I need to spend a moment or two on a Jerome Gambit variation that has been bothering me for almost 20 years. (See "Another Way to Sacrifice the Knight" and "PSA 2.0" for a couple of rants.) A disreputable line in a disreputable opening, it keeps showing up in games. I would like to call it the Face Palm Variation.
SPOKLECHAT - anzali
5 0 blitz, FICS, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Ng5+
This line does not have a name that I am aware of. It is based on a tactical shot that may be clever, but not convincing. (I gave a warning about a decade ago in the post "Public Service Announcment".)
The Database has 568 games with the line, with White scoring 23%. The earliest games that I have (6 losses) feature TiFoZi, at FICS, in 1999. I will try to message him there, but, according to the site, the last time he visited was October 22, 2001.
I can understand that a Jerome Gambit player might try the line on a lark, especially at blitz or lightning time controls; I noticed Jerome regulars such as COMTIBoy, DragonTail, drumme, HauntedKnight, JKELSEY, majorminor, MyGameUMove, Petasluk, snthor, sTpny, superpippo, Teterow, thmavz, ZahariSokolov, and yorgos, have given it a try.
5...Qxg5
Of course.
The Database shows that this capture occurred 415 times, that is, in 73% of the games. (White scored 16%.)
6.d4
The idea: the pawn attacks Black's Bishop, while uncovering an attack on Black's Queen.
One of the reasons that White fares so poorly in this line is that White played this thematic move in less than half of the games where Black had grabbed the Knight. But, why offer the piece unless you had this surprise in store? Another way of offering "Jerome Gambit odds"? Inattention?
One downside of the whole idea is that Stockfish 11 now rates Black's advantage to be about the equivalent of two Rooks and a piece...
6...Bxd4
Out of 195 games, 16 times Black fell for this "trap". That is not very often (8% of the time after 6.d4; 3% of the games where White plays 5.Ng5+), although, when it did happen, White scored 69%.
In 147 of the games, Black played 6...Qxg2, and White still scored 11%, which is kind of amazing.
For the record, 6...Qxg2 crushes. After 7.Rf1 (best) Qxe4+ (capturing on d4 is fine, too) 8.Be3 (8.Qe2 does not provide any relief: 8...Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Nxd4+ 10.Kd1 d6 11.Be3 Bf5 11.Na3 Nf6 is gruesome) Nxd4 9.Nc3 Bb4 10.Qd3 (Stockfish 10 prefers castling-by-hand with 10.Kd2 and 11.Kc1, but, really) Bxc3+ 11.Qxc3 Nxc2+ and that should be convincing enough.
But, in the game we are looking at, Black fell down the well...
7.Bxg5 h6
Black has 2 pieces for his Queen, and might as well try his luck with 7...Bxb2, going after the enemy Rook. Things can get a little complicated after 8.Na3 Nd4, but 9.0-0 Bxa3 10.f4 puts the heat back on the Black King.
After 7...Bxb2, there is also 8.Qh5+ g6 (8...Kf8 9.Na3 Bxa3 [9...Bxa1 10.Nb5] 10.Qf3+ Ke8 11.Qxa3) 9.Qf3+ Kg7 10.Nc3 Bxa1 11.Nd5 and Black will not be able to hold onto his Rook and two piece compensation for his Queen, e.g. 11...d6 12.Bf6+ Nxf7 13.Qxf6+Kg8 14.Nxc7 and White is not only threatening to win the Rook, he threatens to move the Knight to e8 to aid in checkmate.
Again, back to the game.
8.Qf3+ Nf6 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Qh5+ Kg7
11.Nd2 Bxb2 12.Rb1 Bd4 13.Nf3 Bb6
Black has secured most of his pieces, but he has left one at risk - his King.
14.Nh4 d6
Defense is hopeless. For example, 14...Ne7, 15.Rb3 with the idea of moving over to g3.
15.Qg6+ Kf8 16.Qxf6+ Kg8 17.Ng6 Black resigned
The Rook at h8, and possibly the one at a8 as well, will soon be leaving the board.
Hats off to SPOKLECHAT, who took great risks, but also took advantage of his opportunities.
While I'm on the topic of the Jerome Gambit Declined, I thought I would dig a little deeper...
