The Return of Jerome Gambit for Dummies (Part 4)

As I continued looking for the "essence" of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), or at least an insight into how it "works", I discovered that some of the 7-move games in The Database began to "predict" some of the regular main lines.

For example, in the following three games White's recovery of one of the pieces that he had sacrificed is enough for Black to surrender, even though the second player actually remained with the advantage.

mediax - TJay2465
Jerome Gambit Thematic
ChessWorld.net, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 1-0

Petasluk - mihck
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 1-0

perrypawnpusher - Aerandir
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 1-0

Some of the other short games began to highlight the attacking ideas open to White in the Jerome Gambit, if the defense faltered.

stivb_99  - spymaster
gameknot.com, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 (in The Database, White won 6 out of 8 games against this move) 6.Qh5 d6 7.Qf7#


Esistes - ClosetDoor
blitz, FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 (The Database, White won 22, lost 8, and drew 1 against this move) 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qf7#

escapade  - Sakebomb
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 Nxd4 6.Nxe5+ Ke8 7.Qh5+ (in 89 games in The Database that reached this position, White won 59%) 1-0


perrypawnpusher - gelgel
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke7 7.Qxe5+ 1-0


Knight32 - Haroldlee123
Jerome Gambit Thematic,
ChessWorld, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3 Nf6 6.Ng5+ Kg8 7.Qb3+  (White won 2 of 5 games with this position in The Database) 1-0

The Return of Jerome Gambit for Dummies (Part 2)

Building on yesterday's initial exploration into The Database, "[l]ooking for the 'essence' of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), or at least an insight into how it 'works', " I checked and found 23 games where White had won in 5 moves.

How do you win with White in the Jerome Gambit in 5 moves??  

The following game held the answer

mediax - jemasc
Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament
ChessWorld, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ White claimed a win on time

Ah, yes, the "The-Clock-Is-My-Friend" motif. (Or the "My-Opponent-Lost-Interest-In-The-Game" dynamic; or the "My-Opponent-Is-Playing-Too-Many-Games-At-Once-And-Decided-To-Give-This-One-Up" strategy.)

Admittedly, that was not very enlightening.

More interesting was the question: How does White lose in 5 moves, as he did 34 times in The Database?

Again, time was a factor in many of the games, but half of White's 5-move losses went like this

Kaarvek - LuigiBot
standard. FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+

with White resigning before or after 5...Qxg5.

This was the first non-trivial finding of my research, but it came with a serious caveat.

It turned out that when I did a search in The Database for games that had the position after White's 5th move, I found 379 of them, averaging 24 moves in length, with the longest (a win for Black) lasting 91 moves.

On top of that, White won 81 of the games, and 9 were drawn, for a score of 23% for the first player.

My conclusion (more proof that the Jerome Gambit can lead to strange chess): [theoretical] Do not play 5.Ng5+ because it loses a piece, and [practical] it cuts White's scoring percentage in half.

A Question of Theory and Practice

"Theory" and "practice" in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can be light-heartedly summed up as: the leading theory is not to practice the opening.

Yet, we persist.

Today's game highlights an area of theoretical controversy – that is to say there would probably be a controversy, if enough people played the Jerome Gambit to be aware of it.

In typical Jerome fashion, White loses the theoretical battle, wins the game handsomely, nonetheless – while the rest of the world refines the 18th (or 28th) move of Sicilian Najdorf theory...

mrjoker - annicks
2 12 blitz, ICC 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

Munoz and Munoz wrote in the August 1885 Brooklyn Chess Chronicle

In the American edition of Cook's Synopsis K-K3 [...Ke6] is given as the best defence, but Mr. Blackburne's ingenious counter sacrifice in the present skirmish would seem to show that the text is at least as good.

7.Qxe5 d6

This move is usually given a "!" because the offer of Black's Rook led to a smashing finish in Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885; but, in truth, it deserves a "?!". The best move, instead, is 7...Qe7!, Whistler's Defense, when the Rook is then truly poisoned.

After White captures the Rook in the current game, his biggest "risk" is in allowing Black chances to draw.

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Again, the Brooklyn Chess Chronicle

He should have attempted to free his piece by P to Q4 [d4] before castling.

