Jerome Gambit: Experience Counts

Here we have another Jerome Gambit game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) where White's attack finishes off the enemy King in a little over a dozen moves.

This is not surprising, given that the first player is very experienced in playing the opening, with 485 games in The Database.

Dumbledoorsarmy - TaoufikCHESS

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Nd3+ 

I have always liked this move, for some reason.

It appears in 78 games in The Database, where Black scores only 39%. Still, it is Stockfish 16.1's second choice, ranking only behind 7...d6, which appears in 617 games in The Database, scoring 56% for the second player.

8.cxd3 Bb6

Stronger was 8...d5

Later, White faced a different opponent. I have added brief notes: 8...Bd6?! 9.O-O (9.Qf5+!?) Nf6 10.Qf5+ (10.Qf3!?) Kf7 11.e5 (11.d4!?) g6?! (11...Bc5+!?) 12.Qh3 (12.Qxf5+!?) Bc5+ 13.Kh1 Nh5 (13...d6!?) 14.f5 d6 15.fxg6+ (15.d4!?) Kxg6 16.Qf3 d5 (16...Qh4!?) 17.d4 Be7? (17...Rf8!?) 18.Qf7+ Kh6 19.d3+ (19.Rf6+!?) Bg5 20.Nc3 c6? (20...Bg4!?) 21.h4? (21.Rf6!?) Bxc1 22.Rf6+ Nxf6 23.exf6 Rg8 24.Rxc1 Rg6 25.Ne2?! (25.Rf1!?) Qxf6 (25...Rxf6!?) 26.Qc7 Qxh4+ 27.Kg1 Bh3 28.Nf4 Qg4 29.Rf1 (29.Rc2!?) Now Black has a checkmate in 9 29...Rf8 30.Rf2 Rxf4?! 31.Qxf4+ Qxf4 32.Rxf4 Rxg2+ 33.Kh1 Rg4 34.Rf6+ Kg7 35.Rf3 (35.Rd6!?) Bg2+ 36.Kh2 Bxf3 37.b4 Rg6 38.b5 cxb5 39.a3 a6 40.Kh3 Be2 41.Kh4 Bxd3 42.Kh5 Be4 43.Kh4 Bd3 44.Kh5 Bc2 45.Kh4 Bd3 draw by three-fold repetition of position, Dumbledoorsarmy - sagardua257, lichess.org, 2025 

9.Nc3 Qf6 

The Knight should have gone to the f6 square - 9...Nf6. 

Now White grabs the initiative.

10.f5+ Kd6 11.Nb5+ Kc6 12.d4 

An offer of material that should be ignored and met by the thematic 12...d5.

12...Kxb5 

In blitz, when in doubt, grab material.

13.a4+ 

Okay, this is a 3-minute game, and this "smite" is effective, but the computer fusses that, instead, 13.Qe2+ Kc6 14.Qc4+ Kd6 15.e5+ wins the Queen.

13...Ka6 14.Qe2+ Ka5 15.Qb5 checkmate

Winning the King.

Jerome Gambit: What A Difference A Move Makes

In the following game, Black finds defensive moves, but starts them a move too late - this happens in blitz. The result is as expected.

Dumbledoorsarmy - snomty

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 

According to The Database, Dumbledoorsarmy played this in 67 of his games, scoring 60%. 

6...Qf6 8.Nc3 Nf7 

An interesting, if timid, move.

The capture 8...Qxf4 is playable. The Database shows a score of 7 - 7 - 1. I suspect that snomty was being cautious about grabbing further material.

Also possible is 8...Bf2+, as the piece is at risk, anyway: 9.Kxf2 Qxf4+ 10.Kg1 Nf6 11.Qe2 and Black's extra piece and development outweigh White's extra pawn.

Finally, 8...Ne7 is also liked by the computer, When 9.Rf1 is well met by 9...d5. 

The text surrenders the Bishop, and moves the complications in White's favor.

9.Qxc5 Qxf4 

In a 3-minute game, fortunes can change quickly. This capture is no longer playable. 

