Along with the game Bill Wall sent (see "Strike First!") recently came the (somewhat abridged) note
Oh, I have all my games up to a few weeks ago on my chess page at http://billwall.phpwebhosting.com/ which may have more Jerome Gambits in it that you may not have seen... It is under the collections column called Bill Wall 1969-2015... Something like 43,800 games so far.
Chess players who enjoy unorthodox chess openings, take note!
In addition, here is a short win by Bill, from about 60 new-to-me games I found in his collection.
Wall, Bill - Kaefer
PlayChess.com, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Qe2
An favorite line of Bill's, We took a look at this in "Cat-and-Mouse", "Waiting... Pouncing!", "Something Had to Happen" and "The What?".
6...d6 7.O-O Rf8 8.Qc4+ Be6
The kind of quick reaction that occurs in blitz, and gets punished, appropriately.
9.Ng5+
Discussed in "Recurring Theme". No doubt played in a nano-second by Bill.
9...Kg6
Or 9...Ke7 10.Qxe6 checkmate, hinders - Devotion, FICS, 2001. hinders played over 30 6.Qe2 games on FICS in 2000 - 2002.
10.Nxe6
Thinking back upon the post "Wrong Piece - Oh, Never Mind!" I had to chuckle at the other piece capture, 10.Qxe6. Black should respond with ...Nd4, but, instead played 10...Kxg5 in linders - Lader, FICS, 2000, when the following unfolded 11.d4+ (instead, he had 11.Qf5+ Kh6 12.d4+ g5 13.Qxg5#) 11...Kg6 12.dxc5 Nd4 13. Qh3 dxc5 14. Qg3+ Kf7 15. Qxe5 Re8 16.Nb5? b6? 17.Qg3? Ne2+ White resigned
10...Bxf2+
Black throws in the towel (and a few pieces). He could have continued to fight, as in an earlier game: 10...Qe7 11.d3 Rfe8 12.Ng5 h6 13.Nf3 Kh7 14.Nh4 Qe6 15.Qb5 Bb6 16.Na4 Nd4 17.Qb4 Nxc2 18.Qd2 Nxa1 19.Qe2 Bd4 20.Qf3 Qg4 21.Qd1 Qxh4 22.g3 Qh3 23.Qf3 Nc2 24.Bd2 Bb6 25.Nc3 Nd4 26.Qd1 Ng4 27.Qxg4 Qxg4 28.h3 Qxh3 29.Nd5 Ne2 checkmate, hinders - Matheusaum, FICS, 2001.
11.Rxf2 Nxe4 12.Nxf8+ Qxf8 13.Qxe4+ Black resigned
The following game has a surprise move in a less-than-usual line, and when I researched it in earlier posts, I found a number of editorial errors. Strange...
bemillsy - leoarthur
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.O-O Bc5
See "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 4)".
5.Bxf7+
A delayed Jerome Gambit move order (or a transition to a "modern" Jerome Gambit line, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6), although there are about 550 examples in The Database. I have never played the line, but of course Bill Wall has, as have GeniusPawn, GmCooper, HauntedKnight, hinders, sTpny, Teterow, DragonTail and jrhumphrey, to name just a few.
The line was looked at in the games aymmd - MOMLASAM, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 19) and Wall, B - Guest848078, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 10) although there were diagram errors and references that subsequently needed correction in both posts.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Nf3+
A surprise, but not as strong as the routine 7...Bxd4.
8.Qxf3
The correct capture, with a roughly equal game.
8...Bxd4 9.Bg5
Overlooking something, perhaps already short of time.
9...Bxb2
Surprisingly, not Black's strongest move, although it does lead to some advantage. Rybka prefers 9...d6 10.Nd2 h6 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.Qxe3 Re8 13.f3 Qe7 14.Rad1 Be6 15.b3 Kg8 with a clear advantage.
10.Nd2
White should try 10.Qb3+, as after 10...Kg6 11.Qxb2 Kxg5 12.e5 he has chances against Black's uneasy King.
10...Bxa1 11.Rxa1 d6 White forfeited on time.
Sometimes the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can be just plain fun: sacrifice a couple of pieces, create a crazy-mixed-up position, and confuse the opponent enough that he can be defeated.
But, what if your opponent fights back – hard?
That is what the following game is about, as we see Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Bill Wall overcoming some serious counterplay.
