More Jerome Gambit Fun

I have followed the games of different players online, for years. One is chessmanjeff, who enjoys the Jerome Gambit, and has battled in many of its variations.

I thought I'd share a recent game of his, as it touches on the Jerome Gambit Declined - a relatively rare variation, true, but one that has nagged me over the years, for some odd reason (see "Jerome Gambit Declined: Grumping,Yet", check out the links, check out the links on the linked pages...)

The pieces in the following game fly over the board in odd ways, like a group of acrobats who have a whole lot of energy to burn.

chessmanjeff - fabttt
5 0 blitz, FICS, 2019


1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+ Ke7 

The Jerome Gambit Declined. Seen more often is 4...Kf8, which does not block the action of Black's Queen.

5.d4

Every computer suggests that White retreat the Queen with 5.Bd5, 5.Bc4, or 5.Bb3, but chessmanjeff wants to complicate things and open lines - which makes for a livelier 5-minute game.

5...Nxd4 6.Nxe5 Nf6 7.c3 Nb5

Certainly returning to c6 was stronger, but Komodo 10 follows that suggestion up with some spirited play, leading to a draw by repetition: 7...Nc6 8.f4 d6 9.Nxc6+ bxc6 10.Bh5 Nxe4 11.Qe2 Kf8 12.Bf3 Nf2 13.b4 Bb6 14.Rf1 Kf7 15.Bxc6 Bg4 16.Qc4+ Be6 17.Qb5 a6 18.Qe2 Bg4 19.Qc4+ Be6 20.Qe2 etc. Computers, fairly often, see White as willing to grab any chance it can get for a draw in the Jerome Gambit.

8.Bb3 d6 9.Nf7 Qe8 10.Nxh8 Nxe4 11.O-O Qxh8 

White's Bishop and Knight have had fun together. Soon it will be Black's Bishop's and Knight's turn.

12.Re1 Bf5 13.Qd5 Bxf2+ 14.Kh1 Bxe1 15.Qxf5 Nf2+ 

16.Kg1 Rf8

The Rook wants to join in the fun (are all of Black's pieces developed?) but it overlooks impending danger.

17.Bg5+ Ke8 18.Qe6 checkmate

Oh.

Jerome Gambit: Just Play It!

A recent game illustrates why people play the Jerome Gambit - it just moves along, with various tactical ideas and traps that are often hidden to the defender, until it's too late...

Wall, Bill - Guest5463336
PlayChess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb6 

This move seems perfectly reasonable, although 6...Bxd4 is considered the strongest response.

7.dxe5 Ne7

This is a position familiar to those who play the Jerome Gambit, in
particular (according to The Database) jfhumphrey, frizerkaHR, ndrwgn, HauntedKnight, chessmanjeff - and, of course, Bill Wall.

8.Qf3+ Ke8 

Bill has also faced 8...Kg8, e.g. 9.Qb3+ Kf8 10.O-O d5 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Bg5 c6 13.Rad1 Qd7 14.Bxe7+ Qxe7 15.exd5 cxd5 16.Nxd5 Qf7 17.Qa3+ Black resigned Wall, B-Guest6791785, PlayChess.com, 2018.

In the game position, Black is still doing fine. However, as White is still making moves, he has to come up with some kind of plan.

9.O-O Ng6 

Very good: go after the pawn at e5. Also tried: 9...Rf8 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qxh7 g5 12.Qh5+ Rf7 13.Bxg5 c6 14.Nd2 Qc7 15.Nc4 a5 16.Nd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B -WGMS, FICS, 2017. 

10.Nc3 Rf8 11.Qe2 Nxe5 

Mission accomplished. The biggest danger for Black at this point is "relaxing" too early, as the e8-h5 diagonal often brings destruction.

12.Qh5+ Rf7 

Oh, no. Suddenly worried about his Kingside, Black chooses a defense that will at least protect the g-pawn. This leaves his Knight on e5 hanging, but that is not his greatest worry.

13.Bg5 Black resigned

Never mind the Knight; White goes after the Queen.

