Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Queen or King?

In the following rapid game, Black is soon faced with an impossible choice.

ryuugu-rena - juen1234

10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

Named the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, although I have not been able to find a Joseph Henry Blackburne game with this line.

4.Bxf7+ 

Named the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, although I have not been able to find an Alonzo Wheeler Jerome game with this line.

The Database has 7, 496 games with this position, with White scoring 57%.

ryuugu-rena has done a bit better: in 65 games, he has scored 65%.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Bypassing the somewhat more popular 5...Ke8, this time.

The Database has 3,001 games with 5...Ke8, with White scoring 59%. 

Again, ryuugu-rena has done better: in his 24 games with 5...Ke8, he has scored 67%.

As for the text move, 5...Ke6, The Database has 2,133 games with White scoring 54%.

ryuugu-rena has played 5...Ke6 18 times, scoring 64%.

6.f4 

This move loosens White's Kingside.

Instead, Stockfish 15.1 recommends (30 ply) 6.c3 Nc6 7.d4 Nxe5 8.dxe5 d6 9.Qb3+ with an edge for Black. 

6...Bd6 

Hoping to eject the enemy Knight, but it is a costly mistake.

Taking advantage of White's last move would have been 6...Qh4+ 7.g3 Qh3 8.Nf3 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 Kf7 (Stockfish 15.1, 30 ply) when the first player would not have compensation in terms of attack for his piece-for-2-pawns sacrifice.

7.Qg4+ Ke7 

Alas, 7...Kf6 would lose his Queen to 8.Qg5+ Ke6 9.Qxd8. 

However, this move loses his King.

8.Qxg7+ Ke6 9.Qf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Wrong Turn

Sometimes in a chess game, you make the wrong turn. It happens.

It doesn't mean much, even strong players do it - not as often as weak players like me, mind you, but still...

White's 6th move in the following game is one such occurance. It is possible to come up with a number of possible explanations - including "blitz game" - but there is no need.

Wrong turn. A lesson worth repeating - see the earlier "Jerome Gambit: Attacking / Defending".

Parsadan - Petertromso

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.f4

The lichess.org database has 270 games with this position. White scores 30%. That is not an endorsement.

By comparison, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, in over 644,000 games at the same site, White scores 48%.

6...Qh4+ 

You can't play 6.f4 without expecting this Queen check, and having some kind of response prepared.

Nonetheless, The Database has several alternatives

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?1 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; and

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

Stockfish 16's recommendation, 6...d5 7.d4 Bg4 has not been played.

7.g3 Qg4 

Things look bad for White. And they are. Kind of like in the typical slasher movie where someone is lost, and decides to seek shelter in that abandoned farm house...

Instead, 7...Qh3 was played in a somewhat mysterious game in The Database, NN - NN, 2022: 8.fxe5 Qg2 9.Rf1+ Ke7 10.d4  Bb6 11.c3 Nh6 12.Bxh6 gxh6 13.Nd2 Qxh2 14.Qf3 Ke8 15.Qf7+ Kd8 16.Qf6+ Ke8 17.Qxh8+ Ke7 18.Qxh7+ Ke6 19.Qf7 checkmate

 Also, 7...Qf6 was played successfully in Parsadan - ArturBondarenko–1984, lichess.org, 2021 (0-1, 20) and gp_adriano44 - tofalis, lichess.org, 2023 (0-1, 17).

8.fxe5 

Exchanging Queens gives only the illusion of safety. 

8...Qxe4+ 9.Kf1 Qxh1+ White resigned

Oh, bother...

Jerome Gambit: Again, the "Jerome Pawns"

It can be great fun to use the crashing, smashing style of Jerome Gambit attacking to produce a checkmate.

Sometimes, though, as we have seen, the compensation received for the sacrifices - the "Jerome pawns" - have their place in winning the game.

