Opening Report (Part 3)

I decided to have ChessBase8 give me an Opening Report on the Jerome Gambit, based on The Database. I got a whole lot of information, and I was only dealing with the first few moves...

Opening report

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

9062 games in 'TheDatabase'


b) 4...Kf8

207 games, 2000-2012, 
Black scores averagely (44%).
Elo-Ø: 1353, 193 games. Performance = Elo 1304
played by: blackburne, 1778, 2/2; Talwhu, 1722, 1/1; PatOrMat, 1685, 1/1; Rolmx, 1683, 0/1; vilinar, 1666, 1/1

You should play: 5.Nc3

AAlekhine (1586) - blackburne (1795)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Nc3 d6 6.d3 Kxf7 7.Ng5+ Kf8 8.Qf3+ Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.0-0 Nd4 11.Be3 Nxc2 12.Rad1 Bxe3 13.Nf3 Bg4 14.h3 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Bf4 16.a3 Nd4 17.Kg2 Ke7 18.Rg1 g5 19.Kf1 Nxf3 20.Rg2 Rhg8 21.Nd5+ Nxd5 22.exd5 h5 23.h4 Nxh4 24.Rg1 g4 25.d4 Nf3 26.Rg2 h4 27.Ke2 Nxd4+ 28.Kd3 h3 29.Rgg1 h2 30.Rh1 g3 31.fxg3 Rxg3+ 32.Kc4 Rb3 33.Rxd4 exd4 34.Kxb3 d3 35.Kc3 d2 36.Kc2 Kf6 37.Kd1 Re8 38.b4 Re1+ 39.Rxe1 dxe1Q+ 40.Kxe1 h1Q+ 41.Kf2 Qe4 42.a4 Qe3+ 43.Kg2 Ke5 44.b5 Ke4 45.a5 Qf3+ 46.Kg1 Qe2 47.b6 Kxd5 48.bxa7 Be3+ 49.Kh1 Bxa7 50.a6 b6 51.Kg1 Ke4 52.Kh1 Kf3 53.Kg1 Qg2# 0-1


Plejade - erch
ChessWorld.net, 2003
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Nc3 Kxf7 6.Nd5 Nge7 7.Nxe7 Qxe7 8.d3 Rf8 9.Be3 Kg8 10.Bxc5 Qxc5 11.Qd2 Nb4 12.c3 Nc6 13.d4 exd4 14.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.0-0 Nc6 16.Rfd1 Ne5 17.Qd5+ Qxd5 18.exd5 Nc4 19.g3 Nxb2 20.Rd4 b5 21.d6 cxd6 22.Rxd6 Rf6 23.Rxf6 Nd3 24.Rd1 gxf6 25.Rxd3 Kf8 26.Rd6 Kf7 27.f4 a5 28.Rb6 Ba6 29.h4 d5 30.g4 b4 31.cxb4 d4 32.b5 d3 33.bxa6 Rd8 34.Rb1 Ke6 35.f5+ Ke5 36.Kf1 Kd4 37.Ke1 Ke3 38.Kd1 Kd4 39.Kd2 Rc8 40.Rb5 Rc2+ 41.Kd1 Rxa2 42.a7 Ra1+ 43.Kd2 Ra2+ 44.Kd1 Kc3 45.Rc5+ Kd4 46.Rc6 Ke3 47.a8Q Rd2+ 48.Ke1 Rg2 49.Rc3 Rg1# 0-1

Alternative: 5.Bxg8

drewbear (1718) - BrainFreeze (1685)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d3 d5 7.Ng5 dxe4 8.Nxh7+ Ke8 9.Qh5+ Ke710.Bg5+ Kd6 11.Bxd8 Nxd8 12.Qg6+ Kd5 13.Nf6+ 1-0


