Jerome Gambit: That's Not All

Chessfriend Yury Bukayev was disappointed that Grandmaster Jon Speelman, in his ChessBaseNews "Agony" column coverage of two of my Jerome Gambit games (e.g. the Jerome Gambit is "balderdash in the highest sense") failed to mention other opening lines covered in this blog.

Indeed, the GM probably did not discover the post "Opening Innovation Resource", for example, or read and check out the links in "An Email Discussion", or do a site search here for "Bukayev gambit".

With Yury's encouragement I have added the subtitle "(risky/nonrisky lines, tactics & psychology for fast, exciting play)" to this blog's heading.

I would like to share a poem he sent, as well.

Study WEAK Jerome gambits
For a magic playing blitz! 
Study STRONG Jerome gambits -
You'll beat Carlsen, Hou, "Fritz"!

Jerome Gambit: Resolutely

Sometimes, if you act resolutely, you can look like you know what you are doing - even if you don't. In the following game Black makes decisive moves, like he is in the process of refuting White's silly little gambit. Indeed, the game lasts only 13 moves - but it is the Jerome Gambit that triumps.

Wall, Bill - Tedah
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

We last saw this adventurous line in the latest "Cliff Hardy" adventure, gfdgfd - leleos, InstantChess.com, 2016 (1-0, 17).

6.Nxc6 dxc6 

6...bxc6? 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5 Ne7  9.Qc3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Qwerty, Chess.com, 2010

Black's response is reasonable, although his best response might be the highly unreasonable 6..Qh4!?

7.Qh5+ g6 

Or 7...Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qd6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.e5 Ng4 11.Qf4+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Gebba, Chess.com, 2010.

8.Qxc5 Qe7 9.Qc3 Qxe4+ 

Black has returned the gambit piece and is able to get his Queen into the attacking action. If White now flinches at this aggression toward his King, say with the protective 10.Qe3, then Black can develop with 10...Nf6 and have hopes of reaching a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame...

But things are more complicated than that.

10.Kf1 Be6 11.Qxh8 Bd5 12.f3 Bc4+ 13.d3 Black resigned

(I have to admit that I have no idea what Black's last handful of moves was about.)

Jerome Gambit: Countering the Counter-Attack

Here is another look at the 6...Qh4 defense in the Jerome Gambit, discussed in the previous blog post. Again, Bill Wall has the White pieces. This is pretty heavy going, and there is plenty to study in the notes, too. Or, you can just enjoy the main game, as, after a dozen moves, Bill decides enough is enough and goes after the enemy monarch.

Wall, Bill - IraHaru
lichess.org, 2016

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4

7.O-O Qxe4

The text can be contrasted with 7...Ng4 8.h3 Bb6 (8...Bd6 9.e5 Bxe5 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Qd5+ Kf6 12.f4 Ng6 13.Nc3 d6 14.Be3 Ke7 15.Rae1 Kd8 16.Nb5 Nf6 17.Qc4 Ne8 18.Bf2 Qf6 19.Bd4 Qh4 20.Rxe8+ Kxe8 21.Nxc7+ Kf8 22.f5 Ne5 23.f6 gxf6 24.Qd5 Kg7 25.Qxd6 Rg8 26.Rxf6 Qxf6 27.Bxe5, and White won, Sorensen,S - X, Denmark, 1888) 9.hxg4 (9.Qf3+ N4f6 10.e5 Bxd4 11.exf6 Nxf6 12.c3 Bb6 13.Nd2 Rf8 14.Ne4 Qxe4 15.Qd1 d5 16.Re1 Qf5 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 Bd7 19.Rf3 Qe5 20.Qd2 Rae8 21.Re3 Qd6 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.b3 Qe5 24.Rf1 Bc6 25.Kh1 Qe2 26.Qc1 d4 27.cxd4 Qe4 28.d5 Qxd5 29.f3 Kg8 30.Rd1 Qe6 31.Qf4 Nd5 32.Qd4 Ne3 33.Rc1 Bxf3 34.Kg1 Nxg2 35.Rxc7 Qe3+ 36.Qxe3 Nxe3 37.Kf2 Bc6 38.b4 Nd5 White resigned, Sir Osis of the Liver - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net 2008) 9...d6 10.f3 Be6 11.Be3 Bc4 12.Re1 Ne7 13.f4 Rhe8 14.Nd2 Ba6 15.Nf3 Qg3 16.a4 Ba5 17.c3 Kf8 18.b4 Ng6 19.f5 Nf4 20.Bxf4 Qxf4 21.Qc2 c5 22.bxa5 Qxg4 23.Rad1 cxd4 24.Rxd4 Qg3 25.Qb3 Qf4 26.Qb1 Qg3 27.e5 g6 28.Rxd6 Re7 29.f6 Ree8 30.Qb4 Bb5 31.Rd8+ Kf7 32.e6+ Kxf6 33.Qd4+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Rajiv, Chess.com, 2010.

