Shocked

Several times in the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game – a pretty serious struggle – my opponent made shocking moves that had devastating effects – on his own game.

I couldn't figure it out at all.

perrypawnpusher  - fortytwooz
blitz FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

A very practical defense, as old as Jerome - Brownson, USA 1875 (1/2-1/2, 29) and enthusiastically endorsed by Lt. Sorensen in his 1877 article on the Jerome Gambit in Nordisk Skaktidende.

6.Nxc6

The standard reply, although there have been other interesting lines of play:

6.Nd3 Bb6 7.0-0 Qf6 8.Nc3 Nge7 9.Na4 Kf7 10.Nxb6 axb6 11.Qh5+ g6 12.e5 gxh5 13.exf6 Kxf6 14.b3 Rg8 15.a4 d6 16.Bb2+ Kg6 17.Rae1 Bf5 18.Nf4+ Kh6 19.d3 Rg4 20.Bc1 Kg7 21.f3 Rg6 22.Nxg6 hxg6 23.Bb2+ Kf7 24.Re2 Rg8 25.Rfe1 Nd5 26.Kf2 Nf4 27.Rd2 Nb4 28.Kg3 g5 29.h4 Ne6 30.hxg5 Rxg5+ 31.Kh4 Kg6 32.g3 Nc5 33.Re7 Kh6 34.Rxc7 Nd7 35.Rxb7 Nf6 36.Bxf6 Black resigned, Wall - Tim93612, Chess.com, 2010;

6.d4 Nxe5 7.dxe5 Qh4 8.0-0 Qxe4 9.Nc3 Qxe5 10.Re1 Qd4 11.Qf3+ Qf6 12.Qe2 Qe6 13.Ne4 d6 14.Bg5 h6 15.Qf3+ Qf7 16.Bf4 Nf6 17.Nxc5 dxc5 18.Rad1 Bg4 19.Qxb7 Re8 20.Rxe8+ Nxe8 21.Re1 Qxf4 22.Qxa7 Kf7 23.Qxc5 Qd6 24.Qc4+ Be6 25.Qe4 Nf6 26.Qf3 Re8 27.h3 Bd5 28.Qf5 Rxe1 checkmate, Petasluk - robertj, FICS, 2005;

6.Ng4 d6 7.0–0 Nf6 8.Nxf6 Qxf6 9.c3 Ne5 10.d4 Ng4 11.dxc5 Qh4 12.h3 Nf6 13.cxd6 cxd6 14.Qxd6+ Kf7 15.Qc7+ Kg6 16.e5 Ne8 17.Qc5 Rf8 18.Be3 Rf5 19.Nd2 Qh5 20.Nf3 Kf7 21.Rad1 Qg6 22.Nh4 Qh5 23.Nxf5 Qxf5 24.Rd8 Kg8 25.Rxe8+ Black resigned naffets - pavlo, FICS, 2008; and

6.0–0 Qf6 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.c3 Qh4 9.Qf3+ Nf6 10.e5 Bg4 11.Qf4 Qh6 12.Qxh6 gxh6 13.exf6 Kf7 14.d4 Bf8 15.f3 Be6 16.Bf4 Bd6 17.Bxh6 Kxf6 18.Nd2 Kg6 19.Be3 Rae8 20.Rfe1 Bf5 21.Nc4 Re6 22.Nxd6 cxd6 23.d5 Ree8 24.dxc6 bxc6 25.g4 Bd7 26.Rad1 d5 27.c4 Rhf8 28.Kg2 Re5 29.h3 Rfe8 30.Kf2 Bc8 31.f4 Re4 32.cxd5 cxd5 33.f5+ Kf6 34.Rxd5 Bb7 35.Rd7 h6 36.Rxb7 Black resigned,  natarajanm - BiH, FICS, 2008,

6...dxc6

This capture prevents d2-d4 by White, at the slight cost of making the e-pawn passed.