The Delayed Pie-in-the-Face

The difference between a very strong counter in the Jerome Gambit at move 6 and an ineffective defensive line (the same move one tempo later) shows the problem with delaying an active riposte. 

Wall, Bill - Guest6766281
PlayChess.com, 2017

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb6

Black can decide which piece to save, the Bishop or the Knight. The text is a reasonable line.

Of course, Black's strongest response is to ignore both of the pieces and play 6...Qh4!?, what I have referred to as a pie-in-the-face variation.

7.dxe5 Qh4

A delayed pie-in-the-face? Tossing pies is very much a part of slapstick humor - and timing is always critical in comedy.

This line has been faced by Jerome Gambiteers chessmanjeff, frizerkaHR, GOH, HauntedKnight, jfhumphrey, ndrwgn, stretto, Wall and yorgos. As a group, they have not been impressed.

8.Qf3+ Ke7

A slightly better retreat is 8...Ke8, e.g. 9.Nc3 (9.O-O Ne7 10.Nc3 Rf8 11.Qe2 g5 12.Be3 Ng6 13.Nd5 Kd8 14.Qd2 h6 15.Bxb6 axb6 16.Nxc7 Kxc7 17.Qd6+ Kd8 18.Qxg6 Re8 19.Qxb6+ Ke7 20.Qf6 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest2616286, PlayChess.com, 2017) 9...Ne7 (9...Bxf2+ 10.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 11.Kxf2 Nh6 12.Nd5 Ng4+ 13.Kg3 Kd8 14.Bg5+ Nf6 15.exf6 h6 16.fxg7+ Ke8 17.gxh8=Q+ Kf7 18.Rhf1+ Kg6 19.Qxh6 checkmate, Wall,B - Shillam, lichess.org, 2016) 10.g3 Qh3 11.Be3 d6 12.Bxb6 cxb6 13.exd6 Ng6 14.Nd5 Qd7 15.Nc7+ Kd8 16.Nxa8 Qxd6 17.Rd1 Ne5 18.Rxd6+ Ke7 19.Qc3 Kxd6 20.Qd4+ Ke6 21.Nc7+ Kf7 22.Qxe5 Rd8 23.Nb5 Bg4 24.Qf4+ Kg8 25.Qxg4 a6 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.Nd6 Rb8 28.Nf7+ Kg8 29.Nh6+ Kh8 30.Qg8+ Rxg8 31.Nf7 checkmate, Wall,B - Itboss, lichess.org, 2016.

9.Nc3

Or 9.O-O Nh6 10.Nc3 Rf8 11.Nd5+ Kd8 12.Qxf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest2293428, PlayChess.com, 2017.

9...Nh6 10.Nd5+ Kd8

Once again, e8 is the better square for the King.

11.O-O

White also has the sneaky 11.h3!? threatening g2-g3, winning the Queen. Black could escape by returning a piece for two pawns, i.e. 11...Bxf2+ 12. Qxf2 Qxe4+ but White would be better.

For the record, 11.g3?! directly could be answered by 11...Qg4 and White does not gain much by exchanging Queens, while he would lose time if he movee his Queen to avoid the swap.

11...Bd4

Looking to grab the pawn at e5, but he is overlooking a few things. He could have maintained an even game with 11...c6 12.Nxb6 axb6.

12.g3 Qh3

Why was e8 the better square for Black's King to retreat to (as suggested in the note to move 10)?

Why was the Black Bishop's trip to d4 problematic (as mentioned in the note to move 11)?

Why couldn't Black retreat his Queen to g4 (as in the note to move 11), instead of h3?

13.Bg5+ Ke8 14.Nxc7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Unresolved

Sometimes I run into a line in the Jerome Gambit that I don't (yet) know what to do with. A good (bad) example is in the following game. I have alluded to Black's 7th move in several posts (see here and here for examples). Here are the games from The Database where the move appears. Maybe readers have some ideas.

chessmanjeff - sergbond
blitz, FICS, 2013

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Qh4

Black's counter-attack appears manic, but is quite strong. He does not bother saving either his Knight or his Bishop, but develops another piece.

