I handed the following Jerome Gambit game by Bill Wall over to Houdini 2, to look at in "blunder check" mode, and was surprised that it had little to say, until the end, when it indicated that Black had blundered in a largely even position.
That indicates one of the fascinations of the Jerome: Black doesn't have to blunder to lose, he only needs to put together a series of second- or third-best moves, while White develops and begins making threats - and the opening is again "justified".
The Jerome Gambit may not be anything to try against a computer, but it continues to provide interesting play against people.
Wall, Bill - Guest1475978
Playchess.com, 2013
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.Qh5
After delivering a typical "nudge" (7.Qd5+) White's Queen decides that she wants to take a different way home. There are only 10 previous examples in The Database's 27,400 games, and White had (up until this point) only scored 45%, but Bill was exploring and taking his opponent out of any "book" he might have been familiar with.
9...Nf6 10.Qe2 Kf7 11.O-O Re8 12.d3 Kg8
Black has wisely castled-by-hand, one indication that he might know something about the Jerome.
13.f4 a6 14.f5 Ne7 15.g4 Qd7 16. g5 Nxe4 17.dxe4 Nxf5
Black continues in knowing fashion, returning his piece for two pawns, relying on his better pawn structure to reassure him of progress.
18.Nc3 Nd4 19.Qc4+ Ne6
This all seems so well-prepared, until you begin to ask: What does Black do next? Does he really have to move his King so that he can move his Knight so that he can move his Queen so that he can move his Bishop?
20.Be3 b5 21.Qd5 c6 22.Qf5
White continues to move his Queen in a disconcerting manner, as we have seen recently in "A Day in the Life of the Jerome Gambit" and "You can't play like that!"
22...Qe7 23.a3 Nc5 24.Qf3 Nxe4
Pleased with his maneuvering, Black triumphantly snaps off the weak e-pawn (see the note to move 17) and Houdini 2 murmers that White now has a small edge.
25.Nxe4 Qxe4
If only chess were this simple. Houdini 2 recommends instead: 25...d5 26.Nf6+ gxf6 27.Rae1 Qg7 28.Kh1 f5 29.g6 hxg6 30.Bd4 Rxe1 31.Bxg7 Rxf1+ 32.Qxf1 Kxg7 when Black has a Rook, a Bishop, and two pawns for his Queen.
26.Qf7+ Kh8 27.Qf8+ Rxf8 28.Rxf8 checkmate
(And that is why Bill Wall scores 96% with the Jerome Gambit, according to The Database - although I may have missed a win or two.)
As you may have noticed in recent posts, I have added Houdini 2 to my cast of analysis partners (including Rybka 3 and Fritz 10) for games reviewed on this site. It races through the plys in its analysis, while remaining quite strong. While I still refer to Rybka 3 for more positional questions, I have been finding a whole new perspective on the Jerome Gambit lines with Houdini 2.
One example: after a long think, its preference after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5!? is neither the Jerome-ish 4.Bxf7+!? nor the straight-forward 4.Nxe5, but 4.Be2. Interesting...
The free version of Houdini 1.5 is available here.
Some Jerome Gambit games are instructive, from beginning to end, showing what a player must face and accomplish in order to be successful.
Wall,B - Guest903719
playchess.com, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4
6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.0-0 Nf6 9.f3
This is an interesting Theoretical Novelty. Previous play has centered around White working quickly for e5 or f5, while Black counters with pressure from his Rook along the e- or f-file.
9.f4 is a continuation going back to Jerome,A - Shinkman,W, Iowa, 1876 (½-½, 42).
9...Rf8 10.Nc3 Kg8 11.b3 Bd7 12.Bb2 Qe8 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Qxd5+ Qf7
White is planning another episode of "You can't play like that!"
15.Qxb7 Bc6 16.Qa6
Threatening 17.Bxe5.
16...Qd7 17.Rfd1
Threatening 18.Bxe5
17...Bb5 18.Qb7 Ng6
White has grabbed a second pawn to compensate for his sacrificed piece, he has a strong Bishop at b2, and there are weaknesses on the light squares in Black's position.
A computer would still like Black, but this is a human vs human contest.
19.e5 Nf4?!
Bill recommends, instead, 19...Bc6 20.Qb4 d5.
