Philidor1792 recently shared the following game, where his quest to play a sort of reversed Jerome Gambit led him to a situation where he faced a piece sacrifice and he had to deal with the onslaught of some very uncomfortable "Jerome-like pawns". It took a while to win this one. hitorkoal - Philidor1792 Chess.com, 2015 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5
An old line, going back at least as far as Salvio's analysis in Il Puttino, altramente detto, il Cavaliero Errante, del Salvio, sopra el gioco de Scacchi, (1604), it is currently referred to as the Busch-Gass Gambit ( See "Worth A Second Look" Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3; as well as "Busch-Gass Gambit"). 3.Nxe5 Nc6
Chiodini's Gambit. Chessville.com had a good article by Clyde Nakamura on the line. (Chessville is no longer functioning, but I was able to use the WayBackMachine to recover the article; the link should be good.) 4.Nxf7 Interestingly, Nakamura in his article on Chiodini's Gambit quotes analysis by Stefano Vezzani, an email friend of his, which gives this move a "??" and refers to it as "a common mistake". 4...Qf6
A light-hearted alternative: 4...Qh4 5.Bc4 Qxf2 checkmate, Nguyen Bao Do - Dich Tai Khuu, VIE-ch, U07, 2014. 5.Qe2
Or 5.d4 Bxd4 6.Be3 Bxe3 7.fxe3 Qxf7 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Bd3 0-0 10.0-0 d6 11.Nd5 Ne5 12.Qe1 Be6 13.Nxf6+ gxf6 14.Be2 Kh8 15.Qh4 Qg6 16.Rf4 Qg5 17.Qf2 Ng6 18.h4 Qe5 19.Rf3 Bg4 20.Rf4 Bxe2 21.Rf5 Qxe4 22.Rxf6 Bg4 23.Rf1 Kg7 24.h5 Bxh5 White resigned, Ake - Evilonek, ICC, 1998. 5...Qxf7 6.c3
Here we have reached the end of Vezzani's analysis of the sub-variation, a position he evaluates as a winning advantage for Black ("-+").
Houdini 3 considers it simply advantageous for Black (by about a pawn).
As we will see - and as many have seen while facing "Jerome pawns", things are still not easy. 6...Nf6
From a strategic point of view, Houdini suggests retreating the Bishop to the Kingside with6...Be7. 7.d4 Bb6 8.g3 0-0 9.Bg2 d5 10.e5 Ne8
Instead, Houdini suggests the cold-blooded madness of 10...Nxe5!? 11.dxe5 Ng4 12.f4 Bf2+ 13.Kf1 Bb6 14.Na3 Bf5 but I am not sure how appealing that is to human players. 11.0-0 Be6 12.f4 g6 13.Nd2 Qd7 14.Nf3 Bg4 15.Qe3 Ng7 16.Ng5 h6 17.Nf3 Bh3
I enjoy playing over ZahariSokolov's games because so many of them go right to critical or interesting positions in the Jerome Gambit, allowing him (and us) to experience the excitement of battle, with all of its ups and downs. ZahariSokolov - Yrusia standard, FICS, 2014 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4
8...Nc4 Bypassing the solid and good 8...Qf6 and the wild and good 8...Qh5+. It is helpful for the Jerome Gambit player to have enough knowledge about the opening to know that Black's move calls for "punishment". 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc4 The text is good enough for an equal position. The other capture, according to The Database, works out better: 10.Qxc5+ Nd6 (10...Kf7 11.Qxc4+ Kf8 12.d4 d6 13.O-O Nf6 14.Nc3 Qe7 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Be6 17.d5 Bg4 18.Bg5 h6 19.exf6 Black resigned, Petasluk - Comi, FICS, 2006) 11.e5 Nf6 (11...b6 12. exd6+ cxd6 13.Qe3+ Kf8 14.O-O Bb7 15.g3 Nf6 16.Qe2 Kf7 17.Nc3 Re8 18.Qf2 Ng4 19.Qd4 h5 20.Qxd6 h4 21.d3 hxg3 22.hxg3 Re6 23.Qd4 Rh6 24.f5 Rh1 checkmate, UNPREDICTABLE - ennuitois, blitz, FICS, 2009) 12.O-O Qg8 13.Nc3 g5 14.exf6+ Kxf6 15.fxg5+ Kg7 16.Qe5+ Kg6 17.Qf6+ Kh5 18.Qh6+ Kg4 19.h3+ Kg3 20.Ne2 checkmate, Kennedy - Chess Challenger 7, 2008. 10...d6
