Jerome Gambit: Reassessing a Variation (Part 1)

I just completed my 3rd Jerome Gambit game in the first round of the "Italian Battleground" tournament at Chess.com. The win, making me 2 - 0 - 1 with my favorite opening, so far, should be enough to earn me first place in my group, and allow me to eventually move on to the second round.


perrypawnpusher - zmarian
"Italian Battleground" tournament, Chess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ 

Despite Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's early preference, and that of Bill Wall and others, I have only played 6.d4 once, and that game took a bit of a swindle for me to get a draw. To each one's own.

6...g6 

This move was not a surprise. The best known Jerome Gambit game, Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884 (see "Nobody expects the Jerome Gambit!" and "Jerome Gambit: Dr. Harding Checks In") features this move, and if my opponent was likely to know anything about the opening, this would be it.

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

A bit of a surprise - but not really.

Instead of offering a Rook with the Blackburne Defense, 7...d6!?, or preparing a wicked counterattack with Whistler's Defense, 7...Qe7!?, my opponent plays what I have elsewhere referred to as an "inoffensive defense" (see "An Inoffensive Defense") and a "calming defense" (see "Nothing Happened").

The Database has a surprising 1,375 games with this position, with White scoring 53%, which compares favorably with ther 46% produced by 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+. (Nine games are mine, with White scoring 89%).

In our first game in this tournament, we quickly moved to an endgame where I was a pawn up - but it took some fancy calculating to win the game. My opponent currently has fashioned a very interesting blockading position in one of his other games (he is a pawn down) and should soon split the point. So, to see our game move quickly to a Queenless middlegame, with the promise of an endgame, was understandable - zmarian likes endgames.

8.Kxf2

ZahariSokolov of FICS has played 8.Ke2?!, but I can't recommend the move: 8...d6? 9.Qxh8? Qf6? 10.Qxh7+Kf8 11.h3 b6 12.Rf1 Ba6+ 13.d3 Re8 14.Rxf2 Rxe4+ 15.Be3 Qxf2+ 16.Kxf2 Black resigned, ZahariSokolov - Posapiano, standard, FICS, 2015. 

8...Qf6+ 

Black did not improve things by playing 8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.Nc3 Re8 12.d3 c6 13.Kg2 Kg7 14.Bg5 Ng4 15.h3 Nh6 16.Rhf1 d6 17.Rf2 Be6 18.Raf1 Rf8 19.Bxh6+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Hensel, blitz, FICS, 2014.

9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 

The curious game perrypawnpusher - ronn, blitz, FICS, 2009, continued 9...Kxf6 Black resigned.

10.Nc3

I have played 10.d3 a couple of times, in perrypawnpusher - Edvardinho, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 42) and perrypawnpusher - Dubnobase, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 49).

10...d6 


Black has a number of replies. I have faced 10...Re8 a couple of times: perrypawnpusher - Conspicuous, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22) and perrypawnpusher - BEEB, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1/2-1/2, 63).

(Oddly enough, I don't seem to have posted either of these games on this blog. I will have to remedy that.)

11.d4 

Playable is 11.d3, which I have tried a couple of times: AlonzoJerome - adroit, blitz, ICC, 2011 (1-0, 25) and perrypawnpusher - HelloGoodbye, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1/2-1/2, 34).

(You wouldn't have known it by this blog, though: two more games to find and post. What was going on in 2011 and 2012, I wonder.)

11...Bd7 

Interesting. Understandable was 11...Rf8, which I have also faced in perrypawnpusher - Mences, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 48).

(Also not posted here. Very odd. My "to do list" is growing.)

[To be continued]

Be Careful What You Read

It was pleasant to have my opponent choose the defense that he did, as it leaves White with a pawn plus advantage, even if attacking prospects have diminished. (Alas, because I believed that previous statement, I eventually got careless in my "zombie walk" and drew the game, as you will see.)




perrypawnpusher - HelloGoodby
blitz, FICS, 2012


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

This defense does not have a name, but it might as well be called "the thinking player's defense," as it usually is composed by Black on the fly, to force the exchange of Queens and stifle White's attack. It is all very logical, although Black does exchange a won position for one that has him a pawn down...


