Jerome Gambit: When In Doubt, Look Scary

In my most recent Jerome Gambit game, in a line that I was familiar with, I nonetheless ran out of ideas. Lucky for me, I was able to keep making scary moves - enough for my opponent to overstep his clock (we were playing 2 12).

perrypawnpusher - RcSm
2 12 blitz, FICS, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.O-O Bc5

After the game I was surprised to discover that I had played three games previously against RcSm. Interestingly enough, none were Jerome Gambits. One game continued 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 - perrypawnpusher - RcSm, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 30) - and two continued 4...d6 - perrypawnpusher - RcSm, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 30) and perrypawnpusher - RcSm, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 41). 

5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6

Before this game I was 19 - 2 - 2 in games with this position, according to The Database. That's 87% - and one of those losses came after the mouse slip 8.Qe5??

8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Qe7

This is a reasonable move, although there are only 2 other games in The Database with it. White is going to want his Knight to come to c3, and maybe later to d5, harassing the Queen. A pawn advance to f4 (and later, further) and one to d4 also seem relevant.

11.Nc3 Be6

In analyzing the game post mortem I was intrigued by Stockfish 8's suggestion that, instead, Black should castle-by-hand on the Queenside: 11...Kd8 12.f4 Bd7 13.b3 Kc8 with an equal game.

My opponent eventually did do something like that in this game, but it did not wind up as strong.

The text encourages my next move, which I guess came as a surprise to my opponent, as he first retreated his Bishop, then later advanced it to c4 - something he could have done right away.

12.f4 Bf7

An earlier game of mine continued 12...Nf8 13.f5 Bc4 14.d3 Bb5 15.Nxb5 Qd7 16.Nc3 g6 17.Bd2 Kd8 18.d4 Nf6 19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Nd5 21.Nxd5 Qxd5 22.Bc3 Rg8 23.Rad1 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Macgregr, blitz, FICS, 2010.

13.d4 Kd8 

Here he goes.

14.f5 Nf8 15.e5 Bc4

A cold-blooded alternative for Black is 15...Nf6, as after 16.exf6 Qxe3+ 17.Bxe3 gxf6 White's possibilities for attack have diminished with the exchange of Queens. He would be down a pawn, although the chances of creeping toward a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame would be there.

A more refined way of implementing the Queen swap (leading to a better pawn structure) is 15...Nd7 16.e6 Nb6 17.exf7 Qxe3+ 18.Bxe3 Nf6 and White's pawn on f7 will fall.

16.Re1 Kc8

"Come and get me, Copper!" My opponent pulls a James Cagney and challenges me to show that I have compensation for the sacrificed piece.

17.Qg3 Kb8

After the game Stockfish 8 suggested that in this position I had the equivalent of a Queen advantage. Can you see that much compensation, here? During the game I was still trying to get my sacrificed piece back.

18.exd6

This much is pretty clear to figure out, even with the time on my own clock ticking away...

18...Qd7 19.dxc7+ Kc8 

And now, what?

After the game, Stockfish 8 recommended 20.Ne4 (threatening the fork at d6) Bd5 21.Nc5 Qf7 22.Qd6 Nd7 23.Nxd7 Nf6 24.Nxf6 Bc6 25.Ne4, a line that I could not have imagined - White's Knight just marches in, captures two pieces, and leaves.

20.b3 Bf7

And now, what?

It is probably easier for you to see that - especially with Black's time slipping away - the idea is now for White to grab the pawn at g7, threaten the Black Rook, and let the defender do the thinking...

21.d5

During the game I figured out that now 21...Bxd5 22.Nxd5 Qxd5 23.Re8+ had to be crushing, so the pawn was safe. Also, 21...Qxc7 could be answered by 22.Bf4, and again Black would have to do the figuring.

In figuring I could simply march this pawn to d6 to protect the one at c7, I simply overlooked 21.Qxg7.

21...Nf6 22.Ba3

A tactical idea! Abandoning the idea of d5-d6, which would have been playable, e.g. 22.d6 Qc6 23.Re7 Bh5 24.Bf4 N8d7 25.Qxg7.

Still, after the game Stockfish 8 preferred 22.Qxg7 Rg8 23.Qxf6

22...Rg8

I would have been thrilled to follow the line 22...Qxc7 23.Qxc7+ Kxc7 24.Re7+ N8d7 25. Rxf7 when White's three extra pawns would be enough, in a calm and relatively simple position.

23.Re7 Nh5

Quick! I threaten his Queen, he threatens mine.

