Jerome Gambit: The Eternal Question

Here is a recent blitz game that answers the eternal question, "Why do we  play the Jerome Gambit?" Obviously, for the opportunity to play such games!

shugart - popasile
4 0 blitz, FICS, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

Black has different ways to return one of the sacrificed pieces. This one seems to leave his King in relatively safety - but not for long.

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ d6 11.Qc3 

The Queen retreat to c3 is a novelty, according to The Database, and is and possibly the best move.

Of course, the Knight cannot take White's f-pawn. It will also take the kind of right that Knights take when facing the Jerome.

11...Nf6 12.f5 Ne5 13.O-O Re8 14.d4 Nc6 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Nd5

A typically odd Jerome Gambit position. Black has a lead in development (especially if we consider his Queen on an open file) despite the fact that he is defending a gambit. Of course, he is harassing the enemy Queen. He has a piece for two pawns. The one fly in the ointment is the placement of his King.

17.Bg5+ Nf6 

Returning a piece, but it is already too late.

18.exf6+ Kf7 

19.Qb3+ Kf8

A natural reaction, but Black needed to return a Rook, although  that still would leave him down serious material: 19...Re6 20.fxe6+ Bxe6 21.fxg7+ Kxg7 22.Bxd8 Bxb3 23.Bf6+ Kg6 24.cxb3.

Now he only has to worry about losing his Queen - and checkmate.

20.fxg7+ Kxg7 21.Bxd8 Nxd8 22.f6+ Kh8 23.f7 Rf8 24.Qc3 checkmate

Very pretty!

(I can almost hear the "Jerome pawn" saying "Me, too! Me too!")

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's Dream

If Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, the creator of the Jerome Gambit, ever dreamed of an exciting game, it might very well have looked like the following one.

Wall,B - Guest1157782
playchess.com, 2013

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Ng6

The kind of move - withdrawing a piece from attack - that someone unfamiliar with the Jerome Gambit might make quickly. (Best was 7...Qf6).

My guess is that at this point Bill got out his psychic micrometer, measured the apparent depth of his opponent's experience with (or understanding of) the opening, and chose a line of play that was most efficacious against an unschooled or uneasy opponent. 

8.f5+

Also seen:

8.Qf5+ as in Idealist - pvm, FICS, 2003 (1-0, 42), Petasluk - jackla, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 31), and Petasluk - popasile, FICS 2011 (0-1, 35);

8.Qxc5 as in Permanence - Pianisimo, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 17) and Permanence - jgknight, FICS, 2008 (0-1,38); and

8.Qd5+ as in Siggus - svetma, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 36).

All of these games can be found in The Database.

8...Kd6

Or 8...Ke5, which led to a quick win for White in Superpippo - HarryPaul, FICS 2001 (1-0, 15).

9.fxg6 Kc6

Instead, Black had to fight back with 9...Nf6.

10.Qd5+ Kb6 11.Qb3+ Kc6

Surprisingly enough, Black's King can escape with 11...Ka6 - if he keeps his wits about him. Sure, White can then win back a piece with 12.Qc4+ b5 13.Qxc5, but after the counter-attack 13...Qh4+!? Black can get his Queen over to protect His Majesty, e.g. 14.Kf1 Qxe4 (Black could also try 14...Ne7 with the idea of 15...Rf8+)15.d3 Qc6 when 16.Qxc6 dxc6 17.gxh7 gives White a small advantage, according to Houdini 3.

12.Nc3 hxg6 

Now White finishes things off.

13.Qd5+ Kb6 14.Na4+ Ka5 15.b4+ Kxa4 16.Qb3+ Kb5 17.a4+ Kc6 18.Qd5+ Kb6 19.Qxc5+ Ka6 20.Qa5 checkmate

Deep Thinks

Although the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game was played at blitz speed (2 12), it contained two relatively long "deep thinks". With mine, I accidentally avoided an immediate destruction; with my opponent's, he immediately percipitated one.

perrypawnpusher - lorecai
blitz, FICS, 2011

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.Qe3 Nf6

10.0-0 Ng4

This is a multi-purpose move: attacking the Queen, preparing to attack the King (if White castles Kingside) and arranging to exchange Queens, if need be.

