Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XV

My opponent in this game finished second in the tournament (see "Overrated!") with a score of 13-5, including a vicious score with the Black pieces of 8-1 against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). As you will see in this Chapter and next, we split our two games.

Temmo - perrypawnpusher
JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4

A line recently popular – brain50 played it in all 9 of his games as White in this tournament (his game against me will be seen in a later Chapter). Temmo did so 6 times, and Sir Osis of the Liver 4 times. In another ChessWorld Jerome Gambit theme tournament, dandoo played it 6 times.

After the following pawn capture, the game has transposed to Wright - Hunn, Arkansas 1874 (see "Brilliant but not sound").

5...exd4 6.Qd3

Played also by Temmo vs Sir Osis of the Liver (0-1, 32).

I think that White should try 6.c3 here, aiming to build a full pawn center after cxd4. There is also the trap 6...dxc3 7.Qd5+ winning back a piece.

6...d5 TN 7.Ng5+ Kf8 8.Qf3+ Qf6 9.exd5 Qxf3 10.Nxf3 Nb4 11.Na3 Nxd5
There's not a lot of excitement left in the game.

12.Nc4 Bf5 13.Nfe5 Re8 14.0-0
This puts his Knights at risk. Better was the supportive 14.Bf4.

14...b5 15.g4 Bxc2

Sloppy: 15...bxc4 won a piece.

16.Nd7+ Ke7 17.Nxc5 bxc4 18.Re1+ Kf7 19.Rxe8 Kxe8 20.Bg5 Ngf6 21.Re1+ Kf7 22.h3 Re8 23.Rxe8 Kxe8 24.Bxf6 Nxf6 25.Ne6

Forking three unprotected pawns and apparently winning one, but there will be no time for that.

25...d3 26.Kf1 d2 27.Nxg7+ Kf7 28.Nf5 d1Q+ 29.Kg2 Be4+ 30.Kg3 Qf3+ 31.Kh4 Bxf5 32.b3 Bxg4 White resigns

Rail2Rail Nails It

As predicted, Rail2Rail has won his double round robin Jerome Gambit tournament at ChessWorld.

He was followed by dandoo, who lost a vital step on the leader by dropping a game on time to tailender calchess10.

On the other hand, the runner-up played a snappy game that helped distance himself from the middle of the pack:

dandoo - Piratepaul
JG2 thematic www.chessworld.net, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 exd4 6.Ng5+ Kg6 7.h4 d6 8.h5+ Kf6 9.Qf3+ Ke5 10.Nf7+ 1–0

"Stay alert!" would be a good title for the following game, won by the third place finisher.


blackburne - eddie43
JG2 thematic www.chessworld.net, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Bd4



A novel way to return a piece with hopes of breaking the attack, although it turns out to be more of a "TL" than "TN".

8.fxe5 Bxe5 9.Qf5+ Kd6 10.0–0

White, in turn, takes the position a bit too casually. With 10.d4 he could have shown an advantage in the game. Instead, he "castles into it."

10...Qh4

Stronger was 10...Qf6. Even so, Black is now clearly better.

11.h3 Qg3 12.Rf2 Nf6

Black looks like he has a killer position, and he would have, if his Knight had gone to either e7 or h6 instead. As it is, he gives White a chance.

13.d4 Bxd4 14.Bf4+ Kc6 15.Bxg3 Bxf2+ 16.Bxf2 d6

The smoke has cleared, and White has the winning advantage of a Queen for a Rook.

17.Qa5 Nxe4 18.Qa4+ Kd5 19.Nc3+ Nxc3 20.bxc3 Ke6 21.Re1+ Kf6 22.Qf4+ Kg6 23.Re3 Bf5 24.Rg3+ Kf6 25.Bd4+ Ke6 26.Re3+ Kd7 27.Qxf5+ Kd8 28.Bxg7 Rg8 29.Bf6 checkmate