Jerome Gambit: Odd Turns (Part 1)

I just finished a Jerome Gambit game in an Italian Game tournament at Chess.com. It took a couple of odd turns - played as well as unplayed.

Then, again, that's the Jerome Gambit for you.

perrypawnpusher - Sarantes

"Let's Play The Italian Game" tournament
Chess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

Jerome's Defense, appearing in his analysis of "Jerome's Double Opening" in the July 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal, and seen, initially, in Jaeger - Jerome, correspondence, 1880 (1-0, 40).

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 Be6 10.O-O Nh5 

Black has a number of choices, as can be seen from some earlier games:

10...Qd7 11.Be3 Bb6 12.Nd2 Ng4 13.Bxb6 axb6 14.h3 Nf6 15.a3 h6 16.f4 Rg8 17.f5 Bf7 18.Qe3 Re8 19.g4 Nd5 20.Qd4 c5 21.Qf2 Nf6 22.b3 b5 23.Qf4 Qc7 24.a4 bxa4 25.Rxa4 b5 26.Ra6 Rd8 27.Rfa1 Ke7 28.Ra7 Black resigned, mrjoker - PhlebasP, Internet Chess Club, 2009;

10...Qe8 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.fxe3 Qg6 13.Qe1 c5 14.Nc3 Ke7 15.Nb5 Bd7 16.Nc3 Bc6 17.Rf3 Raf8 18.Rg3 Qf7 19.Rf3 g6 20.Qh4 Qg7 21.Raf1 g5 22.Qg3 Nd7 23.Rf5 h6 24.Qf2 Rf6 25.d4 b6 26.d5 Bb7 27.e5 dxe5 28.d6+ Ke6 29.Rxf6+ Qxf6 30.Qe2 Qg6 31.Qg4+ Kxd6 32.Rd1+ Kc7 33.Qxd7+ Kb8 34.e4 Qe8 35.Qd6+ Ka8 36.Nd5 Bxd5 37.Rxd5 Qb8 38.Qc6+ Qb7 39.Qf6 Qb8 40.Rd7 Qc8 41.Qg7 Rd8 42.Rxa7+ Kb8 43.Rf7 Rd1+ 44.Kf2 Rd2+ 45.Kg3 h5 46.Qxe5+ Ka8 47.Qxg5 Qg4+ 48.Qxg4 hxg4 49.Rf2 Rxf2 50.Kxf2 Black resigned, Wall,B - Milsrilion, Chess.com, 2010; 

10...Bf7 11.Be3 Bb6 12.Nd2 Qd7 13.h3 Qb5 14.b3 Re8 15.a4 Qe5 16.Qxe5 Rxe5 17.Bxb6 axb6 18.f4 Re8 19.g4 h6 20.Kg2 Ke7 21.Kg3 Kd7 22.Rae1 Re7 23.c4 Rhe8 24.h4 Nh7 25.Nf3 Kc6 26.Nd4+ Kc5 27.Nf5 Rd7 28.Nxg7 Rg8 29.Nf5 Rg6 30.h5 Rf6 31.d4+ Kb4 32.Rf3 Be6 33.e5 dxe5 34.dxe5 Rxf5 35.gxf5 Bxf5 36.e6 Re7 37.Rfe3 Nf6 38.Re5 Nxh5+ 39.Kh4 Ng7 40.Rxf5 Nxf5+ 41.Kg4 Ng7 42.f5 Ne8 43.Kh5 Kxb3 44.Kxh6 Kxc4 45.Kg6 Kd5 46.Rd1+ Kc6 47.Rc1+ Kd6 48.Rd1+ Kc6 49.Rd8 Nd6 50.Kf6 Rh7 51.e7 Rf7+ 52.Ke6 Rxe7+ 53.Kxe7 Nxf5+ 54.Ke6 Nd6 55.Rd7 Nc4 56.Rh7 Nb2 57.Rh4 b5 58.axb5+ Kxb5 59.Kd7 c5 60.Kc7 b6 61.Rh6 Nc4 62.Rh1 Ka4 63.Ra1+ Kb3 64.Rb1+ Kc2 65.Rb5 Kc3 66.Kc6 Kd4 67.Rb1 Kc3 68.Rxb6 Nxb6 69.Kxc5 Game drawn because neither player has mating material, MrJoker - horatius, Internet Chess Club, 2011; 

