Jerome Gambit: Giving Black "A Second Chance"

You sit down to a game of chess, you are planing on using the Jerome Gambit - but your opponent opts to play the Two Knights Defense. What to do?

We have looked at this dilemma a number of times in the past (see, for example, "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense", parts 1, 2, 3 and 4).

The following game and its notes show that sometimes giving Black a "second chance" can return the game to desired channels. The focus is upon the games of a player who has dealt with this issue many times.

Wall, Bill - Guest165295
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6

4.O-O Bc5

Well, that's more like it. Black's Bishop comes to the party after all.

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+

Bill has also tried 6.d3:  6...Kg8 (6... Rf8 7. Nc3 Kg8 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. Nd5 Qg6 11. c3 d6 12. b4 Bb6 13. b5 Nd8 14. Ne7+ Kf7 15. Nxg6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Munoz,C, Chess.com,  2010) 7. c4 d6 8. Be3 Bxe3 9. fxe3 Be6 10. Qb3 Na5 11. Qa4 Nc6 12. Nc3 a5 13. Ng5 Bd7 14. c5 Nb4 15. Qb3+ d5 16. exd5 Kf8 17. d6 Qe8 18. Nce4 cxd6 19. cxd6 Qg6 20. Rac1 Ke8 21. Rc7 Nfd5 22. Rxd7 Kxd7 23. Qc4 Nxe3 24. Qc7+ Ke8 25. Qe7 checkmate, Wall,B - KRM, Chess.com, 2010.

6...Nxe5

For completeness sake we have to mention 6...Ke7 7.d4 Bb6 8.Be3 Re8 9.Nxc6+ dxc6 10.e5 Nd5 11.Bg5+ Nf6 12.exf6+ gxf6 13.Re1+ Kf8 14.Rxe8+ Kxe8 15.Qh5+ Kf8 16.Qh6+ Kg8 17.Bxf6 Qf8 18.Qg5+ Kf7 19.Nc3 Qg8 20.Qe5 Be6 21.Ne4 h6 22.Re1 Re8 23.Bh4 Qg6 24.Re3 Bd7 25.Rf3+ Kg8 26.Nf6+ Qxf6 27.Rg3+ Kh7 28.Bxf6 Bxd4 29.Rg7+ Kh8 30.Rxd7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest371199, PlayChess.com, 2017

7.d4

The position is beginning to look like a "regular" Jerome Gambit position, if we go ahead and now add 7...Bxd4, transposing, i.e. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Nf6 8.0-0

Sometimes Black did play 7...Bxd4, e.g. 8.Qxd4 Re8 (8...Qe7 9.Nc3 c6 10.f4 Ng6 11.e5 Ne8 12.Ne4 b6 13.f5 Nxe5 14.Bg5 c5 15.Qd5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest850136, PlayChess.com, 2017 or 8...d6 9.Nc3 [9.Bf4 Be6 10.Nc3 Re8 11.Rad1 Nc6 12.Qd2 Bg4 13.f3 Bh5 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Qxd5+ Kf8 16.Qxh5 Kg8 17.Qd5+ Kh8 18.c4 Nb4 19.Qb5 a5 20.a3 Nc2 21.Rf2 Qf6 22.Bg5 Nd4 23.Qxe8+ Rxe8 24.Bxf6 Nxf3+ 25.Rxf3 gxf6 26.Rxf6 Rxe4 27.c5 Re2 28.Rf7 Rxb2 29.cxd6 Kg8 30.Rxc7 Kf8 31.d7 Black resigned, Wall,B -Guest3687203, PlayChess.com, 2015] 9...Be6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.f5 Ne5 13.fxe6+ Rxe6 14.Qh3 Ke7 15.Bg5 Qg8 16.Nd5+ Kd8 17.Bxf6+ gxf6 18.Nxf6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest547388, PlayChess.com, 2017) 9.Nc3 d6 10.Bf4 Kg8 11.Rad1 Qe7 12.f3 c6 13.Qxd6 Qxd6 14.Rxd6 Nf7 15.Rd2 b6 16.Kf2 g5 17.Bg3 Nh5 18.Bd6 Ba6 19.Rfd1 Rac8 20.a4 Kg7 21.a5 Rcd8 22.axb6 axb6 23.Be5+ Rxe5 24.Rxd8 Nxd8 25.Rxd8 Nf6 26.Rb8 Nd7 27.Ra8 Bc4 28.Rc8 c5 29.Rc7 Re7 30.b3 Be6 31.Rb7 Kf6 32.Na4 c4 33.b4 Re8 34.Ke3 Ra8 35.Nxb6 Nxb6 36.Rxb6 Ra1 37.b5 Re1+ 38.Kd2 Rg1 39.g3 Rg2+ 40.Kc3 Rf2 41.Rb8 Rxf3+ 42.Kd4 Rf1 43.b6 Rb1 44.Kc5 Ke5 45.Re8 Rb2 46.c3 Rb3 47.g4 Kf6 48.h3 Ke5 49.Kc6 Rxc3 50.b7 Rb3 51.b8=Q+ Rxb8 52.Rxb8 c3 53.Rb1 Bxg4 54.hxg4 Kxe4 55.Kd6 c2 56.Rc1 Kd3 57.Ke7 Drawn, Wall,B - Guest128013, PlayChess.com, 2017.