Wall,B - Letsplaychess
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2011
notes by Bill Wall [and Rick]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5
[Italian Four Knights Game]
5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Qe2
[I was always curious about the attraction of this move. The game continuation shows one reason to play it. - Rick]
6...d6 7.Qc4+ Be6? 8.Ng5+
[There's that pesky Ng5+ again! Letsplaychess has been officially identified as someone who does not read this blog, or he might have been forewarned. According to The Database, an FICS player named hinders pulled off this maneuver a half dozen times in 2000-2002. - Rick]
8...Kg6 9.Nxe6
[Black has returned the sacrificed piece, but he is not content to shiver and shake in the dark. Hinders had it easier. - Rick]
9...Bxf2+ 10.Kxf2 Ng4+ 11.Kg1 Qf6
Threatening ...Qf2 mate
12.Nd1 Na5 13.Qc3 Qxe6 14.Qxa5 Qc4
Threatening 15...Qe2
15.d3 Qxc2
Threatening 16...Qxc1+ 17.Qe1 Qxe1 mate
16.Qd2 Qc5+ 17.Nf2 Rhf8
Threatening 18...Qxf2+
18.Qg5+ Kf7
Threatening 20...Qxf2 mate
19.Qxg4 Kg8
Threatening 20...Qxf2 mate
20.Qe2 Rf7 21.Be3 Qb5 22.Qc2 c6 23.h4 Raf8 24.h5
24.Bxa7? b6 traps the Bishop
24...d5 25.h6 d4 26.hxg7 dxe3 27.gxf8Q+ Kxf8 28.Ng4 Qb6
Threatening 29...e2.
29.Qe2 Rg7 30.Rf1+ Kg8 31.Nh6+ Kh8 32.Rf8+ Black resigned
Here is another short Jerome Gambit game from Bill Wall. It contains a motif that has showed up in recent posts – that of Ng5+ with an attack on Black's King as well as on a piece at e6 (see "Sunday Tournament Update" and "Ng5+") – and comes with a reminder that snap defensive moves can have long term consequences.
Bill has utilized the Qe2 attack before ("No Getting Around This Wall" is particularly interesting), so, for study purposes, I have included earlier games of his, even when he has played the move sooner than in the text. I have also included a number of games by hinders, of FICS, who played the line (with mixed success) a while back.
Wall,B - DDRM
FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5
The Italian Four Knights Game.
5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.0-0
Instead: 6.Qe2 d6
a) 6...Rf8 7.Qc4+ d5 (7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Be6 10.d3 Kf7 11.Ng5+ Ke7 12.Bd2 Qd7 13.0-0 h6 14.Nxe6 Qxe6 15.f4 Ng4 16.Qg3 h5 17.h3 Nf6 18.fxe5 dxe5 19.Nd5+ Nxd5 20.exd5 Qxd5 21.Qxg7+ Kd6 22.Rxf8 Black resigned, Wall, B-Hamilton, E, FICS, 2011) 8.Qxc5 d4 9.Nb5 Nxe4 10.Nxe5+ Nxe5 11.Qxe5 Ng3 12.fxg3 Re8 13.0-0+ Kg8 14.Qxc7 Qg5 15.Qf7+ Black resigned, Wall, B-NFNZ, FICS, 2011;
b) 6...d5 7.Nxd5 Nxd5 8.Qc4 Qd6 9.exd5 Nd4 10.Nxd4 exd4 11.0-0 b5 12.Qb3 Re8 13.Qf3+ Kg8 14.d3 Bb7 15.a4 b4 16.Qg4 Qxd5 17.Bf4 Re2 18.Bh6 Qxg2+ 19.Qxg2 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 gxh6 21.Rac1 Rf8 22.b3 Bd6 23.h3 Kg7 24.a5 Rf5 25.a6 Bf4 White resigned, Wall,B-Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010;
7.0-0 h6 8.h3 Rf8 9.d3 Nd4 10.Nxd4 Bxd4 11.Nb5 Bd7 12.Nxd4 exd4 13.f4 Kg8 14.Qe1 Qe7 15.Qb4 Bc6 16.Qxd4 Qf7 17.Bd2 Qg6 18.f5 Qe8 19.Bc3 Rf7 20.Rf3 Nd7 21.Rg3 Ne5 22.Rf1 Qe7 23.Qe3 Kh8 24.f6 Rxf6 25.Rxf6 Qxf6 26.d4 Nc4 27.d5 Qh4 28.Bxg7+ Kh7 29.Qd3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Darkmoonstone, FICS, 2011.
