Jerome Gambit: Another Event That Took Less Time Than It Takes To Tell

Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games played at bullet speed can be both entertaining and educational. 

The following game "took less time than it takes to tell", and has a few serious points to make. 

LuffyChess8 - Champion_A1

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 g6 

Intuitive or played as a reflex, this move kicks the enemy Queen - which is a good idea, in general - but does not accomplish much.

8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxh8 

The Database has 46 games with this position, with White notably scoring 79%. 

White is ahead the exchange and two pawns, but "won" games rarely win themselves in bullet. He must continue his efforts - starting with moving his Queen out of the corner, in order to avoid future mishaps.

9...Qh4+ 

Queen counter attack.

10.g3 Qh5 11.Qe5 Qg4 

Black understands that exchanging Queens will not help him, but in avoiding the swap he overlooks something.

12.Qxc5 d6 13.Qf2 Bd7 14.O-O Rf8

Black is close to castling-by-hand.

White is material ahead, but most of it is undeveloped.

The clock is ticking.

15.e5 dxe5 

It is a secret that many Jerome Gambiteers know and take advantage of - many defenders can not ignore the chance to exchange pawns, even when it opens lines against themselves.

16.fxe5+ Ke8 17.Qxf8  checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Showdown

The following game shows White's "Jerome pawns" facing Black's pieces in a showdown that becomes one sided.

Wall, Bill - Godoy

internet, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 N8e7 10.O-O Ne5 

The Knight bravely calls to the enemy pawns: Come get me!

11.d4 Nf7 12.f4 Bd7 13.c4 c6 14.b4 

White's wall of pawns vs Black's sheltered pieces.

Komodo 12.1.1. sees the position as equal.

Your preference?

14...Qb6 15.c5 dxc5 16.bxc5 Qc7 17.a4 Nh6 18.f5 Ng4 19.Qh3 Nf6 20.Bf4 Qd8 21.Nc3 h6 

Black's pieces have advanced, drawn the enemy pawns forward, and then withdrawn.

Time for more pawn action.

22.g4 Qa5 23.e5 Nfd5 24.Bd2 Qb4 25.Nxd5 Qxd4+ 26.Ne3 Qxe5 

Black has returned his extra piece to disrupt the pawn center and capture a couple of pawns.

White has lines of attack, including against the enemy King and Queen.

27.Rac1 Kd8 28.Bc3 Qxc5 29.Bxg7 Black resigned

Black will lose material.

Jerome Gambit: One Step Ahead

Sometimes a game can be won without an overwhelming tactical display. It can be enough to be one step ahead of your opponent - as the following game demonstrates.

Wall, Bill - Truguy

internet, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+ 

This is a typical Jerome Gambit "question" - does Black want to be dynamic and play 8...Be6, blocking the check, developing a piece and attacking the enemy Queen, at the cost of the b-pawn? Then, again, is the b-pawn worth it?

Often defenders get into the mindset I am not familiar with this opening, but my opponent must know what he is doing because nobody would just throw away two pieces, so I should trust that he knows what he is doing...

So, if it looks like White wants to grab the b-pawn, maybe he should not be allowed to take it.

8...Kf8 9.d3 Nf6 10.Qb3 Qe7 11.O-O Qe6 

Exchanging Queens would ease Black's defense, so of course White declines.

12.Qc3 c6 13.f4 Ne7 14.Nd2 Kf7 

If there is time, Black may be able to castle-by-hand. White, therefore, makes sure there is not enough time.

15.f5 Qe5 16.Qb3+ d5 17.Nf3 Qc7 18.e5 

18...Ne8

Similar to yesterday's post, Black's Knights are stumbling backward.

He might have taken advantage of the opportunity to play 18...Qb6+ 19.Qxb6 axb6 while he had the chance.

19.Ng5+ Kf8 20.Ne6+ Bxe6 21.fxe6+ Kg8 22.Rf7 Qxe5 

If only Black can capture White's two center pawns, he would be a happy extra piece ahead.

Plus, the offer of the Knight on e7 is deliberate: 23.Rxe7? Qe1#

White is too far ahead in his attack to be distracted.

23.Qxb7 Rb8 24.Qxe7 Qd6 25.Rf8 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: In and Out of Danger

 

Playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) offers the first player many opportunities to move into and out of danger. While an "objective" computer might constantly proclaim the failure of an attack, it is remarkable how many players are able to make their way through complications - often taking advantage of them - and achieve victory.

Just because the computer thinks that my position is worse - or better - doesn't mean that I am going to lose - or win - my game. If there is a move that can refute my play, but you don't find that move, then you are going to have a harder time refuting my plan...

