Jerome Gambit: Cliff Hardy Redux

 

Cliff Hardy is the hard-boiled private eye featured in over 40 novels by Peter Corris.

"Cliff Hardy" is also the name I have given to a mysterious Australian chess player who enjoys playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) in adventurous style.

Here is the first of several Cliff Hardy games that I have recently received. It was a 1-minute game, and Mr. Hardy played blindfold.

The notes are by Cliff. I have added diagrams.

Cliff Hardy (1957) - NN (1919)

1 0 bullet, blindfold, Lichess, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

I was playing blindfolded (and thus on my blindfold account) in this one-minute-each bullet game. My opponent had the advantage of sight of the board but I may have had the advantage of familiarity with this gambit. 

7.Qxe5 Bd6??

That being said, the Lichess database came up with one other game that my opponent has had this position in and in that game he played the correct rook sacrifice 7...Qe7! here.

8.Qxh8

Unfortunately, the sacrifice just doesn't work in this position for Black as he can't try to trap the queen in with 8...Nf6?? (due to 9. Qxd8, of course),

8....Qg5 9.Qxh7+ Ke6? 10. Qxg8+ and Black resigned.

Jerome Gambit: Slack-Jawed

Recently I was challenged to a friendly Jerome Gambit game at Chess.com. My opponent took the White pieces.

His 12th move left me slack-jawed. 

I just stared at the move. I had never seen anything like it - which is really saying something, given that I am supposed to be some kind of "expert" on the Jerome Gambit.

I eventually prevailed in the game, but it was all pretty unsettling.

I have added notes to distract you from my play.

REustace - perrypawnpusher

1 day/move, Chess.com, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7

Whistler's Defense, named after Lt. G.N. Whistler, Secretary of the Lexington Kentucky Chess Club, who played the defense against Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in a series of correspondence games.

Although this is my favorite defense to the Jerome Gambit, I feel bad about playing it in this game. I should have played 6...Ke6 and let my opponent hammer me. 

8.Qxh8 

This is a dangerous grab of material, similar to touching a hot stove, as I once wrote.

It is true that in a game played at blitz speed, the complications tend to favor White. The Database shows 628 games, with White scoring 62%.

However, against an opponent who is familiar with the Jerome Gambit, and who has time to recover from its surprises, it is not as likely to be successful. 

8...Qxe4+ 

This is the right idea for Black. 

Sobering is the game Wall,B - Sepoli, Chess.com, 2010, which continued 8...Qf6? 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.O-O Black resigned, . 

9.Kd1 

The alternative, 9.Kf1, as old as Jerome - Norton, correspondence, 1876, (1/2 - 1/2, 20) is about as strong.

9...Qxg2 

Black should not get fancy here. A cautionary tale: 9...Bxf2 10.Qxh7+ Kf8 11.Qh3 d5 12.Qf3+!? Qxf3+ 13.gxf3 Bf5?! 14.d3 Nf6 15.Bf4 Nh5 16.Bxc7 Rc8 17.Bd6+ Kf7 18.Nd2 Bd4 19.Ba3 Nf4 20.Re1 Ng2 21.Re7+ Kf6 22.c3 Bb6 23.Kc2 Ne3+ 24.Kb3 Bxd3 25.Re1? Bc2+ 26.Kb4 Bc5+? 27.Kb5 a6+ 28.Ka5 b6+ 29.Kxa6 Bd3+? 30.Kb7 Kxe7 31.Bxc5+ Rxc5 32.Rxe3+ Black resigned, Hanesman - glupysh, lichess.org, 2022. 

10.Qxh7+ 

The move 10.Re1 should be reserved for when you see your opponent's knees shaking, as in 10...Qf3+ 11.Re2 Qh1+ 12.Re1 Qf3+ 13.Re2 Qh1+ 14.Re1 Qf3+ draw (in a winning position for Black), Wall,B - Mathieubuntu, FICS 40 0 2011. 

10...Kf8 

Another case of "nerves" (the clock may have been a factor) continued, instead, 10...Kf6 11.Qh4+ Kg7 12.Re1 Qf3+ 13.Re2 Qh1+ 14.Re1 Qf3+ 15.Re2 draw (Black's position is better), Reent - activepieces, lichess.org, 2020. 