24.Qe3

Black forfeited on time

Black's Queen can only escape danger with 24...Qxf5, when I would have played 25.Re8+ Bxe8 26.Qxe8+ Kxc7 27.Qxa8 which would have satisfied me as I would have been up two pawns.

Stockfish 8 laughs at that assessment, proclaiming a checkmate in 24 moves from that position. It sees as best play 24...Nf6 25.Rxd7 N8xd7 and I can live with that, too.  

What You Don't See CAN Hurt You (on the dark diagonals)

After the previously posted game, my opponent challenged me to a game with White, and, after I introduced him to "the cheapo defense to the Scotch Opening", we went back at it again with the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

There are some howlers in the following game, but there are some points of interest, as well.

perrypawnpusher  - michon
blitz, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 6.c3 

Again, Black's King ends up on e7 - but that is okay for this variation.

My move is more accurate than the 6.Qh5 in perrypawnpusher - vlas, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 26). 

6...d6 

In turn, this is an improvment over 6...Ne6 seen in perrypawnpusher - Macgregr, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 56). 

7.cxd4 dxe5 8.dxe5 

Here, the computers now like 8...Qd3 9.Qe2 Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 c5 with and edge for Black. White has three "Jerome pawns" for his sacrificed piece.

8... Bg4 9.f3 

Okay, okay, let's just move along here...

I think my opponent just overlooked the fact that his Bishop was unprotected. I've noticed that I have a tendency to respond to "impossible" moves (impossible in my deliberations) with knee-jerk, stereotypical moves (Bishop attack; block Bishop).

9...Bh5 10.d4 c5 11.Bg5+ 

The same kind of problem on the same diagonal as last game.

11...Nf6 12.exf6+ gxf6 13.Be3 Kf7 

Black's two Bishops don't make up for his two (soon three) lost pawns.

14.Nc3 Bg7 15.dxc5 f5 16.0-0 Bxc3 17.bxc3 Qf6 

Played too quickly. Now the a1-h8 dark diagonal joins the d8-h4 diagonal as a source of pain.

18.Bd4 Qb6 Black resigned

A mouse-slip on the final, fatal dark diagonal, a7-f2, is enough to turn over his King.

The Long and Winding Road

The following game takes its time getting where it's going. In fact, it probably could have taken even longer, if my opponent had not forseen the future and decided to stop travelling.

perrypawnpusher - VGxdys
blitz, FICS, 2011

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+ Ng6 8.Qd5+

Interestingly, Rybka 3 (at a depth of 20 ply) sees this "nudge" as 1/2 pawn better than the immediate capture, 8.Qxc5.

8...Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Nf6

A standard Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit position, although Black has also played 10...Qf6 in perrypawnpusher - saltos, blitz FICS 2009 (1-0, 28); 10...Ne5 in perrypawnpusher - Kotimatka, blitz FICS, 2009 (1-0, 21) and perrypawnpusher - Eferio, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 24); 10...Qe7 in perrypawnpusher - Macgregr, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 23); and 10...N8e7 in perrypawnpusher - apinheiro, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 59), perrypawnpusher - VGxdys, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 32) and perrypawnpusher - apinheiro, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 25).

11.f4

Or 11.d4 and then 12.f4 as in perrypawnpusher - KenWhitaker, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 27).

11...Kf8

Taking the King off of the dangerous e-file, if temporarily putting him on the dangerous f-file. Black's plan is to castle-by-hand, with the King ending up on h7. Instead a center strike with 11...Qe7 12.d3 d5 occurred in perrypawnpusher - LeifPetersen, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 30).

12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4

It was probably safer to play 13...Nf7, but who can resist harassing the Queen?

14.Qd3 b5

Oddly similar to our earlier game, referred to above.

15.b3 Nb6 16.Nc3 Kg8 17.Qxb5 a6 18.Qe2 Kh7

White has grabbed a Queenside pawn while Black has castled-by-hand on the Kingside. The game is about even.

19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Nfd5 21.Bb2

Good enough, although with White's forces focusing on the f6 square, 21.Ne4 would have been even better.

21...Re8 22.Rad1 Qg5

This was Black's idea, attacking White's King.

25.Rd2 a5 26.Qf2 Ba6 27.Rfd1 Rad8 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.Rxd8 Qxd8

30.Qd4 Qg5 31.e6 Bb7 32.Qf2 Be4 33.f6 gxf6 34.Bxf6 Qc1+

The game has taken on some of the annoying aspects of the typical Jerome Gambit Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame. Still, I was willing to exchange Queens and try my luck. Too, exchanging Queens was Black's best chance.

