The following game has some interesting tactics - those played and those missed. It might well have been decided by those imagined.
zzbaobao - givemeabreak
5 12 blitz, FICS, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4....Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qc3
The Queen most often goes to e3, but White wants it to aim toward the enemy Kingside - the original intention of his 6th move.
8...Nf6 9.d3 Re8 10.O-O Be6 11.Bg5 Qd7
Unpinning the Knight, but also removing one of its defenders.
Jerome Gambiteers will also notice that the Queen move blocks in Black's light-squared Bishop, making it vulnerable to the thematic f2-f4-f5. As the game goes, it appears that this may not have been an oversight by the second player.
12.f4 Bg4 13.h3 Bxh3
Tactics. Now, after 14.gxh3 Qxh3, Black would have an edge.
14.f5 Bxg2 15.fxg6+
The alternative, 15.Kxg2, was of about equal worth.
15...Kxg6
Keeping his pawns intact? Komodo 10 prefers the fireworks. 15...Kg8 16.Rf4 Nh5 17.Rh4 h6 18.Be3 Bh3 19.Nd2 Bg4 20.Qb3+ Be6 21.Qc3 Nf6 22.Bxh6 gxh6 23.Qxf6 Rf8 24.Qd4 Qe7 25.Rh2 Qg7 and things are unclear, perhaps even.
Now, White sacs decisively.
16.Rxf6+ Kxg5 17.Rf5+
17...Qxf5
Either a miscalculation, or a sense of panic. Still, 17...Kg6 18.Qd2 h6 19.Qxg2 would be good for White, as well.
18.exf5 Bc6 19.Qxg7+ Kxf5 20.Qxh7+ Ke6
With a Queen for a Rook, White is better, even undeveloped with a naked King.
21.Nc3 Rg8+ 22.Kf2 Rg2+ 23.Ke3 Rag8 24.Re1 R8g7 25.Kd4+ Kd7 26.Qf5+ Kd8 27.Qf8+ Kd7 28.Qe8 checkmate
I recently discovered "A Jerome Gambit miniature" on tumblr.com, of all places, at "Coach Tortise's Adventures in Chess". Apparently the game was played via iPhone, at the Chess.com website.
The Jerome Gambit. It's everywhere you want to play chess - apparently.
CoachTortise - kiwikiwi4
Chess.com, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6 7.f4 Qe7 8.Qf5 checkmate
And that's that... Nice work, Coach.
(I was surprised that, according to The Database, there is only one anticipation, a 5-minute game, Petasluk - givemeabreak, blitz, FICS, 2017.)
I have maintained The Database of Jerome Gambit games to help me get a sense of how certain lines or moves succeed or fail - from a practical (i.e. over-the-board play) point of view.
I have used chess analysis engines (currently Stockfish 8) to get a sense of how certain lines or moves are "objectively" strong or weak.
It is a joy when both the practical and the analytical agree. It can be confusing when they don't. Take the following game. It left me a bit confused...
Petasluk - givemeabreak
5 0 blitz, FICS, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6
Including this game, Petasluk has reached this position 7 times according to The Database (which, I admit, need some updating). Before this game he was 2-1 with the followup 7.Qf5+ and 2-1 with 7.f4. This compares with statistics from the whole Database - White scores 80% (35 games) with 7.Qf5+ and 80% (10 games) with 7.f4.
So, from a practical point of view, 7.Qf5+ and 7.f4 are both good move choices, according to Petasluk's experience; and both are excellent choices from the experience of those represented by The Database.
7.f4
So, no surprise here.
Yet the computer analysts, starting with Stockfish 8, leap directly for the straightforward 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+ picking up the two sacrificed pieces.
Why the discrepancy?
7...g6
Well, here is one reason: the defender in this game is human, and humans make mistakes. The alternative 7...Nc6, withdrawing the attacked piece, allows White to only recover one of his sacrificed pieces: 8.Qf5+ Ke7 9.Qxc5+ Kf7, with pressure on the enemy King, but not full compensation for his offerings.