That is the lesson Bill Wall constantly teaches with his games, like the following.

Wall, Bill - KingChess

internet, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 

Although I have lightly labeled this as a "pie-in-the-face" variation, it is a strong counter, with a focus on piece development and attack on the King. It was first seen in Sorensen - Anonymous, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27).

The play is complicated, and even though it is "objectively" better for Black, The Database has 327 examples, with White scoring 63%.

As always with the Jerome Gambit, familiarity is important for survival.

7.O-O d6 

Bill has recently faced a couple of other variations of "pie"

7...Qxe4 8.dxc5 Nf6 9.Nc3 Qc6 10.Be3 b6 11.Bd4 Ng6 12.cxb6 axb6 13.Re1 Rf8 14.f3 Kg8 15.Qe2 Ra5 16.Qd2 Nh5 17.Ne4 Nhf4 18.Kh1 Bb7 19.Qf2 Rh5 20.Bc3 Nh4 21.Rg1 Nf5 White resigned, Wall,B - NoChance, internet, 2022; and 

7...Ng4 8.h3 N8f6 9.dxc5 Re8 10.hxg4 Nxg4 11.Bf4 Rxe4 12.Bxc7 Re6 13.Qf3+ Rf6 14.Qd5+ Kf8 15.Bd6+ Rxd6 16.Qxd6+ Kg8 17.Nd2 h6 18.Rae1 Nf6 19.Re7 b5 20.Ne4 Bb7 21.Nxf6+ gxf6 22.Qxd7 Black resigned, Wall,B - MasterK, internet, 2022. 

8.dxc5 dxc5 

Black can afford to return one of the two sacrificed pieces, but he can not afford to lose focus like this.

Two alternative ideas for play, both leading to Black advantage:

8...Nf6 (three games in The Database, all won by White - one by Bill) 9.f4 Neg4 10.h3 d5!? and 8...Qxe4 9.cxd6 cxd6 10.Qxd6 Nf6 (zero games in The Database). 

9.Qd5+ Kf6 10.Qd8+ 

It looks like Bill is messing with his opponent's head; or perhaps the game was played at a fast time control. White skewers Black's King, looking to capture the Queen when it moves. Blocking the check gives up a Rook.

In any event, while the move looks scary, it puts White's Queen in danger. Stockfish 14.1 suggests 10.f4 Nc6 11.b4!? and it is clear that it is Black's King who is being hunted. 

10...Ne7 11.Qxh8 

Mission accomplished.

11...Nf7 

The moment is lost.

Instead, there was the Blackburnian idea 11...Bh3!? (the pin on the Bishop does not hold) when it is clear that if White captures a second Rook, he will be checkmated: 12.Qxa8 Qg4 13.g3 Qf3, etc. Capturing the Bishop is not much better in the long run: 12.gxh3 Nf3+ 13.Kg2 Qxe4 and there are too many discovered checks to deal with.

Stockfish recommends that White meet 11...Bh3!? with 12.f4, but the simple 12...Rxh8 is then crushing. 

12.e5+ 

Just like that, White has escape plans for his Queen, starting with the obvious 12...Kxe5 13.Qxg7+. There is also 12.Qe8 to meet 12...Bh3 with 13.Qa4 Qg4 14. e5+ Nxe5 15. Qxg4 Bxg4 16.Bf4 when White is better.

12...Kg6 13.Qe8 

13...b6 

Clearly planning to put his Bishop on b7 to protect his Rook, which would attack White's Queen and pressure White's King...

His best bet was still 13...Bh3, when the computer suggests 14.Qb5 Bxg2 15.Qd3+ Be4 16.Qg3+ Qxg3+ 17.fxg3 Nxe5 18. Nd2 Bxc2 19.Nf3 Nxf3+ 20. Rxf3 Rd8 as better for White. Black would have two pawns for the exchange, so I am not convinced; perhaps the relative safety of White's King would tilt things in his favor. 

14.e6 h6

With Black's pieces huddled by his King, he can not now afford to play 14...Bxe6 and allow 15.Qxa8 - yet that is his "best" option.

15.exf7 Bb7 16. f8=N+ 

Nifty. (Of course, promoting to a Queen was fine, too.)

White now finishes the game with checkmate.

16...Kf6 17.Nh7+ Kf5 18.Qf7+ Ke5 19.Re1+ Kd6 20.Qe6 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Like Magic

I know that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is a "refuted" opening, but I love to see what a strong player can do with it. Sometimes the games that they produce are a bit like magic.

