Classic Jerome Gambit Difficulty (for Black)

Sometimes a small problem in a position, if unattended to, becomes larger and larger, placing the whole game in danger.

The following game is a good example of how something small in the defender's position grew and grew.

Wall, Bill - NumberSix

internet, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ 

Bill has experimented with 8.Qf5+ in Wall,B - Guest198654, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 21). 

8...d6 

Or 8...Qe7 as in Wall,B - Quack, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 22).

9.Qc3 

Or 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.0–0 h6 11.f3 Kg8 12.d4 Kh7 13.c4 Re8 14.Nc3 Kg8 15.Qd3 Nf4 16.Bxf4 c5 17.Nb5 cxd4 18.Qxd4 Qb6 19.Qxb6 axb6 20.Nc7 Black resigned, as in Wall,B - LC, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 20)

9...Nf6 

Bill has also faced 9...Be6 10.d3 c6 11.O-O Qf6 12.Qa3 Qe7 13.f4 Bd7 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5+ Ke8 16.Qc3 Be6 17.Nd2 Bd5 18.d4 Nf4 19.Rxf4 Qg5 20.Rf2 Qg4 21.Qb4 Ne7 22.Qxb7 Qd1+ 23.Rf1 Qg4 24.Qxa8+ Kd7 25.Qxa7+ Ke6 26.Nf3 Black resigned, Wall,B-Petrosianic, PlayChess.com 2015.

10.d3 

This move opens the diagonal for his Bishop, but he needs to be mindful that his Queen not be blocked off from the action.

10...Qd7 

Also 10...c6 as in Wall,B - Boris, Sparkchess.com, 2012; or

10...Qe7 as in Wall,B - Guest4149739, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 30); or 

10...Kf7 as in Wall,B - Guest428245, PlayChess, 2014 (1-0, 20). 

11.O-O Kf7 

Hoping to castle-by-hand.

12.f4 Re8 13.Qb3+ Kf8 14.Nc3 a6 

Black has castled (sort of) and leads in development, but he has that classic Jerome Gambit difficulty sometimes seen in defenders: his Queen blocks his Bishop, which impedes his Rook. It will cost tempos to remedy this.

White's "Jerome pawns" are ready to roll.

15.f5 Ne5 16. Bg5 Qf7 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 

Black's capture with the Queen helps preserve his Kingside pawn structure, but the Queen's placement gives White a tempo move. 

By the way, exchanging Queens first with 17...Qxb3 18.axb3 gxf6 would allow 19.Nd5 with and edge for White.

18.Nd5 Qf7 19.Qc3 c6 20.f6 

The position calls out for this move, taking advantage of the alignment of Black's King and Queen on the same file as White's Rook.

20...Kg8 21.fxg7 Qxg7 

Getting the Queen out of the line of fire, but Stockfish 15.1's move was 21...cxd5, after which the play would continue 22.Rxf7 Nxf7 23.exd5 Bf5 24.Re1 Rxe1+ 25.Qxe1 Kxg7 and the computer assesses White's Queen plus three pawns as better than Black's Rook, Bishop and Knight. 

Analysis Diagram

It is hard to see how White would make much progress, though. For one idea, the computer likes 12.Qf2 Kg6 13.h3 h5 14.b4 b5 15.Qe1 Kf6 16.c4.

The text, however, allows a winning fork.

22.Nf6+ Kh8 23.Nxe8 Qg6 24.Rf8+ Black resigned

The Queen will be lost, and checkmate will follow.

Jerome Gambit: Bamboozled

There is an old saying, "If you can't baffle them with brilliance, bamboozle them with BS".

That is pretty good advice when playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+): you don't have to win each game by checkmate, you can make things complicated enough that your opponent will either make an error, or suffer from time pressure - or even lose on time, as happens in the next game. 

angelcamina - Haribol1 

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6

This position is seen in 393 games in The Database. White scores 56%.

9 fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 

The Knight can also go to e7, although that produces an even game, still difficult at bullet speed: 10...Ne7 11.Nc3 (11.c3 Nc6 12.d4 Bxd4 13.cxd4 Nxd4 14.Qd3 Ke7 15.O-O d6 16.Nc3 c5 17.Nd5+ Kd8 18.Bf4 Qe6 19.Bg5+ Kd7 20.Be3 Nc6 21.Rad1 b6 22.Nf4 Qe5 23.Nd5 Bb7 24.Rf7+ Kc8 25.Rc7+ Kb8 26.Bf4 Qe6 27.Bxd6 Qxd6 28.Rxg7 Nd4 29.Rxb7+ Kxb7 Black won on time, angelcamina - acemi_Kral, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023) 11...Rf8 12.Qd3+ Ke6 13.Qc4+ d5 14.Qb3 Bf2+ 15.Kd1 Kd6 16.Qa3+ c5 17.Nb5+ Kc6 18.Qa4 Bg4 checkmate, angelcamina - alkonearfa, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022. 

