I decided to have ChessBase8 give me an Opening Report on the Jerome Gambit, based on The Database. I got a whole lot of information, and I was only dealing with the first few moves...
Maybe I'll ask it, later, to look deeper.
Opening report
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
9062 games in 'TheDatabase'
1. History
Earliest game:
Jerome,A - Shinkman,W, 1874
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3 Ke7 12.Nc3 g5 13.Rf1 c6 14.g3 d5 15.Bd2 Bg4 16.Qg2 Rhf8 17.h3 Nxe4 18.Bf4 gxf4 19.gxf4 Rxf4 20.Nxe4 Rxf1+ 21.Kxf1 and Mr. Shinkman announced loss of the Queen or mate in six moves. 0-1
Latest grandmaster game:
BlackDemon (2563) - wkw (2662)
FICS , rated lightning match, 2009
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6 6.d3 Rf8 7.Be3 Bxe3 8.fxe3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5+ Kg8 11.Rxf8+ Qxf8 12.Nxc6 Qc5 13.Qe2 bxc6 14.d4 Bg4 15.dxc5 Bxe2 16.Nd2 Bh5 17.e4 Nb4 18.c3 Nd3 19.b4 a5 20.a4 axb4 21.cxb4 Nxb4 22.a5 Nd3 23.a6 Ra7 24.Nb3 Bf7 25.Rd1 Bxb3 26.Rxd3 Be6 27.Rd8+ Kf7 28.Rb8 Rxa6 29.Rb7 Ke7 30.Rxc7+ Bd7 31.Kf2 Ra5 32.g3 Rxc5 33.Ke3 Ra5 34.Rb7 Ra2 35.h3 Ra3+ 36.Kf4 c5 37.h4 c4 38.Ke5 Rd3 39.Ra7 c3 40.Rc7 Kd8 41.Rc4 Bb5 42.Rc5 Ba4 43.Ke6 c2 44.Kf7 Rd7+ 45.Ke6 Rc7 46.Rxc2 Bxc2 47.Kd5 Rd7+ 48.Ke5 Re7+ 49.Kf4 Rxe4+ 50.Kf3 Ke7 51.Kf2 Kf6 52.Kg2 Kf5 53.Kf2 Kg4 54.Kg2 Re2+ 55.Kf1 Bd3 56.h5 Kxg3 57.h6 Re3+ 58.Kg1 Re1# White checkmated 0-1
Latest game:
Wall,B - Filipmihov
FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 Ng4 10.0-0 Qf6 11.c3 Bxf2+ 12.Rxf2 Qxf2+ 13.Qxf2+ Nxf2 14.Kxf2 Be6 15.Nd2 Ke7 16.Nf3 Rhf8 17.h3 Rf7 18.Bg5+ Kd7 19.Kg3 h6 20.Bd2 g5 21.Rf1 Raf8 22.c4 c6 23.b4 b6 24.c5 g4?! 25.hxg4 Rg8 26.g5 hxg5 27.Rh1 g4 28.Ng5 Re7 29.cxd6 Kxd6 30.Rh6 Kd7 31.a4 Bf7 32.a5 b5?! 33.Bf4 Rg6?? 34.Nxf7 Rxh6 35.Nxh6 c5 36.bxc5 Kc6 37.Nf5 Re8 38.Bd6 Rd8 39.Nd4+ 1-0
2. Players
a) Strong grandmasters who used this line as White:
Fritz 8 Result=6/10 2003-2008 Elo-Ø: 3076 games: 10
Shredder 8 Result=3/3 2006 Elo-Ø: 3376 games: 3
Crafty 19.19 Result=2.5/3 2006 Elo-Ø: 3025 games: 3
Yace Paderborn Result=2.5/3 2006 Elo-Ø: 3126 games: 3
Hiarcs 8 Result=2.5/6 2002-2006 Elo-Ø: 3076 games: 6
Yace Result=0/1 2001 Elo-Ø: 2878 games: 1
b) Other notable players:
perrypawnpusher Result=210/253 2004-2012
Petasluk Result=152.5/243 2004-2012
UNPREDICTABLE Result=127/247 2007-2011
HIARCS 11.1 UCI Result=100/100 2008
mrjoker Result=84.5/136 2000-2010
MrJoker Result=84/108 2011-2012
DragonTail Result=83.5/345 2006-2011
stretto Result=82.5/187 2006-2011
3. Statistics
White scores badly (44%).
White performs Elo 1350 against an opposition of Elo 1393 (-43).
Black performs Elo 1392 against an opposition of Elo 1349 (+43).
White wins: 3838 (=42%), Draws: 265 (=3%), Black wins: 4944 (=55%)
The drawing quote is very low. (0% quick draws)
White wins are short (31).
Black wins are short (30).
Draws are long (50).
Here's a Jerome Gambit game that's just fun to play through, as the "Jerome pawns" take on enemy pieces.
Digueno - nukslim
FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4
6...Nf6 7.O-O Bd6 8.f4 Neg4 9.e5 Bb4 10.c3
10...Ba5 11.Qb3+ Kf8 12.h3 Nh6 13.Qa3+ d6 14.Qxa5 Nd7 15.f5 b6 16.Qd5 dxe5
Possibly hypnotized by the pawns... and then, without waiting Black resigned
graphic by Jeff Bucchino, The Wizard of Draws
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
