The Fog of War (Part 1)

It's a strange thing, but playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can have unusual effects upon those who play it or who play against it. The following game is as good an example as any...


DREWBEAR 63 - Crusader Rabbit
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

A solid defense as old as 1874, when Alonzo Wheeler Jerome suggested it.

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ An unusual, likely premature, return of material, as in perrypawnpusher - Lindal, FICS 2007.

8.Ke2

Surprising. Perhaps he did not want to play the pawn-up Queenless-middlegame after 8.Kxf2 Qf6+.

8...Qf6

Equally surprising, considering that the Bishop, having done its damage, could retire with 8...Bb6.

9.Qxc7

There was not a lot of excitment in 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.Kxf2 Nxe4+, but it was probably best.

9...Qa6+ 10.d3

10...Bb6

Finally.

11.Rf1+ Nf6 12.Qf4

That's okay: White hopes to win the Knight, anyhow.

12...Bd4 13.c3 Be5

Aha! It is the Bishop, after all!

14.Qxe5 Qe6 15.Qc5+

See what I mean about the impact of the Jerome Gambit. Mind you, each player had several days to consider each move. More helpful would have been 15.Qxe6 dxe6 16.e5, when White has nabbed both the Bishop and Knight.

15...d6 16.Qc7 Bd7 17.h3 Ke7 18.Bg5 Rhf8

19.Nd2 Kf7 20.Nc4 Kg8

21.Nxd6 Nxe4

Oversight or miscalculation? Black's game begins to shudder.

22.dxe4 Rxf1 23.Rxf1 Rf8 24.Rxf8+ Kxf8 25.Qd8+ Be8 26.Nxe8 Qxe8 27.Be7+ Kf7 28.Qxe8+ Kxe8

The exchanges have left White with a won endgame.

29.Ba3 a6 30.b4 Kd7 31.c4 Ke6 32.Kd3 g6 33.Bc1 Kf7 34.a4 Ke6 35.Kd4 b6 36.c5 b5 37.axb5 axb5 38.e5 h5 39.Bh6 Kd7 40.Kd5 Kc7 41.e6 Kd8 42.Kc6 Ke7 43.Kxb5 Black resigned

Oooooooops... 2

As I've said before: Playing – or defending against – the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) requires close attention to what is going on, so that every tactical opportunity can be caught. Take advantage of your chances, you could take the point. Overlook a chance or two, and ooooooops...


calchess10 - blackburne
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.a3 Nf6 6.d3 Rf8 7.Nc3 d6 8.0-0 Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Kg8 11.Qg3 Nh5 12.Qg4 Nf4 13.Bxf4 Rxf4 14.Qg3 Nd4 15.Nd5 Ne2+ 16.Kh2 Nxg3 17.Kxg3 Qg5+ 18.Kh2 Bxf2 19.Nxc7 Qg3+ 20.Kh1 Raf8 21.Ne6 Rh4 22.Nxf8 Rxh3+ 23.gxh3 Qxh3 checkmate



calchess10 - Haroldlee123
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.c3 Bb6 9.Bf4 Qf6 10.Bxe5 Qxf2 checkmate




Sir Osis of the Liver - GladtoMateYou
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Qf6 9.Qd5+ Qe6 10.Qd4 d6 11.Nc3 c6 12.0-0 c5 13.Qe3 Qg6 14.Nd5 Ne7 15.Qf4+ Kg8 16.Nxe7+ Black resigned

Crusader Rabbit - Sir Osis of the Liver
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6 6.c3 Nxe4 7.d4 exd4 8.Re1 d5 9.Qb3 d3 10.Be3 Na5 11.Ne5+ Kf8 12.Qc2 dxc2 White resigned

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

The Modern Jerome Gambit

I have been using the games of the current Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) thematic tournament at Chessworld to gain a better understanding of the "modern" (non-5.Nxe5) variations, especially since they make up about 80% of the games there.

Here is a sampling of recent trials.

eddie43 - DREWBEAR 63 JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.d3 h6 7.h3 d6 8.a3 Be6 9.Bd2 g5 10.Nh2 Rg8 11.g4 Qf8 12.Na4 b5 13.Nxc5 dxc5 14.Nf3 c4 15.Qe2 cxd3 16.Qxd3 Bc4 17.Qc3 Nxe4 18.Qe3 Nxd2 19.Qxd2 e4 20.Nd4 Ne5 21.b3 Bd5 22.Qe3 Nf3+ 23.Ke2 Nxd4+ 24.Qxd4 c6 25.b4 Kg6 26.Kd1 Qf3+ 27.Kd2 Rad8 28.Qxa7 Bc4+ 29.Kc1 Qxh1+ 30.Kb2 Qf3 31.Rc1 Ra8 0-1 gwyn1 - blackburne JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3 d6 6.d3 Nf6 7.Bg5 Rf8 8.b4 Bb6 9.Qb3+ Be6 10.c4 Kg8 11.0-0 h6 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 Qd7 14.h3 Bxh3 15.Nh2 [15.gxh3 Qxh3 16.Qc2 Ng4 17.Qe2 Nxe3 terrible pins 18.Qxe3 Nd4 19.Nbd2 Rf6] 15...Be6 16.Nd2 Ng4 17.Ndf3 Nxe3 18.Rfe1 Ng4 19.Nxg4 Bxg4 20.Nd2 Nd4 21.Qc3 Be2 [21...Qf7] 22.Rf1 Bxf1 23.Rxf1 Ne2+ 24.Kh1 Nxc3 25.Nf3 Qg4 26.Nh2 Rxf1+ 27.Nxf1 Rf8 28.Ne3 Qh4+ 29.Kg1 Ne2 checkmate