10...Kf7 11.Be3 Bb6 12.Nc3 Rf8 13.f4 Kg8 14.f5 Bxe3+ 15.Qxe3 Bd7 16.h3 a6 17.g4 c6 18.Rae1 b5 19.Kg2 b4 20.Ne2 a5 21.Qf4 Bc8 22.Ng3 Bb7 23.g5 Ne8 24.d4 c5 25.d5 Nc7 26.h4 Ba6 27.Rf2 Nb5 28.Ne2 a4 29.c4 bxc3 30.bxc3 Na3 31.Qc1 Bxe2 32.Rfxe2 Nc4 33.Qf4 Ne5 34.Rb1 Rb8 35.Reb2 Rxb2+ 36.Rxb2 White resigned, MrJoker - rgiblon, Internet Chess Club 2012; 

11.Qf3+ Nf6 

The placement of White's Queen is problematic. On g3 it is vulnerable to attention by Black's Knight. On f3 it can be harassed by Black's Bishop. It tends to keep Black's King on f8, but that is not, necessarily, a bad thing.

12.Be3 Bb6

Another issue in this kind of position: to exchange Bishops or not. It's probably safe to comment on any exchange with "shouldn't have" and on any non-exchange with "should have exchanged".

13.Nc3 

The Knight has a good "present" here, but I wonder if it would have a better "future" at d2.

13...Kg8 14.Qe2 Qd7 15.f4 Bf7 16.Rae1 Re8 

Black has the extra piece (vs 2 pawns) and the two Bishops. He is not even worried about his Rook at h8. 

White has developed his pieces, and has to find a way to use his "Jerome pawns".

17.Qf3 

I have played over many Jerome Gambits by those much stronger than myself. Sometimes patience is the key. 

17...Qg4 18.Qf2 h5 19.Bxb6 axb6 20.b3 

I admit that this is an odd-looking move. I wanted to be able to play d4 without being bothered by ...Bc4. It just didn't seem to be the time for 21.e5 yet.

20...h4 21.Qf3

I did not like Black's developing action along the h-file, and reluctantly agreed that it was time to swap the Queens.

21...Qxf3 22.Rxf3 Nd5 23.Nxd5 Bxd5 24.Rfe3 Bc6 

Looking at the position, it is clear that White will play d4, and maybe even c4 and g4. He is going to need some help, however.

Black has a solid, attacking Bishop on c6, and both Rooks are in good position. Clearly, he is better.

[to be continued]

No Doc

Bill Wall is not a professional psychologist, but when it comes to playing off-beat chess openings, he understands a lot about how his opponents think. This can be of considerable help when playing the Jerome Gambit.

In some of the notes I give a number of complete Wall games that have been referred to in previous blog posts, but have never been presented in their entirety.

Wall, Bill - Guest2928386
PlayChess.com,  2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

The Jerome Variation of the Jerome Gambit, played by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome against David Jaeger in correspondence, 1880.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3