The alternative was seen in the sloppy game perrypawnpusher - hdig, blitz FICS, 2007: 6...bxc6 7.d4 Bb6 8.0-0 d6 9.f4 Bb7 10.Nc3 Qf6 11.e5 dxe5 12.fxe5 Bxd4+ 13.Kh1 Qxf1+ 14.Qxf1+ Ke8 15.Bg5 Kd7 16.Qf7+ Kc8 17.Qe8 checkmate

7.d3

I've been here before, playing a bit differently: 7.0-0 (7.Nc3 Nf6 8.d3 Kf7 9.0-0 Rf8 10.Bg5 Kg8 11.e5 Bg4 drawn, perrypawnpusher - Ykcir, blitz FICS, 2009) Be6 (7...Bd6 8.f4 g6 9.d4 Bd7 10.Nc3 Nh6 11.f5 Qh4 12.e5 Nxf5 13.exd6 cxd6 14.g4 Re8 15.gxf5 Bxf5 16.Qf3 Qxd4+ 17.Kh1 Kg7 18.Qf2 Black forfeited on time, perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz FICS, 2009; 7...Nf6 8.Qf3 Qd4 9.d3 Bg4 10.Qg3 Bb6 11.e5 Nh5 12.Qh4 Be2 13.Qxd4 Bxd4 14.Re1 Bxe5 15.Rxe2 Re8 16.g3 Kf7 17.f4 Bd4+ 18.Kf1 Nf6 19.Nd2 Rxe2 20.Kxe2 Re8+ 21.Ne4 a5 22.Kf3 h6 23.c3 Ba7 24.Be3 Bxe3 25.Kxe3 Ng4+ 26.Kf3 Nxh2+ 27.Kg2 Ng4 28.Re1 b6 29.a4 Rd8 drawn, Jerome - Brownson, USA 1875) 8.Qf3+ Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.d3 Kf7 11.Bg5 Rhe8 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nd2 Bd4 14.c3 Bb6 15.d4 Rad8 16.f4 c5 17.d5 Bd7 18.c4 c6 19.Rae1 cxd5 20.cxd5 Ba5 21.Rf2 Bb6 22.Nc4 Bc7 23.e5 fxe5 24.fxe5+ Kg7 25.e6 Bb5 26.Rf7+ Kh8 27.Re4 Bxc4 28.Rxc4 Rxd5 29.Rh4 Be5 30.Rhxh7+ Kg8 31.e7 Rd1+ 32.Kf2 Bd4+ 33.Ke2 Rc1 34.Kd2 Rf1 35.Rxf1 Kxh7 36.Re1 Bf6 37.Kd3 Rxe7 38.Rxe7+ Bxe7 39.Ke4 Kg6 40.b3 Kh5 41.a4 Bf6 42.Kf3 Bd4 43.g3 a6 44.h3 b5 45.axb5 axb5 46.Kf4 Kg6 47.g4 Bc3 48.h4 Bd2+ 49.Ke4 Kf6 50.Kd5 Be3 51.Ke4 Bf2 52.Kd5 Bd4 53.Ke4 Kg6 54.Kd5 Kf6 55.Ke4 Ke6 56.g5 Bf2 57.h5 Kf7 58.Kd5 Be3 59.g6+ Kf6 60.Ke4 Bd4 61.Kf4 Be5+ 62.Ke4 Bd4 63.Kf4 Kg7 64.Kf5 Kh6 65.Kg4 c4 66.bxc4 bxc4 67.Kf3 c3 68.Ke2 Kxh5 69.Kd3 Bg7 70.Kc2 Kxg6 71.Kd3 Kf5 72.Kc2 Ke4 73.Kd1 Kd3 74.Kc1 Bh6+ White resigned, perrypawnpusher - CorH, blitz FICS, 2009;

7...Qf6 8.0-0

8...Qg6 9.Kh1 Bg4 10.f3 Be6 11.f4 Bd7

One difference between computer and human chess players is that the former is not embarassed by a repetition of moves. Here 11...Bg4  is what Black needed to play, keeping a small edge. This is not the last time that my opponent's reluctance to play that move costs him the advantage.

12.Nd2 Nf6 13.Nf3

13...Ng4

fortytwooz wants to attack my King, but 13...Bg4 was a bit more to the point.

14.Qe2 Ke7

Planning to swing the Queen Rook over to join the attack.

I can't sit still, I have to activate the "Jerome pawns".

15.d4 Bb6 16.f5 Qf7

17.h3 Rae8

This came as quite a shock. There are other ways to give the piece back, including the cold-blooded 17...h5. Choosing this way, Black probably should have put his Queen on h5 at move 16.

18.hxg4 Kd8 19.e5

Here come the pawns.

