Opening Report (Part 3)

I decided to have ChessBase8 give me an Opening Report on the Jerome Gambit, based on The Database. I got a whole lot of information, and I was only dealing with the first few moves...

Opening report

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

9062 games in 'TheDatabase'


b) 4...Kf8

207 games, 2000-2012, 
Black scores averagely (44%).
Elo-Ø: 1353, 193 games. Performance = Elo 1304
played by: blackburne, 1778, 2/2; Talwhu, 1722, 1/1; PatOrMat, 1685, 1/1; Rolmx, 1683, 0/1; vilinar, 1666, 1/1

You should play: 5.Nc3

AAlekhine (1586) - blackburne (1795)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Nc3 d6 6.d3 Kxf7 7.Ng5+ Kf8 8.Qf3+ Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.0-0 Nd4 11.Be3 Nxc2 12.Rad1 Bxe3 13.Nf3 Bg4 14.h3 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Bf4 16.a3 Nd4 17.Kg2 Ke7 18.Rg1 g5 19.Kf1 Nxf3 20.Rg2 Rhg8 21.Nd5+ Nxd5 22.exd5 h5 23.h4 Nxh4 24.Rg1 g4 25.d4 Nf3 26.Rg2 h4 27.Ke2 Nxd4+ 28.Kd3 h3 29.Rgg1 h2 30.Rh1 g3 31.fxg3 Rxg3+ 32.Kc4 Rb3 33.Rxd4 exd4 34.Kxb3 d3 35.Kc3 d2 36.Kc2 Kf6 37.Kd1 Re8 38.b4 Re1+ 39.Rxe1 dxe1Q+ 40.Kxe1 h1Q+ 41.Kf2 Qe4 42.a4 Qe3+ 43.Kg2 Ke5 44.b5 Ke4 45.a5 Qf3+ 46.Kg1 Qe2 47.b6 Kxd5 48.bxa7 Be3+ 49.Kh1 Bxa7 50.a6 b6 51.Kg1 Ke4 52.Kh1 Kf3 53.Kg1 Qg2# 0-1


Plejade - erch
ChessWorld.net, 2003
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Nc3 Kxf7 6.Nd5 Nge7 7.Nxe7 Qxe7 8.d3 Rf8 9.Be3 Kg8 10.Bxc5 Qxc5 11.Qd2 Nb4 12.c3 Nc6 13.d4 exd4 14.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.0-0 Nc6 16.Rfd1 Ne5 17.Qd5+ Qxd5 18.exd5 Nc4 19.g3 Nxb2 20.Rd4 b5 21.d6 cxd6 22.Rxd6 Rf6 23.Rxf6 Nd3 24.Rd1 gxf6 25.Rxd3 Kf8 26.Rd6 Kf7 27.f4 a5 28.Rb6 Ba6 29.h4 d5 30.g4 b4 31.cxb4 d4 32.b5 d3 33.bxa6 Rd8 34.Rb1 Ke6 35.f5+ Ke5 36.Kf1 Kd4 37.Ke1 Ke3 38.Kd1 Kd4 39.Kd2 Rc8 40.Rb5 Rc2+ 41.Kd1 Rxa2 42.a7 Ra1+ 43.Kd2 Ra2+ 44.Kd1 Kc3 45.Rc5+ Kd4 46.Rc6 Ke3 47.a8Q Rd2+ 48.Ke1 Rg2 49.Rc3 Rg1# 0-1

Alternative: 5.Bxg8

drewbear (1718) - BrainFreeze (1685)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d3 d5 7.Ng5 dxe4 8.Nxh7+ Ke8 9.Qh5+ Ke710.Bg5+ Kd6 11.Bxd8 Nxd8 12.Qg6+ Kd5 13.Nf6+ 1-0


SIRMO (1798) - AAlekhine (1625)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.c3 Qf6 7.d3 d6 8.a4 Ke8 9.Bg5 Qg6 10.h4 h6 11.h5 Qe6 12.Bd2 Bd7 13.b4 Bxf2+ 14.Kxf2 Rf8 15.Rh3 Ke7 16.Be3 Rae8 17.b5 Na5 18.Nbd2 Kd8 19.Ke2 Kc8 20.c4 g5 21.Nh2 Qf6 22.Rf3 Qe6 23.Qf1 g4 24.Rxf8 g3 25.Rxe8+ Bxe8 26.Nhf3 Bxh5 27.Qh1 Qf7 28.Qh3+ Kb8 29.Qxg3 b6 30.Bxh6 Nb7 31.Qg7 Qxg7 32.Bxg7 Nc5 33.a5 Ne6 34.Bf6 Nf4+ 35.Kf1 Nxd3 36.axb6 cxb6 37.Be7 Kc8 38.Bxd6 Kd7 39.Nxe5+ Nxe5 40.Bxe5 Ke6 41.Bc7 Kd7 42.Rxa7 Kc8 43.Bxb6 Kb8 44.c5 Bd1 45.Nc4 Bb3 46.Nd6 Bc2 47.Rd7 1-0


