Jerome Gambit: To b or Not To b

The fate of Black's b-pawn overshadows much of the following game. It never falls - but the defender's attention is distracted enough that White makes progress elsewhere and slowly overwhelms the position.

Wall, Bill - Guest173767
PlayChess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+

8...Ke8 

Yes, Black can offer the b-pawn with 8...Be6. This was seen in Wall, Bill - CheckMe, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 23) and Wall,B - Guest249301, PlayChess.com 2013 (1-0, 30).

There are other ways to decline:

8...Ke7 as in Wall,B - Guest4395, Internet, 2001 (1-0, 18) and Wall,B - Guest3157671, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 28); and

8...Kf8, Wall,B - Chung,J., Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 25).

9.d3

Or 9.d4 as in Wall,B - Am53, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 14) and Wall,B - Guest7665109, PlayChess.com, 2019 (1-0, 22).

9...h6

Or 9...c6 in Wall,B - Seven11, Chess.com, 2008 (1-0, 51).

10.O-O c6 11.Qb3 Qf6 

12.Nc3 b5 

Still worrying about the b-pawn possibly falling to the enemy Queen.

13.a4 Rb8 14.axb5 cxb5 15.Rxa7 Be6 

Can you feel it? The weather is changing...

16.Qb4 Bd7 17.Nd5 Qf8 18.Nc7+ Ke7 19.f4
Black resigned

Black is feeling the Rook's pressure along the 7th rank, and will soon face more uncomfortable line-opening with e4-e5, plus the annoying f4-f5. It is all too much.

Appearance and Reality

In the following game, Black leaps upon what he considers an error by White, only to find that he has attacked thin air, while, on the other side of the board, he allows a deadly attack!


Wall,B - Guest1468045 
PlayChess.com, 02.04.2015

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qc3

A similar position including the "nudge", after 7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qc3 was seen in Wall,B - Boris, SparkChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 32),  Wall,B -Guest4149739, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 30) and Wall,B - Guest428245, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 20). 


The alternative, 8.Qd5+, looking for mischief, was seen in Wall,B-Guest4395, Microsoft Internet Gaming Zone, 2001 (1-0, 18);  Wall,B - Seven11, Chess.com, 2008 (1-0, 51); Wall,B - Chung,J, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 25);  Wall, Bill - CheckMe, www.Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 23); and Wall, Bill - Guest249301, playchess.com, 2013 (1-0, 30).

8...Nf6 9.d3 Re8 

10.0-0 h6 11.f4 Kg8 12.Nd2 c6 

Houdini rates Black about a half point better here; while Stockfish sees Black as maybe nine-tenths of a pawn better. That's plenty for White to work with.

13.b4!? 

Bill and I have exchanged emails about this move. I like it - a lot. It reminds me both of the comment attributed to Bobby Fischer - "I don't believe in psychology, I believe in strong moves" - and one by Nimzovich - that a particular move was strong, because it appeared weak...

Notice how Black jumps all over the move. Notice how Black loses.

13...Qb6+ 14.Kh1 Ng4 15.Bb2 Re7 

As Bill points out, Black pauses for some defense: not 15...Nf2+? 16.Rxf2 Qxf2?? 17.Qxg7#

16.d4

Likewise, avoiding 16.Qc4+? Be6 17.Qd4 Ne3.

16...a5 

Here we go again: attacking the White b-pawn.

17.Qg3 

Which White abandons!

17...Qxb4

Black has the pawn in the bag, and forks two of White's pieces. What's not to like?

18.Bc3

Bill was aware of 18.f5? Qxb2 19.Qxg4 Qxd4 20.Qxg6 Qxd2.

18...Qb5 19.f5 

We will come back to this position.

19...Bxf5 

This looks like the beginning of panic. Black's Knights are at risk.

20.Rxf5 N4e5 21.dxe5 Nxe5 22.Raf1 Rae8

Collapse.

23.Bxe5 dxe5 24.Qg6 Qe2 25.Rf7 Rxf7 26.Rxf7 Qe1+ 27.Nf1 Re7 28.Qxg7 checkmate

Going back to the diagram after White's 19th move let's ask: What would have happened if Black had admitted that his "advantage" had evaporated, that his "right to attack" had therefore disappeared, and he had retreated with 19...Nf6?

