The Mingrelia Defence Returns (Part 1)

                                                           

The Jerome Gambit is an odd enough opening that it can catch defenders unaware - the surprise value is not to be underestimated.

In the following game, however, my opponent "out-surprises" me; but if my intended Jerome Gambit is sketchy, his defense is also - although not as bad as the Jerome, at least in the computer's evaluation.

perrypawnpusher - MatheusDescia

"Wal2010's 3rd Thematic", Chess.com, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Qf6 

A rare defense - see "The Mingrelia Defence: The Jerome Gambit Contravened".

My opponent had every good reason to try this defense, as it erases much of my opening knowledge. Certainly, it avoids the Jerome Gambit!

It also adds some chess confusion. For example, here is a recent high level game with the same defense - I have used Geoff Chandler's "Blunder Table" to apply "?" where any move changed Stockfish 17.1's harsh position evaluations by more than a pawn. I think the time control was Game/60.

Parpiev, Isaak (2433) - Erigaisi, Arjun Kum (2775)

1st Thursday, Jan 29, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Qf6 4.c3 Qg6 5.O-O d6 6.d4 Bh3? 7.Nh4 Qxe4? 8.Bg5? Qg4 9. Qxg4? Bxg4 10.Re1 h6 11.Be3 Be7 12.Nf3 Bxf3 13.gxf3 exd4 14.cxd4 Nb4?! 15.Re2? d5 16.Bb3 c6 17.Nc3 Kd7 18.Ba4 b5?19.a3? bxa4 20.axb4 Bxb4 21.Nxa4 Ne7 22.Bd2 Bd6? 23.Bc3 Ng6 24.b4 Nf4 25.Rea2 Rhb8 26.Nc5+ Bxc5 27.dxc5 Ke6? 28.Kf1 d4 29.Bd2? Nd3 30.Ra4 Kd5 31.Ke2 Nb2 32.Rxa7 Re8+ 33.Kf1 Rxa7 34.Rxa7 Nc4? 35.Be1? Ne5 36.Bd2 Nxf3 37.Bf4 g5 38.Bg3 Re1+ 39.Kg2 g4 White resigned

A side note:  the earlier post "A Bit More Chess History" introduces the related Greco Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Qf6, and a couple of games from 1620. 

Also a game where the American champion, Paul Morphy, faced, and defeated, 2...Qf6. 

Finally, a modern blitz game between two players rated 2300+.

Now, back to the game at hand.

4.Nc3 

The earliest example that I have in The Database of 3...Qf6 is from a 10-game Joseph Henry Blackburne blindfold exhibition at the City of London Chess Club in 1871. 

Patrick T. Duffy, writing in The Westminster Papers, June 1871, commented

Black's opening may be associated with those appearing in the French works, under the denomination of Défenses faibles [weak defenses].

Quite possibly, the player of the Black pieces hoped to confound the blindfolded master in the game Diffy was referring to, although he was unsuccessful: 4.O-O d6 5.Nc3 Be6 6.Nd5 Bxd5 7.exd5 Na5 8.d3 h6 9.Bd2 Nxc4 10.dxc4 Qd8 11.Re1 Be7 12.Bc3 Nf6 13.h3 O-O 14.Nh2 Qd7 15.Ng4 Qf5 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Qd3 Qg6 18.Qxg6 fxg6 19.Re2 g5 20.b4 Rad8 21.a4 e4 White won, Blackburne,J - Manning,J, City of London CC, blindfold exhibition, 1871)