Superpippo (1597) - TajniDobrovoljci (1607)
FICS rated blitz game, 2001
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Kxg8 6.0-0 d6 7.c3 Bg4 8.d4 exd4 9.Qb3+ Kf8 10.Nxd4 Bxd4 11.cxd4 b6 12.Be3 Qf6 13.Nd2 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Qxd4 15.Nf3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3+ Ke7 17.Rad1 Qf6 18.e5 Qxf3 19.exd6+ cxd6 20.Rfe1+ Kf7 21.gxf3 Rhd8 22.Re4 d5 23.Rh4 h6 24.Kg2 Rd7 25.f4 Rad8 26.Kf3 Re7 27.Rh5 d4 28.Re5 d3 29.Ke3 d2 30.Rxd2 Rxd2 31.Kxd2 Rxe5 32.fxe5 g5 33.Ke3 Ke6 34.Ke4 h5 35.f4 gxf4 36.Kxf4 a5 37.a4 Kd5 38.Kf5 Kc4 39.e6 Kb3 40.e7 Kxa4 41.e8Q+ Kb3 42.Qe2 Kb4 43.Qc2 b5 44.Qc3+ Ka4 45.Qa3# 1-0

drewbear (1718) - karmmark (1387)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 11.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 1-0


LSS (1875) - KaptKoca (1614)
FICS server game, rated blitz match, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.0-0 d6 7.d3 h6 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.Kh1 Ke8 11.g4 Bf7 12.Nh2 Rf8 13.f4 exf4 14.Rxf4 Ne5 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.Rxf8+ Kxf8 17.exd5 Qh4 18.Qf1+ Kg8 19.Qg2 Rf8 20.b4 Bb6 21.Bb2 Rf2 22.d4 Rxg2 23.Kxg2 Nc4 24.Bc3 Ne3+ 25.Kh1 Qxh3 26.Rg1 Nxc2 27.Bb2 Nxd4 28.Bxd4 Bxd4 29.Rg2 Be5 30.a4 Bxh2 31.Rxh2 Qxg4 32.b5 Qxa4 0-1

Superpippo (1678) - raffa (1406)
FICS rated blitz game, 2002
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d4 exd4 7.c3 Qf6 8.cxd4 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.0-0 d6 11.Nc3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qxc3 13.Bg5 g6 14.Rc1 Qe5 15.f4 Qxe4 16.Re1 Qf5 17.Rxc7 Rg7 18.Qxd6+ 1-0

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c) 4...Ke7

33 games, 1999-2011,
Black scores badly (29%).
Elo-Ø: 1287, 31 games. Performance = Elo 1125
played by: agno, 1607, 0/1; MRKumar, 1602, 0/1; AAlekhine, 1601, 1/2; Brown, 1552, 1/1; Bucephale, 1528, 0/1

You should play: 5.Nxe5

Nesseerd (1111) - nontheist (1291)
FICS server game, rated blitz match, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Ke7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Bd5 c6 7.Qh5 Ng6 8.Qe5+ Nxe5 0-1

Declined Becoming More Accepted??

I peeked in on a blackburne game at ChessWorld.net the other day, and was surprised to see his opponent respond to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) by declining the sacrificed Bishop.

While this is well in line with a recent game of mine (see "Here's My Plan...") as well as all of the "Jedi Mind Tricks" that I have been observing in the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+), where Black also declines the Bishop, it can hardly be called more than a psychological ploy.

It is as if Black declined being given "Jerome Gambit odds" and offered, instead, odds of "pawn and two moves" himself!

Watchwords for White in such cases must be: The price of victory is eternal vigilance...

blackburne - Talwhu
Chess.com, 11.2010

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

4...Kf8

A hint from the updated New Year's Database: If Black is going to decline the Bishop, this is probably how he should do it. In 161 games, White scored only 54% as opposed to when Black played 4...Ke7, when, out of 26 games, White scored 71%.