Bill has also tried 9.Nc3 Nh5 (or 9...Kf7 as in perrypawnpusher - truuf, blitz, FICS, 2011 [0-1, 32] or 9...Ng4 as in perrypawnpusher - klixar, blitz, FICS, 2007 [1-0, 33]) 10.Qf3+ Qf6 11.d3 Qxf3 12.gxf3 Bd7 13.Ke2 Bd4 14.Be3 Bf6 15.Nd5 Bd8 16.Rhg1 Kf7 17.f4 c6 18.Nc3 g6 19.f3 Be6 20.Rad1 Rf8 21.d4 d5 22.Kd3 Bc7 23.Ne2 Ke7 24.e5 Ba5 25.c3 Bb6 26.a4 Rae8 27.Ra1 Ba5 28.b3 Kd7 29.Rg2 Kc8 30.Kc2 Ng7 31.Kb2 Kb8 32.b4 Bd8 33.a5 Bh3 34.Rg3 Bf5 35.Nc1 Ne6 36.Kb3 Be7 37.Rg1 Bh3 38.Nd3 g5 39.fxg5 Rxf3 40.Rg3 Rxg3 41.hxg3 Rg8 42.a6 Bxg5 43.Rh1 Bf5 44.Bxg5 Bxd3 45.Bh4 Bxa6 46.Kc2 Kc8 47.Rh2 Kd7 48.Rf2 Ke8 49.Rf6 Rg6 50.Rf5 b6 51.Rh5 h6 52.Bf6 Kd7 53.Rh3 Bc4 54.g4 a5 55.bxa5 bxa5 56.Rh2 a4 57.Kb2 Nf4 58.Ka3 Bb3 59.Rh4 Nd3 White resigned, Wall,B - Ahmadi,S, Chess.com, 2010.

9... Bg4 

This is different that other defenses that Bill has either played or seen:

9...Nh5 10.Qf3+ Qf6 (10...Ke8 , perrypawnpusher - maxmi, blitz, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 42]) 11.Qxf6+ Nxf6 12.Nc3 Ke7 13.Ke2 Be6 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.Kxe3 Ng4+ 16.Ke2 Rhf8 17.f3 Nf6 18.d4 a5 19.a4 c6 20.Rhe1 Rae8 21.Rab1 Rb8 22.Kd2 Nh5 23.d5 Bd7 24.Re3 Be8 25.b4 axb4 26.Rxb4 Nf6 27.a5 c5 28.Rb1 Nd7 29.Nd1 b5 30.axb6 Nxb6 31.Kc1 Bg6 32.Reb3 Nd7 33.Ne3 Rxb3 34.Rxb3 Ra8 35.Kb2 Ra6 36.Rb7 Rb6+ 37.Rxb6 Nxb6 38.h4 Kf6 39.Ng4+ Ke7 40.Ne3 Kf6 41.g3 Be8 42.Kc3 Bg6 43.Ng4+ Ke7 44.Nf2 Be8 45.g4 Kf6 46.f4 Bb5 47.h5 h6 48.Kd2 Nc4+ 49.Ke2 Ne5+ 50.Ke3 Nc4+ 51.Ke2 Ne5+ 52.Kd2 Nf7 53.Nd1 drawn, Wall,Bill - Guest6614602, PlayChess.com, 2014

9...Ng4 10.O-O Qf6 (or 10...Ke8 as in perrypawnpusher - salla, blitz, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 18]) 11.c3 (or 11.Nc3  perrypawnpusher - marianomocoroa, blitz, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 14]) 11...Bxf2+ 12.Rxf2 Qxf2+ 13.Qxf2+ Nxf2 14.Kxf2 Be6 15.Nd2 Ke7 16.Nf3 Rhf8 17.h3 Rf7 18.Bg5+ Kd7 19.Kg3 h6 20.Bd2 g5 21.Rf1 Raf8  22.c4 c6 23.b4 b6 24.c5 g4 25.hxg4 Rg8 26.g5  hxg5 27.Rh1 g4 28.Ng5 Re7 29.cxd6 Kxd6 30.Rh6 Kd7 31.a4 Bf7 32.a5 b5 33.Bf4 Rg6 34.Nxf7 Rxh6 35.Nxh6 c5 36.bxc5 Kc6 37.Nf5 Re8 38.Bd6 Rd8 39.Nd4+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Filipmihov, FICS, 2012. 