Unfortunately, "best" is 9...Nd6, when 10.e5 will eventually win a piece even after a Queen adventure, i.e. 10...Qh4+ 11.g3 Qh3 12.dxc3 Qg2 leads to little after 13.Rg1, as 14.Qe5+ is coming

10.Rf1 

The alternative, preferred by the computer, reminds me of the phrase "nibbled to death by ducks": 10.Qc4+ d5 11.Qxd5+ Ke7 12.Rf1 Nf6 13.Rxf4 Nxd5 14.Nxd5+ Kf8 15.Nxc7 Rb8 and White is up 3 pawns.

10...Qh4+ 

If 10...Qe5, White retreats his Queen with 11.Qf2 and 11...Nf6 12.d4 is equally uncomfortable.

Now the wave crashes over the defender.

11.g3 Qg5 12.Rf5 Qg6 13.Ne2 Ne7 14.Nf4 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Passing Through Some History

In the following game, GeNer4tion_KiLL finishes off his opponent in 11 moves, in a 3-minute blitz game. In the process, he passes through some Jerome Gambit history.

GeNer4tion_KiLL - mahan9191

3 2 blitz, Streamer Arena August '25, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 d6 

Blackburne's defense.

As given in "It's A Small World After All (Part 2)"

Blackburne's "generous" offer of a Rook.

Those slightly familiar with Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885, will remember the game ending in a crush of White.

Those a bit more familiar will recall that later analysis suggested that White was winning.

Regular Readers will know, however, that the move actually leads to a complicated draw. (See "Flaws" Part 1 and Part 2.) 

There is also "Updating the Blackburne Defense (Part 1 and 2)".

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.d4 

This is White's strongest line, something he he can rely on after grabbing the Rook at h8. See "A Closer Look (Part V)".

9...Qxe4+ 10.Be3

Recall "The Jerome Gambit Article (Part 6)"

It is not clear exactly when the idea 9.d4 Qxe4+ 10.Be3, which may reverse the assessment of the Blackburne game and give White chances, was discovered - Fletcher’s Gambit’s Accepted (1954) is an early source – but 9.d4 by itself was a suggestion of Munoz and Munoz, in 1885 (BCC 8/1885). Hindemburg Melao, in a recent internet article (not currently available), where he identified the player of the white pieces against Blackburne as “Millner,” gave 9.d4 Nf6 10.Nd2 Bxd4 11.O-O as good for White. (It should be noted that Bruce Pandolfini, in his 1989 Chess Openings: Traps & Zaps gives the line 9.d4 Nf6 10.dc, and after the further moves 10...Qxe4+ 11.Be3 Qxg2 12.Rf1 reflects: “Don't be misled by White's extra Rook. It's a meaningless ornament. White is in serious trouble. His King is exposed and his cornered Queen is in danger of being trapped. The cruncher is …12...Bh3 which wins White's Queen by discovery from the a8-Rook. If White tries to save the Queen by capturing the Rook, 13.Qxa8 then 13...Qxf1+ 14.Kd2 Ne4#” Of course 10…Qxe4+ deserves a “?”)

10...Bb6 

According to The Database, first seen in MrJoker -carrotop, Internet Chess Club, 2011 (1-0, 22).

Instead, 10...Qxg2 looks scary, but 11.Rf1 Bh3 12.Nd2 Bb6 13.0–0–0 takes White's King out of danger and keeps White better.

From "It's A Small World After All (Part 2)"

Houdini recommends 10...Qxg2 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Rf1 Bb6 13.Nc3 Bf5 14.0-0-0 Qh3 15.Qxh3 Bxh3 16.Rfe1 Bf5 17.f3 Ba5 18.Bd2 Nf6 when White is better.

11.Qxh7+ 

Here Black resigned 

White is up two pawns and the exchange. After 11...Kf8 12.0-0, White's King is safer, as well.

Prevent A Move That Is Not Threatened

I stumbled over the following game while wandering through The Database.

