When putting together a Jerome Gambit repertoire, it is useful to have access to both "objective" evaluations - say, from a computer chess engine - and "subjective" evaluations - as from a collection of games that can tell you how successful a line has been. Often a move that is not "objectively" best may score very well in actual play. The following game, and its notes, illustrate this.
Anonymous - Anonymous
5 8 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit, a tricky, trappy line that Black hopes comes as a surprise for White.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, which usually comes as a surprise for Black.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6
Black often plays 5...Ke8, encouraging White's Queen, as several recent games show: 6.Qh5+ g6 (6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ (7.d3 Nf6 8.Qh4 d6 9.Bg5 dxe5 10.Nc3 Nxc2+ 11.Kd1 Nxa1 12.Nd5+ Kf7 13.Nxf6 Be7 14.Qh5+ g6 15.Qh4 Bxf6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qg3 Rf8 18.f3 Kg8 19.Kd2 Qf4+ 20.Qxf4 exf4 21.Rxa1 Be6 22.Rd1 Bxa2 23.Ke1 Bb3 24.Kf1 White resigned, Akash_12345 - lord-stanly, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 7...Kd6 8.Nc4+ Kc6 9.Qd5 checkmate, Akash_12345 - Oliv99, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 7.Nxg6 hxg6 (7...Nxc2+ 8.Kd1 Nxa1 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Nc3 Bg7 13.Qf7+ Kd6 14.Qxg7 Nf6 15.Nf7+ Black resigned, Akash_12345 - me_am_emson, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 7...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.Nf7+ Ke7 10.Ne5 d6 11.d3 dxe5 12.Bg5 Nxc2+ 13.Kd1 Nxa1 14.Bxf6+ Nxf6 15.Qxe5+ Kf7 16.b3 Bb4 17.Qxa1 Bg4+ 18.f3 Be6 19.Qd4 Be7 20.Qe3 b6 21.Qf4 Bd6 22.e5 Be7 23.exf6 Bxf6 24.g4 Ke7 25.Qxc7+ Bd7 26.Re1+ Be5 27.Rxe5+ Black resigned, Akash_12345 - dibeantonio, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 8.Qe5+ Ne7 9.Qxh8 Black resigned, brunchess34 - Anonymous, Chess.com, 2020, 9...Ng8 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2020.
For the record, The Database has 1,788 games with 5...Ke8, with White scoring 60%.
6.Qg4+
The Database has 121 games with this move, with White scoring 42%.
Also recently seen: 6.Qh5 Nf6 7 Qf7+ Kxe5 8.f4+ Kd6 9.e5+ Kc6 10.exf6 Qxf6 11.Qc4+ Kb6 12.O-O a6 13.d3 c5 14.Be3 Be7 15.c3 Nc2 16.Qb3+ Nb4 17.cxb4 Kc7 18.bxc5 Kb8 19.Nc3 d6 20.Nd5 dxc5 21.Nxf6 Black resigned, angelcamina - luquitas2018, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020. The Database has 155 games with 6.Qh5, with White scoring 57%
White's strongest move, "objectively", is 6.c3. The Database has 392 games with 6.c3, with White scoring 62%.
6...Kxe5 7.f4+ Kxe4
One of the reasons White plays 6.Qg4, is so that if Black grabs the Knight, he can offer more material with 7.f4+, because if Black grabs the e-pawn... What happens next??
Don't worry. White was asked this question 24 times in The Database, and only scored 50 %.
Wait until next time! That's why I analyze games and share them.
8.d3+ Kd5 9.c4+ Kc6 10.O-O Nc2
There is nothing exactly wrong with this move, but shouldn't Black be thinking about safeguarding his King, not grabbing more material? If I were White, even though I was down 2 pieces, I would feel a stirring of hope.
11.Qf3+ Kb6 12.Qf2+ c5
Proof that Black considers the game already won. Otherwise, what move would he have played that definitely would have produced "resigns"?
13.Qxc2 Qf6
Amazingly enough, now, with 14.Nc3 (with the plan to go to d5) White would equalize.
14.Qb3+ Kc7 15.Qa3 d6 16.Nc3 Qd4+ 17.Kh1 Qxd3
Time error?
18.Nb5+ Black resigned
Ow.
White never gave up.
