Jerome Gambit: Think About It - When You Can

Here is the latest "Cliff Hardy" Jerome Gambit game, another 1-minute wonder.

Notes are by "Cliff" (with diagrams and an occasional addition by me - Rick).

Do not be distressed by "Cliff's" objective, if sometimes gloomy, appraisal of White's position. It is important to understand what he was thinking - and what he was missing.

As the time limit for a game shrinks, strong players move closer and closer to choosing their moves mostly by intuition - and then supporting them through analysis - when there is time. What follows is another lesson in the application and limits of intuition.

This was a fun game.

Cliff Hardy (2111) - NN (1988), 1 0, Lichess, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6?!

What is the popularity like of this move in your database/s again, Rick? I face it a lot in this particular position - it feels like maybe 75% of the time that I have this position, I encounter the move 6...Ng6.

(I just checked with The Database, in games starting 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+: 

6...Ng6 shows up in 46% of the games;
6...Ke6 appears in 25% of the games;
6...Kf8 is played in 15% of the games; and 
6...g6 is played in 12% of the games.
I guess many defenders see 6...Ng6 as a common sense move - block the check, save a piece, say goodbye to the other piece because White must know what he is doing & therefore "must" get a piece back, as no real opening lets White sac 2 pieces...-Rick)

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.0-0 Qe7

(This is a small improvement for Black over earlier defenses Cliff has faced: 10...Ke7 in Hardy - NN, Italian Game Bullet Arena, lichess.org, 2018 [1-0, 37]; and 10...Ng4 in Hardy - NN, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2017 [1-0, 19] and Hardy - Pomo12, 10 0 blindfold, lichess.org, 2018 [0-1, 67] - Rick)

11.Nc3 c6?! =+

This looks OK to me, but not to the Stockfish computer program and when I encounter real top eschelon players in the Jerome, they find stronger moves like 11...Kf7! -+ (aiming for 12...Re8, with quick pressure against the white centre) against me, even in lightning games.

12.f4 Bd7? +-

Another move which fails to pressure white's position - 11...b5 would have maintained equality.

13. f5? Ne5 =+

I have a lot of trouble in these Jerome positions figuring out whether to play f5 first or d4 first and then f5 and here again I chose the wrong way - 13. d4 +- would have been very good for White.

14. d4 Nf7!

Holds the Jerome pawns up well.

(The lesser 14...Nc4 was seen in Hardy - NN, 1 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2018 [1-0, 20] - Rick)

15.Qf3? -++

Quickly developing with 15.Bd2 Rae8 16.Rae1 =+ would've been better.

15...Re8! 16.Re1 b6? =+

Harmless - counter-attacking with 16...c5 -++ would've been better.

17.g4? -++

The less committal 17.Bf4 =+ would've been safer.

17...h618.h4 c5! 19.g5 hxg5 20.hxg5 Nh5 21.Nd5 Qd8

22.g6? Nh6??

It was fun for me to rain the Jerome pawns down but 22...Qh4! -++ would've shown the vulnerability of the exposed white king here.

(This is one of the interesting psychological points in the Jerome Gambit. Club players have grown up playing over attacking games and solving attacking or mating puzzles. Too often, then, in their games, defenders give the attackers the benefit of the doubt concerning their aggression - if he is attacking, there must be something to it - instead of digging in and finding defensive resources. - Rick)

23.f6??

I guess we both missed the possibility of 23.Qxh5 here - oops!

(C'mon, Cliff, it was a 1-minute game with no increment. Fast. I'm surprised your opponent didn't yell "You sank my battleship!" - Rick)

23...Nxf6 24.Bg5 Ng8 25.e5 dxe5 26.dxe5 

26...Be6?? -+

I thought I had some good pressure here but 26...Bg4! -++, intending to take on d5 with the queen, would have been a crusher.

27.exf6 gxf6?? ++-

27...Qxd5 -+ unfortunately would still have refuted my position.

28.Nxf6 Qd4+

29. Re3??

29.Kg2 ++- would have been best here.

29...Nxf6??

