Jerome Gambit: Slowly Surrendering the Advantage

Part of the fun of playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) comes when the opponent collapses in his defense, and White can finish him off with a series of aggressive blows.

Sometimes, however, Black slowly surrenders the advantage that he has gained from accepting the sacrifices. Like the tide coming in, his risk grows and grows - until his game is under water.

The following game is a good example.

Wall, Bill - Alfred
PlayChess.com, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb6 

"Reasonable," but not best.

7.dxe5 Nh6 

Again, reasonable, but not best. On the other hand, Bill has faced 7...Qh4 a half dozen times, and dispatched it just as many.

8.Nc3

Bill may have passed on playing 8.Qh5+!? (a novelty, according to The Database) because after 8...Kg8 9.Bxh6 gxh6 10.f4 White's "Jerome pawns" would be advancing without the support of a Rook on f1, as Black's Bishop prevents White from castling. A move later, he decides on the move, any way.

8...Re8 9.Qh5+ Kg8 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.f4 d6 

Black still has an edge, but he has to be careful.

12.Nd5 dxe5 

This is one way of reacting to the threat of Nf6+, winning the exchange. Strongest, however, was 12...Kh8.

13.O-O-O

Safeguarding his King, and cooking up all sorts of mischief.

13...exf4 

Missing the threat.

14.Nxb6 Qe7 

15.Nxa8 c6 16.Rd6 Black resigned

Black gains nothing, now, from 16...Qxd6 17.Qxe8+, and when White's Knight escapes from the corner the defender will simply be down a Rook.

Jerome Gambit: Discussion Crasher

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) continues to show up in the oddest places. The other day I was reading an interesting post by John Torrie, at chesstalk.com. It started out with a reference to Bobby Fischer, but quickly moved on to an interesting game that featured what is sometimes called the Nachmanson Gambit (see a reference in my post "Kaissiber!"). In the middle of the game - Torrie reflected upon the Jerome Gambit, because of a tactical similarity. (It seems likely that Mr. Torrie is familiar with this blog.) 

I have posted the earliest example of the Nachmanson Gambit that I have been able to find, at the end of this discussion; although I have found no information on Nachmanson, himself. I also dug up an earlier game with a different opening line, but with a similar tactical theme, which you will also find at the end.  

John Torrie  

Wednesday, 21st November, 2018, 11:20 AM 

Apparently the Fischer vs Allan encounter is not the only memorable game from Montreal, Feb. 1964. Dan Elman says that he also squared off with Mr. Allan at the Montreal Chess Club. The first game, with Mr. Allan venturing his Two Knight's Defence, went like this: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Nxe4 6.Nc3 (Dan picked up this peculiarity in the early '60s while he was 'resident chess player' at a Belgium cafe. The owners of the cafe had a deal with Dan, if he played chess with the patrons for wagers of liquor, he could have free lodgings with light fare. Usually the patrons drank beer, while Dan drank ginger ale disguised as 'whisky'. Dan drank a lot of ginger ale while making a lot of whisky sales for the cafe.) 6...dxc3 7.Bxf7+ (Hey Jerome! Jerome! Will the real Jerome please stand up: The 150 year old Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 with attacking chances for white, was the brainchild of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome who also had the distinction of proposing - not without merit - that a pawn be allowed to promote to a king when it reached the 8th rank.) 7...Kxf7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Re1 Be7 10.Rxe4 d6 11.Bg5 cxb3 12.Rae1 h6 13.Bxe7 Nxe7 14.Qh5+ Kf8 15.Ng5 g6 16.Qf3+ Nf5 (Dan points out that if the bishop blocks, Ne6+ forks the queen.) 17.Qc3 Rg8 18.Re8+ Qxe8 19.Qf6+ resigns. (After 19...Qf7, 20.Nh7 makes a model mate.)...

Trajkovic, Mihajlo - Trifunovic, Petar

Belgrade, 1952
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 6.Nc3 Nxc3 7.bxc3 d5 8.Bb5 Be7 9.Nxd4 Bd7 10.Bd3 Ne5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.Bxf5 Nc4 13.Rb1 O-O 14.Bd3 Nb6 15.Qg4 Re8 16.a4 a5 17.Be3 Bf6 18.Bxb6 cxb6 19.c4 d4 20.Rfe1 Qd6 21.g3 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 g6 23.Qf3 Rb8 24.Qf4 Qxf4 25.gxf4 Kf8 26.Kg2 Re8 27.Rxe8+ Kxe8 28.Be4 Ke7 29.Bxb7 Kd6 30.Kf3 Kc5 31.Ke2 Kxc4 32.f5 g5 33.h3 Kc3 34.Ba6 Kxc2 35.Bd3+ Kc3 36.Bb5 Be5 37.Bd3 h5 38.f3 Bg3 39.Bb5 f6 40.Ba6 Bh2 41.Bb5 Bg1 42.Ba6 Kb4 43.Bb5 Kc5 44.Be8 h4 45.Bb5 Kd5 46.f4 gxf4 47.Kf3 Bh2 48.Bd3 Kc5 49.Ke4 Kb4 50.Bb5 Kc3 51.Be2 f3 52.Bxf3 b5 53.axb5 a4 54.Bh5 d3 55.b6 a3 White resigned