11.Nc3 

Or 11.d3 Kc6 12.Nc3 Bb4 13.Bf4 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Qxc3+ 15.Ke2 d6 16.e5+ Nd5 17.exd6 Bg4 18.Qxg4 Qxc2+ 19.Kf3 Qxd3+ 20.Kf2 Raf8 21.Rac1+ Kb6 22.Rb1+ Ka6 23.Qe2 Rxf4+ 24.Ke1 Re4 Black won on time, angelcamina - karimov1, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022.

11...Rf8 

The Rook threatens the enemy Queen along the f-file. angelcamina has faced stronger moves, however:

11...Bb4 12.Qd3+ Ke7 13.O-O Bxc3 14.Qxc3 Rf8 15.Qxe5+ Black resigned, angelcamina - ChileanBullet, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020;

11...Ke7 12.d3 d5 (12...Bd4 13.Bf4 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Qxc3+ 15.Ke2 Kd8 16.e5 Ne8 17.Bg5+ Nf6 18.exf6 gxf6 19.Bxf6+ Ke8 20.Qe4+ Kf7 21.Bxc3 Re8 22.Be5 d6 23.Rhf1+ Kg8 24.Qc4+ d5 25.Qxd5+ Be6 26.Qxb7 Rab8 27.Qa6 Rb6 28.Qa4 c6 29.Qf4 Rf8 30.Qg5 chckmate, angelcamina - Roter_Baron, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023) 13.Bf4 Qd4 14.O-O-O Bg4 15.Qg3 Rhg8 16.Rde1 Kf7 17.e5 Nh5 18.Qxg4 Qxf4+ 19.Qxf4+ Nxf4 $11 20.Rhf1 g5 21.g3 Kg6 $2 22.gxf4 gxf4 23.Rxf4 Raf8 24.Rxf8 Rxf8 25.Nxd5 c6 26.Nc3 Rf3 27.e6 Rf8 28.Ne4 Be7 29.Ng3 Kg7 30.c3 Kh8 31.d4 h5 32.h3 h4 33.Ne4 Re8 34.Rf1 Kg7 Black won on time, angelcamina - toshi8, 1 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021; and

11...Re8 12.d3 Bd4 13.Bf4 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Black resigned, angelcamina - stefan9822, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022. 

12.Qd3+ 

A novelty, and attractive in a bullet game, although the one move to give White the advantage was 12.d4, with an attack on the Bishop and a promised attack on the Queen (with Bf4). 

12...Ke7 13.Rf1 d6 

14.b4 

Sacrificing a pawn to creat threats along the a1-h8 diagonal.

14...Bxb4 15.Bb2 Bc5 

It can be hard to find the right move, or even the right plan, when you are playing at a speed that only sometimes allows you one second of thought per move. Black moves the Bishop to an attacking diagonal.

Instead, 15...Bxc3 16.Bxc3 Qxe4+ 17.Qxe4+ Nxe4 simplifies things, leaving Black a piece ahead.

16.O-O-O 

Possibly the clock. White had just prepared 16.Nd5+, winning the Queen.

16...a5 

Giving White a second chance, which he does not miss.

17.Nd5+ Nxd5 18.Bxe5 dxe5 19.Qxd5 

White has a Queen for two Bishops, and his King is much safer.

What about the clock? The following play suggests that things were winding down, especially for Black.

19...Be6 20.Qxc5+ Kd7 21.Rxf8 Ra6 22.Rh8 Rc6 23.Qf8 Bxa2 24.Qd8+ White won on time

Jerome Gambit: A Decade Ago... (Part 2)

 

[continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - CorH

3 12 blitz, FICS, 2014

How to respond to the Knight?

15.Qe2 

The text is good, although a bit better is the tempo-grab 15.Qg3 h5 16.d5 also with advantage. 

