Many lines in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) feature the premature development of White's Queen. Black must deal with this, often by exchanging Queens, or find his King at risk.
The following game turns this dilemma on its head, however: White does not move his Queen early; Black develops his own Queen, anyhow, but is unable to exchange it; White forces the exchange of Queens himself; and then White goes on to create a checkmate attack, anyhow.
Wall,B - Caynaboos
FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3
7...Bxc3+
A straightforward way to return the piece while keeping the initiative. The strongest reply, as we have seen before, is the snarky 7...Qh4, as in Teterow - geneve, lightning, FICS 2011 (1-0, 19).
8.Nxc3 Nc6 9.0-0 Qf6
The move ...Qf6 can frequently be strong against the Jerome Gambit, but mostly as a threat to exchange Queens and extinguish White's attacking chances. In this case, the more pedestrian 9...d6 might have been stronger.
Interestingly enough, White forces the exchange of Queens himself a few moves later.
10.e5 Qg6 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Nb5 Kd8
13.Qf8+ Qe8 14.Qxe8+ Kxe8 15.Nxc7+ Ke7 16.Nxa8 Nxd4 17.Bg5+ Ke6
White is the exchange and a pawn ahead, but the significant advantage that he has is in his development: even without Queens on the board he can whip up an attack on the enemy King.
18.Nc7+ Kxe5 19.Rae1+ Kd6 20.Bf4+ Kc6 21.Rc1+ Kb6 22.Nd5+ Kb5 23.Rxc8 Ne6
24.a4+ Kxa4 25.Ra1+ Kb3 26.Be5 Black lost on time
Mate was unavoidable.
Readers are no doubt familiar with the ChessBase.com web site, a place where you can not only check out the latest chess news but also shop for the latest chess books, software, DVDs, etc. As they recently pointed out, however,
With literally hundreds of DVDs available, ranging from openings to games collections, it could be daunting to look through the long lists of product descriptions in the hopes of finding something useful. With the new Product Finder, all you need to do is set up a position, and not only will all opening DVDs covering it be shown, but even games collections as well. Here is a new way to search.
When you specialize in an offbeat opening like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), this kind of innovation holds the promise of quickly cutting through the wheat and getting right down to the chaff!
I went right to the ChessBase Shop, fired up the "Product Finder With Board", entered the opening moves to the Jerome Gambit, crossed my fingers, and hit "Search".
The result?
Showing 0 Results
I guess I should have expected that. (On the other hand, leaving off White's audacious 4th move allows the "Product Finder With Board" to identify 35 items.)
Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Pete Banks ("blackburne") is organizing another Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament at ChessWorld (Tournament #175671 named: Jerome Gambit 6).
In the past, these ChessWorld thematics have been a great place for Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) supporters and skeptics to try out their ideas. Many interesting games have been generated as practice and theory have taken steps forward.
I plan on presenting some of the top games here, as they are completed.
Here are just a few glimpses back at earlier tournaments:
"Daves111 Tops ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Thematic"
"Final: JGTourney4 ChessWorld 2009"
"Carlos Azcarate Wins Tourney"
"Overrated!"
"Rail2Rail Nails It"
"Jerome Gambit Tournaments"
Why not stop by ChessWorld? If you are a member there, why not join in the mayhem of the Thematic?
I've noticed a new name amongst players at FICS who are playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and related openings. New warriors are always welcome to the ranks of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde.
Dyfvermark - alkimie
standard, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 Nf6
5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4
A "natural" move that has seen its way into a number of posts this year (see "Thought, Emotion and Error", "Refutation right on the spot" and "Casually" for starters). It does not hold onto Black's full advantage, but it is not losing.