8.dxc5 Nf6

8...Qg6 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.Qxd5+ Qe6 12.Qe4 d5 13.cxd6 cxd6 14.Bd2 Qg6 15.Qd5+ Qe6 16.Qe4 Rf8 17.Bc3 Kg8 18.Rae1 Qg6 19.Qd5+ Be6 20.Qxb7 Nf3+ 21.Kh1 Nxe1 22.Rxe1 Rab8 23.Qe4 Qxe4 24.Rxe4 Bd5 25.Rd4 Rxf2 26.Rd1 Rbf8 27.h3 Bxg2+ 28.Kg1 Bxh3 29.Rxd6 Rxc2 30.Ra6 Rf1 checkmate, Petasluk - ElFuriozo, FICS, 2011

9.Nc3

Bill likes this move. An alternative is 9.Re1 Qf5 10.Qd4 (10.f4 Nc6 11.Be3 Re8 12.Nc3 b6 13.Nb5 Nd5 14.Qd2 a6 15.Nd4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Rxe1+ 17.Rxe1 bxc5 18.Bxc5 d6 19.c4 Nxf4 20.Bxd6 cxd6 21.Rf1 g5 22.g3 Qc5+ 23.Kh1 Bb7+ White resigned, Proudfoot - JLeee, FICS, 2008; 10.Nd2 Rf8 11.Nf1 Nc6 12.Be3 b6 13.Ng3 Qd5 14.Qe2 Kg8 15.c4 Qf7 16.b3 Bb7 17.a4 Rae8 18.cxb6 axb6 19.f3 Nh5 20.Qc2 Ne5 21.Bd4 Nxf3+ 22.gxf3 Nxg3 23.hxg3 Qxf3 24.Qh2 Rxe1+ 25.Rxe1 Rf5 26.Qh3 c5 27.Rf1 Qxf1+ 28.Qxf1 Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 cxd4 30.g4 g5 31.b4 h5 White resigned, 10 0, Gambit Fruit1 Beta4bx - Deep Fritz 8, 2006) 10...Re8 11.Kh1 Qxc2 12.Na3 Nf3 13.Qxf6+ gxf6 14.Nxc2 Nxe1 15.Nxe1 Rxe1 checkmate, wolfpack123 - blackscorpion, GameKnot.com, 2009

