If the Blackburne Shilling Gambit can be considered "off the beaten path" when it comes to the chess openings, then surely the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit can be considered "off, off the beaten path". White must be careful with his creativity, however, as if he goes too much further off the path, he will be beaten...
benjik - CahMedan
standard, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.f4
This interesting line (recommended is 6.c3) was explored in "Further on Down the Broken Path".
6...Qh4+ 7.g3 Qh3 8.c3 Qg2 9.Rf1
The alternate, 9.Qg4+, was seen in HydraRancher - kellyzeye
standard game, FICS, 2011
White fights back, but Black has the upper hand.
9...Qxe4+ 10.Kf2 Nf5 11.Ng6 hxg6 12.Re1 Rxh2+ White resigned
Looking back at some of the highlights of the early posts to this blog was so much fun, I decided to do a little more digging and sharing... Here we go.
I have made at least a half-dozen trips to the White Collection of the Cleveland Public Library to look up Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games and analyses. I have also used my local library, interlibrary loan and the online Google Books.
For example, a few years ago I came across Volume XI of The Westminster Papers of London, "A Monthly Journal of Chess, Whist, Games of Skill, and The Drama" which had this note in its February 1, 1879 issue:
We shall be most happy to receive some games fairly well played in which the Jerome Double Gambit was adopted. They will be handed to our annotator indue course and will analyse them in an unprejudiced and impartial manner.
Unfortunately, the The March and April issues which complete Volume XI have no further reference to Jerome's Gambit; and, alas, they were the last issues of The Westminster Papers to be published
Sometimes the searching turns up fun stuff. What about a "reversed Jerome Gambit?" Sounds crazy, but the posts on 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5, known by some as the "Busch - Gass Gambit", or, with the addition of 3.Nxe5 Nc6, as "Chiodini's Gambit" might be "Worth A Second Look"
Jumping on the trend, I invented the fictional "Jerome Gambit For Dummies" and provided educational material that I've added to from time to time (you can use the "search" feature on the blog). It's as lighthearted as "Whodunnit?", but that's okay. It makes more sense than "The Jerome Gambit shows up in the oddest places..."
The "Optical Illusion" variation of the Jerome Gambit continued to crop up.Jyrki Heikkinen shared his version of the "Sicilian Jerome Gambit". There was some work on "The Kentucky Opening". Then, there is that "Pie-in-the-Face" Variation"...
I opined on "A Side Line to Watch". I started sharing some "Stats" on the Jerome.
Who knows if there is a "Conspiracy of Silence" surrounding a particular variation of the Jerome Gambit? What about that "Critical Line 5...Kf8"? What do we know about "The Life of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome"? What's with "the Nudge"? Did Adolph Albin actually play the Jerome Gambit? Can you handle the "Jerome Gambit Quiz"?
These are just some of the highlights of the blog posts made in 2009 alone (with 365 a year, there are plenty to choose from). Many games were presented that year, and I continued to share my Jerome Gambit wins and losses (my score is 83% in games with that refuted opening)
Having taken a look back at earlier times in this blog with yesterday's post, I would like to continue by pointing out some more, early, distinctive items. Newer Readers might be interested at what has gone on. Older Readers might enjoy the nostalgia.
Of course, it all started in mid-2008 with a "Welcome!". This was followed quickly with a post on the first published analysis, by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in "In The Beginning..."
Before starting this blog, I had written a history of the Jerome Gambit, and International Master Stefan Bücker, has, over the years, tried to find a way to publish a version of it in his fantastic magazine, Kaissiber. I don't know how many Readers believe this tale, but it has been told occasionally on this blog, starting with "To Infinity... And Beyond! (Part II)."
Of course, it is hard to overlook Geoff Chandler's send-up of the Jerome Gambit by pairing the moves of the infamous game, Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885, with pictures from the even-more-infamous collector cards of "Mars Attacks!"
An early mention of "My Jerome Gambit Database" mentioned a whopping 950 games. Currently, The Database contains over 26,500 games, including Jerome Gambit (around 20,000) and related (e.g. Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit) games.
