The Evans-Jerome Gambit Returns (Part 1)

The Evans Gambit can be deadly in fast blitz games, and when White adds a dash of Jerome Gambit as well, things can get very wild.

It is fun to quote from Bullet Chess One Minute to Mate by Hikaru Nakamura and Bruce Harper on the issue and impact of time

What chess pedants often don't emphasize sufficiently are the psychological and competitive aspects of chess. Great attacking players like Tal often so confused their opponents that they grew short of time and lost their way (and the game). This was risky, of course, because there could be no guarantee that the opponent would get into time trouble, much less make a mistake as a result.

Philidor 1792 - guest1321
blitz 3 0, www.bereg.ru (1), 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4

The Evans Gambit.

4...Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.Bxf7+

The Evans-Jerome Gambit, played as early as 1877 by Charlick in his win against Holloway; only, in that game, Black played 5...Bc5.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.Qh5+ Ke6 9.Qf5+ Kd6

10.Ba3+ c5 11.Bxc5+ Kxc5 12.Qxe5+ Kb6 13.Qd6+ Kb5 14.Na3+ Ka4 15.Qd4+ Kxa3 16.Qc5+ Ka4 17.Qc4+ Ka3 18.Qb3 checkmate

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Don't Feed the Greed

When a defender plays the Blackburne Shilling gambit he or she is alreading taking on a certain level of risk. When White responds with the "Jerome treatment", this riskiness increases. When Black's King goes wandering in search of winning material, he must know when to turn back, or the level of risk becomes fatal.
 
rrjuly - aLmaLja
blitz, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Kxd4 

More prudent Kings have tip-toed away with 7...Ke6.

8.d3 Bb4+

Instead, 8...Ke5 is the safest way to go, although White still keeps the pressure on with 9.Qh5+, perrypawnpusher - PunisherABD, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0,27).

9.Nc3 c6 

Again, heading toward home with 9...Bxc3+ 10.bxc3+ Ke5 is the most prudent course (beware of 10...Kxc3 11.Qb3+ Kd4 12.Qd5+ Kc3 13.Qc4#) although again, White is better with 11.Qh5+, perrypawnpusher - AdamRou, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).

10.Bf4

Even stronger was 10.Qh5 Nf6 11.Be3+ Kxd3 12.Qe2# Wall,B - apollyon2010, Chess.com, 2010. 

10...Bxc3+ 11.bxc3+ 

11...Kxc3 

At this point 11...Kc5 12.Qa4 Qa5 13.Qxa5+ b5 14.Bc7 d6 15.Qb4 checkmate, is not much of an alternative. 

12.Qb3+ Kd4 13.Qc4 checkmate

A Dynamic Hybrid

The other day I was minding my own business, playing Black in a 3 0 blitz game at FICS when my opponent, mitchies, suddenly added a dose of "Jerome" to our game.

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nxd5 4.Bc4 Nb6 5.Bxf7+ 

Wow! That got my attention. 

This reminded me of the FICS games of Veijoasquerosos, of Mexico, who, early on in this blog, I nicknamed "The King of Bxf7+" for his practice of playing Bxf7+ against practically anything. For those of you with significant aggression management issues, that post is still worth checking out.

In my game, mitchies pressed his attack, while I defended and exchanged Queens. However, as time wound down, I dropped a piece - finally justifying my opponent's overt aggression.

Alas, for him, and the ghost of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, both of our flags were hanging, but his fell first. 

5...Kxf7 6.Qf3+ Kg8 7.d3
e5 8.Qg3 Qf6 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.O-O Bd6 11.Bg5 Qg6 12.Ne4 h6 13.Be3 Qxg3
14.fxg3 Bg4 15.Nh4 Kh7 16.h3 Be6 17.g4 Rhf8 18.g5 Rxf1+ 19.Rxf1 Rf8
20.Re1 h5 21.g6+ Kg8 22.Ng5 Rf6 23.d4 Bd7 24.dxe5 Nxe5 25.Bd4 Rf8
26.Bxe5 Bxe5 27.Rxe5 Bc6 28.Ne6 Re8 29.Nf3 Bd7 30.Nxc7 Rxe5 31.Nxe5
Bf5 32.Nf7 Nd7 White forfeited on time

Do As I Say...

Readers are encouraged to enjoy the following quickie game, while recalling the charge: Do as I say, not as I do...

perrypawnpusher - schachix
blitz, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

When declining the Knight, usually Black's King retires to f8.

