Jerome Gambit: Too Creative on Defense

Sometimes Black is a bit too creative on defense. In the following game, he brings the Jerome Gambit down upon his head, and has only himself to blame.

Leicand - 9ersfan
1 day / move, ChessTime, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 

The Petroff Defense.

3.Bc4 Ng8 

Odd. I wonder if he plays the Brooklyn Variation of Alekhine's Defense: 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Ng8!?

I have seen something similar played by White, but it's not something that I would recommend.

White's response in this game is tentative, at first, but then becomes Jerome-ish.

4.d3 Nc6 5.O-O Bc5 6.Bxf7+ 

So, we have a Jerome Gambit with two additional moves (d2-d3 and 0-0) for White.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.Qh5+ Ng6 9.Qd5+ Ke8 10.Qxc5 N8e7 

11.Bg5 d6 12.Qd4 Ne5 13.f4 Rf8 

Returning the sacrificed piece, to no avail.

14.fxe5 Rxf1+ 15.Kxf1 c5 16.Qc3 Qb6 17.exd6 Qxd6 18.Qxg7 Ng6 

19.Nc3 Be6 20.Nb5 Qc6 

A final slip.

21.Nc7+ Qxc7 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: At the Speed of Thought

I remember a trend, years ago, in some of the science fiction that I was reading. Travel by space ship "at the speed of light" became so routine that something faster was needed. I then began to read about travelling "at the speed of thought". That seemed really fast.

So many Jerome Gambit bullet games (one minute time limit, no increment) seem to travel at that speed of thought. Players have to think fast - or else.

angelcamina - puffy04
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

Black started out with the Petroff Defense, and then moved along to the Four Knights opening, hoping to keep things solid and calm. However, this transition to the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit quickly upset his equilibrium.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4

This kind of move you would think should work: Black's Bishop escapes danger and pins White's only developed piece; while the second player remains two pieces up. The only problem is that it surrenders most of Black's advantage. Better was 7...Bd6.

8.dxe5 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 

9...Nxe4

The kind of move that comes to mind when there are "free pawns" on the board, but angelcamina shows that nothing is free. After 9...Re8 10.exf6 Rxe4+ 11.Be3 Qxf6 12.0-0 d6 Black would still have an edge.

10.Qf3+ 

Even stronger was 10.Qd5+, followed by picking up the Knight. This double attack shows up in a number of Jerome Gambit lines.

10...Nf6 11.exf6 gxf6 12.O-O d6 

A glance at this position, a moment's thought, would suggest that Black has bought peace and equality with his return of material. (Look at White's pawn structure.) However, White quickly shows that this is not true. (Always remember the warning: When White has equalized in the Jerome Gambit, he has the avantage.)

13.Qh5+ Kf8 14.Bh6+ Kg8 15.Rfe1 Bf5 

It looks like Black wants to put this Bishop on g6, to guard against the threatened check by White's Rook, on g3 - but he overlooks that the piece is unprotected.

16.Qxf5 Kf7 17.Qh5+ Kg8 18.Re2 

This looks like a mouse slip - the Rook was heading to e3, and then on to g3, ending the game. No matter. (White also had 18.Qd5#, but he can checkmate as he pleases.)

18...Rc8 19.Qg4+ Kf7 20.Qg7 checkmate

From the Corner - Smiling

It is hard to mention the chess wise guy Geoff Chandler without thinking about the following game that he posted, years ago, on his "Chandler Cornered" site

Anon - Anon
Edinburgh Congress

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bf4 Be7 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Nb5 Bb4+

Geoff noted

Black played Bb4+ with the idea of playing Ba5 covering c7.
Whilst White was pondering on his next move Black suddenly stated:
"I thinks It's checkmate!"
And it was!!!
Before the start of the game neither player had noticed that the Black King and Queen were on the wrong squares.

(Okay, that was a Petroff Defense, not a Jerome Gambit. If you feel cheated, don't worry, I have you covered: check out Geoff's legendary "Mars Attacks!") 

