Jerome Gambit: Two Hybrid Gambits (Part 1)

 

As early as Charlick,H - Holloway,A, Australia, 1877 (1-0, 76), a few adventurous chess  players have combined the Evans Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc4 4.b4) with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

See "The Evans Jerome Gambit" and "Exploring the Evans Jerome Gambit" for a couple of posts on the topic.

The Evans Jerome Gambit is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc4 4.b4 Bxb4 (or 4...Bb6 or 4...Be7) 5.Bxf7+ (or 5.c3 Bb6 6.Bxf7+ or 5.c3 Bc5 6.bxf7+ or 5.c3 Be7 6.Bxf7+ or 5.c3 Ba5 6.Bxf7+).  

The Jerome Evans Gambit is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.b4.

lichess.org has almost 1400 game examples.

In the following games, Bill Wall experiences a few light-hearted Evans Jerome Gambits.

Wall, Bill - Goblin

internet, 2004

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 

4...Bd4 

Also:

4...Nxb4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Kf8 7.O-O d6 8.Nf3 Bg4 9.d4 Bb6 10.c3 Nc6 11.h3 Bh5 12.Nbd2 Nf6 13.Re1 Qd7 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Benitez,H, internet, 2010;

4...Nd4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.bxc5 Nf6 7.Nxe5+ Ke8 8.Bb2 d6 9.Bxd4 dxe5 10.Bxe5 Nxe4 11.Qe2 Qd5 12.d4 Rf8 13.f3 Bg4 14.Qxe4 Qxe4+ 15.fxe4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Deadbird, internet, 2010; and

4...Bb6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.b5 Bxf2+ 7.Kxf2 Nd4 8.Nxe5+ Kf8 9.Nf3 Qf6 10.Bb2 Black resigned, Wall,B - Disco, internet, 2010. 

5.c3 Bb6 6.Bxf7+ 

6...Kxf7 7.b5 Nce7 8.Nxe5+ Ke8 

9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qf3 d6 11.Qf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Merapi

Looking further at the Jerome Gambit line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.a3, (see "Jerome Gambit: Counting Up the Numbers [Part 2]"), The Database has 32 game examples, with the earliest two played in 2002.

Merapi - tvc

2 0 lightning, FICS, 2002

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.a3 Nf6 6.b4 Bb6 7.Qe2 d6 8.Qc4+ Kf8 9.d4 Nxd4 10.Ng5 Qe7 11.Nf7 Qxf7 12.Qc3 Nc6 13.Qf3 Bd4 14.c3 Bb6 15.Rg1 Bg4 16.Qg3 Qg6 17.Nd2 Nh5 18.Qh4 Nf4 19.a4 a5 20.bxa5 Bxa5 21.Ra2 Bxc3 22.a5 Rxa5 23.Rxa5 Bxa5 24.Bb2 Nd3+ 25.Kf1 Nxb2 26.Nb3 Bc3 27.f4 Nd4 28.Qd8+ Qe8 29.Qxc7 Black lost on time

Merapi - GCH

5 0 blitz, FICS, 2002

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.a3 Nf6 6.b4 Bd6 7.Qe2 Re8 8.Qc4+ Kf8 9.d4 exd4 10.e5 Bxe5 11.Qc5+ Bd6+ 12.Ne5 Bxc5 13.f4 Nxe5 14.bxc5 Nd3+ 15.Kd2 Nxc5 16.Bb2 Re3 17.Bxd4 Re4 18.Bxc5+ Kg8 19.f5 d6 20.Kd3 Bxf5 21.Bd4 Re1+ 22.Kc4 Rxh1 23.a4 Be6+ 24.Kd3 Bf5+ 25.Ke2 Bxc2 26.a5 Qe7+ 27.Kf3 Qe4+ 28.Kf2 Qxd4+ 29.Kf3 Qxa1 30.Nd2 Be4+ 31.Nxe4 Nxe4 32.Kxe4 Re8+ 33.Kd5 Qxa5+ 34.Kc4 Qa4+ 35.Kd3 Qb4 36.g3 a5 37.h4 a4 38.Kc2 a3 39.Kd3 a2 40.g4 a1=Q White resigned

What I found interesting, when I checked for more information about Merapi at FICS, was the note

 1: Hello! I am a Java Chess Engine.

