I recently consulted The Database.
There are 315 games where I played the Jerome Gambit with its regular move order, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+. I scored 82%.
There are 59 games with the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit position, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+. I scored 74%.
There are 58 games with the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+. I scored 88%.
There are 58 games with the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bxf7+. I scored 78%.
Not bad, for a refuted opening.
However, there are worse things than losing to the Jerome Gambit. For example, what if White, on top of playing his "busted" opening, suddenly blunders? His only chance is if... if...?
I should blush.
perrypawnpusher - Leoleon
2 12 blitz, FICS, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.O-O Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6
10.f4 c5
This is a novelty according to The Database. I have faced the alternative 10...Nc6 18 times, going 10-5-3. That's 64%, which is decent - but below my total score against the line.
11.Qe3 Nc6 12.b3
Instead, 12.e5 looked premature.
12...Rg8
I racked my brain trying to figure this out. Was my opponent actually considering ...g7-g5 ? Actually, in light of his next move, this looks like a mouse slip.
13.Bb2 Re8
A better placement. See the note above.
14.Rad1
Better might have been 14.Qd3 followed by 15.Rae1.
14...Kg8 15.Qf3
Simply a blunder. I know we were playing a fast blitz game, but this is not due to the "33rd piece".
15...Bg4
Of course. There are worse things than sacrificing two pieces in a dubious opening, and then going down to ignominous defeat - like sacrificing two pieces in the opening and then blundering away the exchange and then going down to ignominious defeat.
16.Qg3
Of course.
16...Bf3
Oh, no! The "34th piece" strikes again!
17.gxf3 Black resigned
Yes, there are worse things than losing to the Jerome Gambit - like White further blundering away the exchange, only to be "rescued" by a piece-dropping mouse slip by Black... My opponent could have played on, but I think he was no longer in the mood. I could sympathize mightily.
BOOM!
After the previous post I received an email from chessfriend Yury Bukayev who suggested that in the Semi-Italian opening, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6, after 4.0-0 Bc5, along with the Jerome Gambit-ish 5.Bxf7+ White also has the Evans Gambit-ish 5.b4.
He reminded me of two articles that he had written on similar opening lines (see c50 and c51) - well worth a first (or second) look for readers who want to punish the timid 3...h6. Look closely and you will find a number of opportunities for a well-timed Bxf7+, as well!
Thank you, Yury.
In my most recent Jerome Gambit game, in a line that I was familiar with, I nonetheless ran out of ideas. Lucky for me, I was able to keep making scary moves - enough for my opponent to overstep his clock (we were playing 2 12).
perrypawnpusher - RcSm
2 12 blitz, FICS, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.O-O Bc5
After the game I was surprised to discover that I had played three games previously against RcSm. Interestingly enough, none were Jerome Gambits. One game continued 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 - perrypawnpusher - RcSm, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 30) - and two continued 4...d6 - perrypawnpusher - RcSm, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 30) and perrypawnpusher - RcSm, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 41).
5.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6
Before this game I was 19 - 2 - 2 in games with this position, according to The Database. That's 87% - and one of those losses came after the mouse slip 8.Qe5??
8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Qe7
This is a reasonable move, although there are only 2 other games in The Database with it. White is going to want his Knight to come to c3, and maybe later to d5, harassing the Queen. A pawn advance to f4 (and later, further) and one to d4 also seem relevant.
11.Nc3 Be6
In analyzing the game post mortem I was intrigued by Stockfish 8's suggestion that, instead, Black should castle-by-hand on the Queenside: 11...Kd8 12.f4 Bd7 13.b3 Kc8 with an equal game.
My opponent eventually did do something like that in this game, but it did not wind up as strong.
The text encourages my next move, which I guess came as a surprise to my opponent, as he first retreated his Bishop, then later advanced it to c4 - something he could have done right away.
12.f4 Bf7
An earlier game of mine continued 12...Nf8 13.f5 Bc4 14.d3 Bb5 15.Nxb5 Qd7 16.Nc3 g6 17.Bd2 Kd8 18.d4 Nf6 19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Nd5 21.Nxd5 Qxd5 22.Bc3 Rg8 23.Rad1 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Macgregr, blitz, FICS, 2010.
13.d4 Kd8
Here he goes.
14.f5 Nf8 15.e5 Bc4
A cold-blooded alternative for Black is 15...Nf6, as after 16.exf6 Qxe3+ 17.Bxe3 gxf6 White's possibilities for attack have diminished with the exchange of Queens. He would be down a pawn, although the chances of creeping toward a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame would be there.
A more refined way of implementing the Queen swap (leading to a better pawn structure) is 15...Nd7 16.e6 Nb6 17.exf7 Qxe3+ 18.Bxe3 Nf6 and White's pawn on f7 will fall.