Turn About is Fair Play

I was doing some online research at the Chess Archaeology website when I ran into an interesting game (a cross between the Italian Game and the Petroff Defense) in the "Chess" column of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat for June 24, 1877

Amateur - Jos. N. B.

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nxe5 Bxf2+ 5.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 6.Kf3 d5 7.Bd3 

At this point Black announced mate in two

Of course, I like the Bishop sacrifice theme (it is interesting to think of the game coming out of a Petroff, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Bc5!? 4.Bc4; or even a Busch-Gass Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5!? 3.Nxe5 Nf6 ), even if it is performed this time by Black. 

Has this line appeared in a post in this blog before? I looked up 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Bc5 and ran across it in "Not Quite the Jerome Gambit". Figures.

(By the way, Black does better to 4...0-0, and White should choose the safer 6.Kg1.)

Sunday Book Review: The Alterman Gambit Guide White Gambits

The Alterman Gambit Guide
White Gambits
GM Boris Alterman
Quality Chess (2010)
softcover, 448 pages
 http://chesslessons.wordpress.com/


 I think that beginning chess players should not concern themselves greatly about learning chess openings.

If pressured on the point, I usually suggest something like Tartakower and du Mont's 500 Master Games of Chess, which is available, affordable, and gives the reader a lot of interesting games (organized by opening) with sprightly notes. There is a lot of chess to learn in going over the games; and opening knowledge can be acquired by osmosis.

If someone persists, either out of stubbornness or because of making consistent gains in chess skill and ability, I am likely, these days, to recommend The Alterman Gambit Guide, at least for play with the White pieces.

The author presents 7 double-e-pawn openings, and lines of attack against the Caro Kann, Sicilian and French Defenses. The focus is on gambit play, including the Danish Gambit, the Urusov Gambit, the Cochrane Gambit (vs the Petroff), the Evans Gambit, and even the Morra Gambit (vs the Sicilian).

The Table of Contents:

Acknowledgments, Bibliography & Key to symbols used
Foreword by the Author
The Danish Gambit
The Urusov Gambit
The Philidor
The Cochrane Gambit
The Morphy Attack
The Max Lange Attack
The Evans Gambit
The Panov Attack
The Morra Gambit
The Milner-Barry Gambit
Games Index
Variations Index

GM Alterman makes a good case for learning about dynamic chess play through the use of gambits, and his presentation – the choice of short, thematic games; followed by longer, more analyzed battles; followed by theory of the opening – is very effective.

At almost 450 pages, The Alterman Gambit Guide White Gambits covers each opening deep enough that the player can feel confident that he or she has enough "book" knowledge to set the pace of the game. Furthermore, learning each opening in this way maximizes the understanding of attacking themes and strategies that are the "meat" of most club matches – the middle game.

Even if the reader eventually moves on to the more "grandmasterly" Spanish Game, with all its subtleties and nuances, it will be with a tactical knowledge that will always come in handy.

The author is preparing a Gambit Guide of Black Gambits, soon to be released. I have had it on pre-order for weeks.



 
(Take a look at a sample of The Alterman Gambit Guide White Gambits.)

Distant Cousin, Twice Removed

I don't spend every waking minute on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). For example, the other day I was playing through some games in the very interesting, educational and entertaining The Alterman Gambit Guide by GM. Boris Alterman (whom I've mentioned before).

What especially caught my eye was the chapter on the Cochrane Gambit in the Petroff Defense: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7!? – not surprisingly, a line where White sacrifices a piece for two pawns and an attack on Black's displaced King. (Where have we seen that idea before??)

You might think that such an attack would be perfect for a Jerome Gambit player*, and you would be right – at least as far as Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Louis Morin is concerned (he has shown up on this blog numerous times as "mrjoker").

The Alterman Gambit Guide includes an exciting Cochrane Gambit game played by Louis. You can see the game, without most of the notes, at GM Alterman's site. (I've mentioned it before, but now it has made it from the website into the book in expanded form.)

Nice work, mrjoker!

(* At least one who didn't want to try to transpose to the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+, etc.)

"I nearly smacked him on the back of the head..."