 2: Running on a PIII 128Mb 800Mhz

 3: MicroMaster is operating me.

 4: Todo list:

 5: create an opening book

Jerome Gambit: Counting Up the Numbers (Part 2)

In the previous post (see "Jerome Gambit: Counting Up the Numbers [Part 1]") we looked at the massive collection of games at the lichess.org site and saw how some Jerome Gambit lines - accepted and declined - fared in club level play.

What does the computer engine Stockfish 16.1 think of all of this?

Well, for starters, in evaluating 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ it does not place 4.Bxf7+ in the top 25 fourth-move choices for White.   

Further, at 36 ply depth of evaluation, it sees 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ as about 2 3/4 pawn better for Black.

(New Readers, please do not panic. The Jerome Gambit is considered by masters to be disreputable - if still fun to play in certain circumstances. Club players count on the considerable "shock and awe" chaos it engenders to even the odds.) 

White is happier if the Bishop is not accepted, as 4...Kf8 is about 4 3/4 pawns better for him than 4...Kxf7, and 4...Ke7 is about 5 1/4 pawns better for him than 4...Kxf7  (31 ply).

Clearly the Jerome Gambit accepted lines are the ones that give the first player the greatest challenge.

At 36 ply, the popular 5.Nxe5+ is rated as about 3 pawns better for Black, as opposed to 5.O-O, which is rated as about 3 1/8 pawns better for Black.

Interestingly, 5.b4 is rated as about 3 1/3 pawns better for Black, while 5.Nc3 and 5.a3 are rated slightly even more favorable for the second player.

5.d4 is assessed as about 3 1/2 pawns better for Black, as is 5.c3. 

Apparently, according to the computer, White should smile if his Bishop is declined, and bear down if it is not, putting his effort into 5.Nxe5+, although 5.O-O, 5.b4, 5.Nc3, 5.a3, 5.d4 and 5.c3 are are not evaluated as much worse for him.

Clearly the Evans Jerome Gambit - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.b4 - needs another look; as does the counter-intuitive 5.a3, first mentioned in September 2008's "A Closer Look (Part I)" and in the games panga74 - vlad-tepes, GameKnot.com, 2008 (1-0, 16) and (1-0, 31).

It is also worth mentioning "More Russian Home Cooking" from a dozen years ago, where Yury V. Bukayev noted

I have the following new present for you! It's my discovery! 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 h6 5.a3 (White has the auxiliary threat: 6.b4.) 5...Nd4? 6.Bf7!! White has a very strong attack! (6.Ne5?! Qg5!-+; after 6.Na4 or 6.b4 black can play 6...Bd6! without fast white's winning.) If you agree, you may call it as "Bukayev GP Jerome counter gambit", where "GP" is the well-known words: "giuoco piano". 

Jerome Gambit: Counting Up the Numbers (Part 1)

While I maintain, and frequently refer to, The Database - currently about 110,00 Jerome Gambit and related games - I occasionally like to drop in at lichess.org, an online playing site that has almost 6 billion games.

What are the simplest conclusions that I can draw from that massive collection of online club level play?

There are 804,880 games with the Jerome Gambit line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, with White scoring 49.5%.

Black does best to accept the Bishop with 4...Kxf7. The lichess.org database has 783,491 games with that move (the overwhelming choice), with White scoring 49.5%.

Instead, against declining the piece with 4...Kf8, seen in 18,867 games, White scores 58.5%.

Against the other declination, 4...Ke7 - 2,522 games - White scores 64%.

After Black takes the piece with 4...Kxf7, White has seven main continuations.

Most frequently played is the thematic 5.Nxe5+, appearing in 506,616 games, with White scoring 52%.

