Jerome Gambit: Believe in Me

It is great if we can analyze every move in a chess game deep enough to be certain that it is the best, but the chess clock puts limits on that ability. One way we "cheat" and move quickly without a deep look into the position is by believing that our opponent's ideas and threats are real - because, after all, he looked deeply into the position, too, right? As a result, attacker and defender can both dance by stronger lines of play that only reveal themselves in the post mortem. This is especially true in blitz play.

Kurtenkov - Carlos100S
3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4

An excellent, attacking response.

7.O-O d6

The more aggressive 7...Ng4 was seen in Sorensen,S - X, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27), the first game with 6...Qh4 that I have in The Database.

8.dxe5 dxe5

Three-minute blitz games require quick decisions. After positioning his Queen actively, Black suddenly decides to return a piece and balance out the pawn structures. This costs him both strategically and tactically.

 9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qxc5 Ne7

11.Qxc7 Rac8 12.Qxe5 Rxc2 13.Nc3 Rf8 14.Bg5 Qh5 

15.Qg3 Ng6 16.Rab1 Kg8 17.Qd3 Qxg5 18.Qxc2 Bh3

White is ahead the exchange and a couple of pawns, but Black continues to fight.

19.f4 Nxf4 20.Rxf4 Rxf4

Even as the material leaves the board, tactics remain crucial.

21.Rf1

It was time for the safety move, 21.Kh1.

21...Rxf1+

In turn, 21...Bxg2 was sharper, but, if White believes the Rooks need to come off the board, then maybe they need to come off..

22.Kxf1 Qf4+ 23.Kg1 Qe3+ 24.Qf2 Qc1+ 25.Qf1 

It looks like Black will settle for a draw by repetition. He has clawed back almost into contention, but White's extra, passed pawn is still a concern.

25...Qxb2 

He sees that now 26.gxh3 Qxc3 would disrupt White's pawns, giving Black the slightest of edges. But - he overlooks his opponent's next move.

26.Qc4+ Kf8 27.gxh3 Qc1+ 

Counting on the openness of White's Kingside to pursue that draw.

28.Kg2 

White believes in his opponent. Instead, 28.Qf1+ would force the exchange of Queens and White would be winning.

28...Qg5+ 29.Kf3 Qh5+ 30.Kf4 Qh4+ 31.Ke3 Qxh3+ 32.Kd4 Qd7+ 

33.Nd5 b5 34.Qc7 Qe8 35.Qd6+ Kg8 36.Qe7 Qb8 37.Qe6+ Kh8 38.e5 b4

In this battle of the pawns, White will win.

39.Qc6 a5 40.e6 Qa7+ 41.Ke4 Qb8 42.e7 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Return to the Literary Digest

In mid-1900, Alonzo Wheeler Jerome convinced the chess columnist for the Literary Digest to start a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) consultation game involving the magazine's readers. The tale of this match was told on this blog in "A Jerome Discovery (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5)".

I found myself returning to the last of Jerome's suggestions, which I had reported without comment.

The game had proceeded this far -

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 7.0-0 Ng4 8.h3 Bd6 

This position was seen as far back as Sorensen - NN, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27).

9.f4 h5

At this point, the Literary Digest continued (descriptive notation changed to algebraic)

Mr. Jerome suggests White's 9th move instead of e5, and writes: "This looks like a sure move for White." Black has, in reply, two moves: ...Nh6, saving the piece, or ...h5. We prefer the latter, as it is evident that Black [sic: it should read White] can not play hxg4.

I have to admit that Jerome was not at his sharpest in "improving" upon Sorensen's play. (According to The Database, 9.f4 is a novelty.)

For starters, the chess columnist at the Literary Digest was correct, that 10.hxg4 was unplayable, as, after 10...hxg4, Black would be threatening 11...g3 with checkmating threats that would cost White his Queen, unless he played the best (but still inadequate) 11.Re1 - the immediate 11...g3 would be strong, while developing moves such as 11...Nf6 or 11...b6 (preparing ...Ba6, covering the escape square f1) would be even stronger.

