The well-rounded Jerome Gambit player knows his opening, but he also knows how to play the middle games that could arise, and he is ready to carry the fight into the endgame.
The following game shows the "1-0" arising from the threat to promote a passed pawn in a Rook and pawns endgame.
bgl001 - Kelv60.
5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6
9.Qd4
The Queen often retreats to e3, in the process preventing 9...Qg5. Here, she eyes the dark squares.
9...Nf6
Recently played: 9...Qe7 10.Nc3 c6 11.d3 h6 12.O-O Nf6 13.Re1 Qe5 14.Qe3 Ng4 15.Qg3 Rf8 16.Qxe5+ N6xe5 17.f3 Nf6 18.Bf4 g5 19.Bg3 h5 20.d4 Ng6 21.Bxd6 Rf7 22.e5 Nd5 23.Nxd5 cxd5 24.e6 Rh7 25.Re2 Nf4 26.Bxf4 gxf4 27.Rae1 Ke7 28.Re5 b6 29.Rxd5 Bb7 30.Rd7+ Black resigned, DropBearMKJ-brianthehammer, Chess.com, 2020.
10.d3 Kf7 11.Bg5 Be6
Black is happy to further his development, but this Bishop placement, along with the Knight at g6, encourages White's next move.
12.f4 h6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qxf6+ Kxf6
Black captures with his King to keep his Kingside pawns intact.
15.f5 Nf4 16.fxe6 Nxg2+ 17.Kf2 Nf4 18.Ke3 Nxe6
The game is balanced. White is going to have to out-play his opponent. This is a 5 minute game, and the surprise and strangeness of the Jerome Gambit may have given him a lead on the clock.
19.Rf1+ Ke7 20.Nc3 Raf8 21.Nd5+ Kd7 22.a4 c6 23.Nf4 Nxf4 24.Rxf4 Rxf4 25.Kxf4 Rf8+ 26.Ke3 Ke6 27.Rg1 g5 28.h4 gxh4 29.Rh1 Rh8 30.Rxh4 h5
Black's h-pawn has no future. The game is still even, and it is hard to know if White is disappointed because he doesn't have a checkmating attack, or relieved that he is no longer down two pieces. In any event, he presses on.
31.Kf4 Kf6 32.d4 a5 33.e5+ dxe5+ 34.dxe5+ Kg6
35.e6
Premature, but he gets away with it.
35...Rf8+
Forcing White's King to go where he wants to go. Black would have all the chances after 35...Kf6.
36.Ke5 Rf5+ 37.Kd6 Rf6 38.Kd7 c5 39.e7 Rf7 40.Kd8 Black resigned
If White is looking to play a wild attack in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), how much of a victory is it for Black to deny him that? What is the appropriate "price" to pay?
In the following game the defender might have felt pleased that he was not over-run by enemy pieces, but he still had a game to win - or draw. By the time he had made any progress on that goal, it seems he might have tripped over his clock, in which case, White was quite happy to show how to secure the win, and it only cost Black a full point.
Eelco_Niermeijer - sobhandavoodi2
10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6
7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Nf6
Usually the counter-sacrifice at f2 is followed by an exchange of Queens, to reduce White's attacking chances, even if that means that Black is, in effect the one offering a gambit.
