Jerome Gambit: GM vs GM!?

I received a tip the other day about a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game played online. The time control was 3 minutes, with no increment. White won.

Oh, and White was U.S. chess champion Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. Black was Grandmaster Dmitrij Kollars of Germany.

Sure, GM Nakamura was making a speed run, and his focus was on "garbage openings" - there was also a clip of him looking at a Jerome Gambit line, and he seemed amazed / amused that there wasn't SOMETHING to the Jerome. From a grandmaster point of view: nah.

The Jerome has winning chances if it is a surprise, if the time limit is blitz, and if the defender becomes inattentive due to over-confidence.

Take a look.

SanitationEngineer - GM_dmitrij

3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

Sure, why not, up 2 pieces.

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6 

GM Kollars backs up.

I would love to send GM Nakamura the following continuation, from abhailey - peonconorejas, net-chess.com, 2008: 9...Nf3+ 10.Kd1 Ne7 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Qe4+ d5 13.exd6+ Nd5 14.gxh4 Bg4 15.Qa4+ b5 16.Qa6+ Nb6 17.c4 Nd4+ 18.Ke1 Rhe8+ 19.Kf2 Nf5+ 20.Kf1 Bh3 checkmate

10.fxe5+ Qxe5 11.Qxe5+ Kxe5 12.b4 

The Database has only 2 earlier games with this move. White was an anonymous online player in 2004; I played the move in 2008.

That would all be coincidence. It is most likely that GM Nakamura bumped into the Jerome Gambit due to Canadian GM Aman Hambleton's amusing video on the opening.

12...Bd4 

Interesting. For 12...Bxb4? of course, see "Jerome Gambit: An Article" for the relevant Jerome-Mills variations analyzed by Yury V. Bukayev.

13.c3 Bb6 14.d4+ Ke6 15.Bb2 a5 16.d5+ Kf7 17.Rf1+ Kg6 

18.Nd2 Nf6 19.Nf3 Re8 20.e5 h6 21.O-O-O 

21...Ng4 22.Rde1 axb4 23.cxb4 Ne3 24.Nh4+ Kh7 25.Rf7 Kg8 

Black has been defending well, despite his extra piece remaining undeveloped at c8, but he is playing one of the top blitz grandmasters in the world. This slip is enough.

26.e6 dxe6 27.Rxg7+ Kf8 28.Ng6 checkmate

Wow.

Thank you, GM Nakamura.

Thank you, too, GM Kollars, for playing along.

Jerome Gambit: Inescapable Problems

The following Jerome Gambit game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) features a creative, but ineffective, defensive line - and attacking move which creates inescapable problems for Black's Queen and King.

Richi_the_king - poglas

5 0 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 Bd6 

Attacking the Queen, but letting go of the Rook.

8.Qxh8 Qg5 

Things have already gotten out of hand, and the text does not fix them, nor did any of these other recent tries -

8...Qe7 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxg6 Qf7 11.Qxf7+ Kxf7 12.O-O Bc5 13.d3 d6 14.Be3 Bb6 15.Bxb6 axb6 16.a3 Be6 17.Nc3 Nf6 18.b4 c5 19.b5 Nd7 20.f4 Ke7 21.f5 Bf7 22.f6+ Nxf6 23.Nd5+ Nxd5 24.exd5 Bxd5 25.Rae1+ Be6 26.Re3 Kd7 27.Rfe1 Re8 28.c4 Bf7 29.Rxe8 Bxe8 30.g4 Bg6 31.Re3 Bf7 32.h4 Be6 33.g5 Ke7 34.Kf2 Kf7 35.Kg3 Bf5 36.Rf3 Kg6 37.Kf4 Be6 38.Re3 Bf5 39.Re7 Bxd3 40.Rxb7 Bxc4 41.Rxb6 Kh5 42.Rxd6 Bxb5 43.Rh6 checkmate JabbaKappa - Zauberer, Chess.com, 2020;