Still, after the game Rybka suggested that stronger was some piece development first: 19.Ne5 Qg8 20.Be3 Kc8 21.a4 a6 22.c4 Rd8 23.b4 h5 24.g5 Qe8.

analysis diagram







19...Qd5

20.Bg5+ Kc8 21.c4

21...Rxe5

Whoa.... What's this??

After 21...Qg8 Black will have to give up a piece (for two pawns)22.e6 Bxe6 23.fxe6 Rxe6 but the text is hard to fathom. (Perhaps Black saw the d-pawn as pinned?)

22.dxe5 h6

Okay, I give up; I don't know what's going on.

23.cxd5

23...hxg5+ 24.Nh2 cxd5

25.e6 Bc6 26.e7 a6 27.f6

27...Bb5 28.Qe6+ Kb8 29.f7 Black resigned

A Line of Play Everyone Should Know About

Sometimes your opponent will not even wait until you play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) to try to cross up your plans.

Most readers are familiar with the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 .Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4) which is such an effort, but it is not Black's only way of trying to offer a surprise.

perrypawnpusher  - sebapvar
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5

Let me first say that this is not a good idea, that White can now get an advantage with the logical 4.Nxe5, winning a pawn.

4.Bxf7+

Irresistable. See "Offside!" and "The Other Side".

My own database has 1,270 games with this line in it, with White scoring 70%. This is a tribute to those who play White, as the position soon arrived at is "objectively" equal.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+

5...Ke8

Already a problem for Black, as this is the weakest of his four possible replies.

After 5...Kf6, White has a number of interesting moves, including 6.d4 and the untested 6.Nc3!?, but his strongest is probably 6.Qh5 when 6...g6 is forced, and then the "retreat" 7.Qf3+ causes all sorts of problems, for example 7...Ke6 (if 7...Kxe5 then 8.d4+) 8.d4 and Black will have to give back material, as in 8...Bb4+ 9.c3 Qf8 10.cxb4 Qxf3 11.Nxf3 Nc4.

analysis diagram







A bit better move for Black, leading to an even game, is 5...Ke6, when 6.d4 (6.Qg4+ Kxe5 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.Qxa5 Qf6 may not give White enough, but should be playable for the adventurous) Nf6 is probably best met by the untested 7.Nd3, with pawn play in the center to follow.

analysis diagram







Black's best chance for advantage (see my comment after move 3) – if only for confusion's sake – is 5...Ke7.

After a lot of thought, Rybka thinks that the game should continue 6.Nc3 Qe8 7.d4 Kd8 8.0-0 Nc6 9.Bf4 d6 10.Nf3 Bd7, which looks about even to me, although I can't explain some of Black's moves. (I mean, he's not going to castle Queenside, right?)

analysis diagram







6.Qh5+

Back to the game.

6...g6 7.Nxg6

7...Bg7

Putting and end to things. He had to take the Knight with 7...hxg6. White then would have two choices, each leading to a slight advantage.

Most attractive is the grab 8.Qxh8, when 8...Kf7 9.Qc3 Nc6 gives White an edge, with a Rook and three pawns vs two pieces.

Trickier, and therefore better from a practical point of view, is to capture the pawn instead: 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.d4. White is then threatening all sorts of horrors starting with Bc1-g5,  and the only move to save Black is 9...Bh6.

Still, White will play 10.Bg5+ any way, and after 10...Bxg5 11.Qxg5+ Ke8 (if 11...Nf6, 12.e5) he can pick up the stranded Knight with 12.Qxa5, having four pawns for the sacrificed piece.

8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Qxg7 Black resigned

White is ahead a Rook and three pawns, and threatens to capture more material.

Clearly Unclear

The updated New Year's Database holds 2,375 examples of the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+) but the opening remains clearly unclear in many lines.

What is clear is the bare-knuckled brawling that can show up in game after game. (Please note the efforts of GOH, as well as SotoG.)

SotoG - njkiller
blitz FICS, 2001

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The so-called Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The choice of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde because it avoids the trappy 4.Nxe5?! Qg5!? and gives Black more to think about. Of course, 4.Nxd4, 4.0-0 and 4.c3 were good replies as well.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6

A spirited reply. The other main response is 5...Ke8.

6.c3

Best.

6...Nc6

Serious complications follow 6...Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Kxd4, so this alternative, which appears simpler, makes a lot of sense.

