Good Luck Is Better...

The old saying goes "Good luck is better than a license to steal."

As much as I would like to think that my success in this game was due to "superior skill", I have to attribute most of it to Dame Fortune.
perrypawnpusher - deceptionmaster
blitz, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Ne7 

A reasonable decision by Black: since he is going to lose a piece anyhow, he simply develops another. I was surprised to see only one example in The Database, Jabbaman - HrDoctor, PlayChess.com, 2003, (1-0, 16)

8.dxc5

Also possible was 8.Qh5+ N5g6 9.Qxc5, but I was planning to use my pawns for a central clamp.

8...Rf8 9.f4 N5c6 10.Nc3 Kg8 11.e5 

After the game Rybka 3 recommended, instead, advancing the f-pawn, i.e., 11.f5 b6 12.f6 Ng6 13.fxg7 Rxf1+ 14.Qxf1 Kxg7 with the idea of exposing Black's King, leaving the defender only slightly better.

I still prefer my move.

11...b6 12.Be3 bxc5 13.Bxc5 Ba6 14.Rf2 Rf5 

Black has been developing well, but I thought that this move was a bit provocative. Set to "blunder check" at 5 minutes a move after the game, Rybka 3 had nothing to say, however.

15.g4 Rf7 16.Qe1 

Probably better was 16.Qd2.

16...Nc8 17.f5 Nb6 18.Qe4 Bb7 

19.Rd1

I was almost beginning to like my position. The problem is that my planned e5-e6 is not going to amount to much.

19...Qe8 20.e6 dxe6 21.fxe6 Rxf2 22.Kxf2 Rd8 

White's e-pawn is a weakie (as 22...Nd8 would have shown), but I still had a few ideas about how I could use it - if my opponent let me.

23.Rf1 Rd2+

I had expected this aggressive move, and appreciated the tempo it forced upon me.

24.Kg1

This works, but technically 24.Ke1 was better.

24...Qd8 

I am not sure what - or how much - my opponent overlooked here, but this is an unfortunate blitz error. Perhaps he was returning some material - a Queen for a Rook and a Bishop - and figured the remaining imbalance of 2 Knights, Bishop and Rook would outplay my Queen and Knight; but there is an oversight in that evaluation.

25.Rf8+ Qxf8 26.Bxf8 Kxf8 27.Qf4+ 

Black's Rook is hanging. Now all I had to do was avoid blundering and avoid running out of time.

27...Ke7 28.Qxd2

After the game Rybka 3 harped that I should have played 28.Qf7+ Kd6 29.Ne4+ Ke5 30.Nxd2. Whatever. 

28...Ne5 29.Qe3 Nf3+ 30.Kf2 Nxh2 31.Qc5+ Kxe6 32.Qxc7 Nxg4+ 33.Kg3 Bc8 34.Kxg4 Black resigned

Think Fast!

If Black has enough time, he can "solve" the Jerome Gambit.

Philidor1792 - guest4181
5+0 www.bereg.ru, 13.02.0028

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

First seen in Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's analysis in the Dubuque Chess Journal, April 1874, Vol. VI, No. 50, p. 358-9, "New Chess Opening".


6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.0-0 Be6

Jerome's analysis continued optimistically 7...Nf6 8.Qf3 Qd4 9.d3 Bg4 10.Qe3 Qxe3 11.Bxe3 Bxd3 12.fxe3 Ke7 "and White should draw by the judicious use of his pawns". A year later he varied from his own advice and played 10.Qg3, instead, in Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1/2-1/2, 29).

Black's move in today's game is very reasonable.

8.d3 Qh4 9.Nd2 Bg4 10.Qe1 Nf6 11.Nc4 Kf7 

Preparing to castle by hand.

12.Bf4 Rhf8 13.c3 Kg8 14.d4 Be7 15.Bxc7 Be6 

White has three "Jerome pawns" for his sacrificed piece, and the game is about equal.

16.Nd2 Nh5 17.f4 Rac8 18.Qxh4 Bxh4 19.Be5 Black lost on time

("Objectively," of course, the position was even.)