8.Qb3+

Also seen are:

8.O-O Nc6 9.cxb4 (9.Qf3+ Qf6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qd5+ Qe6 12.Qxe6+ dxe6 13.cxb4 Nxd4 14.Na3 Ne2+ 15.Kh1 Nf6 16.Re1 Nxc1 17.Raxc1 c6 18.Nc4 Rd8 19.e5 Nd5 20.Nd6+ Ke7 21.Re4 a5 22.b5 cxb5 23.Rh4 h5 24.Nxb5 Nb4 25.Nd6 Bd7 26.Nxb7 Rdc8 27.Rxc8 Rxc8 28.h3 Rc2 29.Nxa5 Rxb2 30.a3 Nd3 31.f4 Ne1 32.Nc4 Rxg2 33.Nb6 Rc2 34.Nd5+ exd5 35.f5 Nf3 White resigned, Gamin - JumpNMustangII, FICS, 2001) 9...Qxe4 10.Be3 Nf6 11.Nc3 Qf5 12.b5 (12.Qb3+ d5 13.Nb5 Ne8 14.Nc3 Be6 15.b5 Ne7 16.Rae1 Nd6 17.Qb4 Rhc8 18.Re2 Ng6 19.Rfe1 Nh4 20.f3 Kg8 21.Bf2 Nxg2 22.Kxg2 Rf8 23.Bg3 Qxf3+ 24.Kg1 Nf5 25.Rxe6 Nxg3 26.hxg3 Qxg3+ 27.Kh1 Qh4+ 28.Kg1 h6 29.R6e2 Qg3+ 30.Rg2 Qxe1+ 31.Kh2 Rf1 32.Rxg7+ Kh8 33.Rh7+ Kxh7 34.Qe7+ Qxe7 35.Kg2 Qf7 36.Kh2 Qf3 37.Nxd5 Rh1 checkmate, Deep Sjeng 1.5 - Hiarcs 9, The Jeroen Experience 2003) 12...Nb4 13.Rc1 c6 14.a3 Nbd5 15.Qb3 Re8 16.Rce1 b6 17.h3 Bb7 18.g4 Qf3 19.g5 Ne4 20.Nxd5 cxd5 21.Qd3 Nxg5 White resigned, RevvedUp - Crafty 19.19, blitz, 2006; 

8.Qe2 Bxc3+ 9.Nxc3 Nc6 10.g3 Qe7 11.Qc4+ d5 12.Qxd5+ Be6 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qf3+ Kg7 15.d5 Ne5 16.Qd1 Bg4 17.Qd4 Nf6 18.Bg5 Nf3+ White resigned, Maza - aqeel, FICS, 2003;

8.dxe5 Qxe4+ 9.Be3 (9.Kf1 Bc5 10.h4 Qxe5 11.Rh3 Nf6 12.Bg5 Re8 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Rf3 d5 15.Nd2 Bg4 16.Rxf6+ Kxf6 17.Nf3 Qe4 18.Ng5 Qc4+ 19.Kg1 Bxd1 20.Rxd1 Re2 21.Nxh7+ Kg7 22.Ng5 Rxf2 23.Kh1 Rf1+ 24.Rxf1 Qxf1+ 25.Kh2 Bd6+ 26.g3 Qf2+ 27.Kh1 Bxg3 28.Ne6+ Kh6 29.Nxc7 Qh2 checkmate, HauntedKnight - hellg, FICS, 2010) 9...Bc5 (9...Qxg2 10.Rf1 Be7 11.Qh5+ g6 12.Qe2 Ke8 13.Nd2 Qxh2 14.O-O-O Qxe5 15.Rfe1 Kd8 16.Qc4 Qg7 17.Bd4 Nf6 18.Ne4 h6 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Nxf6 Qxf6 21.f4 d6 22.Re4 Bf5 23.Red4 Qe6 24.Qb4 Qxa2 25.Qxb7 Qb1+ 26.Kd2 Qc2+ 27.Ke3 Re8+ 28.Kf3 Qe2+ 29.Kg3 Re3+ 30.Kh4 Qf2 checkmate, HauntedKnight - Makaroni, FICS, 2011) 10.O-O Bxe3 11.fxe3+ Ke8 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qg5 h6 14.Qg3 Ne7 15.Nd2 Qd3 16.Rad1 Qd5 17.b3 d6 18.e4 Qxe5 19.Qf3 Be6 20.Nc4 Qc5+ 21.Kh1 Kd7 22.Rfe1 h5 23.e5 Bg4 24.e6+ Bxe6 25.Qxb7 Bd5 26.Rxd5 Nxd5 27.a4 Rab8 28.Qa6 Qf2 29.Ne5+ dxe5 30.Rf1 Rb6 31.Qd3 Qc5 32.c4 Qd4 33.Qh3+ Ke7 34.cxd5 Qg4 35.Qc3 Qd4 36.Qxc7+ Ke8 37.Qf7+ Kd8 38.Rc1 e4 39.Qc7+ Ke8 40.h3 Qxd5 41.Qc8+ Qd8 42.Qc2 Re6 43.Re1 Rf8 44.Rxe4 Rf1+ 45.Kh2 Qd6+ 46.g3 Rf2+ 47.Qxf2 Rxe4 48.h4 Qd3 49.Kh3 Re2 50.Qf6 Qd7+ White resigned, HauntedKnight - dwws, FICS, 2012;

