Jerome Gambit: One Tempo Away

Although the Jerome Gambit is clearly a "refuted" opening, some of its lines approach legitimacy - and, at certain time controls or under certain conditions, it becomes "playable" as well.

Sometimes it is almost like White is one tempo short of an acceptable position - and that tempo shows up regularly in the games of club players.

The following game is a brutal example.

Wall, Bill - Guest2069651
PlayChess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 

A routine position for Bill. He has been here over 70 times.

8.O-O Nc6 9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qe2 

White engages in a bit of psychological warfare: the Jerome Gambit is known to be "bad" for any number of reasons, including having White using his Queen too early and too often. Here, Bill stirs things up - and perhaps gives his opponent the idea that the first player is a rank amateur not to be taken too seriously.

11...Qd7 12.Nc3 a6

Keeping White's Knight off of b5, but I do not think that this is the most useful move here.

13.f4 Nge7

Bill does not like this move, and recommends 13...b5 instead. Certainly 13...Nf6 was also playable. It is clear that Black puts his Knight on e7 to resist the advance of White's "Jerome pawns" but in this he is not successful.

14.f5 gxf5 15.Qh5+ 

Oh, that Queen!

White now can draw the game by repetition, but he wants more than half a point. Perhaps Black does not want a draw against such a disreputable opening as well, and so choosed a different line of play - handing White the necessary tempo to close out the attack.

15...Kg7

Wiser was 15...Kg8. 

16.Bh6+ Kg8 

It is a bit of a shock to realize 16...Kf6 17.e5+ dxe5 (17...Kxe5 18.Bg7#) 18.Ne4 checkmate 

17.exf5 Bxf5 

Better than 17...Nxf5 but still leading to a loss.

18.Nd5

Threatening a deadly fork at f6, and undermining the support of the enemy Bishop.

18...Nxd5 

The "best" defense shows the strength of White's attack: 18...Rf8 19.Rae1 (winning the exchange can wait) Qd8 20.Nxe7+ Nxe7 21.Rxe7 Qxe7 22.Bxf8 Bg6 23.Qxg6+ hxg6 24.Bxe7 and White is a piece ahead in the endgame. I suspect that Bill would have found 20.Qh4!?, however, continuing to tie his opponent in knots.

19.Rxf5 Ne5 20.Rg5+ Ng6 21.Rxg6+ hxg6 22.Qxg6+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Giving Black "A Second Chance"

You sit down to a game of chess, you are planing on using the Jerome Gambit - but your opponent opts to play the Two Knights Defense. What to do?

We have looked at this dilemma a number of times in the past (see, for example, "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense", parts 1, 2, 3 and 4).

The following game and its notes show that sometimes giving Black a "second chance" can return the game to desired channels. The focus is upon the games of a player who has dealt with this issue many times.

Wall, Bill - Guest165295
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6

4.O-O Bc5

Well, that's more like it. Black's Bishop comes to the party after all.

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+

Bill has also tried 6.d3:  6...Kg8 (6... Rf8 7. Nc3 Kg8 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. Nd5 Qg6 11. c3 d6 12. b4 Bb6 13. b5 Nd8 14. Ne7+ Kf7 15. Nxg6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Munoz,C, Chess.com,  2010) 7. c4 d6 8. Be3 Bxe3 9. fxe3 Be6 10. Qb3 Na5 11. Qa4 Nc6 12. Nc3 a5 13. Ng5 Bd7 14. c5 Nb4 15. Qb3+ d5 16. exd5 Kf8 17. d6 Qe8 18. Nce4 cxd6 19. cxd6 Qg6 20. Rac1 Ke8 21. Rc7 Nfd5 22. Rxd7 Kxd7 23. Qc4 Nxe3 24. Qc7+ Ke8 25. Qe7 checkmate, Wall,B - KRM, Chess.com, 2010.

