Jerome Gambit: The Enemy King is Unsafe

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) game highlights the main danger for Black - when his King is unsafe, bad things happen.

Wall, Bill - Guest310602

PlayChess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 

Black has a variety of ways to return a piece.

7.c3 

7...Bxc3+ 

Bill has also seen 7...Nd3+, e.g. 8.Qxd3 Be7 9.O-O (9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.O-O d6 11.Re1 Nf6 12.e5 dxe5 13.dxe5 Nd7 14.Rd1 Rf8 15.Qh5+ g6 16.Qxh7 Bg5 17.Qxg6+ Rf7 18.Bxg5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Ripao, lichess.org, 2017) 9...Nf6 10.e5 Ne8 11.Qf5+ Kg8 12.d5 d6 13.e6 Nf6 14.c4 c6 15.Nc3 cxd5 16.cxd5 Qa5 17.Bg5 b5 18.Ne4 Bb7 19.Nxf6+ gxf6 20.Bh6 Qb4 21.Qh5 Rf8 22.Bxf8 Kxf8 23.Qf7 checkmate, Wall,B - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2020. 

8.bxc3 Nc4 

9.Qh5+ Ke7 

Better was 9...Kf8, although he would still have to give back a piece after 10.Qf5+ Nf6 11.e5 Qe8 12.0-0 d6 13.Qd3 

10.Qc5+ Nd6 11.e5 b6 12.exd6+ cxd6 13.Qg5+ Nf6 

The King will continue to be harassed.

14.Qxg7+ Ke6 15.O-O Rg8 16.Re1+ Kd5 17.Qf7+ Kc6 18.Qb3 Ba6

19.Bf4 Nd5 20.Bg3 Qg5 21.c4 Nc7 22.Qf3+ d5 

This allows White to open the c-file and have access to the Black King.

23.cxd5+ Qxd5 24.Rc1+ Bc4 25.Rxc4+ Black resigned

Checkmate is unavoidable.

Jerome Gambit: Coach

 

Chess coach Chris Torres has a great love for the Royal Game, and this enthusiasm extends to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

His thoughts and games can be seen in a number of posts on this site: "Always Be Ready to Deliver Checkmate", "The Most Violent Chess Game Ever Played!", "Another Lesson in the Jerome Gambit", "More Musings" and "More Useful Junk", "Good Old Uncle Jerome" and Jerome Gambit: Education in Defense.

Coach Chris has upgraded his chessmusings.wordpress blog to its own domain, where he is now now blogging:  https://dailychessmusings.com

He is also livestreaming at Chess.com.

If you check out the YouTube video "Saturday Night Blitz with Coach Chris (CoachTortoise)" at about the 34:45 mark, you will hear a familiar lament

Well, I've tried playing good chess and I've done that bad, so now I'm going to try playing bad chess good.

Of course, what follows is another delightful Jerome Gambit by Chris, one that shows a checkmate by White in 21 moves.

You should really check it out.

Jerome Gambit: It All Seems to Make So Much Sense, But...

Consider the following game. Black's unworried play in the opening is sensible, as he refuses to be panicked by the sacrifices of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). However, his unhurried middle game play allows White to comfortably build up an attack - and end the game with a bang.

Wall, Bill - Harnza, Shannon

FICS, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Nf6  

With this move, Black develops a third piece to counter White's Queen. It all seems to make so much sense, especially since the first player's sacrifices have suggested that the game is all in fun, anyhow.

Alas, this is not the solution to the Jerome Gambit, as a post mortem will point out. Meanwhile, White recovers his two sacrificed pieces.

8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxc5 Re8 

Preparing to castle-by-hand, and putting pressure on the center. He has to be active, he is down a couple of pawns.

10.O-O 

Offering to return a pawn, to get his King to safety. Black declines.

10...Kg8 11.d3 d6 12.Qg5 h6 13.Qg3 b5 

To fianchetto the Bishop. 

14.f5 Bb7 

Missing the tactic.

15.Bxh6 Re7 16.Bg5 Rf7 17.Nc3 a6 

White will build his attack, and Black does not keep pace.

18.Ne2 c5 19.Nf4 Qe8 20.Ng6 Nh7 21.Qh4 Qd7 22.Rf3 c4 

Striking at White's center - but what has he missed?