8.cxb4 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 (9.Be3 Qxg2 10.Rf1 Nf3+ 11.Ke2 d5 12.Nc3 Bg4 13.Qb3 Nxd4+ White resigned, jfhumphrey - hvutrong, FICS, 2010) 9...Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 Nc6 11.Rd1 Nxb4 12.Na3 Nf6 13.Re1 Re8+ 14.Kf1 Rxe1+ 15.Kxe1 d5 16.Be3 Bf5 17.Nb5 c6 18.Nc3 Nc2+ 19.Ke2 Nxa1 White resigned, Teterow - geneve, FICS, 2011.

8...Ke8 9.O-O Ng4 10.h3 Be7 11.hxg4 h5 12.g3

White kicks the enemy Queen. For better or for worse he had to try 12.g5.

12...Qh3 13.g5 h4 14.g4 Qxg4+15.Kh2 h3 16.Rg1 Qxe4 17.Na3

It is hard to find a good move here. This one leads to checkmate.

17...Qf3 18.Be3 Bd6+ 19.Rg3 Qg2 checkmate

Wowzer.

Jerome Gambit: To Be Fair...

To be fair, after all those Jerome Gambit Queen sacrifice and double check "smothered mates" against Black in The Database, I checked to see if there were any against White. I found 9. Here are the final positions. 

Rollyeon - okabc, FICS, 2002

geroellheimer - Defensor, FICS, 2005

ecimsa - joachimeide, FICS, 2007

esar - MarianF, FICS, 2007

KnightyNite - pvkbr, FICS, 2008

ecisma - igorfm, FICS, 2008

chessmanjeff - CycleForPi, FICS, 2013

malkisedeq - remilaci, FICS, 2014

ZXYW - PolarKing, FICS, 2015

Jerome Gambit: White Beware

Not all of the traps and surprises are for Black in the Jerome Gambit. The following game has a nasty snare that White steps in; and it is doubly dangerous in a blitz game. Be aware: chessmanjeff is no stranger to the Jerome Gambit, either; The Database has 239 of his games.

chessmanjeff - hugore
5 0 blitz, FICS, 2016

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

This very early defense to the Jerome could come as a surprise to an unprepared White. For some history of the line, see the post "Merry Christmas! A Hysterical/Historical Jerome Gambit Part 1".

6.Qh5

The Banks variation, most recently covered in the post "Jerome Gambit: Battle of Wits" where 6.Nxc6 was given as best - and then Black has the surprise 6...Qh4!?. Mayhem ensues. 

6...Qe7

Another surprise. Black offers the exchange. White should not accept!

