Toward Disaster

As I have mentioned in an earlier post, I have joined a Chess.com 12-player "Giuoco Piano" tournament (3 groups of 4 players each).

I immediately got to start a couple of Jerome Gambits, so we'll see how they turn out.The first game is racing along the lines of a refutation that has many blog posts here, all saying that White is lost, White is lost...

Well, sad to say, White did lose - but part of the reason was my refusal to play a thematic "Jerome pawn" advance which would have helped keep the play dynamic. The second big mistake was to not be as familiar with Jerome Gambit history as I should be. Ouch.

perrypawnpusher - auswebby
Giuoco Piano Tournament, Chess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Ke8

Instead, 8...Nf6 was seen in a couple of correspondence games between Daniel Jaeger (White) and Alonzo Wheeler Jerome  in 1880.

More reently, Bill Wall faced 8...Qf6 in a handful of games: Wall,B - GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17);  Wall,B - GuestZCLK, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); Wall,B - Guest340293, PlayChess.com 2012 (1-0, 41); Wall,B - Josti, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 26); and Wall,B - Guest4644930, PlayChess.com, 2014, (1-0, 26).

9.Nc3 Nf6 10.0-0 d6 

Or 10...Bd6 as in perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Chess.com 2012, (1-0, 25).

11.d3

White got away with the Knight jump 11.Nd5 in xcvbnm -SAHFAN, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 28), but I should have been more familiar with the game (in The Database) as Black was better most of the game; and White's win came only when his opponent blundered into a mate-in-2.

11...Be6 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Qxe3 Kd7 14.f4 Rhf8 15.f5 Bg8 16.d4 Rae8 17.Rae1 Kc8 18.Qg3 

Instead, it was time for 18.e5. The text allows Black to take a step toward preventing that move, and my response (see the note to White's 11th move) sealed my doom.

18...Nd7 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.exd5 Qf6 

I thought I had a few tricks against Black's King on the back rank, but, really, there was nothing.

21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.c3 Nb6 23.Re1 Qf7 24.f6 Rxe1+ 25.Qxe1 Qxf6 26.Qe8+ Qd8 27.Qf7 Qh8 28.b3 Nd7 29.c4 Kd8 30.Kf2 Qf8 31.Qxf8+ Nxf8 32.Kf3 Ke7 33.Ke4 Kf6 34.c5 Ng6 35.g3 b6 36.b4 Ne7 37.a3 b5 White resigned.

A Jerome Addiction

Bill Wall sent me his first Jerome Gambit of 2015 with the following note.

I just can't help myself.  As soon as I see 3...Bc5 I just have to play 4.Bxf7.  I told myself not to play it and work on other Italian variations.  But oh no.  I see 3...Bc5, I have to play 4...Bxf7+.  It must be a Jerome addiction.
Anyway, I played a nice Jerome on FICS, my first Jerome of the year.  He got his knight trapped, forgetting to make an exit for himself, and I later mated him.  He had a good game up to 16...c6, blocking a pawn I might have taken, but overlooking his knight can't move anywhere safe after 17.h3.

Wall,B - CMSK
FICS, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qe7 

The Jerome Gambit, Jerome variation, first outlined in the Dubuque Chess Journal, July 1874.

Three of Bill's games continued 7...d6: Wall,B -GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 17); Wall,B - GuestZCLK, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); and Wall,B - Schichua,S, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 22).

8.Qf4+ Nf6 

Instead, Black continued with 8...Qf6 in Wall,B - Guest340293, PlayChess.com, 2012, (1-0, 41),  Wall,B - Josti, PlayChess.com, 2013, (1-0, 26),  and Wall,B - Guest4644930, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 26).

9.d3 d6 10.Nc3 Be6 11.0-0 h6

12.Be3 g5

Black is feeling aggressive!

13.Qf3 Kg7 14.e5 

Bill notes better may be 14.Bxc5 dxc5 15.e5 Nd7 16.Qxb7. 

14...Ng4 15.Bxc5 

Not 15.Qxb7? Nxe3. 

15...dxc5 16.Rae1

 Still, Bill cautions,16.Qxb7?! Rab8 17.Qxa7 Rxb2.

16...c6? 

As Bill mentioned in the note above, this strands the Black Knight. Better: 16...Rhf8 17.Qe2 (17.Qxb7 Rab8 18.Qxa7 Rxb2) 17...h5; 
16...h5 17.Qxb7 Rab8 18.Qxa7 Rxb2 19.Re2. 

17.h3 Raf8 18.Qg3

Or 18.Qd1 Nxf2 19.Rxf2 Rxf2 20.Kxf2 Rf8+ 21.Kg1. 

18...h5

If 18...Nxf2 19.Rxf2 Rxf2 20.Qxf2 Rf8 21.Qe3. 

19.hxg4 h4 

Black's attack looks dangerous, but it will become clear that White is in control.

20.Qh3 Qd7 21.Ne4 Bxg4 22.Qe3 Rh5 

Admitting his Kingside pawn structure needs reinforcing, but this allows a fork.