11.f5 Instead, 11.d4 led to another adventure: 11...Be6 12.Qd3 Bb6 13.f5 Bf7 14.c3 Kd7 15.Nd2 Qh4+ 16.g3 Qg4 17.Qf3 Qxf3 18.Nxf3 Nf6 19.Nd2 Rae8 20.O-O Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Rxe4 22.Bf4 Rhe8 23.Rf2 Re2 24.Rb1 Rxf2 25.Kxf2 Bc4 26.Be3 c5 27.b3 Bd3 28.Rd1 Bxf5 29.dxc5 Bc7 30.cxd6 Bxd6 31.Bxa7 Kc6 32.Be3 Bc5 33.Bxc5 Kxc5 34.Rd2 Rf8 35.Ke3 Bg6 36.c4 Re8+ 37.Kf4 Kc6 38.Kf3 Re6 39.Kf2 Rd6 40.Rb2 Rd3 41.b4 b5 42.c5 Bf7 43.Ke2 Ra3 44.Kf2 Rxa2 45.Rxa2 Bxa2 46.Ke3 Kd5 47.Kd3 g6 48.Kc3 Bc4 49.Kd2 g5 50.Ke3 Ke5 51.h3 Be6 52.h4 gxh4 53.gxh4 Kf5 54.Kd4 Kg4 55.Ke5 Bf5 56.c6 Black forfeited on time, UNPREDICTABLE - LucioF, FICS 2010 11...Nf6 12.d3
A center pawn push is probably premature, although it leads to interesting play, something like Houdini vs Nimzovich: 12.e5!? Re8! 13.d4 (13.exf6+?! Kf8+ 14.Kd1 Qxf6 advantage to Black; or 13.e6 b5!? 14.Qe2 [14.Qxb5 g6!? 15.c3 gxf5 16.d4 Bb6 17.Qxf5 Bxe6 18.Qd3 advantage to Black] 14... g6!? advantage to Black) 13...b5!? 14.Qc3 Kf8 15.O-O Bb6 16.e6!? (16.exf6 Qxf6 advantage to Black) 16...Bb7 17.a4 bxa4 18.Rxa4 c5 19.d5 c4+ 20.Kh1 Rc8 21.Bg5 Bxd5 22.Qd2 Bc6 23.Ra3 Kg8 24.Qe2 d5 25.Nd2 Bc5 26.Rh3 Rb8 27.Qe5 Qe7 advantage to Black 12...Bd7 13.Nc3
Again, 13.e5!? Re8 14.d4 Kf8 15.e6 b5!?edge to Black 13...Bc6
Black has the extra piece and better development, although with an exposed King. White has the "Jerome pawn" wall, maintains rough equality. 14.Nd5+
Forcing the issue, while 14.d4!? would keep things equal.
From here on out, inaccuracies control the outcome of the game. 14...Kd7 Instead, 14...Bxd5 15.exd5 Re8! planning to castle-by-hand and attack, was the way to go. 15.Nb4
Probably 15.Nf4 intending 16.Ne6 was better. Of course, that is easier to see from the sidelines. 15...Ng4 Planning a Kingside attack, but overlooking something. 16.Qe6 checkmate
Sometimes when I am playing the Jerome Gambit I think I should take Nike's advice and "Just Do It!"... Over-thinking something has its problems. In the following game, by the time I figured out what I was supposed to remember, the game had wandered off. perrypawnpusher - catmandu blitz, FICS, 2014 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. 5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Nf3+
A sharp and realatively unknown idea - this game is only the 10th example in The Database. It seemed familiar to me, though - and it actually was. I had responded with 8.gxf3 four years ago in perrypawnpusher - wertu, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 20). 8.Qxf3 During the game against catmandu, however, I thought I remembered perrypawnpusher - AirmanLeonidas, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 18), where, in my annotations, I had suggested that capturing with the Queen was better. This was not entirely correct: against AirmanLeonidas I was playing the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit - with 0-0 and ...h6 added to the current position - so that certain lines were playable then, but not now. 8...Bxd4
At this point I realized that 9.e5 would not work (it hadn't worked in stretto - NoWar, FICS, 2007 [0-1, 28] or yorgos - ANDGREG, FICS, 2009 [0-1, 51] either, I learned later); and that the idea starting with 9.Nb5 followed by 10.Qb3+, as in my game against AirmanLeonidas, would stumble upon the fact that my King in this game was still on the e-file. I could have made more of a game of it with 9.Ne2 Be5 10.Qd3 c6 11.f4 Bc7 but of course Black would still be better. Without any particular idea in mind, I just started "making moves". 9.Bg5 Rf8 10.0-0 After the game Houdini suggested the move complicated (hence, giving me more chances) 10.Ne2 Bxb2 11.Qb3+ Kg6 12.h4 h6 13.Nf4+ Kh7 14.Qxb2 Qe8 15.0-0-0 Qxe4 16.g3 Qc4 17.Bxf6 Rxf6 with Black still for choice. 10...Kg8
Black has castled-by-hand, and compensation for White's piece sacrifice is insufficient. 11.Nd5 Nxd5 One last oversight. 12.Qb3 Qxg5 White resigned
Next time, instead of trying to do all that remembering, I'll just focus on playing the game.
