Jerome Gambit: What About the Rook?

Even for the off-beat and unusual Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) there is a certain amount of "theory" that is good to know, to guide your way through the complications. Especially Black would benefit from an understanding about what he is getting himself into when he plays 6...g6 in response to White's Queen sally 5.Qh5+; like it or not, it is a tacit offer of a Rook, and he has to be aware of that and deal with it. Otherwise, problems like in the following game will crop up.

Anonymous - Anonymous

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

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

7...Bd6 

I was surprised to find 50 games with this move in The Database, but I was not surprised to find that White scores 89% against it.

It is true that 7...Bd6 saves Black's Bishop, but it does nothing about the threat to the Rook at h8. That is the challenge when Black plays 6...g6: it is fun to kick the enemy Queen with a pawn, but what about the Rook?

Blackburne's Defense, 7...d6, says Go ahead and take the Rook, I will trap your Queen and checkmate your King. It doesn't always work out that way - in fact, The Database has 911 games with the move, and White scores 70% - because players can get lost in the complications, but Black needs to know, beforehand, what he is getting into.

Whistler's Defense, 7...Qe7, says Go ahead and take the Rook, I am aiming at your King. Again, probably because White is more experienced with the Jerome Gambit - and that helps in a complicated positions - The Database gives 576 games with 7...Qe7, with White scoring 64%. Black's best chances come after he sacrifices the Rook.

So, the warning is - be aware, defenders, that 6...g6 means you want to sacrifice your Rook. Play becomes awkward without this awareness.

8.Qxh8 b6 

Also seen recently:

8...Qe7 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxg6 Qg7 11.Qf5+ Nf6 12.0–0 Bxh2+ 13.Kxh2 d6 14.Qf4 Qh7+ 15.Kg1 Ke7 16.Re1 Nh5 17.Qg5+ Ke8 18.Nc3 Black resigned,  Unjana - indBasher, 5 8 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; and 

8...Qh4 9.Qd4 Nf6 10.g3 Qg5 11.d3 b6 12.Bxg5 Black resigned, soraneptune - akainth07, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020.

9.b3 

Simplest is 9.Qxh7+, making sure that the Queen will not be trapped, but White is confident that she will be safe.

9...Bb7 10.Bb2 Bxe4 

White is up the exchange and a pawn, but he is most happy about his control (and threats) along the a1-h8 diagonal.

11.Qg7+ Ke8 12.Qxg8+ Bf8 13.O-O Bxc2 

Grabbing a pawn, as there is not much else to do. He could have tried 13...Qg5, threatening mate, but after 14.g3 Qf5 (hoping to come to f3) White had 15.Nc3, threatening to snap off the Bishop, and, after 15...Bb7, he could turn from defense to attack with 16.Rae1+. (He can keep Black's Queen out of f3 with f2-f4.)

14.Re1+ 

Crushing.

14...Qe7 15.Rxe7+ Kxe7 16.Bg7 

You knew that move was coming, right?

16...Bxg7 17.Qxg7+ Kd6 18.Qd4+ Kc6 19.Qc3+ Kb7 20.Qxc2 Re8 21.Nc3 Black resigned

The material loss is too much to continue with.

Jerome Gambit: They Also Contain Lessons

Players from around the world send me Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games, along with their hopes to add to the knowledge and understanding of the fun opening. Mostly those are players with the white pieces, but occasionally I hear from someone who defeated the Jerome. I like to see those games, too, as they also contain lessons.

Giorgio98 - pimbax

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qc3 

The Queen eyes pawns at c7 and g7. 

8...Nf6 9.O-O

Focusing on King safety and development.

9...Re8  

10.f4  Kg8 11.d3 c5 12.Nd2 b5 13.b4 c4 14.dxc4 bxc4 15.Qxc4+ Kh8 

Black has given back a pawn, but he has safe-guarded his King. He now has a tactical idea that White overlooks.

16.Bb2 a5 17.bxa5 

A slip. 17.b5 would have led to a small edge for Black. 

17...Ba6 18.Qa4 Bxf1 19.Rxf1 Rxa5 20.Bxf6 Rxa4 21.Bxd8 Rxd8 

White has only 3 pawns for his Rook, but in a blitz game, anything can happen.

22.f5 Ne5 23.f6 gxf6 24.Rxf6 Kg7 25.Rf1 Rxa2 26.Nf3 Rxc2 

27.Nxe5

Missing the cute 27.Nd4, which threatens to win the exchange whether or not Black moves his Rook. He would still be struggling, but he would have increased his chances.

