The following game is chock full of Jerome Gambit moves and themes. It is an enjoyable argument for adding that "refuted" opening to your repertoire, if only for light entertainment.
Wall, Bill - Guest2047860
PlayChess.com, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4
What to do about the pawn fork? The simplest idea is 6...Bxd4, giving back a piece for a pawn. Black opts for something a bit more complicated.
6...Bb4+ 7.c3
Now, what?
Well, The Database suggests 7...Qh4!?, which has 13 wins for Black, against 2 losses, although it is fair to point out that those 2 wins for White were by Bill Wall.
Or, the Knight can retreat with either 7...Nb6 or 7...Nc6, giving up the Bishop.
Or the Bishop can retreat with 7...Be7, giving up the Knight.
With an imaginary smile on its face, Stockfish 10 suggests that even 7...Bc5 leads to Black's advantage.
7...Bxc3+
Giving up the piece for a pawn, after all, leading to a position where he has an edge.
8.Nxc3
8...Ng6 9.O-O c6
Black senses that Winter is coming, and takes early steps to limit White's developing pawn center.
It is interesting to note that The Database has no examples of either 9...d5 or 9...h5, Stockfish 10's recommendations. Maybe, I should give the alternative title of "Jerome Gambit Secrets #11" to today's post?
Jerome Gambit theory continues to expand and evolve. You, too, can add to it.
10.f4 d6
White goes through his checklist: pawn center, Rook on f-file, enemy King on f-file, actual enemy piece to kick with a pawn, possible pawn break in the center...
11.f5 N6e7 12.Bg5
Another thematic Jerome Gambit move, although it is usually aimed at a Knight at f6, not e7. In fact, Komodo 10 now suggests that Black "remedy" this situation with 12...Nf6, with an even game.
12...h6
It is natural to challenge a pin immediately, but, in this case, this is a mistake - encouraging another thematic Jerome Gambit move.
13.Qh5+ Kf8 14.f6
The hits just keep on coming.
14...g6
Leading to a delightful ending, but the stronger defense, 14...Nxf6, falls to 15.Bxf6, and White's heavy pieces will win the day.
15.fxe7+ Ke8 16.exd8=Q checkmate
The following Jerome Gambit includes an enjoyable "seesaw" (or "windmill") theme that sets this game apart from other 1-minute, no increment, wins for White. It must have been great fun for angelcamina.
angelcamina - ThiccFantano
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. The Database shows that angelcamina is 23 - 0 - 1 with this line!
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Ng6 8.dxc5 Re8 9.O-O
9...Nxe4
Risky, but he gets away with it - this time.
10.Nxe4 Rxe4 11.Qd5+
This is White's idea, but it comes in a better form with 11.Qf3+.
11...Re6 12.f4 Kg8
Stepping off of the hot f-file, but staying on the uncomfortable a2-g8 diagonal. Better was 12...Ne7.
13.f5 Qf6 14.fxe6 Qxe6 15.Qxe6+ dxe6
White is up the exchange. There is now a temporary lull in the action, as both sides renew their development.
16.Bd2 Bd7 17.Bc3 Bc6 18.Rae1 Re8 19.b3 Nh4 20.Re3 Nxg2
Highlighting Black's Bishop along the a8-h1 diagonal. It is soon to be upstaged.
21.Rg3 Nh4 22.Rxg7+ Kh8 23.Rxc7+
The fun begins.
It seems unfair to point out 23.Rg3+ e5 24.Bxe5+ Rxe5 25.Rf8#.
23...Kg8 24.Rg7+ Kh8 25.Rxb7+
The fun continues. See the above note.
25...Kg8 26.Rg7+ Kh8 27.Rxa7+
As above.
27...Kg8 28.Rg7+ Kh8 29.Re7+ Kg8 30.Rxe8+
Ditto.
30...Bxe8
White has a comfortable lead in material, and Black is running short of time (which explains some of his following moves).
31.Rf4 Bh5 32.Rxh4 Be2 33.Re4 Bb5 34.Rxe6 Bc6 35.Re7 Bd7 36.Rxd7 Kf8 37.c6 Ke8 38.b4 h5 39.b5 h4 40.b6 h3 41.b7 Black lost on time
Wonderful!