6...Nxe5

For completeness sake we have to mention 6...Ke7 7.d4 Bb6 8.Be3 Re8 9.Nxc6+ dxc6 10.e5 Nd5 11.Bg5+ Nf6 12.exf6+ gxf6 13.Re1+ Kf8 14.Rxe8+ Kxe8 15.Qh5+ Kf8 16.Qh6+ Kg8 17.Bxf6 Qf8 18.Qg5+ Kf7 19.Nc3 Qg8 20.Qe5 Be6 21.Ne4 h6 22.Re1 Re8 23.Bh4 Qg6 24.Re3 Bd7 25.Rf3+ Kg8 26.Nf6+ Qxf6 27.Rg3+ Kh7 28.Bxf6 Bxd4 29.Rg7+ Kh8 30.Rxd7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest371199, PlayChess.com, 2017

7.d4

The position is beginning to look like a "regular" Jerome Gambit position, if we go ahead and now add 7...Bxd4, transposing, i.e. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Nf6 8.0-0

Sometimes Black did play 7...Bxd4, e.g. 8.Qxd4 Re8 (8...Qe7 9.Nc3 c6 10.f4 Ng6 11.e5 Ne8 12.Ne4 b6 13.f5 Nxe5 14.Bg5 c5 15.Qd5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest850136, PlayChess.com, 2017 or 8...d6 9.Nc3 [9.Bf4 Be6 10.Nc3 Re8 11.Rad1 Nc6 12.Qd2 Bg4 13.f3 Bh5 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Qxd5+ Kf8 16.Qxh5 Kg8 17.Qd5+ Kh8 18.c4 Nb4 19.Qb5 a5 20.a3 Nc2 21.Rf2 Qf6 22.Bg5 Nd4 23.Qxe8+ Rxe8 24.Bxf6 Nxf3+ 25.Rxf3 gxf6 26.Rxf6 Rxe4 27.c5 Re2 28.Rf7 Rxb2 29.cxd6 Kg8 30.Rxc7 Kf8 31.d7 Black resigned, Wall,B -Guest3687203, PlayChess.com, 2015] 9...Be6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.f5 Ne5 13.fxe6+ Rxe6 14.Qh3 Ke7 15.Bg5 Qg8 16.Nd5+ Kd8 17.Bxf6+ gxf6 18.Nxf6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest547388, PlayChess.com, 2017) 9.Nc3 d6 10.Bf4 Kg8 11.Rad1 Qe7 12.f3 c6 13.Qxd6 Qxd6 14.Rxd6 Nf7 15.Rd2 b6 16.Kf2 g5 17.Bg3 Nh5 18.Bd6 Ba6 19.Rfd1 Rac8 20.a4 Kg7 21.a5 Rcd8 22.axb6 axb6 23.Be5+ Rxe5 24.Rxd8 Nxd8 25.Rxd8 Nf6 26.Rb8 Nd7 27.Ra8 Bc4 28.Rc8 c5 29.Rc7 Re7 30.b3 Be6 31.Rb7 Kf6 32.Na4 c4 33.b4 Re8 34.Ke3 Ra8 35.Nxb6 Nxb6 36.Rxb6 Ra1 37.b5 Re1+ 38.Kd2 Rg1 39.g3 Rg2+ 40.Kc3 Rf2 41.Rb8 Rxf3+ 42.Kd4 Rf1 43.b6 Rb1 44.Kc5 Ke5 45.Re8 Rb2 46.c3 Rb3 47.g4 Kf6 48.h3 Ke5 49.Kc6 Rxc3 50.b7 Rb3 51.b8=Q+ Rxb8 52.Rxb8 c3 53.Rb1 Bxg4 54.hxg4 Kxe4 55.Kd6 c2 56.Rc1 Kd3 57.Ke7 Drawn, Wall,B - Guest128013, PlayChess.com, 2017.