9...Qc4

Also seen: 9...Qc6 10.Qd4 (10.Re1 d6 11.cxd6 Qxd6 [11...cxd6 12.Bg5 Bg4 13.Qd2 Bh3 14.f3 Bxg2 15.Rxe5 dxe5 16.Kxg2 h6 17.Be3 Rhd8 18.Qe2 Rac8 19.Bxa7 b6 20.Qe3 Rd7 21.Bxb6 Rb7 22.Ba5 Rxb2 23.Rc1 Qc5 24.Nd1 Rxc2+ 25.Rxc2 Qxc2+ 26.Nf2 Qxa2 27.Qxe5 Re8 28.Qb5 Re2 29.Bb6 h5 30.Bd4 Qd2 31.h3 Kg6 32.Qb6 Kh7 33.Bxf6 gxf6 34.h4 Qe1 35.Qc5 Kg7 36.f4 Ra2 37.Qc7+ Kh6 38.Qc5 Qe8 39.Kf3 Qa8+ 40.Ne4 Ra3+ 41.Kf2 Rh3 42.Qd4 Qa2+ 43.Nd2 Rh2+ 44.Kg3 Rxd2 45.Qxf6+ Kh7 46.Qf5+ Kg8 47.Qg5+ Kf8 48.Qc5+ Ke8 49.Qe5+ Kd7 50.Qb5+ Kd6 51.Qb6+ Kd5 52.Qb5+ Kd4 53.Qe5+ Kc4 54.Qe4+ Kc3 55.Qe5+ Kc2 56.Qc5+ Kd1 57.Qxh5+ Ke1 58.Qe5+ Re2 59.Qc3+ Kf1 60.Qf3+ Kg1 61.Kh3 Rh2+ White resigned, Shredder Paderborn - Junior 7, Utrecht, 2002] 12.Bf4 Nf3+ 13.Qxf3 Qb6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Bxc7+ Qf6 16.Qxd5+ Be6 17.Qxb7 Rhe8 18.Bd8+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Gorodetsky,D, Chess.com, 2010; or 10.Bg5 Qxc5 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Ne4 Qb6 13.a4 Qxb2 14.Rb1 Qa3 15.Rb3 Qe7 16.f4 Ng6 17.Re3 Kg7 18.Rfe1 d6 19.Ng3 Qd7 20.Nh5+ Kh6 21.Nxf6 Qd8 22.Qh5+ Kg7 23.Ne8+ Rxe8 24.Rxe8 Qf6 25.f5 Ne5 26.Re3 Bxf5 27.Rg3+ Ng6 28.Rxa8 Qd4+ 29.Kf1 Qf4+ 30.Ke1 Bxc2 31.Qd5 c6 32.Qg8+ Kh6 33.Rh3+ Kg5 34.Rg3+ Kh6 35.Rh3+ Kg5 36.Re8 Bf5 37.Rg3+ Bg4 38.Ree3 Kh6 39.h3 Bh5 40.Qb8 Qb4+ 41.Kf1 a5 42.Qd8 Qf4+ 43.Kg1 d5 44.Kh2 Bd1 45.Re6 Kg7 46.Re7+ Kh6 47.Rxb7 Bc2 48.Qg8 Nh4 49.Rxh7+ Bxh7 50.Qg7+ Kh5 51.Qxh7+ Qh6 52.Qe7 Qg6 53.Qe2+ Kh6 54.Qe3+ Kh5 55.Qe2+ Kh6 56.Qe3+ Kh5 57.Rxg6 Kxg6 58.Qg3+ Kf5 59.Qxh4 Ke5 60.Qe7+ Kf5 61.g4+ Kg6 62.Qe6+ Kg7 63.g5 c5 64.Qf6+ Kh7 65.Qf7+ Kh8 66.g6 d4 67.Qf8 checkmate, Deep Shredder 10 UCI-HIARCS 11.1 UCI, jeromegambit, 2008) 10...Ng6 (10...Re8 11.f4 Ng6 12.f5 Ne5 13.Bf4 d6 14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Bg5 Qc5 16.Qxc5 dxc5 17.Nb5 Re7 18.Rae1 a6 19.Nd6+ Kf8 20.Bf4 Nc6 21.Nxc8 Rxe1 22.Bd6+ Kf7 23.Rxe1 Rxc8 24.Bxc5 Re8 25.Rxe8 Nxe8 26.Kf2 Kf6 27.g4 Ne5 28.Kg3 Nf7 29.Kf4 Ned6 30.Bd4+ Ke7 31.Bxg7 Nc4 32.g5 Nfd6 33.g6 hxg6 34.fxg6 Ne8 35.Bc3 Ncd6 36.h4 Kf8 37.h5 Ng7 38.Kg5 Ne4+ 39.Kh6 Nxc3 40.bxc3 Black resigned, iconsisonline - IgorBohar, FICS, 2010) 11.f3 Re8 12.Be3 b6 13.b4 bxc5 14.bxc5 Nf8 15.a4 Ne6 16.Qc4 d6 17.Rfd1 dxc5 18.Bg5 Black forfeited by disconnection, Wall,B - felineMMXI, blitz FICS, 2011; and

