Ooooops...

It can be a lot of fun showing off my Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games – even the losses – or, as in the case below, my Jerome-ized games, but it's a little embarassing to find in the middle of a "good" win a really bad move...


perrypawnpusher - Cibola
blitz FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Game, not necessarily safer than 3...Bc5.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6

8.Qd5+ Ke8

Or 8... Kf8 as in perrypawnpusher - pascalwilliams, blitz 3 0, FICS, 2007 (1/2-1/2, 32) and abhailey - cumelin, net-chess.com, 2008 (1-0, 21).

9.Qxc5 Qe7 10.Qe3 Nf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.f4 b6


Up to here we have a pretty normal Jerome Gambit-style scenario: White hopes he can use his two extra pawns to create mischief before Black can get his extra piece to settle things.

13.f5

Fritz 8's suggestion is interesting, suggesting play across the whole board, and a balanced game after: 13.Qg3 Nf8 14.e5 Nh5 15.Qf3 g6 16.d4 Ba6 17.Rd1 Ng7 18.Ne4 Kd8 19.d5 Kc8 20.a4

13...Ne5 14.d4 Ba6


If you can counter a tactical threat with a stronger one of your own, that is a good thing: so Black threatens my Rook while I "merely" threaten his Knight – well, not exactly, but that was what my opponent was thinking. Instead, the Knight should retreat to f7.

15.dxe5 Qxe5



If 15...Bxf1 then 16.exf6 Qxf6 17.Kxf1. Now I have my piece back, and am up a pawn.

16.Re1 Kf7 17.Qf3 Rhe8 18.Bf4 Qc5+ 19.Be3 Qb5


Clearly a case, Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks ("blackburne") would say, of serious shock and awe.

20.Bd4

Clearly a case of "short attention span chess". When I looked closer at the board after my move (most experts recommend looking at the board before you move) I was appalled at my oversight. Oooops...

20...Qxb2



Well, I suppose it would be too much to expect him to let me have a second chance to capture his Queen... I do have a lot of pawns and pieces pointed at his King, however.

21.e5 Nd5

This falls in with White's plans. Better was 21...Qb4, attacking the Bishop on d4. White's attack can then proceed, but slower: 22.Rad1 Kg8 23.Qg3 Nd5 24.Ne4 Qf8 25.Nd6 followed in a few moves with the pawn break f5-f6.

22.e6+



22...Kg8 23.Qg4 Nxc3

Ending the game, but 23...Re7 24.Nxd5 lead to only misery as well after 24...Qxd4+ 25.Qxd4
cxd5 26.Qxd5 Bb7 (what else??) 27.Qd6

24.Qxg7 checkmate

Fried Jerome Attack

Not everyone is interested in facing the Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ (see, for example "It's a good thing I read this blog"). One way to avoid it is to play Philidor's Defense, 2...d6, instead of allowing the Italian Game with 2...Nc6. Still, one shouldn't provoke too much of an attacking spirit in the heart of the Jerome Gambiteer...


perrypawnpusher - azzaonnet
blitz 5 12 FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6
An unusual, but playable, variation of the Philidor.

4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5

With this move Black allows his opponent to play an attack similar to the Fried Liver Attack in the Two Knights Defense: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxe5 6.Nxf7 – only in this case Black has not developed his Queen's Knight.

In one of his Gambit Cartel columns for ChessCafe, "Going Fishing," Tim McGrew (see "A Few Words With...Tim McGrew") points out that the proper move in this line of the Philidor is 5...h6, after which "The similarities to the Elephant [Gambit] line [which he discusses] are striking."

6.Nxf7

Of course. Never mind that the last time I played the Fried Liver Attack was 30 years ago. Or that the move 6.d4, similar to the Lolli Attack in the Two Knights (not to be mistaken for the Wild Muzio Gambit, mind you: see "Wild!", "Wilder!" and "Wildest!") was probably stronger.
6...Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6

Black's King must venture into danger to hold onto the piece: 7...Ke8 8.Qxd5 Qxd5 9.Bxd5, as in perrypawnpusher - xPOGOx, FICS 2009, simply leads to a Queenless middlegame a pawn down.

8.Nc3

An alternative was 8.0-0 c6 9.d4 Qf6 10.Qe2 Ke7 11.dxe5 Qf5 12.f4 Be6 13.Bd3 Qg4 14.Rf3 g6 15.h3 Qh5 16.Bd2 Kd8 17.c4 Bc5+ 18.Kf1 Ne7 19.b4 Bd4 20.Bc3 Bxc3 21.Nxc3 a6 22.Rd1 Kc7 23.b5 axb5 24.cxb5 Nd7 25.a4 Rhf8 26.Qd2 g5 27.Be4 Nd5 28.Nxd5+ Bxd5 29.Bxd5 Nxe5 30.fxe5 Rfd8 31.Rf7+ Qxf7+ 32.Bxf7 Rxd2 33.Rxd2 Rxa4 34.e6 Black resigned, Eliason - Leow, Berlin 1856.

