Jerome Gambit: Danger on the f-File

White's Bishop sacrifice in the Jerome Gambit brings the enemy King to the f-file. Often, Black's defense brings his Queen there. After White castles - the f-file can become a dangerous place, as the following game shows.

Wall, Bill - Guest744598
PlayChess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's Defense, named for Lt. G. N. Whistler, secretary of the Lexington, Kentucky Chess Club, who played a correspondence match using the line against Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, in 1876.

8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.Qg3 Bd6 10.f4

A small improvement over 10.Qc3, seen in Wall,B - Guest3289310, PlayChess.com, 2012:  10...Qxc3 11.Nxc3 Be5 12.O-O Bxc3 13.bxc3 d6 14.d4 Ne7 15.f4 Rf8 16.d5 Kg8 17.Re1 Bd7 18.c4 Rae8 19.Rb1 b6 20.e5 dxe5 21.fxe5 Nc8 22.e6 Ba4 23.Re2 Nd6 24.Rb4 b5 25.c5 Nc4 26.g4 a5 27.Rb3 Bxb3 28.cxb3 Rf3 29.bxc4 bxc4 30.d6 cxd6 31.cxd6 Rd3 32.d7 Ra8 33.Rd2 Kf8 34.Rxd3 cxd3 35.Ba3+ Kg8 36.e7 Kf7 37.d8=Q Rxd8 38.exd8=Q Black resigned.

10...Bxf4

This  pawn grab is not as good as Bill's suggestion, 10...Bc5. 

11.Qb3+ Qe6 

Better, 11...d5. 

12.O-O 

12...Qxb3 13.Rxf4+ Kg7 14.axb3 d6 

15.d4 Ne7 16.Nc3 Bd7 17.Be3 a6  

Black safeguards his a-pawn before moving his Rook. However, this gives up a vital tempo that turns over the f-file to White.

18.Raf1 Rhe8 

Normally, Black could challenge the file, say, with 18...Rhf8, but here it would be met by 19.Rxf8 Rxf8 20.Bh6+ followed by 21.Rxf8.

19.Rf7+ Kh8 20.Bg5 Nc6 21.Bf6+ Kg8 22.Rxd7 

Black resigned

If he challenges along the f-file, he is liable to run into the notorious chess "windmill", giving up material - 22...Rf8 23.Rg7+ Kh8 24.Rxc7+ Kg8 25.Rg7+ Kh8 26.Rxb7+ Kg8 27.Rg7+ Kh8 28.Rc7+ Rxf6 29.Rxf6 Nb4 30.Rff7, when checkmate is coming.


[Dear Readers: For the record, this is blog post #3,000. If you were to read them all, taking a minute per post, it would take you 50 hours. You could also follow the links in each post that interest you, or use the "Search This Blog" function to find something or someone specifically. Thanks for visiting. -Rick]

Jerome Gambit: And, In Time, The Win

In the following game, Black denies his opponent the wild attack that often comes with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). White soon has the better game, and, in time, the win.

M4G1CK - HubRekt
lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5

Now, Black has 7...d6, the Blackburne Defense (named after the game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884, in which Blackburne sacrificed 2 Rooks and his Queen), or 7...Qe2, Whistler's Defense (named after Lt. G. N. Whistler, who played it in a correspondence match against Jerome).

Instead, he chooses what I have begun to call the Jerome counter-gambit.

7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Kxf6 

The good news for White is that he is no longer down a couple of pieces - in fact, he is up a pawn.

The bad news is that he doesn't have a dashing, smashing attack. He will have to grind out the win, starting in a Queenless middlegame.

10.Rf1 Kg7 11.Kg1 d6 12.d4 Nf6 13.Nc3 Re8 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Rxe5 16.Bf4 Rf5 17.Bxc7 Rxf1+ 18.Rxf1 Bg4 

White plays on without risk.

The only "danger" he faces is the possibility of a drawish Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, should the Knights and Rooks come off the board. That is not going to happen, though, as he is ready to win a piece.

19.Be5 Rf8 20.Nd5 Re8 21.Bxf6+ Kh6 

White has enough to win. It will take a few more moves.

22.Rf4 Bh5 23.g4 g5 24.Rf5 Bf7 25.Bxg5+ Kg7 26.Bf6+ Kh6 27.Bg5+ Kg7 28.h4 Bxd5 29.Rxd5 h6 30.Bd2 Re4 31.Bc3+ Kh7 32.Rd7+ Kg6 33.Rd6+ Kh7 34.Rd7+ Kg8 35.Rg7+ Kf8 36.Rg6 h5 37.gxh5 Rxh4 

You can see how the game is going to end.

