Charm

This is my third Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game with jgknight. The first two were relatively long draws, one last year in 58 moves, and one this year in 49 moves. As they say, "third time is a charm," and I was successful this time. There is even a little bit of "charm" in the game, although if my opponent wanted to preface with the word "lucky" I would not object.


perrypawnpusher - jgknight
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

Black's King bravely protects the Knight, giving up any thoughts of "castling-by-hand", and challenges White to justify his two piece sacrifice.

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+

Black is headed for what I've referred to as the "Nibs Defense". See "Repairing A Variation" parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 for some background.

9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kf1

When I posted my game with this line against JTIV last year, I wrote 

This is my current choice, although it is not clear why. The updated New Year's Database [now The Database] has 4 games (other than the current one) with this move, with White scoring 50%. I've scored 33% in 3 games (until now).

The Database has 15 games with the alternative, 10.Kd1, with White scoring 73%. That's in part to me scoring 100% in 6 of those games; but 3 of those wins are identical 11-movers with the "Buyer's Regret Variation".

Updating: The Database now has 9 games with 10.Kf1, with White scoring 78% (me, 75%). It still has 15 games with 10.Kd1, with White scoring 73% (me 100%).

I am still not sure which 10th move I will play next time, especially since I concluded at one point that 10.Kf1 "is not an improvement" over 10.Kd1.

10...Nxh2+

Tempting, as it is another forward-going, attacking move, but it probably only keeps the game in balance.

11.Kg2 Qg4

I smiled when I saw this move. I've recommended it a couple of times on this blog, when either Black "holds onto his advantage" or the game is "about even". Today I would go with the latter assessment.

The move is not mine, however, but the recommendation of Some Loser, the author of Unorthodox Chess (2005), who has occasionally played the Jerome Gambit. (Really. Read my book review.)

12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Qxc5+ Ke8

Black's moves are interesting: he cannot protect his c-pawn with 13...Kd8, as 14.Qf8 checkmate would follow.

Yet, his best move would have been 13...d6, encouraging White to take the c-pawn, as after 14.Qxc7+ Bd7 15.Rxh2 (what else?) White's King would be defenseless against Black's Queen – and other pieces: 15...Qe2+ 16.Kg1 Qe1+ 17.Kg2 Qxe4+ 18.Kf1 Qf3+ 19.Ke1 Rc8!?. Not only is White's Queen in trouble, Black threatens the deadly 20...Kf8!

Of course, after 13...d6 14.Qf2! White would secure his King and the game would be in balance after 14...Nf6 15.Rxh2 Nxe4 16.Qe3 Qe6.

14.Rxh2

First 14.Qe3 was a bit more prudent.

14...d6 15.Qe3 Nf6

For the most part, the excitement has died down. Both Kings are relatively safe, and White is ahead by a pawn (a reasonable outcome, having faced down a refutation).

16.Nc3 c6

After the game Fritz 10 censured this move. Can you see why?

17.b3

I was looking for development, and decided to put my Bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal.

I totally overlooked 17.f5!? which threatens to trap Black's Queen. Black has a defense, of course, in 17...g5, but it costs a couple of pawns, say, after 18.Rh6 Rf8 19.d3 Rf7 20.Qxg5 and, further, Black's d-pawn is at risk, as well.

17...h5 18.Rh4

I almost always see these things a move too late.

18...Qe6 19.d3 Ng4 20.Qe2 Rh6 21.Bb2 d5

White has been more effective in rushing his troops to back up their footsoldiers.

22.exd5

Personal failing: I am always willing to "let the air out of the position" if I am even the tiniest bit of material ahead.

22...Qxe2+ 23.Nxe2 Ne3+ 24.Kf3 Nxd5

Messier, but stronger, was 24...Nxc2.

So, what is going on here?

White is better developed (including his King), is a pawn ahead, and hopes to pick up one or two more pawns.

It is essential that Black get his pieces out, cause as much disruption as possible, and keep his eyes on the possibility of transitioning to the welcoming arms of the drawish (even when down pawns) Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame. jgknight fights, but the battle is not his today.

