Jerome Gambit: Winning Ugly is Still Better Than Losing Ugly (Part 1)

Whew.

I just finished another Jerome Gambit game in the third round of the Giuoco Piano Thematic tournament at Chess.com, It was not pretty at all. You could say that I was losing - up until my opponent resigned. Of course, that is the "objective" evaluation of the Jerome, anyhow.

Yeah.

perrypawnpusher - IlToscano
Giuoco Piano Thematic, Chess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 

This defense is solid and good. It also avoids the complexities of 8...Qh4+, which I faced in perrypawnpusher - constipatedguru, blitz, FICS, 2017 (1-0, 20).

9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 

Staying away from 10.Qxe5+ which has given me mixed results, and a loss most recently: perrypawnpusher - djdave28, Italian Game Tournament, Chess.com, 2014, (1-0, 22); perrypawnpusher - djdave28, Italian Game Tournament, Chess.com 2015, (1-0, 32); and perrypawnpusher - Altotemmi, Giuoco Piano Tournament, Chess.com, 2016, (0-1, 51) 

10...Nf6 

Easily an improvement over 10...Ke7, which I faced in perrypawnpusher - gtomlinson, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 28) and 10...h6, which I faced in perrypawnpusher - paulpee, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 71).

11.d3 

About the same as 11.Nc3 as in perrypawnpusher - Dogyou, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 21). 

11...Kc6 

Black wishes to avoid the embarassment of getting his Queen pinned to his King - a trick that might work in blitz (see below) but this game was played at 3 days per move.

Or Black could play 11...Ke7 as in perrypawnpusher - PREMK, blitz, FICS, 2005, (1-0, 14); perrypawnpusher - karleinkarl, blitz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 16);  and perrypawnpusher - vz721, Italian Game thematic, Chess.com, 2013 (1-0, 29); 

Or 11...Rf8 as in perrypawnpusher - BronxBoyII, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 18); perrypawnpusher - udofink, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 13);  perrypawnpusher - mconst, blitz, FICS,  2010 (1-0, 42); and perrypawnpusher - recreation, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 13);  

Or 11...Bb4+ as in perrypawnpusher - ViennaMike, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19); 

Or 11...Re8 as in perrypawnpusher - Estebang, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 28) 

Or 11...Bd4 as in perrypawnpusher - Rossgil, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 26) 

12.c3 Bb6 13.Bf4 Qh5 14.Nd2 

I was not pleased to see the Queens leave the board, but I didn't have a better idea.

14...Qxf3 15.Nxf3 d6 

I added all of the game links above to show that I was supposed to be familiar with this line, and therefore supposed to know what I was doing against IlToscano. Yet, he has done very well, and the one pawn that I have for my sacrificed Bishop is clearly inadequate compensation.

I decided that I should again do what far better players than me have done in similar Jerome Gambit situations - abandon the "attack at all costs" idea, and let my opponent, who has the advantage, do the attacking. If he was not going to slip up when defending, perhaps he might err when atacking? Psychology is always a part of Jerome play.

[to be continued]

Again the Nightmare

In light of the earlier "The Pawns! The Pawns!", alternate titles for this post easily came to mind, such as "Nothing Succeeds Like Excess" or "Too Much is Not Enough" - but whatever you call it, today we see more bad dreams for Black, thanks to the "Jerome pawns."

Wall, Bill - Atacan
PlayChess.com, 2013

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 

9...Be6

Also seen is 9...N8e7, from perrypawnpusher - rsiemon, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0,23).

10.f4

Or 10.O-O, as in Wall,B - Parsom, Chess.com, 2010, (1-0, 25).

10...Bd7

The Bishop can  also go the other way, 10...Bf7, as in perrypawnpusher - Kingsmeal, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 25) and perrypawnpusher - GabrielChime, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 33).

A more spirited reply is 10...Qh4+, as in perrypawnpusher - udofink, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29). 

11.O-O N8e7 12.d4

Or 12.f5 as in perrypawnpusher - nmuffjgp, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 23).