8...c6 9.d4 exd4

Or 9...b5 10.Bb3 b4 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.dxe5 Nc6 13.c4 Ne7 14.cxd5+ Nxd5 15.0-0 h5 16.Rd1 Bb7 17.Bg5 Qxg5 18.Bxd5+ Bxd5 19.Qxd5+ Kf5 20.Qxa8 Qe7 21.Qf3+ Kg6 22.Rd6+ Kh7 23.Qf5+ Kg8 24.Rad1 g6 25.Rxg6+ Bg7 26.Rd7 Qf8 27.Rgxg7+ Qxg7 28.Rd8+ Black resigned, abhailey-vkroll, net-chess.com 2007.


10.Qe4+

Rybka 3 turns its nose up at this move, preferring the further piece sacrifice: 10.Bf4 dxc3 11.0-0-0 after which it sees White as having a winning game. Amazing!

10...Kd6

This is not accurate, either: the King should be one step further back.

11.Nxd5

I admit that I was at a bit of a loss for a plan, here. Later Rybka 3 suggested capturing with the other minor piece: 11.Bxd5 Kc7 12.Qxd4 b6 13.Nb5+ Kb7 and White has the advantage.

11...Be6

Wow. Clearly my opponent was seeing something that I wasn't seeing. Later the computer suggested that Black would be better after 11...cxd5 12.Qxd5+ Kc7 13.Bf4+ Bd6 14.Qxd4 Qe7+ 15.Be2 Rd8 16.0-0-0 Nc6.

Now the game ends quickly.

12.Bf4+ Kc5


Or 12...Kd7 13.Nc7, which turns out badly.


13.b4+ Kxc4 14.Qd3+ Kxd5 15.c4 checkmate

Wasn't me!

When I was more active in over-the-board play, I played in a few tournaments sponsored by the Bishops Chess Club at Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio (you can check out some of Tom Green's Bishops Chess Club News). Somehow I managed to be absent when the following game was played:

Keusal - Freihofner

Trick or Treat Mini Swiss, C,

Bishops Chess Club, 2006

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nxe4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ Ke7 7.Ng6+ Black resigned

White bypasses the Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit which he could have had with 4.Nc3, and instead goes Jerome-ish with 4.Bxf7+. Black was knocked out of his socks.

Although... It only seems fair to present a game that continued past the point where Black resigned: in this second game, Black outplays his opponent and achieves checkmate.

fsilverman - eforry

net-chess.com, 2002

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ Ke7 7.Ng6+ hxg6 8.Qxh8 d6 9.Qh4+ Nf6 10.0-0 c5 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Re1 Kd7 13.d3 a6 14.Bg5 Be7 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Qa4+ Nc6 17.Ne4 b5 18.Nxf6+ gxf6 19.Qh4 Bf7 20.Qg4+ f5 21.Qf4 Qf6 22.c3 a5 23.f3 a4 24.Re3 Rh8 25.g3 Ne5 26.h4 Bd5 27.g4 Qxh4 28.Rxe5 dxe5 29.Qxe5 Qh1+ 30.Kf2 Qxf3+ 31.Ke1 Rh1+ 32.Kd2 Rxa1 33.Qg7+ Kd6 34.Qxg6+ Ke5 35.Qe8+ Kf4 36.Qb8+ Kxg4 37.Qxb5 Qf2 Checkmate

Which isn't the full story... as White's "killer move" in game one, forcing resignation, could have been replaced with the stronger 7.Qf7+, when White's advantage is clear after the quirky line 7...Kd6 8.d4 Qf6 (look familiar?) 9.f3 Nc5 10.Nc3 c6 11.dxc5 Kxe5 12.f4+ Kf5 13.Qh5+ Ke6 14.f5+ Qxf5 15.Qe8+ Be7 16.Qxh8.

All of which only means... that Black should have answered 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nxe4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ with 6...g6 (instead of 6...Ke7). After 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxh8 Qf6 9.Qxf6 Nxf6 the game is about equal.

Which hardly seems fair - and it's not. Black should answer 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nxe4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ with 5...Kg8 and win!

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

Back at me

Sometimes I defend the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – and sometimes I defend against it.

bushytail - perrypawnpusher

blitz game 4 0 FICS 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5

Although my favorite defense is the French, I have recently been answering 1.e4 with 1...e5, in the hopes that someone might play the evil Jerome Gambit against me...