Those who hope to play the Abrahams Jerome Gambit - see "The Abrahams Jerome Gambit (Part 1)" - but then switch their aspirations to the Jerome Gambit, proper, might want to keep the play of this game in mind, should their opponent strive to prevent an early Knight's move that is not threatened.

Herrings  - Janssen

HMC, 1983

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 

The Busch-Gass Gambit.

3.Bc4 

Now, the Bishop's Opening.

3...h6 

I suppose that Black's 3rd move might just as well have been played if the game had started 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 (thinking about 3...Nc6 and then 4.Bxf7+, the Jerome Gambit?) when 3...h6 could be an attempt to keep White's Knight off of g5. 

4.Bxf7+

I was surprised to find only 56 games in The Database with this position, although I was pleased to see White score 84%, as he is already better.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.d4 d6 

White already has a forced checkmate.

Black holds on with 6...Nf6 7.Nc3 d6 8.Nb6 Bb6 9.Nxh8 Qxh8 (no games in The Database) when he has two pieces for a Rook and two pawns, but his King is far less safe than White's.

7.Qg4+ Kf6 8.Qg6+ Ke7 9.Qf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Hurry, Hurry

Bullet chess games pass quickly. Deep analysis is limited, intuition plays its part, and with seconds available for each move, players can move quickly - and, occsionally, erroniously.

Take a brief look at the following game.

Dumbledoorsarmy - kap

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian opening, according to Max Euwe.

4.Bxf7+

An accelerated Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, as mentioned in "Accelerated Instant Victory".

The Database has 3,629 games with this line. White scores 43%/ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7

Declining the piece, to his disadvantage.

6.d4 

Possibly played too quickly, as he had the alternative, the 6.Ng6+ fork.

6...d6 

Bullet chess often requires split-second choices. Here, Black plays a move often helpful in similar positions - but not here. Instead: 6...Nxe5. 

7.Ng6+ 

With a few more seconds to think, White finds the move. 

7...Kf7 8.Qh5

Tricky and trappy, the kind of idea that wins quick games.

Still, since Black finds a good response, better was the mundane 8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.Ng6+ Kf7 10.Nxf8 Kxf8 with the advantage of the exchange and a couple of pawns.

8...Nf6 

This should hold the game.

9.Nxh8+ 

A discovered double check is tempting, but the Knight needed to go elsewhere, with 9.Ne5+ Kg8 (9...Ke6 10.Qf7#; 9...Ke7 10.Qf7#)10.Qf7+ Kh7 11.Qg6+ Kg8 12.Qf7+ and a draw. 

Yes, a draw can be a disappointment for a Jerome Gambiteer, but this is where the game arrived - almost.

9...Ke6 10.Qf7 checkmate

Abrahams Jerome Gambit: Roller Skating on Ice

I have made the comparison before: playing the Jerome Gambit in 1-minute games can sometimes resemble roller skating on ice.

The following game is an educational example, with slips on both sides.

dziuba - Rubenburgos

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

The Abrahams Jerome Gambit. See "The Abrahams Jerome Gambit (Part 1)"

3...Ke7 

Black is suspicious. Perhaps he is thinking, If you want me to take the Bishop, then I won't! 

This kind of psychology shows up often in Jerome Gambit games, with the defender often trading the chance for a won game, for a serious opportunity for a loss.

The position after White's third move appears in almost 20,500 games in The Database. About 1/2 of 1% of the games feature 3...Ke7.

4.Nf3 

Okay. 

Simplest for White is withdrawing the Bishop with 4.Bb3 or 4.Bc4, with an advantage in material and King safety.

Instead, he ventures out on the ice...

4...Bxf2+ 

"Hey, buddy, you forgot your roller skates!"

Black adds to the excitement with a Bishop sacrifice of his own, knowing that anything can happen in a 1-minute game.

There was, of course, nothing wrong with 4...Kxf7. 

5.Kxf2 Nf6 

Ignoring the Bishop, once again.

6.Bb3

Of course.

6...Nxe4+ 

Hmm... Bishop to Queen's Bishop 4th square, sac with check, follow with the Knight capture of the e-pawn - with check - the flow of Black's game has a resemblance to the moves of White in the Jerome Gambit proper.

If the Jerome is slippery for White, it is equally so for Black.

Both players are out on the ice. 

7.Kg1 c6 

Black has a pawn for his sacrificed piece. He might have done better with the central 7...d5 - although the game would be better for the first player. 

8.Nxe5 

8...Qb6+ 

This is Black's idea: he threatens checkmate.

9.d4 

White remains calm and doesn't fall for 9.Kf1 Qf2 checkmate.

9...d5 10.Qf3 

Instead of developing (and attacking the advance Knight) with 10.Nc3, White plans his own checks on his enemy's King.

This overlooks the undefended nature of his d-pawn, which gives Black an opportunity...

10...Be6 

Instead, there was 10...Qxd4+ 11.Be3 Qxe5 when 12.Nd2 Be6 leaves White with only an edge.

11.Qf7+ 

Yeow!

11...Kd6 

Whoa! Didn't he have...?

The time control adds to the stress.

12.Qg8 

Tick, tick, tick...

Make a move, make a move, make a move...

With a slower time control, White would have found 12.Nc4+!? dxc4 13.Bf4+ Kd5 14.Nc3+!? Nxc3 15.Qh5+ g5 16.Qxg5+ Bf5 17.Qxf5+ Kxd4 18.Qe5 checkmate 

12...Rxg8 

Grabbing the Queen is easy to see. 

There was also 12...Qxd4+ 13.Be3 Qd1 checkmate

White resigned

BSJG: Ooops!

 

You might have noticed that in the previous post (see "Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit [Again]") that all of my games that I cited had links to earlier posts here - except one.

How could I have missed sharing perrypawnpusher - zmagic, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1/2 - 1/2, 51) ?

I consulted The Database (with 8,250 games with the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, by the way) and found my answer.

Here is the final position of the game

perrypawnpusher - zmagic, blitz, FICS 2007

With an overwhelming material advantage, I had just played 51.Kh3, creating a stalemate position.

Ooops!

With my King at h4, I could have played 51.Qb1+ Kg2 52.Qf5 Kh1 53.Qh3 checkmate.

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (Again?)

It was only after playing the following short game that I realized that I had explored the line before - the most recent time being 11 years previously.

perrypawnpusher - zgajek

"Not only the Italians plays the Italian", Chess.com, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Or 5...Ke7 as in perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 18) 

6.c3 

Or 6.Qh5 as in perrypawnpusher - zmagic, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1/2 - 1/2, 51) 

6...Nc6 

Or 6...Kxe5 as in 

perrypawnpusher - PunisherABD, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 27);

perrypawnpusher - PunisherABD, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 14); 

perrypawnpusher - MNUNP, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 18);

perrypawnpusher - AdamRou, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28); 

perrypawnpusher - RVLY, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 26);

perrypawnpusher - michon, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 23); 

Or 6...Qg5 as in perrypawnpusher - TheProducer, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 66); 

Or 6...d6 as in perrypawnpusher - ozypawnstar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29). 

7.d4 Nce7 8.d5+ 

Or 8.Qg4+ as in perrypawnpusher - Abatwa, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 8)

8...Kxe5 

Checkmate is inevitable:

8...Nxd5 9.Qxd5+ Kf6 10.Qf7+ Kxe5 11.Bf4+ Kxe4 12.Nd2+ Kd3 13.Qf5# or

8...Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc5 10.b4+ Kb5 11.Nba3+ Ka6 12.Qa4# or

8...Kf6 9.Qf3+ Nf5 10.Bg5+ Kxg5 11.Qxf5+ Kh6 12.Nf7#. 

9.Qd4+ Kd6 10.Bf4 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Do You Feel Lucky?

Five-minute chess games have their share of luck as well as skill.

The following game ends quickly - likely the defender was not feeling lucky at the time.

RichardThomas - ldiem

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

The Abrahams Jerome Gambit.

