Making it look easy...

Playing over Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Bill Wall's games, it is hard to remember that he is playing an opening that is considered many times refuted!


billwall - buhov
Chess.com, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke7

Playable, but not nearly as popular as 7...Ke8 or 7...Kf8. The King placement gives Bill an idea about placing his Queen differently, too.

8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Nc3

Alternately, 10.d3 Qf8 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Be3 Ne5 13.h3 Kd7 14.f4 h6 15.Qg3 Nc6 16.0-0-0 Rd8 17.f5 Bf7 18.Qf3 Ne5 19.Qf2 a6 20.b3 b5 21.d4 Nc6 22.g4 Kc8 23.Qf3 b4 24.Na4 a5 25.d5 Ne5 26.Qe2 Nfd7 27.Qa6+ Kb8 28.Ba7+ Ka8 29.Bb6+ Kb8 30.Qa7+ Kc8 31.Qxc7 checkmate, stampyshortlegs - calchess10, JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009.

10...c6 11.f4 Rf8

An instructive error. Black plans to castle-by-hand, moving his King to f7 and g8 – a laudable defensive strategy in the Jerome Gambit. This move leaves the soon-to-be-attacked pawn at g7 unprotected, however – an indication that Black should have started his "castling" with 11...Kf7.

This game is a good example of how a stronger player, having given "Jerome Gambit odds," can take advantage of each of the defender's slips until he captures the full point.

12.f5 Ne5 13.Qxg7+ Rf7 14.Qg3 Qg8

Stopping the attack before it builds by offering the exchange of Queens. This is fine with White, who has three "Jerome pawns" (and an even game) for his sacrificed piece.

15.Qxg8 Nxg8 16.d4 Ng4 17.h3 N4f6 18.g4 h6

19.Bd2 b5 20.e5 dxe5 21.dxe5 Nd5 22.Nxd5+ cxd5 23.e6 Rf8

A tactical slip, as the pressure builds.

24.Bb4+ Ke8 25.Bxf8 Kxf8 26.h4 Nf6 27.g5 hxg5 28.hxg5 Ne4

The pawns! The pawns!

29.Rh8+ Kg7 30.e7 Bb7 31.Rxa8 Bxa8 32.e8Q Black resigned

Given Enough Time...

Given enough time, if Black uses moves to shuttle his pieces here, there, and everywhere, 
White's "Jerome pawns" can become dangerous and cause Black many headaches...



perrypawnpusher - nmuffjgp
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7

9.0-0 d6

Or 9...b6 10.Qe3 Bb7 (10...Rf8 11.f4 d6 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 14.Qg3 Rf7 15.Nc3 Kf8 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bc1 Bb7 18.f6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6+ gxf6 20.Bxh6+ Ke8 21.Qg7 Kd7 22.Qg4+ Ke8 23.Qg7 Nd2 24.Qxf6 Bxe4 25.Nxe4 Nxe4 26.Qh8+ Kd7 27.Qxd8+ Rxd8 28.Re1 Nf5 29.Rxe4 Nxh6 30.Rh4 Nf5 31.Rh7+ Kc6 32.c3 Re8 33.Kf2 a5 34.b3 Rf8 35.Ke2 Re8+ 36.Kd2 Ne3 37.Rg7 Nf1+ 38.Kd3 Nxh2 39.g4 Nf3 40.g5 Nh4 41.c4 Nf5 42.d5+ Kb7 43.Rh7 Re7 44.Rxe7 Nxe7 45.Ke4 Ng6 46.Kf5 Nh4+ 47.Kf6 Kc8 48.g6 Nxg6 49.Kxg6 Kd7 50.Kf6 c6 51.Kf7 cxd5 52.cxd5 b5 53.a3 Kc7 54.Ke7 b4 55.a4 Kb6 56.Kxd6 Ka6 57.Kc6 Ka7 58.Kc7 Ka6 59.d6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz, FICS, 2009) 11.f4 Rf8 (11...Kf7 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 14.Qf4 Rf8 15.b3 Nd6 16.Nc3 Kg8 17.Ba3 Ng6 18.Qg4 Ne7 19.f6 g6 20.fxe7 Qxe7 21.Rae1 Rxf1+ 22.Rxf1 Nxe4 23.Bxe7 Nxc3 24.Qxd7 Ba6 25.Bf6 Ne2+ 26.Kh1 Ng3+ 27.hxg3 Bxf1 28.Qg7, checkmate, perrypawnpusher - jdvatty, blitz, FICS, 2010) 12.d4 d6 13.f5 Nh8 14.g4 Qd7 15.c4 Nf7 16.Nc3 Kd8 17.b3 h6 18.h4 g5 19.h5 Nc6 20.Ba3 Qe8 21.Rad1 Kd7 22.e5 Nfxe5 23.dxe5 Qxe5 24.Qd3 Rae8 25.Rde1 Qd4+ 26.Qxd4 Nxd4 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.Bb2 Nf3+ 29.Kf2 Nh2 30.Rg1 Bf3 31.Rg3 Bxg4 32.Rg2 Bxf5 33.Rxh2 c6 34.Kf3 Rf8 35.Kg3 Be6 36.Ne2 c5 37.Bg7 Rf1 38.Bxh6 Ra1 39.Nc3 Rg1+ 40.Kf2 g4 41.Kxg1 g3 42.Rg2 Bg4 43.Rxg3 Bxh5 44.Ne4 Kc6 45.Rg5 b5 46.Rxh5 bxc4 47.bxc4 a5 48.Bf4 a4 49.Rh6 Kb6 50.Rxd6+ Ka5 51.Bd2 checkmate, guest1730 - guest1656, Internet Chess Club, 2001.

10.Qe3 Be6

Or 10...Rf8 11.d4 c5 12.c3 Bd7 13.f4 Rc8 14.f5 Bxf5? 15.exf5 Rxf5 16.Rxf5 Qd7 17.Rf1 cxd4 18.cxd4 Rc2 19.Nc3 Qg4 20.Qf3 Qxd4+ 21.Be3 Qe5 22.Rae1 Nh4 23.Qf7+ Kd7 24.Bf2 Qg5 25.Rxe7+ Kc6 26.Rc7 checkmate, guest6567 - guest4702, Internet Chess Club 2004.


11.f4 Bd7 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 N5c6 14.g4

14...h6


Better was 14...Ng8.


15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Nb4

Instead, Black should be thinking about giving the piece back for two pawns, and taking advantage of his lead in development, for example: 16...Rf8 17.Nc3 Nxf5 18.gxf5 Rxf5 19.Rxf5 Bxf5 with an even game.

 

analysis diagram

17.Qc5 Nbd5

18.f6 gxf6 19.exf6 b6

Black's game suddenly goes to pieces.

After the game Stockfish suggested 19...Bxg4 20.fxe7 Qd6 21.Qxd6 cxd6 which gives White only a small edge, if that. For example, 22.Bxh6!? Kxe7 23.Bg5+ Kd7 24.Nd2 Rag8

analysis diagram








20.Qd4 Nxf6

21.Qxf6 Nf5 22.Qxh8+ Ke7 23.Re1+ Black resigned

It's never a good idea to overlook mate...

My opponent put up creative resistance in the following game, but eventually I found myself in a better position. It was unfortunate that I overlooked a very Jerome-ish possible move 20. However, it's never a good idea to overlook mate...

perrypawnpusher - Cibola
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

An earlier contest between the two of us was a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit: 3...h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 Qe7 10.Qe3 Nf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.f4 b6 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Ba6 15.dxe5 Qxe5 16.Re1 Kf7 17.Qf3 Rhe8 18.Bf4 Qc5+ 19.Be3 Qb5 20.Bd4 Qxb2 21.e5 Nd5 22.e6+ Kg8 23.Qg4 Nxc3 24.Qxg7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - Cibola, blitz, FICS, 2009.

My opponent also had scored in the past in one of his games with the Blackburn Shilling Jerome Gambit: 3...Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Ke7 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d3 h6 7.Nxe5 d6 8.Ng6+ Kd7 9.0-0 b6 10.c3 Ne6 11.Nd2 Bb7 12.Nc4 Qg5 13.Nxf8+ Black resigned, Cibola - patitolo, blitz, FICS, 2005

4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+

My opponent had even played a straight Jerome Gambit, albeit a bit wobbly: 5.Ng5+ Qxg5 6.d3 Qxg2 White resigned, Cibola - Argo, blitz, FICS, 2003

5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

7.Qxe5 Be7

An interesting idea. Black has so many ways to go right in the Jerome Gambit.

8.d4 Bf6 9.Qf4 g5

This is overly energetic, however.

10.Qe3

Stronger was 10.Qf3. Even now I'm amused that when I consider that move in my mind, I think: but this leaves my d-pawn unprotected!

10... d6 11.O-O h6 12.f4

12...Kg7 13.e5 dxe5 14.fxe5 Be7 15.Qf3

The problem with this move is not 15...Qxd4+, which would cost Black a handful of tempos in return for a dubious pawn. It's that White's Queen needs more help, as in 15. Nc3 Be6 16. Ne4 followed by b3-b3 and Bc1-b2, with an even game.