8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxh8 Black resigned
Well, it looks like "Practical Experience 1, Computer Analysis 0".
But that is not the whole story. A number of Petasluk's games continued from the above "final" position:
9...Nf6 (9...d6 10.Qxh7+ Kf8 11.d3 Qf6 12.Qxc7 Be3 13.Nc3 Qxf4 14.Rf1 Qxf1+ 15.Kxf1 Bxc1 16.Rxc1 Black resigned, Petasluk - douthy, FICS, 2015; or 9...Qe7 10.Qxh7+ Kf6 11.Qxg8 Qxe4+ 12. Kd1 d5 13.Qh8+ Kf5 14.Qh3+ Kxf4 15.Rf1+ Kg5 16.Qg3+ Bg4+ 17. Rf3 Re8 18.c3 d4 19.h3 Qe2+ 20.Kc2 d3+ 21.Rxd3 Qd1 checkmate, Petasluk - kosten, FICS, 2013) 10.Qxd8 Black resigned Petasluk - skaks, FICS, 2015 and Petasluk - kaliz, blitz, FICS, 2014 Be7 11. Qh8 11... b6 12. e5 Bb7 13.Qxa8 Bxa8 14. exf6 Bxf6 15. O-O Be4 16. d3 Bc6 17. Nc3 Black resigned, Petasluk - TaccyChan, FICS, 2007.
That's 4 wins and 1 draw. More support for practical considerations.
But I expect the "Wait 'til next time!" bunch will want to look closer at 7.Qf5+.
(Where did the "extra" games come from? Petasluk - TaccyChan, FICS, 20017; Petasluk - Kosten, 2013 and Petasluk - douthy, FICS, 2015; all transposed from 6...Ke6.)
Readers of this blog probably remember Chris Torres. He hosts the Chess Musings blog.
He presented the Jerome gambit game Amateur - Blackburne, London as "The Most Violent Chess Game Ever Played!"
He followed up with "Another Lesson in the Jerome Gambit", giving one of his own games.
He shared another game with the delightfully-titled post "Useful Junk: The Jerome Gambit".
Now he has sent me an FIDE-rated Jerome Gambit of his from the FIDE Online Arena.
Torres, Chris (chessmusings) - abhinam2
FIDE Online Arena, 2015
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5
Now Black has the choice of playing 7...d6, the Blackburne Defense, or 7...Qe7, the Whistler Defense. Instead, he opts for a "backatcha" move that at least gains him a pawn for his "doomed" dark-squared Bishop.
7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Nf6 9.Qf4
I thought I would share a few other ideas for this position, from games from The Database:
9.Rf1 Re8 (9...c6 10.Kg1 Rf8 11.d4 Kg8 12.Bg5 Kg7 13.Nc3 d6 14.Qf4 Nh5 15.Bh6+ Kg8 16.Qxf8+ Qxf8 17.Rxf8 checkmate, shugart - pianazo, FICS, 2014; 9...Ng4+ 10.Kg1+ Kg8 11.Qd5+ Kg7 12.Qf7+ [12. Rf7+ Kh6 13.d3+ g5 14.h4 Rg8 15.Qf5 d6 16.Qxh7 checkmate, Jordi-I - couchpotatoe, Chess.com, 2011] 12... Kh6 13. d4+ Kh5 14. h3 Black resigned, shugart - pianazo, FICS, 2014; 9... d6 10. Qf4 Rf8 11. Kg1 Kg7 12. d3 Ng4 13. Qg5 Rxf1+ 14. Kxf1 Qf8+ 15. Qf4 Nxh2+ 16. Kg1 Qxf4 17. Bxf4 Ng4 18. Nc3 Be6 19. Rf1 h6 20. d4 g5 21. Bd2 c6 22.a3 b5 23. Ne2 Bc4 24. Re1 Rf8 25. b3 Bf7 26. Ng3 Bg6 27. Rf1 Rxf1+ 28. Kxf1 Kf6 29. c4 a6 30. Ke2 h5 31. Be1 h4 32. Nf5 Bxf5 33. exf5 Kxf5 34. Kf3 c5 35. d5 Ne5+ 36. Ke3 bxc4 37. bxc4 Nxc4+ 38. Kd3 Nxa3 39. Bd2 g4 White resigned, Petasluk - nikorast, FICS, 2011) 10.Qc3 Rxe4 11.Kg1 c6 12.d3 Re6 13.Bg5 d5 14.d4 Qd6 15.Nd2 Kg7 16.Bf4 Qd7 17.Be5 b5 18.Nf3 Ba6 19.Ng5 Rxe5 20.dxe5 Ne4 21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.e6+ Black resigned, arunothr - givemeabreak, FICS, 2014;
9.Qd4 d5 10.e5 Ne4+ 11.Kf3 c5 12.Qa4 Qh4 13.g3 Ng5+ White resigned, shugart - mattzig, FICS, 2013;
9.d3 d6 (9...Re8 as in guest232 - BoardChairman, Internet Chess Club, 2002, [1-0, 22]) 10.Qc3 Rf8 11.Rf1 Kg7 12.Kg1 h6 13.Be3 Kh7 14.Qd2 g5 15.Nc3 Ng4 16.Rxf8 Qxf8 17.Rf1 Qg7 18.Nd5 Nxe3 19.Nxe3 Bd7 20.d4 Rf8 21.Rxf8 Qxf8 22.c4 c6 23.b3 Qg7 24.Qd3 c5 25.dxc5 dxc5 26.e5+ Kh8 27.Nd5 Qxe5 28.h3 Qe1+ 29.Kh2 Qe5+ 30.Qg3 Qxg3+ 31.Kxg3 Bc6 32.Ne7 Be4 33.a3 Kg7 34.b4 Kf7 35.Nd5 Bxd5 36.cxd5 cxb4 37.axb4 Ke7 38.Kf3 Kd6 39.Ke4 b6 40.g4 a5 41.bxa5 bxa5 42.Kd4 a4 43.Kc4 a3 44.Kb3 a2 45.Kxa2 Kxd5 46.Kb2 Ke4 47.Kc2 Kf3 48.Kd2 Kg3 49.Ke3 Kxh3 50.Kf3 Kh4 51.Kg2 Kxg4 52.Kh2 h5 53.Kg2 Kh4 54.Kh2 g4 55.Kg2 g3 56.Kh1 Kg4 57.Kg2 h4 58.Kf1 Kf3 59.Kg1 h3 60.Kh1 g2+ 61.Kh2 Kf2 62.Kxh3 g1=Q 63.Kh4 Qg3+ 64.Kh5 Kg2 65.Kh6 Kh3 66.Kh7 Kh4 67.Kh8 Kh5 White resigned, Petasluk - timoxx, FICS, 2007
9... d6
Perhaps not the risky 9...g5 10.Qf3 g4 as in instantcrow - KingEfraim, ChessWorld.net, 2005, (1-0, 25).
10.Nc3
Or 10.Rf1 Kg7 11.d4 h6 12.Kg1 Rf8 13.Qxh6+ Kf7 14.Qg5 Kg7 15.Qh6+ Kf7 16.Qg5 c6 17.e5 dxe5 18.dxe5 Ke6 19.exf6 Rxf6 20.Rxf6+ Ke7 21.Rxg6+ Black resigned, blackburne - Haroldlee123, ChessWorld, JG6, 2011.
10...Kg7 11.d4 Rf8
Black is a pawn down, but he has castled-by-hand and his King is relatively safe. However, one of the "vital signs" that observers of all Jerome Gambits must note is the status of Black's light-squared Bishop, and its related Rook, as their under-development always are unhealthy symptoms. (See "A Lesson Learned From The Jerome Gambit" for one related "illness".)