25.Bxg7 Bg4+ 26.Kf2 Re6 27.Be5 Bxe2 28.Kxe2 Nc3+ 29.Kf3 Nd5 30.Rxh5 Kd7

31.Rh7+ Re7 32.Rah1 Rxh7 33.Rxh7+ Ke6 34.Rxb7 Rg8 35.Rxa7 Ne7 36.g4 Ng6 37.d4 Nh4+ 38.Ke4 Rxg4 39.Rg7 Rxg7 40.Bxg7

40...Ng6 41.a4 Kf7 42.Be5 Ke7 43.a5 Kd7 44.f5 Ne7 45.c4 Nc8 46.f6 Ke6 47.d5+ cxd5+ 48.cxd5+ Kf7 49.Kf5 Na7 50.b4 Nb5 51.a6 Na7 52.Bd4 Nb5

53.a7 Nxd4+ 54.Ke4 Nb5 55.a8Q Nd6+ 56.Kf3 Kxf6 57.Qc6 Ke5 58.b5 Nf5 59.Qe6+ Kd4 60.Qxf5 Kc5 61.b6 Kxb6 62.Qe6+ Kc7 63.Qc6+ Kd8 64.Ke4 Ke7 65.Kf5 Kd8 66.Qb7 Ke8 67.Ke6 Kf8 68.Qf7 checkmate

Closer... But not there yet

I keep playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), especially one particularly risky variation, knowing that someday one of my opponents will know enough about the wild defense to sacrifice his Queen and destroy me...

I make my moves, remembering Gary K. Gifford's re-naming of the opening as the "Jerome Gamble" – and breathe a sigh of a relief as someone gets closer... but not there yet.

perrypawnpusher - intssed
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+

The alternative in this 6...Ke6 variation (one of the many Jerome Gambit refutations) is 7.f4, although 7...d6 – a favorite of computers – presents its own problems.

7...Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+

Not the first move a naive defender would think up. So – how much does intssed know??

9.g3 Nf3+

Closer. "Getting warmer..." as the kids say in their game.

10.Kf1

Better-known is 10.Kd1 – which is why I played this alternative. Also, there is a built-in distraction for Black.

10...Nxh2+

This is a how-do-I-get-out-of-this-mess style move. I first saw it when I was reviewing Unorthodox Chess, by Some Loser (no joke, check out my review at Chessville.com).

11.Kg2

Now Some Loser's analysis continues with the smart 11...Qg4, when 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Qxc5+ d6 14.Qf2 Nf6 15.Rxh2 Nxe4 16.Qe3 Qe6 is about even. 

analysis diagram







Instead, my opponent recoiled from the whole situation, moving his Queen away from the attack by my pawn. We've seen this kind of reflexive move before, and it can lead to disaster.

11...Qe7 12.Qd5 checkmate

Repairing a Variation (Part 3)

The next step in repairing a variation, after you have defined the problem (Part 1) and reviewed some game history (Part 2), is to see what has been written about the line.

Unfortunately, when you are dealing with a variation of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), reading up on the "His Nibs" Variation (4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Ke6 8.f4 Qh4) can be done during a coffee break.
There are only two sources in print that I have been able to find in about 8 years of study of the Jerome Gambit.

The first, in Randspringer #6 1990-1991, was in an article by Jack Young, author of many hysterical "Bozo's Chess Emporium" articles for Chess Horizons.

"Meet Jerome"

The Jerome Gambit (also known as the "Kentucky Opening" according to Blackburne), like the Reynolds Gambit, like the Chicago Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nxe5!! Nxe5 4.d4), like the Fred (1.e4 f5!!) desrves to be in the arsenal of every serious tournament player. Don't know the Jerome? That's OK but if you play through the following game I would not be surprised if it convinced you to venture the Jerome in your next serious tournament game. This important theoretical battle featured some real "high caliber" opposition and makes a good case for the playability of the Jerome Gambit...

...Young - Computer, 1991: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+! Kxf7 5.Nxe5+! Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4?! Another computer defused the attack after 8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6

I admit that this is only a snippet of a mention, but I include it for a couple of reasons. First, it is also the first game (even if a partial) after "R.F" - "Nibs", 1899, that I have in my database. Secondly, it shows that the Black Queen check-and-return was primarily to disrupt White's kingside, not the beginning of a complicated Queen sacrifice.

