Responding to Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks' (blackburne) request for statistics (see his comment on "Another Closer Look") I consulted the updated New Year's Database for answers.
At the moment, the database contains 7, 298 games that begin 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+.
As expected, the vast majority of the games have the Accepted response of 4...Kxf7. For those games, White scores 44%.
Only 192 games – 2.6%, – illustrate the Jerome Gambit Declined. For the record, White scores a surprisingly low 55% against 4...Kf8 and a more robust 72% against 4...Ke7.
Of the 7,298 Jerome Gambit games in the database, 3017 (42.5% of the Jerome Gambit Accepted games ) feature the classical 5.Nxe5+, with which White scores 53%.
A tentative conclusion, then, is that classical lines (i.e. those going 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+) score better than the average for all Jerome Gambit games in the database.
At first glance, this may be surprising, as computer evaluations give most of the "modern" variations higher ratings than the classical ones. However, what may be at work is is experience and familiarity – it may turn out that those who play the classical variations are more likely to be "old hands" in playing the lines, and this provides them with a competitive edge.
The question for Black at this point is: should he take White's Knight? The statistics suggest that Black should. The alternatives: 5...Kf8 is seen in 100 games, where White scores 49%; 5...Ke8 is seen in 49 games, where White scores 60%; 5...Ke6 is seen in 18 games, where White scores 61%; and 5...Ke7 is seen in 8 games, where White scores 63%.
Those defending against the Jerome Gambit might want to look at that 5...Kf8 line, both as a surprise weapon and as the one non-main-line choice that decreases White's winning percentage in the classical Jerome Gambit Accepted from 53% to 49%.
Most of the classical Jerome Gambit Accepted lines (95.7%), then, begin with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5. The results from the database are indifferent as to whether White follows up with either 6.Qh5+ (2,182 games) or 6.d4 (699 games) as the first scores 53% for White and the second scores 52%.
An indication of how the New Year's Database can skew reality, however, is that after 6.d4, arguably the strongest reply for Black is 6...Qh4, yet in the 160 games where that move order appears, White scores 77%.
We will look at how White does against the various main line defenses to the classical Jerome Gambit, tomorrow.
With all of the attention that this blog has paid to the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4), I should have mentioned earlier an article by Paul Valle in the irrepressible Unorthodox Openings Newsletter Issue Number 3, June 2001.
It is fun to see in Chapter 6
Please excuse me for not having time... to look into 4.Bxf7+, although I doubt White has enough for his piece after 4…Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6
Of course, not everyone has to agree with everything Paul writes...
The recently completed ChessWorld Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Thematic Tournament compiled some interesting statistics.
Thirteen players played two games (one with White, one with Black) against each opponent, for a total of 156 games.
White scored 46%. There were only 2 draws.
In only one game did Black decline the Bishop sacrifice.
As expected, modern Jerome Gambit (those without 5.Nxe5 after 4...Kxf7) variations predominated over classical (those with 5.Nxe5 after 4...Kxf7) lines, 120 games to 35 games, scoring 48% vs 37%.
The most successful modern line was 5.d4, scoring 69% in 8 games, followed by 5.0-0 (51% in 35 games) and 5.c3 (50% in 37 games). Unusual lines were unpopular: 5.h3 (100% in 1 game), 5.Qe2 (100% in 1 game), 5.a3 (0% in 1 game) and 5.Ng5+ (0% in 1 game).
(By contrast, the New Year's Database shows 5.d4 scoring 39%, with the most successful modern line being 5.c3 at 47%. As they say about statistics: your mileage may vary.)
Against classical lines continuing 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+, Black's most popular lines were 6...Ke6 (11 games, White scored only 18%) and 6...Ng6 (10 games, White scored 50%). Black was most successful with 6...Kf8 (2 games, White scored 0%) and least successful with 6...g6 (3 games, White scored 67%).
When Black played 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 (5 times) White scored only 20%.
Substituting 6.d4 for 6.Qh5+ in 2 games, White scored 50%.
I have read that Grandmasters can look at a complicated position and almost immediately, without apparent analysis or evaluation, decide that a certain piece "must" go to a particular square. How different that is from my own experience...
perrypawnpusher - louarn
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5
Earlier this year we had played a couple of Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit games that I had won in 21 and 49 moves.
4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 N8e7
Planning for play on the f-file, especially targeting the square f5, which seems to be a magnet for "Jerome pawns".
10.0-0 Rf8
An interesting alternative is 10...d5, seen in perrypawnpusher - OverwiseMan, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 27).
11.f4
Or 11.d4, as Louis Morin (mrjoker) has played successfully in a couple of games, guest6567 - guest4702, ICC, 2004 (1-0, 26) and mrjoker - tomnoah, ICC, 2008.
11...Bd7
With an eye toward putting the Bishop on the a8-h1 diagonal. Both 11...Nc6, as in perrypawnpusher - taman, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 35), and 11...c6 as in perrypawnpusher - Kovrad, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 16) were also playable.
12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Ng4
As always, retreating to c6 was better, but harassing the Queen is irresistible. A quick peek at the New Year's Database shows that I have over 45 games with a Queen at e3 being attacked by a Knight at g4!
You would think that by now I would have come up with the proper response for White.
14.Qg5
An interesting idea, but I had forgotten that I had tried something similar in one of my games against MRBarupal and my pawn at e4 (as well as the square itself) proved weak. It should not be surprising, therefore, that Rybka prefers 14.Qe2 (although it sees the game as even after my move).
14...Nf6 15.e5
Rushing forward into trouble. First: 15.Nc3
15...dxe5 16.dxe5 Ne4
There's that weak e4 square again.
17.Qxg7
The position may look dangerous for Black at first glance, but White has two pieces attacking five pieces (six, if you count the enemy King) and the pair of advanced "Jerome pawns" doesn't make up the difference.
17...Nxf5 18.Qxh7 Qe7
Exchanging Queens takes the heat off of Black's King and preserves his advantage, although 18...Be6 was even stronger.
19.Qxe7+ Kxe7 20.Nc3 Nxc3 21.bxc3 Nh4
Hoping to exchange another piece, bringing the game closer to a won endgame, as White's pawns will be no match for Black's extra piece.
However, this was just the kind of slip that I was hoping for as it allows me to reverse my fortunes.
22.Ba3+ Ke6 23.Rxf8 Rxf8 24.Bxf8 Kxe5
Up the exchange and two pawns, White now has the winning chances.
25.Bg7+ Kd5 26.Rd1+ Kc6 27.Kf2 Nf5 28.Bd4 b5
I think this must have been a mouse-slip.
29.Bxa7 Kb7
Allowing the exchange of Bishops only hastens the end.
30.Bd4
See above.
30...Ka6 31.Be5 Be6 32.Bxc7 Bxa2 33.Ra1 Kb7 34.Rxa2 Kxc7
35.g4 Nd6 36.Kf3 Nc4 37.g5 Ne5+ 38.Kf4 Ng6+ 39.Kf5 Ne7+ 40.Kf6 Nd5+ 41.Kf7 Nxc3 42.g6 Ne4 43.g7 Nd6+ 44.Kg6 Black resigned
The plot of the following game seems straight-forward: I sacrificed a piece for a pawn in the opening; my opponent sacrificed a piece for two pawns in the middle game; I lost a pawn-down endgame...
In actuality, I had my chances.
perrypawnpusher - kholthaus
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 h6 5.0-0 Bc5
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.
6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4
8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Re8 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Kg8 12.Bd2 d6
I've reached this position 7 times before, with a record of 4-3. That's not bad for a position where White is a piece down, with only partial compensation (slight lead in development, better center pawns). Still, it is nowhere near as good as my overall score of 85% for Jerome Gambit and related games.
13.Rae1 Rf8
Clearly better than pwr's "optical illusion" 13...Nb4 that dropped a piece.
14.h3 a6 15.Nd5 Be6 16.Bc3
After the game Rybka preferred 16.c4 b5 17.b3 bxc4 18.bxc4 Rb8 and then 19.Bc3, although I am not sure what White gains by giving Black an open b-file for his Rook.
16...Bxd5 17.exd5 Ne7 18.Bxf6 Rxf6 19.Qe4 Nf5 20.g4
A thoughtless move that allows 20...Ng3, winning the exchange and leaving Black a Rook up. Fortunately, my opponent had other ideas on how to defeat me, and missed this, too.
20...Nh4 21.f5 Rf8 22.Qe6+ Kh8 23.Kh2 Qe8
Putting an end to the excitment along the e-file, but it was better to slide a Rook over, instead.
24.Qxe8
I saw that Black's Knight was now at risk, but I should have played 24.Kg3, attacking it, right away. Then 24...Nxf5+ could have been answered by 25.Qxf5 with an even game. Also 24...Qd8 25.Kxh4 Qxa2 would have been answered with 26.f6 when White can probably still hold the draw, e.g. 26...Qxb2 27.Rb1 Qc3 28.fxg7+ Qxg7 29.Rxf8+ Rxf8 30.Rxb7.
24...Raxe8 25.Kg3 Rxe1 26.Rxe1 Nxf5+ 27.gxf5 Rxf5
Black is up a pawn, although White has good drawing chances if he keeps his Rook active attacking the enemy pawns.
28.c4 Rf7 29.h4 Kg8 30.Re2
Passive.
Rybka likes 30.Re8+ Kh7 31.Ra8 Kg6 32.Ra7 b5 33.b3 bxc4 34.bxc4 Kf5 35.Rxa6 g5 with even chances.
30...b6
Black should have taken this opportunity to play 30...Kf8, keeping White's Rook from coming to e8 and from there slipping behind his pawns.
31.Kg4
Likewise, it was important to play 31.Re8+.
31...a5 32.b3 Kf8
33.h5 Rf1 34.Kg3 Rg1+ 35.Kh4 Rg5 36.Rf2+ Ke7 37.a3
Missing White's last chance to draw.
With 37.a4, White could have reduced the exposure of his Queenside pawns to the base at b3, which he could have supported with his Rook at f3. The Rook would only leave its post to check the enemy King or threaten to win material. Then, White's only trump, his better-placed King, would help hold down the Kingside.
37...Re5 38.Kg4 Re3 39.Rf3
Capitulation.
39...Rxf3 40.Kxf3 Kf6 41.Kf4 g6 42.hxg6 Kxg6 43.Kg4 Kf6 44.b4 axb4 45.axb4 Ke5 White resigned
By checking the New Year's Database after this game was played, I learned that my opponent and I had clashed four times before, with two wins for me plus a couple of draws. That doesn't help explain what happened the 5th time.
Maybe he was not having a good day.
perrypawnpusher - frencheng
7 5 blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6
An interesting choice. frencheng has played 6...Kf8 twice against me, scoring a draw and a loss. He has drawn with 6...Ng6.
7.Qxe5
I was wondering: will I see the Blackburne Defense (7...d6) or the Whistler Defense (7...Qe7)?
Previously my opponent had tried the unnamed 7...Qf6 against me.
7...Bd6
Hmm... Neither.
Including this game, according to the New Year's Database, 7...Bd6 has scored only 10% for Black in 30 games.
8.Qxh8 Qf6
If Black is going to have any chance at justifying giving up the Rook he has to try to complicate the game with something like 8...Qh4 and after 9.d3 then 9...Nf6, to trap the White Queen.
Of course, that's why the first time I met 8...Qh4 I responded with 9.Qd4, retrieving the Queen. The second time I varied with 9.Nc3 and got away with it when my opponent's game promptly exploded.
9.Qxh7+ Qg7 10.Qxg7+ Kxg7
Black has little for his exchange and three pawns.
11.d4 c5 12.Be3 Nf6 13.e5 cxd4
A tactic that doesn't work. It was just not frencheng's day.
14.exf6+ Kxf6 15.Bxd4+ Be5 16.Bxe5+ Kxe5 17.Nc3 Black resigned
Just like some people discover or invent the Jerome Gambit on their own, apart from the efforts of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome and the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde, so do those players continue to play a tricky but suicidal line, even after the "Death of a Variation".
SOLKIE - fianchettoking
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+
Outrageous, even by Jerome Gambit standards. On the surface, White hopes to exchange his Knight for Black's Bishop at c5 – but the game quickly becomes too chaotic for that.
5...Qxg5
White resigned here in lilpuppy - korppi, blitz, FICS, 2010
6.d4
6.Qf3+ Qf6 White resigned, fadelio - andreialex, blitz, FICS, 2010
6...Qxg2 7.Qh5+ g6 White resigned
