Jerome Gambit: Building Anxiety

Here is another interesting and educational Jerome Gambit game from Vlasta Fejfar.

The game might as well be titled "What shall we worry about today?" as the little things seem to build up for Black, and he suddenly turns over the game.

vlastous - Makaviel , Sandro
Internet, 2017 

 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+

The "nudge". I am not sure that it is necessary, or leads to anything more than the direct capture 7.Qxc5 does, but, in my experience it can get Black to take some time worrying "What is he doing?"

7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7 

So - what is going on here?

White has sacrificed a piece for two pawns, and has already moved his Queen three times. He needs development while taking advantage of Her Majesty's options.

Black is ahead in material and development, but his King is stuck in the middle of the board, at least for now. He needs to design a route to safety, when he can then use his advantages.

9.O-O b6 

This is a reasonable move, opening up the a8-h1 diagonal for his Bishop - or, as in the game, the a6-f1 diagonal. 

Also possible are 9...d6 and 9...Rf8. There are game examples in The Database.

10.Qc3 

A small improvement over the retreat 10.Qe3, which I have used in a couple of wins: perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 59) and perrypawnpusher - jdvatty, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0. 28).

From c3 the Queen threatens Black's g-pawn, which is probably enough to cause the defender some anxiety, although in the long run it is probably risky for White to play Qxg7 as long as Black is able to play ...Rg8, with dangerous pressure on the file against White's King.

10...Ba6

Black chooses a different development, attacking White's Rook at f1. Is he worried about the partially open f-file his King will have to cross in order to castle-by-hand? Possibly.

11.d3 Kf7 

Guarding the attacked g-pawn and seeking safety. 
12.f4 Rf8 

Black's move is all part of his plan, but he would have been more prudent to play 12...d6, as will immediately be seen.

13.f5 

Awkward. Where is Black's Knight to go? It turns out that White's Queen was also attacking the e5 square.

13...Nh4 

Uncomfortable. Unsafe.

Instead, Black could try 13...Nh8, but 14.f6!? would be a troubling answer, winning the Knight on e7.

Stockfish 8 suggests the pragmatic return of the piece with 13...Kg8 14.fxg6 Rxf1+ 15.Kxf1 Nxg6 which Black probably saw, but which he hoped to avoid.

14.Bg5 c5 

I don't understand this move. Perhaps it is played to prevent a possible d3-d4 by White? Possibly better was getting a pawn for the piece with 14...Nxg2.

15.Bxh4 Kg8

Well, it looks like Black's King has finally found sactuary.

Not so! says White.

16.f6 

This breakthrough works, even with White not fully developed.

16...gxf6 17.Bxf6 Rf7 

18.Nd2 Qf8 19.Rf3 Nc6 

Black's two developed minor pieces on the Queenside are out of the action and largely irrelevant.

White now has a brutal attack on the g-file. 

20.Rg3+ Rg7 21.Rxg7+ Black resigned

Black will have to give up his Queen (and eventually his Rook, too) in order to avoid checkmate. 

The Pawns! The Pawns!

I smiled as I played over this game, and I have to admit to imagining hearing violin music in the background - the kind in the movies that is used to heighten the tension, bit-by-bit... Or - was that the music from "Jaws"?

Or, as Tattoo might have said, "The pawns! The pawns!"

Very funny how the pawns advance to the center - and just sit there. Black does not believe in them, he takes swipes at them, he even thinks at the end that they have abandoned their Knight - but he can't keep his eyes off of them.

Neither could I.

Fun game, killer ending.

Nice game, Mr. Roarke.

(Or should I have said "I think we're going to need a bigger chess board"?)

Wall,B - Guest348906
PlayChess.com, 2013

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7 9.0-0

Bill has also played 9.Nc3, e.g. 9...b6 10.Qh5 d6 11.f4 Kd7 12.f5 Nf8 13.Qg4 Kc6 14.Qxg7 Nd7 15.f6 Qg8 16.0-0 Qxg7 17.fxg7 Rg8 18.Rf7 Ng6 19.Nd5 Re8 20.d4 Ba6 21.Nb4+ Kb5 22.Bd2 Re7 23.b3 Nc5 24.c4+ Ka5 25.Nd5 checkmate, Wall,B - Andr,T, Chess.com, 2010.

9...Rf8 

This looks like a TN, preparing to castle-by-hand.

Previously: 9...d6, as in perrypawnpusher - nmuffjgp, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 23); and 9...b6 as in perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 59) and perrypawnpusher - jdvatty, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28). 