MrJoker - david2play
2 12 blitz, Internet Chess Club, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8
The Jerome Gambit Declined.
Certainly, strongest for Black was 4...Kxf7, but on rare occasions the defender decides If you want me to take the Bishop, I won't take the Bishop. That being the case in this game, the Black King is probably better off on f8 as opposed to e7.
5.Bxg8
The typical argument can otherwise ensue, where best to retreat the Bishop, d5, c4 or b3?
MrJoker's solution, of course, is playable. I will leave the discussion of 5.b3, 5.c3, 5.Nc3, 5.d3, 5.d4, 5.Nxe5, 5.Qe2, 5.0-0, 5.Ng5 and 5.Bh5 (all are in The Database) for later posts.
5... Kxg8 6.O-O
A reasonable move, played by HauntedKnight, Petasluk, shugart, Superpippo, Wall, and others, as well.
6...d6
For 6...Qf6 see Wall, Bill - Guest558953, PlayChess.com, 2017 (1-0, 15).
Looking at the diagram, you can ask yourself What does Black have for his gambitted pawn? Not very much - but he is playing his own game.
7.c3 h6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Bb4
Better to have retreated the Bishop, as White shows.
10.Qb3+ Kh7 11.d5 Ba5 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Bd2 Bb6 15.Rad1 Ba6
Black is developing, but White, as a Jerome Gambit player, must enjoy being the player with the extra piece.
16.Rfe1 Qf6 17.Be3 Ba518.Bd4 Black forfeited on time
Black's future was not bright, anyhow.
I recently encountered a 10-minute game played online at lichess.org that featured a rather unusual line of play for White in the Jerome Gambit - and to be "unusual" in such an unusual opening means that the play got complicated and messy, just the kind of thing that a Jerome Gambit player enjoys taking advantage of!
I have placed all (few) game examples from The Database in the notes, to give Readers an idea of how stressed play can become in the variation.
StatsRowan - firstrow
10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Nf6 8.Qf5+
The usual (and recommended) move is 8.Qxe5+, but White has an interesting idea in mind. In quick games "interesting" often equals "dangerous" and regularly becomes "entertaining".
8...Kf7 9.fxe5 d6
Here we have White's idea and Black's response: White's Queen stays on the f-file and pins Black's Knight, planning to win it with the pawn that has gone to e5; while Black opens up an attack on the Queen.
The alternate move of the Black d-pawn has also been seen. From The Database: 9...d5 10.Qf4 (10.exf6? Bxf5 11.exf5 Qxf6 12.Rf1 Qh4+ 13.g3 Rhe8+ 14.Kd1 Qg4+ 15.Rf3 Qxf3#, Tysonx - cmstub, FICS, 2010; 10.Qf1 dxe4?! [10...Re8!?] 11.exf6 Qxf6? 12.Qc4+ Be6 13.Qxc5 c6? 14.Rf1 Bf5 15.Nc3 Black resigned, Superpippo - Gars, FICS 2002) 10...dxe4?! 11.exf6 Bd6 12.Qe3 (12.Qh4!?) 12...gxf6 13.O-O Qe7 14.Nc3? (14.d4 exd3 15.Qxd3 +/=) 14...Bc5 White resigned, DrRai - abudhabi, FICS, 2013.
10.Qf3
Or 10.Qf4 dxe5 11.Qxe5 Bd6 12.Qd4 Bg3+ 13.hxg3 Qxd4 14.d3 Re8 15.Nc3 Bg4 16.Ne2 Bxe2 17.Kxe2 Nxe4 18.Rf1+ Nf6+ 19.Kd1 Qg4+ 20.Rf3 Re6 21.Bf4 Rae8 22.Rc1 Re1+ 23.Kd2 R8e2+ 24.Kc3 Rxc1 25.Bxc1 Rxg2 26.Rf1 Rxg3 27.Rf4 Qe6 28.b3 Qe5+ 29.Kb4 Qe1+ White resigned, unixo - nurfaza, GameKnot.com, 2008.
10...dxe5 11.Nc3 Bg4
Also seen: 11...c6 12.d3 Bb4 13.O-O Bxc3 14.bxc3 Rf8 15.Bg5 Kg8 16.d4 Qb6 17.Kh1 Nd7 18.Qg3 Rxf1+ 19.Rxf1 exd4 20.Bh6 g6 21.Qd6 Qd8 22.Qxd4 Qe7 23.h3 b5 24.e5 Bb7 25.e6 c5 26.Qxd7 Qxd7 27.exd7 Bc6 28.Rf8+ Rxf8 29.Bxf8 Bxd7 30.Bxc5 a6 31.Kg1 drawn, bobbob78 - panga74, GameKnot.com, 2008.
12.Qg3 Qd7
Or 12...Rf8 13.h3 Bh5 14.d3 Qd4 15.Rf1 Kg8 16.Bd2 Nxe4 17.Rxf8+ Rxf8 White resigned, Petasluk - Belive, FICS, 2006.
13. Qxe5 Rhe8
This routine, not-so-deeply-analyzed move brings trouble.
14.Qxc5 Nxe4 15.Qc4+ Be6 16.O-O+ Kg8 17.Qxe4 Bd5
More trouble. Possibly time problem.
18.Qxd5+ Qxd5 19.Nxd5 c6
The last slip.
20.Nc7 Black resigned
Here is another "day in the life of the Jerome Gambit" that turns into a long grind - and a win for White. The "Jerome pawns" prove strong - or at least easier to play.
ZahariSokolov - emranhamid
FICS, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8. f4 Nc6
Another solution for Black to the "Ups and Downs".
9.Qd5+
For the record, 9.e5+ shouldn't work, but did in Superpippo - MattMeister, FICS, 2002 (1-0, 60) and Ghandybh - ishahir, Chess.com 2009, (1-0, 17).
9...Ke7 10.Qxc5+ d6 11.Qg5+
Or 11.Qe3 as in perrypawnpusher - trombose, blitz, FICS, 20013, (1-0, 31).
11...Kf8 12.Qxd8+ Nxd8 13.f5 Nf6 14.d3 h6 15.Nc3 a6 16.Be3 Nc6 17.O-O-O Kf7 18.h3 Re8 19.g4 Ne5 20.g5 hxg5 21.Bxg5 Nh7 22.h4 Bd7 23.Nd5 c6
Black has been lulled into passivity - and error.
24.Nc7 Rac8 25.Nxe8 Rxe8 26.Bf4 Kf6 27.Rdg1 Kf7 28.Bxe5 dxe5 29.Rg6 Nf6 30.Rhg1 Rg8 31.Kd2 Nh5 32.R1g5 Nf4 33.Rd6 Ke7 34.Rxd7+
It was not necessary to return the exchange at this time.
34...Kxd7 35.f6 g6 36.Rxe5 Rf8 37.Re7+ Kd6 38.e5+ Kd5 39.c4+ Kd4 40.Rd7+ Kxe5 41.f7 Ke6 42.Rxb7 Rxf7 43.Rb6 Rd7 44.Rxc6+ Rd6 45.Rxd6+ Kxd6 46.d4 Kc6
White has played his advantage into a position where he is worse - but that assessment is based upon Black's ability to show that his Knight is more than equal to three pawns. (The Black Knight should attack and win the h-pawn.)
47.b3 a5 48.a3 Ne6 49.Ke3 Kd6 50.Ke4 Nf8 51.b4 axb4 52.axb4 Nd7 53.b5 Nf6+ 54.Kf4 Ke6 55.Kg5 Kf7 56.b6 Ne4+ 57.Kf4 Nd6 58.c5 Nc8 59.b7 Black resigned
If Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, the creator of the Jerome Gambit, ever dreamed of an exciting game, it might very well have looked like the following one.
Wall,B - Guest1157782
playchess.com, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Ng6
The kind of move - withdrawing a piece from attack - that someone unfamiliar with the Jerome Gambit might make quickly. (Best was 7...Qf6).
My guess is that at this point Bill got out his psychic micrometer, measured the apparent depth of his opponent's experience with (or understanding of) the opening, and chose a line of play that was most efficacious against an unschooled or uneasy opponent.
8.f5+
Also seen:
8.Qf5+ as in Idealist - pvm, FICS, 2003 (1-0, 42), Petasluk - jackla, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 31), and Petasluk - popasile, FICS 2011 (0-1, 35);
8.Qxc5 as in Permanence - Pianisimo, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 17) and Permanence - jgknight, FICS, 2008 (0-1,38); and
8.Qd5+ as in Siggus - svetma, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 36).
All of these games can be found in The Database.
8...Kd6
Or 8...Ke5, which led to a quick win for White in Superpippo - HarryPaul, FICS 2001 (1-0, 15).
9.fxg6 Kc6
Instead, Black had to fight back with 9...Nf6.
10.Qd5+ Kb6 11.Qb3+ Kc6
Surprisingly enough, Black's King can escape with 11...Ka6 - if he keeps his wits about him. Sure, White can then win back a piece with 12.Qc4+ b5 13.Qxc5, but after the counter-attack 13...Qh4+!? Black can get his Queen over to protect His Majesty, e.g. 14.Kf1 Qxe4 (Black could also try 14...Ne7 with the idea of 15...Rf8+)15.d3 Qc6 when 16.Qxc6 dxc6 17.gxh7 gives White a small advantage, according to Houdini 3.
12.Nc3 hxg6
Now White finishes things off.
13.Qd5+ Kb6 14.Na4+ Ka5 15.b4+ Kxa4 16.Qb3+ Kb5 17.a4+ Kc6 18.Qd5+ Kb6 19.Qxc5+ Ka6 20.Qa5 checkmate
The following game illustrates the Number One "winning strategy" for the Jerome Gambiteer, what I like to call "Lose Slowly"; to which my son Jon, no stranger to the Jerome added, "Give your opponent time to make a mistake."
perrypawnpusher - trombose
blitz, FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nc6
This is one of a number of ways for Black to return a piece (see "Chances", "Follow Your Friends", "No Need to Get a Big Head" and "Charlatan" for others), that, while not "best", still leaves him with an advantage.
9.Qd5+
This move is an improvement over 9.e5+, which was seen in Superpippo - MattMeister, FICS, 2002 (1-0, 60) and Ghandybh - ishahir, Chess.com, 2009 (1-0, 17), the only precedents for 8...Nc6 in The Database.
9...Ke7 10.Qxc5+ d6 11.Qe3
After the game, Houdini 3 suggested 11.Qf2 as another way of retreating the Queen.
11...Nf6 12.O-O Rf8 13.e5
Probably premature.
13...Ng4 14.exd6+ Kxd6
15.Qa3+ Kd7 16.Nc3
I tend to get lost in these nebulous positions. After the game, Houdini 3 suggested 16.h3 Nf6 17.Rf3!? with the kind of attacking ideas your can find in Bill Wall's games.
16...Qe7
A Queen exchange will blunt White's "attack", and there is little that I can do - so I try to ignore it. Curiously, for a while, so does my opponent.
17.Qa4 Qb4 18.h3 Nf6 19.b3 Qd4+ 20.Kh1
As will be seen, 20.Kh2 was more prudent.
20...a6 21.Bb2 Qxa4 22.Nxa4 Nb4
23.c4
More to the point was the tactical skirmish, 23.Ba3 a5 24.c3 Ne4 25.Rfe1 Rxf4 26.cxb4 axb4 27.Bxb4 Nf2+ 28.Kg1 Nxh3+ 29.gxh3
Rxb4, when Black would have a slight edge.
23...b6 24 d4 Nd3 25.Bc3 Nh5 26.Bd2
Focusing on trapping Black's Knight, I overlooked the loss of the exchange.
26...Ng3+ 27.Kg1 Nxf1 28.Rxf1 c5
Instead, 28...Bb7, which must have been on Black's mind (perhaps he was spending too much time wondering what I was up to, or how he was going to retrieve his Knight), would have steadied his winning game - a Rook up.
29.Rf3
Correct was 29.Nxb6+, as White actually needs his Bishop to help his own Knight escape, when Black's edge would be minimal.
Both my opponent and I were suffering from "nerves" at this point.
29...Nb4 30.Bxb4
Same criticism as above: 30.Nxb6+ was a better move, and winning.
30...cxb4 31.Nxb6+ Black resigned
Black must have been discouraged, seeing himself drop the exchange, as I had, earlier. The fact is, after 31...Kc6 32.Nxa8 Kb7 (or 32...Bf5) Black will gather in White's Knight, and, with a piece for three pawns, the game would be dynamically equal.
I decided to have ChessBase8 give me an Opening Report on the Jerome Gambit, based on The Database. I got a whole lot of information, and I was only dealing with the first few moves...
Opening report
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
9062 games in 'TheDatabase'
b) 4...Kf8
207 games, 2000-2012,
Black scores averagely (44%).
Elo-Ø: 1353, 193 games. Performance = Elo 1304
played by: blackburne, 1778, 2/2; Talwhu, 1722, 1/1; PatOrMat, 1685, 1/1; Rolmx, 1683, 0/1; vilinar, 1666, 1/1
You should play: 5.Nc3
AAlekhine (1586) - blackburne (1795)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Nc3 d6 6.d3 Kxf7 7.Ng5+ Kf8 8.Qf3+ Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.0-0 Nd4 11.Be3 Nxc2 12.Rad1 Bxe3 13.Nf3 Bg4 14.h3 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Bf4 16.a3 Nd4 17.Kg2 Ke7 18.Rg1 g5 19.Kf1 Nxf3 20.Rg2 Rhg8 21.Nd5+ Nxd5 22.exd5 h5 23.h4 Nxh4 24.Rg1 g4 25.d4 Nf3 26.Rg2 h4 27.Ke2 Nxd4+ 28.Kd3 h3 29.Rgg1 h2 30.Rh1 g3 31.fxg3 Rxg3+ 32.Kc4 Rb3 33.Rxd4 exd4 34.Kxb3 d3 35.Kc3 d2 36.Kc2 Kf6 37.Kd1 Re8 38.b4 Re1+ 39.Rxe1 dxe1Q+ 40.Kxe1 h1Q+ 41.Kf2 Qe4 42.a4 Qe3+ 43.Kg2 Ke5 44.b5 Ke4 45.a5 Qf3+ 46.Kg1 Qe2 47.b6 Kxd5 48.bxa7 Be3+ 49.Kh1 Bxa7 50.a6 b6 51.Kg1 Ke4 52.Kh1 Kf3 53.Kg1 Qg2# 0-1
Plejade - erch
ChessWorld.net, 2003
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Nc3 Kxf7 6.Nd5 Nge7 7.Nxe7 Qxe7 8.d3 Rf8 9.Be3 Kg8 10.Bxc5 Qxc5 11.Qd2 Nb4 12.c3 Nc6 13.d4 exd4 14.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.0-0 Nc6 16.Rfd1 Ne5 17.Qd5+ Qxd5 18.exd5 Nc4 19.g3 Nxb2 20.Rd4 b5 21.d6 cxd6 22.Rxd6 Rf6 23.Rxf6 Nd3 24.Rd1 gxf6 25.Rxd3 Kf8 26.Rd6 Kf7 27.f4 a5 28.Rb6 Ba6 29.h4 d5 30.g4 b4 31.cxb4 d4 32.b5 d3 33.bxa6 Rd8 34.Rb1 Ke6 35.f5+ Ke5 36.Kf1 Kd4 37.Ke1 Ke3 38.Kd1 Kd4 39.Kd2 Rc8 40.Rb5 Rc2+ 41.Kd1 Rxa2 42.a7 Ra1+ 43.Kd2 Ra2+ 44.Kd1 Kc3 45.Rc5+ Kd4 46.Rc6 Ke3 47.a8Q Rd2+ 48.Ke1 Rg2 49.Rc3 Rg1# 0-1
Alternative: 5.Bxg8
drewbear (1718) - BrainFreeze (1685)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d3 d5 7.Ng5 dxe4 8.Nxh7+ Ke8 9.Qh5+ Ke710.Bg5+ Kd6 11.Bxd8 Nxd8 12.Qg6+ Kd5 13.Nf6+ 1-0
SIRMO (1798) - AAlekhine (1625)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.c3 Qf6 7.d3 d6 8.a4 Ke8 9.Bg5 Qg6 10.h4 h6 11.h5 Qe6 12.Bd2 Bd7 13.b4 Bxf2+ 14.Kxf2 Rf8 15.Rh3 Ke7 16.Be3 Rae8 17.b5 Na5 18.Nbd2 Kd8 19.Ke2 Kc8 20.c4 g5 21.Nh2 Qf6 22.Rf3 Qe6 23.Qf1 g4 24.Rxf8 g3 25.Rxe8+ Bxe8 26.Nhf3 Bxh5 27.Qh1 Qf7 28.Qh3+ Kb8 29.Qxg3 b6 30.Bxh6 Nb7 31.Qg7 Qxg7 32.Bxg7 Nc5 33.a5 Ne6 34.Bf6 Nf4+ 35.Kf1 Nxd3 36.axb6 cxb6 37.Be7 Kc8 38.Bxd6 Kd7 39.Nxe5+ Nxe5 40.Bxe5 Ke6 41.Bc7 Kd7 42.Rxa7 Kc8 43.Bxb6 Kb8 44.c5 Bd1 45.Nc4 Bb3 46.Nd6 Bc2 47.Rd7 1-0
Superpippo (1597) - TajniDobrovoljci (1607)
FICS rated blitz game, 2001
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Kxg8 6.0-0 d6 7.c3 Bg4 8.d4 exd4 9.Qb3+ Kf8 10.Nxd4 Bxd4 11.cxd4 b6 12.Be3 Qf6 13.Nd2 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Qxd4 15.Nf3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3+ Ke7 17.Rad1 Qf6 18.e5 Qxf3 19.exd6+ cxd6 20.Rfe1+ Kf7 21.gxf3 Rhd8 22.Re4 d5 23.Rh4 h6 24.Kg2 Rd7 25.f4 Rad8 26.Kf3 Re7 27.Rh5 d4 28.Re5 d3 29.Ke3 d2 30.Rxd2 Rxd2 31.Kxd2 Rxe5 32.fxe5 g5 33.Ke3 Ke6 34.Ke4 h5 35.f4 gxf4 36.Kxf4 a5 37.a4 Kd5 38.Kf5 Kc4 39.e6 Kb3 40.e7 Kxa4 41.e8Q+ Kb3 42.Qe2 Kb4 43.Qc2 b5 44.Qc3+ Ka4 45.Qa3# 1-0
drewbear (1718) - karmmark (1387)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 11.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 1-0
LSS (1875) - KaptKoca (1614)
FICS server game, rated blitz match, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.0-0 d6 7.d3 h6 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.Kh1 Ke8 11.g4 Bf7 12.Nh2 Rf8 13.f4 exf4 14.Rxf4 Ne5 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.Rxf8+ Kxf8 17.exd5 Qh4 18.Qf1+ Kg8 19.Qg2 Rf8 20.b4 Bb6 21.Bb2 Rf2 22.d4 Rxg2 23.Kxg2 Nc4 24.Bc3 Ne3+ 25.Kh1 Qxh3 26.Rg1 Nxc2 27.Bb2 Nxd4 28.Bxd4 Bxd4 29.Rg2 Be5 30.a4 Bxh2 31.Rxh2 Qxg4 32.b5 Qxa4 0-1
Superpippo (1678) - raffa (1406)
FICS rated blitz game, 2002
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d4 exd4 7.c3 Qf6 8.cxd4 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.0-0 d6 11.Nc3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qxc3 13.Bg5 g6 14.Rc1 Qe5 15.f4 Qxe4 16.Re1 Qf5 17.Rxc7 Rg7 18.Qxd6+ 1-0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
c) 4...Ke7
33 games, 1999-2011,
Black scores badly (29%).
Elo-Ø: 1287, 31 games. Performance = Elo 1125
played by: agno, 1607, 0/1; MRKumar, 1602, 0/1; AAlekhine, 1601, 1/2; Brown, 1552, 1/1; Bucephale, 1528, 0/1
You should play: 5.Nxe5
Nesseerd (1111) - nontheist (1291)
FICS server game, rated blitz match, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Ke7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Bd5 c6 7.Qh5 Ng6 8.Qe5+ Nxe5 0-1
I have been trying for peaceful, not frenetic, Jerome Gambit games, slowly and steadily progressing toward victory. The following game is a good model for me. White gathers "small advantages" and calmly moves toward victory. But then...
Petasluk - krausepeter
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.f4 g6
Black mixes up defensive systems -- or something. The Database shows 9 wins for White against 0 losses prior to this game. 7...Qf6 or 6...d6 would have been fine for Black.
8.Qxe5+
Here Black resigned in Petasluk - Meshu, FICS. 2011, played about a week earlier.
Superpippo has played, and gotten away with 8.f5+ in Superpippo-vacaboja, FICS, 2002 (1-0, 37) and 8.Qh3+ in Superpippo-ustad, FICS, 2002 (1-0, 34), but those moves are not to be recommended.
8...Kf7 9.Qd5+
There are nudges and then there are nudges... Actually, 9.Qxh8 was a little better, as in Ghandybh-duboak, Chess.com, 2009 (1-0, 16).
9.Qxc5 was also playable, as in grobnic - vallabhan, GameKnot.com, 2004 (1-0, 24).
9...Ke8 10.Qxc5 d6 11.Qd4 Nf6 12.0-0 Qe7
White is a comfortable two pawns up. There is no need for an immediate "bashi-bazouk attack", as calm development will do.
13.Nc3 Rf8 14.d3 c5 15.Qe3 Ng4
If anyone, Black could heed the advice not to attack prematurely.
16.Qf3 h5 17.h3 Ne5 18.Qg3 h4 19.Qe3 Nc6 20.Bd2 Be6 21.Rae1 Kd7
Both sides have developed, and Black's King has found some shelter, but the story remains the same: a comfortable advantage for White.
22.a3 Rg8 23.e5 d5
Black keeps the position closed, but now White has a protected passed pawn. For now the e-pawn is blockaded, but it remains another advantage to be realized in the future.
24.Qf2
Setting his eyes on the Black pawn at h4.
Instead, Rybka 3 recommended for White the involved pawn sacrifice on the Queenside, 24.Nb5 b6 25.c4 hoping to open attacking lines against Black's King.
It's not hard to side with Petasluk's choice. Besides, he is rated higher than his opponent, and might want to let him come up with the "brilliant" ideas.
24...Raf8 25.Nd1
Perhaps White was thinking of following this up with c2-c3 and d3-d4, erecting a center wall?
In any event, danger for him is brewing on the Kingside, and White needs to strike first, as Rybka 3 points out: 25.b4 g5 26.bxc5 gxf4 27.Rb1 Kc8 28.Nb5 Bxh3 29.Nd6+ Kb8 30.Rxb7+ Qxb7 31.Nxb7 Rxg2+ 32.Qxg2 Bxg2 33.Rb1 Bh3 34.Nd6+ Ka8 35.Nb5 a6 36.Nc7+ Ka7 37.Kh2 Bg4 38.Nxd5 Nxe5 39.Bxf4 Nf3+ 40.Kg2 Whew! That's a lot to figure out in a blitz game.
25...g5
This is what Black has been aiming for. Now White has to counter-punch and mix it up; there is no more "peaceful".
26.c4 gxf4 27.Bxf4 Bxh3 28.e6+ Kd8
29.Ne3 Bxg2 30.Nxd5
In the smoke of the battle, White goes astray. Clearly time was short for him, and attacking the enemy Queen is in general a good strategy, but here there was a discovered check to deal with.
Rybka 3's suggestion lets the air out of the position, almost like each army consuming the other, with a draw as the result: 30.Nxg2 h3 31.Qe3 hxg2 32.Rf2 Qh7 33.Rxg2 Rxg2+ 34.Kxg2 dxc4 35.dxc4 Ke8 36.Bg3 Qc2+ 37.Qe2 Qxe2+ 38.Rxe2 Rg8 39.Kh3 Nd4 40.Re4 Rg6 41.e7 Nf3 42.Bf4 Ng5+ 43.Bxg5 Rxg5.
Both White's steady peaceful build-up and Black's savagery in counter-attacking would thus have been "rewarded".30...Bxd5+ 31.Kh2 Rg2+ 32.Qxg2 Bxg2 33.Kxg2 Rg8+ 34.Kh3 Nd4 35.Be3 Ke8
Here White forfeited on time.
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
