How to Get an Advantage or to Win with JG (4.Bxf7+) against Maestri: the Collection of Practice (Part 2)

 

How to Get an Advantage or to Win with 

JG (4.Bxf7+) against Maestri: 

 the Collection of Practice (Part 2)

(by Yury V. Bukayev)

Dear readers, let me remind you that these my new posts about White's advantage and wins in such chess games are dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's publications with 4.Bxf7+ in Giuoco Piano. Now the world chess history knows a lot of cases, where White got an advantage or won here against grandmasters and other extremely strong defenders!

We should start this new part from the second of two games between the same grandmasters:

Top GM Hikaru Nakamura - GM Dmitrij Kollars (3 min blitz, Chess.com, 2020),

where after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6 10.fxe5+ Qxe5 11.Qf3 Black made, in my opinion, his first positional mistake 11...Qf6 in the game. The fight went on, and after several moves Black abandoned the game with the position where his King was not safe enough. It is unknown what has happened when the game was abandoned, but it seems to me, Black didn't plan to play two Jerome gambit games against Hikaru Nakamura without enough tie-break. Thus, Black didn't know theory of Jerome gambit: he spent too much time in the first game for known opening moves, made a mistake 11...Qf6 just after the alternative White's way in the second game. Finally, Nakamura said in September 2020 as a result of his enough long practice: "At least at blitz chess, I'm probably the best or second-best player ever, in the entire history, at least online". In this situation 6...Ke6 is a risky choice for 3 min time control games. Thus, analogously someone can beat a maestro in the first game and provoke him for the similar second one, which wasn't in his plans. If something isn't in plans, the probability of abandonment can be enough large, even if a position is excellent.

 Further, we should say about the game 

Amateur - GM Andrew Tang ( NN - penguingm1, 0 15 bullet, GM penguingim1 Arena, 2018,   https://jeromegambit.blogspot.com/2024/10/jerome-gambit-light-hearted.html ), 

where after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 White has made a blunder 5.Ng5+ . Here after 5...Qxg5 6.O-O Qg6 7.d4 Black has made two blunders 7...d6 8.dxc5 Bh3 , so White could get the slight advantage after the trivial 9.Qf3+ with 10.Qxh3 .

(to be continued)

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Jerome Gambit: It's Fun. It's Real Fun.

I just finished watching the new YouTube video "The Jerome Gambit" by PawnNation. 

TheRealPawnNation's 10-minute Jerome Gambit game starts at 14:05 in the video.

"Okay, I'll try to go for, how it's called, Jerome Gambit. A really bad opening, but I'll play it, anyways. It's fun. It's real fun."

I have made it clear in earlier posts that I appreciate the Jerome Gambit games of Bill Wall - over 1,500 games in The Database, scoring 90% - because they are fun, creative, and appear effortless.

The game in this video is equally enjoyable because it is anything but effortless. 

TheRealPawnNation works his way through the complications of the Jerome. It is fascinating.

Check it out.

Jerome Gambit: Psychological Chaos and Nothingness

Many chess games, especially those between club players, end with a tactical shot - one person makes a mistake, the other person immediately takes advantage of it.

Often, these kinds of one-move-ends-it positions are set up by earlier play, with complications coming sometimes even from the opening play.

I think that one reason the Jerome Gambit is (and isn't) popular with average players is that it frequently provides enough chaos to lead to that sharp ending.

Not just piece chaos, but psychological chaos.

Once again, Bill Wall illustrates.  

Wall, Bill - Fighter

SparkChess, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qxc5 N8e7 

Frequently the Knight finds itself at f6, instead.

8.O-O 

This is a bit calmer than 8.Qh5, which still led to success in Wall,B - Suku, internet, 2023 (1-0, 23). 

8...Rf8 

Or 8...Re8 as in Wall,B - Kiev, SparkChess 2024 (1-0, 14) 

Black's best bet would be 8...d5!? 

9.f4 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand and holds the typical Jerome piece-for-two-pawns advantage. He is better, but he has to be careful and keep up.

10.f5 d6 11.Qc4+ Kh8 

I almost want to suggest that every move Black consider playing ...d5. It isn't always right, but often it is. Like, now.

True, the second player has an "extra" piece to give back, but it he gets only 1 pawn for it, that won't be enough.

