I just received an email from MrJoker (aka Louis Morin, of Montreal, Canada) which included a file of his games. Most interesting to me were the 65 Jerome Gambit (or Jerome-ish) games that I did not have in The Database (currently 26,600 games - and I have several months of FICS games still to add).
Many thanks to MrJoker. I am sure that Readers will enjoy the games that will appear here shortly.
In the following game, Philidor1792 makes the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) look like just another day on the job. Ho-hum. Do the work. Collect the point.
Philidor1792 - guest2052
Internet online game, 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 Nf6 9.0-0 d6 10.Qe3
Here we have a standard Jerome Gambit position. Mrjoker, for example, has reached it 21 times, and scored 76%. Perrypawnpusher has reached it 36 times, and scored 79%.
10...Qe7 11.Nc3 Be6 12.f4 Nf8
An improvement over 12...Ng4 as in Wall,B - Hirami,Z, Chess.com 2011(1-0, 20).
13.f5 Bf7 14.d4 N8d7
15.Qg3 Kf8 16.Bg5 Re8 17.Rae1
Playing e4-e5 is "job one" for White.
17...Bc4 18.Rf3 Qf7 19.b3 Ba6 20.e5 dxe5 21.dxe5
21...Nh5 22.Qf2 Nb6 23.e6 Qg8 24.Qc5+ Black resigned
It is checkmate next move.
In the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) sometimes Black's Knights can't help themselves, they just have to harass the enemy Queen. It seems like a good idea at the time, but things do not always turn out as they are planned. The time invested in the horsing around is lost.
Philidor1792 - guest2052
Internet online game, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qe7 9.Qe3 d6
10.f4 Nf6 11.Nc3 Ng4 12.Qf3 c6 13.f5 N6e5 14.Qg3 h5
15.d4 Nc4 16.0-0 Kg8 17.b3 Nb6 18.h3 Nf6 19.Bg5 Qf8
Breaking the pin, while still protecting the (retreated) Knight.
The "Jerome pawns" are getting ready to roll.
20.Bxf6 Qxf6 21.e5 dxe5
Rybka suggests that the only way out of this mess for Black is tactical: 21...h4 22.Qe3 Qe7 23.f6 gxf6 24.Rxf6 Rh7 25.Rxd6 Bf5 26.Rf6 Bxc2 27.Qd2 Nd7 when White sacrifices the exchange 28.Raf1 Nxf6 29.exf6 Qd7 30.Qxc2 for an edge.
22.dxe5 h4 23.Qf4 Qh6 24.Qd4 Kh7
As in many successful Jerome Gambit games, it is hard not to notice Black's misplaced Knight on b6, and his undeveloped Bishop and Rooks.
25.Qe4
White had the threatening 25.Rf4, but he had to see that after the tricky response 15...Rd8, he could still proceed with 16.Qe4.
25...Bd7 26.e6 Be8 27.Rf4 Kg8
28.Qe5
Allowing the blockade, while 28.f6 was playable right away.
28...Qf6 29.Qe3 Rd8 30.Raf1 Rh5
Rybka sees a way out for Black: 30...Nd5 31.Nxd5 Rxd5 32.Qxa7 Rh5 33.Qxb7 Rhxf5 34.Rxf5 Rxf5 35.Rxf5 Qxf5 36.Qe7 Bg6 37.Qd8+ Qf8 38.Qxh4 Qc5+ 39.Kh1 Qxc2 40.Qd8+ Kh7 41.Qh4+ Kg8 42.Qd8+ Kh7 43.Qh4+ Kg8 44.Qd8+ Kh7 45.Qh4+ Kg8 draw
31.Ne4 Qd4 32.Qxd4 Rxd4 33.f6
Even without Queens on the board, the breakthrough wins.
33...Rxe4 34.f7+ Bxf7 35.exf7+ Kf8 36.Rxe4 Black resigned
The latest game from Bill Wall (with notes by him):
I played an interesting Jerome Gambit yesterday, and with a little luck I won in
22 moves. I sort of trapped his king and queen at the same time.
Wall,B - Guest327668
Playchess.com, 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.Qb5+
[As seen in Wall - Yunfan, Chess.com, 2011, (1-0, 18) and Wall - Zhu, Chess.com, 2011, (1-0, 19) - Rick]
9...Qd7 10.Qe2 Nf6
11.d4 Qg4 12.f3 Qh4+ 13.g3 Qh5 14.Nc3 c6
15.e5 dxe5 16.0-0 Bh3
I expected that. Perhaps better is 16...Kf7, threatening 17...exd4.
17.Re1 Kf7
Or 17...Rf8 18.dxe5 Nd7.
18.Ne4
I wanted him to move the f6 Knight so I could get in g4 and not have hims sac to open up my king. I wasn't sure about 18.dxe5 Rhe8 19.f4 Bg4.
