Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit Update

 

A few months ago I presented a series of Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+) games in the format of seven  Report Cards (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) reflecting

Recently, I stopped by the lichess.com website to pick up a few Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+) games. I grabbed the four listed in "Top games" and the four in "Recent games".

I was disappointed to see that White had scored 1 - 7 in those matches.

The first thought I had was: has this blog failed those players?

I had to know.

Was the information available on this site enough for the players to use and be successful?

To be fair, were the players even aware of this blog and my recommendations?

Actually, I have no idea.☺  

Still, I just downloaded the current four "Top games" with the line, as well as the four in "Recent games". This time White scored 5 - 3.

The following BSJG game gets quite complicated, with the clock adding to the madness.

Osdoshsharaa1 - TikoP

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Black's King is ready to grab material. It is interesting to see that Stockfish 14.1 slightly prefers 5...Ke8, with the King eventually moving to f7 and then g8, castling-by-hand.

6.c3 Nc6 

The alternative, in 335 games in The Database, is 6...Kxe5.

7.Qg4+ 

As I pointed out in my notes to SotoG - njkiller, blitz FICS, 2001 (1-0, 21)

Here SotoG keeps the play very sharp, offering a second piece to keep Black's King in danger.

A calmer follow-up (although the game had its explosive moments) is 7.d4, which SotoG had played a year earlier: 7...Nxe5 8.dxe5 d5 9.Qg4+ Kf7 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qf3+ Kg7 12.exd5 Bc5 13.Bf4 Ne7 14.c4 Rf8 15.Qg3 Nf5 16.Qd3 Qh4 17.g3 Bxf2+ 18.Kxf2 Nxg3 19.hxg3 Qxh1 20.e6 b6 21.Qf3 Kg8 22.Qxh1 Black resigned, SotoG - Ludek, blitz FICS, 2000

Rybka (blunder check, 5 minutes per move) suggests: 7.d4 Nxe5 8.dxe5 as well, continuing 8...Kf7 9.e6+ Ke8 10.Qh5+ g6 11.exd7+ Qxd7 12.Qe5+ Kf7 13.Qxh8 Nf6 14.Nd2 Bg7 15.Nf3 Bxh8 16.Ne5+ Ke6 17.Nxd7 Nxd7 18.Be3 b6 19.0-0-0 – absolutely out-of-this-world play for both Black and White...

Stockfish 14.1 suggests the wild 7.d4 Nxe5 8.dxe5 Kf7 9.e6+ Ke8 10.Qh5+ g6 11.exd7+ Qxd7 12.Qe5+ Kf7 13.Qxh8 Nf6 14.Nd2 Bg7 15.Nf3 Bxh8 16.Ne5+ Kg8 17.Nxd7 Nxd7 18.O-O Ne5 19.f4 Nc4 20.e5 Bg7 21.b3 Nb6 22.c4 with an edge to the second player.

7...Kxe5 8.d4+ 

Black's King is uncomfortable, but he has two pieces in exchange for two pawns to console himself. One possible continuation now is 8...Kd6 9.e5+ Ke7 10.Bg5+ Nf6 when Black would give a piece back in order to be able to retreat his King to safety.

It is important to remember that this is a 5 minute blitz game, and deep analysis is sometimes hard to come by.

8...Nxd4 

Surprisingly, Black decides on a different way to return a Knight for a couple of pawns - although The Database shows two earlier games with the move. There is a problem with the move, however, that White in each of the games overlooks.

9.cxd4+ 

Sharp Readers will have caught 9.Bf4+ Kf6 10.Bg5+ Kf7 11.Bxd8. Black has lost his Queen.

9...Kxd4 

According to plan, but returning his King to danger. In fact, White now has a checkmate in 8 moves.

10.Be3+ Kc4 

11.Nd2+ Kb5 12.Qf5+ 

Wandering away from the winning line. White needed to get his Queen around the e-pawn another way: 12.Qe2+ Kc6 13.Qc4+ Kd6 14.Bc5+ Kc6 15.Bxf8+ Kb6 16.Qb3+ Ka6 17.Qa4+ Kb6 18.Nc4 checkmate.  

12...c5

Blocking the check with 12...d5, also opening an attack on the enemy Queen, was best. 

13.a4+ Kb6 

Still in danger. Remember the old adage When the attacker makes a mistake he loses the attack, but when the defender makes a mistake he loses the game.

14.Nc4+ Kc7 15.Bxc5 

Leveling the complicated game. Instead, 15.Bf4+ d6 16.Qxc5+ Kd7 17.Bxd6 was the way.

