Jerome Gambit: Unfinished Symphony (Part 1)

The following game, my most recent Jerome Gambit from an ongoing Chess.com tournament, was an adventure from start to finish. The adventure was shorter than I expected, however. It is filled out with related games played at a number of different online sites, all from The Database.

perrypawnpusher - Nivaethan2000
Giuoco Piano Thematic Tournament, Chess.com 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4

This is a popular line, but it is the first time that I have played it. I have preferred 7.Qf5+, and am something like 59 - 10 with the move. That's a score of almost 86% - why take the risk of something new? As I mentioned in a previous post, I need to keep learning about the Jerome Gambit.

White's King is going to be insecure for a while, and if he castles, it will be Queenside.

7...Qf6 8.Rf1 g6

This pawn kick is understandable, but Knight moves also have been played.

For example, 8... Ne7 was seen in Wall,B - Asterisk engine, Palm Bay, FL, 2015 (1-0, 39).

Also 8...Nh6 9.Nc3 c6 10.fxe5 Qxe5 11.Qh4 Rf8 12.Rxf8 Bxf8 13.d3 Bb4 14.Bd2 Qf6 15.Qh5 d6 16.Qe8+ Qe7 17.Qh8 g5 18.h4 g4 19.Bxh6 Bxc3+ 20.bxc3 Qxh4+ 21.Ke2 Kd7 22.Rf1 Kc7 23.Rf7+ Kb6 24.Qd4+ Ka6 25.Qa4+ Kb6 26.Be3+ c5 27.Qb3+ Kc6 28.Qd5+ Kb5 29.Rxb7+ Black resigned, tapirus - mrdenetop, Chess.com, 2011.

There was the creative 8...Nd3+ as in MrJoker - Melbourne, Internet Chess Club 2011 (1-0, 29). 

9.Qh3+ Ke7

Again, this is not the only move (although it foreshadows the theme of play along the dark squares).

Examples of games with the novel way of returning the piece, 9...Ng4, are mrjoker - jmt, Internet Chess Club, 2008 (1-0, 29);  Wall,B - Guest3164644, PlayChess.com 2013 (1-0, 20); and Wall,B - Betarsolta, PlayChess.com, 2015 (1-0, 12). 

The imprudent 9...Kf7 was seen in Wall,B - Guest1690223, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 12).

The alternative 9...Kd6 has been met several ways: 

10.fxe5+ Qxe5 11.d3 (11.Nc3!?) Kc6 12.Nc3 d6 13.Qf3 Be6 14.Bf4 Qh5 15.g4 Bxg4 16.Qh1 Bb4 17.e5+ Kb6 18.Qg1+ Ka6 19.Qd4 Bxc3+ 20.bxc3 Nh6 21.Qa4+ Kb6 22.Rb1+ Black disconnected and forfeited, MrJoker - Melbourne, Internet Chess Club, 2011; 

10.Qg3 Nf7 (best is 10...Nd3+) 11.e5+ Nxe5 12.Nc3 Ke6 13.Ne4 Nf3+ 14.Qxf3 Qh4+ 15.g3 Qe7 16.f5+ Kd5 17.Kd1 Qxe4 18.c4+ Ke5 19.Re1 d5 20.Rxe4+ dxe4 21.d4+ Bxd4 22.Qf4+ Kf6 23.fxg6+ Kxg6 24.Qg5+ Kf7 25.Qd5+ Be6 26.Qxd4 Nf6 27.Ke1 Rhf8 28.Qe5 Rac8 29.Bg5 Kg6 30.Bd2 Bf5 31.Qf4 e3 32.Bxe3 Rce8 33.Ke2 Bg4+ 34.Kd3 Rd8+ 35.Kc2 Bf5+ 36.Kb3 Rd3+ 37.Kb4 a5+ 38.Kxa5 b6+ 39.Kb4 c5+ 40.Kb5 Bd7+ 41.Kxb6 Nd5+ 42.cxd5 Rxf4 43.Bxf4 Rxd5 44.Rc1 Be6 45.b3 Kf5 46.Kc6 Kf6 47.Rc2 Rf5 48.Bc1 Bd5+ 49.Kd6 Ba8 50.Bb2+ Kg6 51.Be5 Rf8 52.Rxc5 Rf2 53.a4 Rxh2 54.b4 Ra2 55.a5 Bh1 56.Bc3 Rg2 57.b5 Rxg3 58.b6 Rd3+ 59.Kc7 Re3 60.a6 Re7+ 61.Kd6 Rf7 62.Rc6 Black resigned, Zappa 1.1 - Deep Fritz 8, Blitz:5, 2006.