29...Rh3! -+ (intending tricky stuff like 30.Qf2 Nxf6 31.Rxh3 Qxf2+ 32.Kxf2 Ne4+! 33.Kg1 Bxh3) was a hard-to-see win for Black.

30.Bxf6 Qxf6??

Sacrificing the queen with 30...Qxe3+ was losing, but was Black's only chance to keep the game going on for much longer.

31.Qxf6+ Kg8 32.Rxe6 Rf8 33.Re8! and Black lost on time

However, White had a checkmate coming here with Rxf8, Qxf8 or Qf7, so Black was dead anyway.

I had another couple of games against this opponent after this one. Unfortunately, the next game in which he was black, he didn't chance playing against the Jerome Gambit and played the French Defence instead.

Jerome Gambit: Sink the Putt

I play chess. I do not play golf. My guess is that facing a "refuted" chess opening in chess - say, the Jerome Gambit - is kind of like hitting a long shot to the green in golf. In the end, you still have to sink the putt. Likewise, even against 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, Black has to still go on and finish the "win".

The following game is yet another example of Black coming up short.

Wall, Bill - Guest5607084
PlayChess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 

An excellent response, very much like a pie in the face. (You can tell it is strong, as, in 33 games, Bill has scored "only" 86%.)

7.O-O Ng4

Wow. Looks scary.

8.h3 N4f6 9.dxc5 d6

Opening a line for another piece to enter the attack.

10.cxd6 cxd6 11.Nd2 Qh5 12.Nf3 

12...Ne8

A move that is difficult to comprehend. I would guess that Black originally planned 12...Nxe4, but at the last moment saw that the move would be well met by 13.Ng5+. Still... 

13.Ng5+ Kg6

14.g4 Qh4 15.e5 

15...h6 16.Qd3+ Bf5 17.Qxf5 checkmate

Nyuk nyuk nyuk...

Jerome Gambit: Quick Lesson

The latest Jerome Gambit from Cliff Hardy is a 1 0 lightning wonder. Pay attention to his notes, below - look how much information can be packed in a game that averaged less than 2 seconds a move!

Amazing.

Cliff is pretty hard on himself and his opponent, given the time control, but it only shows how challenging the Jerome Gambit can be.

Hardy, Cliff - NN
1 0 bullet, Italian Game, lichess.org
(notes by Cliff)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4

Forced starting position.

3...Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6?! 

6...Kf8 would have been better. 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

10.O-O Ke7? =/+ 

10...Kf7 would have been a better way to artificially castle. 

11.f4 Rf8?  +/=

11...Re8 =/+ would have been a more consistent move to enable artificial castling after a later ...Kf8. 

12.d4?! =/+ 

Seizing space by pushing the kingside Jerome pawns immediately with 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 +/= would have been better. 

12...Kf7 13.Nc3? -+

Again, seizing space by 13.f5 = would have been better. 

13...Kg8 14.f5 Ne7 15.Qg3? -+

White thereby curtailed his own ability to push the Jerome pawns since if White were to continue after this move to push the e-pawn to e5, Black may respond with the tricky intermezzo ...Nxf5!, attacking the queen on g3; 15.Qf3 -+ would have been better.

15...Kh8? =/+

Best would have been 15...d5! 16.e5 Nxf5 17.Rxf5 Bxf5 since then 18.exf6 Qxf6 -+ would have left Black a comfortable exchange ahead. 

16.Bg5 c6 17.e5?

Over zealous. 17.Rae1 =/+ would have been better.

17...dxe5 18.dxe5 Nfd5??  

18...Nxf5 19.Rxf5 Bxf5 20.exf6 Qd4+! -+ or 20...gxf6 -+ would have been much better. 

19.f6?? = 

As Black's knight on d5 defends the square f6, the best continuation here would have been to eliminate it with 19.Nxd5 cxd5 20.f6 +-
when Black couldn't have adequately saved his knight on e7 with ...Ng6 due to 21.fxg7+ Kxg7 22.Bxd8.

19...gxf6 20.Bxf6+? -+

After 20.exf6 = or 20.Nxd5 fxg5 21.Rxf8+ Qxf8 22.Nc7 $5 Rb8 23.e6 = White would have had compensation for the material deficit, due to his cramping advanced Jerome pawn. 

