Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit: It's Not A Blunder Until It's Refuted

The following blitz game allows me to comment on a rare Jerome Gambit line (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ by transposition) and an improvement for Black that has yet to be played, despite its mention here.

perrypawnpusher - Duwasi
10 0 blitz, FICS, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6

Three years ago I wrote in a post "By the Numbers"

The Database has almost 27,000 games in it, yet there are only 7 (until now) with this position; and I had White in all of them, scoring 100%.

The Database now has over 55,000 games, and there are 10 with this position; I had White in all of them, still, scoring 100%.

8.Qxe5

Here Black resigned in perrypawnpusher - JohnBr, blitz, FICS, 2010 and perrypawnpusher - AcesFullofKings, blitz, FICS, 2011.

8...d6

Black tried 8...Nf6 in perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 46), perrypawnpusher - wadada, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19) and perrypawnpusher - Entangle, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 24).

Black played 8...Bd6  in perrypawnpusher - apinheiro, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 35) and perrypawnpusher - eaadahl, Chess.com, 2013, (1-0, 37).

Black essayed 8...Qf6 in perrypawnpusher - alekbb, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 47).

Black tried 8...Be7 in perrypawnpusher - PravinMamania, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50).

Black's best choice is 8...Bf8, as the Rook is then off-limits - 9.Qxh8? Bg7 10.Qh7 Nf6 and Her Majesty is doomed. White does best with 9.d4, but after 9...d6 10.Qb5 c6 11.Qd3 Black is better.

It is possible that Black's move in the game - and the Rook sacrifice - was prompted by some knowledge of the game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885, but the addition of ...h6 and 0-0 in our game makes a big difference.

9.Qxh8 h5 10.Qc3

Quickly extracting the Queen, and unnecessarily so, as safety was no longer an issue. It was wiser to play 10.d4 Bb6 11.Qh7+ Kf8 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Kf7 and gain some more material.

Still, White is the exchange and a couple of pawns ahead, and plays it safe the rest of the way.

10...Be6 11.d4 Bb6 12.d5 Bd7 13.Qf3+ Nf6 14.Bg5 Bg4 15.Qxf6+ Qxf6 16.Bxf6 Kxf6 

17.Nc3 Bd4 18.h3 Bd7 19.Rad1 Be5 20.f4 Bxc3 21.bxc3 Ke7 22.e5

22...Bb5 23.Rf2 Bc4 24.e6 Bxa2 25.f5 gxf5 26.Rxf5 h4 27.Rf7+ Kd8 28.Rf8+ Ke7 29.Rxa8 

I think Black played on because he was ahead on the clock and I was playing in an uninspiring manner - a reasonable idea, although, in this case, an unsuccessful one.

29...a6 30.Rf1 Bxd5 31.Rh8 Kxe6 32.Re1+ Kd7 33.Rxh4 Kc6 34.c4 Be6 35.Rxe6 b5 36.cxb5+ axb5 37.Rb4 Kc5 38.c3 c6 39.Ree4 d5 40.Rh4 Kd6 41.g4 Ke6 42.g5 Kf5 43.Rhg4 Kg6 44.h4 Kh5 45.Kg2 Kg6 46.Kg3 Kg7 47.Rbf4 Kg6 48.Rf6+ Kg7 49.h5 c5 50.h6+ Kh7 51.Kh4 d4 52.cxd4 c4 53.Rb6 c3 54.Rxb5 c2 55.Rg1 Kg6 56.Rc1 Kh7 57.Rxc2 Black resigned

Mr. Fletcher's Gambits

I recently stopped by the website of the Bedford Chess Club, where I noted an interesting entry concerning "Mr. Fletcher's gambits", referring to  L. Elliot Fletcher's delightful book, Gambits Accepted, A Survey of Opening Sacrifices (1954).

The Bedford CC site has examples of 84 gambits that Fletcher covered, as well as 11 gambits that he had missed.

Interestingly enough, the site does not give the Jerome Gambit game that Fletcher provided, but includes the significant Sorensen - X, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27).

Fletcher quotes a club game for the Jerome; and none of the surviving games by Jerome himself were won by White. But apparently the Danish player and problemist Soren Sorensen showed an interest in the gambit. 

It is relevant to point out to Readers Sorensen's early article on the Jerome Gambit that was translated into a number of languages and was very influential in popularizing the opening.

I quickly emailed the Club secretary 

Dear Mr. Gill, 

I was delighted to come across your post on "Mr. Fletcher's gambits". A pleasant book I recall fondly, and hope your Club members appreciate as well. 

My own interest in gambits focuses on the Jerome Gambit, which I have researched for 15 years and maintain a blog about (jeromegambit.blogspot.com). I was impressed that you substituted the Sorensen game for Mr. Fletcher's anonymous club game. 