The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has become popular with club players, of late, and certain lines have become very popular. The following game is an example of the kind of attack that can develop, but there are some good recent games in the notes, too, that are worth playing over, as well.
gumman - utku_rome
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020
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
Or 8...Nf6, which could transpose: 9.Nc3 d6 10.Qe3 Be6 11.O-O Qe7 12.d4 Bc4 13.Re1 Ng4 14.Qg3 Be6 15.Bd2 Rf8 16.Nd5 Qf7 17.f3 c6 18.fxg4 cxd5 19.exd5 Kd7 20.dxe6+ Qxe6 21.Rxe6 Kxe6 22.Bb4 Rad8 23.Re1+ Kd7 24.Qxd6+ Kc8 25.Qe6+ Kb8 26.Bd6+ Rxd6 27.Qxd6+ Kc8 28.Qxf8+ Nxf8 29.Re8+ Kd7 30.Rxf8 g5 31.Rh8 Kc6 32.Rxh7 Kd5 33.Rxb7 Kxd4 34.Rxa7 Ke4 35.a4 Kf4 36.a5 Kxg4 37.a6 Kf4 38.Rc7 Ke3 39.a7 Kd2 40.a8=B Kc1 41.b4 Kb2 42.b5 Ka3 43.b6 Kb4 44.b7 Ka5 45.b8=N Kb6 46.Rh7 g4 47.Nd7+ Ka6 48.Ne5 Kb5 49.Be4 Kb4 50.c3+ Kxc3 51.h3 gxh3 52.Kf2 Kd4 53.Rxh3 Kxe5 54.Bf3 Kf5 55.g4+ Kf6 56.Rg3 Kg5 57.Ke3 Kh4 58.Rg1 Kh3 59.g5 Kh2 60.g6 Kh3 61.g7 Kh2 62.g8=N Kxg1 63.Ne7 Kh2 64.Nd5 Kg3 65.Be4 Kh4 66.Kd4 Kg5 67.Ke5 Kg4 68.Kf6 Kg3 69.Ke5 Kg4 70.Ne3+ Kg5 71.Ng2 Kh6 72.Kf6 Kh5 73.Ne3 Kh4 74.Kf5 Kg3 75.Ng4 Kh3 76.Kf4 Kh4 77.Bg6 Kh3 78.Ne3 Kh2 79.Bf5 Kg1 80.Kf3 Kh2 81.Bg4 Kg1 82.Kg3 Kh1 83.Bh3 Kg1 84.Nc2 Kh1 85.Ne1 Kg1 86.Nf3+ Kh1 87.Bg2 checkmate, Blundersunder - gnocigb, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020
(In this game, White practices his Knight + Bishop endgame checkmate skill!)
9.Qe3 Nf6
10.O-O
Also played
10.f4 Bg4 11.h3 Bd7 12.g4 Qe7 13.Nc3 c6 14.d4 d5 15.e5 Ng8 16.f5 Nf8 17.e6 Bc8 18.Qe5 Qf6 19.Nxd5 Qxe5+ 20.dxe5 cxd5 21.Bg5 h6 22.e7 hxg5 23.exf8=Q+ Kxf8 24.e6 Nf6 25.O-O-O Ke7 26.Rd3 b6 27.Rhd1 Ba6 28.Rc3 Rac8 29.Ra3 Be2 30.Rxa7+ Kd6 31.Re1 Bb5 32.e7 Rhe8 33.Re6+ Kc5 34.b4+ Kxb4 35.a3+ Kc3 36.Re3+ Kd4 37.Re6 Bd3 38.Ra4+ Kc5 39.Ra7 Kb5 40.a4+ Kb4 41.Rxb6+ Kc3 42.Rb3+ Kd4 43.Rxd3+ Ke5 44.Re3+ Kf4 45.Re6 Kg3 46.Re3+ Kf4 47.Rd3 Ke4 48.Rb7 Ra8 49.Rb4+ Ke5 50.Re3+ Kd6 51.Rb6+ Kc5 52.Rb5+ Kc4 53.Kd2 d4 54.Re6 Ra7 55.Rc6 checkmate, EVG-MOOSE4 - bakeenan, 3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020;