5.Bb3 Nf6

Instead, perrypawnpusher - ibeje, blitz, FICS, 2010 continued in exciting fashion with 5...h6 6.Nxe5 Nxe5 7.d4 Qh4  although I blundered in the endgame and lost (0-1, 46). 

6.Nc3 d6 7.d3 Bg4

blackburne had an earlier battle with some similar themes: 7...Bd4 8.Bg5 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 h6 10.Be3 Bg4 11.0-0 Qe7 12.h3 Bh5 13.Kh2 a5 14.a4 Nd7 15.Qd2 Bxf3 16.gxf3 Nf6 17.Rg1 Rd8 18.Rg2 g5 19.Rag1 d5 20.Bxg5 hxg5 21.Rxg5 Rd7 22.Rg7 Qd6 23.R7g6 Ne7 24.Rg7 Rh7 25.Rxh7 Nxh7 26.exd5 Nxd5 27.Bxd5 Qxd5 28.Qh6+ Ke8 29.Rg7 Rxg7 30.Qxg7 Nf8 31.Qxc7 Ng6 32.Qc8+ Kf7 33.Qc7+ Kf6 34.Qb6+ Kf5 35.Qe3 Nh4 36.Qe4+ Qxe4 37.fxe4+ Ke6 38.Kg3 Ng6 39.c4 b6 40.c3 Nf4 41.d4 Nd3 42.h4 exd4 43.cxd4 Nb4 44.Kf4 Na6 45.d5+ Kd6 46.h5 Nc7 47.h6 Black resigned, blackburne - BrainFreeze, Chessworld.net, 2008.

8.Bg5 Nd4

This move should fail due to the tactical shot 9.Nxd4, as 9...Bxd1 is well answered by 10.Ne6+ Ke7 11.Nxd8 Bxc2 12.Nxb7 Bxb3 13.Nxc5 Bf7 14.Na6 when White remains a piece up.

9.0-0

9...Nxf3+ 10.gxf3 Bh3 11.Re1

This move seems okay to me, but Rybka was uncomfortable enough with it to suggest instead an exchange sacrifice: 11.f4 Bxf1 12.Qxf1 even giving White an edge after 12...Qd7 13.f5 c6 14.Be6 Qe8.

11...h6 12.Bxf6

It seems risky to invite the enemy Queen to join the party.

Rybka suggests 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.fxe3. Blackburne may have been wary of a further 13...Nxe4, as 14.fxe4? (or 14.dxe4?) loses quickly to 14...Qg5+. Still, 14.Nxe4 would provide a defense, e.g. 14...d5 15.Ng3 h5 16.f4, covering the critical g5 square.

12...Qxf6

13.Re3

Again, jettisoning the exchange with 13.Kh1 Bxf2 14.Rf1 Bxf1 15.Nd5!? was probably the best way to get some counterplay, even thought Black would have an edge in the resulting position. 

13...Qg5+ White resigned

SIRMO

While preparing "Jerome Gambit for Dummies (5)" I realized that I had published only two games of the Jerome Gambit thematic tournament winner, SIRMO: plummy - SIRMO, chessworld.net, 2007 (0-1, 49) and Bullit52 - SIRMO, chessworld.net, 2007 (0-1, 12).

I think I may have unfairly shied away from his games because SIRMO prefers the "modern" Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) variations – not playing 5.Nxe5+ after 4...Kxf7 – and because a number of his wins feature a certain amount of wizardry...

Here are SIRMO's Jerome Gambit wins with white.

SIRMO - AAlekhine

thematic www.chessworld.net, 12.2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 [Hardly the way to refute the Jerome Gambit! - Rick] 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.c3 Qf6 7.d3 d6 8.a4 Ke8 9.Bg5 Qg6 10.h4 h6 11.h5 Qe6 12.Bd2 Bd7 13.b4 Bxf2+ 14.Kxf2 Rf8 15.Rh3 Ke7 16.Be3 Rae8 17.b5 Na5 18.Nbd2 Kd8 19.Ke2 Kc8 20.c4 g5 21.Nh2 Qf6 22.Rf3 Qe6 23.Qf1 g4 24.Rxf8 g3 25.Rxe8+ Bxe8 26.Nhf3 Bxh5 27.Qh1 Qf7 28.Qh3+ Kb8 29.Qxg3 b6 30.Bxh6 Nb7 31.Qg7 Qxg7 32.Bxg7 Nc5 33.a5 Ne6 34.Bf6 Nf4+ 35.Kf1 Nxd3 36.axb6 cxb6 37.Be7 Kc8 38.Bxd6 Kd7 39.Nxe5+ Nxe5 40.Bxe5 Ke6 41.Bc7 Kd7 42.Rxa7 Kc8 43.Bxb6 Kb8 44.c5 Bd1 45.Nc4 Bb3 46.Nd6 Bc2 47.Rd7 1-0