12...h5

Black looks like he wants to join in the pawn fun, but he soon is out-played.

13.c4 h4 14.b4 h3 15.g3 Bg4 16.f5 Nf8 17.d5

The "Jerome pawns" in all their (initial) glory.

A humorous alternative, pointed out by Bill, is 17.Rf4 Bh5 18.Rh4 winning Black's advanced pawn.

17...c6 18.a4 cxd5 19.exd5 Qc7 20.Rf4 Bd1

Humorous, but Black cannot really afford this levity.

21.Nc3 Bc2 22.f6 gxf6 23.Nb5 Qb6 24.c5 dxc5 25.bxc5 Qa5

Now comes the finish, and the "Jerome pawns" do their part.

26.Rxf6 Qd8 27.Nd6+ Kd7 28.Nxb7 Qe8 29.c6+ Kc7 30.d6+ Kxc6 31.Qc5+ Kxb7 32.Qc7+ Ka6 33.d7+ Black resigned

One Step Behind

My opponent's play was bold enough to give me trouble, and even if he did not solve all of the mysteries of the Jerome Gambit, he played a game which left me feeling constantly as if I were one step behind. 

 perrypawnpusher - magza
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 Be6

This move provokes f2-f4 by White, but it is only the beginning of Black's sharp play.

10.0-0

Or 10.f4 as in mrjoker - Melbourne, blitz, ICC, 2008 (1-0, 38), mrjoker - tomnoah, ICC, 2009 (0-1, 42), perrypawnpusher - GabrielChime, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 33); perrypawnpusher - udofink, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29), and perrypawnpusher - Kingsmeal, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 25).

10...Kd7

My opponent practically screams "Come and get me!"

Alternatives include 10...Qf6, as in perrypawnpusher - OverwiseMan, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 24); 10...Nf6, as in perrypawnpusher - dirceu, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 16) and perrypawnpusher - nmuffjgp, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 22); and 10...h6 as in MrJoker - pds1, ICC, 2011 (1-0, 28).

(All of the games referred to can be found in The Database.)


11.f4 N6e7 12.f5 Bf7 13.d4 Bc4 14.Rd1 Nf6

Black's pieces keep close watch on White's "Jerome pawns."

"Just a couple more moves," I told myself, "and I'll have an even game."

15.b3

Either 15.e5 or 15.Na3 might have been a tiny bit better.

15...Ba6 16.Nc3

A curious move.

I know that I did not play 16.e5 because I was worried about 16...Nxf5, but that was just poor "analysis", as 17.Qf3 wins back the sacrificed piece with advantage to White. Black does better to answer 16.e5 with 16...Ng4, and after 17.Qg5 he holds his own (or better) in the tactics on the Kingside.

Consistent was 16.c4 followed by 17.Nc3.

16...Re8

This move was my "opportunity", the one that usually comes knocking in the Jerome Gambit. Black's best was 16...Qf8 working against the line given concerning 15.e5. In fact, White's next move should be 17.e5.

17.Qg5 Rg8 18.e5 Nfd5

19.Bb2

Developing the Bishop, protecting the Knight, uniting the Rooks: and it all still feels too slow.

After the game, Houdini suggested 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Qg4 (coming soon: c2-c4) with an edge for White.

19...h6 20.Qd2 Nxc3 21.Bxc3 Nxf5

Bleh. A score-and-one moves, and White has little to say about his position, while Black's pieces are beginning to glow again.

22.d5 Qe7

Possible, and better, was 22...dxe5

23.e6+ Kc8 24.Bb2 b6 25.c4 Kb7

Black has castled-by-hand on the Queenside, and his light-squared Bishop looks a little bit odd. White has his dark-squared Bishop on a strong diagonal, and a protected, passed pawn at e6.

Houdini gives Black only a slight edge, but the question is: Where will White get his play? Black's pieces are well-placed to defend against the one plan that suggests itself, infiltrating along the f-file to f7: 26.Rf1 Raf8 27.Rf2 g6 28.Raf1 h5.