7...Nxe4

Playable, as are several lines that Bill has faced (and one that is not):

7...d6 8.dxc5 dxc5 9.Qe2 Rf8 10.Bf4 Ng6 11.Bg3 Be6 12.Nc3 Kg8 13.h3 a6 14.a4 c6 15.a5 Qd4 16.Rfd1 Qb4 17.Qe3 c4 18.Bd6 Qxb2 19.Rab1 Qxc2 20.Bxf8 Rxf8 21.Rd2 Nd5 22.exd5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest1193385, Play.Chess.com 2017;

7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.f4 Bd4+ (9...Nxe4 10.fxe5+ Nf6 11.exf6 g6 12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.f7+ Ke7 15.Qe5 checkmate, Wall,B - Marz, PlayChess.com 2014) 10.Qxd4 Re8 11.e5 Ng4 12.h3 Nh6 13.f5 Ng8 14.Nc3 c6 15.Ne4 Qb6 16.Ng5+ Kf8 17.Nxh7+ Ke7 18.f6+ gxf6 19.exf6+ Nxf6 20.Qxb6 axb6 21.Nxf6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest293396, PlayChess.com, 2015;

7...Re8 8.dxc5 Kg8 (8...Nxe4 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Qxe4 d6 11.Qxh7 Be6 12.cxd6 Qxd6 13.Nc3 Bg8 14.Qf5+ Qf6 15.Qh5 Bf7 16.Qh8+ Ke7 17.Qh7 Kf8 18.Ne4 Qg6 19.Qh8+ Bg8 20.f3 Qb6+ 21.Kh1 Ng6 22.Qh5 Re5 23.Qg4 Bf7 24.b3 Kg8 25.Bb2 Re7 26.Ng5 Qc5 27.Nxf7 Kxf7 28.Bd4 Qc6 29.Qf5+ Kg8 30.Rad1 Rae8 31.c4 Re2 32.Bc3 b5 33.Rd7 R2e7 34.Rxe7 Rxe7 35.Qxb5 Qd6 36.Qb8+ Kh7 37.Qxa7 c5 38.Qa3 Re2 39.Qc1 Qd3 40.Qd1 Qxd1 41.Rxd1 Rc2 42.Bd2 Rxa2 43.Be3 Nh4 44.Bxc5 Nxg2 45.Bd4 Nh4 46.Rd3 Ng2 47.c5 Nf4 48.Rd1 Rc2 49.Be3 Ne6 50.Rd6 Nc7 51.b4 Nb5 52.Rd7 Rc3 53.Bg1 Rc1 54.Rb7 Nd4 55.Kg2 Ne6 56.b5 Nf4+ 57.Kg3 Ne2+ 58.Kf2 Nxg1 59.c6 Nh3+ 60.Kg3 Ng5 61.c7 Ne6 62.b6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest6864060, PlayChess.com, 2016) 9.f4 Ng6 10.e5 Ne4 11.Qd5+ Kh8 12.Qxe4 Qh4 13.g3 Qh3 14.Nc3 Rb8 15.Nb5 b6 16.Nxc7 Bb7 17.Qe2 Rf8 18.Be3 Rbc8 19. Nb5 bxc5 20.Nd6 Rb8 21.Nxb7 Rxb7 22.Bxc5 Re8 23.b4 d6 24.Bxd6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest7492034, PlayChess.com, 2014; and