White would have to answer 9...h5 with 10.Qd3 (keeping the enemy Queen out of g3) when some caution by Black, such as 10...Bf8 or 10...N4h6 should allow him to eventually take advantage of his two-pieces-for-two-pawns material imbalance.

Of course, Black's alternative line of play, 9...N4h6, also allows him to hang onto material, and as long as he avoids opening lines for White's Rook, his advantage should tell.

Kicking the enemy Bishop with 9.e5, as in the Sorensen game, seems best for White, although Black should retreat his Bishop with 9...Be7 (a novelty, according to The Database) - not return it for pawns, as Sorensen's opponent did, with 9...Bxe5. White can then grab the Knight with 10.hxg4, and side-step the thematic 10...h5 with 11.g5, but his game will still be worse after 11...Qg4 (not 11...Bxg5, because of 12.g3!?, which will cost Black the Bishop.

Jerome Gambit: Looking Deeper

Jerome Gambit games played at bullet speed - one minute, no increment - are fun to watch or play over. They are a testament to those players who have a deep understanding of the needs of difficult positions, and who can see tactics in an eyeblink.

At the same time, I enjoy games played at a slower speed. They often produce solutions to different opening problems - or create new issues. The following game is a challenging example.

Wall, Bill - NN
Florida, 2019

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4

This is what I have called a "pie in the face" variation, one of the toughest challenges to the 6.d4 lines in the Jerome Gambit. It first appeared in Sorensen - X, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27).

While "objectively" strong for Black, 6...Qh4 leads to complicated play for both sides. This is illustrated by The Database - there are 2,018 games with the position after White's 6th move, with White scoring 55%. However, there are only 285 games (14%) with 6...Qh4, and in them White scores an improved 67%. These results, in part, may reflect White's familiarity with the opening and a taste for tactics that led him to play the Jerome Gambit in the first place.

Of note, Bill has faced 6...Qh4 38 times, and scored 88%. That may seem daunting for the defender, but Bill has scored 93% in all of his 6.d4 games, so 6...Qh4 has been one of the more relatively effective defenses against him.

7.O-O Ng4

Black is happy to play for checkmate.

8.h3 Bd6

Cold-blooded: White can not now take the Knight with his pawn, as that would lead to checkmate; while taking with the Queen would lead to an exchange of Queens, and the typical piece-for-two-pawns advantage (not to mention the end of White's attack).

9.e5 Nxe5

Giving the piece back, after all, for two pawns; this may have been part of Black's plan. Stockfish 10 suggests, instead, 9...Be7 10.hxg4 d6, which seems to clash with Black's "scientific" approach. However, the Kings now reverse roles, as White's becomes safer, while Black's is more at risk. 

10.dxe5 Bxe5 11.Qd5+ Kf6

Black has to try to hold on to his Bishop. Unsuccessful was 11...Kf8 seen in Wall,Bill - Mecnieri, PlayChess.com, 2018 (1-0, 23).

12.Re1

Bill was 5 - 0 with this move previously, and wins again, this game. Next time, though, he might try a suggestion of Stockfish 10, 12.Nd2 (intending Nf3). Why? Follow along in the notes.

12...d6 13.Rxe5

Nice.

A year ago, Bill's choice of moves was not as strong, although he still won: 13.Re4 Qh5 14.f4 Ne7 15.fxe5+ dxe5 16.Qd3 Bf5 17.Nc3 Rad8 18.Qf1 Rhf8 19.g4 Qg6 20.Kh2 Ke6 21.gxf5+ Rxf5 22.Qc4+ Nd5 23.Rg4 Qf7 24.Ne4 h6 25.Bd2 Ke7 26.Rag1 g5 27.Qc5+ Ke8 28.Qxa7 Nf4 29.Qxb7 Ne2 30.Qb5+ Black resigned, Wall,Bill -Guest3836682, PlayChess.com, 2018.

