Jerome Gambit: With A Bullet

The following game was played at the speed of 1 minute, no increment. 

I continue to be amazed how successful angelcamina is, with such little -TIME- to work with.

angelcamina - hsynli_5

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 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 Qe7

9.Qc4 

Stockfish 16 evaluates 9.Qxe7+ as about 2 pawns better than the text move, but not every Jerome Gambiteer is ready to exchange Queens so early in the game. 

9...d6

The computer's choice here is the bolder 9...d5 which shows up in only one game in The Database, fehim - NicholsonM, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 32).

angelcamina has scored 13 -3 against 9...Nf6. 

He is 2 -1 against 9... c6. 

10.O-O Be6 11.Qa4+ 

Stiring things up. According to The Database, angelcamina was 1 - 2 with 11.Qb4 here, and 2 - 0 with 11.Qb5+.

11...Bd7 12.Qb3 

12...Rb8 

Playing it safe. Perhaps he did not believe that those who take the b-pawn will sleep in the gutter... Is the question "Jerome Gambit: To b or Not to b?"

Another possibility was 12...Qxe4, but perhaps that did not feel "safe".  

13.d4 

Willing to take Black at his word, that the e-pawn is poisoned. Otherwise: 13.d3. 

13...Nf6 14.Nc3 a6

Again, hoping to forestall mischief.

15.Bd2 Qf7 16.Qa3 Ke7

Hoping to be able to castle-by-hand. 

17.f4 Rhe8 18.e5 

 18...Nd5 

He would do better completing "castling" with 18...Kf8 and an even game.

19.f5 Nh8 20.Rae1 

The "Jerome pawns", backed by Rooks, are looking to cause problems.

20...Bb5 21.Nxb5 

21...axb5 22.exd6+ Kd7 23.dxc7 Kxc7 

White has 3 pawns for his sacrificed piece, but, besides Black's Knight stuck at h8, King safety - in this case, Black's King is not - is the most salient issue.

24.Qc5+ Kd7 25.Qxb5+ Kc7 26.Qc5+ Kd7 27.Qb5+ Kc7 

28.Bf4+ 

No draw, thank you, just gaining a little time on the clock.

The computer prefers 28.c4, but angelcamina is planning on finishing off his opponent quicker. Things fall apart, the center cannot hold.

28...Kc8 29.Qc5+ Nc7 30.Rxe8+ Qxe8 31.Qxc7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Tournament Update

                             

It looks like I will come in first in my first round group of 12 at the 228-player Jerome Gambit Classic #1 tournament at Chess.com, possibly even finishing 22 - 0; and then move on to the next round. I have two games to finish.

Things are not quite as rosy for me in the second round of the 250-player Giuoco Fun tournament, also at Chess.com. I probably have to win my last 3 games to advance from my group of 5.

Finally, it looks like I need at least a draw in my final game in the second round of the Italian Game tournament (Chess.com), plus a favorable tie-break.

All along the way, the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has been a faithful companion.

Jerome Gambit: Finally, the Idea Worked

Many of my Jerome Gambit games (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) have followed an uninspired pattern of sacrificing material, recovering the material, and winning in the endgame.

The following one is an exception. I like to think that Alonzo Wheeler Jerome would have been happy with the way that the game ended.

xulian - perrypawnpusher

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.c3 

White chose a more "modern" approach to the Jerome Gambit, rather than the "classical" 5.Nxe5+. Earlier chess engines preferred this approach (sacrificing one piece is enough), but current ones, like Stockfish 15.1, assess 5.Nxe5+ as about a pawn stronger than 5.c3.

5...Nf6 6.d3 Bb6 

Instead, Black castled-by-hand with 6...Rf8 7.O-O Kg8 in ecimsa - perrypawnpusher, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 32). 

7.O-O 

Queens came off the board after 7.Qb3+ d5 8. exd5 Qxd5 9. Qxd5+ Nxd5 in Gary_Seven - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic tournament, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (0-1, 30). 

7...Rf8 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 Kg8 d6 11.Qc2 Bg4 12.h3 Be6 

With a piece for a pawn, I was content to play a slow game, along with my opponent. He did not have full compensation for his sacrifices.

13.b3 Qd7 

The ghost of an idea forms.

14.Bg3 Nh5 15.Bh2 Nf4 16.Bxf4 Rxf4 

Storm clouds gathered...

17.Rad1 

Thinking about d3-d4.

17...Bxh3

I have made this sacrifice in a number of games over the years (none of them Jeromes) and it has never worked. In the current game, I was helped by the fact that Black was already better.