20.exd6 cxd6 21.Qxd7 Bxd7 22.Rxd6
All Jerome Gambit players should become familiar with playing this kind of position for White. With three pawns for a piece, White has gained material equality, but his "Jerome pawns" give him "means, motive and opportunity" to try for more.
22...Bf5 23.Re1 Bxc2 24.Re7 Rf7 25.Rxf7 Kxf7 26.Rd7+ Ke6 27.Rd2 Rc8 28.Bxg7 Bg6
29.g3 Nd3 30.Kg2 Rc1 31.g4 Re1 32.Bd4 a6 33.h4 Kd5 34.Bf2 Ra1?
Black misses the opportunity to exchange down to a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame with 34...Re2 35.Rxe2 Nf4+ 36.Kf1 Bd3 37.Ke1 Bxe2 38.Be3 Bxf3 39.Bxf4 Bxg4.
This blog has presented many examples of the resources and pitfalls of such endings.
35.h5 Be4 36.fxe4+ Kxe4 37.Kg3 Nc1
This may have been what Black had in mind when he gave up his Bishop for a pawn (the White Queenside pawns fall), but White has seen further.
38.Rd4+ Ke5 39.Rd7 Rxa2 40.Rxh7 Nxb3 41.Re7+ Kf6
42.h6! Kxe7 43.h7 Kf6 44.h8Q+ Ke7 45.Qe5+ Kd7 46.Qd5+ Ke7 47.Qxb3 Black resigned
Here is another example of the difficult line (for White) in the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit discussed in the last post (see "Updated").
I would like to call your attention to the position after Black's 31st move.
Skirving - PAMpamPAM
standard, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6 8.f4 Neg4 9.0-0 Bb4 10.e5 d6
Already seen was 10...Bxc3 11.bxc3 Nxh2 12.Kxh2 Nd5 in Philidor1792 - Computer, 2011, (0-1, 43)]
11.h3 Re8 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.g4 Kg8 14.Qd3 Bxc3 15.bxc3 d5 16.f5 Ne4 17.g5 Nxg5 18.Qg3 Ne4 19.Qg2 Qf6 20.Bf4 c6 21.Be5 Qg5 22.Qxg5 Nxg5 23.f6 Bxh3 24.Rf4 g6 25.Kh2 Bf5 26.Rxf5 gxf5 27.Kg3 Nf7 28.Kf4 Nxe5 29.dxe5 Re6 30.Kxf5 Rae8 31.Rg1+ Kf7
White is a Rook down. After a spite check, he resigns. Perhaps he was also short of time.
As everyone in the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde knows, from Blackburne to Wall, in order to win White has to fight, and fight - and fight some more.
32.Rg7+ Kf8 White resigned
Amazingly enough, instead, after 33.Rxh7, the game would be drawn, as White would threaten to move his King to g6 and deliver checkmate with Rh8. Of course, if Black replies 33...Kg8, White will check with 34.Rg7+ and look to repeat the position.
Perhaps White feared 33.Rxh7 Rxe5+, but after 34.Kg6 Black can only escape checkmate by returning a Rook with 34...Rg5+ 35.Kxg5, when White would have the better chances in the endgame (although Black might still draw).
Here's an updated look at a Jerome Gambit variant that still holds a lot of poison for White.
In raw position comparisons, The Database has 9244 games after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ where White scores 44%; while it has 1780 games after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Bxf7+, where White scores 38%.
Ryndael - emranhamid
standard, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6 8.f4
This line was investigated in "Attitude" and "Where Do Ideas Come From?" Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
I was surprised to see that Houdini 2, at 20 ply depth, considers it about equivalent to 8.dxe5.
Black's next move is new, however.
8...Nc4 9.e5 Bb4 10.0-0 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Ne4
12.f5
A slight improvement over 12.Qd3 d5 13.f5 in Rijndael - creamen, FICS, 2011, (0-1, 28).
12...Rf8 13.Rf4 d5 14.Qh5+ Kg8
White now throws everything into a frantic attack, but there is little hope.
15.Rxe4 dxe4 16.Bg5 Qd5 17.f6 gxf6 18.Rf1 Nxe5 19.Bxf6 Nf3+ 20.Rxf3 Qxh5 21.Rg3+ Kf7 White resigned
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws
Public Service Announcement: It is not necessary to play the Jerome Gambit version of the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. There are a number of ways for White to play safely against the BSG, with advantage. Here is one take, from Bill Wall, who knows both the BSG and the JG.