9...Qb4 10.Be3 d6 11.Bd4 Re8 12.a3 Qc4 13.cxd6 cxd6 14.f4 Nc6 15.Bxf6 Qc5+ 16.Rf2 Black resigned, GazzaT - Yigor, Chess.com, 2011.

10.Be3

An improvement over 10.Re1 Qxc5 11.Be3 Qc6 12.Bxa7 d6 13.Bd4 Re8 14.Bxe5 Rxe5 15.Rxe5 dxe5 16.Qe2 a5 17.Re1 b6 18.Qd3 Bb7 19.Qg3 Nh5 20.Qg5 Nf4 21.f3 Qc5+ 22.Kh1 Qf2 23.Rd1 Bc8 24.Rc1 h6 25.Qg3 Qd2 26.Rf1 Qxc2 27.Qf2 Qxf2 28.Rxf2 Nd5 29.Nxd5 Rxd5 30.Kg1 Rd1+ 31.Rf1 Rxf1+ 32.Kxf1 g5 33.a3 Ke6 34.Ke2 e4 35.fxe4 Ke5 36.Kd3 Ba6+ 37.Ke3 Bb5 38.h3 Bc6 39.g3 h5 40.h4 gxh4 41.gxh4 Bxe4 42.b3 Bc2 43.b4 Ba4 44.Kf3 Kf5 45.Kg3 Bc6 46.Kf2 Kg4 White resigned, Deep Sjeng 1.5 -Junior 7, The Jeroen Experience, 2003.

10...b6

Or 10...Re8 11.Bd4 d6 12.b3 Qa6 13.cxd6 Qxd6 14.Nb5 Qc6 15.Nxa7 Rxa7 16.Bxa7 b6 17.Qd4 Ba6 18.c4 Nf3+ 19.gxf3 Qxf3 20.Qd1 Re2 21.Qd8 Qg4+ 22.Kh1 Bb7+ White resigned, Wall,B - Guest6296711, PlayChess.com, 2014.

Or 10...Rd8 11.Qd2 Qb4 12.b3 c6 13.a3 Qg4 14.Rae1 d5 15.Kh1 Bf5 16.Bf4 Ng6 17.Bd6 Ne4 18.Nxe4 Black forfeited on time, Bholashankar - HellDenied, FICS, 2014.

11.Bd4 Nc6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Qh5+

It is time for White to start putting the pressure on.

Curiously, Stockfish 8 prefers 13.Nd5 and recommends that Black sacrifice the exchange to keep an edge in the game: 13...Rg8!? 14.Nxc7 Ne5 15.Nxa8 Bb7 16.f3 Qxc5+ 17.Kh1 Bxa8.

Going after the King makes more sense to me.

13...Ke7

Now it's time for the Knight to step in.

14.Nd5+ Kd8 15.cxb6 axb6 16 Qf7 Qd4

Centralizing the Queen, stepping out of the possible exposed attacks by White's Queen (after the Knight moves), and protecting the f6 pawn. Alas, it leads to disaster.

17.Rad1 Qxb2 18.Rfe1 Ne5 19.Qe7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: More Pie, Please

The following game tells an often-shared tale: it is not enough to know the move that "refutes" a line, it is necessary to know the follow up. This is especially the case in a very sharp, double-edged opening like the Jerome Gambit.

Wall, Bill - PassCapture
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4

Elsewhere I have referred to this a "pie-in-the-face" variation, and it is one that can come as a shock to the unprepared Jerome Gambiteer - but Bill Wall is hardly unprepared. He has had success against other lines in the 6.d4 variation, and is ready if someone wants to mix it up with the text.

