Jerome Gambit: Theory and Practice (Part 4)

In the following game, White confidently and patiently makes his way through the opening and middlegame, indifferent to his opponent's attempts to simplify - and, later, to look for dynamic chances. The endgame win is there; he just has to keep strolling until he gets there.

Vlastous - Daboa 1799
ChessManiac.com, 2016

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Qf6 

8.Rf1 g6 9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.fxe5 Qxe5 11.Qf3 Nf6 12.Nc3 c6 

White's play was inexact after 12...Bd4 in Gary_Seven - Kevin the fruitbat, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008:  13.d3 Bxc3+ 14. Bd2 Bxb2 15. Rb1 Bc3 16. Bxc3 Qxc3+ 17. Kd1 d6 18. h3 Bd7 19. g4 Rhf8 20. d4 Qxf3+ 21. Rxf3 Nxe4 22. Rxf8 Rxf8 23. Rxb7 Bb5 24. Rxc7+ Kd8 25. Rxa7 Rf1 checkmate.

What happens next in the text is that Queens are exchanged and the sacrificed piece is returned for a couple of pawns, giving Black a small advantage. The game is not over at all, however.

13.Ne2 Rf8 14.d4 Bxd4 15.Bf4 Qxe4 16.Qxe4+ Nxe4 17.Nxd4 d5 

18.O-O-O Bg4 19.Rde1 Kd7 20.h3 Bf5 21.Bh6 Rf7 22.Nf3 Re8 23.g4 b6 

An odd choice by Black. He will have two pawns for his piece, a typical Jerome Gambit situation for White. Perhaps it was a slip, perhaps he saw that situation as more dynamic that a possible Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame.

24.gxf5 Rxf5 25.Nd2 Ng3 26.Rxe8 Kxe8 27.Rxf5 Nxf5 28.Bf4 h5 

Black's extra pawns are more targets than attacking units, as White begins to show.

29.Nf3 Ke7 30.Ne5 Kf6 31.Nxc6 g5 32.Bc7 g4 33.hxg4 hxg4 34.Nxa7 g3 35.Nb5 Kg5 36.Bxb6 Kg4 

37.a4 g2 38.Bg1 Kg3 39.a5 Nh4 40.Nd4 Kf4 41.a6 Nf3 42.Nxf3 Black resigned

Notes Longer than the Game

Here's another game, a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), that was over before it was actually over. Maybe my opponent had heard scary things about the opening. Maybe he just thought he could do better with the White pieces. (He could: he beat me the next game.)

perrypawnpusher  - Langan
blitz 8 0, FICS, 2009

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

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

6...Ke6

A strong move. Perhaps Langan is familiar with the Jerome?

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+

The best move at this point, although 8...Qf6 is also fine.

9.g3 Qf6

For the suprising and suprisingly good 9...Nf3+, see "Tied Up, or How Much is A Queen Worth?" and "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter II".

10.fxe5+ Qxe5 Black resigns

A bit of a surprise, as Black has the significant advantage of a piece for a pawn. Unlike yesterday's game, time was not an issue. No word from my opponent, just a challenge for another game.

I've reached this position before, and the game went: 11.Qxe5+ Kxe5 12.b4 Bf8 13.0-0 Nf6 14.Bb2+ Ke6 15.b5 a6 16.a4 axb5 17.axb5 Rxa1 18.Bxa1 b6 19.e5 Nd5 20.c4 Nb4 21.d4 c6 22.Bc3 g5 23.Rf6+ Ke7 24.Bxb4+ Ke8 25.Rxf8+ Rxf8 26.Bxf8 Kxf8 27.Nc3 Kf7 28.Kf2 Ke6 29.Ke3 Kf5 30.Ne4 d5 31.exd6 Bd7 32.bxc6 Bxc6 33.d5 Bd7 34.g4+ Kg6 35.h3 h6 36.c5 bxc5 37.Nxc5 Bb5 38.d7 Bxd7 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Kevin the fruitbat, JG3 thematic, Chessworld, 2008

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

Where are all these Jeromes coming from??

