Jerome Gambit: Counting Up the Numbers (Part 1)

While I maintain, and frequently refer to, The Database - currently about 110,00 Jerome Gambit and related games - I occasionally like to drop in at lichess.org, an online playing site that has almost 6 billion games.

What are the simplest conclusions that I can draw from that massive collection of online club level play?

There are 804,880 games with the Jerome Gambit line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, with White scoring 49.5%.

Black does best to accept the Bishop with 4...Kxf7. The lichess.org database has 783,491 games with that move (the overwhelming choice), with White scoring 49.5%.

Instead, against declining the piece with 4...Kf8, seen in 18,867 games, White scores 58.5%.

Against the other declination, 4...Ke7 - 2,522 games - White scores 64%.

After Black takes the piece with 4...Kxf7, White has seven main continuations.

Most frequently played is the thematic 5.Nxe5+, appearing in 506,616 games, with White scoring 52%.

It is interesting to note that 5.c3, while appearing in only 62,659 games, scores a bit better than that for White, at 53%.

Next in success for White is 5.O-O, appearing in 67,291 games and delivering 49%.

That is followed by 5.d4 (85,870 games, White scores 47%), 5.d3 (39,832 games, White scores 43%), and 5.Nc3 (6,771 games, White scores 41.5 %).

The notorious "Face Palm" variation, 5.Ng5+  appears in 35,765 games and scores 31%.

For comparison, the main line of the Giuoco Piano, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3, appears in 22,953,410 games in the lichess.org database, with White scoring 54%. That is clearly better (but not by a lot) than the Jerome Gambit accepted, but not as good as the Jerome Gambit declined lines.

[For a similar, 14 1/2-years-earlier look at Jerome Gambit lines, check out "A Closer Look at the Big Picture (Parts 1, 2 and 3)" which noted "Likely what is needed some time in the future is a Closer Closer Look at the Big Picture.".]

Jerome Gambit: Stuff Happens

At least as long ago as Traité Théorique et Pratique du jeu des Echecs, par une Société des Amateurs (1786), chess players have suggested that if Black and White each play perfectly, the result will be a draw.

Club level play often varies quite a bit from "perfect", however, reflecting the lament that stuff happens.

The following game illustrates.

angelcamina - iciaren

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

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

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4 

Hoping that the pin on the Knight will allow the capture of the pawn on e4, but he has not seen far enough.

8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Qxe4 

10...Qe7 

angelcamina has also faced 10...Bxc3+, e.g. 11.bxc3 Qe7 12.0–0 d6 13.Ba3 (13.f4 Bd7 14.Ba3 Bb5 (14...Bc6 15.Qe3 Re8 16.Rad1 g6 17.Qg3 Kg7 18.c4 Rhf8 19.Bb2 Kg8 20.f5 Black resigned, angelcamina - CATCHESS11, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024) 15.c4 Bc6 16.Qe3 Ke8 17.Rae1 Kd8 18.Rd1 Kc8 19.Qh3+ Bd7 20.Qg3 g6 21.exd6 cxd6 22.Bxd6 Qe4 23.Rfe1 Qf5 24.Re5 Qg4 25.Qd3 Bc6 26.g3 Rd8 27.Re7 Qf3 28.Rc7+ Kb8 29.Rxc6+ Rxd6 30.Qxd6 checkmate, angelcamina - Heptrook, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025) 13...Kg8 14.Qf3 Qxe5 15.Rae1 Qf5 16.Qxf5 Bxf5 17.Re7 h6 18.Rxc7 Bxc2 19.Rxb7 Kh7 20.Re1 Rhf8 21.Ree7 Rf6 22.Rxg7+ Kh8 23.f3 Bd3 24.c4 Bxc4 25.Bb2 Rff8 26.Rh7+ Kg8 27.Rbg7 checkmate, angelcamina - likinfride, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019. 

Also, 10...Qe8 11.Qxb4+ Black resigned, angelcamina - ngx11, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020. 

11.O-O d6 12.Nd5 

White will win the Bishop, but he also had the simple 12.Qxb4.

12...Qxe5 13.Qf3+ Bf5 14.Nxb4 

14...Ke7 15.Bg5+ Kd7 16.Rfe1 c6 

Ooops, the Queen is hanging... Remember, this is a bullet game, and stuff happens.

17.Rxe5 dxe5 18.Rd1+ Kc7 19.Qxf5 Rhf8 20.Qd7+ Kb6 21.Be3+ c5 22.Rd6+ Ka5 23.Qxb7 Black resigned

Checkmate is coming.

