Jerome Gambit: Willie Sutton Again

Here is a recent Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7) game by Bill Wall.

Why does Bill play the Jerome?

I have quoted Willie Sutton before: When he was asked why he robbed banks, he said, “Because that's where the money is.”

Why does Bill play the Jerome Gambit? 

Because that is where the points are. In over 1,150 Jerome Gambit games in The Database, he has scored 94%.

Wall, Bill - Kumar

internet, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 

5.Nc3 

Delaying the second Jerome sacrifice.

5...h6 

Transposing to a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

White gains more from his 5th move than Black gains from his.

Bill has also seen 5...d6 6.O-O (6.d3 h6 7.Na4 Bb4+ 8.c3 Ba5 9.O-O Nf6 10.h3 b5 11.Qb3+ d5 12.Qxb5 Qd6 13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Qxc6 Qxc6 15.Nxe5+ Ke6 16.Nxc6 Bb6 17.Bf4 Nd5 18.Rfe1+ Kf5 19.Re5+ Kxf4 20.g3+ Kf3 21.Nxb6 axb6 22.Nd4 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest190971, PlayChess.com 2020) 6...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; or

5...Nf6 6.Qe2 (6.d3 Re8 7.Bg5 d6 8.O-O Nd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.Nd5 Be6 11.c3 Bxd5 12.cxd4 Bc6 13.d5 Bd7 14.f4 Kg8 15.Qb3 Qc8 16.fxe5 Rxe5 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Rxf6 b6 19.Raf1 Qb7 20.Rf7 Bg4 21.Qc2 Rc8 22.Qf2 Qb8 23.Qf6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Benjamin, internet, 2023) 6...Rf8 (6...d6 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) 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 checkmate, Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010. 

6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6

Bill has also faced 7...Ng6 8.Qd5+ Kf8 (8...Ke8 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) 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.

8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.b4 Bb6 

Or 9...Bxb4 10.Nb5+ Kc6 11.Nxd4+ Kd6 12.Nb5+ Kc6 13.Qxe5 d6 14.Nd4+ Kd7 15.Qe6 checkmate as in Wall,B - My10, 2017.

10.f4 Qf6 

Sometimes Black's Queen belongs on f6, sometimes not.

Today, not.

11.fxe5+ Qxe5 12.Nb5+ Black resigned

Black's Queen is about to be robbed of her support.

Jerome Gambit: Easy Does It

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"

Jerome Gambit: What to Do Next?

Defending against the Jerome Gambit is more than finding the right move or the right line, it is also finding the right path out of a maze of complications. It is a given that Black has a "won" game after 4 moves, but, as always, he has to go on and win that game.

In the following game the defender quickly overestimates his chances and embarks on Quixotic attack that only looks scary.

Wall, Bill - Guest842895
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian opening. Black wants to play it safe by keeping White's Knight off of g5.

4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, leading to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 h6, etc.

I was a bit surprised to see Stockfish 8 recommend 5.Na4, leading to an equal game.

5...Kxf7 

Bypassing the piece leads nowhere: 5...Kf8 6.Bb3 Nf6 7.Nxe5 Nxe5 8.d4 Bb4 9.dxe5 Nxe4 10.Qd5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest2310139, PlayChess.com, 2014. 

6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 

It is always possible for Black to go weird in the line, but not necessarily successfully: 6...Ke6?! 7.Ng6 Rh7 8.d4 Nxd4 9.Nf4+ Kf7 10.Qh5+ Kf8 11.Ng6+ Kf7 12.Ne5+ Ke6 13.Qf7+ Kd6 14.Nc4+ Kc6 15.Qd5 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest638374, PlayChess.com, 2017. 

7.Qh5+ Kf8 

An improvement over 7...Ke6 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.b4 Bd4 10.Nb5+ Kc6 11.Nxd4+ Kd6 12.Nb5+ Kc6 13.Qxe5 d6 14.Nd4+ Kd7 15.Qe6 checkmate, Wall,B - My10, PlayChess.com, 2017 and

7...Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 Qe7 (9...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,Bill - Mbgmx, Chess.com, 2010) 10.Qxc7 Nf6 11.O-O Kf7 12.Qc4+ Qe6 13.Qd4 Re8 14.f4 Qb6 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.e5 Nh5 17.g4 Nhxf4 18.d4 d6 19.exd6 Bxg4 20.Bxf4 Kg8 21.Bg3 Bh3 22.Rfe1 Rf8 23.Nd5 Rad8 24.Ne7+ Kh7 25.Nxg6 Kxg6 26.Re3 Rf6 27.Be5 Rfxd6 28.Bxd6 Rxd6 29.Rxh3 Rxd4 30.Rb3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest6602130, PlayChess, 2014. 

8.Qxe5 Qe7 

Putting Black's Queen on e7 or f6 is a standard defensive setup. The question is always: what to do next?

9.Qxc7 Nf6 10.d3 Ng4 

Attack! More reasonable, if less exciting, was 10...d6 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 when the second player might have an edge. But, who wants an "edge" against a refuted opening? I mean, White has to be busted, right?

11.Nd5 Bxf2+ 

According to plan, even though Black should bail with 11...Bd6 12.Nxe7 Bxc7 13.Ng6+ Kg8 14.Nxh8 Kxh8 when White would have the advantage of a Rook and 3 pawns against a Bishop and Knight.

Things begin to look scary for White's King, but he will find his way to safety.

12.Kd2 Qg5+ 

13.Kc3 Qe5+ 

I don't know if Black overlooked the fact that this allowed the exchange of Queens, but he had a better move in 13...Qg6, even if it still left him worse off. 

14.Qxe5 Nxe5 15.Rf1 Ng4 

 16.h3 Black resigned

Black will lose a piece after all.

No Hurry

Wall,B - Guest6602130
PlayChess.com, 2014

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7

A piece is a piece is a piece. Still, Bill has had an opponent decline: 5...Kf8 6.Bb3 Nf6 7.Nxe5 Nxe5 8.d4 Bb4 9.dxe5 Nxe4 10.Qd5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest2310139, PlayChess.com, 2014.

6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6

Possibly better was 7...Kf8 8.Qxe5 d6.

8.Qd5+ Ke8

Bill has also seen: 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 22.0-0-0 Nb4 23.Qd2 Qxg3 24.Nh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Jllib976, Chess.com, 2010.

9.Qxc5 Qe7 

Or 9...d6 10.Qa3 N8e7 11.0-0 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,Bill - Mbgmx, Chess.com, 2010.

10.Qxc7 Nf6 11.0-0 Kf7 12.Qc4+ Qe6 13.Qd4 Re8 14.f4 Qb6 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.e5 

With three pawns for his sacrificed piece, White is willing to play against Black's structural weaknesses (doubled isolated b-pawns, restrained d-pawn, blocked in Bishop) in stead of an attack on the King.

Black's slip on his next move makes the task easier.

16...Nh5

The safer retreat was 16...Nh7.

17.g4 Nhxf4 18.d4 d6 19.exd6 Bxg4 20.Bxf4 Kg8 

White is comfortably up two passed pawns. He does not have to be in a hurry.

21.Bg3 Bh3 22.Rfe1 Rf8 23.Nd5 Rad8 24.Ne7+ Kh7 25.Nxg6 Kxg6

26.Re3 Rf6 27.Be5 Rfxd6

This combination overlooks something.

28.Bxd6 Rxd6 29.Rxh3 Rxd4 30.Rb3 Black resigned