Jerome Gambit: The Ever-Present Ally

Some Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) lines have been quite popular, of late. Defenders have opted for 6...Kf8,
the Jerome variation, first played in a couple of correspondence games between Daniel Jaeger and Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in 1880.

The games in the notes to the main game, below, are worth playing over, too, to get a better understanding of White's and Black's play.

It must be pointed out that the Jerome Gambit player's ever-present ally - the chess clock - also had a hand in some of the games presented, as well. Most show White winning while having only 1 or 2 seconds of thinking time per move!

Raiderduck - xavierjerome
5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+Kf8 

7.Qxe5

An interesting idea from a recent game is 7.Qf5+, which played out 7...Nf6 8.Qxe5 d6 9.Qf4 Qe7 10.Nc3 Qe5 11.Qh4 Qh5 12.Qf4 Qg4 13.Qxg4 Nxg4 14.f3 Nf615.Ne2 Kf7 16.d4 Bb6 17.Bf4 Bd7 18.O-O-O Rhe8 19.Ng3 g6 20.c3 Be6 21.Kb1 Rad8 22.Rhe1 Kg7 23.b3 h6 24.c4 g5 25.Bc1 Kg6 26.Bb2 Nh5 27.Ne2 c6 28.d5 cxd5 29.exd5 Bf5+ 30.Ka1 Re3 31.g4 Rxf3 32.gxh5+ Kxh5 33.Ng3+ Kg6 34.Nxf5 Rxf5 35.Re6+ Kh5 36.a3 Rf2 37.h4 gxh4 38.Rh1 Rf4 39.Bc1 Re4 40.Rxh6+ Kg4 41.R1xh4+ Kf3 42.Rxe4 Kxe4 43.Re6+ Kd3 44.Kb2 Bd4+ 45.Ka2 Be5 46.Bb2 Ke4 47.Bxe5 dxe5 48.Re7 Rg8 49.b4 Rg2+ 50.Kb3 Kd4 51.Rxb7 e4 52.Re7 Rg3+ 53.Ka4 e3 54.d6 Kd3 55.d7 Rg8 56.Re8 Black resigned, BoomBoomTNT-YT -  chess_is_a_great_art, Chess.com, 2020. 

7...Qe7 

About equal in strength is 7...d6, which was also seen in a number of recent games: 8.Qg3 (or 8.Qc3 Nf6 9.d3 Qe8 10.O-O Qh5 11.b4 Ng4 12.h3 Bxf2+ 13.Rxf2+ Nxf2 14.Kxf2 Ke7 15.Qxg7+ Ke6 16.Qxh8 Ke7 17.Qg7+ Kd8 18.Bg5+ Black resigned, cowcium - Vince25, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; or 8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.d3 Qxf4 10.Bxf4 Ne7 11.Nc3 Bd4 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 c6 14.Kd2 g6 15.Rhf1+ Kg7 16.a4 a5 17.Rab1 Rf8 18.Rxf8 Kxf8 19.b3 Kg7 20.h4 Ng8 21.b4 axb4 22.Rxb4 Nf6 23.Rd4 Ne8 24.Ke2 Ra5 25.Rc4 Nc7 26.Kf3 d5 27.Nxd5 Nxd5 28.exd5 Rxd5 29.e4 Ra5 30.d4 h5 31.Ke3 Kf6 32.Rb4 Ke6 33.c4 Kd6 34.c5+ Kc7 35.Kf4 Bd7 36.e5 Ra8 37.Kg5 Bf5 38.Kf6 Rd8 39.e6 Rf8+ 40.Ke7 Rd8 41.Kf7 Rh8 42.e7 Bd7 43.Rb2 Be8+ 44.Kg7 Black resigned, Mizter_gm - Cgei, 5 0 blitz, Chess24, 2020) 8...Nf6 9.Nc3 c6 (9...Be6 10.O-O Qd7 11.d3 Qf7 12.Be3 Bb6 13.d4 Bc4 14.Rfe1 Re8 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Bxe3 17.Rxe3 Qg6 18.Qxg6 hxg6 19.exf6 Rxe3 20.fxe3 gxf6 21.Ne4 Ke7 22.b3 Bb5 23.c4 Bc6 24.Nc3 Rd8 25.Rd1 Rxd1+ 26.Nxd1 Ke6 27.Kf2 Ke5 28.Nc3 a6 29.h3 Bd7 30.h4 Bf5 31.Kf3 Bd3 32.g4 c6 33.c5 Bc2 34.b4 Bd3 35.a3 Bc4 36.h5 gxh5 37.gxh5 Bg8 38.h6 Bh7 39.Na4 Be4+ 40.Kg4 Bh7 41.Kf3 Be4+ 42.Kf2 Bh7 43.Nb6 Kf5 44.Nd7 Kg6 45.Kf3 f5 46.Kf4 Kxh6 47.Nf6 Bg6 48.Nd7 Kg7 49.Ne5 Bh7 50.Nc4 Kf6 51.Na5 Ke7 52.Nxb7 Kd7 53.Nd6 Kc7 54.Nxf5 Kb7 55.e4 a5 56.e5 Bg8 57.Ne7 axb4 58.axb4 White won on time, h3h6 - Labourdeaunet, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 10.O-O h5 11.d3 h4 12.Qf4 h3 13.g3 Kg8 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.Qxe3 Rh5 16.f4 Ng4 17.Qd4 Qf6 18.Ne2 Qxd4+ 19.Nxd4 Ne3 20.Rf2 c5 21.Nb5 d5 22.Re1 d4 23.c3 Bd7 24.Nd6 Ng4 25.Rc2 dxc3 26.bxc3 Bc6 27.d4 cxd4 28.cxd4 Rd8 29.e5 Rh6 30.Rc5 Bg2 31.Rc7 b6 32.Rxa7 Re6 33.Rd1 Ne3 34.Rd2 Bd5 35.Re2 Nc4 36.f5 Rexd6 37.exd6 Nxd6 38.g4 b5 39.Ree7 Bf7 40.g5 g6 41.fxg6 Bd5 42.Rg7+ Kh8 43.Rh7+ Kg8 44.Rag7+ Kf8 45.Rh8+ Kxg7 46.Rxd8 Bxa2 47.Rxd6 Bc4 48.d5 b4 49.Rc6 Bxd5 50.Rb6 White won on time, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020 

