Jerome Gambit: Questionable Innovation

In the following game, Black plays - or starts to play - a reliable defense to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), only to switch to attacking, wherupon his game falls apart.

Idusha2010 - Egor_Shtanko

30 0, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4... Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

7.f4 d6 

The "silicon" or "annoying" defense which calmly returns one of the two sacrificed pieces and leaves the Black King in his advanced post, often untouchable.

The Database has 362 games, with Black scoring 53%.

8.fxe5 Qf8

Black decides he can switch plans and pursue an attack on White's King. The Database has only one other game with this line - played about a month earlier.

9.Rf1 

Defending and attacking.

9...Qe7 

Responding too quickly.

Sadly, perhaps the best move was 9...Ne7 which gives up the Queen with 10.Rxf8.

10.Qf5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Refutation

I just finished going through "Refute Jerome's Gambit (Lifetime Repertoire) One shot Kill!" at lichess.org, and I recommend it to Readers of this blog.

You might say "But, Rick, it's a refutation, you should bury it or at least ignore it, not point it out".

No need.

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has been "refuted" almost from the day it was introduced by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in the pages of the Dubuque Chess Journal, April 1874.

Oh, well.

Besides, it is good to know what your opponent has prepared for you.

I have addressed this issue many times on this blog of some 3,760 posts. You can start with the early "But - Is this stuff playable??" (Parts 1 & 2).

I like the earlier discussion, in "It's hard to explain...", 
"More to the Point...", "And yet..." and "Still".

Check out "What Makes A Gambit Playable?"

I summed things up more recently in "Jerome Gambit: This 'Refuted' Thing (Part 1, A Basic Truth)" and "Jerome Gambit: This "Refuted" Thing (Part 2, What to Do?)"

While it is primarily an opening for club players - at blitz or bullet speed - you can try it out at your favorite time control and see how it goes. (I have scored around 80% in games ranging from 1 day per move to 3 days per move. YMMV.)

So - play the Jerome Gambit, have fun, don't worry about it's reputation.

Then, send me your games, so I can add them to the 77,000 Jerome and Jerome-ish ones in The Database.

Jerome Gambit: Advancing Under Fire

Bullet chess, played under the time control of 1 minute per game, often features threat upon threat, allowing players to make use of their tactical skills as opposed to deep positional analysis.

It is educational to see how angelcamina - who has over 230 games in The Database - assembles an attack amidst distracting threat after threat.

angelcamina - CyrilF

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

When Black plays this move, he puts the Rook at h8 at risk. See "Jerome Gambit: What About the Rook?"

7.Qxe5 Nf6

In protecting his Rook, Black lets his Bishop go.

White will recover his sacrificed material and be two pawns up.

8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Ng4 

The clock is ticking. Make a threat.

10.Qf3+ Nf6 11.d4 Bg4 

And again.

12.Qg3 Kg7 13.Nc3 Bd7 14.O-O Nh5 

And again.

15.Qd3 Qh4 16.g3 Qh3 17.f4 Bg4 18.Bd2 c5 

White is making progress.

19.dxc5 dxc5 20.e5 Rad8 21.Qe3 Kh6 22.f5+ 

The "Jerome pawns" advance and create chaos.

22...Kg7 23.f6+ Kf7 24.e6+  Ke8 25.f7+ Ke7 26.Qxc5+ Kxe6

Black captures one of the central pawns, but this reveals another aspect of andvancing pawns - they open lines for pieces.

27.Rae1+ Kd7 28.Bg5 Rdf8 29.Re7+ Kd8 30.Qc7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: For Giggles

From a recent email

Today I decided to play the Jerome Gambit for giggles and surprisingly, it destroyed my opponent in this high elo game. I hope that you can add to your research with this game.

Readers, see for yourself.

WaterBottleOne - ZeruHmyz

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

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

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

The game has quickly reached a standard Jerome Gambit position - found in over 500 games in The Database. 

White has two center pawns for his sacrificed piece. Advancing the pawns will move his attack forward. Black's King can not castle, although he can spend a few moves castling-by-hand. His extra piece should give him a small advantage.

