Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XIV

As we get into the "later" Chapters of this Jerome Gambit Tourney, the games get longer, and the wins, much harder...



perrypawnpusher - hogmaster JG3 thematic http://www.chessworld.net/ 2008


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.0-0 b6 TN


11.f4 Bb7 12.d3 Qe7 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Bd2 h6


Both sides have been developing their game, and Black has the advantage here. White's chances lie in taking advantage of what weaknesses may develop around his opponent's slightly less safe King; so the text move, which slightly weakens g6, may not be best. Still, Black is aware that any assault on his King would require making White's King less safe, and would offer possibilites to get his inactive h-Rook into play.

15.h3 Qd7 16.Qg3 Ne7 17.e5

After the game, Rybka suggested the alternate plan of f4-f5, followed by the Knight maneuver Nc3-e2-f4-g6. Fair enough, but that's a level of play that's quite above mine.

17...Nfg8

Again, later the computer suggested 17...Nf5 leading to a whole lot of complications where Black kept his advantage.

18.Rae1 Nf5 19.Qf2 Nge7 20.g4 g6


Hogmaster gamely decides to sacrifice a piece to achieve open lines against my King.

The know-it-all computer suggests that things are about even after Black focuse on a different "open line," the a8-h1 diagonal: 20...Qc6 21.Kh2 Nd4 22.Re4 h5 23.Qxd4 hxg4 24.f5 Rxh3+ 25.Kg1 dxe5 26.Qxe5 Nd5 27.Qxe8+ but what would I know? Relying on these things to "explain" what's going on can be a bad idea sometimes.

21.gxf5 gxf5 22.Re3

Race you to the g-file!
22...Rg8+ 23.Rg3 Kf7 24.Ne2 h5 25.Kh2 Rg6
This doesn't work out as well as swapping Rooks.

26.Rfg1 Reg8 27.Nd4 dxe5 28.Rxg6 exd4
An exchange sacrifice or a miscalculation?
Can Black hold the Bishops-of-opposite-colors ending after: 28...Nxg6 29.fxe5 Nxe5 30.Rxg8 Kxg8 31.Qg3+ Ng4+ 32.hxg4 Qxd4 33.gxh5+ Qg4 34.Qxg4+ fxg4 35.Kg3 ?
29.Rxg8 Nxg8 30.Qg3 Ne7 30.Qg7+ Ke6
Finally Black's defense breaks, although 31...Ke8 was not much better.
32.Re1+ Kd6 33.Qe5+ Kc6 34.Qxe7 Qxe7 35.Rxe7 Kd6 36.Re5 Bc8 37.Kg3 1-0

What a struggle!
My opponent played quite well, and it's hard to believe that he finished in the middle of the pack in our tournament.

Jerome Gambit Blog: Tidying Up

Time to clean up a few things in this blog...

"In The Beginning..." refers to the first appearance in print of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) as being in the Dubuque Chess Journal, April 1874, Vol. VI, No. 50, p. 358-9.

This is a correction to the reference in the Oxford Companion to Chess, Whyld and Hooper, first (1984) and second editions (1992), noting "It appeared first in American Chess Journal, 1876." The authors are correct in that the June, September, November and December issues of the ACJ had Jerome Gambit content -- the Dubuque Chess Journal simply had prior coverage.
I have not been able to find an earlier reference than April 1874.

"To Infinity... And Beyond! (Part II)" and "Breaking News" indicated that at some time in the future Stefan Bücker's quarterly chess magazine, Kaissiber, would carry my article on the Jerome Gambit. Current speculation is there may be a short article in the October 2008 issue.

In "Nobody expects the Jerome Gambit!" I mentioned that Blackburne, in Mr. Blackburne's Games at Chess (1899) referred to the Jerome Gambit as "the Kentucky Opening." I have yet to discover how it is that the British master came up with that name.

"Is This Blog About YOU??" and "You, too, can add to Jerome Gambit theory" both have been well-answered by games from ongoing Jerome Gambit thematic tournaments, and the occasional Comment to this blog or email to its Editor (richardfkennedy@hotmail.com). Of course, fresh games and analysis are always appreciated.

In "The Man, The Myth, The Legend..." I mentioned placing a classified ad with the online Paxton, Illinois (home of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome) website, http://www.paxtonil.com/, seeking information about the originator of the Jerome Gambit. While I have received no reply, and the ad has expired (and no longer appears), I can report that if you have an unwanted Paxtonopoly game, please contact the PRIDE office at 379-3388 or email pride@paxtonil.com.
I am no further enlightened on the things that puzzled me in " 'Tis A Puzzlement..."

After some progress on learning about the Jerome Gambit game Harris,W.A. Sgt. - Quayle,Ernest H.Los Angeles, California, USA 1944, as given in "The Joy of Discovery" Parts I, II, and III, the trail has gone cold.

"We are not alone..." heralded HANGING PAWN:: Tip's Chess Blog's coverage of the Jerome Gambit, and the offer therein of not just the computer vs computer Jerome Gambit games where White won (via download), but all of the games (contact the blogmaster). To date I have not received the larger stash.

With Rail2Rail winning his Jerome Gambit thematic tournament at ChessWorld, (see "Rail2Rail by a length" and "Rail2Rail Nails It") I had hoped for an annotated game or two from the winner; but nothing, yet.

"My head is spinning" Truly. Rybka 3.0 – or, in my case, Deep Rybka 3.0 Aquarium – is the real deal. It has got to be the tool for the serious (and very serious) chess player. Like having a "Grandmaster In A Box". A rather intimidating Grandmaster, at times – but: Wow!

After "The Salvio Gambit??" and "The Salvio Gambit?? (More)" I have not heard back from my friends at Chess.com, so I will tentatively suggest that I got my analysis correct.

Having fun with "Jerome Gambit and Vlad Tepes..." and "Jerome Gambit, Vlad Tepes and... Garlic!" I've started a couple of games at GameKnot with he-of-the-garlic, mika76.

As always, I'm "Looking for a few Jerome Gambit games..."
"Hey Wiki, it's me, Ricky!" So far the link to this blog from the Wikipedia article on the Jerome Gambit has been intact - and people are following it. Gotta love that.















Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

Carlos Azcarate Topping Ninja Knights T3

With only four games left to complete the 13-player, double round robin, Ninja Knights T3 (Jerome Gambit) tournament at ChessWorld, it appears that Carlos Azcarate will hold onto first place with 19 points out of 24 games, followed closely by casker with 18.5 points, braken with 18 points, drewbear with 17.5 points and Piratepaul with 17 points.

This fighting chess offsets the misfortune at the bottom of the score table, where one player racked up a score of 0 points, losing all of his games by time forfeit, likely due to loss of interest in the tournament. Placing just ahead of him, with 1 point, was another disengaged player who acted quickly to claim a time forfeit from the tail-ender – before losing the rest of his own games on time.


The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc5 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is likely to score 42% for White, which is what it has achieved in recent thematics. This statistic must be taken with a grain of salt, however, as a full 60 of the 156 games (38%) in this tournament were decided by the clock.


In the following game White is holding his own against the 6...Kf8 defense, until his unfortunate 23rd move.

mediax - queen st
Ninja Knights T3 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qc3 Qg5 9.0-0 Nf6 10.d4 Qg6 11.dxc5 Nxe4 12.Qf3+ Bf5 13.cxd6 Nxd6 14.h3 Kf7 15.Qb3+ Be6 16.Qc3 c6 17.Bf4 Ne4 18.Qf3 Rad8 19.Bc7+ Bf5 20.Bxd8 Rxd8 21.Qb3+ Kf8 22.f3 Ng3 23.Rf2 Rd1+ 24.Kh2 Rh1 checkmate


The tournament winner uncorked the most surprising opening move of all, not once, but twice, when he followed the routine 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 with 5.Ng5+



While I await detailed analysis, it is possible to point out precedents, the earliest of which in my database is an internet blitz game from a decade ago, lar - babylyub (1/2-1/2, 27).

Jerome Gambit: Fools walk in...

With all of the refutations, games, and analysis of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) that I've posted on this blog you would think that I would not be foolish enough to actually play the opening again.

Of course, you might think I wouldn't have been foolish enough to ever have played the Jerome Gambit – but it's too late for that.
Here's a recent "lesson" in the Jerome Gambit for me – Ouch!

Hats off to my new "instructor," James042665 at Chess.com.
perrypawnpusher - james042665
Chess.com, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+

Jerome Gambit Refutation Number I-Forget, as seen in "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter II" and "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XIII".

9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kf1
A line I first played against Temmo in our Jerome Gambit Tournament game, to be covered in more depth when I get to annotate it in Chapter XVI. The impact of the pesky Black Knight is more significant than in my game against Sir Osis ("Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter III").

10...Qf6
This Theoretical Novelty makes perfect sense.

11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ Kd8 13.Kg2 d6 14.Qd5
The simple retreat 14.Qf2 was best, and after 14...Nd4 15.d3 White would have the imbalance typical in the Jerome Gambit: two pawns vs a piece. Of course, Black would still be better.

14...Ne7 15.Qd3 Nd4 16.e5
Here I thought that I was going to win that annoying Knight, but I should have been satisfied with getting back on track with 16.c3 and an eventual d2-d4.

Now my game caves in.
16...dxe5 17.c3
Later, Rybka informed me that this leads to mate, starting with 17...Qc6+ 18.Kf2 Qxh1. Yikes!
17...Bf5

Good enough.

18.fxe5 Qc6+ White resigns.
Answering, again, the basic question raised much earlier: "But - Is this stuff playable? (Part I)"
Of course not.

Hey, Wiki, it's me, Ricky...

According to information at the Wikipedia website (www.wikipedia.org), on August 19, 2008, for almost a half hour, a link to this blog was part of the information that is provided on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

Then the XLinkBot removed the link.

According to the site:

There are several things that should be considered when adding an external link.

Is it accessible to the reader?
Is it proper in the context of the article (useful, tasteful, informative, factual, etc.)?
Is it a functional link, and likely to continue being a functional link?

Of course, there are also "links to be avoided," including:

11. Links to blogs and personal web pages, except those written by a recognized authority.

Hey, Wikipedia, I've been researching the Jerome Gambit for 7 years, and until my article comes out in Kaissiber – and maybe even after then – this blog is the authoritative source for information on Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's creation.

Recognize me!

I've reinstated the link, with explanation. Let's see how long it stays in this time.

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter XIII

They all laughed when I sat down at the chessboard...


Well, maybe nobody laughed, but I had the White pieces this round, which meant that I was again in the position of defending the "honor" of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf2 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7) – an honor which might best be described as "pure as the driven slush"...


perrypawnpusher - Kevin the fruitbat
JG3 thematic www.chessworld.net, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+

After my 10-move disaster against drewbear (see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter II") I was sure that other players would try this line against me. It is one of the handful of Jerome Gambit refutations available to the second player.

9.g3 Qf6

Wise. The Queen causes the most problems when posted at f6.

10.fxe5+ Qxe5 11.Qxe5+ Kxe5 12.b4
This line was mentioned at the ChessExchange forum a number of years ago, and Kapil Gain gave a game where it had been played successfully against him: 12.b4 Bb6 13.Bb2+ Bd4 14.c3 Bb6 15.Rf1 Kxe4 16.c4 Nf6 17.Ke2 Bd4 18.Rf4+ Ke5 19.Bxd4+ Kd6 20.Nc3 Kc6 21.b5+ Kd6 22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.Rxf6+ Ke7 24.Raf1 c6 25.d4 h5 26.d5 Re8 27.Kd3 Kd8 28.R1f5 cxb5 29.Nxb5 b6 30.Rxh5 Ke7 31.Rf4 Kd8 32.d6 Ba6 33.Nc7 Rg8 34.Nxa8 Kc8 35.Rhf5 Kb7 36.Nc7 Rg6 37.Nxa6 Kxa6 38.Rf6 Rxf6 39.Rxf6 Kb7 40.h4 b5 41.h5 b4 42.h6 a5 43.h7 b3 44.h8Q bxa2 45.Qd8 a1Q 46.Qc7+ Ka6 47.Qc8+ Kb6 48.Qd8+ Kc5 49.Rf5+ Kxd6 50.Rd5+ Ke6 51.Qe8+ Kf6 52.Rd6+ Kg7 53.Rg6+ Kh7 54.Qf7+ Kh8 55.Rh6# NN - Gain, K, internet, 2004

On principle I don't think it's a good idea in the Jerome Gambit for White to exchange Queens (unless he's achieved a won endgame) but I thought this line was odd enough to be worth exploring.

12...Bf8 TN

Kevin wasn't taking any chances, and being up a piece for a pawn, why should he?

13.0-0 Nf6 14.Bb2+ Ke6

Taking the e-pawn was not worth the headache: 14...Kxe4 15.Nc3+ Ke5 16.Nb5+ Kd5 17.Nxc7+ Kc6 18.Nxa8 b6 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Rxf6+ Kb7 21.Nxb6 axb6 and White would have a Rook and three pawns to balance Black's two Bishops.

15.b5 a6 16.a4 axb5 17.axb5 Rxa1 18.Bxa1 b6

Taking the e-pawn instead was probably ok here, but even with the text, Black is much better.

19.e5 Nd5 20.c4 Nb4 21.d4 c6 22.Bc3 g5


"Stumbles just before the finish line" is the ascerbic comment of the computer.

"An unfortunate slip in a well-played game" is the evaluation of this commentator.

23.Rf6+ Ke7 24.Bxb4+ Ke8 25.Rxf8+ Rxf8 26.Bxf8 Kxf8

"Good luck is better than a license to steal."

27.Nc3 Kf7 28.Kf2 Ke6 29.Ke3


Centralizing the King is a good idea, but 29.Na4, going after the Black b-pawn, was probably stronger.

29...Kf5

Wandering away from the action.

30.Ne4 d5 31.exd6

White would wrap things up with 31.cxd5 cxd5 32.Nd6+ Ke6 33.Nxc8 followed by 34.Nxb6.

The rest of the play is not accurate, but it all rolls in the same direction.

31...Bd7 32.bxc6 Bxc6 33.d5 Bd7 34.g4+ Kg6 35.h3 h6 36.c5 bxc5 37.Nxc5 Bb5 38.d7 Bxd7 Black resigns

Looking for a few good Jerome Gambit games...

That's right: I'm looking for a few good Jerome Gambit games: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

Or a lot of games. I'm not picky.

I want yours. Chances are I already have the ones in the popular data bases.

But maybe not the ones from your online playing site, or your chess club.

And I'm willing to trade. I've got a PGN file of the first 200 games (actually, 210, to include all the games from the tournaments) mentioned on this Jerome Gambit website that I'm willing to send you.

You show me yours, I'll show you mine.

Heck, I'm a generous guy. Just email me and ask for the PGN file, and I'll send it to you.

Just for asking.

But I'll send it faster if you send me a game.

I'll throw in a smile, too.

Thanks.