Jerome Gambit: Secrets Update

It is time to update my "Secrets" series.

As I wrote in "Jerome Gambit: Shhhh! It's A Secret"

About 3 years ago I started a series of occasional posts presenting "Jerome Gambit Secrets" - moves or lines of play that were good, but were overlooked or rarely played.

To date, I have presented 15 of them.

Secret #2 is no loger officially a "secret". I do not know if that is because the player was aware of this blog, or if his creativity happened to parallel my discovery. Either way, the defender got the drop on the attacker, and in the end he was able to deliver checkmate.

SergioQuinonez - leonardodavichi

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit. How does the position compare to the regular Jerome Gambit? The computer still favors Black, but it increases White's assessment about a 1/2 pawn.

5... Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxe5 

As I noted

Here we have a position from perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, 10 0 blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 46). In fact, there are 10 games with this position in The Database - all played by me - and White has won every time.

However, if you play this line with White, it is important that you not become overconfident. As far back as December 2, 2008 on this blog, I recommended that Black play the retrograde 8...Bf8!?, as then the Rook in the corner is off limits: 9.Qxh8? Bg7 10.Qh7 Nf6 and the White Queen is lost.

Currently there are 12 games with this position, and White has scored 11-1, the loss coming in a 3-minute blitz game when he accidentally hung his Queen.

8...Bf8 

This is a strange-looking move, and it should have raised White's suspicions. 

9.Qxh8 

The temptation was too great.

9...Bg7 10.Qh7 Nf6 

The Queen will be lost. White will get a Rook and a Bishop for Her Majesty, but it must be remembered that White sacrificed material earlier.

11.Qxg7+ Kxg7 

White has only a Rook and two pawns for his Queen.

However, like a good Jerome Gambit player, he continues to fight.

12.e5 Ng4 13.d4 Qh4 14.h3 d6 15.hxg4 Bxg4 16.Bf4 dxe5 17.Bxe5+ Kh7 

 White now has a Rook, a Knight and a pawn for his Queen. Things are about even. But "even" does not mean "drawn", and the position is not easy.

18.c3 Rf8 19.Nd2 

Stockfish 14.1 doesn't like this move, and prefers 19.f3 with a complicated followup, 19...Qg5 20.f4 Qf5 21.Nd2 Qc2 22.Rf2 g5 23.Nf1 Qe4 24.Bxc7 gxf4 25.Bd6 Rf6 26.Be5 Rf7 27.Nd2 Qg6 28.Raf1 f3 29.Kh2 Qh5+ 30.Kg1 and a likely draw by repetition. That's pretty complicated, though.  

19...Be2 

This is the move that Stockfish was worried about. It wins the exchange, as White's Rook can not move, due to the attack on f2.

20.Nf3 

Instead, 20.Bxc7 Bxf1 21.Rxf1 leaves White with only a couple of pieces and a couple of pawns for his Queen. I suppose if White's d-pawn can advance, it would help, but otherwise he does not have enough compensation.

20...Bxf3 

Even stronger was 20...Rxf3.

21.gxf3 

More help could be found in 21.Bg3 first. 

21...Rxf3 22.Bg3 Qg5 23.Kh2 h5 

Adding to the attack.

24.Rg1 h4 25.Bxh4 Qxh4+ 26.Kg2 Qh3 checkmate.

Jerome Gambit: Almost

In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, White faces a defense that almost works. Given enough time, Black can pull things together, but his opponent moves quickly and gains an advantage. The game ends, perhaps with Black realizing that there are other games to play, with more opportunities elsewhere.

 

Atti0130 - tigrotto

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bf8  

This is an idea that almost works. It is not clear if the move is an oversight, or if Black mis-remembers a "secret" recommendation (see tomorrow's post).

8.Qxh8

Sure, why not?

The only other example that I found in The Database continued: 8.d3 Qf6 9. Qxf6+ Nxf6 10. Nc3 Bg7 11. Nd5 Nxd5 12. exd5 Re8+ 13. Be3 Ke7 14. O-O-O Kd6 15. Rde1 Kxd5 16. c4+ Kc6 17. d4 d5 18. cxd5+ Kxd5 19. b4 Bf5 20.Kb2 Rad8 21. Kc3 Kc6 22. Kc4 Be6+ 23. Kd3 Kb5 24. Kc3 Bf8 25. Kd2 Bxb4+ 26. Kd1 Bxe1 27. Rxe1 Kc4 28. Kd2 Rxd4+ 29. Bxd4 Kxd4 30. f3 a5 31. Rd1 b5 32. Kc2+ Ke5 33. Re1+ Kf4 34. g3+ Kxf3 35. Rf1+ Kg2 36. Rd1 Kxh2 37. Rd2+ Kxg3 38. Rd3+ Kh4 39. Rd1 g5 40. Rh1+ Kg4 41. Rxh7 Bf5+ 42. Kc3 Bxh7 43. Kb3 Kf5 44. Kc3 g4 45.Kd2 g3 White resigned, Tiny25 - volkan19058, lichess.org, 2021. 