20...Nxf6 21.exf6 Ng6 22.Rad1 Qb6+ 23.Kh1 Be6 24.Rd6? 

24.b3 or 24.h4 would have been better tries. 

24...Bf7?! -+

24...Bc4 -+ would have been more attacking. 

25.Ne4 Rad8? =/+

The greedy 25...Qxb2 26.Ng5 Qe5! -+ would have been much better. 

26.Ng5?? -+ 

26.Qh3! Rxd6 27.Nxd6 would have put Black under a bit of pressure, with the threat of Qh3-h6-g7 mate, though ...Qc7! would then still have left Black with a slight advantage. 

26...Rxd6 27.Qxd6 Qxb2?? = 

27...Kg8! or 27...Qe3! in either case with a winning position for Black, were better.

28.h4?? -+ 

Stockfish found the interesting 28.Qxf8+! Nxf8 29.Nxf7+ Kg8 30.Nh6+ with a draw by perpetual check, but I decided to play for the win (mind you, I didn't find this line myself during the game anyway so couldn't have played even it if I'd wanted to?) 

28...Kg8! 29.h5 Nh4?? +- 

Black had 2 good moves here, the smart fork 29...Qb5! or the safe 29...Qe5! - in either case he'd have then had a winning position. 

30.Nxf7 Rxf7 31.Qd8+ Rf8 32.f7+ Kg7 33.Qg5+?? =/+

Surprisingly a blunder, as Black could now have restored material parity and gotten his king safe; 33.h6+ Kg6 34.Qxf8 or 33.Qxh4 both would have left white with an easily won position. 

33...Kh8?? 

The final blunder; instead, after 33...Ng6 34.hxg6 hxg6 =/+ White would have been fortunate enough if he went on to hang in for a draw.

34.Qxh4 Qg7 35.h6 Qg6? 

Though 35...Qe5 36.Re1 Qd6 37.Qg5 Qd4 38.Qe7 +- still would have won for White, or 35...Qc3 36.Qe7 +- 

36.Qd4+ Qg7 37.Qxg7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit Explosion

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last month, July 2016, saw an explosion of visits to this site - over 2 1/2 as many Readers as those who stop by on an average month.

Some of this was due to a large increase in Readers from Russia. Добро пожаловат!

While the second largest group of visitors in July was from the USA, I was astonished to see that the third largest group was from - the Republic of Mauritius! Bienvenue and welcome!

There are over 2,250 posts on this blog, and many more are planned. A brief suggested introduction:

It all starts with "Welcome!", a look at the earliest published analysis "In The Beginning...", and the most notorious Jerome Gambit game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - "Nobody expects the Jerome Gambit!",

About Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, the "inventor" of the Jerome Gambit, see "The Man, The Myth, The Legend..."

For early players and analyists see "The Jerome Gambit Gemeinde (early)". For a more recent list, see "The Jerome Gambit Gemeinde (modern)". (The latter certainly bears updating.)

What are the most important Jerome Gambit games? The list is changing, but take a peek at "The Classics I (a first look)" and "The Classics II (a first look)" for a start.

After that, you can search for a favorite move or line, or track down a favorite player (try: Blackburne, Philidor1792 and Wall for starters; or check out my modest games - perrypawnputher) - or just wander around.

Be sure to know that if you have Jerome Gambit games that you have played, I would love to see them and share them with other readers.

-Rick

Always Dangerous

The Blackburne Defense to the Jerome Gambit leads to a tense and complicated game for both sides. As Joseph Henry Blackburne demonstrated early in the life of the Jerome, Black can generate a wild counter-attack by returning one sacrificed piece and offering a Rook as well. On the other hand, analysis since has shown that White can draw, and practical play shows he can often do better - in games in The Database White scores 68%.

Philidor 1792 - NN
2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qd5+ 

White decides to steer clear of the dangers of 8.Qxh8 and grab another pawn. He hopes to show his three extra pawns will outweigh his opponent's extra piece. Philidor1792 has had significant success with the pawns vs the piece in the Jerome Gambit.