7.Ng6+

An alternative, hoping to return to "normal" lines, was not successful: 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.O-O Nf6 9.Qf3 Qxe4 10.Qc3 Bd4 11.Qb4+ c5 12.Qb5 c6 13.Qa5 b6 14.Qa3 Qxc2 15.Nc3 Be6 16.Ne2 Be5 17.d4 Bd6 18.dxc5 Bxc5 19.Qf3 Bd5 20.Qh3 Qxe2 21.Bg5 Qg4 22.Bxf6 Qxh3 23.Bxg7+ Kxg7 24.gxh3 Rhg8 White resigned, HooahMan - elidede, FICS, 2015.

Play should continue, instead, 7.Qf3+ Nf6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.d3 d5 10.Nc3 Bg4 11.Qg3 dxe4 12.O-O exd3 13.cxd3 h5 according to Stockfish 8.

7...hxg6 8.Qxh8 Qxe4+

Checkmate is now forced.

This point was overlooked in an earlier game, which is given with light notes: 8...Qf6?! 9.O-O d6 10.d4? (10.c3!?) 10...Nxd4 11.Nc3 Nxc2 12.Nd5 Qd8 13.b4 Bd4 14.Rb1 c6 15.Bb2? (15.Nf4!?) 15...Bxb2 (15...cxd5) 16.Rxb2 Nd4 17.Rd1 Nb5 18.a4 cxd5 19.axb5 Qf6 20.Rb3 dxe4 21.f3 Be6 22.Ra3 d5 23.fxe4 Ke7 24.exd5 (24.Rf3!? Qe5 25.exd5) 24...Bg4 25.d6+ Kd7 26.Rf1 Qd4+ 27.Kh1 Qxb4? 28.Qxg7+ Ke6 29.Qxg6+ Kd5 30.Rd3+ Kc4 31.Qxg4+ Kxb5 32.Rf5+ Ka4 33.Qxb4+ (33.Qd1+ Qb3 34.Qxb3#) 33...Kxb4 34.Rf4+ Kc5 35.d7 Rd8 36.Rc4+?! Black forfeited on time, HooahMan - elidede, FICS, 2015.

9.Kd1

Another earlier cautionary tale: 9.Kf1 Qd4 10.Ke1 Qxf2+ 11.Kd1 d6 12.h3 Qxg2 13.Re1 Qf3+ 14.Re2 Bf2 15.d3 Nd4 16.Nc3 Qh1+ 17.Kd2 Nf3 checkmate, splott - mika76, GameKnot.com, 2008.

9...d6 10.Re1 Qg4+ 11.f3 Qxg2 12.Re8+ Kxe8 13.Qxg8+ Kd7 14.Qxg7+ Ne7

The "only move" to preserve the win, actually. Take a look at 14...Ke6 15.Qg8+ Ke5 16.Qg7+ Kf4 17.d4+ Kxf3 18.Qf7+ Bf5 19.Qd5+ Be4 20.Qf7+ Kg4 21.Qf4+ Kh5 22.Qh6+ Kg4 23.Qg5+ Kh3 24.Qh6+, drawn by repetition. Amazing!

15.c3 Qxf3+ 16.Kc2 Qe4+ 17.d3 Qe2+ 18.Bd2 b6 19.d4 Ba6 20.dxc5 Bd3+ 21.Kb3 bxc5 22.Bg5 Rb8+

Missing 22...Bc2+ 23.Ka3 Qa6 but it doesn't matter at all.

23.Ka4 Bc2+ 24.b3 Bxb3+

Or 24...Qa6 checkmate.

25.axb3 Qb5+ 26.Ka3 Qxb3 checkmate

Wow! Let's not do that again, shall we?

Jerome Gambit: Find Something New

The following game shows the benefit of going further off the beaten path in an already unusual opening. Bill Wall varies from previous experience, and continues to find success. The notes suggest that Black could have found chances by varying his play, too. The game ends with a bit of psychological mind-reading.

Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6

This strategy is not unusual and seems reasonable, although it does have a tactical flaw. The Database shows that it has been faced by Jerome Gambit regulars such as chessmanjeff, HauntedKnight, frizerkaHR, jfhumphrey, stretto, Teterow and yorgos.

Oh, and of course, Bill Wall.

