Jerome Gambit: It's Not Automatic

The following game has another example of an "automatic" pawn capture that would have benefitted from a bit more reflection before appearing on the board - but, playing at one minute a game, with no increment, there is a limit to the amount of reflection that is available. 

angelcamina - Cubigami
1 0 bullet, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 

angelcamina has seen other responses:

8...N8e7 9.0-0 d6 (9...b6 10.Qe3 d5 11.e5 Kg8 12.f4 Bf5 13.h3 h6 14.g4 Be6 15.f5 Nxf5 16.gxf5 Bxf5 17.Rxf5 Qh4 18.Rf3 Qg5+ 19.Qxg5 hxg5 20.Kg2 Nf4+ 21.Kh2 Rxh3+ 22.Rxh3 Nxh3 23.Kxh3 Kf7 24.d4 Rh8+ 25.Kg3 Rh4 26.Bxg5 Rxd4 27.Nc3 Rc4 28.Re1 b5 29.e6+ Ke8 30.e7 b4 31.Nxd5 b3 32.cxb3 Rd4 33.Nxc7+ Kd7 34.e8=Q+ Kxc7 35.Rc1+ Kd6 36.Qd8+ Ke5 37.Bf4+ Ke4 38.Re1+ Kf5 39.Qxd4 g6 40.Qe5 checkmate,  angelcamina - southerngumbo, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019) 10.Qe3 Bg4 11.f3 Be6 12.f4 Bc4 13.d3 Bb5 14.f5 Ne5 15.c4 Bc6 16.d4 Nxc4 17.Qc3 Bb5 18.a4 Nxb2 19.axb5 Na4 20.Rxa4 a6 21.bxa6 bxa6 22.f6 gxf6 23.Rxf6+ Ke8 24.Re6 Qd7 25.d5 Kd8 26.Bg5 Re8 27.Na3 Rb8 28.Rxa6 c6 29.Rxc6 Ra8 30.Rexd6 Qxd6 31.Rxd6 checkmate, angelcamina - Claim1, 1-0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019); and 

8...Qe7 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.Nc3 d5 11.d3 dxe4 12.dxe4 Ng4 13.Qf3+ Ke8 14.O-O N6e5 15.Qf4 Rf8 16.Qg3 h5 17.f3 h4 18.Qe1 Nxh2 19.Kxh2 h3 20.f4 hxg2 21.Kxg2 Ng4 22.Qg3 Rh8 23.Rh1 Rxh1 24.Kxh1 Bd7 25.f5 Nf6 26.Bg5 Kf7 27.Bxf6 Qxf6 28.Qg6+ Qxg6 29.fxg6+ Kxg6 30.Rg1+ Kf7 31.Rf1+ Ke7 32.Nd5+ White won on time, angelcamina - mustapha1996, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 

9.Qe3 Nf6 10.O-O 

White played Nc3 first, in angelcamina - JsFlexWay, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2018 (1-0, 19).

10...Ng4

"Amazing how popular this move is" - Cliff Hardy.

11.Qf3+ Qf6

A bit stronger than 11...Nf6, as in angelcamina - Kvngmicky, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019, (1-0, 38).

12.Qg3 Kf7 13.h3 N4e5 14.f4 Nc6

15.e5

Excellent bullet psychology. This is not the strongest move in the position, but if Black automatically captures the pawn, he is busted.

15...dxe5 16.fxe5 Ngxe5 17.Rxf6+ gxf6

White has a Queen and a pawn for a Rook and Knight. More importantly, Black appears to be shaken.

18.d4 Nc4 

White finishes up after this, by placing his focus on the enemy King.

19.Qb3 N6a5 20.Qf3 Nd6 21.Bg5 f5 22.b3 Rg8 23.h4 h6 24.Qh5+ Kg7 25.Qxh6+ Kf7 26.Qf6+ Ke8 27.Qe7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Happy Birthday, Blog!

It is hard to believe, but 11 years ago, on June 10, 2008, I made my first post to this blog. You are welcome to check out "Welcome!" 