It is interesting to note that 5.c3, while appearing in only 62,659 games, scores a bit better than that for White, at 53%.

Next in success for White is 5.O-O, appearing in 67,291 games and delivering 49%.

That is followed by 5.d4 (85,870 games, White scores 47%), 5.d3 (39,832 games, White scores 43%), and 5.Nc3 (6,771 games, White scores 41.5 %).

The notorious "Face Palm" variation, 5.Ng5+  appears in 35,765 games and scores 31%.

For comparison, the main line of the Giuoco Piano, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3, appears in 22,953,410 games in the lichess.org database, with White scoring 54%. That is clearly better (but not by a lot) than the Jerome Gambit accepted, but not as good as the Jerome Gambit declined lines.

[For a similar, 14 1/2-years-earlier look at Jerome Gambit lines, check out "A Closer Look at the Big Picture (Parts 1, 2 and 3)" which noted "Likely what is needed some time in the future is a Closer Closer Look at the Big Picture.".]

Jerome Gambit: Stuff Happens

At least as long ago as Traité Théorique et Pratique du jeu des Echecs, par une Société des Amateurs (1786), chess players have suggested that if Black and White each play perfectly, the result will be a draw.

Club level play often varies quite a bit from "perfect", however, reflecting the lament that stuff happens.

The following game illustrates.

angelcamina - iciaren

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4 

Hoping that the pin on the Knight will allow the capture of the pawn on e4, but he has not seen far enough.

8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Qxe4 

10...Qe7 

angelcamina has also faced 10...Bxc3+, e.g. 11.bxc3 Qe7 12.0–0 d6 13.Ba3 (13.f4 Bd7 14.Ba3 Bb5 (14...Bc6 15.Qe3 Re8 16.Rad1 g6 17.Qg3 Kg7 18.c4 Rhf8 19.Bb2 Kg8 20.f5 Black resigned, angelcamina - CATCHESS11, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024) 15.c4 Bc6 16.Qe3 Ke8 17.Rae1 Kd8 18.Rd1 Kc8 19.Qh3+ Bd7 20.Qg3 g6 21.exd6 cxd6 22.Bxd6 Qe4 23.Rfe1 Qf5 24.Re5 Qg4 25.Qd3 Bc6 26.g3 Rd8 27.Re7 Qf3 28.Rc7+ Kb8 29.Rxc6+ Rxd6 30.Qxd6 checkmate, angelcamina - Heptrook, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025) 13...Kg8 14.Qf3 Qxe5 15.Rae1 Qf5 16.Qxf5 Bxf5 17.Re7 h6 18.Rxc7 Bxc2 19.Rxb7 Kh7 20.Re1 Rhf8 21.Ree7 Rf6 22.Rxg7+ Kh8 23.f3 Bd3 24.c4 Bxc4 25.Bb2 Rff8 26.Rh7+ Kg8 27.Rbg7 checkmate, angelcamina - likinfride, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019. 

Also, 10...Qe8 11.Qxb4+ Black resigned, angelcamina - ngx11, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020. 

11.O-O d6 12.Nd5 

White will win the Bishop, but he also had the simple 12.Qxb4.

12...Qxe5 13.Qf3+ Bf5 14.Nxb4 

14...Ke7 15.Bg5+ Kd7 16.Rfe1 c6 

Ooops, the Queen is hanging... Remember, this is a bullet game, and stuff happens.

17.Rxe5 dxe5 18.Rd1+ Kc7 19.Qxf5 Rhf8 20.Qd7+ Kb6 21.Be3+ c5 22.Rd6+ Ka5 23.Qxb7 Black resigned

Checkmate is coming.

Jerome Gambit: Complications Benefit Who?

When playing the Jerome Gambit, do the complications favor the attacker or the defender?

I am not sure, but I do think that they favor the player more familiar with the opening - as shown in the following game.

Wall, Bill - Nesa

SparkChess, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ 

Giving the King a "nudge".

