Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: A Win Is A Win

It can be fun to look at a chess position and figure out the sharpest line of play. 

It is a lot easier, when the position appears in a blog post, like this one.

It is harder when the position appears on the board in a game that you are playing.

Even moreso, when the time control is 1-minute.

All that said, White survives handily in the following Jerome Gambit game.

DutchLiLi - MrJBlake

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nxc2+ 

Okay...

White's Knight is threatening a Black Rook on one side of the board, and Black's Knight is threatening a White Rook on the other side of the board.

The Database has 311 games with this position. White wins 65%, even though Stockfish 16.1 evaluates the game as completely even: 0.00.

We will soon see why.

8.Kd1 Nxa1 

The logical followup, although the computer suggests that allowing White to give perpetual check is better, e.g. 8...hxg6 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 10.Qg5+ Ke8 11.Qg6+ etc, draw. 

I am not sure that either player would be happy with that outcome, but with the way things go, perhaps Black should have tried 8...hxg6.

9.Nxh8+ Ke7 

10.Qf7+ 

White has a plan to round up the enemy King. That is most important.

He did have the alternative, 10.Qe5#, but that is mostly a footnote in this chess essay. 

10...Kd6 11.Qf4+ 

With this move White still has the advantage, but he will now have to work a bit more. Instead, there was another footnote, 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qe5#, which I am sure he saw just as soon as he could catch his breath.  

11... Kc6 12.Nf7 

12...Qe7 

12...Qf6 was a bit safer, with the chance to exchange Queens. 

13.Ne5+ Kb6 14.Nc4+ 

This works, although he might have added a piece to the King hunt with 14.Nc3. 

14...Ka6 15.Nba3 

The Knight keeps an eye on the c2 square, keeping its counterpart confined. Instead, 15.Nc3 was the way to keep an advantage, although White's Queen needs to be re-positioned, too.

15...Nf6 

Black is organizing his defense and thinking of eventual counter-attack.

16.d3 d6 

One or two steps? That is always the question for Black's d-pawn. In this case, the answer is two.

17.Qg5 

White wants his Queen to go Queenside.

17...h6 

Must be the clock. With 17...c5 18.Qd2 b6, Black would have limited the enemy Queen.

18.Qa5 checkmate

BSJG: From Defeat to Full Point

angelcamina titled the following game "From Defeat to Full Point".

He has 1,464 games in The Database. He knows how to persist to the full point.

angelcamina - George890

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxh8 

There was a good discussion about this line - in 2011. Check out this blog's post, "Warning: a1 & h8".

8...Nxc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxg8 

Stockfish 16.1 evaluates this position as about a pawn better for Black: Black has the typical Jerome "advantage" of a piece for two pawns. Still, that Knight at a1is out of play; if only White could get to it.

Not as effective is 10.Nc3 Ne7 11.d3 d6 12.Bg5 Be6 13.Qh7 Qd7 14.Kd2 Kd8 15.Qxg6 c6 16.Bxe7+ Bxe7 17.Rxa1 Kc7 18.Qg3 Rg8 19.Qe3 Rxg2 20.Qf3 Rxh2 21.Rc1 Bg5+ 22.Kc2 Bxc1 23.Kxc1 Qh7 24.Kc2 Qh6 25.Qg3 Qh4 26.Qg7+ Kb6 27.Na4+ Ka6 28.b4 Qxf2+ 29.Kc3 Qd2+ 30.Kd4 Qxb4+ White resigned, angelcamina - Silver75, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025 

10...Qg5 11.g3

This move risks checkmate.

angelcamina has also tried 11.d4 Qxg2 12.Re1 Qf3+ 13.Re2 Qd3+ (13...Qf7!?) 14.Rd2? (14.Ke1 =) 14...Qf1 checkmate angelcamina - S2JesuS2, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021

Probably best was 11.Rg1.

11...Qg4+ 12.Ke1 Qxe4+ 13.Kd1 Qxh1+ 14.Ke2 

Things look bleak for White (a threatened mate in 9 moves), but there is something in his favor. He has experience: over 40,600 games played at lichess.org, the vast majority of which are bullet. And this game is a 1-minute bullet game.

