Jerome Gambit: Attack!

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is about many things, from surprise to psychology to humor - but, most of all, it is about attack, as the following game shows.

Anonymous - Anonymous

2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+  Ke7 

A quick move that completely reverses the nature of the game: objectively, after 5 moves, Black is winning, but after 6 moves, White is winning.

7.Qxe5+ Kf7 8.Qd5+ 

White could simply capture the Bishop with 8.Qxc5, but this check makes Black think again - and make a further mistake.

8...Kg6 

Also seen recently was the stronger 8...Kf8:

9.Qxc5+ Qe7 10.Qxc7 Nf6 11.Qf4 b6 12.e5 Ke8 13.d3 Qb4+ 14.Bd2 Qb5 15.exf6 gxf6 16.Qxf6 Rf8 17.Qc3 Bb7 18.O-O Qc6 19.Re1+ Kd8 20.Bg5+ Kc8 21.Qxc6+ Bxc6 22.Nc3 Rg8 23.h4 h6 24.Bxh6 Rxg2+ 25.Kf1 Rg6 26.Re8+ Kb7 27.Rxa8 Kxa8 28.Bg5 b5 29.a4 b4 30.Nb5 Bxb5 31.axb5 Kb7 32.c3 bxc3 33.bxc3 Kb6 34.c4 d6 35.Ke2 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; and

9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qc3 Be6 11.d4 c6 12.d5 cxd5 13.exd5 Bd7 14.Bf4 Qb6 15.Nd2 Re8+ 16.Ne4 Rxe4+ 17.Be3 Re6 18.O-O Rxe3 19.fxe3+ Nf6 20.Rae1 Kf7 21.Kh1 Re8 22.e4 Kg8 23.e5 dxe5 24.Rf3 e4 25.Rh3 e3 26.Rexe3 Bxh3 27.Rxh3 Qe6 28.g3 h6 29.g4 Qe1+ 30.Kg2 Re7 31.Rf3 Qxc3 32.Rxc3 Ne4 33.Rc8+ Kf7 34.Rb8 Nf6 35.Ra8 Nxd5 36.Rxa7 Nf6 37.Rxb7 White won on time, JeromeOP - mdu, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020 

9.Qf5+ 

The enemy King is a bigger prize than the hanging Bishop at c5.

9...Kh6 10.d3+ g5 11.h4 

This is the kind of position that draws players to the Jerome Gambit.

11...Bb4+ 12.Nc3 

Stronger is 12.c3, but White figures that the issue is development. 

12...Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 Kg7 14.Bb2 d6 

Uncovering an attack on the enemy Queen. There is a bit of psychology in play, too, as the strongest reply for White is now 15.Qxg5+ Qxg5 16.hxg5, but who wants to exchange Queens when you're building an attack against the enemy King?

15.c4+ 

Opening that brutal diagonal for the Bishop, but the attack fizzles a bit. 

15...Nf6 16.Qxg5+ Kf7 17.O-O-O 

White has 3 pawns for the sacrificed piece. He is still a bit better, but Black is able to activate pieces.

17...Be6 18.Rde1 Rg8 19.Qf4 Rxg2 20.e5 

Of course. 

20...Rg4 

To relieve some of the pressure on the Knight at f6 (and the King behind it). 

21.Qf3 dxe5 22.Rxe5 h5 

What's this? More active would have been 22...Qd6 followed by developing the Rook on a8.

White now finishes things.

23.Rhe1 Qd6 24.Rxe6 Qf4+ 25.Qxf4 Rxf4 26.Re7+ Kg6 27.Rxc7 b6 28.Ree7 Rg8 29.Be5 Rxf2 30.Rxa7 Rf5 31.d4 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: A Quiet Assault

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game is a pleasant example of a quiet assault upon the enemy King, preceded by a useful pawn sacrifice. White's 12th move started the whole thing.

UOdas - Mohsen--Gorji

60 10, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7 9.Qh5 d5 

10.O-O dxe4 11.Nc3 b6

To put his Bishop on the long diagonal and take aim at the pawn at e4, as well as White's Kingside. 

12.d3 

An interesting pawn offer.

12...exd3 13.Re1 d2 

Believing that he has won a piece. 

14.Bxd2 Qxd2 15.Nd5 

White's attack is deadly.

15...Kd8 

This will not save Black from the tactics.

16.Nxe7 Nxe7 17.Rad1 

17...Qxd1 18.Rxd1+ Bd7 19.Qg4 Ke8 20.Qxd7+ Kf7 21.Re1 Rhe8 22.Qxc7 Kf8 

White's material advantage is enough to win. Black battles back, but falls victim to checkmate in the process.

