Jerome Gambit: Kerfuzzled

It can be the piece sacrifices or the Queen moves, but sometimes the Jerome Gambit can leave a defender, well, kerfuzzled.

Wall, Bill - Guest2001870
PlayChess.com, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 

At first glance, this appears to be a simple, almost transparent, threat: Black hopes to play ...Nf3+ and then capture White's Queen at d4. The idea is as old as Jerome - Norton, correspondence, 1876 (unfinished game).

A glance at The Database shows174 games with this position, and in 1/3 of the cases, White neither protected his Queen nor moved it out of danger. That would meet GM Albert's benchmark for playing a trappy move, but it should be noted that, when given the opportunity in the games, Black found 8...Nf3+ only a little more than 1/3 of the time. You can't play what you don't see. (Reminder: The Database is made up primarily of internet club games, many of them played at fast time controls. YMMV.)

8.Qc5 

Threatening the c-pawn.

8...c6 9.f4 Ng6 10.O-O d6 

Away, annoying Queen!

11.Qc4+ Be6

Okay, but beware of f4-f5.

12.Qb4 Bc8

Protecting the b-pawn and undoing the risks of the previous move - but isn't this getting a bit annoying?

13.Nc3 N8e7 14.e5 

Now, annoying the Black Queen. Really!?

14...dxe5

Blowing his game up. After 14...Qf5 15.Ne4 Kg8 he still would be better.

15.fxe5 Qxf1+ 16.Kxf1 Nxe5 17.Bf4 N5g6 18.Re1 Rd8 19.Bd6 Nf5 

Allowing mate.

20.Qc4+ Kf6 21.Ne4 checkmate

Nice.

Jerome Gambit: Wait For the Shot

In the Jerome Gambit, White has chances to win that are based upon his opponent's miscalculations or outright errors. Sometimes that means that instead of immediately crashing and bashing, the first player has to develop his game steadily, watching and waiting for the equalizing - or winning - shot. Often, it goes like in the following game.

Wall, Bill - Guest8904564
PlayChess.com, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

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

It feels like Bill has reached this position a gazillion times before, but The Database says it's only 72 - plus 3 times with the black pieces.

8.Qe3 Nf6 9.O-O Rf8 10.f4 Nc6 11.Nc3 Kg8

Black has castled-by-hand, has kept up with his development, and still has a piece for a pawn. He has no complaints - except that the game isn't over, yet.

12.Qd3 Kh8 13.Re1 Qe7 14.Be3 Ng4 

Black, rightly, has thoughts about attacking on the Kingside. If nothing comes of it, he can always win the "minor exchange". White has to find ways to keep him busy.

15.Nd5 Qf7 16.Bd2 Be6 17.c4 Bxd5 18.exd5 

18...Ne7 

And here it is. Black wants to attack, so the correct 18...Nb8 doesn't appeal to him. However, White's response forks both Knights.

19.Qe2 Qh5

Certainly threatening, but he should have tried 19...Nxd5 20.Qxg4 Nf6 21.Qe2 with an even game, because White can counter the text effectively.

20.h3 Nxd5 

Things quickly go from bad to worse. He had to try something like 20...Ng6 21.Qxg4 Qxg4 22.hxg4 Nxf4, although, with 23.Re7 White would still retain the advantage in the endgame.

 21.hxg4 Nxf4 22. gxh5 Nxe2+ 23. Rxe2 Black resigned

Now it is White who has a piece for a pawn, and that is enough for Black to strike his colors.

Jerome Gambit: Echo

In an earlier post (see "Jerome Gambit: Not Alone") I noted that my use of the Jerome Gambit to defeat an opponent in the "Italian Game Classic" tournament at Chess.com seemed to have led the opponent (Al-der) to try the Jerome for himself, shortly thereafter.

I now see that he was successful in his game, winning in 9 moves - on time.

Although I also defeated the same opponent on time in our first game, he has come back to the board - and faces the Jerome Gambit, again.

We shall see how this new game goes.