As a small, niggling point, I wanted to mention that I have 7 Jerome Gambit wins by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in my database (which also includes 9 losses, 2 draws and 6 incomplete games). They are out there, they just required some digging. 

By inference I conclude that you did not accept Eric Schiller's erronious contention in his "Unorthodox Chess Openings" (1998) that the famous Blackburne win (London, 1880) was against Jerome himself; just so. 

Best wishes, 

Rick Kennedy

I soon learned that I had contacted the wrong person. Still, it was great to hear back from Bedford 

Good evening. 

I have to own up to being the perpetrator of the games collection on the Bedford club site based on Elliott Fletcher's book. Given that since I discovered the book in my 'teens (half a century ago) I have had a predilection for dodgy gambits, I guess I should share your view of Fletcher's book as "delightful". Revisiting the book I did find his uncritical attitude to a lot of complete trash a bit annoying and at times his analysis is seriously ropey (the irritation only vents itself openly, I think, in the last note to game 21). 

I think I probably found the Sorensen game courtesy of your blog and apologise for the fact that I didn't look hard enough to find the White wins by Jerome. I am asking the webmaster to amend the noted to Sorensen-NN on the website accordingly. 

I didn't know that friend Schiller was claiming that Blackburne's victim was Jerome himself. Had it been, I think Blackburne might have mentioned the fact in his own collection of his best games; and the fact that Tim Harding finds no evidence for it is pretty strong negative evidence as far as I am concerned. I accept that Schiller is a far stronger player than I will ever be, but (like you, I think) I don't rate him as an author. 

Regards,
Neil Hickman

It was easy to finish up with

Dear Mr. Hickman, 

I had a pleasant, good-natured chuckle at your comment that you found Fletcher's "uncritical attitude to a lot of complete trash a bit annoying" and that "at times his analysis is seriously ropey". Well put - and I agree. Nobody is likely to mistake "Gambits Accepted" for, say, Tartakower and Du Mont's "500 Master Games of Chess". Gary Kasparov's comment that "chess is not skittles" holds true for his portion of the chess world... 

Still, I am delighted at an actual, published  look (before the internet!) at amateur games by an amateur player. "Gambits Accepted" reminds me a bit of Rainer Schlenker's "Randspringer" - with weaker analysis, of course. 

I want to apologize for my snarky comment relating to Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's wins with his gambit. Finding them is not so easy, unless you're a bit of a fanatic (with too much time on his hands) like myself. 

I agree, if AWJ had crossed the pond to have his head handed to him by Blackburne in London in that famous Jerome Gambit game, Dr. Harding would have uncovered some trace of it. Certainly, over here, I have found no trace that the gambiteer ever even left the US. 

Thank you for your time. 

Best wishes,Rick 

Jerome Gambit Toolbox

There are a number of recurring tactical ideas in the Jerome Gambit which I like to think of as tools in a toolbox - at hand to help White construct an effective game.

perrypawnpusher - subhann

10 5 blitz, FICS, 2016

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+

The "nudge", a small, but useful tool in the Jerome Gambit toolbox. A good number of opponents take time trying to figure out what the move means. White uses a tempo, but he will get it back against 7...Kf8 or 7...Ke8 if Black later castles-by-hand; while if Black chooses 7...Ke7 or 7...Kf6, his King will be in  the way of effective development.

7...Kf8 8.Qxc5+ N8e7

A relatively rare move. See "Wilderness". I have only met this once, in perrypawnpusher - Jaqueperpetuo, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 25)

9.O-O d6 10.Qe3 Be6

A bit careless, encouraging White to pull out another tool.

11.f4

Of course: the threatened pawn fork.

11...Bd7

Instead, 11...Bf7 was seen in mrjoker - cherryhead/Internet Chess Club, 2008 (1-0, 50).

White can still use the center pawn press.

12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 14.Qd3

14...b5 15.b3 Nb6 16.f6 

The "Jerome pawn" advances to open up the enemy position. It is not immediately decisive, as White still has to complete his development to follow through on the open lines, but the advantage it provides is clear.

16...gxf6 17.Rxf6+ Kg7 18.Qf3 

18...Rf8

This move turns the game over to White. Stockfish 7, after the game, suggested 18...Bf5!? returning the extra piece, although after 19.Bg5 Bg6 20.Re6 Rf8 21.Bf6+ Kg8 22.Rxe7 Qxe7 23.Bxe7 Rxf3
24.gxf3 White would have a two pawn advantage.

19.Bh6+ 

One last tool - the Bishop check from h6.