7.O-O Ng4 8.h3 N8f6 

With this move (a novelty according to The Database) Black continues to pursue development over material, refusing to retreat.

Bill has faced other lines as well:

8...Bd6 9.e5 Bxe5 (9...Nxe5 10.dxe5 Bxe5 11.Qd5+ Kf6 12.Re1 d6 13.Rxe5 dxe5 14.Qd8+ Ne7 15.Qxh8 Qe4 [15...Kf7 16.Nd2 Ng6 17.Nf3 Qxf2+ 18.Kxf2 Nxh8 19.Nxe5+ Kf6 20.Nf3 Bf5 21.Be3 Ng6 22.g4 Be4 23.Bd4+ Ke6 24.Re1 Rf8 25.Rxe4+ Kd5 26.Ke3 c5 27.Bxg7 Rf7 28.c4+ Kd6 29.Be5+ Nxe5 30.Nxe5 Rf1 31.Nd3 Rh1 32.Nf4 Rh2 33.Re6+ Kc7 34.Re7+ Kb6 35.Rxh7 Rxb2 36.g5 Rxa2 37.g6 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016] 16.Qf8+ Ke6 17.Bg5 Qb4 18.Qxg7 Bd7 19.Qf6+ Kd5 20.Nc3+ Kc4 21.b3+ Kxc3 22.Qxe5+ Qd4 23.Bd2+ Kxd2 24.Qxd4+ Kxc2 25.Rd1 Black resigned, Wall,B - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2016) 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Qd5+ Kf6 12.f4 Ng6 13.Nc3 d6 14.Be3 Ke7 15.Rae1 Kd8 16.Nb5 Nf6 17.Qc4 Ne8 18.Bf2 Qf6 19.Bd4 Qh4 20.Rxe8+ Kxe8 21.Nxc7+ Kf8 22.f5 Ne5 23.f6 gxf6 24.Qd5 Kg7 25.Qxd6 Rg8 26.Rxf6 Qxf6 27.Bxe5 and won Sorensen,S - X, Denmark, 1888 

8...d6 9.dxc5 N4f6 10.cxd6 cxd6 11.Nd2 Nxe4 12.Nf3 Qh5 13.Ng5+ Qxg5 14.Bxg5 Nxg5 15.Qh5+ Kf6 16.f4 Ne4 17.Qe8 d5 18.Qe5+ Kf7 19.Qxd5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016. 

9.dxc5 Nxe4

I would have expected the consistent 9...h5!? with attack still on Black's mind, although Stockfish 8 prefers 9...Ne5 10.f4 Nc6 and White's advantage is slight.

Black's counter-attack evaporates.

10.Qd5+ Kf6 11.Qxe4 

Having surrendered a piece, Black realizes to his dismay that his Knight is pinned to his Queen - and lost.

11...d5 12.cxd6 cxd6 13.f3 h5 14.fxg4+ Black resigned

Black is down a piece - and faces checkmate.

The Jerome Life: Scrambled

The Jerome Gambit and related openings have their main lines and strategies, but it is important to remember that many times those games quickly become scrambled - and players have to ask themselves why they are trying to remember the "right" moves in the midst of all the chaos. It is important to remember that in many club games, the winner is the one who makes the next-to-last error. 

susant - seanypf
blitz, FICS, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.Nc4 

This is an interesting idea - there are 140 examples in The Database. White scores 52%. The sharpest alternative is 6.c3.

6...Nf6 7.e5

Going right for the attack. White is most likely to decrease Black's advantage with 7.c3, however.

7...Nd5 

So simple - but so wrong. Stockfish 8 says this leads to an even game, preferring 7...d5, i.e. 8.c3 Nf5 9.exf6 dxc4 10.fxg7 Bxg7 with the advantage to Black. The extra White pawns don't compensate for the sacrificed piece, the computer believes.