Also seen was 7...Be7 8.O-O Nf6 9.Nc3 d6 10.Qg3 b6 11.d4 Bb7 12.f3 Nh5 13.Qf2 Bh4 14.g3 Be7 15.Bd2 g6 16.Bh6+ Kf7 17.f4 Nf6 18.f5 gxf5 19.Qxf5 Bc8 20.Qh5+ Ke6 21.d5+ Kd7 22.Qf7 Ng4 23.Bg5 Rf8 24.Qe6+ Ke8 25.Rxf8+ Kxf8 26.Rf1+ Ke8 27.Qg8+ Kd7 28.Qxh7 Ba6 29.Rf7 Ne5 30.Rxe7+ Kc8 31.Rg7 Black resigned, OrcaTec - jappleyardm, 7 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 

as well as 7...Bd6 8.Qf5+ Qf6 9.Qh3 Bc5 10.O-O d5 11.Qh5 Bd4 12.Qxd5 Bxb2 13.Bxb2 Qxb2 14.Nc3 Ne7 15.Qd8+ Kf7 16.Qxh8 h6 17.Qd8 Qxc2 18.Rac1 Qb2 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.Qxd5+ Kg6 21.Rxc7 Qf6 22.e5 Qg5 23.h4 Qf5 24.Rf7 Qxf7 25.h5+ Kxh5 26.Qxf7+ g6 27.Kh2 Bf5 28.Kg3 Rd8 29.Rh1+ Kg5 30.f4 checkmate, a-jerome-gambit-fan - Johnjohn, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org 2020) 

8.Qf4+ 

Or 8.Qf5+ Qf6 9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qxc7 Ne7 11.O-O g6 12.d3 Kg7 13.Qc3 Qxc3 14.Nxc3 a6 15.Be3 Nc6 16.f4 Nb4 17.Rfc1 Bd7 18.a3 Nc6 19.Nd5 Rae8 20.Nc3 Be6 21.Ne2 d5 22.e5 Rhf8 23.g3 Rc8 24.Nd4 Nxd4 25.Bxd4 Kf7 26.Be3 Ke7 27.c4 dxc4 28.dxc4 Bxc4 29.Rc3 Be6 30.Rac1 Rxc3 31.Rxc3 Rd8 32.Kf2 Rd7 33.Rc2 Bb3 34.Rd2 Rc7 35.Bb6 Rc6 36.Ba5 Rc5 37.Bb4 Black resigned, milomallaby - ElBreg, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com 2020. 

