Creativity in chess has its place, even in the following game, as long as it doesn't overstep its boundaries.
Fandral - LuigiBot
standard, FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Bd6
The computer software LuigiBot (rated in the 1500s at FICS) comes up with an interesting maneuver that has also been seen in the past by Jerome Gambiteers Darrenshome, jfhumphrey, stretto, Sir Osis of the Liver, and HauntedKnight. It is playable, if Black figures out the proper continuation.
8.dxe5 Bxe5
Missing the proper 8...Be7.
9.Qd5+ Kf6 10.f4 Qe7
Black should bite the bullet, instead, and play 10...Bxc3+ 11.Nxc3 Ne7, when material would be even, and White would be a bit better due to more central control by the "Jerome pawns" and a safer King.
11.fxe5+ Kg6 12.0-0 Nh6 13.Rf3 Rf8
Hoping to hold off the attack, but allowing mate.
14.Rg3+ Kh5 15.Qd1+ Rf3 16.Qxf3+ Kh4 17.Rh3 checkmate
How does that horror movie voice-over go? "Just when you thought it was safe to play ...Bc5..."
In the following 3-minute game Philidor 1792 is so interested in playing the Jerome Gambit that he is willing to drop a tempo (4.Bb3) in order to allow Black another chance to play ...Bc5. The defender, apparently suspicious of the "free" pawn on e4, ignores the capture and moves right along with White's plans.
Philidor 1792 - guest3
3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Bb3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4
It should be noted that long-time Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member jfhumphrey has been arriving at this position with the tempo-eating 4.d3 and 7.d4; while equally-dedicated HauntedKnight has encountered 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.d4 Nf6!? (leaving White a tempo up on the text game) on a number of occasions. Both Jerome Gambiteers play on the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS) and their games can be found in The Database.
Philidor 1792 has been here as well, in Philidor 1792 - guest1063, blitz 3 0, www.bereg.ru, 2013 (1-0, 37)
7...Nxe4 8.Qh5+ Ng6 9.Qd5+ Ke8 10.dxc5 Qe7
11.0-0 c6 12.Qd4 d5 13.cxd6 Nxd6 14.Bd2 Qe5
Black, perhaps under-estimating the "strength" of White's Bishop's one-step, perhaps overly-focused on White's Queen (it happens in blitz), misses the "bigger picture".
15.Re1 Nf7 16.Nc3 Bf5 17.Rxe5+ Nfxe5 18.Re1
Encore!
18...Rd8
Collapsing.
19.Rxe5+ Nxe5 20.Qxe5+ Kf7 21.Qxf5+ Ke7 22.Bg5+ Black resigned
Periodically in this new year we will be looking at different lines in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and be providing ideas (and study material) which may deliver "first aid" or heavier "fixes" in situations where White's play has been injured.
Here is a game by HauntedKnight, a regular player of things Jerome. He has 144 games in The Database, scoring an over-all 49%, which is the over-all average for White in those 27,400 games. With the Jerome Gambit proper he scores 42%, which is comparable to the 43% of all Jerome Gambit games in The Database.
HauntedKnight - Josue
standard game, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Be7
Josue, the higher-rated player, chooses a very reasonable, if unpopular line. The Database has only 12 games with this move, but White has scored only 38% against it.