My database has three examples of the recommendation, although none were available at the time this game was played: 9.d4 Nf6 ( 9...Bb4+ 10.c3 Qxe4+ 11.Kf1 Qd3+ 12.Ke1 Bg4 13.Qxh7+ Kf8 14.f3 Re8+ 15.Kf2 Qe2+ 16.Kg3 Bf5 17.Bh6+ Nxh6 18.Qxh6+ Ke7 19.cxb4 Qxb2 20.Qg5+ Kd7 21.Nd2 Qxd4 22.Rhe1 Rh8 23.Qe7+ Kc6 24.Rec1+ Kb5 25.a4+ Kxb4 26.Ne4 Rh3+ 27.gxh3 Qh8 28.Nf2 g5 29.Qe1+ Kb3 30.Qe3+ Kb4 31.Qd2+ Kb3 32.Qd5+ Kb4 33.Qb5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - bakker, FICS, 2007; 9...Qxe4+ 10.Be3 Bxd4 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.0-0 b6 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.Qxg8+ Kd7 15.Qf7+ Kc6 16.Qf3 Qxf3 17.gxf3 Bh3 18.Rd1 Re8 19.c3 Bc5 20.b4 Bxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Re7 22.Nd2 a5 23.a3 Rf7 24.Ne4 Bg4 25.Ng5 Rf6 26.Rd4 Kd7 27.Rxg4 d5 28.Rd1 c5 29.Rxd5+ Kc6 30.Rd8 axb4 31.axb4 cxb4 32.Rc4+ Kb5 33.Rxb4+ Kc5 34.Ne4+ Kc6 35.Nxf6 Kc7 36.Rd7+ Kc6 37.Be3 b5 38.Rd5 g5 39.Rbxb5 Black resigned, mediax - yorkypuddn ChessWorld.com, 2008) 10.Nd2 Bxd4 11.Rf1 Bh3 12.Qxa8 Bxg2 13.Qxb7 Bxf1 14.Qb3+ Ke7 15.Qg3 Qxg3 16.hxg3 Bg2 17.f3 Bh3 Black resigned, dj222 - invincible1,GameKnot.com, 2003

9...Nf6 10.d4

I have not seen a lot of analysis of this move. The earliest entry in my database is from J. du Mont, in his 1942 200 Miniature Games of Chess, where he only notes that 10.d4 Bxd4 11.c3 would lead back to the Blackburne game. Certainly there must be earlier references.

Hindemburg Melao, Jr., in a 2003 internet article about the Amateur - Blackburne game, at superajedrez.com, mentioned that Idel Becker, in his Manual de xadrez (1974), attributed the move 10.d4 to Euwe, although he did not give the source. In any event, the author was dismissive

but in this case Black could simply follow with 10...Bh3 11.gxh3 (11.Qxa8 Qg4 –+ ) 11...Rxh8 12.dxc5 Qxh3 13.f3 g5 14.Rf2 g4 15.Bf4 (15.fxg4 Qxg4+ –+ )15...gxf3 16.Bg3 h5 17.Nd2 h4 18.Nxf3 Qg4 –+ ...

...The best option seems to be 10.Qd8 after 10...Bb6 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qd3 is not clearly how the Black people can be successful. For example 12...Bf5 13.Qb3+ (13.Qg3 Qxg3 14.hxg3 Bxc2µ) 13...Kg7 14.d4 Rd8 15.Nd2 (15.dxe5? Qxf2+! 16.Rxf2 Rd1#) 15...Qxd4 16.c3 (16.Nf3? Qxf2+!) 16...Qc5 with compensation for the material

10...Bxd4 11.Qd8

The game Glameyer - Piske, www.freechess.de, 2006, continued unsuccessfully 11.Be3 Ng4 12.Qxh7+ Qxh7 13.h3 Bxb2 White resigned.

In our game Black has walked by his chance for advantage, allowing White's Queen to both attack c7 and pin the Black Knight. Best for the second player at this point is 11...Bb6, although White's Queen can still be released with 12.e5 dxe5 13.Be3 (or 13.Qd3).

11...Bf5

Quickly losing the thread of the game.

12.Qxc7+ Bd7 13.Qxd6

White has his choice of ways to win now.

13...Bb6 14.e5 Ng4

This only looks dangerous.

15.Qxd7+ Kg8 16.h3 Bxf2+

An attempt to swindle: 17.Rxf2? Qxf2+ 18.Kh1 Qf1 checkmate!

17.Kh1 h5 18.Bf4 Black resigned

Exploring

The regular Jerome Gambiteer has an interesting dilemma: play the "book" lines of the gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), all of which lead to established "refutations", hoping that his opponents will fall apart along the way; or go exploring in the side-lines of the opening – which, supposedly if they were any good, would be the main lines, after all, wouldn't they...?