19...Kh8 20.Rxf8+ Ng8 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 Black resigned

White wins the exchange after 22.Qf7 Nxh6 23.Qf6 Kg8 Qxd8+ with an overwhelming material lead 

Jerome Gambit: Overcoming Annoying

Once again, Vlastamil Fejfar, of the Czech Republic, plays the Jerome Gambit in a correspondence game, faces the "annoying" or "silicon" defense - and wins.

Fejfar, Vlastamil - Svoboda
corr Czech Cup, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

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

This "annoying defense" has been the choice of several of Vlasta's opponents in the past. See: Fejfar, V. - Chvojka, corr Czech Republic, 2016 (0-1, 32); Fejfar,V - Pressl, corr Czech Republic, 2015 (1/2-1/2, 15); Fejfar,V - Kyzlink, corr Czech Republic, 2015 (1-0, 22) and  Fejfar,V - Goc,P, 2015, (1/2-1/2, 70).

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Kd6 

I pointed out before that at 25 ply, Stockfish 6 showed the tiniest preference for 9...Ke7 over 9...Kd6, but liked 9...Kf7 best of all.

To update this, I checked with Stockfish 7 at 30 ply, and found its preferences to be, in order, 9...Ke7, 9...Kd6 and 9...Kf7, but the spread was less than 1/10th of a pawn in evaluation.

For a more "human" insight, I checked The Database.

I found 47 games with 9...Ke7. Black scored 47%.
I found 20 games with 9...Kd6. Black scored 27%.
I found 75 games with 9...Kf7. Black scored 27%.

For practical purposes, and with the support of Stockfish, Black might prefer 9...Ke7.

10.Qd3+ 

10.Qg3 was Fejfar, V - Goc, Pavel, 2015 (1/2-1/2, 70)

10...Ke7 11.Qg3 Kf7 12.Qxe5 Bd7 

This is an odd move. (Could it have been a typo for the more reasonable 12...Bd6?) It hands back a piece, giving White a two pawn advantage with little compensation.

Instead, ...Bd4 was seen in Fejfar,V - Goc,P, 2015, (1/2-1/2, 70), by a slightly different move order. 

13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qxc5 Qh4+ 15.Qf2+ Qxf2+ 16.Kxf2 Nf6 17.d3 Rhf8 18.Nc3 Kg7 

White needs to complete his development, but, otherwise, he has no problem - his King is relatively safe, his pawn structure is sound.

19.Ke2 Bg4+ 20.Ke3 Be6 21.h3 Nh5 22.Ne2 Rae8 23.b3 Nf6 24.Ba3 Rf7 25.c4 Rd8 26.Raf1 Rfd7 27.Nf4 Bg8 28.Bb2 Rf8 

29.e5 Re7 30.Kd2 Ne8 31.e6+ Black resigned

Black's pieces trip over each other, and he is bound to lose a piece, i.e. 31...Kh6 32.Nd5!? Rxf1 33.Rxf1 Rxe6 34.Rf8 c6 (the Rook has nowhere to go) 35.Nf4 Re7 36.Rxg8

Nicely done.

When Moving The Queen In The Opening Is Necessary

A legitimate criticism of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4) is that their main lines rely on altered piece development. Yet, as they say, there is a time for everything...

Paulotx - RicardoCMa
3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. Black plans on bringing his Queen out quickly.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. In the Jerome Gambit, White brings his Queen out quickly, too.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 6.Qh5

In a 3-minute game it can make sense to attack-attack-attack, but in all fairness it is important to point out that either 6.O-O d6 7.Nc4 Qe8 or 6.c3 d6 7.Nc4 Nc6 8.d4 Qe8 would lead to even games and were preferrable.

(White's idea might have been that he knew that his a1 Rook is poisoned: 6...Nxc2+ 7.Kd1 Nxa1 8.Qf7+ will lead to checkmate.)

6...g6

As you might gather from the previous note, Black's proper response was 6...Qe8, with advantage. First defend, then counter attack.

7.Nxg6+ hxg6 8.Qxh8 Kf7

Short sighted. Black does best to block the enemy Queen in with 8...Nf6, and, then, after 9.Na3 Kf7 10.c3 Ne6 11.d3 Bxa3 12.Qxd8 Nxd8 13.bxa3 b6 14.f3 Ba6 15.c4 Ne6 his disadvantage would be less than in the game.

9.Qxd4 Qg5

Black gets to play his thematic Queen move, but it is ineffective here, and he is down too much material (the exchange and 3 pawns).

10.O-O d6 11.d3 Qg4 12.f3 Qh4 

White is in no hurry. He will consolidate his position and then move forward.

13.Qf2 Qf6 14.Nd2 Bg7 15.f4 Bd7 16.Nf3 Ne7 17.Ng5+ Kg8 18.Qh4 Black disconnected and forfeited

White has a material advantage and an attack against the enemy King.