7.dxe5
White avoids the ostentatious 7.f4 which brings a lot of visual excitement, but more "flash" than "bang": 7...Nc6 8.d5 Nb4 9.a3 Na6 10.0-0 Nf6 11.e5 Ne8 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qh6 Bf8 14.Qh3 d6 15.e6+ Kg7 16.b3 Be7 17.f5 Nf6 18.Bb2 c6 19.c4 cxd5 20.Nd2 dxc4 21.Ne4 Nc5 22.Nxf6 Bxf6 23.Bxf6+ Qxf6 24.bxc4 b6 25.Qg3 Bb7 26.Qxd6 Rad8 27.Qf4 Rd4 28.Qe3 Re4 29.Qd2 Rd8 30.Qf2 g5 31.Rad1 Red4 32.Qf4 Rxf4 White resigned, wirerabbit - SimpleOne, FICS, 2007
7...d6
Alternatives include:
7...g6 8.Qd5+ Kg7 9.b3 h5 10.Bb2 Kh7 11.Nd2 c6 12.Qd3 d6 13.exd6 Bf6 14.e5 Bg7 15.0-0-0 Bf5 16.Qe2 Be6 17.h3 b5 18.g4 h4 19.f4 Bd5 20.Ne4 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 Qa5 22.Kb1 Rd8 23.g5 Nh6 24.gxh6 Bxh6 25.f5 Rhg8 26.Rhg1 g5 27.f6+ Rg6 28.e6 Qb6 29.e7 Rxd6 30.e8Q Rxd1+ 31.Rxd1, Black resigned, gollydali - Letranite, FICS, 2011;
the sturdy 7...Nh6 8.Qd5+ (8.Qh5) 8...Kf8 9.Bxh6 gxh6 10.Nc3 c6 11.Qd3 d6 12.Qf3+ Kg8 13.0-0-0 Bg4 14.Qxg4+ Kf8 15.Qf4+ Ke8 16.e6 Bg5 17.Qxg5 Qxg5+ 18.Kb1 Qxg2 19.Rhg1 Qxe4 20.Nxe4 Ke7 21.Rxd6 Rhg8 22.Rxg8 Rxg8 23.c4 Rg4 24.Rd7+ Kxe6 25.Nc5+ Kf6 26.Rxb7 Rxc4 27.Nd3 Rd4 28.Kc2 Rh4 29.Rxh7 Rxh2 30.Kc3 Kf5 31.b4 a6 32.a4 Ke4 33.Re7+ Kd5 34.Re5+ Kd6 35.f4 h5 36.Rg5 h4 37.Kc4 Rc2+ 38.Kd4 h3 39.Rh5 h2 40.Rh6+ Kd7 41.Nc5+ Kc7 42.Rh7+ Kb6 43.Rb7 checkmate, exatapalov - MeTaLoV, FICS, 2011;
the solid 7...Ke8 8.0-0 h6 9.Qg4 Bf8 10.Qg6+ Ke7 11.Nc3 c6 12.Be3 Qe8 13.Qd6+ Kd8 14.Qd4 Kc7 15.Bf4 Qe6 16.Rad1 a6 17.Na4 b5 18.Qb6 checkmate, CoachCrupp - tuffnut, FICS, 2008;
and the overly-casual 7...Nf6 8.exf6 Bxf6 returning the piece 9.0-0 Re8 10.e5 (10.Qd5+) Rxe5 11.Bf4 Re7 12.Qh5+ Kg8 13.Bg5 Bxg5 14.Qxg5 d6 15.Qh5 Re5 16.Qf3 Qe7 17.Nd2 Bd7 18.Nc4 Rf8 19.Qb3 Be6 20.Rfe1 Rxe1+ 21.Rxe1 Qf6 22.Ne3 Qxf2+ 23.Kh1 Qxe1+ 24.Nf1 Qxf1 checkmate, Howtocastle - svadali, FICS, 2003.
8.Qf3+
Probably best, although after 8.exd6 White had interesting play 8...Qxd6 9.Qe2 (9.Qf3+ Nf6 10.0-0 Bg4 11.Qb3+ Be6 12.Qxb7 Rhb8 13.Qa6 Qxa6 14.Nc3 Qxf1+ 15.Kxf1 a6 16.Be3 Ng8 17.Rd1 Rxb2 18.Bd4 Rxc2 19.Ne2 Bc4 20.Kg1 Bxe2 21.Re1 Bb5 22.f4 Rd8 23.Bf2 Rdd2 24.Bg3 Rxg2+ 25.Kh1 Rgd2 26.e5 Bc6+ 27.Kg1 Bc5+ 28.Kf1 Bg2 checkmate, Idealist - fake, FICS, 2000) 9...Be6 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.0-0 Rhf8 12.e5 Qc6 13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Qh5+ Kg8 15.Be3 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Qxc3 17.Qh4 b6 18.Bd4 Qc4 19.c3 c5 20.Rac1 cxd4 21.cxd4 Qxa2 22.Qg5 Rf7 23.f4 Raf8 24.Rcd1 Qd5 25.Kh1 Qxg5 26.fxg5 White resigned, stretto - ifufocop, FICS, 2007 (26);
Aggressive was 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Nc3 c6 11.0-0 (11.Bf4) dxe5 12.Rd1 Qc7 13.Qg3 Nf6 14.Be3 Be6 15.Bh6 Rd8 16.Qf3 Rxd1+ 17.Rxd1 Kf7 18.Bg5 Rd8 19.Rxd8 Qxd8 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.h4 h5 22.Qe2 b5 23.Nd1 a5 24.Qe1 a4 25.Ne3 Bxh4 26.b3 Bg5 27.f4 Bxf4 28.Nf1 Kg7 29.g3 Bg5 30.c4 bxc4 31.bxc4 Bxc4 32.Qb4 Bxf1 33.Kxf1 Qd3+ 34.Kg2 Qd2+ 35.Kh3 Qxb4 36.a3 Qxa3 White forfeited on time, Stockholm - MorphyLives, FICS, 2007.