4.d3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7

Ta - dah! We have now transposed into a "modern" Jerome Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 Nf6 -- of which I have 75 examples in my database. Did I feel pressure to "throw" the game? No way! Especially not against a "modern" variation!

By the way, my opponent was rated about 250 points above me – for whatever that is worth – and so probably felt completely justified in offering me "Jerome Gambit odds."

6.Ng5+

Not a very popular (or successful) choice, although it showed up 5 times in the 2007 ChessWorld.net Jerome Gambit tournament, and more recently in a 2008 one (Sir Osis of the Liver - Blackburne, ChessWorld.net, 2008, 0-1, 33)

An alternative: 6.0-0 d6 7.Nbd2 h5 8.Nb3 h4 9.c3 Nh5 10.d4 Bb6 11.Bg5 Qd7 12.Bxh4 Nf4 13.dxe5 Qg4 14.Bg3 Nxg2 15.Kxg2 Qh3+ 16.Kg1 Rh5 17.exd6 Bg4 18.dxc7 Kg8 19.Nbd4 Nxd4 20.cxd4 Rf8 21.Qb3+ Kh7 22.Ne5 Bxc7 23.Nxg4 Qxg4 24.Qxb7 Bb6 25.Rad1 Rf6 26.Rd3 Rfh6 27.f3 Qg5 28.e5 Rxh2 29.Qe4+ Kh8 30.Qg4 Rh1+ 31.Kg2 R1h5 32.Qxg5 Rxg5 33.f4 Rg4 34.d5 Kg8 35.Re1 g5 36.e6 Kf8 37.e7+ Ke8 38.Rc3 Bd8 39.Rc8 gxf4 40.exd8Q+ Kf7 41.Qd7+ Kg6 42.Rg8+ Kh5 43.Qxg4 checkmate, Johnstone - Egan, IECG email 1999

6...Kg8

6...Kf8 7.c3 d5 8.h3 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.dxe4 Qf6 11.0-0 Be6 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 Qxf1+ 14.Qxf1+ Ke7 15.Nd2 Na5 16.b3 Rhf8 17.Nf3 Rf6 18.Qb5 b6 19.Qxe5 Nc6 20.Qxc7+ Black resigned, tmitchell - islanderfan, net-chess.com 2006

7.Be3 TN

7.c3 d5 8.exd5 Qxd5 9.c4 Qd4 10.0-0 Ng4 11.Qf3 Qd7 12.Re1 h6 13.Ne4 Bb4 14.Nbc3 Nd4 15.Qd1 Qf5 16.f3 Nf6 17.a3 Bd7 18.axb4 Qg6 19.Ng3 Nf5 20.Rxe5 Kh7 21.Nxf5 Bxf5 22.Nd5 Nxd5 23.cxd5 Rhf8 24.d4 Bh3 25.g3 Qf6 26.Bf4 Rf7 27.Re4 b5 28.g4 Qh4 29.Qe2 a6 30.d6 cxd6 31.Bxd6 Raa7 32.g5 Qxg5+ 33.Bg3 h5 34.Kh1 Qg6 35.Rc1 Rad7 36.Rc8 Rxd4 37.Rxd4 Bxc8 38.Rd8 Bb7 39.Rd3 Qg4 40.Kg2 h4 41.Re3 hxg3 42.hxg3 Qxb4 43.Qd3+ g6 44.Re6 Bxf3+ 45.Kg1 Qc5+ 46.Kh2 Qh5+ 47.Kg1 Qh1+ 48.Kf2 Be4+ 49.Ke3 Qf3+ White resigns, plummy - SIRMO, www.chessworld.net 2007

7...Bxe3 8.fxe3 h6 9.Nf3 Kh7 10.0-0 Rf8 11.Nc3 d6

Standard defensive technique against a modern Jerome Gambit variation: castle by hand, develop, exchange pieces when appropriate.

12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.exd5 Ne7 14.e4 Bg4

This move allows White the possibility of 15.Ng5+ hxg5 16.Qxg4, weakening my King position a bit, so it is probably not the most accurate move.

15...Ng6 16.Rf2 Bxf3 17.Rxf3 Rxf3 18.gxf3 Qg5+ 19.Qg2

"Chopping wood" brings me ever closer to a piece-up endgame, but my opponent would have done better here to bust up my pawn structure a bit with 19.Qxg5.

19...Qxg2+ 20.Kxg2 Rf8

Black is clearly winning. He has only one small problem.