7...Nxe4

Playable, as are several lines that Bill has faced (and one that is not):

7...d6 8.dxc5 dxc5 9.Qe2 Rf8 10.Bf4 Ng6 11.Bg3 Be6 12.Nc3 Kg8 13.h3 a6 14.a4 c6 15.a5 Qd4 16.Rfd1 Qb4 17.Qe3 c4 18.Bd6 Qxb2 19.Rab1 Qxc2 20.Bxf8 Rxf8 21.Rd2 Nd5 22.exd5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest1193385, Play.Chess.com 2017;

7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.f4 Bd4+ (9...Nxe4 10.fxe5+ Nf6 11.exf6 g6 12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.f7+ Ke7 15.Qe5 checkmate, Wall,B - Marz, PlayChess.com 2014) 10.Qxd4 Re8 11.e5 Ng4 12.h3 Nh6 13.f5 Ng8 14.Nc3 c6 15.Ne4 Qb6 16.Ng5+ Kf8 17.Nxh7+ Ke7 18.f6+ gxf6 19.exf6+ Nxf6 20.Qxb6 axb6 21.Nxf6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest293396, PlayChess.com, 2015;

7...Re8 8.dxc5 Kg8 (8...Nxe4 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Qxe4 d6 11.Qxh7 Be6 12.cxd6 Qxd6 13.Nc3 Bg8 14.Qf5+ Qf6 15.Qh5 Bf7 16.Qh8+ Ke7 17.Qh7 Kf8 18.Ne4 Qg6 19.Qh8+ Bg8 20.f3 Qb6+ 21.Kh1 Ng6 22.Qh5 Re5 23.Qg4 Bf7 24.b3 Kg8 25.Bb2 Re7 26.Ng5 Qc5 27.Nxf7 Kxf7 28.Bd4 Qc6 29.Qf5+ Kg8 30.Rad1 Rae8 31.c4 Re2 32.Bc3 b5 33.Rd7 R2e7 34.Rxe7 Rxe7 35.Qxb5 Qd6 36.Qb8+ Kh7 37.Qxa7 c5 38.Qa3 Re2 39.Qc1 Qd3 40.Qd1 Qxd1 41.Rxd1 Rc2 42.Bd2 Rxa2 43.Be3 Nh4 44.Bxc5 Nxg2 45.Bd4 Nh4 46.Rd3 Ng2 47.c5 Nf4 48.Rd1 Rc2 49.Be3 Ne6 50.Rd6 Nc7 51.b4 Nb5 52.Rd7 Rc3 53.Bg1 Rc1 54.Rb7 Nd4 55.Kg2 Ne6 56.b5 Nf4+ 57.Kg3 Ne2+ 58.Kf2 Nxg1 59.c6 Nh3+ 60.Kg3 Ng5 61.c7 Ne6 62.b6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest6864060, PlayChess.com, 2016) 9.f4 Ng6 10.e5 Ne4 11.Qd5+ Kh8 12.Qxe4 Qh4 13.g3 Qh3 14.Nc3 Rb8 15.Nb5 b6 16.Nxc7 Bb7 17.Qe2 Rf8 18.Be3 Rbc8 19. Nb5 bxc5 20.Nd6 Rb8 21.Nxb7 Rxb7 22.Bxc5 Re8 23.b4 d6 24.Bxd6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest7492034, PlayChess.com, 2014; and

7...Rf8 (too generous) 8.dxe5 Ne8 9.Qd5+ Kg6 10.Qxc5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest848078, PlayChess.com, 2012

8.Qh5+ Ng6 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.dxc5 Nf6 11.Qd4 Qe7

Black could also have tried 11...d5 12.Nc3 c6 13.Bg5 Kf7 14.Rae1 Rf8 15.Re2 Kg8 16.Rfe1 Bf5 17.f3 Qd7 18.g4 Nxg4 19.fxg4 Bxg4 20.Re7 Nxe7 21.Rxe7 Qf5 22.Qxg7 checkmate, Wall,B - Mydrik,M, PlayChess.com, 2015.

12.Nc3 c6 13.Be3

White develops and hopes to take advantage of Black's King's position. "Objectively" Black is still better, with a piece for a pawn; but the d-pawn blocking the Bishop which hems in the Rooks is always an ominous sign...

13...Ne5

Instead, 13...Qe5, looking to exchange Queens and reduce the danger of an attack on his King, might have been more prudent.

