Jerome Gambit: "Nothing" Moves

It is a good idea not to ignore "nothing" moves by your opponent, as they may contain threats that need to be attended to.

chessriddler - CrazyHorses

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qe7 9.Qe3 Nf6 

There are 225 examples of this position in The Database.

10.d3 d5 

A proper strike at the center.

11.b3 

This appears to be a "nothing" move, allowing Black to win the e-pawn. It can be properly met by 11...Qe5, but this is a blitz game, and things can be overlooked. 

11...dxe4 12.Ba3 Black resigned 

Ouch.

The game follows the path of shugart - pitagorico, blitz, FICS, 2013, which had the additional moves 12...c5 13.Bxc5 before Black resigned.

Jerome Gambit: See Saw Blitz

The following game shows the possible effect of blitz time controls on ches play.

drumme - laspac

The FICS player drumme has over 800 games in The Database.

5 0 blitz, FICS, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian Opening (sometimes referred to as the Anti-Fried Liver Defense; see "Italian Game Anti-Fried Liver Defense [Parts 1 and 2]").

As I wrote in "A Jerome Look At The Semi-Italian Opening (Parts 1, 2, and 3)"

Chess Master Vs Chess Amateur (1963), byMax Euwe and Walter Meiden. Here is what the authors say about Black's third move (I have changed the notation from English descriptive to algebraic).

This is a favorite move of the weaker amateur. He fears some future attack by the White QB (Bg5, for instance) or by the White KN (Ng5), and, before the White QB is even able to move, he plays the precautionary 3...h6. In certain positions, such a precautionary move is occasionally necessary, but in this position, not only is it not necessary, but it consumes valuable time. This puts Black one move behind White in the type of opening where tempi are of greatest importance. Instead of meeting the enemy's rapidly mobilizing forces with armed soldiers (i.e., by bringing out his pieces), Black only loses time and force, and, without realizing it, even weakens his defensive wall...

4.Bxf7+ 

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (also called the Accelerated Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit - see "Accelerated Instant Victory")

The Database has 3,173 games with this line, with White scoring 42%. By comparison, drumme has 178 games with the line, scoring 51% - almost 10% better than the average Jerome Gambit club player.

He might consider varying with 4.O-O Bc5 and then 5.Bxf7+, taking a tip from The Database where there are 380 such games, with White scoring 62%. (To date, I don't think he has.)

By the way, in 265 games with the Jerome Gambit proper, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, drumme has scored 49%, a bit under the results of the average Jerome Gambit club player, 52%, according to The Database.

4...Kxf7 5.d4 d6 6.dxe5 

6...dxe5 

An automatic response which leads to consequences that Black probably had not anticipated.

7.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Of course, not 7...Nxe5 because of 8.Qxd8.

However, as we shall see, 7...Kf6 was the right King move, when the game is even, e.g. 8.Qf3+!? Kxe5 9.Qf7 Nf6 10.f4+ Kd6 11.e5+ Nxe5 12.fxe5+ Kc6 13.Qc4+ Bc5 14.Be3 Qd5 15.Qxc5+ Qxc5 16.Bxc5 Kxc5.

8.Qg4+ 

White, too, steps off of the path. Instead, he had 8.Qxd8 Nxd8 9.Ng6, taking advantage of the unprotected g6 square

8...Kxe5 

This piece lacks poison.

9.Bf4+ 

While scary looking, this move and 9.f4+ are not actually dangerous.

9...Kxe4 

This capture should lead to indigestion. It was time for the King to retreat to f6.

10.Bxc7+ 

Again: scary. Attacking the enemy Queen with check.

Black resigned

But, wait a minute... Doesn't Black just have 10...Bg4 ? True, White then wins Black's Queen with 11.Bxd8, but then comes 11...Rxd8 and 12.f3+ Kf5 13.fxg4+ Kxg4 would leave Black clearly better.

And, yet... Had White found 10.Nc3+ Kd4 11.Qe2 a6 12.Qd3+ Kc5 13.Na4+ Kb4 14.Bd2+ Kxa4 15.Qb3 checkmate the game would have still been his. 

ChatGPT Strikes Again!

 

Once again, I visited the artificial intelligence (AI) program ChatGPT and made a request.

It gets partial credit for using 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7 as the Jerome Gambit; it is what I call the Abrahams Jerome Gambit.

It gets extra credit, however, for its hilarious (intentional or otherwise) interpretation of the task.

You said:

Create the moves of a chess game between Bobby Fischer and an amateur player, using the Jerome Gambit opening

ChatGPT said:

 

The Jerome Gambit is an aggressive, unorthodox chess opening that can catch unprepared opponents off guard. It begins with the moves:

1. e4 e5
2. Bc4 Bc5
3. Bxf7+

In this gambit, White sacrifices the bishop on f7 in exchange for rapid development and an attacking position.