23.g4 Rac8 24.Qxa7 Rxc2 25.Qxb6 Rec8 26.Qb7 R8c7 27.Qf3+ Ke8 28.Re2 R2c6 29.a4 Rf6 30.Qa8+ Kf7 31.a5 Ng6 32.Qe8 checkmate

The following Jerome Gambit game, played at bullet speed - 1 minute, no increment - illustrates various standard themes that work for the attack. How does one win with only 60 seconds to think? By being familiar with those themes.

angelcamina - calemoon

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020

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 Kf8 

White castles, Black's King steps back.

10.f4

A standard plan in the Jerome Gambit, made more attractive with Black's King on f8, facing White's Rook.

10...Nc6 11.Qc4 d6 12.b3 

Opening the way for the Bishop to work on the a3-f8 diagonal.

12...Be6 13.Qd3 Nb4 14.Qe2 c6 15.Ba3 Qb6+ 

Black is active in his resistance.

16.Kh1 Rad8 17.e5 

The attacking idea.

17...dxe5 

Fascinating. Players exchange pawns automatically - especially in bullet games. The problem is that it's not the best move.

18.fxe5

18...Bd5 19.Nxd5 Rxd5 20.Qc4 Kg8 

Getting out of the pin along the f-file, but overlooking the fact that both Knights are in danger. Better was to simply save one and give up the other: 20...Rexe5 21.Bxb4+ which would be about equal.

21.exf6 gxf6 22.Bxb4 Kh8 

Maybe he can attack along the g-file?

23.Rae1 

Instead, 23.Be3 would have been crushing and lead to mate, but the text is fine.

23...a5 24.Bc3 

Like I said...

24...Kg7 25.Bxf6+ Kg6 26.Qg4+ White won on time, just ahead of checkmate.

 

Jerome Gambit: A Curious Move

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) game contains a curious 8th move for Black that led to a bit of head-scratching for me in my attempt to understand and explain. I have to say that it didn't faze White, however, who managed a checkmate in under a dozen moves. 

mitchcoleborn - TheWabbitEmu

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nf7 

A curious move. What to make of it? Was he playing too quickly?

Black usually answers 8.f4 with 8...Qf6 or 8...Qh5+, or retreats his Knight to g6, or tip-toes his King away with 8...Kc6.

So, is 8...Nf7 an oversight, or part of a defensive plan to return material and then offer an exchange of Queens (see Black's next move)?

For the record, The Database has 8 previous games with 8...Nf7, with White scoring 50%.

Also, here is an assessment from one of my games from about 9 1/2 years ago

Sometimes this Knight move both takes the steed out of danger and provides for the defense of the Black King. In this game, that is exactly what it does, but it should not have.

Yet, the position is not simple. Not even ten moves in, and the Jerome Gambit still has its secrets!

White should now take the Knight with 9.Qxf7, threatening to next to take the Bishop after Qd5+.

Black has a tricky counter-attack with 9...Nf6, covering the d5 square. This seems to give away another piece after 10.e5+ Kc6, but pay attention to White's uncastled King: it is unsafe to now grab material and open both the e- and g-files. White's best is 11.d4, instead, when 11...Bxd4 can be answered with 12.Qc4+ Bc5 12.b4. If Black tries 11...Ne4 instead, White can retreat his Queen with 12.Qb3 or try 12.c4, answering 12...d5 with 13.Qxd5+ Qxd5 14.cxd5 Kxd5 15.dxc5 Nxc5.

Black can also defend d5 with 9...c6, when 10.Qxg7 Nf6 11.Qxf6 Qxf6 12.e5+ Qxe5 13.fxe5+ Kxe5 leads, as with 9...Nf6, to an edge for White.

All of this I learned after the game, with the help of Rybka 3 and Fritz 8.

9.Qxf7 

Yes. This is an improvement over earlier play, where every single player of the White pieces avoided capturing the piece. That includes me, twice.

9...Qe7 

No. This should not lead to an exchange of Queens. As noted above, 9...c6 was the proper response. Again, playing too quickly?

10.Qf5 

Definitely, too quickly, but nothing bad comes of it.

10...Nh6 

When in doubt, attack the enemy Queen. Tempting, but in this position Black needed to find a safe space for his King with 10...c6, or at least offer an exchange of Queens with 10...Qe6.