14.Rae1 Neg4

Black is spending too much time moving the Knight. Perhaps he can not find a plan of play. Stockfish 8 gives a subtle line that leads to an advantage (a pawn) for White, but which has plenty of play (Black has Bishop vs Knight and more central pawns): 14...b6 15.Bf4 Qxc5 16.Qxc5+ bxc5 17.Rxe5 Kf7 18.Rxc5 Re8 19.Be5 Bb7 20.Bxf6 Kxf6 21.f3 d6 22.Ne4+ Ke7 23.Rh5 h6 24.Rd1 Rad8 25.Ra5 a6 26.Kf2 c5 27.c3 g6 28.h3 Rf8 29.Nd2 Rf6 30.Nc4

15.Bf4

The benefit of pursuing development while the opponent dithers. White's Bishop not only exposes a Rook attack on the enemy Queen, it eyes the fantastic d6 square.

15...Nd5

The simplest response - 15...Qf7, withdrawing the Queen to a safe square - is the best, although then White would have the powerful 16.Bd6+ as a reply. In the excitement, Black seems to have forgotten about Her Majesty.

16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.Rxe7 Black resigned

Checkmate is coming.

From the Corner - Smiling

It is hard to mention the chess wise guy Geoff Chandler without thinking about the following game that he posted, years ago, on his "Chandler Cornered" site

Anon - Anon
Edinburgh Congress

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bf4 Be7 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Nb5 Bb4+

Geoff noted

Black played Bb4+ with the idea of playing Ba5 covering c7.
Whilst White was pondering on his next move Black suddenly stated:
"I thinks It's checkmate!"
And it was!!!
Before the start of the game neither player had noticed that the Black King and Queen were on the wrong squares.

(Okay, that was a Petroff Defense, not a Jerome Gambit. If you feel cheated, don't worry, I have you covered: check out Geoff's legendary "Mars Attacks!") 

Tidying Up - Or Messing Up?

Recently I was looking through long-time friend of this blog IM Gary Lane's 2012 "Trash or Treasure?" column, part of his at "Opening Lanes" efforts at Chess Cafe.

(Actually, I was looking at an old pdf file, stored on my phone - a phrase that would probably have been nearly meaningless when I first started this blog.)

I spotted some apparent confusion related to a Jerome Gambit game, and as I may have had a hand in causing it, I thought I'd try to do some unraveling.

From "Trash or Treasure?" 

...Finally, Mr. Kennedy pointed out a fairly recent game played by Scottish player Geoff Chandler. I have never met him, but I do know that Mr. Chandler has an excellent sense of humour and his old chess blog at Chandler Cornered was zany, thought provoking, and usually very funny. Therefore, the following game looks like a fabrication, but I am happy to be corrected in the future. Here is another Jerome Gambit game that is spectacular as always!

Chandler, Geoff - Dimitrov Todor

Blitz, Edinburgh, 2004

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+

This opening is ideally suited to blitz where you don't care whether you win or lose, but want to play something memorable.  

6...g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.O-O Nf6 10.Qd8!

Geoff is a decent club player and could have found this himself if the game was really played.* I still think it was more likely he was following the advice given in the previous Blackburne game, which has been copied up to this point. However, I did look up his old blog and found this comment "I recall about a year ago Todor and me had a dozen or so games playing 4.Bxf7+ at 5 minute chess in Bells." If you think he played a game inside an actual bell, then think again. He is referring to his chess club hosted at a local bar.  

10...Bh3 11.Qxc7+ Kg8

Here IM Lane gives 12.gxh3 and says

Instead 12.Qxb7 is winning, because12...Qg4 can be met by 13.Qb3+! (13.Qxa8+ Kf7 14.Qb7+ Kf8 15.e5? White should keep on checking, but this winning attempt backfires spectacularly upon 15...d5 and it turns out that Black wins.) 13...Kg7 Qxh3 and it is time for Black to put the pieces back into the box.  

Then 12...Qxh3 13.Qxb7 Qg4+ A draw by repetition beckons, but Mr. Kennedy assures me that Geoff went on to win.

 Actually, the game continued 12.Qxb7 Qg4 13.Qb3+ Kg7 14.Qxh3 and according to Chandler, White won.

How did the mixup in the moves of the game occur? I could have jumbled them when I emailed the game to IM Lane - if I actually sent it, as I can't find any record of that amongst our correspondence. (Gary might have made the slip, but is that likely? He's the professional, I'm the amateur.)

Anyhow, the Chandler - Dimitrov game and analysis can get pretty messy, so perhaps that was part of it.    

