"Artificial Stupidity" Revisited

Many years ago - 15, I think - with the post "Artificial Stupidity," I wondered

How do you make a computer chess program play not-so-strongly? You can limit the amount of time that it analyzes any position, or you can limit the depth to which it will analyze. Or, you can cause it to blunder every once-in-a-while... 

I have recently learned that some great thinking has gone into that question, with fascinating results

Artificial Stupidity: One Google Engineer’s Algorithms for Bad

Chess Playing

Read it and weep. Or chuckle.

Jerome Gambit: The First to Panic Loses the Game

Ah, yes, the Google Alert on "Jerome Gambit" just turned up another short video, "Jerome Jerome Jerome", presented by ChessMakta.

Interestingly enough, although the 2-dimensional board to illustrate the moves is different, the voice-over (actually, a sing-over) is identical to that of Malcolm's  "Jerome gambit" YouTube video, mentioned in an earlier post, "Jerome Gambit: Fun".

I can certainly identify with the introduction

You know those weird days, right, when chess just ain't clicking and your mind's a haze and you just wanna play in any old way... 

The warning about the Jerome Gambit is worth repeating

The first to panic loses the game.

The video and song-over can also be found on Tik Tok (Eugene), "the first to panic loses the game".

I don't know which video came first, or even if I have found the earliest one, yet. 😖

Jerome Gambit: The Jerome Gambit Treatment

White shows that even the Four Knights game can become surprisingly dangerous when given the Jerome Gambit treatment.

Played at bullet speed, the impact can come quickly.

angelcamina - JakobHo

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 

He has also played 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.O-O Re8 10.f4 Ng6 11.Nc3 Kg8 12.b3 a6 13.Bb2 Qe7 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 c5 16.dxc6 bxc6 17.Rae1 c5 18.Rxe7 cxd4 19.Rxe8+ Kf7 20.Re4 Bb7 21.Rxd4 Rd8 22.c4 a5 23.c5 Ke7 24.cxd6+ Rxd6 25.Re1+ Kd7 26.Rxd6+ Kxd6 27.Be5+ Ke6 28.g4 Kf7 29.h4 Nxe5 30.Rxe5 g6 31.Rxa5 Bf3 32.g5 Be4 33.Re5 Bb1 34.a4 Ba2 35.Rb5 Ke6 36.Kf2 Kd6 37.Ke3 Kc6 38.Kd4 h6 39.Kc3 hxg5 40.Kb2 Bb1 41.Kxb1 gxf4 42.Kc2 f3 43.Kd2 f2 44.Ke2 f1=Q+ 45.Kxf1 g5 46.Kf2 gxh4 47.Kg2 h3+ 48.Kxh3 Black resigned, angelcamina - Oliver_shanti, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022.

4...Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

According to The Database, angelcamina has played this line 282 times, scoring 60%.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 

9.O-O Re8 10.f4 Ng6 11.Qc4+ 

Encouraging the enemy Bishop to a square where it can be forked by an advancing pawn.

11...Be6 12.Qd3 

A different idea: 12.Qb4 Kg8 13.f5 c5 14.Qxb7 Rb8 15.Qa6 Rb6 16.Qd3 Ne5 17.Qe2 Bf7 18.h3 d5 19.exd5 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 Qxd5 21.Qh5 Qd4+ 22.Kh1 Qc4 23.Qg5 Qxf1+ 24.Kh2 h6 25.Qg3 Qxf5 26.Bf4 Ng6 27.Rf1 Qd5 28.Bd2 Re4 29.Bc3 Rbe6 30.Rxf7 Kxf7 31.Qc7+ Kg8 32.Qxg7 checkmate, angelcamina - ibezenkov, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025,

12...Kg8 13.f5 

Look at the position. Readers can find a way out for Black - but, in a 1-minute game? Not so easy.

13...Bxf5 

Returning a piece and reaching an equal game.

There was, instead, 13...Ne5 14.Qg3 Bc4, and Black's two pieces have escaped the enemy pawn. 

14.exf5 Ne5 15.Qg3 c6 16.Bh6 

White strikes again. Black can defend again.

16...Neg4 

Blacking the g-file - temporarily.

17.Bg5 Qd7 

Ducking out of the pin on the Knight at f5. Instead, 17...h6 or 17...d5 would have served. 

18.h3 Ne5 

Now the pin on the g-pawn comes into play.

19.Bxf6 Kf7 20.Bxe5 dxe5 21.Rad1 Black resigned

White is ahead a piece. Black's passed e-pawn does not compensate.

Jerome Gambit: Pieces Working Well Together

When we think about cooperation of pieces, we usually think of middlegame tactics. 