10.Nc3 c6 (10...Kf7 11.d4 Re8 12.O-O Kg8 (12...c6 13.f4 b6 14.f5 Ne7 15.Qg5 h6 16.Qg3 Rg8 17.Bf4 Ne8 18.Rae1 Bb7 19.e5 d5 20.e6+ Kf8 21.Be5 Nf6 22.Ne2 Ba6 23.Nf4 Bxf1 24.Ng6+ Nxg6 25.Qxg6 Bc4 26.Qf7 checkmate, visey - ishar, 3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 13.f4 d5 14.e5 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Qxe4 Rf8 17.f5 Bxf5 18.Rxf5 Rxf5 19.Qxf5 Qxd4+ 20.Qf2 Qxe5 21.Be3 Rf8 22.Qd2 Qxb2 23.Rd1 Qxa2 24.Bc5 Re8 25.Qd7 Qe6 26.Qxc7 b6 27.Bf2 Qe2 28.Qd6 Rf8 29.Qd5+ Kh8 30.Rf1 Qxc2 31.h3 Nf4 32.Qd6 Ng6 33.h4 h6 34.h5 Rxf2 35.Rxf2 Nh4 36.Rf8+ Kh7 37.Rf2 Qb1+ 38.Kh2 Qe4 39.Qg3 a5 40.Rf4 Qe7 41.Rxh4 b5 42.Qg6+ Kh8 43.Re4 Qc7+ 44.Kh3 Qd7+ 45.Kh4 Qd8+ 46.Kh3 Qd7+ 47.g4 Qd3+ 48.Kh4 Qd8+ 49.Kg3 Qd3+ 50.Kf4 Qd6+ 51.Re5 Qd4+ 52.Qe4 Qf2+ 53.Qf3 Qh2+ 54.Kf5 Qc2+ 55.Re4 Qc5+ 56.Re5 Qf8+ 57.Ke4 Qxf3+ 58.Kxf3 a4 59.Rxb5 a3 60.Ra5 a2 61.Rxa2 g6 62.hxg6 Black resigned, kcork - anfff, 5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; 10...Ng4 11.Qg3 Rf8 12.O-O Rf6 13.d4 Kf7 14.Bg5 Nf4 15.Qxf4 Rxf4 16.Bxd8 Be6 17.Bg5 Bc4 18.Bxf4 Bxf1 19.Rxf1 a5 20.Nd5 Re8 21.h3 c6 22.hxg4 cxd5 23.exd5 Re4 24.Be3 Rxg4 25.c3 h5 26.a3 h4 27.Kh2 Re4 28.b4 Black abandoned the game, Morgz6908 - Halhekail1, 30 0, Chess.com, 2020) 11.O-O Be6 12.d4 Kd7 13.f4 Ne7 14.f5 Bc4 15.Rd1 d5 16.e5 Ne8 17.b3 Ba6 18.Na4 Nxf5 19.Nc5+ Kc8 20.Qf4 g6 21.g4 Nfg7 22.Qf7 Qc7 23.Qf4 Ne6 24.Nxe6 Qe7 25.Nc5 Rf8 26.Qg3 g5 27.Ba3 Qg7 28.Ne6 Black resigned, odoaker2015 - popsulin, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; and
10.d4 Qe7 (10...Rf8 11.O-O Kf7 12.Qb3+ Be6 13. d5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Nf4 15.dxe6+ Ke7 16.Bxf4 Rxf4 17.Qg3 Qf8 18.Nc3 Kxe6 19.Rfe1+ Kd7 20.Qh3+ Kd8 21.Qg3 c6 22.Qg5+ Rf6 23.Rad1 Kc7 24.f3 h6 25.Qg3 Rd8 26.Nb5+ cxb5 27.Qf2 Re8 28.Rxe8 Qxe8 29.Qxa7 Qc6 30.Re1 Rf7 31.Qa5+ Kb8 32.Qd8+ Ka7 33.Re8 Qc5+ 34.Kf1 Qc4+ 35.Kf2 Qd4+ 36.Kg3 Rxf3+ 37.Kxf3 Qf6+ 38.Qxf6 gxf6 39.Re6 d5 40.Rxf6 b6 41.Rxh6 Black resigned, Cricket334 - zare13, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 11.Nc3 c6 (11...Kf7 12.Bd2 Re8 13.f3 Bf5 14.exf5 Qd7 15.fxg6+ Kxg6 16.Ne4 d5 17.O-O dxe4 18.fxe4 Rxe4 19.Rxf6+ Kxf6 20.Rf1+ Black resigned, e4isrefuted - andychess19, 45 45 classical, lichess.org, 2020) 12.h4 h5 13.Qg3 Kf7 14.f3 Bd7 15.Bg5 Qe6 16.O-O-O b5 17.d5 Qe5 18.f4 Qe8 19.dxc6 Bxc6 20.Rxd6 Rd8 21.Rhd1 Rxd6 22.Rxd6 Nxe4 23.Nxe4 Qxe4 24.Qb3+ Kf8 25.a3 a5 26.Rd8+ Be8 27.Kb1 Nxf4 28.Qxb5 Qe1+ 29.Ka2 Qe6+ 30.b3 Ng6 31.Qb8 Ne7 32.Rxe8+ Black resigned, marti1998 - ajamigo37, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020.