38.h6 Kf7 39.Rg7+ Kf8 40.h7 Re4 41.Rxb7 Rg4+ 42.Kf2 Rh4 43.h8=Q+ Rxh8 44.Bxh8 Kg8 45.Rxa7 Kxh8 

46.Rd7 Kg8 47.c4 Kf8 48.c5 Ke8 49.Rd1 Ke7 50.c6 Ke6 51.c7 Ke5 52.c8=Q Ke4 53.Qc4+ Kf5 54.Rd5+ Ke6 55.Qc6+ Ke7 56.Rd7+ Ke8 57.Qc8 checkmate

Slow and steady wins the race. Nice.

Jerome Gambit: Largely Overlooked by History

I wanted to share another eronald (of lichess.org) game for a number of reasons. He faced one of the more challenging defenses to the Jerome Gambit, he selected a line of play that was recommended over 140 years ago - and which has been scarcely played at all. This game also allows me to tuck in a note from my research that comes from I-do-not-know-where. 

eronald - ayushsankar1006
5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

This can lead to either the Blackburne Defense, 7...d6, or Whistler's Defense, 7...Qe7. Both are complicated and each can be dangerous for the unwary. 

My preference to play, and not to face, is Whistler's. See "More (Update): Whistler's Defense" for a discussion.

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qd5+ 

The highly dangerous (for White) 8.Qxh8 appeared in Jerome - Norton, D., correspondence, 1876 (1/2 - 1/2, 20) and Jerome - Whistler, correspondence, 1876 (0-1, 15). Jerome was fortunate to gain a half point from the two games. The December, 1876 issue of  American Chess Journal, commenting on the Whistler game, recommended 8.Qd5+ without analysis.

Then 8.Qd5+ practically disappeared from the face of the earth. Perhaps it should be referred to as Jerome Gambit Secrets #12 ?

I have in my notes something from a 2020 1 0 bullet game at
lichess.org - the players are not named

If played correctly 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qd5 + Kg7 9.d4 Bb4 + 10.c3 Nf6 11.Qe5 Bd6 12.Qxe7 + Bxe7 13.f3 White plays one piece, and for the second they have more space and two pawns - you can still play very much (position on the interactive whiteboard), both on the one and the other side. Although, objectively speaking, Black has a win, but you need to make fairly accurate moves, let's recall the game of the unforgettable Mikhail Tal - how many could hold their position after the Tal victims, who turned out to be objectively won in the home analysis?

It is not every day that you see the Jerome Gambit and the Magician from Riga mentioned in the same paragraph! 

Of course, Tal has already been mentioned on the blog: see "The Evans-Jerome Gambit Returns (Part 1)" and "Correctness".

8...Kf8 

If, instead, 8...Kg7, the game continued 9.d4 Bb6 10. Bg5 Nf6 11.e5 Nxd5 White resigned, levigun - obviously, GameKnot.com, 2004. This is the only other 8.Qd5+ game in The Database.

9.O-O c6 10.Qc4 d5 11.exd5 cxd5 

12.Qf4+ 

White declines the pawn (12.Qxd5), as Black could then develop his Bishop or Knight, attacking the Queen with tempo. 

12...Nf6 13.d4 Bd6 14.Qd2 Qe4 

This looks a bit odd, although Black retains his advantage.

Given that this was a 5-minute blitz game, and taking into consideration Black's previous move, perhaps he was planning to set up the Bishop + Queen battery, but at the last second, noticed that 14...Qe5 would drop Her Majesty?

15.Re1 Qh4 16.Qh6+ Qxh6 17. Bxh6+ Kf7 18. Nc3 Ng4 

ayushsankar1006 continues to press his attack, even with Queens off of the board. Both players now ignore the pawn at h2 for a short while.

19.Bg5 Be6 20.Nb5  

Perhaps planning to allow the h-pawn capture, and then trap the Bishop with g2-g3, while limiting where the prelate could otherwise retreat to? Or, was the clock ticking? In any event, 20.h3 was probably the move to make. 

20...Bxh2+ 21.Kh1 a6 

The fly in the ointment. The Knight is invited to leave.

22.Nc7

Likely the clock.

22...Bxc7 23.f3 White resigned

Jerome Gambit: In Bullet, Almost Everything Is Playable

In the following bullet game - time control of one minute, no increment - Jerome Gambit veteran angelcamina plays a variation that has a brutal refutation; but his opponent does not reply sharply enough. The game dances on a knife's edge, and then White breaks through. It is fascinating to watch the thinking at an extremely rapid rate.

angelcamina - Marlon_Romano
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 

This is Whistler's Defense, which is relatively less complicated, but more dangerous, than Blackburne's Defense (7...d6). The Rook should not now be taken. That being said, the game remains quite complicated.

8.Qxh8 

Wow. angelcamina has been here before, and should know the risks. Maybe he does. Maybe he likes the chaos.

8...Nf6 

Black locks in White's Queen. This is a theme that can be found in Blackburne's Defense; it will be followed by developing Black's light-squared Bishop, attacking the White Queen with the remaining Rook.

Perhaps Marlon_Romano is familiar with Blackburne's Defense to the Jerome Gambit, but he seems less familiar with Whistler's Defense, which requires 8...Qxe4+ to start a ferocious attack on White's King. An earlier example is angelcamina - ssez222, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2018 - yes, even against the virulent counter-attack, angelcamina succeeded.