10.d4 Kf7 11.f4 Kg8

The position is just about even.

12.g4 

A bit more prudent would have been 12.f5.

12...d6 

Black would have done better striking at the center, suggests Houdini 3: 12...d5 13.f5 b6 14.Qc3 dxe4 15.fxg6 Rxf1+ 16.Kxf1 Nxg6. 

13.Qh5 Qd7 

Targetting the pawns. Bill suggests instead 13...Nc6 14.Be3 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Nxf4. 

14.f5 Nh8 15.c4 Rf6 16.Nc3 Nc6 17.Nd5  Rf8 18.Be3

Mesmerising, aren't they?

18...Na5 19. b3 c6 20.Nc3 d5

This move does not stem the tide of pawns.

21.cxd5 cxd5 22.Nxd5 Re8 23.e5

A little bait, that Black goes for.

23...Qxd5 24.Qxe8 checkmate

Things are looking up

With a game like the following, I get the sense that it is possible to play the Jerome Gambit effectively (at least every once-in-a-while) and even have a bit of fun in the process.

perrypawnpusher - Jaqueperpetuo

blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ N8e7

Not a frequent response (usually seen is 8...d6), but understandable: Black develops a piece even as he blocks White's check.

9.0-0 d6 10.Qe3 b6

This reminds me of my game with jdvatty.

Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Louis Morin (mrjoker, guest) has the most experience with the 8...N8e7 defense:

10...Ke8 11.d4 Rf8 12.f4 d5 13.f5 Nh8 14.exd5 Rxf5 15.Rxf5 Bxf5 16.Nc3 Qd7 17.Bd2 Bxc2 18.Qe5 Qf5 19.Qxg7 Kd7 20.Re1 Nf7 21.Rf1 Qg6 22.Rxf7 Qxg7 23.Rxg7 Kd6 24.Nb5+ Kd7 25.Bf4 Rc8 26.Bxc7 a6 27.d6 axb5 28.Rxe7+ Kc6 29.d5+ Kxd5 30.d7 Rxc7 31.d8Q+ Black resigned, guest645 - guest1600, Internet Chess Club 2001;

10...Bd7 11.f4 Bc6 12.d4 Ke8 13.f5 Nf8 14.c4 d5 15.cxd5 Bb5 16.Rf2 c6 17.Nc3 Ba6 18.Bd2 cxd5 19.e5 Nd7 20.f6 Ng6 21.fxg7 Rg8 22.Nxd5 Rxg7 23.e6 Nb6 24.Nf6+ Ke7 25.Bb4+ Black resigned, guest4097 - guest4686, Internet Chess Club, 2004;

10...Be6 11.f4 Bf7 12.d4 Kg8 13.f5 Nf8 14.b3 Nc6 15.c4 Qf6 16.Bb2 Qe7 17.Nd2 Re8 18.Rae1 Nb4 19.Qg3 Nd7 20.e5 dxe5 21.dxe5 Kf8 22.e6 Nf6 23.exf7 Qxf7 24.Rxe8+ Qxe8 25.Re1 Qd7 26.Ne4 Qxf5 27.Nxf6 gxf6 28.Bxf6 Rg8 29.Re8+ Kxe8 30.Qxg8+ Kd7 31.Qf7+ Kc6 32.Qe8+ Kb6 33.Bd4+ c5 34.Qb5+ Kc7 35.Qxc5+ Qxc5 36.Bxc5 Nxa2 37.Bxa7 Kc6 38.Be3 Nb4 39.Kf2 Nc2 40.Ke2 b5 41.cxb5+ Kxb5 42.g4 Kb4 43.h4 Kxb3 44.g5 Kc4 45.h5 Nxe3 46.Kxe3 Kd5 47.g6 hxg6 48.h6 Ke6 49.h7 Kf7 50.h8Q Black resigned, mrjoker - cherryhead, Internet Chess Club, 2008;

10...h6 11.d4 Kg8 12.f4 c5 13.c3 cxd4 14.cxd4 Kh7 15.f5 Nf8 16.f6 gxf6 17.Qxh6+ Kg8 18.Qxf6 Neg6 19.Qf7 checkmate, mrjoker - hp9000, Internet Chess Club, 2009.

11.f4 Bb7 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4

13...Nc4

This gives White a useful tempo without getting anything in return. Black had better chances from harassing the Queen with 13...Ng4 although after 14.Qf4 Nf6 15.Nd2 his advantage would be minimal.

14.Qd3 Na5 15.f6

After the game, Fritz10 preferred the positional 15.d5, when White would have a solid grip on the light squares. That is all well and good, but I wanted to attack the King!

