The following game was not played recently, it was not a theoretical tussle, and it was not an even match. It's value, in part, is that it illustrates a tactical theme that Jerome Gambiteers need to be familiar with, as they will see it from time to time.
Wall, Bill - Stick, Kela
Chess.com, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.h3
Bill experiments. This game is actually one of four in The Database, and White has scored 75%, which means something - but I am not sure what.
5...Nf6 6.Nc3 Rf8 7.Qe2 d6 8.Qc4+ Be6
Okay, has White over-used his Queen, and Black is not blocking its check with a gain of tempo? Or, something else?
9.Ng5+
Something else. Do remember. Black's game now takes a few tumbles.
9...Kg8 10.Nxe6 Bxf2+ 11.Kxf2 Nd5+ 12.Nxf8 Qxf8+ 13.Kg1 Black resigned
White is up a Rook, and soon will add another piece.
1. World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen has revealed that if his upcoming match with Sergey Karjakin goes to rapid tie-break games, he will consider playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7!?).
2. President Trump
Up until November 8, 2016, I would have expected #1 to be more likely.
Now it looks like the United States is going to get a whole lot of #2.
I have received another game from recent Jerome Gambit convert "Cliff Hardy" (see "Jerome Gambit: You Gotta Believe"), playing incognito at InstantChess. Starting with move 2, and escalating with move 5, his opponent engages in a bit of chess psychology which reminds me of the "battle of wits" in the movie "The Princess Bride" - and his efforts are equally unsuccessful.
The notes to the game are by "Cliff". I have added a couple of comments in blue.
gfdgfd - leleos
InstantChess.com, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 3.Bc4
3.Nxe5? Bxf2+! 4.Kxf2 would give me a winning advantage theoretically but I lose the valuable psychological advantage!
3...Nc6 4.Bxf7+!
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8? 6.Qh5+?
I am astonished! This move looked obvious but it is poor!
The text is thematic, but 6.Nxc6 is += (Stockfish), intending 6...d/bxc6 7.Qh5 and 8.Qxc5.
[Welcome to the bizarre world of the Jerome Gambit, "Cliff"! Black does not want the second piece, and it seems logical to go after him right away with 6.Qh5+, except that 6.Nxc6 is a better move, as you note. Wilder, still, is that Black can answer 6.Nxc6 with 6...Qh4!? and White needs to be prepared for this shock. 7.d4!? seems to be the best response, allowing 7...Qxe4+ 8.Be3 Qxg2 - although it might be better for those with a heart condition to opt for 8.Qe2. Anyhow, the game becomes a wonderful mess after 9.Qh5+ Kf8 10.Ne5!? and Stockfish 7 continues with 10...Bb4+ 11.c3 Qxh1+ 12.Kd2 g6 13.Nxg6+ hxg6 14.Qxh8 g5 15.cxb4 d6 16.Qh5 Bf5 17.Qd1 Qxd1+ 18.Kxd1 Ne7 19.Nc3 and White has an edge. Uh, sure, right... No surprise that I haven't found any game examples with 6...Qh4!? - Rick]
6...g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6
Haha! The best move for black, according to Stockfish, is the Jeromesque 7...Bxf2! 8.Kxf2 Nf6 9.Qh4 Rg8! =+. This game is a good example of the principle: the first to get in the Jerome wins!
8.Qxh8 Kf7
9.Qh7+ Kf8 10.Qxg6 Qe7 11.Nc3 Qf7 12.Qg3 Bd6 13.Qe3 Qf4 14.d4 Nf6 15.Qxf4 Bxf4 16.Bxf4 Nxd4 17.O-O-O Black resigned
[White has handled Black's ploys, has gained material (the exchange and three pawns) and has moved the game into a safe (for himself) Queenless middle game. There is not much for the defender to look forward to. - Rick]
I recently received an email from someone just starting with the Jerome Gambit. He passed along the following 3-minute FICS blitz game which was eye-opening for me: White never gives up! He uses all the weapons available to him, including the clock, and triumphs in the end.
He has asked me to disguise his identity, as he is considering playing the Jerome Gambit in over-the-board games. I decided on naming him "Cliff Hardy" (look it up). I also sent him a link to some of Pete Banks' OTB Jerome Gambits.
Play through the game. Do not become anxious over White's fate, however dire things look. He will prevail.
"Cliff Hardy" - NN
3 0 blitz, FICS, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6
8.d4
"Cliff" wrote that "Maybe the Tonetti gambit is not the best way to play this..." referring to the game Tonetti - Ruggieri, Rome, 1863 (1-0, 23).
8...Bxd4 9.f4 Nh6 10.fxe5+ Bxe5 11.Qf3 Rf8 12.Qa3+ c5 13.Be3 Qh4+ 14.Kd1 b6 15.Nd2 Ng4 16.Kc1 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 Rf2 18.Rd1 Kc7
19.Nf3 Bf4 20.Nxh4 Bxe3+ 21.Kb1 Bb7 22.Nf5 Bh6 23.Nd6 Rd8 24.a4
Yes - the Jerome Gambit is all about attack.