9...Kf7 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.fxe3 Rf8 12.O-O Kg8 13.Nd2 Qe8 14.Nf3 Bd7 15.Rae1 a5 16.h3 Nxe4 17.dxe4 Qxe4 18.Nd4 Rae8 19.Rxf8+ Rxf8 20.Rf1 Rxf1+ 21.Kxf1 Qe5 22.Qxe5 dxe5 23.Nf3 Bf5 24.Nxe5 Bxc2 25.Kf2 Be4 26.g4 Kf8 27.Kg3 Ke7 28.Kf4 Bb1 29.a3 Ke6 30.h4 c5 31.Nf3 b5 32.e4 a4 33.Ng5+ Ke7 34.Ke5 h6 35.Ne6 Bxe4 36.Nxg7 Bf3 37.Nf5+ Kf7 38.Nxh6+ Kg6 39.Kf4 Bd1 40.Nf5 b4 41.h5+ Kh7 42.Ne3 Be2 43.Nd5 bxa3 44.bxa3 c4 45.Nc3 Bd3 46.Nxa4 Bc2 47.Nc3 Bd3 48.a4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Badbeat994, Chess.com, 2010.

9...Be6 10.O-O Qe8 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.fxe3 Qg6 13.Qe1 c5 14.Nc3 Ke7 15.Nb5 Bd7 16.Nc3 Bc6 17.Rf3 Raf8 18.Rg3 Qf7 19.Rf3 g6 20.Qh4 Qg7 21.Raf1 g5 22.Qg3 Nd7 23.Rf5 h6 24.Qf2 Rf6 25.d4 b6 26.d5 Bb7 27.e5 dxe5 28.d6+ Ke6 29.Rxf6+ Qxf6 30.Qe2 Qg6 31.Qg4+ Kxd6 32.Rd1+ Kc7 33.Qxd7+ Kb8 34.e4 Qe8 35.Qd6+ Ka8 36.Nd5 Bxd5 37.Rxd5 Qb8 38.Qc6+ Qb7 39.Qf6 Qb8 40.Rd7 Qc8 41.Qg7 Rd8 42.Rxa7+ Kb8 43.Rf7 Rd1+ 44.Kf2 Rd2+ 45.Kg3 h5 46.Qxe5+ Ka8 47.Qxg5 Qg4+ 48.Qxg4 hxg4 49.Rf2 Rxf2 50.Kxf2 Black resigned, Wall,B - Milsrilion, Chess.com 2010.

9... h6 as in perrypawnpusher - caterwaul, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39).

10.O-O

Bill takes a wait-and-see stance. Similar, but for comparison: 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.Qxe3 Kf7 12.h3 Be6 13.f4 c5 14.f5 Bd7 15.g4 Re8 16.O-O Bc6 17.Qf4 Qb6 18.b3 Rad8 19.Nd2 c4+ 20.Kh2 cxd3 21.Nc4 Qd4 22.cxd3 Qxd3 23.Rad1 Qc2+ 24.Rd2 Qc3 25.Nxd6+ Rxd6 26.Qxd6 Nxe4 27.Qc7+ Kg8 28.Rd8 Qg3+ 29.Kh1 Nf2 checkmate MrJoker - Macuta, Internet Chess Club, 2011. 

10...Bh5 11.h3 Qe7 12.Nc3 c6 13.a3 

Okay, Bill's got me puzzled - and I know something about the Jerome Gambit. How can he afford to play 11.h3 and 13.a3 when he is playing a gambit, and time is supposed to be of the essence?

As we will see, he accurately accesses his opponent as being unprepared or uncertain about the proper defense (although the light-squared Bishop is free and trying to protect the Kingside), so there is time for White to keep his options open.

Sometimes letting Black keep his options open can lead to him making errors.

13...Bg6 14.Bg5 Qe5 15.Bf4 Qe6 16.Na4 

If nothing else, Bill can eliminate his opponent's "two Bishops". 

16...Nh5 17.Nxc5 dxc5

Not 17...Nxg3 18.Nxe6+ Ke7 19.Bxg3 Kxe6 20.f4. 

18.Bd6+ Ke8 19.Qh2 

19...Kd7

Too casual. It is not clear that the King is safer in his new position, and the (doubled) pawn that he give up is certainly of worth.