DREWBEAR 63 - Haroldlee123

JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.c3

A relatively new idea, first played in 2006 as far as I can tell. White looks to support a d2-d4 thrust.

8...Bb6

DREWBEAR 63 has experience on both sides of these lines, especially in the current tournament: 8...Qf6 9.d4 ( 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.d4 Nxe4 11.dxc5+ Nxc5 12.0-0 Ned3 13.Nd2 Ne5 14.f4 Ned3 15.Nc4+ Kc6 16.Ne5+ Nxe5 17.fxe5 Nd3 18.Rf7 Nxe5 19.Rxg7 Nd3 20.b4 Nxc1 21.Rxc1 d6 22.a4 b5 23.axb5+ Kxb5 24.Rxc7 Ba6 25.Rd7 Kc6 26.Rf7 Kb6 27.Rb1 Raf8 28.Rxf8 Rxf8 29.Rc1 Bc4 30.h3 Rg8 31.Kh2 Bd5 32.Rc2 Be4 33.Re2 d5 34.c4 Rxg2+ 35.Rxg2 Bxg2 36.Kxg2 dxc4 37.Kf2 Kb5 White resigned, mediax - drewbear, JG4 thematic Chessworld, 2008) 9...Nd3+ 10.Kd2 Qxf5 11.exf5 Nxc1 ( 11...Nxf2 12.dxc5+ Kxc5 13.Re1 Ng4 14.h3 N4f6 15.b4+ Kc6 16.c4 b6 17.Na3 Nh6 18.g4 Nf7 19.Re7 Rf8 20.Bb2 Ne8 21.Rae1 Nfd6 22.Bxg7 Rg8 23.f6 Bb7 24.b5+ Kc5 25.R7e5+ Kb4 26.Nc2+ Ka5 27.Kc3 Nxg7 28.fxg7 Bg2 29.Rb1 c6 30.Rb3 Ka4 31.Ra3 checkmate, DREWBEAR 63 - GladtoMateYou, JGTourney4 Chessworld 2009) 12.dxc5+ Kxc5 13.Rxc1 d6 14.b4+ Kc6 15.Na3 Bxf5 16.b5+ Kc5 17.f3 Nf6 18.g4 Bd7 19.c4 a6 20.Rab1 axb5 21.cxb5+ Kd5 22.Rxc7 Bc8 23.Rxg7 Nd7 24.Re1 Rxa3 25.Ree7 Rxa2+ 26.Kc1 Rd8 27.Rg5+ Kc4 28.Kb1 Rxh2 29.Re4+ Kb3 30.Kc1 Nc5 31.Re3+ Kb4 32.b6 Rh8 33.Rf5 Bxf5 White resigned, DREWBEAR 63 - metalwarrior1969,JGTourney4 Chessworld 2009;

And 8...g6 9.Qf4 Nf6 10.d4 Ke6 11.Qxe5+ Kf7 12.Qxc5 d6 13.Qc4+ d5 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.0-0 Re8 16.Na3 Be6 17.Qd3 Bf5 18.Qf3 Kg7 19.Nc4 c6 20.g4 Be4 21.Qh3 g5 22.Qh5 h6 23.Ne5 Nf6 24.Qf7+ Kh8 25.Ng6+ Bxg6 26.Qxg6 Ng8 27.h4 Re7 28.hxg5 Rg7 29.Qh5 Qd6 30.gxh6 Rh7 31.g5 Qd5 32.Qe2 Ne7 33.Qe5+ Qxe5 34.dxe5 Rg8 35.f4 Nf5 36.b4 Rg6 37.Bb2 Ne3 38.Rf2 Kg8 39.Rd2 Nc4 40.Rd8+ Kf7 41.Rd7+ Kg8 42.Rxh7 Kxh7 43.Bc1 b6 44.f5 Rg8 45.g6+ Kh8 46.Bg5 Re8 47.Bf6+ Kg8 48.h7+ Kf8 49.h8Q checkmate, DREWBEAR 63 - gwyn1, JGTourney4 Chessworld 2009;

Or 8...Nh6 9.Qf4 Rf8 10.Qxe5+ Kxe5 11.d4+ Bxd4 12.cxd4+ Kxe4 13.Nc3+ Kxd4 14.Be3+ Ke5 15.0-0 Nf5 16.Rfe1 Kf6 17.Nd5+ Kf7 18.Rad1 d6 19.Nf4 Nxe3 20.Rxe3 Qf6 21.Nd5 Qd8 22.Re7+ Kg8 23.Rxc7 Qh4 24.g3 Qe4 25.Ne7+ Kh8 26.Rxd6 Bh3 White resigned, mediax - eddie43, Chessworld 2008

9.d4 Nd3+

An interesting and novel way to return one of the extra pieces.