10.b4!? Nf3+ (if 10...Bxb4 11.Qb3; best is 10...Bd4) 11.Qxf3 Qxa1 12.bxc5+ Ke7 13.Qb3 Nf6 14.Bb2 Qxb1+ 15.Ke2 Qxf1+ 16.Kxf1 Rf8 17.Qg3 Ke8 18.f5 Rf7 19.Qe5+ Kf8 20.Qxc7 Ne8 21.Qe5 gxf5 22.exf5 b6 23.Ba3 d6 24.Qh8+ Ke7 25.cxd6+ Kd8 26.g4 Be6 27.Ke1 Bxa2 28.Qa1 Bd5 29.Qd4 Bh1 30.Qc4 Rd7 31.Qg8 a6 32.g5 a5 33.c4 Rg7 34.Qe6 Raa7 35.d7 Raxd7 36.Qxb6+ Kc8 37.f6 Rgf7 38.Qxa5 Nc7 39.Qe5 Bb7 40.d4 Bg2 41.Kf2 Bc6 42.d5 Bxd5 43.cxd5 Rxd5 44.Qf4 Rdd7 45.Bb4 Kb7 46.Qc4 Nd5 47.Qb5+ Kc7 48.Bc5 Kc8 49.Qa6+ Kb8 50.Bd6+ Nc7 51.h3 Rd8 52.Qb5+ Kc8 53.Bxc7 Rxc7 54.Qf5+ Kb7 55.f7 Rcc8 56.Qxh7 Kc6 57.Qe4+ Kd6 58.Qd4+ Kc7 59.Qf4+ Black resigned, Junior 7 - Fritz 7, Utrecht, 2002; 

10.Nc3 (best) Kc6 11.Nd5 d6 12.Qg3 Qe6 13.fxe5 Qxe5 14.Qxe5 dxe5 15.b4 Bd6 16.Bb2 Ne7 17.c4 b6 18.Rc1 Nxd5 19.exd5+ Kd7 20.c5 bxc5 21.bxc5 Be7 22.Bxe5 Rf8 23.c6+ Kd8 24.Rxf8+ Bxf8 25.Rc3 Be7 26.Re3 h5 27.Bxc7+ Kxc7 28.Rxe7+ Kd6 29.Re8 Kxd5 30.Rg8 Bb7 31.Rxg6 Re8+ 32.Kf2 Bxc6 33.Rh6 Re5 34.d4 Rf5+ 35.Ke3 Rg5 36.g3 a5 37.a3 Bb5 38.Rh7 Kc4 39.Rf7 Kb3 40.Kf4 Rd5 41.Ke4 Be8 42.Kxd5 Bxf7+ 43.Ke5 Kxa3 44.d5 a4 45.d6 Be8 46.Kf6 Kb4 47.Ke7 Bb5 48.d7 Bxd7 49.Kxd7 a3 50.Ke6 a2 51.Kf5 a1=Q 52.Kg5 Qe5+ 53.Kh4 White resigned, DrunkenMaster 1.2 - Comet B48, Torneo tematico GaJero00-A, 2009

10.Nc3 

A little bit better might be 10.fxe5 Qxe5 although it did not make a difference in GeniusPawn - jmchess, FICS, 2000 which continued with 11.Nc3, anyway: 11...Nf6 12.d4 Bxd4 13.Bf4 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Qxe4+ 15.Kd1 d6 16.Qh4 Kf7 17.Kc1 Bf5 18.Qf2 Qc4 19.Rb1 Ne4 20.Qe3 Qxf1+ 21.Kb2 Qxg2 22.Bh6 Qxh2 23.Ka1 Qxc2 24.Rc1 Qa4 25.Qd3 Rae8 26.Qd5+ Be6 27.Rf1+ Ke7 28.Bg5+ Kd7 29.Rf7+ Kc8 White resigned.