6.Qh5+

The Queen check was irresistible, but not best. I had been trying to get a Jerome Gambit all week, and this was my first opportunity.

The proper way to play this, as I should have remembered, is 6.Nxc6 when after 6...Qh4 (no examples in The Database) 7.d4 Qxe4+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Bb6 10.Nb4 Bxd4 11.Nd5 Kd8 the game would be equal.

For the record, 6.Nxc6 bxc6 was seen in Wall,B - Qwerty, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 9) and Wall,B - LFTN, FICS 2012 (1-0, 20) while 6...dxc6 was dispatched in Wall,B - Gebba, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 11).

6...g6

I had already pulled off 6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Nxc6+ Kf6 10.Qf5 checkmate, Kennedy - WeakDelphi, blitz 2 12, 2008 and 6...Kf8 7.Qf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - platel, blitz, FICS, 2011 (which probably influenced my choice of 6.Qh5+). 

7.Nxg6 

7...Qf6 

Here is where my opponent lost his chance. Houdini recommends 7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Nf6 9.Qh4 Rg8 10.Rf1 Rxg6 11.Kg1 Qe7 with advantage to Black.

Only 5 games in The Database have Black's counter-sacrifice of the Bishop, and 4 of them are wins for White, for example 7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ (8...Nf6 was correct) 9.Nf4+ Kd8 10.d3 d6 11.Rf1 Qd4+ 12.Be3 Qf6 13.c3 Black resigned, Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA 1960.

8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.Qxc5 Qxh8 10.Qf8 checkmate

After the Refutation: Play On!

While it is nice to surprise an opponent with the Jerome Gambit, more and more often defenders are showing that they have an idea about how to defend - if not outright refute - the opening. What's an attacker to do?

Well, play on, of course!

Wall,B - Guest1839713
PlayChess.com, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 

The so-called "annoying defense" (see "Philidor1792 vs the Annoying Defense" Parts 1, 2 and 3; "Further Exploration" and "Theory from the Thematic Tournament" Parts 3 and 4), the refutation choice of most computers, which has even given Bill trouble from time to time.

It is interesting to put this in perspective, however, in light of the previous post on "refutation". 

The Database has over 10,000 games starting with the Jerome Gambit sequence 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, with White scoring 45%. Interestingly enough, against the "annoying defense" White has scored 58%.

Bill has scored 70% against the "annoying defense" which looks good until you realize that his over-all Jerome Gambit score is 96%.

It is as if a sage has warned players: After the refutation, the gods have placed the rest of the game...

9.Qh3+ Kf7 10.Qh5+ Kf8 11.Qxe5 

11...Bd6

This certainly looks aggressive enough, but Bill recommends, instead,11...Qh4+ 12.g3 Qe7.

12.0-0+

Wise. As Bill points out, there is more danger in 12.Qd5? Qh4+ 13.Ke2 Qg4+ 14.Ke1 Qxg2 15.Rf1+ Nf6. 

12...Nf6 13.Qg5 Kg8 

Instead, 13...h6 14.Qh4 g5 was seen in Colossus - Spike1.2, Jerome Forced Computer Chess Match, 2006 (0-1, 43); while 13...Be6 was seen in several games in the legendary Fisher-Kirshner,M - Knight Stalker, Mission San Jose, Fremont, CA, 1993 match.

14.e5

White needs to push on, as Bill demonstrates. Not 14.Nc3? Bxh2+ 15.Kxh2 Ng4+

14...Bc5+ 15.Kh1 Be7 16.exf6 Bxf6 

What can I say?

Bill Watterson said it best when he titled one of his Calvin and Hobbes books:

To wit, Black has "scientifically" returned the sacrificed material to calm the storm. True, he is a pawn down, but he hopes that the "two Bishops" will compensate in an open position. 

17.Qc5 h6 18.Nc3 c6 19.Ne4 Bd4 20.Qc4+ Kh7

Black has castled by hand.

21.c3 Be5? 

Instead, Bill recommends 21...Re8 22.cxd4 Rxe4 with about an equal game, although 22.Ng3!? might be a way for White to maintain an edge.

22.d4 Bc7 23.Qd3 

This is a strong move, but Bill points out 23.Nf6+! gxf6 (23...Kg6 24.Qd3+ Kf7 25.Ne8+ kills) 24.Qf7#

23...Rf8 24.Nf6+ 

Better late than never: a nice discovered double check.

24...Kh8 25.Qh7 checkmate

Clever!

