Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit: It's Not A Blunder Until It's Refuted

The following blitz game allows me to comment on a rare Jerome Gambit line (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ by transposition) and an improvement for Black that has yet to be played, despite its mention here.

perrypawnpusher - Duwasi
10 0 blitz, FICS, 2016

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6

Three years ago I wrote in a post "By the Numbers"

The Database has almost 27,000 games in it, yet there are only 7 (until now) with this position; and I had White in all of them, scoring 100%.

The Database now has over 55,000 games, and there are 10 with this position; I had White in all of them, still, scoring 100%.

8.Qxe5

Here Black resigned in perrypawnpusher - JohnBr, blitz, FICS, 2010 and perrypawnpusher - AcesFullofKings, blitz, FICS, 2011.

8...d6

Black tried 8...Nf6 in perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 46), perrypawnpusher - wadada, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19) and perrypawnpusher - Entangle, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 24).

Black played 8...Bd6  in perrypawnpusher - apinheiro, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 35) and perrypawnpusher - eaadahl, Chess.com, 2013, (1-0, 37).

Black essayed 8...Qf6 in perrypawnpusher - alekbb, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 47).

Black tried 8...Be7 in perrypawnpusher - PravinMamania, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50).

Black's best choice is 8...Bf8, as the Rook is then off-limits - 9.Qxh8? Bg7 10.Qh7 Nf6 and Her Majesty is doomed. White does best with 9.d4, but after 9...d6 10.Qb5 c6 11.Qd3 Black is better.

It is possible that Black's move in the game - and the Rook sacrifice - was prompted by some knowledge of the game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885, but the addition of ...h6 and 0-0 in our game makes a big difference.

9.Qxh8 h5 10.Qc3

Quickly extracting the Queen, and unnecessarily so, as safety was no longer an issue. It was wiser to play 10.d4 Bb6 11.Qh7+ Kf8 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Kf7 and gain some more material.

Still, White is the exchange and a couple of pawns ahead, and plays it safe the rest of the way.

10...Be6 11.d4 Bb6 12.d5 Bd7 13.Qf3+ Nf6 14.Bg5 Bg4 15.Qxf6+ Qxf6 16.Bxf6 Kxf6 

17.Nc3 Bd4 18.h3 Bd7 19.Rad1 Be5 20.f4 Bxc3 21.bxc3 Ke7 22.e5

22...Bb5 23.Rf2 Bc4 24.e6 Bxa2 25.f5 gxf5 26.Rxf5 h4 27.Rf7+ Kd8 28.Rf8+ Ke7 29.Rxa8 

I think Black played on because he was ahead on the clock and I was playing in an uninspiring manner - a reasonable idea, although, in this case, an unsuccessful one.

29...a6 30.Rf1 Bxd5 31.Rh8 Kxe6 32.Re1+ Kd7 33.Rxh4 Kc6 34.c4 Be6 35.Rxe6 b5 36.cxb5+ axb5 37.Rb4 Kc5 38.c3 c6 39.Ree4 d5 40.Rh4 Kd6 41.g4 Ke6 42.g5 Kf5 43.Rhg4 Kg6 44.h4 Kh5 45.Kg2 Kg6 46.Kg3 Kg7 47.Rbf4 Kg6 48.Rf6+ Kg7 49.h5 c5 50.h6+ Kh7 51.Kh4 d4 52.cxd4 c4 53.Rb6 c3 54.Rxb5 c2 55.Rg1 Kg6 56.Rc1 Kh7 57.Rxc2 Black resigned

Deja Vu

If more people read this blog, I would lose more games. As it is, my opponent in the following game missed out on a chance to spring an interesting trap on me. (No, I'm not going to call it the "Kennedy Defense in the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit".)

perrypawnpusher - Entangle
blitz, FICS, 2014

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxe5 

The addition of ...h7-h6 and 0-0 to the regular Jerome Gambit position renders 8...d6, as in the Blackburne Defense, and 8...Qe7, as in Whistler's Defense, ineffective.

As discussed in "I have a win, but it will take time..." and "By the Numbers", Black's best move now is 8...Bf8!? (introduced in these blog pages 4 1/2 years ago), as 9.Qxh8 would then be an error because the Queen would be trapped, and ultimately won, with 9...Bg7.

