So far, the recent Opening Report on the Jerome Gambit (see 1, 2 and 3), based on the 27,000+ games contained in TheDatabase, has had few surprises. I'd like to point out a couple of interesting findings, however, before pursuing a deeper look.
The Opening Report highlights a number of games from an interesting 2008 30-game human vs computers match (starting with "Jerome Gambit: Drilling Down (1)"
This post starts an extended series (which may be interrupted from time-to-time for news, games or analysis) wherein the intrepid "RevvedUp" (a good chess player) and his trusted companions Hiarcs 8, Shredder 8, Yace Paderborn, Crafty 19.19 and Fritz 8 explore the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) by taking turns playing the White and Black pieces.
The human moves first, and takes notice of the defense the computer plays. In the next game, where he moves second, the human plays that defense against a new computer – and sees how it attacks. In the third game, the human plays the recent attack against his new computer foe. Collectively, the players drill deeper and deeper into the Jerome Gambit.
It also shows that Jerome Gambit players sometimes prefer chaos to clarity, as recommended responses to the Jerome Gambit Declined (again, based on the examples in TheDatabase) - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 or 4...Ke7 - are given as 5.Nc3 and 5.Nxe5, respectively.
The straight-forward Bishop retreat 5.Bb3 (as well as its cousin, 5.Bd5) is stronger.
We will use the ChessBase Opening Report to dig deeper into the Jerome Gambit (through the eyes of TheDatabase), but first there are a few new interesting games from Philidor1792 to look at.
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...
Opening report
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
9062 games in 'TheDatabase'
b) 4...Kf8
207 games, 2000-2012,
Black scores averagely (44%).
Elo-Ø: 1353, 193 games. Performance = Elo 1304
played by: blackburne, 1778, 2/2; Talwhu, 1722, 1/1; PatOrMat, 1685, 1/1; Rolmx, 1683, 0/1; vilinar, 1666, 1/1
You should play: 5.Nc3
AAlekhine (1586) - blackburne (1795)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Nc3 d6 6.d3 Kxf7 7.Ng5+ Kf8 8.Qf3+ Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.0-0 Nd4 11.Be3 Nxc2 12.Rad1 Bxe3 13.Nf3 Bg4 14.h3 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Bf4 16.a3 Nd4 17.Kg2 Ke7 18.Rg1 g5 19.Kf1 Nxf3 20.Rg2 Rhg8 21.Nd5+ Nxd5 22.exd5 h5 23.h4 Nxh4 24.Rg1 g4 25.d4 Nf3 26.Rg2 h4 27.Ke2 Nxd4+ 28.Kd3 h3 29.Rgg1 h2 30.Rh1 g3 31.fxg3 Rxg3+ 32.Kc4 Rb3 33.Rxd4 exd4 34.Kxb3 d3 35.Kc3 d2 36.Kc2 Kf6 37.Kd1 Re8 38.b4 Re1+ 39.Rxe1 dxe1Q+ 40.Kxe1 h1Q+ 41.Kf2 Qe4 42.a4 Qe3+ 43.Kg2 Ke5 44.b5 Ke4 45.a5 Qf3+ 46.Kg1 Qe2 47.b6 Kxd5 48.bxa7 Be3+ 49.Kh1 Bxa7 50.a6 b6 51.Kg1 Ke4 52.Kh1 Kf3 53.Kg1 Qg2# 0-1
Plejade - erch
ChessWorld.net, 2003
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Nc3 Kxf7 6.Nd5 Nge7 7.Nxe7 Qxe7 8.d3 Rf8 9.Be3 Kg8 10.Bxc5 Qxc5 11.Qd2 Nb4 12.c3 Nc6 13.d4 exd4 14.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.0-0 Nc6 16.Rfd1 Ne5 17.Qd5+ Qxd5 18.exd5 Nc4 19.g3 Nxb2 20.Rd4 b5 21.d6 cxd6 22.Rxd6 Rf6 23.Rxf6 Nd3 24.Rd1 gxf6 25.Rxd3 Kf8 26.Rd6 Kf7 27.f4 a5 28.Rb6 Ba6 29.h4 d5 30.g4 b4 31.cxb4 d4 32.b5 d3 33.bxa6 Rd8 34.Rb1 Ke6 35.f5+ Ke5 36.Kf1 Kd4 37.Ke1 Ke3 38.Kd1 Kd4 39.Kd2 Rc8 40.Rb5 Rc2+ 41.Kd1 Rxa2 42.a7 Ra1+ 43.Kd2 Ra2+ 44.Kd1 Kc3 45.Rc5+ Kd4 46.Rc6 Ke3 47.a8Q Rd2+ 48.Ke1 Rg2 49.Rc3 Rg1# 0-1