A recent game of mine is a good example.

perrypawnpusher - Steadfast61

3d/move "Giuoco Fun" tournament, Chess.com

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Ke7

Backing away (instead of the correct 7...Kd6) is not the answer.

There are 248 games in The Database with this move. White scores 77%. (I have personally scored 88% in 8 games.)

Stockfish 15.1 rates White as more than a piece better.

8.Qxe5+ Kf8 

Or 8...Kf7 in the incomplete game, bloodlet - perrypawnpusher, 3 12 blitz, FICS, 2007 - the earliest time that I faced the Jerome Gambit myself. I am 22 - 5 - 2 against the opening.

9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qe3 Nf6 

11.O-O Kf7 

Preparing to castle-by-hand.

Or 11...Qe7 as seen in perrypawnpusher - badhorsey, 5 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 30). 

12.d4 Re8 13.Nc3 c6 14.Qf4 Kg8 

White has a 2-pawn advantage, not the usual 2-pawns-for-a-piece. That is what Black's King retreat on move 7 cost.

15.f3 a5 

I don't understand this move. It reminds me of my early Fidelity "Chess Challenger 7" dedicated chess computer; whenever it wasn't sure what move to make - especially when it assessed its King adequately safe (even in the middle of the board, if surrounded by pieces) - it would throw forward a Rook pawn.

16.Qg3 

I was stuck for ideas on how to move. Perhaps 16.Ne2 followed by 17.Ng3, withdrawing the Queen, if need be, to e3, was a better idea.

16...Kh8 17.Bg5 Rg8 

Black's intentions are clear enough. Besides its defensive elements, his move indicates that he will answer Bxf6 with ...gxf6, opening the g-file for his attacking Rook.

White needs to be patient. He can afford to be.

18.Rad1 Qf8 19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Nh5 

From here, things get messier.

21.Qh4 g6 22.g4 Qc5+ 

What else?

23.Kh1 Be6 

Alas, taking the e-pawn would lose the Queen. 

24.gxh5 gxh5 

At this point, White has a forced checkmate. I couldn't see it, but I could feel it.

In addition, the "Jerome pawns" might become a factor.

25.Bf6+ Rg7 26.Rg1 Rag8 27.Rxg7 Rxg7 

28.Qd4 

Lazy. Instead, it was not hard to figure out: 28.Rd8+ Qf8 29.Rxf8+ Bg8 30.Bxg7+ Kxg7 31.Qf6 checkmate.

28... Qxd4 29. Rxd4 h6 30. Rh4 Bf7 

There is not going to be a checkmate, but there does not have to be.

31.f4 b5 32.f5 b4 33.Ne4 Bd5 34.e6 Kg8 35.Bxg7 Kxg7 

36.f6+ 

The pawn is protected by the pinned Knight.

36...Kf8 37.e7+ Kf7  38.Kg1 Black resigned

White's Knight is no longer pinned, so it can help the advanced "Jerome pawns". Exchanging the Bishop for the Knight is no solution, as White has that extra Rook to help the pawns promote.

Jerome Gambit: Mis-Match

In a tournament with 250 players, there are bound to be rating mis-matches, especially in the early rounds.

That is pretty much the story of the following game. I like to think, though, that the Jerome Gambit helped add some confusion to my opponent's task.

perrypawnpusher - m2mkiss

"Giuoco Fun" tournament, Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

6.Qh5+ 

Not the strongest move, but I was hoping for complications.

Instead, 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5 as in perrypawnpusher - rodrigojalpa, blitz, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 25). 

6...g6 

Long ago:

6...Kf8 7.Qf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - platel, blitz, FICS, 2011;

6...Ke7 7.Qf7+! Kd6 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Nxc6+ Kf6 10.Qf5 checkmate, Kennedy - WeakDelphi, blitz 2 12, 2008 .

7.Nxg6 Qf6 

Stockfish 16 likes 7...Bxf2+, a move that is as old as Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA 1960. 