18.gxh3 

It is hard to be critical of this move, as the alternatives, 18.Ne1 or 18.g3 or 18.d4 still would maintain Black's advantage.

Still, I now had my chance.

18...Qxh3 19.Nh2 Rh4 20.Ndf3 Qg3+ 21.Kh1 Qxf3+ 22.Kg1 Qg3+ 23.Kh1 Qxh2 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Out of Gas

The following game started out as promising for me, but my attack soon ran out of gas.

perrypawnpusher - Igorrud

Giuoco Fun, Chess.com, 2024

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 

This position appears in 372 games in The Database. White scores 55%.

9.Nc3

I have also tried 9.O-O, as in perrypawnpusher - recreation, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 13) and perrypawnpusher - kashifnaseem, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 38).

9...c6 

Keeping watch over the d5 square.

Stockfish 15.1 (30 ply) prefers 9...h5!?

I have also faced 9...Ne7 in perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 36) 

10.O-O Ne7 11.d3 Ng6 

I was surprised to see that Stockfish 16.1 considered this position as completely equal, based on the odd line of play: 12.Na4 h5 13.Nxc5 h4 14.Qe3 h3 15.e5 Qxe5 16.Qxe5 Nxe5 17.Re1 hxg2 18.Re3 Rh3 19.Ne4 Nf3+ 20.Kxg2 Nh4+ 21.Kh1 Nf3 22.Kg2 Nh4+, etc. Does Black really have to force a draw by repetition?

Also: Given how much White has sacrificed, is an assessment of the game "equal" a success for him?

12.Be3 Kf7 13.Bxc5 dxc5 14.f4 Rf8 15.Qf3 Kg8 

Black has a piece for two pawns, and he has castled-by-hand.

16.Qe3 

Hoping to move the Queen off of the f-file (enemy Rook) and gain a tempo in the process, as Black has to protect his forward c-pawn.

This just leaves my f-pawn hanging, however - nothing neither I nor my opponent noticed.

16...b6 17.e5

This advance just creates a hole that the enemy Queen positions herself in.

17...Qf5 18.Ne4 

This was my self-justification for my last move. 

18...Be6 

Allowing White to get a little pull. Still in play was 18...Nxf4.

Now, things start to be exchanged.

19.Ng3 Qf7 20.Qxe5 Qxe5 Nxe5 24.Rae1 Rxf1+ draw agreed

Jerome Gambit: A Cat May Look At A King

At bullet speed, the Jerome Gambit can cause many problems for defenders. It is not enough for them to know that the Jerome is "refuted" - they have to have some ideas about how to put that assessment into practice. 

In the following game, CATCHESS11 has some ideas, but not all of them prove fruitful.

angelcamina - CATCHESS11

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

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

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4

Being new to the Jerome Gambit (apparently), Black quickly (it is a 1-minute game) establishes a line of play that looks reasonable.

To his misfortune, The Database indicates that angelcamina has had this position 27 times, and has scored 72%.

Best, keeping a slight edge for Black, would have been 7...Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6.

8.dxe5 Nxe4 

This is the idea: the White Knight on c3 that is "protecting" the e4 pawn is now pinned.

Because of White's response, however, it will become clear that the retreat, 8...Ne8 is necessary. 

9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Qxe4 Qe7 

White has an extra pawn, and the advantage.

11.O-O Bxc3 12.bxc3 d6 13.f4 Bd7 14.Ba3 Bc6 15.Qe3 Re8 

16.Rad1 

"Wrong Rook" carps Stockfish 16.1, which prefers 16.Rae1. Nonetheless, after the text, White is still better.

16...g6 17.Qg3 Kg7 18.c4 Rhf8 19.Bb2 Kg8 20.f5 

Here Black either resigned or lost on time - my guess is the latter.

The "Jerome pawns" are impressive, leading the attack.

Jerome Gambit: For the Defense

Playing in a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) tournament means that I have to face the opening, as well as play it.

The Database shows that I have played 484 Jerome Gambit games.

Happily, in the 446 games where I had White, I scored 82%.

Showing that knowledge of a line means something, in the 38 games where I had Black, I scored 93%.

To introduce the following game I can borrow from the TV show "The Naked City" 

There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them.

carzair - perrypawnpusher

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.O-O Nf6 6.c3 

The position could also be reached by the move order 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.0-0.

Of course, White can choose other moves, illustrated in some of my games:

6.d3 in Capt.Mandrake - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic, Chessworld.net, 2008 (0-1, 8); 

6.Nc3 in leobrazer - perrypawnpusher, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 48); 

6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Nc6 in perrypawnpusher - Freddy1201, Play The Italian Game III, Chess.com 2023 (0-1, 23) and perrypawnpusher - vityas81, Chess.com, 2023 (1-0, 16);

6.Ng5+ in Kavakava - perrypawnpusher, blitz, FICS, 2008 (0-1, 41) and ecimsa - perrypawnpusher, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 32).