8...Ke8
9.Be3
Alternatives:
9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qf3 dxe5 11.Nc3 Be6 12.0-0 c6 13.Be3 Nf6 14.Rad1 Qc7 15.Bh6 Bg4 16.Qd3 Bxd1 17.Rxd1 Rd8 18.Qc4 Rxd1+ 19.Nxd1 Qd6 20.Nc3 Qb4 21.Qe6 Qxb2 22.Bg7 Qc1+ White resigned, quixote - RRustyy1, Chess.com, 2012;
9.exd6 Qxd6 10.Bf4 Qb4+ 11.Nd2 Qxb2 12.0-0 Nf6 13.Bxc7 Bg4 14.Qd3 Rc8 15.Nc4 Qb5 16.Nd6+ Bxd6 17.Qxd6 Nxe4 18.Rfe1 Be2 19.Qe6+ Kf8 20.Qxe4 Rxc7 21.Rxe2 Kf7 22.Qf4+ Kg6 23.Re5 Qb2 24.Qg5+ Kf7 25.Rae1 Qb6 26.Qf4+ Qf6 27.Rf5 g5 28.Qxc7+ Black resigned, jfhumphrey - JeversonM, FICS, 2012;
9.e6 Bxe6 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.0-0 Rf8 12.Qg3 Nh5 13.Qd3 Nf4 14.Bxf4 Rxf4 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Rh4 17.Rae1 Qd7 18.Re6 Kf8 19.Qf3+ Kg8 20.Rfe1 Re8 21.Qe3 Rh6 22.Rxh6 gxh6 23.Qxh6 Bf8 24.Qg5+ Bg7 25.Rf1 Qe7 26.Qg3 Qe2 27.f3 Qxc2 28.Qg4 Qg6 29.Qd7 Re2 30.Qc8+ Bf8 31.Qh3 Rxb2 32.f4 Rxa2 33.f5 Qg5 34.f6 Qxd5 35.f7+ Kh8 36.Qg3 Qd4+ 37.Kh1 Qg7 38.Qf3 c5 39.h4 c4 40.Qxb7 c3 41.Qf3 c2 42.h5 Rb2 43.Kh2 c1Q 44.Rxc1 Qe5+ 45.Kh3 Qe6+ 46.Kh2 Rb4 47.Qc3+ Qe5+ 48.Qxe5+ dxe5 49.Kh3 Kg7 50.Rf1 h6 51.g4 a5 52.Rf5 Rb3+ 53.Kh4 Be7+ 54.g5 Bxg5+ 55.Kg4 Rb4+ 56.Kf3 e4+ 57.Ke2 Rb2+ 58.Kd1 Kf8 59.Rxa5 Kxf7 60.Rf5+ Ke6 61.Rf8 Ke5 62.Re8+ Kd4 63.Rd8+ Ke3 White resigned, jfhumphrey - fischbroetchen, FICS, 2011;
Probably best is 9.Bf4 dxe5 10.Bxe5 Nf6 11.0-0 Bd6 12.Bd4 c5 13.e5 cxd4 14.exd6 Qxd6 15.Re1+ Kf8 16.Na3 Kg8 17.Nc4 Qc6 18.Qb3 Be6 19.Rxe6 Qxe6 20.Qxb7 Rf8 21.b3 h5 22.Qxa7 Qg4 23.h3 Qf4 24.Re1 Rh7 25.Re7 g5 26.Rxh7 Nxh7 27.a4 Qxf2+ 28.Kh2 Rf7 29.Qa8+ Kg7 30.Qd5 g4 31.hxg4 hxg4 32.Qd6 g3+ 33.Qxg3+ Qxg3+ 34.Kxg3 Ng5 35.Kh2 Ne4 36.g3 Rf2+ 37.Kh3 Rxc2 38.Kg4 Rc3 39.Kf4 Rxb3 40.Ne5 Rb4 41.Ng6 Rxa4 42.Ne7 Kf7 43.Nf5 Nxg3 44.Nd6+ Ke7 45.Nf5+ Ke6 46.Nd6 Kd5 47.Kg4 Kxd6 48.Kg5 drawn, soonFM - vessoj, FICS, 2005.