20.Bxc5 b6 21.Bd4 Qf7 

Black's pieces are not so much developed as they are jumbled on the Kingside. His Bishop should have gone to f7 on his last move.

22.f4 Qe7 23.g4 Nf6 24.e5 Nd5

Bill points out that Knight retreats lead to trouble too: 24...Ng8 25.f5 Be8 26.f6 gxf6 27.exf6 Qf7 28.Rae1 or 24...Ne8 25.f5 Bf7 26.e6+. 

25.f5 Be8 26.c4 Nc7 27.b4

Those crazy pawns! All 8 of them.

It is important to mention that Stockfish 6 rates White about 1/2 pawn better in this position. If Black can remain calm, he should be able to hang on.

27...Rf8 28.e6+ Kc8 29.a4 Kb7 

Black has castled-by-hand, but his King still needs to be careful. I've got him right where he wants me! he might have thought, somewhat confusedly.

30.a5 Na6 31.b5 cxb5 32.cxb5 Bxb5 33.Rfb1 Nc7 

Black's light-squared Bishop continues to defend valiantly with the Knight, but - those pawns...
34.axb6 axb6 35.Qg2+ Kc8

Black's situation has deteriorated to the point that only 35...Kb8 would save him from a forced checkmate.

36. Rxa8+ Nxa8 37.Qxa8+ Kc7 38.Be5+

Black resigned

Jerome's Double Gamble

Today's post's title plays on an early name for our opening, once referred to as "Jerome's Double Gambit."

As far back as the post "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter IV" I mentioned that Unorthodox Openings Newsletter editor Gary K. Gifford had rightly classified our opening - "Jerome Gambit, or Jerome Gamble?" (UON #17).

Even earlier, in "But - is this stuff playable?" Part I and Part II, I had given an unqualified "no" and a qualified "yes" as answers to my question.

Maybe a more useful question would be -- "Under what conditions might the Jerome Gambit be playable?" ...[A]t the right time (and time control), with the right opponent, playing in the right mood – perhaps the Jerome Gambit is a bit playable...

In the following game, Bill Wall gives it his best shot, but seems to be facing the wrong opponent at the wrong time...

Bill has included a few suggestions.

Wall,B - Guest874250
PlayChess.com, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3

Instead, 8.Qf4+ would be met by 8...Qf6. 

8...Nf6 

Possibly a bit stronger than the alternatives, 8...d5, which was seen in Wall,B - GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17); Wall,B - Thieveyen, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 61); Wall,B - GuestZCLK, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); and Wall,B - bfcace, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 25); and 8...Qe7 from Banks,P - Dunne,D, Worcestershire v Derbyshire, 2010 (1-0, 35).

9.Nc3

Likewise, Bill has played 9.d3, as in Wall,B - Badbeat994, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 48); and Wall,B - Milsrilion, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 50).

9...Kf7

Black tried 9...Nh5 in Wall,B - Ahmadi,S, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 59), but that move, alone (about equal to the text) was not responsible for the game's outcome.

10.0-0

Or 10.d3.

10...Rf8 11.d3

Another idea was 11.Qh4 Kg8. 

11...Be6 

Or 11...Kg8 as in perrypawnpusher - truuf, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 32).

12.Be3

Possibly 12.Kh1 Kg8 13.f4; or 12.Ne2 Nh5 13.Qf3+ Kg6 14.Nf4+ Nxf4 15.Bxf4 Qf6. 

12...Nh5

If 12...Bxe3 then 13.Qxe3.

13.Qf3+

Or 13.Qg5 Qxg5 14.Bxg5 Kg8.

13...Kg6 14.Qe2

Possibly 14.Qd1 Bxe3 15.fxe3 Qg5. 

14...Nf4 15.Bxf4 

If 15.Qd2, then 15...Qg5; but not 15.Qf3? because of 15...Nh3+. 

15...Rxf4

16.g3

Ideas: 16.Qd2 Qf6; or 16.e5 Bg4; or 16.Na4 Qg5.