18...Nxe4 19.g4
This looked better than 19.Qxe4 exd4 and I am in trouble.
19...Qh4
The only place for the Queen and it seems trapped and out of play. I thought I could hold after 19...Bxg4 20.fxg4 Qh4 21.Qxe4.
20.Qc4+
Better than 20.Qxe4 Rhe8 21.Qf5+ Qf6.
20...Kf6
The king has to move somewhere. Perhaps better is 20...Ke8 21.Rxe4 Rf8.
21.Rxe4
I almost played 21.dxe5+ Nxe5 22.Qxe4, but Black has 22...Qxe1+! 23.Qxe1 Nxf3+ and Black wins.
21...Rhe8? 22.g5+ and Black resigned
If 22...Kf5, then 23.Qf7 mate. Black could hold out a little bit more with 22...Ke7 23.Rxh4 Nxh4 24.dxe5 Nxf3+ 25.Kh1, then 26.Qb4+, but White should win this.
The saying "all's well that ends well" is doubly relevant to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) player. On one hand, it is a reminder that the "ugly" beginning of a game is not as important as the beautiful (winning) end of play.
Also, a knowledge of endgame play, in the case of the following game, specifically that of pawns vs piece play, is very helpful.
Philidor1792 - guest2052
Internet online game, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8
A venerable defense, but one often mistreated by White, anyway.
7.Qxe5 d6
Previous games from Philidor1792 have seen 7...Qe7
8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.d3 Qxf4 10.Bxf4 Nf6
Ask your computer, and it will say that Black is better. Watch the game, and you will see that White knows better how to handle his "Jerome pawns" than Black knows how to handle his extra piece. Comfort and experience count for a lot.
11.c3 h6 12.Nd2 g5 13.Bg3 Nh5 14.d4 Bb6 15.Nc4 Nxg3 16.hxg3 Kg7
Black has steadfastly worked to gain the Bishop pair. (A computer assessment, however, is likely to say that in doing so he has dropped 1/2 of a pawn's worth of advantage. At least, that's Fritz 8's opinion.)
17.f3 Be6 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.a3 h5 20.Kf2 h4 21.gxh4 Rxh4 22.Rxh4 gxh4 23.Rh1 Rh8
The next few moves are not "best" for either player, but they illustrate the interplay of each side's advantage.
24.f4 Bg4 25.f5 Kf6 26.Ke3 d5 27.Kf4 Be2 28.e5+ Kg7
Which side would you like to play?
White may have a small edge, but the game should be drawn with "best play" by both sides, as they say. Of course, that is also said about the game's starting position.
29.g4 hxg3 30.Rxh8 g2 31.Rh3 g1Q 32.Rg3+ Qxg3+ 33.Kxg3 Kh6
34.Kf4 Bh5 35.e6 Kg7 36.Ke5
This looks dangerous for Black, but his defense will hold if he can a) get his King in front of the passed pawns, while b) keeping White's King from coming out from behind the passed pawns. Black's Bishop can move back and forth, when necessary, burning tempos.
36...c6
Black would do better protecting his d-pawn with the Bishop, i.e. 36...Bf3. It is difficult to see what White can then do to win. Of course, there is 37.f6+ Kf8 38.Kf4 Be2 39.Kf5 but 39...Bd3+ 40.Kg5 Be4 seems to hold.
The text gives White's King an entry to the Queenside, where it can create havoc, taking the spotlight off of the pawns vs piece debate. Or, the King can make use of his entry to help the pawns, which was Philidor1792's choice.
37.f6+ Kg6 38.f7 Kg7 39.Kd6 Bg6 40.Ke7 Black resigned
It's time to go back to Philidor1792 for some more 9.Na3 ideas... The following game is a good reminder that it only takes one mistake to lose a game, if it's a "good" one.
Philidor1792 - guest871
Internet online game, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.d4
See "A Fan of the Jerome Gambit."
