Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit: It's Not A Blunder Until It's Refuted

The following blitz game allows me to comment on a rare Jerome Gambit line (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ by transposition) and an improvement for Black that has yet to be played, despite its mention here.

perrypawnpusher - Duwasi
10 0 blitz, FICS, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6

Three years ago I wrote in a post "By the Numbers"

The Database has almost 27,000 games in it, yet there are only 7 (until now) with this position; and I had White in all of them, scoring 100%.

The Database now has over 55,000 games, and there are 10 with this position; I had White in all of them, still, scoring 100%.

8.Qxe5

Here Black resigned in perrypawnpusher - JohnBr, blitz, FICS, 2010 and perrypawnpusher - AcesFullofKings, blitz, FICS, 2011.

8...d6

Black tried 8...Nf6 in perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 46), perrypawnpusher - wadada, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19) and perrypawnpusher - Entangle, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 24).

Black played 8...Bd6  in perrypawnpusher - apinheiro, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 35) and perrypawnpusher - eaadahl, Chess.com, 2013, (1-0, 37).

Black essayed 8...Qf6 in perrypawnpusher - alekbb, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 47).

Black tried 8...Be7 in perrypawnpusher - PravinMamania, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50).

Black's best choice is 8...Bf8, as the Rook is then off-limits - 9.Qxh8? Bg7 10.Qh7 Nf6 and Her Majesty is doomed. White does best with 9.d4, but after 9...d6 10.Qb5 c6 11.Qd3 Black is better.

It is possible that Black's move in the game - and the Rook sacrifice - was prompted by some knowledge of the game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885, but the addition of ...h6 and 0-0 in our game makes a big difference.

9.Qxh8 h5 10.Qc3

Quickly extracting the Queen, and unnecessarily so, as safety was no longer an issue. It was wiser to play 10.d4 Bb6 11.Qh7+ Kf8 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Kf7 and gain some more material.

Still, White is the exchange and a couple of pawns ahead, and plays it safe the rest of the way.

10...Be6 11.d4 Bb6 12.d5 Bd7 13.Qf3+ Nf6 14.Bg5 Bg4 15.Qxf6+ Qxf6 16.Bxf6 Kxf6 

17.Nc3 Bd4 18.h3 Bd7 19.Rad1 Be5 20.f4 Bxc3 21.bxc3 Ke7 22.e5

22...Bb5 23.Rf2 Bc4 24.e6 Bxa2 25.f5 gxf5 26.Rxf5 h4 27.Rf7+ Kd8 28.Rf8+ Ke7 29.Rxa8 

I think Black played on because he was ahead on the clock and I was playing in an uninspiring manner - a reasonable idea, although, in this case, an unsuccessful one.

29...a6 30.Rf1 Bxd5 31.Rh8 Kxe6 32.Re1+ Kd7 33.Rxh4 Kc6 34.c4 Be6 35.Rxe6 b5 36.cxb5+ axb5 37.Rb4 Kc5 38.c3 c6 39.Ree4 d5 40.Rh4 Kd6 41.g4 Ke6 42.g5 Kf5 43.Rhg4 Kg6 44.h4 Kh5 45.Kg2 Kg6 46.Kg3 Kg7 47.Rbf4 Kg6 48.Rf6+ Kg7 49.h5 c5 50.h6+ Kh7 51.Kh4 d4 52.cxd4 c4 53.Rb6 c3 54.Rxb5 c2 55.Rg1 Kg6 56.Rc1 Kh7 57.Rxc2 Black resigned

By the Numbers

While I was finishing up my games in the third round of the Chess.com Italian Game thematic tournament, I received a challenge from another player, and was able to inject some more Jerome-ish fun into my game.

We followed a line that I was familiar with, and although it took an odd turn or two, the result was pleasing.

perrypawnpusher  - eaadahl
Chess.com, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit. I have played it 51 times, scoring 88%. pblond has two of the three wins against me; the other was an embarassing mouse-slip Queen-loss on move 8.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6

The Database has almost 27,000 games in it, yet there are only 7 (until now) with this position; and I had White in all of them, scoring 100%.

8.Qxe5 

Here Black resigned in perrypawnpusher - JohnBr, blitz, FICS, 2010 and perrypawnpusher - AcesFullofKings, blitz, FICS, 2011.

8...Bd6

Or 8...Qf6 as in perrypawnpusher - alekbb, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 47); or

8...Be7 as in perrypawnpusher - PravinMamania, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50); or

8...Nf6 as in perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 46) and perrypawnpusher - wadada, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19)

Best is 8...Bf8!?, planning to trap White's Queen after 9.Qxh8?.

9.Qxh8 Qf6 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.d3 h5 

White has the exchange plus two pawns for the advantage.

I survived the silly 11...Be5 12.Bxh6? in perrypawnpusher - apinheiro, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 35)

12.Nc3 a6 13.Bg5 Bc5 

The time limit on our game was three days per move, but obviously this was played too casually.