12.fxg6 Rxf1+ 13.Qxf1 Nxg6 

It is almost as if White and Black have to start all over again, although the first player has a pawn for his efforts - and that's a long way from giving up two pieces.

14.Nc3 Be6 15.d4 Qe7 16.Be3 Rf8 17.Qe2 a6 18.Re1 Bd7 

It is to smile: White continues to just move his pieces, an abrupt change from when he was throwing them away. What is he doing?

19.a3 Nf4

Lulled by nothingness, he strikes out at the enemy Queen.

20.Bxf4 Rxf4 21.Nd5 Black resigned

White's Knight fork does more than win the Rook, it stirs up tactical chaos that is too much for his opponent.

If 21...Qg5, then 22.Nxf4 Qxf4 23.Rf1 takes advantabe of Black's unprotected back rank.

If 21...Qxe4 22.Nxf4 (or 22.Qxe4 Rxe4 23.Rxe4) Qxe2 23.Rxe2

If 21...Qf7 22.Nxf4 Qxf4 23.Rf1.

Sicilian Jerome Gambit Redux

 

Although the focus of  this blog is the Jerome Gambit - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ - I have occasionally examined the sacrifice Bxf7+ in other openings.

For example, about 15 1/2 years ago, in "Sicilian Jerome Gambit", I looked at the game Jyrki Heikkinen - Timo-Pekka Lassila, Tampere, Finland, 1987 (1-0, 26,) which started 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Nf3 e5 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Bxf7+, a Sicilian Defense that took on Jerome-ish quality.

Recently, chessfriend Yury V. Bukayev pointed me toward another Jerome/Sicilian hybrid. It was chosen "Game of the Day" at ChessGames.com.

Rhine, Frederick - NN

blitz, lichess.org, 2018

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 

So far, we have a Smith-Morra gambit in the Sicilian.

4...e5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bc4 Na5 

This can't be good. Black looks to win the "minor exchange" of Bishop for Knight, but this is a time-waster. Compare the move to the outcome of 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5, where White scores 71%.

7.Bxf7+ 

Even Stockfish 16.1 prefers the Bishop shot over the quiet alternative, 7.Nxe5 Nxc4 8.Nxc4. 

7...Kxf7 8.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Black's King advances to his doom.

Better was 8...Ke8, although then 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Nxg6 Nf6 11.Qe5+ Be7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 13.Qxa5 would be winning for White, too. 

9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Nb5+ 

This gets the job (checkmate) done, but faster was 11.Bf4 Qg5 12.Nxd7+ Qxf4 13.Nb5+ Kc6 14.Qd5#

11...Kxe5 

Or 11...Kc5 12.Qd5+ Kb6 13.Be3+ Bc5 14.Bxc5+ Ka6 15.Qd3 Nc4 16.Nxc4 Kxb5 17.Na3+ Kxc5 18.Rc1+ Kb6 19.Qb5#.

12.Bf4+ 

White can see his way to a pretty end. Impatient Readers can try 12.Qf5#. 

12...Kxe4 13.Nc3+ Kd3 14.O-O-O  checkmate

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome would be pleased.

Jerome Gambit: Countering the Counter

How to counter the counter-Jerome gambit?

Bill Wall has enough experience, he could do it with his eyes closed. Take a look.

Wall, Bill - Basiq

SparkChess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

Here we go again: "Jerome Gambit: What About the Rook?"

So, the warning is - be aware, defenders, that 6...g6 means you want to sacrifice your Rook. Play becomes awkward without this awareness.

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

As mentioned in "Jerome Gambit: Still Waters Run Deep"

The "Counter-Jerome Defense" or the "Counter-Jerome Gambit". See "Jerome Gambit: How Bad Has It Gotten?", "Jerome Gambit: Tactical Awareness" and "Jerome Gambit: Be Careful, Look Both Ways".

For more recent examples, see "Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit (Part 3)" and "Jerome Gambit: Psychology".

Black gives up a piece in a way that disturbs White's King. There are 560 games in The Database, with White scoring 72%.

The second player would do better with the more frequently played 7...d6, or possibly the strongest move, 7...Qe7; neither of which looks as scary as the text move.

