If you are facing Bill Wall and the Jerome Gambit, it will not do to make good moves most of the time. You have to make good moves all the time - or you will lose, most of the time. The following game is a good example.
Wall,B - Guest4644930
PlayChess.com, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8
The Jerome Gambit, Jerome variation, first outlined in the Dubuque Chess Journal, July 1874.
7.Qxe5 Qe7
After 7...d6, three of Bill's games later transposed into the current game: Wall,B -GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 17); Wall,B - GuestZCLK, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); and Wall,B - Schichua,S, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 22).
8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.Qg3 d6 10.0-0
Instead, 10.Nc3 Ne7 11.0-0 was Wall,B - Josti, PlayChess.com, 2013, (1-0, 26), while 10.c3 was seen in Wall,B - Guest340293, PlayChess.com, 2012, (1-0, 41).
10...Nh6 11.c3 Bd7 12.d4 Bb6 13.Nd2 Nf7 14.Nc4 Ke7 15.a4 Rae8
Black had defended well, and plans on castling-by-hand on the Queenside, as well as returning a piece for some pawns. All well and good, but, as things turn out, more prudent would have been the preventative 15...a5,even at the cost of having his pawn structure broken up.
16.a5 Bxd4 17.cxd4 Qxd4 18.b3 Kd8 19.e5
Uncomfortable. Black is doing everything "right", yet this move upsets him. He defends by further extracting his King from the center, while 19...Nxe5 should have kept the game about even.
19...Kc8 20.Bb2 Qg4 21.Qc3 Nxe5
Now this falls to a tactical shot.
22.Nxd6+ Kb8 23.Nxe8 Rxe8 24.Rfe1 Bc6 25.Qg3 Qb4 26.Bxe5
Black resigned
One significant benefit of the "modern" Jerome Gambit lines is that they do not have readily identified "refutations". True, Black can feel comfortable being one piece ahead (instead of two), but he still has to work out a plan of defense before White imposes his plan of offense.
Philidor1792 - Chicken_Monster
1100 KINGS vs Team Russia - Board 12
Chess.com, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.0-0
A "modern" (lacking 5.Nxe5+) variation of the Jerome Gambit.
5...Nf6 6.c3
There are 389 games in The Database with this position.
6...Re8 7.d4 Bb6
It is difficult to see where Black loses control of the game, but, move by move, things seem to drift toward equality - despite Black wisely castling-by-hand, pursuing his development and attacking the White pawn center.
8.d5 Ne7 9.Nxe5+ Kg8 10.Nd2 d6 11.Nec4 Bg4 12.Qc2 Be2 13.Re1 Bxc4 14.Nxc4 c6
15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Bg5 Rf8 17.Rad1 d5 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.Qb3
19...h6 20.Bxf6 Rxf6 21.exd5 cxd5
In order to keep things about even, Black's best bet was 21...Kh8. Now White has a shot that wins a piece.
22.Rxe7 Qxe7 23.Qxd5+ Kh7 24.Qxa8 Re6
White's extra pawns point the way to a win.