14.Bxf6 Kxf6 15.Nd5+ Kg7 16.Nxc7 Rb8 17.Nd5 d6 

I was pretty sure that if I opened the game up, Black's two Bishops would be a good match for my Rook and Knight. Therefore I took some time to see how I could make use of my extra pawns.

18.c3 Be6 19.Nf4 Bf7 20.d4 Bb6 21.Nh3 Bc4 22.Rfe1 Re8 23.f4 d5 24.e5 Bc7 25.Nf2 a5 26.g3 b6 27.h3 Bd8

I don't think that my timid play impressed my opponent.

28.b3 Bb5 29.Rac1 Bc7 30.c4 dxc4 31.bxc4 Ba6 32.d5 Bc8 

Black is ready to play cat-and-mouse, his Bishops against my pawns, but it is time to open the position and finish things up.

33.d6 Bb8 34.c5 bxc5 35.Rxc5 a4 36.Rb1 Ba7 37.Rc7+ Black resigned

Slippage

In our previous Jerome Gambit game, my opponent seriously out-played me and well deserved the full point. In this game, I didn't play any better, but my opponent didn't keep pace. 

perrypawnpusher - mjmonday
blitz, FICS, 2010


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4

8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8

Black is very business-like in his play, staying out of mischief and preparing to castle-by-hand.

I also had difficulties after 11...Be6 12.Bd2 Nb4 13.Qg3 Nxc2 14.Rac1 Nd4 15.f5 Bd7 16.Qg6+ Kg8 17.Be3 Be8 18.Qg3 Nc6 19.Bf4 Nh5 20.Qe3 Nxf4 21.Rxf4 Qg5 22.Qf2 Ne5 23.h4 Qh5 24.Rd1 a5 25.f6 Ng4 26.Qg3 Qc5+ 27.Kh1 h5 28.Rxg4 hxg4 29.Qxg4 Rh7 30.Rd5 Qf2 31.h5 Qf1+ 32.Kh2 Qxf6 33.Rf5 Qd4 34.Qf3 Bd7 35.Rd5 Qf6 36.Qxf6 gxf6 37.Kg3 Rg7+ 38.Kf3 Bg4+ 39.Kf4 Be6 40.Rd2 Rg5 White resigned perrypawnpusher - HRoark, blitz FICS, 2010.

12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 Nb4

All of a sudden my opponent falls for an optical illusion... Attacking that Queen is so tempting.

Instead, 13...Kh8 was just fine for Black, as in perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 24) and perrypawnpusher - JohnBr, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 31)

14.Qc4+ d5

Previously I had seen 14...Be6 in perrypawnpusher - Angstrem, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 35) and perrypawnpusher - amirelattar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50).

15.Qxb4 dxe4

16.Bc1 b6 17.Nxe4 Bb7 18.Nxf6+ Qxf6 19.Bd2 c5 20.Qc4+ Kh8 21.Bc3 Qg6

22.g3

The Bishops-of-opposite-colors are not yet drawish; instead, the player with the attack has the advantage. The move played is a blunder. White should not have further weakened the a8-h1 diagonal, and instead focused upon protecting g2.

22...Qg4

A missed chance: 22...Qc6 is deadly. 

23.Qd3 Rxe1 24.Rxe1 Qh3

This looks like it puts pressure on White's King, but it allows the shot 25.Bxg7+. Too bad I missed it.

25.Qe2 a5

Black continues his play on the light squares, preparing for ...Ba6.

26.Qf2

Totally focused on defending, instead of the mentioned Bxg7+.

26...Kh7

Allowing me to finally bring an end to the game by glueing Black's Rook to g8 and exchanging Queens.

27.Re7 Rg8 28.Rxb7 Qg4 29.Qd2 Qf3 30.Qd3+ Qxd3 31.cxd3 Re8

An oversight.

32.Rxg7+ Black resigned

That Variation

What can I say?

I can handle most variations of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), even the refutation lines, but I keep tripping over the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit – even after my opponent has blundered back a piece to me.

It must be psychological: the loss this time had nothing to do with the opening, I blundered away a Rook in an even ending. For other unfortunate examples of "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory" see "My Turn to Blunder" and "My Turn Again".

perrypawnpusher - Angstrem
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4

8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3

The full Queen retreat was seein in ontocaustic - defjavid, FICS, 2009: 11.Qd1 Bg4 12.Qd3 Nb4 13.Qc4+ Kf8 14.Qxb4 Qe7 15.e5 Nh5 16.f5 Qe6 17.fxe6+ Black reigned.