15...gxf6 16.Rxf6+ Ke8 17.Nc3 Rf8

Black is skeptical of White's plan: can't the Rook just be traded off?

His assessment is largely correct – White needs more pieces to join the attack before it can become successful – but the answer was to counter-attack to keep the first player occupied. Rybka and Fritz10 like the idea of ...Qc8 followed by ...Qg4, combined with ...Rg8.

As it goes, White can exchange Rooks and use a gained tempo to bring his other Rook into play, something Black cannot imitate.

18.Rxf8+ Kxf8 19.Bh6+ Ke8

It was not at first clear that 19...Kg8 was the better King move.

Of course, after 19...Kg8, the f8 square would be protected three times (King, Queen, Rook) instead of once, as it is after the text. That would be a defensive improvement, but White could still make progress, taking advantage of the weakened light squares, with 20.b4.  If Black's Knight retreats with 20...Nc6, then 21.Qc4+
has to be met with 21...d5, when 22.exd5 maintains the attack on the Knight at c6 while threatening the one at d7 with a possible d5-d6+. White will keep a small advantage.

20.Rf1 Ng6 21.Qf3 Qe7

Black is holding on, although his extra piece is not doing much at a5.

White's most consistent course now would be to play 22.h4, with the idea of driving off Black's Knight on g6 which is one of the protectors of the f8 square. If Black answers 22...Nc6, bringing his offside Knight back into play, then 23.h5 Nxd4 24.Qf2 allows White to win one of the Knights.

Instead, I was content to keep Black's position cramped and torture his Knights a bit more.

22.Nd5 Bxd5 23.exd5

White's initiative will last into the endgame, for example: 23...Kd8 24.Qf5 Qd7 25.Bg5+ Kc8 26.Qxd7+ (another exchange to gain a tempo) Kxd7 27.Rf7+ Kc8 28.Rxh7 when White's Kingside pawns will allow him to triumph. 

However, Black now moves to free his un-moved Rook and comes to grief.

23...Kd7 24.Qf5+ Kd8

If 24...Ke8 then 25.Bg5 wins as well, e.g. 25...Qg7 26.Re1+, etc. 

25.Bg5 Black resigned

Given Enough Time...

Given enough time, if Black uses moves to shuttle his pieces here, there, and everywhere, 
White's "Jerome pawns" can become dangerous and cause Black many headaches...



perrypawnpusher - nmuffjgp
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7

9.0-0 d6

Or 9...b6 10.Qe3 Bb7 (10...Rf8 11.f4 d6 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 14.Qg3 Rf7 15.Nc3 Kf8 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bc1 Bb7 18.f6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6+ gxf6 20.Bxh6+ Ke8 21.Qg7 Kd7 22.Qg4+ Ke8 23.Qg7 Nd2 24.Qxf6 Bxe4 25.Nxe4 Nxe4 26.Qh8+ Kd7 27.Qxd8+ Rxd8 28.Re1 Nf5 29.Rxe4 Nxh6 30.Rh4 Nf5 31.Rh7+ Kc6 32.c3 Re8 33.Kf2 a5 34.b3 Rf8 35.Ke2 Re8+ 36.Kd2 Ne3 37.Rg7 Nf1+ 38.Kd3 Nxh2 39.g4 Nf3 40.g5 Nh4 41.c4 Nf5 42.d5+ Kb7 43.Rh7 Re7 44.Rxe7 Nxe7 45.Ke4 Ng6 46.Kf5 Nh4+ 47.Kf6 Kc8 48.g6 Nxg6 49.Kxg6 Kd7 50.Kf6 c6 51.Kf7 cxd5 52.cxd5 b5 53.a3 Kc7 54.Ke7 b4 55.a4 Kb6 56.Kxd6 Ka6 57.Kc6 Ka7 58.Kc7 Ka6 59.d6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz, FICS, 2009) 11.f4 Rf8 (11...Kf7 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 14.Qf4 Rf8 15.b3 Nd6 16.Nc3 Kg8 17.Ba3 Ng6 18.Qg4 Ne7 19.f6 g6 20.fxe7 Qxe7 21.Rae1 Rxf1+ 22.Rxf1 Nxe4 23.Bxe7 Nxc3 24.Qxd7 Ba6 25.Bf6 Ne2+ 26.Kh1 Ng3+ 27.hxg3 Bxf1 28.Qg7, checkmate, perrypawnpusher - jdvatty, blitz, FICS, 2010) 12.d4 d6 13.f5 Nh8 14.g4 Qd7 15.c4 Nf7 16.Nc3 Kd8 17.b3 h6 18.h4 g5 19.h5 Nc6 20.Ba3 Qe8 21.Rad1 Kd7 22.e5 Nfxe5 23.dxe5 Qxe5 24.Qd3 Rae8 25.Rde1 Qd4+ 26.Qxd4 Nxd4 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.Bb2 Nf3+ 29.Kf2 Nh2 30.Rg1 Bf3 31.Rg3 Bxg4 32.Rg2 Bxf5 33.Rxh2 c6 34.Kf3 Rf8 35.Kg3 Be6 36.Ne2 c5 37.Bg7 Rf1 38.Bxh6 Ra1 39.Nc3 Rg1+ 40.Kf2 g4 41.Kxg1 g3 42.Rg2 Bg4 43.Rxg3 Bxh5 44.Ne4 Kc6 45.Rg5 b5 46.Rxh5 bxc4 47.bxc4 a5 48.Bf4 a4 49.Rh6 Kb6 50.Rxd6+ Ka5 51.Bd2 checkmate, guest1730 - guest1656, Internet Chess Club, 2001.