7...Rf8 (too generous) 8.dxe5 Ne8 9.Qd5+ Kg6 10.Qxc5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest848078, PlayChess.com, 2012

8.Qh5+ Ng6 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.dxc5 Nf6 11.Qd4 Qe7

Black could also have tried 11...d5 12.Nc3 c6 13.Bg5 Kf7 14.Rae1 Rf8 15.Re2 Kg8 16.Rfe1 Bf5 17.f3 Qd7 18.g4 Nxg4 19.fxg4 Bxg4 20.Re7 Nxe7 21.Rxe7 Qf5 22.Qxg7 checkmate, Wall,B - Mydrik,M, PlayChess.com, 2015.

12.Nc3 c6 13.Be3

White develops and hopes to take advantage of Black's King's position. "Objectively" Black is still better, with a piece for a pawn; but the d-pawn blocking the Bishop which hems in the Rooks is always an ominous sign...

13...Ne5

Instead, 13...Qe5, looking to exchange Queens and reduce the danger of an attack on his King, might have been more prudent.

14.Rae1 Neg4

Black is spending too much time moving the Knight. Perhaps he can not find a plan of play. Stockfish 8 gives a subtle line that leads to an advantage (a pawn) for White, but which has plenty of play (Black has Bishop vs Knight and more central pawns): 14...b6 15.Bf4 Qxc5 16.Qxc5+ bxc5 17.Rxe5 Kf7 18.Rxc5 Re8 19.Be5 Bb7 20.Bxf6 Kxf6 21.f3 d6 22.Ne4+ Ke7 23.Rh5 h6 24.Rd1 Rad8 25.Ra5 a6 26.Kf2 c5 27.c3 g6 28.h3 Rf8 29.Nd2 Rf6 30.Nc4

15.Bf4

The benefit of pursuing development while the opponent dithers. White's Bishop not only exposes a Rook attack on the enemy Queen, it eyes the fantastic d6 square.

15...Nd5

The simplest response - 15...Qf7, withdrawing the Queen to a safe square - is the best, although then White would have the powerful 16.Bd6+ as a reply. In the excitement, Black seems to have forgotten about Her Majesty.

16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.Rxe7 Black resigned

Checkmate is coming.

Jerome Gambit: Made for Blitz

The attacking mayhem of the Jerome Gambit was made for blitz play. Often the defender who is unaware of best play will first slip, and then slide, and then take a fall.

ndrwgen, with White in the following miniature, is familiar with the Jerome Gambit - in fact, he has 165 games in The Database.

ndrwgn - abogatyrev
5 0 blitz, FICS, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.O-O 

A move in the Two Knights that has "more going for it than is generally realized" as I have noted elsewhere in this blog.

4...Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

When Black captures the Bishop, the game will transpose into a "modern" Jerome Gambit variation, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6.

The Database contains 1072 games with this position, with White scoring 41%.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 

ndrwgn has a good bit of experience with this move. The Database shows he has a record of 23-22-1. 

7...Nxe4

Black realizes he will lose a piece, and decides not to worry
about it - he will grab a pawn, instead. A slightly stronger move move here, 7...d5, is based on similar reasoning - let White choose what piece he wants, while Black plans to grab a pawn with a subsequent ...dxe4.

8.dxc5

Also: 8.dxe5 d6 9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qxe4 dxe5 11.Qxe5 Bd6 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qf3+ Kg7 14.Bd2 Re8 15.Bc3+ Kg8 16.Qf6 Qxf6 17.Bxf6 Kf7 18.Bg5 h6 19.Bd2 Rad8 Black resigned, ndrwgn - Vuquoclong, FICS, 2013.

8...Qf6

ndrwgn also faced: 8...Nxc5 9.Qd5+ Kf6 10.Qxc5 d6 11.Qc3 Re8 12.f4 Bf5 13.fxe5+ dxe5 14.Nd2 Qd4+ 15.Qxd4 exd4 16.Nf3 Bxc2 17.Nxd4+ Ke5 18.Nxc2 Rad8 19.Bf4+ Kd5 20.Bxc7 Re2 21.Bxd8 Rxc2 22.Rfd1+ Ke4 23.b3 Re2 24.Re1 Kd3 25.Rxe2 Kxe2 26.a4 Ke3 27.b4 h5 28.Ra3+ Ke4 29.Be7 g6 30.Rg3 Kf5 31.Bc5 b6 32.Bd6 g5 33.Be7 g4 34.h3 a5 35.bxa5 bxa5 36.hxg4+ hxg4 37.Bd8 Ke4 38.Bxa5 Kf4 39.Rc3 Ke4 40.Rc4+ Kf5 41.g3 Kg5 Black resigned, ndrwgn - LochChessMonster, FICS, 2013.