26.b4

Opting to stir things up on the Queenside.

26...Bxc4 27.Rdc1

Making the same kind of mistake referred to in the notes to White's 16th move, concerning 16.e5. Here the right move was 27.Qf4, although after 27...Bxd5 28.Rxd5 g6 Black has returned his extra piece for some pawns, and is a pawn ahead.

White's e-pawn would be weak, not strong, and that would give Black the advantage in the long run.

White's game now just flows from bad to worse.

27...b5 28.a4 a6 29.a5 g6 30.Rxc4 bxc4 31.Rc1 Qg5 32.Qxg5 hxg5 33.Rxc4 Ne3

White's sacrifice of the exchange only means that he is now a Rook behind.

34.Re4 Nxd5 35.Rg4 Rae8 36.Rxg5 Nxb4 37.Rg4 Nd3 38.Bc3 Rxe6 39.Rd4 Nc5 40.Rb4+ Kc6 White resigned

(Un)Seen Before (sort of)

I was surprised to meet my opponent so soon after out last game (see "More Than Meets the Eye") but he didn't seem surprised to see my Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) again.

Although udofink had played a workable defense the first time, he switched up on me for our second game.

Unfortunately, he wandered into what I've casually referred to as an "optical illusion" – Bill Wall correctly does not include this "name" in his "Jerome Gambit Nomenclature" – that I've posted about before: see "Optical Illusion (I)" and "Optical Illusion (II)".

perrypawnpusher - udofink
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2010

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

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

The earlier perrypawnpusher  - udofink,  blitz FICS, 2010 continued 6...Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Be6 10.f4 Qh4+ 11.g3 Qg4 12.f5 Bf7 13.fxg6 Bxg6 14.d3 Kd7 15.0-0 Nf6 16.Nc3 c6 17.Qf4 Qe6 18.Bd2 Rhf8 19.Qg5 Rf7 20.Rae1 Raf8 21.e5 dxe5 22.Qxe5 Qh3 23.Bf4 Ne8 24.Qd4+ Kc8 25.Qxa7 Nd6 26.Qa8+ Kd7 27.Qa3 Nc8 28.Qc5 b6 29.Qd4+ Black resigned

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6

Racing the Queen to the Black King's defense, a wise idea mentioned as early as in Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's analysis ("New Chess Opening") in the April 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal. Black gives back a piece, but he adds to his development and threatens a Queen trade, which could break White's attack.

9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3

From the Dubuque Chess Journal

compelling either K or Q to move as White threatens Bf4; or Black can play ...g5

Or at least you would think so.

Over the years Jerome faced 11...Ke7 (Amateur, Brownson, Kinnieu, Pane and Shinkman) and 11...Kc6 (Neufville and Charles).

This is the sixth time that I have reached this position, having seen 11...Ke7, 11...Bd4, 11...Re8, 11...Bb4+ and

11...Rf8 

12.Bf4 Black resigned

I can't explain Black's oversight, except to guess that it had to do with the time limit or that he was facing an opening that was so terrible that it didn't require all of his attention. 

Maybe he just didn't see my move.

More Than Meets the Eye

One of the joys of chess, and this has to be true even for that reprobate of openings, the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and its relatives, is that often things on the board are not as they first appear to be: there is more than meets the eye. 

perrypawnpusher - udofink
blitz FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

This is a solid response for Black – computers will rate the second player about 1 1/4 pawns better.

Familiarity has its benefits, however: my score with White against this position in 36 games is 93%.

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3

9...Be6

This move is not as bad as I thought it to be, and my response is not as good as I thought, either.

10.f4

Black's response should cure me of this premature move.