Like the following one.

Wall, Bill - Alta

internet, 2022 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 

Simplest is 6...Bxd4, returning a piece, but the text can be useful, if it causes White to block the c3 square so that his Knight cannot develop there. 

7.c3 Bxc3+ 

Black is still a bit better after 7...Be7 8.dxe5.

Black also has the complicated 7...Qh4 which has scored 16 - 2 for the second player. Guess who has the two wins for White?

8.O-O Ng4 9.h3 Be7 (9...Bxc3 10.Nxc3 N4f6 11.e5 Ne4 12.Qf3+ Ke8 13.Nxe4 Nh6 14.Bg5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest11706903, PlayChess.com, 2018) 10.hxg4 d6 11.Qb3+ Ke8 12.f3 Nf6 13.Be3 b6 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Nxg4 16.fxg4 Qxg4 17.Qf7+ Kd7 18.Qd5+ Ke8 19.Qc6+ Bd7 20.Qxa8+ Bd8 21.Nd2 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest436030, PlayChess.com, 2018. 

8.Nxc3 Ng6 9.O-O d6

White may have and edge here. He certainly has a standard Jerome Gambit plan to follow.

10.f4 N8e7

The Knights are already tripping over each other. Better was 10...N6e7, or even 10...Nf6. 

11.f5 Nf8 12.Qh5+ Kg8 

13.f6 g6 

Hoping to keep the position somewhat closed along the files, and taking a swipe at the enemy Queen.

There is no joy in 13...gxf6 14.Rxf6 Neg6 15.Nd5! when White's Bishop will go to h6 and his other Rook to f1, and Black's position will collapse.

The game will now end faster.

14.f7+ Kg7 15.Bh6 checkmate

Presto!

Jerome Gambit: Speed

Things happen fast in a bullet game, especially a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game. Tactics rule, and sometimes if one is missed the first time, it can come up again successfully.

The following game is a good example.

NJ-Avrel - Butempel

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.O-O 

White is happy to sacrifice only one piece and having displaced Black's King, goes on to move his own monarch to safety.

The Database has 1,836 games with this position in which White scores 40%.

5...Qf6 

Black's Queen often finds itself on f6 (in other Jerome lines). Here it works to stop d2-d4 by his opponent. I was surprised that The Database has 100 games, with White still scoring 40%.

6.c3 d6 7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4 Bb6 

9.Qb3+ 

Trying to stir things up.

9...Qe6 

A natural response: protect the King and offer the exchange of Queens to blunt any attack.

However, there is a flaw.

10.d5 

Is there something better than this fork here? There is the other fork 10.Ng5+. 

10...Qd7 

Ducking out of the way of the fork, but opening himself to a disclosed check.

11.dxc6+ Qe6 

The Queen returns.

12.Ng5+ 

This time he finds the fork.

Even more brutal was 12.cxb7. Check it out.

12...Kf6 13.Nxe6 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Attacking / Defending

The following game appears on a YouTube video "how to play jerome gambit ? how to play jerome ? jerome gambit chess ? chess traps ?" by TheMasterTricks.

The Queens on each side play a large part in the action (and the notes). Which King is more at risk changes, move by move.

Although there is no information on the time control, it appears to be a blitz game. Having more time in preparing this blog post, it is possible to do deeper analysis of this complicated game. The next time someone plays this game, it will be much more robust.

NN - NN

2022

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.f4 

This move is relatively new and rare - The Database has only 4 previous examples. Most often, White plays 6.d4 or 6.Qh5+. Later, f2-f4 may occur.

Is the move risky?

One indication is that at this point White resigned in danirovi - xtwozeroone, 5 0 blitz, FICS, 2014.

6...Qh4+ 

This is the strongest response. Apparently it has not been played before.

Previously seen;

6...Ng6 7.d4 Bb6 8.e5 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qh3 10.Be3 N8e7 11.Qd2 Nd5 12.Bf2 Qg2 13.Rg1 Qxh2 14.Nc3 Rf8 15.Nxd5 c6 16.Ne3 Re8 17.O-O-O d5 18.Rh1 Qxh1 19.Rxh1 Nf8 20.f5 g6 21.fxg6+ hxg6 22.c3 Bf5 23.Nxf5 gxf5 24.Qf4 Ke6 25.Rh6+ Kd7 26.Qxf5+ Kc7 27.Be3 Rad8 28.Bf4 Kb8 29.e6+ Bc7 30.Bg5 Rd6 31.Qf7 Rdxe6 32.Rxe6 Nxe6 33.Qxe8+ Bd8 34.Bxd8 a6 35.Qxe6 Ka7 36.g4 Black resigned, Darthnik - GregOakPark, 10 0 blitz, FICS, 2011; 