Our earlier game went 10...Rf8 11.f4 Ng4, perrypawnpusher - lorecai, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 47).

11.Qg3

This was my move choice after a pretty deep think, at least for a blitz time control. It seems like a prety obvious move, and I would bet that my opponent was wondering what was taking me so long to find it. What could I possibly be seeing in the position??

In part, I didn't like 11...Qh4 as a response, forcing the exchange of Queens, although things worked out well for tedhorst and Ghandy in their games with that move: tedhort - popasile, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 30) and Ghandy - julianaajedrez, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 26, a loss on time in an even game).

In my deliberations I eventually discarded 11.Qe2 – a move which, unbeknownst to me, quickly goes horribly wrong: 11...Qh4 12.h3 Nf4 13.Qf3 Ne5 14.Qc3 Ne2+ White resigned, mrjoker - weiran, ICC, 2008.

So, although I did not come up with anything spectacularly good with my "deep think" at least I did not come up with something spectaularly bad, like 11.Qe2 would have been. 

11...h6

I am not sure what to think about this move. It could have been a mouse-slip for an intended 11...h5, as I faced last year in perrypawnpusher - Riversider, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 18).

In any event, it un-protects  the Black Knight at g6, which makes my next move easy to see (although 12.f3 might have been a tiny bit better).

12.h3 N4e5

It might have been time to try the "fishing pole" move, 12...h5!?, although the placement of White's Queen allows him to take the Knight and survive, e.g. 13.hxg4 hxg4 14.f4!? followed by developing the rest of his pieces and attention to defense (of course).

13.d4

For concrete reasons, 13.f4, which accomplishes the same thing (attacking and either winning or chasing away the defender of the Knight on g6), was better.

After the text, Black now has 13...Qh4, and 14.dxe5 Qxg3 15.fxg3 Nxe5 would only give White a small edge. If White opts to exchange Queens himself after 13...Qh4 with 14.Qxh4, Black would have the annoying 14...Nf3+ which breaks up White's pawns, 15.gxf3 before recapturing the Queen with 15...Nxh4. As White would then be due to lose another pawn, his advantage, again, would be small.

My opponent went into a deep think now.

13...Qg5

Wow.

Was this another mouse-slip for an intended 13...Qh4 ? Or was he counting on seeing 14.dxe5 Qxg3 15.fxg3 Nxe5 ?

Either way, this was an unfortunate move.

14.Bxg5 Black resigned

Knights

    Jerome Gambit vs those Knights.

perrypawnpusher - Riversider

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 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

A normal setup for the Jerome Gambit. Often the Black Knights like to kick the White Queen.

10.0-0 Ng4 11.Qg3

Better than the dangerous 11.Qe2 Qh4 12.h3 Nf4 13.Qf3 Ne5 14.Qc3 Ne2+ White resigned, mrjoker - weiran, ICC, 2008.

11...h5

Or 11...Qh4 12.Qxh4 Nxh4 as in tedhort - popasile, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 30) and Ghandy - julianaajedrez, FICS, 2009 (0-1,26)

12.h3 h4 13.Qb3

I didn't like taking the Queen away from the Kingside – but, those Knights!

13...N4e5

Black missed a dynamic attacking line that Rybka pointed out after the game: 13...Nf4!? 14.Qf3 Rf8 15.hxg4 Qg5 16.Kh2 Bxg4 17.Qe3 Kd7 18.d3 Bd1 19.Rg1 Bxc3 and Black has an edge in the resulting messy position.

analysis diagram







14.f4 Nc6 15.Nc3 Qf6 16.d3 Qd4+ 17.Kh1 Nf8

Surprisingly, this re-deployment is fatal. The Knight needed to go to e7.

18.Nd5 Kd8

Black played his move, and then Resigned, seeing that his Queen is trapped after 19.Be3.