12.Qh6+ Kg8 13.Kg1 Ng4 14.Qg5 Qxg5 15.Bxg5 Nf2 16.Nd5 Nxh1 17.Nxc7 Rb8 18.Kxh1 Bd7
White has two pawns for the exchange. Black can be happy that the Queens are off the board, but he cannot affort to be complacent. (He can be happy, for the moment, that his light-squared Bishop has moved and that his Rooks are linked, even if one is mysteriously developed.)
19.Nd5 Be6 20.Nf6+ Kg7 21.d5 Bc8
See the previous note.
22.Rf1 h6 23.Nh5+ gxh5 24.Bxh6+ Kxh6 25.Rxf8
Materially, White has 3 extra pawns while Black has the extra piece.
More importantly, positionally, look at Black's Queenside: Code Blue! His weakness allows a "Jerome pawn" infection...
25...Kg7 26. Rd8 b6 27.Kg1 Ra8 28.e5 dxe5 29.d6 Bb7 30.Rxa8
Bxa8 31.d7 Kf7 32.d8=Q Black resigned
Very nicely done!
Sometimes I play over the games of the top Jerome Gambit players and shake my head in wonder, admitting I don't know how he does it... So many times Black seems to be better - until he loses. Clearly, the Jerome is not only a study in the psychology of error, it is a school for learning about (successful) chess struggle.
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+
The Abrahams Jerome Gambit.
3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Kf8 5.Qxe5 Qe7 6.d4
It is interesting to note a couple of FICS games with a player with a similar name to White's, which give alternative responses:
6.Qxe7+ Nxe7 7.Nf3 d6 8.O-O Bg4 9.Nc3 Bxf3 10.gxf3 c6 11.d4 Bxd4 12.Re1 Be5 13.Bg5 Bxc3 14.b3 h6 15.Rad1 hxg5 16.Re2 d5 17.Re3 d4 18.e5 Nd7 19.Re4 Nd5 20.Rd3 Nf4 21.Rxf4+ gxf4 22.Kg2 Nxe5 23.h3 Nxd3 24.cxd3 g5 25.Kf1 Kf7 26.Kg1
Rhe8 27.a4 Re2 28.b4 Rd2 29.h4 Re8 30.Kh2 gxh4 31.b5 Rxf2+ 32.Kh3 Rxf3+ 33.Kg4 Rxd3 34.Kxf4 Rh8 35.Kg4 Re3 36.Kf5 cxb5 37.Kf4 bxa4 38.Kf5 a3 39.Kf4 Kg7 40.Kf5 Rf8+ 41.Kg4 Re4+ 42.Kh5 Rf5 checkmate, Philidori - cjon, FICS, 2006; and
6.d3 Qxe5 7.Nf3 Qf6 8.O-O d6 9.Bg5 Qg6 10.Nc3 Bg4 11.Nd5 Na6 12.Nf4 Qe8 13.h3 Bxf3 14.gxf3 h6 White forfeited on time, Philidori - cjon, FICS, 2006.
