Jerome Gambit: Oversight

One of my numerous ongoing Jerome Gambit games (see"Jerome Gambit: Overwhelmed?!") ended quickly, after an oversight by opponent.

perrypawnpusher - yoyokskr

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nh6 

This is an interesting, but flawed, idea, one that has not fared well in game play: in 20 games, White has scored 88%.

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.Qd5+ Kb6 

11. Qb3+ 

This is an improvement over several of my earlier games:

11.d4 was seen in perrypawnpusher - hotintheshade, 10 2 blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 46); and

11.Nc3 was seen in perrypawnpusher - GPP, 10 0 blitz, FICS 2010 (1-0, 9); perrypawnpusher - Ondras, 2 12 blitz, FICS 2012 (1-0, 31); and perrypawnpusher - scarsetto, 5 5 blitz, FICS, 2017 (1-0, 15). 

11...Kc6 12.Nc3 d6 

If the pawn had taken one more step, the game might have continued, but, now...

13.Qb5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: No Escape

In the following Jerome Gambit game, Black has his chances, but he lets them slip by, and he soon finds himself in a position with no escape.

angelcamina - Bucklord

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6 

9.Qc4+ d5 10.exd5 Re8+ 11.Be3 Ne5 12.Qb3 Kf8 

angelcamina has also faced 12...Qd6 13.O-O-O Kg8 14.Nb5 Qa6 15.Nxc7 Qd6 16.Nxe8 Nxe8 17.Bf4 Bf5 18.Bxe5 Qxe5 19.Rhe1 Qd6 20.Qg3 White won on time, angelcamina - cricospoetos, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022. 

13.0-0-0 Bf5

Also : 13...Neg4 14.Bc5+ Kg8 15.h3 Nh6 16.g4 Nf7 17.f4 Nd7 18.Ba3 c6 19.dxc6 bxc6 20.h4 Qf6 21.f5 Nb6 22.Bc5 g6 23.Bd4 Qd6 24.Bxb6 Qf4+ 25.Kb1 axb6 26.fxg6 hxg6 27.h5 Qxg4 28.hxg6 Qxg6 29.Rdg1 Bg4 30.Rh4 Kf8 31.Qb4+ Re7 32.Qxg4 Qxg4 33.Rhxg4 Re1+ Black won on time, angelcamina - D_ragonslayer, 1 0  bullet, lichess.org, 2024. 

14.Bc5+ Re7 

Worried about the possible uncovered check after 14...Kf8 ?

15.Bxe7+ Qxe7 

White is better, but the game is not over.

16.f4 Neg4 17.Rhe1 Qd6 18.h3 Nf2

Missing a chance to stir things up with 18...Qxf4+ - and an edge.

19.Rd2 

Taking precautions against the possible Queen check from f4. With a slower time control, White might have triec 19.Qxb7.

19...N2e4 20.Nxe4 Nxe4 21.Rde2 Re8

22.g4 Bg6 23.f5 Bf7 24.Rxe4 Bxd5 

Getting ahead of himself, and allowing checkmate. First 24...Rxe4, then 25...Bxd5 and the game would be balanced.

25.Rxe8+ Kf7 26.Qe3 Black resigned

There is no escape for Black.

Jerome Gambit: New Video

For the latest YouTube video on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), check out Jim Santosa's videos - in particular "Giuoco Piano Game: Jerome Gambit | Blitz 3 Minute".

As usual, you are encouraged to enjoy his other videos, as well.

Jerome Gambit: Overwhelmed!?

 

I happened to look at my phone this afternoon, and it indicated that I had 15 more chess games at Chess.com awaiting my next move.

Yikes!

It looks like the second round of the Jerome Gambit Classic #1 tournament has started, and I am not quite finished with the Giuoco Fun tournament, either.

A peek at my database, where I keep track of my Jeromes, indicates that I have 26 ongoing Jerome Gambit games.

I suspect that I will learn a lot in the next few weeks...

Another Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament (Part 11)

Chess is a game of decisions. 

In the following game, a miniature, Black chooses one capture over another, and, later, one retreat over another.

The results are significant.

Duckfest - Chioborra

Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament, Chess.com, 2023

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

4...Kxf7 5.c3 

Another "modern" line of the Jerome Gambit, as opposed to 5.Nxe5+, which was Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's choice.

5...Nf6 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 

White has a pawn center. Black attacks it.

7...Bb4+ 8.Nc3 Nxe4 9.O-O 

How odd that this position is similar from one from Greco, in 1620, after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.O-O. 

In the mean time: Decisions, decisions, decisions...

How should Black capture on c3?

There are 24 such positions in The Database.

9...Nxc3 

12 of those 24 times, Black chose 9...Nxc3 and was rewarded with 6 wins.

10 times, Black chose 9...Bxc3 and was also rewarded with 6 wins.

(Once Black lost with 9...d5 and won with 9...Rf8)

Stockfish 15.1 weighs in on the discussion: 9...Nxc3 (27 ply) leads to a position that is evaluated as about even, while 9...Bxc3 (27 ply) is evaluated as being about 3 pawns better for Black. 

