The Evans Jerome Gambit Strikes Again!

An abiding concern for Black, besides dealing with the attack that comes with the Evans Gambit and the Jerome Gambit, is not using up too much time figuring out how he is going to respond. Sometimes a successful defense over-the-board is undone by a shortage on the clock.

Philidor 1792 - guest2001
3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 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.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.Qh5+ Ke6 9.Qf5+ Kd6 10.d4 

Philidor1792 tried 10.Ba3+ in 4 games against guest1321 in 2013, winning in 14, 16, 17 and 18 moves. 

10...Qe8 11.dxe5+ Kc6 12.e6 Qxe6 13.Qxa5 Qxe4+ 14.Be3 b6 15.Qg5 Qg6 

16.Nd2 Qxg5 17.Bxg5 h6 18.Be3 Ne7 19.0-0-0 Ba6

20.Nf3 d5 21.Rhe1 Rhe8 22.Ne5+ Kb7 23.f4 c5 24.g4 Rad8 25.Bf2 Nc6 26.Nf7

At this point, in a relatively balanced game, White won on time.

It Is Easier To Attack Than To Defend

Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member Philidor 1792 has sent another batch of Jerome and Jerome-ish games played at the 3-minute time limit, showing that an attacking spirit is a very dangerous thing!

Philidor 1792 - guest2187
3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.d4

This is a rare line (there are only 6 other game examples in the 30,000+ game The Database) whose idea is clear - more open lines at the cost of an additional pawn.

7...Bxd4 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.Bg5 Nf6 10.Na3 Rf8 11.Nb5+

Another aggressive idea is 11.0-0-0. White is not going to win this game in a long, drawn-out ending - he is looking for checkmate.

11...Kc6

This is what he was waiting for. Instead, 11...Kc5 12.Nxd4 d6 and Black still has the advantage. 

12.Nxd4+ Kc5 13.Qxe5+ Kc4

The only way to prevent mate was 13...d5, but Black would still be lost. 

14.b3+ Kc3 15.Nc6+ Kxc2 16.Rc1+ Kd3 17.Qd4 checkmate

[January 2014 was the fourth-highest most-viewed month in this blog's existence, behind only December 2013, November 2013 and May 2011. Many thanks to Readers everywhere - Rick]

Disappointment Against the Jerome Gambit: The Fish Escapes

I think my opponent was disappointed with his last move. I don't blame him. He had been playing a good game, and had every reason to hope for success. I don't know which is worse, losing to the Jerome Gambit (and the fish who plays it) or failing to punish someone (the fish) who plays the Jerome gambit.

perrypawnpusher - tjaksi
blitz, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

More enterprising than in our first game, when my opponent played 6...Ng6,  perrypawnpusher - tjaksi, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0,16)

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ d6

11.Qe3 

Curiously, after 11 moves we have reached a position in which White has an extra move (f2-f4) in comparison to the 6...Ng6 line: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke7 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3. (We didn't reach this position in our earlier game, as Black's King had gone to f6 on move 7.) See "Chances".

11...Nf6 12.0-0 

White could also play 12.d4 as in perrypawnpusher - thinan, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0,31), but the text might be a little bit better.

After the game Houdini suggested 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc6 14.0-0 Re8 15.e5 Kf8 16.e6, and although White's "Jerome pawns" have advanced, Black still would have the advantage. 

12...Re8 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Neg4 

The Knight probably should retire with 14...Nc6, as 15.e5 can be met by 15...Kf8. But who can resist the opportunity to harass the Queen?

15.Qg5 

Looking to create mischief on the Kingside, but better was 15.Qd3 as in perrypawnpusher - spydersweb, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 24). 

15...Kf7 16.Nc3 c6 

This does not look, at first glance, like a complicated position, but, after the game, I asked Houdini what White should do, setting the search level to 20 ply. It started out boldly with predictions for advantage for White after 17.h3 Nh6 18.Rf3 but 18...Qb6!? seemed to change things and the recommended 19.Rg3 (or the secondary 19.Kh2) didn't come up with much after 19...Rg8 20.Bf4 Qxd4+ 21.Kh2 d5. I wonder if White should try 17.h3 Nh6 18.Qf4!? with the idea of 19.g4 and an advance on the Kingside.