11.Re1 d5 

Strong. A couple of alternatives

11...Qf3+ 12.Re2 d6?! (12...d5!?) 13.Qxg6? (13.d3!? Bg4 14.Bh6+ Nxh6 15.Qxh6+ Kf7 16.Qh7+ Kf8 17.Qh8+ draw) 13...Bg4 White resigned, SunbaeFM - Konvekta2004, lichess.org, 2021; and

11...d6 12.Nc3 (12.c3 Qxf2 13.Qxg6 Qf3+ 14.Re2 Bg4 15.Qe4 Qxe4 White resigned, TePart0 - ttoorr, lichess.org, 2021) 12...Bg4+ 13.Ne2 Re8 14.d3 Bxe2+ 15.Rxe2 Qf1+ 16.Kd2 Qxe2+ (16...Bb4+ 13.c3 Qxe2#)17.Kc3 Qe5+ 18.Kb3 Qd5+ 19.Kc3 Bb4+ 20.Kxb4 a5+ 21.Kc3 Qc5+ 22.Kd2 Qxf2+ 23.Kc3 Qe1+ 24.Bd2 Qxa1 25.Bh6+ Nxh6 26.Qxh6+ Ke7 27.Qg5+ Kd7 28.Qg4+ Kd8 29.Qg5+ Kc8 30.Qxg6  Re5 31.Qg8+ Kd7 32.Qf7+ Kc6 33.Qf3+ Kb6 34.Qf2+ Ka6 35.Qd4 Qe1+ 36.Kb3 Qb4+ 37.Qxb4 axb4 38.Kxb4 Rh5 39.c4 Rxh2 40.a4 Kb6 41.b3 c5+ 42.Kc3 Ka5 43.d4 Rh3+ 44.Kc2 Kb4 45.dxc5 dxc5 46. Kb2 Rh2+ 47.Kb1 Kxb3 48.Ka1 Rh1 checkmate, Konevlad_2004 - F2freestyle, lichess.org, 2021. 

12.Re8+ 

What?? Really? This exchange sacrifice would have thrown me in a blitz game.

I had faced 12.d4 in  blackburne - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic tournament, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (0-1, 17) and 12.Qh4 in F0nix - perrypawnpusher, Chess.com, 2021, (0-1, 13). 

12...Kxe8 13.Qxg8+ Bf8 14.d3 Qf1+ 

I could not find the checkmate, and so decided on winning White's Queen. 

After the game Stockfish 15 pointed out 14...Bg4+ 15.Ke1 Qg1+ 16.Kd2 Qxf2+ 17.Kc3 Qf6+ 18.d4 Qf3+ 19.Kd2 Qe2+ 20.Kc3 Qc4+ 21.Kd2 Qxd4+ 22.Ke1 Qg1+ 23.Kd2 Qxh2+ 24.Kc3 Qg3+ 25.Kd2 Qf2+ 26.Kc3 Qe1+ 27.Bd2 Qg3+ 28.Kd4 c5+ 29.Kxd5 Rd8+ 30.Ke4 checkmate.

Yeah, uh, sure, okay, if you say so...

15.Kd2 Qxf2+ 16.Kc3 d4+ 

There is a checkmate in 14 after 16...Qf6+ but I won't be offended if you don't bother looking for it.

17.Kb3 Qf6 18.c4 dxc3 19.Nxc3 Be6+ 20.Qxe6+ Qxe6+ White resigned

A very interesting game.

Jerome Gambit: In the Weeds Again

 

There are plenty of complications in the Jerome Gambit. They tend to favor the player more familiar with the opening, more comfortable with the time control, and more effective in calculating tactics.

The following game shows the weeds of complications popping up, surrounding the players. 

bot_ulric - Anderstood

5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's defense. Black offers a Rook, but in turn plans to go after the enemy King with ...Qxe4+.

8.Qxh8 

Risky.

This is a blitz game and the clock and complications can shift a game one way or another.

8...h5 

Very interesting - and new, according to The Database. White's Queen can still go to h7, but not capture a pawn. 

Main line is 8...Qxe4+ with attack.

9.Qh7+ Kf6 10.Qxg8 Qxe4+ 

This is the core move in Whistler's defense.

Played now, in this game, it is not the killer move it would have been two moves earlier. 

11.Kd1 

The King jumps. 