McConnell, James - Zukertort, Johannes Hermann
New Orleans, 1884
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.a3 Bxc3 6.dxc3 Nxe4 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxe4 d5 10.Qa4 Rf8 11.Nxe5 Qe7 12.f4 Bd7 13.O-O Nxe5 14.Qd4 Nc6 15.Qxd5 Be6 16.Qb5 a6 17.Qxb7 Qc5+ 18.Be3 Qxe3+ 19.Kh1 Qb6 20.Qxb6 cxb6 21.Rae1 Kd7 White resigned

Jerome Gambit: House of Cards

After the previous hectic game shared here, perhaps it is time to post a simple encounter where a lot goes right for White, too much goes wrong for Black, and a good laugh was probably had by all - after all, the time control was again, 1 minute, no increment. 

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

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

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Re8 

One way to return a piece. There are 30 examples in The Database.
White scores 68%, although Stockfish 10 gives Black the clear advantage. (Welcome to the Jerome Gambit.)

8.dxe5 Rxe5 9.O-O Kg8 10.Bf4 d6 

An automatic response that wasn't thought through enough. Black's game collapses like a house of cards.

11.Bxe5 dxe5 12.Qxd8+ Ne8 13.Qxe8+ Bf8 14.Nd5 Kh8 15.Qxf8 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Three Way Tactical Battle

The following game, a 1-minute, no increment example of the Noa Gambit, otherwise known as the Monck Gambit, otherwise known as the Open Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, quickly becomes what appears to be a tactical battle among White, Black, and the clock. The game is entertaining, but, please, don't ask me to explain it all; I have shared some of Stockfish 10's ideas, but I think they mostly make things more complicated. 

The end of the game reminds me of the story of two guys who are walking in the forest, when they are suddenly discovered by a large animal. One of the guys opens his backpack, takes out his running shoes, and begins to put them on. "What do you think you are doing?" his companion asks. "You will never outrun that animal." "I don't have to outrun the animal," said the first guy, "I only have to outrun you."

In the following game, the time clock is the animal.  

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

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Nc3 e4 8.Ng1 Bc5 

It is hard to believe that White volunteered for this position. The best that can be said is that he did not sacrifice 2 pieces to get there, which often happens in a Jerome Gambit.

9.d4 Bxd4 10.Nge2 Bb6 11.O-O Rf8 12.Nxd5 Kg8 

White has castled. Black has castled-by-hand. The game is just about balanced, and whoever comes up with some good ideas - quickly - will gain the advantage.

13.Nxb6 axb6 14.Qe1 Ne5 15.Qc3 Qf6 16.Bf4 Ng4 17.Qxf6 Nxf6 18.Bxc7 Bg4 19.Ng3 Rac8 

20.Bxb6 Rxc2 21.Bd4 Rd8 22.Bc3 b5 23.a3 Rd3 24.h3 Be6 25.Rad1 

Okay, Readers. The players have 1 or 2 seconds to find each move. What would you play here?

25...Bb3

It is not immediately clear, but 25...Bc4, protecting the Rook at d3 against the threat Nxe4, would be better.

The complications begin to pile up.

26.Rxd3

Now, 26.Nxe4 would work, but you would have to see - in a second or two - that 26...Rcxc3 27.Nxc3 Bxd1 28.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 29.Nxd1 would be the outcome, leaving White up a couple of pawns in a technical endgame. (I think White had 15 seconds left on his clock!)

26...exd3

27.Rd1 

Immediately targeting the passed d-pawn.

Strongest, though, if still losing, for White, was 27.Nf5 Nd5 28.Ba5 Rxb2 29.Nd4 Ba4 30.Nf3 b4!? which is a nifty line that you could work out if you were playing correspondence - not bullet - chess.

27...Bc4

Black, in turn, misses the killer 27...Rxc3. (It looks like he had 7 seconds left on his clock.)

28.Ne4 

Stockfish 10 suggests 28.Bd4!?, with the idea that 28...Nd5 29.Kh2  Nf4 30.Ne4 Bb3 31.Nd2 Rxb2 32.Bxb2 Bxd1 33.f3 Kf7 gives White a defense against the passer, with an even game. But even Stockfish took longer than a second to find that line.

28...Nd5

Black did not trust - or did not find - 28...Nxe4.

29.Nd2 Nxc3 30.Nxc4 

Bypassing the ordinary recapture, 30.bxc3, although the game would be equal if he could find 30...Rxc3 31.a4!?. (10 seconds left on the clock.)

30...Rxb2 

This has to be the clock (5 seconds left), as Black bypasses the win of a Rook (31...Nxd1) in order to lose one. But the game is not over yet!

31.Rxd3 

Oh, no, same problem.

31...Nd1 

Instead, 31...Ne2+, safeguarding the Knight - with check - would allow him to then grab the Rook.

32.Kh2

White sees the Knight threat. But not the Rook.

