White has over 600 games in The Database. He has seen a lot in the Jerome Gambit world. In the following game, he encounters something new. I've added a few games and ideas, for when he meets it again. yorgos - gruzanin blitz, FICS, 2014 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
White has dealt with threats on the Kingside, but that has taken time. As a result, his King is not yet castled - something that puts his center "Jerome pawns" (and their advance) at risk. The little things add up. 17.h3 Qd7 18.e5 dxe5 19.fxe5 Re8 20.Be3 Rxe5 21.O-O Kg8
After the final center pawn disappears, White's game collapses. 22.Bd4 Rxd5 23.Qe2 Bd6 24.c4 Rxd4 25.Rfd1 Bc5 26.Kh2 Ne4 27.Qe3 Rxd1 White resigned
Here we have another Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit game, giving an opportunity to share some speculation, and to once again ponder the aphorism that "the threat is greater than its execution". kocanda - ETERHERE standard, FICS, 2014 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. 4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Kxd4 8.d3 Bb4+
9.Nc3 Both 9.Ke2!? and 9.Kf1!? are mentioned in the notes to perrypawnpusher - AdamRou, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28) and pigsfeet - jantonacci, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 14), but do not yet appear in any games in The Database.
The ideas: 9.Ke2 Ke5 10.Qb3 and White's mate threats allow him to grab the Black Bishop on the next move; or 9.Ke2 d5 10.Bf4 and White's Queen again will soon arrive at b3.
Similar attacking plans work for White after 9.Kf1. 9... Bxc3+ 10. bxc3+ Ke5 11. f4+
The "Jerome pawns" look scary, but the best move for White, instead, was 11.Qh5+ as inperrypawnpusher - AdamRou, blitz, FICS, 2010. 11...Kf6 HereBlack forfeited by disconnection.
White may have a dangerous attack coming (although Houdini 3, at 25 ply, rated the position 0.00) but Black can continue to retreat his King, and declare "Show me!"
Perhaps other things were more pressing in Black's life away from the board.
Jerome Gambit and Jerome-like games are not usually though of as finesse-filled duels, but in the following game, in seeing to apply a refutation to White's attack, Black makes a couple of slim errors, and the results are unfortunate. poethe - Principia blitz, FICS, 2013 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4 The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. 4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.f4
In 327 games in The Database, White scores 50% with this move, but correct is 6.c3. See "Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Don't Feed the Greed" among many relevant earlier posts. 6...Qh4+ The sharpest response. Now White's King comes under attack. 7.g3 Qh3 8.Kf2
Best, according to Houdini, is the alternative 8.Nf3, as in DragonTail - jantonacci, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 37), 8..Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 when 9...Ke7 is advantageous to Black, e.g. Steelfinder - Sali, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 13). 8...Bc5 9.c3 Nc2+ Black goes directly after material. Interestingly, Houdini suggests that he first kick out the White knight with 9...d6 10.Nc4 and then go for the Rook with 10...Nc2+ 11.d4 Nxa1 12.dxc5 Nf6, with the idea that Black's Knight on a1 will either eventually escape, or White will spend so much time capturing it that Black's lead in development will prove decisive. 10.d4 Nxa1
11.dxc5 d6 Here 11...Nf6 would lead to a complicated, unclear, perhaps balanced position. The text clarifies things: Black will be checkmated. 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Qf7+ Black resigned
In my February 11, 2010 blog post, "Provoked", I noted about a chessfriend and Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member, Welton Vaz de Souza is a nice guy. Sure, from time-to-time he crushes opponents with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), but he's a nice guy. Suggestion: don't provoke him in a game of chess.
I was reminded of that when I ran into the following game. Richad - NeoNunes blitz, FICS, 2013 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. 4.0-0
This is one of the orthodox treatments of the BSG, along with 4.Nxd4 or 4.c3. Not everyone wants to play the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, 4.Bxf7+!? 4...b5
This move, however, proves to be too much provocation. White decides on a Delayed Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+
As I noted in that older post, It turns out that 5.Bxf7+ is so strong (or 4...b5 so ill-advised) that White could simply grab back a piece here with the alternative 6.Nxd4. If Black responds 6...exd4 then White has 7.Qh5+ and a few checks later the Rook on a8 will be captured. After 6.Nxd4 Nf6, White retreats his Knight with 7.Nf3 and is better. 6...Ke6
Instead, 6...Ke8 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Nxg6 was seen in Ghandybh - BoogieKnights, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 16) and mikelovell - rogerlovell, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 44).
The alternative, Black's strongest move, 6...Ke7, was seen in Rub - Wall,B, Palo Alto, 1989, (0-1, 12), mukund - jantonacci, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 10) and Chabus - AlfonsoX, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 14). 7.f4
Stronger was 7.c3, as in mukund - jantonacci, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 10) and Chabus - AlfonsoX, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 14). 7...Nf6 8.c3 Nc6 9.d4
14.Nd2
This move is good enough, but White misses the hilarious 14.Be5!? when Black cannot capture the Bishop, as he will be checkmated; so the cheeky prelate can go on and capture at f6.
Black's next move hangs a piece, but White is in no hurry: he builds his attack and breaks through. 14...Bg7 15.Rae1 Rg8 16.e5 d5 17.exf6+ Kf7 18.Qh5+ Kf8 19.fxg7+ Rxg7 20.Bh6+ Kg8 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Rf7+ Kg8 23.Qxh7 checkmate
(May 2014 was the highest visited month in the history of this blog, going back to 2008. Many, many thanks to readers - and please feel free to continue to visit. - Rick)
Following "Checking Back", it is time to use a recent Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit game to look at one of its more exciting variations.
pigsfeet - jantonacci blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke66.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Kxd4
Black's King has gone far afield to grab extra material. Why did he do that? Some chess players see the board as an all-you-can-eat buffet, and chow down on everything. Others might compare development, White vs Black, and as the first player has no pieces developed compared to the second player's one (the King) what appears to be the problem?
Best for Black seems to be 8...Kc5 with only a slight disadvantage.
9.Nc3
Playable also is 9.Kf1!? or 9.Ke2!? although the text is natural and even allows Black further gluttony, if he wishes.
9...d5
"Luft!" says the Queen.
Also played has been 9...Bxc3+ 10.bxc3+ when taking the c-pawn is fatal after 10...Kxc3 11.Qb3+ (The Database does not have any examples, but Edisce - nkm, FICS, 2005 came close with 11.0-0 Qf6 12.Be3 Kb4 13.Rb1+ Ka5 14.Qb3 c5 15.Qa3 checkmate).
Again, a very reasonable move, although White may try to weave a mating net by putting his Queen on b3 and his Bishop on f4. Black might give up his Bishop to buy White off.
10...Ke5 11.Qh5+
The Queen must commit herself, as the enemy monarch is making his escape.
11...Kf6
Rybka 3 recommends 11...Kd6, when, if Black can survive the scary, pawnful middlegame, he can then take a few swipes at White and enter an endgame, down a pawn and the exchange: 12.Qxd5+ Ke7 13.Qg5+ Nf6 14.Qxg7+ Ke6 15.f4 Rg8 16.f5+ Kd6 17.Qf7 Bxc3+ 18.bxc3 b6 19.Bd4 Kc6 20.Qc4+ Kb7 21.Bxf6 Qxf6 22.Qxg8 Qxc3+ 23.Ke2 Qc2+ 24.Ke3 Qc5+ 25.Kf3 Bxf5 26.Qc4 Qxc4 27.dxc4 Be6.
analysis diagram
In the game, Black gives up his Queen, and then his King.