4...Bc5 5.O-O 

Or White can immediately choose to entice the enemy Queen to return home with 5.Nd5, e.g. 5...Qd8 (5...Qg6?! 6.Nxc7+ Kd8 7.Nxa8 Qxg2 8.Rf1 White won, Wall,B - NN, internet, 2020; 5...Qd6 6.Ng5 [6.c3 Nge7 7.d4 Bb6 8.dxe5 Qc5 9.Qe2 Nxd5 10.exd5 Na5 11.Bd3 d6 12.exd6+ Be6 13.dxe6 O-O-O 14.d7+ Kb8 15.e7 c6 16.e8=Q Qd5 17.Qxh8 Qxd7 18.Qxd8+ Bxd8 19.Bf4+ Kc8 20.b4 White won, Aguirre Inchaurbe,P - Segear,G, LSS, 2014] 6...Nh6 7.Qh5 Nd8 8.Nf3 c6 9.Nc3 Bxf2+? 10.Kxf2 Qc5+ 11.d4 Qxc4 12.Bxh6 gxh6 13.Qxe5+ Ne6 14.Qxh8+ Nf8 15.Qe5+ Ne6 16.Rhf1 d5 17.exd5 cxd5 18.Nxd5 Qxc2+ 19.Kg1 Kd8 20.Qd6+ Bd7 21.Ne5 Nf8 22.Qe7+ White won,  Abioye,Y - Gregoryanz,P, Winnipeg CAN, 2020) 6.c3 Bb6 7.a4 d6 8.b4 a6 9.Nxb6 cxb6 10.d4 Bg4 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Bxf7+? Kxf7 13.Ng5+ Qxg5 14.Qd5+ Be6 15.Bxg5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Nce7 17.O-O-O Nf6 18.Rhe1 Nexd5 19.Rxe5 Nxc3 20.Rde1 Rae8 Black won, Tiegana - Wall,B, internet, 1998.

There is also the calm 5.d3, as in Sabirova,O - Danierova,R, Tashkent, 2011: 5...h6 6.Be3 d6 7.Nd5 Qd8 8.c3 Nf6 9.O-O Bg4 10.Bxc5 dxc5 11.Ne3 O-O 12.Nxg4 Nxg4 13.Bb5 Qd6 14.h3 Nf6 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Qe2 Nh5 17.g3 f5?! 18.exf5 Rxf5 19.Nh4 Rg5 20.Ng2 Rf8 21.Qe4 Nf6 22.Qc4+ Nd5 23.Rae1 Kh8 24.h4 Rgf5 25.Ne3 Rf3 26.Qe4 Nxe3 27.Rxe3 Rxe3 28.Qxe3 Rd8 29.Re1 Qxd3 30.Qxd3 Rxd3 31.Rxe5 Rd2 32.Rxc5 Rxb2 33.a4 Ra2 34.a5 Kg8 35.Kg2 Kf8 36.Rxc6 Rxa5 37.Rxc7 Ra3 38.Kf3 a5 39.Ke4 a4 40.Kf5 Ra2 41.f4 Re2 42.g4 Re8 43.Ra7 Rc8 44.Rxa4 Rxc3 45.Ra8+? Kf7 46.Ra7+ Kg8 47.Kg6 Rc6+ 48.Kh5 Rc8 49.f5 Rf8 50.Re7 Kh7 51.Re6 Rf7 52.Re8 Rf6 53.Re7 Rf8 54.Re5 Ra8 55.g5 hxg5 56.hxg5 Rf8 57.g6+ Kg8 58.Kg5 Ra8 59.Re7 Rf8 60.Rd7 Ra8 61.Kf4 Re8 62.Rc7 Kf8 63.Kg4 Kg8 64.Kg5 Kf8 65.Rd7 Kg8 66.Rd6 Kf8 67.Rb6 Kg8 68.Kf4 Kf8 69.Rb5 Kg8 70.Re5 Ra8 71.Re2 Kf8 72.Re6 Ra4+ 73.Kg5 Ra8 74.f6 Ra5+ 75.Kf4 gxf6 76.Rxf6+ Kg7 77.Rb6 Rc5 draw

5...d6 

Instead, 5...Nh6 develops a piece, but does nothing about White's threatened Knight leap 6.Nd5 Bxf2+ 7.Rxf2 Qd6 8.d4 Ng4 9.Rf1 O-O 10.Nh4 Nxd4 11.Qxg4 Nxc2 12.Nf5 Qc5+ 13.Kh1 g6 14.Qg5 c6 15.Nh6+ Kg7 16.Qf6 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest442049, internet, 2017.