15...Kd8 16.h3 Nh6 17.d5 Nd4 18.Qe4 Nhf5 

19.Kh2 

Avoiding the tempting 19.g4 with the idea of finally distressing the enemy Knights. Black's counter would be 19...Qh4, and after 20.Qg2 Qg3 21.Rf2  Qxg2+ 22.Rxg2 Nh4 23.Rg3 dxe5 24.fxe5 Nhf3+ 25.Kg2 Nxe5 and the Knights would still rule.

The computer prefers the more positional 19.Rd1, meeting 19...Qh4 with 20.e6 when 20...Qf6 would allow the pawn advance, i.e. 21.g4 Nh4 22.Rf1 Ndf5 (nowhere else to go) 23.gxf5 Qxf5 24. Kh2 when things are settling down, in White's favor.

So much to consider!

19...Qh4 20.Qd3 Re8 

21.g4 

White's Kingside is too fragile after this move.

Better was 21.Ne4 when 21...c6 22.dxc6 d5 (or simply 22...Nxc6) 23.cxb7 Bxb7 24.Nc5 Bc6 25.a4 (keeping the Bishop off of b5) g6 26.g4 Nh6 27.Qxd4 Nxg4+ 28.Kg2 Nh6 29.Bd2 shows that the fireworks can be handled, with White still better.

21...dxe5 

Stockfish 16 begins to evaluate all lines here as "0.00" which means it has found a draw. One example is 21...b6 22.gxf5 Bxf5 23.Qxd4 Qxh3+ 24.Kg1 Qg3+ 25.Kh1 Qh4+ 26.Kg1 Qg3+ etc. with a draw by repetition. 

Likewise 21...h5 22.gxf5 Bxf5 23.Qxd4 Qxh3+ 24.Kg1 Qg3+ etc.; or  21...Nh6 22.e6 Nxg4+ 23.Kg2 Nxe6 24.dxe6 Bxe6 25.hxg4 Bc4 26.Qxc4 Qxg4+, etc..

Opening the center when your King is still in the middle of your back rank looks dangerous, but this was a 3-minute blitz game, and almost anything is possible.

22.gxf5 

Yielding to temptation, believing that In blitz, when in doubt, grab material. Instead, additional development for White was in order: 22.Ne4 Qe7 23.Bd2 exf4 24.Rxf4 Qe5 25.Raf1 h6 26.gxf5 Bxf5 27.Bc3 Bxe4 28.Qxd4 Qxd4 29.Bxd4 Bxd5 30.Bxg7 Kd7 31.Bxh6 Re2+ 32.R1f2 Rxf2+ 33.Rxf2 Bxa2 and the endgame will likely be drawn, despite White's h-pawn.

22...Bxf5 23.Qg3 Qxg3+ 24.Kxg3 

24...exf4+ 

Instead, 24...e4 would have led to Black's advantage, but the position was complicated for him, too, and the clock was ticking just as fast, as well.

25.Bxf4 

This looks natural, but tactics argue in favor of 25.Rxf4, i.e. 25...Nxc2 26.Rxf5 Nxa1 27.Bg5+ Kd7 28.Rf7+ Kd6 29.Nb5+ Kc5 30.Nxc7 h6 31.Bc1 b5 32.Nxa8 Rxa8 33.Rxg7 Kxd5 34.Bxh6 and this time White's h-pawn does look strong.

25...Bxc2 26.Rae1 

With my Bishop aimed at the c-pawn, I should have tried 26.Rac1.  

26...Nf5+ 27.Kg4 g6 28.Rxe8+ Kxe8 

29.Bxc7 

29.Nb5 Rc8 30.Re1+ Kd7 31.Nxa7 was enough to keep things even. 

The text overlooks the coming fork, winning a Rook, but my opponent did not overlook.

29...Ne3+ 30.Kf3 Nxf1 

For all practical purposes, the game was over here. I should have been a good sport and resigned. Instead, I played on and rooted for the clock.

31.Kf2 Nd2 32.Ke2 Nc4 33.b3 Nb6 34.Kd2 Bf5 35.h4 Rc8 36.d6 Kd7 37.Nb5 a6 38.Na7

38...Rxc7 

A practical decision, eliminating White's one last "hope", his passer. With an extra Bishop and a pawn, his win is straightforward.

39.dxc7 Kxc7 40.a4 Kb8 41.a5 Nd5 White resigned

I can't blame the Jerome Gambit for this loss. It gave me plenty of complicated positions with chance. My opponent outplayed me. Hats off to him, belatedly.

Jerome Gambit: A Decade Ago... (Part 1)

Wandering through The Database I found yet another Jerome Gambit game that I had played, but not posted on this blog. 