16.Re1 Kc8
"Come and get me, Copper!" My opponent pulls a James Cagney and challenges me to show that I have compensation for the sacrificed piece.
17.Qg3 Kb8
After the game Stockfish 8 suggested that in this position I had the equivalent of a Queen advantage. Can you see that much compensation, here? During the game I was still trying to get my sacrificed piece back.
18.exd6
This much is pretty clear to figure out, even with the time on my own clock ticking away...
18...Qd7 19.dxc7+ Kc8
And now, what?
After the game, Stockfish 8 recommended 20.Ne4 (threatening the fork at d6) Bd5 21.Nc5 Qf7 22.Qd6 Nd7 23.Nxd7 Nf6 24.Nxf6 Bc6 25.Ne4, a line that I could not have imagined - White's Knight just marches in, captures two pieces, and leaves.
20.b3 Bf7
And now, what?
It is probably easier for you to see that - especially with Black's time slipping away - the idea is now for White to grab the pawn at g7, threaten the Black Rook, and let the defender do the thinking...
21.d5
During the game I figured out that now 21...Bxd5 22.Nxd5 Qxd5 23.Re8+ had to be crushing, so the pawn was safe. Also, 21...Qxc7 could be answered by 22.Bf4, and again Black would have to do the figuring.
In figuring I could simply march this pawn to d6 to protect the one at c7, I simply overlooked 21.Qxg7.
21...Nf6 22.Ba3
A tactical idea! Abandoning the idea of d5-d6, which would have been playable, e.g. 22.d6 Qc6 23.Re7 Bh5 24.Bf4 N8d7 25.Qxg7.
Still, after the game Stockfish 8 preferred 22.Qxg7 Rg8 23.Qxf6
22...Rg8
I would have been thrilled to follow the line 22...Qxc7 23.Qxc7+ Kxc7 24.Re7+ N8d7 25. Rxf7 when White's three extra pawns would be enough, in a calm and relatively simple position.
23.Re7 Nh5
Quick! I threaten his Queen, he threatens mine.
24.Qe3
Black forfeited on time
Black's Queen can only escape danger with 24...Qxf5, when I would have played 25.Re8+ Bxe8 26.Qxe8+ Kxc7 27.Qxa8 which would have satisfied me as I would have been up two pawns.
Stockfish 8 laughs at that assessment, proclaiming a checkmate in 24 moves from that position. It sees as best play 24...Nf6 25.Rxd7 N8xd7 and I can live with that, too.
I just discovered that a past post on Timo Vierjoki's blog, "64 square madness that some of us call chess" includes a game where Timo defended against the Jerome Gambit. He explores a lot of different openings on his blog, and I am glad to see the Jerome show up.
It would be even more fun if the Gambit had been successful, or if the blogger had been encouraging others to play it - but "as long as they spell your name right," right?
Hats off to the gambiteer who tried out the Jerome Gambit against someone rated 550 points higher!
Stop by. Check it out.
I am going to share the game here.
mouradrita - Vierjoki, Timo
Chess.com, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6
8.O-O Nf6 9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd3 Re8
11.Qc4+ Be6 12.Qa4 Qe7 13.b3 Bd7 14.Bb2 Qxe4
15.Qb5 Qe3+ 16.Kh1 Qe2 17.Qxe2 Rxe2 18.Na3 a6 19.Rab1 Rae8
20.h3 Ne4 21.Rg1 Re6 22.Kh2 Nd2 23.f5 Re8 24.Rbf1 Nxf1+ White resigned
Recently posted online was a video of a 5 0 game between the YouTube personality BossGambler and the Radio Shack 1850 chess computer. It is fun to watch.
The game is also presented below.
BossGambler - Radio Shack 1850
5 0 blitz, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Bd6
8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.Qh5+ Ke6 10.Qf5+ Kd6 11.f4 Qh4+
12.g3 Qf6 13.fxe5+ Qxe5
14.Bf4 Qxf4 15.gxf4 Kc6 16.Qd5+ Kb6 17.Na3 c5 18.Qd6+ Ka5 19.Qxc5+ b5 20.Qxb5 checkmate
I am reading IM Sam Collins' Gambit Busters* (Everyman Chess, 2010) with a know-your-enemy focus, and enjoyed the following, from the chapter "Escaping the Defensive Mindset"
It is well known that club players, typically, go to pieces when confronted by a gambit. Of course, for every player there are some gambit lines which they know, and perhaps their theoretical knowledge will suffice to get them to a safe position. But this won't be the case when they are confronted by an established gambit they don't know, an unusual or forgotten gambit, or where their opponent deviates from theory.
