Continuing from yesterday's post, a few more books that touch on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) include
Master Chess Play (1951), Percy Wenman
An Invitation to Chess A Picture Guide to the Royal Game (1945), Irving Chernev and Kevin Harkness
200 Miniature Games of Chess (1942), Julius du Mont
It is fun to present Wenman's take on the classic game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885. Why such begrudging praise for Blackburne's checkmating combination? Would it have been appropriate to mention that 10.Qd8 actually would save White?
"Jerome Opening"
Amateur - J.H. Blackburne
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
One of the most unsound of all openings.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6
A sporting reply, but 6...Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 is all that is required to give Black a won game.
7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4
Now it is Black who gets all the fun.
9.0-0 Nf6 10.c3
White plays weakly. The only move that was of any use is 10.Qd8.
10...Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5
A pretty mating combination which has, of course, in varous ways occurred many times.
13.Qxa8 Qxh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxe4 checkmate
While the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) remains a stranger in the opening repertoires of masters and grandmasters, it occasionally shows up in books that they write, either out of fascination, amusment or a sense of horror.
A look at my notes shows the following books in the last half-century or so have various levels of coverage and/or comment.
The Greatest Ever Chess Tricks and Traps (2008), Gary Lane
Survive and Beat Annoying Chess Openings (2003), Eric Schiller and John Watson
Gambit Chess Openings (2002), Eric Schiller
Unorthodox Chess Openings (1998, 2002), Eric Schiller
The Complete Book of Gambits (1992), Raymond Keene
Chess Openings Traps & Zaps (1989), Bruce Pandolfini
Batsford Chess Openings (1982)Gary Kasparov and Raymond Keene
Counter Gambits (1974, 2001), Tim Harding
Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, C (1974)
The Italian Game (1972), Tim Harding and George Botterill
Chess Catechism (1970), Larry Evans
The Art of the Checkmate (1962), Georges Renaud and Victor Kahn
Gambits Accepted (1954), L. Elliott Fletcher
(I have been posting daily on this blog for almost 4 years. I think that this is post number 1,400. Talk about "much ado about nothing" -- Rick.)
If you are looking for an International Master who writes regularly on unorthodox chess openings, including some rather strange and arguably unsound ones, you could hardly do better than to check out IM Gary Lane's monthly "Opening Lanes" column at ChessCafe.com.
This month, like last month and the month before (and at least a couple of times before that), IM Lane has something to say about the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), among other openings. He manages to be serious enough to give the opening a fair shake, without dissolving into either giggles or epithets.
Check it out!
Bill Wall has championed the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) as well as many other unorthodox openings, but in the ongoing "Play the Jerome Gambit Quad" at Chess.com each player has to defend against the Jerome as well as play it. So, with perhaps a bit of reluctance...
bfcace (1437) - billwall (2489)
Play The Jerome Gambit Quad
Chess.com, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.f4 Qf6 8.Nc3 Qxf4
Black declined the f-pawn with 8...g6 in bfcace -DeDrijver, Play the Jerome Gambit Quad, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 18).
9.d4 Nf6 10.Qh3+
Instead, White exchanged Queens with 10.Bxf4 Nxh5 11.Bxe5 Bb6 in the silicon slugfest, Fritz 5.32 - Deep Sjeng 1.5, The Jeroen Experience, 2003: 12.a4 Ba5 13.0-0 Bxc3 14.bxc3 d6 15.Rf5 Nf6 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Raf1 Rf8 18.Kf2 Bd7 19.a5 Ba4 20.Ke3 Rae8 21.R1f2 Bd7 22.c4 b6 23.axb6 cxb6 24.c3 Ra8 25.g4 Ke7 26.Rh5 Bxg4 27.Rxh7+ Rf7 28.Rh6 Be6 29.d5 Bd7 30.h4 a5 31.Ra2 f5 32.exf5 Bxf5 33.Rb2 Ra6 34.Re2 Kd7 35.Kd2 Kc7 36.Rf2 Ra8 37.Kc1 Raf8 38.Rf3 Kd7 39.Kb2 Be4 40.Rg3 Rf3 41.Rg7+ R8f7 42.Rg8 Rf1 43.Kb3 Rb1+ 44.Ka3 Ra1+ 45.Kb2 Rh1 46.Kb3 b5 47.Rhh8 Rb1+ 48.Ka3 bxc4 49.Rd8+ Kc7 50.Rc8+ Kb6 51.Rxc4 Bxd5 52.Rb8+ Rb7 53.Rxb7+ Kxb7 54.Rd4 Kc6 55.c4 Be6 56.Re4 Bd7 57.Rd4 Ra1+ 58.Kb2 Rh1 59.Kc3 Rh3+ 60.Kb2 Kc5 61.Rd5+ Kxc4 62.Rxd6 Bb5 63.Rh6 a4 64.Ka2 Kd4 65.Rd6+ Kc5 66.Rd1 Bc4+ 67.Kb1 a3 68.Rc1 Rxh4 69.Kc2 Rh2+ 70.Kc3 Rh3+ 71.Kc2 Kb4 72.Kb1 Rh2 73.Ka1 Kb3 74.Rb1+ Rb2 75.Rd1 Ra2+ 76.Kb1 Rc2 77.Ka1 Be2 78.Rb1+ Rb2 79.Rd1 Ra2+ 0-1
10...Qg4 11.Qxg4+ Nexg4 12.dxc5 c6
Black has a piece for a pawn, and, with the Queens off of the board he does not have to worry about immediate danger to his King.
For curiosity's sake, I can mention that two computer-vs-computer games saw Black defend differently:
12...Ne8 13.0-0 b6 14.cxb6 axb6 15.Nd5 Ba6 16.Rf5 d6 17.b3 Bb7 18.c4 Ngf6 19.Rf4 Nd7 20.Bd2 c6 21.Nc3 Nef6 22.Be3 Rhe8 23.Rd1 Ra3 24.h3 Re7 25.Rf2 Rf7 26.Rfd2 Ne8 27.Ne2 Re7 28.Bf4 Ndf6 29.Nc3 Kf7 30.Re1 Re6 31.Be3 Nd7 32.g4 h6 33.g5 hxg5 34.Bxg5 Kg8 35.Rg2 Bc8 36.h4 Nef6 37.Rd1 Ne5 38.Rf1 Kh7 39.Kh1 Nfd7 40.Bc1 Ra6 41.Bg5 Nc5 42.Rf8 Bd7 43.Be3 Ng6 44.Rd8 Nxe4 45.Bd4 c5 46.Rxd7 cxd4 47.Nxe4 Rxe4 48.h5 Ne7 49.h6 Kxh6 50.Rxd6+ Kh5 51.c5 Nf5 52.Rxb6 Ra5 53.Rb8 Rxc5 54.Rh8+ Nh6 55.Rd2 Kg4 56.Rf8 Rh5+ 57.Kg2 Nf5 58.a4 Re3 59.Rxf5 Rg3+ 0-1, Hiarcs 8 - Fritz 7, Utrecht, Engine Tournament, 2002; and
12...d6 13.Nb5 Kd7 14.cxd6 Re8 15.0-0 cxd6 16.h3 Ne5 17.Bh6 Nxe4 18.Bxg7 b6 19.Bxe5 Rxe5 20.Rf7+ Ke6 21.Rxa7 Rxa7 22.Nxa7 Bb7 23.a4 Rd5 24.Nb5 Rd2 25.Re1 Ke5 26.Na3 Kd4 27.Rf1 Nc5 28.Rf4+ Be4 29.Rg4 d5 30.b3 Rd1+ 31.Kf2 Kc3 32.Rg3+ Kb4 33.Ke2 Ra1 34.Nb5 Bxc2 35.Nd4 Bxb3 36.Nxb3 Nxb3 37.Rg7 Ra2+ 38.Kf1 d4 39.Rd7 Kc3 40.Rc7+ Nc5 41.a5 Rxa5 0-1 Zappa 1.1 - Pro Deo 1.1, Blitz:5, 2006.
13.0-0 Ne5 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 b6 16.b4 Ba6 17.Rf2 Rhf8 18.a4 bxc5 19.b5 Bb7 20.a5 cxb5 21.Nxb5 Rab8
White's actions on the Queenside have stirred things up, and this emboldens him to take direct action against Black's King, but the idea rebounds.
22.Rd1 Bxe4 23.Rd6+ Ke7 24.Bxf6+ gxf6 25.Nc3 Kxd6 26.Nxe4+ Kc6
A Rook is a Rook.
27.h4 Ng4 28.Rf1 d5 29.Nd2 Ne3 30.Rc1 Rb2 White resigned
Sometimes it is a little bit too easy for me to post other people's games here, with commentary, pointing out good moves and bad moves. I tend to forget that playing the game can be much more challenging. The following wretchedness is another opportunity for others to look at my play and laugh their heads off. Turn about is fair play.
perrypawnpusher - Tensecterror
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6
This is an example of the defender relaxing a bit too soon. Certainly he should feel confident, as he is two pieces ahead. He has every reason to believe that White, having played foolishly, will continue in his bizarre ways. Yet, a bit of care in analyzing the position would have shown that the attacker can now regain significant material.
7.d4
A strange, if optimistic and almost understandable, move. Having quickly gained the advantage in three earlier games with 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ followed by 9.Qxc5+ I had no need to "innovate" with the text move, but should have followed perrypawnpusher - Leontes, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 11); perrypawnpusher - badhorsey, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 30); and perrypawnpusher - chingching, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 36).
7...Bxd4
My pawn strike was designed to win a piece, because it threatened to win Black's Queen. This is already faulty thinking, as the note to my 7th move shows that there were two pieces to grab.
On top of this, Black could have defended here with 7...Bb4+ 8.Nc3 (8.c3 Nd3+) Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nf7 opting to give back a piece after 10.e5+ Ke7 11.Bg5+ Nf6 12.exf6+ gxf6.
8.Qg5+ Kf7 9.Qxd8 Nc6 10.Qh4
White has a Queen for two pieces, but should not relax, either.