Jerome Gambit: When White Equalizes, He Has the Advantage

It is a curious thing - as is the Jerome Gambit - but when White equalizes in the Jerome, he appears to have the advangage.
The following game illustrates.

angelcamina - dumberovsky
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019

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

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4 8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Qf3+ Nf6 10.exf6 Re8+ 11.Be3 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 gxf6 

Roughly an equal game. Dangerous for Black.

13.O-O-O d6 14.Qh5+ Kg8 15.Bh6 Re7 16.Rhe1 Rf7 

Black needed to bring his Bishop to e6.

17.Re3 Qd7 18.Rde1 Black lost on time

If he had enough time, Black would have to give up his Queen - and then be checkmated, anyhow.

Jerome Gambit: Keep Up!

Sure, you might be able to match moves with angelcamina in his specialty, online bullet chess (1 minute, no increment), when he throws the Jerome Gambit at you - but, can you keep up as the game goes on?

angelcamina - anthony_113_29
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

Same question as in the last post.

7.Qxe5 Nf6 

Black protects his Rook in a different way, but this allows White to collect a second piece, and go a couple of pawns ahead.

8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4+ Be6 10.Qe2 Kg7 11.O-O Rf8 12.f4 Bg4 13.Qf2 Nxe4 14.Qd4+ Nf6 

White's Queen gets a lot of exercise, but the first player remains with the better game.

15.h3 Bf5 16.g4 Bxc2 17.g5 c5 18.gxf6+ Rxf6 19.Qc3 Be4 20.b3 Qd7 21.Kh2 Bf5 22.Bb2 Bxh3 23.Qxh3 Qf7 

Exchanging Queens would not have mattere.

24.Bxf6+ Qxf6 25.Nc3 d5 26.Nxd5 Qb2 27.Qc3+ Qxc3 28.dxc3 Re8 29.Rae1 Rd8 30.c4 Rb8 31.Re7+ Kh6 32.Kg3 g5 33.f5 Rg8 34.Rh1 checkmate

Nice!

Jerome Gambit: Sometimes Everything Goes Your Way

Sometimes everything seems to go your way in a Jerome Gambit bullet (one minute, no increment) game. Check out the following online game from angelcamina

angelcamina - MaynakmasteR
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

Interesting. Does Black plan to play the Blackburne Defense (7...d6), or the Whistler Defense (7...Qe7)?

7.Qxe5 Qf6

Ooops. Neither. Black is probably unfamiliar with the Jerome Gambit, and plays a move that protects his Rook - and even offers to exchange Queens.

8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Ne7 10.O-O Rg8 11.f4 g5 

Aggressive - key to bullet game success - but White has seen further.

12.fxg5 Nf5 13.exf5 Qxg5 14.Qxg5 Rxg5 

White is up a piece and some pawns. He just has to bring the game home. His opponent helps.

15.d4 Bxf5 16.Bxg5 Kg6 17.Bd2 Bxc2 18.Nc3 Re8 19.Rae1 Bd3 20.Rxe8 Bxf1 21.Kxf1 Kf7 22.Re2 Kg6 

Now, don't let the clock trip you up!

23.d5 Kf6 24.Re6+ Kf7 25.g4 c6 26.Re2 cxd5 27.Nxd5 Kg6 28.h4 Kg7 29.Re7+ Kf8 30.Rxb7 h6 31.g5 hxg5 32.h5 Kg8 33.h6 Kf8 34.h7 Black resigned

How to Trick the Trickster

I ran across a copy of GM Lev Alburt's "Back to Basics" column in Chess Life, titled "How to Trick the Trickster", featuring my Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+) blitz game against PunisherABD, on FICS.

I want to quote from GM Alburt, as it could be applied to the Jerome Gambit, as well.

When is it OK to use traps that may be somewhat unsound? First, the potential punishment your well-prepared opponent can mete out to you should be relatively mild, while your reward (should he fall into your trap) should be much bigger. Two, at least three out of ten (30%) of your current opponents should go wrong! (When you are faced with the unenviable task of repeatedly defending a worse position rather than enjoying the fruits of your cleverness, it's time to quit. You've outgrown this particular trap.) 

From my students' experience, the trap below (3...Nd4) works well up to the 1400 level. (Even higher in blitz: your opponent might be able to recall/find the right way, but it may cost him too much time for his comfort.)

Something to think about.