Jerome Gambit: To Force or Not?

To force or not to force?

Should we play forcing lines - which give our opponents direction in what moves to play? Or should we leave them to their own devices, and trust that they will go astray?

The Jerome Gambit offers both opportunities, as the following game shows.
Wall, Bill - Guest1302712
PlayChess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

This is about as forcing a move as White has at his disposal - although a small number of defenders have insisted upon refusing to accept the Bishop.

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

Both sides have thematic options. White is sure what he wants to do. Black, not so much.

8.O-O Nf6 9.Nc3 Re8 10.Bg5 c6 

Guarding against a possible Nd5, with pressure against his Knight at f6. A good alternative was to kick the enemy Bishop with 10...h6, or continue castling-by-hand with 10...Kg8.

11.b3

I admit to being puzzled by this move. So, apparently, was Bill's opponent.

11...Be6

Too casual, especially when 11...Kg8 was still available. It is the equivalent of yelling to the "Jerome pawns" - Come and get me!

12.f4 Ng6

Black needs to engage and fight back, as Stockfish 9 shows: 12...Neg4 13.h3 Nh6 14.Bxh6 gxh6 15.e5 Bxh3!? 16.gxh3 dxe5 17.Qc4+ Kg7 18.Rad1 Qe7 19.Rfe1 Kh8 20.fxe5 Nd7 21.Ne4 Nxe5 when Black's extra h-pawn may not be meaningful, but if either side would have an edge, it would be the second player. 

13.f5 Bc8 

Giving up the Bishop with 13...Ne5 was probably better than un-developing.

14.fxg6+ hxg6 15.Rad1 Bg4

White has pressure on Black's pawn at d6; Black counters with pressure on the White pawn at e4.

16.Rd2 Re6 

In protecting the d-pawn, Black overlooks a threat.

17.e5 Rxe5 18.Qxg4 Qb6+ 19.Kh1 Qc5

Tactics now allow White, with an extra piece, to stay ahead.

20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Ne4 Qe3 22.Rxd6 Qxe4 

The return of this piece is not for free.

23.Rfxf6+ Ke7 24.Qd7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Questions

The Jerome Gambit gives rise to many questions. A few are examined in the following game.

Wall, Bill - Guest4660121
PlayChess.com, 2018

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. This cold-blooded focus on development has been looked at before, as it is quite playable, and White needs to keep his wits about himself.

What a great way to surprise the attacker (except, in this case, White has been there, seen that.)

7.dxe5 Bxf2+ 

What Jerome Gambit player hasn't been the recipient of one of the many return Bishop sacrifices? Sometimes the gift is chosen after analysis of the position, sometimes it is chosen after psycho-analysis of the player.

Instead of stretching for a surprise, however, the defender might simply work on playing a strong move. Indeed, 7...Qe8 or 7...Qe7 should be looked at, according to Stockfish. Neither can be found in The Database. (Hmmm... Are those moves included in the "Jerome Gambit Secrets" series?)

The thoughtful 7...Nxe4 was seen, for example, in Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016}(1-0, 16) and Wall, B - TenAndOnly10, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 21).

8.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 9.Kg1 

Instead, 9.Ke1 Qh4+!? was seen in Wall,B - Guest371494, PlayChess.com, 2018, (1-0, 21) ("Interesting, but it doesn't work" says Bill.)

9...d5 

Or 9...Rf8 as in Wall,B - Guest902091, PlayChess.com, 2017 (1-0, 17) and Wall,B -Guest7889049, PlayChess.com, 2018 (1-0, 12) 

10.Qf3+ Ke8 

The alternative, 10...Kg6, is about equally strong, although Black's King can hardly feel safe there, and there's always the lesson of Wall,B - Szachowski, playok.com, 2017 (1-0, 20)

11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.Qxc3 Be6

An "objective" analysis of the position would suggest an even game, but it is essential to remember the old Jerome Gambit warning: whenever White has equalized, he has the advantage. There are many practical reasons why this is so.