7.dxe5 Bxe5

Better is 7...Bb4+ (no game examples in The Database), 7...Bf8 (no game examples in The Database) or 7...Be7 (20 game examples in The Database, White scores 45%); each moving the Bishop out of danger of a Queen check/fork.

8.Qh5+ 

Bill tries something new, deviating from his previous 8.Qd5+:
Ke8 (8...Kf6 9.f4 c6 [9...Bd6 10.Qg5+ Kf7 11.Qxd8 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016] 10.Qxe5+ Kf7 11.O-O Qe7 12.Nc3 d6 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qe2 Nf6 15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.Qb5 dxe5 18.fxe5+ Kg7 19.Qxd5 Re8 20.c3 Qxe5 21.Qf7+ Kh8 22.Bg5 Qxg5 23.Qxe8+ Kg7 24.Qf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Neilson,C, Melbourne, FL 2016; or 8...Kf8 9.Qxe5 d6 [9...Qe7 10.Qf4+ Nf6 11.Nc3 d6 12.O-O Qe5 13.Qxe5 dxe5 14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne8 16.Bd6+ Kg8 17.Rf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest539122, PlayChess.com, 2015] 10.Qd4 [10.Qb5 Nf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.Qd3 Be6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 g5 15.Bg3 Ke7 16.O-O-O Ne8 17.f4 g4 18.Bh4+ Nf6 19.e5 dxe5 20.Qg6 Qf8 21.fxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016] 10...Nf6 11.O-O c5 12.Qd3 Bd7 13.Bf4 a6 14.Bxd6+ Kf7 15.e5 Bb5 16.c4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest5856753, PlayChess.com, 2016) 9.Qxe5+ Qe7 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qe2 Nf6 12.Nc3 d5 13.Bg5 Qe5 14.f4 Qd4 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.O-O-O Qxf4+ 17.Kb1 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Bf5 19.Ng5+ Kf8 20.Ne6+ Kf7 21.Nxf4 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016 

8...g6 

An interesting alternative is 8...Ke6 9.Qf5+ Kd6 10.Na3!?, which may have seemed riskier to Black, but which would put White more on his own resources. There are two examples of the line in The Database:  10...Qf6 (10... Bf6 11.Nc4+ Ke7 12.Bf4 d6 13.Qb5 Qe8 14.O-O-O Qxb5 15.b3 Be6 16.Ne3 Qb4 17.g4 Qa3+ 18.Kd2 g5 19.Bg3 h5 20.h4 gxh4 21.Bxh4 hxg4 22.Bxf6+ Nxf6 23.Rxh8 Rxh8 24.f4 gxf3 25.Rf1 Nxe4+ 26.Kd3 Ng5 27.c4 Qxa2 28.Re1 Qxb3+ 29.Kd2 Ne4+ 30.Kc1 Qc3+ 31.Nc2 Nf2 32.Kb1 Kf6 33.Rf1 Rh1 34.Rxh1 Nxh1 White resigned, HauntedKnight - VSRajput, FICS, 2015) 11.Nc4+ Ke7 12.Qxe5+ Qxe5 13.Nxe5 d6 14.Bg5+ Ke6 15.Nc4 b5 16.Ne3 h6 17.Bh4 g5 18.Bg3 Nf6 19.f3 b4 20.b3 Ba6 21.O-O-O Bb5 22.h4 Nh5 23.Be1 Nf4 24.hxg5 hxg5 25.Rxh8 Rxh8 26.Bxb4 Rh2 27.Rg1 Ne2+ 28.Kd2 Nxg1 29.Bc3 Nxf3+ 30.Kc1 Rh1+ 31.Kb2 Nh4 32.g3 Ng6 33.Nd5 c6 34.Ne3 Rh3 35.Nf5 Ne5 36.a4 Be2 37.Nd4+ Kd7 38.Nxe2 Rh2 39.Nd4 c5 40.Nf5 Nd3+ 41.Ka3 Nb4 42.Bxb4 cxb4+ 43.Kxb4 Rxc2 44.Nd4 Rg2 45.e5 dxe5 46.Nf3 Rxg3 47.Nxe5+ Ke6 48.Nc4 Rg4 White forfeited on time, noatun - Papaflesas, blitz, FICS, 2008


9.Qxe5 Nf6 10.Bg5 

Putting pressure on the Knight at f6, a regular strategy for White in the Jerome Gambit.