8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.Nc3 

Or 10.d3 as in perrypawnpusher - ScudRocket, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 24) 


10...d6 


I have also played 10...Re8 as in perrypawnpusher - BEEB, blitz, FICS, 2011 (½-½, 63) and perrypawnpusher - Conspicuous, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22); and 10...Rf8 as in perrypawnpusher - Edvardinho, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 42). 


11.Rf1 


Alternatives include 11.d4 from perrypawnpusher - Mences, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 48) and 11.d3 from AlonzoJerome - adroit, ICC, 2011 (1-0, 25). 


11...Kg7 12.Kg1 Re8 


With aggressive intentions, but I have to think that the more modest 12...Rf8 would have been better. 


13.d3 a6 14.Bg5 Rf8 15.Bxf6+ Rxf6 16.Rxf6 Kxf6 17.Nd5+ 

Leading to the gain of a secone pawn. Black's better King position and Bishop do not compensate.


17...Ke5 18.Nxc7 Rb8 19.Rf1 Bg4 20.Nd5 

After the game Rybka preferred more aggressive play: 20.Rf7 d5 (20...Bd1 21.Kf2 Bxc2 22.Ke3) 21.Nxd5 Be6 22.Rxh7 Bxd5 23.exd5 Kxd5. 


20...Rc8 21.Rc1 


Making routine, not-thought-out moves, instead of 21.c3 Be2 (21...Bd7 22.d4+ Kxe4 23.Nf6+; or 21...Be6 22.d4+ Kxe4 23.Ne7 Re8 24.Re1+) 22.Rf7 Bxd3 23.Re7# 


To checkmate a King, you first have to realize that it might be possible, and then look for the right lines.


21...Be6 22.Ne3 


Thoughtless. Why not 22.Nc3 ? 


22...Bxa2 

Losing this pawn is not the end of the world for White, but it almost looks like the beginning of the end, and White's thinking has collapsed.


23.b3 Bxb3 24.Rb1 Bxc2 


Too greedy. Rybka suggested: 24...Kd4 25.Rxb3 Kxe3 26.Rxb7 Rxc2 27.h4 Kxd3 28.Rxh7 Kxe4.


25.Nxc2 


Overlooking the opportunity of 25.Rc1.


25...Rxc2 26.Rxb7 h6 

I have managed to squander my two pawn advantage, and Black might well be better here. Time to use the active Rook to get the draw.


27.Ra7 Ra2 28.Rh7 h5 29.Rg7 Kf6 30.Rd7 Ke6 31.Rg7 Kf6 32.Rd7 Ke6 33.Rg7 Kf6 34.Rd7 Ke6 Game drawn by repetition 

I suppose that both of us felt lucky with the outcome.

Zombie Walk

If you want to take the fun out of someone playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) against you, you can always count on... The Zombie Walk. That's not the official name of any of the Jerome variations, it's just a way of making the game a boring win. For White. 

perrypawnpusher - Mences
blitz, FICS, 1011

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

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

In our earlier two games, my opponent had played 6...Ng6: perrypawnpusher - Mences, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 38) and perrypawnpusher - Mences, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 19).

Now we have the exciting possibilities of 7.Qxe5 d6, the Blackburne Defense, and 7.Qxe5 Qe7, the Whistler Defense. Which will it be??

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6

Braaaiiinnnnssss...

As I pointed out as recently as last month (see "Short and Unbecoming")
Hmm...

At the cost of exchanging a won game for one in which he is a pawn down, Black has reached a Queenless middlegame that is not what every Jerome Gambiteer wishes for.

I have previously described such a game with the perky title "Nothing Happened".


So, here we go as I zombie-walk through almost another 40 moves.


I guess, if I use my imagination, I can pretend that I am Capablanca or Rubinstein exercising my "technique".


10.Nc3 d6 11.d4 Rf8 12.Rf1 Kg7 13.Kg1 Bd7

14.Bg5 Ng4 15.h3 Nf6 16.Bxf6+

Silly, but it moves things along.