In support of that possibility, and a possible clue, it is worth looking at "Updating the Blackburne Defense (Part 2)" where I reference, among a number of things, Dennis Monokroussos's thoughts from about 7 years earlier about Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884, after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.O-O 

Dennis M's Chess Site
February 2, 2005

...But now, here's the puzzle. After 9...Nf6, Black has a substantial lead in development and several well-placed pieces ready to commence a feeding frenzy on the White kingside, yet had White found 10.Qd8, pinning the Black Nf6 to the queen on h4, it would have been Black needing to fight for his life! The following might be best play for both sides: 10.Qd8! Bh3 11.Qxc7+ (11.Qxa8? Qg4 12.g3 Qf3 forces mate) Kf8! (11...Kg8? 12.Qxb7 Qg4 13.Qb3+ and 14.Qxh3) 12.Qxb7 Qg4 13.Qxa8+ Kf7 14.Qb7+ Kf8 14.Qa8+ with a draw by perpetual check.  

When I first saw this game and was told about 10.Qd8, it seemed to me that Black just had to have something, but neither I nor my silicon friends have succeeded in proving a win or even an advantage for Black. Can any of my readers find something better for Black?

I can sympathize with Dennis - how can Black not win against the Jerome Gambit?? In a responding comment on his blog I shared

The line gets some analysis by Geoff Chandler and Todor Dimitrov on the former's hilarious website, Chandler Cornered http://www.chessedinburgh.co.uk/index.htm
It goes like this. (Notes by Chandler.)

10.Qd8 Bh3 Threatening simply Qg4 and Qg2 mate. 11.Qxc7+ Kf8 This is best. [In my Game v Todd he played the natural 11...Kg8 which allows a check on b3 12.Qxb7 Qg4 13.Qb3+ Kg7 14.Qxh3] 12.gxh3 forced [If 12.Qxb7 Qg4 13.Qxa8+ Kf7 (13...Kg7 14.e5 d5 15.exf6+ Kxf6 16.Qxd5) 14.e5 d5 15.e6+ (15.Qb7+ Be7 16.e6+ Kg7 17.Qxe7+ Kh6 18.d4+ Kh5) 15...Kg7 16.Qb7+ Kh6 17.d4+ Kh5 and Black mates on g2] 12...Qxh3 This appears to be the best. It keeps the attack rolling and keeps the draw in hand. Remember we are seeing if 10.Qd8 beats the Blackburne line. 13.Qxb7 Ng4 [Or 13...Qg4+ and ...Qf3+ drawing.] 14.Qxa8+ Kg7 15.Qb7+ Kg8 16.Qc8+ Kg7 17.Qd7+ Kg8 18.Qe8+ Kg7 19.Qe7+ Kg8 Black has to allow the draw else 18.Qe8+ Kg7 19.Qf7+ kh6 10.d4+ wins. So it appears 10.Qd8 draws.

Note in the above that the conclusion is that the game is drawn -- the same conclusion as you came to, although the particular line you give (12.Qxb7 instead of Chandler and Dimitrov's 12.gxh3) seems to tilt toward White.

In a later post Monokroussos added

(2) In my main line, Kennedy, citing analysis by Geoff Chandler and Todor Dimitrov, varies from my 12.Qxb7 with 12.gxh3, showing that it likewise draws after 12...Qxh3 13.Qxb7 Qg4+ 14.Kh1 Qf3+ etc. or 13...Ng4 14.Qxa8+ etc. (Note that Black can't escape the checks with 14...Ke7 15.Qb7+! Kf6?? [15...Kd8/e8/f8=] because of 16.e5+ followed by 17.Qg2.) 

(3) Chandler & Dimitrov also mention 12.Qxb7 and suggest it loses, but the culprit is not 12.Qxb7 but their 14.e5?, after which Black has a forced mate. 

Very interesting and I'm grateful to Kennedy for his comment...but my dream remains unfulfilled - can't Black win after 10.Qd8, somehow?

Readers, is this confusing enough for you? Above, I quote Monokroussos quoting me quoting Chandler...