10.d3 Kf7 11.O-O Re8 12.f3 Kg8 

White's pawn phalanx is usually played in response to ...d5. Soon, his f-pawn is encouraged forward.

13.Nc3 Be6 

Vulnerable to f3-f4.

14.f4 Bd7 15.h3 

This move brought a smile to my face, and is probably better than my 15.f5 - in perrypawnpusher - stcamillis, 10 0 blitz, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 19) - which was met by 15...Ng4.  

15...Bc6 16.Qg3 Qd7 17.f5 

White's pawns will soon be compliented by a Bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal. 

17...Ne5 18.b3 Kh8 19.Bb2 Qf7 20.d4 

20...Nc4 

This is a slip. It could be due to the time control - a 3-minute blitz game - or it could be an oversight, as White's dark-sqare Bishop usually goes to g5, not b2.

Black could have dissolved the position with 20...Bxe4 21.dxe5 Rxe5 22.Nxe4 Rxe4 23.Rae1 Rae8 24.Rxe4 Nxe4.

21.bxc4 Qxc4 22.d5 Bd7 23.Qd3 

White is fine with the exchange of Queens.

23...b5 24.Qxc4 bxc4 

White is ready to play this position, in which the computer says says he is about 3 1/2 pawns better.

25.Rae1 c6 26.g4 cxd5 27.exd5 h6 28.Kf2 

White is rated 2578, Black is rated 2494. White activates his King to lead his pieces like a boss.

28...Kg8 29.Ba3 Rab8 30.Bxd6 Rb2 31.Rxe8+ Nxe8 32.Be5 Rxc2+ 33.Ke3 Nd6 34.Rb1 Kf7 35.Kd4 

Give the position a good look. Stockfish sees White as being almost a Queen better. This is the Jerome Gambit played at the GM level.

35...Rd2+ 36.Kc5 Ne8 37.Rb7 Ke7 38.Rxa7 Rd3 39.d6+ Kd8 40.Nd5 c3

About all Black has left is the distraction of promoting his c-pawn.

41.Ra8+ Bc8 42.Nb6 Nxd6 43.Bxd6 Ke8 44.Rxc8+ Kf7 45.Rf8 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: When It Works, It Works Well

 

Why do club players use the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+)?

Because, when it works, it works well, especially at fast time controls.

The following game is another example.

Mothaolo - nike22

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

6...Nc6 7.dxc5 Nge7 8.Qf3+ 

White's Queen acts quickly, to disrupt Black's plan to castle-by-hand.

8...Kg8 

Black's King has been tucked away, but in the way of his Rook.

9.O-O Qf8 

To exchange off the enemy Queen.

10.Qb3+ d5 

11.exd5 

Tempting, and understandable in a bullet game, but the other pawn capture of the d-pawn, 11.cxd6+, was stronger: 11...Qf7 12.dxe7

11...Ne5 

This justifies White's last move. A Knight on the rim, 11...Na5 would have been safer, by comparison.

12.d6+ Qf7 13.Qxf7+ Kxf7 14.dxe7 Kxe7 

The position has simplified and White has a 2 pawn advantage.

The excitement is not over yet.

15.Re1 

The Knight begins to take heat.

15...Kf6 16.Bd2 Re8 17.Bc3 b6 18.f4 Black resigned

The Knight will fall.

JeromeGambit: Snappy Ending

Here we have another Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) Blackburne defense game from the ongoing Chess.com "Giuoco Piano Game" tournament.

I am happy with my 14th move and the snappy ending.

perrypawnpusher - marvinni

3 d/move, Giuoco Piano Game tournament, Chess.com, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 

This is Blackburne's defense. In his notes to the game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884, Joseph Henry Blackburne said of this move, "Not to be outdone in generosity".

As I pointed out in "Jerome Gambit: As Advertised (Part 1)"

Black is not just blocking the check and kicking the White Queen. This move leads to complications that include sacrificing the Rook at h8 - see "What About the Rook?"

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.d4 

I have played 9.d4 only twice before, in perrypawnpusher - bakker, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33) and perrypawnpusher - DocBrowne, 3d/move, Giuoco Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2021 (1-0, 19). 

A quick look at The Database shows 101 games with 9.d4, with White scoring 78%, compared to 143 games with 9.0-0, where White scored 65%. Hmmmmm.....