SIRMO (1798) - AAlekhine (1625)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.c3 Qf6 7.d3 d6 8.a4 Ke8 9.Bg5 Qg6 10.h4 h6 11.h5 Qe6 12.Bd2 Bd7 13.b4 Bxf2+ 14.Kxf2 Rf8 15.Rh3 Ke7 16.Be3 Rae8 17.b5 Na5 18.Nbd2 Kd8 19.Ke2 Kc8 20.c4 g5 21.Nh2 Qf6 22.Rf3 Qe6 23.Qf1 g4 24.Rxf8 g3 25.Rxe8+ Bxe8 26.Nhf3 Bxh5 27.Qh1 Qf7 28.Qh3+ Kb8 29.Qxg3 b6 30.Bxh6 Nb7 31.Qg7 Qxg7 32.Bxg7 Nc5 33.a5 Ne6 34.Bf6 Nf4+ 35.Kf1 Nxd3 36.axb6 cxb6 37.Be7 Kc8 38.Bxd6 Kd7 39.Nxe5+ Nxe5 40.Bxe5 Ke6 41.Bc7 Kd7 42.Rxa7 Kc8 43.Bxb6 Kb8 44.c5 Bd1 45.Nc4 Bb3 46.Nd6 Bc2 47.Rd7 1-0


Superpippo (1597) - TajniDobrovoljci (1607)
FICS rated blitz game, 2001
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Kxg8 6.0-0 d6 7.c3 Bg4 8.d4 exd4 9.Qb3+ Kf8 10.Nxd4 Bxd4 11.cxd4 b6 12.Be3 Qf6 13.Nd2 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Qxd4 15.Nf3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3+ Ke7 17.Rad1 Qf6 18.e5 Qxf3 19.exd6+ cxd6 20.Rfe1+ Kf7 21.gxf3 Rhd8 22.Re4 d5 23.Rh4 h6 24.Kg2 Rd7 25.f4 Rad8 26.Kf3 Re7 27.Rh5 d4 28.Re5 d3 29.Ke3 d2 30.Rxd2 Rxd2 31.Kxd2 Rxe5 32.fxe5 g5 33.Ke3 Ke6 34.Ke4 h5 35.f4 gxf4 36.Kxf4 a5 37.a4 Kd5 38.Kf5 Kc4 39.e6 Kb3 40.e7 Kxa4 41.e8Q+ Kb3 42.Qe2 Kb4 43.Qc2 b5 44.Qc3+ Ka4 45.Qa3# 1-0

drewbear (1718) - karmmark (1387)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 11.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 1-0


LSS (1875) - KaptKoca (1614)
FICS server game, rated blitz match, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.0-0 d6 7.d3 h6 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.Kh1 Ke8 11.g4 Bf7 12.Nh2 Rf8 13.f4 exf4 14.Rxf4 Ne5 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.Rxf8+ Kxf8 17.exd5 Qh4 18.Qf1+ Kg8 19.Qg2 Rf8 20.b4 Bb6 21.Bb2 Rf2 22.d4 Rxg2 23.Kxg2 Nc4 24.Bc3 Ne3+ 25.Kh1 Qxh3 26.Rg1 Nxc2 27.Bb2 Nxd4 28.Bxd4 Bxd4 29.Rg2 Be5 30.a4 Bxh2 31.Rxh2 Qxg4 32.b5 Qxa4 0-1

Superpippo (1678) - raffa (1406)
FICS rated blitz game, 2002
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d4 exd4 7.c3 Qf6 8.cxd4 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.0-0 d6 11.Nc3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qxc3 13.Bg5 g6 14.Rc1 Qe5 15.f4 Qxe4 16.Re1 Qf5 17.Rxc7 Rg7 18.Qxd6+ 1-0

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c) 4...Ke7

33 games, 1999-2011,
Black scores badly (29%).
Elo-Ø: 1287, 31 games. Performance = Elo 1125
played by: agno, 1607, 0/1; MRKumar, 1602, 0/1; AAlekhine, 1601, 1/2; Brown, 1552, 1/1; Bucephale, 1528, 0/1

You should play: 5.Nxe5

Nesseerd (1111) - nontheist (1291)
FICS server game, rated blitz match, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Ke7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Bd5 c6 7.Qh5 Ng6 8.Qe5+ Nxe5 0-1

Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XII

Once more, the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), once more the Black pieces -- once more a victory for the second player.