The second reference I reviewed is from the unusual chess book Unorthodox Chess (2005), by the even more unusually-named author, Some Loser. (I reviewed the book for Chessville here.)

...the Jerome Gambit - an old favorite of mine, back in the good old days when I used to imagine I could get away with anything. It goes like so: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+!! Kxf7 5.Nxe5+! Nxe5 6.Qh5+ White will be able to recover one of the sacrificed pieces, after which Black's exposed King position plus the two Pawns, not to mention the fabulous shock value, almost compensate for the other piece. Ah, those were the days... and hard to swallow as it may seem, it has actually been known to work from time to time.
For instance 6...Ke6?! 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+?! 9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kf1 Nxh2+?! 11.Kg2 Qd8 [11...Qg4 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Qxc5+ d6 14.Qf2 Nf6 15.Rxh2 Nxe4 16.Qe3 Qe6] 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Qxc5+ d6 14.Qg5+ Ke8 15.Qxd8+ Kxd8 16.Rxh2 Nf6 17.d3 Ng4? 18.Rh4 Nf6 19.Be3 Bg4?! 20.Bd4 Bd1? 21.Na3 Be2 22.Kf2 Bxd3 23.cxd3 c5 24.Bxf6+ gxf6 25.Nc4 Ke7 26.Ne3 Kf7 27.Rah1 Kg6 28.Rh6+ Kg7 29.Nf5+ Kg8 30.Rxf6 d5 31.Nh6+ Kg7 32.Rf7+ Kg6 33.e5 Rhg8 [33...Rab8 34.f5+ Kg5 35.Rg7#; 33...Rag8 34.Rf6+ Kg7 35.Nf5#] 34.Rf6+ Kg7 35.Nf5+ Kh8 36.Rxh7+ Kxh7 37.Rh6#

The lesson from Some Loser's game (or analysis, it is not clear from the text) is that the White King move 10.Kf1 is not an improvement over abhailey's and R.F.'s 10.Kd1. This was confirmed in both perrypawnpusher - james042665, Chess.com, 2008 (0-1, 18) and perrypawnpusher - Temmo, chessworld.com, 2008 (0-1, 43), even though both defenders did not follow the best line of play.
Black's 10...Nxh2+ vs Some Loser was a mistake which surrendered the second player's advantage. As in abhailey - peonconorejas, net-chess, 2008, the best move was 10...Ne7 with similar powerful play against White's Queen and King. Also, 10...Qd8 gave White the advantage, whereas 10...Qg4 would have led to an equal game.

Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XVI

Here is my favorite game of the tournament.


I had White, playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).


I lost.

Hats off to Temmo for a fascinating game!


perrypawnpusher - Temmo
JG3 thematic http://www.chessworld.net/ 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+



As played against me by drewbear ("Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter II") and Kevin the fruitbat ("Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XIII") in this tournament, and James042665 ("Fools walk in...") more recently.

The line has lots of confusion for White, and a possible Black Queen sacrifice (i.e. abhailey - peonconorejas, net-chess.com, 2008, "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter II") to keep things lively.

9.g3

No more innovations like 9.Kd1, perrypawnpusher - drewbear, JG3 thematic, http://www.chessworld.net/, 2008 (0-1, 10)

9...Nf3+ 10.Kf1 Qh6


If you happen to have the quirky tome Unorthodox Chess, by the pseudonymous Some Loser, you would find the alternative 10...Nxh2+ in one of his games: 11.Kg2 Qd8 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Qxc5+ d6 14.Qg5+ Ke8 15.Qxd8+ Kxd8 16.Rxh2 Nf6 17.d3 Ng4? 18.Rh4 Nf6 19.Be3 Bg4?! 20.Bd4 Bd1? 21.Na3 Be2 22.Kf2 Bxd3 23.cxd3 c5 24.Bxf6+ gxf6 25.Nc4 Ke7 26.Ne3 Kf7 27.Rah1 Kg6 28.Rh6+ Kg7 29.Nf5+ Kg8 30.Rxf6 d5 31.Nh6+ Kg7 32.Rf7+ Kg6 33.e5 Rhg8 34.Rf6+ Kg7 35.Nf5+ Kh8 36.Rxh7+ Kxh7 37.Rh6 checkmate Some Loser - NN.