8...Qf7 

About equal is 8...Nf6, for example 9.Nc3 Bd4 10.d3 d5 11.O-O Bxc3 12.bxc3 dxe4 13.Re1 Qd6 14.Qh4 Kf7 15.dxe4 Re8 16.Bf4 Qc6  17.e5 Nd5 18.Bg3 Kg8 19.c4 Nb6 20.h3 Qxc4 21.Re4 Qxc2 22.Rae1 Bf5 23.R4e2 Qc4 24.Qg5 Qe6 25.Bh2 Nd5 26.g4 Bd3 27.Rd2 h6 28.Qh4 Bb5 29.f4 Qb6+ 30.Qf2 Rad8 31.f5 Nb4 32.Rxd8 Rxd8 33.Qxb6 axb6 34.e6 Nd5 35.Rd1 c6 36.Bc7 Ra8 37.Bd6 Rxa2 38.Re1 Be2 39.e7 Kf7 40.Kf2 Bc4+ 41.Kg3 Ke8 42.Re6 Nf6 43.Re3 Bd5 44.Kf4 Rf2+ 45.Ke5 Rf3 46.Re1 Nd7+ 47.Kd4 Nf6 48.Be5 c5 checkmate, KNVB - Maxterlopezm Chess.com, 2020) and 8...Qf6: 9.Qxc7 Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 Bb6 11.Qd6+ Ne7 12.Nc3 Bc5 13.Qd3 Qxg2 14.Rf1+ Ke8 15.Nb5 Qg4+ 16.Ke1 Kd8 17.b4 Bb6 18.Bb2 a6 19.Nd6 Rg8 20.Qc4 Qh4+ 21.Ke2 Qg4+ 22.Kd3 Qh3+ 23.Ke2 Qg4+ 24.Rf3 Qg2+ 25.Ke1 Qg1+ 26.Rf1 Bf2+ 27.Ke2 Qg4+ 28.Kxf2 Qf4+ 29.Kg1 Qg4+ 30.Kh1 Qe6 31.Nf7+ Ke8 32.Nd6+ White won on time, Lucia243 - emandr, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 

9.d3 

White agrees to the exchange of Queens.

Again, a recent game where that did not happen immediately: 9.Qg3 Nf6 10.d3 d5 11.Nc3 dxe4 12.dxe4 Ng4 13.O-O Bxf2+ 14.Rxf2 Qxf2+ 15.Qxf2+ Nxf2 16.Kxf2 c6 17.Be3 Be6 18.Bd4 Kf7 19.Ke3 Rhd8 20.Ne2 b6 21.Bc3 Rd7 22.Nd4 c5 23.Rf1+ Ke7 24.Nc6+ Ke8 25.Ne5 Rc7 26.a3 Rd8 27.h3 Bc8 28.Rf3 Bb7 29.Nd3 Re7 30.Nf2 Rd6 31.Rg3 Rde6 32.Rg4 g6 33.h4 h5 34.Rf4 Kd7 35.g3 Kd8 36.Bf6 Kd7 37.Bxe7 Kxe7 38.Nd3 a5 39.c3 a4 40.Nf2 Ba6 41.g4 Rd6 42.gxh5 gxh5 43.Rf5 Rg6 44.Rg5 Rxg5 45.hxg5 Bf1 46.Kf4 Ke6 47.Nd1 h4 48.Ne3 Be2 49.Ng4 h3 50.Nh2 Kf7 51.Kg3 Kg6 52.Nf3 Bxf3 53.Kxf3 Kxg5 54.Kg3 h2 55.Kxh2 Kf4 56.e5 Kxe5 57.Kg2 Kd5 58.Kf2 Kc4 59.Ke2 Kb3 60.Kd3 Kxb2 61.c4 Kxa3 62.Kc3 Ka2 63.Kc2 Ka3 64.Kc3 Ka2 65.Kc2 a3 66.Kd3 Ka1 67.Kc3 a2 68.Kd2 Kb1 69.Kd3 Black resigned, KNVB - PsychoPato, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com 2020.

9...Qxf4 10.Bxf4 d6 11.c3 Ne7 12.a4 Ng6 13.Bg3 a5 14.d4 Bb6

15.Nd2 Kf7 16.Nc4 Rd8 17.O-O Be6 18.Ne3 c6 19.f4 Bc8 20.f5 Ne7 21.Nc4 Bc7 22.Rae1 Kg8 

The game looks balanced. Komodo 10 thinks White should noodle around with 23.Bh4 and 24.Bg3, but this is a 5-minute game, and the first player opens things up - not necessarily to his advantage.