21.Rf1 Nf4+ 22.Kf2 g5 23.Ke3 Kg6 24.c4 Kf6 25.b4 Ke7 26.a4 Kd7 27.Rh1 c6 28.Rc1 Ng6 29.h3 Nh4 30.Rf1 Rf4 31.a5 b6 32.dxc6+ Kxc6 33.axb6 axb6 34.b5+

This is weaker than 34.Rf2, but White still has high hopes.

34...Kc5 35.Rf2 Kb4 36.Rf1 Kc3 37.Rf2 Ng6

Good enough, but consistent with the King march was 37...Rxf3+

38.Rf1 Ne7 39.Rc1+ Kb2 40.Rf1 Kc2 41.Rf2+ Kb3 42.Rf1 Ng6 43.Rb1+ Ka2 44.Rf1 Nh4 45.Rf2+ Kb3 46.Rf1 Ng2+ 47.Kf2 Nh4 48.Ke3 Ng2+ 49.Kf2 Nh4 50.Ke3 Ng2+ Draw

Oh, yes, that "small problem": the time control was game in 4 minutes, so at the end, even in a winning position, I was so short of time that I had to force the draw and lose a half-point.

Don't make me go Jerome all over you...

Sometimes you just want to play something Piano like the Giuoco, when all of a sudden your opponent does some thing really aggravating, and you're practically forced to get all aggressive on him – and what would be better than a lesson drawn from the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+)?

Kedar - Dijkstra
Twente Young Masters B 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Na5



See what I mean?

5.Bxf7+
Look what you made me do!

5...Kxf7

Readers who are familiar with the Jerome Gambit will understand that there is at least one game where Black declined the sacrifice, as if to ask innocently What did I do?: 5...Kf8 6.Bxg8 Rxg8 7.b4 Bxb4 8.cxb4 Nc4 9.d3 Nd6 10.Nxe5 Nb5 11.Qb3 Nd6 12.Nc3 Qf6 13.d4 a5 14.Ba3 Ra6 15.Nd5 Qh4 16.Qf3+ Qf6 17.Nxf6 Nc4 18.Nxh7+ Ke7 19.Nxc4 d6 20.b5 Rb6 21.Nxb6 cxb6 22.e5 Black resigned, johnnybgood - richye, net-chess.com 2001.

6.Nxe5+

To be fair, this is not the only (or even the best) choice available to White here. There's always 6.b4, forking Black's pieces and winning one, leaving the first player with the better game.

6...Kf8

As expected, 6...Ke8 falls to the consistent 7.Qh5+ while 6...Ke7 can still be met with 7.b4.

7.Qh5

Of course.

7...Bxf2+


Perhaps more readily explained by psychology than raw calculation.

Black has several alternatives that lead to interesting struggles, as can be seen in the following games:

7...Qf6 8.d4 g6 9.Nxd7+ Bxd7 10.Qxc5+ Qe7 11.Qxe7+ Nxe7 12.Bh6+ Ke8 13.Nd2 Bb5 14.b3 Bd3 15.0-0-0 Rg8 16.h4 Rc8 17.Rhe1 b5 18.Re3 Bxe4 19.Rxe4 Kd7 20.b4 Nac6 21.Nb3 Nd5 22.Nc5+ Kd8 23.Bg5+ Nce7 24.Rde1 Re8 25.Kd2 c6 26.Re6 Rc7 27.Na6 Rb7 28.Rxc6 Kd7 29.Rce6 Kc8 30.Nc5 Rc7 31.R1e5 h6 32.Bxh6 Rh8 33.Bg5 Rh7 34.Rxd5 Black resigned, Mueller - Laue, Badenweiler op, 1995;

7...Qe7 8.d4 Bb6 9.0-0 Qe8 10.Qf3+ Nf6 11.b4 Nc6 12.Nxc6 dxc6 13.e5 Bg4 14.Qf4 Be2 15.Re1 Bd3 16.Re3 Qg6 17.exf6 Re8 18.Rxe8+ Kxe8 19.Qe5+ Kd7 20.Qe7+ Kc8 21.f7 Qe4 22.Bg5 Qe2 23.f8Q+ Rxf8 24.Qxf8+ Kd7 25.Qxg7+ Kc8 26.Qf8+ Kd7 27.Qd8+ Ke6 28.Qe7+ Kd5 29.Qd7+ Kc4 30.Qf7+ Kb5 31.a4+ Ka6 32.b5+ Ka5 33.Nd2 Bc2 34.Nc4+ Qxc4 35.Qxc4 c5 36.dxc5 Bxc5 37.Qxc5 Black resigned, Steinert - Berg, Spree op, 1997;