10.Qe3 Be6

Or 10...Rf8 11.d4 c5 12.c3 Bd7 13.f4 Rc8 14.f5 Bxf5? 15.exf5 Rxf5 16.Rxf5 Qd7 17.Rf1 cxd4 18.cxd4 Rc2 19.Nc3 Qg4 20.Qf3 Qxd4+ 21.Be3 Qe5 22.Rae1 Nh4 23.Qf7+ Kd7 24.Bf2 Qg5 25.Rxe7+ Kc6 26.Rc7 checkmate, guest6567 - guest4702, Internet Chess Club 2004.


11.f4 Bd7 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 N5c6 14.g4

14...h6


Better was 14...Ng8.


15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Nb4

Instead, Black should be thinking about giving the piece back for two pawns, and taking advantage of his lead in development, for example: 16...Rf8 17.Nc3 Nxf5 18.gxf5 Rxf5 19.Rxf5 Bxf5 with an even game.

 

analysis diagram

17.Qc5 Nbd5

18.f6 gxf6 19.exf6 b6

Black's game suddenly goes to pieces.

After the game Stockfish suggested 19...Bxg4 20.fxe7 Qd6 21.Qxd6 cxd6 which gives White only a small edge, if that. For example, 22.Bxh6!? Kxe7 23.Bg5+ Kd7 24.Nd2 Rag8

analysis diagram








20.Qd4 Nxf6

21.Qxf6 Nf5 22.Qxh8+ Ke7 23.Re1+ Black resigned

Hypermodern Defense

To simplify things: classical chess play in the center revolves around occupation by pawns, while hypermodern play involves control from the wings, by pieces.

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is a classical opening which often features a battle between White's "extra" center pawns and Black's "extra" piece, so it is not surprising that a "hypermodern" response has been developing of late.

perrypawnpusher - jdvatty
blitz FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7

This is a relatively unusual placement for Black's Knight (instead of going to f6), but jdvatty wants to use the f-file for his Rook.

9.0-0 b6

An alternative was seen in guest6567 [Louis Morin / mrjoker] - guest4702, blitz 2 12, ICC, 2004: 9...d6 10.Qe3 Rf8 11.d4 c5 12.c3 Bd7 13.f4 Rc8 14.f5 Bxf5 15.exf5 Rxf5 16.Rxf5 Qd7 17.Rf1 cxd4 18.cxd4 Rc2 19.Nc3 Qg4 20.Qf3 Qxd4+ 21.Be3 Qe5 22.Rae1 Nh4 23.Qf7+ Kd7 24.Bf2 Qg5 25.Rxe7+ Kc6 26.Rc7 checkmate

10.Qe3 Bb7

Or 10...Rf8 11.f4 d6 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 14.Qg3 Rf7 15.Nc3 Kf8 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bc1 Bb7 18.f6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6+ gxf6 20.Bxh6+ Ke8 21.Qg7 Kd7 22.Qg4+ Ke8 23.Qg7 Nd2 24.Qxf6 Bxe4 25.Nxe4 Nxe4 26.Qh8+ Kd7 27.Qxd8+ Rxd8 28.Re1 Nf5 29.Rxe4 Nxh6 30.Rh4 Nf5 31.Rh7+ Kc6 32.c3 Re8 33.Kf2 a5 34.b3 Rf8 35.Ke2 Re8+ 36.Kd2 Ne3 37.Rg7 Nf1+ 38.Kd3 Nxh2 39.g4 Nf3 40.g5 Nh4 41.c4 Nf5 42.d5+ Kb7 43.Rh7 Re7 44.Rxe7 Nxe7 45.Ke4 Ng6 46.Kf5 Nh4+ 47.Kf6 Kc8 48.g6 Nxg6 49.Kxg6 Kd7 50.Kf6 c6 51.Kf7 cxd5 52.cxd5 b5 53.a3 Kc7 54.Ke7 b4 55.a4 Kb6 56.Kxd6 Ka6 57.Kc6 Ka7 58.Kc7 Ka6 59.d6  Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz FICS, 2009