It was fun pointing out "Pitfall Numero Uno in the Jerome Gambit", as well as speculating on the possible "Godfather of the Jerome Gambit?". I was pleased to see that Wikipedia would let me link this blog to their entry on the Jerome Gambit (see "Hey Wiki, it's me, Ricky..."). It was easy to post Jerome Gambit resources with "Jerome Gambit Scrapbook".
There have been many opportunities for historical research. Whether or not Winston Churchill was related to Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, it was funny to report, as Anne Sebba wrote in American Jennie The Remarkable Life of Lady Randolph Churchill
And when Jennie displayed some daring originality or eccentricity the relations would comment: 'How very American. How very Jerome.'
Computers, smart and not-so, have weighed in on the value of the Jerome Gambit, including a massive and interesting computer vs human match.
When I add this blog contains "lots and lots of games" that I have uncovered, and that friends of this blog have added; and toss in "lots of analysis"; all I can say is: and this is just from the year 2008...
There is sooooo much more. Check it out.
I imagine that some new Readers looked at yesterday's game, jfhumphrey - NextStar, FICS, 2012, and fulminated "All White did was stand around and wait for his opponent to make a mistake!"
True enough.
In all fairness, recall the masters of old who used to give pawn, piece, or Queen odds, and then win. Weren't they doing much the same thing?
Since this is blog post #1,500 (that is, 1,500 consecutive daily posts), I can no longer be assured that every Reader has read every post, so let me give a short retrospective to reassure all that I am aware of the "All White did..." objection.
Check out "But - Is this stuff playable?? (Part I)" and "But - Is this stuff playable?? (Part II)" and "Jerome Gambit for Dummies (1)".
While you're browsing the archives, why not keep wandering? There is always something interesting a page or a post or a day away!
There are about 165 games by jfhumphrey in The Database, many, like the next game, with White playing against a higher rated player.
Defending against the Jerome Gambit means 1)finding a refutation, 2)following it with accurate play, and then 3)finishing off the attacker.
The longer that Black delays that third step, the more likely it is that he will suffer a calamity himself.
jfhumphrey - NextStar
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+ Kf8 7.Nxc6 bxc6
Even though Black would have done better with 6...Nxe5 and 7...dxc6, he still has a playable game, with an edge.
8.0-0 Ba6 9.d3 d6 10.Ne2 h5
It is hard to tell if this is aggression or disrespect. In either event, Black should not play around, but finish off his opponent.
11.Nf4 Qe8 12.c4 Bc8 13.Be3 Bb6 14.Bxb6 cxb6
White is showing the calm patience that often is strangely rewarded in the Jerome. In this case, Black becomes careless.
15.Qf3 Qe5
Ouch.
16.Ng6+ Kg8 17.Nxe5 dxe5 Black resigned
Moral: when you have the advantage, do not play around, but finish your opponent off!
Readers, it is time to get out your chessboards and play along, as Philidor1792 (who shows a lot of patience in an impulsive opening) explores Whistler's Defense, the improvement on Blackburne's Defense that was so devastating that Alonzo Wheeler Jerome seems to have "forgotten" to mention it in his writings.
Philidor1792 - NN
20 0, gamecolony.com, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7
Here we go. Philidor1792 likes to take on the tough defenses.