14...Qxc1 

This move preserves Black's advantage, but overlook 14...Qe4+ 15.Kf1 d5 16.f3 Qxf3+ 17.Kg1 Bh3 18.Qxg6+ Kd7 19.Qh7+ Kc6 20.Qxh3 Bc5+ 21.d4 Bxd4+ 22.Be3 Bxe3 checkmate 

15.Qxg6+ Ke7 16.Qe4+ Kd6 17.Qd4+ Kc6 

Black's King looks unsafe, but he should be able to deal with the Queen's checks.

To add to White's worries, Black has the threat of ...Qe1+, which allows the exchange of Queens due to the Knight fork at c2.

18.Nc3 Nc2 

White's courage is rewarded.

Instead, 18...Qe1+ 19.Kf3 Qh1+ 20.Ke2 b6 and Black's King will escape to safety at b7, with advantage. 

19.Qd5+ Kb6 20.Qb5 checkmate

I am reminded of a book I once read, in which a pilot observed a crewman on their aircraft carrier stand - without flinching - an inch or so away from where the catapult (which would launch a jet) would stop...

BSJG: Enemy King in Danger

When Black counter's White's plans for a Giuoco Piano, by moving the game into a Blackburne Shilling Gambit, he needs to be prepared for the dangers that can come if White counters by moving play into the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

Mr_Yan - Bata1111

15 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 

Staying off of the e8-h5 diagonal?

The King is up to less mischief on e8.

6.Qh5 

Going after the enemy King immediately - even at the risk of danger on his own Queenside.

Standard play starts with the kick 6.c3.

6...Nf6 

Flexing. Instead, 6...Qe8 provided more defense. 

7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4+ 

8...Kc6 9.Ne5+ 

White realizes that chasing the enemy King to the Queenside isn't going to give him the result he had hoped for.

9...Kd6 

10.f4 

Protecting his Knight.

Worth a try was abandoning the piece with 10.Na3!?, as the greedy 10...Kxe5 would allow checkmate: 11.Nc4+ Kxe5 12.d3+ Kf5 13.g4+ Kxg4 14.Rg1+ Kh3 15.Rg3+ Kxh2 16.Bf4 d5 17.Ne3 Bb4+ 18.c3 Bxc3+ 19.bxc3 Nc2+ 20.Ke1 Nxa1 21.Qg4 Bg4+ 22.Rxg4 Kh3 23.Rg1 d4 24.Rh1#

The best response to 10.Na3 is the pragmatic 10...c6, creating an escape square for the Black King.

10...Qe7 11.Qc4 

It is difficult to believe, at first glance, that Stockfish 16.1 evaluates Black as winning, here.

That is because it "sees" one move that solidifies his advanced Knight and allows his King escape to safety.

11...Nc6 

It is easy to overlook 11...c5, but the text blocks the King's movement. 

12.Nf7+ Qxf7 

Unfortunate.

13.Qxf7 Be7 14.e5+ Black resigned

Black will lose more material.

Blackburne Shilling Gambit: Counter-Surprise

Although we do not have any game examples, it is said that Joseph Henry Blackburne played his Shilling Gambit to quickly win wagers placed upon his casual games.

When Black plays the Shilling Gambit, hoping to surprise his opponent, he is often not ready for a counter-surprise, if the opening becomes Jeromed.

feritTurkey - SviRep

5 0 blitz, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 

Black does best now to give up the exchange with 7...hxg6 8.Qxh8, still with the advantage after 8...Nxc2+.

Instead, 7...Nxc2+ 8.Kd1 hxg6 allows White to play 9.Qxg6+ and draw by repetition, if he wants. Instead, 9.Qxh8 Nxa1 10.Qxg8 Qg5 favors Black.

This whole line is worth looking at before playing it, for either Black or White.

7...Nf6 8.Qe5+ Ne6 9.Nxh8 

9...Bd6 

The Bishop is placed with the hope that it will be part of an attack on White's King, once it castles.

Also seen was 9...Bg7 10.d3 Ng4 11.Qh5+ Kf8 12.Qf7 checkmate, feritTurkey - TurkoLoco, lichess.org, 2023 and 9...Ng4 10.Qh5+ Ke7 11.Qxg4 Bg7 12.Qh4+ Bf6 13.Qxh7+ Kd6 14.Nf7+ Black resiged, feritTurkey - queenwin_1492, lichess.org, 2024.

Now the White Queen goes on a deadly road trip.

10.Qc3 Nxe4 

Or 10...Ke7 11.O-O Qxh8 12.Na3 b6 13.Nc4 Ba6 14.Nxd6 Bxf1 15.Kxf1 cxd6 16.Qa3 Nxe4 17.d3 N4c5 White resigned, feritTurkey - Tomek_Kowalski, lichess.org, 2022. 