7...Qe7 8.0-0 Nc6 9.Ng6+ hxg6 10.Qxh8 Qxe4 11.d4 Be7 12.Nd2 Qd5 13.Re1 d6 14.Nf1 Bd7 15.Bd2 Re8 16.Ne3 Qb5 17.b3 Kf7 18.c4 Qg5 19.f4 Qf6 20.Bc3 Bd8 21.Rac1 Nh6 22.Qh7 Nf5 23.Nd5 Qh4 24.Qxh4 Nxh4 25.Ne3 Nf5 26.Nxf5 gxf5 27.d5 Ne7 28.Kf2 Rh8 29.h3 c6 30.Bb4 c5 31.Bc3 Rh7 32.Re3 b5 33.Rce1 Ng6 34.Kf3 Rh4 35.g3 Rxh3 36.Kg2 Rh7 37.R1e2 b4 38.Ba1 Kf8 39.Kf3 Rh6 40.a3 a5 41.axb4 axb4 42.Ra2 Nxf4 43.gxf4 Rh3+ 44.Ke2 Rh2+ 45.Kd3 Rxa2 46.Re1 Kf7 47.Rb1 g5 48.fxg5 Bxg5 49.Bh8 Bf6 50.Bxf6 Kxf6 51.Ke3 Ke5 52.Kf3 Kf6 53.Kf4 Rf2+ 54.Ke3 Rh2 55.Kf4 Kg6 56.Kg3 Black resigned, Madureira -Petiz, Averio 1998.

8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Ke1


Simpler seemed 9.Nf3, but White liked the idea of lining up his Rook with Black's Queen and King on the f-file.

9...g6 10.Nxg6+ Qxg6 11.Rf1+ Kg7 12.Qe5+ Nf6 13.Qxa5


Not well thought out. White would have an edge after getting his piece back with the routine 13.Qe7+ Qf7 14.Qxf7+ Kxf7 15.e5.

13...Qxg2



Both players seem edgy: after 13...Qxe4+ 14.Kf2 Nd5 15.Kg1 Black seems to have enough activity to keep the position balanced.

The text allows White the opportunity to make more Rook threats against Queen and King, this time along the g-file, with the savvy 14.d3, threatening 15.Be3 (and Rg1).

Instead, the game slips to near even.

14.Qf5 Qxe4+ 15.Qxe4 Nxe4 16.d3 Nc5 17.Be3 Ne6

Prudent. Fritz8 gives White the edge after the pawn sacrifice 17...Nxd3+ 18.Kd2 Ne5 19.Na3.

18.Nd2 d5 19.Rf3 Bd7 20.Kf2 Rhg8 21.Rg1+ Black resigns

This has to be clock-related, or perhaps the second player was seeing ghosts. Certainly 21...Kh8 gave Black good chances of minimizing whatever disadvantage he had.

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

More Jerome-izing

As we've seen in "King of Bxf7" there are many way's to Jerome-ize an opening. Here are a couple more, the first coming not too long after Alonzo Wheeler Jerome presented the world with his Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) analysis.

First, a Petroff Defense, from Schachzeitung, December 1874

R.W. - H.
Leipzig, 1874

"Curiosum Kurzlich im Leipzig gespielt"

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nxe4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kg8 6.Qe2 d6 7.Qxe4 dxe5 8.Qc4+ "und Weiss setzt mat"

Next, a Bishop's Opening, Berlin Defense,

magilla - rkgoss

net-chess.com 2001

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nh3 Nxe4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Qh5+ Kg8 6.Qxe5 Nd6 7.0-0 Nf7 8.Qd5 c6 9.Qb3 d5 10.c4 dxc4 11.Qxc4 Bxh3 12.gxh3 Qg5+ 13.Kh1 Qd5+ 14.Qxd5 cxd5 15.Nc3 h6 16.Nxd5 Na6 17.Rg1 Bc5 18.b3 Rd8 19.Nf6+ Kf8 20.Bb2 Rxd2 21.Nd7+ Rxd7 22.Bxg7+ Kg8 23.Bxh8+ Kxh8 24.Rae1 Bxf2 25.Re8+ Kh7 26.Rf1 Bb6 27.h4 Nc7 28.Rf8 Ne5 29.Rb8 Nb5 30.Rff8 Rd1+ 31.Kg2 Rd2+ 32.Kg3 Bf2+ 33.Rxf2 Rd7 34.Rbf8 Rd3+ 35.Kg2 Rd7 36.h5 Nc3 37.R2f5 Rd2+ 38.Kg3 Ne2+ 39.Kh4 Rd4+ 40.Kh3 Ng1+ 41.Kg2 Rg4+ 42.Kf2 Nh3+ 43.Ke3 Nd7 44.R5f7+ Rg7 45.Rf3 Re7+ 46.Kd4 Ng5 47.Re3 Rxe3 48.Kxe3 Nxf8 49.Kd4 Kg7 50.Kc5 Kf7 51.Kd6 Nge6 52.a4 Ke8 53.b4 Kd8 54.b5 Nf4 55.a5 Nxh5 56.a6 Kc8 57.Kc5 Nf6 58.b6 N6d7+ 59.Kb5 Nxb6 60.h3 bxa6+ 61.Kxa6 Kb8 62.Kb5 Ne6 63.Kc6 White resigned