I was more on target in an earlier game with 10.0-0 Nf6 11.f4 Kd7 12.f5 Bxf5 13.exf5 Re8 14.Qg5 Ne7 15.Qxg7 c6 16.Qxf6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - dirceu, blitz FICS, 2010

10...Qh4+

Thematic, and an improvement over 10...N6e7 11.0-0 Nc6 (11...Nf6 12.f5 Bf7 13.d3 c6 14.h3 Qb6 15.g4 Qxe3+ 16.Bxe3 Kd7 17.Nd2 b6 18.Kg2 g6 19.g5 Nh5 20.f6 Nc8 21.d4 b5 22.b3 Nb6 23.Rac1 a5 24.c4 bxc4 25.Nxc4 Rhb8 26.Kf3 Nxc4 27.bxc4 Rb2 28.Rf2 Rab8 29.d5 c5 30.Rcc2 Rxc2 31.Rxc2 a4 32.Rc3 Kc7 33.Ra3 Be8 34.e5 dxe5 35.Bxc5 Rb2 36.Ke4 Re2+ 37.Be3 Bd7 38.f7 1-0, mrjoker - Melbourne, ICC 2 12 blitz, 2008,) 12.d4 Bf7 13.Nc3 Qd7 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Qe6 16.f5 Qxe5 17.Qxe5+ Nxe5 18.Re1 Rd8 19.Bf4 Kd7 20.Bxe5 Nf6 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Ne4 Kc8 23.Nxf6 Rd6 24.Ne4 Rdd8 25.Rad1 Rxd1 26.Rxd1 Re8 27.Nc3 Bc4 28.Kf2 Rf8 29.g4 c6 30.b3 Bf7 31.Ne4 Bd5 32.Nc5 Rf6 33.c4 Black forfeited on time, perrypawnpusher - GabrielChime, blitz FICS, 2010

11.g3 Qg4

Here Black's followup is inaccurate, however. Certainly the Queen can be more annoying at h3.

After 11...Qh3, White might as well continue developing with 12.Nc3, as the pawn fork 12.f5, instead, would win a piece after 12...Bxf5 13.exf5+  but allow after 13...Kf8 the deadly move ...Rae8.  

12.f5

Now the pawn fork works, however.

12...Bf7

A bit better, but still leading to an edge for White, was 12...Nf6, which is best answered by 13.d3.

The problem now with 12...Bxf5 for Black is that after 13.exf5+ Kd7 (threatening ...Rae8, as in the not to White's 12th move) White can safely castle out of the threatened pin of his Queen. 

With a Black Queen on h3, that would not have been possible.

13.fxg6 Bxg6 14.d3 Kd7 15.0-0 Nf6 16.Nc3 c6

White is a pawn up.

17.Qf4

An exchange of Queens would make my King safer: Black has 4 pieces on the Kingside (with another Rook waiting in the wings) to my 2 pieces.

17...Qe6 18.Bd2 Rhf8 19.Qg5 Rf7 20.Rae1 Raf8

21.e5 dxe5 22.Qxe5

22...Qh3

Black declines to exchange Queens (his best choice), seeing his chances for an attack on the enemy King (starting with pressure on f1) to be good.

23.Bf4

It is Black's King, on the Queenside, however, who is at greater risk. 

23...Ne8

Not so good, but Rybka's suggestion after the game – to exchange Queens and give up a piece – is not attractive, either: 23...Qxh2+ 24.Kxh2 Ng4+ 25.Kg2 Nxe5 26.Rxe5.





analysis diagram





24.Qd4+ Kc8 25.Qxa7

26...Nd6 26.Qa8+

Noticing that capturing Black's Knight now leads to me being checkmated, I was a bit too nervous to work out the cool Knight sacrifice at b5, but after the game Rybka did: 26.Nb5 cxb5 (26...Nxb5 27.Qb8+ Kd7 28.Qxb7+ Kd8 29.Bg5+ Rf6 30.Qxg7) 27.Qc5+ Kd8 28.Qxd6+.

26...Kd7 27.Qa3

27...Nc8

White's Bishop is making things too hot, and Black needed instead to sacrifice the exchange with 27...Rxf4 in order to stay in the game.


28.Qc5 b6

Swatting at my Queen as if she were a bothersome mosquito, Black hastens his end.

29.Qd4+ Black resigned

Checkmate is unavoidable.