10.Kd2 Qf6

10...Nxc1 would preserve the material status quo and would be a good choice – if it didn't lead to a mate-in-two.

11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Kxd3 h6 13.f4

You have to wonder, if Wilhelm Steinitz ("the Austrian Morphy") ever played the Jerome Gambit (giving "Jerome Gambit odds," of course, to a much weaker player) if he might one day have reached this kind of position. The King is a strong piece!

13...Qd6

The position has gotten strange enough that Haroldlee123 would prefer an exchange of Queens. DREWBEAR 63, on the other hand, would prefer not.

14.Qh5 g6 15.Qh4+ Qf6 16.Qf2 c5

Hitting the center at its apparently weakest point, although 16...d5 was probably better. Now White can get an interesting and relatively equal game with 17.dxc5, but he wants to hold onto his pawn center. It turns out that this goal is unreachable, however.

17.e5 Qf5+ 18.Ke2 cxd4 19.cxd4 Qe4+ 20.Kf1

Or 20.Be3 Bxd4 21.Nc3 Qc2+ 22.Kf3 Qxf2+ 23.Kxf2 Bxc3 24.bxc3 h5 when White has one pawn for his piece, and Black's positional cramp and delay in development are not adequate compensation.

20...Qd3+ 21.Kg1

White played this move – and then resigned. He can lose his Queen to 21...Bxd4, or his King to 21...Qd1+ 22.Qf1 Bxg4+ 23.Be3 Bxe3 checkmate

A Side Line to Watch

When my opponent unleashed his 7th move in our Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, the only surprise came later, when I realized that it was the first time the move had been played against me.

It's a side line that all who play the Jerome should be ready for.


perrypawnpusher - ScudRocket
blitz 2 11, FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+

National Master Brian Wall discussed this kind of move, when made by a lower-rated player, in one of his games. I figured my opponent (my strength) was thinking

Only a patzer would try an attack like this! I can disrupt his crazy attack, swap Queens, and then easily wallop someone I could probably give a knight to, not just a pawn...

8.Kxf2 Qf6+

Alternately: 8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Qh6 10.Qxh8 Qg5 11.Qxh7+ Ke6 12.Qxg8+ Ke5 13.d4+ Kxe4 14.Re1+ Qe3+ 15.Rxe3+ Kxd4 16.c3+ Kc5 17.Qxg6 d6 18.Qe8 a5 19.b4+ axb4 20.cxb4+ Kxb4 21.Re4+ Kc5 22.Be3+ Kd5 23.Nc3# checkmate, annicks - Ribosome, Dos Hermanas Internet, 2002;
8...Nf6 9.d3 (9.Qf4 g5 10.Qf3 g4 11.Qf4 d5 12.e5 Rf8 13.exf6 Kg6 14.Ke1 Qxf6 15.Qxf6+ Rxf6 16.d3 Bd7 17.Nc3 Re8+ 18.Kd1 d4 19.Ne4 Rf5 20.h3 gxh3 21.Rxh3 Rf1+ 22.Ke2 Bxh3 23.Kxf1 Bf5 24.Ng5 c5 25.b3 Black resigned, instantcrow - KingEfraim, ChessWorld.net 2005) 9...Re8 10.Qf4 d6 11.Rf1 Kg7 12.Qh6+ Kg8 13.h3 Bd7 14.Bg5 Re5 15.Kg1 Ng4 16.Bxd8 Nxh6 17.Bxc7 Rc8 18.Bxd6 Rg5 19.Bf4 Rgc5 20.Bxh6 Rxc2 21.Nc3 Black resigned, guest232 - BoardChairman, Internet Chess Club 2002

9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.d3
Or: 10.Nc3 b6 11.d3 d6 12.Rf1 Rf8 13.Kg1 Kg7 14.Bg5 Nd7 15.Nd5 Rxf1+ 16.Rxf1 c6 17.Nc7 Rb8 18.Ne6+ Kg8 19.Bh6 Ba6 20.Kf2 Nc5 21.Nxc5 bxc5 22.Ke3 Re8 23.b3 d5 24.Rf4 Bc8 25.Kd2 dxe4 26.Rxe4 Rxe4 27.dxe4 Kf7 28.h3 Kf6 29.Ke3 g5 30.g4 Kg6 31.Bf8 h5 32.Bxc5 a6 Black resigned, blackburne - Bullit52, Chessworld.net 2007.

