Jerome Gambit: A Mockery of Common Sense

I really enjoyed the game in the previous post, so I looked in The Database for some more games by the Jerome Gambiteer obviously. The next game is even more wild, as White takes even greater risks - and wins.

obviously - grobnic
GameKnot.com, 2004

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

This can lead to the infamous Blackburne Defense (7...d6), or the much-less-known but much-more-dangerous Whistler's Defense (7...Qe7).

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qxh8

The Database is notoriously lean when it comes to either early Jerome Gambits, or over-the-board games. Coverage of Whistler's Defense is a good example.

There are 3 early correspondence games by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome (1876, 1879) where he scored 0-2-1.

Then, over 100 years later, there are then a handful of online games at FICS: 1 in 1999 (0-1); 1 in 2001 (1-0); 3 in 2003 (1-1-1); and then 10 in 2004 (4-5-1) - 7 of which involved obviously.

So, White's 8th move in the current game (capturing the Rook) probably deserves the same annotation it garnered in The American Chess Journal, June 15, 1876, when it showed up Jerome - Norton, correspondence, 1876 -

Played experimentally; and analysis will probably show the capture to be unsound. 

Analysis has since shown the capture of the Rook to be unsound - but, then again, analysis, even back in the 1870s, showed the Jerome Gambit itself to be unsound...

We must remember, however, that "all is new that has been forgotten", and that both players in the current game probably had little information on either the Whistler or the Jerome to guide them. That said, obviously obviously had some knowledge of the opening, as he scored 4-0-1 with the Black pieces, and 2-0 with the White pieces.

For that matter, The Database contains 59 games with the Whistler Defense, and White scores 57% - an indication that things are complicated enough that the first player will have his chances, at least in club play.

8...Qxe4+

This is the way to show that White's King is in more danger than Black's.

Bill Wall, who seems to be able to get away with just about anything in the Jerome Gambit, once experienced 8...Qf6 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.O-O Black resigned, Wall,B - Sepoli, Chess.com, 2010.

9.Kd1

This move is about as strong as 9.Kf1, e.g. 9...Nf6 10.d3 (10.Nc3 Qxc2 11.h4 b6 12.Qd8 Ba6+ White resigned, grobnic - obviously, GameKnot.com, 2004) 10...Qd4 (10...Qf5 11.f3 Bf8 12.Nc3 d5 13.h4 Qd7 14.h5 Bg7 15.hxg6+ Kxg6 16.Rh6+ Bxh6 17.Bxh6 b6 18.Ne2 Qf7 19.Qf8 Qxf8 20.Bxf8 drawn Jerome,A - Norton,D, correspondence, 1876) 11.Be3 Qxb2 12.Bxc5 Qxa1?! (12...d6 13.Ke2 Qxc2+ 14.Nd2 Bg4+ White resigned, flatchio - obviously, GameKnot.com, 2004) 13.Qf8+ Ke6 14.Qe7+ Kf5 15.Ke2 Qe5+ 16.Qxe5+ Kxe5 17.Re1 d6 18.Kf3+ Kf5 19.Bd4 Kg5 20.h4+ Kf5 21.Re7 Nd5 22.g4 checkmate, Wall,B - Neilson,C, Melbourne, FL 2017.

9...Qg4+

This move is good, but perhaps not quite as strong as 9...Qxg2, e.g. 10.Re1 (10.Qxh7+ Kf8 11.Re1 d5 12.d4 Bg4+ 13.Kd2 Qxf2+ 14.Re2 Qxe2+ 15.Kc3 Qc4+ 16.Kd2 Qxd4+ 17.Ke1 Qd1 checkmate, blackburne - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008) 10...Qf3+ (going for a repetition in a winning position) 11.Re2 Qh1+ 12.Re1 Qf3+ 13.Re2 Qh1+ 14.Re1 Qf3+ drawn, Wall,B - Mathieubuntu, 40 0, FICS, 2011.

