Beware, Hubris

It's okay with me if you don't like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and all its relatives, such as the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+) and the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+). I don't mind if you think they are all "garbage openings."

Just remember that it takes more than disdain and sneering to defeat these attack – as the appropriately named "hubris" discovered quickly in the following game.

dubnikova - hubris
redhotpawn.com, 04.06.2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6

6.Qg4+

Better chances come with 6.c3. See "Why I oughta..." and "Gorilla Chess".

6...Kxe5 7.f4+ Kxe4 8.Nc3 checkmate

Killer

In "Keep the shilling" we saw the latest play in a Jerome-ized Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4). The following game looks like a killer at first glance – but examination raises the question: for whom?

dubnikova - hubris
redhotpawn, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

4.Bxf7+ 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.Qg4+ Kxe5 7.f4+ Kxe4 8.Nc3 checkmate

Wow.

Now, instead of the grabby 7...Kxe4, play 7...Kd6.

Uh oh.

After 8.Na3 Kc6 9.c3 d5, things are deteriorating fast – for White.