11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ Qd6 It's probably better to leave the Queens on the board with 12...d6. It doesn't look like a big deal, but if the analysis given below of a 14th move alternative for White is accurate, then it is here that Black loses his advantage.

13.Qxd6+ cxd6

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)

Is the Knight at f3 vulnerable? If so, then White probably will find an even – if unclear – game.

Is the Knight Black's only source of worry? What about the a1-h8 diagonal?

After the hammering White took in the game perrypawnpusher - James042665, Chess.com 2008, we will probably see 10...Qf6 far more often than this game's 10...Qh6, so there may not be other games to address these (and other) questions.

Pity.

14.c3

Played to keep the Knight from running away, but Rybka gives an interesting alternative in 14.b4!? -- when best play has the piece staying a moment, as 14...Nd4 15.Bb2 Ne6 16.f5 seems to require the answer 16...Nf6, when 17.Bxf6 (better than the pawn capture) gxf6 18.fxe6 dxe6 gives White a small advantage.

After 14.b4!? b6 15.Kf2 Nd4 it's still an unclear game: 16.Bb2 Nxc2 17.Bxg7 Nf6 18.Bxh8 Nxe4+ (better than the immediate capture of the Rook with 18...Nxa1) 19.Kf3 Nc5 (an amazing move; Black also has 19...Bb7 20.Rc1 Nc5 21.Ke2 Ba6+ leading to a draw by repetition) 20.Ke2 Bb7 21.Rc1 Ba6+ 22.Kd1 Nxb4 23.Bd4 Ncd3 where Rybka suggests as best that Black can force a draw.

14...g5

On a rescue mission!

15.Kf2

The King is probably better-placed after 15.Kg2, after which the battle over the knight would continue with 15...g4 16.h3 d5 17.exd5 d6 18.hxg4 Bxg4 although Black would have an edge after 19.Rf1 h5 20.Rxf3 Bxf3 21.Kxf3 h4 22.gxh4 Rxh4 – White has three pawns for the exchange, but Black's development would more than compensate.

15...g4 16.h3 d5 17.hxg4

Capturing the d-pawn first was better.

17...dxe4 18.d3 d5 19.g5

Giving up on the "undermining" mission, and seeking to delay the development of the other Knight, which would in turn delay the development of a Rook.

19...h6

Black understood what I was getting at, and worked to counter it; but the more straight-forward 19...Bf5 would have helped his development

20.dxe4

If first 20.c4 Bg4 21.dxe4 dxe4 22.Nc3 Re8 23.Nxe4 the pawn center would have been destroyed, and White would have crept closer to equality.

20...dxe4 21.Nd2 Nxd2 22.Bxd2 Bg4 23.Be3

White had the interesting 23.Rh4 instead, although after 23...h5 24.Rah1 Bf3 25.R1h2 Ke6 26.g4 Bxg4 27.Rxg4 Nf6! Black wins the exchange and retains the better game.

23...Ke6 24.Rh4 Kf5

Here Rybka comes up with another interesting idea for White: sacrificing the exchange! 25.Rxg4 Kxg4 26.Rh1 Kf5 27.Rh4 Rd8 27.g4 Kg6 28.g4 Kg6 29.Ke2 a6 30.f5 Kg7 31.gxh6 Nxh6 32.Bd4 Rxd4!? 33.cxd4 Rc8 and too many of White's pawns look like targets.

25.Bd4 Rh7 26.Rah1 h5 27.Ke3

Rybka suggests the exchange sacrifice again, 27.Rxg4 etc. to reduce Black's advantage. Once Black gets his pieces untangled, the game more and more favors him. His King easily handles the White pawns.

27...Ne7 28.R4h2 Nd5+ 29.Kd2 b6 30.Re1 Re8 31.Be3 Rd8 32.Kc2 Rc7 33.a3 Rcd7 34.Bd4 b5 35.Be5 Rc8 36.Kb1 a5 37.g6


A frail whisp of hope. A mirage.

37...b4 38.axb4 axb4 39.g7 b3 40.Bd4 Kg6 41.Kc1 Kf5 42.Rhh1 Nb4 43.Kd2 Rxd4+
White resigns.


What a game!