Black risked most of his advantage with the reasonable precaution 9...Nf6, although he was still able to outplay his opponent: 10.f3 Qh4 11.Nc3 b5 12.Qd8 Qg5 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Qxg5 Nxg5 15.d4 Be7 16.d5 h5 17.h4 Nh7 18.Bf4 d6 19.Ke2 Nf6 20.Rhd1 Bb7 21.Bg5 Nxd5 22.Bxe7 Nxe7 23.g4 hxg4 24.fxg4 Rh8 25.Rf1+ Ke8 26.h5 gxh5 27.g5 Rg8 28.Rg1 Bc8 29.Kd2 Bg4 30.Rg3 Rxg5 31.Re1 Kd7 32.Rh1 a5 33.Re1 h4 34.Rge3 Nd5 35.Re4 h3 36.R4e3 Nxe3 White resigned, vallabhan - obviously, GameKnot.com, 2004

10.Ke1

White improves on the historical 10.f3 Qxg2 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Re1 d5 13.Qh4 Qxf3+ 14.Re2 Bg4 15.Nc3 Bf2 White resigned, Jerome,A - Whistler,G, correspondence, 1876.

10...Qxg2 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Rf1 Qe4+

Again, good, but not best (12...d5). It is still hard to see how White will survive, but he does have a material advantage...

13.Kd1 d5

Chess can be incredibly cruel.

White's defense here has in good part consisted of shuttling his King back and forth. Black now plays the move recommended in the last note - and it turns over the advantage to his opponent.

It appears he needed to play 13...Qf3+ first. What difference does the check make? White shows with his next move.

14.f3 

In what appears to be a mockery of common sense, Stockfish 8 now claims that White has a clear advantage, giving 14...Qf4 15.Nc3 c6 16.Ne2 Qf6 17.d3 Bf5 18.Ng3 Re8 19.Nxf5 Qxf5 20.Bd2 Bd4 21.Kc1 Re7 22.Qh4 c5 23.a4 Re2 24.Kd1 Rg2 25.Qd8+ Kg7 26.Kc1 Bxb2+ 27.Kxb2 Rxd2 28.Qc7+ Kh8 29.Qxc5 Qxd3 30.Rf2.

14...Bg4 

It is difficult to explain this move. It is tempting to suggest a mouse slip, but the time control for this game was 5 days per move.

15.fxg4+ Nf6 Black resigned

After 16.Rxf6+ Ke8 17.Nc3!? White's pieces will be able to protect his King from too many Queen checks, while Black's King will be open to great dangers.

Jerome Gambit: A Casual Stroll

Bill Wall recently sent me a few more of his Jerome Gambits. As he said, some are good, some are bad. None are quite as outrageous as the following.

Wall, Bill - Neilson, Criag
Florida, USA, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

This appears to be an over-the-board game, which already makes it very interesting.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ 

Interesting. Bill moves away from his favorite 6.d4.

6...g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qxh8 

Wow! Into the mouth of the beast!

One of the many reasons the Jerome Gambit is considered "unplayable" is Whistler's Defense (7...Qe7!). The Rook is supposed to be untouchable.

Not for Bill Wall. "Danger" is his midde name. He considers things like the Pamplona bull run to be a casual stroll down some interesting avenues.

8...Qxe4+ 

After 8...Qf6 the game did not last long: 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.O-O Black resigned, Wall,B - Sepoli, Chess.com, 2010. 

9.Kf1 

The alternative, 9.Kd1, was seen in Jerome,A-Whistler,G, correspondence, 1876 (0-1, 15) - but also in Wall,B - Mathieubuntu, FICS, 2011 (1/2-1/2, 14).

9...Nf6 10.d3 Qd4

This looks like an improvement over 10...Qf5 in Jerome,A - Norton,D, correspondence, 1876 (1/2-1/2, 20). 

11.Be3 Qxb2 12.Bxc5 Qxa1 

It looks like things will come down to which King is the most vulnerable.

13.Qf8+ Ke6 14.Qe7+ Kf5 15.Ke2 Qe5+ 16.Qxe5+ Kxe5

Very interesting. Is Black for choice because his King is better developed? Or will the blocked-in-light-squared-Bishop-blocking-the-Rook theme give White an edge?

17.Re1 d6 18.Kf3+ Kf5 19.Bd4 Kg5

A dangerous slip.

20.h4+ Kf5 21.Re7 Nd5 

Overlooking...

22.g4 checkmate

Bop!

Playing the Jerome Gambit is a lot like giving your opponent a weapon - and then stepping in and bopping him on the nose before he figures out how to use it. If you are fast or skilled (or lucky) enough, you can walk away with a win.

IagainstI - kingphilippineda
blitz, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 

This is Whistler's Defense, as opposed to the much better known 7...d6, Blackburne's Defense. The offered Rook is poison.