25.Qa6 Re1+ 26.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 27.Qf1 Qe6
28.c4 Qc6 29.Qd3+ Kh8 30.h3 Qa4 31.a3 g5 32.Qg6 Qd1+ 33.Kh2 g4 34.Qxh6+ Kg8 35.Qg6+ Kh8 36.Qxg4 Qd2 37.Qh4+ Kg8 38.b4
Black resigned
To complete a look at the "Jerome-Knight Gambit", here are the games currently in The Database:
Cunningham,D - Brookshire,T
M-3062.2 IECC, 09.11.1999
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.c3 Bd6 5.Nf3 Re8 6.Qb3+ Kf8 7.Ng5 Qe7 8.d3 Nc6 9.Nd2 Bc5 10.0-0 d6 11.a4 Bb6 12.Qd1 h6 13.Nh3 Bg4 14.Nf3 Qe6 15.b4 Bxh3 16.a5 Qg4 17.g3 Bxf2+ 18.Rxf2 Qc8 19.b5 Ne7 20.c4 Kg8 21.c5 Ng4 22.Rc2 Qd7 23.cxd6 cxd6 24.Rb1 d5 25.Rb3 dxe4 26.Ne1 Qd4+ 27.Be3 Qxe3+ 28.Kh1 Nf2+ 29.Kg1 Nxd1+ 0-1
Mitchell,T - Cunningham,D
M-4311.2 IECC, 08.04.2002
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.d3 Bd6 5.Bg5 Re8 6.c3 Kg8 7.Qb3+ Kh8 8.Qf7 Be7 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Qb3 Nc6 11.Nf3 d6 12.0-0 b6 13.Qa4 Bb7 14.c4 Nd4 15.Nxd4 exd4 16.Nd2 Re7 17.Qb5 Qd7 18.Qh5 Re5 19.Qd1 Bc6 20.b3 Rg5 21.Nf3 Rg6 22.h3 Qxh3 23.g3 Rh6 0-1
Ludwig,G - Haus,C
Rheinland-ch H2 Mainz Laubenheim (4.4), 24.03.2002
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.d3 g6 5.Be3 Bg7 6.Nf3 d6 7.Ng5+ Kg8 8.0-0 Qe7 9.Nd2 Be6 10.d4 exd4 11.Bxd4 Nxe4 12.Ndxe4 Bxd4 13.Qxd4 Nd7 14.Rfe1 b6 15.Nc3 Nf8 16.h4 Qd7 17.Qe4 Re8 18.Qb7 h6 19.Nge4 c5 20.Nf6+ Kf7 21.Nxd7 Nxd7 22.Qf3+ Ke7 23.Nd5+ Kd8 24.Rad1 Bxd5 25.Qxd5 Kc7 26.Qxd6+ Kc8 27.Qxd7+ Kb8 28.Rxe8+ Rxe8 29.Qxe8+ Kb7 30.Rd7+ Ka6 31.Qc8+ Kb5 32.b3 Kb4 33.Rxa7 Kc3 34.Qh8+ Kxc2 35.Qa1 h5 36.Rb7 Kd3 37.Rxb6 c4 38.Rd6+ Kc2 39.Rd1 g5 40.Qc1# 1-0
Mikul - Scandi
HCL-B2309 www.playchess.de (8), 09.10.2003
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Nf3 d6 5.Ng5+ Ke7 6.d3 h6 7.Nf3 c5 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Nh4 Kf7 10.0-0 Nxe4 11.Qh5+ Ke7 12.dxe4 Kd7 13.Ng6 Rg8 14.Nc3 Ne7 15.Nxe5+ Kc7 16.Rad1 a6 17.Qf7 Rh8 18.Bxc5 1-0
Ferreira,D - Dias,P
Porto district-ch U08 Porto (4), 24.02.2004
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qe2 Ke8 5.a4 d5 6.d3 dxe4 7.dxe4 Bg4 8.Qc4 Nc6 9.Qc5 Bxc5 10.Be3 Bb4+ 11.Kf1 Qd1# 0-1
RookedRalph - Cccmember
HCL-B2851 www.playchess.de (9), 03.08.2004
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.d4 d6 6.h3 Be7 7.Ng5+ Kg8 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Qxd8+ Bxd8 10.0-0 h6 11.Nf3 Kh7 12.Nc3 Be6 13.Re1 Be7 14.Be3 Rhd8 15.g4 Rd7 16.g5 Nh5 17.h4 Rf8 18.Nd2 Nf4 19.Bxf4 Rxf4 20.Re3 Rxd2 0-1