White is up a solid pawn – and remember, a few moves ago, he was down two pieces.

10...d6

10...d5 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Rf1 Ke8 13.Bh6 Nf6 14.Bg7 Ng4+ 15.Kg1 Rg8 16.Re1+ Kf7 17.Bd4 Rd8 18.Rf1+ Bf5 19.h3 Rxd4 20.hxg4 Rxg4 21.Nc3 c6 22.Rae1 b5 23.Ne4 Kg7 24.Nd6 Rg5 25.Nxf5+ gxf5 26.Re6 Rg6 27.Re5 Rf8 28.Re7+ Kh8 29.Rxa7 f4 30.Rf3 h5 31.Re7 Rfg8 32.Re2 Rg4 33.Kh2 R8g5 34.c4 Kg7 35.b3 Kf6 36.Re4 Rxg2+ 37.Kh3 R2g3+ 38.Rxg3 Rxg3+ 39.Kh2 Rxd3 40.Rxf4+ Kg5 41.Rf2 Kg4 42.Rg2+ Kf4 43.cxb5 cxb5 44.Kg1 b4 45.Rf2+ Rf3 46.Kg2 Rxf2+ 47.Kxf2 Ke4 48.Ke2 Kd4 49.Kd2 h4 50.Ke2 Kc3 White resigned, mediax - Carlos Azcarate, ChessWorld.net, 2008

11.Rf1 Kg7 12.Bg5

This is still known territory: 12.Kg1 Bd7 13.Nc3 c6 (13...Rhf8 14.h3 (14.Bg5 Nh5 15.Nd5 Rac8 16.Rxf8 Kxf8 17.Rf1+ Kg7 18.Bf6+ Nxf6 19.Nxf6 Bc6 20.Ng4 h5 21.Ne3 Re8 22.Rf4 d5 23.Nxd5 Black resigned, blackburne03 - bobby-pisher, Internet Chess Club, 2003) 14...Nh5 15.Be3 a6 16.Nd5 c6 17.Nb6 Rxf1+ 18.Rxf1 Rd8 19.Bg5 Black resigned, Moller - Pedersen, www.eskak.dk 2008) 14.Bh6+ Kxh6 15.Rxf6 Rhf8 16.Raf1 Rxf6 17.Rxf6 d5 18.Rd6 Black forfeited, guest1824 - guest1255, Internet Chess Club, 2002

12...Ng4+ 13.Kg1 Be6

Both Kings have castled-by-hand, and Black is slightly ahead in development – but not a pawn's worth. Maybe he planned to out-play me here, but it didn't work out that way.

14.h3 Nf6



A mistake: 14...h6 was necessary.
15.Bxf6+ Kh6 16.Bxh8 Rxh8

A Rook is a Rook.

17.Nc3 Rg8 18.Rf6 Bd7 19.Rf7 Rd8 20.Raf1 g5 21.R1f6+ Kh5 22.g4+
I had mate worked out, but 22.Rxh7# was faster.
22...Kh4 23.Rxh7+ Kg3 24.Ne2 checkmate

A Closer Look (Part V)

Time for a couple of games from the "classical" Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) point of view. mediax - yorkypuddn www.chessworld.net 2008 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6

This is Blackburne's offer of a Rook (see "Nobody expects the Jerome Gambit!"). Whoever knows the line better should come out ahead. 8.Qxh8 Qh4

Yes! 9.d4

Yes, again! 9...Qxe4+ White escaped a horrible position (self-inflicted) and went on to win in perrypawnpusher - bakker, FICS rated blitz game, US, 2007: 9...Bb4+ 10.c3 Qxe4+ 11.Kf1 Qd3+ 12.Ke1 Bg4 13.Qxh7+ Kf8 14.f3 Re8+ 15.Kf2 Qe2+ 16.Kg3 Bf5 17.Bh6+ Nxh6 18.Qxh6+ Ke7 19.cxb4 Qxb2 20.Qg5+ Kd7 21.Nd2 Qxd4 22.Rhe1 Rh8 23.Qe7+ Kc6 24.Rec1+ Kb5 25.a4+ Kxb4 26.Ne4 Rh3+ 27.gxh3 Qh8 28.Nf2 g5 29.Qe1+ Kb3 30.Qe3+ Kb4 31.Qd2+ Kb3 32.Qd5+ Kb4 33.Qb5 checkmate 

10.Be3 Bxd4

Not as strong as the messy 10...Qxg2 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Rf1 Bb6 13.Nc3 Bf5 when White will be able to 0-0-0 his King to safety and be up the exchange and a pawn. 

