Another Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament (Part 9)

Here is another example of tactics winning the day in a complicated Jerome Gambit position.

LemonOtter42 - KevinOSh

Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament, Chess.com, 2023

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

4...Kxf7 5.d3

This "modern" version of the Jerome was LemonOtter's choice of opening line in each of his games with White in this tournament.

5...d6 6.Ng5+ 

This check is tempting, but does not lead to anything. The Database has 147 game examples, with White scoring 26%.

6...Kf8 

6...Ke8 might have been better. See below.

7.Nc3 h6 8.Nf3 Bg4 

The game has gotten away from White. Moreover, there are complications ahead, and whoever does better with them will get the full point.

9.Nd5 Nd4 

The Knight is not as secure as Black thinks. White can now play 10.Nxd4, as 10...Bxd1 can be met by the fork 11.Ne6+. (Black does best with 10...Qh4.)

10.b4 c6 11.bxc5 

11...cxd5 

First Black should have played 11...Bxf3 12.gxf3 and then 12...cxd5 because this move could have been met by 12.Nxd4.

12.exd5 dxc5 

Again, first 12...Bxf3. 

13.h3 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Qxd5 

Black now finishes up.

15.c3 Qxf3 16.cxd4 Qxh1+ 17.Kd2 Qxd1+ 18.Kxd1 exd4 

19.Ba3 b6 20.f4 g5 21.fxg5 hxg5 22.Kc2 Rxh3 23.Rf1+ Kg7 

24.Rf5 Kg6 25.Re5 Nf6 26.Re6 Re8 27.Rd6 Re2+ 28.Kb3 Rxd3+ 29.Ka4 Rxa2 30.Rc6 Rdxa3+ 31.Kb5 Rb2+ 32.Kc4 Rc3 checkmate

Another Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament (Part 8)

The following game contains a well-told tale. The Jerome Gambit starts with a lot of bluster, often with the game ending quickly. If the defender defends well, then White must yield ground begrudgingly in worse positions, constantly looking for a tactical shot to even things - or bring home the full point.

 

Duckfest - KevinOSh

Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament, Chess.com, 2023

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qf6 9.Nc3

With Black's Queen on f6, it is logical to develop the Knight and threaten Nd5.

9...Ne7 10.O-O h5 

Interestingly, this is Stockfish 15.1's suggestion, as is White's response.

11.h4 Bg4 12.d3 c6 

Black hopes to keep the White Knight out of d5 for good, but he could also have moved his King off the a3-f8 diagonal with 12...Kg8. 

13.Be3

There was also the chance to gain the "minor exchange" with 13.Na4 followed by exchanging. This would give White a slight edge.

13...Bd4 14.Bf4 

Targeting the weakened d6 pawn. Now, either 14...Be5 followed by exchanges, or 14...Ng6 15.Bxe6+ Kg8 16.Kh1 Rd8 (Stockfish's line) would be good for Black.

14...Rd8 

Good as well: Black shores up his pawn.

15.Nd1 

Hoping for enough time to play c2-c3 and blunt Black's battery of Bishop and Queen.

Black should now ignore the White b-pawn (which he does) and play 15...Be2 or 15...Bxd1 or even 15...Bc8; or anticipate things and move the other Bishop to e5.

Instead, unfortunately for him, he swats at White's Bishop with his own exchange-Knight-for-Bishop idea.

15...Ng6 16.Bg5 Black resigned

This skewer will cost Black his Rook.

The try 16...Nf4, hoping to answer 17.Bxf6 with the Knight escapade 17...Nxe2+ 18.Kh2 Nxg3 19.Bxd4 Nxf1+ 20.Kg1 Nd2 21.Be3 Nxe4 22.dxe4 Bxd1 23.Rxd1 b6, going up the exchange for a pawn, falls at the start to 17.Bxf4, losing a piece.

Jerome Gambit: The Fun Continues

The second round of the "Giuoco Fun" tournament at Chess.com (see "Jerome Gambit: The Battles Continue") has started, and I am matched with kertt1, Borislav007, Igorrud and SPK_316.

I am playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in my four games as White.

I suppose that I could also be defending against the Jerome, but two games, already, have chosen different paths. We will see.