RookedRalph - Loulou
HCL-B2851 www.playchess.de (7), 06.08.2004
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qf3 d6 5.h3 Be7 6.Nc3 Rf8 7.d3 Kg8 8.Qe3 Nc6 9.Bd2 Nd4 10.0-0-0 Nh5 11.Nf3 Nf4 12.Rh2 c5 13.g3 Nxf3 14.Qxf3 Nxh3 15.Qg2 Ng5 16.f4 exf4 17.Bxf4 Ne6 18.Nd5 Bg5 19.Qh3 h6 20.Bxg5 Qxg5+ 21.Kb1 Nc7 22.Qg2 Nxd5 23.exd5 Bg4 24.Rf1 Rxf1+ 25.Qxf1 Qxd5 26.Qf4 Rf8 27.Qc1 b5 28.Rh4 Be2 29.Re4 Rf1 30.Re8+ Kh7 0-1
boxingcharlie - umy33
GameKnot.com, 16.05.2005
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Ng5+ Ke8 6.d3 h6 7.Nf3 Bc5 8.0-0 Kf7 9.Be3 Bxe3 10.fxe3 Re8 11.c4 d6 12.Qb3 Na5 13.Qa3 b6 14.b4 Nc6 15.b5 Na5 16.Nc3 Bg4 17.h3 Bxf3 18.Rxf3 Kg8 19.Raf1 Rf8 20.Nd5 Rf7 21.Qb2 Qd7 22.Rxf6 Raf8 23.Rxf7 Rxf7 24.Rxf7 Qxf7 25.Qc3 c6 26.bxc6 Nxc6 27.Qa3 Qd7 28.Qa4 Nb8 29.Qxd7 Nxd7 30.Ne7+ Kf7 31.Nc8 a6 32.Nxd6+ Ke6 33.Nf5 Nc5 34.Nxg7+ Kd6 35.Nf5+ Kc6 36.d4 exd4 37.exd4 Nxe4 38.Nxh6 b5 39.cxb5+ axb5 40.g4 b4 41.Kg2 Nc3 42.g5 Nxa2 43.g6 b3 44.g7 b2 45.g8Q b1Q 46.Qc8+ Kd5 47.Qc5+ Ke6 48.Qc6+ Ke7 49.Qc7+ Ke6 50.Qf7+ Kd6 51.Nf5+ Kc6 52.Qe6+ Kc7 53.Qe5+ Kb7 54.Nd6+ Ka6 55.h4 Qb2+ 56.Kf3 Qb3+ 57.Kf4 Nc1 58.Qe4 Nd3+ 59.Kf5 Qd1 60.Qc6+ Ka5 61.Qb5# 1-0
everette21 (1225) - land (1184)
Challenge from everette21, GameKnot.com, 15.06.2005
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.d3 Bb4+ 5.c3 Bc5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Ng5+ Kg6 8.h4 Ng4 9.Qxg4 d6 10.Ne6+ Kf7 11.Nxd8+ Ke8 12.Qxg7 Rf8 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Be3 Rf7 15.Qh8+ Ke7 16.Bg5+ Ke6 17.b4 Bxf2+ 18.Kd1 Bb7 0-1
chessmaster11 - elitedriver
GameKnot.com, 10.08.2005
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.b4 Bd4 7.Ba3 Nxe4 8.Nxe4 Bxa1 9.Nfg5+ Ke8 10.Qxa1 d5 11.Nc5 Qxg5 12.0-0 Bh3 0-1
Ancker,R - MartÃnez Camacho,V
FICGS__CHESS__CLASS_E__000065 FICGS (1), 28.10.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qe2 d6 5.d3 Nc6 6.c3 Be6 7.Nf3 Be7 8.0-0 Rf8 9.Ng5+ Kg8 10.Nd2 Bf7 11.Ndf3 Nh5 12.Nxf7 Rxf7 13.Bg5 Bxg5 14.Nxg5 Qxg5 15.Rae1 Raf8 16.f3 Ne7 17.g4 Nf4 18.Qe3 Nh3+ 19.Kg2 Qxe3 20.Rxe3 Nf4+ 21.Kh1 Neg6 22.b4 h5 23.gxh5 Nxh5 24.Rg1 Nh4 25.Rg5 Rxf3 26.Rxf3 Nxf3 27.Rxh5 Ne1 28.Rf5 Rxf5 29.exf5 Nxd3 30.a4 Kf7 31.h4 Kf6 32.a5 Kxf5 33.Kg2 Nc1 34.Kg3 Na2 35.c4 Nxb4 36.h5 Kg5 37.h6 gxh6 38.Kh3 Kf4 39.Kg2 Ke3 0-1
Ancker,R - Antonov,A