23.Nf6 Rxf6 24.exf6+ Kxf6 25.Qxc5

25...h3 26.Qf8+ Kg6 27.Re7 hxg2 28.Qf7+ Kh6 29.Qg7 checkmate

Most of the Time

If you are facing Bill Wall and the Jerome Gambit, it will not do to make good moves most of the time. You have to make good moves all the time - or you will lose, most of the time. The following game is a good example.

Wall,B - Guest4644930
PlayChess.com, 2014

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

The Jerome Gambit, Jerome variation, first outlined in the Dubuque Chess Journal, July 1874.

7.Qxe5 Qe7

After 7...d6, three of Bill's games later transposed into the current game: Wall,B -GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 17); Wall,B - GuestZCLK, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); and Wall,B - Schichua,S, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 22). 

8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.Qg3 d6 10.0-0 

Instead, 10.Nc3 Ne7 11.0-0 was Wall,B - Josti, PlayChess.com, 2013, (1-0, 26), while 10.c3 was seen in Wall,B - Guest340293, PlayChess.com, 2012, (1-0, 41). 

10...Nh6 11.c3 Bd7 12.d4 Bb6 13.Nd2 Nf7 14.Nc4 Ke7 15.a4 Rae8 

Black had defended well, and plans on castling-by-hand on the Queenside, as well as returning a piece for some pawns. All well and good, but, as things turn out, more prudent would have been the preventative 15...a5,even at the cost of having his pawn structure broken up. 

16.a5 Bxd4 17.cxd4 Qxd4 18.b3 Kd8 19.e5 

Uncomfortable. Black is doing everything "right", yet this move upsets him. He defends by further extracting his King from the center, while 19...Nxe5 should have kept the game about even.

19...Kc8 20.Bb2 Qg4 21.Qc3 Nxe5

Now this falls to a tactical shot.

22.Nxd6+ Kb8 23.Nxe8 Rxe8 24.Rfe1 Bc6 25.Qg3 Qb4 26.Bxe5

Black resigned

Stuck in the Middle

White's attack on Black's King is a standard theme in the Jerome Gambit. Sometimes it is deadly to be stuck in the middle.

Wall, Bill - Schichua, Stephen
FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

7.Qxe5 d6

Bill has faced the Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit, 7... Qe7, a couple of times: Wall,B - Guest340293, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 41) and Wall,B - Josti, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 26).

8.Qg3 Qf6 9.d3

Or 9.O-O as in Wall,B - GuestZCLK, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15), or 
9.Nc3 a6 10.Nd5 Qf7 11.d4 Bxd4 12.Bf4 Bxb2 13.Rb1 Ba3 14.Qxa3 Nf6 15.Nxc7 Nxe4 16.Bxd6+ Kg8 17.O-O Black resigned, Wall,B - GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com, 2010.

9...h6 10.O-O Ne7

11.Nc3 Bd4 12.Nb5

Threatening 13.Nxc7.

13...Bb6 

Or, Bill notes, 12...Be5 13.f4 Bd4+ 14.Be3 Bxe3+ 15.Qxe3 Qxb2 16. Nxc7.

13.Be3 c5 14.Nxd6 Qxb2

Black is counting on his Queen to provide counterplay, but it can be risky to leave the King stuck in the middle of the board.

15.f4 c4

White can handle the tactical skirmish 15...Qxc2 16.f5 Qxd3 17.Rad1 Qxe3+ 18.Qxe3 c4 19.Rd4

16.Nxc4 Qxc2 17.Bxb6 axb6 18.f5 

The three central "Jerome pawns" give White the advantage.

18...b5 19.f6

White presses his attack.

19...gxf6

Of course, if 19...bxc4 then 20.Qxg7+ Ke8 21.Qxe7 checkmate.

20.Rxf6+ Ke8 21.Nd6+ Kd8 22. Nf7+ Black resigned 

After 22...Ke8 (22...Kd7 23.Qd6+ Ke8 24.Qd8#) 23.Nxh8 Qc5+ 24.Kh1 Black has the swindle 24...Rxa2, but after 25. Raf1 (25. Rxa2? Qc1+ winning for Black) White is firmly in control with a strong attack.

Riddle Me This, Fat Man

The following game can be looked at as a series of riddles posed to the "hero" (that would be me, I guess) on his way to an unexpected victory - isn't that the only kind of win for White that comes in the Jerome Gambit?

Sadly (for him), my opponent could not solve his own final riddle...

I have given game references for early in the play, to see how to deal with riddle #1 (7...Qe7, the Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit, by the way) and riddle #2 (9...Nh6), but after that you are largely on your own - as I was.

perrypawnpusher - Kleini
blitz, FICS, 2013

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+

I would rather not exchange Queens at this point.

8...Qf6 

The alternative 8...Nf6 is as old as two Jaeger,D - Jerome,A correspondence games from 1880, wins for Black in 14 and 40 moves.

At a faster time control, I have been more successful: perrypawnpusher - ERICOLSON, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33);  
perrypawnpusher - frencheng, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (½-½ , 31); perrypawnpusher - jonathankochems, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39); and perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 25). 

9.Qg3 

Not 9.Qxc7? Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 d6. 