23.f6 gxf6 24.Rxf6 Ng6 25.e5 dxe5 26.Nxe5 Bxe5 27.dxe5 Rf8 28.Rd6 Bf5 29.Rd2 Rad8 

For the moment, at least, Black's pieces look more impresive than White's extra pawns.

30.Rde2 Be6 31.Bf2 Rf5 32.Bd4 Nf4 33.Re4 Bd5 34.Bb6 Re8 35.R4e3 Nxg2 36.Rg3+ Kf7 37.Rxg2 Bxg2 38.Kxg2 Rexe5 39.Rxe5 Rxe5 

Black has consolidated his advantage, up the exchange.

40.Kf3 Ke6 41.Bc7 Rh5 42.Ke4 Kd7 43.Bg3 b5 44.axb5 cxb5 45.Kd4 Kc6 46.c4 b4 47.Kd3 a4 48.Kc2 Kc5 49.b3 a3 50.Bf4 Rh3 51.Bg3 h5 52.Kb1 

Things look dire for White, but, what have I been saying the last couple of weeks?

Black can sometimes "solve" the Jerome Gambit, if he is given enough time. The thing is, in bullet and blitz chess, he often does not have enough time.

And, so here, not surprisingly...   Black lost on time

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

Jerome Gambit: No More Usual

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) creates a lot of unusual positions. Playing a "reversed" Jerome Gambit is no more usual.

GrimmauldPlace - croc_master
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 

 This is known as the Busch-Gass Gambit. It resembles a reversed Jerome Gambit. See "Worth A Second Look" Part 1, 2, & 3 and "Danke!"

3.Bc4 Bxf2+ 

Here we go.

4.Kxf2 Nf6 5.Re1 

Two alternatives:

5.d3 Ng4+ 6.Ke1 c6 7.h3 Nf6 8.Nc3 O-O 9.Nxe5 d5 10.Bb3
dxe4 11.Nxe4 Qe8 12.Bf4 Nh5 13.Qxh5 g6 14.Qh6 Be6 15.Ng5 Black resigned, jhovannycano - mérida máx, rapid, Chesstempo.com 2020 

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke7 7.Qf3 d6 8.Ng4 Bxg4 9.Qxg4 Nxg4+ 10.Kg3 Ne5 11.d4 Nc4 12.Bg5+ Kd7 13.Bxd8 Rxd8 14.Rf1 Kc6 15.d5+ Kb6 16.a4 Nxb2 17.Ra2 Nc4 18.a5+ Kc5 Black won on time, rollingthunder -  guest_7605, lichess.org, 2020 

5...O-O 6.c3 d5 7.exd5 e4 8.Nd4 

8...Ng4+ 9.Kg1 Qh4 10.h3 Nf2 11.Qe2 Nxh3+ 12.gxh3 Bxh3 13.Qf2 Qg5+ 14.Kh2 f5 15.Kxh3 Rf6 

16.Rg1 Rh6+ 17.Qh4 Rxh4 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Impatience Wins Again

What do you do, if you are excited by the Jerome Gambit, but don't want to wait for the whole opening to unfold? Well, perhaps, like in the following game, you sacrifice your bishop a bit ahead of schedule...

Of course, when you checkmate your opponent in a dozen moves, you might very well have proven your point.

JovieBoi - NN
5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.Bxf7+ 

This is one of the opening lines that I have classified as "impatient Jerome Gambits" in that White does not wait for ...Bc5 before sacrificing his Bishop.

If Black is not prepared the shock may shorten the game considerably.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.d4 

Black is holding on, but he has to keep his King safe, even at the cost of returning some material.

8...Qf6 9.dxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qxf8+ 

This works, but 10.Bf4 was even stronger.

10...Qe7 

11.Bf4+ Ke6

Stumbling into it.

12.Qf5 checkmate

Okay!


graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

Jerome Gambit: Recent Videos

If you go to YouTube.com, and search for the Jerome Gambit, you will find a surprising number of videos.

Here are links to some of the more recent ones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6rTPo3Wst0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GObYMqwr4w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onPQENTm84k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDtH7KeN834

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nkh44gCCPAE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjJnyEGkU0k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHvFfeFpEFs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x9WVAuecjg

Jerome Gambit: Can White Take the Rook?

In the following game, the question is, "Can White take the Rook?"

The answer, as he shows quite well, is simply "Yes".

The Jerome Gambit may be a disreputable opening, but it is still necessary to construct a viable defense in order to defeat it. If the defender is surprised and confused, his chances are much reduced, especially in a blitz game.

