The idea of playing the Jerome Gambit against a computer chess engine seems almost as irrational as the Jerome Gambit itself. How is it possible to give the silicon beast a couple of pieces and expect to survive? One doesn't give the computer "Jerome Gambit odds"! Still, four years ago, I noted on this blog
It was not long after I began looking into the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) that I noticed one chess match kept turning up in the databases: in 1993, between the human Micah Fischer-Kirshner and the chess-playing program KnightStalker, an early version of Fritz. As luck would have it, I was able to interview Micah about his experience for this blog.
The Jerome Gambit seemed a natural for matches, especially ones involving computers. Jeroen_61 of the Netherlands ran one with Hiarcs, Junior 7, Shredder Paderdorn (6.02) and Fritz 7.
I tried a few myself, notably a Fritz8 vs Fritz5 encounter and a Delphi vs Wealk Delphi contest. Each attempt had its shortcomings. (Perhaps you read about them here.)
The mysterious "perfesser" played an introductory 4-game match with the Talking LCD Chess Gadget. Like the Jerome Gambit itself, it was good for some chuckles.
Topping all efforts so far, "RevvedUp" and his trusted companions Hiarcs 8, Shredder 8, Yace Paderborn, Crafty 19.19 and Fritz 8 explored the Jerome Gambit in a 30-game encounter. It was simply war.
There is also the earlier summary of Randy Tipton's computer vs computer games, and the more recent adventures of "Ionman vs the Bots". So, when I noticed that the new group of Bill Wall games had some of him playing the Jerome Gambit against some engines, I had to check them out. The following game is very interesting. The human's flurry of tactics to finish off the game is impressive. Wall, Bill - Abrok chess engine Palm Bay, Florida, 2015 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Qf6
A mild surprise. Computers tend to delight in "the annoying defense" 7...d6. 8.Rf1 g6 9.Qh3+ Bill has a couple of cautions here:9.fxe5? Qxf1+ 10.Kxf1 gxh5 and 9.Qd1? Qh4+ 10.g3 Qxh2 11.fxe5 Qxg3+ 12.Rf2 Qxf2 checkmate. 9...Ke7 Bill has been here before: 9...Ng4 10.Qxg4+ Ke7 11.Nc3 d5 (11...d6 12.Nd5+ Kd8 13.Nxf6 Bxg4 14.Nxg4 h5 15.Nf2 Kd7 16.Nh3 Re8 17.d3 Nf6 18.Ng5 Ng4 19.h3 Nh2 20.Rh1 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest3164644, PlayChess.com, 2013) 12.Nxd5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Betarsolta, PlayChess.com, 2015; also 9...Kf7 10.fxe5 Qxf1+ 11.Kxf1 d6 12.Qc3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest1690223, PlayChess.com, 2012; and 9...Ke7 10.Nc3 c6 d6 (10...c6 11.fxe5 Qxe5 12.d3 Nf6 13.Qh4Bd4 14.Bg5 Bxc3+ 15.bxc3 Qxc3+ 16.Ke2 Qxc2+ 17.Bd2 Qb2 18.Rxf6 Qxf6 19.Bg5 Rf8 20.Bxf6+ Rxf6 21.e5 Black resigned, Wall,B - XCCY, FICS, 2011) 11.Nd5+ Kd8 12.Qg3 Qe6 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.d4 Ne7 15.dxc5 Nxd5 16.Bg5+ Ke8 17.exd5 Qxd5 18.Rf2 Be6 19.Rd2 Qxc5 20.0-0-0 Rf8 21.Qh4 h5 22.Bh6 Rf5 23.Rd8+ Rxd8 24.Rxd8+ Kf7 25.Rf8+ Qxf8 26.Bxf8 Kxf8 27.Qd8+ Kg7 28.Qxc7+ Kh6 29.h4 Rf1+ 30.Kd2 Rf2+ 31.Ke3 Rf5 32.Qd8 a6 33.Qh8 checkmate, Wall,B - Aburasian, Chess.com, 2010. 10.Nc3 Kd8
An enjoyable game, the following contest ends up with White having the choice of three different ways of delivering checkmate, depending which piece he wants to use! Wall,B - Guest5541035 PlayChess.com, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Qf6
A nice change from the "annoying defense" 7...d6.
The first example that I have of 7...Qf6 in my notes is from NM Eric Schiller's Unorthodox Chess Openings (1998). Calling 6...Ke6 "the real test of the opening" he notes, after 7.f4
White will win back one of the sacrificed pieces. Black should react calmly by developing and protecting the king. It is useful to keep in mind that for an attack to succeed the attacker usually requires greater force than that which defends the king. Here the Black king is surrounded by pieces, and White has only the queen and a pair of pawns. The Black king can retreat to e7, but this would confine the Black queen. Therefore the correct move [7...Qf6] suggests itself.
8.Rf1
This seems stronger than Schiller's recommended 8.Nc3.
The Database has 9 game examples with 8.Nc3, with Black (including Wall, once) winning 6 of them (White scores 33%). This is opposed to 52 games with 8.Rf1, with White winning 32 (scoring 62%).