In an early article on the Jerome Gambit in the July 1874 issue of The Dubuque Chess Journal, it was noted
It should be
understood that Mr. Jerome claims in this New Opening "only a pleasant
variation of the Giuoco Piano, which may win or lose according to the skill
of the players, but which is capable of affording many new positions and
opportunities for heavy blows unexpectedly."
The same can be said for the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, as the following game illustrates. White triumphs in a blitz game - but, afterwards, as he played the game over, he must have smiled at a few of the missed "heavy blows". TrippL - boggus blitz, FICS, 2012 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+
The Database has 18 Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit games by TrippL, with White scoring 58%. (That's above the average of 56% for all 4,454 BSJG games in The Database.) 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3
White's 8th move was mentioned in the last post, "Caught Out".
Black's 8th move (thematic in the Blackburne Shilling Gambit) has already been scolded a number of years ago in "Gorilla Chess". 9.Qb3
This wins. Even better 9.Qa4+ Ke5 10.f4+ (or 9...Kc5 10.d4) as Black will lose his Queen. Check it out, play a few variations. 9...c6 10.d3 Qxg2
Deadly - but for the wrong side. 11.Be3+
This is good, but who could resist the double Rook sacrifice: 11.Bf4 Qxh1+ 12.Kd2 Qxa1 13.Qc4# ? Resisting the second Rook requires Black to sacrifice his Queen - and he will still be checkmated. 11...Ke5 12.f4+ Instead, 12.Qf7 would box the enemy king in, e.g. 12...Qxh1+ 13.Ke2 Qxh2 (13...Qxa1 14.Bf4+ Kd4 15.Qc4#)14.Nb5 Nf6 15.Bd4+ Kf4 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Qxf6+ Kg4 18.Qf5+ Kh4 19.Nd4 Qg2 20.Nf3+ Qxf3+ 21.Kxf3 Rg8 22.Rh1 checkmate, anyway. 12...Kf6
Black's King appears to be getting away. 13.0-0-0 Ne7
Houdini suggests that after 13...Ke7 Black would be better, but that is hard to see. Now the game concludes quickly. 14.Rhg1 Qxh2 15.Bd4 checkmate
Despite the fact that I devote a lot of time to this blog, I am always worried that I won't remember enough of its information, and that I will be caught out in my next game. Luckily, as the following game shows, even when I forget particular lines, my sense of "what is going on" is sometimes enough for me to prevail over my opponent.
10.d4+
The proper continuation was 10.Qh5+! as in an earlier game 10...Ke6 (better 10...g5 11.Bxg5 Nf6 12.f4+ Ke6 13.f5+ Kd7 14.Qf7+ Qe7 15.Qxf6) 11.Qf5+ Ke7 (better 11...Kd6 12.Qxd5+ Ke7 13.Bc5+ Ke8 14.Qxd8+ Kxd8 15.Bxf8) 12.Bg5+? (Losing the thread. Correct: 12.Bc5+! Ke8 13.Qxf8+ Kd7 14.Qxg7+ Ne7 15.Bxe7) 12...Nf6 13.Qe5+ Be6 14.exd5 Qxd5 15.Qxc7+ Ke8 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.0-0 Qxd3 18.Re1 Qd7 19.Qc4 Kf7 20.Qh4 Rd8 21.Nc3 Bb4 22.Qxb4 Qd6 23.Qxb7+ Rd7 24.Qe4 f5 25.Qh4 Qd2 26.Rad1 Qxd1 27.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 28.Nxd1 Bxa2 29.Ne3 Be6 White forfeited on time, ghosty - smenke, FICS, 2004. 10...Kd6 11.e5+ Concentrating on development (11.Nc3 or 11.0-0) looks better in retrospect. I had to figure out a plan at this point, and decided to go with the "Jerome pawns" 11...Kc6
Black has the extra exchange, but White's lead in development gives him chances. 18...Qd7
A slip we both overlooked. 19.Qf3
After the game Houdini pointed out that 19.Nb5+!? cxb5 20.Rc1+ Kd8 21.e6 with threats against the King and Queen was crushing. 19...c5
Nerves. Better was 19...Bb4. 20.Nxd5+ Kd8 21.dxc5 Rc822.Rd1 Qa4
Black is in trouble, and this does not help. 23.Nc3+ Winning Black's Queen, and Black resigned.