I felt compelled to post the above PSA after playing over the following game. The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit will continue to be my preference, but the play gets pretty wild for both sides.
sexymax - Jesuswins
standard, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. I have been playing the line since this blog was in its early months, 4 1/2 years ago. In 37 games, I have scored 91%.
The Database shows 3818 BSJG games, with White scoring 56%.
Of course, Bill Wall has scored 100% in 14 games.
Your mileage may vary.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxh8
Pretty standard play for the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
8...Nxc2+
White tears up Black's Kingside while Black tears up White's Queenside. 164 games have reached this point in TheDatabase, with White scoring 53%
9.Kf1
Necessary was 9.Kd1, keeping Black's advantage small.
9...Ne7
The way out of this mess was 9...Kf7, and only 1 game in The Database has this correct continuation: MkRules - Magico, blitz, FICS, 2004, (1-0, 34). Yes, that's right: Black played the right move and still lost.
Houdini 2 had this to say about the position: 9...Kf7 10.Qc3 Nxa1 11.d4 Qf6 (Black is up two pieces for two pawns) 12.f3 Qc6 13.Kf2 d5 14.Bd2 dxe4 15.Rc1 exf3 16.Qxf3+ Qxf3+ 17.gxf3 Bf5 (the battle over the Knight at a1 continues) 18.Rxc7+ Kf6 19.Nc3 Nc2 20.d5 Ke5 21.f4+ Kd4 22.Nb5+ Kxd5 23.Rxc2 Bxc2 24.Nc7+ Kc6 25.Nxa8 (now it is White's Knight that is trapped, and Black will remain up two pieces for two pawns).
10.d4 Nxa1 11.Bh6 Kf7 12.Qh7+ Ke6
Black decides to decline the draw implicit with 12...Ke8 13.Qh8 and instead sends his King out into the wide open spaces. This is as dangerous as it looks. And as messy.
13.d5+ Kd6 14.Bf4+
Bringing another piece into the attack looks like a good idea, But Houdini 2 gives the key move as 14.Qh8, with a multitude of threats against the King and his army: 14...Ng8 15.Qxg8 Kc5 16.Bxf8+ d6 17.Qg7 Bd7 18.Qc3+ Kb6 19.Bg7 Bb5+ 20.Kg1 c5 21.dxc6 bxc6 22.b3 Nxb3 23.axb3 Kb7 White has recovered his material, with interest.
14...Kc5 15.Qh3
15...d6
Amazingly, Black can escape by returning some material to activate his Queen: 15...Nxd5 16.exd5 Qf6. Houdini 2 continues to throw pieces around in its analysis with 17.Qf3 Qxb2 18.Nc3 Qc2 19.Be3+ Kb4 20.Qxf8+ Kxc3 when White does best to sue for peace, i.e. 21.Qc5+ Kb2 22.Bd4+ Kb1 23.Qb4+ Kxa2 24.Qa5+ Kb3 25.Qb5+ Ka2 26.Qa5+ etc.
After the game continuation, White has a forced checkmate.
16.Qe3+ Kb5 17.Na3+ Ka6 18.Qd3+ b5 Black resigned
Speaking of "Ooops!" (see the previous post) the following game has a couple subtle slips.
Evanfox - Boltonian
standard, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5
"A Line of Play Everyone Should Know About"
4.Bxf7+
The Jerome treatment.
There is nothing wrong with 4.Nxe5, but if Black's intention with his Knight move was to "force" 4.Bb3, so that after 4...Nxb3 5.axb3 he could achieve the quiet advantage of "the two Bishops", a sharper retort might have a decent surprise effect.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 6.Qh5 g6
6...Qe8 was necessary, with a slight edge for Black, as in perrypawnpusher - wred, blitz, FICS, 2011, (1-0, 35)
7.Nxg6+ Black resigned
If Black's 6th move was a slip, so was his 7th "move". After 7...hxg6 (instead) 8.Qxh8 Kf7 White would have a Rook and three pawns against two extra pieces for Black, something that Houdini 2 evaluates as maybe a 1/2 pawn advantage.
Perhaps the second player did not want to face all of those "Jerome pawns".