Had he jumped in the other direction with 11.Kf1, it would have been difficult for Black to continue his attack, although the complications would grow like weeds. Here a a few ideas: 

11.Kf1 Qh4 

or 11...b6 12.Qh8+ Kf5 13.Qg7 Bb7 14.Qf7+ Ke5 15.f4+ Kd6 16.Qf6+ Qe6 17.Qxe6+ Kxe6; 

or 11...Qf4 12.f3 b6 13.Nc3 Ba6+ 14.d3 Qxc1+ 15.Rxc1 Rxg8 16.Ne4+; 

or 11...Qxc2 12.Nc3 Qd3+ 13.Kg1 b6 14.Nd5+ Ke5 15.Nxc7 Bxf2+ 16.Kxf2 Qd4+ 17.Ke1 Qe4+ 18.Kd1 Ba6 19.Re1 Rxg8 20.Rxe4+ Kxe4 21.Nxa6 

12.Qd8+ Be7 13.Qh8+ Kf5 14.Qg8

11...Qg4+

Black has a draw, if he wants it (and can find it). 

12.f3 Qxg2 13.Qh8+ Kf5 14.Re1 

Now 14...Qxf3+ 15.Re2 Qf1+ 16.Re1 Qf3+ 17.Re2 would bring a draw by repetition as we have seen in similar games, before.

14...Bf2 

Now, if the Rook reflexively moves out of the line of fire with 15.Re2 Black would checkmate with 15...Qf1+ 16.Re1 Qxe1+.

But White has something better.

15.Qe5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: This Can't Be Happening

Sometimes a defender seems to be distressed when meeting the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), protesting This Can't Be Happening.

Yet it is.

ZodgeMan - mekfer

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 g6 

Black follows the advice: When someone attacks one of your pieces, attack a more valuable one of his.

In this situation, however, kicking the White Queen does not help, and actually creates large problems.

Bullet chess requires split second asessments, and here Black errs.

8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxc5 

White has recovered his two sacrificed pieces.

His Queen will continue to rage.

9...Ke8 10.Qe5+ Ne7 11.Qxh8+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit Declined: It Is Useful to Have A Prepared Response

 

deathgoddess - Ymrchess

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

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

4...Ke7

The Jerome Gambit Declined. It is a rare line, but it is useful to have a prepared response. Three resources: "Jerome Gambit: An Exchange of Emails", "Jerome Gambit for Dummies 2.0 (Part 3)" and "Jerome Gambit: Ignore Me, Stay Aware".

5.Nxe5 

Stepping up the possible complications. Simply retreating the Bishop with 5.Bd5, 5.Bc4 or 5.Bb3 leaves White with the advantage of a pawn and a safer King.

5...Nxe5 6.Bxg8 Rxg8

It was not clear, but capturing by the Queen was a better choice.

An interesting alternative: 6...Bxf2+ 7.Kxf2 Rxg8 8.g3?! c6?! (8...d5) 9.Qh5 (9.d4) 9...Rf8+ (9...Qb6+ 10.Kg2 d6 11.Qg5+ Ke8 12.Rf1 h6 13.Qh5+ Ke7 14.Qh4+ Ke8 15.Qh5+ draw) 10.Kg2 Ng6 (10... d6) 11.d3 Qb6 12.Bg5+ Ke8 13.Qxh7? (13. Rc1 Rf2+ 14. Kh1) 13...Qf2+ 14.Kh3 Rh8 (14...d5+ 15.g4 Rf3#) 15.Qxh8+ Nxh8 16.Nc3 d5+ 17.g4 Qf3+ 18.Kh4 Qxg4 checkmate, Atti0130 - TheCasualCow, blitz, lichess.org, 2022.

7.d4 

Over-reaching is 7.Qh5, although it proved successful after 7...Ng6? (7...Bd4) 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qb4 Nf4 10.O-O Ke8 11.d4 Ne2+ 12.Kh1 Nxc1 13.Rxc1 Rb8 14.Qc4 Rf8 15.Nc3 Qf6 16.f3 h5 17.Qxc7 Ra8 18.Nd5 Qf7 19.Qxd6 Qd7 20.Nc7+ Kd8 21.Qxd7+ Kxd7 22.Nxa8 b6 23.c4 Bb7 24.Nxb6+ axb6 25.c5 bxc5 26.Rxc5 h4 27.Rac1 Rc8 28.Rxc8 Bxc8 29.Kg1 Ba6 30.Kf2 g5 31.Ke3 Kd6 32.g3 hxg3 33.hxg3 Bb7 34.f4 gxf4+ 35.gxf4 Ke6 36.a3 Kd6 37.b4 Ba6 38.Rc5 Bb7 39.e5+ Ke6 40.Rc7 Bd5 41.b5 Bb3 42.b6 Ba4 43.b7 Kf5 44.b8=Q Kg4 45.Rg7+ Kf5 46.Qf8+ Ke6 47.Re7+ Kd5 48.Qd8+ Kc4 49.Rc7+ Kb3 50.Qd5+ Kb2 51.f5 Bc2 52.f6 Bf5 53.f7 Be6 54.Qb5+ Ka2 55.f8=Q Bb3 56.a4 Bxa4 57.Qxa4+ Kb2 58.Qfa3+ Kb1 59.Rc1 checkmate, Capi_Capitan - hassan-khoda, lichess.org, 2021.