11.Qf3 N4g5 12.Qh5+ Ke7 

13.d3 Bb4+ 14.c3 Bd6 

Time to wrap things up.

15.Bxg5+ Nxg5 16.Qxg5+ Ke8 17.Qg8+ Ke7 18.Qf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Despite

Despite the fact that the Jerome Gambit and its relatives are considered "refuted" openings, devotees continue to play the lines, with success.

The Database has almost 1,300 games by angelcamina, who scores 64% - all at bullet speed.

In the following game, he collects another point.

angelcamina - GGGOKHANSS

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Ke7 

"The only way to defeat a gambit is to accept it." - Steinitz

"I don't believe in psychology. I believe in good moves." - Fischer

"Capturing the Bishop is about a pawn better for Black; Declining the Bishop is about 3 pawns better for White" - Stockfish 16.1, if it could talk

5.Nxe5 

The text is about as strong as retreating the Bishop to c4 or b3 - or capturing the Knight: 5.Bxg8 Nxf3+ 6.Qxf3 d6 7.Bb3 Qe8 8.d4 exd4 9.Bg5+ Kd7 10.Qf5+ Kc6 11.Ba4+ b5 12.Qxb5 checkmate, angelcamina - Black_attac, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 

5...d6 

Or, 5...Nf6 6.Bb3 d6 7.Nf3 Bg4 8.c3 Nxf3+ 9.gxf3 Bh5 10.d4 Kd7 11.Be3 c6 12.Nd2 Kc7 13.Qc2 Be7 14.O-O-O Rc8 15.Bf4 Kb8 16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 Nd5 18.Ne4 Ka8 19.Bg3 Bf7 20.Nd6 Bxd6 21.exd6 Qb6 22.c4 Nb4 23.Qf5 Bg6 24.Qg5 Rhe8 25.d7 Black resigned, angelcamina - BatuBey_22, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022 

6.Bxg8 dxe5 7.Bc4 

Or, retreating further, 7 Bb3 Ke8 8.O-O Be6 9.Bxe6 Nxe6 10.c3 Ng5 11.d4 Bd6 12.dxe5 Bxe5 13.Qxd8+ Rxd8 14.f4 Nxe4 15.fxe5 Ng5 16.Bxg5 Rd5 17.Bf4 Rd2 18.Nxd2 Black resigned, angelcamina - nicolasabra, lichess.org, 2019

7...Ke8 

This looks something like the position after move 3, with one less Knight for White and two fewer pawns for Black. Oh, and Black's King can no longer castle.

White now collects some material.

8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxe5+ Kd7 10.Qxd4+ Ke8 11.Qxh8 

Down a Rook, a Knight, and 3 pawns, Black decides to continue playing. Perhaps he has an eye on the clock? It is a 1-minute game, after all.

11...Bg4 12.Qe5+ Be7 13.d3 c6 14.Bg5 Qd7 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Qxe7+ Kxe7 

Did Henry David Thoreau play chess? In any event, his advice here was followed: Simplify, simplify simplify.

17.O-O Be6 18.Bxe6 Kxe6 19.Nc3 Rd8 20.f4 b5 21.Rae1 a5 

In short order, White now opens lines, creates a passed pawn, and always has his eyes on checkmate.

22.f5+ gxf5 23.exf5+ Kf6 24.Ne4+ Ke5 25.f6 Rf8 26.f7 Ke6 27.Ng5+ Kd7 28.Nxh7 Rxf7 29.Rxf7+ Kd6 30.Ng5 Black resigned

BSJG: Hunting the Uncooperative King

The Following Blackburn Shilling Jerome Gambit game features a King hunt, and a very uncooperative King.

White eventually corralled the monarch, but not without effort.

anilone - mohammadkhanbeyg

10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburn Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburn Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

The King can also retreat with 5...Ke8, as in Nater - Rogers, Ballarat, 1975 (0-1, 46).

6.c3

This is the right idea, and it tempts Black to pursue material. 