10...Qe7
10...Kf7 11.f4 (11.Qb3+ Be6 12.Qxb7 Rf8 13.Nc3 Kg8 14.Qxa8 Qxa8 15.d3 Qe8 16.f4 d5 17.Be3 dxe4 18.dxe4 Bc4 19.Rf3 Nxe4 20.Nxe4 Qxe4 21.b3 Ba6 22.c4 Bb7 23.Raf1 Qc2 24.R3f2 Qe4 25.Bd2 Ne7 26.Bb4 Rf7 27.Re1 Qc6 28.Rxe7 Rxe7 29.Bxe7 Kf7 30.Bb4 Qe4 31.Bc3 Qb1+ 32.Rf1 Qxa2 33.Be1 Qxg2 checkmate, Eelco_Niermeijer - Young_nikm, 2 1 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; 11.d4 Re8 12.Nc3 Kg8 13.f4 Bf5 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 Bxc2 16.Qf2 Bd3 17.exf6 Bxf1 18.f7+ Kh8 19.fxe8Q+ Qxe8 20.Qxf1 Qc6 21.Be3 Rf8 22.Qd3 Nh4 23.Qe2 Qg6 24.Rf1 Re8 25.Qf2 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 11...Qe7 (11...Re8 12.Nc3 (12.Qb3+ d5 (12...Kf8 13.d3 b6 14.c4 c5 15.Nc3 Kg8 16.Bd2 Rf8 17.Rab1 Nh5 18.f5 Ne5 19.Qd1 Qe8 20.Nb5 Qe7 21.Qxh5 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2020)13.Nc3 c6 14.d3 Kf8 15.f5 Ne5 16.d4 Ned7 17.e5 Ne4 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Qg3 Qb6 20.f6 g6 21.f7 Re7 22.Bh6# Anonymous - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2020) Bf5 13.d3 Bd7 14.d4 a6 15.f5 Ne7 16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 Ng4 18.Qg5 Bxf5 19.Rxf5+ Nxf5 20.Qxf5+ Nf6 21.exf6 Qxf6 22.Qd5+ Re6 23.Bd2 Rae8 24.Rf1 Qxf1+ 25.Kxf1 Kf8 26.h3 c6 27.Qc4 Rf6+ 28.Kg1 h6 29.Ne4 Rfe6 30.Bb4+ Kg8 31.Nd6 Kh7 32.Nxe8 Rxe8 33.Qf7 Re1+ 34.Kh2 Rc1 35.Bc3 Rxc2 36.Qxg7 checkmate, angelcamina - golfprowanabe, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020) 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Qxe5 14.Qb3+ Qd5 15.Rxf6+ gxf6 16.Qxd5+ Black resigned, Atti0130 - prafultewari, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
11.d4
11...Ng4
Or 11...Kf7 12.Nc3 c6 13.f4 Re8 14.e5 (14.Qf3 Nxe4 15.f5 Nh4 16.Qh5+ Kg8 17.f6 Nxf6 18.Qxh4 Bd7 19.Bd2 Ne4 20.Qf4 d5 21.Rae1 Rf8 22.Qe3 Rxf1+ 23.Rxf1 Rf8 24.Rxf8+ Kxf8 25.Qf3+ Kg8 26.Bf4 Nxc3 27.Qxc3 Qf7 28.g3 b6 29.a3 Qe7 30.Qd2 c5 31.dxc5 Qxc5+ 32.Kg2 d4 33.Qb4 Bc6+ 34.Kf1 Bb5+ 35.Kg2 Qxc2+ 36.Kh3 Qc5 37.Qxc5 bxc5 38.Kg2 d3 39.Kf2 c4 40.Ke3 Kf7 41.Kd2 Kf6 42.b3 Kf5 43.Be3 a6 44.Kc3 Kg4 45.bxc4 Bc6 46.Kxd3 Kh3 47.Bd4 g6 48.Be5 Kxh2 49.Kd4 Kh3 50.Kc5 Be8 51.Kd6 Kg4 52.Ke6 h5 53.Kf6 h4 54.gxh4 Kxh4 55.c5 Kg4 56.Bd4 Kf4 57.Ke6 g5 58.Kd6 Ke4 59.Be5 g4 60.Bg3 Kf3 61.Bh4 g3 62.Bxg3 Kxg3 