11.f4 Kf7

Even the hypermodern strategist has to move a central pawn sometime, and now would have been good: after the game Rybka suggested 11...d5 and after 12.f5 (12.e5 allows the manic 12...d4 13.Qg3 d3 - check it out) Nh4 13.d3 Rf8 14.Qf2 dxe4 15.dxe4 Nexf5 16.exf5 Rxf5 White's center is gone and Black, if anyone, has an edge.

analysis diagram






Black also continued without the center pawn thrust in guest1730 [Louis Morin / mrjoker]- guest1656, blitz 2 12, ICC 2001 : 11...Rf8 12.d4 d6 13.f5 Nh8 14.g4 Qd7 15.c4 Nf7 16.Nc3 Kd8 17.b3 h6 18.h4 g5 19.h5 Nc6 20.Ba3 Qe8 21.Rad1 Kd7 22.e5 Nfxe5 23.dxe5 Qxe5 24.Qd3 Rae8 25.Rde1 Qd4+ 26.Qxd4 Nxd4 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.Bb2 Nf3+ 29.Kf2 Nh2 30.Rg1 Bf3 31.Rg3 Bxg4 32.Rg2 Bxf5 33.Rxh2 c6 34.Kf3 Rf8 35.Kg3 Be6 36.Ne2 c5 37.Bg7 Rf1 38.Bxh6 Ra1 39.Nc3 Rg1+ 40.Kf2 g4 41.Kxg1 g3 42.Rg2 Bg4 43.Rxg3 Bxh5 44.Ne4 Kc6 45.Rg5 b5 46.Rxh5 bxc4 47.bxc4 a5 48.Bf4 a4 49.Rh6 Kb6 50.Rxd6+ Ka5 51.Bd2 checkmate

12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 14.Qf4

A better place for my Queen was d3.

The battle of pieces vs pawns is very clear.

14...Rf8 15.b3 Nd6 16.Nc3 Kg8

17.Ba3 Ng6

Provocative. Safer was 17...Ne8.

18.Qg4 Ne7

Black might have taken advantage of the opportunity his last move gave him to play 18...Qh4, as after 19.Qxh4 Nxh4 White has to slow down his pawn roller with 20.d5 and play positionally; or support it with 20.Rae1, and watch it be destroyed, as 20...Ba6 leads to active play and an even game, e.g. 21.Rf4 Ng6 22. Rg4 Nxf5 23.exf5 Rxf5. 

analysis diagram

19.f6 g6

Here my opponent decided to give the piece back. More in line with his hypermodern play would have been 19...Ng6 (again; Nimzovich would have loved it) 20.e5 c5 when White would destroy his own center and the game would become quite unclear after 21.exd6 Rxf6.

20.fxe7 Qxe7 21.Rae1 Rxf1+ 22.Rxf1

Now White is a pawn ahead, but Black can continue to induce complications after 22...Qe6, un-pinning his Knight and planning to pile up further on the e-pawn. Rybka suggests that White then swap Queens and exchange off Black's Knight: 23.Qxe6 dxe6 24.Bxd6 cxd6.

analysis diagram

It will be a long time, if ever, before White can make something out of his extra pawn.

One more point: if after 22...Qe6 23.Qxe6 dxe6 White tries 24.e5 instead, the Black Knight dances with 24...Nf5 and the pressure on White's center is intense.

22...Nxe4

Celebrating too soon. Yes, the e-pawn is attacked 3 times and only defended 2 times, but White left it to "hang" because one of Black's attackers was pinned to the other.

23.Bxe7 Nxc3

Black has played well and doesn't want to give the fight up yet.

I set my sights on checkmate.

24.Qxd7 Ba6 25.Bf6 Ne2+ 26.Kh1 Ng3+ 27.hxg3 Bxf1 28.Qg7 checkmate

I take my hat off to jdvatty for a fascinating game!