Probably best was 8...d5.

9.Qd5+ Ke7 

White will collect the Knight at e4, with advantage. (That was quick.)

10.Qxe4 Re8 11.f4 d5 

Very often Black's last move is part of a good counter-attack for Black in the Jerome Gambit (see the note to move 8 for example) but in this case - a blitz game - the defender has overlooked something.

12.cxd6+

The capture with check makes all the difference in the world.

12...cxd6 13.fxe5 Qxe5 14.Bg5+ Kd7 15.Rf7+ Re7 

A visual (the Rook is actually attacked 3 times and only defended 2) or clock error. After 15...Ke6 16.Qxe5+ dxe5 17. Rxg7 Black would still be lost.

16.Rxe7+ Qxe7 17.Qxe7+ Kc6 18.Nc3 Black resigned

Strangest Beast

Here is the last game of the Philidor1792 - Slayman match, testing a particular opening. With a time control of 2 0, the outcome rests on any number of things, including the "33rd piece" - the clock.

Again: a 2-minute game is almost too fast for me to breathe, let alone play interesting chess. Nice work, gentlemen.

Philidor1792 - Slayman
2 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nf3 Nc6

After the first three moves we have come to expect, White tosses in 4.Nf3 and Black adds 4...Nc6, bypassing the Urusov Gambit and moving on to the Two Knights Game, although lichess.org labels the line "Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, Dubois Reti Defense".

 5.Bxf7+

The Jerome-ish sacrifice.

5...Kxf7 6.e5 Ne4 7.c3 d5 

Again, White seeks to develop after 7...dxc3 8.Nxc3, and again Black does not cooperate - this time moving his other d-pawn.

8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Nbd2 Rf8 10.O-O Bxd2 11.Bxd2 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand and retains his extra piece.

White's protected passed "Jerome pawn" is not yet a factor in the game.

12.h3 Be6 

(In a slower game it would be worth pointing out 12...Rxf3 13.Qxf3 Nxd2 )

13.Be3 Qe8 14.Rc1 Qh5  

15.Kh2

White sees there will be trouble on the Kingside, but might have done better to offer the exchange of Queens with 15.Ng5. 

15...Bxh3 16.Ng1 Qxd1

Black does White a favor. The Queen exchange takes the energy out of the attack - but it also makes calculation in the position a bit easier; and the second player still maintains his advantage.

17.Rfxd1 Be6 

Black has the extra piece - but the clock is ticking away.

18.f3 Rad8 19.fxe4 dxe4 20.Ne2 Nb4 21.Rxc7 

When in doubt, and time trouble, grab material.

Stockfish 8 recommends the rambling line 21.Nf4 Bg4 22.Rd2 c6 23.Kg3 Bf5 24.Rf2 Nd3 25.Nxd3 exd3 26.a4 h6 27.Rcf1 Be4 28.b4 Rxf2 29.Rxf2 Bd5 30.Rd2 Bc4 31.Rf2 g5 32.Rf1 Kg7 33.Rf2 Rf8 34.Rxf8 Kxf8 35.Kf2 Ke7 36.Bc1 Ke6 which it sees as favoring Black, but which looks pretty drawish due to Bishops-of-opposite-colors.

21...Nd3 

Not enough time to figure out 21...Nd5 22.Rc3 Bg4 23.Rd2 Bxe2 24.Rxe2 Nxc3 25.bxc3 Kf7 and the extra exchange helps Black.

22.b3 White won on time. 