It looks a lot like the game perrypawnpusher - GuestJDZB 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2024 (varying on move 10) that I posted a few days ago, but actually was played 10 years earlier than that game.

It was a complicated back-and-forth battle the included more back than forth. The tactics played and missed were interesting. Black's Knights took a starring role, throughout.

perrypawnpusher - CorH

3 12 blitz, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

I just checked: I have scored 80% against this move, and 80% against 6...g6. My score against 6...Ke6 is slightly better, at 83%; and a little worse against 6...Kf8, 74%. (As they say, Your Mileage May Vary.)

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 Qe7 

Challenging the enemy Queen and putting pressure on the e-pawn.

9.Qe3 Nf6 10.Nc3 d6 

More restrained than GuestJDZB's 10...Ng4.

10...Kf7 was seen in perrypawnpusher - frencheng, blitz, FICS, 2010  (1/2-1/2, 34)}) 

Stockfish 16's recommendation is 10...d5. 

11.O-O Ne5 

It looks like my opponent was trying to provoke a pawn advance, which, in this case, would not be a bad thing for me.

Instead, 11...b6 was seen in 4 of my games: perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 22); perrypawnpusher - Navarrra, 6 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 24); perrypawnpusher - alvarzr, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2013 (0-1, 59); and perrypawnpusher - MarkHundleby1, Chess.com, 2013 (1-0, 27). 

There was also 11...Rf8 in perrypawnpusher - chingching, 5 11 blitz, FICS, 2011  (1/2-1/2, 36).

Again, the computer likes 11...d5, with the advantage still with Black.

12.d4 Nc6 

A wandering Knight got into trouble after 12...Nc4 13.Qd3 Na5 (better 13...Nb6) in perrypawnpusher - mikelars, 4 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 50). 

13.f4 

It is funny, Stockfish 16 suggests the Queen-and-Knight dance continue with 13.d5 Nb4 14.Qd4 c5 (not 14...Nxc2 because of 15.Qa4+) 15.Qd1 and White would have an edge.

The problem with the text move is that Black can still respond with 13...d5, giving him a small advantage.

13...Kd7 

Black's King feels the heat, being on the e-file (which may soon open) behind his Queen and decides to vacate. His Majesty blocks his Bishop, however.

Stockfish 16 has a suggestion for a line of play that looks very human-like, with swarming Knights: 13...d5 14.e5 Ng4 15.Qd3 Nb4 16.Qe2 Bf5 17.h3 and here it endorses the offer of a piece with 17...h5!? that should be declined, at least at first. Instead, it proposes the free-wheeling mess 18.Bd2 Nxc2 19.Nxd5 Qd7 20.hxg4 hxg4 21.Qc4 c6 22.Ne3 Nxa1 23.Rxa1 Rd8 24.Rd1 Be6 25.Qd3 Qxd4 26.Qg6+ Bf7 27.Qxg4 Qxb2 28.Ba5 b6 29.Be1 after which it suggests that Black is about a pawn better.

I am tempted to repeat Bobby Fischer's comment, "long analysis, wrong analysis" but I suspect that the computer would have its own criticism of my efforts, along the lines of  "lazy analysis, crazy analysis".

14.e5 

This breakthrough by the "Jerome pawns" (the pawns White has as compensation for his sacrificed piece) is thematic, and advantageous for the first player.

14...Ng4 

How to respond?

A strong line of play shows that, despite my complaints, sometimes Stockfish does play like it "understands" the Jerome Gambit: 14...b6 15.Bd2 (15.exf6 is possible, but 15...Qxe3 16.Bxe3 gxf6 leads to a static position, albeit one where White is a pawn up) 15...Ba6 16.Qh3+ The King hunt is on! 16...Qe6 17.Qxe6+ Kxe6 18.d5+ Nxd5 19.f5+ Kxe5 20.Rae1+ Kd4 21.Re4+ Kc5 22.Na4+ Kb5 23.c4+ Kxa4 24.cxd5+ Kb5 25.Rc1 Bc8 26.dxc6 a5 27.a4+ Ka6 28.Rf1 Rf8 29.g4 h5 30.h3 when Black's Bishop is locked in, and, hence, his Rook.

Of course, Black does not have to play 14...b6. Instead, 14...Re8 15.d5 Nb4 16.Qd4 a5 17.exf6 Qxf6 would create another position where White is a pawn ahead, and Black's King is still unsafe and blocking his development.

It goes without saying that none of these lines of play, or the insights that go with them, ever occured to me during the game. I show them to illustrate the richness of the Jerome Gambit.