Another bus

After Philidor1792's game against Guest 128, I found myself thinking "It's a shame that Black didn't play 11...Nxc1."

No problem. Sometimes checkmate in the Jerome Gambit is like a city bus - miss one, not to worry, another one will come along shortly. On the same day Philidor1792 got to play the following game.


Philidor1792 - guest4181
5+0 www.bereg.ru, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.d4

8...Bxd4 9.c3 Bb6 10.f4 Nd3+

 11.Kd2 Nxc1 12.Qe5+ Kc6 13.Qd5 checkmate

There you go.

Keep Up - Or Get Trampled

The Jerome Gambit lends itself nicely to blitz chess, especially 5-minute games. Black can keep up - or get trampled.

Philidor1792 - guest128
5+0 www.bereg.ru, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.d4 

This move, less well known than 8.f4, is as old as Jerome - Norton, correspondence, 1877 (0-1, 41), as notorious as Tonetti - Ruggieri, Rome, 1863 (1-0, 23), and a favorite of Philidor1792, who has, by my count, 9 wins, 2 draws, and 0 losses with it.

White asks, "what's another pawn among frenemies?"

8...Bxd4 9.c3

Philidor1792 has also looked at 9.Na3. For coverage, see "An Intriguing Letter" Parts 1, 2 & 3; "Some History of the Jerome Gambit" Parts 1, 2 & 3; "Jerome Gambit: Early Opening Tomes" Parts 1, 2 & Addendum; and "Full Circle" Parts 1 & 2 

9...Bb6 10.f4 

10...Nd3+

Black no doubt feels good about being able to play a forward-going move, but this is not his strongest option.

11.Kd2 Nxf4

Black suddenly realizes that his intended 11...Nxc1 falls to 12.Qe5+ Kc6 13.Qd5 checkmate. Still, it is not time for despair.

12.Qxf4+ Kc6 13.e5 

13...d5 

"Luft!" Black imagines. 

14.Qa4+ Kc5 15.b4+ Kc4 16.b5+ Kc5 17.Qb4 checkmate

Chess.com Italian Game Tournament (Round 3)

The third round of the Chess.com Italian Game Tournament has begun, with seven players still in competition. In my 4-player group I am facing JoseSoza (2040), with an over-all record of 8-1-3, tops among players still active in the tournament;  wuolong (1749), with an over-all record of 7-3, fourth best among active players;  and Svarga (1287), with an over-all record of 5-5-0, sixth best among active players.
At 1823, with an over-all record of 8-3-1, I have the second best record among active players in the tournament. Of course, two of my three losses so far in the tournament have been with the Jerome Gambit, against JoseSoza, so nobody should be surprised how our next game (I have White in all three games to start this round) went - except me, of course: It started 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 (angling for an Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit) Be7. Oh, dear, no Jerome Gambit... Further bad luck, my game vs Svarga has concluded 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Black lost on time. That's another way to avoid the Jerome Gambit! However, wuolong has picked up the gauntlet, and allowed me an Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit!1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+.

Received Wisdom?

While it is interesting to look over the Jerome Gambit lines selected by the ChessBase "Opening Report" (the last three posts) based upon the games in The Database, it is important to remember that the collected "wisdom" presented is drawn from mostly amateur play - what is popular may not be what is "best".

History can be misleading.

For example, the main line of play, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 has always seemed to me to be easier for White to play (if subjectively less scary for Black to endure) than the lines after 6...Ke6.

Furthermore, do not be impressed by the "100%" score for White that shows up for the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.f4. After 6...Qh4+ 7.g3 Qg4 8.Qxg4 Nxg4 White will have a hard time whipping up any kind of attack with Queens off of the board and only two pawns in return for his two sacrificed pieces.

Finally, the recommendation for Black after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.0-0 - 6...Nc6 - Allows 7.Qh5+, winning the defender's dark-squared Bishop. Better is 6...Qf6, as 7.d4 is no threat, easily answered by 7...Bxd4! since 8.Qxd4 would lose to 8...Nf3+. 

The Wisdom of The Database (Part 4)

We continue (see the earlier "Opening Report" parts 1, 2, and 3) to uses ChessBase's Opening Report function to take a look at the games in The Database. 