More to the point was for Black to put the Knight on e7, i.e. 5...Nge7 to be met by 6.d4 although there is also 

6.d3 h6 7.Be3 (7.h3 d6 8.Be3 Bb4 9.Nd5 Nxd5 10.exd5 Nd4 11.Bxd4 exd4 12.c3 dxc3 13.Qa4+ Bd7 14.Qxb4 O-O 15.Qxc3 Qg6 16.d4 Bxh3 17.Nh4 Qh5 18.Qxh3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Sandy, internet, 2022) 7...Bxe3 8.fxe3 d6 9.Nd4 Qg6 10.Bxf7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Sailu, internet, 2022; or

6.Nd5 Nxd5 7.exd5 Na5 8.Nxe5 Qxe5 9.Re1 Bxf2+ 10.Kxf2 Nxc4 11.Rxe5+ Nxe5 12.Qe2 d6 13.d4 Bg4 14.Qe4 f5 15.Qe1 O-O-O 16.dxe5 Rde8 17.e6 c6 18.c4 c5 19.Bf4 Kc7 20.Qa5+ b6 21.Qxa7+ Kd8 22.Qd7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - hgamez, blitz, FICS, 2010; or

6.Bd5 O-O 7.d3 h6 8.Be3 Bb6 9.a4 Ng6 10.Nb5 a6 11.Bxb6 cxb6 12.Na3 Nf4 13.g3 Nxd5 14.exd5 Ne7 15.Nc4 d6 16.Nxb6 Bg4 17.Kg2 Rad8 18.Re1 Ng6 19.h3 White won, DrHealusion - annali, blitz, internet, 2018 

6...Nxd4 7.Nxd4 Bxd4 8.Nd5 Nxd5 9.Bxd5 O-O 10.Be3 Bxb2 11.Rb1 Ba3?! (11...Bd4) 12.Rb3 Be7 13.f4?! (13.Bxb7) 13...exf4? (13...c6) 14.Rxf4 Qg6 15.Rg4 Qa6 16.Bd4 Bf6 17.Bxf6?! (17.Rbg3) 17...Qxf6 18.Rbg3 g6 19.Rg5? d6 20.h3 Be6 21.Qh5 Bxd5 22.exd5 Rae8 23.Qh6 Re5 24.h4 Re1+ 25.Kh2 Qf1 26.Rf3 Qh1+ 27.Kg3 Re2 28.Rf2 Rxf2 29.Kxf2 Re8 30.Rg4 Qe1+ 31.Kf3 Qe2+ (31...Re2) 32.Kg3 Qe5+ 33.Kh3 Qf5 34.Qg5 Qxg5 35.hxg5 Re3+ 36.g3 Kf8 37.Rc4 Re7 38.a4 Ke8 39.a5 Kd7 40.a6 b6 41.Rc6 Re5 42.Kg4 Rxd5 43.Rc3 Ra5 44.Rf3 Ra4+ 45.Kh3 Ke7 46.Re3+ Kf8 47.Rf3 Rxa6 48.c4 Ra5 49.Rf6 Rf5 50.Rxf5 gxf5 51.g4 Kg7 0–1 Black won, chessriddler - Marshalofsweden, lichess.org, 2023 

6.Nd5 Qd8

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Like Lightning Out of A Clear Sky

In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, the defender drives back the attacking enemy Queen, and the first player is forced to make a couple of apparently innocuous moves. 

One of those moves, however, contains a threat which might have been see-able, if the time control had been different.

Instead, lightning strikes.