By the way, retreating the Queen was best, as 10.Qxc7? Be5 would have immediately been embarassing.
10...Nb4 11.Na3 Bf6 12.Qf4 d6
Black's pieces are swarming, but only a truely careless move will break White's attack which comes after 13.e5, winning a piece.
13.c3 Nd3+ 14.Ke2 Nxf4+ 15.Bxf4 Ne7
And, just like that, I was down a piece for a pawn. How embarassing!
My only other "compensation" is hard to see, but my opponent was running short of time, doing most of his thinking on the 10 second increment. I decided to keep firing off moves to keep the pressure on, as the worst that I could do at this point was lose a lost game...
16.Rhd1 Ng6 17.Be3 Ne5 18.h3 Be7 19.f4 Nc6 20.Nb5 Bd8 21.g4 a6
Tensecterror is playing carefully. There is no need to risk right now, and he can go on the offensive as soon as he's gained on his clock.
22.Na3 Re8 23.Kf3 g6 24.Re1 b5 25.Nc2 Bb7 26.Bd4 Na5 27.b3 Bh4 28.Re2 Re7 29.Ne1 Rae8 30.Ng2 Bxe4+
Neither of us is playing particularly well, but this move allows me to cut the material deficit a small bit.
31.Rxe4 Rxe4 32.Nxh4 Re2 33.Ng2 Rc2 34.Ne3 Rh2 35.Kg3 Rd2
Would I have accepted the repetition of position draw that might have come with 35...Rc2 ? Sheepishly, I admit I would have.
My opponent, instead, stumbles along; and I, along with him.
36.Kf3 Nc6 37.Rd1 Nxd4+ 38.cxd4 Rxa2 39.Rd3 a5 40.Rc3 Rc8 41.Nd5 c6 42.Ne3 b4 43.Rd3 Ra3
Black has done a remarkable job of thinking and moving quickly, and he is only a few moves away from victory. He needs only to return the exchange...
44.Nc4 Ra2 45.Nxd6+ Black resigned
The following game will be found in an updated version of The Database. Except for a few early game references, it is of no particular value to either the theory or practice of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), and is presented here mostly as self-chastisement: if I am going to play such uninspired chess, one consequence will be public embarassment. (Tomorrow' post borders on public humiliation.)
perrypawnpusher - Kdrb
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Game.
4.0-0
I wonder what happened to my plans to explore 4.Nc3...
4...Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.
6.Bxf7+
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Nc6
Stronger for Black (although he retains an edge with the text) is 8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6.
9.dxc5 Re8
Or 9...d6 10.cxd6 Qxd6 as in perrypawnpusher - Alquinte, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 22); or 9...Rf8 10.f4 Kg8 11.e5 Nh7 12.Be3 Qe7 as in perrypawnpusher - RonMeister, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 20)
10.Bf4 b6 11.e5
Not paying close attention, figuring that the game would play itself. Of course, 11.Re1 keeps Black's advantage from growing further.
11...Nxe5 12.cxb6 axb6
White has only one pawn for his sacrificed piece, and is behind in development. In addition, Black's King is almost safe.
It was clearly time to try a "cheapo", and, having reviewed all those short games from the recent "Return of Jerome Gambit for Dummies" series of posts, I spied one that shouldn't, but just might, work...
13.Bxe5 Rxe5 14.Qd4 Re8 15.Nd5 Nxd5
When ahead in material, exchange pieces; when behind in material, exchange pawns.
16.Qxd5+ Kf8 17.Qxa8 d6 18.Qf3+ Kg8
Up an exchange and a pawn, I tried to stop shaking and concentrate. Still, I wasn't going to be able to look myself in the face for a while.
19.Rfe1 Rf8 20.Qd5+ Kh8 21.Re2 Ba6 22.c4 Qh4 23.b3 Rb8
Planning to put his Bishop on b7 and continue a Kingside attack, but fortune has abandoned him.
24.Rae1 Bb7 25.Re8+ Rxe8 26.Rxe8+ Kh7 27.Qf5+ Black resigned
Here is another game from the ongoing "Play the Jerome Gambit Quad" at Chess.com. It is clear that White was not on his game, and has been playing better in other contests. Black's final move creates an interesting end to the encounter.
DeDrijver (1476) - ubluk (1951)
Play the Jerome Gambit Quad
Chess.com, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.c3
One of the "modern" Jerome Gambit variations, where White avoids 5.Nxe5+.
5...Nf6 6.Ng5+
This kind of move leaves me feeling skeptical, in principle, but, as recent posts have shown, White occasionally gets "lucky" with it.
6...Kg8 7.d3 d5
Safe King, better development, break in the center.
8.h3 h6 9.a4 hxg5 10.b4 Be7 11.Bxg5 dxe4 12.dxe4 Qxd1+ 13.Kxd1 Nxe4
14.Be3 Be6 15.Kc2 Rd8 16.Nd2 Nxd2 17.Bxd2 Bf5+ 18.Kc1 Rh4 19.Kb2 Rxd2+ 20.Kb3 Rxb4+ 21.Ka3 Rbb2 checkmate