To my mind, gambits are the situations where there is the single biggest gap between passively looking at a position at home, and facing something over the board. Skimming over an opening variation with a cup of tea, maybe Rybka muttering in the background, it all looks so straightforward - an "=" symbol (or something even more favourable), a bunch of crisp responses demonstrating the intellectual failure of our opponent's adventure.
But at the board, things are rather different. First, there is the confusion factor...
Yes, indeed. At the level of play that the Jerome Gambit is exhibited, it is often "unusual" or "forgotten" enough to lead to success. Certainly it can lead to "confusion".
"Knowing" that the opening is refuted, looked askance at by "the book" and hooted at by computers, it must be infuriating (or embarassing) for the defender to be struggling against such a monstrosity.
I am remined of the story about chess great Aaron Nimzovich climbing on a table and bemoaning "Why must I lose to this idiot?" More recently, Bill Wall shared the scolding he received from his opponent after having the audacity to play - and win with - the Jerome Gambit. The opening is garbage, it would never work against a grandmaster, the world champion would never play such a thing...
Ah, yes. In my pre-Jerome Gambit days I would repeatedly defeat a friend who always protested "But I was winning!" I would reassure him that, yes, he was winning, right up to the point where I checkmated him.
(*I am enjoying Collins' work, and I appreciate the classic games that he chooses to illustrate his points. I was surprised, however, in the mentioned chapter, that after all that he wrote of the tribulations of "club players" he chose a game between super-Grandmasters Anand and Shirov to drive the point home.)
In a humorous vein I have referred to the chess clock as the "33rd piece" and the computer mouse (for online games) as the "34th piece", as each can have a profound effect on the outcome of a chess game - especially a game featuring the unorthodox Jerome Gambit.
In the following battle Black takes the sacrificed material, exchanges pieces, enters a winning endgame and... and... and...
and apparently runs out of time (or ideas?) and forces a draw through the repetition of moves.
Weird.
Which is kind of normal for the Jerome Gambit.
Wall, Bill - Kar, Bob
lichess.org, 2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.O-O h6
Interesting. Bill opts for a "modern" (non 5.Nxe5+) Jerome Gambit variation by castling. In return, his opponent transposes the game to a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7).
It is funny to note that now Stockfish 8 recommends Bill's following, "classical" Jerome Gambit move.
6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4
Bill has also played the equally-strong 7.Qh5+: 7...Ke6 (7...Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qc4 Ne5 11.Qb3 Qe7 12.d4 Nc6 13.d5 Nd4 14.Qa4+ Bd7 15.Qxd4 Qe5 16.Qxe5+ dxe5 17.f4 exf4 18.Bxf4 c6 19.c4 Nf6 20.e5 Nh5 21.e6 Nxf4 22.exd7+ Kxd7 23.Rxf4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Castro,S, Chess.com, 2010) 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.d4 Bxd4 10.Rd1 Ke7 11.Rxd4 d6 12.Qf4 Nf6 13.Nc3 Qf8 14.b3 Be6 15.Nb5 Kd7 16.Qxe5 Ng4 17.Qg3 Qf6 18.Bb2 Rhf8 19.Rxd6+ cxd6 20.Bxf6 Rxf6 21.Qxd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest473534, PlayChess.com 2011
7...Bxd4
This direct move makes the most sense, especially in light of Black having spent time on ...h6. Still, Bill has seen other moves:
7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.Qh5+ Ke6 10.Qf5+ Kd6 11.Rd1+ Kc6 12.Qxe5 Qe7 13.Qd5+ Kb6 14.Be3+ c5 15.Nc3 d6 16.Qxd6+ Qxd6 17.Rxd6+ Kc7 18.Nb5+ Kb8 19.Bf4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest7561588, PlayChess.com, 2016; and
7...Bb6 8.dxe5 Ne7 9.Nc3 c6 10.Qh5+ Ng6 11.Qf5+ Kg8 12.Qxg6 Qf8 13.Ne2 Qf7 14.Qg3 Kh7 15.b3 Rf8 16.Bb2 Qg6 17.Qd3 a5 18.Ng3 a4 19.Nf5 axb3 20.axb3 Rxa1 21.Bxa1 Rd8 22.Nd6 Bc5 23.Rd1 Rf8 24.Nf5 Qe6 25.h3 g6 26.Nd6 Bxf2+ 27.Kh2 Bc5 28.Nxc8 Rxc8 29.Qxd7+ Qxd7 30.Rxd7+ Kg8 31.Rxb7 Re8 32.Rc7 Re6 33.g4 Be3 34.Kg3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Dad88, Miami, 2014.