6...Kxe5 

Of equal strength is 6...Nc6, e.g. 7.Qg4+ Kxe5 8.d4+ (8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.d4 Nce7? 10.Bf4+ Black resigned, anilone - butilicapetrica, lichess.org, 2024) 8...Kd6 9.e5+ Nxe5 10.dxe5+ Kxe5 11.Bg5 Nf6 12.Qf4+ Ke6 13.O-O d5 14.c4 c6 15.Nc3 Bd6 16.cxd5+ Kf7 17.Qf3 Rf8 18.dxc6 bxc6 19.Qxc6 Be6 20.Rad1 Ke7 21.Ne4 Qd7 22.Rxd6 Qxc6 23.Rxc6 h6 24.Bxf6+ gxf6 25.Re1 Kf7 26.Nd6+ Kg6 27.Rxe6 Rab8 28.b3 a5 29.Ne4 a4 30.Nxf6 axb3 31.Nd7+ Kg7 32.Rg6+ Kf7 33.axb3 Rfd8 34.Ne5+ Kf8 35.Rcf6+ Ke7 36.Rf7+ Ke8 37.Rg8 checkmate, anilone - fhat31, lichess.org, 2024. 

7.cxd4+ 

White has also experimented with 

7.Qh5+ Ke6 8.Qd5+ (8.cxd4 Nf6 9.Qd5+? White resigned, anilone - Togtamyrat, lichess.org, 2024) 8...Ke7 9.Qxd4 d6 10.d3 c5 11.Qe3 Kf7 12.O-O Be7 13.f4 h6 14.e5 d5 15.f5 Bg5 16.e6+ Kf6 17.Qf3 Bxc1 18.Rxc1 Qd6 19.d4 c4 20.Re1 Ke7 21.Re5 Qb6 22.Qg3 Qxb2 23.Qxg7+ Kd6 24.Re1 Qxa1 25.e7 Nxe7 26.Qxe7+ Kc6 27.Qc5+ Kd7 28.Re7+ Kd8 29.Qc7 Black resigned, anilone - PPNRegKal, lichess.org, 2024; and 

7.f4+ Kd6 8.e5+ Kc6 9.cxd4 d5 10.O-O b6 11.Qa4+ Kb7 12.Nc3 Bd7 13.Qb3 Bc6 14.a4 Rb8 15.a5 Ka8 16.axb6 cxb6 17.Nb5 Bxb5 18.Qxb5 Ne7 19.d3 Qe8 20.Qa6 Nc6 21.Be3 Qd7 22.Rfc1 Nb4 23.Qa3 Nc2 24.Qxa7+ Qxa7 25.Rxa7+ Kxa7 26.Rxc2 Be7 27.Rc6 Rb7 28.f5 Rf8 29.g4 Ka6 30.Kg2 Kb5 31.Re6 h6 32.Kg3 Kb4 33.Bd2+ Kb3 34.Bc3 Bb4 35.Bxb4 Kxb4 36.Rd6 Kb3 37.Rxd5 Kxb2 38.e6 Kc3 39.Kf4 Kxd3 40.Ke5 Kc4 41.Rd7 Rxd7 42.exd7 Rd8 43.Ke6 b5 44.h4 b4 45.g5 hxg5 46.hxg5 Kxd4 47.f6 gxf6 48.gxf6 b3 49.f7 b2 50.Ke7 Rxd7+ 51.Kxd7 b1=Q 52.f8=Q Qb5+ 53.Ke6 Qd5+ 54.Kf6 Qf3+ 55.Kg7 Qg4+ 56.Kf7 Qf5+ 57.Kg8 Qe6+ 58.Qf7 Qg4+ 59.Qg7+ Qxg7+ 60.Kxg7 Drawn, anilone - dgverma93, lichess.org, 2024 

7...Kxd4 

Taking the bait. In 212 games in The Database, White now scored 65%. 

Taking the e-pawn was no solution, either, e.g. 7...Kxe4 8.Qh5 Nf6 9.Qe5+ (9.d3+ Kxd4 10.Qb5+ Kxd4 11.Be3+ Ke4 12.Nc3 checkmate) Kd3 10.Qe3+ (10.O-O!?) Kc4 11.Na3+ (11.b3+ Kb5 12.Nc3+ Kb6 13.d5+ Bc5 14.Na4+ Ka6 15.Nxc5+ Kb5 16.a4+ Black resigned, anilone - STEAUA1980, lichess.org, 2024) 11...Kd5 12.Qe5+ Kc6 13.Qb5+ Kd6 14.O-O Ke7 15.Re1+ Kf7 16.Nc4 d6 17.Qd5+ Kg6 18.Ne5+ Kh5 19.Qf3+ Bg4 20.Nxg4 Nxg4 21.h3 Qh4 22.Qf5+ Qg5 23.hxg4+ Black resigned anilone - Sanmisongz. lichess.org. 2024. 