Jerome Gambit: Complications Benefit Who?

When playing the Jerome Gambit, do the complications favor the attacker or the defender?

I am not sure, but I do think that they favor the player more familiar with the opening - as shown in the following game.

Wall, Bill - Nesa

SparkChess, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ 

Giving the King a "nudge".

7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc3 Nf6

 

Bill has also seen 9...Qh4 in  billwall - NFTM, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 36) and 9...Qf6 in Wall,B - VQR, internet, 2022 (1-0, 26). 

10.d3 

Or 10.f3 d5 11.O-O as in Wall,B - Jaar,J, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 19).

Or 10.O-O right away, as in Wall,B - Varitt, FICS, 2020 (1-0, 48); Wall,B - Attia, M, internet, 2022 (1-0, 32); and Wall,B - Irineu, internet, 2024 (1-0, 20).

10...h6 11.O-O Qe7 12.f4 Rf8

Black wants to castle-by-hand. White has to hurry.

 

13.f5 Ne5 14.Bf4 Bd7 

Black offers the c-pawn. He can get compenation for it - if he follows up correctly.

15.Qxc7 Rc8 

This allows White's Queen to grab another pawn, and run.

16.Qxb7 Rxc2 

Black's capture of the c-pawn keeps the game in balance, but it will take care to keep things that way.

17.Na3 Rc8 18.Rad1 Kf7 19.Qxa7 Kg8 

Black has a piece for four pawns, and might have a slight edge. What will his plan be?

20.Qd4 Nh5 21.Bd2 Nf6 

Perhaps he is not sure. Perhaps he is waiting for White to try something.

22.h4 Nfg4 23.g3 Nc6 24.Qd5+ Kh8 25.Nb5 Nf6 

Black's development is such that he can afford to give up the d-pawn - again, if he follows up correctly.

In the mean time, White's pawns gain importance, should the future come to pass.

26.Qxd6 Qxd6 

A strategic misfire. With 26...Rb8!? 27.Qxe7 Nxe7 28.a4 Bxb5 29.axb5 Rxb5 30.Bc3 Nc6 things would be in balance.

27.Nxd6 Rb8 28.Bc3 Ng4 29.Nc4 Rfe8 

Black still has the pawn center under pressure, but White has 5 pawns for his opponent's extra piece.

30.Rf4 Nce5 31.h5 Bb5 32.Nd6 Ne3 

A tactical slip in a still-complicated position.

33.Rd2 Nxd3 34.Rf3 Red8 35.Nf7+ Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Patience Is The Companion of Wisdom

Sometimes the explosiveness of the Jerome Gambit fizzles out, and the first player has to bide his time, making small adjustments or gains here or there - patiently waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Once again, Bill Wall demonstrates.

Wall, Bill - Singh

SparkChess, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

 6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.O-O Ne7

 

Varying from the game in the previous post, which saw 8...h6.

9.f4 N5c6 10.Qf2 Rf8 11.Nc3 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand, and he is better.

It is up to White to make something out of the position.

12.f5 

In an earlier game, Bill had tried 12.h4, 13.h5 and 14.h6. See Wall,B - Smithey, internet, 2022 (1-0, 40). 

12...a6 13.g4 Ne5 14.g5 b6 15.Bf4 N7c6 16.Qg3 Bb7 

Although Stockfish 16.1 still rules in favor of the defense, it is a truism in club play that it is more difficult to defend than it is to attack.

17.f6 g6 18.Rad1 Rf7 19.h4 Qc8 20.Nd5 Qe6 

21.b3 Re8 22.Rd2 Nb8 

Time to get rid of White's annoying Knight.

23.Rfd1 Bxd5 24.exd5 Qg4 

This is a tactical slip. With a piece for a pawn, Black decides that his task would be easier with Queens off of the board.

This is the point where the advantage changes sides.

25.Bxe5 Qf5 

Unfortunately, 25...Qxg3+ would be met by 26.Bxg3, and White would have grabbed a piece.

26.Bf4 Re4 27.Rf1 Nd7 

Instead, the Black Queen needed to get off of the f-file.

28.Bxd6 Qxf1+ 

Hoping that a Rook and a Bishop would be the equal of the enemy Queen.

29.Kxf1 cxd6 30.Qxd6 Black resigned

On second thought, the second player decides he has had enough.

Jerome Gambit: Not Enough Precautions

Frequently in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) the defender has (or constructs) a line of play to guide him through his difficulties.