11...Re8

Alternately: 11...Be6 12.Bd2 Nb4 13.Qg3 Nxc2 14.Rac1 Nd4 15.f5 Bd7 16.Qg6+ Kg8 17.Be3 Be8 18.Qg3 Nc6 19.Bf4 Nh5 20.Qe3 Nxf4 21.Rxf4 Qg5 22.Qf2 Ne5 23.h4 Qh5 24.Rd1 a5 25.f6 Ng4 26.Qg3 Qc5+ 27.Kh1 h5 28.Rxg4 hxg4 29.Qxg4 Rh7 30.Rd5 Qf2 31.h5 Qf1+ 32.Kh2 Qxf6 33.Rf5 Qd4 34.Qf3 Bd7 35.Rd5 Qf6 36.Qxf6 gxf6 37.Kg3 Rg7+ 38.Kf3 Bg4+ 39.Kf4 Be6 40.Rd2 Rg5 White resigned, perrypawnpusher - HRoark, blitz FICS, 2010; and


11...Rf8 12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 Nb4 14.Qc4+ d5 15.Qxb4 Ng4 16.Nxd5 Qh4 17.h3 Nf6 18.Nxf6+ Rxf6 19.e5 Rg6 20.Qb3+ Be6 21.Qf3 Bxh3 22.Rf2 Rg3 23.Qxb7 Rf8 24.e6 Rf6 25.e7 Bd7 26.e8Q+ Bxe8 27.Rxe8+ Kh7 28.Qe4+ Rgg6 29.Qd3 Qg4 30.Ree2 h5 31.f5 Rd6 32.fxg6+ Rxg6 33.Qf5 Qd4 34.Qxh5+ Rh6 35.Bxh6 gxh6 36.Re7+ Kg8 37.Qg6+ Kh8 38.Re8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - pwr, blitz, FICS, 2010. 

12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 Nb4

Black has brought his King to safety, and should continue with his development. The text move loses a piece, unless Black prepares it, as he did in perrypawnpusher - JohnBr, blitz, FICS, 2010: 13...Kh8 14.h3 Nb4 15.Qe2 Bd7 16.Bc1 Nfd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Qh5 Nf6 19.Qg6 Re6 20.e5 Ng8 21.Qg3 Qe7 22.exd6 cxd6 23.b3 Rxe1 24.Rxe1 Qf7 25.Bb2 Re8 26.Rf1 Nf6 27.Qd3 d5 28.g4 Ne4 29.f5 Qe7 30.Qxd5 Ng5 31.Kg2 Bc6 White resigned

14.Qc4+ Be6 15.Qxb4 c5 16.Qxb7

White should be able to survive his pawn-grabbing, but it complicates the position.

16...Bc4 17.Rf3 a6 18.Nd5 Rb8

19.Nxf6+ Qxf6 20.e5 dxe5

It is possible that Black should have gotten the Queens off the board and gone towards a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, i.e. : 20...Rxb7 21.exf6 Rxe1+ 22.Bxe1 Bxa2 23.b3 gxf6 24.Rd3 Re7 25.Kf2 Bb1 26.Rxd6 Bxc2 27.Rxf6 Bxb3.

analysis diagram






21.fxe5

White did not need this pawn, but he did need to get his Queen off of the diagonal that she shared with his Rook: 21.Qe4.

21...Qh4

A missed opportunity to win the exchange: 21...Qd8 22.Qe4 Bd5

22.Qe4 Qxe4 23.Rxe4

23...Bxa2

The same opportunity to win the exchange existed with 23...Bd5.

24.b3 Bb1 25.Rc3 Red8 26.Be1 Rd1

It looks like Black is whipping up some counter-play, but 27.e6 now for White shows that the first player has the advantage.

By ignoring his e-pawn, White misses chances to put the game away; and the game drifts toward drawn.

27.Kf2 Rf8+ 28.Ke2 Rdd8 29.Ra4 Rfe8

30.Rxc5 Rc8 31.Rxc8 Rxc8

32.Kd2 Bxc2 33.Rxa6 Bxb3

34.Ke2

A blunder in a mostly-even position.

34...Bc4+ 35.Kf3 Bxa6 White resigned

Quit while you're ahead...?

It can be uncomfortable to play against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) or one of its relatives. That discomfort can lead to less-than-perfect play, or even outright mistakes. Sometimes the feel-bad defense can lead Black to give up the game prematurely, as happens in the following Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit game.

perrypawnpusher - JohnBr
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

The Bishop sacrifice is not forced, of course. White could continue instead with 5.c3 Bb6 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 d6 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.h3 0-0 10.Re1 with a small advantage.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+

7...g6

Stronger, but requiring more courage, was 7...Ke6.

8.Qxe5 Black resigned

Certainly there is more in the position than Black sees, as he still has a slight advantage: see perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, blitz FICS 2008 (1-0, 46); perrypawnpusher - wadada, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0,19); and perrypawnpusher - PravinMamania, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50).

The important thing to remember is that after 8...Bf8! White cannot capture the Rook, as the Queen will be trapped and won. White should play 9.d4 and attend to his "Jerome pawns."