Swat the fly, but use common sense

Lately I have been given some help in my pledge (see "I am pond scum" and "Haunted by the Jerome Gambit") to stay away from the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – at least until I can play it without embarassing myself (too much). One recent opponent avoided 3...Bc5 by playing 3...Qf6. (I mated him in 21 moves, but I really appreciated the thought.)

It hasn't been easy.

For example, there is the following game, where my opponent's avoidance of anything Jerome was matched by my unrepressed impatience to make everything Jerome-ish...

perrypawnpusher - tiyiti
Chess.com, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6

Good: no Jerome Gambit today.

3.Bc4 h6

Don't tease me.

4. O-O f6

5.Nxe5

No, no, no, no, no...

It seems that I can resist anything but temptation.

5...dxe5 6.Qh5+ Kd7

Actually, the Knight sac is playable, as Rybka pointed out after the game: 7.d4 exd4 8.Rd1 Bd6 9.Qg4+ Kc6 10.Qxg7 Ne7 11.Qxf6 Qf8 12.Qxd4 Bc5 and White has a slight edge.

Analysis diagram





7.Qf7+

This is a slip. I had looked at 7...Be7 as a response, when White is clearly better after 8.Qxg7.

What I had missed was 7...Qe7. This move locks up Black's Bishop and Knight, but it does chase away White's Queen, and after 8.Qh5 it is not clear how White is to continue.

It is true that Black's King is stuck in the center, and this will give White chances against it; but if the first player doesn't find something sharp, his trade of a pawn for a piece will turn out poorly.

7...Ne7

Fine. Enough silliness for the day.

8. Qe6+ Ke8 9. Qf7+ Kd7 drawn

Back to the Wall

Truth be told, not all of Bill Wall's early efforts involving the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and Jerome-ish openings saw him on the side of the angels.

Nilsen,E - Wall
Taylorsville, NC, 1978

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Qe2

Without the Knights developed, the idea behind this Queen placement is at least as old as Greco. Here, White will soon transpose into one of the "modern Jerome Gambit" lines, as explored in "Home Cooking" and "Adolf Albin Plays the Jerome Gambit (Part 1)" and (Part 2).

4...Nf6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7

This position can be reached by the move order 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Qe2 Nf6

6.Qc4+ d5 7.Qxc5 Nxe4

8.Qb5

Or 8.Qe3 Re8 9.0-0 (9.d3 Nf6 10.0-0 Bg4 11.Ng5+ Kg8 12.h3 Bh5 13.f4 h6 14.Nf3 d4 15.Qf2 e4 16.dxe4 Nxe4 17.Qh4 Qxh4 18.Nxh4 Ng3 19.Rf2 White resigned, Mahmoud - Wahls, Novi Sad Ol, (men) 1990) 9...Kg8 10.c4 Nf6 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Qe4 Nf6 13.Qa4 e4 14.Ne1 Nd4 15.Nc3 a6 16.Nc2 c5 17.Ne3 Be6 18.Qd1 Bf7 19.Kh1 Bh5 20.f3 exf3 21.gxf3 Qd7 22.Kg2 Re5 23.h4 Rf8 24.d3 Ne8 25.Ng4 Ref5 26.f4 Nf6 27.Nxf6+ R8xf6 28.Qd2 Rg6+ 29.Kf2 Rf8 30.Ke1 Qh3 31.Ne4 Rg2 White resigned, Albin - Schlechter, Trebitsch Memorial Tournament, Vienna 1914.

8...a6 9.Qd3 Nxf2

10.Qc3

White needed to take the piece and allow the fork: 10.Kxf2 e4 11.Qc3 exf3 12.Qxf3+ Kg8 with only a small disadvantage.

10...Nxh1 11.Nxe5+

White's counter, but he has overlooked something.

11...Nxe5 12.Qxe5 Re8  White resigned.

Haunted by the Jerome Gambit

Even when I'm supposed to be taking a break from the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – see "I am pond scum" – I keep wandering into the opening. Even when I can't – the Jerome Gambit haunts my games...

perrypawnpusher - EAB
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 a6

Maybe he'll play ...Bc5 next move...

4.0-0 h6

Come on, this is teasing...(I'm pretty sure that Bill Wall would sac his Bishop now, anyway.)

5.Nc3  Nf6

Rats.

6.d3 Bc5

Too late?

Actually, my database has 4 games that match the position after 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 Discouragingly, White won 1 of the games and lost 3.

I resigned myself to an ordinary game.

7.Be3 Qe7 8.Nd5 Nxd5 9.Bxd5

Ach, says the Analyst, Ziss is merely a reaction-formation around zee unconscious wish to play Bxf7!

9...Nb4

Instead, 9...0-0 keeps the game even.

10.Bb3

Vatt? Not 10.Nxe5? Interesting...

10...Bxe3 11.fxe3 Qc5

Black should have castled and kept the game in balance.

12.Bxf7+

That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more... (Okay, Popeye the Sailor Man used to say that.)

12...Kxf7

13.Nxe5+ Ke7

Or 13...Kg8 14.Qh5 for the full Jerome effect.

14.Ng6+ Kd6 15.d4 Qg5

Those almost look like "Jerome pawns" out there.

16.e5+

Virtually irresistible, but 16.Qd2 was even stronger. 

16...Kd5

After the game, Rybka suggested instead 16...Kc6 17.Qe2 d5 18.Nxh8 Kb6 19.Qd2 when Black's King has found some refuge, but White is ahead the exchange and two pawns.

17.Qf3+ Kc4

The tactically skilled Reader is urged to "find the checkmate" in this position.

18.b3+

Find the mate? It was 18.Qe2+ Kd5 19.e4+ Kxd4 20.c3+ Kc5 21.cxb4+ Kxb4 22.a3+ Ka5 23.b4+ Kb6 24.Qf2+ Qe3 25.Qxe3+ Kb5 26.a4+ Kxb4 27.Qd4+ Kb3 28.Rab1+ Kc2 29.Rfc1.

At least that's what Rybka told me after the game.

analysis diagram






18...Kb5 19.c4+ Kb6 20.Nxh8

Okay, I missed the checkmate, but I have two pawns for the exchange and my position is easier to play. 

20...d6 21.exd6 c6

Black's last two moves have not helped him. White does not have to go after the King any more; he has other threats.

22.Nf7 Qg6 23.e4 Bd7

24.Ne5 h5

Mercifully ending the game. 

25.Nxg6 Black resigned

Welcome to the World of Wall

Of late, Bill Wall (see Chessville's "Bill Wall's Wonderful World of Chess") has been investigating the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and other Jerome-ish openings.

I've had fun playing over a number of his games and have decided to present several, starting in his pre-Jerome Gambit era. Even early on, his brand of wild, brash and outrageous play had some Jerome-ish tinges to it.

Watt,B - Wall

Taylorsville, NC, 1975

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Bc5

Having his own ideas, but this was too much for his opponent to sit still and take.

3.Na4

Cue the scary violin music: we have seen this before in "Godfather of the Jerome Gambit? Part I, Part II, Part III", "Godfather of Oz??" and "Hamppe - Meitner Revealed".

3...Bxf2+ 4.Kxf2 Qh4+

5.Ke3 Qf4+ 6.Kd3

6...Nf6

Hampe - Meitner, Vienna, 1870 continued 6...d5 7.Kc3 Qxe4 8.Kb3 Na6 9.a3 Qxa4+ 10.Kxa4 Nc5+ 11.Kb4 a5+ 12.Kxc5 Ne7 13.Bb5+ Kd8 14.Bc6 b6+ 15.Kb5 Nxc6 16.Kxc6 Bb7+ 17.Kb5 Ba6+ draw

7.Nc3

In the September 2002 issue of Chess Life, Grandmaster Andy Soltis suggested 7.Qf3 as an improvement in this line. (I have no idea if he was familiar with Bill's game here.)

7...d5

8.Qe1

Understandably faltering under pressure. Rybka suggests that White could find his way to a balanced game with: 8.Qf3 dxe4+ 9.Nxe4 Bf5 10.Qxf4 exf4 11.Ke2 Nxe4 12.d3 Nf6 13.Bxf4 Nc6 14.Nf3 0-0-0 15.Re1 Nd5 16.Bg3 Ndb4

analysis diagram





8...dxe4+ 9.Kc4 e3+

It's "open season" on Kings...

10.Kb3 Nc6 11.a3 Be6+ White resigned

 

Chesstalk

I just stopped by the Chesstalk website with my mind on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and read the following exchange including Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Louis Morin, aka mrjoker...

Louis Morin
Location: Montréal
Re : Re: Gambiteers Unite

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Pacey

Even against much weaker players, I would just use the Evans, or possibly the KG, nowadays if I was in the mood to gambit against 1.e4 e5.

Why not the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+)? There is a very entertaining blog dedicated to it: http://jeromegambit.blogspot.com/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Kevin Pacey  
Re: Re : Re: Gambiteers Unite

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louis Morin

Why not the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+)? There is a very entertaining blog dedicated to it: http://jeromegambit.blogspot.com/

Oddly or not, I don't think I have any books that mention this gambit.

I visited your given linked blog briefly, and I saw that the author was interested in the Jerome Gambit as White, but even the analysis given there seemed to show that Black is quite fine in theory, if he plays properly, despite the ultimate result of the games given.

As I mentioned in a comment on the Goring Gambit in an earlier post, I gave that one up as soon as I convinced myself Black could equalize by force. I'm sure that, like with the Jerome Gambit, I could beat a weaker/much weaker player with it, or almost any opening, but usually, if the game matters at all, I'd stick to my principles and play an opening that has a better theoretical status for White. In the case of the Jerome Gambit, White probably shouldn't even get equality if Black plays well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kevin Pacey
Re: Re : Re: Gambiteers Unite

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louis Morin

Why not the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+)? There is a very entertaining blog dedicated to it: http://jeromegambit.blogspot.com/

This blog mentions the sequence 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6. To show that people play just about anything, an expert-strength player in my old Brampton club (then not CFC rating its games) played this 'opening' now and then. Apperently it had some theory devoted to it, at least back in his homeland.

White needs to play precisely, it would seem, to make the most out of his position. My own analysis (without a computer or books, etc.) would go:

4.d4!

(if 4.0-0 Black has 4...Nf6 and after 5.d4 he can play 5...d6 without dropping a pawn; if 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 then possible is 5...exd4 [5...d6 is 'solid'] with the idea 6.cxd4 Bb4+ and Black has the extra move ...h6 included in an otherwise normal mainline, or 6.e5 with the idea 6...d5 7.Bb5 Ne4 and if 8.Nxd4 White almost has a mainline position, except Black has traded ...h6 for c2-c3, which may not be too much of a gain for White)

4...exd4

(4...d6? drops a pawn after 5.dxe5)

5.0-0!

(not 5.Nxd4 when Black can play 5...Nf6 or the more adventurous 5...Ne5)

and White has a favourable version of a normal mainline, where Black has substituted ...h6 for the more useful ...Nf6. Play might continue 5...Bc5 6.c3! and if 6...dxc3 (better is 6...d3, but White stands better after 7.b4) 7.Bxf7+! (a familiar trick for Italian/Evans Gambit players) 7...Kxf7 8.Qd5+, intending Qxc5 with advantage.

For example, now 8...Ke8 (to avoid Qxc5 with check) could be answered by 9.Qxc5 anyway, with advantage in spite of ...cxb2 since the displacement of the Black king is worth more than the pawn. However 9.Qh5+ works, as 9...g6 10.Qxg6+ Kf8 (10...Ke7 11.Qg7+) 11.Qf5+ Qf6 (or ...Nf6) allows 12.Qxc5 with check anyway, followed by Qxc3.


(Thanks to Louis for suggesting the Jerome Gambit. A note for Kevin: GM Pavel Blatny has played 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 with Black, a number of times, with success. Thanks for your analysis, too! -- RK)

A Strange, But Intriguing, Path (Part 3)

Let's take a final look at a strange variation of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf 7+) that we started with two days ago, and continued yesterday – see "A Strange, But Intriguing, Path (Part 1)" and (Part 2).

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

 

 
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Ke6
 

6.Qg4+ Kxe5

If White is going to have a chance in this variation, he must sacrifice the second piece. If Black then wishes to play on, he must accept the piece.

If 6.Qg4+ Kf6, then 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4 checkmate.

If 6.Qg4+ Kd6 7.Nf7+ wins.

If 6.Qg4+ Ke7 7.Qxg7+ Kd6 8.Nf7+ wins.

7.d4+

Again, best.

Two games with the alternative 7.f4+:  7...Kf6 8.Qg5+ (8.Qh4+ Kf7 9.Qxd8 Nxd8 10.c3 Nf6 11.d4 Bb6 12.e5 Nd5 13.0-0 d6 14.Nd2 dxe5 15.fxe5+ Ke7 16.Ne4 g6 17.Bg5+ Ke8 18.Rae1 Rf8 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 20.Bxd8 Bf5 21.Bg5 Bxe4 22.Rxe4 c5 23.c4 Ne7 24.d5 Nf5 25.g4 Nd4 26.d6 Ne6 27.Bd2 Ke8 28.h3 Kd7 29.Bc3 Rf8 30.Bd2 g5 31.Re2 h6 32.Kh2 Nd4 33.Rg2 Nf3+ 34.Kg3 Nxd2 35.Rxd2 Ke6 36.Re2 Ba5 37.h4 gxh4+ 38.Kxh4 a6 39.a3 b5 40.cxb5 axb5 41.b3 b4 42.a4 Bd8+ 43.Kh5 Rf4 44.Re3 Bg5 45.Rd3 Black forfeited on time, Petasluk - Ijon, blitz FICS, 2007 ) Kf7 9.Qd5+ Ke8 10.Qxc5 d6 11.Qf2 Qe7 12.d3 Nf6 13.Nc3 Be6 14.h3 Kd7 15.Be3 g6 16.0-0-0 a5 17.Rhe1 a4 18.d4 Bc4 19.e5 Nd5 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.c4 Bxc4 22.d5 Nb4 23.exd6 Qxd6 24.Bc5 Nd3+ 25.Rxd3 Qf6 26.Rc3 Bxd5 27.Re7+ Kd8 28.Rxc7 Ke8 29.Qe3+ Be6 30.Re7+ Qxe7 31.Bxe7 Kxe7 32.Rc7+ Kf6 33.Rxb7 Rac8+ White forfeited on time, Petasluk - scaccopazzoo, blitz FICS, 2004.