[to be continued]

The Bukayev-Grischuk Variation in Two Games – without and with the Winning Blow Bxf7+!

 

The Bukayev-Grischuk Variation in Two Games –

without and with the Winning Blow Bxf7+!    

(by Yury V. Bukayev)

 

Last year my article with the start of my old tournament game against the future World Blitz Chess Champion Alexander I. Grischuk was published on ‘Bruno’s Chess Problem of the Day’ website with my analyses of it.

I should repeat the following from that my article. This notable tournament chess game Bukayev, Yury V. – Grischuk, Alexander (Aleksandr) I. was played at the Moscow Junior Championship, in 1993 (the address is Moscow, Marshal Vasilevsky street, 9), 30 years ago, with a standard time control. It was the 2^nd tour, and it was a Swiss-system tournament, we both had 1 tournament point after the 1^st tour. Alexander Grischuk was 10 years old that time, I was 11. He was a real chess star in the world among young chess players: he was the U10 World Vice-Champion (1992). He was almost a CM in chess, I had the 2^nd category only, the first chess tournament in my life was started in the end of 1991 only... Nobody prepared me to the game against Alexander, unfortunately. I have lost this game in 42 moves by resignation after 2 hours (approximately) of fighting.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nf3 e4 6.Nd4 d5 7.e3 Nc6 8.Nc3 dxc4

I’ll not repeat my commentaries of these moves. Here is a continuation of this game.

 9.Bxc4!

This my strong move leads to much more complicated play than its very good alternative – 9.Nxc6!, which was analysed on ‘Bruno’s Chess Problem of the Day’. Nobody in the world has played 9.Bxc4! earlier, and further play has been strong, so it can be named as ‘Bukayev-Grischuk Variation’ or ‘Bukayev-Grischuk System’ of Anti-Benoni (A31), analogously to ‘Hamppe-Meitner Variation’ from the ‘Immortal Draw’ game between these two masters. I hope to publish my more large analysis of this my game since 9.Bxc4 on ‘Bruno’s Chess Problem of the Day’ soon.

 9…Ne5 10.Be2

It is a very good move, although 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.0-0! is the best way, where White has some advantage in the complicated play.

 10…Bc5 11.0-0 0-0 12.h3?!

When Top GM Ian Nepomniachtchi has played h2-h3? against World Champion Top GM Magnus Carlsen during the World Chess Championship Match in 2021 and when Top GM Ding Liren has played h2-h3? against Top GM Ian Nepomniachtchi during the World Chess Championship Match in 2023, many commentators have started to search explanations of these grandmaster ideas. Here commentators can explain my choice more easily, but it isn’t so important. The best move could be 12.Qc2! here, and White could fight for the advantage. Probably, the glory of my opponent affected me negatively, my thoughts were not brave, my notes of moves became not very good too…

 12…Qe7!

 Bravo, Alexander! Black gets the advantage, although White has serious defensive resources yet.

 13.a3 Rd8 14.b4 Bd6 15.f3?! Nc6?! 16.Qc2?

This pressure doesn’t work here, the move 16.f4 is necessary. Now Black gets an extra pawn.

 16…Qe5! 17.f4 Nxd4 18.exd4 Qxd4+ 19.Kh1

My mood became very bad after my loss of the pawn, and I tried absently to make an impossible move instead of 19.Kh1, so Alexander was forced here to attract my attention that his 18^th move is a check…

 19…Re8?

Probably, it is a psychology: probably, Alexander was sure that his position is very easy to win and that his opponent can’t fight already… Here after my thinking I wanted to make the move 20.Nb5!?, but it was too difficult for me to calculate 20…Qxa1! 21.Nxd6! enough well. When my fingers were above my Knight on c3 to make it, my mind cried: “No! There are some more easy alternatives!” And my fingers ran back abruptly and touched the crown of my Queen on c2 by accident. Very unfortunately, I was silent that moment… The best move was 20.Bb2! with enough compensation for a pawn, and I think, I could choose it. And my initial idea 20.Nb5 Qxa1 21.Nxd6 was also enough good (and very good for a practical game!), in fact.

But I had to make a Queen’s move as a result of my accidental touch… All possible Queen’s moves were very weak or enough weak, and my mood became very bad again.

 20.Qd2? Qxd2

Alexander got an easily won position, and I’ll not comment the following rest of the game, although it contains opponents’ mistakes too.

