Jerome Gambit: New Year's Resolution

Looking at some of the Jerome Gambit games from 2019 that I have recently added to The Database, I noticed that 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ scored a surprising 57%, up from 52% the previous year.

I suspect that - despite my claims of "representativeness" - The Database may have been slightly skewed by all of the wins last year, scored by angelcamina and Bill Wall. Oh, well.☺

Nonetheless, I still noted over a dozen games starting 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5?!

It turns out that The Database has 564 such games.

Some of you are probably scratching your heads, wondering 

What is that move all about?  Was it a fast time control, and White got ahead of himself? What was his plan?

A closer examination would reveal that only about 3/4 of the time did Black play the indicated (and crushing) 5...Qxg5, which, admittely  allows White to reveal his intentions with 6.d4 - a simultaneous attack on the Black Bishop at c5 and the Queen at g5.

There's not much to White's "attack" after 6...Qxg2, though - in 147 games, White scored only 11%

I would like to argue that this line is too risky, even for a Jerome Gambit player - which is saying a lot.

Maybe a good New Year's resolution would be to stay away from 5.Ng5?!

Jerome Gambit: Wild Horses

In the following Jerome Gambit game, Black's Knights gallop all over the Kingside, without accomplishing much, which all seems a bit surprising, until the end, when White's tactics win the day.

Wall, Bill - Guest3615175
PlayChess.org, 2019

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 9.Qe3 Qf6 

This is one of those positions where Black does better with a Knight of f6. Still, he maintains an edge with the text.

10.Nc3 N8e7 11.d4 Nh4 

Aggressive looking, true, but I think it doesn't accomplish much.

12.Qg3 Neg6

Protecting the advanced Knight a second time, but overlooking White's effective response.

13.Bg5 Nxg2+

Surrendering a Knight.

14.Qxg2 Nf4 15.Qg3 Black resigned

Best for Black now is 15...Nh5 16.Bxf6 Nxg3 17.hxg3 gxf6, when White will win a second pawn with 18.Nd5, in a position where the first player has a material advantage, better development and better pawn structure.

The Database: Updated

I recently updated The Database with games from the Free Internet Chess Server, through the end of 2019. The 62,000 games therin represent the largest collection of Jerome Gambit and Jerome-ish openings that I know of.

In addition, because 90+% of the games come from online club play (wins, losses and draws), they are pretty representative of the practical outcome of certain moves or lines. Players can consult their favorite computer (Stockfish, Komodo, Houdini, Crafty, etc.) to get an "objective" assessment of play, and then they can dip into The Database and see how well the lines have fared in play.

There are 15,036 games with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, the main line Jerome Gambit.

There are 2,715 games with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+, the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

There are 207 games with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ and 160 games with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+, both variants of the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

There are 148 games with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.0-0 Bc5 6.Bxf7+, the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

There are 6,388 games with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+, The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

There are 2,470 games with the declination 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5.

There are 17,582 games with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+, the Abrahams Jerome Gambit.

That leaves about 17,500 miscellaneous games that are Jerome-related, primarily through an early Bxf7+. They are there both to give players ideas about the opening - an for entertainment purposes.

Jerome Gambit: Don't Relax

The following game is another example of Black defending well, only to relax too early - and feel the sharpness of White's attack.

angelcamina - tbena
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 d6 

9.O-O Bd7 10.f4 

One of the weapons in the Jerome Gambiteer's arsenal.

10...Nc6 11.Qc4+ Be6 12.Qe2 Re8 13.f5 

An annoying "Jerome pawn" move, another weapon.

13...Bc8 14.Qc4+ Kf8 

15.Bg5 

Ditto.

15...Ne5 16.Qb3 b6 17.Nd5 

And, again.

17...Bb7 

Black completes his development, and wonders "Have you got anything left?" White shows that he does.

18.Nxf6 gxf6 19.Bh6+ Ke7 20.Qe6 checkmate

Very pretty.

Jerome Gambit: Early Slip

The following game features an early slip by Black which surrenders his advantage. It is instructive, however, to see how White builds his attack, culminating in checkmate.

Wall, Bill - Guest6179121
PlayChess.com, 2019

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Nf6 

Black is unfamiliar with the Jerome Gambit. In addition, my guess is that this is a blitz game, and that Black did a rapid "calculation" - I have 3 pieces developed to 1 of his, and I attack his Queen!

8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qb5 a6

The loss of a tempo increases the danger.

11.Qb3+ 

Raising the question (which takes time to answer) - can White afford to grab the b-pawn after 11...Be6? It is likely not worth the effort: 11...Be6 12.Qxb7 Qd7 13.Qb4 c5 14.Qa3 Nxe4. Still, Black declines to make the offer.

11...Kf8 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Nd5 14.O-O+ Ke8 

15.Nc3 c6 

Black does not fall for 15...Nxc3 16.Qf7#

16.Ne4 Rf8 17.Nd6+ Kd7 18.Rxf8 Qxf8 

19.d4 Kc7 20.Bg5 h6 21.Rf1 Qg8 22.Rf7+ Kb8 23.Rxb7+ Bxb7 24.Qxb7 checkmate

Ouch.

Jerome Gambit: The Deadly f-File

In the following game, Black's initial moves give him good play. He relaxes too soon, however, and finds danger along the f-file - twice.

Wall, Bill - Guest2056949
PlayChess.com, 2019

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 8.Be3 Ng4

Give Black extra points for creativity. There is only one other game in The Database with this move - a blitz win for the second player.

9.Qb4 Nxe3 10.fxe3

Stockfish 10 sees Black with a winning game.

10...d6 

Ooops.

Won games don't win themselves.

Perhaps the game should have continued 10...Qh4+ 11.g3 Qe7 12.O-O+ Nf6, still good for Black.

11.Rf1 Qxf1+ 12.Kxf1 Nf6 13.Qc4+ Be6 14.Qxc7+ Kg6 15.Qxd6 Rae8 

White has a Queen and 3 pawns for a Rook and a Bishop. He can work up an attack on the enemy King, or continue to pick off material.

16.Nc3 Rhf8 17.Kg1 Ng4 18.Nd5 Kf7 19.Rf1+ Nf6 20.e5 Black resigned

The Knight, pinned along the f-file, is done for.