27...dxe5 28.Rf5 Re8 29.h3 Rc4 30.Kf2 Rxe4 31.Kf3 Ra4 32.Rg5+ Kf6 33.Rh5 Re7 

White resigned

JG: The New (Part 4)

 JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 4) 

(by Yury V. Bukayev) 

        In all previous parts of this research the system of the Jerome Gambit (JG) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qh3+ was considered as a new and a very good alternative to all known 7th White’s moves (including 7.Qf5+), this system was evaluated particularly in comparison with the modern theory of alternative systems. Now I start to develop the modern theory of 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6. 

        Its modern theory fixes right that after 8.Nc3 Qf6! Black wins and that 8…Qf6 isn’t the only move here. Thus, the move 8…c6!? is very interesting for us too, because it was analyzed in publications of 2016 by the following two authors: at first it was analyzed by my friend Rick Kennedy (as the analysis of his own game) and then his analysis was checked up by the famous English GM Jonathan Simon Speelman in his article (‘Jon Speelman’s Agony Column’, #24) on chessbase.com. Mr. Speelman is an outstanding maestro of the chess world, I thank him a lot for his noble chess activities, but it should be noticed that this his article (it should be considered as a part of the modern theory of JG) has several not polite places in its text, the incorrect description of Rick’s blog jeromegambit.blogspot.com . It maybe, Mr. Speelman has had a not good mood during his analyzing of Rick’s game too. And after 8…c6 9.d4 Bxd4 10.Bf4 Qf6 11.0-0-0 Qxf5 12.Rxd4+ he considers 12…Kc5 and writes: 

“12…Ke6! 13.exf5+ Kxf5 JS leaves White clutching at straws” 

(‘JS’ = ‘Jonathan Speelman’s addition to Rick’s analysis’). In other words, he writes in fact that the way 12…Ke6 13.exf5+ Kxf5 leads to Black’s easy win, where Black has an extra minor piece and White has no ways to fight effectively. I disagree with Mr. Speelman (and with Rick), because, as I invented, 12…Ke6?! 13.exf5+ Kxf5 leads to the complicated unclear endgame after 14.Bxe5! N Kxe5 15.Re4+ with 16.Re8! (or 16.Rf4+! with the idea Rf4-f8!) that leads to a paralysis of Black’s King’s side. A not good mood could cause this GM’s analytical mistake, but more probably (both for him and for Rick) there was a rare psychological situation after 11...Qxf5: Black has a very large material advantage, and White doesn’t have a Queen. So the emotional conclusion “all ways probably lead to an easy win for Black here” is a mistake. The best and the simplest Black’s defence after both 12.Rxd4+ and 12.exf5, as I invented, is 12…Ke7! N 13.exf5 Nf7!, where Black has a large advantage. It should be added that I invented also the following trap as a possible variation of this game: 10.Ne2 N Bc5?? 11.Bf4! Qf6?? 12.Bxe5+ +-; 11…Bd4 12.Nxd4; 11…Ke7 12.Qxe5+ or 12.Bg5 Nf6 13.Qxe5+ etc.

        Moreover, as I invented, Black has the similar best defence in the similar theoretical position 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Na3 c6 10.Bf4 [The theoretical article ‘Giuoco Piano, Jerome Gambit’ on en.wikipedia.org recommends here Mr. Freeborough’s and Mr. Ranken’s analysis with 10.c3 Qf6, but, as I invented, after 10.c3? both 10…Nd3! N and 10…Ne7! N lead to Black’s easy win.] 10…Qf6 11.0-0-0 Qxf5 12.exf5 (or 12.Rxd4+) 12…Ke7! N [12…Kd5 13.c3! N; 12…c5 13.c3! N Kc6 7.cxd4; 12…Kc5 N 13.b4! Kb6 (13…Kxb4? 14.Rxd4+ Ka3 15.Bxe5 with a win) 14.Rxd4; 12…Kc7 N 13.Rxd4. Everywhere White has an enough strong attack.] 13.Rxd4 Nf7!, where Black has a large advantage.

Jerome Gambit: See All Choices

In a blitz game - especially a 2 minute one - it is expected that both players will not have the time to see all the choices as they develop. In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, White doesn't see everything, but he sees enough to keep moving forward until he delivers checkmate.

Anonymous - Anonymous

2 1 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.d4 

Opening more lines for development and delivering the kind of surprise that is effective in 2-minute play.