8...b6 9.Qd4 Bb7 10.Nc3 Qe7 11.O-O Rf8 12.d3 Ke8 13.Nb5 Bc5 14.Nxc7+ Kd8 15.Ne6+ Qxe6 16.Qc4 Qf7 17.Qxf7 Rxf7 18.Bg5+ Kc8 19.c3 h6 20.Bh4 g5 21.Bg3 h5 22.d4 Be7 23.d5 h4 24.Be5 d6 25.Bd4 Rf4 26.f3 Kd7 27.b4 Ba6 28.Rfd1 Bc4 29.a4 a6 30.Bxb6 Bf6 31.b5 axb5 32.axb5 Bxb5 33.Rab1 Bc4 34.Rb4 Be2 35.Rdb1 Bxc3 36.Ra4 Rf8 37.Bd4 Bd2 38.Rb7+ Ke8 39.Ra8 checkmate, timinphilly - BrennanBibic, Chess.com, 2020;

8...Qe8 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.d3 Bb4+ 11.Nc3 d6 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Ke7 14.Qg7+ Kd8 15.Qf6+ Kd7 16.a3 d5 Black resigned cian_hudder - 11wduuwdbjn, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; and

8...Nf6 Black resigned Mathiasgraabeck - IMMERAMZOCKEN23, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020, 9.Qxd8 Black resigned, Fedez9292 - mnt0788, 1 0 bullet, Chess.com, 2020.

9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.O-O Nf6 11.Qh8+ Ng8 

12.d3 Qf6 13.Bh6+ Kf7 14.Qh7+ Ke6 15.Qxg8+ Ke7 

Unfortunately, 15...Qf7 would allow the exchange of Queens, with little compensation for the lost Rook and pawns; and 15...Ke5 would be met with 16.Qd5 checkmate.

16.f4 

How does Black deal with the threat 17.Bg5 ?

16...b6 17.e5 

This wins - but so does 17.Bg5.

17...Bxe5 18.fxe5 Qxf1+ Black resigned

What else? There was no way to escape checkmate - other than resignation. Wow.

Jerome Gambit: Enthusiast

I received a number of games from a Jerome Enthusiast. There are some short ones in the notes, but the longest one has a very nice checkmate.

Anonymous - Anonymous

Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 

Also: 3...Nf6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Ng6 7.e5 Qe8 (7...Nd5 8.Qf3+ Ngf4 9.Bxf4 Nxf4 10.Qxf4+ Kg8 11.d5 d6 12.e6 c6 13.Qf7 checkmate, Anonymous - Anonymous, Chess.com, 2020) 8.O-O Nd5 9.Qf3+ Kg8 10.Qxd5+ Qf7 11.Nc3 Qxd5 12.Nxd5 c6 13.Nc7 Rb8 14.f4 d6 15.f5 Bxf5 16.Rxf5 Rc8 17.Ne6 dxe5 18.Be3 Ne7 19.Rf2 exd4 20.Bxd4 b6 21.Raf1 Ng6 22.Rf7 a5 23.Nxf8 Rxf8 24.Rxg7 checkmate, Anonymous - Anonymous, Chess.com, 2020; and 

3...h6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 (5...Nxe5 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Nd5 Bc5 8.d4 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, Chess.com, 2020) 6.Qh5+ Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, Chess.com, 2020. 

4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

A normal Jerome Gambit position. There are 130 games with it in The Database. Black has the extra piece, White has 2 extra pawns. White's King is safer.

10.O-O Kf7 11.f4 Re8 12.Qb3+

To interrupt Black's plan of castling-by-hand.

12... d5

Or 12...Kf8 13.d3 b6 14.c4 c5 15.Nc3 Kg8 16.Bd2 Rf8 17.Rab1 Nh5 18.f5 Ne5 19.Qd1 Qe8 20.Nb5 Qe7 21.Qxh5 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, Chess.com, 2020.

13.Nc3 c6 14.d3 Kf8 15.f5 Ne5 16.d4 Ned7 17.e5 

The "Jerome pawns" in action! It was probably time for Black to return his piece for two pawns, with 17...Nxe5 18.dxe5 Rxe5 and a roughly equal game. His response, however, gives him a loose pawn at e4, and allows further "Jerome pawn" action.

17...Ne4 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Qg3 Qb6 20.f6 

20...g6 21.f7 Re7 22.Bh6 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Getting More Right This Time (Part 2)

[continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - andrewLLL

Italian Game Battlefield tournament, Chess.com, 2020

Material is even. White has pressure against the enemy King.