As for game examples, The Database has only two, featuring 7...Ne4? Here they are, with light notes: 8.Qg4+!? (8.c3 Nf5 9.d4 [9.d3!?] 9...c6 [9...Kf7!?] 10. O-O b5 11. Ne3 g6 12. d5+ Ke7 13. d6+ Ke8 14. Nxf5 gxf5 15. Qh5 chekmate, DougDDG - nicapol, FICS, 2007) 8...Kd5? 9.Ne3+ (9.O-O!? d6 [9... Kxc4 10. Qxe4 d5 11. exd6 Bxd6 12. Nc3 c6 White is better] 10. Ne3+ Kxe5 11. f4+ Kf6 12. Qh4+ g5 13. fxg5+ Kg7 14. Qxe4 c5 White is better) 9...Kxe5 10.c3 (10. Qh5+!?) 10...d5 11.cxd4+ Kxd4 12.Nc3? (12. Qe2!?) 12...Bxg4 13.Nb5+ Kc5 14.Nc3 Nxc3 15.bxc3 Qe7?! (15...Qh4!?) 16.O-O? (16.Ba3+!) 16...Be2 17.Ba3+ Kc6 18.Bxe7 Bxf1 19.Bxf8 Rhxf8 20.Kxf1 Rae8 21Rb1 b6 22.Rb4 a5 23.Rh4 h6 24.Rg4 g5 25.Rg3 Re4 26.Rh3 Rh8 27.Nf5 h5 28.Ng7 h4 29.Nf5 Ra4 30.Nd4+ Kb7 31.Ne6 Rxa2 32.Nxg5 Rxd2 33.Nf7 Rd1+ 34.Ke2 Re8+ 35.Kxd1 Re7 36.Ng5 Rf7 37.Nxf7 c5 38.Rxh4 b5 39.Rh6 b4 40.cxb4 a4 41.Nd6+ Black forfeited on time, hest - alipax, FICS, 2010.

8.Qg4+ 

Not surprisingly, Stockfish 8 prefers 8.c3, with an even game.

8...Nf5 

An improvement over the earlier 8...Ke7 9.Qxd4 c6 10.d3 h6 11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 g5 13.Ba3+ Ke8 14.Bxf8 Rxf8 15.Nd6+ Ke7 16.O-O Qb6 17.Qg4 Rf4 18.Qh5 Kd8 19.Qxh6 Kc7 20.Ne8+ Kb8 21.d4 d5 22.Qd6+ Qc7 23.Qxc7 checkmate, shredderchess - PsychoGod, FICS, 2011.

9.Qe4

Reasonable, as was 9.O-O Qh4 (9...h5 10.Qg6+ Nf6 11.exf6 Qxf6 12.Re1+ Kd5 13.Qxf6 gxf6 14.d3 Nd4 15.Ne3+ Kc6 16.c3 Ne6 17.b4 b6 18.Bb2 Bg7 19.a4 Kb7 20.Nf5 Bf8 21.c4 Bxb4 22.Re3 Rg8 23.Rf3 Kb8 24.Nd4 Bb7 25.Rxf6 Nxd4 26.Bxd4 Bxg2 27.Rh6 Be4+ 28.Kf1 Bxd3 checkmate, biased - suequntf, FICS, 2009) 10.Qf3 Bc5 11.c3 Qxc4 12.d3 Qh4 13.d4 Bb6 14.Nd2 Rf8 15.Ne4 d6 16.exd6 cxd6 17.Ng5+ Kd7 18.Qxd5 h6 19.Qe6+ Kc7 20.Qc4+ Kd8 21.Nf7+ Ke7 22.Re1+ Kf6 23.Nxd6 Nxd6 24.Qe2 Bf5 25.Qe7+ Kg6 26.Qxd6+ Rf6 27.Qe7 Raf8 28.Qxb7 Be4 29.Qxe4+ Qxe4 30.Rxe4 Rxf2 31.Be3 Rxb2 32.c4 Re2 33.c5 Ba5 34.Rg4+ Kh5 35.Rg3 Bc3 36.Rf1 Rxf1+ 37.Kxf1 Rxa2 38.Rxg7 a5 39.Rh7 a4 40.Rxh6+ Kg4 41.Rg6+ Kf5 42.Rg5+ Ke4 43.Re5+ Kd3 44.c6 Bxd4 45.Bxd4 Kxd4 46.Re8 Rc2 47.Ra8 Rc4 48.c7 Ke3 49.Re8+ Kd4 50.c8=Q Rxc8 51.Rxc8 a3 Black resigned, mhmf - JhondEdie, FICS, 2014.