Another Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament (Part 7)

In the following game, Black uses Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's defense against Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's gambit, so it can be argued that Alonzo Wheeler Jerome was vindicated.

"For Jerome!" as Canadian Grandmaster Aman Hambleton might say.

KevinOSh - Duckfest

Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament, Chess.com, 2023

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

Seen in Jaeger - Jerome, correspondence, 1880 (0-1, 14).

7.Qxe5 d5 

This is, by far, the strongest move in this position, although, according to The Database, it is quite rare. White has scored 2- 8 when facing this line. Fair warning.

8.d4 Bb6 9.c3 Nf6 10.Bg5 

There was also the possibility of reinforcing the center with 10.f3, a new idea. 

10...Kf7 

Or he could have tried 10...dxe4 11.O-O h6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Qxe4 Kf7 14.Re1 Rf8 15.Nd2 Kg8, also, having castled-by hand, with the advantage of a piece for two pawns, and the two Bishops.

11.O-O Re8 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Qxd5+ Be6 14.Qxb7 

This is riskier than 14.Qh5+ or 14.Qb5, but White has to do something. 

14...Qg5 

This move is aggressive-looking, but it actually leads to an even position. He could have pushed his opponent around a bit more with 14...Bc4 15.e5 Qe6 16.Rc1. 

15.f4 

Overlooking something. White's chances rested with 15.Qc6 Kf8 and then 16.f4. 

15...Qb5 

White's Queen now has nowhere to go. Black has two threats now.

16.a4 

There is no joy in 16.Rf2 Rab8, either, but it addresses one of the threats. Instead, the text hopes to move Black's Queen, so that White's Queen can move to freedom.

16...Bxd4+ White resigned

Another Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament (Part 6)

Familiarity with the Jerome Gambit lines is helpful in navigating its tricky ways.

Be sure to check out Geoff Chandler's "Blunder Table", below, as it gives the insights of a creative player and chess teacher on how much an advantage is usually enough for a player to have, in order to advance to a win.

Duckfest - LemonOtter42

Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament, Chess.com, 2023

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 

Leaving the Rook en prise, either an oversight, or the Blackburne Defense. 

The latter harkens back to the brutal game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884 (0-1, 14), the one Jerome Gambit game most chessplayers are likely to be familiar with.

As I wrote in "Harried"

Here "Amateur" played 8.Qxh8 and after 8...Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.c3 he was crushed by Blackburne: 10...Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qxh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxe4 checkmate. 

At that time, 10.Qd8 was suggested by J.B. and E.M. Munoz, giving White the better game; although, almost 120 years later, Chandler and Dimitrov showed that Black could hold the draw.

8.Qxh8 Qf6 

Reacting to the enemy Queen.

White is content to swap, being the exchange and a couple of pawns ahead. 

9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.d3 Ng4 11.O-O d5 

12.Nc3 d4 13.Nd5 Bd6 14.Bf4 Be5 15.Bxe5 Nxe5 

White continues to move ahead.

It is good to reflect upon Geoff Chandler's "blunder table"

Here is a one-move blunder table showing how severe the blunder [or advantage, in this case - Rick] needs to be in a game between two players of the same grade.

All players should be able to spot their opponent leaving a mate in one on.

A 1200 player should win if an opponent blunders a Queen or a Rook. But not necessarily if they pick up a Bishop or Knight.

1500 players often convert piece-up games into a win, but this is not the case if a pawn or two up.

An 1800 player usually wins if they are two pawns up.

In a game between two 2000+ players a blundered pawn is usually enough to win.

16.Nxc7 Rb8 17.Nb5 Ke7 18.Nxd4 a5 19.f4 Ng4 20.Rae1 h5 21.h3 Nf6 

22.f5 gxf5 23.Nxf5+ Kd7 24.e5 Nd5 25.Ng7 b5 26.Nxh5 Bb7 27.Nf6+ Nxf6 28.exf6 

28...Kc6 

White's pawns are too much.

29.f7 Rf8 30.Re8 Rxf7 31.Rxf7 Kc5 

Some players do not resign, preferring to play until checkmate.

32.Rxb7 Kc6 33.Rh7 b4 34.Re5 Kd6 35.Rxa5 Kc6 36.Rh6+ Kb7 37.Rg5 Kc7 38.Rg7+ Kc8 39.Rh8 checkmate

Another Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament (Part 5)

The Jerome Gambit is not a guaranteed win.