7...Bxd4

Capturing with the Knight turns out worse in the end: 7...Nxd4 8.Bf4+ Kf6 (8...Kxe4 9.Nc3 checkmate) 9.Bg5+ Kf7 10.Bxd8 and Black's threat to fork White's King and Rook doesn't work, i.e. 10...Nxc2+ 11.Kd2 Nxa1 12.Qh5+ Kf8 13.Qxc5+ Ke8 14.Bxc7 as White will get two pieces for the Rook after, say, 14...Nf6 15.Nc3.

analysis diagram







8.Bf4+ Kf6 9.Bg5+ Kf7 10.Bxd8 Nxd8

Or 10...Bxb2 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Bxc7 Bxa1 13.Na3 Nf6 14.0-0 when, despite Black having two pieces and a Rook for the Queen, Rybka sees White as a bit better!

analysis diagram




11.Qg3

Again, Rybka gives White the edge, not only because the b-pawn is protected (11...Bxb2 12.Qb3+) but because Black is undeveloped and his King is at risk.

This kind of analysis, treating the Jerome Gambit as if it were a "real" opening, is becoming more necessary as knowledge of the opening increases and its use becomes more widespread. Some lines now need preparation beyond a brave sense of advanture.

A Strange, But Intriguing, Path (Part 2)

Let's continue to take a look at a strange variation of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf 7+) that we started with yesterday – see "A Strange, But Intriguing, Path (Part 1)"

blackburne - DREWBEAR

JG Tourney4, Chessworld, 2009

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6

This can't be good, can it?

6.f4

Inadequate is 6.Nc4 Qf6 (6...Qh4!? 7.Qe2 Nd4 8.Qd3 Nf6 [stronger than 8...Nxc2+ 9.Qxc2 Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 Qxg2 11.Re1 Qxh2] 9.Nc3 d5 10.exd5+ Kf7 11.Ne3 Re8 12.Ne2 Rxe3 13.dxe3 Bf5) 7.Qg4+ Ke7 8.0-0 h6 9.Nc3 d5 10.Nxd5+ Black resigned, jecree - larsgoran, FICS,  2008

Tricky is 6.d4, as the pawn is poisoned, provided that White responds to either 6...Nxd4 or 6...Bxd4 with 7.Qg4+ (7.Nf3 may draw).

After 6.d4 Nxe5 (6...Nf6 is best met by 7.Nf3 with an edge to White) 7.dxe5 d6 (7...Kxe5? 8.Qd5+ Kf6 9.Bg5+ Kg6 10.Qf5+ Kh5 11.g4 checkmate) 8.Nc3 Black has an edge. 

6...Nxe5

7.fxe5

This does not turn out well. Rybka actually recommends 7.d4 as best for White, although, as you might guess, Black has an advantage in all variations.

7...Qh4+

Here's the trouble.

8.Ke2

Worse was 8.g3 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 Qxh1+ 10.Qf1 Qxf1+ 11.Kxf1 Kxe5 12.c3 Ke6 13.d4 Bd6 14.Nd2 b6 15.Ne4 Bb7 16.Ng5+ Kf6 17.Bd2 h6 18.Nh3 Rf8 19.Ke2 Re8+ 20.Kd3 Ne7 21.Rf1+ Kg6 22.Nf2 Rhf8 23.Be3 Nd5 24.Bd2 b5 25.g4 Rf3+ 26.Kc2 Ne3+ 27.Bxe3 Rexe3 28.h4 Re2+ 29.Kb3 Rfxf2 30.Rg1 Rxb2 checkmate, Superpippo - MrJaggers, FICS, 2002

8...Qxe4+ 9.Kf1 Nh6 10.Nc3 Rf8+ White Resigned