The Abrahams Jerome Gambit (Part II)

While it is probably best in the Abrahams Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+) – see "The Abrahams Jerome Gambit (Part I)" – for Black to play, after 3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ the safe move 4...Kf8, there is also the possibility that, for whatever reason, he might play the Jerome-ish 4...Ke6.

Here are a few games that show what might happen next.
magilla - reyrm1041559926
net-chess.com 2003

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Ke6

5.Qf5+

5.Qg4+ Kf6 ( 5...Ke7 6.Qxg7+ Kd6 7.Qxh8 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf8+ 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.Nc3 b6 11.Nb5+ Ke7 12.Nxc7 Rb8 13.d3 Nf6 14.Qxf8+ Kxf8 15.Bh6+ Ke7 16.Bg5 Nb4 17.Bxf6+ Kxf6 18.g4 h6 19.Nd5+ Nxd5 20.exd5 d6 21.Rhg1 Bb7 22.g5+ hxg5 23.Nxg5 Bxd5 24.Raf1 Ke7 25.Ke3 Rh8 26.c4 Bc6 27.Rf7+ Ke8 28.Rxa7 Rxh2 29.Nf3 Rh3 30.Rg8 checkmate, magilla - parkin, net-chess.com 2003; 5...Kf7 6.Qf5+ Qf6 7.Qxf6+ Nxf6 8.Nc3 Rf8 9.h3 Kg8 10.Nf3 b6 11.0-0 Bd6 12.Nb5 Nxe4 13.Re1 Bb7 14.d3 Nc5 15.Nxe5 Re8 16.Bf4 a6 17.Nxd6 cxd6 18.Nc4 Rf8 19.Bxd6 Nc6 20.Bxf8 Rxf8 21.Nxb6 Nd4 22.Re5 d6 23.Re7 Bc6 24.b4 Na4 25.Nxa4 Bxa4 26.c4 Rb8 27.Rae1 Rxb4 28.Rc7 h6 29.Ree7 Rb8 30.Rxg7+ Kh8 31.Rh7+ Kg8 32.Rxh6 Rf8 33.Rxd6 Ne2+ 34.Kf1 Nc3 35.Rxa6 Bc2 36.d4 Bd3+ 37.Ke1 Re8+ 38.Kd2 Black resigned, trabantx - fonix, http://www.gameknot.com 2004) 6.Qh4+ g5 7.Qh3 d6 8.Qf3+ Kg6 9.Nh3 h6 10.Qb3 Nc6 11.Nc3 Nd4 12.Qa4 Be6 13.0-0 Bxh3 14.gxh3 Nf3+ 15.Kh1 Nf6 16.Nd5 Rf8 17.Nxf6 Rxf6 18.Qb3 Qc8 19.a4 Qxh3 20.Qxf3 Qxf1 checkmate, magilla - parkin, net-chess.com 2003;

5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Qf5+ Kf7 7.Qxe5 Bd6 8.Qf5 Qe7 9.d3 c6 10.Nf3 Bc7 11.e5 g6 12.Qf4 Re8 13.d4 Kg8 14.0-0 Nh5 15.Qh6 Qg7 16.Qg5 Bd8 17.Qe3 d6 18.Qd3 Bf5 19.Qc4+ d5 20.Qe2 Bg4 21.h3 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 Qf7 23.Qg4 Ng7 24.Be3 Qf5 25.Qe2 Nd7 26.Na4 b5 27.g4 Qe6 28.Nc3 Bb6 29.b4 Rf8 30.Bh6 Bxd4 31.Qd3 Qxe5 32.Rae1 Qf6 33.Nd1 Ne5 34.Qg3 Nf3+ 35.Kh1 Nxe1 36.Rxe1 Bxf2 37.Nxf2 Qxf2 38.Qc7 Qxe1+ 39.Kh2 Rf2+ White resigned, coder3 - manhattan, www.GameKnot.com 2003;