Giving Black an edge was 7...Ke6 8.d3 (or 8.d5+ Ke7 9.d4 d6 10.Bg5+ Nf6 11.e5 dxe5 12.dxe5 Kf7 13.O-O h6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Qh5+ Kg7 16.e6 Qe7 17.Nc3 Rh7 18.f4 Kh8 19.f5 Bg7 20.Ne4 b6 21.Rad1 Bb7 22.d6 cxd6 23.Nxd6 Bc6 24.Nf7+ Kg8 25.Rd6 Rc8 26.Rfd1 Bf8 27.Qg6+ Rg7 28.Nxh6+ Kh8 29.Nf7+ Rxf7 30.exf7 Qe3+ 31.Kh1 Bxd6 32.Qxf6+ Kh7 33.Qxd6 Bxg2+ 34.Kxg2 Rc2+ 35.Kh1 Qf3+ 36.Kg1 Qf2+ 37.Kh1 Qg2 checkmate, anilone - lorountu, lichess.org, 2024) 8...Qf6 9.d5+ Kf7 10.O-O Bc5 11.Be3 d6 12.Nc3 Ne7 13.d4 Bb4 14.f4 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Rf8 16.e5 Qf5 17.c4 Kg8 18.e6 Bxe6 19.dxe6 Qxe6 20.Qd3 Nf5 21.Rae1 Nxe3 22.Rxe3 Qf5 23.Qxf5 Rxf5 24.Re7 Rf7 25.Rfe1 b6 26.g3 c5 27.d5 a6 28.R1e6 Rxe7 29.Rxe7 b5 30.Rd7 bxc4 31.Kf2 c3 32.Ke2 Rb8 33.Kd3 Rb2 34.Kxc3 Rxa2 35.Rxd6 Rxh2 36.Rxa6 Rg2 37.d6 Rxg3+ 38.Kc4 Kf7 39. f5 g6 40. Kxc5 gxf5 41. Ra7+ Ke8 42. Rxh7 f4 43. Kd5 f3 44. Kc6 f2 45.Rh8+ Kf7 46.Rh7+ Kg6 47.Rh1 Rg1 48.Rh8 f1=Q 49.g8+ Kf7 White resigned, anilone - MARQO333, lichess.org, 2024

8.Qh5 

Cutting the enemy King off from returning to his home is a good idea, although it is not the best one. Instead, 8.Nc3 was seen in 13 games in The Database, with White scoring 72%.

Such an exposed King surely must get checkmated!

8...Nf6 9.Qg5 

Keeping the enemy far afield, and an improvement over 9.Qb5 c6 10.Qa4+ Ke5 11.d4+ Kxe4 12.Nc3+ Kf5 13.d5 Qe7+ 14.Be3 cxd5 15.O-O Kg6 16.Bd4 Qb4 17.Qc2+ Kf7 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Nxd5 Qc5 20.Qf5 Bg7 21.Rac1 Qa5 22.Rfe1 d6 23.Re7+ Kg8 24.Rxc8+ Rxc8 25.Qe6+ Black resigned, anilone - Wacwacnepo, lichess.org, 2023. 

9...d5 

This is an all-around useful move for the defender.

10.e5 Qe7 

Black pins the e-pawn, but this move neglects the safety of his King. Better was 10...Kc5 11.d4!? Kc6 12.O-O Be6 13.exf6 Qxf6 with continued equality.

11.Qe3+ Kc4 

12.Qc3+ 

Instead, 12.Na3+ would force the win of the enemy Queen with 12...Qxa3 13.bxa3, because 12...Kb4 would allow 13.Qc3+ Ka4 14.b3 checkmate.

12...Kb5 

The King keeps trying to escape. White could now try 13.a4+ Kb6 14.a5+ Ka6 15.O-O Ne8, but Black would have an edge. Frustrating!

13.Na3+ Ka6 

A slip - and a fatal one. Still good for Black was 13...Kb6 14.Qb3+ Qb4 15.Qxb4+ Bxb4 16.exf6 Bf5 17.O-O gxf6.

14.Qd3+ Kb6 15.Qb5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: A Map

Experience with an opening line is like a map to help you along the way. 