9.O-O 

White realizes that he needs to safeguard his King, and this move leads to a relatively even game; but he could have combined defense with offense with the move 9.d3. He immediately shows an awareness of this.

9...b6 

Getting ready to uncover the Rook to attack the Queen.

10.e5 Qxe5 11.d4 Bxd4 

Opening the c1-h6 diagonal for the Bishop in an attack that rescues the Queen.

12.c3

A temporary slip. White quickly turns back to attack.

12...Bc5 

Taking the Bishop out of danger, and preparing to reposition it; but, likewise, a slip. 12...Bb7 was the consistent move.

13.Bh6 

Now the game is in balance: 13...Bb7 14.Qg7+ Ke6 15.Nd2 Bf8 16.Qxf8+ Rxf8 17.Rae1 Re8 18.Rxe5+ Kxe5 looks even.

13...Bd6 

The checkmate threat is not enough.

14.Qg7+ Ke6 15.f4 Qc5+ 

White is up the exchange. His attack rolls on.

16.Kh1 Ba6 17.Re1+ Kf5 

18.h3 Qf2 19.g4+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Descent Into Rubble

The latest game from Cliff Hardy is a wild affair, concluding with a mad dash to the finish line - er, time control. 

In a 1-minute, no increment, bullet game, you can win, even if your opponent has a forced checkmate - if his flag falls. Just another reason for an opponent to hate the Jerome Gambit.  

I have added some diagrams and a comment or two, in blue; otherwise, the notes are by Cliff. 

Here is a bullet Jerome Gambit game I played today, which most certainly has several errors in it!

Cliff Hardy (2400) - NN (2391)
1 0, Lichess, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+

I successfully remembered that taking the rook here is inferior (I think!).

Black is playing Whistler's Defense with 6...g6 and 7...Qe7. Taking the Rook at h8 is complicated, but "theoretically" dangerous for White, although The Database shows a score of over 50% in about 50 games. Check out the earlier post, "Bop!" - Rick

8...Kg7 9.d3 Nf6 10.0-0 Rf8 

Black has effectively castled-by-hand. Given enough time, he will continue to figure things out. Unfortunately, he will not have enough time. - Rick

11.Nc3 d6?!

Stockfish prefers the hard-to-see 11...d5! -++ e.g. 12.exd5?/e5? Ng4! 13.Qg5 Bxf2+.

12.Qh4 Bd4? =+

Missing White's threat - 12...h5 13.Na4 -++ would still have been strong for Black.

13.Bh6+ Kg8 14.Bxf8 Qxf8 15.Kh1 Be6?! =

The perennial inaccuracy for Black in the Jerome Gambit - this bishop move tends to run headlong into White's pawn push f2-f4-f5. Better would have been 15...Qg7 16. f4 Bd7, with a slight advantage for Black. 

16.f4 Re8 17.Nd1? =+

17.Ne2 would have been better, though I had missed that 17...Bxb2? could then have been met by 18.Rab1.

17...Ng4 18.h3 Ne3 19.Nxe3 Bxe3 20.Rf3 Bd4 

21.c3 Bg7 22.Raf1 Qe7??

22...Qf6 23.Qf2 =+

23.Qg3??

Missing the typical Jerome Gambit tactic of utilising the f-pawn with 23.Qxe7 Rxe7 24.f5 gxf5 25.exf5 Bxa2 26.f6! ++-, forking the rook and bishop.

23...Bxa2 24.f5 Bf7??

The Jerome Gambit f-pawn strikes again! Blockading it with 24...gxf5 25.exf5 Qf6 would have left Black with a clear advantage.

25.f6 Bxf6 26.Rxf6 Be6 

27.Qf4 Kg7 28.Qf2 Bg8?

The interference tactic 28...Bf5! would have been better here, though after 29.Rxf5 gxf5 30.exf5 Rf8 31.Qxa7, White would still have had a winning advantage.

29.Rf3 Qe5 30.Qxa7 Qb5 

31.Qd4+ Kh6 32.Qf6 Re5 

33.Qh4+ Kg7 34.Qf6+ Kh6 35.Rf4 Rh5? 

36.Rh4?

Black made the mistake of allowing White to mate in 2 moves with 36.Qf8+ Kg5 37.Rg4 (which White obviously missed!), though Black's position was lost in any case.

 36...Rxh4 37.Qf8+?

The game now descends into rubble. With White having 2.4 seconds left on the clock and Black having double that (exactly 4.8 seconds left), we both started to throw down any move we could think of! Clearly, 37.Qxh4+ would have been a much better move to play (though even after 37.Qf8+?, White still has a winning position).

37...Kg5 38.Qf3 Rg4?? 39.Qg3?? Rxg3 40.Kh2 Qe5 41.Rf5+ and White cheekily won on time.