16...Rf7 17.e5

Or 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.exd5 Qf6; or 17.h4 Bh3 18.Rfe1? Rxf2.

17...dxe5 18.Qxe5

Attacking both bishops.

18...Qd6 

19.Qe4+

More attractive than trading Queens with either 19.Qxd6 cxd6 20.Kg2 Bd4; or 19.Rae1 Bf5.

19...Bf5

Better for White was either 19...Kh6 20.Rae1 or 19...Kf6 20.Qxb7 

20.Qxb7

Or 20.Qg2 Re8 

20...Re8 21.Qg2

White's choices are becoming limited, e.g. 21.Qb5 Re5 22.Qb7 c6; or 21.g4 Bxg4 22.Qg2 h5; or 21.Na4 Bh3 22.Nxc5 Qxc5. 

21...Bg4 22.Ne4 

Or 22.h3 Bf3 23.Qh2 Bc6. 

22...Qe5 

23.Rae1

Alternatives: 23.Rab1 Qh5 24.Nxc5 Bf3; 23.c3 Qh5; 23.Nxc5 Qxc5 24.c3 Bf3 25.Qh3 Be2. 

23...Bb6 

Or 23...Bf3 24.Qh3 Bb6. 

24.b4

If 24.c3 Qe6 25.d4 Bh3; if 24.b3 Qf5; not 24.Nc3? Qxe1! 25.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 26.Qf1 Rxf2 27.Qxe1 Rxc2+; if 24.c4 h5 25.b4 Bf3 26.Qh3 Bd4.

24...Qe7 25.a3

More solid than 25.h4 Qxb4; or 25.b5 Qd7 26.h4 Bh3; or 25.Rb1 Qd7.

25...Qd7 26.h4 

Instead, 26.Nc5 Bxc5 27.bxc5 Bf3 loses the Queen. 

26...Bh3 27.Qh1 

If 27.Qh2, then 27...Qg4.

27...Ref8

Or 27...Bxf1 28.Kxf1 h6.

28.Rc1

If 28.Re2 then 28...Qg4 29.Rd2 Be3

28...Qg4 29.Qh2 h6 30.c4 Bd4 31.Rcd1 Rf3 32.Rd2 R8f4 White resigned.

CYWAT?

The Jerome Gambit is full with psychological ploys. With 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+  the first player announces "Welcome to the Jerome Gambit". Black, for his part, can immediately (if not strongly) respond "No thank you" with 4...Kf8.

Typical is Black's plan with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 when 7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ forces the exchange of Queens. Black abandons his material advantage - actually, going down a pawn - to take the excitement out of the position and ask his opponent "Can you win against this?"

We have also recently seen how annoying "The Annoying Defense" - curiously, quite popular among computer programs which are supposedly bereft of "psychology" - can be.

Below, Bill Wall's opponent returns some of his material advantage,  remaining with a Rook against a Knight and a pawn, and posing the question "Can you win against this?"

Wall,B - Filipmihov 
FICS, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 

Bill has also played 9.Nc3, in Wall,B - Ahmadi,S, Chess.com, 2010,(0-1, 59)

9...Ng4

Also seen: 9...Kf7 as in Wall,B - Badbeat994, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 48); and 9...Be6 as in Wall,B - Milsrilion, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 50).

Black has a specific idea in mind.

10.0-0 Qf6 11.c3 Bxf2+ 12.Rxf2 Qxf2+ 13.Qxf2+ Nxf2 14.Kxf2 Be6 

Can you win against this?

15.Nd2 Ke7 16.Nf3 Rhf8 17.h3 Rf7 18.Bg5+ Kd7 19.Kg3 h6 20.Bd2 g5 21.Rf1 Raf8 

22.c4 c6 23.b4 b6 24.c5 g4?!

He probably should have grabbed the a-pawn.

25.hxg4 Rg8 26.g5 hxg5 27.Rh1 g4 28.Ng5 Re7 29.cxd6 Kxd6 30.Rh6 Kd7 31.a4 Bf7 

Black's aggression on the Kingside has not yielded anything. In the meantime, White's pieces have become more active, and he has a protected passed pawn at e4. White is for choice here.