7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc3 Nf6

 

Bill has also seen 9...Qh4 in  billwall - NFTM, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 36) and 9...Qf6 in Wall,B - VQR, internet, 2022 (1-0, 26). 

10.d3 

Or 10.f3 d5 11.O-O as in Wall,B - Jaar,J, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 19).

Or 10.O-O right away, as in Wall,B - Varitt, FICS, 2020 (1-0, 48); Wall,B - Attia, M, internet, 2022 (1-0, 32); and Wall,B - Irineu, internet, 2024 (1-0, 20).

10...h6 11.O-O Qe7 12.f4 Rf8

Black wants to castle-by-hand. White has to hurry.

 

13.f5 Ne5 14.Bf4 Bd7 

Black offers the c-pawn. He can get compenation for it - if he follows up correctly.

15.Qxc7 Rc8 

This allows White's Queen to grab another pawn, and run.

16.Qxb7 Rxc2 

Black's capture of the c-pawn keeps the game in balance, but it will take care to keep things that way.

17.Na3 Rc8 18.Rad1 Kf7 19.Qxa7 Kg8 

Black has a piece for four pawns, and might have a slight edge. What will his plan be?

20.Qd4 Nh5 21.Bd2 Nf6 

Perhaps he is not sure. Perhaps he is waiting for White to try something.

22.h4 Nfg4 23.g3 Nc6 24.Qd5+ Kh8 25.Nb5 Nf6 

Black's development is such that he can afford to give up the d-pawn - again, if he follows up correctly.

In the mean time, White's pawns gain importance, should the future come to pass.

26.Qxd6 Qxd6 

A strategic misfire. With 26...Rb8!? 27.Qxe7 Nxe7 28.a4 Bxb5 29.axb5 Rxb5 30.Bc3 Nc6 things would be in balance.

27.Nxd6 Rb8 28.Bc3 Ng4 29.Nc4 Rfe8 

Black still has the pawn center under pressure, but White has 5 pawns for his opponent's extra piece.

30.Rf4 Nce5 31.h5 Bb5 32.Nd6 Ne3 

A tactical slip in a still-complicated position.

33.Rd2 Nxd3 34.Rf3 Red8 35.Nf7+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Patience Is The Companion of Wisdom

Sometimes the explosiveness of the Jerome Gambit fizzles out, and the first player has to bide his time, making small adjustments or gains here or there - patiently waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Once again, Bill Wall demonstrates.

Wall, Bill - Singh

SparkChess, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

 6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.O-O Ne7

 

Varying from the game in the previous post, which saw 8...h6.

9.f4 N5c6 10.Qf2 Rf8 11.Nc3 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand, and he is better.

It is up to White to make something out of the position.

12.f5 

In an earlier game, Bill had tried 12.h4, 13.h5 and 14.h6. See Wall,B - Smithey, internet, 2022 (1-0, 40). 

12...a6 13.g4 Ne5 14.g5 b6 15.Bf4 N7c6 16.Qg3 Bb7 

Although Stockfish 16.1 still rules in favor of the defense, it is a truism in club play that it is more difficult to defend than it is to attack.

17.f6 g6 18.Rad1 Rf7 19.h4 Qc8 20.Nd5 Qe6 

21.b3 Re8 22.Rd2 Nb8 

Time to get rid of White's annoying Knight.

23.Rfd1 Bxd5 24.exd5 Qg4 

This is a tactical slip. With a piece for a pawn, Black decides that his task would be easier with Queens off of the board.

This is the point where the advantage changes sides.

25.Bxe5 Qf5 

Unfortunately, 25...Qxg3+ would be met by 26.Bxg3, and White would have grabbed a piece.

26.Bf4 Re4 27.Rf1 Nd7 

Instead, the Black Queen needed to get off of the f-file.

28.Bxd6 Qxf1+ 

Hoping that a Rook and a Bishop would be the equal of the enemy Queen.

29.Kxf1 cxd6 30.Qxd6 Black resigned

On second thought, the second player decides he has had enough.