White can't quite take advantage of the pin on the Knight at f5, as 9.Ne3 would be met by 9...Nxe3 10.dxe3 and now 10...d5 would prevent the new e-pawn from attacking the Knight, while 10...Qh4 would disrupt the pinning Queen.

9...Qh4 10.Qe2 

White's dilemma is that an exchange of Queens would allow Black's King to eventually escape his uneasy position in the middle of the board.

10...Nd4

11.Qd3 

Protecting c2 from the fork, but even the timid 11.Qd1 would fail - to 11...Qe4+ 12.Ne3 Nxe3 13.dxe3 Nxc2+, etc. White's game goes to pieces.

11...Nb4 12.Qb3 Nbxc2+ 13.Kd1 Nxb3 White forfeited by disconnection

Okay, so maybe it is a good idea to learn some opening theory.

Jerome Gambit: Jump!

I thought I would start 2017 with a Jerome Gambit game that got me chuckling. White is played by shugart, who has over 120 games in The Database. The time control is "lightning", and I am tempted to say that the players should know better than to try the Jerome at that speed - but then I was reminded of a scene in the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" where the two title characters are trapped at the edge of a cliff, and their only "escape" is to leap off, into the water below...

Butch Cassidy: Alright. I'll jump first. 
Sundance Kid: No. 
Butch Cassidy: Then you jump first. 
Sundance Kid: No, I said. 
Butch Cassidy: What's the matter with you? 
Sundance Kid: I can't swim. 
Butch Cassidy: Are you crazy? The fall will probably kill you. 
Sundance Kid: Oh... 

shugart - kisa
lightning, FICS, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

Play the Jerome Gambit?
The time clock will probably kill you, anyhow.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.Nc3 c6 10.d3 h6 11.Be3 Bb4 

We are getting to the part of the game where the clock dictates "Move first. Think later."

12.O-O Ba5 13.f4 d5 14.e5 

For example, White has a threat - but Black has an equal one. Given a few more ticks of the clock, White would have found the safer 14.Bc5+ Kg8 15.e5 

14...Bxc3

Fixing things for White, by missing the fork 14...d4. This move sugggests that time is now on White's side, and as long as he stays ahead on the clock he will win, regardless of what is happening on the board.

15.bxc3 Ne8 16.f5 Rg8 

17.Bc5+ Kf7 18.e6+

It is a bit impertinent to suggest the alternative 18.Qg6#, as White is not going to win via checkmate. He doesn't have to.

18...Kf6 19.Bd4+ 

Likewise, 19.Qg6+ Ke5 20.Rae1# is irrelevant. 

19...Ke7 20.Bc5+

It is the height of rudness to suggest, instead, that 20.Qg6 or 20.f6+ would have led to the win of Black's Rook. White has it all under control.

Black forfeited on time

That's okay. Time ran out on 2016, too. Happy New Year!

Jerome Gambit: White Beware

Not all of the traps and surprises are for Black in the Jerome Gambit. The following game has a nasty snare that White steps in; and it is doubly dangerous in a blitz game. Be aware: chessmanjeff is no stranger to the Jerome Gambit, either; The Database has 239 of his games.

chessmanjeff - hugore
5 0 blitz, FICS, 2016

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

This very early defense to the Jerome could come as a surprise to an unprepared White. For some history of the line, see the post "Merry Christmas! A Hysterical/Historical Jerome Gambit Part 1".