8...Bg7 9.Qxh7 Nf6 10.Qh4 

White's Queen has escaped. Black has the open h-file as compensation, but it is not enough.

10...Qe7 11.d3 d6 12.O-O Be6 13.Nc3 Rh8 14.Qg5 Bh6 15.Qg3 Nh5 16.Qf3+ Black resigned

Black is down the exchange and three pawns.

After White exchanges Bishops, he can look forward to steadily taking advantage of his extra material. If the clock is not an issue, his chances look good. 

Jerome Gambit: Borrowed Some More

A few posts ago, I pointed out

I suppose if I asked club players why they "borrow" the Bishop sacrifice from the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) they would say "Because that's where the fun is."

The following game, a Bishop's Opening, shows how borrowing the Bishop sacrifice from the Jerome Gambit can be shocking - and successful.

The impact of a surprise can be doubled in bullet play.

DrSoberHead - moritzbernold

1 0 bullet, Chess.com, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 

Bishop's Opening, Berlin Defense.

3.Bxf7+ Kxf7

4.f4

White wants to open the f-file.

4...exf4 5.Nh3 Nxe4 

Rule of thumb in bullet: When you see nothing better, grab material.

6.Rf1 

As planned, although he could have "borrowed" 6.Qh5+, as well, which would have been stronger.

6...Kg8 7.Rxf4 Nd6 

Playable, but it delays development: Knight blocks pawn which (along with the other Knight) hems in Bishop which blocks Rook. Seriously borrowed from the Jerome Gambit.

8.Qh5 Nb5 

This looks like a "mouse slip", but for what other move, I am not sure. Could he have considered - but then rejected at the last moment - the defensive 8...Nf7?

9.Qf7 checkmate

Reminds me of the lament of an old chess buddy of mine, who too often had to say "I was winning, right up to the point that you checkmated me."

Jerome Gambit: How Do Games End?

 

Occasionally, I sift through Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games in The Database to find final positions that are interesting.

I would like to share a few.

Rooking4Love - vher, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

White appears to be at great risk of losing. In fact Black now has a checkmate in 4, 27...Bg4+ 28.Kg2 Qh3+ 29.Kg1 Bxf3 30.Bc5 Qh1#. Black's only problem? He ran out of time. 

I have said it many times: Often Black can "solve" the Jerome Gambit if he has enough time; but often he does not have enough time. 

TheGreatZe - Gzaborey, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

To balance things out after that first example, I can share this blitz game where White, indeed, would have been happy to see his opponent's flag fall - but he was not fortunate this time around, losing in 84 moves.

TheGreatZe - djoer6, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

If it were Black's move, he could checkmate in 2 with ...b2+ followed by ...b1/Q#. Alas, it is White's move, which  means that it is stalemate and a draw.

Those Jerome Gambit players have all the luck.

Wolfpack1051 - deepme_987, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021

Here, the clock is once again on White's side, but he can only gain a draw when his opponent's time runs out, as he does not have sufficient mating material.

Wolfpack1051 - d_challenger, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021 

Again, one of the skills of the successful bullet player is to stay ahead of his opponent on the clock, so that even if things become troublesome on the board - he wins. Or, in this case, again, he draws, because he does not have sufficient mating material.

Jerome Gambit: That's Where The Fun Is

 

When he was asked why he robbed banks, Willie Sutton said, “Because that's where the money is.”

I suppose if I asked club players why they "borrow" the Bishop sacrifice from the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) they would say "Because that's where the fun is."

The following game is a good example, as Black quickly is relieved of a full point.

Guest1008137605 - Guest9071308852

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 

The Petroff or Russian Defense.

3.Bc4 

The Italian variation of the Petroff.

3...Nxe4 4.Bxf7+ 

This line shows up in The Database about 100 times, with White scoring 40%. A good place to learn more about it is an earlier post, "Jerome Gambit: Two Outstanding Marks of the Jerome Gambit".

White could also consider the Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit with 3.Nc3.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 

The proper response was 5...Kg8, seen as early as in R.W. - H., Leipzig,1874. White now has clear compensation for his sacrificed piece.

6.Qe2 Nf6

Again, had Black thought of 6...d6 (a thematic Petroff move) 7.Nf3 Kf7, he could have surrendered his Knight to 8.Qxe4 Qe7, when he would have simply been a pawn down.

