Jerome Gambit: Wile E Coyote vs Roadrunner

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game reminds me of Wile E Coyote chasing the roadrunner so furiously that he overlooks the fact that he has just run off a cliff...

TePart0 - Metrogates

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

 7.Qxe5 d6 

The sound Blackburne's defense, trading a Rook for an attack on either the enemy King or the enemy Queen.

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.O-O 

It is a natural reflex to protect the King when an attack is looming. Still, the correct move - to obtain an advantage - is 9.d4.

As I mentioned in "*Traps and Zaps*" 15 1/2 years ago, 9.d4 is

An improvement suggested by Munoz and Munoz in the August 1885 Brooklyn Chess Chronicle, repeated by Fletcher in Gambits Accepted (1954) and Druke in the November 1987 Gambit Revue, to give some early citations. (Actually, the move is rarely mentioned, but see "A Closer Look (Part V)".)

9...Nf6 

Slam! 

The White Queen must do something about the upcoming move of Black's light square Bishop, uncovering an attack, e.g. 10.d3 (protecting the e-pawn) Bh3 and Black is winning.

10.Qd8 

The Queen finds the escape hatch.

Now White can draw after 10...Bh3 11.Qxc7+ Kf8 12.Qxb7 Qg4 (12...Bxg2 13.Qxa8+ Ne8 14.d4 Qg4 15.Bh6+ Ke7 16.Qb7+ Kd8 17.Qb8+ Ke7 18.Qb7+ Kd8 19.Qb8+ etc.) 13.Qxa8+ Kf7 14.Qb7+ Kf8 15.Qa8+ Kf7 16.Qb7+ etc. 

10...Ng4 

Whoa! Black is so excited about his overwhelming attack that he overlooks something crucial.

11.Qxh4

Ouch.

Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Black Tries

Being surprised by the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can lead the defender to create a defense that may - or may not - hold off the attack.

In the following game, Black tries, but it is not enough.

Matthew_Slater - lorenz_ricc

3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qxh8 Qh4 

Black has aggressive plans, but he is apparently not familiar with the Jerome Gambit. His 7...Qe7, Whistler's defense, is based upon the idea of 8...Qxe4+, if White grabs the Rook. The checkmate threat at f2, instead, is easily dealt with, and as the game goes, Black is a move down compared to more mainline Jerome Gambit variations, and White is better.

Somewhat surprisingly, The Database has 6 games with this position, where White scored 3- 3. 

9.0–0 

Following up on the previous note, it can be pointed out that after 9.d4 Qxe4+ the game would transpose to Whistler's defense, a move down, when 10.Be3 Qxg2 11.Qxh7+ Ke6 12.Qxg8+ Kd6 13.Bf4+ Kc6 14.Rf1 Qe4+ 15.Be3 Bxd4 16.Qc4+ Kd6 17.Nc3 Bxc3+ 18.Qxc3 b6 19.0–0–0+ Ke6 20.Rfe1 Black resigned, PedrosF1 – samgib996, lichess.org, 2021. That extra move changes the evaluation of the position from "good for Black" to "good for White".

9...d6 

More direct was 9...Nf6, closing in the enemy Queen, forcing White to take moves to extract her; but 10.Qd8 would be good enough of a response, and 10.d4 would keep White's advantage.

10.Nc3 

Better 10.d4. 

10...Qg5 

Careless.

The players could split the point after 10...Nf6 11.Qd8 Bd7 12.Qxc7 Rc8 13.Qxb7 Rb8 14.Qc7 Rc8 15.Qb7 Rb8 16.Qc7, etc.

11.d4

White's move attacks both Queen and Bishop, while maintaining pressure on the King.

Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Faster Than A Speeding Bullet

I continue to be impressed by how angelcamina produces powerful Jerome Gambit wins in a minute's time.

The latest example I have is below.

angel_camina - MoonDze

1 0 bullet, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Nf6 

Not the strongest reply (either 7...d6 or 7...Qe7). The Database has 327 games with 7...Nf6. White scores 76%. 

