Jerome Gambit: Pawns Lead the Way

The Jerome Gambit features a battle between White's extra pawns and Black's extra piece (or pieces). In the following game, the pawns quickly put the enemy monarch is great danger - and, ultimately, checkmate.

ahmad975 - Franta52

20 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Bf2+ 

The Anti-Bill Wall Gambit, also seen in "Jerome Gambit: A Cautionary Tale" and "Jerome Gambit: Another Reason".

Black returns a piece to disrupt White's plans and endanger his King.

8.Kxf2 Nf7 

Also seen 

8...g6 9.Qxe5+ Kf7 10.Qxh8 Qh4+ 11.g3 White won Wall,B - Buster, Chess.com, 2010; and

8...Ng6 9.f5+ Kd6 10.fxg6 Qf6+ 11.Qf3 Qd4+ 12.Ke2 b6 13.Nc3 hxg6 14.Nb5+ Black resigned,Wall,B - Equa, Chess.com, 2010. 

9.d4 g6 10.f5+ Kd6 11.Bf4+ Kc6

Black's King had chances to retreat to e7, where he would have been safer.

Capture the pawn on g6, or go after the King? White has to decide.

12.d5+

This works. A bit wilder was 12.fxg6, threatening both checkmate and f6-f7 which will win the Rook at h8. Black can try 12...d5 but either 13.exd5+ or 13.Qxd5+ are strong responses.

The dueling threats are enough to gather in the full point.

12...Kb6 13.fxg6 Nd6 14.g7

14...Nf6 15.Be3+ c5 16.dxc6+ Kxc6 17.Qc5 checkmate

Anatoly Karpov & Jerome Gambit (Part 3)

 Anatoly Karpov & Jerome Gambit (Part 3)   

  

(by Yury V. Bukayev) 

 

Dear reader, you know that usually I write about new theoretical inventions and psychology in chess openings on this blog, but sometimes I write here about notable chess games.   

The Part 3 of this my work is about wrong Anatoly Karpov (in contrast with the Part 2). Thus, it’s a story about my notable blitz Jerome gambit game against a father of a little boy Tolya (Anatoly) Karpov (I wrote about this boy in the Part 1) in Moscow this year, his name is Anatoly too. He is an ordinary chess amateur. After reading of my Part 1 he started to study the Jerome gambit theory and practice and suggested me recently to play the gambit as blitz against him. I have understood that he probably prepared a surprise for this game, so I have solved to avoid my published theoretical lines to surprise him instead. Thus, here is our game:  

 

Bukayev, Yury  –  Karpov, Anatoly (father)   

 

                         blitz, 3+0 

  

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 . 

 

That moment I understood that he was waiting for the theoretical line 7.Qh3+!, and I solved to make a large surprise for him already here. 

 

7.Nc3!?  

 

Anatoly was almost shocked! During much more than a minute he thought and tried to not lose the calmness. In result, he found the very strong response.  

 

7…d6 

 

I was ready to see it. The following some moves were made rapidly: 

 

8.d4 Bxd4 9.Nd5 . 

 

White has created the threat 10.Qf5# . Anatoly started to choose a defence. But the large lack of time caused his hurry and his first mistake: 

 

9…Ne7? 10.Nxe7 . 

 

Anatoly took his Queen for the automatic move 10…Qxe7?? certainly, but after a momentary discovering of my possible 11.Qf5# he returned his Queen to d8. Then he looked at chess clocks and started to worry very much. In result, his response was the following: 

 

10…Qe8?? .     

 

It let me finish the game with a rapid checkmate: 

  

11.Qf5+ Kxe7 12.Bg5# . 

 

The game is notable, since it develops the theory, its final position is rare for the opening stage. I thank Anatoly! The gambit forms beautiful positions, and I thank K.Traxler, who hasn’t solved to reprint, to use the terrible name “Blackwar” for it, that could become a tradition. 

Jerome Gambit: Casual Casualty

It can be tempting to not take the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) seriously when it is played against you. After all, it is a refuted opening, right?

In the following blitz game, Black plays what might be the strongest defense against the Jerome. However, when he assesses further danger, he is a bit casual in evaluating an upcoming position - where there is danger lying beneath the surface.

This is hardly a personal failing: the time control for the game was 3 minutes (with 2 second increments) and that introduces a certain amount of "casualness" into the game for both players.

As ever, it is also important to see how well the attacker takes advantage of the situation.

kryzelfiz - carlvr

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's defense. It can be a tough line to play against, but White has his chances in the complications. As you might guess, things are more difficult after 8.Qxh8 Qxe4+.

8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.Qg3 d6 10.c3 b6 

Black is not alarmed by White's threat of d2-d4. He plans to return his extra piece for two pawns, and in the meantime looks to develop his light square Bishop. This approach is a bit casual, however.

Wild aggression was indicated by 10...h5 in GMHikaruOnTwitch - 30second-guy, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com 2021 (1-0, 71). 

Probably an idea a bit more active than the text, but less active than what was played against GM Nakamura, would be on the mark. Something like 10...Qe6. 

11.d4 Bxd4 12.cxd4 Qxd4 13.O-O 

This costs another pawn, compared to 13.Nc3, but White is not taking any chances. He will still be better after this move.

13...Qxe4 

I suspect that Black was happy with his position at this point. He is a pawn up.

There is hidden danger, however. The blitz time control will not allow for deep analysis as play continues - and Stockfish 15 currently evaluates White as almost a piece ahead.

14.Bg5 Ba6 15.Nd2 Qd5 16.Rfe1 Nf6 

If you are happy with Black's development, you have been distracted.

If you are happy with White's develoment, chances are that you play the Jerome Gambit.

17.Bxf6 Kxf6 18.Qc3+ Kf7 19.Qxc7+ Kf6 

Black's King is now in a mating net.

20.Qe7+ Kf5 21.Ne4 

Nice.

21...Bb7 22.Ng3+ Kg4 23.h3+ Kf4 24.Qe3 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Those Darn Refutations

Those who play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) always have to be aware of defenders who play dangerous "refutations" - but the challenge for our opponents is to play those lines correctly.

The following game is an example of a good line gone bad. 

delband - Grin_Mak

15 10 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

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 Nf3+ 

The "Nibs" variation. It is scary and can cause problems for White, but it is also complicated and needs proper attention. After all, Black plans on sacrificing his Queen - or at least, that is a core idea in this line.

10.Kd1 Ne7 11.e5+ Nxe5

Suddenly, it looks like White is planning a Queen check followed by capturing Black's advanced Knight, so Black decides to get at least a pawn for that piece.

12.Qxe5+ Black resigned

Black realizes that something has gone terribly wrong.

It turns out that White's Queen can escape attack by the Knight at e7, with check, so that after 12...Kc6 the Black Queen can be captured. A key move in the "His Nibs" variation is ...Bg4, and that is no longer playable after either 12.Qg5 or 12.h3.