The Bishop sacrifice seems to have distracted the defender.

7.Nc6+ Kf7 8.Nxd8+ Black resigned

Nicely and quickly done.

Jerome Gambit: Silicon Clash (Part 3)

 

[continued from the previous post]

Stockfish 14 - Stockfish 14

Chess.com, 2021

Here we have the conclusion of the Stockfish 14 - Stockfish 14 Jerome Gambit battle. Materially, Black has two pieces for a Rook, but White has two extra pawns as compensation. 

For club players, this is probably still a difficult position. but here White troubles Black's Knight and when it is out of position, it turns to the Kingside pawns. The balance in the game solidly tilts toward the first player.

38.Rf4 Bc8 39.Rf7 Re5 40.g4 Ne3 41.h3 h5 

 

42.Rf8 Kb8 43.gxh5 Nf5 44.Rc4 Rc5 45.Rxc5 bxc5 46.Kc3 Nh6 

For the moment, White's two h-file passers are blockaded, but now his King comes into play on the other side of the board.

47.Rf6 Ng8 48.Rb6+ Kc7 49.Rc6+ Kb8 50.h6 Bf5 

51.d4 cxd4+ 52.Kxd4 Bh7 53.Kc5 Bb1 54.h4 Bc2 55.b6 Nxh6 56.Rxh6 Bxa4 

Black's sacrifice of his Knight for two pawns lays bare his dilemma: his opponent still has two advancing passed pawns.

In the final stage, White promotes a pawn and makes the checkmate look easy.

57.Rh8+ Kb7 58.h5 Bd7 59.h6 a4 60.h7 Bf5 61.Rb8+ Kxb8 62.h8=Q+ Bc8 63.Kb4 Kb7 64.Kc5 a3 65.Qa1 Bg4 66.Qxa3 Kc8 67.Qa7 Kd8 68.b7 Ke7 69.b8=Q+ Kf6 70.Qf4+ Bf5 71.Qa8 Kg6 72.Qf8 Be6 73.Q8h6 checkmate

This game is a good example of top level computer play with the Jerome Gambit. It is worth playing over for some insights into strategy in the opening and middlegame..

Jerome Gambit: Silicon Clash (Part 2)

 

[continued from the previous post]

Stockfish 14 - Stockfish 14

Chess.com, 2021

It looks like Black's King is backing away from danger in a Queenless middlegame.

17.c4+ Bd4 18.Bxd4+ Kxd4 19.Nb5+ Kxc4 20.Nxc7 

20...Re8+ 

Giving up the exchange, Black aims for an even game. The alternative, saving the Rook on a8, leads to danger for his advanced King and will cost a Knight after 20...Rb8 21.Rf4+, i.e. 21...Ne4 22.Rxe4. Trying to hide at d3 would be worse - 21...Kd3 22.Rc1, planning Rc3+.

21.Nxe8 Nxe8 22.Rc1+ Kd5 23.Rf8 Nd6 24. a4 Ke6

The position is quite complicated. White's Rook pin on Black's Bishop cannot easily be lifted, as after 24...b6, intending ...Bb7, White has 25.Rc7, which will cause serious material issues, i.e. 25...Bb7 26.Rxa8 Bxa8 27.Rxd7 and Black's pawns are in danger.

It will not take much to upset the balance of the game.

25.Rc3 Ke7 

To eject the annoying Rook. Instead, Stockfish 14.1 recommends 25...b5 26.axb5 Rb8 when White can pursue its favorite pastime, according to many Stockfish evaluations - finding a draw via repetition of position - 27.Re3+ Kd5 28.Rd3+ Ke5 29.Rc3 Ke6 30.Re3+, etc. 

26.Rf4 h6 

It is hard to argue with a computer, even with a computer's assistance, but this appears to be a dangerous waste of time. Both Stockfish 14 and Stockfish 14.1 recommend 26...Ke6, which on the surface looks dangerous for Black, as well.

27.Re3+ Kd8 28. Rf8+ Kc7 29. Rc3+ Kb6 

Here we have a serious Jerome Gambit positional nightmare: Black's Knight blocks the d-pawn which blocks in his Bishop which hems in his Rook, while his King blocks the b-pawn which also blocks in his Bishop which also hems in the Rook. On top of it, Black's Knight cannot move, as he has to protect the Bishop itself.

Even though Black has two pieces for a Rook, Stockfish 14.1 sees White as almost a Rook better.

30.Rg8 a5 31.b5 Ka7 32.Rxg7 b6 33. d3 Rb8 34.Rh7 Bb7 

35.Rxd7 Nf5 36.Kd2 Ka8 37.Rc4 Re8 

Black has untangled his Queenside, but White's pawns are now a problem.

[to be continued]