15...Bxc5 

Black needed to find the tricky move 15...d6 when Stockfish 14.1 suggests a draw by repetition with 16.Qf4 Qf6 17.Qg3 Qg6 18.Qf4.

Things are not easy.

16.Qxc5+ Kb8 

17.O-O 

I think I would castle, too, and catch my breath.

Sharpest was 17.Nd6, both threatening a Knight fork at f7 and planning to put more pieces into the checkmate attack with Rc1. Black's best, but sad, response would be 17...Qc7 18.Qxc7+ Kxc7 19.Nf7. 

17...Nf6 18.e5 Ne4 19.Qe3 d5 20.exd6 Nxd6 

 

The danger to Black's King now comes from the b8-h2 diagonal.

21.Qg3 Kc7 22.Rfd1 Qf6 23.Rxd6 Qxb2 24.Rd2+ Black resigned

Quite a battle!

JeromeGambit: It Is Supposed To Be Uncomplicated

 

Usually when Black declines the sacrifices in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) he is is looking to avoid the complications that would otherwise occur. However, in the following game things become very complicated - until they aren't. 

politrashu - ZloiGruzin

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kf8 

The Jerome Gambit declined. This is a practical or psychological choice, wishing to deny White his attack.

The Database has 438 games with this position, with White scoring 60%. (By comparison, The Database has 20,853 games where Black captures the Bishop, with White scoring 49%.)

White can now withdraw his Bishop to c4 or b3, or simply exchange it for the Knight on g8.

5.Nxe5 

White wants to complicate the game, and there is a pratical argument in this move's favor: The Database has 47 games with this move, and White still scores 60%.

"Objectively", Stockfish 14.1 does not like the move, and recommends instead that the Bishop pull back.

5...Nxe5 6.d4 

This move yells "blitz!". Open lines, attack pieces. The alternative 6.Bxg8 can be answered by the wild 6...Qh4!? when Black is also better. 

6...Qf6

This can not be considered simplifying.

After 6...Nxf7 7.dxc5 Black would have the typical Jerome Gambit advantage of a piece for two pawns. The computer would smile in his favor, although The Database would show the position as 4 - 4.

7.Bxg8 

Finally doing something about the hanging Bishop. Now there is only one response that is good for Black. 

7...Rxg8 

This move is routine, but it misses the enjoyable 7...Bxd4!? White cannot respond 8.Qxd4 because he would lose his Queen to 8...Nf3+ 9.gxf3 Qxd4. If, instead, 8.0-0, Black can simply play 8...Kxg8 and he would then have an extra piece for only one pawn.  

8.dxc5 d6 

White is ahead a couple of pawns. He has control from now on.

9.cxd6 cxd6 10.f4 Bg4 

Black takes his last shot.

11.fxe5 Qf4 

A slip.

12.Bxf4 Black resigned 

Special Coverage of the 2021 World Chess Championship

 

Readers may remember chess coach Chris Torres and his dailychessmusings.com. He has appeared on a number of posts on this blog.

Of course, the coach plays the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and he plays it well.

Currently, he is offering special coverage of the 2021 FIDE World Chess Championship match between Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi.

If you would like a perspective on the match from a coach, by all means check it out!  

World Chess Championship 2021, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Anti-Marshall & h3

From a recent email from Yury V. Bukayev

My thoughts about latest games between World Champion, top GM M.Carlsen and Challenger, top GM I. Nepomniachtchi let me compare Challenger's moves 8.h3 in Game 1 and 21.h3 in Game 3 with the Morphy's Joke Opening (please, look at my article "GM#1 vs you: Wing gambit bombs, BC & history: 1" on your blog: April 14, 2021). This my comparison let me create the following poem:

We name it after Morphy

In Open Games. It's worthy

To play it with a FUN!

"h3?" - Don't make it, Ian!

Else something about variations and names. For example, after possible 1.e4 e5 2.h3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Be7 4.Bb5 a6 5.Ba4 Nf6 6.0-0 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.Re1 we get the same position of their Game 1. We may use for this position not only the name "Spanish Game, Anti-Marshall with 8.h3", but also "Morphy's Joke Opening, Anti-Marshall", in fact. 

Jerome Gambit: How Many Times Have We Heard This Kind of Story?

You never can tell where the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) will show up next... Or where it already has arrived.

Consider Chess magazine, volume 3, issue 39, 1937 (page 4) where readers learn of a club player who

...light-heartedly embarks on the Jerome Gambit against the Club's Board No. 1 player. Unfortunaterly, however, the latter is apparently ignorant of the correct reply moves as given in the Secretary's "Chess Openings" text book, and the result is catastrophic - for the Secretary!