There are only 50 games (2% of the BSG total) in the New Year's Database with 6...Nc6.

7.Qg4+

Here SotoG keeps the play very sharp, offering a second piece to keep Black's King in danger.

A calmer follow-up (although the game had its explosive moments) is 7.d4, which SotoG had played a year earlier: 7...Nxe5 8.dxe5 d5 9.Qg4+ Kf7 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qf3+ Kg7 12.exd5 Bc5 13.Bf4 Ne7 14.c4 Rf8 15.Qg3 Nf5 16.Qd3 Qh4 17.g3 Bxf2+ 18.Kxf2 Nxg3 19.hxg3 Qxh1 20.e6 b6 21.Qf3 Kg8 22.Qxh1 Black resigned, SotoG - Ludek, blitz FICS, 2000

Rybka (blunder check, 5 minutes per move) suggests: 7.d4 Nxe5 8.dxe5 as well, continuing 8...Kf7 9.e6+ Ke8 10.Qh5+ g6 11.exd7+ Qxd7 12.Qe5+ Kf7 13.Qxh8 Nf6 14.Nd2 Bg7 15.Nf3 Bxh8 16.Ne5+ Ke6 17.Nxd7 Nxd7 18.Be3 b6 19.0-0-0 – absolutely out-of-this-world play for both Black and White...

7...Kxe5

Taking the bait.

A couple of responses by Black are just plain bad: 7...Kd6 (8.Nf7+ Ke7 9.Nxd8) and 7...Kf6 (8.Qf5+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc5 11.Qd5 checkmate).

Other games continued 7...Ke7 8.d4 (8.Nf3 Nf6 9.Qh4 d6 10.d4 h6 11.0-0 Bg4 12.e5 Bxf3 13.exf6+ gxf6 14.Re1+ Kf7 15.gxf3 Qd7 16.Qh5+ Kg7 17.Kh1 Rh7 18.Rg1+ Kh8 19.Nd2 Re8 20.Ne4 Bg7 21.Be3 Ne7 22.Qf7 Rf8 23.Qh5 Nf5 24.Rae1 Qf7 25.Qxf5 Black resigned, GOH - XePa, FICS 2006) 8...Nxe5 9.dxe5 (9.Bg5+ Ke8 10.dxe5 Be7 11.f4 Bxg5 12.fxg5 Qe7 13.0-0 Qxe5 14.g6 Nf6 15.Rxf6 Qxf6 16.gxh7 Rxh7 17.Nd2 Qh4 18.Qg6+ Kd8 19.Nf3 Black resigned, DaniMP - ahdtjs, FICS, 2009) 9...d6 10.Bg5+ Ke8 11.Bxd8 Bxg4 12.Bxc7 dxe5 13.Bxe5 Nf6 14.0-0 Kf7 15.Nd2 Bc5 16.Kh1 Rhe8 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.f4 Be3 19.Nc4 Rxe4 20.Nd6+ Kg6 21.Nxe4 f5 22.h3 Bxh3 23.gxh3 fxe4 24.Rfe1 Kf5 25.Rxe3 Kxf4 26.Rae1 Re8 27.Kh2 h5 28.h4 b6 29.Kh3 a5 30.b3 b5 31.a3 Re7 32.c4 bxc4 33.bxc4 Re5 34.c5 Rxc5 35.Rxe4+ Kf5 36.R1e3 Rd5 37.a4 Rc5 38.Re7 Kf4 39.R7e4+ Kf5 40.Kg3 Rd5 41.Rf4+ Kg6 42.Re6+ Kg7 43.Rfe4 Kf7 44.Re7+ Kf6 45.R7e6+ Kf5 46.Kf3 Rd3+ 47.Re3 Rd5 48.R6e4 Kg6 49.Rf4 Kh7 50.Re7+ Kg6 51.Re6+ Kg7 52.Rfe4 Kf7 53.Ke3 Rd1 54.Re7+ Kf6 55.R4e6+ Kf5 56.Re5+ Kf6 57.Rxh5 Kxe7 58.Re5+ Kd6 59.Re4 Ra1 60.Kf4 Kc5 61.Rd4 Kxd4 62.Kf5 Rxa4 63.h5 Ke3 64.Kg6 Rh4 65.h6 Rxh6+ 66.Kxh6 a4 67.Kg5 a3 68.Kf5 a2 69.Ke6 a1Q 70.Kd5 Qb2 71.Kd6 Kd4 72.Ke6 Qb4 73.Kf5 Draw, GOH - Mazetov, FICS, 2003.