In the following game, White shows that he has the proper directions.

angel_camina - StaleDustyBelly

1 1 bullet, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Bd6 

 Recently seen in "Not Poisoned But Tasty". 

In a bullet game, one grabs whatever tactic or threat is at hand. Unfortunaetly for Black, angelcamina has been in this position 14 times previously and knows that the Rook is not "poisoned".

One player has the map to this opening, the other does not.

8.Qxh8 Qg5 

I would not be surprised to learn that StaleDustyBelly has played the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, as in that counter-attacking defense ...Qg5 is a dynamic part of the opening. 

Alas, The Database has 37 games with 8...Qg5, and White scores  84%. 

9.Qxh7+ Ke8 10.O-O 

No need to be greedy, although 10.Qxg8+ Bf8 11.O-O was an alternate path. 

10...Nf6 11.Qh8+ Ke7 12.d4 

Threatening the Queen, as well as a fork at e5.

12...Qg4 

13.e5 b6 

Hoping against hope: if he can get his Bishop to b7, he can threaten both checkmate and the enemy Queen.

However, White now has a forced checkmate.

14.Qxf6+ Ke8 15.exd6 c6 16.Re1+ Black resigned

White will win Black's Queen after 16...Qe6, and then deliver checkmate the next move.

(Yes, yes, Readers, White also had 16.Qe7 checkmate. You win your way, angelcamina will win his.)

Jerome Gambit: Objective vs Subjective

The following game got me thinking about something I wrote in "Blackburne Shilling JeromeGambit: Objective and Subjective"

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. 

angelcamina - LechstergFelix3

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. 

White has calmer and more sober responses in 4.0-0, 4.Nxd4, and 4.d3, but the Bishop sacrifice is more Jerome-ish.

To be fair, I have not found any games with Alonzo Wheeler Jerome playing this line. 

I also have not found any games with Joseph Henry Blackburne playing his "shilling gambit," either.

See "Jerome Gambit: Blackburne Shilling / Kostic Jerome Gambit (Parts 1 & 2)".

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

An overview of angelcamina's games with the gambit can be found at "Jerome Gambit: No One Ever Won A Game By Resigning"  

It can be said that Stockfish 16.1, at 31 ply, evaluates the alternative 5...Ke8 as strong as 5...Ke6.

6.Qh5

angelcamina is 11 - 14 -1 in games with this position. Given that the computer rates Black as being 3 1/3 pawns better (30 ply), that is a decent result.

Also seen here is 6.c3. Play might continue 6...Nc6 (6...Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Ke6) 7.d4 Nxe5 8.dxe5 Kf7 (8...Kxe5 9.Qd5+ Kf6 10.Bg5+ Kg6 11.Qf5+ Kh5 12.g4#) 9.e6+ Ke8 (9...Kxe6 10.Qd5+ Ke7 11.Bg5+ Nf6 12.e5) 10.Qh5+ as in the twin games wolfpack123 - chessgeekdavidb, GameKnot.com 2006 and wolfpack123 - dbohm, GameKnot.com 2006 (1-0, 34).

6...Nf6 7.Qf7+ Kd6 

Black turns down the offer of a piece that he could have had with 7...Kxe5. With the clock ticking, quick decisions have to be made.

8.Nc4+ Kc5

8...Kc6 

If Black's King looks like he is in danger, that is because he is. He can survive his perilous position, but it will take care.

9.b4+ 

Throw another log on the fire.

9...Kxb4 

Skeptical. He figures he can give back a piece and survive.

10.c3+ Kb5 11.cxd4 

11...c6  

An escape hatch, if Black's King can reach it.

12.Nba3+ Ka6 13.O-O b5 

Probably better was 13...d5.

14.Ne3 Kb7 

White is now a pawn ahead, and Black has castled-by-hand, but the biggest disparity is the first player's lead in development.

15.e5 Nd5 

Stockfish 16.1 suggests the unpalatable 15...Ne8, instead.

16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.Qxd5+ Kb8 

18.d3 Bb7 19.Qxb5 Qg5

Time slip? Mouse slip? It is now essentially Game Over.

20.Bxg5 h6 21.Bf4 

Setting up a discovered check, showing that angelcamina always has tactics in mind. Still, 21.Rab1 would put Black out of his misery quicker.

21...g5 22.Bg3 Bg7 23.e6+ Kc8 24.e7 Black resigned

Checkmate in 3 is threatened.