Refuted

As much as I enjoy the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), I have acknowledged from the beginning (see "But - Is this stuff playable??" Part I and Part II) that it is not really a "good" opening in the sense of the Ruy Lopez or Sicilian Defense.

So, when I ran across the following discussion of "refuted" at Tim Sawyer's "Playing Chess Openings" blog I had to chuckle. Tim was talking about a line in the Blackmar Diemer Gambit - which, when compared to the Jerome, is as solid as the Catalan or the Slav - but he makes good points.

"Refuted" in chess opening terminology has to do with theory or evidence. Basically, a variation is refuted if: when you play it, you lose.
There are three types of "refuted" variations:
1. When computer analysis overwhelmingly favors your opponent's side.
2. When the performance ratings are significantly below expectations.
3. When you lose regularly with this variation against your opponents.


My guess is that most of the members of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde are satisfied that #3 is not their problem - they either win regularly against their opponents, or they play enjoyable games (and that is enough for them).

What A Difference A D(el)ay Makes

I puzzled my way through the following game, even though I didn't need to. It is Bill Wall playing the Jerome Gambit. Of course White wins.

Wall,B - PLKT
FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

Heading for the Blackburne or Whistler Defenses.

7.Qxe5 Bd6 

8.Qd5+

I was puzzled by this move, as experience has shown that after this inaccurate move (better 7...d6 or 7...Qe7) the Black Rook can be taken: perrypawnpusher - tuffnut, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33); perrypawnpusher - bakker, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 20); perrypawnpusher - Kapppy, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 34); perrypawnpusher - Sirenus, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 13); perrypawnpusher - frencheng, 7 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 17); and perrypawnpusher - elyza, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 24);

Furthermore, Bill is always the first to examine the latest version of The Database and mine it for new ideas to inject into his games.

Plus, he has read the almost 1,750 posts here on this blog.

That last fact gave me a thought: with all that information, could a couple of lines of play have been crossed in his mental database? It turns out, that's quite possible.

Looking back at "By the Numbers" (see also "Pulling A Rabbit Out of A Hat" and "I think I have a win, but it will take time...") there is a game similar to today's, coming out of the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit opening (add 0-0 for White and ...h6 for Black), where the notes indicate that the defender should have played ...Bf8!? instead of that game's ...Bd6, as then the Rook would be poisoned.

Or, maybe this is all just a lot of psychological noodling on my part.

8...Kf8 9.d4 Nf6 

10.Qg5 Be7 11.Qe3 d5 12.e5 Ne4 

White has his standard two pawns for a piece, while both Black's Knight and King could prove misplaced.

13.0-0 Bg5 14.f4 Bh6 15.h3 Qh4 16.Nc3 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Bf5

Black continues his aggressive play. Perhaps he is familiar with Blackburne's destruction of the Jerome Gambit?

18.c4 c6 19.Ba3+ Ke8

It may not be immediately obvious, but getting the King off of the f-file by moving him into the center is not best.

White can now generate enough excitement to even the game up - or to go for more, if his opponent cooperates.

20.Qb3

Quite possibly this is just the move Black had been hoping for. While he lines up his two Bishops and Queen to find a Blackburne-like mating attack, his opponent's strong piece abandons her monarch.

20...Bxf4

Too hopeful. His Queen had to return home, while giving up material - 20...Qd8 21.Qxb7 Rc8 22.Qxa7 dxc4 - with about an equal game.

21.Qxb7

Bill points out that White has to plunge ahead, as 21.Rxf4? Qxf4 22.Qxb7 Qxd4+ 23.Kh2 Qxe5+ is a terrible alternative.

Now Black has the opportunity to "sacrifice" both of his Rooks, as in the Blackburne game - but without getting the requisite mating attack.

21...Be3+

Best, but not saving.

22.Kh2

The only move. Certainly not 22.Kh1 Bxh3 23.Qxa8+?? Bc8 checkmate.

22...Bf4+ 

It was time for Black to go for the swindle with 22...Bxh3 23.Qxa8+?? Bc8 checkmate!  

Instead, 22...Bxh3 23.gxh3? would have led to a draw by perpetual check 23...Bf4+ 24.Rxf4 Qxf4+ 25.Kg2 Qe4+, etc.

Of course, after 22...Bxh3 23.Qf7+! Kd8 24.gxh3 all is good with White's world.

23.Rxf4 Qxf4+ 24.Kh1 Qh4 25.Qxa8+ Qd8 26.Qxc6+ Kf7 27.cxd5 Black resigned

In the end, even the "Jerome pawns" joined in the attack.