17.Rf1 Rf8 

This move is a mistake, larger than I realized at the time. Instead of the text, he needed to do something about the pin on his d-pawn, say 17...Qe6. This could be met by 18.Nd5, when 18...Nexd5 19.exd5 Qg4 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Qc3 would have won material.

18.Bxf6

A curious optical illusion. I wanted to play e4-e5, attacking the pinned d-pawn (and the Knight on f6) so first I eliminated the Knight that defended the Queen. But - that Knight was already pinned to the King! Best was the move I wanted to play, 18.e5.

18...gxf6 19.e5 Kg8 

20.exf6 Nc6 21.Ne4 Qg4 22.Qd5+ 

The start of a questionable plan. After the game, Stockfish 11 suggested 22.h3 Qg6 23.Rf4 Kh8 24.Rg4 Qf5 25.Qe3 Nd8 26.Rg5 Qd7 27.Rg7 Rf7 28.Rxf7 Nxf7 29.Ng5 Ne5 30.Qxa7, with checkmate threats that would allow for the win of more material. Wow. So, that's why the program is rated 3600...

22...Kh8 23.Qg5 Qxg5 24.Nxg5 

Here, I liked my passed pawn and Kingside pawn majority. I could imagine advancing my g- and h-pawns, exchanging off Black's h-pawn. There was still a lot of work to do.

24...Nd8 25.Ne4 Kg8 26.g4 h6 

27.Kg2 

I guess 27.h4 was playable directly, but I worried that after 27...Kf7 Black's Rook would come to g8, so the pawn would need additional protection.

27...d5 

Kicking my Knight, which was in position to support an eventual g4-g5 - and part of the reason I took my Knight to e4 was to goad Black into making such a kick. Simply 27...Kf7 was more to the point.

28.Nc5 b6 

Helping the Knight along its way.

29.Nd7 Re8 

Now White can win the exchange for his beloved pawn - I could not see a way for it to promote, anyhow.

30.f7+ Nxf7 31.Nf6+ Kf8 32.Nxe8 Kxe8 

At this point, the main idea is for White's Rook and King to infiltrate Black's position and win material.

33.Rf5 c6 34.Rf6 c5 35.Kg3 Ke7 36.Rg6 d4 37.Kf4

Keeping an eye on the pawns, so they do not advance.

37...Kd7 38.h4 Ke7 39.Rg8 Black resigned

With a King placed for both defense and attack, a Kingside pawn majority ready to advance at the proper time, and a hungry Rook, White has too much to deal with. 

Jerome Gambit: Getting More Right This Time (Part 1)

The following game, a rematch in the fourth round of the "Italian Game Battlefield" tournament at Chess.com, was another (see "Jerome Gambit: His Trap Was Part of My Trap") Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. Much to my relief, after my exhausting struggle against Tacotopia (see "Jerome Gambit: Overthinking?" Parts 1 & 2), I was able to find the win of the exchange and use it to win the endgame.

perrypawnpusher - andrewLLL

Italian Game Battlefield tournament, Chess.com, 2020

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

7...Bxd4

Previously, andrewLLL had played 7...Bd6 against me. According to The Database, I was 1 - 2 - 0 (33%) against 7...Bd6 before that game.

Komodo 10 sees 7...Bd6 as slightly stronger than 7...Bxd4. Against 7...Bxd4, I was 15 - 7 - 1 (67%).

All in all, I was happy to see the text move.

8.Qxd4 d6 

The strongest response. I have also seen

8...Qe7 in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 27), perrypawnpusher - BigKalamar, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 49), and perrypawnpusher - OudeKwakkelaar, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 16); and

8...Re8 in perrypawnpusher - hklett, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 20), perrypawnpusher - KaZC, FICS, 2010 (1/2 - 1/2, 61),  perrypawnpusher - Fazmeister, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 36),  perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 34), and perrypawnpusher - spince, blitz, FICS, 2014 (0-1, 41),

9.O-O 

Stronger than 9.Bg5 in perrypawnpusher - wuolong, Italian Game tournament, Chess.com, 2013 (1-0, 15).

9...Re8 10.Bg5 Be6

This move is not a mistake, but I am always happy to be able to advance my f-pawn and cause the Bishop to move again.