In the following game, however, White's pieces work well together, while Black's pieces seem to ignore each other.

Wall, Bill - Dasasary

sparkchess, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qh5 Nf6 

Or 9...Qe7 as in Wall,B - Zulfikar, sparkchess, 2024 (1-0, 29) 

10.Qb5+ 

Or 10.Qe2 as in Wall,B - Guest1475978, playchess.com, 2013 (1-0, 28) 

10...c6 11.Qe2 Qb6 12.d3 Kf7 13.O-O Re8 14.Nd2 Bg4 15.Qe1 Kg8 

White continues to patiently develop.

16.h3 Be6 17.Nf3 h6 18.b3 Rf8 19.a4 Nd7 20.a5 Qc5 21.b4 

Usually the center pawns are referred to as the "Jerome pawns"; in this case, the wing pawns take on the task of advancing and harassing. 

Black's response is to sacrifice against White's pawn cover.

21...Qh5 22.Nd4 Bxh3 23.gxh3 

23...Qxh3 

Things fizzle out. To be played was 23...c5 24.bxc5 dxc5 25.Nf5 Rae8 and Black's development is overwhelming.  

24.Qe3 Qg4+ 25.Qg3 Qxg3+ 26.fxg3 Rxf1+ 27.Kxf1 Nde5 

28.Be3 

A couple move later, White played the disruptive a5-a6, which also could be tried here.

28...Rf8+ 

In turn, Black had the preventative 29...a6.

29.Ke2 Ng4 

As above.

30.a6 

Leading to the disruption of Black's Queenside.

30...Nxe3 31.Kxe3 b6 32.Nxc6 Rc8 33.Nxa7 Rxc2 34.Nb5 Rc8 35.a7 Ra8 36.Nc7 Black resigned

One of the Wildest and Most Entertaining Gambits in Chess

 

Two more short Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) videos. 

The Jerome Gambit: Ultimate Guide to Chaos on the Board - YouTube YouTube jeromegambit #chessopenings #chess Unleash chaos with the Jerome Gambit — one of the wildest and most entertaining gambits in chess.
	Giuoco Piano Game: Jerome Gambit. #chess - YouTube YouTube Giuoco Piano Game: Jerome Gambit. @chess #chess #chessstrategy #chessdangerous #giuocopiano #chessopening #shorts.

Jerome Gambit: Give Your Opponent Enough Rope

Sometimes the best strategy in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is to develop your pieces, use your "Jerome pawns," and give your opponent opportunites to misplay the game. 

It is interesting how many times that actually happens, as in the following game.

Wall, Bill - Emirat

sparkchess, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

Black avoids the excitement that might come after 6...Ke6.

The Database has 3,907 games with this position. Black scores 53%.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qh5 

White's Queen move is relatively rare, as 8.Qf4+ and 8.Qg3 are more often seen. Bill likes to experiment.

8...Nf6 

Or 8...g6 9.Qe2 Kg7 10.Nc3 Qh4 11.d3 Bg4 12.Qd2 Nf6 13.O-O Rhf8 14.d4 Bb6 15.f3 Be6 16.Rf2 c6 17.Na4 Bc7 18.b3 Rac8 19.c3 h6 20.Nb2 g5 21.Nd3 Nh5 22.Ba3 Rf7 23.Raf1 d5 24.e5 Nf4 25.Nc5 Re8 26.g3 Nh3+ 27.Kg2 Qh5 28.Nxe6+ Rxe6 29.Re2 g4 30.fxg4 Qxg4 31.Rxf7+ Kxf7 32.Bc1 Ng5 33.Qf4+ Qxf4 34.gxf4 Ne4 35.f5 Re8 36.Rc2 h5 37.Bf4 Rg8+ 38.Kf3 Bb6 39.Be3 Rg4 40.f6 Ba5 41.c4 Bc3 42.cxd5 cxd5 43.a3 Ke6 44.b4 a6 45.a4 Rg8 46.b5 h4 47.Kf4 h3 48.bxa6 bxa6 49.Rc1 Rg2 50.Rh1 Bb2 51.Rg1 Rxg1 52.Bxg1 Nc3 53.Kg4 Ne2 54.Bf2 Bxd4 55.Bxd4 Nxd4 56.Kxh3 Nc6 White resigned, Wall,B - Mart, sparkchess, 2024. 

9.Qe2 Qe7 

Someone wandering by might look at this position, and think "Interesting, Black has sacrificed two pawns for development, and White has lost a piece in the process."

Readers more familiar with Bill's Jerome Gambits (he has over 1,900 games in The Database) might think, instead, "Bill is giving his opponent enough rope..."