11.Qd5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game is a 1-minute, no increment, bullet match that shows that It ain't over 'til its over. It reminds me, again, of an old chess buddy's lament "I was beating you right up to the moment you checkmated me." Ah, yes...

Anyway1 - GioDeLeo

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+ Be6 9.Qd3 

White can also grab the b-pawn. 

9...N8e7 10.O-O Rf8 11.Qf3+ Kg8 12.Qh5 

12...Ne5 13.f4 Nc4 14.f5 Bf7 15.Qh3 Ne5 16.d4 N5c6 

17.Bf4 Nxd4 18.c3 Nc2 19.Nd2 Nxa1 20.Qg3 Nc2 21.Bh6 Kh8 22.Qxg7 checkmate

One slip in a bullet game is all that it takes.

Jerome Gambit: Too Hazardous

 

Dan Watson (see "Jerome Gambit: Startling Discovery" for one of his previous contributions) has found an early over-the-board Jerome Gambit.

I have translated notation from descriptive to algebraic, added diagrams, and contributed the occasional note in blue.

The Earth (Burlington Vt)  January 7, 1899, page 8  "Chess"  

The game between Barnett of Burlington and Gingras of Winoski resulted in a win for the latter, showing that the Jerome gambit is too hazardous when the opponent is a strong player, as Mr. Gingras is, and the loss of the bishop and knight at the outset, can not be compensated for by the advantages of position. Following is the game. 

Barnett - Gingras

Vermont, 1899

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

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. d4 

The usual continuation here is 6.Qh5+ and is probably better than 6.d4. 

6...Qh4 

Well played, leading to a strong defense.

The earliest example of this move is Sorensen - Anonymous, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27 ) - Rick

7. O-O d6 

Stockfish 11 criticizes this rare move (4 examples in The Database), preferring 7...Qxe4, but it is interesting to note that it was the computers' choice in Hiarcs 11 - Deep Shredder 11, 2008 (1-0, 87) and Wall - Stockfish level 6, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 47) as well as a strong human's choice in Kurtenkov - Carlos100S, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020 (1-0, 42). - Rick 

8.dxe5 Qxe4 9.Nd2 Qd5 10.exd6 Bxd6

11.c4 Qd3 12.Qh5+ Qg6 13.Qh4 

This was ill considered, and led to the exchange of queens, which White was anxious to avoid. 

13...Qh6 14.Nf3 Qxh4 15.Nxh4 Nf6 16.Be3 b6 17.Nf3 h6 

18.Rac1 c5 19. Rfe1 Bb7 20. Nh4 Rad8 21. h3 Ng8 

The beginning of a well devised and strong attack.

22.Rc3 Ne7 23. g3 Rhe8 24. Ra3 a5 25. Rb3 Bc7 26. Bxc5 

Well planned, but premature, not having well considered Black's next move, which was the closing tour of the Kt in his ferocious perigrinations.Mr. Gingras is, undoubtedly, one of the strongest players in the state, and this game demonstrates his superior ability. 

26...Nf5 27. Be3 Nd4 28. Rd3 Ne2+ 29. Kh2 Rxd3 30. Rxe2 Rd1 

Black has a Rook for a couple of pawns, and a deadly attack. Countering it with exchanges would allow Black to gather in more material, e.g. 31.Ng2 Ra1 32.b3 Rd8 33.Re1 Rxe1 34.Nxe1 Rd1 35.Ng1 Ra1 36.a4 Rb1- Rick

31.f3 Rd3 32.Ng2 Bxf3 White resigned

Jerome Gambit: Many Choices

Sometimes the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) leads to an attack with many choices to enforce checkmate.

vrajeshpadiyar - caliako1

5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Ng6 

Black appears unfamiliar with the Jerome, and chooses to save his Knight, not the Bishop. Main line was either 7...d6 or 7...Qf6. 

8.f5+ 

An interesting idea, played only a few times before, according to The Database. Simplest was 8.Qxc5. 

8...Ke5 

Bold, but the retreat 8...Ke7 was required.

9.fxg6+ Kxe4 

 Suicidal. White has many choices as he pursues checkmate.

10.Qxc5

Strong, although he had the alternative 10.Nc3+ Kd4 11.Qd5#

10...d6

This does not stop 11.d3#

11.Qe3+ Kf5 12.O-O+ Kxg6 

There is no escape.

 13.Qg3+ Kh6 14.d4+ Kh5 15.Qf3+ Bg4 16.Qf7+ g6 17.Qd5+ Kh4 18.g3+ Kh3 19.Qg2 checkmate