Why Play the Jerome Gambit?

I have posted on this blog various novelties and critical variations in the Jerome Gambit. I have shared Jerome blindfold games and games that are over after only a few sips of coffee. 

One of my favorite types of Jerome Gambit games is the one that announces, once again, "This is why I play the Jerome".

The following game - the latest from chessfriend Vlasta Fejfar - is a good example. White enters a line that he has played successfully before. Black is just getting comfortable in his defense, when he gets too comfortable - and a tactical shot turns the game into a miniature win by White.

vlastous - hobi

internet, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Qf6 8.Rf1

The Database has 74 games, with this position. White scores 66%.

8...g6 

Vlasta has also faced 8...Nc6 in Fejfar,V - Vins, corr Czech Republic, 2015 (1-0, 23) and 8...Nd3+ in Vlastous - Kombe, internet, 2017, (1-0, 22). 

9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.fxe5 Qxe5 11.Qf3 Nf6 

Or 11...Qf6, as in vlastous - Marwan 86, internet, 2018, (1-0, 20) 

12.Nc3 d5 

Often this move is strong and liberating for Black - but not here, as White has a tactical answer. More prudent was 12...c6, as in Vlastous - Daboa, ChessManiac.com, 2016, (1-0, 42)

13.Qxf6+ Qxf6 14.Nxd5+ Black resigned

After White captures the Queen he will simply be 2 pawns up - 1 of them passed and protected. Black's "two Bishops" is not sufficient compensation, in either the Queenless middle game or the end game.

Jerome Gambit: Their Majesties

Here is the latest Jerome Gambit from Vlasta Fejfar, featuring two wandering Queens. White's Queen successfully attacks, while Black's Queen is a few steps slow in defending. In a surprise twist, the player who loses his Queen, wins the game!

vlastous - Marwan 86
internet, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

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

This move is at least as old as D'Aumiller - AP, Livorno, 1878 (1-0, 19), appeared in 2 of the Jerome - Charles correspondence games in their 1881 match (both games incomplete), and appeared in 6 of the games in the legendary (to Jerome Gambit players, anyhow) Fisher-Kirshner - KnightStalker match of 1993.

4...Qf6 8. Rf1 g6 

We have seen a couple of Vlasta's opponents try other ideas:

8...Nd3+ "creatively returning a piece" in Vlastous - Kombe, internet, 2017, (1-0, 22); and

8...Nc6 "cold-blooded, but playable" in Fejfar,V - Vins, corr Czech Republic, 2015, (1-0, 23). 

9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.fxe5 Qxe5 11.Qf3 Qf6 

A common criticism of the Jerome Gambit is that White moves his Queen too early and too often. So far in this game, however, Black has kept pace with White.

Vlastous 2344 -Daboa 1799, Chessmaniac.com, 2016, (1-0, 42) saw the alternative, 11...Nf6.

12.Qe2 Qa6 

You can almost hear Black sigh "Enough, already!". The threat to exchange Queens is easily parried, though, and Her Majesty soon finds that she needs to get back in the fray.

13.d3 Ke8 14.Nc3 Ne7 15.Nd5 Qc6 

To protect against the threatened Knight fork at c7.

Black's best defense was 15...Kd8, when a typical messy game can continue with 16.Bg5 c6 17.b4 cxd5 18.bxc5 dxe4 19.Rf7 Re8 20.Qxe4 Qe6 21.Qxe6 dxe6 22.Rxh7 when White clearly has compensation for his sacrificed material, although the game is about even. (Who is more comfortable, though?)

16.Qf3 Nxd5 

Opening the e-file with the enemy Queen facing the King is pretty risky, but the best move, 16...Nf5, still loses. (And it turns out that White doesn't need the e-file after all.)

17.Qf7+ Kd8 18.Bg5+ Be7 

Black does not want to give up his Queen with 18...Qf6.

White decides to give up his.

19.Qf8+ Rxf8 20.Rxf8 checkmate

Very nice.

Jerome Gambit: I Forget How Complicated

Vlasta Fejfar shares his latest Jerome Gambit. I forget how complicated the game can get.

Vlastous - Kombe
internet, 2017

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

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

I am pretty sure that Vlasta was happy to get a break from the "annoying defense" 7...d6.

8.Rf1 Nd3+ 

Creatively returning a piece. (It is not the strongest response, however.)

9.cxd3 Bd4

Plotting or planning something, but I am not sure what... Probably the simple 9...d6 was better.

10.Nc3

This is a small improvement over 10.Qd5+, which appeared in an earlier game, the only other one in The Database to feature 8...Nd3+: 10...Ke7 11.e5 Qh4+ 12. g3 Qxh2 13. Qxd4 Qxg3+ 14. Qf2 Qxf2+ 15. Rxf2 b6 16. d4 Nh6 17. Nc3 c6 18. f5 Bb7 19. d3 Raf8 20. Bxh6 gxh6 21. O-O-O Rf7 22. Ne4 Ba6 23. Nd6 Rff8 24. Kd2 Rhg8 25. f6+ Ke6 26. f7 Rg3 27. Rf6+ Ke7 28. Nf5+ Kd8 29. Nxg3 Black disconnected and forfeited, MrJoker - Melbourne, Internet Chess Club, 2011.

10...g6

Kicking the Queen makes a lot of sense - sometimes; but not right now. A typical Jerome Gambit problem for Black: what is good, and what is not?

11.f5+ gxf5

A measure of how complicated the game has become is shown in Stockfish 8's recommendation: 11...Ke7 12.fxg6 Qxg6 13.Qh4+ Ke8 14.Nd5 Be5 15.b4 d6 16.Rb1 Be6 17.Nxc7+ Kd7 18.Nxa8 Qxg2 19.Bb2 Bxb2 20.Rxb2 Ne7 21.Qf2 Qxf2+ 22.Kxf2 Rf8+ 23.Ke2 Rxa8 24.Ke3 d5 25.b5 Kd6 26.Rb4 Ng6 27.Ra4 leading to an even game.

The text turns the advantage over to White.

12.exf5+ Ke7 13.Nd5+ Kd6 14.Nxf6 Nxf6 15.Qh4 Re8+ 16.Kd1 b6

Assuming that a Queen is worth three pieces, for a moment it looks as if it is Black who has sacrifice a piece to attack White's uncastled King. Alas, the second player's game has come undone.

17.Qxd4+ Ke7 18.Re1+ Kf7 19.Rxe8 Nxe8 20.Qd5+ Ke7 21.Qe4+ Kd8 22.Qh4+ Black resigned