17.Qh4 

My plan was to make room for 18.Bg5, putting pressure on the Knight at f6, and, indirectly, the Knight at g4. The problem with this, as alluded to in the previous note, is that Black can now reply 17...Qb3!? and begin to demolish White's center, e.g. 18.Rd1 c5 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Nf6 and if 21.Bg5 then Black's Rook infiltrates with 21...Re4.

17...Nxe4 

An unfortunate oversight in a promising position, hanging a piece.

18.Qxg4 

Here, Black forfeited by disconnection. I can understand his frustration; still, after 18...d5 he would be down only a pawn, and his King is properly placed to defend against it.

Trading Down Against the Jerome Gambit

If someone makes an exchange and comes out ahead, that is considered "trading up". Do the opposite, and that is considered "trading down". Why would someone want to do the latter against the Jerome Gambit?

Wall,B - Guest2115687
PlayChess.com, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+

As I've written elsewhere,

Just about everyone who plays the Jerome Gambit faces this "bail out" variation at one point or another. Black manages to exchange Queens at the cost of returning a piece, and with the prospect of playing on, a pawn down. White can no longer play "his" attack; but he also no longer has an "objectively" lost game.

8.Kxf2 Qh4+

Last year Bill's brother, Steve, faced the more direct 8...Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 in Wall,S - Guest658246, PlayChess.com 2013 (1-0, 34).

9.g3

A couple of years ago Wall,B - Guest1443273, PlayChess.com 2012 (1-0, 36) continued 9.Kf1 Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 etc.

9...Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 

11.Nc3 Re8 

Instead, Bill suggests 11...d5.

12.d3

Threatening 13.Nb5 and Nc7 

12...d6 13.Bg5 Ng4+

He would do better to concentrate on development with 13...Be6.

14.Kg2 h6

Or 14...c6 15.Rhf1+.

15.Raf1+ Kg7 16.Bd2 Bd7 17.Nd5

Threatening 18.Nxc7, forking the Rooks. 

17...Rac8 18.Bc3+ Kg8 

Now White offers one final trade, which turns out to be deadly.

19.h3 c6 20.hxg4 cxd5 21.Rxh6 

Threatening 22.Rh8 mate. Black resigned.

Not Ready for the Jerome Gambit

In the following game I gave my opponent "Jerome Gambit odds", but he did not seem very impressed and certainly did not sense any danger. Not everyone knows what to do with the gift of a couple of pieces.

perrypawnpusher - opazovalec
blitz, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8 

A relatively rare idea - there are only 9 previous examples in The Database.

7.Nxc6 bxc6

As with the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8, Black does a bit better with the capture 7...dxc6.

8.d4 Bb4 9.O-O Bxc3 10.bxc3 

10...Nxe4 

Not sensing any danger. After all, the Jerome Gambit is the "worst chess opening ever".

11.Re1 d5 12.f3 Bf5 13.fxe4 Bxe4

Pawn structure is similar, but King safety is not.

14.Qh5+ Kf8 15.Rf1+ Kg8 16.Qf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit Rematch

After our recent game, it is possible that my opponent looked up the Jerome Gambit (maybe even on this site), because when we battled again he was prepared with one of Black's strongest refutations. (Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster.)

perrypawnpusher - alvarzr
blitz, FICS, 2014

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

Our two previous games have featured 6...Ng6 - perrypawnpusher - alvarzr, blitz, FICS, 2013 (0-1, 59) and perrypawnpusher - alvarzr, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 21).

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's Defense. More deadly than Blackburne's Defense. I have a win and a draw against it so far, and have used it once to bring serious pain to a friend.

8.Qf4+

After 8.Qxh8? Qxe4+ White was quickly smashed in Jerome,A - Whistler,G, correspondence, 1876 (0-1, 15).

8...Qf6

Instead, 8...Kg7 was seen in perrypawnpusher - tmarkst, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 43). The text is slightly better.

9.Qg3 d6 

Instead, Black's choice was 9...Ne7 in perrypawnpusher - Yaku, blitz, FICS, 2011 (½-½, 26).

Having avoided immediate destruction, I now had to put together a plan to work toward equalizing. 