Anonymous - Anonymous
5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 

Will Black try the Blackburne Defense with 7...d6, or Whistler's Defense with 7...Qe7 ?

7...Be7 

This will only work if White does not capture the Rook, because then Black will be able to get in the move 8...Nf6.

8.Qxh8 Bf6 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxg6 d6 11.d4 Bd7 

Black works on his development, but the game has already swung in his opponent's favor.

12.Bh6+ Ke7 13.e5 dxe5 14.dxe5 Bxe5 15.O-O Nf6 16.Re1 Kd6 

17.Nc3 Be6 18.Rad1+ Bd5 19.Rxd5+ Kc6 20.Rxd8 Rxd8 21.Rxe5 b5 22.Qxf6+ Kb7 23.Qxd8 a5 24.Rxb5+ Kc6 25.Qd5 checkmate

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome

This guy, Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, who is responsible for early (1874) analysis of the Jerome Gambit, who was he?

Here are a few blog links to inform.

"The Man, The Myth, The Legend..."

 "The Great Debate" Parts I, II, III, IV, and Conclusion

"The Life of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome" 

"Garrison Duty"

"Alonzo Wheeler Jerome and Winston Churchill"

Jerome Gambit: Reinvesting in Attack

In the following game, White is the happy recipient of the return of his two sacrificed pieces. Some of that material comes in handy when he wants to further invest in his attack.

Anonymous - Anonymous
5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke7 

This move is not seen often, but White must have been pleased when it happened, as the two sacrificed pieces are quickly recovered.

7.Qxe5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 

Instead, the wild brofessor45 - thrivingturtle, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020 continued 8...Qe7 9.Qxc7 Nf6 10.d3 Qb4+ 11.c3 Qd6 12.Bf4 Qxf4 13.Qxf4 d5 14.Qd6+ Kg8 15.O-O dxe4 16.Re1 e3 17.Rxe3 Kf7 18.Re7+ Kf8 19.Nd2 Bg4 20.Rae1 Bh5 21.Re8+ Kf7 22.R1e7+ Kg6 23.Qg3+ Kh6 24.Qe3+ g5 25.Re6 Raxe8 26.Rxf6+ Kg7 27.Qxg5+ Bg6 28.Qxg6+ hxg6 29.Ne4 Rxe4 30.dxe4 g5 31.Rb6 Rh5 32.Rxb7+ Kf6 33.Rxa7 g4 34.f3 gxf3 35.gxf3 Ke5 36.Ra5+ Kf4 37.Rxh5 Kxf3 38.Rf5+ Ke2 39.h4 Kd2 40.Rb5 Kc2 41.h5 Kc1 42.h6 Kb1 43.h7 Ka1 44.Rd5 Kb1 45.h8=Q Kxb2 46.e5 Kxc3 47.e6+ Kc4 48.Rd7 Kc5 49.e7 Kc6 50.Ra7 Kb6 51.Ra4 Kb5 52.Ra7 Kb6 53.Ra8 Kb7 54.Ra4 Kc7 55.e8=Q Kd6 56.Ra7 Kd5 57.Qhh5+ Kd4 58.Ra4+ Kd3 59.Qf3+ Kd2 60.Rb4 Kc2 61.Qb8 Kd2 62.Rb2+ Kc1 63.Qf1#

9.Qe3 Nf6 10.O-O Ng4 

This kind of attack sometimes rebounds. Here, not much comes of it.

11.Qf4+ Nf6 12.d4 Kg8 

13.a4 b6 14.Rd1 Bb7 15.Nc3 a6 16.e5 Nd5 17.Nxd5 Bxd5 18.Qg3 h6 

White is safely a couple of pawns ahead, and has no reason to hurry... Wait! It's a 5-minute game. Here he goes!

19.Rd3 Qe8 20.Bf4 Rd8 21.exd6 Qe2 22.dxc7 Rc8 23.Qh4 g5 24.Bxg5 hxg5 25.Qxg5+ 

25...Kf8 26.Qf6+ Bf7 27.Qd8+ Qe8 28.Qd6+ Kg8 29.Rg3+ Bg6 30.Rxg6+ Qxg6 31.Qxg6+ Kf8 32.Qf6+ Ke8 33.Qxh8+ Kd7 34.Qg7+ Kc6 35.h4 Rxc7 36.Qf6+ Kb7 37.h5 Rh7 38.c4 Rxh5 39.Qf3+ Kc7 40.Qxh5 Black left the game

Very nice.