8.Qxc5 Re8 9.Nc3 

angelcamina has also played 9.d3, e.g. Kg8 (9...d6 10.Qc4+ Be6 [10...Kg7 11.O-O d5 12.exd5 Qxd5 13.Qxd5 Nxd5 14.Nc3 Nb4 15.a3 Nxc2 16.Rb1 Nd4 17.Be3 Nf5 18.Rfe1 b6 19.Bf4 c5 20.Rxe8 Bb7 21.Rxa8 Bxa8 22.Re1 Kf7 23.Bg5 Bc6 24.g4 Nd4 25.Be3 Kg8 26.Bxd4 cxd4 27.Ne4 a5 28.Nf6+ Kf7 29.Ne4 Bxe4 30.Rxe4 Kf6 31.f4 h5 32.g5+ Kf5 33.Kg2 b5 34.Kf3 b4 35.Re5 checkmate, angelcamina - Mv1993, lichess.org, 2019] 11.Qb5 c6 12.Qxb7+ Re7 13.Qxc6 Rc8 14.Qa6 d5 15.e5 Ne4 16.dxe4 dxe4 17.O-O Kg7 18.Bg5 Qf8 19.Bf6+ Kf7 20.Bxe7 Qxe7 21.Nc3 Bg4 22.Nxe4 Bf3 23.Nd6+ Kg7 24.Nxc8 Qg5 25.Qf6+ Qxf6 26.exf6+ Kxf6 27.gxf3 Black resigned, angelcamina -  mithunchand, lichess.org, 2021; 9...d5 10.f3 dxe4 11.fxe4 Bg4 12.O-O b6 13.Qg5 Qd4+ 14.Be3 Qe5 15.Qxe5 Rxe5 16.Bd4 Re6 17.Nd2 c5 18.Bc3 Be2 19.Rf2 Bg4 20.h3 Bh5 21.g4 Kg7 22.Bxf6+ Rxf6 23.Rxf6 Kxf6 24.gxh5 gxh5 25.Rf1+ Kg5 26.Kh2 c4 27.Nxc4 Rc8 28.c3 b5 29.Ne5 Rd8 30.Nf7+ Kg6 31.Nxd8 Black resigned, angelcamina - merhad, lichess.org, 2020) 10.Qc4+ d5 11.Qb3 Be6 12.O-O dxe4 13.Qxb7 exd3 14.cxd3 Bd5 15.Qa6 Nh5 16.Nc3 Bf7 17.Be3 Re6 18.Qb7 c5 19.Qf3 Rc8 20.Rad1 Rf6 21.Qh3 Rcc6 22.Bg5 Nf4 23.Bxf6 Nxh3+ 24.gxh3 Qxf6 25.Ne4 Qxb2 26.Rb1 Qxa2 27.Ra1 Qe6 28.Rxa7 Qxh3 29.Rxf7 Kxf7 30.Ng5+ Kg7 31.Nxh3 Rd6 32.Nf4 c4 33.dxc4 Rd4 34.Kg2 Rxf4 35.Rc1 Rd4 36.c5 Rd8 37.c6 Rc8 38.c7 Kf7 39.f4 Ke6 40.Kg3 Kd7 41.Kg4 Rxc7 42.Kg5 Rxc1 Black resigned, angelcamina - natiazhizhavadze1989, lichess.org, 2023.

9...b6 10.Qc4+ Kg7 11.O-O d6 

White is up 2 pawns, but he still has to bring home the full point - quickly.

12.f4 b5 13.Qe2 

White could take the pawn - 13.Qxb5 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Rxe4 15.Qc6 Bf5 16.b3 Kf7 17.Bb2 - but he doesn't have to. 

13...b4 14.Nd1 Rxe4 15.Qf3 

Pressuring the enemy Rooks along the a8-h1 diagonal. He could have avoided some possible mischief with 15.Ne3. 

15...c6 

Black could have leveled the game with 15...Bg4 16.Qf2 Bxd1 17.Rxd1 Qb8 18.h3 Qb6 19.d3 Re2 20.Qxb6 axb6 21.Bd2. 

16.d3 Qb6+ 17.Kh1 Bg4 18.Qg3 Re7 

White is a pawn up, but lags in development.

19.b3

Planning to put his Bishop ona the a1-h8 diagonal. He could have gotten some release from the pressure with 19.Ne3.

19...Rae8 

It is easy for me to sit at my desk and make suggestions, while the game was flying by for the players at bullet speed.

Nonetheless, there was 19...Bxd1 20.Rxd1 Qd4 21.f5 (21.Rb1 Ne4 22.Bb2 Nxg3+ 23.hxg3 Qxb2 24.Rxb2) 21...Rae8 (Not 21...Qxa1 22.Bh6+) 22.Bg5 Re2 23.Rf1 Nh5 (better than 23...Rxc2 24.fxg6 Ng4 25.h3 Nf2+ 26.Kh2 Ree2 27.gxh7 Kxh7 28.Rab1 Nh1 29.Kxh1 Rxg2 30.Qxg2 Rxg2 31.Kxg2 Qd5+ 32.Rf3 Qxg5+ 33.Kh1 Qd2) 24.Qf3 Qxa1 25.Rxa1 Re1+ 26.Qf1 Rxf1+ 27.Rxf1 gxf5 28.Kg1 Re2 29.Rf2 Re1+ 30.Rf1 Re2 31.Rf2 with a draw.

Whew!

20.Bb2 Re3 

Time slip?

21.Nxe3 Rxe3 22.Qxg4 Kf7 23.Bxf6 Kxf6 24.f5 

Things have settled down, White is a Rook and a pawn up, and it is time to go after the enemy King.

24...gxf5 25.Qxf5+ Kg7 26.Qf6+ Kg8 27.Qf8 checkmate

That's a lot of chess for an average of 2 seconds per move.

Jerome Gambit: For Sale?

I received an email today, inquiring if I wanted to sell this blogsite.

Huh?

Nothing personal, I'm afraid - likely hundreds, if not thousands of blog owners got the same pitch.

Those interested in this blog should, instead, consider sending me Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games or analyses or interesting chess encouters that they have had with that unorthodox opening.

That's my favorite way of  measuring interest.