Black Puma - blackburne JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 Nf6 6.0-0 Rf8 7.c3 Kg8 8.a4 a6 9.b4 Ba7 10.Bg5 d6 11.Nbd2 Bg4 12.Qb3+ Kh8 13.h3 Bh5 14.a5 Qd7 15.Bh4 Rf7 16.Ng5 Re7 17.Ngf3 Rf8 18.c4 Bxf3 19.Nxf3 Nd4 20.Nxd4 Bxd4 21.Ra2 Ref7 22.Kh1 Nh5 23.Qd1 Nf4 24.Bg3 Nxh3 0-1 calchess10 - gwyn1 JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.h3 Nge7 6.a3 h6 7.Nc3 a6 8.b4 Bb6 9.d3 d6 10.Ne2 Ke8 11.c3 Be6 12.0-0 Kd7 13.a4 a5 14.b5 Na7 15.Nh4 g6 16.d4 g5 17.Nf3 Ng6 18.dxe5 g4 19.hxg4 Bxg4 20.Nh2 Nxe5 21.Nxg4 Nxg4 22.Ng3 Bxf2+ 23.Rxf2 Nxf2 24.Kxf2 Rf8+ 25.Nf5 Qh4+ 26.g3 Qf6 27.Bf4 Rae8 28.c4 Rxe4 29.c5 Qxf5 30.Kg2 Rg8 31.cxd6 Qxf4 32.dxc7+ Kc8 33.b6 Rxg3+ 34.Kh2 Qh4 checkmate

* Poof! *

Remember the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Thematic Tournament that I mentioned a few posts ago (see "Busy!") – the one that I had joined, a 10-player double-round robin?

Turns out almost nobody was interested in playing the Jerome Gambit – only 3 games out of 81 went that way. My hat off to leif41no and Namecheck for playing a couple of Jerome-ish games with each other (actually, the games started 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). I will let you know how they do.

In the meantime, I have one Jerome against jamtaylo. Since I don't plan on contesting the non-Jerome Gambit games, and will lose them by forfeit, that raises an interesting question: am I being unfair to jamtaylo?

Yes, Sir!

Here are three more games from the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) thematic tournament at Chessworld – this time, three wins by a Jerome Gambit veteran, Sir Osis of the Liver.

Sir Osis of the Liver - calchess10

JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4 Bxd4 6.Bg5 Nf6 7.Nxd4 g6 8.Nb5 d6 9.N5c3 Be6 10.0-0 a6 11.Na3 b5 12.Nd5 Bxd5 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qxd5+ Kg7 15.f4 exf4 16.Qxc6 Rac8 17.Rf3 Qxb2 18.Qd7+ Kh6 19.Rh3+ Kg5 20.Rb1 Qxa2 21.Qe7+ Kg4 22.Qh4 checkmate

Sir Osis of the Liver - gwyn1

JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Nd3+ 8.cxd3 Bd6 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.Qf5+ Kf7 11.e5 g6 12.Qh3 Bxe5 13.fxe5 d6 14.Qf3 dxe5 15.Ne4 Bf5 16.Ng5+ Ke7 17.Qxb7 Bxd3 18.b3 h6 19.Qc6 hxg5 20.Ba3+ Kf7 21.0-0-0 Be4 22.Qc5 Re8 23.d3 Bd5 24.Bb2 c6 25.Rhf1 Bxg2 26.Rf2 Bd5 27.Rdf1 g4 28.Rxf6+ Kg7 29.Qe3 Bf3 30.Bxe5 Kh7 31.Rf7+ Kg8 32.Rg7+ Kh8 33.Qh6 checkmate

eddie43 - Sir Osis of the Liver

JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6 6.d4 exd4 7.e5 Nd5 8.a3 Rf8 9.Ng5+ Kg8 10.Nf3 d6 11.b4 Bb6 12.Bd2 dxe5 13.h3 Be6 14.Re1 Qf6 15.Bg5 Qg6 16.Qd2 h6 17.Bxh6 Qxh6 18.Ng5 Nf4 19.Nxe6 Qxe6 20.a4 a5 21.b5 Nb4 22.Re4 d3 23.c3 Bxf2+ 24.Qxf2 Nxh3+ 25.gxh3 White resigns

The Opponent

Whether it was Tarrasch, Tartakower or Znosko-Borovsky who said "Before the endgame, the gods have placed the middlegame," it seems equally important to note here that "Between the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and a victory, stands the Opponent."

perrypawnpusher - spontex

blitz 8 8, FICS, 2009

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 g6 A new move, but not such a good one, as it returns too much material. Standard is 8...Qf6 or 8...Qh4+.

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.Qd5+

Going for the non-existent mate. It was better to take the Rook, although play remains complicated, if in White's favor, after 10.Qxh8 Qe7 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.e5.

10...Kb6 11.Nc3 c6

This move helps White get back on track. After the game Rybka 3 suggested: 11...a5 12.Na4+ Ka7 13.Qxc5+ b6 14.Qd4 Ne7.

12.Na4+ Kc7 13.Qe5+ Bd6 14.Qxh8 Qh4+ 15.g3 Qg4

A very interesting offer of even more material, with the opportunity to muddy things up. A reasonable response for White now is 16.d3.

16.Qxg8 Qf3 17.Rf1 Qxe4+ 18.Kd1 b5

Too generous: 18...Qxa4 was the right move, leaving White up the exchange and a pawn.

19.Nc3 Qd4

More mischief was available with: 19...Qg2 20.Re1 Qxh2 21.d4 Qxg3 22.Qxh7 Ba6.

The annoying thing was that I was a Rook ahead, and it didn't feel at all like I was winning.

20.Qxh7 Bb4 21.Qxg6 d6 22.Qd3

To put an end to Black's dangerous piece play, although 22.Ne4 was clearly stronger.

22...Bg4+ 23.Ne2 Qxd3 24.cxd3 Re8 25.Re1 c5

26.a3 Ba5 27.b4 cxb4 28.axb4 Bb6 29.Bb2 Bf2

My opponent refused to roll over and play dead. Still, 30.Kc2 would limit my damages now.

30.d4 Bxe1 31.Kxe1 Rxe2+ 32.Kf1 Rxd2 33.Bc3 Rxh2 34.Rxa7+ Kb6

Well, okay, White still has an advantage. A small one.

35.Rf7 Bh3+ 36.Kg1 Rg2+ 37.Kh1 Rxg3 38.Rf6

How to explain this move?? Would you believe that my dog, Ginger, was pestering me to go outside, so I made a move quickly – and then watched my Bishop disappear.
38...Rxc3 39.Rxd6+ Kc7 40.Rd5 Kc6 41.Rh5 Bg4 42.Rg5 Bf3+ 43.Kh2 Bd5 44.f5



And here we have what might be guessed to be a "typical" Jerome Gambit endgame, where White has two pawns against Black's piece. The one problem: White's game is lost.


44...Rc4 45.Rg6+ Kc7 46.Rg7+ Kd6 47.Rg6+ Kd7 48.Rg7+ Kd6 49.Rg6+ Ke7 50.Rb6 Rxb4 51.Kg3 Rxd4


An unfortunate slip, levelling the game: 51...Kd7 52.Kf4 Kc7 was much better.

52.Rxb5 Kf6 53.Kf2 Kxf5 54.Ke3 Re4+ 55.Kd3 Re5 56.Kd4 Re4+ 57.Kxd5 Re5+ 58.Kc4 Rxb5 59.Kxb5 Drawn
Hats off and a firm handshake to spontex, for a fight to the finish.

Go for Broke

When playing a go-for-broke opening like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), it can be difficult sometimes to decide whether to play a solid, if calm, move, or continue to play wild, attacking shots. In the following game, DREWBEAR 63 takes time to play a "normal" couple of moves – and gets overtaken by eddie43.


DREWBEAR 63 - eddie43
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.Nc3

More frequently seen is 8.f4, which has its own problems, starting with 8...Qh4+.

8...c6 9.0-0

A dynamic alternative was shown by Jerome Gambit Gemeinde honorary member Geoff Chandler: 9.d4 Bxd4 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.fxe3 Qf6 12.0-0-0+ Kc7 13.Qh3 d5 14.Qg3 dxe4 15.Rhf1 Qe7 16.Rf7 Qxf7 17.Qxe5+ Kb6 18.Na4+ Ka6 19.Nc5+ Kb6 20.Na4+ Ka6 21.Nc5+ Kb6 22.Na4+ Ka6 drawn, greenpawn34 - Homedepotov, redhotpawn, 2008

9...Qf6

Coming to the rescue.

10.Qh3 Kc7 11.Qg3 d6 With a safe King, Black's two extra pieces are looking large.

12.Na4 Bb4 13.c3 Ba5 14.d4 Nd7 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Qe6 17.Qxg7 Qxe5

18.Bf4

With 18.Qxe5 Nxe5 19.Bf4 White could have reclaimed one of the missing pieces, and found himself back in familiar two-pawns-for-a-piece Jerome Gambit territory. The text wins the exchange, but allows Black to develop his remaining pieces.

Further resistance becomes more difficult.

18...Qxf4 19.Qxh8 Ndf6 20.Qg7+ Bd7 21.Rad1 Qxa4 22.Rd4 Qxa2 23.Rfd1 Rd8 24.g4 h6 25.f4 Bb6 White resigned.