Here is another (see "Jerome Gambit: Full-Bodied Defense") Jerome Gambit game which should be routine and boring. Black makes a mistake on move 7, turning his clear advantage into a clear disadvantage. In fact, this had happened twice before in Bill Wall games, and they showed "1-0" in 10 moves or less (in a third game, Black struggled on for 10 more moves).
So, Bill takes his advantage and moves on to the win. Things were not that simple, though. Watch.
Wall, Bill - Anonymous
lichess.org, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 g6
It is fun, kicking White's Queen. However, this move gives up the Knight at e5 and the Rook at h8. (If you worry about being greedy, you can substitute capturing the Bishop at c5.)
8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxh8
Here, Black resigned in Wall, Bill - DGTS, FICS, 2011.
9...Qh4+ 10.g3
Here, Black resigned, in Wall, Bill - Guest1681797, PlayChess.com, 2013,
10...Qh3
Or 10...Qf6 11.Qxh7+ Qg7 12.Qxg7+ Kxg7 13.Nc3 d6 14.Nd5 Bb6 15.b3 Bg4 16.Bb2+ Kh7 17.Nxb6 axb6 18.Kf2 Re8 19.h3 Be6 20.g4 Black resigned, Wall, Bill - Guest862403, Play.Chess.com 2014.
11.d3 d5
So, here we go. White is up the exchange and a couple of pawns. His Queen is a bit uncomfortable in the corner, at h8, however, and his King is not altogether safe. What to do?
12.Qe5
Perfectly reasonable. Anyone who has ever seen Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884 (see "Nobody expects the Jerome Gambit!" and "Jerome Gambit: Dr. Harding Checks In") would not wait for ...Nf6, locking in White's Queen.
Now, White goes on to win in three dozen more moves.
But - wait. Stockfish 10, recommends, instead, 12.f5!?, with a whole lot of crazy tactics - 12...Bxf5 (not 12...gxf5 because of 13.Nd2 dxe4 14.Nxe4!? fxe4 15.Rf1+ and attack) 13.Qe5 and the f-file will be trouble for Black, especially after ...Qg2 is met by Rf1. Just one example of play is 13...dxe4 14.Qxc5 exd3 15.Qxc7+ Kf8 16.Qc5+ Kg7 17.Nc3 Qg2 18.Rf1 dxc2 19.Be3 Re8 20.g4 Qxg4 21.Kd2 - and you can see why Bill simply chose to remove his Queen!
12...c6
Black supports his d-pawn - but Stockfish 10 will have none of it. To keep only about a three-fourths of a pawn behind, Black should try 12...Qg2 13.Rf1 Bg4!? 14.Qxd5+ Kg7 15.Nc3 b6!? when 16.f5 Nf6!? 17.Qc4 (not 17.Qxa8? Bd4! with a forced mate) Qxh2 18.d4 Qxg3+ 19.Rf2 Qg1+ 20.Qf1 Qxf1+ 21.Rxf1 Bxd4 22.fxg6 hxg6 23.Nb5 Be5 24.Bf4 Bxf4 25.Rxf4 g5 26.Rf1 Nxe4 27.Rg1 Nf6 leaves Black with a pawn for the exchange...
So - Black's choice of a move is understandable, too.
13.f5 gxf5 14.Nd2 Nf6 15.Nf3 Qg2 16.Rf1 Qxc2
It is humorous to point out that Stockfish 10 sees White as being the equivalent of 4 pieces ahead. I am not sure that Bill's King felt that way!
17.Ng5+ Kg7 18.Bd2 Qxd3 19.exf5
This will support White's Knight when it comes to e6. For sheer madness, take a look at 19.Rf3 Qc4 20.Rf4
19...h6 20.Ne6+ Bxe6
21.fxe6
This is fine, altough Stockfish 10 recommends 21.O-O-O!? Qc4+
22.Bc3 Bd4 23.Qxd4 Qxd4 24.Rxd4 Bg8 when White would still be up the exchange.
21... Bd4 22.Qc7+ Kh8 23.O-O-O Qc4+ 24. Kb1 Ne4 25. Bc1 Qb4
26.e7
Cold blooded. Others might have returned the exchange with 26.Rxd4 to deal with one threat to b2, or tried 26.Ka1 to avoid the nasty 26...Nc3+ fork. Instead, Bill enlists the "Jerome pawn" in his checkmate threats.