11.Qxh7+

The position has become quite complicated, and it is hard for either White or Black to know whether to use the Queen for plunder or defense. White would have had more of an edge, according to Rybka, after 11.Qxd4 Qxg2 12.Rf1 Bh3 13.Nd2 Qg4 14.Ne4 Re8 15.f3. 

11...Kf8 12.0-0 b6

Instead, 12...Bxb2 would have won the exchange; but the game is still quite complicated. 

13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.Qxg8+ Kd7 15.Qf7+ Kc6 16.Qf3 Qxf3 17.gxf3 Bh3 18.Rd1 Re8 19.c3 Bc5

White has emerged from the battle a Rook up, and things have settled enough that he can find the win. 

20.b4 Bxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Re7 22.Nd2 a5 23.a3 Rf7 24.Ne4 Bg4 25.Ng5 Rf6 26.Rd4 Kd7 27.Rxg4 d5 28.Rd1 c5 29.Rxd5+ Kc6 30.Rd8 axb4 31.axb4 cxb4 32.Rc4+ Kb5 33.Rxb4+ Kc5 34.Ne4+ Kc6 35.Nxf6 Kc7 36.Rd7+ Kc6 37.Be3 b5 38.Rd5 g5 39.Rbxb5 Black resigned 

mediax - Piratepaul

www.chessworld.net 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qxc5 N8e7 8.d3

8.0-0 Rf8 9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd5+ Ke8 11.d3 Nge7 12.Qg5 Rf7 13.Nc3 h6 14.Qh5 Kf8 15.f5 Ne5 16.d4 N5c6 17.d5 Ne5 18.f6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6+ gxf6 20.Qxh6+ Kf7 21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.Bh6+ Ke8 23.Qh8+ Kf7 24.Qg7+ Ke8 25.Qf8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - WHITE-KING, ICC blitz 2004 (see "Let's give this thingie a try...")

In a typical Jerome Gambit set-up, White will have to take what he has (extra center pawns) and do what he can. 

8... d6 9.Qe3 Rf8 10.0-0 Kg8 11.Qg3 h6 12.b3 Kh7 13.Bb2 Rf7 14.Nd2 b6 15.f4

Black has "castled by hand" and White has begun to focus on the enemy King.

15...Bb7 16.f5 Ne5 17.Bxe5 dxe5 18.Qxe5 Nc6 19.Qg3 Nd4

Black has returned a pawn to get rid of the Bishop at b2, and now shows that he can be active, as well. The second player has the advantage, still; but White must doggedly persist.

20.Qg6+ Kg8 21.Rac1 Ne2+ 22.Kh1 Nxc1 23.Rxc1 c5 24.Nc4 Rf6 25.Qg3 Qe7 26.Ne5 a5 27.Ng6 Qd7 28.Rf1 Re8

White's pieces have remained active, but he is down a Rook (for three pawns), a situation he cannot overcome the rest of the game.

29.Re1 b5 30.Ne5 Qd6 31.Ng6 Qxg3 32.hxg3 c4 33.bxc4 bxc4 34.g4 cxd3 35.cxd3 Rb6 36.Rd1 Rb2 37.a3 Rb3 38.a4 Bc6 39.Nf4 Bxa4 40.Ra1 Bb5 41.Rxa5 Bxd3 42.Nxd3 Rxd3 43.e5 Rg3 44.f6 gxf6 45.exf6 Rxg4 46.Rf5 Kf7 47.Kh2 Re2 48.Kh3 Rgxg2 49.Rh5 Rh2+ 50.Kg4 Rxh5 51.Kxh5 White resigned

A Closer Look (Part IV)

Until improvements come along in the "modern" lines of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) I'm going to stick with the classical 5.Nxe5+, even it it's a "fish-y" move -- at least it's a fish with attitude.


Here are some more games from the recently completed Ninja Knights T3 Jerome Gambit thematic tournament at ChessWorld (see "A Closer Look (Part I)", "A Closer Look (Part II)" and "A Closer Look (Part III)").