Clearly fortune favors the bold.

8.d4+

In GOH - kremba, FICS 2006, White needed some assistance after the less accurate 8.f4+, since 8...Kd6 9.Na3 Nf6 10.e5+ was still good for Black. Luckily for GOH, the second player decided to return a piece (a typical anti-Jerome strategy) with 10...Nxe5 (10...Ke7 was stronger) 11.fxe5+ when 12.Nc4+ would have been equal. Instead, after 12.Qd4+ Ke6 13.0-0 d5 14.d3 c5 15.Re1+ White needed a bit more help 15...Kd6 (15...Kf7 was much better)16.Bf4+ Kc6 17.Qa4+ and Black resigned.

8...Kd6

Of course, 8...Kf6 was punished immediately by 9.Bg5+ in another GOH - kremba, FICS 2006.

9.Bf4+

This looks like a very reasonable development of a piece with tempo, but probably stronger was 9.e5+ Ke7 10.Bg5+. Black would still be better, but in such a wild position, the more comfortable player would likely survive.

9...Ke7

Black chose to return a piece with 9...Ne5 10.Bxe5+ Kc6  in stretto - kremba, FICS 2007, leading to an even game in which both players later faltered, White more decisively: 11.d5+ Kb6 12.Na3 Bxa3 13.bxa3 a6 14.Rb1+ Ka7 15.Bd4+ b6 16.0-0 Nf6 17.c4 Nxg4 18.c5 Rb8 19.a4 a5 20.Rb5 d6 21.c6 Ba6 22.Rxa5 Ne5 23.Rb1 Nc4 24.Rxa6+ Kxa6 25.Rc1 Na5 26.Rb1 h5 27.Rb5 h4 28.h3 g5 29.e5 dxe5 30.Bxe5 Re8 31.Bc3 Qd6 32.Bb2 Re1 checkmate

10.Bg5+

This is sharper than a couple of alternatives: 10.Qh4+ Nf6 11.e5 h6 12.exf6+ gxf6 13.0-0 d6 14.Re1+ Kf7 15.Qh5+ Kg7 16.Re3 Ne7 17.Rg3+ Kh7 18.Qf7+ Black resigned, GOH - brigante, FICS, 2001; and

10.e5 d6 11.exd6+ cxd6 12.Qe2+ Kf7 13.0-0 Nf6 14.Nd2 Be7 15.Rfe1 Re8 16.Qc4+ d5 17.Qd3 Kg8 18.Nf3 Bg4 19.Ng5 h6 20.Ne6 Bxe6 21.Rxe6 Bf8 22.Rae1 Qd7 23.Rxe8 Rxe8 24.Be3 Ng4 25.h3 Nxe3 26.fxe3 Qe6 27.a3 a6 28.b4 Qe4 29.Qd2 Bd6 30.a4 Rf8 31.b5 axb5 32.axb5 Na5 33.Qa2 b6 34.Re2 Qh4 35.Qxd5+ Kh8 36.Qxd6 Qf6 37.Qxf6 Rxf6 38.e4 Kg8 39.Rc2 Nc4 40.Re2 Kf8 41.g4 Ke7 42.Kg2 Ke6 43.Rf2 Ne3+ 44.Kg3 Rxf2 45.Kxf2 Nd1+ 46.Kf3 Nxc3 47.d5+ Ke5 48.Ke3 Nxb5 49.h4 Nd6 50.g5 hxg5 51.hxg5 g6 52.Kd3 Nxe4 53.Kc4 Nxg5 White resigned, tyrelcorp - Mazetov, FICS, 2004.

10...Nf6 11.e5

Less effective (but White pushed on to victory, anyhow) was: 11.Bxf6+ gxf6 12.e5 Kf7 13.f4 d6 14.Qh5+ Kg8 15.0-0 Bg7 16.Nd2 Be6 17.Ne4 Qe8 18.Qh4 d5 19.exf6 dxe4 20.fxg7 Kxg7 21.f5 Bc4 22.f6+ Kf8 23.Qh6+ Kf7 24.Qg7+ Ke6 25.Rfe1 Bd5 26.c4 Qf7 27.cxd5+ Black resigned, GOH - Sali, FICS, 2005.