He has also seen 9...Bg4 10.f3 Be6 11.c3 Bd7 12.d4 Bb6 13.O-O a5 14.Rd1 c5 15.Be3 Qe8 16.dxc5 dxc5 17.Nd2 Ra6 18.Nc4 Bb5 19.a4 Bxc4 20.Qxc4 Ke7 21.Rd2 Qf7 22.Bxc5+ Bxc5+ 23.Qxc5+ Ke6 24.e5 Nd7 25.Qd5+ Ke7 26.Qxd7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - ChessMonkey, internet, 2021; and 

9...Kf7 10.d4 Bb6 11.Nc3 Bxd4 12.Qc4+ Be6 13.Qxd4 Re8 14.O-O Kg8 15.Bg5 Rf8 16.f4 Qe8 17.f5 Bd7 18.Qc4+ Kh8 19.Qxc7 Bc6 20.Bxf6 Rxf6 21.Qa5 Qh5 22.Rf3 Qg4 23.Raf1 Qg5 24.a3 Qd2 25.Qb4 Qxc2 26.Rd1 a5 27.Qb6 Re8 28.Rf2 Black resigned, Wall,B - Ahmed, internet, 2023.

10.Nc3 Bd7 11.O-O a6 

White's plan will be, as frequently is the case, playing f2-f4-f5.

12.Kh1 Bc6 13.d3 Bd4 14.f4 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Re8 16.Be3 Kf7 

Black is still okay, but there are storm clouds gathering. He plans to castle-by-hand.

17.c4 Rhf8 18.Rf3 Kg8 

19.Rg3 Qf7 20.f5 Kh8 21.Bd4 Rg8 22.Qe1 Nd7 23.Rh3 

23...Ne5 

Black blocks the enemy Bishop to blunt it's pressure along the a1-h8 diagonal.

In doing so, he overlooks something crucial.

24.Rxh7+ Kxh7 25.Qh4+ Black resigned

The Pseudo-Benoni Bukayev Gambit With b7-b5 Which Is Stronger Than the Blumenfeld Gambit

 

                The Pseudo-Benoni Bukayev Gambit With b7-b5                                                Which Is Stronger Than the Blumenfeld Gambit                                      

                                      by Yury V. Bukayev

 

Since this famous blog isn't only about JG, today let me introduce my new analytical invention which was born after my looking at the following won "almost Jerome-ish" GM-GM game:

 

GM Sandro Mareco - GM Hikaru Nakamura; PRO Chess League (Knock-Out), 2017, rapid, rd 2, Mar-08;

Reti Opening: Reversed Blumenfeld Gambit (A09)

 

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 d4 3.b4 c5 4.e3 dxe3 5.fxe3 cxb4 6.d4 Nf6 7.Bd3 g6 8.a3 bxa3 9.O-O Bg7 10.Bxa3 O-O 11.Nc3 Nc6 12.h3 b6 13.Qe2 Bb7 14.Rac1 Rc8 15.Rfd1 Na5 16.Bb4 Nc6 17.Ba3 Bh6 18.Rc2 Re8 19.c5 e5 20.d5 Nxd5 21.Nxd5 Qxd5 22.Bxg6 Qb3 23.Rd3 Qa4 24.Bxf7+ Kxf7 25.Ng5+ Kg8 26.Qh5 Re7 27.Rf2 Bxg5 28.Qxg5+ Rg7 29.Qf5 Ne7 30.Qxc8+

1-0.

 

This game let me start to think about possible attacking positions of White's King's Bishop. And then I understood that c2-c4 before the Reversed Blumenfeld Gambit (A09) and ...c7-c5 before the Blumenfeld Gambit (E10) are not necessary moves for making an early gambit by b-pawn! Thus, here is my new gambit:

 

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Be7 4.d5 b5!!? AN (let me name it as 'Pseudo-Benoni Bukayev Gambit').

 

The strongest way for White is its acceptance

 

5.dxe6 fxe6 6.cxb5   ,

 

and after

 

6...a6!

 

or

 

6...0-0!

 

Black has enough good counter-play, a serious compensation for the sacrificed pawn.

 

And it is extremely important that in both cases Black's position is better than Black's position in the Blumenfeld Gambit after 4...b5. In fact, the early move ...Be7 is more useful for a gambit play here than early Benoni's ...c5.

 

That is why I recommend to study Jerome-ish and "almost Jerome-ish" games to generate new valuable gambit ideas. 

 

 Contact the author:  istinayubukayev@yandex.ru

© 2025 Yury V. Bukayev (Copyright © Bukayev Yury Vyacheslavovich 2025). All rights reserved.

[A legal using of this investigation with a reference to it is permitted and doesn't require author's consent.]