The Jerome Gambit Declined - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kf8/Ke7 - is beginning to annoy me.
Some of it has to be psychological. Instead of grabbing the Bishop at move 4, and preparing to accept another piece the next move, Black says "No, thank you" and creates a bit of a gambit, himself. So, Black exchanges the opportunity for a "won" game with the chance to be a pawn down, with little objective compensation.
Huh?
perrypawnpusher - PrestonRFD
Italian Game Classic", Chess.com, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Ke7
The Jerome Gambit Declined, and probably not in the best way.
The Database has 49 games with this position, with White scoring 70%, including perrypawnpusher - walkinthe spirit, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 24) and perrypawnpusher - walkinthespirit, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 34).
Stronger appears to be 4...Kf8, which appears 312 times in The Database, and against which White has scored 56%.
By comparison, based on almost 14,500 games in The Database, White scores only 46% with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7.
So - Black gives up something by refusing to accept the sacrifice, but the lesson of Geoff Chandler's "blunder table" is that the pawn Black offers in return is not much of a loss on his part. In the meanwhile White is forced to create a plan.
5.Bb3
Certainly 5.Bxg8, instead, is worth a look: it scores 8-0 in The Database. I gave it a glance before moving my Bishop, but was needlessly worried about 5...Qxg8, with two heavy pieces backing two pawns aimed at the future home of my King.
If the Bishop is not exchanged, where should it go? On any given day, computers seem to prefer 5.Bd5 or 5.Bc4, although I can not figure out what advantage those moves have over the full retreat to b3.
The Database confirms that Black has succeeded in one of his goals, that of confusing White. The eleven 5th move responses include 5.Bb3, 5.c3, 5.Bc4, 5.d3, 5.d4, 5.Bd5, 5.Nxe5, 5.0-0, 5.Ng5, 5.Bxg8 and 5.Bh5.
5...Nf6
Sensible, predictable and, according to the computer, wrong.
6.Nc3
I know that I am supposed to know all about the Jerome Gambit, so it is a bit embarassing to see this is at least a small error, as well. White should grab the pawn at e5, initiating the "fork trick": 6.Nxe5 Nxe5 7.d4 when he will get back either the piece at c5 or the one at e5. (I can console myself that there are no game examples of 6.Nxe5 in The Database. I should add this move to my "Jerome Gambit Secrets" posts.)
6...d6 7.h3
This is a boring move, designed mostly to prevent ...Bg4 as an aid to a possible ...Nd4. It was disappointing to come to grips with the realization that my advantage in the game was mostly the extra f-pawn, which wasn't going to advance any time soon. So, my plan became: small moves, small ideas, let him take the leap.
7...Re8 8.d3 Kf8 9.O-O Be6
After the game, Stockfish recommended now that White play 10.Bxe6 Rxe6 11.Ng5 Re8 12.Nd5, with a complicated tactical line.
No matter. After
10.Bg5
Black lost on time.
I am not sure why. Perhaps: the real world.
Strange game, right to the end.
I have moved to a 7 - 0 score, with one game incomplete, in the first round of the Chess.com "Italian Game Classic" tournament. That score includes two wins with the Jerome Gambit - one, admittedly on time, which, nonetheless has its educational points, and which will be posted shortly.
(As I mentioned, one of the players who fell before the Jerome tried it for himself, and was rewarded with a win.)
As all the other players in my group have at least 3 losses, I can count on moving on to the next round, with more Jerome Gambit opportunities.
This is a large tournament - 20 groups of players each - so, who knows how many Jeromes I will be able to rack up?
Win, lose, proud or embarassed - I will share them all.
I don't share a lot of Jerome Gambit losses by Bill Wall because, quite frankly, he doesn't lose many of them.
The following game should set and example for defenders: Black made his extra piece count more than White's extra pawns.
Could it be that simple?
Wall, Bill - Guest9159455
PlayChess.com, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8
7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 Nh5 10.Qf3+ Qf6 11.Qxf6+ Nxf6
White does not always go in for the exchange of Queens, but here he concludes that he can make good use of his pawns.
12.Nc3 Kf7 13.h3 d5 14.exd5 Re8+ 15.Kd1 Bd7 16.f3 Bd4
17.Ne2 Bc5 18.c4 Bf5 19.d4 Bd6 20.b3 Re7 21.g4 Rae8
White's pawns are active, but Black's pieces are dangerous.
22.Nf4 g5 23.Ne6 Bxe6 24.dxe6+ Rxe6 25.Bxg5 Re2 26.Rf1 Ba3 27.d5 Rg2 28.h4 Nd7 29.h5 Nc5 30.Bd2 Ree2 31.Bc3 Re3 White resigned
How many strong ideas can you come up with, at a minute a move? How about at a minute a game?
Again, angelcamina thrives in such an environment. He has met this opponent before.
angelcamina - Skhokho1507
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. I suspect it kills at bullet time control.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. White wishes to be the aggressor.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6
The position has gotten quite wild, but it is focused upon the Black King, which is the right idea in quick chess. Black's move looks inspired, but it is actually not as strong as 7...hxg6, which presents White with some difficulties after 8.Qxh8?! (8.Qxg6+ would be best)
8.Qe5+ Ne6 9.Nxh8 Bg7 10.Qf5 Bxh8
White has a Rook and three pawns for two pieces, but the game will not be decided by mere material.
11.e5 Nd5 12.Qxh7 Bxe5
13.Qg8+
The greedy 13.Qh5+ Kf8 14.Qxe5 was stronger, not just because it grabs a piece, but because it also reduces the defenders who want to counter White's Queen. But - Her Majesty has a one-track mind.
13...Nf8
You have to wonder what White would do after 13...Ke7 14.Qxd8+ (what else?) Kxd8. I imagine angelcamina would go with the direct 15.h4!?, but who knows?
14.f4
How does that song go? Kick 'em when they're up. Kick 'em when they're down... Surely, the piece grab, this time 14.Qxd5, would lead to a win, eventually, but White is not playing for the "eventually".
14...Nxf4 15.O-O
Of course. A bullet move if I ever saw one.
15...Ne2+ 16.Kh1 Qe7 17.d4
17...Bxd4
The computer recommends 17...Bxh2 18.Rxf8+ Qxf8 19.Qxf8+ Kxf8 20.Kxh2 Nxd4 when the game is mostly balanced.
18.Bg5
This move provides more heat and more pressure as Black's clock winds down. In a longer game, White would have found the thematic 18.Bh6.
18...Ng3+
Thinking of an escape line that will never come. Instead, 18...Qg7 would extinguish White's attack - But Black does not have the time.
19.hxg3
White won on time.
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.
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.
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.
