In taking my "A Jerome Look At The Semi-Italian Opening" I realized that the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc3 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Bxf7+ was something that I had never played before. Luckily, The Database had a whole collection of games by Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member DragonTail to fill in. Just a few to give a few general ideas:
DragonTail - Moldus
blitz, FICS, 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.e5 Bb4+ 7.c3 dxc3 8.bxc3 Bc5 9.Qd5+ Black resigned
DragonTail - FtAll
blitz, FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.c3 Qf6 7.0-0 Bc5 8.e5 Qf5 9.cxd4 Bb6 10.Qb3+ Kg6 11.Nh4+ Black resigned
DragonTail - Daoda
blitz, FICS, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.e5 Ke6 7.Nxd4+ Nxd4 8.Qxd4 c5 9.Qg4+ Kxe5 10.0-0 Nf6 11.Re1+ Kd5 12.Qf3+ Kd6 13.Bf4 checkmate
DragonTail - bsouljah
blitz, FICS, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.e5 Bc5 7.0-0 Nge7 8.Nh4 Nxe5 9.Qh5+ N5g6 10.Nxg6 Nxg6 11.Qxc5 Rf8 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Re1+ Black resigned
DragonTail - xsnrgtwo
blitz, FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.e5 Nxe5 7.Nxe5+ Ke8 8.Qh5+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc6 11.0-0 d5 12.Nca3 Bxa3 13.Nxa3 Qf6 14.Qe8+ Kb6 Black resigned
DragonTail - lorenzoaadler
blitz, FICS, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.e5 Bb4+ 7.c3 dxc3 8.Qd5+ Kg6 9.bxc3 Nge7 10.Nh4+ Kh7 11.Qe4+ g6 12.cxb4 Re8 13.0-0 d6 14.e6 d5 15.Qe3 Nf5 16.Nxf5 Rxe6 17.Qxh6+ Kg8 18.Qg7 checkmate
Here is a game that almost speaks for itself on the topic we are discussing.
LaughingHyena - eclipze
standard, FICS, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.d4
Per Euwe and Meiden.
4...Nxd4
Ill-advised, and punishable immediately. Even the conservative player should be thinking "Jerrrrrrroooooommmmmme!"
5.Bxf7+
This is so much fun, I hate to point out that 5.Nxe5 is probably even stronger, e.g. 5...d5 (5...Nc6 6.Bxf7+ Ke7 7.Ng6+ Kxf7 8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.Qd5; 5...Ne6 6.Bxe6 dxe6 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.Nxf7+) 6.Qxd4 and White's centralized lead in development is overwhelming.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8
Ending things, but 6...Kf6 7.Qxd4 and 6...Ke6 7.Qxd4 are clearly better for White.
7.Qh5+ Black resigned
It is not hard to work out: 7...g6 (7...Ke7 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc5 10.Qd5+ Kb4 11.c3+ Ka4 12.Qa5#) 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc5 11.Qd5+ Kb4 12.Bd2+ Ka4 13.Qa5 checkmate
On this blog I refer to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 as the Semi-Italian Opening, a name given to it in Chess Master Vs Chess Amateur(1963), byMax Euwe and Walter Meiden. Here is what the authors say about Black's third move (I have changed the notation from English descriptive to algebraic.
This is a favorite move of the weaker amateur. He fears some future attack by the White QB (Bg5, for instance) or by the White KN (Ng5), and, before the White QB is even able to move, he plays the precautionary 3...h6. In certain positions, such a precautionary move is occasionally necessary, but in this position, not only is it not necessary, but it consumes valuable time. This puts Black one move behind White in the type of opening where tempi are of greatest importance. Instead of meeting the enemy's rapidly mobilizing forces with armed soldiers (i.e., by bringing out his pieces), Black only loses time and force, and, without realizing it, even weakens his defensive wall...
After 4.d4 exd4 they write
Black must take, as we shall see by an analysis of the most plausible alternate reply 4...d6: 5.dxe5 dxe5 6.Qxd8+ and (a) 6...Kxd8 7.Bxf7, etc., or (b) 6...Nxd8 7.Nxe5. White could act even more energetically by playing 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe5+, and Black is in great trouble, for (a) 7...Nxe5? 8.Qxd8 or (b) 7...Ke7 8.Ng6+, or (c) 7...Ke8 8.Qh5+ Ke7 9.Ng6+. After (d) 7...Kf6, the continuation is less clear. This does not mean that the sacrifice would be incorrect, since after 8.Nd3, White has two Pawns for a piece and the Black King is badly placed. On the other hand, a safe win of a Pawn as in the other variations, might be preferable.
The authors then look at 5.c3 and 5.Nxd4, and there I shall leave them.
I went back to Chess Master vs Chess Amateur after I began thinking about how to transform the game to the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit. I usually play 4.0-0 (then, after 4...Bc5, I play 5.Bxf7+), but I keep wanting to look at 4.Nc3 and other possible moves.
Hmmmm.... What about the normal 4.d4 that Euwe and Meiden recommend? How does that fit in for the Jerome Gambiteer?
Well, there are 300 games in The Database with the line 4...exd4 5.Bxf7+, but before we go there, let's take a look at the mistaken 4...Nxd4? (perhaps Black plays the Blackburne Shilling Gambit and gets carried away here).
Even someone who does not play the Jerome Gambit should start reaching toward his King's Bishop...
Black's seventh move in the following game appears almost 50 times in The Database, with the outcome overwhelmingly in White's favor. Still, after eleven moves, it is hard to see the game as an "easy" win for the first player; after all, Black can come up with some counter-play, can't he?
Tadayoshi - SkyMeadow
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4
Not best, but it doesn't lose.
8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Qd5+ Ke8 10.Qxe4 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Qe7
White is a pawn ahead, but it is an isolated, doubled pawn. Certainly Black can think up an idea to work against White's shattered Queenside.
12.0-0 Qa3 13.Bxa3 Black resigned
Okay, maybe another idea.
perrypawnpusher - MrMef
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Re8
Recently seen in HauntedKnight - sfanel, FICS, 2011, (0-1, 13).
8.dxc5 Kg8
This is an improvement over both 8..Nc6 from perrypawnpusher - hudders, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 13) and 8...Nc4 from perrypawnpusher - TrentonTheSecond, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 9).
Curiously, the strongest move, 8...Qe7, appears in The Database in two losses for Black, natarajanm - jmarchetti, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 25) and ARUJ - cippolippo, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19).
The Jerome Gambit: it's not rocket surgery.
9.0-0 b6 10.cxb6
Not actually necessary, as 10.f4 followed by 11.e5 will win a piece. The text should, too, but not the way it does.
10...axb6 11.f4 Neg4
12.e5
It is more complicated than this, as Black's advanced Knight covers the f2 square, so first it needs to be kicked with 12.h3.
12...Ba6 13.Re1
Since 13.Rf2 is not possible.
13...Nd5
Missing 13...Qe7, pinning the White e-pawn.
14.Nxd5 Qh4
Suddenly, it did not feel like I had won a piece, but, rather that my opponent had sacrificed one.
15.h3 Qf2+ 16.Kh1 Qh4 17.Kg1
I was ready to accept a repetition of position and a draw. Instead, 17.Qd2 would organize a defense for White, and his threats against the Knight at g4 as well as the pawn at c7 would show an advantage.
17...Qf2+ 18.Kh1 Bb7
MrMef does not want the draw.
19.hxg4
Time was running short (shorter for my opponent) so I grabbed the piece. Later, Rybka suggested protecting the advanced Knight with 19.c4 or challenging the enemy Queen with 19.Re2.
19...Bxd5
An oversight. Black would do best to continue his attack with 19...Re6, although 20.f5 is an effective answer, as long as White answers the further 20...Bxd5 with 21.Qe2.
20.Qe2
Totally missing that 20.Qxd5 would come with check.
20...Qh4+
Despite White's extra pawns, Black's active pieces give an equal game.
Time was growing shorter.
21.Kg1 Ra4 22.Qf2 Qxg4 23.b3 Raa8 24.c4 Bb7
25.Re3 d6 26.Rg3 Qf5
Not best.
27.Rg5
The same. White could copy Black's attack with 27.exd6 cxd6 28.Bb2
27...Qe4 28.Qg3
Counter-attacking, and offering a Rook, which, if taken, would allow White to force a draw.
28...g6 29.Bb2
29...dxe5 30.Bxe5
This capture gives Black a chance for a swindle.
30...Rxe5 31.Rxe5
After the better 31.fxe5, Black can win the Rook with 31...Qd4+ 32.Kh2 Qxa1, but 33.Rxg6+ will allow White to force a draw by repetition.
Neither of us had much thinking time left.
31...Qd4+ 32.Qe3
Losing. After the game Rybka suggested 32.Kh2 Qxa1 33.Qh3 Rf8 34.Re7 Rf5 35.Qxh7+ Kf8 36.Qxg6 Kxe7 37.Qxf5 when things are almost balanced, White's extra pawns vs Black's extra piece.
32...Qxa1+ 33.Kh2 Bc6
Protecting e8. Was 33...Kf8 better?