10.bxc3 Bd6 

More to the point was 10...Be7, after which 11.d5 stirs things up: 11...Re8 (11...Nb8 12.Ne5+ Kf8 13Qf3+ Bf6 14.d6 cxd6 15.Ba3 g6 16.Qd5 Bxe5 17.Qxe5 Kg8 18.Qd5+ Kg7 19.Bb2 Rf8 20.c4+ Rf6 21.g4 h6 22.f4 Kf8 23.Qd4 d5 24.g5 d6 25.Qxf6+ Qxf6 26.Bxf6 hxg5 27.cxd5) 12.dxc6 dxc6 13.Qb3+ Qd5 (13...Be6 14.Ne5+ Kf6 15.Bg5+ Kf5 16.g4+ Kxg5 17.Qxe6 g6 18.Nf7+ Kh4 19.Nxd8 Raxd8 20.Qf7) 14.c4 Qd6 15.Bb2 Bf5 with an equal position.

11.Ng5+ Ke7 

The best response was 11...Kf8, although White would still be better. 

For the record: 11...Kg8 12.Qb3+ Kf8 13.Qf7 checkmate. 

12.Re1+ Kf6 

Black had to give back a piece with 12...Be5, although things would still unravel for him: 13.d5 h6 14.dxc6 d6 15.Qd5 hxg5 16.Bxg5+ Kf8 17.Rxe5 bxc6 18.Qxc6 Qd7 19.Qf3+ Qf7 20.Qxa8 dxe5 21.Qxc8+ Qe8 22.Qf5+ Kg8 23.Re1.

Now, mate is forced. 

13.Qf3+ Kg6 14.Qf7+ Kh6 15.Ne6+ Qg5 16.Bxg5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit:Why?

If you came upon a YouTube site with the header "Subscribe if you laugh" and you noted that the host, whose handle is SkillerEP, further referenced "Canadian Chess Comedy" - you would know that you had arrived at a place of chess creativity & humor.

You would hardly be surprised to find a short video titled "Why the Jerome Gambit Works", would you? 

(I have spent over two decades years trying to answer that Why question.)

Still, it makes you want to click on the link, doesn't it? And on the links of some of his other 204 videos, as well. You should. Go ahead.

When it comes to the Jerome Gambit, it must also be mentioned that SkillerEP (a significantly stronger player than I am) has 367 games in The Database. 

SkillerEP's commentary on his blitz game - "Jerome Pioneer vs Angered Toddler" - is entertaining, insightful and well worth listening to.

Chess. Psychology. Decimation.

Jerome Gambit.

Another Jerome Gambit Practice Tournament (Part 10)

Of the following game, it can be said that Black was doing very well - until he wasn't.

Sharp openings like the Jerome Gambit can be like that.

Chioborra - 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+ Ke6 

7.Qh3+ 

This was looked at in Yury V. Bukayev's posts "JG: The New (Parts 1, 2 & 3)",

7...Kd6 8.Nc3 Qf6 9.O-O 

The alternative, 9.d4, was suggested by Yury V. Bukayev in the post  "JG: The New (Part 3)".

9...Ne7 10.d3 

White goes for solid play.

He had more aggression in 10.d4, if only because 10...Bxd4 11.Nb5+ Kc5 12.Nxd4 Kxd4 would then lead to checkmate: 13.Qe3+ Kc4 14.a4 Nf3+ 15.gxf3 Qd4 16.Qa3 Qxe4 17.fxe4 Kd4 18.Qb4+ Ke5 19.Qxe7+ Kd4 20.Be3+ Kc4 21.Qc5#.

The Database has 3 other games with 9...Ne7, but all continue 10.Nb5+.

10...Kc6 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.fxe3 Qg5 

Black has an extra two pieces to compensate for his lost two pawns.

13.d4 d6 14.d5+ Kc5 15.Qg3 Ng4 

After White's inaccuracy at move 10, Black should have taken the money and run - exchanged Queens and pressed on in a Queenless middlegame.

16.Qe1 Qh4 

Oh.

An idea that works in the position: 16...Qxe3+ 17.Qxe3 Nxe3. 

An idea that does not work in the position: 16...Qh5 (still with the checkmate threat) 16...Qh5 17.b4+ Kb6 18.Na4+ Kb5 19.c4+ Kxc4 20.Qe2+ Kxb4 21.Rab1+ Ka3 22.Qb2+ Kxa4 23.Qb4#.

17.Qxh4 

The game is pretty much over after the Queen is lost.

Tactical maniacs might point out that it wasn't even necessary to take Her Majesty, as there was a forced checkmate similar to the one above: 17.b4+ Kb6 18.Na4+ Kb5 19.c4+ Kxc4 20.Qe2+ Kxb4 21.Rab1+ Ka3 22.Rb3+ Kxa4 23.Qb5#. 

17...Ng6 18.Qe1 Rf8 19.Qe2 a6 20.Rxf8 Nxf8 21.Rf1 Ng6 22.Na4+ Kb4 23.a3+ Kxa4 24.Qc4+ Ka5 25.Qb4 checkmate