The question is, can Black respond to 10.Nc3 by making the White capture of the Knight on e5 more difficult, if not impossible? The answer, as we shall see, is both yes and no

[to be continued]

On the Other Hand...

Bill Wall has championed the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) as well as many other unorthodox openings, but in the ongoing "Play the Jerome Gambit Quad" at Chess.com each player has to defend against the Jerome as well as play it. So, with perhaps a bit of reluctance...


bfcace (1437) - billwall (2489)
Play The Jerome Gambit Quad
Chess.com, 2012

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

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

7.f4 Qf6 8.Nc3 Qxf4

Black declined the f-pawn with 8...g6 in bfcace -DeDrijver, Play the Jerome Gambit Quad, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 18).

9.d4 Nf6 10.Qh3+

Instead, White exchanged Queens with 10.Bxf4 Nxh5 11.Bxe5 Bb6 in the silicon slugfest,  Fritz 5.32 - Deep Sjeng 1.5, The Jeroen Experience, 2003: 12.a4 Ba5 13.0-0 Bxc3 14.bxc3 d6 15.Rf5 Nf6 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Raf1 Rf8 18.Kf2 Bd7 19.a5 Ba4 20.Ke3 Rae8 21.R1f2 Bd7 22.c4 b6 23.axb6 cxb6 24.c3 Ra8 25.g4 Ke7 26.Rh5 Bxg4 27.Rxh7+ Rf7 28.Rh6 Be6 29.d5 Bd7 30.h4 a5 31.Ra2 f5 32.exf5 Bxf5 33.Rb2 Ra6 34.Re2 Kd7 35.Kd2 Kc7 36.Rf2 Ra8 37.Kc1 Raf8 38.Rf3 Kd7 39.Kb2 Be4 40.Rg3 Rf3 41.Rg7+ R8f7 42.Rg8 Rf1 43.Kb3 Rb1+ 44.Ka3 Ra1+ 45.Kb2 Rh1 46.Kb3 b5 47.Rhh8 Rb1+ 48.Ka3 bxc4 49.Rd8+ Kc7 50.Rc8+ Kb6 51.Rxc4 Bxd5 52.Rb8+ Rb7 53.Rxb7+ Kxb7 54.Rd4 Kc6 55.c4 Be6 56.Re4 Bd7 57.Rd4 Ra1+ 58.Kb2 Rh1 59.Kc3 Rh3+ 60.Kb2 Kc5 61.Rd5+ Kxc4 62.Rxd6 Bb5 63.Rh6 a4 64.Ka2 Kd4 65.Rd6+ Kc5 66.Rd1 Bc4+ 67.Kb1 a3 68.Rc1 Rxh4 69.Kc2 Rh2+ 70.Kc3 Rh3+ 71.Kc2 Kb4 72.Kb1 Rh2 73.Ka1 Kb3 74.Rb1+ Rb2 75.Rd1 Ra2+ 76.Kb1 Rc2 77.Ka1 Be2 78.Rb1+ Rb2 79.Rd1 Ra2+ 0-1

10...Qg4 11.Qxg4+ Nexg4 12.dxc5 c6

Black has a piece for a pawn, and, with the Queens off of the board he does not have to worry about immediate danger to his King.