This blog is not for sale.

By the way, I checked with the blogger statistics, and, across the life of this site, the audience of readers has come from:

United States         28%

Singapore         25%

Hong Kong         7%

France         6%

Russia         6%

Canada         2%

Germany                 2%

United Kingdom 2%

Sweden         1%

Other         20%

I have to admit that Singapore's #2 place is quite a surprise.

That Hong Kong would out-pace Russia is also unexpected.

Perhaps this is a case for the detective ProfessorVoskresenskiy?

Jerome Gambit: For You or Against You

Think fast!

And keep thinking fast.

Every move counts.

The following club level Jerome Gambit game shows that often it doesn't matter how you start the game, it matters how you end it.

Black is doing fine for a dozen and a half moves - and then, suddenly, he isn't.

xElucidatoRx - ishrank

2 1 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Nd3+ 

I have posted earlier

I like this quirky move. Stockfish 15 does, too, seeing Black as almost 4 pawns better. Still, The Database has 25 games with this move, with White scoring 64%.

As I wrote in "Jerome Gambit: It Takes More Than A Move"

Creative and cool.

Anyone who has read Aron Nimzowitsch's The Blockade will recognize the idea behind this move.

Something similar is equally deadly for Black, when the d-pawn is blocked, which in turn blocks the Bishop, which then keeps the Rook from entering the game. 

I have looked at this move before, in "Brilliant, but Not Sound" and "Jerome Gambit: The Hurrieder I Go, The Behinder I Get", where you will see Petasluk mentioned as well.

8.cxd3 Bb6 9.Qe5+ 

Going right at the ememy King - this is a bullet game. At slower time controls, he might have considered 9.b3 and 10.Bb2.

9...Kf7 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.Qg5 Re8 

12.e5 h6 13.Qh4 Nh7 14.Qh5+ Kg8 15.Ne4 d5 

Black has played well, and his piece-for-two-pawns material advantage means he is better. 

Still, this is a bullet game, and every move counts - for you, or against you.

16.Ng3 Qf6 

Oh, no! Clock or inattention?

17.Qxe8+ Black resigned

Understanding this position has to include the time remaining on Black's clock. After 17...Qf8 18.Qxf8+ Nxf8 Black would not look worse for wear, even if Stockfish 16.1 evaluates the position as about 3 pawns better for White. The advanced "Jerome pawns" weigh heavily.

 

Jerome Gambit: A Bit Of Misdirection

Quick time controls can have their dangers, if only because they can affect attention to all parts of the board.

The following game may well be an example. 

Babypawnmonster - henbra

10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Qf6 8.Qe8+ 

I took a good look at 8.Qe8+ in the post "Jerome Gambit: Developing (Part 1)"

This move screams out to be played. (In fact, The Database shows it has been played 4 times before. [Update: The Database now has 22 examples. White scores 9 - 12 - 1.]) White's Queen continues her attack. If Black blocks the check with his Knight, White can capture his Rook.

The problem with this analysis is that it is not deep enough. This is the product of both the blitz time control and not enough experience with different Jerome Gambit lines.

Also, while defenders object that an early active Queen in the Jerome Gambit violates the rules of good play, their argument grows stronger if Her Majesty continues to work without assistance.

For starters, Black can play 8...Ne7 here, as 9.Qxh8 would be met by the strong 9...Qh4+. After 10.g3 Qg4, White's lonely King would face 3 Black pieces (an old piece of chess wisdom mentions "three pieces and an attack"). Capturing the Knight with 11.fxe5 would lead to being checkmated in 5 moves, while helping the Queen escape with 11.Qxh7 would lead to being checkmated in 9 moves. Everything else would allow 11...Nf3+ followed by doom and gloom.

8...Qe7 

Okay, Black is not ready to sacrifice his Rook, but this move still keeps him better.

9.f5+ 

White could withdraw his Queen right now with 9.Qh5, but after 9...Nf6 10.Qxe5+ Kf7, he would wind up having to exchange his Queen, after which his attack would largely dissipate.

The text puts off the inevitable by one move. 

9...Kf6 10.Qh5 d5 

Often this strike at the center is helpful for Black.

11.d4 

This pawn fork is a bit of misdirection - and it proves successful. 

A free pawn, and a center one at that, Okay!

11...Bxd4 

The proper response was to recognize the upcoming danger on the d8-h4 diagonal and push back, say, with 11...g6, as then 12.Bg5+ could be met by 12...Kg7 and then 13.Qh4 Nf6 14.dxc5 c6, when Black would have the typical material advantage of a piece for two pawns and his King would be relatively safe. 

12.Bg5 checkmate

Ouch.

Worst Piece Attack

 

Dear Rick,

I have invented the worst piece attack. Here it is:

1.d4 e6 2.Bg5?? Qxg5 3.Qc1??N Qxc1 checkmate.

A lot of chess players need good emotions in different moments of their life. This my constructed game can help them. I offer the name for this new checkmate -  'The good emotion mate (GEM)'. I think, almost all readers of the Jerome Gambit blog value chess sources of a good mood. 

Best wishes,

Yury Bukayev