8...Nh6 

When in doubt, attack the Queen. However, this advice often does not work.

9.dxc5+ 

This is good, but so is 9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.Qxc5#.

9...Kc6 10.Qxe5 Re8 

Attacking the Queen, and behind it the e-pawn and the enemy King.

11.Qxg7 

Her Majesty excapes. She also had 11...Qd5+ Kb5 12.Nc3+ Ka6 13.Qc4+ b5 14.Qxb5#.

11...Rxe4+ 12.Be3 Nf5 13.Qxh7 

13...Rxe3+ 

Realizing that 13...Nxe3 would leave his Rook hanging, Black decides to sacrifice the exchange for a pawn. With a slower time control, he might have found 13...d5, which would have protected both pieces, although White would still be better. 

14.fxe3 Nxe3 15.Qe4+ Nd5 16.c4 Qe7 

Black is doomed for a familiar reason: his pawn blocks his Bishop which hems in his Rook.

White cleans up quickly.

17.cxd5+ Kxc5 18.Qxe7+ d6 19.Qxc7+ Kb5 20.Qxd6 Bg4 21.a4+ Ka5 22.Qc5+ Ka6 23.Qb5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Complex Back and Forth Between Attack and Defense

One reason the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is gaining in popularity in club games is that it is often easier to attack than to defend. Some of this is psychological - we have grown up playing over splashy tactical endings to famous games, learning at some level that "attack wins". Also, it can be stressful to have to find the correct move, time after time, to prevent defeat or checkmate.

The following game shows a nice balance betwen attack and defense, until the pressure is too much, and the attack breaks through.

Chirila, Sergiu - NN

casual game, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+ Ke7 

Black prefers not to sacrifice the b-pawn with 8...Be6, but that move was also playable.

9.Nc3 Nf6 10.Qg5 Kf7 11.d3 Rf8 12.h4 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand, right into White's attack. He should be able to weather the danger, but he has to defend well - something not all those who face the Jerome Gambit do so successfully.

13.h5 Ne5 14.Bf4 Nf7 15.Qg3 Be6 

16.O-O-O Bg4 

Time to push back a bit.

17.h6 

White is ready, however. Black's Bishop is pinned in place, due to the checkmate threat at g7, so the Rook at d1 is safe.

17...g6 18.f3 Be6 19.d4 Kh8 

Black's last move looks like he is making room for ...Ng8, with a double attack on the pawn at h6, which is currently twice protected, but will not be so if White plays f3-f4 (after he moves his Bishop). This takes up valuable time, however, that is needed to protect against an advance in the center, so 19...Re8 seems more helpful. Also, the weakened dark squares in Black's King's fortress could spell danger.

20.d5 Bd7 21.Be3 Ne5 

Black seems to still be preparing for 22.f4, planning to answer with 22...Neg4, when after 23.Bd4 Kg8 he can answer 24.e5 with 24...Nh5. Komodo 11 then suggests that White sacrifice the exchange with 25.Rxh5, and then work to get it back with 25...gxh5 26.e6 Be8 27.Bg7, although it still sees Black as better.

White chooses a different plan, based on Black's King being on h8.

 22.Bd4 Nc4 

23.f4 Kg8 

The two tempi spent going back and forth is part of the reason the defense fails. The computer looks deep, but doesn't quite solve Black's woes: 23...c5 24.dxc6 bxc6 25.e5 c5 (again) 26.Bxc5 dxc5 27.exf6 Nb6 28.Ne4 Qc7 29.Nd6 Rxf6 30.f5 Kg8 (sigh) 31.Rhf1 Bxf5 32.Rxf5 Rxf5 33.Nxf5 Qxg3 34.Nxg3 Re8 and White is only a pawn ahead.

24.e5 dxe5 

A little bit better might be 24...c5, but there would still be problems.

25.fxe5 Ne8 26.e6 Bc8 

Now White finishes off with some fireworks.

27.Qxg6+ hxg6 28.h7 checkmate

Very nice.

Jerome Gambit: Attack!

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is about many things, from surprise to psychology to humor - but, most of all, it is about attack, as the following game shows.

Anonymous - Anonymous

2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+  Ke7 

A quick move that completely reverses the nature of the game: objectively, after 5 moves, Black is winning, but after 6 moves, White is winning.

7.Qxe5+ Kf7 8.Qd5+ 

White could simply capture the Bishop with 8.Qxc5, but this check makes Black think again - and make a further mistake.