13.Be3 b6 

Here is one: Black relaxes too soon.
He might have tried 13...c6, although that didn't turn out too well in Wall,B - MyDrunkAccount, lichess.org, 2016' (1-0, 20).

Perhaps: 13...Qd7. 

14.Qc6+ Ke7

And here is another kind of reaction to Jerome Gambit equality: any old move will do. (Probably 14...Bd7, instead, was best.) 

15.Bg5+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Outlandish

What are some of the most outlandish chess gambits?"

I was pleased to find this question as the title for a page on the Quora website.

Listed are:

Halloween Gambit1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5??

Muzio Gambit1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.0–0?

Traxler Counter Attack1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5?

Elephant Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5?!

Paris Gambit1.Nh3?? d5 2.g3 e5 3.f4? Bxh3 4.Bxh3 exf4 5.0–0 fxg3 6.hxg3

Italian Gambit1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4?!

Leonhardt Gambit1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.b4?!

Of course, if you keep looking, of course, you will find the Jerome Gambit.

What is especially nice about the page is that it has links to three fun videos by Mato Jelic:

"The Birth of a Jerome Gambit"
"Is the Jerome Gambit Sound?"
"Practical Application of the Jerome Gambit"

I have mentioned the videos previously, but they are always worth a revisit.

Jerome Gambit: Interesting Sideline

Wandering around the internet today, I encountered a YouTube video (one of the Hindi Chess Videos) titled "Brilliant chess combination by Black Death". As you might guess, it covered the Jerome Gambit game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884.

I am always interested in another look at that classic game, even if it does include a crush of my favorite opening.

This time, the presenter mentioned, in passing, what is known as the Whistler Defense - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7!? - which is much less known (and much less mentioned) than Blackburne's 7...d6!?. It also punishes White quickly, if he dares to take Black's Rook with 8.Qxh8?

(As a quick aside, The Database shows that White has a scoring edge after the capture of the Rook, 25 - 23 - 4, but that should not be taken as a recommendation.)

The presenter follows up with the logical 8...Qxe4+ 9.Kf1 Qh4 (best) 10.g3 Qh3+, and then things begin to wrap up the analysis with 11.Kg1 (not the best move, but nothing but a quick ending can be done about White's suffering) b5 - soon to be followed by ...Bb7.

I have only one game in The Database that wanders down this unfortunate (for White) path: ZahariSokolov - ekwador, standard, FICS, 2017, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 9.Kf1 Qh4 10.g3 Qh3+ 11.Kg1 b5 12.d4 Bb7 13.Qxh7+ Qxh7 14.Nd2 Qh3 15.f3 Bxd4 checkmate.

Ouch. According to The Database, ZahariSokolov is 2 - 3 with White, after taking the Rook in this line, but I don't expect him to be playing it again, any time soon.

Jerome Gambit: Zombie Attack

The Jerome Gambit. Sigh. My favorite chess opening. It has been refuted many times, yet it still comes back to inflict pain on defenders. It might as well be a zombie.

And a fast one, at that. Consider the following 1-minute game as a recent example. (Those of you who are skeptical of the value of bullet games, check out the attending notes.)

angelcamina - JsFlexWay
1 0 bullet chess, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

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

The "nudge", always a good move to throw in to make your opponent wonder - what's this? - and use up time.

 Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

This is a standard position that shows up in The Database over 100 times. The recommended move for Black, according to Stockfish 9, is 9...d5!?, which shows up exactly zero times in The Database. 

10.Nc3 Be6 

When this move is paired with ...Nf6, it frequently spells mischief. (Guess which move Stockfish 9 still prefers?) This is a nuance that a Jerome Gambit player would note quickly.

11.O-O Kf7 12.f4 Ne7 13.e5

Or 13.f5 Bc8 14.d4

13...dxe5 14.fxe5 Rf8 

The way out for Black required a bit of dancing: 14...Nf5 15.Qf4 Nd5 16.Nxd5 Qxd5 17.g4 g6 and the game would be about even, with White's King looking uneasily at an open g-file.