The Database has yet to see one example of this defense.

8...Nf6 

Black rightfully does not want to lose the Rook, but this move returns the second sacrificed piece.

9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Re8 

Or 10...Ng4 as in perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 46); or 10...Qe8 as in perrypawnpusher - wadada, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19).

11.d3 b6 12.Nc3

White could have played 12.Qxh6, but the h-file is not the one that I want opened.

12...g5 13.f4

See?

13...Kg8 14.fxg5 Ng4 15.Qf4 Rf8 16.Qxf8+ Qxf8 17.Rxf8+ Kxf8 18.gxh6

Not only is Black down a handful of pawns, he is running short on time on the clock.

18...c6 19.h3 Nf6 20.Bg5 Nd7 21.Rf1+ Kg8 22.Be7 d5 23.exd5 cxd5 24.Nxd5 Ne5 Black resigned

I had plenty of time left on my clock, and when I sunk into a think to work out my next few moves, my opponent gave up the ghost.

By the Numbers

While I was finishing up my games in the third round of the Chess.com Italian Game thematic tournament, I received a challenge from another player, and was able to inject some more Jerome-ish fun into my game.

We followed a line that I was familiar with, and although it took an odd turn or two, the result was pleasing.

perrypawnpusher  - eaadahl
Chess.com, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit. I have played it 51 times, scoring 88%. pblond has two of the three wins against me; the other was an embarassing mouse-slip Queen-loss on move 8.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6

The Database has almost 27,000 games in it, yet there are only 7 (until now) with this position; and I had White in all of them, scoring 100%.

8.Qxe5 

Here Black resigned in perrypawnpusher - JohnBr, blitz, FICS, 2010 and perrypawnpusher - AcesFullofKings, blitz, FICS, 2011.

8...Bd6

Or 8...Qf6 as in perrypawnpusher - alekbb, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 47); or

8...Be7 as in perrypawnpusher - PravinMamania, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50); or

8...Nf6 as in perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 46) and perrypawnpusher - wadada, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19)

Best is 8...Bf8!?, planning to trap White's Queen after 9.Qxh8?.

9.Qxh8 Qf6 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.d3 h5 

White has the exchange plus two pawns for the advantage.

I survived the silly 11...Be5 12.Bxh6? in perrypawnpusher - apinheiro, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 35)

12.Nc3 a6 13.Bg5 Bc5 

The time limit on our game was three days per move, but obviously this was played too casually.

14.Bxf6 Kxf6 15.Nd5+ Kg7 16.Nxc7 Rb8 17.Nd5 d6 

I was pretty sure that if I opened the game up, Black's two Bishops would be a good match for my Rook and Knight. Therefore I took some time to see how I could make use of my extra pawns.

18.c3 Be6 19.Nf4 Bf7 20.d4 Bb6 21.Nh3 Bc4 22.Rfe1 Re8 23.f4 d5 24.e5 Bc7 25.Nf2 a5 26.g3 b6 27.h3 Bd8

I don't think that my timid play impressed my opponent.

28.b3 Bb5 29.Rac1 Bc7 30.c4 dxc4 31.bxc4 Ba6 32.d5 Bc8 

Black is ready to play cat-and-mouse, his Bishops against my pawns, but it is time to open the position and finish things up.

33.d6 Bb8 34.c5 bxc5 35.Rxc5 a4 36.Rb1 Ba7 37.Rc7+ Black resigned

Zombie Chess

If I am not careful and focused on my play, I tend to play "zombie chess", choosing moves with little thought or analysis, because they "look right" for the position. The result is often a shallow game that misses tactical shots, as if I were just mindlessly shuffling along.

perrypawnpusher - alekbb

blitz, FICS, 2010

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6

8.Qxe5 Qf6

As I've mentioned, Black's best is 8...Bf8 when after 9.Qg3 (the Rook is poisoned) Ne7 10.d4 Bg7 11.d5 d6 12.Nc3 Rf8 13.Be3 Black has an edge.

Previously seen: 8...Nf6 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 as in perrypawnpusher - wadada, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0,19) and perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0,46); or.8...Be7 9.Qxh8 Nf6 10.Qxd8 Bxd8 as in perrypawnpusher - PravinMamania, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0,50)

9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qd5+  

I could have grabbed a pawn with 10.Qxc7+ instead.