10...Re8 11.Qf4

White could have played the prosaic exchanging 11.Bxf6+ Qxf6 12.Qxf6+ Kxf6 13.Nc3 with a pawn advantage. I think he realized that his opponent saw the White e-pawn as pinned by the Black Rook to the White King, and played for the win of a piece.

11...b6 12.e5 Black resigned

The threat by White's advanced pawn is real. One possibility: 12...d6 13.Bxf6 dxe5 14.Bxe5+. It is worth taking time to explore other lines, too.

Jerome Gambit: Sending Pieces to the Wilderness

In the following game, Bill Wall sends one piece, then another, far from the action - or so it seems. Each returns, only to be traded off - yet they are active in helping win the game. The final position is very interesting.

Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qf6 

An unusual defense, but, according to The Database, one faced by other Jerome Gambiteers such as blackburne, chessmanjeff, drumme, HauntedKnight, jfhumphrey, stretto, Teterow, and yorgos. Black, having to lose a piece, decides not to move either, but develops a piece instead.

7. dxc5 Ne7 

Further development. Black also had 7...d6, e.g. 8.O-O dxc5 (8...Be6 9.cxd6 cxd6 10.f4 Ng4 11.f5 Qd4+ 12.Qxd4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Anonymous, lichess.com, 2016) 9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qxb7 Ne7 11.Qxc7 Rac8 12.Qxa7 Qg6 13.f4 Bh3 14.fxe5+ Ke8 15.Qa4+ Rc6 16.Rf2 Rf8 17.Qa8+ Rc8 18.Qa3 Rxf2 19.Qxh3 Rxc2 20.Na3 Re2 21.Nb5 Kf8 22.Qf3+ Ke8 23.Qxe2 h5 24.Nd6+ Kd7 25.Nxc8 Nxc8 26.Qb5+ Kd8 27.Bg5+ Qxg5 28.Rd1+ Ke7 29.Qd7+ Kf8 30.e6 Qe3+ 31.Kh1 Ne7 32.Qd8 checkmate, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016 

8.O-O Rf8 9.Nc3 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand and has seen to his piece development. What will White do? A hint can be found in an earlier Bill Wall game, with a different defense: 9...c6 10.f4 N5g6 11.Be3 d5 12.cxd6 Ng8 13.d7 Rd8 14.dxc8=Q Raxc8 15.Qh5 Kf8 16.e5 Qf7 17.f5 Nxe5 18.Bc5+ Ne7 19.Qxh7 Qf6 20.Ne4 Qh6 21.Qxh6 gxh6 22.f6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest4060198, PlayChess.com, 2013. 

10.f4 N5c6 11.Nb5 a6 12.Nxc7 Rb8 13.c3 Qg6 

It looks like White has sent his one developed piece off on a risky pawn-hunt, but the Knight still has influence on the center, and the first player still has things under control - thanks, in part, to the "Jerome pawns". 

14.f5 Qf6 15.Bf4 Ne5 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.Qxd5+ Nf7 18.Bxb8 Re8 

White has retrieved (and traded off) his far-flung Knight, and now has a Bishop off in the wilderness (admittedly, it captured a Rook). An interesting comparison can be made between the two Bishops left on the board, as one is actively involved, while the other is a passive observer.

19.Rae1 Kh8 20.e5 Qe7  21.Bd6 Nxd6 

The Bishop, too, is exchanged, but by now White has a powerful, checkmating attack.

 22.f6 gxf6 23.cxd6 Qe6 24.exf6 Black resigned

What a position!

Black can simply take White's Queen with 24...Qxd5, but it will be checkmate in a few moves after 25.Rxe8+ Qg8 26.f7! 

Black's best option is to win two Rooks for his Queen with 24...Qxe1 25.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 26.Kf2 but it is clear that he has no way of dealing with White's advanced pawn, for example 26...Re6 27.Qg5 or 26...Re8 27.f7.