Ah, yes, how many times have we heard this kind of story? 

Jerome Gambit: More At the Table

Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). Stafford Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6). Chiodini's Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 3.Nxe5 Nc6).

With all this recent discussion, I suddenly remembered that I had played a relevant game - over 35 years ago, when I was still playing in over-the-board tournaments. I found the score sheet in an old scrap book. 

Kennedy, Rick - Chesbrough, Don

35/60 15/20 Park of Roses Quad, Columbus, 1985

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 

Headed for the Four Knights Game. I had actually studied the opening, but I think my opponent, rated over 100 points higher than me, figured I was a beginner simply following the rule of "Knights before Bishops".

3...Bc5

He probably should have paid more attention to his own opening moves, as now 4...Nxe5 5.d4 Bd6 6.dxe5 Bxe5 7.f4 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 d6 would give White an edge (two Bishops). 

4.Nxe5 

At this point my opponent looked at my score sheet and read my rating. Satisfied, he played 

4...Bxf2+ 

I wish I could say that this is the game that got me interested in the Jerome Gambit, but it actually was played 3 years before The Marshall Gambit in the French and Sicilian Defenses, which I wrote with Riley Sheffield, so my mind was elsewhere.

It is fair to point out that in searching the stacks of The Ohio State University's William Oxley Thompson library for information on 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 c5 / 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 d5, I may have first stumbled over John Lutes' analysis of the Jerome Gambit in OSU's chess club's weekly newsletter, "The Phalanx".

5.Kxf2 Nxe5 6.d4 Ng6 7.Bc4 c6 

At this point you could argue that I have overcome the surprise of the Bishop sacrifice.

8.Qf3 Qf6

Black should have followed through with his original idea of 8...d5

9.Qxf6 Nxf6 10.e5 Ng4+ 11.Kg3 h5 

12.h3 

Simply hoping to chase the Knight away, perhaps 12...Nh6 13.Bxh6 Rxh6 14.Ne4 with pressure on d6, and maybe even a pawn after 14...d5 15.exd e.p.

Stockfish 14.1 and Komodo 12 suggest, instead, 12.Bd3, but their recommended lines are far too subtle for me to understand.

12...N4xe5 

Taking care of the enemy pawn center for good. The computers don't like the move, but in club play, when you outrank your opponent, it is a reasonable idea.

For the record, Stockfish 14.1 recommends 12...h4+ 13.Kxg4 d5+ 14.Kf3 dxc4 15. Ne4 O-O with a roughly balanced game.

13.dxe5 h4+ 14.Kh2 Nxe5 

The position somewhat resembles a reversed Jerome Gambit, where Black has two extra pawns for his sacrificed piece. 

15.Re1 f6 16. Bf4 d6 17. Rad1 Ke7 

My opponent was confident that he could still make a game of it. What follows is some interesting pawn play.

18.Rd2 g5 19.Bxe5 dxe5 20.Ne4 g4 21.Red1 g3+ 22.Kg1 b5 23.Bb3 a5 24.a3 a4 25.Ba2 f5 26.Nd6 

So far, the pawns have not inflicted any damage.

26...Rd8 

I think my opponent was aiming toward an ending where his playing with the pawns would be easier than my playing with the extra piece. In many club games, I have seen this to be true. In this particular game, however, I was happy to keep exchanging pieces.  

27.Nxc8+ Raxc8 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.Rxd8 Kxd8 30.Be6 f4 31.Bf5 Ke7 

White's play is straightforward: the Bishop controls the pawns until the King arrives to start capturing material.

32.Kf1 Kd6 33.Ke2 Kd5 34.Kd3 Kc5 35.Be4 Kd6 36.Bf3 c5 37.c3 Ke6 38.Ke4 

38...c4 39.Bg4+ Kd6 40. Kf5 Kd5 41.Bf3+ Kd6 42. Kf6 

Now the pawns start falling.

42...e4 43.Bxe4 f3 

One last try. Maybe White will play 44.gxf3?

44.Bxf3 Black resigned

White's King can win the Kingside pawns, or his Bishop can win the Queenside pawns.

Jerome Gambit: Queen to the Rescue. Not.

In the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) the White Queen attacks, the Black Queen defends. If the defender goes to the wrong square, however, things may collapse quickly.

sintalee - inventor16

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qf6 

This protects the Rook, but that is not enough. Defenders need to know that 6...g6 means the Rook will be sacrificed.

8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4+ Black resigned