5.Nf3 Qf6 6.Qe8+ ( 6.Nc3 g6 7.Qh3+ Kf7 8.Nd5 Qd6 9.Ng5+ Kg7 10.Qf3 Nh6 11.0-0 c6 12.Nc3 Bd4 13.Ne2 Rf8 14.Qh3 Qf6 15.Nf3 d6 16.Qg3 Na6 17.c3 Bb6 18.d4 exd4 19.cxd4 Bc7 20.Bg5 Qf7 21.e5 Nf5 22.Qh3 h5 23.Bf6+ Kg8 24.Ng5 Nxd4 25.Qd3 Nxe2+ 26.Qxe2 Qe8 27.f4 d5 28.h3 Bd8 29.Bxd8 Qxd8 30.e6 Qe7 31.Qc2 Qf6 32.Rae1 Re8 33.h4 Bxe6 34.Nxe6 Rxe6 35.Rxe6 Qxe6 36.f5 gxf5 37.Rxf5 Qe1+ 38.Rf1 Qe6 39.Rf5 Qe3+ 40.Kh2 Qe4 41.Rg5+ Kf7 42.Qf2+ Ke6 43.Rxh5 Rg8 44.g3 Re8 45.Rh6+ Kd7 46.Qxa7 Kc8 47.Qf2 Nc7 48.Qf7 Qg4 49.Rf6 Kb8 50.Rf4 Qe2+ 51.Kh3 Nb5 52.Rb4 d4 53.Qf4+ Qe5 54.Qc1 Qf5+ 55.Kh2 Re2+ 56.Kh1 Qf3+ 57.Kg1 Qg2 checkmate, okchess - knightplay, www.GameKnot.com 2006) 6...Kd6 7.Qxc8 Kc6 8.a3 g6 9.b4 Ne7 10.Qxh8 Qxh8 11.bxc5 Kxc5 12.a4 d5 13.Ba3+ Kc6 14.Bxe7 dxe4 15.Ng5 e3 16.Ra3 exf2+ 17.Kxf2 Kd7 18.Bd8 Nc6 19.Nf7 Qf8 20.Rf3 Qc5+ 21.d4 exd4 22.Rd3 Qxc2+ 23.Rd2 Qf5+ 24.Kg3 Qxf7 25.Bh4 Qb3+ 26.Kg4 Rf8 27.g3 Qf3+ 28.Kh3 Qxh1 White resigned, deeperinside - prepe, www.GameKnot.com 2004
5...Kd6

6.Nf3

6.Nc3 Qf6 7.Nb5+ Kc6 8.Qxf6+ Nxf6 9.a4 Nxe4 10.d3 Nxf2 11.d4 Nxh1 12.dxc5 Rf8 13.Be3 Na6 14.0-0-0 Nf2 15.Bxf2 Rxf2 16.Nf3 d6 17.c3 Bg4 18.b4 Rd8 19.Nxa7+ Kd7 20.Nxe5+ Ke7 21.Nxg4 Rxg2 22.Ne3 Rxh2 23.cxd6+ cxd6 24.Nf5+ Kf6 25.Nxd6 Kg6 26.Rg1+ Kh5 27.Nab5 g6 28.Nxb7 Rdd2 29.Nd4 g5 30.b5 Nb8 31.Nd6 Nd7 32.Ne4 Ra2 33.Rxg5+ Kh4 34.Nf3+ Kh3 35.Rg3 checkmate, magilla - tbear, net-chess.com 2003;

6.Qf7 Ne7 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Bg5 Bxb2 9.Bxe7+ Kc6 10.Qd5+ Kb6 11.Qb3+ Kc6 12.Bxd8 Bxa1 13.Qc4+ Black resigned, hennybogan1954 - jesse220, www.GameKnot.com 2005;

6.b4 Bd4 7.c3 Bb6 8.Ba3 c5 9.bxc5+ Bxc5 10.Bxc5+ Kxc5 11.Qxe5+ d5 12.exd5 Nf6 13.Qd4+ Kd6 14.c4 Re8+ 15.Ne2 Bg4 16.f3 Bh5 17.Nbc3 a6 18.0-0 Nbd7 19.Rfe1 Qa5 20.Rab1 Bg6 21.Rxb7 Nc5 22.Rxg7 Nh5 23.g4 Nxg7 24.Qxg7 Bd3 25.Qf6+ Kd7 26.Qc6+ Ke7 27.Nf4+ Kf7 28.Nxd3 Nxd3 29.Qd7+ Kg6 30.Rxe8 Rxe8 31.Qxe8+ Kg7 32.Qe7+ Kg8 33.Qg5+ Kh8 34.f4 Qc5+ 35.Kh1 Nf2+ 36.Kg2 Nd3 37.Qd8+ Kg7 38.Qd7+ Kg8 39.Ne4 Nxf4+ 40.Kf3 Ng6 Black resigned, hennybogan1953 - jesse220, http://www.GameKnot.com 2006;