24...Bc6 25.a5 Bd2 26.axb6+ Kxd6 27.bxa7 Bxe4 28.Ra4 Ke5 29.g4 Bb4 30.Ka2 Bxc2 31.Rxb4 cxb4
"With Crafty now assessing the position as -32749.00, it is apparent my position could do with some improvement" wrote "Cliff".
32. Rxd7 Be4 33. Rxd8 Rxh2 34. Re8+ Kf4 35. Rxe4+ Kxe4 36. a8=Q+ Kf4 37. Qb8+ Black resigned
While it is frequently a good idea to have a plan to direct a chess game, it is always a good idea to have a questioning attitude - constantly asking yourself about your opponent's move, "Why did he do that?" In the following game, Bill Wall's task becomes a bit lighter when his opponent neglects to ask himself about a totally reasonable move.
Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3. c4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6
8.Nc3 Be6 9.b3
This is a reasonable move, and, surprisingly, according to The Database, a novelty.
9...Nf6 10.O-O Rf8 11.f4 Nc6 12.Qd3 Kg8 13.Bb2 Bg4
Black has done well: he has castled-by-hand and developed his pieces. Although this move appears a bit odd, he remains with the advantage.
14.Rae1 Kh8 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.exd5 Bf5
The old temptation, to attack the Queen (and the pawn behind it). Better was to rescue the Knight at c6.
17.Qg3 Qd7 18.dxc6 bxc6 19.Qg5
Material is even, White's pawn structure is slightly better, and the question Black has to ask himself is about the move of the Queen to g5.
19...Bxc2
Missed it.
20.Re7 Black resigned
The attack on g7 means that Black will have to give up his Queen.
The following 3-minute game is packed with excitement. White's attack crashes through, and Black's "safe" King is the victim.
I will keep my notes light, but the players keep the mood heavy - a battle to the bitter end.
joniko - Rolandia
lichess.org, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+
The "nudge", suggesting that White is familiar with the Jerome Gambit, and,
perhaps, this blog.
7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4
Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1-0,
28) continued 9.Qc3.
9...Nf6 10.O-O Qe7
11.f4 Nd7 12.d3
Nb6 13.Qb3 Rf8 14.Nc3 Be6 15.Qb4 Kd7
16.f5 Bxf5
An interesting idea, returning material, but probably 16...Bg8 was better. Black clearly intends to move his King to the Queenside and attack on the Kingside. As this plan develops, White avoids f5-f6, not wanting to open things up against his own King.
17.exf5 Ne5 18.Ne4 Rae8 19.Qd4 Kc8 20.Bg5 Qd7 21.a4 Kb8 22.a5 Na8
23. a6
b6 24.Qd5 c6 25.Qb3
25.Qxd6+ was possible, e.g. 25...Nc7 (if 25...Qxd6 then 26.Nxd6 and Black's Rooks are uncomfortable)
26.d4.
25...Nc7 26.d4 Nf7 27.Nc5
Flashy, but with time disappearing on both clocks, very tempting.
27...dxc5 28.dxc5 b5
Instead, 28...Qd4+ 29.Kh1 Nxg5 30.cxb6 Qxb6 defends.
29.Bf4 g5
30.Rad1 Qc8 31.Bd6 Nxd6 32.cxd6 Nd5
Black's last chance was 32...Rxf5 33.dxc7+ Kxc7 with about an equal game.
33.Rxd5 cxd5
Now White has a forced checkmate.
34.Qxb5+ Ka8 35.d7 Qb8 36.Qxd5+ Qb7 37.Qxb7 checkmate
?
I was looking in The Database for something light to share with Readers, and came across the following game. I am not quite sure what to make of it, except it is another example of the error of "if you sacrifice a piece on f7, I will sacrifice one on f2" thinking in the Jerome Gambit.
Technically, the game isn't even a Jerome Gambit... I need to expand upon my musings in the note to move 4.
Wall, Bill - Rube
PlayChess.com, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Na6
Already I am not sure what to say. Is Bill's opponent a chess-playing program?
3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
Why not? The "Jerome Solution" is often a fun way to deal with surprises.
4...Kf8
With a Knight on c6 (instead of a6) The Database shows White scoring 55% against this declination, which I find very odd, especially in light of the fact that The Database statistic for the Jerome Gambit offered - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ - is White scoring 45%. This suggests that when White moves from offering a piece (or two) for a pawn (or two) to accepting a pawn, he only improves his scoring chances 10%.
5.Bc4 Bxf2+
Returning the psychological "shock" - but, here, White takes the piece.
6.Kxf2 c6 7.Nxe5 d6 8.Nf7 Qf6+ 9.Qf3 Qxf3+ 10.gxf3 Nc5 11.Nxh8
Black resigned
'Tis a puzzlement.