9...Nh6
Black is planning something wicked, a threat that shows up in several of the above games. Probably his best move was 9...dxe5.
10.Nc3
It is prudent to note here that White can take the draw with 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qh5+ Kf8 12.Qf3+ Kg7 13.Qg3+ Kf7 14.Qf3+ Kg8 15.Qb3+ Kg7 16.Qg3+ Kf7, etc.
If White wants to play on, it would seem that 10.Qh5+ Nf7 11.exd6 followed by 12.Nc3 would be best.
10...Bg4
The unhappy point: White will lose his Queen.
11.Qg3 Bh4 12.Qf4 Rf8 13.Qxf8+ Kxf8
White continued the fight, but it was too much.
14.g3 Bg5 15.f4 Be7 16.Kf2 Qe8 17.h3 Bd7 18.Ke2 dxe5 19.fxe5 Qh5+ 20.Kd2 Bg5 21.Rae1 Bxe3+ 22.Rxe3 Qxe5 23.Kc1 Kg8 24.Rd1 Bxh3 25.Rd5 Qf6 26.b3 Rd8 27.Rc5 Qf2 28.Nd5 Rxd5 29.Rec3 Rxc5 White resigned
Sometimes a Jerome Gambit game unfolds rather simply, as jfhumphrey shows in the game below.
jfhumphrey - chalomaria
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6
I was surprised to see this "reasonable" move appear 64 times in The Database. White scores 67% against it.
7.dxe5 Bxe5 8.Qd5+ Kf6 9.f4 Qe7 10.fxe5+ Qxe5 11.O-O+ Black resigned
Black will lose his Queen and/or be checkmated.
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, The Wizard of Draws
If you are familiar with the opening that you are playing, that's a plus. If you are unfamiliar with the opening that you are playing, that's a minus. Sometimes that overshadows the soundness or unsoundness of the opening that you are playing.
jfhumphrey - ruiaf
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O
As with yesterday's post concerning bemillsy - leoarthur
blitz, FICS, 2012, here we have a delayed Jerome Gambit, transposing into a "modern" version of the Jerome.
4...Nf6 5.Bxf7+
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb6
Another way to go astray, with all the best intentions: saving the Bishop, giving back a piece, staying a piece up.
Best: 7... Bxd4
8.dxe5 Nxe4
Instead, Black had 8...Ne8 when White could sue for peace with 9.Qf3+ Kg8 10.Qb3+ Kf8 11.Qf3+ etc. (Instead, Teterow - bassosoolo, blitz, FICS, 2011, continued 9.Qf3+ Kg8 10.Rd1 and Black lost on time in 42 moves.)
9. Qd5+
An improvement on 9.Qg3+ in jfhumphrey - Gurucool, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 21).
9...Ke7 10.Qxe4
10...Rf8
Collapsing.
11. Bg5+ 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.
I imagine that some new Readers looked at yesterday's game, jfhumphrey - NextStar, FICS, 2012, and fulminated "All White did was stand around and wait for his opponent to make a mistake!"
True enough.
In all fairness, recall the masters of old who used to give pawn, piece, or Queen odds, and then win. Weren't they doing much the same thing?
Since this is blog post #1,500 (that is, 1,500 consecutive daily posts), I can no longer be assured that every Reader has read every post, so let me give a short retrospective to reassure all that I am aware of the "All White did..." objection.
Check out "But - Is this stuff playable?? (Part I)" and "But - Is this stuff playable?? (Part II)" and "Jerome Gambit for Dummies (1)".
