Jerome Gambit: Take the Half-Point (Part 1)

I have finished my first Jerome Gambit game in the third round of the "Italian Battleground" tournament, online at Chess.com. It was a curious game, with creative and challenging opening play by my opponent. I was able to squeeze out the win by relying on a greater familiarity with the Jerome Gambit, by utilizing some psychology - and by recognizing some of the tactical opportunities available to me.

perrypawnpusher - Abhishek29
"Italian Battleground", Chess.com, 2019

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

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

The Jerome Defense was first suggested by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in an article in the Dubuque Chess Journal of July, 1874, and seen, initially, in Jaeger - Jerome, correspondence, 1880 (1-0, 40).

My opponent had played 6...Ng6 against me in our first round game, so I was expecting something different this time. Because I read this blog, myself, I wasn't totally surprised by 6...Kf8, as I had written elsewhere

The biggest trouble I have had, in terms of main Jerome Gambit opening lines, has been with 6...Kf8, where I scored only 77% in 33 games.

In 647 games with the Jerome Defense in The Database, White has scored 49%. That's not a very exciting figure, but it compares well with the 46% that White scores in the 14,390 games with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ in The Database.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.Nc3

Varying from 9.d3 in my most recent game against the defense in perrypawnpusher - Sarantes, "Let's Play The Italian Game" tournament, Chess.com, 2018 (1-0, 37).

In all, I have scored 5 - 1 previously with 9.d3, compared to 1 - 1 with 9.Nc3. I can't remember why I chose 9.Nc3 for this current game. 

9...Be6 10.O-O Kf7 

Wisely, Black intends to castle-by-hand.

11.d3 Rf8 12.Na4 

The game is developing slowly, so I decided to exchange off Black's annoying dark square Bishop, to allow me to later get in the thematic f2-f4 move. In light of my opponent's response, I think I will try a different move, next time.

12...Bd4

This move is a novelty, according to The Database. I was certainly unhappy to see it played in a slightly different position in my other Jerome Gambit game (ongoing) in the 3rd round of the tournament.

13.c3 Bb6 14.Nxb6 axb6 15.a3 Kg8

16.Bg5 

This move is thematic in the Jerome Gambit, but, perhaps 16.f4 was a bit better.

16...Qe8 

Breaking the pin on the Knight, and making ...Qh5 possible, especially if White, unwisely, captures on f6.

17.f4 Nd7 

White's Bishop now looks a bit silly.

18.Rae1 Nc5 

Black has confidently developed all of his pieces, and, with a piece for two pawns, has the advantage. 

[to be continued]

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]