10...Kg7 11.Nc3 Ne7 12.Qc4 c5 13.f4 Be6 14.Qe2 Rhf8 

15.d3 Qd4+ 16.Qe3

Better was 16.Be3, but, typically, I was looking toward a better endgame.

16...Qxe3+ 17.Bxe3 a6 18.Rae1 b5

19.h3 c4 20.d4 b4 21.Ne2 h5 22.c3 b3 23.a3 a5 24.Kh2 a4

Just shuffling along... After all, I have two extra pawns. A simple position means that I will win, in time. Yawn.

25.Ng1 d5 26.e5

Running the risk of a completely blockaded position.

26...Bf5 27.Nf3 Bd3 28.Rf2 Nf5 29.g4

29...Nxe3 30.Rxe3 hxg4 31.hxg4 Rh8+ 32.Kg3 Be4

33.Ng5 Rh1 34.Nxe4 dxe4 35.Rxe4 Rah8

36.Rg2

I was feeling a bit nervous about the Rooks, which I am sure was Black's idea. After the game, Rybka suggested the straight forward 36.f5 gxf5 37.Rxf5 R1h3+ 38.Kf4 Rh2 39.e6.

36...R8h3+ 37.Kf2 Rd3

He had much better with 37...Rxc3, although when the smoke clears, White will still be on top, e.g. 38.e6 Kf8 39.Re2 Rd3 40.f5 g5 41.f6 Ke8 42.d5 Rhh3 43.Re4 c3 44.bxc3 Rdf3+ 45.Kg1 Rxf6 46.Rxa4 Rfh6 47.Rb4 Rh1+ 48.Kf2 Rd1 49.Rxb3 Rxd5 50.Rg3 Rxe6 51.Re3 Rd2+ 52.Kf3 Rxe3 53.Kxe3 Rg2 54.Kf3 Rc2

analysis diagram




38.f5 Rd2+

39.Re2 Rd3 40.f6+ Kf7 41.e6+

Triumph (at long last) of the "Jerome pawns."

41...Kxf6 42.e7 Rdd1 43.e8Q Rdf1+ 44.Ke3 Rh3+ 45.Ke4 Kg5 46.Qe7+ Kh6 47.g5+ Black resigned

Quit while you're ahead...?

It can be uncomfortable to play against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) or one of its relatives. That discomfort can lead to less-than-perfect play, or even outright mistakes. Sometimes the feel-bad defense can lead Black to give up the game prematurely, as happens in the following Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit game.

perrypawnpusher - JohnBr
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

The Bishop sacrifice is not forced, of course. White could continue instead with 5.c3 Bb6 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 d6 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.h3 0-0 10.Re1 with a small advantage.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+

7...g6

Stronger, but requiring more courage, was 7...Ke6.

8.Qxe5 Black resigned

Certainly there is more in the position than Black sees, as he still has a slight advantage: see perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, blitz FICS 2008 (1-0, 46); perrypawnpusher - wadada, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0,19); and perrypawnpusher - PravinMamania, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50).

The important thing to remember is that after 8...Bf8! White cannot capture the Rook, as the Queen will be trapped and won. White should play 9.d4 and attend to his "Jerome pawns."

I think I have a win, but it will take time...

When I play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) I realize that several of my "allies" during the game, which I hope afflict my opponent at every move, are: surprise, inattention, over-confidence, shallow analysis and a well-timed unfortunate blunder. 

It should not be surprising, then, that my opponent expects the same of me – after all, I am the one playing the Jerome Gambit!

perrypawnpusher - PravinMamania
blitz FICS, 2010

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6

This is similar to the 6...g6 defense in the Jerome Gambit, leading to the Whistler and Blackburne variations.