Let’s create an imaginary game between Bobby Fischer, playing as White, and an amateur player, playing as Black, using the Jerome Gambit. Since Fischer was a highly skilled player, he would likely win against the amateur, but I will aim for an exciting game that demonstrates the opening’s aggressive nature. The moves are as follows:

---

1. e4 e5
2. Bc4 Bc5
3. Bxf7+ Kxf7
4. Qf3+ Ke6
5. Qf5+ Ke7
6. Qxe5#

---

Explanation:

1. e4 e5 – The standard opening move for both sides, with White aiming for rapid central control and Black mirroring that.
2. Bc4 Bc5 – White develops the bishop aggressively to target the f7 square. Black develops similarly.
3. Bxf7+ – White sacrifices the bishop to exploit the weak f7 square and create havoc in Black’s camp.
4. Kxf7 – Black accepts the sacrifice, as it's difficult to avoid taking the material.
5. Qf3+ – Fischer moves the queen to f3 to put more pressure on Black’s exposed king.
6. Ke6 – The amateur player tries to run with the king, but this opens the way for further attacks.
7. Qf5+ – Fischer uses the queen to check the Black king, further restricting Black’s position.
8. Ke7 – Black tries to move the king to safety.
9. Qxe5# – With this final move, Fischer checkmates the amateur player, as the Black king is now trapped and cannot escape.

---

This is a simplified version, as Fischer would have likely won with an even more efficient attack. In real-life games, Fischer's opponents would have put up a much better fight, but the Jerome Gambit’s wild nature can lead to quick victories for White against less-experienced players.

Jerome Gambit: Bad News, Good News

 

The following position comes from a correspondence Jerome Gambit game. Sometimes things get so good, they suddenly turn bad.

xElucidatoRx - lichess AI, corr, 2023

The "bad news" for Black is that White's Jerome Gambit has led to the first player having six Queens.

The "good news" for Black is that White last move establishes stalemate, a draw.

I am not sure that the AI was able to feel embarassment. Perhaps the programmers are working on it.

Jerome Gambit: Good News, Bad News

 

The following position comes from a 5-minute blitz Jerome Gambit game. Sometimes things get so bad, they suddenly turn good.

ZeKnightRider - GrandLoser101, blitz, lichess.org, 2024

The "good news" for Black is that he has just gotten a second Queen with 73...b1/Q.

The "bad news" for Black is that the move establishes stalemate, a draw.

ZeKnight Rider survives to ride again.

p.s. ZeKnightRider has 600 games in The Database.

Jerome Gambit: An Unusual Sortie

The following is an interesting 1-minute game, with both players rated over 2400.

TePart0 - Robik_12

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 8.Qxh8 Bg4 

Black can offer his Rook, if he is comfortable with the complications that follow. "Objectively", the capture leads to an even game, but often White finds himself in trouble.

This Bishop sortie is unusual, however, and it is not clear what it is designed to accomplish. I wonder if Black intended another piece - the Queen (recommended is 8...Qh4) - to slide down its diagonal, but touched the wrong piece. 

Anything can happen in a bullet game.

 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.O-O Qf6 11.c3 Re8 12.d4 Bb6 13.Bh6+ Black resigned

White is up the exchange and two pawns. Unless he is in time trouble, he has the easier task.

Jerome Gambit: How Jerome

The following game concludes quickly, for a couple of reasons

First, it is a bullet game, and those do not last long.

Second, the Jerome Gambit scores a quick win, in its own inimical style.

xElucidatoRx - FosterTrinh

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 Nf7

The game is about even. Black has two pieces for two pawns, but he is about to lose one; and his King is at risk.

8.Qxc5 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qd8 

At the cost of 2 tempos, Black has weakened White's Kingside, and still protected his pawn at c7. It is not clear that he can afford the loss of time.

Instead, Stockfish 16.1 recommends 9...Qg4, although that would be met by the aggressive 10.f5+.

Possible in a bullet game would be the erronious retreat 9...Qe7, as it would lead to 10.Qd5+ Kf6 11.Qf5 checkmate 

10.O-O

Interestingly enough, as the computer has often shown that it does not "understand" the Jerome Gambit, its recommendation here is to get the "Jerome pawns" rolling: 10.f5+ Kf6 11.Nc3 Ne7 12.Qf2 Rf8 13.g4 Nd6 14.d4 Kf7 15.e5 Nc4 16.Qh4 with White clearly for choice.

10...Nf6 

Nothing's happening, might as well develop a piece.

11.f5 checkmate

White's hyperactive Queen works with the "Jerome pawns" to deliver checkmate. How Jerome.