10.Nc3 Be6 11.0-0 Ne7 12.d3 Kg7 

Black is developing and has castled by hand. 

13.Bg5 Qf8 14.Be3 

After the game, Houdini suggested that 14.e5!? was playable.

14...Bb6 15.f4 Bxe3+ 16.Qxe3 Nc6 

17.d4 Qe7 

Too casual - but he gets away with it.

18.d5 Nb4 19.Qe2 

Of course, the proper treatment for such a wandering Knight is 19.Qd4+. I am embarrassed to have missed that fork, as I've picked up a handful of spare pieces from b4 when my Queen has moved from d3 to check along the a2-g8 diagonal - admittedly, in a different variation of the Jerome Gambit, but there should be some transfer of learning.

19...Bd7 20.a3 Na6 21.e5 dxe5 22.fxe5 Bf5 23.Rae1 Nc5 

Comparing this position with that after move 9 (third diagram) I feel a bit like Harry Houdini having escaped a straight jacket.

24.e6 Rad8 

Feeling he has enough pressure against my e-pawn, Black decides to lean on the d-pawn as well. He probably should have considered 24...Rhf8 instead. 

25.Qe5+ Qf6 26.Qxc7+ Nd7 27.exd7 Rxd7

28.Qe5 Qxe5 29.Rxe5 Bxc2 30.Rfe1 Rhd8 31.Re7+ Kh6 32.Rxd7 Rxd7 33.Re2 Bb3 34.Rd2 a6 

The game has settled down, and White has an extra pawn - but not for long. It seemed clear to me that a King march would bring home the full point, so I sent my monarch off to war.

35.Kf2 Kg7 36.Ke3 Kf6 37.Kd4 b5 38.Kc5 Ke5 39.Kb6 Bxd5 40.Rxd5+ Rxd5 41.Nxd5 Kxd5 

42.Kxa6 Kc6 43.b3 h5 44.a4 bxa4 45.bxa4 g5 46.a5 g4 47.g3 Kc5 48.Kb7 Kb5 49.a6 Black resigned

BSJG: Return of ZekeTheWolf

perrypawnpusher - ZekeTheWolf
blitz, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. 

If you play the BSG at FICS (Free Internet Chess Server), sooner or later you will encounter the BSJG. Before this game, according to The Database, ZekeTheWolf had met it 24 times, winning 10. That's scoring 40%, not quite the score of Black as a whole for the BSJG in 4,272 games in The Database - 44%,

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 

Our earlier game continued very differently - 5...Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nxc2+ perrypawnpusher, ZekeTheWolf, blitz, FICS, 2010, (1-0, 30).

6.c3

I tried 6.Qh5?! once, but it did not turn out well in perrypawnpusher - vlas, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 26). 

6...Ne6 7.d4 

Here we have a bit of a "free form" position, where Black's one weakness is the placement of his King. His extra piece for two pawns gives him an edge, but he has to put together a plan and execute it before he can think about gathering in the point.

7...d6 8.Nd3 g6 9.f4 Ke8 10.O-O Bg7 

Here White would probably do best to patiently continue his development with 11.Be3 and 12.Nd2.

11.f5 gxf5

By voluntarily opening the e8-h5 diagonal, Black, makes his King's life more difficult. After the game, Houdini suggested the curious 11...Ng5!?, with pressure on White's e-pawn, as a way to keep the game in balance.

12.exf5 

Okay, but 12.Qh5+ Kd7 13.d5 would have really shaken things up.

Black now decides it is time to give a piece back.

12...Nxd4 13.cxd4 Bxd4+ 14.Kh1 Nf6 

There is a hole in this line that both ZekeTheWolf and I overlooked, which would have made 14...Qf6 the better move.

15.Nc3

Again, okay, but missing the fork 15.Qa4+. 

15...Rg8 16.Re1+

Ditto. 

16... Kf7 17.Qf3 Bxc3 18.bxc3

If White has an advantage any more, it is in his better development and safer King. Unfortunately, Black now follows a defensive maxim (to diffuse an attack, exchange pieces) that immediately shifts things back toward the first player.

18...Re8 19.Bg5 Rxe1+ 20.Rxe1 Qd7 21.Re6 Ng8 22.Qh5+

Black resigned