Parts is parts

When facing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) my oppponents sometimes try to re-create Blackburne's crushing reaction, the best-known example of the Jerome that they are likely to recall. Sometimes they only remember parts of the line, however.

perrypawnpusher - Kapppy
blitz 2 12, FICS, 2009

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bd6

I have faced this line before: perrypawnpusher - tuffnut, blitz 2 12, FICS 2007: 8.Qxh8 Be7 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxg6 d6 11.d4 Bd7 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Kf7 14.Qh7+ Kf8 15.Qh8+ Kf7 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.Nc3 c6 18.0-0 Rg8 19.f4 Bh3 20.Rf2 Bd7 21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Ke8 23.f5 Bc5 24.f6 Bxf2+ 25.Kxf2 Be6 26.Ne4 Rf8 27.Nd6+ Kd7 28.Rd1 Kc7 29.h3 Bd5 30.g4 Rh8 31.Kg3 b6 32.h4 Be6 33.g5 Black resigned; as well as perrypawnpusher - bakker, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 20).

Black's best is Whistler's Defense, 7...Qe7.

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.Qd4 Nf6 The position bears slight resemblance to Blackburne's destruction of the Jerome Gambit – here White's Queen has escaped after capturing the Rook and can help in her King's defense.
10.d3 b6 11.Nd2 Ng4
Black is ganging up on f2, but a better way to do that was 11...Bc5 (although White's advantage is obvious).
12.Nf3 Bc5
Now this falls to 13.Qd5+ – or it would, if I had noticed it. My response was good, just not best.
13.Qxc5 Qxf2+ 14.Qxf2 Nxf2 15.Kxf2 d6
A Rook is a Rook is a Rook.

16.Rf1 Rb8 17.Kg1 Ke7 18.Bg5+ Kd7
19.Nh4 Kc6 20.Rf7 Kb7 21.Rxh7 Ka8


The game was adjourned at Kapppy's request. When it resumed, there were no surprises.
22. Rxc7 b5 23. Be3 Rb7 24. Rxc8+ Rb8 25. Rxb8+ Kxb8 26. Nxg6 Ka8 27. h4 b4 28. h5 b3 29. axb3 d5 30. exd5 Kb7 31. h6 Ka8 32. h7 Kb8 33. h8=Q+ Kb7 34. Rxa7 checkmate

London Calling... Ten Months of Blog

Dear Jerome Gambit Gemeinde,

It's time to note that jeromegambit.blogspot.com has had daily posts (over 300 of them) for ten months now – an infant compared to many wonderful chess sites, but almost a toddler beside them. And there is still much room to grow!

We've not only explored the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) on these pages, but thanks to the creativity of many members, we've also taken on a host of loosely-named Jerome Gambit "relatives":

Abrahams Jerome Gambit

Bishop's Opening Jerome Gambit

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit

Boden-Kieseritzky Jerome Gambit

Danvers Jerome Gambit

Evans Jerome Gambit

Fried Jerome Attack

Jerome Elephant Gambit

Philidor Jerome Gambit

Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit

Sicilian Jerome Gambit

Best wishes, all!

Rick Kennedy ("perrypawnpusher")

Bishop's Opening: Jerome Gambit

Frenchie501 has an interesting chessvideo and discussion at the chessvideos.tv website on the Jerome Gambit-related line: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.d3 Na5 4.Bxf7+

See "Don't make me go Jerome all over you", "Offside!" and "Bishop in a hurry" for similar lines covered on this blog.

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

Blunder Table

From Geoff Chandler, of Chandler Cornered – its application to the play and enjoyment of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is clear:

Here is a one-move blunder table showing how severe the blunder needs to be in a game between two players of the same grade.

All players should be able to spot their opponent leaving a mate in one on.

A 1200 player should win if an opponent blunders a Queen or a Rook. But not necessarily if they pick up a Bishop or Knight.

1500 players often convert piece-up games into a win, but this is not the case if a pawn or two up.

An 1800 player usually wins if they are two pawns up.

In a game between two 2000+ players a blundered pawn is usually enough to win.