63.c6 Bh5 64.Kc5 Bg4 65.Kb6 Bc8 66.Kc7 Bf5 67.Kb6 Bc8 68.c7 Kf4 69.Ka7 Ke5 70.Kb8 Bg4 71.Kb7 Kd6 72.Kxa6 Kxc7 73.a4 Bc8+ 74.Ka5 Kb7 75.Kb5 Ka7 76.a5 Kb7 77.a6+ Ka7 78.Ka5 Bxa6 drawn, gabrielebattaglia - Alcalmisov, lichess.org, 2020) 14...Nd5 15.Nxd5 cxd5 16.f5 Nh4 17.e6+ Kg8 18.Qg3 Nxf5 19.Rxf5 Qxe6 20.Rf1 Bd7 21.Bf4 Rac8 22.Rae1 Qg6 23.Qb3 Rxe1 24.Rxe1 Qxc2 25.Qxd5+ Kh8 26.Qxd6 Bc6 27.d5 Bb5 28.Qe6 h6 29.d6 Qc5+ 30.Kh1 Rd8 31.Be5 Qb4 32.Qxh6+ Kg8 33.Qxg7 checkmate, JackPetrosyan - Nemrahsen, lichess.org, 2020
12.Qg3 h5 13.Nc3 Rf8 14.h3 Nf6 15.Bg5
15...Kd8 16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Rad1+ Bd7 19.Rfe1 Re8
20.Bxf6 Qxf6 21.Nd5 Qc6 22.Rxe5 Rxe5 23.Qxe5 Kc8
24.Ne7+ Kb8 25.Nxc6+ bxc6 26.Qxg7 Kb7 27.Rxd7 Re8 28.Rxc7+ Kb6 29.Rxa7 Kc5 30.Qc3+ Kd6 31.Ra6 Kc7 32.Qxc6+ Kd8 33.Ra8+ Ke7 34.Qxe8+ Kf6 35.Ra6+ Kg5 36.Qb5+ Kf4 37.Ra4 checkmate
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"
White's Bishop sacrifice in the Jerome Gambit brings the enemy King to the f-file. Often, Black's defense brings his Queen there. After White castles - the f-file can become a dangerous place, as the following game shows.
Wall, Bill - Guest744598
PlayChess.com, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6
7.Qxe5 Qe7
Whistler's Defense, named for Lt. G. N. Whistler, secretary of the Lexington, Kentucky Chess Club, who played a correspondence match using the line against Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, in 1876.
8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.Qg3 Bd6 10.f4
A small improvement over 10.Qc3, seen in Wall,B - Guest3289310, PlayChess.com, 2012: 10...Qxc3 11.Nxc3 Be5 12.O-O Bxc3 13.bxc3 d6 14.d4 Ne7 15.f4 Rf8 16.d5 Kg8 17.Re1 Bd7 18.c4 Rae8 19.Rb1 b6 20.e5 dxe5 21.fxe5 Nc8 22.e6 Ba4 23.Re2 Nd6 24.Rb4 b5 25.c5 Nc4 26.g4 a5 27.Rb3 Bxb3 28.cxb3 Rf3 29.bxc4 bxc4 30.d6 cxd6 31.cxd6 Rd3 32.d7 Ra8 33.Rd2 Kf8 34.Rxd3 cxd3 35.Ba3+ Kg8 36.e7 Kf7 37.d8=Q Rxd8 38.exd8=Q Black resigned.
10...Bxf4
This pawn grab is not as good as Bill's suggestion, 10...Bc5.
11.Qb3+ Qe6
Better, 11...d5.
12.O-O
12...Qxb3 13.Rxf4+ Kg7 14.axb3 d6
15.d4 Ne7 16.Nc3 Bd7 17.Be3 a6
Black safeguards his a-pawn before moving his Rook. However, this gives up a vital tempo that turns over the f-file to White.
