If you are playing Black, and you are surprised by your opponent, it is tempting to try and fix the problem by, in turn, unleashing your own surprise. This is often risky, however, as it is not at all clear that you will not get deeper into trouble.
Wall, Bill - Guest753529
PlayChess.com, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8
The major problem with this move is that it leads to a position that Black is not prepared to deal with. He may have planned to "take White out of his book" by refusing to play the "normal" 5...Nxe5, but this is one of the cases where the "cure" is worse than the "disease".
6.Nxc6 dxc6
Instead, 6...bxc6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5 Ne7 9.Qc3 Black resigned, Wall, Bill -Qwerty, PlayChess.com, 2010.
Best is still the unplayed 6...Qh4!?
7.Qh5+ Kd7
Bill has also faced 7...Kf8 in Wall, Bill - Gebba, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 11) and Wall, Bill - Guest8678247, PlayChess.com, 2019 (1-0, 24); as well as 7...g6 in Wall, Bill - Tedah, lichess.com, 2016 (1-0, 13) and Wall, Bill - Guest2781227, PlayChess.com, 2018 (1-0, 18).
8.Qxc5 Nf6 9.d3 b6 10.Qg5 Qe7 11.O-O Ba6 12.Nc3 h6
Black pushes back, but he is a couple of pawns down, and White has too much play.
13.Qf5+ Kd8 14.Be3 Rf8 15.f4 Nd5
At first glance, this looks scarier than it actually is. White has an effective response.
16.Nxd5 Rxf5 17.Nxe7 Kxe7 18.exf5 Black resigned
White is now two pawns and a Rook better.
Sometimes, if you act resolutely, you can look like you know what you are doing - even if you don't. In the following game Black makes decisive moves, like he is in the process of refuting White's silly little gambit. Indeed, the game lasts only 13 moves - but it is the Jerome Gambit that triumps.
Wall, Bill - Tedah
lichess.org, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8
We last saw this adventurous line in the latest "Cliff Hardy" adventure, gfdgfd - leleos, InstantChess.com, 2016 (1-0, 17).
6.Nxc6 dxc6
6...bxc6? 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5 Ne7 9.Qc3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Qwerty, Chess.com, 2010
Black's response is reasonable, although his best response might be the highly unreasonable 6..Qh4!?
7.Qh5+ g6
Or 7...Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qd6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.e5 Ng4 11.Qf4+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Gebba, Chess.com, 2010.
8.Qxc5 Qe7 9.Qc3 Qxe4+
Black has returned the gambit piece and is able to get his Queen into the attacking action. If White now flinches at this aggression toward his King, say with the protective 10.Qe3, then Black can develop with 10...Nf6 and have hopes of reaching a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame...
But things are more complicated than that.
10.Kf1 Be6 11.Qxh8 Bd5 12.f3 Bc4+ 13.d3 Black resigned
(I have to admit that I have no idea what Black's last handful of moves was about.)
Sometimes Jerome Gambit games are easy, sometimes not. Sometimes they are pretty, sometimes pretty ordinary. Always they are complicated. Always they are exciting. Enjoy the following game, high notes and low.
Laaber - Ausxh,
blitz, FICS, 2015
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+
The text is thematic, but 6.Nxc6 is probably better: 6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.Qh5+ g6 (7...Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qd6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.e5 Ng4 11.Qf4+ 1-0 Wall,B - Gebba, Chess.com, 2010) 8.Qxc5 Qe7 9.Qc3 Qxe4+ 10.Kf1 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest1609773, PlayChess.com, 2013;
Not 6.Nxc6 bxc6? 7.Qh5+ as seen in perrypawnpusher - rodrigojalpa, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 25); perrypawnpusher - zsilber, blitz, FICS, 2010 (½-½, 42); Wall,B - Qwerty, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 9); and Wall,B - LFTN, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 20), for example.
Interestingly, Stockfish 6 prefers 6.Nxc6 Qh4!?
6...g6 7.Nxg6 Bxf2+
Best!?
8.Kd1
8.Kxf2 is playable: Blackstone,J - Dommeyer,C, Campbell, CA 1960 (1-0, 13); Philidor 1792 - Guest834593, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 16); ZahariSokolov - naijachampion, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 34).