13...dxe5 14.Qd8+ Ne7 15.Qxh8

Three years ago, an opponent now tried 15...Qe4, and ran into trouble and lost, in Wall,Bill - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 25).

The same year, another defender tried 15...Kf7, but quickly lost his way, and, then, the game, in Wall, Bill - NN, lichess.org, 2016, (1-0, 37). He had a resource, but he was not the only one to overlook it.

Sami, at lichess.org, had the right idea against Bill, earlier this year, and uncorked 15...Bxh3!?, a Rook sacrifice which brings to mind Blackburne's famous play back in 1884. Fortunately for Bill, the game continued 16.Qxa8 Bc8? and Black staggered on a Rook down, for a while, eventually being checkmated.

The proper followup was 16...Bxg2!?, when 17.Kxg2 would allow Black to draw by repetition, starting with 17...Qg4+. Okay, a draw is not as good as Blackburne's scintillating win with Black, but it still would have been a game to brag about at the club.

Likewise, after 15...Kf7, by NN, as mentioned above, if White were to play 16.Nd2 or 16.Qd8, his only two moves to avoid a losing position, the proper (drawing) response for Black would be 16...Bxh3.

Of course, all of this is based on the idea that Black - having been gifted with two pieces - would suddenly pursue a drawing line. Psychologically, that might be very difficult.

15...Qh5 

Black treats the position casually, threatening a check at d1 and a possible fork of King and Bishop.

16.Qf8+

This is a novelty, according to The Database.

Previously, Bill had met Black's threat with 16.Nc3 in Wall,Bill - Itboss, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 20).

16...Ke6 17.Nc3 c6

Black passes up the safer 17...Qf7, with the hope of exchanging Queens.

18.Ne4

At first, this move doesn't look like much, but it is crushing. It is horribly ironic that the only line, now, that doesn't lead to checkmate, is the surrender of that Rook: 18...Bd7 19.Qxa8; but, of course, Black would still be lost.

18...b6 19.Bg5 Kd5 20.Qd8+ Kxe4 21.Qd3 checkmate

Brutal.

Jerome Gambit: Beware the Refutation

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is an opening with many refutations. That said, it is still necessary for the opponent to play out the line to a win. After all, it is not likely that White will see one strong move, and then resign...

In the following game, the "refutation" leads to a win in 13 moves - for White.

Wall, Bill - Guest15060744
PlayChess.com, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 

This is Black's strongest response to 6.d4. Bill has faced it 39 time, scoring 83%. 

7.O-O Ng4

The Database has 280 games with this move (White scores 67%), starting with Sorensen - X, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27).

8.h3 Nxf2 

Black sacrifices to break up White's King's shelter - but he overlooks his own King's safety.

9.Rxf2+ Nf6 10.dxc5 Kg8 

The monarch ducks out of the Rook's pin on his Knight. Alas, the Knight can not move, anyhow, as it would lead toward Qd5 checkmate.

11.e5 d5 12.cxd6 Ne4 13.Qd5+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Previously, In the Precomputer Era

!!!!!

Wandering the internet the other day, I ran across a Russian language chess site that teased

Previously, in the precomputer era, often against obviously weaker rivals, we played like this: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7 +?

My computer offered to translate the site to English, and I found it lots of fun.

(There is a link to this web site, as well as lichess.org.)

There is also some cogent advice

...Indeed, the dynamic capabilities of the position are a lot of trouble for Black.Therefore, it is useful to play this beginning against the engine both for whites and blacks - this will definitely contribute to the growth of tactical skill. 

The author has done his homework. The infamous game NN - Blackburne, of course, is given, but there is also with Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875; Lowe - Cudmore, corr, 1881; Keeble - Cubitt, Norwich, 1886; Sorensen - X,  Denmark, 1888; and even Wall - Bison engine, 2015. 