As a reminder, the Report gathers what lines are being played, and what lines are being used by the top players in the database. It gives a good "real life" view of the play of the Jerome Gambit, even if it does not always identify the objectively best move or line. 

Opening Report

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4


Alternative: 6...Bxd4

ubluk (1884) - billwall (2488)
Play The Jerome Gambit Quad, Chess.com, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.Qb3 Qh4 10.Nc3 Ng4 11.g3 Qh5 12.Nd5 N8f6 13.f3 Nxh2 14.Bf4 Nxf3+ 15.Kf2 Nxe4+ 16.Kg2 Qf5 17.Raf1 Be6 18.Bxd6+ Ke8 19.Nxc7+ Kd7 20.Nxe6 Ned2 21.Nxg7 Nh4+ 22.Kh2 Nxf1+ 23.Kg1 Nf3+ 24.Kf2 Nd4+ 25.Nxf5 Nxb3 26.axb3 Rac8 27.Rxf1 Rxc2+ 28.Ke3 Rxb2 29.b4 Rg8 30.Kf4 b6 31.Rd1 Ke6 32.Re1+ Kd5 33.g4 Rg6 34.Bf8 1/2-1/2


savage13 (1791) - AAlekhine (1783)
thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 8.0-0? Ne7 9.f4? N5c6 10.Qc4+ d5 11.exd5 Na5  12.Qxc7 Qd4+ 13.Kh1 Qxd5 14.Nc3 Qc4 15.Re1 Qxc7 0-1



jutabar (1653) - vladx (2192)
rated standard, FICS, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.0-0 Nf6 9.Nc3 c5 10.Qd1 Qb6 11.Na4 Qc6 12.f4 Bg4 13.Qd2 Nc4 14.Qc3 Qxa4 15.b3 Nxe4 16.Qd3 Qc6 17.bxc4 Rhf8 18.Bb2 Kg8 19.Rfe1 Rxf4 20.Rxe4 Qxe4 21.Qc3 Rf7 22.h3 Be2 23.Qg3 Qxc2 24.Ba3 Re8 25.Qxd6 Qc3 26.Qxc5 Qxa1+ 27.Kh2 Bf3 28.gxf3 Re2+ 29.Kg3 Qe1+ 30.Kg4 Rf4+ 31.Kxf4 Qh4+ 32.Kf5 g6# White checkmated 0-1

ChessIcon (1761) - adrotrico (1924)
rated standard, FICS, 2004
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.Bf4 Nc6 9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qf3 Qf6 12.h4 Ne5 13.Qg3 h6 14.Nc3 Ne7 15.0-0-0 Raf8 16.Nd5 Bxd5 17.exd5 Ke8 18.Bxe5 Qxe5 19.Qb3 Rxf2 20.Qa4+ Kd8 21.Qxa7 Qe2 22.Qa4 b5 23.Qb3 Qc4 24.Qxc4 bxc4 25.Rhg1 Rhf8 26.Rde1 R8f5 27.g4 Rxd5 28.Rg3 Rdd2 29.Rc3 Rde2 30.Rg1 d5 31.a4 Nc6 32.g5 h5 33.b4 Nxb4 34.a5 Na2+ 35.Kb2 Nxc3 36.Kxc3 Rxc2+ 37.Kb4 Kd7 38.Kc5 c6 39.Kb6 Rb2+ 40.Ka7 Rf7 41.a6 Kd6+ 42.Ka8 Re2 43.Rb1 Re8+ 44.Rb8 Rxb8+ 45.Kxb8 c3 46.a7 Rxa7 White resigns 0-1