A few recent alternatives to the text:
8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ Kxf6 (10...Nxf6 11.Nc3 (11.Rf1 Re8 12.d3 Ng4+ 13.Kf3 d6 14.Kg2+ Kg7 15.Bf4 c6 16.Nc3 Be6 17.h3 Nh6 18.Bxd6 Rad8 19.e5 Nf5 20.Rae1 h5 21.Ne4 h4 22.Bc7 Rd7 23.Nd6 Rf8 24.Nxf5+ Bxf5 25.Bd6 Re8 26.g4 Be6 27.Rf2 Bd5+ 28.Kh2 Bxa2 29.b3 b5 30.Ra1 Bxb3 31.cxb3 Kh6 32.Ra6 g5 33.Rxc6 Black resigned, alex836 - Greg11, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 11...Rf8 (11...d6 12.d4 Bg4 13.Bg5 Rhe8 14.Rae1 a5 15.Kg2 Ra6 16.Rhf1 Re6 17.e5 dxe5 18.dxe5 Rac6 19.Bxf6 Bf5 20.g4 Bxc2 21.Bd8+ Ke8 22.Bxc7 Rxc7 23.Nd5 Rc5 24.Nf6+ Ke7 25.Re2 Bd3 26.Ng8+ Ke8 27.Nf6+ Ke7 28.Ng8+ Ke8 29.Nf6+ Ke7 drawn, NN - NN, 1 0 lightning, 2020) 12.Kg2 d6 13.d3 b6 14.Bh6 Re8 15.Rhf1 Re6 16.Rf4 Kg8 17.Raf1 Nd7 18.Rf8+ Nxf8 19.Rxf8 checkmate, Eelco_Niermeijer - brewek, 2 1 blitz, Chess.com, 2020) 11.Kg2 (11.d4 d6 12.Nc3 Kg7 13.Nd5 Nh6 14.Nxc7 Rf8+ 15.Kg2 Rb8 16.Bf4 Rf7 17.Nd5 b6 18.Rhf1 Ba6 19.Bxh6+ Kxh6 20.Rxf7 Re8 21.Re1 Rc8 22.c3 Bb7 23.Rxb7 Black resigned, Packersuck - Aidar_Khusnutdinov, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 11...Nh6 12.Nc3 Rf8 13.d4 Kg7 14.Bxh6+ Kxh6 15.Raf1 Rxf1 16.Rxf1 b6 17.Nd5 Ba6 18.Rf2 Re8 19.Nxc7 Bb5 20.Nxe8 Black resigned, shubhxo - ilPerozzi, 5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020;
8...Nh6 9.Rf1 Rf8 10.Kg1+ Kg8 11.d4 Rxf1+ 12.Kxf1 Qf8+ 13.Kg1 Ng4 14.Qg3 d6 15.Be3 Bd7 16.c3 Bb5 17.Nd2 Re8 18.h3 Nf6 19.c4 Nxe4 20.Nxe4 Rxe4 21.cxb5 Qe7 22.Bd2 Re2 23.Re1 Rxe1+ 24.Qxe1 Qxe1+ 25.Bxe1 Kf7 26.Bf2 Ke6 27.a4 c6 28.bxc6 bxc6 29.b4 Kd5 30.Kf1 Kc4 31.b5 cxb5 32.axb5 Kxb5 33.Ke2 a5 34.Kd3 Kb4 35.Bg3 Kb5 36.Bxd6 a4 37.Bf8 h5 38.Ke4 Kc4 39.d5 Kb5 40.Ba3 Kc4 41.d6 Kb5 42.d7 Kc6 43.d8=Q Kb5 44.Qg5+ Kc4 45.Qxg6 Kb3 46.Qxh5 Black lost on time, milomallaby - Darkwarriorofthenite, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com 2020;
8...Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.e5 Ng4+ 11.Ke1 Nxe5 12.Rf1+ Kg7 13.d4 Nc6 14.Bg5 Re8+ 15.Kd2 Nxd4 16.Bf6+ Kg8 17.Bxd4 d6 18.Nc3 c5 19.Bf2 a6 20.Rae1 Bf5 21.h3 b5 22.g4 Be6 23.Ne4 Bxa2 24.Nf6+ Kf7 Black resigned, amazonriver17 - Nguyenxuanhieu47, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020.
9.Rf1 Rf8 10.Kg1 Kg7
Both Kings have castled-by-hand, a wise choice. White's edge is clear.
11.b3 d6 12.Qd4 c5 13.Qe3 Ng4 14.Rxf8 Qxf8 15.Qf3 Qxf3 16.gxf3 Ne5
Perhaps Black was happy here, as he could hope for a transition to a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors ending. As the game goes on, the clock seems to make itself felt.
17.Bb2 Kg8 18.Kf2 Be6 19.Nc3
Developing a piece, but leaving his pawn at f3 vulnerable.
19...c4
Missing his chance for 19...Rf8.
20.Rg1 cxb3 21.axb3 Rc8 22.Ra1 a6 23.Ke3 Rf8 24.Rf1 Ng4+
25.Ke2 Nxh2 26.Rf2 Ng4
It is unclear if Black was trying (mistakenly) for a repetition of moves here (if so: the clock) or if he just overlooked 26...Nxf3, since 27.Rxf3 would have been met by 27...Bg4.
In any event, White is happy to exchange places, as it were - he will now have the extra piece for a pawn, with more material to come.
27.fxg4 Bxg4+ 28.Ke3 Re8 29.Nd5 Be6 30.Nf6+ Black resigned
The following game is a good example of how defense - especially defending against an attack on the King - is more difficult than attack. Black has ways for his King to escape punishment, but he is not able to find them, and the game ends as many gambits end, successfully for the attacker.