First, a couple of quickies:

braken - queen st, www.chessworld.net 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Be7 8.dxe5 b6 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.0-0 g5 11.Rd1 Bb7 12.e6 d6 13.Qf7

mediax - willitfw, www.chessworld.net 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c3 Nd3+ 8.Ke2 Nf4+ White resigned

Ouch.

Next, Black plays a 6th move TN/TL which seems to confuse White, who has an even game afterwards, but whose game goes quickly downhill nonetheless:

braken - delboy138, www.chessworld.net 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Nd3+ 7.Qxd3 Be7 8.d5 d6 9.Bf4 Nf6 10.Nd2 Rf8 11.Nf3 Kg8 12.Ng5 Nh5 13.Nxh7 Nxf4 14.Qg3 Kxh7 15.h4 Nh5 16.Qh2 Bf6 17.0-0-0 Be5 18.g3 c5 19.f4 Nxf4 20.h5 Bg4 21.gxf4 Bxf4+ White resigned


Here, the tournament winner returns material in a manner that gives White a small but solid plus -- but then hangs on until the Rooks and pawns endgame, where he outplays his opponent.

mediax - Carlos Azcarate, www.chessworld.net 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.d3 d5 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Rf1 Ke8 13.Bh6 Nf6 14.Bg7 Ng4+ 15.Kg1 Rg8 16.Re1+ Kf7 17.Bd4 Rd8 18.Rf1+ Bf5 19.h3 Rxd4 20.hxg4 Rxg4 21.Nc3 c6 22.Rae1 b5 23.Ne4 Kg7 24.Nd6 Rg5 25.Nxf5+ gxf5 26.Re6 Rg6 27.Re5 Rf8 28.Re7+ Kh8 29.Rxa7 f4 30.Rf3 h5 31.Re7 Rfg8 32.Re2 Rg4 33.Kh2 R8g5 34.c4 Kg7 35.b3 Kf6 36.Re4 Rxg2+ 37.Kh3 R2g3+ 38.Rxg3 Rxg3+ 39.Kh2 Rxd3 40.Rxf4+ Kg5 41.Rf2 Kg4 42.Rg2+ Kf4 43.cxb5 cxb5 44.Kg1 b4 45.Rf2+ Rf3 46.Kg2 Rxf2+ 47.Kxf2 Ke4 48.Ke2 Kd4 49.Kd2 h4 50.Ke2 Kc3 White resigned

Next White, the main champion of the "classical Jerome Gambit" in this tournament, comes out of the opening with the advantage and builds on it -- until his unfortunate 23rd move gives the game away.

mediax - queen st, www.chessworld.net 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qc3 Qg5 9.0-0 Nf6 10.d4 Qg6 11.dxc5 Nxe4 12.Qf3+ Bf5 13.cxd6 Nxd6 14.h3 Kf7 15.Qb3+ Be6 16.Qc3 c6 17.Bf4 Ne4 18.Qf3 Rad8 19.Bc7+ Bf5 20.Bxd8 Rxd8 21.Qb3+ Kf8 22.f3 Ng3 23.Rf2 Rd1+ 24.Kh2 Rh1checkmate

Finally, a rock-em, sock'em battle.

mediax - braken, www.chessworld.net 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qe3 Nf6 9.d4 Re8 10.f3 Bf5 11.0-0 Nh5 12.Qb3+ Be6 13.d5 Bc8 14.Nc3 Kg8 15.h3 Nhf4 16.Bxf4 Nxf4 17.Rf2 Bxh3 18.gxh3 Nxh3+ 19.Kf1 Nxf2 20.Kxf2 Qh4+ 21.Ke3 Rf8 22.Ne2 Qh3 23.Ng1 Qh1 24.Qc4 Rxf3+ 25.Nxf3 Qxa1 26.Qxc7 Qxb2 27.Qxd6 Qb6+ 28.Qxb6 axb6 29.Ng5 Rxa2 30.c4 Ra5 31.Kd4 b5 32.cxb5 Rxb5 33.Ne6 Rb6 34.Kc5 Rxe6 35.dxe6 Kf8 36.Kd6 Ke8 37.e5 h5 White resigned


graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

A Closer Look (Part III)

Here are some more interesting and enjoyable games to play over from the recently completed Ninja Knights T3 Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) thematic tournament at ChessWorld (see "A Closer Look (Part I)" and "A Closer Look (Part II)").

Although the "modern" Jerome Gambit with 5.0-0 (instead of 5.Nxe5; see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter IV") risks less, it also gives White less for his sacrifice, and he must rely on development and attack against the enemy King in order to bring home the point.