It is well worth a visit.

Jerome Gambit: My Opponent Knows What He Is Doing (Part 1)

While it looks like I am headed for a 3rd place finish (out of 6) in the 3rd round of the "Italian Battleground" tournament at Chess.com, I will at least have some Jerome Gambit tales to tell from the experience.

I have already shared my 3rd round game perrypawnpusher - Abhishek29, "Italian Battleground", Chess.com, 2019 (1-0, 35) - my second win in this tournament against that opponent, having defeated him in in Round 1 - see perrypawnpusher - Abhishek29, "Italian Battleground", Chess.com, 2019 (1-0, 19).

The current game is a rematch with an opponent that I faced in Round 2 - see perrypawnpusher - warwar, "Italian Battleground", Chess.com, 2019 (1-0, 39). I was a bit concerned, the way "real" chessplayers are concerned about "real" chess openings: how much had he learned about the Jerome Gambit in the meantime?

It turned out to be an interesting battle between the "Jerome pawns" and the defender's extra piece, but, most of all, between someone who had prepared the opening and someone who had to improvise in the middlegame and endgame.

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

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

When the game was over, the Chess.com site offered to do a quick computer analysis. Not surprisingly, this move was labelled a blunder.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

warwar adopts the Jerome Defense, first suggested by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in his analysis in an article in the Dubuque Chess Journal of July, 1874. It was first played in Jaeger - Jerome, correspondence, 1880 (1-0, 40).

Interestingly enough, Abhishek29 was playing the same defense against me in the same round, too. My record, at that point, against the line was 25 - 6 - 3, a decent 78% score.

7.Qxe5 d6

As I wrote in the article that I had prepared for Kaissiber (unfortunately, never published)

The defenses 6…Kf8 and 6…Ng6 have had their supporters and detractors, depending on how each evaluated the alternatives – was it better to hold onto a little material and avoid complications, or to enter them confidently, knowing that they would turn the game even more in your favor? 

Jerome (DCJ 7/1874) first suggested 6…Kf8. He followed it with 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qf4+ Nf6 9.c3 Kf7 10.d4 Bb6 11.e5 dxe5 12.dxe5 Re8 13.0-0 Kg8 14.exf6 Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Bh6 “and White has a pawn ahead.” (Actually, the game is even; but Jerome missed that earlier his 11.e5 was premature, as after the pawn exchange 12…Qd3 would be crushing – Paul Keiser, personal communication. The alternative 8…Ke8 was seen in 5 games in the Yetman – Farmer 2008 match.) 

As Sorensen (NS 5/1877) did not mention 6…Kf8, it was not touched upon by other writers until Freeborough and Rankin (COAM, 1889) suggested that it led to a safe game for Black, giving the line 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf5+ Ke8 9.Nc3 d6 10.Qf3 Qf7 (or 10...Nf6!) 11.Qe2 Nh6 (or 11...Ne7 or 11...Nf6) with “a superior position or game” to Black. 

A hundred years after Jerome, Harding, in his Counter Gambits (1974), varied, after 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qf4+ Nf6 with 9.d3 Kg8 10.Nc3 Qe8 11.Be3 Bb4 12.0-0 Be6 13.Ne2 Qh5 14.Nd4 Bd7 15.c3 Bc5, advantage to Black. His comment in The Italian Game (1977) was that after 7…d6, White was left “without genuine compensation for his piece.” He sagely recommended the 6…Kf8 line as “other lines would allow White to attack the exposed black king or to win back the sacrificed material.”

8.Qg3 

I experimented with Jerome's 8.Qf4+ in perrypawnpusher - Capt. Mandrake, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic tournament, ChessWorld.com, 2008 (1-0, 9) and perrypawnpusher - LeeBradbury, "Italian Game" Thematic, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 36).

I also tried 8.Qc3 in perrypawnpusher - Raankh, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 22).

