Continuing my search through The Database's 8-move games, chasing clues to 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 came across a lesson (again) for White, written in a handful of games.
After all, 7...Qf6 could simply be an example of Black placing a strong piece on a strong square. Or – he could be planning something...
ainafets - Papaflesas
blitz, FICS, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 8.f4 Nf3+ White resigned
stemplarv - KIAUA
blitz, FICS, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 8.f4 Nf3+ White resigned
stretto - terma
blitz, FICS, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 8.0-0 Nf3+ White resigned
stretto - haquitraveis
blitz, FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 8.0-0 Nf3+ White resigned
It is so much easier in a scary movie: you know that you are moving into danger when the background music becomes ominous, perhaps the screeching of violins...
In a chess game, especially when playing a dubious opening like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) it is important to be aware of dangerous themes.
Darthnik - spenjch
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5
Already we have some foreshadowing with 3...h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.e5 Qe8 7.Qd3 Nxe5 8.Qxd4 Nxf3+ 9.Kf1 Nxd4 White resigned, Benschatko - Lakritzl, FICS, 2006; and
3...Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Nd5 Nf3+ White resigned, gjtlsdnr - silvalgo, FICS 2011.
4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6
Even here, the danger begins to appear: 7...d6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+ White resigned, Cradle - Foom, FICS, 2008 and Bevs - LordLucika, FICS, 2009.
8.f4 Qh4+
Or simply 8...Nf3+ White resigned, as in ainafets - Papaflesas, FICS, 2007 and stemplarv - KIAUA, FICS, 2007; or further 9.gxf3 Qxd4 White resigned, yorgos - Kompete, FICS, 2009.
9.g3 Nf3+ White resigned
Danger is everywhere, and we must learn to recognize it.
The other day I ran into a big, bad wolf – a higher-rated player who tried to surprise me with the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. Instead, I surprised him with the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
perrypawnpusher - ZekeTheWolf
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nxc2+
Tempting, because it delivers a check, forks White's King and Rook, and generally messes the position up.
Still, 7..hxg6 is better, and after the game Rybka suggested the line: 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Qc5+ Kf7 11.Qxd4 d5 12.d3 c5 13.Qc3 dxe4 14.dxe4 Qd4 15.Qxd4 cxd4 16.f3 Be6 17.c3
analysis diagram
when Black is slightly better, although someone comfortable with the Jerome Gambit would probably be comfortable with the White pieces.
8.Kd1 Qf6
Played too quickly. Better was 8...Nf6 as in perrypawnpusher - xenoglot, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 21) and perrypawnpusher - lourotors, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 37); but not the suicidal 8...Nxa1 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qe5, checkmate, perrypawnpusher - mbranimir, blitz, FICS, 2009.
9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Kxc2
I was surprised when I checked the updated New Year's Database after the game and saw that my opponent had played this line before: 10.Nc3 c6 11.e5 Qxh8 12.Kxc2 Qg7 13.d3 h6 14.Qh4+ Ke8 15.Qh5+ Ke7 16.Bf4 Qxg2 17.Bg3 d6 18.exd6+ Kd8 19.Rae1 Bd7 20.Qf7 Bxd6 21.Qxg8+ Kc7 22.Qxa8 Bxg3 23.hxg3 Qxf2+ 24.Re2 Qxg3 25.Qxa7 Qf3 26.Qa5+ Kc8 27.Qa8+ Kc7 28.Rxh6 Qxe2+ 29.Nxe2 Black resigned, DragonTail - ZekeTheWolf, FICS 2007
Still, the stronger reply that both DragonTail and I overlooked was 10.Qxh7+ as in 10...Qg7 11.Qh4+ Nf6 12.Kxc2 d6 13.Nc3 Be6 14.Re1 Kd7 15.d4 Be7 16.d5 Rxh8 17.dxe6+ Kc8 18.Qf4 Kb8 19.e5 dxe5 20.Rxe5 Bd6 21.Nb5 Bxe5 22.Qxe5 Qg6+ 23.Kb3 Rc8 24.Bf4 Ka8 25.Nxc7+ Rxc7 26.Qxc7 Qe8 27.Rc1 Qxe6+ 28.Kc2 Qc6+ 29.Kd3 Qxc7 30.Bxc7 a5 31.Bxa5 Ka7 32.b4 Nd5 33.Kd4 Nxb4 34.Bxb4, Black forfeited on time, stemplarv - hitijnar, blitz, FICS, 2008.
10...Qxh8
White is ahead the exchange and two pawns, a winning advantage if he can develop and press his attack, while keeping his own King safe.
11.Qg5+ Ke8 12.Nc3 c6 13.f4 Be7 14.Qh5+ Kd8 15.Qf3 Nf6 16.d3 d6
17.Be3 Bg4 18.Qf2 Bd7 19.h3 Kc7 20.g4 a6
Black's last move weakens the b6 square. Perhaps he was preparing to move his Rook without losing his a-pawn. After the game Rybka recommended 20...Be6, instead.
21.g5 Nh5 22.Bb6+
Taking a short break from the Kingside advance to force Black's King to block his Rook.
22...Kc8 23.f5
This pawn sacrifice was not necessary – I could have prepared for this advance with 23.Rhg1 – but the open g-file is useful.
23...Bxg5 24.Rag1 Bf6 25.Qf3 Ng7
26.Rg2 Bd8
To get rid of the annoying Bishop at b6. Rybka's suggestion shows how difficult Black's position is, as White's Rooks infiltrate along the g-file: 26...Qf8 27.Rhg1 Ne8 28.Rg8 Qe7 29.Qe3 a5 30.Bd4 Kc7 31.Bxf6 Qxf6 32.R1g7.
analysis diagram
27.Bxd8 Kxd8 28.Rhg1 Kc7
This slip frees up the Rook, but drops the Knight.
29.Rxg7 Rf8 30.Qh5 Kb6 Black resigned