FICGS__CHESS__CLASS_E__000065 FICGS (1), 28.10.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qe2 g6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Ng5+ Ke8 7.0-0 h6 8.d3 hxg5 9.Bxg5 Be7 10.Nd2 b6 11.Nf3 Bg4 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Rae1 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 Nd7 15.Qg4 g5 16.c3 c5 17.h4 gxh4 18.Qg6+ Ke7 19.f4 h3 20.fxe5 dxe5 21.gxh3 a5 22.Rxf6 Nxf6 23.Qg7+ Ke6 24.Rf1 Rg8 25.Rxf6+ Qxf6 26.Qg4+ Rxg4+ 27.hxg4 Rh8 28.d4 Rg8 29.dxe5 Rxg4+ 30.Kh2 Qh6# 0-1
Ancker,R - Pech,M
FICGS__CHESS__CLASS_E__000065 FICGS (1), 28.10.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qe2 d5 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.Nf3 e4 7.Nh4 Nc6 8.0-0 Nd4 9.Qd1 Qg5 10.d3 Qxh4 11.Be3 Nf3+ 12.gxf3 Bd6 13.f4 Ng4 14.dxe4 Qxh2# 0-1
Ancker,R - Barradas,A
FICGS__CHESS__CLASS_G__000022 FICGS (1), 02.07.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 0-1
LarryC - therealwizard
3 0 blitz, Internet Chess Club, 01.01.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.d3 Be7 5.Nc3 Rf8 6.f4 d6 7.Nf3 Kg8 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Bc5 10.Nf3 Bg4 11.Bg5 Nc6 12.Qd2 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Qd4 14.0-0-0 Ne5 15.Rhf1 a5 16.Ne2 Qd7 17.Kb1 Be7 18.f4 Nc4 19.Qc3 Ne3 20.Ng3 Nxf1 21.Rxf1 b5 22.Nf5 c5 23.Rg1 b4 24.Qc4+ Kh8 25.Nxe7 Qxe7 26.e5 Qf7 27.exf6 Qxc4 28.fxg7+ Kxg7 29.dxc4 Kf7 30.b3 Rae8 31.Rd1 Re2 32.h4 Rfe8 33.Kb2 Kg6 34.Bd8 Rf2 35.Bxa5 Rxf4 36.Rg1+ Kh5 37.Rg5+ Kxh4 38.Rxc5 Rf2 39.Bxb4 Ree2 40.Ka3 Rxc2 41.Be1 Rxa2+ 42.Kb4 Rae2 43.Rf5 Kg3 44.Rxf2 Rxf2 45.c5 h5 46.c6 h4 47.c7 h3 48.Bxf2+ Kxf2 49.c8Q h2 50.Qh3 Kg1 51.Qg3+ 1-0
Fuller,H - Meijer,Y
Canada women's open L2 ICCF server, 01.03.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.d3 Bc5 5.Qe2 Rf8 6.Nc3 Kg8 7.Nf3 d6 8.0-0 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.Bg5 h6 11.Nd5 hxg5 12.Nxf6+ gxf6 13.c3 Qe7 14.b4 Bb6 15.a4 a6 16.a5 Ba7 17.d4 exd4 18.cxd4 Bxd4 19.Rad1 c5 20.e5 fxe5 21.Qc4+ Bf7 22.Qe2 Nc6 23.bxc5 Bxc5 24.Qd2 Bg6 25.Nxg5 Bb4 26.Qc2 Bxc2 27.Nf3 Bxd1 28.Rxd1 e4 29.Nd2 Bxd2 30.Rxd2 e3 31.Re2 exf2+ 32.Kf1 Qxe2+ 33.Kxe2 f1Q+ 34.Ke3 Rae8+ 35.Kd2 Re2+ 36.Kd3 Qd1+ 37.Kc4 Rc2+ 38.Kb3 Qb1+ 0-1
Filipovic,M - Janic,D
Belgrade Spring op Belgrade (3), 27.03.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.d3 d6 5.Bg5 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qh6 Bg7 9.Qe3 Rf8 10.Nf3 Kg8 11.Ng5 Nc6 12.h4 Qf6 13.f3 Qf4 14.Qd2 Qxd2+ 15.Nxd2 h6 16.Nh3 Bxh3 0-1
Jaber,L - Lemony,D