I discovered this all-too-real post on teacher and chess coach Elizabeth Vicary's blog:

I remember at one Pan-Ams (collegiate!) a player asked me for something to play against the Petroff defence, because it always made his games so boring. So I showed him the Boden-Kieseritzky gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nc3 Nxc3 5.dxc3

Great for 1700 players, right? He was especially excited by the possibility of 5...d6? 6.Nxe5 dxe5? 7.Bxf7+ & Qxd8.

In his very next game, his opponent plays the Petroff Defence and I happily stand behind his board, ready to watch him kick butt. I see 3.Bc4 Nxe4 and then on the board appears 4.Bxf7+? Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ followed by typical 1700 madness. I nearly smacked him on the back of the head while he was still sitting at the board.

Black kept his extra piece throughout the game, and won the pawn back, and they finally reached a bare R vs R + B ending, where Black immediately agreed to a draw because he'd heard that this ending was drawn.

I guess this is an example of equalizing the agony of the chess coaches...

Part of me sympathizes with Ms. Vicary: how often heart-felt advice falls on inattentive ears...

Another part of me has to point out "More Jerome-izing" and "Wasn't Me!"

Did I tell you about the time...?

They say that there is no fool like an old fool, and I'm pretty sure that if I keep fooling around with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in its Four Knights Opening form, it will only be a matter of time before I receive a just punishment for such impertinence.

Still, the opening has its attractions.

perrypawnpusher  - KaZC
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6

The Petroff. I usually play the Boden-Kiezeritzky Gambit here (i.e. 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nc3, etc.) but I have been learning about the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, and couldn't resist trying that again.

3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5

So far, so boring.

5.Bxf7+

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

White has achieved an interesting position... at the cost of a losing game, critics would say. Certainly this is true in master-level play, but among club players, the outcome is not as clear.

7...Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.0-0 Re8

Here I had a pawn for my sacrificed piece – plus some attacking ideas and a plan to chase after the Black King.

10.f4

Next time (if there is a next time) I think I'll try 10.Bg5 first.

10...Nc6 11.Qd3 Kg8

Black has castled-by-hand, and his development matches White's.

12.Bd2

Other games in this position have seen 12.Nd5 and 12.b3

12...a6 13.Rae1 Kh8

Black is taking precautions. He knows that if White breaks in the center with e4-e5, then after ...d6xe5 the Queens can be exchanged, taking an important piece out of White's attack.

14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Rxe1 16.Rxe1

16...Na7

One precaution too many. The alternative 16...Ne7 kept Black's advantage. Now White has a chance to even the game.

17.Qe4

Boring and uninspired.

Consider the alternative, 17.f5, which limits the movements of Black's Bishop, and therefore his Rook as well.

analysis diagram







Now Black can play 17...Bd7 and answer White's 18.Rf1 with the active 18...Qh4 – all reasonable moves. There follows the advance 19.f6.

analysis diagram







Should Black reply 19...Re8 (If 19...gxf6 20.Rxf6 Qxf6 21.Bc3 etc.) White can offer his Queen with 20.Qe3, as 20...Rxe3 21.f7 h6 22.f8Q+ Kh7 23.Bxe3 wins. 

analysis diagram







After 20...Nc8 21.Bc3 gxf6 ( the Queen is still safe: 21...Rxe3 22.fxg7+ Kg8 23.Rf8#) White liquidates to a roughly equal end game with 22.Qxe8+ Bxe8 23.Bxf6+ Qxf6 24.Rxf6

analysis diagram







Back to the game.

17...Bg4

18.h3 Bh5 19.g4 Bf7 20.Bc3 Qe8

Exchanging Queens and Rooks would move Black closer to the win.

21.Qf5

Here I missed a chance to grab a pawn with 21.Bxg7+ since 21...Kxg7 would be followed by 22.Qd4+ Kg8 23.Rxe8+ Rxe8 24.Qxa7.

21...Qf8 22.Qd7

Preparing to double heavy pieces on the 7th rank, but this is a plan that should not work.

22...Nb5 23.Re7 Nxc3

Defending the Bishop with 23...Kg8 would have put an end to my plans.

24.Rxf7 Qe8 25.Qxe8+ Rxe8 26.bxc3 Kg8

The smoke has cleared. White has a small advantage in a drawish endgame.