Now Black's attention slips.

32.a5 b5?! 33.Bf4 Rg6??

Rybka 3 recommends 33...Bg6 34.Kxg4 Reg7, with White better.

34.Nxf7 Rxh6 35.Nxh6 c5 36.bxc5 Kc6 

37.Nf5 Re8 38.Bd6 Rd8 39.Nd4+ Black resigned

Slower...

Almost all of my games with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) played at FICS have been at blitz speed (the one notable exception being a mismatched game against MiloBot). I have decided to try the opening out at slower time controls. The following is my second non-blitz FICS game. 


perrypawnpusher - kashifnaseem
standard, FICS, 2011

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

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

The Jerome Variation of the Jerome Gambit.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qf6

Including this game, The Database has 47 games with this move (reinforcing Black's hold on the dark diagonals), with White scoring 50%. Of interest are the 8 games between mrjoker and PhlebasP, where the first player scored 6-1-1.

Alternatives include 8...Nf6 (64 games in The Database, White scores 52%), as in perrypawnpusher - klixar, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33), perrypawnpusher - marianomocoroa, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 14),  perrypawnpusher - salla, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 18), perrypawnpusher - caterwaul, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39);  perrypawnpusher - maxmi, blitz, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 42), Wall - Badbeat994, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 48), Wall - Milsrilion, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 50), and perrypawnpusher - truuf, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 32).

Also 8...Qe7 (6 games in The Database, White scores 67%) as in perrypawnpusher - frencheng, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 17), perrypawnpusher-dkahnd, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 20) and Banks,P - Dunne,D, Worcestershire v Derbyshire, 2010, (1-0, 35); and 8...h5 (3 games in The Database, White scores 67%), as in Wall - Thieveyen, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 61).

9.0-0

Or 9.Nc3 as in Wall - GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17).

9...g6

Creating a refuge for his King.

10.Nc3 c6 11.d3 Be6

12.Be3 Bd4

Black sees the c3 spot as vulnerable, and figures that if White exchanges off the Bishop, the Queen will recapture and be centrally placed. This is an error that we both missed – which I realized as soon as I played my next move. This is something that I had hoped that "more time on the clock" would fix.

13.Bxd4

Too much of a reflex: after 13.Qxd6+ Black will simply lose the Bishop.

13...Qxd4 14.Kh1 Nf6 15.f4 Ng4

Eyeing the square e3, which no longer has the protection of White's dark-squared Bishop.

16.Rae1

This move is okay (protecting the square, developing a Rook) but after the game Houdini pointed out that I could have pushed 16.f5 anyhow, as I would not be losing the exchange, I would be getting two pieces for a Rook (leaving me up two pawns for the exchange): 16.f5 Ne3 17.fxe6+ Nxf1 18.Rxf1+ Kg8 19.Qg5 and White's Queen is ready to invade Black's fortress.

16...Qb4

This is the kind of move that makes my heart soar, especially after my games against irak, smarlny and chingching – it is dangerous for Black to let his Queen go wandering.

17.f5 gxf5 18.exf5 Bxa2

19.Nxa2

After the game Houdini pointed out that 19.Re4, both threatening to win the Knight at g4 and chase the Queen away from protecting the pawn at d6, was even stronger.

19...Qxb2 20.Qxd6+ Kg8 21.Qe6+ Kg7 22.Qe7+ Kh6 23.Qh4+ Kg7 24.Qxg4+ Kf6 25.Re6+ Kf7 26.Qh5+ Kf8 27.Qh6+ Qg7

I am sure that there was a checkmate after 27.f6, but, having gone up a piece, I decided to play it safe and exchange Queens.

28.Qxg7+ Kxg7 29.f6+ Kf7 30.Re7+ Kf8 31.Rxb7 Re8 32.Rxa7 Rg8 33.f7 Re6 34.Ra8+ Kg7 Black resigned

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws