Jerome Gambit: Questions

The Jerome Gambit gives rise to many questions. A few are examined in the following game.

Wall, Bill - Guest4660121
PlayChess.com, 2018

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Nf6 

Black has so many ways to return some of the sacrificed material. This cold-blooded focus on development has been looked at before, as it is quite playable, and White needs to keep his wits about himself.

What a great way to surprise the attacker (except, in this case, White has been there, seen that.)

7.dxe5 Bxf2+ 

What Jerome Gambit player hasn't been the recipient of one of the many return Bishop sacrifices? Sometimes the gift is chosen after analysis of the position, sometimes it is chosen after psycho-analysis of the player.

Instead of stretching for a surprise, however, the defender might simply work on playing a strong move. Indeed, 7...Qe8 or 7...Qe7 should be looked at, according to Stockfish. Neither can be found in The Database. (Hmmm... Are those moves included in the "Jerome Gambit Secrets" series?)

The thoughtful 7...Nxe4 was seen, for example, in Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016}(1-0, 16) and Wall, B - TenAndOnly10, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 21).

8.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 9.Kg1 

Instead, 9.Ke1 Qh4+!? was seen in Wall,B - Guest371494, PlayChess.com, 2018, (1-0, 21) ("Interesting, but it doesn't work" says Bill.)

9...d5 

Or 9...Rf8 as in Wall,B - Guest902091, PlayChess.com, 2017 (1-0, 17) and Wall,B -Guest7889049, PlayChess.com, 2018 (1-0, 12) 

10.Qf3+ Ke8 

The alternative, 10...Kg6, is about equally strong, although Black's King can hardly feel safe there, and there's always the lesson of Wall,B - Szachowski, playok.com, 2017 (1-0, 20)

11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.Qxc3 Be6

An "objective" analysis of the position would suggest an even game, but it is essential to remember the old Jerome Gambit warning: whenever White has equalized, he has the advantage. There are many practical reasons why this is so.

13.Be3 b6 

Here is one: Black relaxes too soon.
He might have tried 13...c6, although that didn't turn out too well in Wall,B - MyDrunkAccount, lichess.org, 2016' (1-0, 20).

Perhaps: 13...Qd7. 

14.Qc6+ Ke7

And here is another kind of reaction to Jerome Gambit equality: any old move will do. (Probably 14...Bd7, instead, was best.) 

15.Bg5+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Today's Lesson

In chess, sometimes you give a lesson, sometimes you learn a lesson. This seems especially true in the Jerome Gambit.

Here is one of Bill Wall's recent games. As often happens, he is the teacher.

Wall, Bill - Guest7925523
PlayChess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Ng6

I noticed that The Database has games of Jerome Gambit regulars HauntedKnight, jfhumphrey, ndrwgn, stretto and yorgos facing this move, so it is worth being prepared for it.

7.dxc5 Nf6 

Or 7...d6 8.Qd5+ Be6 9.Qxb7 N8e7 10.f4 Bc4 11.Nd2 Rb8 12.Qxa7 Bb5 13.cxd6 cxd6 14.a4 Bd7 15.O-O Qb6+ 16.Qxb6 Rxb6 17.Nc4 Rc6 18.b3 Be6 19.f5 Bxc4 20.fxg6+ Kxg6 21.bxc4 Rxc4 22.Ra3 Rxe4 23.Rg3+ Kh5 24.Rg5+ Kh4 25.g3+ Kh3 26.Rh5+ Kg4 27.Rh4 checkmate, Wall,B - TenAndOnly10, lichess.org, 2016. 

8.Be3 

Bill has also played 8.Nc3, e.g. 8...Re8 (8...Qe7 9.Qd4 Re8 10.O-O Kg8 11.Bg5 Qe5 12.Qc4+ d5 13.cxd6+ Be6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Qb4 cxd6 16.Rad1 Red8 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.Rxd5 Qxe4 19.Qxe4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Silveira,J, lichess.org, 2016) 9.O-O Kg8 10.Re1 d6 11.cxd6 Qxd6 12.Qf3 Bg4 13.Qe3 Nd7 14.h3 Be6 15.Rd1 Qe7 16.f4 Bf7 17.b3 Nf6 18.e5 c6 19.Qf2 Nd5 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.c4 Bf7 22.Bb2 Nf8 23.f5 Rad8 24.Qxa7 Rxd1+ 25.Rxd1 Rd8 26.Rxd8 Qxd8 27.Bd4 g6 28.e6 Bxe6 29.fxe6 Nxe6 30.Be5 Qc8 31.Qb8 Qxb8 32.Bxb8 Kf7 33.Kf2 Ng5 34.Bf4 Ne4+ 35.Ke3 Nc3 36.a4 Ke6 37.Bh6 Nd1+ 38.Ke2 Nc3+ 39.Kd3 Nd1 40.Bd2 h5 41.Ke2 Nb2 42.Bc1 Nxa4 43.bxa4 Kd6 44.a5 Kc5 45.Kd3 b5 46.Ba3+ b4 47.Bxb4+ Kxb4 48.a6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest688630, PlayChess.com, 2017. 

8...Re8 9.Nc3 

Black has done well. He has a piece for two pawns, and his King is almost safe. But, now he becomes careless, instead of asking himself: Is that pawn on e4 actually available? (Perhaps we are dealing with a negative "halo effect" as well.)

9...Nxe4 10.Nxe4 Rxe4 

11.Qf3+ 

I guess not. Now Black's game falls apart.

11...Qf6 12.Qxe4 d5 13.Qxd5+ Be6 14.Qxb7 Black resigned

White is ahead an exchange and three pawns.

Jerome Gambit: Choosing Better or Worse?

Sometimes a computer chess engine will recommend a line of play which is "objectively" better than an alternative that a human might choose. Yet there might be good reasons to choose the "worse" line of play, if it is tricky and has some traps. See the note to Black's 7th move.

On the other hand, sometimes "human" moves fall short, as well. See the note to Black's 9th move.

Wall, Bill - Guest902091
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Nf6 

Black has so many ways to return some of the sacrificed material!

7.dxe5 Bxf2+ 

This move appears in 10 previous games appearing in The Database, with White scoring 70%. However, that is not the whole story.

Stockfish 8 recommends, instead 7...Qe7!?, which does not show up in any of the games in The Database. White does best to grab a second piece with 8.exf6, but then is faced with how to answer 8...Qxe4+.

Probably best is 9.Kf1 which we will come back to in a moment, after first examining the messy 9.Be3.

Black can respond to this latter move with 9...Bxe3 10.fxe3 Qxe3+ 11.Qe2 when the exchange of Queens would leave him a pawn up. Or he could go for 11...Qc1+ when 12.Kf2 is the offer of a Rook, i.e. 12...Qxh1, although it does not turn out well for the second player: 13.Qe7+ Kg6 14.Qxg7+ Kf5 15.Nc3 Qxh2 (taking the other Rook with 15...Qxa1 leads to mate) 16.Rf1 and Black's position is miserable as he has only 16...Qf4+ to help him extend the game, but 17.Kg1 Qxf1+ 18.Kxf1 still is hopeless. After visiting c1, Black's Queen should return to f4 with check, and eventually wind up a pawn ahead, again. 

Going back to the computer-recommended 9.Kf1, Black responds with 9...Qf5 and after 10.Qf3 Qxf3 11.gxf3 d5!? he is a bit better (better pawn structure, two Bishops, equally insecure Kings) even if White finds 12.h4!? to prevent ...Bh3+, forcing his King into the center where the enemy Rooks can roam.

By the way, Bill dispatched 7...Nxe4 quickly in a couple of games: Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 16) and Wall,B - TenAndOnly10, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 21)

8.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 9.Kg1 Rf8 

Preparing to castle-by-hand, a standard defensive plan in the Jerome Gambit; but overlooking the Queen check at d5 - odd, in that his Bishop sacrifice seemed aimed against that same eventuality.

Instead, 9...d5 would be about even, although Bill has a couple of wins against the move:  Wall,B - MyDrunkAccount, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 20) and Wall,B - Szachowski, playok.com, 2017 (1-0, 20). 

10.Qd5+ Ke8 11.Qxe4 Rf7 12.Nc3 d6 

This hurries Black's demise.

13.exd6+ Kf8 14.Qxh7 Qxd6 15.Qh8+ Ke7 16.Bg5+ Kd7 17.Rd1 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: You Can't Always Tell

Pushing a Rook pawn can be wise or unwise; you can't always tell. A lot depends upon the position. A quick look will not always let you know. You might just reject such a move, on principle, only to learn later that it was best. 

Wall, Bill - Szachowski
playok.com, 2017

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Nf6

7.dxe5 Bxf2+

I referred to this move as "interesting" in a previous post.

An alternative is the straightforward 7...Nxe4 8.Qd5+ Kf8 (8...Ke8 9.Qxe4 Bxf2+ 10.Kxf2 Rf8+ 11.Kg1 d5 12.exd6+ Kd7 13.Nc3 Qf6 14.Bf4 g5 15.Rd1 cxd6 16.Rxd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016) 9.Qxe4 d6 10.O-O Be6 11.Nc3 a6 12.Be3 Bb6 13.Rad1 d5 14.Nxd5 Bxd5 15.Rxd5 Qe7 16.Bxb6 cxb6 17.Rfd1 Qe6 18.Rd6 Qxa2 19.Qf5+ Qf7 20.Rd8+ Ke7 21.Qd7 checkmate, Wall,B - TenAndOnly10, lichess.org, 2016

Stockfish 8 prefers 7...Qe7.

8.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 9.Kg1 d5 10.Qf3+

On par with the earlier 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Qxc3 Be6 13.Be3 c6 14.Rd1 Rf8 15.h3 Qh4 16.Rd4 Qg3 17.Rd3 Qg6 18.Kh2 Kd7 19.Qb4 b5 20.Qd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - MyDrunkAccount, lichess.org, 2016.

10...Kg6 11.Nc3 Rf8 12.Qd3 Bf5 13.Nxd5 c6

Stockfish 8 suggests that Black would maintain a slight edge with 13...h6, which is not the kind of move one usually chooses against a gambit.

14.Nf4+ Kf7 15.Qc4+ Ke8 16.Be3 g5 17.Nh5 Bg6

The reinforcement arrives - just in time to face a forced checkmate.

18.Qe6+ Qe7 19.Ng7+ Kd8 20.Rd1+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Lack of Development, Congestion, Disaster

Gambits are all about development and attack. Failing to defend against gambits is often about lack of development, and its consequences. Witness the following game.

Wall, Bill - WGMS
FICS, 2017

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb6 

Again, a reasonable line. See "A Reasonable Line".

7.dxe5 Ne7 

Not the only line Bill has faced, to wit -

7...Qh4 8.Qf3+ Ke7 (8...Ke8 9.Nc3 Ne7 (9...Bxf2+ 10.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 11.Kxf2 Nh6 12.Nd5 Ng4+ 13.Kg3 Kd8 14.Bg5+ Nf6 15.exf6 h6 16.fxg7+ Ke8 17.gxh8=Q+ Kf7 18.Rhf1+ Kg6 19.Qxh6 checkmate, Wall,B - Shillam, lichess.org, 2016) 10.g3 Qh3 11.Be3 d6 12.Bxb6 cxb6 13.exd6 Ng6 14.Nd5 Qd7 15.Nc7+ Kd8 16.Nxa8 Qxd6 17.Rd1 Ne5 18.Rxd6+ Ke7 19.Qc3 Kxd6 20.Qd4+ Ke6 21.Nc7+ Kf7 22.Qxe5 Rd8 23.Nb5 Bg4 24.Qf4+ Kg8 25.Qxg4 a6 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.Nd6 Rb8 28.Nf7+ Kg8 29.Nh6+ Kh8 30.Qg8+ Rxg8 31.Nf7 checkmate, Wall,B - Itboss, lichess.org, 2016) 9.Nc3 Nh6 10.Nd5+ Kd8 11.O-O Bd4 12.g3 Qh3 13.Bg5+ Ke8 14.Nxc7 checkmate, Wall,B-Guest6766281, PlayChess.com, 2017;

7...d6 8.O-O Be6 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Nc3 a6 11.Be3 dxe5 12.Qh5+ Bf7 13.Qxe5+ Qe7 14.Qxg7 Qf6 15.Bh6 Bd4 16.e5 Qg6 17.Qf8+ Kd7 18.Qxa8 Qxh6 19.Rfd1 c5 20.Qxb7+ Ke8 21.Qb8+ Ke7 22.Ne2 Bh5 23.Nxd4 Bxd1 24.Nf5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - TenAndOnly10, lichess.org, 2016; and

7...Qe7 8.Qf3+ Ke8 9.Nc3 Qxe5 10.O-O Nf6 11.Bf4 Qh5 12.Qg3 d6 13.Qxg7 Rf8 14.Nd5 Qf7 15.Bh6 Nxd5 16.Qxf8+ Qxf8 17.Bxf8 Kxf8 18.exd5 Bf5 19.c3 Re8 20.Rfe1 Be4 21.Rad1 Kf7 22.Kf1 Re5 23.f3 Bg6 24.Rxe5 dxe5 25.Ke2 e4 26.b4 exf3+ 27.Kxf3 Bh5+ 28.g4 Bg6 29.c4 a6 30.d6 cxd6 31.Rxd6 Bb1 32.Rxb6 Bxa2 33.Rxb7+ Ke6 34.Rb6+ Kd7 35.c5 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016.

8.Qf3+ Ke8 9.O-O Rf8 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qxh7 g5 12.Qh5+ Rf7 13.Bxg5 

Despite Black's dogged Kingside defense, it is likely that White's four pawns are worth more than Black's extra piece.

13...c6 14.Nd2 Qc7

Getting out of the pin on the Knight, but Black needed the freedom that would come with 14...d5.

15.Nc4

Targeting the d6 square, which Black overlooks.

15...a5 16.Nd6+ Black resigned

Black can avoid mate only by giving up his Queen.

Jerome Gambit: Another Reasonable Line

Black's response to the initial moves of the Jerome Gambit in the following game is interesting. It is only his followup that gets him in trouble. As we have seen with the Jerome, even after the "refutation" there is always the possibility of "trouble".


Wall, Bill - TenAndOnly10
lichess.org, 2016

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

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. d4  Nf6

A reasonable line. We have seen TenAndOnly10 choose "A Reasonable Line" in this position before.

7.dxe5 Nxe4

Interesting: 7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 9.Kg1 d5 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Qxc3 Be6 13.Be3 c6 14.Rd1 Rf8 15.h3 Qh4 16.Rd4 Qg3 17.Rd3 Qg6 18.Kh2 Kd7 19.Qb4 b5 20.Qd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - MyDrunkAccount, lichess.org, 2016.

8.Qd5+ Kf8

Alternately: 8...Ke8 9.Qxe4 Bxf2+ 10.Kxf2 Rf8+ 11.Kg1 d5 12.exd6+ Kd7 13.Nc3 Qf6 14.Bf4 g5 15.Rd1 cxd6 16.Rxd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016

9.Qxe4 d6 10.O-O Be6 11.Nc3 a6

I don't think that Black has time for this. Is he preparing for ...Ba7?

12.Be3 Bb6

I guess not.

13.Rad1 d5

A slip. More to come.

14.Nxd5 Bxd5 15.Rxd5 Qe7 16.Bxb6 cxb6

I think my notes say that Stockfish 8 evaluated the position as: White now has a checkmate in 59 moves. Astonishing!