6.Qh5

The Banks variation, most recently covered in the post "Jerome Gambit: Battle of Wits" where 6.Nxc6 was given as best - and then Black has the surprise 6...Qh4!?. Mayhem ensues. 

6...Qe7

Another surprise. Black offers the exchange. White should not accept!

7.Ng6+

An alternative, hoping to return to "normal" lines, was not successful: 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.O-O Nf6 9.Qf3 Qxe4 10.Qc3 Bd4 11.Qb4+ c5 12.Qb5 c6 13.Qa5 b6 14.Qa3 Qxc2 15.Nc3 Be6 16.Ne2 Be5 17.d4 Bd6 18.dxc5 Bxc5 19.Qf3 Bd5 20.Qh3 Qxe2 21.Bg5 Qg4 22.Bxf6 Qxh3 23.Bxg7+ Kxg7 24.gxh3 Rhg8 White resigned, HooahMan - elidede, FICS, 2015.

Play should continue, instead, 7.Qf3+ Nf6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.d3 d5 10.Nc3 Bg4 11.Qg3 dxe4 12.O-O exd3 13.cxd3 h5 according to Stockfish 8.

7...hxg6 8.Qxh8 Qxe4+

Checkmate is now forced.

This point was overlooked in an earlier game, which is given with light notes: 8...Qf6?! 9.O-O d6 10.d4? (10.c3!?) 10...Nxd4 11.Nc3 Nxc2 12.Nd5 Qd8 13.b4 Bd4 14.Rb1 c6 15.Bb2? (15.Nf4!?) 15...Bxb2 (15...cxd5) 16.Rxb2 Nd4 17.Rd1 Nb5 18.a4 cxd5 19.axb5 Qf6 20.Rb3 dxe4 21.f3 Be6 22.Ra3 d5 23.fxe4 Ke7 24.exd5 (24.Rf3!? Qe5 25.exd5) 24...Bg4 25.d6+ Kd7 26.Rf1 Qd4+ 27.Kh1 Qxb4? 28.Qxg7+ Ke6 29.Qxg6+ Kd5 30.Rd3+ Kc4 31.Qxg4+ Kxb5 32.Rf5+ Ka4 33.Qxb4+ (33.Qd1+ Qb3 34.Qxb3#) 33...Kxb4 34.Rf4+ Kc5 35.d7 Rd8 36.Rc4+?! Black forfeited on time, HooahMan - elidede, FICS, 2015.

9.Kd1

Another earlier cautionary tale: 9.Kf1 Qd4 10.Ke1 Qxf2+ 11.Kd1 d6 12.h3 Qxg2 13.Re1 Qf3+ 14.Re2 Bf2 15.d3 Nd4 16.Nc3 Qh1+ 17.Kd2 Nf3 checkmate, splott - mika76, GameKnot.com, 2008.

9...d6 10.Re1 Qg4+ 11.f3 Qxg2 12.Re8+ Kxe8 13.Qxg8+ Kd7 14.Qxg7+ Ne7

The "only move" to preserve the win, actually. Take a look at 14...Ke6 15.Qg8+ Ke5 16.Qg7+ Kf4 17.d4+ Kxf3 18.Qf7+ Bf5 19.Qd5+ Be4 20.Qf7+ Kg4 21.Qf4+ Kh5 22.Qh6+ Kg4 23.Qg5+ Kh3 24.Qh6+, drawn by repetition. Amazing!

15.c3 Qxf3+ 16.Kc2 Qe4+ 17.d3 Qe2+ 18.Bd2 b6 19.d4 Ba6 20.dxc5 Bd3+ 21.Kb3 bxc5 22.Bg5 Rb8+

Missing 22...Bc2+ 23.Ka3 Qa6 but it doesn't matter at all.

23.Ka4 Bc2+ 24.b3 Bxb3+

Or 24...Qa6 checkmate.

25.axb3 Qb5+ 26.Ka3 Qxb3 checkmate

Wow! Let's not do that again, shall we?