Panikin_Skywalker - secret_tony

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qe7 

This position is found in 632 games in The Database. White scores 61%.

However, Stockfish 17.5's (30 ply) analysis of the position, in contrast to the outcome of those games, is about 2 pawns better for Black. 

Three-minute games do not give a lot of time for thinking and evaluating; hence, the contrast.

9.Qe3 Nf6 10.d3 d5 11.b3 

This works, most likely, because Black expects the enemy Bishop to go to b2, overlooking a more dangerous deployment.

11...dxe4 12.Ba3 

Ouch.

12...c5 

Or 12...Ng4 13.Bxe7+ Black resigned, chessriddler - jeisonlucio, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025; 

Or 12...exd3 13.Bxe7+ Nxe7 14.cxd3 Kf7 15.O-O c6 16.Nc3 Bd7 17.Ne4 Bf5 18.Ng5+ Kf8 19.Rae1 Re8 20.Ne6+ Kf7 21.Ng5+ Kf8 22.Qf4 h6 23.Ne6+ Bxe6 24.Rxe6 Ned5 25.Qd6+ Kf7 26.Rfe1 Rhf8 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.Rxe8 Kxe8 29.Qb8+ Kf7 30.Qxb7+ Ke6 31.Qxc6+ Kf5 32.Qc8+ Nd7 33.Qxd7+ Kf4 34.Qxd5 g5 35.Qf3+ Ke5 36.Qe4+ Kf6 37.Kf1 a5 38.Ke2 a4 39.Qd5 g4 40.Ke3 g3 41.fxg3 a3 42.Kf4 h5 43.Qe5+ Kg6 44.Qg5+ Kh7 45.Kf5 h4 46.Kf6 h3 47.Qg7 checkmate, chessriddler - Mag375, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025. 

13.Bxc5 

At this point, Black resigned in Panikin_Skywalker - WolfsClaw123, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023 and Panikin_Skywalker - KR4, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2026.  

13...exd3 14.Bxe7+ Nxe7 15.cxd3 

Black resigned

This was also the final position for chessriddler - Wootzyy, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024.

Jerome Gambit: Over-Run by Ghosts

There are times when the Jerome Gambit can be characterized as a battle between "extra" pawns and an "extra" piece.

White's pawns in the following match begin to look like a swarm of ghosts.

Chessriddler sends the following game along.

CANNON_89 - ForkingBishop

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

In other games

6...Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.b4 Bxf2+ 9.Qxf2 Qf6 10.Qc5+ Ke6 11.Rf1 Qh4+ 12.Rf2 Nf6 13.Bb2 d6 14.Qxc7 Bd7 15.Bxe5 dxe5 16.Qc4+ Ke7 17.Nc3 Rac8 18.Qd3 Rxc3 19.Qxc3 Rb8 20.Qxe5+ Kf7 21.Qxb8 Qxe4+ 22.Re2 Qf5 23.Qg3 Be6 24.Qf3 Ke7 25.Qxf5 White won on time, KNVB [Canadian Grandmaster Aman Hambleton] - CANNON_89,Chess.com 2023; and 

6...Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qf6 9.Nc3 c6 10.b3 Nh6 11.Bb2 Ng4 12.O-O-O Bxf2 13.Qd3 Ke7 14.h3 Ne5 15.Qe2 Bb6 16.Rhf1 Qg6 17.Kb1 Be6 18.d4 Nd7 19.d5 Bf7 20.dxc6 bxc6 21.Ba3 c5 22.Nb5 a6 23.Nxd6 Rab8 24.Rxf7+ Qxf7 25.Nxf7 Rhc8 26.Qg4 Rc7 27.Qxg7 Nf6 28.Ng5+ Ke8 29.Qh8+ Ke7 30.Qxb8 Ba5 31.Qd8 checkmate, CANNON_89 - zhar84, lichess.org, 2023

7.Qd5+ 

A "nudge".