8.Qxe7+ Nxe7 9.c3 Re8
Or 9...Nc6 10.d4 Bd6 11.Bg5 Re8 12.Nd2 Be7 13.Bxe7 Nxe7 14.f4 Rf8 15.Ke2 h6 16.Ke3 Rb8 17.Raf1 Re8 18.Kf3 b6 19.Re1 Bb7 20.g4 Rh8 21.Ke3 h5 22.h3 Rbe8 23.Kd3 Ba6+ 24.Ke3 Bc8 25.Kf3 Bb7 26.Kg3 Kf6 27.Rhf1 hxg4 28.hxg4 Rh7 29.Rh1 Rg7 30.Rh6 Ng8 31.Rh2 Kf7 32.Kf3 Nf6 33.Rh6 d6 34.Rh2 Bc6 35.Rh6 Bd7 36.Rg1 Bc6 37.Re1 Bb7 38.Rh2 Bc6 39.Rh6 Bd7 40.Rg1 Bc6 41.Re1 Bb7 42.Rh2 Bc6 43.Rh6 b5 44.Rh2 Rgg8 45.Rh6 Kg7 46.Rh2 Rgf8 47.Rhh1 Rf7 48.Rh2 Bd7 49.Rg1 Bc6 50.Re1 Bd7 51.Rg1 Bc6 52.Re1 Bd7 53.Rg1 Rfe7 54.Re2 Rh8 55.f5 Nh7 56.Kf4 Nf8 57.e5 gxf5 58.gxf5+ Kf7 59.e6+ Nxe6+ 60.fxe6+ Bxe6 61.a3 Rh4+ 62.Kg5 Rh8 63.Kf4 Rh4+ 64.Kg5 Rh8 draw, Philidor1792-Computer (Crafty).
10.d4 Bb6 11.Bg5 d6 12.Nd2 Be6 13.Ke2 Kg7
Or 13...Ng8 14.Kd3 Nf6 15.Bxf6 Kxf6 16.f4 Kf7 17.h3 Rac8 18.g4 d5 19.e5 Rf8 20.Raf1 Bd7 21.Rf2 Ke6 22.Nf1 Bb5+ 23.Ke3 Rce8 24.Ng3 Kd7 25.Kf3 c5 26.Rd1 Ba4 27.b3 Bc6 28.f5 Rf7 29.Re2 gxf5 30.gxf5 Re6 31.Kg4 Rg7+ 32.Kf4 Rf7 33.Nh5 cxd4 34.cxd4 Bc7 35.Rg2 Bb5 36.Rdg1 Bd3 37.Rg7 Ree7 38.Rxf7 Rxf7 39.Rg7 Rxg7 40.Nxg7 Bf1 41.Kg5 Bxh3 42.Kf6 Bd8+ 43.Kf7 Be7 44.f6 Bb4 45.e6+ Bxe6+ 46.Nxe6 h5 47.Nf4 Bc3 48.Nxd5 Bxd4 49.Kg6 Kc6 50.f7 Bc5 51.Nf4 h4 52.Ne6 Bd6 53.Ng5 Bf8 54.Kh7 Kd5 55.Kg8 Bd6 56.f8Q Bxf8 57.Kxf8 a5 58.Ke7 b5 59.Kd7 a4 60.Kc7 axb3 61.axb3 Kd4 62.Kb6 Kc3 63.Kxb5 Kxb3 draw Philidor1792 -NN.
14.Kd3 c6 15.f4 h6 16.Bxe7 Rxe7 17.h3 Rf8 18.Raf1 Bc7 19.g4 d5 20.e5 Ref7
21.Ke3 Bd8 22.Rf3 Be7 23.Rhf1 b6 24.R1f2 Bh4 25.Rg2 Kh7 26.Nf1 h5 27.Nh2 Kh6 28.Nf1 Be7 29.Nh2 h4 30.Rgf2 Bc8 31.Nf1 Kg7 32.Kd2 Bg5 33.Ke3 Ba6 34.Nh2 Bd8 35.Kd2 Bc8
36.Nf1 Kg8 37.Ne3 Bg5 38.Ng2 Kg7 39.Ke3 Be7 40.Ke2 Bd8 41.Ne3 Ba6+ 42.Kd2 Kh7 43.f5 Bg5 44.f6 Re8
45.Kc2 Kh6 46.Ng2 Kh7 47.Nf4 Bh6 48.Rg2 g5 49.Nd3 Kg6 50.Ne1 Rc7 51.Kd2 Kf7 52.Rgf2 Rf8 53.Ng2 Ke6 54.Ne3 Rff7 55.Nf5 Bf8
56.Nxh4 gxh4 57.g5 b5 58.g6 Bh6+ 59.Kc2 Rfd7 60.f7 Bf8 61.Rf6+ Ke7 62.R6f4 c5 63.Rxh4 Rc6 64.Rg4 Bg7 65.dxc5 Kf8 66.Re2 Re7 67.h4 b4 68.Re3 bxc3 69.bxc3 Ree6 70.h5
70...Bxe5 71.Rxe5 Bd3+ 72.Kxd3 Rxe5 73.g7+ Kxf7 74.g8Q+ Kf6 75.Qg6+ Ke7 76.Qxc6 Rxh5 77.Rg7+ Kf8 78.Qf6+ Ke8 79.Qe7 checkmate
Bouyed by his recent draw against the computer in the difficult "Nibs" variation of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) (see "Sailing Off of the Edge of the World") Philidor1792 played three more exploratory games with Crafty, two with the White pieces and one with the Black.