Bill warns against 8.fxe5? Qf2+ 9.Kd1 Qxg2. 8...g6 Or 8...Ne7 9.fxe5 Qxe5. 9.Qh3+
Threatening 10.fxe5.
Not 9.fxe5? Qxf1+ 10.Kxf1 gxh5 or 9.Qd1? Qh4+ 10.g3 Qxh2 11.fxe5 Qxg3+ 12.Rf2 Qxf2#. 9...Ke7
Two alternatives: 9...Kf7? 10.fxe5 Qxf1+ 11.Kxf1 d6 12.Qc3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest1690223, PlayChess.com. 2012; 9...Ng4 10.Qxg4+ Ke7 11.Nc3 d6? 12.Nd5+Wall,B - Guest3164644, PlayChess.com 2013 (1-0, 20). 10.Nc3
Threatening 11.Nd5+ forking King and Queen. White could also grab back a piece with 10.fxe5. 10...d6
Less tricky, but perhaps a bit more prudent, is 10...c6 as seen in Wall,B - XCCY, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 21)] 11.Nd5+Kf7 Better is 11...Kd8, as long as Black doesn't slip like 12.Qg3 Qe6 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.d4 Ne7? as in Wall, B - Aburasian, Chess.com, 2010(1-0, 33).
Of course not 11...Ke8? when 12.Nxf6+ gains Black's Queen with check. 12.Qb3Qh4+
It was time to give some material back. Not 12...Qe6? 13.fxe5+ Kg7 14.Nxc7; but maybe 12...Nf3+ 13.Rxf3 Qh4+ or even 12...Nd3+!?. 13.g3
Simplest. As Bill notes, if 13.Kd1? Bg4+; and there is no need to protect the h-pawn with 13.Qg3 Qxg3+ 14.hxg3 Nc6 when Black retains his two extra pieces. 13...Qg4
Maybe Black now saw that 13...Qxh2 would be well-answered by 14.fxe5+. If so, it is a shame that he didn't press further to find 13...Nf3+!? 14.Qxf3 Qxh2 (about even) or 14...Qh5!?
Now White takes over. 14.fxe5+ Kg7
Retreating elsewhere brings disaster. 15.d3 Taking care of business, first. Instead, 15.Nxc7?? is a horror show after 15...Qxe4+. 15...dxe5
Instead, 15...c6? can boomarang, for example: 16.Qc3 cxd5 17.e6+ Nf6 18.Qxf6+ Kg8 19.Qf7# 16.Nxc7 Bill shows that the alternative, 16.Qc3, looks pretty trappy and good for White after 16...Bd4 17.Qxc7+ Bd7 18.Rf5!? gxf5 19.Qxd7+ Kg6 20.c3.
But if Black answers solidly, instead, with 16...Bd6, then White has only 17.Nxc7, when 17...Nf6!? might come as quite a shock. Houdini says then that after 18.Nxa8 Qh5 19.h4 Bh3 20.Rf2 Rxa8 Black's two pieces will balance out White's Rook and two pawns.
Tricky play! But, now Black blunders. 16...Rb8??
17.Ne8 checkmate.
Or 17.Qf7 checkmate.
Or 17.Rf7 checkmate
The chessboard can be a scary place, and it is always a good idea to be prepared for what might show up there. This advice also refers to defenders who face the unbalanced Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). Luckily for them, many refutations of the gambit have been published. Lucky for the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde, chess games, do not, yet, "play themselves". Wall,B - Guest3164644 Playchess.com, 2013 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Qf6
A defense suggested by NM Eric Schiller in his 1998 Unorthodox Chess Openings. 8.Rf1 Unfortunately, this move is not covered in UCO. 8...g69.Qh3+ Threatening 10.fxe5 9...Ng4 Seen previously: 9...Kf7 10.fxe5 Qxf1+ 11.Kxf1 d6 12.Qc3 Black resigned, Wall, B - Guest1690223, Playchess.com, 2012; and 9...Ke7 10.Nc3 c6 d6 (10...c6, Wall,B - XCCY, FICS, 2011 [1-0,21]) 11.Nd5+ Kd8 12.Qg3 Qe6 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.d4 Ne7 15.dxc5 Nxd5 16.Bg5+ Ke8 17.exd5 Qxd5 18.Rf2 Be6 19.Rd2 Qxc5 20.0-0-0 Rf8 21.Qh4 h5 22.Bh6 Rf5 23.Rd8+ Rxd8 24.Rxd8+ Kf7 25.Rf8+ Qxf8 26.Bxf8 Kxf8 27.Qd8+ Kg7 28.Qxc7+ Kh6 29.h4 Rf1+ 30.Kd2 Rf2+ 31.Ke3 Rf5 32.Qd8 a6 33.Qh8 checkmate, Wall,B - Aburasian, Chess.com, 2010. 10.Qxg4+ Ke7 11.Nc3 d6?
12.Nd5+ Kd8 13.Nxf6 Bxg4 14.Nxg4 h5
White is up two pawns. 15.Nf2 Kd7 16.Nh3 Re8 17.d3 Nf6 18.Ng5 Ng4
Black has done well in attending to his development. He should not try to mimic White's wandering Knight. 19.h3 Nh2 20.Rh1 Black resigned