23.Qxh7+ Kxh7 24.Rh3+ Kg8 25.Rh8 checkmate

Very nice!

Jerome Gambit: Don't Quit, Anything Can Happen

The game is over when you stop fighting. Sometimes, it can be a good idea to stop early - and start another game. Sometimes, it can be a good idea to keep fighting, because in a blitz game, anything can happen. The following game is a good example.

hipernight - german_diez

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 

The Two Knights Defense.

4.Bxf7+ 

One of what I have called the "impatient Jerome Gambits" where White sacrifices his Bishop before Black plays ...Bc5.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.f4

6...Ng6

See also MrBizkit - reza6666666666, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020, (1-0, 36), where Black responded 6...Nc6.

7.f5 Ne7 8.e5 Nfd5 

Black has two extra pieces. White puts his hope in his two "Jerome pawns".

9.Qf3 c6 10.O-O d6 11.Qh5+ Kg8 12.f6 Ng6 13.f7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Not Able to Take Advantage of Generosity

Sometimes stronger players will give weaker players "odds" - material or time - to make the contest more equitable.

In the following game, White - rated over 2000 - generously plays the Jerome Gambit in a rapid game, but his opponent is not able to take advantage of the generosity. 

Balazs, Ladislav - Cedzo, Adam

SVK-ch rapid, Slovakia, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

White, rated about 500 points above his opponent, gives "Jerome Gambit odds".

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

10.O-O Ng4 11.Qc3 

Interesting. White's Queen takes aim at g7, along the diagonal. This leaves his own Kingside a bit unprotected, but perhaps he wanted to avoid 11.Qg3 Qh4 and an exchange of Queens.

How should Black take advantage of Her Majesty's absence? Stockfish 11 suggests 11...Nf4, but it would take a good bit of confidence to play the move when there were other, less exotic, but less powerful, choices. 

11...Qe7 

12.d4 Rf8 13.f4 

13...Nxh2 

Boldly returning the sacrificed piece, for an attack that does not quite materialize. Instead, 13...Qh4 was playable, but not exciting after 14.h3 Nf6. Stockfish 11 likes 13...d5, but 14.exd5, opening the e-file against the King, is only for the truly brave.

14.Kxh2 Qh4+ 15.Kg1 Nxf4 16.Bxf4 Rxf4 17.Nd2 

Material is even, but it is Black's King who is at risk.

17...Rg4 18.Qf3 

There is a lesson here. Stockfish 11 suggests 18.Qc4, instead, but after 18...Rxg2+ 19.Kxg2 Qg5+ 20.Kf3 Bg4+21.Kf2 Qxd2+ 22.Kg3 h5 White would still be winning, but what a mess!

The text move is simple and strong. White would like to win the game, not create a piece of art for the ages.

18...Qe7 19.Rae1 Be6

Not the strongest defense, but Black senses his chance for glory has passed.

20.d5 Bd7 21.e5 

Of course.

21...Kd8 22.e6 Bb5 23.Qxg4 Bxf1 24.Rxf1 c6 25.Rf7 Qe8 26.Qg3 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Another Lesson in Tactics

LetsJeromeGambit gives another lesson in tactics in the following blitz game. The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) again produces some very interesting play!

LetsJeromeGambit - ocelotosss

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6 

10.Qh5 

There are only two examples of this move in The Database, although it is rated by Komodo 10 to be less than a half of a pawn worse than either capture on e5. White retains his piece-capturing options and is ready to re-position his Queen.

10...Ne7 11.Qe2 N5c6 

The most straight-forward "rescue" of a piece, but White quickly shows that little about the position is straight-forward.

12.e5+ Nxe5 

Black has two extra pieces, and so is happy to return one, expecting after 13.fxe5 to be able to play 13...Qxe5 and exchange Queens, leaving him a piece up, when his opponent has little compensation.

13.Nc3 

Quite a surprise. White does not have to capture at e5, and this move, with all its threats, evens the game. How is that?

The Knight threatens to fork the enemy King and Queen, but Black is limited in where he can move his Queen, as it would not be prudent to allow White to capture at e5 without the threat to exchange Queens. But - White can threaten to undermine the protection of the Queen, e.g. 13...Qf5 14.fxe5+ Qxe5 15.Nb5+!? Kd5 16.c4+ Ke6 17.Nxc7+, when White will exchange Queens, then capture the Rook.  If, instead, 15...Ke6, there is the same idea: 16.Nxc7+ Kd6 17.Qxe5+ Kxe5 18.Nxa8.