This time the results were not as encouraging.
Philidor1792 - Computer (Crafty)
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 Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+ 10.Kd1 Ne7
Despite Philidor1792's previous escape, White (not Black) is in big trouble here.
11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qe4+ d5 13.exd6+ Nd5 14.gxh4 Bg4 15.Qa4+
One of the new games continued, instead, in a novel direction with 15.d4 Rae8 16.Qxe8+ Rxe8 17.h3 Bh5 18.dxc5 Ne1+ 19.Kd2 Re2+ 20.Kd1 Re3+ 21.Kd2 Nf3+ 22.Kd1 Ne5+ 23.Kd2 Nc4 checkmate, Philidor1792 - Computer (Crafty);
Another, with the computer taking the White pieces, introduced another new line 15.f5 Nxh2+ 16.Ke1 Rae8 17.d3 Bxf5 18.Rxh2 Bxe4 19.dxe4 Rxe4+ 20.Kd1 Bxd6 21.Rh1 Rd4+ 22.Bd2 Rf8 23.c3 Rg4 24.Kc2 Rf2 25.Kb3 Rgg2 26.Rd1 Rh2 27.a4 Bf4 28.c4 Nf6 29.Bc3 Rxh4 30.Na3 Rhh2 31.Nb5 Be3 32.Rd3 Bc5 33.Nd4+ Kb6 (33...Bxd4 would have preserved Black's advantage) 34.a5+ Ka6 35.Ne6 b6 36.axb6+ Kxb6 37.Nxc5 Kxc5 38.Ra6 Rf4 39.Bb4 checkmate, Computer (Crafty) - Philidor1792.
15...b5 16.Qa6+ Bb6
Crafty significantly improves over its previous 16...Nb6, Philidor1792 - Computer (Crafty) (½-½, 89).
17.h3 Bh5 18.c3 Rhe8 19.Kc2 Nd4+ 20.cxd4 Nb4+ 21.Kb3 Nxa6
Black's extra piece will outplay White's extra pawns.
22.dxc7 Bf7+ 23.Kc3 Ba5+ 24.b4 Nxb4 25.Ba3 Nd3+ 26.Kc2 Nxf4 27.Nc3 b4 28.d5+ Kxc7 29.Rhf1 Bg6+ 30.Kb3 bxc3 31.Rxf4 cxd2
32.d6+ Kd7 33.Bb4 Bxb4 34.Kxb4 Bh5 35.Rff1 Kxd6 36.Kc3 d1Q 37.Raxd1+ Bxd1 38.Rxd1+ Kc6
A Rook is a Rook is a Rook...
39.Rc1 Rac8 40.Kd3+ Kd5 41.Rg1 g6 42.h5 gxh5 43.Rg7 a5 44.Rxh7 Rh8 45.Ra7 Ra8 46.Rb7 Ke5 47.Ke3 Kd5 48.Kd3 a4 49.Rb5+ Kc6 50.Kc4 a3 51.Rg5 Rab8 52.Rg6+ Kd7 53.Rg3 Ra8 54.Rf3 Rhb8 55.Rd3+ Ke6 56.Re3+ Kf5 57.Rf3+ Kg5 58.Rf1 Rb2 59.Ra1 Kh4 60.Rh1 Rxa2 White resigned
Moral: Be careful to which computer (and when) you give Jerome Gambit odds.