7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

Accoring to The Database, in 1,962 games White has scored 59% from this position, even though Stockfish 17.1 (34 ply) rates Black about 2 pawns better.

Jerome Gambit.

10.O-O Be6

Quickly developing the Bishop, but at this location it calls to White's "Jerome pawns".

11.f4 Ne7 12.f5 Bd7 13.d4 Kf7 

Black plans to castle-by-hand.

14.c4 

Another pawn in the center.

14...Re8 15.Nc3 Kg8 16.h3 c6 17.g4 

Those pawns are looking scary. The computer reassures Black that the position is equal, but, still...

17...d5

Black has to strike back at the advancing pawn center, but he would do better using an idea borrowed from the Benko Gambit: 17...c5 18.d5 b5 19.Qf3 b4 20.Ne2 Nxe4 21.Qxe4 Nxf5 22.Qf3 Rxe2 23.Qxe2, still even game.

18.e5 Nc8 19.Qf3 Ne4 

Giving back a pawn, but it is not enough.

20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.Qxe4 

Ghosts!

21...Nb6 

21...b5 was still a good idea. 

22.b3 Qc7

To stop the e-pawn from advancing, but this only works for a move.

23.Bf4 Qd8 

Yikes! Stepping out of the line of fire.

24.e6 Bc8 25.Rad1 Qh4 

Again.

26.Qf3 Rf8 27.d5 

The Flying V.

Contrast the activity of White's pawns versus the inactivity of Black's pieces.

27...cxd5 28.cxd5 Kh8 29.d6 Bxe6 30.fxe6 Black resigned

Connected passed pawns on the 6th rank...

Jerome Gambit: Que Puis-Je Dire?

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has caused a good bit of laughter - by those who play it, and by those who face it.

The following game might very well bring a smile to your face.

Panikin_Skywalker - Erlan_Musa

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.b4 

This move was played as early as Mills, D.Y. - Anonymous, Edinburgh 1899; was analyzed by Stefan Bucker (personal communication) of the Kaissiber chess magazine in 2004; further analyzed by Yury V. Bukayev 5 years ago (see "Jerome Gambit: Article") and has been played by a number of Jerome Gambit specialists, especially by chessriddler, (who has almost 70 games to his name) - and, currently, (and most recently), by Panikin_Skywalker

See "Evans-Jerome Gambit".

8....Bb6 9.f4 Qe7 

With an eye on White's e-pawn, and, beyond it, White's King.

Just as there are times in defending against the Jerome Gambit when ...Qf6 can be helpful - or not - for Black, so, too, ...Qe7 can be useful - or not.

In this particular situation, 9...Ng6 was best, even though, at first glance, it seems to leave the second player's King a bit unprotected.

10.b5 

What's this?

Has White's b-pawn lost its brakes? Has it had too much morning coffee?

What is it doing?

Should we even pay attention to it?

10...Nc4 

Imitating Inspector Jacques Clouseau, of the "Pink Panther" movies, Black's Knight investigates.

11.Qd5 

Checkmate

Que puis-je dire?

Jerome Gambit: Panikin_Skywalker, Again (Part 1)

We have met Panikin_Skywalker previously.

As I wrote, then

One more note: Depending on how Black defends, the Jerome Gambit can present as a Bashi-Bazouk attack, sweeping all before it; or it can become a slow-and-steady game, with White advancing toward the full point with all deliberate speed - as in the following game.

What follows is a game full of excitement - with one minute per side.

Panikin_Skywalker - nyanners, casual bullet game, lichess.org, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

(Unlike the previous Panikin_Skywalker game, I have left out a lot of the computer kvetching about move after move.)

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.d3 Qe7 

Standard Jerome Gambit themes appear: Black has a piece for two pawns, but an uneasy King, and a strongly-placed-but-attackable Queen; White places his hopes in the "Jerome pawns", supported by his own active Queen, using his Rook along the f-file that targets the enemy monarch.