Not that I'm complaining or anything, but it seems that I'm facing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) more these days, which puts me in a bit of an awkward spot...


kavakava - perrypawnpusher
FICS rated blitz game 10 5, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.c3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7
Transposing into a "modern" (not including Nxe5 for White) version of the Jerome Gambit - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3 Nf6. I have about three dozen examples of the c2-c3 line in my database, including my game against Kevin the Fruitbat (see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chaper XII").
6.Ng5+

The problem with this variation is that while White can be annoying, he needs a whole lot of cooperation before he can become dangerous – which can be said, I guess, about the Jerome Gambit in general.

6...Kf8 7.Qb3 Qe7

In defending against the mate threat I overlooked the tactical shot 7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Ng4+ 9.Ke2 Qxg5 netting a pawn.

8.0-0 h6 9.Nf3 Qf7

Safe enough was 9...Nxe4, but I figured that I had enough material to win – I wanted to get to a simpler position where I could begin to make use of it. A Queen exchange would have been a good start.

10.Qd1 d6 11.b4 Bb6 12.a4 a6 13.Nh4 Nxe4


14.d4 exd4 15.Qd3 d5 16.Be3


16...dxe3

Falling into White's "trap" and winning two pieces for the Rook. More precise was 16...Ne5

17.fxe3 Nf6 18.Ng6+ Kg8 19.Nxh8 Kxh8

Black now has three pieces for the Rook, and his King is out of the way. For the next dozen or so moves, we mostly shift pieces.


20.Kh1 Qe7 21.Nd2 Qxe3 22.Qc2 Bd7 23.Rae1 Qg5 24.Nf3 Qf5 25.Qe2 Re8 26.Qd2 Rxe1 27.Qxe1 Qe4 28.Qg3 a5 29.Nh4 Qg4 30.Ng6+ Kg8 31.Qd3 axb4 32.cxb4 Qe4 33.Qg3 d4

Finally I had an idea how to win: promote a pawn.


34.Re1 Qd5 35.Nf4 Qd6 36.b5 Ne7 37.Qh4 Ned5 38.Ng6 Bf5 39.Ne5 d3 40.Rd1

Drops a piece.

40...Qxe5 41.Qc4 Qe2 White resigns

Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XVIII

Here is my last game of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) thematic tournament – and a good thing, too.

I was very lucky in this game, getting away with playing "routine" moves – several of which could have been punished, if my opponent had been a bit less "routine" himself.

Still, as noted in "Overrated!" the win here gave me a final score of 16 - 2, and first place in the tournament by three points.

brain50 - perrypawnpusher
JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net, 2008

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


As noted elsewhere ("Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XV"), brain50's main line for the tournament.

5...exd4


5...Nxd4 6.Nxe5+ Kf8 7.Nc3 d6 8.Nc4 Qf6 9.0–0 Be6 10.e5 dxe5 11.Ne4 Qe7 12.h3 h6 13.Be3 Bxc4 14.Nxc5 Bxf1 15.Qxf1 Qxc5 16.Kh1 Qd6 White lost on time, brain50 - Kevin the fruitbat, JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

5...Bxd4 6.Nxd4 Nxd4 7.Qh5+ Kf8 8.Na3 d6 9.c3 Nf6 10.Qg5 Ne6 11.Nc4 Nxg5 12.Bxg5 h6 13.Be3 Nxe4 14.0–0 g5 15.h3 Be6 16.Na3 Ke7 17.Nb5 a6 18.f3 Ng3 19.Na3 Kd7 20.Rfd1 Qe7 21.Bc5 b6 22.Bf2 Ne2+ White resigned, brain50 - blackburne/JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

6.0-0

6.c3 Qe7 7.0–0 Ne5 8.Ng5+ Ke8 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qh4 d6 11.f4 dxc3+ 12.Kh1 h6 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.Rf7 Qd6 15.Nxc3 Bb4 16.a3 Bxc3 White lost on time, brain50 - Temmo, JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