34.f5
After the game I could laugh at Rybka's suggestion that 34.Re6 still held a draw by picking on the defending Bishop: 34...Bd7 35.Re7 Bf5 36.Re8+ Rxe8 37.Qxe8+ Kg7 38.Qe7+ Kh6 39.Qh4+.
Maybe the Jerome Gambit is rocket surgery.
34...Qxa2 35.Qg3 Qb2 36.fxg6 Bxg2 37.gxh7+
One last, frantic try.
With more than mere seconds available, Black would find 37...Kh8, winning.
37...Kxh7 38.Rh5 checkmate
Egads...
Some players who essay the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) have adopted the Jerome "attitude" of Attack-Attack-Attack. Others have opted for Creep-Creep-Pounce.
While I try to learn from others, my own "Jerome Attitude" seems too often to be Attack-Run-Hide. The following win (yes, win; I still take 8 out of 10 games) is a light example
perrypawnpusher -Tensecterror
blitz 2 10, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening. A couple weeks ago, an earlier game had continued along regular Jerome Gambit lines, i.e. 3...Bc5 4.Bxf7+ in perrypawnpusher - Tensecterror, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 45). This time my opponent was taking precautions.
4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Kf8
The retreat from the Knight check is certainly an interesting defensive idea in the regular Jerome Gambit. In the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, however, it has a flaw.
7.Ng6+
Much better than my silly 7.Nxc6 in perrypawnpusher - acwizard, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 18).
7...Kf7 8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.Ng6+
Take the Rook and run.
Stronger and more adventurous was 9.Qh5.
9...Kf6 10.Qh5
Now that my Knight was safe, I was willing to play this move, as it has several positives: it protects the Knight, it attack's Black's Bishop at c5, and it threatens Qh5-f5+.
However, Black's response eliminates these threats.
Had my attitude been Attack-Attack-Attack, I would have looked at the more efficient 10.Qf3+, since 10...Ke6 11.Qf5+ Kd6 12.Qd5 is checkmate. This would have required me to see that "saving" the Knight was unnecessary, as 10.Qf3+ Kxg6 falls directly to 11.Qf5 checkmate.
10...d6 11.Nf4
More retreat from danger. A bit pluckier was 11.Nc3.
11...Ne5 12.Nd3
And, finally, the poor Knight is safe. Too bad that he missed 12.Nd5+ Ke6 13.Qf5 checkmate.
See what I mean about "attitude"?
12...g6 13.Qh4+ g5 14.Qg3 Nxd315.Qxd3 Be6
White is ahead the exchange and two pawns, but he still has work to do before he is comfortable.
16.b4 Bb6 17.Bb2+ Ke7 18.Qc3
Looking to infiltrate Black's Kingside. (I admit, I anticipated Black's next move, too, which he played too quickly.)
18...Nf6 19.Qxf6+ Kd7 20.Qxd8+ Rxd8
White is now up a Rook and two pawns. "Game over", right? My timid play encourages Tensecterror to continue: he dreams of using his "two Bishops" and Rook against my King.
21.d4 g4 22.Nd2 h5 23.f4 h4 24.f5 Bf7 25.a4 a6 26.c4 h3 27.c5 dxc5 28.dxc5 Ba7
We both have used pawn moves for our own plans: Black, to storm my Kingside; White, to stifle Black's dark-squared Bishop; and to unleash the "Jerome pawns".
29.e5 Bd5 30.e6+ Ke7 31.g3
A bit stronger was 31.Rae1 directly
31...b6 32.Rae1 bxc5 33.f6+ Ke8
The "Jerome pawns" will win this duel.
34.f7+ Ke7 35.Bf6+ Kf8 36.e7+ Kxf7 37.exd8=Q cxb4+ 38.Rf2 Bxf2+ 39.Kxf2 Black resigned
Laugh. Groan. Throw rotten vegetables. The game was played early in the morning and I was only half-awake. As for my opponent, who knows? Maybe he did have one too many...
perrypawnpusher - onetoomany
blitz 5 10, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
I am always happy to see this move, as it allows White to recover one of the sacrificed pieces, and the annoying Bishop at c5 at that.
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6
10.O-O Kf7 11.f4 Re8 12.f5
So far, so good. Now we can expect something like 12...Ne5 13.Qb3+ (or 13.d4 Neg4 14.Qb3+) Kf8 14.d3 c6 when Black is better.
12...Bxf5
Overlooking something.
13.Rxf5 Rxe4
Overlooking something else.
14.Qb3+
Hey, this "overlooking" stuff looks like fun. Can I try?
14...d5
Even game, but as they say "You ain't seen nothing yet." How true.
15.Nc3 c6 16.Nxe4 Black resigned