9...Nh6 

An interesting novelty of questionable value. 

Previously seen have been 9...d6 in Wall,B - Guest340293, Playchess.com, 2012 (1-0, 41), perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 37), and Wall,B - Josti, Playchess.com, 2013 (1-0, 26); and 9...Bd6 in perrypawnpusher - molerat, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 23). 

10.Nc3 d6 11.Nd5 Qf7 12.0-0 c6 

13.Nc3 

Houdini 3's solution to the riddle of this position is 13.d4!? The silicon superstar sees White drawing by repetition after 13...cxd5 14.dxc5 dxe4 (14...dxc5 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.Qd6+ Kg7 17.Qg3+ etc.) 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.Qxd6+ (16.f3!? is an interesting attempt for more, e.g. 16...e3 17.Rfe1 Bf5 18.Rxe3 Qf6 19.Qf4 Rg8 20.cxd6 ) Kg7 17.Qg3+ Qg6 18.Qc7+ Qf7 19.Qg3+, etc.

It's all  a bit over my head. Okay, more than "a bit". 

13...Be6 14.d3

Again, 14.d4!? seems to be the key to the position, 14...Bb4 15.a3 Bxc3 16.Qxd6+ Qe7 17.Qf4+ Kg8 18.bxc3 and Black's edge is minimal.

14...Qg6 

15.Qxg6

By now the alternative (according to Houdini 3) should be predictable: 15.d4!? Bb4 16.a3 Bxc3 17.Qxd6+ Kg8 18.bxc3 Nf7 with a small edge to Black.

15...hxg6 

White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece. 

The Knight escapade that I started with my next move was a bad idea, and led to a lost position. I should have moved the piece to the Kingside with 15...Ne2.

16.Na4 Bd4 17.c3 Bf6 18.b3 b5 19.Nb2 Bxc3

20.Rb1 Ke7 21.Nd1 Bd4 22.Ne3 Ng4 23.h3 Nxe3 24.fxe3 Be5 25.d4 Bg3 26.Rf3 Bh4 

Black's two Bishops are scary. He just has to be careful, and he can bring home the point.

Of course, that was true 20 moves ago, too.

27.Ba3 Rhf8 28.Rbf1 a5 

I don't blame you if you didn't shout "He should have exchanged Rooks before playing that move!" I didn't realize that it was that critical, either.

29.Bxd6+

Exchanging Rooks, too, here is supposed to be stronger, according to Houdini 3. I was just glad to have a shot at bringing the game closer to equal.

29...Ke8 

Wow. Surprised by my move, my opponent stumbles hard. That's blitz for you.

Instead, after 29...Kxd6 30.Rxf8 Ra7!? Houdini 3 believes Black's two Bishops balance out White's Rook and two extra pawns. Play would remain tricky, but if White can collect and/or exchange some pawns, he should be able to split the point.

30.Rxf8+ Black resigned

One Step Ahead

I remember that in the first years that I played chess, I would occasionally checkmate an opponent, only to hear him say, "It's a good thing that you did, because I was going to checkmate you the next move," as if that were going to come as a surprise to me - like the many bogus chess games on TV or in the movies that end with one player announcing "Check" only to have the other one surprise him completely with "Check and mate".

In the following game, Black has a similar "consolation."


Wall,B - Josti 
Playchess.com, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

The Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit.

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.Qg3 

As Bill notes, not 9.Qxc7? Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 d6 

9...d6 10.Nc3 Ne7 11.0-0 Be6 12.d3 Kf7

Black prepares to castle-by-hand, holding the advantage. It is up to White to provide enough mischief to make a game of it.

13.Bg5 Qg6 14.Nb5 Bb6 15.Kh1 Rhf8 16.c4 

16...Nc6 17.c5 dxc5 18.Nxc7 Bxc7 19.Qxc7+ Kg8 20.Qxb7 

20...Nd4?! 

Bill suggests 20...Nb4 21.Bd2 Nxd3 as better.

21.f4 h6 22.Bh4 Qg4?! 

Black sees the opportunity of either grabbing a pawn or turning White's Bishop into a large pawn. There was more heat in 22...Rfb8 23.Qc7 Rxb2. 

23.Bg3 Ne2 24.Rf3 

It looks for all the world like Black is attacking - and he is. Now, however, he overlooks a critical line.

24...Nxg3+??

Instead, Houdini 3 shows the road to advantage for Black, but it is a surprisingly rocky one, and a Jerome Gambit player might not be at all unhappy with the resulting position for White: 24...Rfb8 25.Qc7 Rxb2 26.f5 Rxa2 27.Rxa2 Nxg3+ 28.hxg3 Bxa2 29.Qb7 Re8 30.Qxa7 Bf7 31.Qxc5 Rb8 32.Qc2 Qg5 33.Kh2 Ra8. 

25.Rxg3 Qxf4 

Threatening mate with 26...Qf1+ 27. Rxf1 Rxf1 mate, but...

26.Qxg7 checkmate

("I was winning," an opponent once told me in one of my games; and I agreed, "You were, right up until the point where you resigned."

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws