Jerome Gambit, Over the Board, Around the World

From a recent email:


Dear Rick,

I send you a Jerome Gambit played yesterday in the championship in my city (Chivilcoy, Buenos Aires province, Argentina). The game... shows that there are brave players who dare to play the Jerome. The game was played 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment. The characters are low level players, but Carlos Barsoba has read the few articles of yours that I have translated into Spanish in my website.

Regards!

-- 
Julio Alberto González
NotiChess Ediciones
Web: www.notichess.com.ar


Many thanks, Julio! My thanks, as well, to Sr. Barsoba, for his play of the Jerome Gambit!

Barsoba,C - Gomez,F
Chivilcoy CACh Mayor Chivilcoy ARG, 2012


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Bc4 h6 

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Kf8 

Alternatives: 7...Ng6; 7...Ke6; and 7...g6.


8.Qxe5


Not 8.f4? Nf6-+


8...d6


From The Database: 8...Bxf2+ 9.Kxf2 Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ gxf6 11.Nd5 c6 12.Nc3 d5 13.d3 d4 14.Ne2 Bg4 15.Nxd4 Ne7 16.Bf4 Rd8 17.Nb3 b6 18.h3 Be6 19.Nd2 f5 20.Rhe1 Rg8 21.exf5 Bxf5 22.Nf3 h5 23.Ng5 Nd5 24.Ne6+ Ke7 25.Nxd8+ Kxd8 26.Be3 Nxe3 27.Rxe3 Re8 28.Rxe8+ Kxe8 29.Re1+ Kd7 30.Re5 Be6 31.Rxh5 Black resigned, kardiuno - Brillig, FICS, 2006.


9.Qf4+ Qf6 10.Qxf6+ 


Instead, 10.Nd5!? Qxf4 11.Nxf4 Kf7 12.c3 Nf6 13.d4 Bb6 14.f3 Re8.


10...Nxf6 

11.0-0 Kf7 12.d3 Rf8 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.fxe3 Kg8 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Rxf8+ Kxf8 17.exd5 Bd7 

18.Rf1+ Kg8 19.h3 Rf8 20.Rxf8+ Kxf8 21.Kf2 Kf7 22.g4 h5 23.Kg3 hxg4 24.hxg4 g5 

25.c4 Kf6 26.d4 Be8 27.e4 c5 28.dxc6 Bxc6 29.Kf3 a6 30.Ke3 b5 

31.d5? 


Better 31.cxb5 Bxb5 32.b3 Ke7-+.


31...Bd7 32.cxb5 axb5 33.Kd4 Bxg4 34.e5+ dxe5+ 35.Kc5 Bd7 36.Kd6 Be8 37.Kc7 Bg6 38.d6 Bf5 

 39.b4 g4 40.a4 g3 41.axb5 g2 42.b6 g1Q 43.d7 Bxd7 


Or 43...Qc1+ 44.Kb7 Be4+ 45.Ka6 Qc4+ 46.Ka5 Qd5+ 47.b5 Qd2+ 48.Ka4 Bc2+ 49.Ka3 Qc3+ 50.Ka2 Qb3+ 51.Ka1 Qb1#


44.Kxd7 Qxb6 White resigned

Be Careful What You Read

It was pleasant to have my opponent choose the defense that he did, as it leaves White with a pawn plus advantage, even if attacking prospects have diminished. (Alas, because I believed that previous statement, I eventually got careless in my "zombie walk" and drew the game, as you will see.)




perrypawnpusher - HelloGoodby
blitz, FICS, 2012


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

This defense does not have a name, but it might as well be called "the thinking player's defense," as it usually is composed by Black on the fly, to force the exchange of Queens and stifle White's attack. It is all very logical, although Black does exchange a won position for one that has him a pawn down...


8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.Nc3 

Or 10.d3 as in perrypawnpusher - ScudRocket, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 24) 


10...d6 


I have also played 10...Re8 as in perrypawnpusher - BEEB, blitz, FICS, 2011 (½-½, 63) and perrypawnpusher - Conspicuous, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22); and 10...Rf8 as in perrypawnpusher - Edvardinho, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 42). 


11.Rf1 


Alternatives include 11.d4 from perrypawnpusher - Mences, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 48) and 11.d3 from AlonzoJerome - adroit, ICC, 2011 (1-0, 25). 


11...Kg7 12.Kg1 Re8 


With aggressive intentions, but I have to think that the more modest 12...Rf8 would have been better. 


13.d3 a6 14.Bg5 Rf8 15.Bxf6+ Rxf6 16.Rxf6 Kxf6 17.Nd5+ 

Leading to the gain of a secone pawn. Black's better King position and Bishop do not compensate.


17...Ke5 18.Nxc7 Rb8 19.Rf1 Bg4 20.Nd5 

After the game Rybka preferred more aggressive play: 20.Rf7 d5 (20...Bd1 21.Kf2 Bxc2 22.Ke3) 21.Nxd5 Be6 22.Rxh7 Bxd5 23.exd5 Kxd5. 


20...Rc8 21.Rc1 


Making routine, not-thought-out moves, instead of 21.c3 Be2 (21...Bd7 22.d4+ Kxe4 23.Nf6+; or 21...Be6 22.d4+ Kxe4 23.Ne7 Re8 24.Re1+) 22.Rf7 Bxd3 23.Re7# 


To checkmate a King, you first have to realize that it might be possible, and then look for the right lines.


21...Be6 22.Ne3 


Thoughtless. Why not 22.Nc3 ? 


22...Bxa2 

Losing this pawn is not the end of the world for White, but it almost looks like the beginning of the end, and White's thinking has collapsed.


23.b3 Bxb3 24.Rb1 Bxc2 


Too greedy. Rybka suggested: 24...Kd4 25.Rxb3 Kxe3 26.Rxb7 Rxc2 27.h4 Kxd3 28.Rxh7 Kxe4.


25.Nxc2 


Overlooking the opportunity of 25.Rc1.


25...Rxc2 26.Rxb7 h6 

I have managed to squander my two pawn advantage, and Black might well be better here. Time to use the active Rook to get the draw.


27.Ra7 Ra2 28.Rh7 h5 29.Rg7 Kf6 30.Rd7 Ke6 31.Rg7 Kf6 32.Rd7 Ke6 33.Rg7 Kf6 34.Rd7 Ke6 Game drawn by repetition 

I suppose that both of us felt lucky with the outcome.

An Even Longer Day...

Here is another travelogue through the landscape of the Jerome Gambit, disguised as a blitz chess game... So much to see, so much to think about, so much to evaluate, so much to try to understand...


perrypawnpusher - paulpee
blitz, FICS, 2012


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 

As long as Black avoids the "optical illusion variation", this is a very steadfast defense for Black. White scores 55% in the games in The Database, but that statistic is misleading.


9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 h6 

Chess is a constant battle of ideas, and here Black comes up with a new move that has an old idea: keep his Queen in the center and White's Bishop off of the f5 square.


The move changes the nature of the position, however, and the tempo would be better spent on 10...Nf6, with the game continuing 11.d3 Kc6 (avoiding the skewer) 12.c3 and Black is clearly better. 


11.d3 


"Business as usual", ignoring the opportunities given by 10...h6. After the game Rybka suggested the pawn sac 11.d4, and it looks good. After 11...Qxd4, 12.Nc3 arrives with all kinds of threats, keeping the game even.


11...g5 12.h4


I am not quite sure where this idea came from, but Rybka's post mortem suggestion is almost as goofy: 12.Rf1 b6 13.c3 Ba6 14.d4 Qe6 15.e5+ Ke7 16.Qxa8 Bxf1 17.Be3 Ba6 18.Qf3 Rh7.


12...Qf6 13.hxg5 Qxf3 14.gxf3 b6

Black has managed the exchange of Queens, and feels comfortable handling the "two Bishops" against the "Jerome pawns."


15.c3 Kc6 16.d4 Bf8 17.Be3 d6 18.Nd2 Bd7 19.0-0-0 Kb7 

20.f4


Probably better was 20.Rdg1.


20...Bg7 21.f5 hxg5 22.Rxh8 Bxh8 23.Rh1 Nf6 24.Bxg5 Bg7 

25.Bxf6 


An odd idea. Better was the straight-forward 25.e5, although it looks like Black will be able to blockade the two advanced, passed, "Jerome pawns".


25...Bxf6 26.Rh7 Rd8 27.Nf3 Kc8 28.e5


Simply a tactical oversight that my opponent overlooked.


28...dxe5 29.dxe5 Bh8 

Without the ticking clock, 29...Bxf5 is not hard to see.


30.e6 


Rybka's preference was 30.f6, instead, no doubt because it stifle's Black's Bishop at h8. It sees the game, then, as slightly better for White, but its suggestions have the "Jerome pawns" stay where they are after that. I was trying to get something out of the pawns, instead, which meant, of course, that I made moves Rybka did not like.


In the meantime, my opponent's time was slipping away.


30...Bc6 31.e7 Re8 32.Nd4 Bxd4


An understandable error, as when time is in short supply it is tempting to make moves that lead to predictable positions.


33.cxd4 Be4 34.Rf7 Kd7 35.f6 Bd5 

36.Rf8 Rxe7


A very interesting idea. Black exchanges his Rook for three pawns, believing that he can hold the pawn-for-the-exchange endgame. Rybka's suggestion was to grab the a-pawn instead, and then,  a few moves later, start repeating the position.


37.fxe7 Kxe7 38.Rh8 Bxa2 

39.Kc2


Rybka's suggestion would win a pawn, but would not change the game much: 39.Ra8 a5 40.Ra7 Kd7 41.b4 a4 42.Rxa4 Bb3 43.Ra3 Bc4 44.Rg3 Kd6 45.Kd2 c6 46.Rg7 Kd5 47.Kc3 b5.


39...Bd5 40.Rh7+ Kd6 41.Kc3 Kc6 42.Kb4 a5+ 43.Kc3 Kb7 

Around here my opponent made a series of draw offers, which I declined. Although it could probably be said that the game now is probably "objectively" drawn, it could also be said the it was "objectively" won for Black after four moves...


However, I thought I would see if I could find a few helpful ideas before I split the point, especially since my client had about 20 seconds to play, plus the 12 second increment, and I had a couple more minutes than that.


44.Rd7 Bc6 45.Rh7 a4 46.Kc4 Be4 47.Re7 Bc2 48.Kb5 Bb3 

49.d5


Showing that up to this point, I had not found any good ideas. Instead, 49.Rg7 would have brought about a zugzwang position where Black would have to shed a pawn with 49...a3, although I do not think that would have changed much.


49...Bxd5 50.Kxa4 Bc6+ 51.Kb4 Kc8 52.Kc4 Kb7 

Black is convinced (correctly) that the game is drawn, and repeats moves to make his point. Had he not been short on time, I would have taken the "hint", but, as it was, his moves gave me an idea... 


53.Kd4 Kc8 54.Ke5 Kb7 55.Ke6 Kc8 56.Rg7 Kb7 

Missing my point.


57.Ke7 Bd5 58.Kd8 Ka6


The first real sign of lack of faith (or time). I think Black should have played the stoic 58...Kc6 59.Rxc7+ Kb5 and shaken off the loss of a pawn.


59.Rxc7 


Capturing with the King was much stronger.


59...b5 

Returning the favor. After 59...Kb5 White's win, if there is one, is still a long way off. 


60.b4 Kb6 61.Rc5 Bc4 62.Kd7


My first thought was to exchange my Rook for Black's Bishop and pawn, and then Queen the b-pawn.


62...Kb7 63.Kd6 Kb6 64.Ke5 Kb7 65.Kd4 Be2 66.Re5 Bf1 67.Kc5 Bd3 

68.Re7+ Kc8 69.Kc6 


Combining a checkmate threat with the threat on the pawn (and a thinly-veiled threat on the Bishop).


69...Kd8 70.Rd7+ Ke8 71.Rxd3 Black resigned

Whew! This was my longest Jerome Gambit win, although I have lost to CorH in 84 moves and drawn alsuarezdi in 88.

A Long Day in the Life of the Jerome Gambit

The following game shows White surviving his unsound opening, moving gradually to an even position; later, taking advantage of Black's tactical slips to obtain an advantage; later, still, mis-playing his advantageous middlegame into a better endgame; and, further, almost frittering that endgame advantage away... before winning. 


perrypawnpusher - strobane
blitz, FICS, 2012


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qf6 10.Nc3 

Or 10.d3 as in Wall,B - G3LC, Playchess.com, 2011 (1-0, 22); or 
10.0-0 as in perrypawnpusher TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48) and perrypawnpusher - LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25); or
10.d4 as in guest2199 - guest401, ICC, 2004 (1-0, 87) and mrjoker - Igor77, ICC, 2008 (1-0, 70). 