8.dxe5
Instead, 8.f4 is "over-thinking" the position too much, 8...Nxe4 (8...Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nc4 10.e5 Qe7 11.0-0 Nd5 12.f5 Nce3 13.Qh5+ Kg8 14.f6 gxf6?! 15.Bxe3 Nxe3 16.Rxf6 d5 17.Qg5+ Qg7 18.Qxe3 Bd7?! 19.Raf1 Bb5 20.R1f3 Rf8 21.Rg3 Rf7 22.Rxf7 Kxf7 23.Qf4+ Kg8 24.Rxg7+ Kxg7 25.Qf6+ Kg8 26.e6 h6 27.Qf7 checkmate, Rijndael - tempelier, FICS, 2011) 9.dxe5 Qh4+ 10.g3 Nxg3 11.Qd5+ Ke8 12.hxg3 Qxg3+ 13.Ke2 Bxc3 14.bxc3 d6 15.Be3 Bg4+ 16.Kd2 Rd8 17.Rxh7 Rxh7 18.Qg8+ Ke7 19.Qxh7 dxe5+ 20.Kc1 Qxe3+ 21.Kb2 Qb6+ 22.Ka3 Qc5+ White resigned, Dyfvermark - rchesszz, FICS, 2011.
8...Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nxe4
This is not thoughtful enough (see the earlier posts mentioned above) and turns the advantage over to White.
10.Qd5+ Kf8 11.Qxe4 Qe7
There were chances to fight for a draw with 11...d5 12.exd6 Qxd6 13.0-0 Qe6, looking toward a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame.
12.0-0 d6 13.Ba3 c5 14.Rfd1 Black forfeited by disconnection
Those who play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) know that it is a good idea to take advantages of the tricks and traps of the opening, when they arise. The last thing that they need is a "routine" game that leads to a "routine" loss.
The same goes for those who play the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
pianazo - foduck
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+
More often played than yesterday's game's 6.c3.
6...Ke7
Not quite a year ago, the post "Instant Victory" laid out the reasons for White to rejoice at seeing this move. It seems fitting to mention that the player handling the Black pieces back then is the one handling them in this game, too.
7.Na3
This is pianazo's attempted improvement over the 7.c3 that he used in two losses against Fission earlier this year (0-1, 34 and 0-1, 35).
My recommendation is 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4+ Kc5 9.Qd5+ Kb4 10.c3+ Ka4 11.Qa5 checkmate.
7...Nf6
Black realizes that he needs to chase away the White Queen, but the way to do that was 7...Qe8.
8.Qf7+
Hunting the King is the right idea.
8...Kd6 9.Nac4+ Kc5
10.a3
White realizes that he has to weave a mating net around Black's King.
This move works, and quickly, but the situation is more complicated that it appears. It is not at all apparent at first glance that the Black King needs to be chased to the Kingside before being checkmated...
White's best is 10.a4, which actually forces mate. (I had the help of Houdini in my analyses.)
Black struggles best against that move with 10...Nxc2+ (after 10...a5 it is possible to see the same kind of trouble afflict Black: 11.c3 d5 12.b4+ axb4 13.cxd4+ Kxd4 14.Bb2+ Kxe4 15.d3+ Kf5 16.g4+ Kg5 17.h4+ Kf4 18.Bc1 checkmate; the blocking 10...Ne6 leads to trouble faster 11.c3 Nxe4 12.d4+ Kd5 13.Ne3+ Kd6 14.Nf5+ Kd5 15.c4 checkmate), but not to win material.
11.Kd1 d5 (or 11...Qe7 and again we see the same pattern: 12.b4+ Kd4 13.Bb2+ Kxe4 14.d3+ Kf5 15.g4+ Kg5 16.h4+ Kf4 17.Bc1+ Ne3+ 18.Bxe3 checkmate; likewise with 11...b5 12.b4+ Kd4 13.Bb2+ Kxe4 14.d3+ Kf5 15.g4+ Kg5 16.h4+ Kf4 17.Bc1+ Ne3+ 18.Bxe3 checkmate) 12.b4+ when fleeing is "best" for Black, 12...Kd4 (or 12...Kxb4 13.Kxc2 Kc5 14.d4+ Kxd4 15.Rd1+ Kxe4 16.f3 Kf5 17.g4 checkmate)
The finish is familiar: 13.Bb2+ Kxe4 14.d3+ Kf5 15.g4+ Kg5 16.h4+ Kf4 17.Bc1+ Ne3+ 18.Bxe3 checkmate.
If pianazo had pulled that attack off in a blitz game, the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde would have crowned him "King For the Day (or Week, or Month, even)"!
There is a lesson here, though, from move 7: Choose the Simple, Avoid the Complex.
10...d6
More good fortune for White.