6.d3 Ne7 7.Qg4 Qf8 8.Be3 Na6 9.Bxc5+ Kxc5 10.a3 d6 11.d4+ Kxd4 12.c3+ Kc5 13.Qd1 Qf7 14.b4+ Kc6 15.h3 Qg6 16.b5+ Kxb5 17.c4+ Kc5 18.Nc3 Bd7 19.Qb3 Qe8 20.0-0-0 b5 21.Nxb5 Bxb5 22.cxb5 Qxb5 23.Qe3+ Kc6 24.Rd3 Nc5 25.Rd1 Qc4+ 26.Kd2 Nxe4+ 27.Ke1 Qc3+ 28.Qxc3+ Nxc3 29.Rc1 Ned5 30.Ne2 Rab8 31.Nxc3 Nxc3 32.Rxc3+ Kd7 33.Ke2 Rb2+ 34.Ke3 Rhb8 White resigned, aaelarar - zhikart, www.GameKnot.com 2006

6...Qf6

6...g6 7.Qxe5+ Kc6 8.Qxh8 d5 9.0-0 dxe4 10.Ne5+ Kb6 11.Qxh7 Ne7 12.Nc3 Qe8 13.a4 a5 14.Qf7 Qh8 15.Qb3+ Ka7 16.Nb5+ Kb6 17.d4 Black resigned, hennybogan1953 - jesse220, www.GameKnot.com 2005

7.Nc3

7.Ng5 Qxf5 8.exf5 Ke7 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.Nge4 Bd4 11.Nxf6 Bxc3 12.Nd5+ Kd6 13.Nxc3 h5 14.h3 Nc6 15.Nb5+ Ke7 16.Nxc7 Rb8 17.Nd5+ Kd6 18.c4 Rf8 19.g4 Nd4 20.0-0 h4 21.b3 b5 22.Ba3+ b4 23.Bxb4+ Rxb4 24.Nxb4 Bb7 25.Rfd1 Ne2+ 26.Kf1 Nf4 27.d4 e4 28.d5 Nxh3 29.Re1 Ng5 30.Rad1 h3 31.Nc2 h2 32.Ke2 Ke5 33.Rh1 Rh8 34.Ne3 Kf4 35.Rdf1 Nf3 36.a4 Nd4+ 37.Kd1 Nxb3 38.Re1 Kf3 39.Re2 Nd4 40.Rd2 Nb3 41.Rb2 Nc5 42.d6 Bc6 43.a5 Nd3 44.Rd2 Nxf2+ 45.Rxf2+ Kxf2 46.Kd2 Rh6 47.c5 Bb5 48.g5 Rh3 49.f6 gxf6 50.gxf6 Kg3 51.Ke1 Rh7 52.Nf1+ Bxf1 53.Kxf1 Rf7 White resigned, jachwed - glennmille, www.GameKnot.com, 2004;

7.Qh3 c6 8.d3 h6 9.b3 Kc7 10.Qg3 d6 11.h3 Na6 12.Ba3 Bxa3 13.Nxa3 b5 14.c3 Ne7 15.0-0-0 b4 16.cxb4 Nxb4 17.Kb1 Ba6 18.Nc4 Bxc4 19.dxc4 c5 20.a3 Nbc6 21.Rd3 Rhb8 22.Rhd1 Nd4 23.Nxd4 cxd4 24.f3 a5 25.a4 Nc6 26.Kb2 Rb7 27.f4 exf4 28.Qg4 Ne5 29.Qh5 Nxd3+ 30.Rxd3 Rab8 31.Qxa5+ Kc8 32.Qd5 Kd7 33.Ka3 g5 34.c5 Rc7 35.Rxd4 Rc6 36.b4 Qe6 White resigned, jachwed - dimeliger, www.GameKnot.com, 2006

7...Nc6 8.Nb5+ Ke7 9.d4 Qxf5 10.exf5

10...Bd6 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.0-0-0

13...Nxf3 14.gxf3 Kf7 15.Nxd6+ cxd6 16.Rxd6

16...Ne8 17.Rd4 Nf6 18.h4 d5 19.Bxf6 Kxf6 20.Rxd5 Bxf5 21.Rhd1 Rhe8 22.f4 Rac8

23.Rd6+ Kf7 24.R1d5 Rxc2+ 25.Kd1 Be4 26.Rd7+ Kf8 27.Rd4 Bf5

28.Rxb7 Rxf2 29.Rd5 Bc2+ 30.Kc1 Re1+ White resigned