8.Qxh8 

When Alonzo Wheeler Jerome played this move against D.P. Norton in a correspondence game in 1876, the American Chess Journal, June 15th, noted that it was "[P]layed experimentally; and analysis will probably show the capture to be unsound." White was fortunate to draw the game, however.

8...Qxe4+

Black immediately lost his way with 8...Qf6 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.O-O Black resigned, Wall,B - Sepoli, Chess.com, 2010. Bop! 

9.Kf1

Even worse is 9.Kd1 although you couldn't tell by the result of  Wall,B - Mathieubuntu, FICS, standard 40 0, 2011 (1/2 - 1/2, 14). Bop!

A  more representative 9.Kd1 game is blackburne - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (1-0, 17). The earliest example, equally educational, is Jerome,A - Whistler,G, correspondence, 1876 (0-1, 15).

9...Qc4+ 

9...Nf6 was the start of White getting off the hook in Jerome,A - Norton,D, correspondence, 1876 (1/2, 1/2, 20). Bop!

Likewise, the text gives White a breather, and that is all that he needs to reverse his fortunes.

Instead, Black needed to continue to both attack and defend with 9...Qh4.

10.d3

The only move.

10...Qxc2 11.Qxh7+

Now White's Queen is more dangerous, and Black's King is more at risk.

11...Kf8 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Kf7 14.Qf4+

Or 14.Qd2 Qa4 15.Nc3 d6 16.Nxa4 Black resigned, in Abijud - Jeru, blitz, FICS, 2005. Bop!

14...Ke8 15.Nd2 Qxd3+ 16.Kg1 Bd6 17.Re1+ Kd8

Black resigned

Mate will arrive in a couple of moves.

Even against the better defense 17...Be7, Black's unsafe King would guarantee more suffering, e.g. 18.Qf6 Qd6 19.Qh8+ Kf7 20.Nc4 when the entry of White's Knight will either cost Black his Queen, or lead to checkmate. Bop!

Take your chance when you get it...

When I get a new bunch of games, I like to see what has been happening in some of the most important lines. The following game explores Whistler's Defense, a very dangerous line for White to deal with. Once again, we see that although a refutation may exist in the books, it may not easily make it to the board. The first player loses only after missing his chance to escape.

franciskov - danielhidrobo 
blitz, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 

A wicked "improvement" on the 7...d6 of Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884 - first played almost a decade earlier, but largely forgotten.

8.Qxh8 

White should not be able to take the Rook and live.

8...Qxe4+ 

An innocuous sideline is 8...Qf6 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.0-0 Black resigned, Wall,B - Sepoli, Chess.com 2010. 

9.Kd1 

9.Kf1 is better, as in Jerome,A - Norton,D, Correspondence 1876 (½-½, 20)

9...d5

Black does not realize what an opportunity he has in 9...Qxg2. See blackburne-perrypawnpusher/JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net 2008 (0-1, 17), but don't overlook Wall,B - Mathieubuntu, FICS, 2011 (½-½,14).

9...Qg4+ 10.f3 Qxg2 is a similar kick in the head, Jerome,A - Whistler,G, Correspondence 1876 (0-1, 15). 

10.Re1 

Taking a shot at the enemy Queen, but overlooking his light-square weakenesses. Necessary was 10.Qxh7+ Kf6 11.f3, safe-guarding both his Queen and King, when he can cobble together a defense, according to Rybka: 11...Qg4 12.Rg1 Qd7 13.Qh8+ Qg7 14.Qxg7+ Kxg7 15.Re1. White is up the exchange and two pawns.

Now Black finishes things off.

10...Bg4+ 11.f3 Bxf3+ 12.gxf3 Qxf3+ 

13.Re2 Re8 14.Qxh7+ Kf8 15.Nc3 Qf1+ 16.Re1 Qxe1 checkmate

Lion Tamer

While Bill Wall and I were exchanging emails the other day, I was looking for a way to illustrate the risk that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) player takes. Eventually, as the graphic on the left shows, I settled on the lion tamer putting his head in the mouth of a lion – dangerous, yes, but the tamer knows what he is doing.

Later, I thought about the stage hypnotist, whose success lies not only in his skill in mesmerism, but in his ability to choose the right volunteers to come up front and perform.

Bill has reminded me on more than one occasion that he selects his Jerome Gambit victims with care. By the time they realize "I should have..." the game is over, and Bill has moved on.