A Dangerous Place

In a chess game, like when on a long walk, if you're not paying attention to where you're going, you could wind up in a dangerous place. If you happen to be playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) you are almost certain to find some danger.
I think that my opponent, electrahan, knew something about the Jerome Gambit. Our game quickly travelled to a very complicated line of defense – nothing like the Najdorf Sicilian, but Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XVI and Jerome Gambit: Fools walk in... are almost "required reading" to appreciate what follows.

perrypawnpusher - electrahan
blitz 9 5, FICS, 2009

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

Welcome, Mr. Electrahan, shall we go for a walk?
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+
As far as you are willing to go, Mr. Pawnpusher...

Sometimes referred to as "His Nib's Defense," (see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter II") this line has caused me no small amount of headaches. And excitement. And wonder. There's a Queen sacrifice hidden somewhere, and even if it doesn't come off, the game becomes very unclear.

9.g3 Nf3+
Before this game I had losses to Temmo (0-1, 43) and James042665 (0-1, 18) in this line.

10.Kd1
This is the line that "R.F." originally played against "His Nib's", but in my earlier games I had preferred 10.Kf1, which was the better choice.

Now Black can sacrifice his Queen (as in abhailey - peonconorejas, net-chess.com, 2008, 0-1, 20) with 10...Ne7 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qe4+ d5 13.exd6+ Nd5 14.gxh4 Bg4 and win – but you really have to know the line, as it would be difficult to suss out over-the-board in blitz.

10...Qh6
This retreat – which is similar to Temmo's Queen retreat (with my King on f1) and Kevin the fruitbat's Queen retreat to f6 in a comparable position (perrypawnpusher - Kevin the fruitbat, chessworld, 2008, 1-0, 38) – still leaves Black with a slight advantage.

11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ Qd6 13.Qxd6+ cxd6
The same dilemma that I faced against Temmo: if the advanced Black Knight stands, the second player is better; but if it falls, I am even, and may have the advantage.

My one advantage against electrahan was that I was more familiar with the positions and play, and so was significantly ahead on the clock.
14.c3

To keep the Knight put.

After the game Rybka 3 recommended 14.b3 Nf6 15.Bb2 d5 (working to free the Bishop) with complications and a rather unclear game after either 15.exd5 or 15.e5.

14...Nf6
A sensible move, although Fritz8's 14...d5 and Temmo's 14...g5 were more likely to keep Black's edge.

15.d3

Stronger was the immediate 15.Ke2

15...b6
Black has settled upon his defensive plan: it involves ceding the Knight.

16.Ke2 d5 17.Kxf3 dxe4+ 18.dxe4 Bb7
19.Re1 Kf7 20.Nd2 Rhe8 Black has some compensation for his two pawns in the congestion of White's Queenside.

21.g4 d5

Instead, 21...Nxe4 22.Nxe4 Rxe4 23.Rxe4 Re8 24.Be3 Bxe4+ 25.Kf2 d5+ held chances of a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame.

22.e5 d4+ 23.Kg3 dxc3 24.bxc3 Nd5
25.Bb2 Rad8 26.Ne4 Nf6 This does not work out, and is likely the result of time issues.

27.Nd6+

Good enough, but 27.Ng5+ Kg8 28.exf6 was stronger.

27...Kf8 28.Nxb7
Again, 28.exf6 was stronger, but the text works. Black's game unravels.

28...Rd7 29.Ba3+ Kf7 30.Nd6+ Rxd6 31.exd6
31...Ne4+ 32.Rxe4 Rxe4 33.Kf3 Rc4 34.d7 Rxc3+ 35.Ke4 Black forfeited on time

Let's Play Two...

Like in my 4-game set with Joejox – see "Dropping A Half-Point (Part 1) and (Part 2)" – I was reeling off a series of games with tejeshwar when the "real world" intruded and I had to sign off. Too bad: I was able to get in a couple of Jerome Gambits (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and if we had gone on to a 5th game, well, you know what I would have played... 

  perrypawnpusher - tejeshwar blitz 10 0, FICS, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 Nf6 9.d3 d6 10.Qe3 Kf7 It is only here that Black varies from my game against steelrfan44 (see "Pleasant..."). Black will castle-by-hand and maintain his advantage. White will have to do something with his extra pawns. 