Kevin the fruitbat - perrypawnpusher JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3


This move was played by Plejade (see "Les Femmes des Echecs...& the Jerome Gambit") at ChessWorld a couple of times in 2003. It has also been played by viejoasquerosos at redhotpawn.com, who has always been willing to sac his Bishop at f7 (or f2) almost as soon as the opportunity arrives, regardless of the opening.
5...Nf6

A couple of alternatives were played in Kevin's other games in the tournament:
5...d6 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.0-0 Nf6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.Re1 Kg8 13.Bg5 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 Rf8 15.Qg3 Nxd4 16.Rac1 c6 17.e5 dxe5 18.Bh6 Nh5 19.Qg4 Qe8 20.Be3 Bc5 21.Na4 b6 22.Nxc5 bxc5 23.Rxc5 Qf7 24.b3 Nf5 25.Qe4 Nxe3 26.Qxe3 Nf4 27.Rxe5 Qg6 28.g4 Nd3 29.Re6 Qf7 30.Qxd3 Qxf2+ 31.Kh1 Rf3 32.Re8+ Rxe8 33.Qc4+ Kf8 34.Rxe8+ Kxe8 35.Qxc6+ Kf8 36.Qd6+ 0-1 Kevin the fruitbat - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG3 thematic, www.chessworld.net 20085...Qf6 6.0-0 Nge7 7.b4 Bb6 8.d3 h6 9.Qe1 d6 10.b5 Nd8 11.c4 Ng6 12.Be3 Rf8 13.a4 Nf4 14.Qd2 Qg6 15.Nh4 Qg5 16.Nf5 Qxg2# 0-1 Kevin the fruitbat - Temmo, JG3 thematic, www.chessworld.net 2008
6.Qb3+

Or 6.d4 exd4 7.Qb3+ Kf8 8.Ng5 Qe7 9.f3 h6 10.Nh3 d5 11.Nf2 dxe4 12.fxe4 Nxe4 13.Rf1 Ng3+ 14.Kd1 Qe2# 0-1 Kevin the fruitbat - drewbear, JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net 2008

6...d5 7.d3

Gary_Seven played 7.exd5 in our game -- see."Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter VI".
7...Bb6 8.Nbd2 Rf8 9.h3 Kg8

10.c4 dxc4 11.Qxc4+ Kh8 12.Nb3 Be6
An interesting move, made doubly so by the fact that I had overlooked that the Bishop was unprotected.

13.Qxe6

The piece turns out to be poisoned
13...Qxd3 14.Nxe5

14...Qxe4+

Blandly looking for the peace and quiet of the endgame, but missing the mate: 14...Bxf2+ 15.Kxf2 Ng4+ 16.Ke1 Qxe4+ 17.Kd1 Nf2+ 18.Kd2 Rad8+ 19.Qd5 Rxd5+ 20.Nd4 Rxd4+ 21.Kc3 Rc4+ 22.Kb3 Qc2+ 23.Ka3 Ra4, which shouldn't have been too hard to find.

15.Be3 Qxe5 16.Qxe5 Nxe5 17.0-0 Bxe3 18.fxe3 Nc4

There is not a lot of excitement in the rest of the game, only a relentless march toward a simpler and more "won" piece-up endgame for Black.

19.Rfc1 Nxe3 20.Rxc7 Rab8 21.Re1 Ned5 22.Rc5 Rfc8 23.Ra5 a6 24.Re5 Nb4 25.Nd4 Nc6 26.Nf5 Nxe5 27.Rxe5 Re8 28.Rc5 Rbc8 29.Rxc8 Rxc8 30.Nd6 Rc7 31.Kh2 Kg8 32.Kg3 Kf8 33.Kf3 Ke7 34.Nf5+ Ke6 35.Nd4+ Ke5 36.Ke3Nd5+ 37.Kd3 Nb4+ 38.Ke3 Nxa2 39.Nf3+ Kf6 0-1

Les Femmes des Echecs...& the Jerome Gambit

I was emailing Chessville neighbor JanXena ("Les Femmes des Echecs" – news, games, and witty & urbane commentary) the other day when I got to wondering: did I know how many women were creative enough, courageous enough, carefree enough – or downright foolish, reckless, and bored enough – to play the Jerome Gambit?

That turns out to be a difficult question, in no small part due to to the fact that a large percentage of the Jerome Gambit games in my database (about 80%) are internet games, played pseudonymously.