No Jerome Gambit? All Is Not Lost

From a recent letter from chessfriend Roger

Our opponents won't always play the Giuoco Piano and very often play the Two Knights defense. I also find it difficult to steer the game to the good Jerome gambit lines from the Two Knights. However, there's a good way to load up on the f7 pawn using the Perreux variation (aka The Morphy Win'Mill). Here's a good example:

RK -KP
Internet, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

4.d4 exd4 5.Ng5 Ne5 6.Bb3 Bb4+ 

7.c3 dxc3 8.bxc3 Bc5 9.f4 Neg4 10.Bxf7+ Kf8 11.Ne6+ Black resigned 

Neat finish! Black did not make it to a dozen moves.

Many thanks for sharing, Roger!

I have struggled with the Two Knights, as indicated in a number of blog posts, including"Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense" Part 1, 2, 3 & 4.

Probably the best coverage of the Perreux Variation appears in Michael Goeller's analysis pages (with a measured further personal assessment) at his The Kenilworthian site. For fast and fun games, the Perreux can be the ticket.

It is also enjoyable to read Michel's essay on "Chess Amateurism".

There is a lot to be uncovered by searching the internet, but I wanted to mention a selection of relevant games at RedHotPawn.com.

If You Can't Bash Them With the Jerome Gambit, Maybe You Can Bore Them to Tears

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...............

I don't always get to play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), no matter how hard I try. In its place, I sometimes explore the opening line suggested by chessfriend Yury Bukayev. The advantage that White gets is small - so small, in the following game, that I think it lulled my opponent to sleep...

(I suppose that I should be embarassed.)

perrypawnpusher - aquitanus
6 12 blitz, FICS, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights Defense. That's okay. I always try for a transposition to the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit after 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ or the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit after 4.Nc3 a6 5.0-0 Bc5 6.Bxf7+.

4.Nc3 Nxe4 

Rats. Going for the "fork trick". For a brief introduction as it relates to the Jerome, see the post "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 3)". Follow that up with "Further Explorations" (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5).

5.Nxe4 d5 6.Bd3 dxe4 7.Bxe4 Bd6 8.Bxc6+ bxc6

9.O-O 

Instead, Bukayev recommends 9.d4 or 9.d3. Next time I will remember that.

9...Bg4 10.d3 Qf6 11.Re1 O-O-O 12.Re3

A good alternative was 12.Bg5.

12...Bc5 13.Re4 Rd4 14.Be3 Rxe4 15.dxe4 Rd8 16.Qe2 Qd6 17.Bxc5 Qxc5 18.Rd1 Rxd1+ 19.Qxd1 Qc4 

White has what my father used to call "a whole lot of nothing". Black's Bishop vs Knight and better placed Queen balances out his troubled Queenside pawns. Perhaps White's best try for a slight edge is now 20.Nxe5.

20.Qd3 Qxd3 21.cxd3 Bxf3 22.gxf3 Kd7

How does that old "Porgy and Bess" tune go? I've got plenty of nothing, and nothing's plenty for me...

I did have more time on my clock, though, and I figured that I was not risking much by continuing to play. (It is an embarassingly bland position for a Jerome Gambiteer - but not as embarassing as a losing one.)

23.Kf1 Kd6 24.Ke2 g5 25.Ke3 c5 26.Kd2 Kc6 27.Kc3 Kb5 28.Kb3 a5 29.a4+ Kc6 30.Kc4 h6 31.b3 h5 32.Kc3 Kd6 33.Kd2 c6 34.Kc3 Ke6 35.Kc4 Kd6 

Not much going on. Black has a possible slip - if he has become bored with me. (I have a later slip, if I get too excited.)

36.Kc3 Ke6 37.Kd2 Kf6 38.h3 Kg6

An unfortunate slip that tosses away the draw. Of course, 38...Ke6, heading back to the Queenside, was the move.

39.Kc3 Kf6 40.Kc4 h4 41.Kxc5 g4

Giving me a chance to blunder with the rote "capture toward the center" 42.hxg3? h4, giving Black the win.

42.fxg4  Black resigned

5% New (Part 1)

I am always looking for something new in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ and friends) universe. Before I share any discoveries, though, I check to make sure that I haven't already passed the information along. With over 2,200 blog posts, I can't keep everything in my head. Here's a good example.

Let's start with a Jerome-ish line from the Two Knight's Defense (or the Italian Game, or the Four Knights Game):  1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ . It, and similar positions, are discussed under the "fork trick" in Pawn Power in Chess, by Hans Kmoch (1949).

