free the Bishop) with complications and a rather unclear game after either 15.exd5 or 15.e5.

14...Nf6
A sensible move, although Fritz8's 14...d5 and Temmo's 14...g5 were more likely to keep Black's edge.

15.d3

Stronger was the immediate 15.Ke2

15...b6
Black has settled upon his defensive plan: it involves ceding the Knight.

16.Ke2 d5 17.Kxf3 dxe4+ 18.dxe4 Bb7
19.Re1 Kf7 20.Nd2 Rhe8 Black has some compensation for his two pawns in the congestion of White's Queenside.

21.g4 d5

Instead, 21...Nxe4 22.Nxe4 Rxe4 23.Rxe4 Re8 24.Be3 Bxe4+ 25.Kf2 d5+ held chances of a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame.

22.e5 d4+ 23.Kg3 dxc3 24.bxc3 Nd5
25.Bb2 Rad8 26.Ne4 Nf6 This does not work out, and is likely the result of time issues.

27.Nd6+

Good enough, but 27.Ng5+ Kg8 28.exf6 was stronger.

27...Kf8 28.Nxb7
Again, 28.exf6 was stronger, but the text works. Black's game unravels.

28...Rd7 29.Ba3+ Kf7 30.Nd6+ Rxd6 31.exd6
31...Ne4+ 32.Rxe4 Rxe4 33.Kf3 Rc4 34.d7 Rxc3+ 35.Ke4 Black forfeited on time