8.Qxd4 Qf6
Putting the Queen on an often-useful square, and threatening the very blunt 9...Nf6+. Once again, Bill has faced other continuations:
8...Nc6 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.Qb3 d6 12.Be3 Qe7 13.f3 Na5 14.Qb5 b6 15.Rfe1 Bd7 16.Qf1 Kf7 17.Nd5 Qd8 18.Rad1 Re8 19.Bf2 c6 20.Nxf6 Qxf6 21.b4 Nb7 22.Qa6 Bc8 23.Bd4 Qe6 24.Bxb6 Nc5 25.Qa3 Nd7 26.Bc7 Qc4 27.Bxd6 Nb6 28.Bc5 Be6 29.f4 Bg4 30.Rd4 Qxc2 31.f5 Nc4 32.Qg3 Ne5 33.Bd6 Bh5 34.Bxe5 Be2 35.Qxg7 checkmate, Wall,B - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2016;
8...d6 9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd5+ Be6 11.Qd3 Ke7 12.Bd2 Nf6 13.Nc3 Nb4 14.Qg3 Rg8 15.e5 dxe5 16.Rad1 exf4 17.Bxf4 Qc8 18.Bxc7 Nfd5 19.Bd6+ Kd7 20.Bxb4 Qc6 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Rf7+ Kc8 23.Rxd5 Qxd5 24.Qc7 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest2474397, PlayChess.com, 2014;
8...Ng6 9.Qc4+ Kf8 10.Nc3 c6 11.Be3 b5 12.Qb4+ N8e7 13.f4 a5 14.Qd6 Kf7 15.f5 Nf8 16.f6 Ne6 17.fxe7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Merdiyev,F, Chess.com, 2010; and
8...Qe7 9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd5+ Qe6 11.Qh5+ g6 12.Qf3 d6 13.f5 gxf5 14.exf5 Qf6 15.Nc3 Ne5 16.Qh5+ Kg7 17.Nd5 Qf7 18.Qxf7+ Kxf7 19.Nxc7 Rb8 20.Nb5 Ne7 21.Nxd6+ Kf6 22.Bf4 Bxf5 23.Rae1 N5g6 24.Nxf5 Nxf4 25.Nxe7 Kg5 26.Re5+ Kf6 27.Re4 Rhe8 28.Rfxf4+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Ratebabb, Chess.com, 2010.
9.Rd1
Another way to deal with the threat was 9.Be3 d6 (9...Ne7 10.Nc3 Rf8 11.Nb5 c6 12.Nc7 Rb8 13.f4 Nf3+ 14.Rxf3 Qxd4 15.Bxd4 Kg8 16.Bxa7 Black resigned, Wall,B - Foman, Chess.com 2010) 10.Nc3 c5 11.Qd1 g5 12.f4 gxf4 13.Rxf4 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016.
9...d6
10.h3
Letting Black take the first step, but this allows the annoying 10...Bxh3!? 11.Qc3 Bxg2!? 12.Kxg2 Qg6+ 13.Kf1 Qxe4 when Black has returned the sacrificed piece for three pawns, while destroying the pawn cover of the White King.
10...Ne7 11.Nd2 c5 12.Qc3 Rf8 13.Qb3+ Qe6 14.Qxe6+ Bxe6
With an extra piece (for only a pawn) and better development, Black is clearly on top in this game. However, he still needs to show what he can do with his advantage, and that proves to be a challenge.
15.f4 N5c6 16.f5 Bd7 17.g4
Nothing like a Kingside pawn storm to get the blood pumping. Black decides to castle-by-hand right into it.
17...Kg8 18.h4
18...Rad8 19.Nf3 Bc8 20.c4 Ne5 21.Nxe5 dxe5 22.Rxd8 Rxd8
Exchanging pieces has helped Black by reducing the size of the possible attacking force. The Queenless middle game is looking a lot like an ending, where the extra piece will be of help.
23.Be3 b6 24.a3 Rd3 25.Bf2 Nc6 26.b4 Nd4 27.bxc5 bxc5 28.Rb1 Rb3 29.Rxb3 Nxb3 30.Kg2 Ba6 31.Bg3 Bxc4 32.Bxe5 Bd3
Things are beginning to look scary for White. On the other hand, they have looked scary since the opening, so everything is relative. The Jerome Gambit is not for the nervous; it is for those who can stay continuously aware of opportunities as they present themselves. Nobody ever won a game by resigning, either.
33.Bb8 a5 34.Kf3 c4 35.Ke3 a4 36.Bd6 Kf7 37.g5 hxg5 38.hxg5 g6
In theory, exchanging pawns should help White. A passed pawn or two wouldn't hurt, either. Any weapon to fight back with.
39.f6 Na1 40.Bc5 Nc2+ 41.Kd2 Na1
This looks like a clock issue.
42.Ke3 Nc2+ 43.Kd2 Na1 Drawn by repetition