27.Rxc7 b5 28.Kf2 Re4 29.f5

29...Ra4

KaZC's plan is clear: exchanging off the center and Queenside pawns will give him a draw.

30.Rd7 Rxa2 31.Rxd6 Rxc2+ 32.Ke3 Rxc3+ 33.Kd4 Rc4+

Black's Queenside pawns look scary, but they can be kept under control.

34.Kd3

Advancing the King was stronger.

34...Rc5 35.Rxa6 Rxd5+ 36.Ke3 Rd1

I think that at this point we could have fairly split the point, but I wanted to see what I could squeeze out of the position.

37.Rb6 Rb1 38.Kd4 Kf7 39.g5 Kg8 40.g6

Threatening mate!

40...Rd1+ 41.Ke5 Re1+ 42.Kf4 Re8 43.Rxb5 hxg6 44.fxg6

KaZC has everything under control.

44...Rf8+ 45.Rf5 Rxf5+ 46.Kxf5

Black's King is in his fortress, and no amount of wandering or maneuvering is going to allow a breakthrough.

At the time I still thought that I could come up with something.

46...Kf8 47.Ke6 Kg8 48.Ke7 Kh8 49.h4 Kg8 50.h5 Kh8

Now 51.Kf7 is stalemate.

51.Ke6 Kg8 52.Kf5 Kh8 53.Kg5 Kg8 54.Kf5 Kh8 55.Ke5 Kg8 56.Ke6 Kh8 57.Kd7 Kg8 58.Ke7 Kh8

Looking over this game, I am amazed at my opponent's patience and good humor. I am trying to get blood out of a stone, the game is hopelessly drawn.

Okay, there is one swindle in the position: try it, and then accept the draw...

59.h6

59...Kg8

By this time I was actually glad that my opponent did not fall for 59...gxh6 60.Kf8 h5 61.g7+ Kh7 62.g8Q+ Kh6 63.Qg7 checkmate.

 60.h7+ Kh8 61.Kf8 Game drawn by stalemate

Through the Looking Glass...

I was playing my way through some of Bill Wall's chess games when I suddenly felt like Alice must have felt, after moving through the Looking Glass. What I found on the other side was not quite a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and I wasn't sure quite what to call it.

Wall,B - Danyum
Chess.com, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6

So far, we have a Petroff Defense.

3.Bc4 Bc5

Okay, maybe this is a symmetrical Bishop's Opening.

4.Nc3 

A Vienna Game? A Russian Three Knights Game headed toward an Italian Four Knights Game?

4...Ng4

And what is that? A Jabberwocky?

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+

This looks remarkably like a Jerome Gambit, only Black has a Knight at b8, not g8; and White has a Knight already on c3.

7...Ke6

Or, as in the only other example that I have been able to find of this line: 7...g6 8.Qxe5 d6 9.Qf4+ Ke8 10.0-0 Rf8 11.Qh6 Bxf2+ 12.Rxf2 Rxf2 13.Kxf2 Qf6+ 14.Kg1 Nd7 15.Qxh7 Nf8 16.Qxc7 Ne6 17.Qxd6 Qg5 18.d4 Qg4 19.Bd2 Ng5 20.Qe5+ Kf7 21.Bxg5 Qh5 22.Qf6+ Ke8 23.Qe7 checkmate Jeng, - Hatcher, San Jose, 1994.

8.d4 Bxd4

9.Nb5 Nbc6

A reasonable move, but one that loses. Rybka recommends: 9...Bxf2+ (the Bishop is lost, anyhow) 10.Kxf2 d6 (so that Black will have a counter to White's Bishop's attack on his Queen) 11.Bg5 g6 12.Qh3+ Kf7 13.Qb3+ Be6 14.Bxd8 Bxb3 15.axb3 Rxd8 16.Nxc7 Nbd7 17.Nxa8 Rxa8 when Black will have two Knights against a Rook and a pawn; and probably an edge.

analysis diagram







10.Qf5+ Ke7 11.Bg5+ Black resigned

'Twas brillig...