Jerome Gambit: Willie Sutton Again

Here is a recent Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7) game by Bill Wall.

Why does Bill play the Jerome?

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

Why does Bill play the Jerome Gambit? 

Because that is where the points are. In over 1,150 Jerome Gambit games in The Database, he has scored 94%.

Wall, Bill - Kumar

internet, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 

5.Nc3 

Delaying the second Jerome sacrifice.

5...h6 

Transposing to a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

White gains more from his 5th move than Black gains from his.

Bill has also seen 5...d6 6.O-O (6.d3 h6 7.Na4 Bb4+ 8.c3 Ba5 9.O-O Nf6 10.h3 b5 11.Qb3+ d5 12.Qxb5 Qd6 13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Qxc6 Qxc6 15.Nxe5+ Ke6 16.Nxc6 Bb6 17.Bf4 Nd5 18.Rfe1+ Kf5 19.Re5+ Kxf4 20.g3+ Kf3 21.Nxb6 axb6 22.Nd4 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest190971, PlayChess.com 2020) 6...Bg4 7.d3 Nd4 8.Nxe5+ dxe5 9.Qxg4 Nf6 10.Qd1 c6 11.Na4 Bd6 12.Be3 Ne6 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.Nc3 Rad8 15.Ne2 Rhf8 16.Qc3 Kg8 17.Qb3 Rde8 18.Bxa7 Kh8 19.Be3 Ng4 20.Bb6 Qb8 21.h3 Nf6 22.Ng3 Nd4 23.Qc4 Nd7 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Qxd4 c5 26.Qa4 Rd8 27.Nf5 Nb6 28.Qb5 Qc7 29.Ne3 Qc6 30.Qxc6 bxc6 31.a4 Ra8 32.a5 Nd7 33.Nc4 Be7 34.e5 Rfb8 35.b3 h6 36.f4 Bd8 37.a6 Nb6 38.Na5 Rxa6 39.Nxc6 Rxa1 40.Rxa1 Rc8 41.Nxd8 Rxd8 42.Ra5 Ra8 43.Rxc5 Ra2 44.c4 Rd2 45.e6 Rxd3 46.e7 Re3 47.Re5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Rahman,N, Chess.com 2010; or

5...Nf6 6.Qe2 (6.d3 Re8 7.Bg5 d6 8.O-O Nd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.Nd5 Be6 11.c3 Bxd5 12.cxd4 Bc6 13.d5 Bd7 14.f4 Kg8 15.Qb3 Qc8 16.fxe5 Rxe5 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Rxf6 b6 19.Raf1 Qb7 20.Rf7 Bg4 21.Qc2 Rc8 22.Qf2 Qb8 23.Qf6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Benjamin, internet, 2023) 6...Rf8 (6...d6 7.Na4 Nb4 8.Qc4+ Ke8 9.a3 b6 10.axb4 Bxb4 11.Qxb4 Bg4 12.Nc3 c6 13.d4 d5 14.Nxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest153817, PlayChess.com 2018) 7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4 Qe7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4 12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2 14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 17.Qf7 checkmate, Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010. 

6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6

Bill has also faced 7...Ng6 8.Qd5+ Kf8 (8...Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qa3 N8e7 11.O-O Nh4 12.d4 Neg6 13.f4 Rf8 14.Be3 Bg4 15.Qb3 Rb8 16.f5 Ne7 17.Bf2 Nexf5 18.exf5 Nxf5 19.Rae1+ Kd7 20.Qe6+ Kc6 21.d5 checkmate, Wall,B - Mbgmx, Chess.com 2010) 9.Qxc5+ N8e7 10.f4 d6 11.Qf2 Nc6 12.d4 Qh4 13.g3 Qh3 14.f5 Nge7 15.f6 Nf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Nd5 Rhf8 19.Nf4 Rae8+ 20.Be3 Qg4 21.h3 Qg5 22.O-O-O Nb4 23.Qd2 Qxg3 24.Nh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Jllib976, Chess.com 2010.

8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.b4 Bb6 

Or 9...Bxb4 10.Nb5+ Kc6 11.Nxd4+ Kd6 12.Nb5+ Kc6 13.Qxe5 d6 14.Nd4+ Kd7 15.Qe6 checkmate as in Wall,B - My10, 2017.

10.f4 Qf6 

Sometimes Black's Queen belongs on f6, sometimes not.

Today, not.

11.fxe5+ Qxe5 12.Nb5+ Black resigned

Black's Queen is about to be robbed of her support.

Jerome Gambit: King Safety for White?

King safety is a central issue in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). In fact, White sacrifices two pieces in order to render his opponent's King as unsafe as possible.

What about White's King?

It is clear that certain variations are focused upon a counter-attack by Black on White's King, for example 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4!?

But, in general?

I recently had a short discussion about the Jerome Gambit with Stockfish 15 (a skeptic) and The Database (a supporter). 

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Stockfish rated Black as about 2 3/4 pawns better. On the other hand, The Database, with 31,564 games with that position, showed that White scored 52%.

What happens, though, if White first gives some thought to his own King's safety before sacrificing, say by castling or developing another piece?

It turns out that after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Stockfish 15 (35 ply) rates Black as a little bit more than 3 pawns better after either 4...Nf6 5.Bxf7+ (1,749 games, White scores 42%) or 4...d6 5.Bxf7+ (39 games, White scores 33%).

In other words, if White castles before going "all in" on his Jerome attack, he reduces his position's evaluation and decreases his practical chances.

Likewise, if after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 he first plays 4.Nc3,then against 4...Nf6 (3,231 games, White scores 39%) and 4...d6 (0 games) he still does worse than going directly for the sacrifices. Stockfish rates 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+ as a bit less than 3 pawns better for Black, and 4.Nc3 d6 5.Bxf7+ as more than 3 1/2 pawns better for Black.