18.Raf1 Rhe8
Normally, Black could challenge the file, say, with 18...Rhf8, but here it would be met by 19.Rxf8 Rxf8 20.Bh6+ followed by 21.Rxf8.
19.Rf7+ Kh8 20.Bg5 Nc6 21.Bf6+ Kg8 22.Rxd7
Black resigned
If he challenges along the f-file, he is liable to run into the notorious chess "windmill", giving up material - 22...Rf8 23.Rg7+ Kh8 24.Rxc7+ Kg8 25.Rg7+ Kh8 26.Rxb7+ Kg8 27.Rg7+ Kh8 28.Rc7+ Rxf6 29.Rxf6 Nb4 30.Rff7, when checkmate is coming.
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The following game shows White grabbing the initiative and pressing for advantage. This forces Black's pieces back, and then the defender is unable to deal with what follows.
Wall, Bill - anonymous
lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb6
A reasonable response.
7.dxe5 Qh4
This might look surprising, but Bill was 7-0 against it before this game.
8.Qf3+ Ke8 9.Nc3 c6
Bill has also seen
9...Ne7 10.O-O (10.g3 Qh3 11.Be3 d6 12.Bxb6 cxb6 13.exd6 Ng6 14.Nd5 Qd7 15.Nc7+ Kd8 16.Nxa8 Qxd6 17.Rd1 Ne5 18.Rxd6+ Ke7 19.Qc3 Kxd6 20.Qd4+ Ke6 21.Nc7+ Kf7 22.Qxe5 Rd8 23.Nb5 Bg4 24.Qf4+ Kg8 25.Qxg4 a6 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.Nd6 Rb8 28.Nf7+ Kg8 29.Nh6+ Kh8 30.Qg8+ Rxg8 31.Nf7 checkmate, Wall,B - Itboss, lichess.org, 2016) 10...Rf8 11.Qe2 Ng6 12.Be3 Nf4 13.Qd1 Qg5 14.g3 Nh3+ 15.Kg2 Nf4+ 16.Bxf4 Rxf4 17.Qd2 Rg4 18.Qd5 c6 19.Qg8+ Ke7 20.f4 Qh6 21.f5 Qd2+ 22.Kh1 Qxc2 23.Rad1 Rxe4 24.f6+ gxf6 25.exf6 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest5595814, PlayChess.com, 2018; and
9...Bxf2+ 10.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 11.Kxf2 Nh6 12.Nd5 Ng4+ 13.Kg3 Kd8 14.Bg5+ Nf6 15.exf6 h6 16.fxg7+ Ke8 17.gxh8=Q+ Kf7 18.Rhf1+ Kg6 19.Qxh6 checkmate, Wall,B - Shillam, lichess.org 2016
10.Bf4 Ne7 11.Bg3 Qh6 12.O-O Rf8 13.Qd3 Ng6
14.Rad1 Nf4 15.Qd2 Ne6 16.Qd3 Qg6 17.b4 Kf7 18.Na4 Kg8 19.Nxb6 axb6
Black has castled-by-hand.
White starts his pawns forward to grab the initiative.
20.f4 Nc7 21.f5 Qf7
The Queen would be safer at h5.
22.e6 dxe6 23.fxe6 Qxf1+
A tactical oversight.
24.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 25.Kxf1 Bxe6
After 25...Nxe6, Black would have a Rook and a Knight for a Queen and a pawn.
26.Bxc7 Black resigned
The following game illustrates the classic battle between the "Jerome pawns" and the extra piece that the defender has. Clearly, the pawns have the upper hand throughout most of the game.
Wall, Bill - Anonymous
lichess.org, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Nc6
This is a reasonable response to 6.d4, although it allows White to follow up with another thematic Jerome Gambit move.
7.Qh5+ Kf8
Bill has also seen 7...g6, in Wall,B - Lamjung, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 21).
8.Qxc5+ Qe7
Equally good is 8...d6, as in Wall,B - Guest649850, PlayChess.com 2017 (1-0, 26)
9.Qxe7+ Ncxe7 10.c4 Nf6 11.Nc3 d6 12.f4 Be6
A pretty dramatic contrast, White's pawns vs Black's extra piece.
13.d5 Bd7 14.e5 dxe5
This is a tough choice. Retreating the Knight with 14...Nfg8 might have been a little better.