Alternative: 5.Bxg8
drewbear (1718) - BrainFreeze (1685)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d3 d5 7.Ng5 dxe4 8.Nxh7+ Ke8 9.Qh5+ Ke710.Bg5+ Kd6 11.Bxd8 Nxd8 12.Qg6+ Kd5 13.Nf6+ 1-0
SIRMO (1798) - AAlekhine (1625)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.c3 Qf6 7.d3 d6 8.a4 Ke8 9.Bg5 Qg6 10.h4 h6 11.h5 Qe6 12.Bd2 Bd7 13.b4 Bxf2+ 14.Kxf2 Rf8 15.Rh3 Ke7 16.Be3 Rae8 17.b5 Na5 18.Nbd2 Kd8 19.Ke2 Kc8 20.c4 g5 21.Nh2 Qf6 22.Rf3 Qe6 23.Qf1 g4 24.Rxf8 g3 25.Rxe8+ Bxe8 26.Nhf3 Bxh5 27.Qh1 Qf7 28.Qh3+ Kb8 29.Qxg3 b6 30.Bxh6 Nb7 31.Qg7 Qxg7 32.Bxg7 Nc5 33.a5 Ne6 34.Bf6 Nf4+ 35.Kf1 Nxd3 36.axb6 cxb6 37.Be7 Kc8 38.Bxd6 Kd7 39.Nxe5+ Nxe5 40.Bxe5 Ke6 41.Bc7 Kd7 42.Rxa7 Kc8 43.Bxb6 Kb8 44.c5 Bd1 45.Nc4 Bb3 46.Nd6 Bc2 47.Rd7 1-0
Superpippo (1597) - TajniDobrovoljci (1607)
FICS rated blitz game, 2001
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Kxg8 6.0-0 d6 7.c3 Bg4 8.d4 exd4 9.Qb3+ Kf8 10.Nxd4 Bxd4 11.cxd4 b6 12.Be3 Qf6 13.Nd2 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Qxd4 15.Nf3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3+ Ke7 17.Rad1 Qf6 18.e5 Qxf3 19.exd6+ cxd6 20.Rfe1+ Kf7 21.gxf3 Rhd8 22.Re4 d5 23.Rh4 h6 24.Kg2 Rd7 25.f4 Rad8 26.Kf3 Re7 27.Rh5 d4 28.Re5 d3 29.Ke3 d2 30.Rxd2 Rxd2 31.Kxd2 Rxe5 32.fxe5 g5 33.Ke3 Ke6 34.Ke4 h5 35.f4 gxf4 36.Kxf4 a5 37.a4 Kd5 38.Kf5 Kc4 39.e6 Kb3 40.e7 Kxa4 41.e8Q+ Kb3 42.Qe2 Kb4 43.Qc2 b5 44.Qc3+ Ka4 45.Qa3# 1-0
drewbear (1718) - karmmark (1387)
thematic ChessWorld.net, 11.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 1-0
LSS (1875) - KaptKoca (1614)
FICS server game, rated blitz match, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.0-0 d6 7.d3 h6 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.Kh1 Ke8 11.g4 Bf7 12.Nh2 Rf8 13.f4 exf4 14.Rxf4 Ne5 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.Rxf8+ Kxf8 17.exd5 Qh4 18.Qf1+ Kg8 19.Qg2 Rf8 20.b4 Bb6 21.Bb2 Rf2 22.d4 Rxg2 23.Kxg2 Nc4 24.Bc3 Ne3+ 25.Kh1 Qxh3 26.Rg1 Nxc2 27.Bb2 Nxd4 28.Bxd4 Bxd4 29.Rg2 Be5 30.a4 Bxh2 31.Rxh2 Qxg4 32.b5 Qxa4 0-1
Superpippo (1678) - raffa (1406)
FICS rated blitz game, 2002
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8 5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d4 exd4 7.c3 Qf6 8.cxd4 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.0-0 d6 11.Nc3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qxc3 13.Bg5 g6 14.Rc1 Qe5 15.f4 Qxe4 16.Re1 Qf5 17.Rxc7 Rg7 18.Qxd6+ 1-0
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c) 4...Ke7
33 games, 1999-2011,
Black scores badly (29%).
Elo-Ø: 1287, 31 games. Performance = Elo 1125
played by: agno, 1607, 0/1; MRKumar, 1602, 0/1; AAlekhine, 1601, 1/2; Brown, 1552, 1/1; Bucephale, 1528, 0/1
You should play: 5.Nxe5
Nesseerd (1111) - nontheist (1291)
FICS server game, rated blitz match, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Ke7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Bd5 c6 7.Qh5 Ng6 8.Qe5+ Nxe5 0-1
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...
Opening report
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
9062 games in 'TheDatabase'
4. Moves and Plans
a) 4...Kxf7
8794 games, 1874-2012,
Black scores well (57%).