As I had emailed Bill

Funny how 19...Nf6, admitting Black's mistake, would have mostly set things to rights.. : 20.Qxg6 Qxb4 21.e5 Nd5 22.Nb3 a4 23.f5! Bxf5 24.Rxf5 axb3 25.c3! Nxc3 26.exd6 Re2 27.d7! Nd5 28.Raf1 Re1! 29.axb3 Ne3 30.Bc3! Qxc3 31.Rf7 Rxf1+ 32.Rxf1 Nxf1 (what else?) 33.Qe8+ Rxe8 34.dxe8/Q+ Kh7 35.Qe4+ and it was a draw, after all... But even in this line White has almost all of the fun! 

Voice of Wreckage and Ruin

Many people play the Jerome Gambit for a very simple, straight-forward reason: it is fun. Imagine how much enjoyment Bill experienced in the following game, where he delivers wreckage and ruin upon the enemy King.

Wall, Bill - Guest3157671
PlayChess.com, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5

Of course, 7.Qd5+, "the nudge", is also played by Bill: 

Wall,B - Quack, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 22)
Wall, B - Vijay, V, Chess.com, 2010, (1-0, 22)
Wall,B - LC, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 20)
Wall,B - guest154187, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 22)
Wall,B - Boris, SparkChess.com 2012 (1-0, 32)
Wall,B - Guest4149739, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 30)
Wall, B - guest3797656, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 40)
Wall, B - guest392045, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 33)
Wall,B - Guest198654, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 21)
Wall, B - Guest428245, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0,20)  

7...d6 8.Qd5+ 

Ah, "Nudge 2.0", another Wall specialty.

8...Ke7

Or 8...Ke8 as in Wall,B - Seven11, Chess.com, 2008 (1-0, 51)

Or 8...Kf8 as in Wall,B - Chung,J, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 25).

Or 8...Be6 as in Wall, B - CheckMe, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 23) and Wall,B - Guest249301,PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 30).

9.O-O

Or 9.d3 as in Wall,B - Guest4395, Internet, 2001 (1-0, 18). 

9... Nf6

10.Qg5 Be6

Despite the awkward  placement of his King, Black is feeling comfortable with his lead in development. All he has to do is take care of that pesky White Queen, and it will be smooth sailing, he reassures himself.

11.f4 Bf7 12.d4

Indeed, and how can White expect to prevail when he is only moving his Queen and his pawns? (Ah, the eternal Jerome Gambit question!)

12...h6 13.Qg3

Bill suggests 13.Qb5 and 13.Qf5 as alternate possibilities.

13...Re8

It looks risky for Black, but Bill's suggestion of 13...Nxe4 14.Qe1 d5 15.f5 Nf8 has merit. 

14.f5 Nf8 

This position reminds me of the kind of thing that my old "Chess Challenger 7" computer used to do - leave its King in the center of the board, surround it by pieces, and consider the position to be good. Often it would continue with the advance of a Rook pawn.

15.e5

Of course, Bill advances his "Jerome pawns" and plans to open up the center to get at the enemy King.

15...dxe5

Things are already dire for the defender, as Bill points out: 15...Nh5 16.Qh4+ Nf6 17.Bxh6 and 15...Nd5 16.Qxg7.

16.dxe5 Nd5

Or, fast and furious, any of the following: 16...Nh5 17.Qa3+ Kd7 18.Rd1+ or 16...Qd4+ 17.Be3 or 16...Ne4 17.Qh4+ Kd7 18.Qxe4. 

17.Qxg7 Nd7 18.e6

18...N7f6 19.exf7 Rf8 20.Re1+ Kd6 

21.c4 Nb6 22.Rd1+ Kc5 23.Rxd8 Raxd8 24.Be3+ 

As the loss of Black's Queen is not enough to cause him to strike his colors, Bill brings out some more pieces to enforce checkmate. Bill also notes that 24.Qxf6 leads to mate as well. 

24...Kxc4 25.Na3+ Kd3 26.Bxh6 Ne4 27. Rd1+ Ke2 28. Qg4 checkmate

Monumental Effort

The following game is a titanic struggle and monumental effort by both parties. White's early Queen moves prompt his opponent to try to punish them. Before a couple of dozen moves are past, an unbalanced (but balanced) endgame presents itself, and the game is not yet half over.