16...Rxf6 17.Rxf6 Kxf6 18.Rf1+ Kg7 19.Nd5 Rc8 20.c4 c6 21.Nc3 Re8

22.b3 g5 23.Kh2 h5 24.g3 h4 25.g4 b5 26.Re1 bxc4 27.bxc4 Rf8 28.Kg2 Rb8 29.Rb1 Re8

For excitement, you can decide after 29...Rxb1 30.Nxb1 c5 if White should play 31.dxc5 or 31.e5.

30.Rb7 Re7 31.Rxa7 Kf6 32.Ra8 Kg7 33.a4 Be6 34.d5 cxd5 35. cxd5 Bf7

36.Rc8 Rb7 37.Nb5 Rb6 38.Rc6 Rxc6

After this, one of the zombies, er, pawns, has to promote.

39.dxc6 d5 40.c7 Be6 41.Nd6 dxe4 42.c8=Q Bxc8 43.Nxc8 Kf6 44.a5 Ke5 45.a6 e3 46. a7 e2 47. Kf2 e1=Q+ 48. Kxe1 Black resigned

 

Steady as she goes...

The following game was a rather steady affair: I pursued my attack, and my opponent had very clear ideas on how to defend. I was fortunate to produce a "scary" move (which should have led to an exchange of pieces and a likely draw) which tilted the game in my favor.

perrypawnpusher - abedinejad
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

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

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

10.f4

Or 10.0-0 as in perrypawnpusher - hogmaster, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld, 2008 (1-0, 37) and perrypawnpusher - Mences, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 38).

10...Bg4

Looking for trouble; he has something in mind.

11.h3 Bh5 12.g4 Bxg4 13.hxg4 Nxg4

Black has returned the piece and made Kingside castling dangerous for White. Under certain circumstances, ...h7-h5 could prove to be useful.

14.Qg3 Qe7 15.Nc3 Nf6 16.d3 d5 17.e5 d4

18.Ne2 Nd5 19.Bd2

After the game, Rybka 3 preferred 19.Qxg6, with the idea of winning two Rooks and a Knight for the Queen. I am not sure that this is best, however.

After 19...hxg6 20.Rxh8+ Kf7 21.Rxa8 Black has 21...Qh4+ 22.Kd2 Nxf4 and Black would draw by repetition after 23.Nxf4, 23.Nxd4 or 23.e6+.

White can be sneaky and toss in 21.e6+ Qxe6 before capturing the final Rook with 22.Rxa8, but Black still seems to finagle a draw after 22...Qh3, for example 23.b3 g5 24.Rd8 Nxf4 25.Nxf4 Qg3+ 26.Kd2 Qxf4+ 27.Ke1 Qg3+ draw.

Black's resources are based on White's insecure King and undeveloped Queenside – where have we seen that lately?

19...c5 20.0-0-0 Qf7

Still hammering away at the backward White pawn at f4, but it seems somewhat risky to put the Queen in front of the King, on a half-open file. 

21.f5 Nge7 22.e6 Qf6 23.Bg5

This was my idea behind advancing the "Jerome pawns", to harass the Black Queen.

After the game, Rybka preferred 23.Qd6, on one hand adding pressure to the enemy King's position, and on the other hand planning to grab the pawn on c5, and possibly the one on d4 as well. 

23...Qxf5

Panic.

It was time for Black to liquidate the position with 23...Nxf5 24.Bxf6 Nxg3 25.Bxg7+ Kxg7 26.Nxg3 Ne3 27.Rdg1 Rag8 when White might have an edge, but only a small one.

24.Rdf1 Qxf1+ 25.Rxf1+ Ke8 26.Bxe7 Kxe7 27.Qxg7+

Black resigned

Understanding Less and Less

Ah, yes, the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), the duck-billed platypus of chess openings, misunderstood and maligned...



perrypawnpusher  - Mences
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

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

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 b6 9.Qe3

Usually the White Queen gets booted away by the d-pawn (as in our previous game), but Black plans to put his light-squared Bishop on the a8-h1 diagonal.

9...N8e7 10.f4 Nc6 11.f5 Nge5 12.d4 Nc4 13.Qd3 N4a5

Usually the Knights pile up on the Kingside. This could be a risky idea if the Bishop goes to b7, too.

14.0-0 Bb7 15.Nc3 Qc8

At this point, I was quite confused as to my opponent's intentions. Move-by-move, I understood less and less.