10...N8e7 


Also played: 10...c6 in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 28); and 10...b6 in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 59).


This is familiar territory, so the moves are coming relatively quickly, which is useful in blitz. 


11.0-0 Rf8 12.d4 Kf7 

Black castles-by-hand. The game is sliding toward roughly equal. 


13.f4 Kg8 14.f5 Nh8 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Qb6 

A reasonable, even scientific idea: exchange Queens to blunt any possible White attack; and consider returning a piece for the "Jerome pawns" with an even game.


17.g4 Qxe3+ 18.Bxe3 Bd7 19.Bc5 Rae8 20.f6


After the game,  Rybka 3 preferred 20.e6, but at the time that looked too static for me.


20...gxf6 21.exf6 Bxg4 

I am guessing that this was just a blitz oversight. 


22.fxe7 Rf5 23.Rxf5 Bxf5 24.Rf1 Bg6 

Okay, the advanced "Jerome pawn" has become quite powerful. Take a few moments to plan out White's winning plan.


25.Rf8+ Kg7 26.Bd4+ Kh6 27.Rxe8 


IF you saw 27.Nd5, headed to c7 or f6 to harass the Black Rook and fight for the e8 square, good for you. 


27...Bxe8 28.Bxh8 Kg6

A piece ahead, I was happy with my game, but I never really developed a "winning strategy" from this point, so the game soon turns into an oddly psychological wander.


29.Bd4 Kf7 30.Bxa7 Kxe7 31.Nd5+ Kd6 32.Nf6 Bg6 33.Be3 Bxc2 34.Kf2 c6 35.Kf3 Ke5 36.Ng4+ Kf5 37.Nf2 Bb1 38.a3 Ba2 39.Nd3 Bd5+ 40.Kf2 h5 

Ideas for White? Now 41.Bb6 would put a nice cramp on Black's position.


41.Nc5 


I had decided that the only thing that I could do with my extra piece would be to exchange it for two pawns. That would leave me in a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, and I would have to use my knowledge, skill and experience there to make something of the drawish situation.


That would be a pretty sad outcome for what seems to be a "won" game.


Black's next move introduces another possibility: White can work to advance his a-pawn and create a passer. I overlooked that possibility totally.


41...b5 42.Kg3 Kg6 43.Kh4 Bf3 44.Nd7 Kf5 45.Nb8 Kg6 46.Na6 Kf5 47.Nb4 Kg6 48.Bd2 Kf5 49.Nxc6 Bxc6 50.Kxh5 Bg2 

Here is a rather annoying thought for White: even if he were able to create a passed a-pawn with b2-b3 and a3-a4 (something that Black can prevent by either covering b3 or getting his Bishop to d1 in a timely fashion) leaving himself with two Rook-pawn passers, Black could afford to sacrifice his Bishop for the h-pawn, as this would leave White with a drawn RP + Bishop of the wrong color endgame!


51.h4 Bf3+ 52.Kh6 Ke5 53.Kg6 Be4+ 54.Kg5 Kd5 55.h5 Kc4

A very surprising slip after 30 decent moves of defense. Black's King and Bishop were doing a good job of defending against White's hopes to advance his h-pawn. Now the monarch goes too far away, to attack pawns that are easily defended.


56.h6 Kb3 57.Bc3 Bh7 58.Kf6 Be4 59.Kg7 Bd3 60.h7 Bxh7 61.Kxh7 

61...Kc4 62.Kg6 Kd5 63.Kf5 Kc4 64.Ke4 Kc5 65.Bb4+ Kb6 66.Kd4 Kc6 67.b3 Kb6 68.Kd5 Black resigned

Final Game

The final game in the "Play the Jerome Gambit Quad" at Chess.com has been played.

Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Bill Wall topped all competitors with 5 wins and a draw.

In all, White scored 7 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw, for a totally misleading 62.5%

bfcace (1491) - ubluk (1279)
"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 d6 

This is certainly one of the more annoying defenses to the Jerome Gambit. Not scary. Not complicated. Just annoying.

Black returns a piece and draws most of the life out of the position. 

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.d3 Nf6 10.Qh3+ Kf7 11.Qg3 Be6 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Qxe3 

Black has a piece for a pawn, plus better development. He can soon castle-by-hand to safeguard his King.

However, at this point White won on time, allowing bfcase to catch DeDrijver for a tie for third place, each with 2 wins and 4 losses.