After the game Houdini recommended a direct attack on the Black King instead: 23.Bg5+ Be7 24.Bxe7+ Ke8 25.e6!? Qxd1+ 26.Qxd1 Rc6 27.Qh5+ g6 28.Qe5 Rxe6 29.Qxe6 Rf8 30.Bh4 checkmate.
It is understandable that Black wants to ease his King's stress by exchanging Queens, but a better defense was to be found in 12...Nd6. 13.Qxc4 b6 14.d4 Bb7 15.f3 Re8 16.Bd2 Kd8
Black castles-by-hand, and White quickly moves to make the enemy unsafe again. 17.a4 a5 18.b4 Qc6 19.Qd3 axb4 20.a5 bxa5 21.Rxa5 d6 22.Rb1 Kd7
The Black King, uneasy, makes room to allow his Rook to contest the a-file. Little does he realize the danger in this! Better was the developing 22...Ne7. 23.Rxb4 Ra8 24.d5
The Queen is trapped. 24...Qb6+ 25.Rxb6 cxb6 26.Rxa8 Bxa8 27.Qb5+ Ke7 28.Qxb6 Nf6 29.Qc7+ Nd7 30.Bf4 Rd8 31.Qxd6+ Kf7 32.Qe6+ Black resigned
The following game - another recent one from GameKnot.com - allows a closer look at an interesting, more-positional variation of an otherwise wild, attacking opening. mr_kill - syiedan86 Team match, GameKnot.com, 2014 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. There are a number of ways to safely meet the BSG, including 4.Nxd4, 4.0-0, 4.d3 and 4.c3. Black wants to see 4.Nxe5?!, so he can respond with the thematic 4...Qg5!? 4.Bxf7+ The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. As a Jerome Gambit fan, I like the move. Also, it has been good to me - I have scored 91% in 41 games. (The Database* contains 4,452 BSJG games;White scores 56%.) 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.c3
This move shows up 398 times in The Database, scoring 55% for White. The major alternative is 6.Qh5+, which appears in 1,376 games, and with which White scores 61%. Houdini 3 shows a slight preference for the text move, which doesn't surprise me, as 100% of my games contain the alternative. 6...Ne6 This move appears in 157 games, while the alternate retreat, 6...Nc6, appears 92 times. The challenging 6...Qg5 appears in 95 games. All score the same, plus or minus a percentage point or two. 7.d4 Here Houdini shows a slight preference for 7.Qh5+, leading to an even game. 7...d6 8.Nd3 Nf6
This is a balanced position. (It must be remembered that Black cannot castle, as he has moved his King.) A couple of ideas for White now include 9.Nd2, seen in the game GmCooper - Mazetov, lightning, FICS, 2001 (1-0, 28); and 9.d5 Nc5 10.Nxc5 dxc5 11.O-O, which is the choice of chess engines Houdini, Rybka and Stockfish. 9.e5 dxe5 10.Nxe5 Bd6 11.Qe2
Stronger might be 11.f4 11...Qe7 In this tense position, White inexplicably dropped a piece, and the game was over. 12.Bg5 Nxg5 White resigned
[*A word about statistics. In any database devoted to a particular opening, the success of the line will be inflated, as partisans and publishers tend to show off successes, not abject failures. I have corrected for this somewhat, in that about 90% of the games in The Database are drawn from play at FICS, over a 12-year period - all the wins, losses and draws in each particular opening. Statistics in The Database, thus, largely reflect the results of "average" club players in an "average" online game environment.]