The alternative, 8.Kf1, doesn't work if Black follows up with 8...Nf6!?, but that hasn't shown up in The Database yet, only 8...hxg6?! in jecree - lhoffman, FICS, 2008.
8...Nf6 9.Nxh8+
White is overlooking something.
9.Qf3 was seen in Petasluk - Klonkku, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 57).
9...Kf8
Black, too: 9...Nxh5.
And some thing else.
10.Qf5
Missing: 10.Qf7 checkmate.
10...d6 11.Qxf2
White will be up the exchange and a couple of pawns once he gives back the Knight at h8.
11...Bg4+ 12.Ke1 Qe8
Trying to mix it up again.
13.d3
There was nothing wrong with 13.Qxf6+.
13...Kg7 14.Bg5 Nxe4 15.dxe4 Qxe4+ 16.Be3 Nd4
White is winning, but it may not feel that way to him.
17.Nc3 Nxc2+ 18.Kf1 Nxe3+
19.Kg1 Qe5 20.Re1 Rxh8 21.Rxe3 Qd4
The extra Rook will help White, once it gets free. But first White will take advantage of Black's last move and win the Queen.
22.Re7+ Kg6 23.Qxd4 Rf8 24.Qxg4+ Kf6 25.Qe6+ Kg5 26.h4+ Kf4 27.Nd5+ Kg3 28.Qh3 checkmate
Here is a recent game played by Philidor 1792, from a cache of games he sent not long ago. His opponent declines the offer of a second piece with an inaccuracy that is worth knowing - and punishing.
Philidor 1792 - Guest834593
3 0 blitz, PlayChess.com, 02.11.2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8
While declining the second piece is as old as Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1/2-1/2, 29), the safest place for Black's King to retreat to is f8, not e8.
6.Qh5+
It's possible that 6.Nxc6 is stronger, but who can resist checking the King?
On the other hand, White's Knight capture is tricky, as 6...bxc6? is not the correct response - see perrypawnpusher - rodrigojalpa, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 25); perrypawnpusher - zsilber, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2-1/2, 42); Wall,B - Qwerty, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 9); and Wall,B - LFTN, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 20).
Neither is 6...dxc6? the right move - see Wall,B - Gebba, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 11).
Although I have suggested the untried 6...Bf2+ in "Don't Drive Like My Brother", the best response for Black, still untried as far as The Database is concerned is 6...Qh4!?, as after 7.d4 Qxe4+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Bb6 10.Nb4 Bxd4 11.Nd5 Kd8 Black has an equal game. (Of course, he turned down a second piece to get there.)
6...g6
Silly alternatives: 6...Kf8 7.Qf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - platel, blitz, FICS, 2011 and 6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Nxc6+ Kf6 10.Qf5 checkmate, Kennedy - WeakDelphi, 2 12 blitz, 2008.
7.Nxg6 Bxf2+
Instead, 7...Qf6 was no solution in perrypawnpusher - schachix, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 10).
8.Kxf2 Qf6+
Black goes astray: 8...Nf6 was the way to keep an edge.
9.Nf4+ Kd8 10.d3 Nge7
Or 10...d6 11.Rf1 Qd4+ 12.Be3 Qf6 13.c3 Black resigned, Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA 1960.
11.Nc3 d6 12.Rf1 Ng6 13.Kg1
Usually it is Black who has to castle-by-hand. White is two pawns ahead, with a safer King.
13...Qd4+ 14.Kh1 Nge5 15.Nfd5 Be6 16.Be3 Black resigned
Black's Queen is trapped in the middle of the board!
Readers are encouraged to enjoy the following quickie game, while recalling the charge: Do as I say, not as I do...
perrypawnpusher - schachix
blitz, FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8
When declining the Knight, usually Black's King retires to f8.
6.Qh5+
The Queen check was irresistible, but not best. I had been trying to get a Jerome Gambit all week, and this was my first opportunity.
The proper way to play this, as I should have remembered, is 6.Nxc6 when after 6...Qh4 (no examples in The Database) 7.d4 Qxe4+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Bb6 10.Nb4 Bxd4 11.Nd5 Kd8 the game would be equal.