26... Nc3+ 27.Ka1 Nxd1 28.Qd8+ Rxd8
Abject surrender, although 28...Kh7 29.Rxd1 Bg7 30.Qxa8 Qxe7 would also leave him a Rook down.
29.exd8=Q+ Kg7
30.Qd7+ Kh8 31.Qe8+ Kh7 32.Rf7+ Bg7 33.Qd7 Qd4
34.Qf5+ Kg8 35.Re7 Qf6 36.Re8+ Kf7 37.Qh5+ Qg6 38.Re7+ Black resigned
He will soon be down a Queen for a few pawns.
Jerome Gambit players are familiar with the "negative halo effect" -
When people notice a good trait in a person, they often assume other positives. With the Jerome Gambit often a negative "halo effect" occurs – if the early moves are bad, many of the other ones must be bad, too.
So - our opponents misjudge our play, and go down in flames.
In the following game, a superficial assessment of Black's chess skill - and, therefore, his prospects in the following game - can be made, based upon his 8th move. That would be a mistake, as, thereafter, Black presents a full-bodied defense and battles White all across the board.
In the end, Black loses, but only after a quite memorable game.
Wall, Bill - Maxx
chess24.com, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qe8
This novelty is an odd move, one which looks like a mouse-slip for 7...Qe7. It is as if Black looked forward to ...Qxe4+, without acknowledging the fact that White, first, can capture, with check, as well.
8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qb4
White has his sacrificed pieces back, and is a couple of pawns up, something he could cement with the routine 9.Qe3. Instead, he opts to make the game interesting - and is rewarded, fully.
9...Qg6
If you give this game to a computer, it will claim an edge for White for most of the game. Black is not concerned about that, here - he wants to make things as uncomfortable as possible for his opponent.
10.Kf1 Nf6 11.Nc3 c5 12.Qc4 a6
13.f4
This is a thematic Jerome Gambit move, but the pawn is usually backed by a Rook at f1.
13...Qg4 14.Ne2 b5 15.Qb3 Nxe4
Whoa! White has a problem that usually plagues Black: his d-pawn blocks his Bishop, which, in turn entombs his Rook. Black has the freer development, as well - and he plans to sacrifice a piece, to keep things uncomfortable for his opponent.
16.Qd5 Bb7 17.Qxb7 Re8 18.Qd5 Qxe2+ 19.Kxe2 Nf6+ 20.Kf3 Nxd5
White is hanging in, and the computer still counts his pawn advantage (plus a small bonus for the Bishop vs the Knight), but, the question is: how does he continue?
He moves to open the a-file for his Rook.
21.a4
Komodo 10 doesn't like this move, opting for small pawn advances like c2-c3, g2-g3, d2-d3, with White eventually doubling Rooks on the e-file, for an edge.
21...b4
Black doesn't want to cede the a-file, but this move seems to help White. The computer's suggestion leads to an unbalanced Rook + pawns vs Rook + pawns endgame, and I am not sure that I am comfortable with its equal assessment: 21...Nb4 22.axb5 axb5 23.c3 Nd3 24.b4 Ke7 25.Ra5 Kd7 26.bxc5 dxc5 27.Ba3 Ra8 28.Rxa8 Rxa8 29.Ke3 c4 30.Bb4 Nxb4 31.cxb4 Kc6 32.g3 Kd5 33.Rb1 Ra3+ 34.Kf2 Rb3 35.Ra1 Rxb4 36.Ra7 Ra4 37.Rxg7 b4.
analysis diagram
22.b3 h5
To develop the other Rook.
23.Bb2 h4 24.Rad1 Rh6 25.Rhe1
White looks much more comfortable.
25...Rxe1 26.Rxe1 Rg6 27.d4 cxd4 28.Bxd4 Nc7
White now demonstrates that there are too many things loose in his opponent's position.
29. Bb6 Nd5 30.Bd8 Rh6 31.Bg5 Rh7 32.Re6 h3 33.g4 Nc3 34.Rxd6 a5 35.Bd8 Black resigned
A nice finish. Black's Queenside pawns will fall.