35.Qf1 Qe3+ 36.Kh1 Bxc2 37.e7 Bd3

A slip, which should have been punished by 38.e8/Q, winning the Bishop.

38.Qg1 Qe6 39.Bh4 Qf7

40.Qe1 Bb5 41.Qe4+ Kg7

Another slip: White can now check the King and win the Bishop.

My opponent seems to have been a bit too comfortable with his assessment of the endgame as drawish. That made two of us.

42.Qg4+ Kh7 43.Qe4+ Kg8 44.h3

A small idea, but a useful one. With the back-rank checkmate prevented, my Queen can wander more successfully, not just limiting herself to offeres to exchange or checks on the enemy King.

44...Bd7 45.Kh2 Qe8

White's e-pawn is effectively blockaded, his Queenside pawns will not produce a passer on their own, and creating one on the Kingside will expose the White King to plenty of attacks. A win for for me, if it is there, is a long way down the road.

46.Qc4+ Kh7 47.Qxc7 Black resigned

With my King safe, however, my pawns do not have to do it on their own. The Queen will soon pick off Black's a-pawn, and then White's Queenside pawns will begin to advance and assert themselves.

My opponent decided that there was no need to let things go that far.

23.Nxd5 Nxd5 24.Rxd5 Bb7

All the Time in the World

The slogan In the Jerome Gambit, Black wins by force, White wins by farce reflects the fact that the gambiteer will always need some kind of help from the defender in order to take (or even split) the point.

In the following game my opponent was careful to a fault, giving me time to get my opening up and running – much to his discomfort, and later, distress.

perrypawnpusher  - Macgregr
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

The Semi-Italian Opening. It is often a sign of caution by Black: no enemy Knight will come to g5. It can also signal that the second player is planning on taking his time in putting together his defense – something that should please White.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6

8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Qe7

11.Nc3 Be6 12.f4 Nf8

A bit better was 12...Bf7.

My opponent was being very careful – often a good idea, but here he risks falling behind in development. (Castling-by-hand on the Kingside, for example, is a long way off.) 

Maybe he believed that he had all the time in the world against an opening as derelict as the Jerome Gambit?

13.f5 Bc4 14.d3 Bb5

A slip – connected directly, I suspect, to his dismissal of the Jerome as something unworthy of his full attention.

Black could minimize his disadvantage by identifying White's threats and playing to meet them: 14...Bf7 15.d4 Kd7 16.e5 Re8 17.e6 Bxe6 19.fxe6 Qxe6 20.Qd3.

analysis diagram







White has an edge – because of his slightly better development.

15.Nxb5 Qd7 16.Nc3 g6

17.Bd2 Kd8 18.d4 Nf6

19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Nd5

White is just playing his Jerome Gambit moves...

21.Nxd5 Qxd5 22.Bc3

22...Rg8

A final slip. Necessary was 22...Kc8. 

23.Rad1 Black resigned

I am pond scum

I'm proud of some of my chess games, (a few of them, justifiably so).

The following game, however, a Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+), does not make that list. It was a pretty sorry contest, and afterwards I felt as low as pond scum – especially because I won it.

Perhaps it is time to focus on analysis and theory for a while, and leave the over-the-board (or over-the-internet) play alone.

perrypawnpusher  - Macgregr
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 6.c3 Ne6

Not a new move (I have 70 examples in my database) but the first time that I have seen it. Black has the typical piece-for-two-pawns advantage, as well as the typical problem of the uncastled King.

7.d4 Nf6 8.Bg5

You have to admit, pinning the King's Knight looks like a good idea – until you realize that it can simply be taken.

Dumb.

So why didn't my opponent and I see this immediately?  Well, hats off to Macgregr, who saw it first...

8...d6

arcanglej - geppa, FICS, 2005 continued : 8...Nxg5 9.d5 Ngxe4 10.Kf1 d6 11.Nc4 c6 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.Qe2 Ba6 14.Nbd2 d5 15.Rd1 Kf7 16.Nxe4 Bxc4 White resigned

However, Maguey - snob, FICS, 2003 saw White escape: 8...h6 9.Bxf6+ Kxf6 10.Qf3+ Ke7 11.Qf7+ Kd6 12.c4 Nxd4 13.Qd5+ Ke7 14.Qxd4 d6 15.Ng6+ Kf7 16.Nf4 Be7 17.Qd5+ Kf8 18.Ng6+ Ke8 19.Nxh8 Bf6 20.Qf7 checkmate

9.Ng4

Ouch. Necessary was 9.Bxf6, of course.