It turns out that it was okay for White to ignore Black's threat to win the Rook at a1. Had the game continued, instead, 10...Nxc2+, White could have put intense pressure on the Black King after 11.Kd1 Nxa1 12.b4 Ka5 13.a4+ Kxb4 14.Nd6!? c6 15.Qc4+ Ka5 16.Qc5+ Ka6 17.Nd3, when Black would have to give up his Queen with 17...Qa5 18.Nb4+ Qxb4 19.Qxb4.
Black's King would still be alive, and he would have a Rook and two pieces for his Queen; but White would be able to keep the pressure on and regain some of the material, with advantage.
It looks like Black's best move was 10...Kb5 (hence the value of the recommended 10.a4 that would prevent the move). It is not clear what White is to do next. For example, 11.Nd6+!? Bxd6 12.Qc4+ Kb6 13.Qxd4+ Bc5 leaves Black's King alive, and close to finding shelter, as in 14.Qa5 d5 15.b4 Bxf2+ 16.Kxf2 a6, when White may still have an edge, but it is a small one.
Again, I applaud the creativity and courage of both pianazo and foduck in providing such an amazing game, but I have to repeat, sometimes it is better to Choose the Simple, Avoid the Complex.
11.b4+ Kb5 12.a4+ Kxb4 13.Nd3 checkmate
Very nice!
At the Free Internet Chess Server site, "lightning" chess is defined as a game whose expected length is less than 3 minutes. The "slower" games in this range could prove to be slightly "longer" than the "bullet" time frame used at the Internet Chess Club, as referenced in the book Bullet Chess, but it still is a fast game!
The following Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit game makes me wonder: was it played at "faster than the speed of thought"?
suzana - Yaman
lightning, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8
6.c3 Qg5
White's 6th move is slower (not necessarily weakerer) than the more popular 6.Qh5+; and this allows Black to get in a thematic move, catching his opponent by surprise.
7.cxd4 Qxg2
Should White defend, or should he counter-attack?
8.Qb3
The text threatens mate, and Black immediately sues for peace by repeating the position, gaining a draw.
8... Qxh1+ 9.Ke2 Qxe4+ 10.Kf1 Qh1+ 11.Ke2 Qe4+ 12.Kf1 Qh1+ 13.Ke2 Qe4+ 14.Kf1 Qh1+ 15.Ke2 Qe4+ 16.Kf1 Qh1+ 17.Ke2 Qe4+ 18.Kf1 Draw
Wow! That was some game!
Wait a minute...!?
With 8.Qf3 White could have saved his Rook and had roughly equal chances after 8...Qxf3 9.Nxf3. Still, that outcome might have led to a "long" draw instead of a "short" draw, so the result of the game did not shortchange White.
It is Black who was probably scratching his head in wonder afterward. Instead of going for the repetition with 10...Qh1+ (and 12...Qh1+, 14...Qh1+, 16...Qh1+ and the implied 18...Qh1+) he could have played 10...d5 (or 10...Nf6), squashing the mate threatm leaving him with an extra Rook and arguably a winning game.
My second game with the Jerome Gambit against my opponent was similar, in many ways, to our first game. The slight differences, however, turned out to make all the difference in the world.
perrypawnpusher - kholthaus
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 h6 5.0-0 Bc5
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.
6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4
8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 a6
When I checked The Database after the game, I was surprised to find that our game from last year, perrypawnpusher - kholthaus, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 45) was identical up until Black's last move.
In our earlier game, kholthaus had first repositioned his Rook with 13...Rf8, and then, after my 14.h3, he had played 14...a6. The text move is a refinement of Black's play, as my opponent now saw no need to shuffle the Rook.
It is useful to mention the next few moves of the earlier game, as well: 15.Nd5 Be6 16.Bc3 Bxd5 17.exd5 Ne7 When Black was clearly better, with a safe King and the material advantage of a piece for a pawn.
14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Ne7 16.Bc3 Bf5
As in the first game, my opponent has exchanged off my advanced Knight – this time using his Knight, instead of his Bishop.
What, then, to do with the surviving Black Bishop this time around? Why, attack the enemy Queen, of course!
17.Qd4 Black resigned
Surprisingly, mate is unavoidable.