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Ke6 5.Nf3 

If Black now plays 5...Nc6, the position would look similar to the Jerome Gambit, although White's Queen, in this case, will have "ghosted" through his Knight on f3!

5...d6 6.Ng5+ 

This move brings to mind the posts "Jerome Gambit: Whatever Happened To...? (Part 1)" and "Repeated Face Palm".

Will Black be "lucky" and find the safe response in time? There are 89 games in The Database with White's check.

6...Ke7 

Ouch. But he is not alone - 19 players tumbled to this move.

7.Qf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Powerful Chess

It has been a while since I have been utterly destroyed by a player rated about 500 points below me, who is also runing away with Round 1, Group 1 of the tournament.

I lasted 22 moves in my other game against him, with the same result.

Powerful chess.

perrypawnpusher - BoysRule6969

Not Only The Italians Play the Italian, Chess.com, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 

Now, with 5.Nxe4 d5 we would have an even game, the earliest example that I have found being Van Foreest, Dirk - Van Foreest, Arnold E, Utrecht, 1886 (1/2 - 1/2, 31).

Instead, my choice here is to sacrifice the Bishop, as in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - both lines are objectively bad for White, although the computer sees the Noa as a pawn less worse than the Jerome.

5.Bxf7+ 

The Noa Gambit, otherwise known as the Monck Gambit, otherwise known as the Open Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. 

As Yury V. Bukayev pointed out

In fact, it isn't a gambit, it is an exchange: 5...Kxf7 6.Nxe4. If White doesn't play 6.Nxe4!, then we have a gambit, it starts from such 6th gambit move.

I suspect that Noa got the blame for the line of play ("a hobby of Dr. Noa") due, among other things, to the game Noa, Josef - Makovetz, Gyula, Dresden, 1892 (0-1, 27), while Monck was connected to Monck, William H Stanley - Patterson,T, corr, 1905 (1-0, 16).

As I noted in "Jerome Gambit: Success Is Just Around the Corner... (Part 1)"

My perspective is that

at the club level, the Noa Gambit - "objectively" assessed as losing for White - can cause difficulties for Black if he is not prepared.

Also see "Jerome Gambit: Chaos in a Two Knights (Part 1)"

This is enough of an issue that it has been discussed a number of times on this blog. For ideas, you could try "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense" Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4. Follow that up with "Further Explorations" (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5).

That is certainly enough coverage of the line that I should have done a better job in the current game.

My record with the opening (including this game) is 3 - 2 - 2. 

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Ng3 e4 

Alternately, 7...Bc5 8.O-O Qf6 as in perrypawnpusher - Anthony bot, Chess.com 2024(1-0, 43), which is not as forcing as the text move. 

8.Ng1 

This position, oddly, brings to mind a reversed Alekhine's Defense, Brooklyn variation.

8...h5 

Relentless.

Instead, 8...g6 9.N1e2 Bg4 10.d4 exd3 11.Qxd3 was seen in perrypawnpusher - RemoveKubab1, lichess.org, 2019 (1-0, 30); and 8...Qf6 9.d3 exd3 10.Qxd3 was seen in perrypawnpusher - vityas81, Play The Italian Game III, 2023 (0-1, 22). 

9.d4 exd3 10.Qxd3 Nb4 11.Qd2 h4 12.N3e2 Bf5

Not much of an attack I have going here.

13.Nd4 Qf6 14.Ngf3 

Stockfish 16.1 was not encouraging after the game, suggesting here 14.Nxf5 Qxf5 15.Kd1 anyway.

14...Re8+ 15.Kd1 Bg4 

16.h3 Bh5 17.c3 Re4 

Continuing to make it difficult to unravel my position.

18.Re1 Bc5 19.Qg5 

Hoping that exchanging Queens will help.

19...Bxd4 20.Qxf6+ gxf6 White resigned

The end would look something like this: 21.cxd4 Bxf3+ 22.gxf3 Rxe1+ 23.Kxe1 Nc2+.

I may have to retire the Noa for a while...