8.Nxh8+ Ke7 

Or 8...Kd8 9.Qxc5 Qxh8 10.Qf8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - schachix, 5 3 blitz, FICS, 2013.

9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qc3 

At this point I was happy to exchange Queens. 

10...Ne5 11.Qxc7+ Bd7 12.Nc3 Qxh8 

White is up the exchange and 4 pawns. It is time to finish off the enemy King.

13.f4 Nc6 14.Nd5+ Ke8 15.Qxd6 Qg7 

Another day, another time, going after White's Rook at h1 might be a good idea. Right now, there is not enough time.

16.Nc7+ Kd8 17.Ne6+ Kc8 18.Qc7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Puzzling Draw

My first completed game in the ongoing Chess.com "Giuoco Fun" tournament came as a bit of a surprise - I guess I made the offer, and my opponent quickly accepted. That's what the site said, but I am hazy on the details...

You can look at the final position and decide which of us made the smart move.

perrypawnpusher - jackedU711

"Giuoco Fun" tournament, Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

Seen as early as Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875, (1/2 - 1/2, 29) which appeared in the March 1875 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal.

6.Nxc6 dxc6 

7.O-O 

I have also tried 7.Nc3 in perrypawnpusher - Ykcir, 14 0 blitz, FICS, 2009 (1/2 - 1/2, 11). 

Instead, 7.c3 was seen in Vazquez, A - Carrington, W, Mexico, 2nd match, 1876 (1-0, 43). 

7...h5 

Creative and aggressive.

8.c3 Bd6 9.d4 Bg4 

Black's Bishops balance White's central pawns - but they look scarier.

10.Qd3 h4 11.f4 

Bravely, if foolishly, ignoring the enemy h-pawn. Probably 11.h3 Bh5 12.f4 with an even position was the proper course. 

11...Qd7 

Stockfish 16 still gives Black the advantage after 11...h3 12. g3 c5 13.Be3 Qd7 

12.h3 

Correcting the oversight.

12...Bh5 13.e5 Be7 14.f5 Nh6 

This is still an interesting position (the computer suggests 15.e6 Qd8 16.Bf4 and that Black fight back with 16...c5 17.d5 c4 18.Qxc4 c6 19.d6 Bxd7 20.Bxd6+ Qxd6 21.Qxh4 and a small edge for White - choosing his 3 extra pawns over Black's extra piece ) and I am not sure why I offered a draw here.

Perhaps I was thinking of another game?

Jerome Gambit: Overlook One Small Thing...

In sharp, tactical positions it can be deadly to overlook something.

 The following game is a good example.

Wall, Bill - Gordy

internet, 2023

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.Qxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 

11.Nc3 

Or 11.d3 Kc6 12.c3 Re8 13.b4 Bb6 as in Wall,B - Stoker,B, standard, FICS, 2020 (0-1, 28). 

11...c6 12.d3 

Sharper is 12.d4!?

12...Ke7 13.Bf4 Qe6 14.O-O-O h6 

15.d4 Bb4 16.d5 Qg4 17.e5 Bxc3

Exchanging on c3 and then on f3 would yield a balanced position.

Black overlooks something in allowing his other Knight to be captured, however.

18.exf6+ Black resigned

White removes the defender of Black's Queen, with check.

Jerome Gambit: Not So Boring

angelcamina - Davide313

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 

The boring Italian Four Knights Game.

5.Bxf7+ 

The not-so-boring Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4 8.dxe5 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nxe4

This pawn-grab adds to Black's worries.

10.Qd5+ Ke7 11.Qxe4 Rf8 

Black has a plan to deal with the Bishop check along the dark diagonal, but it is inadequate. To be fair, at this point he is probably lost, anyhow.

12.Bg5+ Rf6 

Fair enough, but White has a forced checkmate.

13.exf6+ Kf7 14.Qd5+ Kf8 15.fxg7+ Kxg7 16.Bxd8 Black resigned

Black has lost his Queen.

White has a mate in 7.