11.f4 Nc6 12.Qd3 Qd7 

This move doesn't look right, however. Although this game was played at a 3 days / move time control, it is possible that my opponent was using the Chess.com app on his phone, and mis-keyed the move (instead of, say, 12...Qe7) and quickly but mistakenly sent it. Just a guess - I have done that before, myself.

Better was 12...Kg8, castling-by-hand.

13.f5 Bxf5

After the game, Komodo 10 recommended 13...Bxa2 instead.

14.Rxf5 

With plans to put pressure on the Knight at f6, taking advantage of the pin to the enemy King. This is stronger than 14.exf5, which might be what my opponent expected, and which would have left me with only a slight - if any - edge.

14...Re5 15.Raf1 Rxf5 16.Rxf5 Ne7 

Material is even, although White's pressure - especially along the f-file - should allow him to win a pawn. White's isolated e-pawn participates in the attack, which would not have been the case, had the pawn captured on move 14.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Scared Silly

Questions. When it comes to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), I get questions. I also get a lot of games. I love it.

Sometimes, I get both a game and some questions.

I was recently inspired to try out the now famous Jerome Gambit in a recent game. My opponent played g6, and after capturing the Knight on e5 my opponent played ...Qe7. My question is that if I capture the rook what is the best defence against ...Qxe4+? My opponent got a perpetual and settled for a draw but I think he could have won quite easily. Is it a blunder to capture the rook in this position as it seems a waste of the gambit not to capture. I've attached the pgn of the game if you would like to see it.

I was very happy to answer.

Have you ever scared someone silly? Got them so frightened that they were not thinking right at all?

Well, looking at the Jerome Gambit game that you sent me, I know that you have.

First, a bit of chess history.

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome published his first gambit analysis in 1874. He tested some of his lines in correspondence play, and in 1876 he played a correspondence match against Lt. G.N. Whistler, USA, Secretary, Lexington Kentucky Chess Club. I have found only 1 of their games, but it appears that Whistler did very well.

Whistler played 7...Qe7, like in your game, and Jerome took the rook with 8.Qxh8 - very risky.

Your opponent had the right idea, with 8...Qxe4+ through 12...Qxf3+. Then he decided to go for the draw.

It is hard to blame him. He had decided that you knew a powerful gambit that he did not. It had to be powerful, because nobody would sacrifice two pieces for "nothing", right? A draw would be an honorable outcome, under the circumstances.

What your opponent missed was 13...d5!, opening the diagonal for his bishop to come to g4 to threaten checkmate.

You could protect the rook a second time with 14.Nc3, but, now 14...Qf1+ 15.Re1 Bg4+ 16.Ne2 Bxe2+ would be mate.

"Best" for White after 13...d5! would have been 14.h3, keeping the enemy bishop off of g4 - but, then 14...Qh1+ 15.Re1 Bg4+ anyway 16.hxg4 Qxh7 wins the queen for him. Awkward.

So, a couple of lessons from your game.  First, Black can often "solve" the Jerome Gambit if he has enough time, but in blitz he usually does not have enough time, as you saw. Second, taking the rook is dangerous for White. Even though he scores better than 50% in the games in my database after taking the rook (complications in blitz), he would do better to play something like 8.Qf4+. 

Thanks for sharing your game.

LegendOfThin - MaxFalke

5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

The Jerome Gambit can be quite a nasty surprise for a player looking for a "quiet game".

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 

8.Qxh8 

Risky, as noted above.

8...Qxe4+ 9.Kd1 Qg4+ 10.f3 Qxg2 

In the Blackburne Defense, 7...d6 8.Qxh8 the major danger for White is that his Queen will get trapped. In Whistler's Defense - this game - White makes sure that Her Majesty is not locked in; but it is His Majesty who is at risk.

11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Re1 Qxf3+  

13.Re2 Qf1+ 

Black can recover from this move, which means that it is not "bad", but this is the first indication that he may have misjudged the position. 13...d5 was/is the move.

14.Re1 Qf3+ 15.Re2 Qf1+  

It was not too late for 15...d5! Perhaps the clock was an issue??

16.Re1 Qf3+ drawn by repetition

I hope Black spent time going over the game, afterward.

Jerome Gambit: Article

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

I recently received  by email the following Jerome Gambit article. Have a pleasure!                                                                        

The new life for A.Jerome’s and D.Mills’s b2-b4 blow!