Ponce, Justin - NN
internet, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.Nc3 Nh6
An interesting idea: attacking the Queen and leaving the f-file open for the Rook.
Recently, we have also seen 8...Qf6 9.d4 (9.Qh3 Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 Nf6 11.d3 Kc6 12.Bg5 d6 13.Qg3 Nfg4 14.Ne2 Qf7 15.d4 Nf2+ 16.Kd2 Nxe4+ 17.Kc1 Nxg3 18.hxg3 Qf2 19.Kd1 Bg4 20.Re1 Nc4 21.dxc5 Qd4+ 22.Kc1 Qxb2+ White resigned, noory - emranhamidm, FICS, 2020) 9...Qxf5 (9...Bxd4 10.Nb5+ Kc5 11.Nxd4 Kxd4 12.Be3+ Kc4 13.Qh5 Kb4 14.Qe2 Qc6 15.c3+ Ka4 16.b3+ Ka5 17.b4+ Ka4 18.Qd1+ Kb5 19.a4+ Kc4 20.Qd4+ Kb3 21.Rb1+ Kxa4 22.b5+ Qc4 23.Rb4+ Black resigned, NN - NN, lichess.org, 2020) 10.dxc5+ Kxc5 11.Be3+ Kc6 12.exf5 Nf6 13.O-O-O d5 14.Bd4 Re8 15.f3 Bxf5 16.b4 a6 17.a4 b5 18.Rhe1 Nc4 19.Rxe8 Rxe8 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Nxd5 Re2 22.Rd4 Rxc2+ 23.Kd1 Rd2+ 24.Rxd2 Nxd2 25.Ne7+ Kd7 26.Nxf5 Nc4 27.axb5 axb5 28.Nd4 c6 29.Ke2 Nd6 30.Nb3 Ke6 31.Kd3 Kd5 32.Nd2 Nc4 33.Ne4 Ne5+ 34.Kc3 f5 35.Nf6+ Ke6 36.Nxh7 Ng6 37.Ng5+ Kf6 38.Nh3 Ke5 39.g3 f4 40.Nxf4 Nxf4 41.gxf4+ Kxf4 42.Kd4 Kf5 43.Kc5 Kf4 44.Kxc6 Kxf3 45.Kxb5 Kg4 46.Kc6 Kh3 47.b5 Kxh2 48.b6 Kg3 49.b7 Kg4 50.b8=Q Kf5 51.Qb5+ Ke4 52.Qd5+ Kf4 53.Kc5 Ke3 54.Qd4+ Kf3 55.Kd5 Kg3 56.Qc3+ Kf4 57.Qd3 Kg4 58.Kd4 Kf4 59.Qe4+ Kg5 60.Qe5+ Kg6 61.Ke4 Kf7 62.Qf5+ White won on time, penguingim1 - sutcunuri, lichess.org, 2020)
9.Nb5+ Kc6 10.Qxe5 Kxb5
Black can capture the Knight, but it would be safer to play something like 10...d6 or 10...Qe7.
11.a4+ Kc6
Maybe now Black thinks he can get in ...d6, but it is too late for that. He needs another plan. He could have tried 11...Ka6 12.Qxc5 b6!? and his King can escape to b7.
12.Qd5+ Kb6 13.a5+ Kb5
Again, Black would have helped himself more with 13...Ka6, this time answering 14.Qxc5 with 14...d5 (14...b6 is not as effective) 15.b4 Qd7 16.0-0 and White has an edge, although a checkmate isn't available.
However, after the text, it is.
14.c4+ Kb4 15.O-O
Good enough.
You might want to work out the alternative: 15.b3 Qf6 16.Ba3+ Kxb3 17.Qd3+ Ka4 18.Bb2+ Kb4 19.Bc3+ Kb3 20.Bxf6+ Kb4 21.Qc3#.
15...c6
16.Qd3 Bxf2+ 17.Rxf2 d6 18.Qc3+ Kc5 19.d4 checkmate
The position after the 15th move in the following game is worth a close examination. It is clear that White has gotten enough in return for his material sacrifices, but the compensation is not in terms of a loose or hanging piece that will soon be scooped up - it is in the unrelenting pressure on the Black King. But, does he have more than an even game?