We've already seen ("My Jerome Gambit Database") this brevity:

Brescak - Hefti
EU-ch U10 Girls, 1998

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

A few years ago Pete Banks ("blackburne") sent me a half dozen games from ChessWorld played by a creative and adventurous woman who explained her chess philosophy

Hello! Oh, I know that I make often the opening with these moves as you mentioned...but unfortunately I NEVER have read a book or any theoretic things about it or even about chess. That's because I'm just learning by doing, I play most of moves very fast and as you can see, I play very often. So with the time I have my favourite openings, but am always open to try new ones or "unconventional" moves.... For me the game is interesting just by doing and I realized that I will get better with many many losses... that takes probably more time than studying the theory, but if I should study it, it wouldn't be fun any more for me.

Here's a game example. White overcomes the disadvantage inherent in the opening, gains the distinctly better game after Black's King wanders too far afield, and had some fascinating checkmates available – before things unravelled.

Plejade - The Cunning Sly
www.ChessWorld.net, 2003

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 Ke8 6.Bg5 Nge7 7.Qd2 h6 8.Bxe7 Nxe7 9.d4 exd4 10.Nxd4 d6 11.Nc3 a6 12.0-0-0 Bb6 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 c5 15.Ne6 Bxe6 16.dxe6 Ke7 17.Rhe1 Bc7 18.f4 Re8 19.f5 Kf6 20.Rf1 Qe7 21.Qf4 d5 22.Qh4+ g5 23.Qxh6+ Ke5 24.Qh3 Rh8 25.Rfe1+ Kd6 26.Qd3 d4 27.g4 Rxh2 28.c3 Rah8 29.cxd4 Ba5 30.dxc5+ Kxc5 31.Re5+ Kb6 32.Qb3+ Ka7 33.Rxa5 Qc7+ 34.Kb1 Qxa5 35.e7 Re2 36.Rd5 Qxd5 37.Qxd5 Rxe7 38.f6 Rc7 39.f7 Rf8 40.Qf5 Rfxf7 41.Qxg5 Rf1+ 42.Qc1 Rcxc1 checkmate

In another game sent to me I will refer to the players as they were presented.

Yesterday and the day before, I tried to orchestrate some J. Gambits at gameknot's blitz program... I played 15-20 games and was only able to get in one Jerome Gambit, which I won, although I missed a quicker, and nicer, mate which I saw while reviewing the game just now before sending it.

My opponent may have been a stronger player than he appears in this game. His play seemed a little contemptuous at first and it's more likely he underestimated the power of the open lines against his exposed king. Protecting his knight rather than moving it, only to lose it, cost him the game.

Sarah - not Sarah
10 min.blitz http://www.gameknot.com/ 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.f4 c5 9.Qc3 Qh4+ 10.g3 Qh6 11.Nd2 b5 12.fxe5 b4 13.0–0+ Ke6 14.Qc4+ Ke7 15.Qf7+ Kd8 16.Qf8+ Kc7 17.Nc4 Qe6 18.Rf7+ Bd7 19.Rxd7+ Qxd7 20.Qxa8 Qb5 21.exd6+ Kd7 22.Qxa7+ Kc6 23.d7 Nf6 24.Ne5+ Kd6 25.Nf7+ Ke7 26.Nxh8 (I missed 26. d8=Q+ Ke6 27. Qde7#) 26...Nxd7 27.Bg5+ Ke6 28.Qa8 Qc4 29.Qe8+ Kd6 30.Rd1+ Kc6 31.Qxd7+ Kb6 32.Bd8+ Ka6 33.Rd6 checkmate

Finally, a game of my own -- my first loss with the Gambit. ("The excuses are all there, waiting to be made" Tartakower could have said.)

perrypawnpusher - MsD
FICS rated blitz game 3 0 2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Nf6 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qe7 10.d3 Be6 11.0–0 b6 12.Nc3 Rae8 13.f4 Ng4 14.Qf3 h5 15.f5 gxf5 16.exf5 Bd7 17.Bd2 Nf6 18.Rae1 Qf8 19.Rxe8 Qxe8 20.Re1 Qd8 21.Bg5 Rg8 22.Bxf6 Qxf6 23.Qd5+ Kg7 24.Qf3 Rf8 25.Qg3+ Kh8 26.Qe3 Qxf5 27.Qd4+ Rf6 White forfeits on time 0–1