32...Rc2

33.Rd8+ Kf7 34.Ne3 Nxe3 35.fxe3 Rf2 36.Rd7+ Kg6 37.Ra7 Black lost on time (in a roughly equal position)

Amazing game. I had to relax after simply playing it over...

Jerome Gambit: Challenge After Challenge

The following game is another example of how the Jerome Gambit piles up challenge after challenge for the defender, until he finally slips and loses the game.

angelcamina - jeancharleslenoir
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. It can be reached via the Jerome Gambit proper: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 Nf6.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.f4 Nc6 

So far, Black is defending well. In fact, The Database shows that from this position White scores only 38%. But - remember, this is a 1-minute game, and, while Black had to figure out what he is going to do, White has the standard Jerome Gambit ideas, like castling and advancing his "Jerome pawns". Will Black be able to keep up?

10.Qc4+ Be6 11.Qe2 Re8 12.O-O Nd4 13.Qf2 c5

So far, so good. Black has developed his minor pieces, including cementing a Knight at d4.

However, the second player now seems to fall victim to the kind of thinking that produces the "halo effect" - Surely, he reasons, White has not thrown away a piece for nothing. His attack must be really real.

14.e5 dxe5

This capture was made automatically, but was neither necessary nor best. Given enough time, Black would figure this out - but there is not enough time.

15.fxe5 Rf8 

Rushing reinforcements to the f-file. Instead, he could have simply given back the sacrificed piece with 15...Kg8, or struck back with 15...Bc4.

16.exf6 Nf5 

Blocking the dangerous f-file, which the King will soon escape from.

17.fxg7 Kxg7 18.Qxc5

White is happily up 2 pawns, although, after 18...Qd4+ 19.Qxd4 Nxd4 20.Bf4 Nxc2 Black would regain 1, and the Bishops-of-opposite-colors could prove drawish.

18...Rc8 

This is active, but it is not enough to save the game.

19.Qe5+ Kf7

Back onto the danger file.

20.g4 Qd6 

A fatal slip.

21.Qxd6 Kg6 22.Qxe6+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Bullet Weapon

As the games of angelcamina, on lichess.org, show, the Jerome Gambit is an effective weapon in bullet - one minute, no increment, time control - chess. The attack can be powerful when there is little time to create a defense. The chaos across the board encourages errors and benefits the player more experienced with Jerome themes.

angelcamina - slowjac
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 Bb6 

Black makes a reasonable move, but it is often the case that reasonable moves are not enough in the Jerome Gambit.

8.dxe5 Ne8 9.Qd5+ 

Next time, angelcamina will no doubt try 9.Qh5+!?

9...Kf8 10.b3 c6 11.Ba3+ c5 12.Na4 d6 13.Nxb6 axb6 

Things are pretty messy, but I think White's position is easier to find moves for.

14.O-O-O Bd7 15. Kb2 Rxa3

An interesting idea, hoping to make use of the a-file that White had opened. Still, Black might have done better by continuing with the idea that he had started, trying 15...Bc6.

16.Kxa3

Stockfish 10 sees this position as equal, but, if you have to select a plan - or even a move - quickly, White has to be for choice.

16...Qc7

Intsead, after the already mentioned 16...Bc6, White would have a Rook and a pawn or two against Black's two extra pieces, and the game would be balanced.

Now the "Jerome pawns" start to make themselves felt. 

17.exd6 Qc6 18.Qd3 Nf6 19.e5 Ne8 20.f4 g6 21.Rhf1 b5 22.Kb2 Kg7 23.g4 Rf8 24.f5 c4 25.Qc3 b4 26.Qxb4 c3+ 27.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 28.Kxc3 gxf5 29.gxf5 

28...Bxf5 30.d7 Bxd7 31.Rxd7+ Kh6 

Abandoning the Rook at f8, but it really doesn't matter; the game is over. Only the clock can save Black now, and White has enough firepower to move quickly toward checkmate.

32.Rxf8 Nc7 33.Rxc7 b6 34.Rf6+ Kg5 35.Rb7 Kg4 36.Rbxb6 h5 37.Rb7 h4 38.Rg7+ Kh3 39.Rh7 Kxh2 40.Rxh4+ Kg1 41.Rh7 Kg2 42.Rg7+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Three Against One

The following Jerome Gambit game is another example of the need for Black to have some kind of a defense prepared ahead of schedule. Otherwise, something that looks reasonable is likely to be ineffective. Just saying.

Wall, Bill - Andru
PlayChess.com, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Nf6 

Perhaps Black told himself that the development of three of his pieces would counter the development of White's one Queen - especially since White was playing such a ridiculous opening.

Alas, this move signals a quick end to the game. 

8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxc5 Nxe4

Black continues to underestimate White's game. So, the one vanquishes the three.

10.Qd5+ Kf6 11.O-O 

The one chuckle for Black would be if 11.Qxe4? then 11...Re8 winning White's Queen.

11...Qe7 12. Qd4+ Kf7 13.Re1 Black resigned

The Knight will be lost.