I have put the moves to Chandler - Dimitrov, cited by Chandler, above, in italics. The move 12.gxh3, which IM Lane gives as part of the game, is actually part of Chandler's analysis after 11...Kf8, not 11...Kg8, as played in the game - although Chandler says in his note that the move 12.gxh3 is "forced" which may have made it look like it was played.

I muddied things even more by referring, in my comment to Monokroussos, to "Chandler and Dimitrov's 12.gxh3" - the move was from their analysis, as presented by Chandler, above, not their game; andy by referring to 12.Qxb7, the actual move in the game, as "the particular line you give". Monokroussos seems to catch this, as indicated in his (2) note in the later post.

By the way, Monokroussos is right in note (3) in correcting Chandler's analysis (which I had provided) that after 10.Qd8 Bh3 11.Qxc7+ Kf8 12.Qxb7 White does not lose - after 12...Qg4 13.Qxa8+ Kf7 the move 14.e5 is "the culprit... after which Black has a forced mate". Instead, 14.Qb7+ Kf8 15.Qa8+ draws by repetition - as Monokroussos mentioned in his first post, after "...Now here's the puzzle." 

Still, Monokroussos doesn't escape completely. The later post, note (2), above, gives the sideline 12.gxh3 Qxh3 13.Qxb7 Ng4 [instead of 13...Qg4+, drawing] for Black, suggesting that after 14.Qxa8+ etc. the game is drawn as well - but White has, instead of grabbing the Rook, the forced Queen exchange after 14.Qb3+ (how un-Jerome-ish) 14...Qxb3 15.axb3 which leaves him a Rook and 3 pawns better.

Ah, yes, now everything now is as clear as... trash. 

(*- Chandler commented in Chandler Cornered about 10.Qd8 "This is my over the board improvement that I have since learnt was first suggested in 1951." I had told Chandler that P. Wenman mentioned the move in his Master Chess Play (1951). I later learned that the move had been played in Harris, S - Quayle, E., correspondence, 1944, although, of course, the move had been first suggested in the August 1885 issue of the Brooklyn Chess Chronicle.)

Jerome Gambit: No Mercy

In some amateur sports leagues a game will be ended under the "mercy rule" if one team is significantly ahead of its opponent (i.e. unlikely to lose under normal circumstances). Such is not the case in chess - you can have a better position on the board for 18 moves, say, and resign after the 19th. As in the following game.

Wall, Bill - Guest757810
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Bd2

There are 4 previous games in The Database with this move. White scored 0%. To be fair, all of the Jerome Gambiteers were playing higher-rated opponents.

9...c5

Also seen:

9...Be6 10.O-O-O Qe7 11.f4 Nc6 12.Qf2 Bg4 13.Rde1 Rhe8 14.h3 Bd7 15.g4 Kg8 16.e5 dxe5 17.fxe5 Nxg4 18.hxg4 Bxg4 19.Rhg1 (19.e6!? =) 19...Qe6 20.Re4 Bf5 21.Rh4 Bg6 22.Bf4 Nxe5 23.Bxe5 Qxe5 24.Rhg4 Qe3+ 25.Qxe3 Rxe3 26.Nd5 Re2 27.Nxc7? Rxc2+ 28.Kd1 Rd8+ 29.Ke1 Rxc7 30.a3 Rc1+ 31.Kf2 Rxg1 32.Rxg1 Rd2+ 33.Ke3 Rxb2 34.Rg4 Rb3+ 35.Kd2 Rxa3 36.Rb4 b6 White resigned, HauntedKnight - Molepolole, FICS, 2014;

9...Bg4 10.f3 Be6 11.O-O-O a6 12.g4?! Nxf3 13.Qf2 Bxg4 14.h3 Bh5 15.Be3 Re8 16.Rd5?! Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Rxe4 18.h4 Rxh4 19.Rxh4 Qxh4 20.Qf1 Qe1+ 21.Qxe1 Nxe1 22.Nxc7 Rc8 23.Nd5 Re8 24.b3 Bf3 25.c4 Bxd5 26.Kd2 Nf3+ 27.Kd3 Bxc4+ 28.bxc4 Ne5+ 29.Kd4 Nxc4 30.Bc1 b5 31.Kd5 h5 32.Kc6 h4 33.Kb7 h3 34.Bf4 Re4 35.Bg3 g5 36.Kxa6 Re3 37.Bh2 Ra3+ 38.Kxb5 Rxa2 39.Kxc4 Rxh2 40.Kd5 Rg2 41.Kxd6 h2 42.Ke5 h1=Q 43.Kd4 Qe1 44.Kd3 Rd2+ 45.Kc3 Qc1+ 46.Kb3 Rb2+ White resigned, HauntedKnight - BalintM, FICS, 2014;