For curiosity's sake, I can mention that two computer-vs-computer games saw Black defend differently:
12...Ne8 13.0-0 b6 14.cxb6 axb6 15.Nd5 Ba6 16.Rf5 d6 17.b3 Bb7 18.c4 Ngf6 19.Rf4 Nd7 20.Bd2 c6 21.Nc3 Nef6 22.Be3 Rhe8 23.Rd1 Ra3 24.h3 Re7 25.Rf2 Rf7 26.Rfd2 Ne8 27.Ne2 Re7 28.Bf4 Ndf6 29.Nc3 Kf7 30.Re1 Re6 31.Be3 Nd7 32.g4 h6 33.g5 hxg5 34.Bxg5 Kg8 35.Rg2 Bc8 36.h4 Nef6 37.Rd1 Ne5 38.Rf1 Kh7 39.Kh1 Nfd7 40.Bc1 Ra6 41.Bg5 Nc5 42.Rf8 Bd7 43.Be3 Ng6 44.Rd8 Nxe4 45.Bd4 c5 46.Rxd7 cxd4 47.Nxe4 Rxe4 48.h5 Ne7 49.h6 Kxh6 50.Rxd6+ Kh5 51.c5 Nf5 52.Rxb6 Ra5 53.Rb8 Rxc5 54.Rh8+ Nh6 55.Rd2 Kg4 56.Rf8 Rh5+ 57.Kg2 Nf5 58.a4 Re3 59.Rxf5 Rg3+ 0-1, Hiarcs 8 - Fritz 7, Utrecht, Engine Tournament, 2002; and
12...d6 13.Nb5 Kd7 14.cxd6 Re8 15.0-0 cxd6 16.h3 Ne5 17.Bh6 Nxe4 18.Bxg7 b6 19.Bxe5 Rxe5 20.Rf7+ Ke6 21.Rxa7 Rxa7 22.Nxa7 Bb7 23.a4 Rd5 24.Nb5 Rd2 25.Re1 Ke5 26.Na3 Kd4 27.Rf1 Nc5 28.Rf4+ Be4 29.Rg4 d5 30.b3 Rd1+ 31.Kf2 Kc3 32.Rg3+ Kb4 33.Ke2 Ra1 34.Nb5 Bxc2 35.Nd4 Bxb3 36.Nxb3 Nxb3 37.Rg7 Ra2+ 38.Kf1 d4 39.Rd7 Kc3 40.Rc7+ Nc5 41.a5 Rxa5 0-1 Zappa 1.1 - Pro Deo 1.1, Blitz:5, 2006.

13.0-0 Ne5 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 b6 16.b4 Ba6 17.Rf2 Rhf8 18.a4 bxc5 19.b5 Bb7 20.a5 cxb5 21.Nxb5 Rab8

White's actions on the Queenside have stirred things up, and this emboldens him to take direct action against Black's King, but the idea rebounds.

22.Rd1 Bxe4 23.Rd6+ Ke7 24.Bxf6+ gxf6 25.Nc3 Kxd6 26.Nxe4+ Kc6

A Rook is a Rook.

27.h4 Ng4 28.Rf1 d5 29.Nd2 Ne3 30.Rc1 Rb2 White resigned

Could Not Happen, Right? (Part 2)

Not too long ago I received an email from Stipe Drinovac who had noticed (from a post at Chessgames.com) that I was interested in Jerome Gambit games.  He sent me a game that he had played last year at a club event. My eyes popped.

Drinovac - NN
club game, 2010

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

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

7.f4 Qf6 8.Rf1

I found only a couple dozen games in The Database with this move (White scored 54%), but the players were impressive: Jerome Gambit Gemeinde members mrjoker, Petasluk and Gary_Seven, as well as paladins Fritz 5.32, Fritz 8, Junior 7 and Zappa 1.1.

8...Nh6 9. Nc3 d6

10.Nd5 Qd8


And, just like that, White is winning, according to Rybka, which preferred the offer to exchange Queens with 10...Qf7.

11.d4 Bxd4 12. fxe5 dxe5

13.Bg5 Qg8 14.c3 Bb6 15.Nxb6 axb6

16.Qh3+ Kd6 17.Qd3+ Kc6 18.Rf8

If Black had not realized until this point that he was doomed, this probably delivered the message.

18..Qe6 19.Rxh8 b5 20.a4 bxa4 21.Re8

Another deflecting sacrifice, offering the Rook a second time.

21.Qxe8

Drinking the poison. Declining with something like 21...Qb3 left Black down the exchange, with his King still in danger. Rybka likes 22.Bd8, putting pressure on c7 and planning to sacrifice White's Bishop there, if nessary, as a response. 

22.Qc4+ Kd6 23.O-O-O checkmate

Q.E.D.