The following game has an amusing mate at the end.


drewbear - braken, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.0-0 Nh6 6.d3 Ng4 7.h3 Bxf2+ 8.Rxf2 Nxf2 9.Kxf2 Qf6 10.Nc3 Nd4 11.Nd5 Qd6 12.Nxd4 exd4 13.Qf3+ Ke8 14.e5 Qc5 15.Kg1 c6 16.Nc7+ Kd8 17.Nxa8 Rf8 18.Bg5+ Ke8 19.Nc7 checkmate


Sometimes White just doesn't have enough:

casker - mediax, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.0-0 Nf6 6.d3 Rf8 7.Nc3 h6 8.Be3 Bxe3 9.fxe3 Kg8 10.d4 d6 11.d5 Ne7 12.Ne2 c5 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.b4 Nxe4 15.c3 Ba6 16.Re1 Bxe2 17.Qxe2 Nxc3 18.Qc4+ Ncd5 19.e4 Rc8 20.exd5 cxd5 21.Qb3 Kh8 22.a4 d4 23.b5 Rc3 24.Qb4 Nd5 25.Qb1 Rcxf3 26.gxf3 Qg5+ 27.Kf2 Qh4+ 28.Kg2 Nf4+ 29.Kf1 Qh3+ White resigns

By far the most popular line in the tournament was the "modern" 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 (see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter V" and "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter VI").

Combining 5.d3 with c2-c3 and b2-b4 was seen a number of times, including in the following game:

casker - drewbear, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.d3 Nf6 6.c3 b5 7.0-0 h6 8.Na3 g5 9.b4 Bd6 10.Qb3+ Kg7 11.Nxb5 a6 12.Na3 g4 13.Nh4 Ne7 14.Nc4 Ne8 15.g3 Ng6 16.Nf5+ Kh7 17.Ncxd6 cxd6 18.Qf7+ Black resigned

Sometimes White simply out-played his opponent:

drewbear - queen st, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 Nf6 7.Bg5 Qe7 8.Nc3 Re8 9.Nd5 Qe6 10.Nxc7 Qd7 11.Nxa8 b5 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nh4 Bb7 14.Nf5 Bxa8 15.Qh5+ Kf8 16.Qh6+ Kg8 17.Qxf6 h5 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.Qxh5 Ne7 20.Qh6+ Kf7 21.Nxe7 Kxe7 22.Qh7+ Kd8 23.Qxd7+ Kxd7 24.Kh1 b4 25.c3 Rb8 26.c4 Bd4 27.Rab1 Rg8 28.f3 Kc6 29.a3 Bc5 30.axb4 Bxb4 31.Ra1 Kb7 32.Ra4 Bc5 33.b4 Bd4 34.b5 Kb8 35.Ra6 Bc5 36.g4 Bb7 37.Ra2 Rh8 38.Kg2 Kc7 39.Kg3 Kd7 40.h4 Ke6 41.g5 Bc8 42.Rh1 Kf7 43.h5 Be3 44.g6+ Kg7 45.Re2 Bf4+ 46.Kh4 Bb7 47.Ra1 Ra8 48.Rd1 a6 49.b6 a5 50.d4 Ba6 51.Rc2 Rb8 52.c5 exd4 53.Rxd4 dxc5 54.Rxc5 Be3 55.Rd7+ Kh6 56.Rh7 checkmate

Sometimes when White didn't outplay his opponent, the "clock" proved helpful:

drewbear - willitfw, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 Bg4 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3+ Nf6 9.g4 d5 10.g5 dxe4 11.dxe4 Nd4 12.Qc3 Ne2+ 13.Kg2 Black lost on time.

Even the idea of a "delayed classical Jerome Gambit" popped up:

mediax - casker, www.chessworld.net 2008: 5.d3 h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.Bf4 Qf6 10.c3 Qxf5 11.Bxe5+ Qxe5 12.Nd2 Ke7 13.0-0 Qg5 14.Nf3 Qg6 15.d4 Bb6 16.Nh4 Qh7 17.f4 Kd8 18.f5 Nf6 19.e5 Nd5 20.Rad1 Ne3 21.Ng6 Nxd1 22.Rxd1 Re8 23.b4 d5 24.c4 dxc4 25.Kh1 Bxf5 26.Nf4 Bd3 27.e6 Qf5 28.g3 Qe4+ 29.Ng2 White resigned

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"