Bill Wall's endgame play is worth studying by any Jerome Gambiteer who suspects that he might not win all his games by first round knockout.

Wall,B (2000) - Seven11
Chess.com, 2008

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+

A different way to "put the question to the Bishop." Does Black want to play 8...Be6 and allow 9.Qxb7, ?

In three previous games, Bill's opponents have answered no, no, and yes with 8...Ke7 (Wall - Guest 4395, Microsoft Internet Gaming Zone, 2001 [1-0, 18]), 8...Kf8 (Wall - Chung, Chess.com, 2010 [1-0, 25]) and 8...Be6 (Wall - CheckMe, Chess.com, 2010 [1-0, 23]). - Rick

8...Ke8

9.d3 c6 10.Qb3 Nf6 11.0-0 Qe7 12.Nc3 Be6 13.Qa4 b5 14.Qa6 Qc7 15.Be3 Ke7 16.f4 Bc8 17.Qa3 c5 

Black's play against White's Queen has been quite aggressive (13...b5!?, 15...Ke7!?, 16...Bc8!?) and although White may "objectively" have a whisper of an advantage in the diagrammed position (at least if it is Houdini 3 doing the whispering) the game is tense and complicated.

18.Nxb5

The natural move that White wants to make, and that Black wants him to make.

The un-natural (read: computer) move is 18.e5!? when 18...b4 19.exf6+ Kf7 20.Qb3+ Be6 21.Nd5 Qb7 22.c4 Bxd5 23.cxd5 gxf6 would be a mess, but, perhaps, a White-tinged mess.

18...Qc6 19.Nxa7 Qb7 20.Nxc8+ Rhxc8 

White now has four pawns for his sacrificed piece, but Black's pressure on the Queenside is substantial.

Black's goal is to recover some material. Whit'es goal is to move into an endgame where he has the prospects of converting a pawn.

21.Qc3 Qb4 22.f5 Qxc3 23.bxc3 Ne5 

24.Bf4 Kd7 25.Bxe5 dxe5 26.a4 Ra5 27.Rfb1 Rc7 28.Rb5 Rca7

Houdini 3 says that 28...Rxb5 29.axb5 c4 30.Ra3 Kd6 31.Ra6+ Kc5 32.Re6 cxd3 33.cxd3 Kxb5 34.Rxe5+ Ka4 would also be equal, 

analysis diagram

but wouldn't you rather have White?


29.c4 

Bill suggests 29.Rxa5 Rxa5 30.h3 as an alternative.

29...Kc6

Likewise, Bill points out that 29...Rxa4 30.Rxa4 Rxa4 31.Rb7+ Ke8 32.Rxg7 Ra1+ 33.Kf2 Rc1 34.Kf3 Rxc2 would get rid of the annoying a-pawn and keep Black's remaining Rook active.

30.Rxa5 Rxa5 31.Kf2 Nh5?! 

Getting active on the Kingside, and thus keeping White's King there. Bill prefers that Black shift his King over that way.

32.g4 Nf6 33.g5 Nh5

Not 33...Ng4+? 34.Kf3 Nxh2+ 35.Kg3 and the greedy Knight is trapped; while if 33...Nd7 then 34.h4. 

34.Ke3 Nf4 

White still has all of his pawns.

35.f6?!

Perhaps a bit precipitate. Bill prefers 35.h4 h5 36.gxh6 gxh6 37.c3.

 35...g6? 

Better: 35...gxf6 36.gxf6 Kd6 and still a game in balance.

36.c3?!

Better, too, to move the King to prepare to advance his h-pawn, 36.Kf3 Ne6 37.Kg4.

36...Nh3 

Or 36...Ng2+ 37.Kf3 Nf4 38.d4 cxd4 39.cxd4 Nh3 40.dxe5 Nxg5+ 41.Kf4 

37.d4

There is not much more in 37.Rf1 Ra8 38.a5 Nxg5 39.a6.

37...exd4+ 38.cxd4 cxd4+ 39.Kxd4 Nxg5 

White now has four (!) passed pawns, and the easier game to play, but, to be fair to his opponent, the game is still even.