6...Nc6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Nf6 11.O-O Qe7 12.d3 Bd7 13.Bd2 Rf8 14.Nc3 Kf7 15.Rae1 Kg8 16.e5 Nh5 17.e6 Be8 18.d4 Ng7 19.d5 Nd8 20.g4 c6 21.Qg3 b5 22.a3 a5 23.b4 axb4 24.axb4 Qa7+ 25.Be3 Qe7 26.Bd4 Ra3 27.Bxg7 Kxg7 28.f5 gxf5 29.gxf5+ Kh8 30.Kh1 Rg8 31.Qe3 Qf6 32.Ne4 Rxe3 33.Nxf6 Rxe1 34.Rxe1 Rf8 35.e7 Black resigned, Petasluk - Jirayu, 5 0 blitz, FICS, 2012; 

6...Qf6 7.d4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Rf1 Black resigned, vkmehta - herooftheday, 5 0 Blitz, FICS, 2012. 

7.g3 Qh3 

A much stronger response would be 7...Qg4, which requires a diagram. 

analysis diagram

An exchange of Queens would leave White without much of an attack and a deficit of two pieces.

Back to the current game.

8.fxe5 Qg2 9.Rf1+ Ke7 

Komodo 12.1.1 prefers 9...Ke8.

10.d4 

White is strugging to get out of a difficult situation. 

Komodo 12.1.1 recommends some tactical cut-and-thrust, followed by a draw: 10.Qg4 Kd8 11.d4 d5 12.Qg5+ Ne7 13.dxc5 Qxe4+ 14.Be3 d4 15.Nc3 Qxe3+ 16.Qxe3 dxe3 17.Rd1+ Ke8 18.Nb5 Ng6 19.Nxc7+ Ke7 20.Nd5+ Kd8 21.Nb6+ Ke7 22.Nd5+ draw by repetition.

The text move would be the solution, if there were not one line that favors Black.

10...Bb6 

Black's wandering Queen misses 10...Qxe4+ 11.Qe2 Qxe2+ 12.Kxe2 Bxd4 and, with Queens off of the board, he is doing fine.

11.c3 

The move 11.Qg4 would show the danger Black's King is in, for example 11...Ke8 (11...Bxd4 falls to 12.Qxg7 which leads to mate) 12.Be3 (White has time to afford this reinforcement of his center) g6 13.Qf4 and Black will have to give up material.

11...Nh6 

Defensive minded. Black would have done better pressuring the enemy monarch with 11...Qxe4+ 12.Kf2 d6!? when his King can dance away from danger, for example 13.Bg5+ Ke8 or 13.exd6+ Kf7 14.Kg1+ Nf6.

12.Bxh6 

This is a familiar move for Jerome Gambit players. It can be the start of clearing out the Queenside pieces for Queenside castling. White's King craves safety.

Still, he had a line that would be scarier for Black's King: 12.Bg5+ Ke8 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qxh6 because White's King can run for his life, leving the first player better: 14...Qxe4+ 15.Kd1 Qg4+ 16.Kc2 d6 17.Qg7 Bf5+ 18.Kb3 Qxg5 19.Qxh8+ Kd7 20.Qxa8. 

12...gxh6 

Reasonable reflex reaction. Instead, 12...Qxe4+ gave chances for a balanced, if chaotic, game. 

13.Nd2 

Still thinking defense, looking to 0-0-0. Not everyone would think like the computer and look to 13.Qg4 Ke8 14.Qh5+ Kd8 15.Qh4+ Ke8 16.Nd2 

13...Qxh2

This move gives up any chance to play ...Qxe4+, and defuses some of Black's attacking chances.

Komodo 12.1.1 suggests a high anxiety line, instead, leading to a draw by repetition: 13...Rf8 14.Qg4 Rxf1+ 15.Nxf1 Qxb2 16.Qg7+ Ke8 17.Qg8+ Ke7 18.Qxh7+ Kd8 19.Qh8+ Ke7 20.Qf6+ Ke8 21.Qg6+ Kd8 22.Qf6+ Ke8 etc. 

Now White finishes things off.

14.Qf3 Ke8 15.Qf7+ Kd8 16.Qf6+ Ke8 17.Qxh8+ Ke7 18.Qxh7+ Ke6 19.Qf7 checkmate

It is not clear from the video who played this game, but I hope that it was two computer chess programs. A human being on either side of the board would risk a panic attack.