8.Qxe5 Be7

In other games, twice my opponents have blocked my attack on the Rook, leaving me the Bishop to capture: 8...Nf6 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Ng4 (10...Qe8 11.Nc3 c6 12.d3 Be6 13.f4 Ke7 14.f5 gxf5 15.exf5 Kd7 16.Qxe6+ Qxe6 17.fxe6+ Kxe6 18.Bd2 Kd7 19.Rxf6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - wadada, blitz FICS, 2009 ) 11.Qf4+ Kg7 12.d4 Rf8 13.Qg3 g5 14.Nc3 c5 15.f4 cxd4 16.Ne2 Ne3 17.Bxe3 dxe3 18.Qxe3 gxf4 19.Nxf4 Qg5 20.Nd5 Qxe3+ 21.Nxe3 Be6 22.Nf5+ Bxf5 23.exf5 Rae8 24.Rae1 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Rxf5 26.Re7+ Kf6 27.Rxb7 Rc5 28.Rxa7 Rxc2 29.Rb7 Rc1+ 30.Kf2 Ke5 31.Rb3 Rc2+ 32.Kf3 d5 33.Re3+ Kf5 34.Re2 Rc4 35.g3 h5 36.b3 Rc5 37.Ke3 Rc3+ 38.Kd4 Rf3 39.Kxd5 Kg4 40.b4 h4 41.gxh4 Kxh4 42.b5 Rd3+ 43.Kc4 Rd7 44.b6 Rb7 45.Kc5 Rxb6 46.Kxb6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, blitz FICS, 2008

It is probably useful for both Black and White to know that Rybka's recommended move is: 8...Bf8, which keeps Black's advantage.

In part this is because if White then takes the Rook with 9.Qxh8, Black traps it with (of course) 9...Bg7. If White wriggles with 10.Qh7, Black has the simple 10...Nf6. Either way, White will wind up with only a Rook and a couple of pawns for his Queen – not to mention a vanished attack.

analysis diagram







White does best after 8...Bf8, instead of capturing the Rook on h8, to retreat his Queen to Qg3 and then develop his "Jerome pawns" and pieces as in a regular Jerome Gambit game.

9.Qxh8

What difference does having the Bishop on e7 instead of f8 make? Can't black play the similar 9...Bf6?

Yes, he can, but after 10.Qh7+ Bg7 White's situation is different, because Black has taken 4 moves to get his piece to g7, instead of 3 moves in the case of 8...Bf8.

analysis diagram







As a result, Black's Knight is still at home on g8, and White can use his extra tempo to play 11.e5.

What follows then would be a back-and-forth battle to capture or free White's Queen, for example 11...d6 12.d4 Bf5 (new plan: support the Black Bishop with the Black Queen, then play ...g6-g5, discovering an attack on the White Queen)  13.Re1 Qd7 14.Na3 g5
15.e6+ Qxe6 16.Rxe6 Bxh7.

A very complicated situation!

Now, back to the game:

9...Nf6

In comparison to what we have just looked at, allowing White to exchange off his Queen produces a much simpler position, and one in which White is the exchange and two pawns ahead.

10.Qxd8 Bxd8 11.Nc3 d6 12.d3 Be6

I think I have a win, but it will take time.

13.Bxh6 Ng4 14.Bf4 Bh4 15.h3 Nf6 16.g3 Nh5 17.Be3 Bf6 18.g4 Ng7 19.f4 Rh8

Both of us have made progress. The two Bishops will help Black in defending.

20.Kg2 Bh4 21.f5 gxf5 22.exf5 Bd7

23.Bf2 Bc6+ 24.Ne4 d5 25.Ng3 Bg5 26.Rae1 Bd2 27.Re2 Bg5

28.Bd4 Rh7 29.Bxg7 Kxg7 30.Nh5+ Kf7 31.Kg3 Bd7

Slowly White's pawns creep up the board as the Rooks threaten invasion.

32.Rfe1 Kg8 33.h4 Bd8 34.d4

Locking up the light-squared Black Bishop, but there was a better move – which I played next.

34...c6

It was necessary for Black to play 34...Kf8 and keep the Rook out.

35.Re8+ Bxe8 36.Rxe8+ Kf7 37.Rxd8 b5

Resistance is futile.

38.Rd7+ Kg8 39.Rxh7 Kxh7 40.g5 b4 41.Kf4 a5

42.Nf6+ Kg7 43.h5 Kf7 44.h6 Ke7 45.h7 Kf7 46.h8Q

46...a4 47.Qe8+ Kg7 48.Nh5+ Kh7 49.Qg6+ Kh8 50.Qg7 checkmate

Readers who think (not me) that my opponent hung on too long and should have resigned earlier are asked to check out my post "If you want them to stop laughing...".