(You can read forward from the beginning to today's post, but, mind you, that would mean reading 2,780 posts!)

It has been exciting to see how many people are willing to play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), and how many have been generous in sharing their games and their analysis. The play ranges from exceedingly fast 1 0 bullet games to more serious 3 days per move games, and include online, correspondence, blindfold, and over-the-board games.

It has also been great fun to see The Database of Jerome Gambit and Jerome-related games grow to over 59,000 examples.

As ever, I have enjoyed sharing many scintillating wins with the Jerome Gambit; but I have not shied away from showing losses and refutations, as I find them. The best place to learn how to win with the Jerome is this blog; the best place to learn how to defeat the Jerome is also this blog. 

Thank you, everyone, for your support. Thank you, Readers, for coming by.

Jerome Gambit: Cautious in Bullet?

I wonder if it pays to be cautious in bullet chess. Fending off attacks with your clock ticking down can not be much fun. It's probably more enjoyable to choose a wild opening like the Jerome Gambit, and just hack away.

angelcamina - RafaRofer
1 0 bullet, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6   

The Semi-Italian Opening, according to past world champion Euwe. It is also called the Anti-Fried Liver Defense, I suppose because it keeps a White Knight out of g5, where it plans to sacrifice itself on f7. If Black was planning with 3...h6 to protect f7 in this game, he was sorely disappointed.

4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit. Compare with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 h6. The pawn move may create more weakness than it is worth.

 5... Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6

When you have a couple of pieces for a couple of pawns, and Stockfish 10 rates you as only +1 pawn, you have to know that your opponent has some serious dynamic potential. That is Black's situation at this point.

8.f4 Nc4 

Hoping to save one of the two hanging pieces, but actually surrendering both. The phlegmatic 8...d6 was the move. 

9. Qf5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ Nd6 11.e5 

11... b6 12.exd6+ cxd6 13.Qe3+ Kf7 14.O-O Nf6

White is better (material, development, pawn structure, King safety).

15.d3 Re8 16.Qf3 Kg8

Oversight. A 1 minute, no increment time control is brutal. 

17.Qxa8 Ba6 18.Qxd8 Rxd8 19.Bd2 Bb7 20.Rae1 Ng4 21.h3 Nf6 22.Ne4 Nd5 

23.Bc3 Ne7 24.Nxd6 Bc6 25.Rxe7 Rf8 

26.Rxg7+ Kh8 27.Rxd7+ Kg8 28.Rg7+ Kh8 29.Nf7+ Rxf7 30.Rxf7+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Double Check It

When assembling a defense to a sketchy attack like the Jerome Gambit, it is always best to double check your work. Black does not do so in the following game - with a time control of 1 minute, no increment, there is not much time for reflection - and immediately pays the price. Later on, the game is decided, ironically, by a double check.

angelcamina - The_KGD
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5. Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4

Black is not just saving his Bishop, he is pinning the enemy Knight that protects the e4 pawn. In doing so, he overlooks that the pawn is also indirectly defended. Better was the direct 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5.

8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Qd5+ 

The point.

9...Ke8 10.Qxe4 a5 

It is unclear what Black has in mind. Perhaps it is a do something, quickly move in bullet.

11.O-O g5 

This falls to a tactical onslaught.

12.Nd5 Bc5 13.Nf6+ Ke7 14.Bxg5 h6 15.Nd5+ Black resigned

Black will lose his Queen, and then be checkmated.

Jerome Gambit: Brave Defender?

The following game features a Jerome Gambit defense centered on 6...Ke6. The move signals that either Black is familiar with the opening, and has one of the effective remedies at hand; or that Black is unfamiliar with the opening, and is stepping into danger. A brave defender, or an outnumbered one? 

angelcamina - rfsimon
1 0 bullet, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

Yes. Black wishes to hold onto both of the sacrificed pieces.

The Database has 1,095 games with this position, and White scores 53%. The bigger question is: Who will succeed in a bullet game?