Of course, Black can move his King, as well, 13...Ke6, although 14.Ne4 still causes difficulties. 14...Qg6 15.Nxc5 is a simple example.

13...Nf3+ 

Black chooses a move that takes some ideas from the above tactics.

14.Qxf3 Qe6+ 15.Kd1 

Interposing the Queen would allow its exchange, and favor Black.

The second player is still a piece ahead, for a pawn, but the awkward placement of his King and Queen gives White plenty of compensation.

Serious Jerome Gambit players should examine this complicated position.

Komodo 10 gives the simple "solution" which seems to go against Black's wishes: 15...c6 16.Ne4+ Kc7 17.Nxc5 and White is a pawn ahead, but Black has compensation. 

The move that Black selects in the game seems reasonable and safe, but actually leads to him being checkmated.

15...Bb6 16.Re1 

Strong: Black is given the opportunity to lose his Queen, rather than his King. (If you have been studying the game, then you probably found 16.Nb5+ Kc5 17.d4+ Kb4 18.Qc3+ Ka4 19.Na3 Qg4+ 20.Kd2 Qd1+ 21.Kxd1 c6 22.b3 checkmate, or something like it.) 

16...Qg6 

Very, well...

17.Nb5+ Kc5 18.Qc3+ Kxb5 19.a4+ Ka6 20.Qc4+ Ka5 21.Qb5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Fertile Soil for Tactics

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is fertile soil for tactics, as the following game shows.

LetsJeromeGambit - che_danny2

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

First seen in Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1/2 - 1/2, 29), this is one of the many ways to respond to the Gambit.

For a recent look at this line, and some history, see "Jerome Gambit: You Checkmate Your Way, I'll Checkmate Mine".

6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.d4 Bb6 8.c4 

White build his pawn center. This has been helped by Black's choice of pawn recapture on move 6: "capture toward the center" is often good advice, but, here, 6...dxc6 would have prevented White's 7.d4.

Also recently seen was 8.O-O d6 9.c4 a5 10.Nc3 Qf6 11.Be3 Ba6 12.b3 c5 13.dxc5 Qxc3 14.Bd4 Black resigned, FalconPower - zerozok01, Chess.com, 2020. 

8...a6 9.c5 Ba5+ 

The Bishop does not want to be buried - 9...Ba7 - and takes advantage of the opportunity to keep White from castling. Yet, the piece remains a problem.

10.Kf1 d6 

This is "business as usual". He misses the opportunity to start some messy counter-play with 10...Qe8. For example, if now 11.Qa4 then 11...Qxe4 12.Qxa5 Qd3+ 13.Ke1 Qe4+ 14.Be3 Qxg2 15.Rf1 d5, with the threat of 16...Bh3.

White should answer 10...Qe8 with 11.e5, which helps lock in the other Black Bishop, but 11...Qe6 is a good response, for example, 12.Qa4 Rb8 13.Qxa5 Qc4+ and it is White's King who is in grave danger. 

Komodo 10 suggests another way to go after the offside Bishop, which leads to a head-spinning tactical mess: 10...Qe8 11.e5 Qe6 12.a3 d6 13.b4 dxc5 14.bxa5 Qc4+ 15.Kg1 Qxd4 16. Qf3+ Nf6 17. Nc3 Bg4 18. Qg3 Ne4 19. Qf4+ Kg8 20. Qxe4 Qxc3 21. h3 Qxa1 22. Qc4+ Be6 23. Qxe6+ Kf8 24. Kh2 Re8 25. Qf5+ Kg8 26. Re1 when White has compensation for the exchange.

11.Qa4 dxc5 12.Qxa5 Qxd4 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.Be3 Qd3+ 

Black is happy with his chances, and it looks like his opponent's King is more at risk. This proves to be overly optimistic.

15.Kg1 Nxe4 

The pawn is poisoned. However, quiet play would allow his opponent to work against his tripled, isolated pawns.

16.Rd1 Qc4 17.Rd8+ Kf7 18.Rxh8 Black resigned

Down a Rook, with his King threatened by Qxc7+, it was time to let the game go.