6...d6

6...Nge7 7.Ng5+ Kg8 8.Qh5 g6 9.Qf3 Ne5 10.Qf4 d6 11.Nd2 Kg7 12.Ndf3 Rf8 13.Qh4 h6 14.Nh3 Nxf3+ 15.gxf3 h5 16.Qg5 Bxh3 17.Qh6+ Kg8 18.Re1 Rf7 19.Qd2 d5 20.e5 Nc6 21.e6 Rxf3 22.Qh6 Qf6 23.Bg5 Qf5 24.Bh4 d3 25.Be7 Qg4+ 26.Kh1 Qg2 checkmate, brain50 - Sir Osis of the Liverm JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

6...d5 7.Ng5+ Kf8 8.Qf3+ Nf6 9.exd5 Qxd5 10.Ne4 Qxe4 11.Qb3 b6 12.Bg5 Bb7 13.Nd2 Qg4 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Qf3 Rg8 16.Qxf6+ Ke8 17.Rfe1+ Ne7 18.Kf1 Bxg2+ 19.Kg1 Bf3+ 20.Kf1 Qg2 checkmate,Temmo - Kevin the fruitbat, JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

7.Nbd2


7.Bf4 Ke8 8.c3 dxc3 9.Nxc3 Be6 10.h3 Nf6 11.g4 h6 12.Kg2 Qe7 13.Na4 Rd8 14.Nxc5 Bc8 15.Nd4 Nxd4 16.Qxd4 dxc5 17.Qa4+ c6 18.Rae1 Kf7 19.e5 Nd5 20.Bg3 Nb6 21.e6+ Bxe6 22.Qf4+ Qf6 23.Qc7+ Qe7 24.Kh2 Qxc7 25.Bxc7 Rd2 26.Kg1 Rxb2 27.Bd6 Rxa2 28.Kg2 Bd5+ 29.Kg3 c4 30.Re7+ Kg6 31.h4 Ra3+ 32.f3 Ra2 33.h5+ Kf6 34.Rxb7 Re8 35.Bf4 Re7 36.Be3 Rxb7 37.g5+ hxg5 White resigned, brain50 - Gary_Seven,JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

7.Re1 Nf6 8.Ng5+ Kf8 9.e5 dxe5 10.c3 d3 11.Bd2 Bg4 12.Qb3 Qd7 13.Na3 h6 14.h3 hxg5 15.hxg4 Nxg4 16.Rf1 Qf5 17.Rae1 Nxf2 18.g3 Rh1+ 19.Kg2 Qh3+ 20.Kf3 g4 White resigned, brain50 - hogmaster, JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

Rybka suggests 7.c3 dxc3 8.Nxc3 with an advantage to Black.

7...Nf6 TN

Black is a piece up, his King will soon be castled-by-hand, and a nice, calm game would suit me fine.
7...Bg4 8.Re1 Ne5 9.h3 Nxf3+ 10.Nxf3 Be6 11.Ng5+ Ke7 12.e5 d5 13.Kh1 h6 14.Qh5 Qe8 15.Qh4 Kd7 16.Nf3 Ne7 17.Bf4 g5 18.Bxg5 hxg5 White lost on time. brain50 - drewbear, JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

8.Nc4 Re8 9.Qe2 Rxe4

This capture is a blunder and should drop a Rook: the proper move is 9...Nxe4
10.Qd3

Simply 10.Ng5+ followed by 11.Nxe4 puts White back into the game.
10...Kg8 11.Bg5 Re8 12.Rae1 Bd7

White is better developed, but with nothing going on, Black has a chance to catch up -- and he does have that extra piece.

13.Rxe8+ Bxe8 14.Re1 Bf7 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.h3 Re8 17.Rxe8+ Bxe8



18.Kh2 Ne5

Again, throwing away a piece. Developing with the simple 18...Bg6 was better.

19.Nfxe5
Unfortunately capturing with the wrong Knight. 19.Ncxe5 Kf8 (19...dxe5 20.Qc4+ Bf7 21.Qxc5) 20.Nc4 left Black with only a small advantage.
19...dxe5 20.a3 e4 21.Qxe4 Bc6 22.Qg4 Qxf2 23.Ne5 Bd6

24.Qc8+ Qf8 25.Qxf8+
Trading Queens is the equivalent of resigning, although after the better 25.Qe6+, protecting the pinned Knight, Black still is losing.
25...Kxf8 White resigns.