Sullyman (1758) - Hisaw (1911)
rated standard, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.f4 Nc6 9.Qd3 Nf6 10.Nc3 Re8 11.0-0 Kg8 12.Be3 Qe7 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Qxd5+ Be6 15.Qb5 Bc8 16.Qd5+ Qe6 17.Qxe6+ Rxe6 18.f5 Rxe4 19.Bg5 Bd7 20.f6 Rf8 21.fxg7 Rxf1+ 22.Rxf1 Kxg7 23.Bf6+ Kg6 24.h4 h5 25.Bg5 Bf5 26.c3 Ne5 27.Bd8 c6 28.Bc7 d5 29.Bd8 Ng4 30.g3 Re2 0-1

vokrri (1612) - blackknight21 (1982)
GameKnot.com, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.0-0 Nf6 9.f4 c5 10.Qe3 Nc6 11.e5 Ng4 12.Qe2 Nd4 13.Qd3 Bf5 14.Qc4+ d5 15.Qxc5 Qh4 16.h3 Ne2+ 17.Kh1 Qxh3+ 18.gxh3 Be4+ 0-1


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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.f4

2 games, 2011-2012, Ø=2012
White scores excellently (100%).
Elo-Ø: 1261, 2 games. Performance = Elo 2109
played by: Petasluk, 1421, 1/1; Darthnik, 1101, 1/1

You should play: 6...Nc6

Petasluk (1421) - Jirayu (1412)
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.f4 Nc6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Nf6 11.0-0 Qe7 12.d3 Bd7 13.Bd2 Rf8 14.Nc3 Kf7 15.Rae1 Kg8 16.e5 Nh5 17.e6 Be8 18.d4 Ng7 19.d5 Nd8 20.g4 c6 21.Qg3 b5 22.a3 a5 23.b4 axb4 24.axb4 Qa7+ 25.Be3 Qe7 26.Bd4 Ra3 27.Bxg7 Kxg7 28.f5 gxf5 29.gxf5+ Kh8 30.Kh1 Rg8 31.Qe3 Qf6 32.Ne4 Rxe3 33.Nxf6 Rxe1 34.Rxe1 Rf8 35.e7 1-0

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d) 6.0-0

5 games, 2004-2011, 
White scores miserably (20%).
Elo-Ø: 1307, 4 games. Performance = Elo 1475
played by: Odizzel, 1508, 1/1; Chid, 1462, 0/1; Helal, 1166, 0/1; sTpny, 1094, 0/1

You should play: 6...Nf6

Odizzel (1508) - samshaunak (1740)
rated lightning, FICS, 2004
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.0-0 Nf6 7.d4 d6 8.dxc5 dxc5 9.f4 Qxd1 10.Rxd1 Neg4 11.h3 Nh6 12.g4 Nxe4 13.g5 Nf5 14.Re1 Re8 15.Nd2 Nxd2 16.Bxd2 Bd7 17.Rxe8 Rxe8 18.Bc3 Nd4 19.Bxd4 cxd4 20.Rd1 c5 21.c3 dxc3 22.Rxd7+ Re7 23.Rxe7+ Kxe7 24.bxc3 Kd6 25.Kf2 Kd5 26.Ke3 Kc4 27.Ke4 Kxc3 28.Kf5 c4 29.g6 Kb2 30.gxh7 c3 31.Kg6 c2 32.h8Q c1Q 33.Qxg7+ Qc3 34.Qxc3+ Kxc3 35.f5 b5 36.f6 a5 37.f7 b4 38.f8Q a4 39.Qc8+ Kb2 40.h4 b3 41.axb3 a3 42.Qh8+ Kxb3 43.Qe5 a2 44.Qe1 Kb2 45.h5 a1Q 46.Qxa1+ Kxa1 47.h6 1-0


AsceticKingK9 - Haroldlee123
ChessWorld JG6, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.0-0 Nf6 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.Nc3 c5 10.Qd1 Qd7 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.f4 Nc4 14.Qe2 Nxb2 15.Rab1 Na4 16.Qc4+ d5 17.Qxa4 Qxa4 18.Nxa4 dxe4 19.Nxc5 e3 20.Nxb7 Ke7 21.Na5 Kf7 22.Rfe1 Re8 23.Nc4 Kg6 24.Rxe3 Rd8 25.Rg3+ Kf7 26.Ne3 Ba6 27.Nf5 h5 28.Re1 Kf8 29.Rg6 Rd2 30.Rxf6+ Kg8 31.Re7 Rd1+ 32.Kf2 Bc4 Black won on time 0-1