Jerome Gambit Declined

I know that I have adopted a "Take the money and run" approach to the Jerome Gambit declined - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Ke7/f8 - believing, somewhat cowardly, if pragmatically, that if the defender prefers not to enter an "objectively" won game, but to settle for one where he has a small disadvantage, that White should retreat his attempted-to-sacrifice Bishop. (See "To Jerome or Not Jerome", "It Still Happens - But It Doesn't Have To" and "This Is Your Last Chance" for recent discussions.)

My latest Jerome Gambit game shows that it can be a challenge to squeeze something out of that advantage, however. Especially with the clock ticking loudly in a blitz game, and my nerves failing me (happens to the attacker, too, not just the defender) - until my opponent joined me in mistakes.

perrypawnpusher - Spirochete
2 12 blitz, FICS, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, declined: If you want me to take the Bishop, then I won't.

6.Bb3 Re8

I was surprised to find only one other IFKJG declined with 6.Bb3 in The Database: 6...Nd4 7.Nxd4 Bxd4 8.Nd5+ Nxd5 9.exd5 d6 10.c3 Bb6 11.d3 Qf8 12.Bg5+ Kd7 13.Qg4+ Ke8 14.Qg3 h6 15.Be3 g5 16.O-O-O Bxe3+ 17.Qxe3 Qf4 18.Rhe1 Rf8 19.f3 Qxh2 20.Rd2 Qg3 21.Red1 h5 22.Qe4 Rf4 23.Qg6+ Rf7 24.Qxh5 Bf5 25.Ba4+ Ke7 26.Qh1 Qf4 27.Kb1 Qxa4 28.a3 Raf8 29.g4 Bh7 30.Ka2 Kd8 31.Qh5 Qe8 32.Qxg5+ Kc8 33.Qe3 Kb8 34.Qh6 Bg8 35.g5 Rxf3 36.c4 Bf7 37.Qh4 Bg6 38.Ka1 Qf7 39.Ka2 Qf5 40.Ka1 Rf4 41.Qg3 Rg4 42.Qe3 Qxg5 43.Qe1 Bh5 44.Rc1 Rg1 45.Qxg1 Qxd2 46.Rf1 Rxf1+ 47.Qxf1 Qd1+ 48.Qxd1 Bxd1 White resigned, HauntedKnight - Bernano, FICS, 2013.

7.O-O Kf8 8.d3 d6 9.Bg5 Nd4 10.Nd5 Nxb3 11.axb3 Re6 12.Nxf6 gxf6 13.Bh6+ Ke7 14.Nh4 

White has an edge, based on the awkward placement of Black's King (the extra pawn on b3 isn't worth much), but there is still a lot of work to be done.

14...f5

This drops a pawn. Better to make me grind it out, with 14...Qg8 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.Nf5+ Kd8 17.Nxe3 Qg5.

15.Nxf5+

Beginning a whole series of poor moves. Nerves!?

Much better was 15.Bg5+ Rf6 16.Qh5 Kd7 17.Nxf5 adding the exchange to my material edge.

15...Kd7 16.Qh5 Qg8 

Black should not be allowed to develop a counter attack, but, to his credit, he does.

17.Qg5

Not the wisest. Thematic was 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Nxe3 c6 19.f4.

It is not that White is worse - he is better - but that I seem to have misplaced my head. (Blame it on time trouble.)

17...Rg6 18.Qe7+

Useless. White should bite the bullet with 18.Qh4 Rxg2+ 19.Kh1 Qg4 20.Qxg4 Rxg4 21.Rg1 and be happy with his edge. (It's there, somewhere.)

18...Kc6 19.g3 

The Queen should have retreated 19.Qh4.

Black should now win a piece after 19...Bxf5.

19...Be6

Both my opponent and I now missed Knight checks at e7 that could have settled things a bit. (Blame it on time trouble.)

20.Qh4 Qf7 21.Be3

Better 21.Ne7+ 

21...Bb6 22.Bxb6

Better 22.Ne7+

22...cxb6 23.Kh1

Uh, 23.Ne7+.

23...Rag8

Better to grab the pawn with 23...Bxf5 24.exf5 Qxf5

24.Rxa7

Headless pawn-grabbing. It was still time to use the e7 square, this time with 24.Qe7 Qxe7 25.Nxe7+.

24...Rg4 25.Qh3 h5 26.Qg2 

It turns out, despite appearances, that White is defending well enough to begin a counter attack.

26...Bxf5 27.exf5+ d5 28.c4 

28.Qf8 

A slip on Black's part. (Blame it on time trouble.)

29.Qxd5+ Black resigned

Whew!