Goiania Op, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Nf3 d6 5.d3 d5 6.Nxe5+ Ke8 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Nxg6 hxg6 10.Qxh8 Nf6 11.0-0 a5 12.Re1+ Kd7 13.Qh4 Bb4 14.Rd1 Qe8 15.Nc3 Nc6 16.Ne4 g5 17.Nxf6+ Ke7 18.Nxe8 Kxe8 19.Qe4+ Kd8 20.d4 Ra6 21.d5 Na7 22.d6 Rxd6 23.Bf4 gxf4 24.Rxd6+ cxd6 25.Rd1 Bg4 26.Rxd6+ Bxd6 27.Qd4 Nc8 28.Qxf4 Bxf4 29.g3 Bc1 30.f4 Be3+ 31.Kg2 Bf5 32.c4 Bd4 33.h3 0-1
chorba - aitrie
'Blue Night Symphonye 14', GameKnot.com, 19.10.2011
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Ng5+ Ke8 6.Nc3 Bc5 7.Na4 d6 8.d3 h6 9.Nxc5 dxc5 10.0-0 hxg5 11.Bxg5 Be6 12.f4 Kd7 13.fxe5 Nxe5 14.d4 cxd4 15.Qxd4+ Kc6 16.Qxe5 Qd6 17.Qc3+ Qc5+ 18.Qxc5+ Kxc5 19.e5 Ne4 20.Be7+ Kc6 21.Rf4 Bd5 22.c4 Rae8 23.cxd5+ Kxd5 24.Bb4 Kxe5 25.Rg4 g5 26.h3 Kd5 27.Rd1+ Ke5 28.Re1 Kf5 29.Rd1 Rd8 30.Rf1+ Kg6 31.Rxe4 Rh4 32.Rxh4 gxh4 33.Rf4 b6 34.Rxh4 c5 35.Bc3 Rd1+ 36.Kf2 b5 37.a3 c4 38.Ke2 Rd3 39.Rd4 1-0
Gonzalez,C - Fritz
Tecnopolis, 14.07.2011
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Nc3 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.d3 Bb4 8.0-0 Nxc3 9.bxc3 Bxc3 10.Ng5+ Kg6 11.Rb1 Rf8 12.h4 h5 13.Rb5 Bg4 14.f3 Bc8 15.g4 hxg4 16.fxg4 Qd4+ 17.Kg2 Bxg4 18.Kg3 Bxd1 19.Rxd1 Qf2+ 20.Kh3 Rh8 21.h5+ Rxh5+ 22.Kg4 Rh4# 0-1
zeussino - chorba
'Blue Night Symphonye 14' GameKnot.com, 15.01.2012
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.d3 Bc5 6.0-0 Rf8 7.Bg5 Kg8 8.Nc3 h6 9.Bxf6 Rxf6 10.Nd5 Rf8 11.c3 d6 12.d4 exd4 13.cxd4 Bb6 14.Qb3 Be6 15.Rad1 Ne7 16.h3 Nxd5 17.exd5 Bf7 18.Rfe1 Qd7 19.Nh4 Qd8 20.Nf5 Bh5 21.g4 Bg6 22.Ne7+ Kh7 23.Nxg6 Kxg6 24.Re6+ Kh7 25.Qd3+ Kg8 26.Qg6 Re8 27.Rde1 Rxe6 28.Qxe6+ Kh8 29.Qe4 Qf6 30.Rd1 Rf8 31.Rd2 Qf4 32.Qe7 Rf7 33.Qe8+ Kh7 34.Qe3 Qf6 35.Qe4+ g6 36.b4 a6 37.a4 Qf4 38.Qg2 Qxd2 0-1
aitrie - zeussino
'Blue Night Symphonye 14' GameKnot.com, 05.01.2012
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.0-0 Bc5 6.d3 d5 7.Bg5 dxe4 8.Bxf6 Qxf6 9.dxe4 Bg4 10.Qd5+ Be6 11.Qxc5 Rhd8 12.Nc3 Rd7 13.Rad1 Nd4 14.Nxe5+ Kg8 15.Nxd7 Bxd7 16.Rxd4 Bc6 17.Rfd1 Kf7 18.R1d3 b6 19.Qc4+ Ke8 20.Rf3 1-0
Chessfriend Yury Bukayev recently referred me to the France-Echecs.com website, to a discussion that took place earlier in the year, regarding, in part, the game Millet,C - Sénéchaud,D, Rochefort, 1995 - most recently covered in the "Unorthodox Openings Newsletter", issue #33, which was mentioned in the last blog post.