11.0-0 Rf8 12.f4 Kg8 13.Nc3 d5 14.Qg3 

A bit stronger was 14.f5 

14...d4 15.Ne2 

Ditto. 

15...Nh5 16.Qf3 Qd6 A simple blitz oversight: with all eyes on f4, who's watching h5? Now my opponent gets rattled, and his game suffers. 

17.Qxh5 Nxf4 18.Bxf4 Qf6 19.Be5 Qg6 20.Rxf8+ Kxf8 21.Rf1+ Kg8 22.Qxg6 hxg6 The smoke has cleared somewhat, and it is now White with the extra piece. 

23.Bxd4 Be6 24.Nf4 Bxa2 25.b3 Rd8 

Black resigned

When it came my turn again to play the White pieces, I replayed:

perrypawnpusher - tejeshwar

blitz 10 0, FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

Known as Blackburne's (or Whistler's) move: a good idea.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Black resigned

I guess my opponent was unfamiliar with the defense (see "Nobody expects the Jerome Gambit!", "Flaws (Part I)" and "Flaws (Part II)"), after all, or had just plain had his fill of the Jerome Gambit!

Pleasant

Some games are just pleasant.

In the following game my opponent faces the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) with sangfroid, using a relatively unusual defensive idea (castle-queenside-by-hand) and topping it off with a blockading piece sacrifice.

The developing storm clouds over the center and Kingside convinced me that it was a good time to split the point.
perrypawnpusher - steelrfan44
GameKnot.com, 2009

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

Steelrfan44 agreed beforehand to allow the Jerome.

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

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 Nf6 9.d3 d6 10.Qe3 Bd7
White has his two central pawns vs Black's piece and centralized King – but Steelrfan44 has his own plans.

11.f4 Qe7 12.Nc3 Bc6 13.0-0 Kd7

14.b4

I considered this almost a positional move. A center pawn break did not look promising, and I was not ready to compromise my Kingside, as a counter-attack could come there with little risk to Black's King. There was some space to be grabbed on the Queenside, however; and perhaps my Bishop belonged on b2.

An alternative from a game by Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Louis Morin: 14.Qh3+ Kd8 15.Bd2 Bd7 16.Qf3 c6 17.Rae1 Kc7 18.e5 dxe5 19.fxe5 Ng4 20.Qg3 Be6 21.d4 Rad8 22.Re4 Kb8 23.Rxg4 Bxg4 24.Qxg4 Qe8 25.Be3 Ka8 26.Ne4 h5 27.Qe2 h4 28.Nd6 Qe6 29.Bg5 Rdf8 30.Rxf8+ Rxf8 31.c4 h3 32.g3 Qf7 33.Nxf7 Rxf7 34.Qg4 Kb8 35.Qe6 Rf3 36.Qe8+ Kc7 37.Qd8 checkmate, guest1989 - guest883, ICC 2002

14...a6 15.a4 b6 16.Bb2 Rae8

17.Qd4 Kc8

In retrospect, 17...Bb7 18.b5 a5 – which anticipates Steelrfan44's defensive plan – would have been safer.

18.b5 Bxb5 19.axb5 a5

I had a difficult time figuring out what was going to happen next – proof of the effectiveness of my opponent's idea.
In the meantime, I noticed that the e-, f-, g- and h-files were full of Black's pieces, and few of mine – except my King and Rook.
20.Nd5 Nxd5 21.Qxd5 Rhf8

Definitely time to sue for peace.

22.Qa8+ Kd7 23.Qc6+ Kd8

I was later dumbfounded to see that Rybka assessed White as being almost 2 1/2 pawns better, but I could hardly have expected to have analyzed as it had: 24.g3 Qf7 25.Bd4 Ne7 26.Qb7 Nc8 27.f5 Qd7 28.c4 Qe7 29.Ra2 g6 30.f6 Qe6

24.Qa8+ Kd7 25.Qc6+ draw