Indeed, The Database has 36,195 games starting with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, and White scores 53%.

Of course, some individual Jerome Gambiteers score much better. (I score 81% in my games, and I am, by no means, the most successful.)

Players also have good days and bad days with the opening.

The following game reminds me of fight manager Joe Jacobs, who in 1935 lamented I should have stood in bed.

Chioborra - Duckfest

Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament, Chess.com, 2023

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ 

If Readers want to explore an alternative to White's 7th move, Yury V. Bukayev has given a lot of attention to 7.Qh3+. You can use search function to find all of his important analytical researches and games including the latest part:

"JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 14)".

Moreover, Yury has given some attention to 7.f4:

"Was H.Nakamura Right? Is JG ‘Unbreakable’, Is EG ‘Legendary’ For Beginners’ Games? (Part 2)".

7...Kd6 8.c3 

This move is a bit slow. It is seen in 167 games in The Database, with White scoring 46%. 

8...Qf6 9.Qxf6+ 

It is unfortunate that White has to exchange Queens, as it dampens his attacking chances.

9...Nxf6 

I realize that White has d2-d4 coming, and that Black's King is akwardly placed, but the second player is clearly better. 

Once again, the first player will have to press and be aware of chances as they come. As a start, 10.d4 would block the enemy's Bishop's pressure along the a7-g1 diagonal and allow, after castling, f2-f4.

10.O-O 

I suspect that White expected his opponent's next move, but figured that his Queenside play would be adequate.

10...Nd3 11.b4 Bb6 12.c4 c5 

13.b5 

There is not much play left here.

13...Nxe4 14.Ba3 a6 15.f3 Ng5 16.bxa6 Rxa6 17.Bc1 

Black now attacks the c4 pawn, and from there, the Bishop.

17...Ra4 18.Na3 Kc6 19.f4 Ne6 20.f5 Nd4 21.Nb5 Ne2+ 22.Kh1 Rxc4 23.a4 Nexc1 White resigned

Another Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament (Part 4)

 

Once again we see an interesting Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), decided, this time, in a Queenless middlegame.

It is risky to offer Jerome Gambit odds to a player who outranks you by 235 points, but this game was in a practice turnament, after all.

Chioborra - KevinOSh

Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament, Chess.com, 2023

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

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

This is Whistler's Defense, seen in the correspondence game between Alonzo Wheeler Jerome and Lt. G.N. Whistler, USA, Secretary, Lexington Kentucky Chess Club, found in the December 1876 issue of the American Chess Journal.

8.Qd5+ Kg7 

See Yury V. Bukayev's "Anatoly Karpov & Jerome Gambit (Parts 7 & 8)"   

9.d4 

For 9.b4!? see Yury V. Bukayev's "JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 15)"

9...Bb6 10.Bg5 Nf6 11.Bxf6+ Qxf6 

White exchanged at f6 in order to keep his Queen centralized. He will trade only if he can get something out of the deal.

12.e5 Qc6 13.Qxc6 bxc6 14.c3 Ba6 

Black's pawns have been disrupted, but his Bishops look quite deadly. 

15.Nd2 d5 

Better 15...c5.

16.O-O-O 

Instead, 16.a4 would have embarassed (and later, won) Black's Bishop at b6. 

16...c5 17.Nb3 c4 18.Nd2 c5 19.f4 cxd4 20.cxd4 Bxd4 

Black's Bishops are no longer stifled.

21.Nf3 Be3+ 22.Kb1 Bb7 23.g3 d4 

Black's advanced pawns, in addition, look dangerous.

24.Rhf1 Be4+ 25.Ka1 Rhd8 26.Ng5 Bf5 27.h3 h6 28.g4 Bxg4 29.hxg4 hxg5 30.fxg5 Bxg5 

Black's passed pawn is protected, White is not.

31.e6 Rf8 32. Rfe1 d3 33.Re5 Be7 34.Re4 d2 35.Rxc4 Rf2 36.Rd4 Rd8 

Just in time.

37.Rxd8 Bxd8 38.a4 Re2 White resigned

White can threaten the enemy pawn at d2 with 39.Kc3, but after 39...Bg5 Black has a checkmate in 17 moves.