21.Bxd2 Bd7 22.Be3 Rac8 23.Rac1 a6 24.Rfd1 Bb8 25.a4 Be6 26.b5 Bc4 27.Bxc4 Rxc4 28.Rd2 Rec8 29.Rdc2 Nh5 30.bxa6 bxa6 31.Bd2 Bxf4 32.Bxf4 Nxf4 33.Rb1 Ne6 34.Rcc1 Rxc3 35.Rxc3 Rxc3 36.Rb8+ Nf8 37.Kg1 e3 38.Kf1 Ra3 39.Re8 f6 40.Ke2 Kf7 41.Rxe3 Rxa4 42.Kd2

White resigned.

 

And in 30 years I have played a thematic blitz game against my father Vyacheslav where the Bukayev-Grischuk Variation has become a result of our agreement. Here it is.

 

Bukayev Yury – Bukayev Vyacheslav 

blitz 5+0

Moscow, 2023

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nf3 e4 6.Nd4 d5 7.e3 Nc6 8.Nc3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Ne5 10.Bb5+ Ned7 11.Nf5 a6 12.Ba4 b5 13.Bb3 Nc5??

It is a ‘natural’ blunder. And White wins immediately.

 14.Bxf7+!

Black resigned. After 14…Kxf7 15.Qxd8 he has no opportunities to save the game.

 

 

 

Contact the author:  istinayubukayev@yandex.ru

 

 

Jerome Gambit: The Game Is Afoot, Again! (Part 2)

                                              

Although I remained skeptical that Paul Morphy ever played the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - see the previous post - this blog has been around for over 15 years, and I think someone might have mentioned it by now - I decided to do a litte digging.

 My first visit was to the website THE FULL MORPHY, which, among other things

contains all of Morphy's surviving 415 games - 253 regular games, 156 odds games, and 6 game positions 

There were no Jerome Gambit games.

I then looked for Morphy games with Black's King on its home square and White's Bishop on f7, checking, unsupported by White's Queen on b3.

Discarding King's Gambit and Evans Gambit games, I found Morphy defending against The Sarratt or Vitzthum Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.Nxf7 Nxf7 7.Bxf7+) in two games: Meek - Morphy, Mobile, 1855 (0-1, 21) and Kennicott - Morphy, New York, 1857 (0-1, 24).

Pushing on, I visited Chessgames.com and checked out the Morphy page. It had 457 games. There was no Jerome Gambit game, however.

I even checked with chess history-wise and Morphy-knowledgeable Sarah Beth Cohen, who was not aware of any Morphy Jerome Gambits, either.

I was beginning to suspect that the report of Morphy playing the Jerome Gambit was simply an oversight. Perhaps the author mis-remembered the Jerome for the Evans - Morphy played or defended against the Evans Gambit in 50 games.

End of excitement.

Jerome Gambit: The Game Is Afoot, Again! (Part 1)

Lately, I have been thinking, as I did in the post "Jerome Gambit: Worse vs Best (Part 1)"

As a serious fan of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) I like to think about what would happen if the best chess players ever faced the opening - or, even more improbably, if the "best" ever played the "worst". 

What Jerome Gambit fan wouldn't want to track down stories suggesting that Alekhine once played the Jerome; or that Steinitz, and later, Lasker, actually faced the Jerome.

Those might be some fascinating games.  

I tried, without success, to discover them. See "Jerome Gambit: Excitable" for links to relevant posts. The claims of an Alekhine or a Steinitz Jerome Gambit game appear completely unsubstantiated; the Lasker game did happen, but I have not been able to find the moves of the game.

Of course, Blackburne once destroyed the Jerome Gambit. You can see that game many places, including on this blog, for example, in"Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit!"

If you count transpositions - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Qe2 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ being equal to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Qe2 Nf6 I guess you could settle for Adolf Albin. See "Adolf Albin Plays the Jerome Gambit (Part 1) and (Part 2)".

So, imagine how excited I got when my Google Alert - set to let me know when it ran across "Jerome Gambit" on the internet - pointed me to "Traps and Gambits" ("For 1000-1600 players that enjoy aggressive openings, sacrifices, and traps"), specifically "Giuoco Piano Game: Jerome Gambit" and I read the title "The Jerome Gambit: A Daring Dive into Chess Romanticism".

What really struck me was the following

This opening has been used in a number of famous games, including some by the legendary Paul Morphy, whose attacking prowess was unparalleled in his time.

Paul Morphy played the Jerome Gambit??

And with that, I could not help myself, I was off searching again on a fool's errand...