For the record, 6.Nxc6 bxc6 was seen in Wall,B - Qwerty, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 9) and Wall,B - LFTN, FICS 2012 (1-0, 20) while 6...dxc6 was dispatched in Wall,B - Gebba, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 11).
6...g6
I had already pulled off 6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Nxc6+ Kf6 10.Qf5 checkmate, Kennedy - WeakDelphi, blitz 2 12, 2008 and 6...Kf8 7.Qf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - platel, blitz, FICS, 2011 (which probably influenced my choice of 6.Qh5+).
7.Nxg6
7...Qf6
Here is where my opponent lost his chance. Houdini recommends 7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Nf6 9.Qh4 Rg8 10.Rf1 Rxg6 11.Kg1 Qe7 with advantage to Black.
Only 5 games in The Database have Black's counter-sacrifice of the Bishop, and 4 of them are wins for White, for example 7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ (8...Nf6 was correct) 9.Nf4+ Kd8 10.d3 d6 11.Rf1 Qd4+ 12.Be3 Qf6 13.c3 Black resigned, Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA 1960.
8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.Qxc5 Qxh8 10.Qf8 checkmate
Tom and Ray Magliozzi host the "Car Talk" program at NPR radio. They dole out auto advice in a humorous style, and they close each time with the exchange
"Don't drive like my brother."
"Don't drive like my brother."
That about sums up my opinion of the following funny game, as platel and I can each say
"Don't play like my opponent."
"Don't play like my opponent."
perrypawnpusher - platel
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8
Declining the second piece is an acceptable strategy, but going back to e8 (where a follow-up Queen check by White is possible) has not been recommended.
6.Qh5+
At the time that I played this move, I knew that the "right" choice was 6.Nxc6, since either 6...dxc6 or 6...bxc6 would allow White to play 7.Qh5+ followed by capturing the Bishop; for example, as in perrypawnpusher - rodrigojalpa, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 25) and Wall,B - Qwerty, chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 9).
Looking at 6.Nxc6 now, I still think that it is best for White, but I wanted to point out two untested responses that might surprise the first player.
a) 6...Bxf2+ (as long as Black is going to lose this piece, he decides to get a pawn for it) 7.Kxf2 Qf6+ 8.Qf3 Qxc6 (avoiding doubled c-pawns) when White is a bit better. He has to be careful because of the loose pawn on c2 and the King and Queen being on the same file (vulnerable to ...Ne7 and ...Rf8).
analysis diagram
Black also has the untried counter-attacking
b) 6...Qh4, (which I mentioned about 3 years ago in this blog) may be better than the capture of the Knight at c6, as well. White's best response is 7.d4, and after 7...Qxe4+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Bb6 material is even, i.e. 10.Nb4 Bxd4.
analysis diagram
I think that White may have a tiny edge after 11.Nd5, and he may have better chances with his Kingside pawn majority as opposed to Black's Queenside pawn majority; but, in reality, Black's two Bishops probably balance all that out.
6...Kf8
In light of my two 6th move recommendations for Black, I have to say that this was the move that got Black into hot water, not 5...Ke8.
After the recommended 6...g6, White has the thematic 7.Nxg6, but, again, things are far from rosy for him – unless he is faced with 7...hxg6, when White plays 8.Qxh8 with advantage, as in Petasluk - Trasimene, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 18).
Black takes a step forward by interjecting 7...Nf6, so that after 6...g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 8.Qxc5 he can then grab the Knight at g6 with 8...hxg6. White has three pawns for his sacrificed piece, but Fritz 8 is pretty stubborn about giving Black a slight edge.
The biggest challenge to White's 7th move Knight sac at g6, however, is 7...Bxf2+ – followed, in due course, by ...Nf6 and then the capture of the White Knight, e.g. 8.Kxf2 Nf6 (much better than the 8...Qf6+ of Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA 1960 and Blackstone - Dommeyer, skittles game, California, USA 1960 [1-0, 13] ) 9.Qh4 Rg8. White's Knight cannot retreat and will be lost (10.Nf4 Nxe4+).