9...Re8 10.O-O-O Nc6 11.Qe3 Bf5 12.f3 Na5? 13.Qg5 Bxe4 14.Qxa5 Bc6 15.Qb4 a5 16.Qc4+ d5 17.Qh4 b5 18.Bg5 b4 19.Nb1?! (19.Ne4!?) 19...h6 20.Bxf6 Qxf6 21.Qh5+ Qg6 22.Qh3 Re2 23.Nd2 Qxg2? 24.Qf5+ Kg8 25. Rhg1 Qf2 26.Qf4? (26.Qg6!?) 26...Rf8?! (26...Rae8!?) 27.Qxh6 Qd4 (27...Qxg1 28.Rxg1 Re1+ 29.Rxe1 gxh6 =) 28.Nb3 (28.Qxc6 Rxd2 29.Qe6+ Kh8 30.Qh3+ Kg8 31.Rxg7+ Kxg7 32.Qg3+ Kh7 33.Rxd2) 28...Qf6 29.Qxf6 Rxf6 30.Nd4 Rxh2 31.Nxc6 Rxc6 32.Rxd5? Rcxc2+ 33.Kd1 Rxb2 34.Rxa5 Rb1 checkmate, HauntedKnight - makeclean, FICS, 2013; and

9...Rf8 10.O-O-O Kg8 11.f4 Nc6 12.Qf2 Ng4 13.Qf1 Qf6 14.h3 Nh6 15.g4 Nf7 16.Nd5 Qd8 17.Bc3 Be6 18.Ne3?! Ng5!? 19.Qd3 Rxf4 20.a3 Nxe4 21.Rdf1 Rxf1+ 22.Rxf1 Nxc3 23.Qxc3 Qg5 24.Kb1 Qc5 25.Qd2 Qd4 26.Qf2 Re8 27.c3 Qd3+ 28.Ka1 Na5 29.Nf5 Nb3+ Black resigned, Darthnik - rsnoob, FICS, 2011. 

10.Qe3 Rf8 11.O-O-O Nc4 12.Qd3 Nxd2 13.Rxd2 Kg8

Black has castled-by-hand and has a piece for a pawn. If he keeps on making good moves, he will collect the full point.

14.e5 Ng4 15.exd6 Nxf2 16.Qd5+ Kh8 17.Re1 Bd7

Black has to keep his eye on White's pawn at d6, but with an extra piece for a pawn, he is doing well. Still, it is a complicated position. How should he continue?

18.Re7 Rf5 

Protecting the pawn at c5 and attacking the enemy Queen.

19.Qxb7 Black resigned

Wow! Black's Bishop is threatened, and the only square that even looks "safe" allows White's pawn to advance, 19...Be8 20.d7 Bf7 21.Qxa8!? Qxa8 22.d8/Q+ Qxd8 23.Rxd8+ Bg8 24.Ree8 - not so safe for the Bishop after all.

Best for Black seems to be giving up the Bishop for some play, 19...Qf8 20.Qxd7 Ng4, but after 21.Qe6 White will have centralized pieces and a couple of extra pawns, especially the dangerous on at d6.

Jerome Gambit: Choosing Better or Worse?

Sometimes a computer chess engine will recommend a line of play which is "objectively" better than an alternative that a human might choose. Yet there might be good reasons to choose the "worse" line of play, if it is tricky and has some traps. See the note to Black's 7th move.

On the other hand, sometimes "human" moves fall short, as well. See the note to Black's 9th move.

Wall, Bill - Guest902091
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Nf6 

Black has so many ways to return some of the sacrificed material!