8...Bxd4 9.Na3 c6 10.Bf4 Qf6 11.0-0-0
11...Qxf5
Also seen: 11...c5 12.Nb5+ (12.Bxe5+ since 12...Qxe5 13.Nc4+) 12...Ke7 13.Nxd4 (13.Bg5 d5 14.Qf4 Bxb2+ 15.Kb1 Nf7 16.Qc7+ Kf8 17.Qxc5+ Ne7 18.Bxf6 Bxf6) 13...cxd4 14.Bxe5 (14.Bg5 d6 15.Bxf6+ Nxf6 16.Qg5) 14...Qxf5 15.exf5 Nf6 16.Rhe1 Kf7 17.Bd6 Re8 18.Rxe8 Nxe8 19.Rxd4 Nxd6 20.Rxd6 Ke7 21.Rd3 d6 22.g4 Bd7 23.Kd2 Rc8 24.c3 Rc6 25.f4 Kf6 26.Rd5 a6 27.g5+ Ke7 28.Kd3 Rc5 29.Rxc5 dxc5 30.Ke4 Kd6 31.h4 Bc6+ 32.Ke3 Kd5 33.h5 Bd7 34.h6 Bxf5 35.hxg7 Be6 36.f5 Bg8 37.Kf4 Kd6 38.a3 Ke7 39.Ke5 Kf7 40.f6 Kg6 41.Kd6 Kxg5 42.Ke7 Kg6 43.Kf8 Bd5 44.g8Q+ Bxg8 45.Kxg8 Kxf6 46.Kxh7 Ke5 47.Kg6 Ke4 48.Kf6 Kd3 49.Ke6 Kc2 50.Kd5 b6 51.b4 cxb4 52.cxb4 Kb3 (52...b5) 53.b5 axb5 54.Kc6 Ka4 55.Kxb6 Kxa3 56.Kxb5 drawn, Philidor1792 - guest2324, Internet online game, 2012.
12.exf5 c5 13.Nc4+ Kc7
Keeping the King in the fray with 13...Kd5 was safer.
14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Bxe5+ Kd8 16.Bxg7 Black resigned
In my latest Jerome Gambit game, my opponent reversed the 8th and 9th moves of the "His Nibs defense" and still got a good game. My only chance was to vary and confuse him.
It worked.
perrypawnpusher - rheapennata
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 Nf3+
The malicious "Nibs defense" continues instead 8...Qh4+ and after 9.g3, then 9...Nf3+.
Still, the text, introducing the so-called "Norton variation" (see below) is strong, itself.
9.Kf1
Probably not as strong as 9.gxf3, which has been played before: 9...Qh4+ 10.Kd1 (10.Ke2 Qf2+ 11.Kd3 Qxf3+ 12.Kc4 b5+ 13.Kxb5 Rb8+ 14.Ka5 Bb4+ 15.Ka4 Qxh1 16.Qe5+ Kc6 17.Qd5+ Kb6 18.Qb5 checkmate, Young,J - Chess "Challenger" 10, Computer game, 1979) 10...Ne7 (10...Qf2 11.Qe5+ Kc6 12.Qd5+ Kb6 13.Qb3+ Ka6 14.Qa4+ Kb6 15.Qb3+ Kc6 16.Qd5+ Kb5 17.Nc3+ Ka6 18.Qc4+ Kb6 19.Qb5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG3 thematic, Chessworld, 2008) 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qe4+ Nd5 13.Nc3 Qxf4 14.Qxd5+ Kb6 15.Qb3+ Kc6 16.Qd5+ Kb6 17.Qb3+ Bb4 18.Nd5+ Kb5 19.Nxf4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - sjeijk, blitz, FICS, 2011
9...Qh4
Alternatives, new and old:
9...Kc6 10.Qd5+ Kb6 11.Qb3+ Kc6 12.Qxf3 Qf6 13.e5+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - igormsp, blitz, FICS, 2011; and
9...c6 10.gxf3 Qe7 11.b4 Bb6 12.Bb2 Kc7 13.Qe5+ Qxe5 14.Bxe5+ d6 15.Bxg7 Bh3+ 16.Ke2 Bg2 17.Rd1 Ne7 18.Bxh8 Ng6 19.d4 Rxh8 20.Kf2 Nxf4 21.c3 Rg8 22.Nd2 Kd7 23.Ke3 Rf8 24.Rg1 Bd8 25.Kf2 Rg8 26.Ke3 Nh3 27.f4 Nxg1 28.Rxg1 Rg4 29.Nf1 Bh3 30.Ng3 Rh4 31.Nf5 Bxf5 32.exf5 Bf6 33.Rg3 Rxh2 34.a4 Rh1 35.a5 Re1+ 36.Kf3 Re7 37.Rh3 c5 38.bxc5 dxc5 39.Rh6 cxd4 40.cxd4 Bxd4 41.f6 Rf7 42.Ke4 Bxf6 and Black won, Jerome,A - Norton,D, Correspondence, 1876.
Probably best was 9...Ne7 10.e5+ Nxe5 11.Qxe5+ Kc6.
10.Qd5+
Here 10.g3?, transposing into the "His Nibs" variation, would have been foolish.
10...Ke7 11.Qxc5+ Kd8
Up until this point, my opponent had been using a good bit of time, as he made his way through the variation. This is a blitz slip, however, probably more reflex than planning.
Instead, 11...Kf7 12.gxf3 Qxf4 13.Ke2 would have left White a pawn up.
12.Qf8 checkmate