6...Qxe5 7.dxe5 Nc6 8.Nf3
There are other ways to hold onto the pawn:
8.Bf4 Nd4 9.Kd1 Ne6 10.Bg3 Ne7 11.c3 Ng6 12.Nd2 Ke7 13.Nh3 d5 14.exd5 Nd8 15.b4 Bb6 16.Nf4 Nxf4 17.Bxf4 Rf8 18.Bg5+ Kf7 19.e6+ Kg8 20.Be3 Re8 21.Bxb6 axb6 22.f4 c6 23.c4 b5 24.f5 bxc4 25.Nxc4 cxd5 26.Nb6 Rb8 27.Nxd5 Nc6 28.b5 Nd4 29.Nc7 Re7 30.b6 Nxf5 31.Rf1 Ne3+ 32.Ke1 Nxf1 33.Kxf1 Bxe6 34.Nxe6 Rxe6 35.Rb1 Rc8 White resigned, guire - givemeabreak, FICS, 2014;
8.f4 Nge7 9.Nf3 d6 (9...Ng6 10.Nc3 d6 11.f5 Ngxe5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Bf4 Bd7 14.Bxe5 dxe5 15.O-O-O Bc6 16.Nd5 Bxd5 17.Rxd5 Bd6 18.c4 b6 19.a3 a5 20.Rhd1 Kf7 21.g4 Rhd8 22.h4 Rd7 23.g5 Rad8 24.h5 Ke7 25.b3 Bxa3+ 26.Kc2 Rxd5 27.cxd5 Bd6 28.Kc3 Bb4+ 29.Kc4 Bd6 30.Kb5 Ra8 31.Rc1 a4 32.bxa4 Ra5+ 33.Kc6 Rxa4 34.Kb7 Rb4 35.Rf1 Kf7 36.f6 gxf6 37.Rxf6+ Kg7 38.h6+ Kg8 39.Kc8 Rxe4 40.Kd7 Rf4 41.Re6 Rf7+ 42.Kc6 Rd7 43.g6 Re7 44.gxh7+ Kxh7 45.Rf6 Black forfeited on time, ripples - Cihan, FICS, 2009) 10.exd6 cxd6 (10...Bxd6 11.Nc3 Bg4 12.e5 Bb4 13.Bd2 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nd4 15.O-O-O Nxf3 16.Ne4 Bxd2+ 17.Nxd2 Nxd2 18.Rxd2 Kf7 19.Rf1 Rad8 20.f5 Rxd2 21.Kxd2 Rd8+ 22.Ke3 Nd5+ 23.Ke4 Nb4 24.Rf2 Nxa2 25.c3 b5 26.c4 bxc4 27.h4 c5 28.h5 Rd4+ 29.Ke3 Rh4 30.e6+ Ke7 31.b4 cxb3 32.Rb2 c4 33.Kd2 Rxh5 White resigned mfenaux - ikac, FICS, 2008) 11.Nc3 Bg4 12.Ke2 Nd4+ 13.Kf1 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nxc2 15.Rb1 Nd4 16.Kg2 Ng6 17.f5 Ne5 18.Rd1 Rd8 19.Na4 h6 20.Nxc5 dxc5 21.Bf4 Nec6 22.Rbc1 Ke7 23.Rxc5 b6 24.Rc4 Rd7 25.Kg3 Rhd8 26.Rdc1 Ne2+ 27.Kg4 Nxc1 28.Rxc1 Black forfeited on time, ripples - zsifkovitspeter, FICS, 2009.
8...d6
A couple more ideas:
8...Nd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.f4 Ne7 11.c3 Bc5 12.b4 Bb6 13.a4 a5 14.b5 Bc5 15.Nd2 d6 16.Nb3 b6 17.Nxc5 dxc5 18.O-O Kf7 19.c4 Rf8 20.f5 Kg8 21.Bb2 c6 22.e6 cxb5 23.axb5 Bb7 24.Rf4 Rad8 25.Rg4 g6 26.f6 Nc8 27.e7 Rd2 28.exf8=Q+ Kxf8 29.Bc3 Rc2 30.Be5 Rxc4 31.Bc7 Rxe4 32.Rxe4 Bxe4 33.Re1 Bd3 34.Re3 Bxb5 35.Re6 Bc4 36.Rc6 Kf7 37.Bxb6 Nxb6 38.Rxb6 a4 39.Rc6 a3 40.Rxc5 Be6 41.Ra5 Kxf6 42.Rxa3 Black resigned, mfenaux - BobTheBeginner, FICS, 2009; and
8...Nge7 9.Be3 Bxe3 10.fxe3 Ng6 11.Nc3 Ngxe5 12.Nd5 Nc4 13.O-O Nxb2 14.Nd4+ Kg8 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Ne7 checkmate, idiom - lochsa, FICS, 2003.