For a brief introduction as it relates to the Jerome, see the post "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 3)". Follow that up with "Further Explorations" (Parts 1, 2, 3,  4 & 5). 

A few years ago, Tim Sawyer, a Blackmar Diemer Gambit expert, on his blog, gave the line that we are looking at today the descriptive name the "Open Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit". He was influenced by a game where "jeromed" played the OIFKJG against him.

Tim mentioned that Bill Wall - no stranger to the Jerome Gambit - instead calls the line the "Noa Gambit".

I am guessing that Bill is referring to the following game (there are probably others) by the Hungarian Chess master:

Noa, Josef - Makovetz, Gyula
DSB-07.Kongress, Dresden, 1892
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Ng3 e4 8.Ng1 h5 9.d4 h4 10.Nf1 Qf6 11.c3 Ne7 12.Ne3 Kg8 13.Ne2 c6 14.h3 g5 15.Rf1 Bh6 16.f3 exf3 17.Rxf3 Qg6 18.b3 Rh7 19.Ba3 g4 20.hxg4 Bxg4 21.Nxg4 Qxg4 22.Ng3 Rf7 23.Bxe7 Rxe7+ 24.Ne2 Qxg2 25.Rf2 Qg1+ 26.Rf1 Qg3+ 27.Rf2 Rf8 White resigned

I am happy to now add that Examples of Chess Master-Play (1894), by Charles Thomas Blanshard, says of 5.Bxf7+ "The text move, a hobby of Dr. Noa, develops Black's game." (I have not turned up any more examples, however.)

It turned out, however, that I was able to identify a precursor to Noa's play:

Zoltowski, E - Zukertort, Johannes
Berlin, 1869
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe4 Be7 7.Nfg5+ Bxg5 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxg5 d5 10.Qxd8 Rxd8 11.Ng5+ Kg7 12.d3 Nd4 13.O-O Nxc2 14.Rb1 Re8 15.b3 Bf5 16.Rd1 Nb4 17.Ba3 Nxd3 18.g4 Nxf2 19.Rxd5 Nxg4 20.Rbd1 Ne3 21.Rd7+ Bxd7 22.Rxd7+ Kh6 23.Nf7+ Kh5 24.Bc1 Nf5 25.Ng5 h6 26.Rh7 Rad8 White resigned

To date, I have not found any references to the "Zoltowski Gambit".

I also shared a game which was about as close as any sort of Jerome Gambit was going to get to a World Champion:

Fischer, Robert James - Ames, D.
USA, 1955
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Neg5+ Kg8 8.d4 h6 9.Nh3 Bg4 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Nf4 c6 12.h3 Nxf3+ 13.gxf3 Bf5 14.Be3 Bb4+ 15.c3 Ba5 16.Rg1 Qe8 17.Nxd5 Qf7 18.Nf4 Re8 19.Qb3 Bc7 20.Qxf7+ Kxf7 21.Nh5 g6 22.Ng3 Bxh3 23.O-O-O Rd8 24.Rxd8 Bxd8 25.Rh1 Bg2 26.Rxh6 Rxh6 27.Bxh6 Bxf3 28.Be3 drawn

Of course, Bobby wasn't even a teenager when he played that game.

So - what's new?

I recently discovered, in Pollock Memories: A Collection of Chess Games, Problems, &c., &c., Including His Matches with Eugene Delmar, Jackson Showalter, and G.H.D. Gossip (1899), by William Henry Krause Pollock, edited by F. F. Rowland, an undated/unplaced game between Pollock and an Amateur, with the introduction: "The following is a very fine example, known in Dublin years ago as the 'Monck Gambit' ." 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Nfg5+ Kg6 8.Qf3 dxe4 9.Qf7+ Kxg5

"White now mates in ten moves."

10.d4+ Kh4 11.h3 Bb4+ 12.Kf1 g6 13.g3+ Kh5 14.g4+ Kh4 15.Qb3 Bc3 16.Qxc3 e3 17.Qxe3 Bxg4 18.hxg4+ Kxg4 19.Qe4 checkmate

I will have more on the Monck Gambit next post. For now, it will suffice to recall Monck's comment about the Jerome Gambit from the Preston Guardian, April 26, 1882, concerning the game Lowe,E - Cudmore,D, correspondence, 1881

Every form of the Jerome Gambit is, I believe, unsound and this is no exception.

[to be continued]