While you're browsing the archives, why not keep wandering? There is always something interesting a page or a post or a day away!
There are about 165 games by jfhumphrey in The Database, many, like the next game, with White playing against a higher rated player.
Defending against the Jerome Gambit means 1)finding a refutation, 2)following it with accurate play, and then 3)finishing off the attacker.
The longer that Black delays that third step, the more likely it is that he will suffer a calamity himself.
jfhumphrey - NextStar
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Kf8 7.Nxc6 bxc6
Even though Black would have done better with 6...Nxe5 and 7...dxc6, he still has a playable game, with an edge.
8.0-0 Ba6 9.d3 d6 10.Ne2 h5
It is hard to tell if this is aggression or disrespect. In either event, Black should not play around, but finish off his opponent.
11.Nf4 Qe8 12.c4 Bc8 13.Be3 Bb6 14.Bxb6 cxb6
White is showing the calm patience that often is strangely rewarded in the Jerome. In this case, Black becomes careless.
15.Qf3 Qe5
Ouch.
16.Ng6+ Kg8 17.Nxe5 dxe5 Black resigned
Moral: when you have the advantage, do not play around, but finish your opponent off!
Imagination and sheer force of will help the Jerome Gambiteer take a "bad" or "lost" position and make something out of it. In the following game, White finds himself in deep trouble (definition: playing White in the Jerome Gambit); and focusing only on his subsequent loss would blind observers to the actual chances that he created for himself.
HauntedKnight - Makaroni
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4
This line has advantages and disadvantages over 6.Qh5+, and, at one time, was Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's preference.
4...Bb4+ 7.c3 Qh4
At first glance it looks like Black is in a panic, throwing pieces around and leaving some en prise. As I pointed out in "Gloom and Doom", however, this is a strong counter-attack for Black.
8.dxe5
Previous experience (including a couple of earlier games by HauntedKnight) has not been encouraging for White (8.0-0 seems "best"):
8.0-0 Nc6 9.cxb4 (9.Qf3+ Qf6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qd5+ Qe6 12.Qxe6+ dxe6 13.cxb4 Nxd4 14.Na3 Ne2+ 15.Kh1 Nf6 16.Re1 Nxc1 17.Raxc1 c6 18.Nc4 Rd8 19.e5 Nd5 20.Nd6+ Ke7 21.Re4 a5 22.b5 cxb5 23.Rh4 h5 24.Nxb5 Nb4 25.Nd6 Bd7 26.Nxb7 Rdc8 27.Rxc8 Rxc8 28.h3 Rc2 29.Nxa5 Rxb2 30.a3 Nd3 31.f4 Ne1 32.Nc4 Rxg2 33.Nb6 Rc2 34.Nd5+ exd5 35.f5 Nf3 White resigned, Gamin - JumpNMustangII, FICS, 2001) 9...Qxe4 10.Be3 Nf6 11.Nc3 Qf5 12.b5 (12.Qb3+ d5 13.Nb5 Ne8 14.Nc3 Be6 15.b5 Ne7 16.Rae1 Nd6 17.Qb4 Rhc8 18.Re2 Ng6 19.Rfe1 Nh4 20.f3 Kg8 21.Bf2 Nxg2 22.Kxg2 Rf8 23.Bg3 Qxf3+ 24.Kg1 Nf5 25.Rxe6 Nxg3 26.hxg3 Qxg3+ 27.Kh1 Qh4+ 28.Kg1 h6 29.R6e2 Qg3+ 30.Rg2 Qxe1+ 31.Kh2 Rf1 32.Rxg7+ Kh8 33.Rh7+ Kxh7 34.Qe7+ Qxe7 35.Kg2 Qf7 36.Kh2 Qf3 37.Nxd5 Rh1 checkmate, Deep Sjeng 1.5 - Hiarcs 9, The Jeroen Experience, 2003) 12...Nb4 13.Rc1 c6 14.a3 Nbd5 15.Qb3 Re8 16.Rce1 b6 17.h3 Bb7 18.g4 Qf3 19.g5 Ne4 20.Nxd5 cxd5 21.Qd3 Nxg5 White resigned, RevvedUp - Crafty 19.19, blitz 2 12, 2006;
8.cxb4 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 (9.Be3 Qxg2 10.Rf1 Nf3+ 11.Ke2 d5 12.Nc3 Bg4 13.Qb3 Nxd4+ White resigned, jfhumphrey - hvutrong, FICS, 2010) 9...Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 Nc6 11.Rd1 Nxb4 12.Na3 Nf6 13.Re1 Re8+ 14.Kf1 Rxe1+ 15.Kxe1 d5 16.Be3 Bf5 17.Nb5 c6 18.Nc3 Nc2+ 19.Ke2 Nxa1 White resigned, Teterow - geneve, FICS, 2011;
8.Qe2 Bxc3+ 9.Nxc3 Nc6 10.g3 Qe7 11.Qc4+ d5 12.Qxd5+ Be6 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qf3+ Kg7 15.d5 Ne5 16.Qd1 Bg4 17.Qd4 Nf6 18.Bg5 Nf3+ White resigned, Maza - aqeel, FICS, 2003.