6...Re8 

Or 6...Rf8 in Philidor1792 - perrypawnpusher, Chess.com, 2015 (1-0, 36) 

7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4 Bb6 

The position has taken on a bit of a "hypermodern" aura, with White having a pawn center unopponsed by enemy pawns, but strongly pressured by Black's pieces.

This is well-presented in a post by KeSetoKaiba (his YouTube site,) at Chess.com in 2020

Romantic chess is an approach that chess is an art-form and a medium to be creative. It is better to play a creative attacking line that is slightly unsound if you get an interesting game or elegant position. Naturally, this is almost opposite to computer-like chess play of today's era. Romantic chess usually involves opening gambits/traps, sacrifices (may or may not be perfectly sound moves), and creative deflections and mating nets. Perhaps the most iconic "romantic" opening is the famous King's Gambit, but other openings have also been called romantic in nature: The Tarrasch Defense against 1.d4 (Kasparov played this opening a lot in his youth) and the Blackburn Shilling Gambit are prime examples of the type of play this play-style characterizes...

Many openings play what is coined “hypermodern” theory. This type of opening is characterized by one side (usually Black) allowing the opponent to build a center, so that they may have a target to attack by undermining the central stronghold. Probably the opening I think of most when I hear “hypermodern” is the theory-heavy Grunfeld Defense. The aggressive King’s Indian Defense and Dutch Defense also follows the same motif in many lines because White usually gets the central control and Black thematically goes for the …f5 pawn break to undermine the center. Naturally, these hypermodern openings are always sharp and risky – but it is an interesting way to approach chess in contrast to the “control the center [early in the opening especially]” opening principle that chess beginners are taught to follow. 

9.Qb3+

Instead, phillychampion has played 9.e5 here in a number of games on lichess.org.

9...d5 10.exd5 Qxd5 11.Qxd5+ Nxd5 

White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece, and lags in development.

12.Nc3 Nf6 13.Be3 Bg4 14.Nd2 

Not wanting his Kingside broken up, but this costs a pawn.

14...Bxd4 15.Bxd4 Nxd4 

The pawn center is gone, and I have an extra piece in a Queenless middlegame.

16.h3 Bd7 17.Rad1 Bc6 18.g4 Rad8 19.g5 Ne4 20.Ndxe4 Bxe4 21.Nxe4 Rxe4 

If nothing changes, nothing changes.

22.f3 Ree8 23.h4 Re2 

Suddenly - an idea.

24.Rc1 Nc6 25.Rb1 Rdd2 

Pigs on the second rank.

26.f4 Rg2+ 27.Kh1 Rh2+ 28.Kg1 Rdg2 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: DDD

American writer Mark Twain once said “I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”

The following tale of an "optical illusion" called the "Disdainful Defender Defense" runs through a lot of Jerome Gambit games, mine included.

perrypawnpusher - Etus11

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 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 

We have reached a standard position in the Jerome Gambit. In fact, Alonzo Wheeler Jerome reached it at least 7 times in his games.

The Database has 200 games with this position. White scores 66%.  My stastistics are a bit better, with 15 wins against  2 losses. 

11.d3 Rf8 

An unfortunate tale, underestimating the Jerome Gambit, told before in my games:

11... Rf8 12.Bf4 in perrypawnpusher - mconst, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 42) and perrypawnpusher - recreation, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 13);

11...Bb4+ 12.c3 Ba5 13.Bf4  in perrypawnpusher - ViennaMike, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19); 

11...Re8 12.Bf4  in perrypawnpusher - Estebang, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 28); 

11...Bd4 12.Bf4 in perrypawnpusher - Rossgil, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 26); 

11...Ke7 12.Nc3 Bd4 13.Bf4 in perrypawnpusher - karleinkarl, blitz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 16); and

11...Ke7 12.Nc3 d6 13.Bf4 in perrypawnpusher - vz721, Italian Game thematic, Chess.com, 2013 (1-0, 29). 

12.Bf4 Qxf4 13.Qxf4+ Ke6 14.Qf5+ Ke7 15.Qxc5+ d6 16.Qg5 Rf7

With a Queen and a pawn for a Bishop, White's victory should be a matter of time.

17.Nc3  Kf8 18.O-O Kg8 19.Nd5 h6 

Hoping to chase off the annoying Queen, but actually allowing checkmate.

20.Qg6 Nxd5 

Speeding things.

21.Rxf7 Black resigned