6...d6 7.Qe2
7...Bg4
Or 7...Ke8 8.Qc4 Rf8 9.d3 Qd7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nb5 Bb6 12.Na3 Qe6 13.Qd3 Bd7 14.c3 Ne5 15.Ng5 Nxd3 16.Nxe6 Bxe6 17.Bd2 Nxb2 18.cxd4 Bxd4 19.Nb5 Bb6 20.a4 a5 21.Nc3 Nc4 22.Rab1 Nxd2 23.e5 dxe5 24.Nb5 Nxf1 25.Rxf1 Ng4 26.h3 Bc4 27.Nc3 Bxf1 White resigned, hinders - Lukino, FICS, 2001;
Or 7...Rf8 8.Qc4+ Be6 9.Ng5+ Ke7 (9...Kg6 10.Qxe6 Kxg5 11.d4+ Kg6 12.dxc5 Nd4 13.Qh3 dxc5 14.Qg3+ Kf7 15.Qxe5 Re8 16.Nb5 b6 17.Qg3 Ne2+ White resigned, hinders-Lader, FICS, 2000) 10.Qxe6 checkmate, hinders - Devotion, FICS, 2001;
Or 7...Nd4 8.Qc4+ Be6 9.Ng5+ Ke7 10.Na4 Bxc4 11.d3 Nxc2 12.Rb1 Bxd3 13.Nc3 Nd4 14.Ra1 Bxf1 15.Be3 Nc2 16.Rc1 Bd3 17.Nd5+ Nxd5 18.exd5 Bxe3 19.fxe3 Nxe3 20.Re1 Nxd5 21.Rd1 Bc4 22.b3 Nc3 23.Re1 Bb5 24.a4 Ba6 25.b4 Nxa4 26.Ra1 Nb6 27.Rb1 Kd7 28.Ne4 Nc4 29.b5 Bxb5 30.Rxb5 Qh4 31.h3 Qxe4 32.Rxb7 Qe1+ 33.Kh2 Ne3 34.Rb3 Rhf8 35.Rc3 Rf5 36.Ra3 Rg5 37.Rxe3 Qxe3 38.Kh1 Qg3 39.Kg1 Qxg2 checkmate, hinders - putoamo, FICS, 2001;
Or 7...Be6 8.Ng5+ Ke7 9.a3 h6 10.b4 Bd4 11.Nf3 Rf8 12.Nb5 Bxa1 13.Nh4 Bd4 14.Ng6+ Ke8 15.Nxf8 Kxf8 16.c3 Bb6 17.a4 a6 18.Na3 Kg8 19.a5 Ba7 20.b5 axb5 21.Qxb5 Bc5 22.Qxb7 Nxa5 23.Qb1 Nc4 24.Nb5 Qb8 25.d4 Bb6 26.Qd3 Bf7 27.Qg3 Nxe4 28.Qg4 Ng5 29.h4 Ne6 30.Bxh6 Qe8 31.dxe5 Bh5 32.Qf5 gxh6 33.exd6 Qg6 34.Qd5 Nxd6 35.Qxa8+ Black resigned, hinders - kimk, FICS, 2001.
8.Qc4+ Be6
Moving his Bishop a second time, to block the check, of course, but also to harass the White Queen. Risky business.