9...Nf6 

The text is Stockfish 15's first choice. 

The computer's second choice, 9...Bb4+, was seen in perrypawnpusher - bakker, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2007.

Further on down the line is the exciting 9...Qxe4+, seen in  perrypawnpusher - DocBrowne, 3d/move, Giuoco Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2021.

10.Nd2

This move was recommended by Hindemburg Melao, in a 2003 internet article at www.superajedrez.com, in his notes to Amateur (Melao gave the name "Millner") - Blackburne, London, 1884.

The Database has only one other game with 10.Nd2, dj222 - invincible1, GameKnot.com, 2003 (1-0, 17).

Capturing Black's Bishop with 10.dxc5 could lead to 19...Qxe4+ 11.Be3 Qxg2 12.Rf1 which is looked upon with disfavor by National Master Bruce Pandolfini in his Chess Openings: Traps & Zaps (1989).

For the record, after the game Komodo 13.02 suggested 10.e5 dxe5 11.Nd2 with advantage to White.

10...Bxd4 11.O-O 

In this position it looks like Black has all the tactical shots, but if White can get his Knight to f3 in time, he will maintain his advantage.

Simplest at this point for Black - if you are thinking of giving up your Queen - is 11...Qxh2+ 12.Kxh2 Ng4+ 13.Kg1 Bxh8, grabbing a pawn. I don't think Black's two Bishops would be enough compensation for being down the exchange, however. (Maybe in a master game.)

11...Ng4 

Similar to the line given above, Black also had the direct 11...Qxh2+ 12.Kxh2 Ng4+ 13.Kg1 Bxh8.

Tricky is 11...Bh3 12.Qxa8 Qg4  but White has enough material to give some back and find a way out, 13.g3 Qe2 14.Qxb7 Bxf1 15.Qb3+ Ke8 16.Qf3. The Queen arrives in time.

12.Nf3 Bxf2+ 

12...Qxh2+ and 12...Qxf2+ are the right sacrifices, followed by 13...Bxh8.

13.Kh1 

Necessary, as 13.Rxf2 would lead to me being checkmated: 13...Qxf2+ 14.Kh1 Qf1+ 15.Ng1 Nf2#. That is probably what my opponent had in mind. 

13...Qh5 

Black keeps the pressure on White's King, while protecting his h-pawn so that White can not play Qxh7+.

Black's problem is his King on the f-file, as my next move shows. The only way he can develop his Bishop is to surrender his Rook - under circumstances quite different than the famous Blackburne game.

14.Be3 Nxe3 15.Rxf2 Ng4 

"Best" according to Stockfish 15 is 15...Bf5, which is terrible and tandamount to resigning.

The text allows a pleasant double check.

16.Ng5+

The checking Knight is not protected. The checking Rook is not protected. It doesn't matter.

16...Ke7 17.Rf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Unpublished?!

Today's intended blog post - my most recent Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game from a Chess.com tournament, annotated - will not appear, as it was apparently "unpublished" by Blogger because it ostensibly violated "Community Guidelines".

I don't think so.

Certainly we are not talking about violations such as Adult Content, Child Sexual Abuse an Exploitation, Dangerous and Illegal Activities, Hate Speech, Impersonation and Misrepresentation of Identity, Malware and Similar Malicious Content, Non-Consensual Explicit Imagery, Personal and Confidential Information, Phishing, Regulated Goods and Servises, Spam, Violent Organizations and Movements [there is a Jerome Gambit joke somewhere here, but I'll pass], Unauthorized Images of Minors, Violence and Gore [real, not metaphorical] or Copyright [beyond fair use].

A weak [ironic] argument can be made for Harassment, Bullying, and Threats, but only as it refers to events taking place on the chessboard. Interpersonally? Balderdash! 

This has happened once or twice in the past, and when I requested a review the post was okayed. Naturally.

I suppose if things are monitored on Blogger by some sort of "artificial intelligence" then a site that features "attacks" by White on Black, or Black on White could be mistakenly be identified as one featuring Hate Speech. But, I think I am being generous here.

We shall see. When the blog post shows up, check it out, see if it violates any guidelines in your own non-artificial intelligence.