In addition, in the France-Echecs.com article there are three games presented with the opening moves 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+, along with the suggested name "the Jerome-Knight gambit".
A quick look at The Database shows only 6 examples of the Jerome-Kight gambit (not surprising, as I have not specifically collected the line), including an online ICC blitz game by American GM Larry Christiansen ("Here, have a Bishop...") and three games recently discovered at GameKnot.com.
While Readers check out France-Echecs.com, I will see what other games I can gather.
The latest issue (#33) of Gary K. Gifford's ever-interesting and always-enlightening "Unorthodox Openings Newsletter" (in pdf format; see "UON", among others) is now available.
Among many topics, "UON #33" contains material from the "Dany Sénéchaud" post to this blog - an interesting game by the French chessplayer (and openings explorer) with notes, and speculation about possible early influences on Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's creation of the Jerome Gambit.
Well worth checking out.
Why turn down a gift? Why choose a line of play in an unsound gambit that gives away the advantage? Black's defensive strategy in the following game might be due for some reconsideration.
perrypawnpusher - Hensel
blitz, FICS, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+
I have been skeptical about this approach to defending the Jerome Gambit, having written before
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.
As the following game shows, it will take a long time for White to turn his advantage into a winning game; so perhaps there is more to say in favor of Black's strategy than I have previously admitted.
8.Kxf2 Qh4+
The direct 8...Qf6+ has been seen in many games, in this blog and in The Database.
9.g3
9.Kf1!? was tried in Wall,B - Guest1443273, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 36).
9...Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.Nc3 Re8 12.d3
12...c6
Or 12...d6 as in Wall,B - Guest2115687, PlayChess.com, 2014, (1-0, 21).
13.Kg2 Kg7 14.Bg5 Ng4 15.h3 Nh6 16.Rhf1 d6 17.Rf2 Be6 18.Raf1
White is a clear pawn up, but Black can continue here with 18...Nf7 19.Be3 b6 and the game is far from over, with the prospect of a Bishops-of-Opposite-Colors endgame.
18...Rf8
A slip. Oddly, in response I remembered a tactic from perrypawnpusher - Dubnobase, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 49), and double-checked things before playing...
19.Bxh6+
Black resigned, as he will lose a Rook.
In an early article on the Jerome Gambit in the July 1874 issue of The Dubuque Chess Journal, it was noted
It should be
understood that Mr. Jerome claims in this New Opening "only a pleasant
variation of the Giuoco Piano, which may win or lose according to the skill
of the players, but which is capable of affording many new positions and
opportunities for heavy blows unexpectedly."
The same can be said for the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, as the following game illustrates. White triumphs in a blitz game - but, afterwards, as he played the game over, he must have smiled at a few of the missed "heavy blows".
TrippL - boggus
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+
The Database has 18 Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit games by TrippL, with White scoring 58%. (That's above the average of 56%
for all 4,454 BSJG games in The Database.)
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3
TrippL has played 2 games with 6.Qh5 against the same opponent: 6...Nf6 (6...Nxc2+ 7.Kd1 Nxa1 8.Qf5+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Qd5+ Ke7 11.Qf7+ Kd6 12.Qd5+ Ke7, drawn, TrippL - boggus, FICS, 2008) 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4+ Kc6 9.Nba3 Qe7 10.Qxe7 Bxe7 11.c3 Bxa3 12.cxd4 Be7 13.d5+ Nxd5 14.exd5+ Kxd5 15.Ne3+ Kc6 16.0-0 d6 17.b3 Bf6 18.Rb1 Be6 19.Re1 Rae8 20.Nc4 Bf5 21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.Na5+ Kd7 White resigned, TrippL - boggus, FICS, 2013.
He has also played 6.f4 against boggus: 6...h5 7.c3 Nc6 8.Qb3+ Kd6 9.Nf7+ Ke7 10.Nxd8 Nxd8 11.d4 d6 12.f5 Nf6 13.h3 Ke8 14.Nd2 Be7 15.Qc2 Nc6 16.Nf3 Bd7 17.Bg5 a6 18.0-0-0 Kd8 19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Black resigned, TrippL - boggus, FICS, 2012.