Or 8...Ke7 9.Ng5 Qg8 10.Qd3 h6 11.Kh1 hxg5 12.Qb5 a6 13.Qxb7 Nd4 14.Qxc7+ Bd7 15.Rb1 Nxc2 16.d3 g4 17.Bd2 g3 18.fxg3 Ng4 19.Bg5+ Black ran out of time, hinders - HoChiMin, FICS, 2001
9.Ng5+
9...Ke7
Or 9...Kg6 10.Nxe6 Bxf2+ 11.Rxf2 Qe7 12.Ng5 Nd4 13.d3 b5 14.Qb4 c5 15.Qa5 a6 16.Be3 Nc6 17.Qa3 b4 18.Qb3 Nd4 19.Qa4 Rhb8 20.Nd5 Qd8 21.c3 bxc3 22.Nxc3 Rb4 23.Qd1 Rab8 24.b3 h6 25.Nh3 Qd7 26.Rf1 a5 27.Qe1 Kh7 28.Qg3 Nc2 29.Bxh6 Nxa1 30.Rxa1 Nh5 31.Qh4 Qf7 32.Nd5 gxh6 33.Ne3 Rd4 34.Ng4 Rxd3 35.Rc1 Rd2 36.Re1 Black ran out of time, hinders - bambaladam, FICS, 2001
10.Qxe6+ Kf8 11.Qf7 checkmate
graphic by Jeff Buccino, The Wizard of Draws
Here is the latest Jerome Gambit game from Bill Wall. It is another example of an opponent deciding, if you want me to play that, I won't! As usual, this means that Black exchanges a theoretically won game for one where he is immediately worse...
Wall,B - Buster
Chess.com, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kf8
Declining the Bishop. Buster has already shown in an earlier game against the same opponent (see "The Anti-Bill Wall Gambit") that he has his own ideas about the Jerome Gambit, and they do not include cooperating with White's plans.
5.Qe2
A move that Richard Moody, with his interest in early Queen creeper moves, would fully enjoy.
5...Qf6
The only other example that I have with 4...Kf8 5.Qe2 in The Database continued: 5...d6 6.Nc3 Bg4 7.Bd5 Nd4 8.Qd1 c6 9.0-0 Bxf3 10.gxf3 Qh4 11.d3 Nf6 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.a3 Kf7 14.b4 Bb6 15.Na4 Qh3 16.c3 Nxf3+ 17.Kh1 Qxh2 checkmate, hinders - pvm, FICS, 2001.
6.Bb3 Nd4
Black has only a tempo (and a misplaced King) for his lost pawn. The text does not look like an efficient use of that "compensation".
7.Nxd4 Bxd4 8.0-0 d6 9.c3 Bb6 10.d3
10...Ke7
Black appears nervous about having his King and Queen on the same file as White's Rook, but expending a tempo to put his monarch further into the center only encourages White to offer a pawn to open lines of attack.
11.d4 Nh6
Black wants no part of something like the pawn grab 11...exd4 12.cxd4 Bxd4 13.Nc3 which could only go horribly wrong after a second helping of pawn: 13...Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qxc3 15.Bb2 and White's position looks like a Danish Gambiteer's dream.
12.dxe5 Qxe5
Keeping the d-file closed at the cost of having his Kingside pawns broken up.
13.Bxh6 gxh6
14.Nd2 h5 15.Nc4 Bg4 16.Qd3 Qc5 17.e5
17...Raf8
Black's pieces are developed, with pressure on the White King, but it is too late.
18.exd6+ cxd6 19.Rae1+ Kd8 20.Nxd6
This is more than just another pawn captured: it is another line opened against the enemy King.
20...Kc7 21.Re7+ Kb8 22.Rxb7+ Ka8 23.Qe4 Rxf2 24.Rxb6+ Black resigned
Of course, part of the fun of playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and related lines is that there is often a quick win (see "Eyeblink Chess: Crash" for the alternative) awaiting the attacker (with occasional help from the defender, of course).
PeoKratoR - kirki
blitz FICS, 2000
1.Nc3 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.e4 Nf6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kf8 6.Bc4 Black resigned
Darrenshome - gleyhorizon
blitz FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Ke7 5.Bxg8 Nxf3+ 6.Qxf3 Qe8 7.Bb3 Black resigned
UNPREDICTABLE - Sanomis
blitz FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.Qh5+ Black resigned
GOH - imre
blitz FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 h6 4.d4 Nxd4 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Nxe5 Ne6 7.Nc3 d6 8.Nd5 checkmate
hinders - hober
blitz FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Qe2 d6 7.Qc4+ Be6 8.Ng5+ Black resigned
thin - rusalka
blitz FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d3 Nge7 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Ng5+ Kg8 7.Qf3 d6 8.Qf7 checkmate
Cherokee - Gepetto
FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.Qg4+ Kxe5 7.f4+ Kxe4 8.Nc3 checkmate
(By the way, the character in the graphic is Perry the Platypus, a nice name in my opinion – but then, I'm perrypawnpusher, and I play the Jerome Gambit, the duck-billed platypus of chess.)