SIRMO - Bullit52

thematic www.chessworld.net, 11.2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3 Nf6 6.a4 [The use of c3 + a4 with the threat against the Bishop of a4-a5 in the Jerome Gambit could well be called the "SIRMO maneuver" - Rick] a5 7.Qb3+ Ke8 8.Ng5 Rf8 9.Qc4 Bd6 10.Qe2 Ne7 Here, Black lost on time. 1-0

SIRMO - Ratscales

thematic www.chessworld.net, 01.2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 h6 6.c3 d6 7.a4 Qf6 8.b4 Bxf2+ 9.Kxf2 g5 10.h3 Ke8 11.Be3 Be6 12.Ke2 d5 13.Rf1 Qe7 14.a5 Nf6 15.Nh2 Nh5 16.Rf3 Kd8 17.Na3 a6 18.Kd2 Qd7 19.Kc2 d4 20.Bd2 Nxa5 21.bxa5 Qa4+ 22.Kc1 Bb3 23.Qe1 Nf4 24.Bxf4 exf4 25.c4 Re8 26.Ng4 Re6 27.Kb2 b6 28.Nb5 Rxe4 29.dxe4 Qxc4 30.Na3 Qc5 31.Rxb3 b5 32.e5 h5 33.Nf6 Ra7 34.e6 c6 35.Ng8 Ke8 36.e7 Qd5 1-0

SIRMO - plummy

thematic www.chessworld.net, 12.2007 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6 6.c3 Nxe4 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bd6 9.dxe5 Bxe5 10.Qd5+ Kf8 11.Qxe4 d6 12.Na3 Qf6 13.f4 Bf5 14.Qf3 Ke8 15.fxe5 dxe5 16.Qxf5 Qxf5 17.Rxf5 Kd7 18.Rxe5 c6 19.Bg5 Kc7 20.Re7+ Kb6 21.Rxg7 h5 22.Nc4+ Ka6 23.Nd6 b5 24.b4 h4 25.a4 c5 26.axb5+ Kb6 27.Ra6 checkmate 1-0

SIRMO - BrainFreeze

thematic www.chessworld.net, 02.2008 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3 Nf6 6.a4 Nxe4 7.d4 exd4 8.0-0 dxc3 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Qxe4 cxb2 11.Bxb2 d6 [A "Danish - Jerome Gambit"?? White can now draw with 12.Qf4+ - Rick] 12.Nbd2 Qe7 13.Qf4+ Qf7 14.Qg3 Rg8 15.Rfe1 Bf5 16.Ng5 Qg6 17.Re2 h6 18.Nge4 Qxg3 19.Nxg3 Bd3 20.Ree1 Bb4 21.Bc1 Nd4 22.a5 Nc2 23.Ra4 Nxe1 24.Rxb4 Rb8 25.Bb2 Nc2 26.Rb3 Bg6 27.Kf1 c5 28.Nde4 Bxe4 29.Nxe4 Re8 30.f3 Re6 31.Rxb7 a6 32.Bc1 g5 33.h3 Rg7 34.Rb8+ Ke7 35.Rb6 d5 36.Nxc5 Rxb6 37.axb6 Rg8 38.Nxa6 Nd4 39.b7 Nc6 40.f4 Rf8 41.Ba3+ Kf7 42.Bxf8 Kxf8 43.f5 Kf7 44.g4 d4 45.Ke2 Kf6 46.b8Q Nxb8 47.Nxb8 Ke5 48.Kd3 Kf4 49.f6 Kg3 50.f7 Kxh3 51.f8Q Kxg4 52.Nc6 Kh4 53.Nxd4 g4 54.Qxh6+ Kg3 55.Ke3 Kg2 56.Ne2 1-0