Anonymous - Anonymous
5 5 blitz, lichess.org. 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Qe7
10.Nc3 c6
A recent alternative, also designed to keep White's Knight out of d5: 10...Nf6 11.O-O Kf7 12.d4 c6 13.f4 Re8 14.e5 Ng4 15.Qf3 Nh6 16.f5 Bxf5 17.g4 Nxg4 18.Qxg4 Kg8 19.Rxf5 dxe5 20.Bg5 Qe6 21.Re1 Rad8 22.Bxd8 Rxd8 23.dxe5 Rd2 24.h4 Rxc2 25.h5 Nf8 26.Rxf8+ Black resigned, odoaker2015 - Marienkaefer24h, lichess.org, 2020.
11.f4 a6 12.O-O Nf6 13.e5
White is in a hurry, otherwise he could have gotten in 13.d4, first.
13...dxe5 14.fxe5 Nxe5 15.b3 Ned7
This is a very interesting Jerome Gambit position. Black has an extra piece, White has an extra pawn. Black's King is unsafe, however, and there is the typical defensive flaw: his Knight blocks his Bishop, which, in turn, blocks in his Rook. White's development is much more effective.
What can the first player do? First, there is the decoy sacrifice, 16.Ba3!?. After 16...Qxa3 17.Rae1 g6 18.Ne4 Kg7 19.Nxf6 Nxf6 20.Rxf6!? Rf8 21.Rxf8 Qxf8 22.Qd4+ Kg8 23.Qc4+ Kg7 24.Qd4+White forces a draw by repetition.
If Black is unhappy with this outcome, he can play 17...Qc5, and, after 18.d4 Qh5, 19.Qe7+ Kg8 20.Rxf6!? gxf6 21.Re3 he will see that his opponent has full compensation for his sacrificed Bishop and Rook, and Black will have to sue for peace, himself, with 21...Qd1+ 22.Kf2 Qxc3+ 23.Kg1Qb1+ 24.Kf2 Qc2+, etc.
White could also try something a little less flashy, say 16.Ne4 Kf7 17.Bb2 Re8 18.Rae1, but after 18...Qxe4 19.Qxe4 Rxe4 20.Rxe4 his Rook and pawn would balance out Black's 2 Knights, for an even game.
All of which probably at least partially explains the move White chose, which may not have been as powerful, but was easy to understand.
16.Qf3 h6 17.a4
The Bishop would like to go to a3, without sacrificing itself. The calm move seems to have misled Black.
17...Rg8 18.Ba3 c5 19.d4
Hitting the pinned pawn at c5. As in the notes above, 19.Rae1 was quite powerful.
19...b6
It is time to recall that this is a 5-minute blitz game.
20.a5
Undermining the pinned c-pawn.
20...Rb8 21.axb6 Nxb6 22.Bxc5 Qxc5 23.dxc5 Nbd7
White's plan to win the Queen has succeeded.
24.b4 Rxb4 25.Qc6 Rb8 26.Qd6+ Kf7 27.c6 Kg6 28.cxd7 Bxd7
29.Rxf6+ gxf6 30.Qxd7
The rest is mopping up.
31...Rbd8 31.Qg4+ Kh7 32.Qf5+ Rg6 33.Rxa6 Rdg8 34.Ra7+ Kh8 35.g3 R8g7 36.Rxg7 Kxg7 37.Nd5 Rg5 38.Qd7+ Kg6 39.c4 h5 40.c5 Rxd5 41.Qxd5 f5 42.c6 Kg5 43.c7 h4 44.gxh4+ Kxh4 45.c8=Q f4 46.Qcg8 Black left the game
White has enough time to be sure he avoids stalemate.
When putting together a Jerome Gambit repertoire, it is useful to have access to both "objective" evaluations - say, from a computer chess engine - and "subjective" evaluations - as from a collection of games that can tell you how successful a line has been. Often a move that is not "objectively" best may score very well in actual play. The following game, and its notes, illustrate this.