11...Kf7

Black's King steps aside and gives the piece back. Remember, Black is two pieces up, so he can afford to do this, if, in the process, he safeguards his monarch.

Another way was 11...d5 12.exf6+ (12.Qh5 was necessary) gxf6 13.0-0 Bxg4 14.Re1+ Kf7 White resigns. 0-1 GOH - Jorma, FICS 2007

12.exf6 gxf6 13.Qf3

Keeping the pin.

More challenging was 13.Qh5+ as after 13...Ke6 (13...Kg8 kept Black's advantage) the game was equal, although White lost after a struggle: 14.Bf4 d6 15.0-0 Ne7 16.Na3 a6 17.Rae1+ Kd7 18.Nc4 b5 19.Na5 c6 20.b4 Nd5 21.Bd2 Be7 22.c4 bxc4 23.Nxc4 Qe8 24.Qh3+ Kc7 25.Qa3 Kb8 26.b5 axb5 27.Na5 Qd7 28.Qc1 Bb7 29.Nxb7 Kxb7 30.Rxe7 Qxe7 31.Qb2 Rhe8 32.Re1 Qd7 33.Rxe8 Qxe8 34.g3 Qe2 35.Be3 Qxb2 36.Kg2 Nxe3+ 37.Kf3 White resigned, GOH - Sali, FICS, 2005.

13...Qe7+ 14.Kd1

Feisty! Of course White wants to add his Rook to the attack, although 14.Be3 was safer. Jerome Gambit players don't always go for "safer". 

14...Bg7 15.Re1 Qd6

This breaks one of the pins on the f-pawn, but makes Black vulnerable to an attack on the 8th rank: 16.Qh5+ Kg8 17.Re8+ winning the Queen.

Safer was the patient 15...Qd8.

16.Na3

Developing, but missing the opportunity mentioned above.

16...Kg6

Black definitely wants out of that pin, but Rybka shows that patience was still needed: 16...Ne7 17.Nc4 Qa6 18.Ne5+ Kf8 19.Ng4 Qc6 20.Qe2 Qe6 21.Nxf6 Qxe2+ 22.Rxe2 Kf7 23.Nxd7 Ng6 24.Nc5 b6 25.Ne4 Ba6 26.Rd2 h6 27.Be3 when Black is still better – although the position is still playable for the Jerome Gambiteer.

analysis diagram







17.Bf4 Qf8

Things remain murky to the end.

Again, Rybka tries to give some light, and, of course, play continues to revolve around pins: 17...Ne5 18.Qe4+ f5 19.Qc2 Qd5 20.Bxe5 Re8 21.f4 d6 22.Bxg7 Rxe1+ 23.Kxe1 Kxg7 and White has a small advantage.

analysis diagram







18.Qg4+

18...Kf7 19.Qh5+ Kg8 20.Re8

Winning the Queen in a manner similar to that of the note to move 15. Thus, White collects the full point – the goal of the game – but given a few more minutes of thinking time I'd like to think that SotoG would have found the mate (again, based on pins) after the pretty 20.Qd5+ Qf7 21.Re8+ Bf8 22.Bh6. 

analysis diagram







20...d6 21.Qd5+ Black resigned

Influence

It is always great to hear from people who have visited this site – doubly so when someone gives the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) a try and then is willing to share the results.

Is that me in the picture to the left, sharing some analysis?*

Inspired by your great website i decided to launch myself into the Jerome gambits alternate universe with this game of blitz. A few classic Jerome motifs i've picked up from your site crop up here. The "nudge", the Jerome pawns... Just remember it's all your fault from here in.. :)

mrddblack - afghanguy
blitz GameKnot, 2010

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

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

7.Qd5+

The "nudge".

7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

A standard Jerome Gambit position. Black is better, and his prospects would be awesome if he could castle next move. This last factor, however – Black's King stuck in the middle – often combines with a few other tasty ingredients. 