Wall,B - Mathieubuntu
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7

This is Whistler's Defense, an improvement over Blackburne's 7...d6. It is supposed to be one of the "final words" on the Jerome Gambit, as (unlike in the Blackburne gambit) it is clear that White cannot take the Rook and survive.

8.Qxh8

I suspect that this was quite a surprise for Black.

What now??

Would it help the second player to point out that Wall - Sepoli, Chess.com, 2010 continued 8...Qf6 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.0-0 Black resigned. Probably not.

Mathieubuntu decides to avoid further ontoward revelations and sues for peace.

8...Qxe4+ 9.Kd1 Qxg2 10.Re1 Qf3+ 11.Re2 Qh1+ 12.Re1 Qf3+ 13.Re2 Qh1+ 14.Re1 Qf3+ draw

Again, someone learns that the Jerome Gambit is a forced draw...


Readers are encouraged to imagine themselves as Black, and fill in the blank: I should have...

Whistling by the graveyard... 2010

My favorite anti-Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) line is Whistler's Defense. It gave me a very nice game against Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks ("blackburne") in one of our games in the 2008 ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Tournament. 

So far this year I've found only 3 examples of Black trying the Whistler: each time White took the poisoned Rook at h8, but twice he escaped. 

UNPREDICTABLE - sharepointme
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

7.Qxe5 Qe7

Whistler's Defense.

8.Qxh8

This should lead to disaster.

8...Qxe4+

The proper continuation.

Ineffective was 8...Qf6, as the White Queen escapes and causes problems: 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.0-0 (Black resigned here in Wall - Sepoli, Chess.com, 2010) Bd6 11.d3 Qe5 12.g3 Qg7 13.Qh4 Be7 14.Qf4+ Nf6 15.Qxc7 Qh6 16.Bxh6+ Black resigned, Chainbk - Baffipapa, FICS, 2010.

9.Kf1

Or 9.Kd1 Qxg2 10.Qxh7+ Kf8 11.d4 Qxh1+ and Black has the advantage.

9...Nf6

10.d3 Qa4

This turns the advantage over to White.

Black must play strongly and accurately: 10...Qd4 11.Be3 Qxb2 12.Nd2 Bxe3 (12...Qxa1+ 13.Kd2 Qxh1 14.Ne4 allows White to draw!) 13.Ne4 (13.fxe3 allows Black a timely check of the White King, either by Queen or Knight) Qxa1+ (now this is okay) 14.Ke2 d5 (but not 14...Qxh1, as 15.Qxf6+ allows White to draw through repetition!) 15.Qxf6+ (15.Rxa1 Bg4+ 16.Kxe3 Rxh8 is no better) Qxf6 16.Nxf6 Kxf6 17.fxe3 and White is down a piece with no counterplay.

11.Nc3

Developing a piece, attacking the Queen... and giving up the advantage.

Necessary was a continued focus on releasing or exchanging the White Queen: 11.Bg5 Qd4 12.Qxf6+ Qxf6 13.Bxf6 Kxf6 and White is up the exchange and a pawn.

11...Qxc2 12.Ne4

This move would work, if Black didn't have the following reply (or 12...Qd1 checkmate).

12...Qxd3+

It's all over but the shouting.

13.Ke1 Qxe4+ 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.fxe3 Qxe3+

16.Kd1 d6 17.Rf1 Bg4+ 18.Kc2 Rxh8

19.Rae1 Qc5+ 20.Kb1 Bf5+ 21.Ka1 Re8 22.Rc1 Qe3 23.Rxc7+ Kg8 24.Rcc1 Ng4 25.h3 Nf2 26.Rfe1 Qxe1 White resigned

Speaking of Bill Wall...

Speaking of Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Bill Wall (see my reference in "Off Road Rambling"), he recently sent another handful of Jerome Gambit games – which I, of course, dutifully added to the updated New Year's Database: now containing over 18,300 Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+), and Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0/4.Nc3/4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+) games (and free for the asking).

Here's a quick game where Bill stares a Jerome Gambit refutation in the eye: and his opponent blinks first.

Wall,B - Sepoli
Chess.com, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

7.Qxe5 Qe7

Whistler's Defense, a powerful anti-Jerome Gambit gambit. 

8.Qxh8

Wow! He takes the Rook...

8...Qf6

As far as I know, 8...Qxe4+ instead here is crushing.

Has Bill discovered something new?? Or is this another "Jerome Gamble"?

We can't tell from this game, as Black is playing only "half" a Whistler Defense.

9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.0-0 Black resigned