15.exf6 gxf6 16.Qh6 Rh8

A snap judgement to cover the h-pawn, but things now go from bad to worse.

17.Qxf6+ Ke8 18.d3 

Wow. Black has a Rook and a Bishop hanging, so White - thinks about development.

18...Bf7 

Clearly clock-influenced, but 18...Kd7 would have led to disaster as well.

19.Qxf7+ Black resigned

There is nothing but more misery ahead for the defender.

Well, Well, Well: A Deep Subject

As I mentioned briefly in "Well, Well, Well..." a timely Jerome Gambit (which has become a timely win) increased my chances to move on to the third round in the ongoing "Italian Battleground" tournament at Chess.com; and a timely time forfeit by an opponent has solidified things. With 7 points, I am sitting at the top of the table. Two players can catch up to me, but I have positive scores against them, and, since 3 players will advance, anyhow - the chance for more Jerome Gambits (the reason I play in the tournament) looks good. 

A Strange Jerome Gambit - But What's New? (Part 3)

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - vasbur
Italian Battleground, Chess.com, 2018

White's pawns have raced forward, based on a mixed-up plan (see previous post). What to do? What to do? What to do?

My brain kept screaming Kick the Knight! Kick the Knight! Kick the Knight! but I focused on patiently developing my Rooks.

23.Rhf1 Rf8 24.Qd2 g6 25.Rae1 

The Rooks have taken up central squares, but there is no reason to hurry advancing the "Jerome pawns", as the enemy King is Queenside-ish. Time for more preparing. Ugh. Like eating vegetables.

25...Bd7 26.Ne2

This at least has the opportunity to lead to an unclear game after 26...Nxa2?! 27.Qa5 c5 28.Bxc5 dxc5 29.Qxc5+ Kd8 30.Qa5+ Ke8 31.Qxa2 when White would have 3 pawns for his sacrificed piece, and Black's King would be in the dangerous center.

Black is not tempted.

26...Na6 27.c4 b6

It looks like Black is preparing to move his Knight to c5, and answer Bxc5 with ...bxc5. He can also consider placing his King at b7, linking his Rooks.

28.e5 

Time to strike at the center, regardless. It's what you do in the Jerome.

28...dxe5 

This is unfortunate, and a bit unfair. Black has defended well against the Jerome Gambit (his Knight foray to b4 and then back to a6 was a small waste of time) and he could have skated to a safe and even position by returning the sacrificed piece with 28...Nxd5 29.cxd5 Qxd5+ 30.Kg3 dxe5 31.fxe5 Rxf1 32.Rxf1 Bc6 33.Nc3 Qd7.

Perhaps his strong play was his downfall - why settle for a draw, after all?

With a few moves, though,White throws back Black's pieces. 

29.fxe5 Qg8 30.Rxf8+ Qxf8 31.e6 Be8 32.Rf1 Qg8

33.Qg5 

I had orginally intended 33.Bg5, but I found this move to be stronger. Black's Knight is lost, and, suddenly, White's extra pawns mean something - as do his advanced pawns and better development.

33...Nc6

A great try at escape. If now 34.dxc6?! Bxc6+ 35.Kg3 Qxe6 the game would be even, or Black might have a slight edge.

34.e7

This is the move that shows up the looseness of Black's position. White threatens to bring his Rook to f8 with many threats, and Black finds he is a step behind in his defending a not-difficult-to-find set of moves: 34...Nxd4 35.Rf8 Ne6 36.Rxg8 Nxg5 37.Rxe8+ Kd7 38.Rxa8 Kxe7 and White would be only a pawn and the exchange up, but an additional couple of pawns would soon fall to his Rook.

Black resigned.

.  

[I have one game left to finish in the second round of the Italian Battleground tournament at Chess.com. A win would allow me to move on to the third round - and possibly more Jerome Gambits. A draw would probably allow me to squeak on by. A loss would likely end my play.]