11.b3 

Preparing to develop his dark square Bishop without disturbing his Queen. 

11...Kf7 

Or 11...Qe5 as in chessriddler - Okierete01m lichess.org, 2023 (1-0, 22); or 11...Bd7 12.O-O Re8 as in chessriddler - Let_It_Rip, lichess.org, 2025 (0-1, 42) 

12.O-O 

Instead, chessriddler - meisam1993, lichess.org, 2023 (1-0, 41) saw 12.h3 Re8 13.O-O etc.

12...Re8 

Or 12...Rf8 as in chessriddler - CarlsenNepo21, lichess.org, 2024 (0-1, 61). That's a lot of moves in one minute.

13.Bb2 Kg8 

White has his plan. Does Black?

14.Nd2 Ne5

I see this often in defenses to the Jerome Gambit. It mostly serves as a target for White to play f2-f4.

15.h3 Qf7 16.f4 Nc6 17.Nf3 Qg6 

At this point, Stockfish 16.1 optimistically assessed the position as about even.

White starts something on the Kingside, while Black reacts.

18.Qf2 Qh6 19.f5 Ne5 

This Knight has gone from b8 to c6 to e5 to g6 to e5 to c6 to e5!

20.Nxe5 

And now, off of the board.

20...dxe5 21.Rae1 Bd7 

22.Qg3 Nh5 23.Qh2 Nf4 24.g4

The kind of aggression that sometimes works in bullet, sometimes not. 

 24...Qxh3 25.Bxe5 Qxh2+ 26.Kxh2 

After some tactics, Black will now have to surrender his Knight, leaving White a pawn up - with Bishops-of-opposite-colors on the board.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Panikin_Skywalker (Part 1)

 

Regarding the Jerome Gambit player (elsewhere known as chessriddler, for example, in "Jerome Gambit: Just in Time") in the following game, he self-describes...

Experience as a gas engineer, chess innovator, fire fighter, lifeguard, Royal Marines Overall Best Recruit in training, passionate motorcycle instructor and full of general handy tips and tricks. Sometimes even cooking, should make a varied channel... Eventually!! Mainly chess psychology theory and play.

(Compare that with my own career as a therapist, encapsulated by one of my children, "You talk to kids all day, how hard could that be?" - Rick)

One more note: Depending on how Black defends, the Jerome Gambit can present as a Bashi-Bazouk attack, sweeping all before it; or it can become a slow-and-steady game, with White advancing toward the full point with all deliberate speed - as in the following game.

Panikin_Skywalker - qaflan71

3 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2025 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

Analysis from lichess.org - Stockfish 18? - indicates that this last move ("??") is a "Blunder. d3 was best", moving the evaluation of the position from 0.20 [a slight edge for White] to -2.71 [a won game for Black].

Sic transit gloria mundi.

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

Again, giving Black's last move a "?", the lichess.org engine opines "Mistake. Ke6 was best" as it moves the evaluation of the position from -3.56 to -1.70 - although that is still better for the second player.

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+

As far as I know, this move does not have a name. The earliest example that I have of this return sacrifice, in The Database, is from erik - TheLatvian, blitz, FICS, 2000 (1/2-1/2, 52).

Not surprisingly, the computer gives the move a "??", evaluating it as a "Blunder. Qe7 was best" moving its assessment from -2.02 [better for Black] to 1.25 [better for White].

It is important to note that humans choose their moves for a lot of different reasons, including psychological impact. Being transformed from the attacker to the attacked can have an unsettling effect.

But, is qaflan71 attacking, or simply letting the air out of Panikin_Skywalker's game?

8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6

At the cost of a pawn, Black has exchanged Queens and slowed the game down. This might be frustrating to his opponent.

10.d3 d6 11.Rf1 Kg7

Black's King steps out of the line of fire along the f-file, so White decides to open the a1-h8 diagonal.