15.fxe5 Ng4 16.e6 Be8 17.O-O+ Kg8
White's pawns are annoying - and they aren't finished.
18.Bf4 Rc8 19.c5 Nf6 20.d6 cxd6 21.cxd6
21...h5
This does not solve Black's problems.
Bill recommends 21...Nc6 22.Bg5 when it will be difficult for the defender to avoid returning material.
22.Bg5 Kh7 23.Rxf6 gxf6 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25.Bxe7
25...Bc6 26.g3 h4 27.Bxh4 Black resigned
The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is largely known for its wild "Bashi-Bazouk" style of attack. However, in the following game, Bill Wall, with over 950 games in The Database, shows he can play the Jerome slow and easy, as well.
Wall, Bill - Guest190971
PlayChess.com, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nc3
This is one of the "modern" Jerome Gambit variations. The "classical" lines continue with 5.Nxe5.
5...d6
Bill has also seen:
5...Nf6 6.Qe2 d6 (6...Rf8 7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4 Qe7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4 12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2 14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 17.Qf7 Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010) 7. Na4 Nb4 8. Qc4+ Ke8 9.a3 b6 10.axb4 Bxb4 11.Qxb4 Bg4 12.Nc3 c6 13.d4 d5 14.Nxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest153817, PlayChess.com, 2018; and
5...h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 (8...Kf8 9.Qxc5+ N8e7 10.f4 d6 11.Qf2 Nc6 12.d4 Qh4 13.g3 Qh3 14.f5 Nge7 15.f6 Nf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Nd5 Rhf8 19.Nf4 Rae8+ 20.Be3 Qg4 21.h3 Qg5 22.O-O-O Nb4 23.Qd2 Qxg3 24.Nh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Jllib976, Chess.com 2010) 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qa3 N8e7 11.O-O Nh4 12.d4 Neg6 13.f4 Rf8 14.Be3 Bg4 15.Qb3 Rb8 16.f5 Ne7 17.Bf2 Nexf5 18.exf5 Nxf5 19.Rae1+ Kd7 20.Qe6+ Kc6 21.d5 checkmate, Wall,B - Mbgmx, Chess.com 2010
6.d3
Or 6.O-O Bg4 7.d3 Nd4 8.Nxe5+ dxe5 9.Qxg4 Nf6 10.Qd1 c6 11.Na4 Bd6 12.Be3 Ne6 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.Nc3 Rad8 15.Ne2 Rhf8 16.Qc3 Kg8 17.Qb3 Rde8 18.Bxa7 Kh8 19.Be3 Ng4 20.Bb6 Qb8 21.h3 Nf6 22.Ng3 Nd4 23.Qc4 Nd7 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Qxd4 c5 26.Qa4 Rd8 27.Nf5 Nb6 28.Qb5 Qc7 29.Ne3 Qc6 30.Qxc6 bxc6 31.a4 Ra8 32.a5 Nd7 33.Nc4 Be7 34.e5 Rfb8 35.b3 h6 36.f4 Bd8 37.a6 Nb6 38.Na5 Rxa6 39.Nxc6 Rxa1 40.Rxa1 Rc8 41.Nxd8 Rxd8 42.Ra5 Ra8 43.Rxc5 Ra2 44.c4 Rd2 45.e6 Rxd3 46.e7 Re3 47.Re5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Rahman,N, Chess.com 2010
6...h6 7.Na4 Bb4+ 8.c3 Ba5 9.O-O Nf6
10.h3 b5
Black believes he has trapped White's offside Knight. He is mistaken. In his attempt to hold things together, he surrenders his advantage.
11.Qb3+ d5
Bill suggests 11...Kg6 12.Qxb5 Qe8 and White has grabbed the pawn, but he still has work to do.
12.Qxb5 Qd6
This move doesn't work. Why not?
13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Qxc6 Qxc6 15.Nxe5+ Ke6 16.Nxc6 Bb6
White is now ahead 3 pawns, and Black's Bishop pair and slightly better development are not adequate compensation.
17.Bf4 Nd5 18.Rfe1+ Kf5 19.Re5+
This looks like a simple attempt to exchange his Bishop for the Knight, but it is more than that.
19...Kxf4 20.g3+ Kf3 21.Nxb6 axb6 22.Nd4 checkmate
Very nice.
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"