10.f4 Ng4

Harassing the Queen can sometimes seem irresistable. Other continuations include:

10...Kf7 11.0-0 Rf8 12.Qb3+ Be6 13.Qxb7 Ne7 14.f5 Bd7 15.Qb3+ Ke8 16.Nc3 c6 17.Kh1 Qb6 18.Qa3 c5 19.d3 Bc6 20.Bf4 Kd7 21.b3 Ng4 22.Qc1 Ne5 23.Bxe5 dxe5 24.Qg5 Rg8 25.a3 a5 26.Qg3 Qc7 27.Qh3 Rh8 28.f6+ Kd6 29.fxg7 Rhg8 30.Rf6 checkmate, Fritz 8 - RevvedUp, 2006; and

10...Rf8 11.0-0 Kd7 12.Nc3 b6 13.d4 c6 14.f5 Ne7 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Nfd5 17.e6+ Kc7 18.Qe5+ Kb7 19.Qxg7 Nf6 20.Bg5 Nfg8 21.f6 Qd4+ 22.Kh1 Rxf6 23.Bxf6 Nxf6 24.Qxe7+ Nd7 25.exd7 Qxd7 26.Qxd7+ Bxd7 27.Rf7 Kc7 28.Rd1 Rd8 29.Ne4 Kc8 30.Nf6 Be6 31.Rxd8+ Kxd8 32.Rxa7 Bf5 33.Nxh7 Bxc2 34.h4 Ke8 35.h5 Bxh7 36.Rxh7 Kf8 37.h6 Kg8 38.Rb7 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - blackburne, JG3 thematic, Chessworld 2008.

11.Qf3 Bd7

An earlier game continued: 11...Rf8 12.d4 Qh4+ 13.g3 Qh3 14.Qe2 Nf6 15.Nc3 Bg4 16.Qf2 b5 17.e5 dxe5 18.dxe5 Nh5 19.Nxb5 Rf7 20.Nxa7 Nxe5 21.Qe3 Bf3 22.Qxe5+ Re7 23.Rf1 Rxe5+ 24.fxe5 Qg2 25.Rxf3 Qxf3 26.Nb5 Qh1+ 27.Kf2 Qxh2+ 28.Ke3 Qxg3+ 29.Kd4 Rd8+ White resigned, guest4578 - guest7450. ICC, 2004

12.h3 Nh6

13.d4 Qh4+ 14.g3 Qe7 15.Nc3 c6 16.Bd2 Nf7

White's pawns hold a lot of promise in a roughly balanced position.

17.0-0-0 b5

Black envisions opposite-side pawn storms. He will need something to distract his opponent.

18.f5 Nf8

Rybka suggests as a stronger defense: 18...Qf6 19.Qe3 Ne7

19.g4 b4 20.Na4 c5

Consistent play against the Knight and White's King's position. However, White has a number of tactical shots at his disposal.

21.b3

As an example of how tactical a Jerome Gambit game can get, look at the (stronger) alternative 21.e5. The opened a8-h1 diagonal  forces Black to play 21...d5 (if 21...Bxa4 22.exd6 Qxd6 23.Rhe1+ Kd7 24.Qxa8) when after 22.f6 gxf6 23.exf6 Qd6 White continues to pile on the pressure with 24.Rde1+ Kd8 25.Nxc5 (with Re7 coming up).

analysis diagram






21...Bxa4

Black would have done better to ignore the Knight and play 21...Bc6, covering the diagonal.

22.bxa4

Rybka's take on the position is quite extraordinary: apparently White doesn't need to racapture: 22.e5 Rb8 23.exd6 Qb7 24.Rhe1+ Kd8 25.Qf2 Nd7 26.dxc5 Bc6 27.Re7 Nfe5 28.Qh4 Kc8 29.Qxh7 Rd8 30.Qxg7 Nf3 31.Be3 Qa6 32.f6 Qxa2 33.f7 with an edge. Oh, those Jerome pawns!

analysis diagram







22...cxd4

Very dangerous.

23.e5 Nxe5

24.Qxa8+ Kf7 25.Bxb4

White is ahead the exchange and some pawns – and his attack continues.
25...d3 26.Qd5+ Ke8

27.cxd3 Qc7+ 28.Kb1 Kd7

29.Rc1

Black resigned. He could have played long enough to win a piece with 29...Qb8, but after 30.Rhe1 Qb4+ 31.Ka1 he will soon see his Knight on e5 expire, followed by his King.

Quite an exciting first Jerome Gambit for mrddblack!





*Oh, no, wait, that's Fagin, from Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, equally subverting others.