8...Qxe4+ 9.Be3
HauntedKnight has a very creative idea: let Black choke on captured material while White castles Queenside and uses open lines for his pieces.
An earlier 9.Kf1, which might be "objectively" stronger, did not fix things in HauntedKnight - hellg, FICS, 2010.
9...Qxg2 10.Rf1 Be7 11.Qh5+ g6 12.Qe2 Ke8
13.Nd2 Qxh2 14.0-0-0 Qxe5
15.Rfe1 Kd8 16.Qc4 Qg7
Black prepares for trouble.
17.Bd4 Nf6 18.Ne4 h6
White is down a piece and two pawns, but his Rooks are knocking on Black's front door, While Black's are still in the garage.
19.Bxf6
Rybka suggests preparing for a breakthrough with 19.Be5, as in 19...d6 20.Nxd6 cxd6 21.Rxd6+ Bxd6 22.Qd4 Qd7 23.Bxd6 Rf8 24.Be7+ Ke8 25.Bxf8+ Kf7 26.Re7+ Qxe7 27.Bxe7 Kxe7
analysis diagram
Both Rybka and Houdini see White as having almost equalized in this unbalanced position.
With the text, White clears the lines for his Rooks, but Black's defensive resources prove sufficient to hold off the attack.
19...Bxf6 20.Nxf6 Qxf6 21.f4
21...d6 22.Re4 Bf5 23.Red4 Qe6 24.Qb4 Qxa2 25.Qxb7
White's Queen has finally broken through, but so has Black's.
25...Qb1+ 26.Kd2 Qc2+ 27.Ke3 Re8+ 28.Kf3 Qe2+ 29.Kg3 Re3+ 30.Kh4 Qf2 checkmate
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the King of Draws
When Black faces the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) he should resist the temptation to come up with something new that is crushing or brilliant, and stick with the old, boring, tried-and-true refutations. Unfortunately, to some defenders the Jerome looks like a giant "Kick Me" sign, and they want to add their own signature impression.
jfhumphrey - fractalclouds
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.f4
Here we have a typical Jerome Gambit position, where Black's extra piece outweighs White's two forward "Jerome pawns."
The Database shows Black winning about 3/4 of the games from this position. *Yawn*
8...c5
What could be more natural than kicking the enemy Queen?
9.Qd5+ Kf8
Here is the problem, though. Black has to be ready to sacrifice his b-pawn with 9...Be6 in order for the "kick" to work. I'm pretty sure that jhumphreys had several improvements in store from the last time he met that move: 10.Qxb7+ Nd7 11.0-0 Ngf6 12.f5 Bc4 13.Re1 g6 14.Nd2 Qa5 15.Qxd7+ Nxd7 16.Nxc4 Qxe1 checkmate, jfhumphrey - Yunoguthi, FICS, 2011
10.fxe5 Qh4+
Perhaps this is still part of Black's counter-attack, but he overlooks the fact that his own monarch is in great danger.
11.g3 Qh3 12.Qxd6+
As good as this is, 12.Rf1+ was even stronger.
12...Ne7 13.Rf1+
White has an embarassment of riches, as 13.Bg5 and even 13.Nc3 also give a substantial advantage, either in material or advanced "Jerome pawns".
13...Ke8 14.Bg5 Ng6 15.Qd8 checkmate
The Queen has her revenge.