It may be that White should refrain from sacrificing his Knight, and meet 6...g6 with 7.Nxc6 (anyhow), although after 7...gxh5 8.Nxd8 Kxd8 he has to hope that he can gather in one (or both) of the h-pawns in order to reach equality.
Which is a long way of saying that while 6.Nxc6 leads to "only" an even game, that's still a better outcome than can be expected after 6.Qh5+.
By the way, the silly 6...Ke7 (in response to 6.Qh5+) got a workout in my games against a weak computer several years ago – see "One (or both) of us needs help" Part I and Part II.
7.Qf7 checkmate
I won the game, but I thought it would be fair to let my opponent "win" the analysis.
Bill Wall (see "Welcome to the World of Wall") likes short chess games. One way to find them is to play them himself, even using the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).
Wall,B - Qwerty
Chess.com, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8
One of Black's more interesting defenses to the Jerome Gambit involves not capturing the Knight on e5 – see "In the Beginning..." and "Critical Line: 5...Kf8 Parts 1, 2, 3 and Revisited" – but Black's King is much safer on f8 than he is on e8.
6.Nxc6
This move is stronger and more thematic than the otherwise Jerome-ish 6.Qh5+.
6...bxc6
According to Rybka, Black's best here is 6...Qh4, and play may continue 7.d4 Bb6 8.Nb4 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 Bxd4 11.Nd5 Kd8 with a slight edge to White.
With Black's King on f8, the capture 6...dxc6 would maintain Black's advantage. That doesn't work well with the King on e8, however: 7.Qh5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qd6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.e5 Ng4 11.Qf4+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Gebba, Chess.com, 2010.
7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5
Further research might focus on the game chesspsychoten - fao, FICS, 2002, and the thematic move 8.Qe5+!? which produces a modified and successful version of an attack on the Whistler Defense: 8...Qe7 9.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 10.Kf1 Qe6 11.Qxh7 Qf6 12.Qxg8+ Ke7 13.f3? Ba6+ White resigned.
8...Ne7
Or 8...d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.Nc3 Ng4 11.Qg3 Ne5 12.d4 Nc4 13.b3 Na3 14.Bxa3 Ba6 15.0-0-0 Rb8 16.e5 Rf8 17.exd6 cxd6 18.Rhe1+ Kd7 19.Qxd6+ Kc8 20.Qxc6+ Qc7 21.Qxa6+ Kd7 22.Qe6+ Kd8 23.Bxf8 Qxh2 24.Qc6 Qxg2 25.Re8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - rodrigojalpa, blitz FICS, 2008.
9.Qc3
Black resigned. Two pawns down, King stuck in the middle of the board, no counter-play: he's had enough.
Like the proverbial bad penny, the 5...Ke8 variation of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) turns up here and there – most recently in two games played against Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Bill Wall.
Wall,B - Gebba
chess.com, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8
There are not a lot of positive things to say about this move, except perhaps that it has confused the chess computer program Rybka (see "Rybka deals with the Jerome Gambit") and that it takes White out of "book" – even that second point is of dubious value, as "book" favors Black, and therefore he should be playing "book" moves for as long as possible.
The move 5...Ke8 was championed (unsuccessfully) by the WeakDelphi program in a match I played against it a couple years ago: see "One (or both) of us need help (Part I)" and "(Part II)".
6.Nxc6
Both Hultgren - Harrow, California, 1960 and Blackstone - Dommeyer, skittles game, California, 1960, continued: 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Nf4+ Kd8 10.d3 d6 11.Rf1 Qd4+ 12.Be3 Qf6 13.c3 Black resigned. See "You, too, can add to Jerome Gambit theory!"
6...dxc6
Capturing with the d-pawn prevents White from playing d2-d4. The alternative capture was seen in Wall - Qwerty, Chess.com, 2010: 6...bxc6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5 Ne7 9.Qc3 Black resigned
Surprisingly, best for Black, keeping White's advantage to a minimum, was 6...Qh4
7.Qh5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+
8...Qd6 9.Qe3 Nf6
This hastens the end.
10.e5 Ng4 11.Qf4+ Black resigned
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