Elo-Ø: 1394, 7469 games. Performance = Elo 1392
played by: Shredder 8, 3376, 3/3; YOUCANWIN, 3284, 2/2; Yace Paderborn, 3126, 2.5/3; Fritz 8, 3076, 8/11; Hiarcs 8, 3076, 5/6;
You should play: 5.Nxe5+
Shredder 8 (3374) - RevvedUp (2038)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qe2 Nf6 10.Qc4+ Kd6 11.b4 Bb6 12.Nc3 Be6 13.Qe2 c6 14.Na4 Qe7 15.Nxb6 axb6 16.0-0 Rhf8 17.a3 Kc7 18.Bb2 Bg4 19.Qe3 h6 20.d4 exd4 21.Qg3+ Kd7 22.e5 Be2 23.exf6 Rxf6 24.Rfe1 Raf8 25.Bxd4 1-0
Shredder 8 (3377) - RevvedUp (2034)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Qh4 10.Nc3 c6 11.d3 Nf6 12.Qd4 Ke7 13.h3 Qh5 14.0-0 Qc5 15.Qa4 Re8 16.Be3 Qe5 17.f4 Qe6 18.f5 Qf7 19.fxg6 Qxg6 20.Rf3 h6 21.Raf1 Be6 22.Qb4 b6 23.e5 Nd5 24.Qxd6# 1-0
Shredder 8 (3377) - RevvedUp (2031)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Qd8 Qxe4 11.Qxc7+ Qe7 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 13.d3 Be6 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.fxe3 Rf8 16.e4 Ng4 17.Rxf8 Kxf8 18.Nc3 a6 19.Rf1+ Ke7 20.h3 Ne5 21.Kf2 h5 22.h4 Ng4+ 23.Ke2 Ne5 24.b4 Bg4+ 25.Ke3 Be6 26.b5 a5 27.Nd5+ Bxd5 28.exd5 1-0
Yace Paderborn (3124) - RevvedUp (2039)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Kd6 10.Qd3+ Ke7 11.Qg3 Kf7 12.Qxe5 Bd4 13.Rf1+ Nf6 14.Qh5+ Ke7 15.Qg5 Rg8 16.e5 h6 17.Qf4 Re8 18.exf6+ Kf7+ 19.Kd1 Bxf6 20.Nc3 Kg8 21.Ne4 Rf8 22.Rf3 Bd7 23.Nc5 Bc6 24.Ne6 Bxf3+ 25.gxf3 Qd6 26.Qxd6 cxd6 27.Nxf8 Rxf8 28.f4 g6 29.d3 h5 30.a4 a6 31.Ra3 Rf7 32.c4 Rd7 33.b3 d5 34.Kc2 Kf7 35.Be3 dxc4 36.bxc4 Ke6 37.Rb3 Bd4 38.Bxd4 Rxd4 39.Rb6+ Kf5 40.Rxb7 Rd6 41.Rf7+ Kg4 42.Kc3 Kh3 43.f5 gxf5 44.Rxf5 Rh6 45.Rf2 h4 46.d4 Kg4 47.c5 h3 48.d5 1-0
Yace Paderborn (3127) - RevvedUp (2032)
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Bd7 10.d4 Bb6 11.Nd2 Re8 12.Nf3 Qh5 13.Ng5+ Kf8 14.Nxh7+ Kf7 15.Bd2 Nf6 16.Qxf6+ Kg8 17.Ng5 Rf8 18.Qe7 Bc8 19.Bc3 d5 20.exd5 Bf5 21.Bb4 Qh6 22.c3 c5 23.dxc6 Bd8 24.Qxf8+ Qxf8 25.Bxf8 Kxf8 26.cxb7 1-0
Fritz 8 (3074) - RevvedUp (2037)
blitz 2 12 2, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Rf1 Nf6 10.Qe2 Ke7 11.d3 Qd4 12.c3 Qd6 13.Nd2 Bg4 14.Rxf6 Bxe2 15.Rxd6 Bh5 16.Rd5 Bd6 17.Nc4 Bf7 18.Bg5+ Ke6 19.Rd1 h6 20.Bh4 Rhe8 21.Bg3 Kd7 22.Nxe5+ Rxe5 23.Rxe5 Bxe5 24.Bxe5 Bxa2 25.Bxg7 Rg8 26.Bxh6 Rxg2 27.Rd2 Rxd2 28.Kxd2 Bf7 29.d4 c6 30.Ke3 b5 31.b4 Ke6 32.h3 Kf6 33.Kf4 Bc4 34.Bf8 Be6 35.h4 a6 36.h5 Bc4 37.h6 Kg6 38.Ke5 Bd3 39.d5 cxd5 40.exd5 Kf7 41.Bc5 Bh7 42.d6 Ke8 43.Kf6 Bd3 44.Kg7 Kd7 45.h7 1-0
Main line:
5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 45%,
5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 54%,
5...Nxe5 6.d4 49%,
Critical line:
5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Bd6 8.Qf5+ 22 % White.
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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.