17.Rfd1 Qe6 18.Rd6 Qxa2 19.Qf5+ Qf7 20.Rd8+ Ke7 21.Qd7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: A Reasonable Line

The Jerome Gambit is full of "reasonable" lines of play for Black, and the defender has to be aware - is it a playable reasonable line, or an unplayable reasonable line; and then, more importantly, what comes next?

Wall, Bill - TenAndOnly10
lichess.org, 2016

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb6

This seems like a reasonable move, although not frequently played in comparison with other lines. It shows up in 111 games in The Database, where Black scores 50%. (Compare that to the 1,528 games with the same moves up until 6.d4, where Black scores 48%.)

Of course, any chance of catching Bill by suprise is likely to be small.

7.dxe5 d6

Alternatives:

7...Qh4 8.Qf3+ Ke8 9.Nc3 Ne7 (9...Bxf2+ 10.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 11.Kxf2 Nh6 12.Nd5 Ng4+ 13.Kg3 Kd8 14.Bg5+ Nf6 15.exf6 h6 16.fxg7+ Ke8 17.gxh8=Q+ Kf7 18.Rhf1+ Kg6 19.Qxh6 checkmate, Wall,B - Shillam, lichess.org, 2016) 10.g3 Qh3 11.Be3 d6 12.Bxb6 cxb6 13.exd6 Ng6 14.Nd5 Qd7 15.Nc7+ Kd8 16.Nxa8 Qxd6 17.Rd1 Ne5 18.Rxd6+ Ke7 19.Qc3 Kxd6 20.Qd4+ Ke6 21.Nc7+ Kf7 22.Qxe5 Rd8 23.Nb5 Bg4 24.Qf4+ Kg8 25.Qxg4 a6 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.Nd6 Rb8 28.Nf7+ Kg8 29.Nh6+ Kh8 30.Qg8+ Rxg8 31.Nf7 checkmate, Wall,B - Itboss, lichess.org, 2016; 

7...Qe7 8.Qf3+ Ke8 9.Nc3 Qxe5 10.O-O Nf6 11.Bf4 Qh5 12.Qg3 d6 13.Qxg7 Rf8 14.Nd5 Qf7 15.Bh6 Nxd5 16.Qxf8+ Qxf8 17.Bxf8 Kxf8 18.exd5 Bf5 19.c3 Re8 20.Rfe1 Be4 21.Rad1 Kf7 22.Kf1 Re5 23.f3 Bg6 24.Rxe5 dxe5 25.Ke2 e4 26.b4 exf3+ 27.Kxf3 Bh5+ 28.g4 Bg6 29.c4 a6 30.d6 cxd6 31.Rxd6 Bb1 32.Rxb6 Bxa2 33.Rxb7+ Ke6 34.Rb6+ Kd7 35.c5 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016.

8.O-O Be6 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Nc3 a6 11.Be3 dxe5

For now White has only one pawn for his sacrificed piece, but Black's uneasy King comes close to making up the rest of the compensation.

12.Qh5+ Bf7 13.Qxe5+ Qe7 14.Qxg7 Qf6

15.Bh6 Bd4 16.e5 Qg6

This move allows White's pieces to become troublesome - enough so that Stockfish 8 suggests instead that Black give back the exchange with 16...Qxh6 17.Qxh8 Rd8 and then exchange some more pieces, e.g. 18.Ne4 Qg6 19.c3 Qxe4 20.cxd4 Bd5 21.Qg7 Ne7 22.Rfe1 Qg6 23.Qxg6+ hxg6 where White only has an edge.

17.Qf8+ Kd7 18. Qxa8 Qxh6

Black returns the exchange in his own way. The difference is that he is not now as equipped to protect his King.

19.Rfd1 c5 20.Qxb7+ Ke8 21.Qb8+ Ke7 22.Ne2 Bh5

23.Nxd4 Bxd1

A final slip.

24.Nf5+ Black resigned