 

Dear Rick, my dear friend!

 

The Jerome Gambit (JG, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bf7) is your main chess love, and here is my present for you! Thus, I would like to show my inventions in “a strong theory of this theoretically weak gambit that is very useful for players”. It isn’t necessary to comment the following initial moves: 4.Bf7 Kf7 5.Ne5 Ne5 6.Qh5 Ke6. It isn’t necessary to compare the forces of the way 7.Qf5 Kd6 8.b4 (Way 1) and of the way 7.b4 (Way 2) with their alternatives; I’ll consider these two ways below. But it is necessary to say that some modern experts of JG analyse the very bright game (1899) of the famous chess person Daniel Yarnton Mills (White) and NN (Black)

[1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bf7+ Kf7 5.Ne5+ Ne5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.b4 Bb4 9.c3 Ba5 10.Ba3+ c5 11.Bc5+ Kc5 12.Qe5+ Kb6 13.Qd6+ Kb5 14.a4+ Kc4 15.Qd5#],

and all experts comment its middle without a censure of the moves 8…Bb4 9.c3. Consequently, they evaluate these moves as very good ones, and these their evaluations are mistaken, I’ll prove it below. I suggest the following names to don’t use the names “Way 1” and “Way 2”: Way 1 = Queen’s Jerome-Mills variation, Way 2 = Pawn’s Jerome-Mills variation. Here is a part of my analysis with my inventions:

 

I.                [Queen’s Jerome-Mills variation]

A)   8…Bb4?!

A1) 9.f4!N [White has an enough strong attack.] 9…Ke7! [9…Qf6?? 10.fe! Qe5 11.Qe5 Ke5 12.Bb2 with 13.Bg7: White wins. If 9…Ng6 or 9…Nc6 then 10.Bb2! If 9…Qe7 then 10.Bb2 too. If 9…Qh4 10.g3 Nf3 then 11.Kf2!: White wins.] 10.fe! d6 [10…Nh6 11.Qg5 Ke6 (11…Ke8 12.Qh5!: White attacks. If 12.Qg7? then 12…Qh4!: Black wins.) 12.Qg3!: White attacks.] 11.Qf4! Ke8 [11…de 12.Qe5; 11…Qf8?! 12.Qg5 with 13.Rf1; 11…Nh6 12.Qh4 Ke6 13.Qh3; 11…Be6 12.Bb2: White attacks in all the cases.] 12.Bb2 Qe7 13.0-0 de 14.Be5: White attacks.

I suggest the name “Bona Fide Master attack” for this opening variation 9.f4. (Of course, it is impossible to see here the title “FIDE Master”: there are English words “bona fide” and “master” only.) Also I suggest “Three Directions attack” as the synonym of this name: White pieces’ and pawns’ moves form here three directions of attacking. If White’s pawns go to the north then these exact directions are a north-west one, a north-east one and a north one.

 

A2) 9.c3? Nd3!N 10.Kd1 Qf6!? 11.Qd5 Ke7 12.Qd3 Bc5: Black wins.

B) 8…Bd4!N 9.Nc3 [9.c3? Nd3! 10.Kd1 Nf2 11.Ke2 Nh1 with the idea 12…Ke7: Black wins. If 9.Ba3? then 9…Ba1 10.b5 c5: Black wins.] 9…Bc3 10.dc Qf6: Black wins.

 

II.             [Pawn’s Jerome-Mills variation]

7…Bb4!? [There are some good alternatives, but the fight can finish rapidly nowhere, for   example: 7…Bd4!?N 8.Qh3!] 8.Qf5!

A)   8…Kd6?! – 7.Qf5 Kd6 8.b4 Bb4?! (Queen’s Jerome-Mills variation)

B)    8…Ke7!N 9.Qe5 Kf8: Black wins.

 

It is a new opening theory only. If you think about future practice then it is important to remember that it isn’t very simple for Black to find in blitz the winning return of a piece 8…Ke7! in the Pawn’s Jerome-Mills variation, because Black has accepted all White’s “wild” sacrifices since the 4^th move and feels the growing emotional weakening. And I say the same about the return of a piece 9…Ke7! in the Bona Fide Master attack.

Regards, Yury V. Bukayev, istinayubukayev@yandex.ru .