There is not much difference in the strength between these two moves and the text, or even 8.Qh5, if Stockfish 9 is to be believed.

8...Nf6 9.Nc3 Kf7 

Abhishek29 chose 9...Be6 in our Round 3 game.

Years ago, perrypawnpusher - klixar, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33) continued 9...Ng4.

perrypawnpusher - truuf, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 32) continued with the text move.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: In the Meantime

When the third round games in the "Italian Battleground" tournament at Chess.com began to wind down (two left to complete, one a Jerome Gambit) I went looking for action in the "Italian Game Classic" tournament on the same site.

Round 1, Group 2 matched me with 4 other players - and I was able to construct a Jerome. I admit that I benefitted from giving "Jerome Gambit odds", as well as from my opponent's quick moves, despite the 3 days/move time control. Still, the game had its moments, especially the "throw in the kitchen sink" ending.  

perrypawnpusher - Al-der
Italian Game Classic, Chess.com, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

As I posted about this move, some time ago

As early as his first article with analysis (Dubuque Chess Journal 4/1874), Alonzo Wheeler Jerome considered the possibility that Black might refuse to capture the second piece, and play for King safety instead with 5...Kf8.  

This was, in fact, the defense that Jerome, himself, credited to G. J. Dougherty, ("a strong amateur, against whom I first played the opening") of Mineola, New York, in a yet unfound game; that O.A. Brownson, editor of the Dubuque Chess Journal, played against Jerome in an 1875 game (Dubuque Chess Journal3/1875); that magazine editor William Hallock used against D.P. Norton in an 1876 correspondence game played “by special request” to test the gambit (American Chess Journal 2/1877); that William Carrington tried in his 1876 match vs Mexican Champion Andres Clemente Vazquez (Algunas Partidas de Ajedrez Jugadas en Mexico, 1879); and which Lt. Soren Anton Sorensen recommended as “more solid and easier to manage” in his seminal Jerome Gambit essay (Nordisk Skaktidende 5/1877). 

As I noted: early in the Jerome's Gambit's life, there were players willing to accept one "gift", but who were skeptical of accepting two "gifts".

6.Nxc6

Probably the strongest move, although Bill Wall has experimented with 6.0-0!?, intending to meet 6...Nxe5 with 7.d4.

The Banks Variation, 6.Qh5!?, has scored 18-20-1, but is well met by 6...Qe7!?. See "Jerome Gambit Secrets #4".

6...dxc6

The better pawn capture, as 6...bxc6 would allow 7.d4, right away.

7.O-O

I considered both this move and 7.d3, and decided that castling was going to be necessary, in any event, while, perhaps, it wasn't yet time to give up on the opportunity to play d2-d4. My judgement was almost immediately rewarded.

7...Qh4 8.d4 Bg4 

Played quickly, probably with the idea that you don't always have to defend against an opponent's threat if you can come up with a greater threat. In this case, however, Black has overlooked a resource that White has.

9.f3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3+ Qf6 11.Qd3 

Black's game has come off the rails, quickly.

11...Qxf1+ 12.Kxf1 Rd8 13.Qf3+ Ke8 14.dxc5 Ne7

White has a Queen, Bishop and pawn for a Rook, but he still needs to be careful.

15.Kg1 Rf8 16.Qe2 Ng6 17.Nc3 b5 18.Bg5 Rd7 19.Rd1 Ne5

White's pieces are developed. Now it is time to put them to use: nothing subtle, just throw the pieces at him, especially the Queen and Bishop.

20.Qh5+ g6 21.Qh3 Rff7 22.Qe6+ Kf8 23.Bh6+ Rg7 24.Rf1+ Rdf7 25.Qc8+ Ke7 26.Bg5+ Black resigned

The finish would have been 26...Rf6 27.Bxf6+ Kf7 28.Bg5+ Nf3+ 29.Rxf3 checkmate.