12.b3 Rf8 13.Bb2 Kg8

White has an extra pawn, and is developing pressure on the Knight at f6.

Black's King is safe, and, by exchanging Queens, Black has slowed the game down.

There is much more game to go, but the "refuted" opening has done well, so far.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Two Knights Quicksand

In the following game, the defender disappears, as if he had stepped in quicksand... even if he was rated 450+ points higher than the attacker.

You can check out the YouTube video, or just follow along with the moves below.

chessriddler - UnheardAutumn32

casual bullet game, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

Black plays the Two Knights Defense. None of that silly Jerome Gambit stuff.

4.Bxf7+ 

Oooops.

An Impatient Jerome Gambit, played as early as Dr Draper - AW Child, Belfast - Dublin match2, 1891-2 (0-1, 20).

See "Jerome Gambit: Impatience" for more on the move.

4...Kxf7 5.Ng5+

chessriddler notes "Instead of taking the pawn on e file as we would expect."

When the time control is game in 30 seconds, this move can be hard to deal with: even if you "figure it out" it costs precious time on the clock. 

5...Kg6

More from chessriddler - "Riddle style mindset reads know that stronger players typically march forward rather than go back into a square where we all have at some point experienced the Fried Liver Checkmate with a bishop. Also with Habits (An Aman [Hambleton, grandmaster] series as I'm sure you're aware) people can step into a net with the same ideas they would have in the Greek gift."

Safer were either 5...Kg8 or 5...Ke8, but, still, if Black can keep his wits about him... 

6.h4 h6

chessriddler, again, "Now then, if we find our opponents in a position where h4 is met with h6 instead of h5 (virtually the only move) it in fact hangs mate in 4, instead of the lovely mate in 2 finish we see in the game." 

7.h5+ Kxg5 8.d4 checkmate

"Worthy of note, the sequence for mate in 4 can be pre-moved yet a lot of players I've asked to calculate there just can't seem to allow themselves to drop more material in a mating sequence in their heads, thus they give up on the move where they would have to find Qf7+ and state "they can't do it" - almost 100% of people I've asked to find mate in 4 in their heads are a) under 1400 and b) would go to g8 instead of march forward. The players that can see the mating sequence would also play Kg6 instead of Kg8 as 90% of them have faced the fried liver mate and know the Greek Gift as well!!" finishes chessriddler

Jerome Gambit: Just In Time

                                                          

Just in time, chessriddler contributes a game that fills in a gap in current Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) practice and theory.

chessriddler - mouathalsebaie

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6  

This move was addressed recently in the post "You Can Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later" covering Wall, Bill - Docteur, SparkChess, 2025 (1-0, 11).

6.Qg4+ 

Sharp, but sacrificing another piece is best.

6...Kxe5 7.d4+ Nxd4

Not the correct capture. Better was 7...Bxd4, as seen in Wall, Bill - Docteur, SparkChess, 2025.

Chessriddler punishes the text move quickly.

8.Bf4+ Kf6 9.Bg5+ Kf7 10.Bxd8 Nxc2+

It is possible that Black counted on this fork to claw back some material.

11.Kd1 Nxa1 12.Qf5+ 

Simpler was 12.Qh5+ Kf8 13.Qxc5+ snagging the Bishop. But, remember, this is a 3-minute game, and a win is a win is a win.

12...Nf6 13.Bxf6 d6 14.Qg5 gxf6 15.Qh5+ Ke7 

Black has two Bishops for a Rook, but his cornered Knight could be at risk.

16.Nc3 Bxf2 

Tempting, but another factor in play is the risky position of Black's King, as White demonstrates.

17.Nd5+ Kd8 18.Qf7 

White has a forced checkmate in 15 - if Black's defense is the best.

18...Bd7 

Providing more resistance, but still leading to an eventual checkmate, is provided by 18...Bg4+.

19.Qxf6+ Ke8 20.Qe7 checkmate