Jerome Gambit Classic #1 Begins

The "Jerome Gambit Classic #1" at Chess.com has started - with 228 players!

My group has a dozen brave chessers willing to play - and face - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+.

The roll call: Toilaai20000, Vsyal, Hyakkimaruru, eliadr, FurkanFexsy, Erickvis93, mazakoten, LithuaniaS, slalalal789, domspog and chess01_2.

Three from each group will advance to the next round.

The time control is 1 move in 24 hours.

I wish good chess to all of my opponents.

Jerome Gambit: Further Discussion

In the email where Yury V. Bukayev pointed me this material by the St. Louis Chess Club, he reminds my post of December 12, 2023, which adds to the line of play by Grandmaster Elshan Moradiabadi.

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

5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nc6 

Black's last move was Grandmaster Moradiabadi's considered response.

It was also seen in "Jerome Gambit: Deadlost" where I noted

Stronger was 8...Qf6, or 8...Qh4+ or 8...Kc6, the sillycon defense, with the King moving, instead of the Knight, as I faced in perrypawnpusher - jonmather, Giuoco Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2021 (1-0, 33) and perrypawnpusher - alfil_7, Piano Piano, Chess.com, 2021 (0-1, 13).

9.Qd5+

This is GM Moradiabadi's only idea and my move against the chess program Deadlost.

From that post of December, 12, 2023

Yury V. Bukayev has invented the following and comments: "More interesting is my 9.Nc3!? N because it is a trap. For example, after the 'natural' 9...Bb6? White gets the advantage by 10.Qf7!!"

Jerome Gambit: Beat Offbeat Chess Lines!

 

Yury V. Bukayev pointed me to a very interesting and enjoyable online video, "BEAT OFFBEAT CHESS LINES! | PREPARE LIKE A PRO - GM ELSHAN MORADIABADI" by the St. Louis Chess Club, earlier this year.

The description:

Grandmaster Elshan Moradiabadi demonstrates how to stymie wacky openings like the Stafford and Elephant gambits.

There is a short section in the video on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

Here are a few excerpts from the grandmaster's comments

Someone wants Jerome Gambit. I don't which one is that Jerome Gambit... 

Okay so you want me to refute this opening...

[Grandmaster Moradiabadi consults a chess program on his phone] Gives minus five...

So I was wondering if it is possible enough, plausible enough, for me to imagine that, for example, Alpha Zero or Stockfish can beat me in this point but I think minus five means that they cannot...

The opening does not really impress the grandmaster.

You just have to make a couple of moves and you are up a piece.

But he assesses that the Jerome is not something that falls on its own.

Okay, but it's not easy, actually, how do you win this. People have to know this, people can get a bit cocky here...

The amiable grandmaster's advice? He looks at the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 and comments

The best to do is just give it [the piece] away [8...Kc6], give one piece away, it doesn't matter, and get the king to safety.

So, at first glance, Grandmaster Moradiabadi recommends the "Sillycon Defense" to the Jerome Gambit!

For a couple of recent games with that line, see the posts "To Counter Jerome Gambit" and "Jerome Gambit: Cat-Astrophe". There is also analysis in the post "Jerome Gambit: "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" (Part 1)"

I recommend Readers watch the entire video. It is less than an hour in length, and is entertaining and educational.

Jerome Gambit: Hot Mess

The Jerome Gambit is a strange opening.

Sometimes the lines assessed as "better" do not do as well as those assessed as "worse". 

It is not familar ground for many defenders, and that can lead to errors. Threats arise and complications abound. The mistakes are all there, ready to be made.

Play the Jerome Gambit at bullet speed, and it all adds up to a hot mess.

The following game illustrates.

SastoJugad - Bhulakand

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6 

This is a naive attempt to hold onto the Knight at e5. Black is probably not familiar with the Jerome Gambit, and in a 1-minute game he does not have time to analyze deeply.

The Database has 345 games with this position, with White scoring 77%. 

7.d4

This move is good - it has two threats, one direct and one promised - but there is something better.

7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+ scoops up a couple of pieces and leaves White a couple of pawns ahead. Stockfish 15.1 sees White as the equivalent of 3 1/2 pawns ahead.

The Database has 137 games with the 7.Qf5+ line, with White scoring 77%.

The text move appears 23 times in The Database, with White scoring 87%, even though Stockfish 15.1 assesses Black to be 1 1/2 pawns better. 

Yes, White scores better with the weaker move. Probably because of the game continuation.

7...Bxd4 

Black sees the direct threat: What to do, what to do, what to do with the Bishop?