16.Qg3

This is the right idea (attack the Kingside) but even "righter" was 16.f6.

16...Rg8 17.f6 Rf8 18.Qxg7 Nxd4 19.Qe7 checkmate

Two Positions

In the following game my opponent out-played me, encouraging me to extend a shell of "Jerome pawns" which he then cracked like an egg. I'd like to look at a couple of interesting positions from the game, neither of which I "solved" correctly.

 perrypawnpusher - mconst
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

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

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Ne5

This is the first position. Black is clearly being provocative, asking for the d-pawn or the f-pawn to kick the Knight to g4. I've not seen it before.

Instead, I've seen 9...Nf6 in perrypawnpusher - hogmaster, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld, 2008 (1-0, 37); perrypawnpusher - joejox, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1/2- 1/2, 27); perrypawnpusher - DysonLin, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 23); perrypawnpusher - Mences, blitz, FICS,  2009 (1-0, 38); perrypawnpusher - andrecoenen, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25);  perrypawnpusher - SkypeFro, blitz, FICS 2010 (1-0, 39);   perrypawnpusher - BishopChris, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 22);

I've also faced 9...Be6 in perrypawnpusher - jamtaylo, blitz, ChessWorld Welcome JG, 2009 (1-0, 27).

10.0-0 Nf6 11.f4

Likely better is 11.d4, which would cause me to re-think my understanding of how to play this position. The attraction of the move is obvious: kicking the Knight on e5 and opening the c1-h6 diagonal for White's dark squared Bishop. It also means that White should then answer 11...Neg4 (not the best response) with 12.Qd3, giving up, at least for the moment, the idea of pinning Black's Knight along the f-file with either the Rook or Queen and then attacking it with e4-e5.

11...Neg4

This is probably not as solid as 11...Nc6 but it is much more annoying.

12.Qf3 Nh6

13.h3 Kf7 14.e5 Ne8 15.g4 Rf8 16.Qd5+ Be6 17.Qxb7 Qh4

Here's the second position of interest. The question is: Is Black bluffing?

He had the choice of the ordinary 17...dxe5 18.fxe5+ Kg8 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 20.Qe4 Nf7 which is about equal.

Instead, he offers a Rook.

18.Qg2

I played this too quickly, but it is worth looking at 18.Qxa8 d5, locking the Queen out. The alternatives to the pawn move, 18...Qxh3, 18...Nf6 and 18...Nxg4, are all well met by 19.Qg2.

When White then covers his h-pawn with 19.Kg2, Black has 19...Nd6, exposing an attack on the Queen.

As Her Majesty runs back home, Black breaks through: 20.Qxa7 Ne4 21.Qa3, however I have not been able to find anything better for Black than either 21...Bxg4 or 21...Nxg4 each which yield nothing more than a draw through perpetual check after 22.hxg4.

18...Rb8 19.f5 Bc8 20.d4 Bb7 

The game is complicated, and my play from here on out is not good.

21.Qh2

White needed to shield himself from that Bishop with 21.d5 dxe5 22.c4, when Black might have a slight edge.

21...Kg8

Prudent, but there were good attacking chances with 21...Nxg4.

22.Nd2

White needed to get rid of that Knight with 22.Bxh6
22...Nxf5

Even more deadly was 22...Nxg4, but my game was collapsing fast.

23.gxf5 Qxd4+ 24.Rf2 Rxf5 25.Nb3 Qd1+ White resigned

A Simple Game (?)

I was having fun playing my most recent Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). It seemed like a simple, straight-forward game. Afterward I gave it to Rybka to look over, and I found that things are not always as simple as they seem...

perrypawnpusher - andrecoenen
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2010

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

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

My first game with andrecoenen continued 6...g6 7.Qxe5 Nf6 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Re8 10.d3 d5 11.f3 dxe4 12.fxe4 Ng4 13.Qf3+ Kg7 14.0-0 Qh4 15.Qf7+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - andrecoenen, blitz FICS, 2010

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

This is a solid position for Black, although the updated New Year's Database has 33 previous games with this position — and White scored 61%.