SIRMO - karmmark

thematic www.chessworld.net, 12.2007 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6 6.c3 d6 7.h3 Rf8 8.d4 Kg8 9.dxc5 dxc5 10.Qxd8 Rxd8 11.Bg5 Rd6 12.Nbd2 b5 13.Rad1 h6 14.Bh4 Be6 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Rfe1 a5 17.Nh4 Rad8 18.Nhf3 Ne7 19.b3 Ng6 20.Re2 Nf4 21.Re3 Kh7 22.Kh2 Rg8 23.Nh4 Rd3 24.Rxd3 Nxd3 25.f3 Nf2 [The game is even here, but the endgame proves to be a nail-biter - Rick] 26.Rf1 Nd3 27.g4 Nf4 28.Nf5 h5 29.Ne7 Re8 30.Nc6 Ra8 31.Nb1 c4 32.Nd2 Ne2 33.bxc4 bxc4 34.Nb1 Ra6 35.Ne7 Nf4 36.Na3 Rd6 37.Nb5 Rd2+ 38.Kg3 Rg2+ 39.Kh4 Kg7 40.Nxc7 Bd7 41.Ncd5 Rxa2 42.Nxf4 exf4 43.Kxh5 Rh2 44.Kh4 Rc2 45.Nd5 a4 46.Ra1 Rf2 47.Rb1 Rxf3 48.Nb6 Be8 49.Nxc4 Rxc3 50.Nd2 Bg6 51.Rb7+ Kh6 52.e5 fxe5 53.g5 checkmate 1-0

SIRMO - manago

thematic www.chessworld.net, 01.2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 Nf6 6.a4 Rf8 7.c3 d6 8.0-0 [ The thematic 8.b4!? led to about an even game: 8...Nxb4 9.Qb3+ Be6 10.Ng5+ Kg6 11.Nxe6 Nxd3+ 12.Kd2 Nxc1 13.Kxc1 Qe7 14.Nxf8+ Rxf8 - Rick] 8...Kg8 9.Ng5 [ I'm for 9.b4 again - Rick] 9...Bg4 10.Qe1 Nh5 11.h3 Bxh3 ["All according to plan", but the stronger plan was 11...Nf4!? 12.hxg4 Nxd3 - Rick] 12.Nxh3 Ng3 13.b4 Nxb4 14.cxb4 Bd4 15.Ra2 Nxf1 16.Kxf1 Qh4 17.Be3 Rf6 18.Bxd4, White has an advantage, but Black lost on time 1-0

SIRMO - NMTIGER

thematic www.chessworld.net, 12.2007 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3 Nf6 6.a4 Nxe4 7.d4 exd4 8.0-0 Qf6 9.Qd3 Qg6 10.cxd4 Nb4 11.Qc4+ Qe6 12.Qxe6+ dxe6 13.dxc5 Nc2 14.Ra2 Nb4 15.Ra1 Nxc5 16.Bf4 Nc2 17.Ra2 b5 18.axb5 Nb4 19.Ra5 Ncd3 20.Ne5+ Nxe5 21.Bxe5 Nc2 22.Bxc7 Nd4 23.h3 Ne2+ 24.Kh2 Rf8 25.b6 a6 26.Nc3 Nxc3 27.bxc3 Bb7 28.Re1 Ke7 29.Rae5 Rxf2 30.Rxe6+ Kf7 31.R1e2 Rf5 32.Re7+ Kg6 33.R2e6+ Rf6 34.Rxf6+ Kxf6 35.Bd6 Bc6 36.b7 Bxb7 37.Rxb7 a5 38.Rb3 Ke6 39.Bc5 Kd5 40.Bd4 g6 41.Rb5+ Kc4 42.Rc5+ Kb3 43.Rb5+ Kc4 44.Rc5+ Kd3 45.Rb5 a4 46.Rb2 a3 47.Ra2 Kc4 48.Bf6 Kb3 49.Ra1 a2 50.g4 Rc8 51.g5 Ka3 [Here or on the next move, ...Rc4 looks like a save for Black - Rick] 52.Kg3 Rb8 53.c4 Rb1 54.Kf2 Kb3 55.c5 Rxa1 56.Bxa1 Kc2 57.c6 Kb1 58.Bf6 h5 59.gxh6 g5 60.c7 a1Q 61.Bxa1 Kxa1 62.c8Q g4 63.Qb8 gxh3 64.h7 h2 65.h8Q+ Ka2 66.Qhb2 checkmate 1-0