All of this is actually a bit of slight-of-hand. The focus should not be on White. What actually is happening is that, given an extra move himself, Black strengthens his position before the Jerome sacrifices.

It is therefore no wonder that White, in delaying his attack (i.e. for his own King's safety), gives Black a chance to shore up his defenses.

The moral for White: Sacrifice away!

Jerome Gambit: A Thoughtful Post

It is worth taking a look at a thoughful post by Tryfon Gavriel (FIDE Candidate Master; Kingscrusher) at Quora, addressing the question "What are some of the most outlandish chess gambits?" 

He can be clear and accurate

Well, the most outrageous and even documented as mostly losing is the Jerome Gambit.

He also has some kind words for the author of this blog, and includes

In fact, I will try and take up the challenge and produce some wins with this gambit on my bullet chess and Email him if I do manage to win!

Jerome Gambit: What Your Chess Opening Says About You

 

As a chess-playing retired therapist, I couldn't resist following the link to "What your chess opening says about you", in particular a post by Xyzlev on the online Starscape wiki.

Here are a couple of clearly tongue-in-cheek examples

Bishops opening-  You're an 800 elo noob who hasn't learnt any opening, and wants to test if your oppoent will fall for the scholar's mate 

Italian game- You're 900+ elo and you have finally stopped trying to scholar's mate people, and you're slightly more willing to study opening theory than london system players. 

So - what is to be said about the Jerome Gambit? 

Jerome gambit- Why, just why

'Nuff said.😊

 

Jerome Gambit: Highest Scoring?

Wandering through this blog the other day, I re-visited the post "Jerome Pawns to the Rescue", where I had looked at 5th move alternatives (to 5.Nxe5+) in the Jerome Gambit.

I found this interesting note

To keep statistics in perspective, it must be noted that the highest scoring move is 5.a4, with 100% in 4 games.

Not surprisingly, given the relative non-aggression of the move, things have changed. A visit to lichess.org shows 32 games with 5.a4, with White scoring 42%.

The following 3-minute game is a caution.

monif_thabata - jagr135

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.a4 

 Check out "Jerome Gambit: Can He Do That? (Part 2)"

5...d6 6.c3 Bg4 

7.Qb3+ 

Both Black and White overlook that 7.b4 here would win a piece (although Black would still be a little better).

7...Kf8 8.O-O Bxf3 9.gxf3 Qg5+ 

Black's Queen is more effective than White's and has a larger supporting staff.

10.Kh1 Bb6 11.Qc2 Nge7 12.b4 Ng6 13.a5 

The Black Bishop is trapped, but it is too late.

Or is it?

13...Nf4 14.Rg1 Qh4 

The Queen needed to retreat with 14...Qh5 - it makes a difference. Then 15.Qd1 Nd3 16.Rg2 Nxf2+ 17.Rxf2 Bxf2 would win for Black.

Now White has a way out: 15.axb6 Qxf2 16.Qd1 Nd3 17.bxc7 Ne7 18.Qf1 and 18...Qxf1 19.Rxf1 Rxc7 is equal.

Instead, Black wraps things up.

15.Rg4 Qxf2 16.axb6 Qxf3+ 17.Kg1 Nh3 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Dodgy Gambit Opening

If you visit National Master Deniz Tasdelen's very enjoyable chessdoctrine.com site, in particular the information on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), you will see an intelligent look at this opening - and many others - starting with the down-to-earth assessment  

The Jerome Gambit is a dodgy gambit opening

That's a fair assessment.

The Jerome Gambit is also a fun opening for club players to use to surprise their opponents and open up tactical opportunities.

Checking The Database, I find my own handle, perrypawnpusher, in 666 games, scoring 81%.

That pales in comparison to the successes of Bill Wall, who shows up in 1,149 games and scores 94%.

Of course, Your mileage may vary, but I have provided 4,129 posts on this blog, to help you toward success.

Jerome Gambit: I Tried

The following game features a move in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - a passive sacrifice of a Knight - that I have been railing against on this blog for over a dozen years.

"Death of a Variation" was not the first time, but it was a not-so-subtle hint. That was followed by "Public Service Announcement" and "A Mention is Not an Endorsement". You might think that "Re-Inventing the Flat Tire" might do it. 

Even coming up with a specific name for the variation - "Jerome Gambit: The Face Palm Variation" didn't stamp it out.

I even had to take on something similar in "The Jaw Drop Variation".

Jerome Gambit players go their own way...

And, despite my fussing, White won the game!

username12374 - vesela_flamburari

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+ 

People get excited. I know. Let's get on with the attack!

People get creative. For sure. Watch me get my piece back!

According to The Database, this move has been played 711 times, with White scoring a meager 26%. (Versus 57% for 5.Nxe5+)

5...Kg6 

vesela_flamburari is not taken in by the offer of a piece.

In the games of The Database, 70% of the time Black played 5...Qxg5 (498 games, White scores 19%) but in only 244 games did White then reply 6.d4, with the thematic attack on both the Queen and the Bishop yielding him 24%. (Alas, 6...Qxg2 is a very strong response: in 186 games White scored only 14%.)

The numbers appear a bit murky, but the conclusion is pretty clear for White: don't offer the Knight with 5.Ng5, choose 5.Nxd5+.

6.d4 Bxd4 7.h4 

Black's King might feel nervous, but his forces are still better.

7...Qf6

How unfortunate! In so many variations in the defense against the Jerome Gambit, Black's Queen does good work at f6.

Not in this one. The game flips.

8.h5+ Kh6 9.Nf7 checkmate

Double (and discovered) check wins the day!