10.Nc3

Varying from 10.0-0, which I had played three times before: 10...b6 (10...Bd7 11.f4 Qe7 12.d3 Kf7 13.Nc3 Rhf8 14.h3 Kg8 15.g4 Bxg4 16.hxg4 Nxg4 17.Qg3 Nf6 18.f5 Ne5 19.Bg5 Qd7 20.d4 Nc4 21.b3 Nb6 22.e5 dxe5 23.dxe5 Qd4+ 24.Qe3 Qg4+ 25.Kh2 Nfd5 26.Nxd5 Nxd5 27.Qg3 Qh5+ 28.Kg2 Qe2+ 29.Rf2 Qe4+ 30.Kh3 Rxf5 31.Rxf5 Qxf5+ 32.Kh4 Qg6 33.c4 Nb4 34.a3 Nc2 35.Rf1 Nd4 36.Qf4 Ne6 37.Qe3 h6 38.Be7 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Mences, blitz FICS, 2009; 10...Kf7 11.f4 Re8 12.f5 Ne5 13.Nc3 Nc4 14.Qd4 Ne5 15.d3 Kg8 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Qd5+ Be6 19.fxe6 c6 20.e7+ Kg7 21.exd8Q Raxd8 22.Qd4 c5 23.Qf2 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - DysonLin, blitz FICS, 2009) 11.f4 Bb7 12.d3 Qe7 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Bd2 h6 15.h3 Qd7 16.Qg3 Ne7 17.e5 Nfg8 18.Rae1 Nf5 19.Qf2 Nge7 20.g4 g6 21.gxf5 gxf5 22.Re3 Rg8+ 23.Rg3 Kf7 24.Ne2 h5 25.Kh2 Rg6 26.Rfg1 Reg8 27.Nd4 dxe5 28.Rxg6 exd4 29.Rxg8 Nxg8 30.Qg3 Ne7 31.Qg7+ Ke6 32.Re1+ Kd6 33.Qe5+ Kc6 34.Qxe7 Qxe7 35.Rxe7 Kd6 36.Re5 Bc8 37.Kg3 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - hogmaster, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld, 2008.

10...c6 11.f4 Kf7 12.0-0 Re8

My game against joejox continued, instead 12...Rf8 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc4 15.Qd3 Nb6 16.Bg5 Kg8 17.g4 Nbd7 18.Rae1 Qb6 19.Na4 Qb4 20.b3 Nxg4 21.Bd2 Qa3 22.Bc3 b5 23.Bb2 Qb4 24.Bc3 Qa3 25.Bb2 Qb4 26.Bc3 Qa3 27.Bb2 draw perrypawnpusher - joejox, blitz FICS, 2009

13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Neg4 15.Qg3 Qb6

Black's Queen move is a good one — which I under-estimated during the game. Now, against best play, White cannot both support his center and move it forward on the attack.

16.Be3

I was unhappy with this move (I could not think of anything better) and was even unhappier after the game when I saw what Rybka had suggested that I play instead: 16.Qd3 Ne5 17.Qd1 Ned7 18.Qd3 Kg8 19.b3 c5 20.Be3 cxd4 21.Bxd4 Qc6 22.Rf4 Ne5 and Black is better.

analysis diagram






This line needs some serious examination for White, starting with 10.Nc3

16...Nxe3 17.Qxe3 d5

This is part of the reason that the game seemed simple to me at the time: Black hits my center with his d-pawn and I advance my e-pawn to bypass it. Instead, though, Black had 17...c5 when 18.Rad1 cxd4 19.Rxd4 Bd7 and again White's pawns have been banged up and the second player is better.

18.e5 Ng4

Unnecessarily aggressive, moving the game toward equality. The cold-blooded 18...Kg8 was the right idea, as the White e-pawn is pinned to the Queen.

19.e6+

Rybka evaluated this as too early, preferring 19.Qf4.

19...Kf6

This was Black's last chance to finish castling-by-hand with 19...Kg8. Instead, he steps into the line of fire.

20.Qf4 Bxe6

It is not the time to return the piece for two pawns, although neither retreating nor protecting the Knight will help, either.

21.fxe6+ Kxe6 22.Rae1+ Kd7

The "Jerome pawns" are gone, but the files they have opened will win the day.

23.Qxg4+ Kd6 24.Qf4+ Kd7 25.Qf7+ Black resigned