9...Nxg5

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!
             "Ozymandias", Percy Bysshe Shelley

10.Nxf6 gxf6 11.0-0 Bg7

Not a pretty sight for White. For Black, having the advantage of "the two Bishops" in this case means having two more Bishops than I do...

Still, I like my games to last more than a dozen moves, so I soldiered on.

12.Nd2 Bd7 13.f4 Nf7 14.e5

My only chance: Black's "centralized" King.

14...dxe5 15.fxe5 fxe5 16.dxe5 Bxe5

Aha! A lucky break for me. I can capture two pieces for a Rook – and only be down a Rook.

17.Rxf7+ Kxf7 18.Qh5+ Ke7

What is this? A touch of hope in the air?

Black could keep his lead with 18...Kg7, as after 19.Qxe5+ Qf6 20.Qxc7 White has only two pawns for his missing Rook. 

19.Qxe5+ Be6

My mind was full of the possibilities of a draw through repetition of position. Could it be?

20.Qg7+

While I was pleased, after the game, to learn that Fritz 8 said this led to a draw, I was astonished to see its suggestion: 20.Re1 Qd7 21.Ne4 Raf8 22.Nc5 followed by White capturing Black's Bishop after 22...Qd6 23.Qg7+ Rf7 24.Qg5+ Rf6. White would still be threatening Qg7+, picking up a Rook.

analysis diagram






20...Bf7 21.Qe5+

This looked like the way to a draw (i.e. check, check, check...) but it was not. Whatever happened to the old adage Three pieces and an attack"? After the game Fritz 8 gave the right approach: 21.Re1+ Kd7 22.Qg4+ Kc6 23.Qa4+ Kb6 24.Qb4+ Kc6 25.Nf3 Re8 26.Qa4+ .

21...Be6

My opponent didn't mind repeating the position while he thought things over. If Black's King had retreated along the c8-h3 diagonal (...Ke7-d7-c8) he could have found safety, perhaps at b8.

22.Qg7+

Repeating the position; again missing 22.Re1

22...Kd6 23.Qd4+ Bd5

Well, if I didn't force a draw, perhaps I could annoy my opponent into submission.

24.Nc4+ Kc6

Wow! This is either an angry move or a careless move.

Black takes the draw with 24...Kd7 25.Ne5+ Kc8 26.Qg4+ Kb8 27.Nd7+ Kc8 28.Nf6+ Kb8 29.Nd7+ etc. 

25.Ne5+

This is sufficient, although 25.Na5+ was even stronger.

25...Kd6

Black realizes to his dismay that 25...Kb5 leads to mate: 26.a4+ Ka6 27.Qd3+ Bc4 28.Qxc4+ b5 29.Qxb5.

26.Nf7+ Kd7

Now the full shock has set in: instead, 26...Kc6 would have saved the Bishop.

27.Nxd8 Raxd8 28.Qxd5+ Kc8

Breathless, I realized that I had a winning advantage. What to do with it before time ran out??

29.Qe6+ Kb8 30.Re1 a6 31.g3 Rhf8 32.Rf1 Rfe8 33.Qf7 h6 34.Qf6 h5 35.Qf5 Rh8

Three quick conclusions: my opponent wasn't going to help me by exchanging pieces, he was going to let me do the thinking while he hunkered down, and chasing the h-pawn didn't seem to get me anywhere.

36.Re1 Rdf8 37.Qd7 Rfg8 38.Re7 Rc8 39.Rh7 Rhe8

Nothing accomplished so far. My opponent was content to let me run out of time first. That might or might not happen – but surely I could convert a Q vs R advantage...

40.Qd2 Rcd8 41.Rd7 Rc8 42.Qf2 Rh8 43.Rd5 Rhf8 44.Rf5 Rh8 45.Qc5 h4 46.Rh5 hxg3 47.hxg3 Rhg8 48.Kg2 Rcd8

I managed to create a passed pawn (although winning the h-pawn would have given me two connected passed pawns) which was something accomplished.

49.Rh7 Rc8 50.b4

Ah, here's an idea... at long last.

50...Rge8 51.a4 Re2+ 52.Kh3 Ree8 53.b5

53...a5

A final bit of luck for me. Instead, after 53...axb5 54.axb5 b6 Black's King is still safe, and I would probably have had to go pack to the plan of advancing the g-pawn.

54.b6 cxb6 55.Qxb6 Red8 56.Qxb7 checkmate

What a mess of a game, even if my opponent was rated a few points above me.