Not this.

The defender had 7...Bb4+ 8.Nc3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nf7, keeping his advantage. 

Now the game is won for White.

8.Bg5+ 

Ah, yes, the other threat.

8...Ke6 9.Bxd8 Black resigned

"Italian Game" Tournament, Round 2, Chess.com

•                          

The second round of the "Italian Game" tournament at Chess.com (see "Jerome Gambit: The Battles Continue") has started, and I am matched against Seal Island Puffin, aansmar, and poorplayer63.

I have a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game going against Seal Island Puffin and aansmar. The first game should be especially interesting, as my opponent is rated 350 points higher than me.

Statisically, the only player I should be playing the Jerome against is poorplayer63, who is rated 127 points below me. We are playing a Philidor Defense.

We shall see how things turn out - and I will publish both games.

To Counter Jerome Gambit

The latest Jerome Gambit video that I have found on YouTube is by Chess Master ("I upload chess games that I played and show interesting moves") and is titled "How to counter jerome gambit".

Such videos are important for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to remind us that we play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) for fun and exploration - the opening is not in the repertoire of the current (or past) World Champion.

Also, since our opponents might be watching the same video, it is worth knowing a little bit about what he or she is preparing. 

Here is the line given in the short video, along with some suggested alternative moves, to get Readers started.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ (6.d4) 6...Ke6 7.Qf5+ (7.Qh3+) 7...Kd6 8.f4 (8.Nc3) 8...Kc6 9.Qxe5 (9.fxe5) 9...Nf6 10.d4 (10.d3) 10...d6 11.d5+ (11.Qg5) 11...Kb6

12.Qc3 a5 13.Qb3+ (13.Be3) 13...Ka7 14.Be3 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Re8 16.Qd3 Bf5 17.Bd2 Nxe4 15.Na3 (15.Nd2) 15...Qh4+ 16.g3 Qh5 17.Bxc5+ (17.O-O) 17...Nxc5 18.Nb5+ (18.Qc4) 18...Kb8 19.Qc4 Re8+ 20.Kd2 Qf3 21.Rhe1 Re4 22.Qc3 (22.Qf1) 22...Qf2+ 23.Kd1 Bg4+ 

By the way, for an unorthodox opening that is in the repertoire of the top chess player in the world, perhaps also for fun and exploration, check out the video 

"Magnus MEGA TROLLING Vladimir Kramnik"

where Magnus Carlsen plays 1.e4 h6 2.d4 e6 3.Nc3 a6

with the black pieces in a 3-minute game, and defeats Vladimir Kramnik in 31 moves.

 

Jerome Gambit: Cooperation Helps

When pieces cooperate, in an attack or on defense, they are more likely to be successful in their task.

One of Black's difficulties in the following game is that his pieces do not always cooperate. 

That is enough for Bill Wall to make his way to victory.

Wall, Bill - Bansal

internet, 2024

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

Interesting, but not as strong as the more routine 9...Nf6.

10.d3 

Instead, 10.O-O Ne5 11.d4 Nf7 12. f4 was seen in Wall,B - Godoy, internet, 2022 (1-0, 29). 

10...b6 11.O-O Bb7 12.f4 Rf8 

White's pawns look like they are ready to advance toward Black's King, still stuck in the center.

Black has an extra piece for those two pawns, however, so the game is pretty well balanced.

13.f5 Ne5 14.Na3 

The Knight starts on a tour.

14...Rf6 

The first start of castling-by-hand!

15.Nb5 Kf8 16.Qg3 Kg8 

17.Nd4 

White also had 17.Bg5, but his Knight wanted to continue its travels. 

17...Kh8 18.h4 c5 19.Ne6 Qg8 20.Nc7 Rc8 21.Nb5 a6 

22.Nxd6 Rxd6 23.Qxe5 Rd7 24.f6

Chasing the annoying Knight.

To open the f-file for his Rook.

24...Ng6 25.Qf5 gxf6 

An oversight, the kind of thing that can happen when under pressure.

Black could have tried to hold on with Stockfish 15.1's suggestion of 25...Rf7, but the following possible line of play is not encouraging: 26.fxg7+ Rxg7 27.Bh6 Nxh4 28.Qf6 Ng6 29.Rf2 Rc6 30.Bxg7+ Qxg7 31.Qd8+ Qg8 32.Qd7 Qc8 33.Qf7. White's Rook and 2 pawns are worth more than Black's two pieces. 

26.Qxd7 Bc6 27.Qd6 c4 28.Bh6 Black resigned

Black's pieces are still not cooperating.