Anonymous - Anonymous
5 8 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit, a tricky, trappy line that Black hopes comes as a surprise for White.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, which usually comes as a surprise for Black.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6
Black often plays 5...Ke8, encouraging White's Queen, as several recent games show: 6.Qh5+ g6 (6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ (7.d3 Nf6 8.Qh4 d6 9.Bg5 dxe5 10.Nc3 Nxc2+ 11.Kd1 Nxa1 12.Nd5+ Kf7 13.Nxf6 Be7 14.Qh5+ g6 15.Qh4 Bxf6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qg3 Rf8 18.f3 Kg8 19.Kd2 Qf4+ 20.Qxf4 exf4 21.Rxa1 Be6 22.Rd1 Bxa2 23.Ke1 Bb3 24.Kf1 White resigned, Akash_12345 - lord-stanly, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 7...Kd6 8.Nc4+ Kc6 9.Qd5 checkmate, Akash_12345 - Oliv99, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 7.Nxg6 hxg6 (7...Nxc2+ 8.Kd1 Nxa1 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Nc3 Bg7 13.Qf7+ Kd6 14.Qxg7 Nf6 15.Nf7+ Black resigned, Akash_12345 - me_am_emson, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 7...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.Nf7+ Ke7 10.Ne5 d6 11.d3 dxe5 12.Bg5 Nxc2+ 13.Kd1 Nxa1 14.Bxf6+ Nxf6 15.Qxe5+ Kf7 16.b3 Bb4 17.Qxa1 Bg4+ 18.f3 Be6 19.Qd4 Be7 20.Qe3 b6 21.Qf4 Bd6 22.e5 Be7 23.exf6 Bxf6 24.g4 Ke7 25.Qxc7+ Bd7 26.Re1+ Be5 27.Rxe5+ Black resigned, Akash_12345 - dibeantonio, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 8.Qe5+ Ne7 9.Qxh8 Black resigned, brunchess34 - Anonymous, Chess.com, 2020, 9...Ng8 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2020.
For the record, The Database has 1,788 games with 5...Ke8, with White scoring 60%.
6.Qg4+
The Database has 121 games with this move, with White scoring 42%.
Also recently seen: 6.Qh5 Nf6 7 Qf7+ Kxe5 8.f4+ Kd6 9.e5+ Kc6 10.exf6 Qxf6 11.Qc4+ Kb6 12.O-O a6 13.d3 c5 14.Be3 Be7 15.c3 Nc2 16.Qb3+ Nb4 17.cxb4 Kc7 18.bxc5 Kb8 19.Nc3 d6 20.Nd5 dxc5 21.Nxf6 Black resigned, angelcamina - luquitas2018, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020. The Database has 155 games with 6.Qh5, with White scoring 57%
White's strongest move, "objectively", is 6.c3. The Database has 392 games with 6.c3, with White scoring 62%.
6...Kxe5 7.f4+ Kxe4
One of the reasons White plays 6.Qg4, is so that if Black grabs the Knight, he can offer more material with 7.f4+, because if Black grabs the e-pawn... What happens next??
Don't worry. White was asked this question 24 times in The Database, and only scored 50 %.
Wait until next time! That's why I analyze games and share them.
8.d3+ Kd5 9.c4+ Kc6 10.O-O Nc2
There is nothing exactly wrong with this move, but shouldn't Black be thinking about safeguarding his King, not grabbing more material? If I were White, even though I was down 2 pieces, I would feel a stirring of hope.
11.Qf3+ Kb6 12.Qf2+ c5
Proof that Black considers the game already won. Otherwise, what move would he have played that definitely would have produced "resigns"?
13.Qxc2 Qf6
Amazingly enough, now, with 14.Nc3 (with the plan to go to d5) White would equalize.
14.Qb3+ Kc7 15.Qa3 d6 16.Nc3 Qd4+ 17.Kh1 Qxd3
Time error?
18.Nb5+ Black resigned
Ow.
White never gave up.
The following game illustrates the classic battle between the "Jerome pawns" and the extra piece that the defender has. Clearly, the pawns have the upper hand throughout most of the game.
Wall, Bill - Anonymous
lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Nc6
This is a reasonable response to 6.d4, although it allows White to follow up with another thematic Jerome Gambit move.
7.Qh5+ Kf8
Bill has also seen 7...g6, in Wall,B - Lamjung, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 21).
8.Qxc5+ Qe7
Equally good is 8...d6, as in Wall,B - Guest649850, PlayChess.com 2017 (1-0, 26)
9.Qxe7+ Ncxe7 10.c4 Nf6 11.Nc3 d6 12.f4 Be6
A pretty dramatic contrast, White's pawns vs Black's extra piece.
13.d5 Bd7 14.e5 dxe5
This is a tough choice. Retreating the Knight with 14...Nfg8 might have been a little better.
15.fxe5 Ng4 16.e6 Be8 17.O-O+ Kg8
White's pawns are annoying - and they aren't finished.
18.Bf4 Rc8 19.c5 Nf6 20.d6 cxd6 21.cxd6
21...h5
This does not solve Black's problems.
Bill recommends 21...Nc6 22.Bg5 when it will be difficult for the defender to avoid returning material.
22.Bg5 Kh7 23.Rxf6 gxf6 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25.Bxe7
25...Bc6 26.g3 h4 27.Bxh4 Black resigned