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6 

A common sense move, but one that swings the game evaluation to only slightly in Black's favor.

9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ Ke8 11.O-O N8e7 

The players are banging out reasonable moves, but that is one of the problems with the Jerome Gambit - often reasonable moves are not enough to maintain Black's advantage, especially when played at quick time controls. Here, 11...d6, followed by the reasonable 12.Qf2 Nf6, was better.

12.d4 Rf8 13.f5 Nh4 

This move reminds me of GM Nunn's caution, "Loose pieces drop off." Black had to try to hold on with 13...d6 14.Qb5+ c6 15.Qe2 Nh8.

14.Bg5 b6 15.Qc4 d6 

Forgetting about the Knight - easy to do at bullet. Limiting the damage was 15...d5.

16.Bxh4 a5 

17.Nc3 Ba6 18.Qa4+ Kf7 19.Rf2 Kg8 

White is up by 2 pawns, but will the clock allow him to win?

20.Re1 Rf6 

Looks like an oversight.

21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.e5 dxe5 23.dxe5 fxe5 24.Rxe5 Qf8 

25.f6 Ng6 26.Qg4 Kh8 27.Re3 Ne5 

The clock. Also, checkmate is on its way.

28.Rxe5 Bb7 29.Re7 Qg8 30.Rg7 Qe6 31.Qh4 Qg4 32.Qxh7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Not His Day

"This just doesn't seem to be my day" is a lament that many chess players make. Certainly the defender (who appears to be receiving "Jerome Gambit odds") in the following game can agree.

angelcamina - burns88
1 0 bullet, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

This is an exciting move, as it can often lead to the Blackburne or Whistler Defenses.

7.Qxe5 Qf6 

Black shows that he is unfamiliar with the Jerome Gambit, and disaster follows, quickly. Just not his day.

8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Ne7 10.O-O Re8 11.d3 Kg7 

Dangerously placing the King on the same diagonal as the Queen.

12.Bd2 d5 13.Bc3 d4 14.Bxd4 Nd5 15.Bxf6+ Kxf6 16.Qd4+ Kf7 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Having A Feel

Having a "feel" for the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) saves a lot of time, especially in positions that need close examination to understand - but, in games where there is no time for close examination.

In the following game, Black seems to have side-stepped a handful of dangers, only to fall into a tactical mess.

angelcamina - yisustorres19
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019

1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Re8 9.O-O d6 

Black is doing well. He can castle-by-hand and then make plans for the future. But - quickly. He has only one minute for the game. 

10.f4 c5 11.Qe3 Nc4 12.Qd3 Nb6 

13.e5 dxe5

Stockfish 10, which probably plays quite well at the 1 0 time control, suggests, instead, the tactical exhanges 13...Ng4 14.Nb5 dxe5 15.fxe5+ Kg8 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.Nc7 Bd7 18.e6 Rac8 19.Bg5 Nf6 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.e7 Re8 22.Nxe8 Rxe8 23.Rxf6 Rxe7 when Black will have two pieces for a Rook and a pawn, and, perhaps, an edge in the game. 

14.Qxd8 Rxd8 15.fxe5 Nbd5 

16.Nxd5 Rxd5 17.exf6 g6 

Black has given back his extra piece, and seems to be heading toward a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame.

18.Be3 Bf5 19.c3 b6 20.Rae1 Re8 21.Bg5 

So far, so good. White's f-pawn is adequately blockaded.

21...Bd3 

What's not to like about this move? It attacks White's Rook at f1, while simultaneously attacking the unprotected Bishop at g5. However, it was not possible to examine closely and see that it blows up Black's game, not White's. 

22.Rxe8 

Ouch. The Black King is stuck at f7, blockading the pawn.

22...Bxf1 

Best was giving up the exchange with 22...Rxg5 23.Re7+ Kf8 24.Rd1. Checkmate now follows.

23. Re7+ Kf8 24. Bh6+ Kg8 25. f7+ Kh8 26. Re8 checkmate