Often, the line of play lacks certain precautions.

Wall, Bill - Chest

SparkChess, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.O-O h6 

Black takes precaution to keep enemy pieces off of g5. This is solid play, although it gives White a tempo to be aggressive in the center.

9.f4 Nc6 

Once upon a time, an opponent of Bill saw his game expire quickly: 9...c5 10.fxe5+ (Black likely overlooked the discovered check) Ke6 11.Qd5+ Kd7 12.Qxd6+ Ke8 13.Rf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest4377728, PlayChess.com 2018 

10.Qd5+ 

Interesting. White does not threaten to capture the enemy b-pawn, and Black's h-pawn precludes a Knight from coming to g5 with an eventual fork. He is thinking of something else.

10...Be6 11.Qh5+ 

Bringing the Queen to the Kingside.

He has also played 11.Qd3  in Wall,B - Guest2474397. Playchess.com, 2014 (1-0, 24 ) and also 11...Ke7 12.f5  Bd7 13.Nc3 Nf6 14. Bf4 Re8 15. Nd5+ Kf7 16. Rae1 Ne5 17. Qb3 Nxd5 18.Qxd5+ Kf8 19.f6 g5 20.Bg3 c6 21.Qxd6+ Kg8 22.f7+ Nxf7 23.Qg6+ Kh8 24. Rxf7 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest3622066, internet, 2019.  

11...g6 12.Qe2 Nge7 

Bill has also seen 12...Qf6 in Wall,B - Guest1587879, PlayChess.com, 2017 - 13.f5 Bxf5 14.exf5 g5 15.Nc3 Re8 16.Qc4+ Kg7 17.Nd5 Qd8 18.f6+ Nxf6 19.Nxf6 Black resigned.

13.Be3 Re8 

Allowing White to equalize - and more. The move needed was 13...d5.

14.f5 Bxf5 

Perhaps expecting to be able to play 15.exf5 Nxf5.

15.g4 Kg7 16.gxf5 gxf5 17.Qh5 

White continues to pressure the enemy King, who seems to have lost the support of his pieces.

17...Rh8 18.exf5 Nd5 19.Qg6+ Kf8 20.Bxh6+ Black resigned

Black will lose the exchange, adding to his worries.

Jerome Gambit: Those Who Fail

It is especially true in chess that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

The following miniature game illustrates.

joker0909 - H_o_j_a_t

3 2, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxd5 d6 8.Qxh8

The game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884, showed that the capture of this Rook can lead to complications that could favor Black.

Analysis by Chandler and Dimitrov showed that informed play by White could lead to a draw.

8...Qe7

This would have been powerful a move earlier. As it is, it looks like Black has mixed up Blackburne's defense (7...d6) and Whistler's defense (7...Qe7). 

Best was 8...Qh4 9.d4 Nf6 with complicated play. 

9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxg6 Bf5 

This cute move was not as strong as a belated 10...Qh4.

11.Qxf5+ Nf6 12.d3 Black resigned

Black is down a Rook and four pawns.

Jerome Gambit: No Need to Harass the Queen

Black is doing well in the following game, until he begins to underestimate his opponent, and overestimate the enemy Queen.

Too much attention is given to the wrong places.

Wall, Bill - Sisus

SparkChess, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

Black has a number of possible responses here. He can play the bold 6...Qh4!? (if he knows what he is doing), he can play the thematic 6...d5!? (ditto), he can play the subtle 6...Bb4+ 7.c3 Be7, he can play the logical 6...Bxd4 - or he can play something else.

6...Bd6 

Something else: Two pieces are threatened, so, save the Bishop, then capture the pawn that captures the Knight.

7.dxe5 Bxe5 

According to plan, but 7...Bb4+ 8.c3 Be7 (or the simple 7...Be7) was the way to go.

When you draw an incorrect conclusion about the Jerome Gambit - it is a "refuted" opening, so it has no dangers - you can become sloppy in choosing moves.

8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.Qxe5 Nf6 

Black sigh a sigh of relief: he has a quite position and is only a pawn behind.

Alas, even that assessment is misleading.

10.Nc3 d6 11.Qa5 b6 

Swatting at the annoying Queen.

12.Qb5 Bd7 

Again.

13.Qc4 b5 

One too many.

14.Nxb5 d5 15.Qc5+ 

Side-stepping.

15...Kf7 16.Nxc7 Nxe4 

It is easy to find bad moves in a bad position.

17.Qxd5+ Kf6 18.Nxa8 Black resigned