8.Kxf2 Nf6 

In other games, Black has exchanged Queens with 8...Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 (or 9...Kxf6 as in Wall,B - Kumar, internet, 2024 [1-0, 22]):

Wall,S - Guest658246, PlayChess.com 2013 (1-0, 34); Wall,B - Guest4380606, PlayChess.com 2015 (1-0, 15); Wall,B - SCMJ, FICS 2020 (1-0, 24); and Wall,B - Naren, SparkChess 2024 (1-0, 19). 

Black can also throw in 8...Qh4+ first, as in Wall,B - Guest1443273 PlayChess.com 2012 (1-0, 36); Wall,B - Guest2115687, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 21); and Wall,B - Guest592370, PlayChess.com 2017 (1-0, 30).

9.Rf1 d6 10.Qg3 Nxe4+ 

This looks scary - for a second.

11.Kg1+ 

The check makes all the difference.

11...Kg7 12.Qf3 Bf5 13.g4 Qg5 14.d3 Qxg4+ 15.Qxg4 Bxg4

But, wait, there is one more move...

16.dxe4 Rae8 17.Nc3 a6 18.Nd5 Rxe4 19.b3 Bh3 20.Bb2+ Re5 21.Rfe1 Black resigned

Black will lose too much material.

Jerome Gambit: Bad Luck

Nothing but bad luck befalls Black after his 7th move. This could have been foretold by his 6th.

It did not help that Bill Wall had plenty of experience in the line.

Wall, Bill - Benaj

SparkChess, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Nf6 

Returning for a moment to the post "Jerome Gambit: What About the Rook?"

So, the warning is - be aware, defenders, that 6...g6 means you want to sacrifice your Rook. Play becomes awkward without this awareness.

I mentioned 7...Bd6, 7...d6, and 7...Qe7. I should have added 7...Nf6.

8.Qxc5 

The game Wall, B - Guest3151819, PlayChess.com, 2014 ended here as a win for White. 

8...Nxe4 

Instead, 8...Qe8 was a bad idea in Wall,B - NN, internet, 2020 (1-0, 15) 

Not much better was 8...Qe7 in Wall,B - Pakyaw, internet, 2024 (1-0, 27) 

He could have tried 8...d6 9.Qe3 Nxe4 with White still for choice. 

9.Qd5+ Kf6

This is not an improvement on 9...Kg7 in Wall,B - Sigmon,A. Palm Bay, FL 2012 (1-0, 32). 

10.d3 Nd6 11.Bg5+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Peering Back

Today I was peering back at Jerome Gambit: A New Look at an Older Line, where I looked at the game Cristopher_Sonido13 - Stefcho2020, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qf7#

Here are some of my comments, with updates, and updates of updates...

It is interesting to review what I wrote back then. Modern comments are in red. [Today's 2025 comments are in pink.]

6.Qh5+

At the time that I played this move, I knew that the "right" choice was 6.Nxc6, [today's The Database shows 102 games, White scores 73% { In 2025, this is now 110 games, White scores 72%}] since either 6...dxc6 or 6...bxc6 would allow White to play 7.Qh5+ followed by capturing the Bishop; for example, as in perrypawnpusher - rodrigojalpa, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 25) and Wall,B - Qwerty, chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 9).

Looking at 6.Nxc6 now, I still think that it is best for White, but I wanted to point out two untested responses that might surprise the first player.

a) 6...Bxf2+ (as long as Black is going to lose this piece, he decides to get a pawn for it) 7.Kxf2 Qf6+ 8.Qf3 Qxc6 (avoiding doubled c-pawns) when White is a bit better. He has to be careful because of the loose pawn on c2 and the King and Queen being on the same file (vulnerable to ...Ne7 and ...Rf8).

[Today's The Database shows 4 games with 6...Bxf2+, all wins for White, including one by mwafakalhaswa and two by chessriddler. Stockfish 16.1 shows White to have a winning position. {Unchanged in 2025}]

Black also has the untried counter-attacking

b) 6...Qh4, (which I mentioned about 3 years ago in this blog) may be better than the capture of the Knight at c6, as well. White's best response is 7.d4, and after 7...Qxe4+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Bb6 material is even, i.e. 10.Nb4 Bxd4.

The Database in 2025 has 9 games with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Nxc6 Qh4, with White scoring 4 - 5. 

Thus, 6...Qh4 remains the strongest response for Black to 6.Nxc6. Stockfish 16.1 agrees, assessing the position as slightly better (+/=) for White.