9.Bf4
9.exd6 Bxd6 10.O-O Bg4 11.Nh4 g5 12.Nf5 Bxf5 13.exf5 Nge7 14.f6 Nd5 15.Bxg5 Rg8 16.Bh4 Rg4 17.Bg3 Bxg3 18.fxg3 Nxf6 19.Rxf6+ Ke7 20.Rf1 Ne5 21.Nc3 Rd8 22.Rae1 Kd6 23.Ne4+ Kc6 24.Nf6 Rg5 25.h4 Rxg3 26.Rxe5 Rdg8 27.Rf2 Kd6 28.Ref5 Ke6 29.Nh5 R8g4 30.Nf4+ Kxf5 31.Nd3+ Kg6 32.Nf4+ Kg7 33.Nh5+ Kh6 34.Nf6 Black forfeited on time, enzop - Matan, FICS, 2004.
9...Bg4 10.exd6 cxd6
Or: 10...Bxf3 11.gxf3 Bxd6 12.Bxd6+ cxd6 13.Nc3 Ke7 14.Rg1 g6 15.O-O-O Nf6 16.f4 Nh5 17.f5 gxf5 18.exf5 Rhg8 19.Rge1+ Ne5 20.Nd5+ Kd7 21.f4 Nc6 22.Re6 Rae8 23.Rh6 Ne7 24.Nxe7 Rxe7 25.Rxh5 Rf7 26.Kd2 Rg2+ 27.Kc3 Rf2 28.Rd4 Kc6 29.Rh6 Rxf5 30.Rdxd6+ Kc7 31.Rde6 Rc5+ 32.Kd4 Rfxc2 33.Rxh7+ Kb8 34.Rd6 a6 35.Rb6 Rc7 36.Rh5 Ka7 37.Rb4 Rf7 38.Kd3 Rf2 39.Ke3 Rc2 40.h4 Re7+ 41.Kf3 Rh2 42.Rh6 a5 43.Rb5 Kb8 44.h5 Rd7 45.f5 Rh1 46.a4 Rf7 47.Rxa5 Rf1+ 48.Ke4 Re1+ 49.Kd4 Rd1+ 50.Ke5 Rf1 51.f6 Rg1 52.Rh8+ Kc7 53.Ke6 Rd7 54.Rc5+ Kb6 55.Kxd7 Kxc5 56.f7 Rd1+ 57.Kc7 Black resigned, VATICANO - caciuccoboy, FICS, 2014.
11.Nc3 Bxf3 12.gxf3 Nd4 13.O-O-O Nxf3 14.Nb5 Nf6 15.Nxd6 Bxd6 16.Bxd6+ Kf7
Here we have a typical Jerome Gambit endgame, with the "Jerome pawns" vs Black's extra piece. "Objectively" the edge is to the second player, although it is his responsibility to show it.
17.Rd3 Ng5 18.f3 Rhd8 19.h4 Ne6 20.Rhd1 Ne8 21.Bg3 Rxd3 22.Rxd3 Rd8 23.Kd2 Nf6 24.b3 Nh5 25.Bh2 Ke7 26.Ke3 h6 27.Rxd8 Kxd8 28.Be5 Ke7 29.f4 b5
30.f5 Nc5 31.Bd4 Kd6 32.b4 Na6 33.a3 Nb8 34.Bxa7 Nc6 35.Bc5+ Ke5
Black's King successfully blockades the central "Jerome pawns", his b-pawn restrains White's Queenside, and even though he has given up a pawn, he seems to have stymied the first player's momentum.
Except for one move.
36.c4
White's game now becomes dyamic on the Queenside.
36...bxc4 37.b5 Nb8 38.b6 Nf6
This slip allows White to clarify things quickly with the win of a piece.
39.Bd4+ Kd6 40.e5+ Black resigned