6...Kxe5
This is the strongest continuation, although the two players have tried
6...Nc6 7.Qh5 Nxe5 8.d4 Nd3+ 9.Kd2 Nxc1 10.d5+ Kd6 11.Kxc1 h6 12.Na3 Qg5+ 13.Qxg5 hxg5 14.Nc4+ Ke7 15.Kc2 d6 16.f3 Nf6 17.h3 Nd7 18.Rae1 b5 19.Na5 Ne5 20.Rhf1 Bd7 21.f4 Nf7 22.f5 Ne5 23.Nb3 a5 24.Nd4 c5 25.Nb3 a4 26.Nd2 Kd8 27.a3 Kc7 28.Nf3 Nxf3 29.Rxf3 Be7 30.g4 Bf6 31.Rd3 Rh7 32.Rde3 Rah8 33.Rh1 Be5 34.Kd2 Bf4 White resigned, TrippL - boggus, FICS, 2008; and
6...Qg5 7.cxd4 Qxg2 8.Qf3 Qxf3 9.Nxf3 Nf6 10.d3 h6 11.Nc3 c6 12.Be3 d5 13.e5 Ng4 14.Bf4 g5 15.Bg3 h5 16.h3 Nh6 17.Nxg5+ Kf5 18.h4 Be7 19.Nf3 Bb4 20.Kd2 Kg4 21.Ng5 Rf8 22.f3+ Kxg3 23.Rag1+ Kf4 24.Kc2 Bxc3 25.bxc3 Nf5 26.Rb1 Nxh4 27.Rxh4+ Kxg5 28.Rbh1 Rh8 29.Rg4+ hxg4 30.Rxh8 gxf3 31.Rg8+ Kf4 32.Kd1 Ke3 33.Ke1 Kxd3 34.Kf2 Kxc3 35.Rf8 Kxd4 36.e6 Bxe6 37.Rxa8 Bg4 38.Rxa7 b5 39.Rc7 Kc5 40.Rb7 Bh5 41.Rh7 Bg6 42.Rh6 Be4 43.Ke3 Kb4 44.Rf6 c5 45.Rb6 c4 46.Ra6 Kc5 47.Ra8 b4 48.a4 bxa3 49.Rc8+ Kb4 50.Ra8 Kb3 51.Ra5 a2 52.Rb5+ Kc3 53.Ra5 Kb2 54.Rxa2+ Black forfeited on time, TrippL - boggus, FICS, 2009.
7.cxd4+ Kxd4 8.Nc3 Qg5
White's 8th move was mentioned in the last post, "Caught Out".
Black's 8th move (thematic in the Blackburne Shilling Gambit) has already been scolded a number of years ago in "Gorilla Chess".
9.Qb3
This wins. Even better 9.Qa4+ Ke5 10.f4+ (or 9...Kc5 10.d4) as Black will lose his Queen. Check it out, play a few variations.
9...c6 10.d3 Qxg2
Deadly - but for the wrong side.
11.Be3+
This is good, but who could resist the double Rook sacrifice: 11.Bf4 Qxh1+ 12.Kd2 Qxa1 13.Qc4# ? Resisting the second Rook requires Black to sacrifice his Queen - and he will still be checkmated.
11...Ke5 12.f4+
Instead, 12.Qf7 would box the enemy king in, e.g. 12...Qxh1+ 13.Ke2 Qxh2 (13...Qxa1 14.Bf4+ Kd4 15.Qc4#)14.Nb5 Nf6 15.Bd4+ Kf4 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Qxf6+ Kg4 18.Qf5+ Kh4 19.Nd4 Qg2 20.Nf3+ Qxf3+ 21.Kxf3 Rg8 22.Rh1 checkmate, anyway.
12...Kf6
Black's King appears to be getting away.
13.0-0-0 Ne7
Houdini suggests that after 13...Ke7 Black would be better, but that is hard to see. Now the game concludes quickly.
14.Rhg1 Qxh2 15.Bd4 checkmate
Very pretty!
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