7...Bxd4 

This is a slip, something that happens in blitz games.

Other ideas:

7...Bb4+ 8.c3 Nd3+ 9.Qxd3 Ba5 10.Bg5+ Kd6 11.Bxd8 Rxd8 12.Qg3+ Kc6 13.b4 Bb6 14.a4 a5 15.b5 checkmate, Littleplayerparis - Tillu7, lichess.org, 2020; 

7...Qf8 8.dxc5 b6 9.O-O bxc5 10.Qd5 d6 11.Qxa8 Qf4? 12.Bxf4 Black resigned, ilhanGuler - popsulin, lichess.org, 2022; and

7...Bb6 8.dxe5 (8.Bg5+) 8...Rf8 9.Qh5 Bxf2+ 10.Ke2 d6 11.Bg5+ Kd7 12.Bxd8 Kxd8 13.Rf1 g6 14.Qxh7 Bg4+ 15.Kd2 Be6 16.Qxg6 Kd7 17.Rxf2 Rxf2+ 18.Kd3 Rff8 19.Nc3 Rae8 20.exd6 cxd6 21.Nd5 Bxd5 22.exd5 Kc7 23.Kc4 Rf4+ 24.Kb5 a6+ 25.Ka5 Re5 26.Qg7+ Kd8 27.Qh6 Rxd5+ 28.Kb6 White won on time, giorgossddddd - Boki77, lichess.org, 2022 

8.Bg5+

Ouch.

8...Ke6 9.Bxd8 Rxd8 10.Qxd4 

White has a Queen and a pawn for a Bishop. Black's only chance is the clock. 

10...d6 11.Qd5+ Kf6 12.O-O c6 13.Qd2 Rd7 14.c4 Rf7 15.Qxd6+ Be6 16.Nd2 Raf8 

Black marshalls his forces as best he can.

17.f4 Ng4 18.f5 Kg5 19.Nf3+ Kh5 20.fxe6 Black resigned

He has had enough. His King will not escape.

JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 11)

JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 11) 

  

(by Yury V. Bukayev) 

 

 

As a further development of my Part 9 (the post of October, 12, 2021 on Rick Kennedy’s blog), this continuation of my theoretical research on the standard line of the Jerome gambit (JG) is about position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qh3+! Ke7 8.Qc3 Bd6!?. 

 

After 9.f4 Ke8 it isn’t clear, what of possible White’s ways is the strongest here, but the following White’s attack is very serious: 10.d4! N (This my new move-invention has the same general idea as my Part 9 shows, White’s sequence of moves plays a role.) 10…Nc6 11.0-0! Bf8 12.e5!. It’s enough rare case in theory of JG, where on this opening stage White regains no pieces and lets opponent’s King retreat back from the centre, but creates very large difficulties for the opponent! White’s practical chances are very large here, although all Black’s moves are very strong or enough strong! It maybe, 12…Qe7!? is the most active answer here, but it can require a lot of time and large efforts to find it. 13.Be3 (13.a3 Nxd4! is normal for Black) 13…Qb4 14.Qd3!, and White’s serious attack continues.  

 

These theoretical difficulties for Black can be mortal for him in your game, even without very large difficulties of other kinds, which are present always at games. So I recommend you to play this line, if you are lover of the Jerome gambit with 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+. You can get it also by my other sequences of moves: 9.d4 Nc6 10.0-0 Ke8 11.f4 (11.e5!?) 11…Bf8; 9.0-0 Ke8 etc.; 9.f4 Ke8 10.0-0! Nc6 11.d4 (please, look at my Part 9) 11…Bf8.   

 

 Of course, the Natural star Jerome gambit deferred (the strong deferred line of JG - the post of September, 17, 2021 on Rick Kennedy’s blog) will be much more attractive for a lot of experts of the modern chess opening theory than the standard line of JG, but the defence 6…Ke6 after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ requires their new attention and large revision already now, we can understand finally.