40.h4 Ne6+

There is no more in 40...Nf3+ 41.Kc3 Nxh4 42.f7 Ra8 43.a5 g5 44.a6 Ng6 45.a7 g4 46.Kc4 g3 47.Ke3 g2 48.Kf2 Ne5.

analysis diagram

41.Kc3 Nc5 

Bill points out that shifting defenders doesn't accomplish much: 41...Re5 42.a5 Rxe4 43.a6 Nc7 44.Rf1.

42.f7

Nothing more is available from 42.e5 Nd7 43.f7 Rxe5. 

42...Ra8 43.Rf1

Or 43.e5 Kd7 44.Rf1 Rf8. 

43...Nxe4+??

Black gobbles a poison pawn (with check). Who can blame him? He needed the patience to find 43...Rf8 44.e5 Kd7 45.Kd4 Ne6+ 46.Kd5 Ke7 47.c5 Rd8+ 48.Kc4 Rc8 49.Kb4 Kf8, when White's energy exhausts itself, e.g. 50.a5 Nxc5 51.Kb5 Ne6 52.Rd1 Kxf7 53.Rd7+ Kg8 54.Rd6 Re8 55.Kb6 Nd8 56.a6 Nf7 57.Rd5 Nxe5 58.a7 Re6+ and Black's checks will keep White's last dangerous pawn from Queening. Whew!

44.Kd4 Rf8

Bill gives this move a "?", but after the alternative 44...Ng3 45.f8Q Rxf8 46.Rxf8 Nf5+ 47.Kc3 Nxh4 48.a5 White is more than just the exchange ahead. His a-pawn will cost Black his Knight, and his Rook can feast on the remaining two Black pawns long before they become threats to Queen.

45.Kxe4 Kc5 

46.a5 Kxc4 47.a6 Kb5 48.a7 Kb6 49.Ra1 Ra8 50.Rb1+ Kc6 51.Rb8 Black resigned

My House! My House! My Kingdom for a House!

Passing the following game along to me with the note "Another Jerome Gambit swindle," Bill Wall explained the crux of the game in one sentence, and the psychology of the contest in another: My opponent tried to castle by hand, but dropped a rook. Opponents seem to panic when their king is in the center.

Wall,B - Yunfan
chess.com, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qb5+

This is something new: in almost 24,000 games in The Database, this position does not show up at all!

The closest thing to it seems to be a 2006 FICS game, PierreKurdy - NLockwood (0-1, 58), which began: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.d3 Nf6 10.Qb5+ c6 11.Qb3. Of course, if you do a search on that position at move 11, you find that Bill Wall - Seven11, Chess.com, 2008 got there, too.

Giving "Jerome Gambit odds" requires alert, strong play. Familiarity with basic stratagems (Bill has studied The Database) is very useful.

So is the proper use of psychology. Here White asks (just like he does when his Queen checks from d5 in analogous situations) Black: is it worth the b-pawn to block the check with the Bishop? The answer is: probably not, but arriving at that conclusion takes time, as, Black reasons, surely, there must be some way to punish that impertinent Queen...

9...c6 10.Qb3

Posing the questions, Where will Black's Bishop go?, Where will Black's King go? and How will he get there?

10...Nf6 11.d3 Qa5+

12.Nc3 Rb8

You would almost expect Black to try something like 12...Qh5, but he is still worried about the White Queen at b3 and its attack on the pawn at b7.

The Rook move should give White some ideas based on GM John Nunn's warning: "LPDO, Loose Pieces Drop Off."

13.Bd2 Qb6

Another "solution" to the b7 pawn problem. That's three by my count: 9...c6, 12...Rb8 and now 13...Qb6.

It's all very reasonable, and the computer still gives Black the edge, but it is an indication that Black is uncomfortable with his position (instead of cheering himself: More than a dozen moves and I'm still better!)

14.Qa3 Ke7 15.f4 Re8

Having shored up Pb7, Black now goes about castling-by-hand to safeguard his King. That will make him feel a whole lot better. Multi-tasking will take its toll, though.

16.0-0-0 Kf8 17.Qxd6+ Kg8 18.Qxb8 Black resigned

Black can win the exchange with 18...Bg4, but that would leave him still three pawns down.