8...Be6

Seen previously was 8...Kg7 in RevvedUp - Fritz 8, 2 12, 2006 (0-1, 19).

9.Qxb7

Or 9.Qd3 Nf6 10.O-O Qe7 11.b3 Ng4 12.Bb2 Ne5 13.Qf3+ Nxf3+ 14.gxf3 Bh3 15.Bxh8 Qg5+ 16.Kh1 Qg2 checkmate, hattta - VictoriaBot, FICS, 2012. 

9...Rb8

An anternate idea was 9...Rc8 seen in stampyshortlegs - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG Tourney4, ChessWorld, 2009 (1-0, 39). 

10.Qa6 Qh4 

At first glance it looks like Black is the one playing a gambit, with the subsequent lead in development of pieces. However, if White can consolidate his position behind his pawns, he can eventually put them on the march and look for balance.

As the game goes, Black uses his pieces to keep pressuring his opponent, and the point is his.

11.Qe2 Bg4 12.Qf1 Nf6 13.d3 d5 14.Nc3 Rhe8 15.h3 Bd7 16.g3 Qh5 17.f3 Bd4 18.Nd1 Kg7 19.Be3 Bxe3 20.Nxe3 dxe4 21.fxe4 Qa5+ 22. Kd1 Qc5 

So far White's pawn cover has held up, but his oppponent's pressure is relentless and his lead in development is crushing.

23.Qf2 Nxe4 24.dxe4 Rxe4 25.Re1 Rxb2 26.Re2 Bxh3 27.Ng2 Qd6+ 28.Kc1 Rbb4 29.Nf4 Bg4 30.Rxe4 Qd1 checkmate.

Toward Disaster

As I have mentioned in an earlier post, I have joined a Chess.com 12-player "Giuoco Piano" tournament (3 groups of 4 players each).

I immediately got to start a couple of Jerome Gambits, so we'll see how they turn out.The first game is racing along the lines of a refutation that has many blog posts here, all saying that White is lost, White is lost...

Well, sad to say, White did lose - but part of the reason was my refusal to play a thematic "Jerome pawn" advance which would have helped keep the play dynamic. The second big mistake was to not be as familiar with Jerome Gambit history as I should be. Ouch.

perrypawnpusher - auswebby
Giuoco Piano Tournament, Chess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Ke8

Instead, 8...Nf6 was seen in a couple of correspondence games between Daniel Jaeger (White) and Alonzo Wheeler Jerome  in 1880.

More reently, Bill Wall faced 8...Qf6 in a handful of games: Wall,B - GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17);  Wall,B - GuestZCLK, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); Wall,B - Guest340293, PlayChess.com 2012 (1-0, 41); Wall,B - Josti, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 26); and Wall,B - Guest4644930, PlayChess.com, 2014, (1-0, 26).

9.Nc3 Nf6 10.0-0 d6 

Or 10...Bd6 as in perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Chess.com 2012, (1-0, 25).

11.d3

White got away with the Knight jump 11.Nd5 in xcvbnm -SAHFAN, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 28), but I should have been more familiar with the game (in The Database) as Black was better most of the game; and White's win came only when his opponent blundered into a mate-in-2.

11...Be6 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Qxe3 Kd7 14.f4 Rhf8 15.f5 Bg8 16.d4 Rae8 17.Rae1 Kc8 18.Qg3 

Instead, it was time for 18.e5. The text allows Black to take a step toward preventing that move, and my response (see the note to White's 11th move) sealed my doom.

18...Nd7 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.exd5 Qf6 

I thought I had a few tricks against Black's King on the back rank, but, really, there was nothing.

21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.c3 Nb6 23.Re1 Qf7 24.f6 Rxe1+ 25.Qxe1 Qxf6 26.Qe8+ Qd8 27.Qf7 Qh8 28.b3 Nd7 29.c4 Kd8 30.Kf2 Qf8 31.Qxf8+ Nxf8 32.Kf3 Ke7 33.Ke4 Kf6 34.c5 Ng6 35.g3 b6 36.b4 Ne7 37.a3 b5 White resigned.