15...Be6 16.Be3 Bd5 17.Qf2 20.Qe8 18.Nc3 c6

This move appears to cement Black's Bishop in the center, but has a weakness that my opponent and I overlooked.

19.Nxd5 cxd5

 Now 20.c4 should come to the mind of any Jerome Gambiteer, as 20...dxc4 21.d5 liberates the "Jerome pawns" and puts Black under pressure, e.g. 22...Qg6 22.Bxa7 when Black's pieces stumble over each other, while White plans Qf4-d4, supporting the pawns and preparing a discovered check.

20.c3 Qg6 21.Qf3

The game is about even. If White can snare a pawn or two more, he will have the advantage.

21...Rf8 22.Qxd5 Rxf1+ 23.Rxf1 h5

Black's 21st move was a mistake, and this move compounds it. Now there are pawns to feast upon.

24.Qxb7 h4 25.Qxa7

It is always nice to have five connected, passed pawns, but this is the first sign that I was not paying sufficient attention to what my opponent was planning.

25...h3 26.g3

Necessary was 26.Qb7 protecting g2. Black is now probably better.

26...Qe4 27.d5 Qg2 checkmate

It is unclear if White could have held the game after 27.Rf2 Qxe3, with five pawns vs two pieces, but it's never a good idea to overlook checkmate...

Incredible! (Not the Jerome Gambit)

Sometimes I run across a game that is so amazing – the notes, so amusing – that I have to take a break from the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and share it with readers.

Bukhuti Gurgenidze - Ashot Nadanian 
Tbilisi 1996


If only more masters played with such imagination and pluck!

"Even" does not mean "safe"

In a recent Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, Bill Wall and his opponent headed for a topical position evaluated as roughly even. Bill then showed that there was still a lot of danger in the position.

billwall  - apollyon2010
Chess.com, 2010

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

6.c3

A challenge.

6...Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Kxd4

This move gives White a slight edge. After the retreat 7...Ke6 followed by 8.d3 c6 9.Be3 Kf7 10.0-0 Nf6 11.Nc3 d6 Black would have had a slight edge. 

8.Nc3

The alternative was 8.d3

8...c6

Better than 8...Qg5 9.0-0 Ke5 10.f4+ Qxf4 11.Rxf4 Kxf4 12.Qf3+ Ke5 13.Qf5+ Kd4 14.Qd5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - PunisherABD, blitz, FICS, 2009.

9.d3 Bb4

This looks like a normal move, but Rybka still recommends that the Black King retreat, returning material in the process: 9...Kc5 10.Qb3 Kd6 11.Bf4+ Ke7 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.e5 d5 14.0-0 Kf7 15.exf6 gxf6 with about an even game.

10.Qh5 Nf6

It is hard to believe, but Black's only move to put off checkmate was 10...g5, following 11.Bxg5  with 11...Qxg5, giving up his Queen. Ouch!

11.Be3+ Kxd3 12.Qe2 checkmate

 

Stuff My Opponent Plays

A hope of the Jerome Gambiteer is to chase the enemy King into the middle of the board and then force a checkmate. Although my opponent uses a solid defense, he does not play well enough to escape disaster.

perrypawnpusher  - OverwiseMan
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+

Or 5.0–0 Nf6 6.d4 exd4 7.Ng5+ Ke8 8.Re1 h6 9.e5 Nd5 10.Qh5+ Ke7 11.Qf7 checkmate, dondan - OverwiseMan, FICS, 2010.

5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qe8

9.fxe5+ Kc6

A surprise and a mistake. Best was 9...Qxe5 

10.c3 Ne7

11.Qg5 g6

After the game Stockfish recommended 11...Ng6, and Black's King gets to safety, e.g.: 12.d4 Be7 13.d5+ Kb6 14.Qe3+ Bc5 15.Qe2 a5 16.b4 axb4 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Qxe3+ Ka6 19.cxb4 b6 20.0-0 Kb7  – You castle your way, I'll castle my way!

analysis diagram







12.d4 h6

13.Qg3 Bb6 14.d5+

14...Kb5

Leading to checkmate. It was necessary to return the piece with 14...Nxd5 15.exd5+ Kxd5, although Black's King is still in great danger after 16.Qf3+ Kxe5 (other moves lead to mate) 17.Kd1 (threatening Re1).

analysis diagram







15.Na3+

15...Ka6 16.Qd3+ Ka5 17.Qb5 checkmate