8...Kg6 

Also seen recently was the stronger 8...Kf8:

9.Qxc5+ Qe7 10.Qxc7 Nf6 11.Qf4 b6 12.e5 Ke8 13.d3 Qb4+ 14.Bd2 Qb5 15.exf6 gxf6 16.Qxf6 Rf8 17.Qc3 Bb7 18.O-O Qc6 19.Re1+ Kd8 20.Bg5+ Kc8 21.Qxc6+ Bxc6 22.Nc3 Rg8 23.h4 h6 24.Bxh6 Rxg2+ 25.Kf1 Rg6 26.Re8+ Kb7 27.Rxa8 Kxa8 28.Bg5 b5 29.a4 b4 30.Nb5 Bxb5 31.axb5 Kb7 32.c3 bxc3 33.bxc3 Kb6 34.c4 d6 35.Ke2 Black resigned, Anonymous - Anonymous, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; and

9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qc3 Be6 11.d4 c6 12.d5 cxd5 13.exd5 Bd7 14.Bf4 Qb6 15.Nd2 Re8+ 16.Ne4 Rxe4+ 17.Be3 Re6 18.O-O Rxe3 19.fxe3+ Nf6 20.Rae1 Kf7 21.Kh1 Re8 22.e4 Kg8 23.e5 dxe5 24.Rf3 e4 25.Rh3 e3 26.Rexe3 Bxh3 27.Rxh3 Qe6 28.g3 h6 29.g4 Qe1+ 30.Kg2 Re7 31.Rf3 Qxc3 32.Rxc3 Ne4 33.Rc8+ Kf7 34.Rb8 Nf6 35.Ra8 Nxd5 36.Rxa7 Nf6 37.Rxb7 White won on time, JeromeOP - mdu, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020 

9.Qf5+ 

The enemy King is a bigger prize than the hanging Bishop at c5.

9...Kh6 10.d3+ g5 11.h4 

This is the kind of position that draws players to the Jerome Gambit.

11...Bb4+ 12.Nc3 

Stronger is 12.c3, but White figures that the issue is development. 

12...Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 Kg7 14.Bb2 d6 

Uncovering an attack on the enemy Queen. There is a bit of psychology in play, too, as the strongest reply for White is now 15.Qxg5+ Qxg5 16.hxg5, but who wants to exchange Queens when you're building an attack against the enemy King?

15.c4+ 

Opening that brutal diagonal for the Bishop, but the attack fizzles a bit. 

15...Nf6 16.Qxg5+ Kf7 17.O-O-O 

White has 3 pawns for the sacrificed piece. He is still a bit better, but Black is able to activate pieces.

17...Be6 18.Rde1 Rg8 19.Qf4 Rxg2 20.e5 

Of course. 

20...Rg4 

To relieve some of the pressure on the Knight at f6 (and the King behind it). 

21.Qf3 dxe5 22.Rxe5 h5 

What's this? More active would have been 22...Qd6 followed by developing the Rook on a8.

White now finishes things.

23.Rhe1 Qd6 24.Rxe6 Qf4+ 25.Qxf4 Rxf4 26.Re7+ Kg6 27.Rxc7 b6 28.Ree7 Rg8 29.Be5 Rxf2 30.Rxa7 Rf5 31.d4 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: A Quiet Assault

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game is a pleasant example of a quiet assault upon the enemy King, preceded by a useful pawn sacrifice. White's 12th move started the whole thing.

UOdas - Mohsen--Gorji

60 10, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7 9.Qh5 d5 

10.O-O dxe4 11.Nc3 b6

To put his Bishop on the long diagonal and take aim at the pawn at e4, as well as White's Kingside. 

12.d3 

An interesting pawn offer.

12...exd3 13.Re1 d2 

Believing that he has won a piece. 

14.Bxd2 Qxd2 15.Nd5 

White's attack is deadly.

15...Kd8 

This will not save Black from the tactics.

16.Nxe7 Nxe7 17.Rad1 

17...Qxd1 18.Rxd1+ Bd7 19.Qg4 Ke8 20.Qxd7+ Kf7 21.Re1 Rhe8 22.Qxc7 Kf8 

White's material advantage is enough to win. Black battles back, but falls victim to checkmate in the process.

23.g4 Rac8 24.Qxa7 Rxc2 25.Qxb6 Rec8 26.Qb7 R8c7 27.Qf3+ Ke8 28.Re2 R2c6 29.a4 Rf6 30.Qa8+ Kf7 31.a5 Ng6 32.Qe8 checkmate