7.dxe5 Bxf2+ 

This move appears in 10 previous games appearing in The Database, with White scoring 70%. However, that is not the whole story.

Stockfish 8 recommends, instead 7...Qe7!?, which does not show up in any of the games in The Database. White does best to grab a second piece with 8.exf6, but then is faced with how to answer 8...Qxe4+.

Probably best is 9.Kf1 which we will come back to in a moment, after first examining the messy 9.Be3.

Black can respond to this latter move with 9...Bxe3 10.fxe3 Qxe3+ 11.Qe2 when the exchange of Queens would leave him a pawn up. Or he could go for 11...Qc1+ when 12.Kf2 is the offer of a Rook, i.e. 12...Qxh1, although it does not turn out well for the second player: 13.Qe7+ Kg6 14.Qxg7+ Kf5 15.Nc3 Qxh2 (taking the other Rook with 15...Qxa1 leads to mate) 16.Rf1 and Black's position is miserable as he has only 16...Qf4+ to help him extend the game, but 17.Kg1 Qxf1+ 18.Kxf1 still is hopeless. After visiting c1, Black's Queen should return to f4 with check, and eventually wind up a pawn ahead, again. 

Going back to the computer-recommended 9.Kf1, Black responds with 9...Qf5 and after 10.Qf3 Qxf3 11.gxf3 d5!? he is a bit better (better pawn structure, two Bishops, equally insecure Kings) even if White finds 12.h4!? to prevent ...Bh3+, forcing his King into the center where the enemy Rooks can roam.

By the way, Bill dispatched 7...Nxe4 quickly in a couple of games: Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 16) and Wall,B - TenAndOnly10, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 21)

8.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 9.Kg1 Rf8 

Preparing to castle-by-hand, a standard defensive plan in the Jerome Gambit; but overlooking the Queen check at d5 - odd, in that his Bishop sacrifice seemed aimed against that same eventuality.

Instead, 9...d5 would be about even, although Bill has a couple of wins against the move:  Wall,B - MyDrunkAccount, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 20) and Wall,B - Szachowski, playok.com, 2017 (1-0, 20). 

10.Qd5+ Ke8 11.Qxe4 Rf7 12.Nc3 d6 

This hurries Black's demise.

13.exd6+ Kf8 14.Qxh7 Qxd6 15.Qh8+ Ke7 16.Bg5+ Kd7 17.Rd1 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Paths Off of Paths

The Jerome Gambit is an opening that is clearly "off the beaten path". Yet, in pursuing it, players often find themselves further afield - and it is good to know about some of those side paths as well.

It is clear in the following game that the defender was not prepared to have the game "Jerome-ized".

Wall, Bill - Guest761989
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5 4.Bxf7+ 

With his third move Black imagines a quiet win of the "minor exchange" with 4.Bb3 Nxb3. He is too hopeful, as White has, instead, 4.Nxe5, and after 4...Nxc4 5.Nxc4 d5 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Ne3 White is a pawn up, and Black has little to show for it.

However, players familiar with the Jerome Gambit will be tempted to play the Bishop sacrifice on move 4, giving Black a very un-quiet game.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.d4 d6

White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece, but his play against Black's King gives him adequate compensation.

7.Qg4+ Ke7 8.Qg5+ Ke8 

Better is 8...Nf6, although after 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.e5 dxe5 11.dxe5 Kf7 12.exf6 Qxf6 White would have a small advantage.

9.Qxd8+ 

It is important to note that in the 4 earlier games in The Database, White had tried 9.Qh5+. Best play would continue 9...g6 10.Nxg6 Nf6 11.Qh4 hxg6 12.Qxh8 Nxe4 When White would have a Rook and two pawns against a Bishop and a Knight. This is a small edge for White, and I can see why Bill chose a different path: His active Knights will go after the slumbering Rooks in the corners!

9...Kxd8 10.Nf7+ Ke8 11.Nxh8 g6 12.Nc3 Bg7 

As indicated.

13.Nd5 c6 14.Nc7+ Black resigned

Black will lose his other Rook, and while he will gather in the Knight at h8, he will have a very difficult time catching the other one, leaving him down a couple of exchanges, plus a pawn or two.