Jerome Gambit: Ouch, That's Got to Hurt

I have hit my thumb a number of times while driving in a nail.

It should be an easy task, but it requires a certain amount of care.

As in the following Jerome Gambit game.

alpingo45 - Grandfather19

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Qf6 8.Rf1 g6 9.Qh3+ Ke7 

10.Nc3 Nc4 

Black "aggressively" removes his Knight from the pawn attack, but he overlooks something. He has forgotten the lesson from one of his earlier games:  10...c6 11.fxe5 Qxe5 12.d3 (Better 12.d4, but it can be wild: 12...Qxd4 13.Bf4 d6 14.Qg3 Ke8 15.Rd1 Qg7 16.Na4 Bb4+ 17.c3 Nf6 [17...Ba5 18.Bxd6] 18.cxb4 Nxe4 19.Qe3 Qe7 20.Rd4 d5 21.Nc5 Nxc5 22.Qxe7+ Kxe7 23.bxc5 Bf5 = ) 12...d5 13.Bg5+ Ke8 14.Qf3 Qxg5 15.Qf7+ Kd8 16.exd5 Bf5 17.dxc6 bxc6 18.Qg7 Qf6 19.Qb7 Rc8 20.O-O-O Ne7 21.Ne4 Qd4 22.Nxc5 Qxc5 23.d4 Qxc2 checkmate, alpingo45 - amamba1966, lichess.org, 2025. 

As you might expect, best for Black is 10...d6 11.Nd5+ Kd8 12.Qg3 Nd3+ 13.cxd3 Qf7 with advantage. 

11.Nd5+ Black resigned

Ouch, that's got to hurt...

Jerome-Knightmare

I would like to add a couple of things concerning the line 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+, a Jerome Gambit relative, to the posts "Jerome Gambit: Review of the Jerome-Knight Gambit" and "Jerome-Knight Gambit".

First, it is worth going back to the pair of posts, "A GM plays the Jerome Gambit ??" and "Here, have a bishop..." to take look at Grandmaster Larry Christiansen's blitz game, LarryC - therealwizard, blitz, 3 0 blitz, Internet Chess Club, 2008 (1-0, 51).

Also, here is a recent bullet game where Black underestimates his opponent's chances.

dziuba - KnightOfZero1205

1 0 bullet, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 

The earliest example that I have of this beginning in The Database is R.W. - H., Leipzig, 1874 (1-0, 8)  given the December 1874 issue of Schachzeitung.

Of course, as Yury V. Bukayev points out, Wikipedia shows even earlier examples

The Bishop's Opening is one of the oldest openings to be analyzed; it was studied by Lucena and Ruy Lopez. Later it was played by Philidor, whose influence gave the opening long-lasting popularity.

3.Bxf7+ 

Stockfish 16.1 (42 ply) evaluates this position as about 3 1/4 pawns better for Black - pretty sobering when you consider that, from a material perspective, White has given up a piece (3 pawns) and gotten a pawn (1 pawn) in return, only a 2-pawn investment. Does that mean that the computer assesses Black's positional "advantage" at 1 1/4 pawns?

By the way, the earliest unambiguous example of this sacrifice in The Database is Cunningham - Brookshire, IECC, 1999.

3...Kxf7 4.Nf3 

The computer suggests 4.f4, which is either very adventurous, or a sign of dispondency - Go ahead, play anything, it doesn't matter...

 4...Nxe4 

This position can also arise from the Petroff Defense, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Bxf7+

5.Nxe5+ Kf6 

Looking for trouble. The safe move was 5...Kg8.

6.Qf3+ 

Sharp, and in 1-minute games sharpness counts for something.

Duller, but more sound, was 6.d4.

6...Ke6 

Unless you have examined this line previously, you would be unlikely to see as "best" 6...Kxe5 7.d4+ Ke6 8.d5+ Ke7 9.d6+ Nxd6 10.Bg5+ Ke8 11.Bxd8 Kxd8 when White has 3 pieces for his Queen, and Stockfish 16.1 evaluates the position (29 ply) as a bit better for the first player.

7.Qxe4 Bd6 8.Nc6+ Black resigned

Was H.Nakamura Right? Is JG ‘Unbreakable’, Is EG ‘Legendary’ For Beginners’ Games? (Part 8)

 

Was H.Nakamura Right? Is JG ‘Unbreakable’, Is EG ‘Legendary’

For Beginners’ Games? (Part 8)

(by Yury V. Bukayev)

Dear readers, again I repeat the following. If an expert’s appraisal is based on something without real proofs, he can be right or “almost right” here sometimes. That is so, even in the case where he realizes that his appraisal is hasty, or non-serious, or bold, or emotional. Sometimes he is right here for a large per cent (for example, 55, 75 or 95) of cases which he appraises.

We remember Rick Kennedy’s post ‘Jerome Gambit: Which Tier? Unbreakable?’ (September 23, 2020) where the notable dialogue about the standard system of the Jerome gambit (JG) between Top GM Hikaru Nakamura and IM Levy Rozman was shown as the part of their popular video and as its approximate text. Thus, they have discussed there what chess opening tier for beginners’ practice is right for it. The end of this text contains several phrases by Mr. Nakamura where he places the standard system of JG near the top of ‘Unbreakable’. Mr. Nakamura’s words contain no proofs of this very high appraisal. In my opinion, the tier’s name ‘Unbreakable’ is very arguable, because we discuss an opening practice, not an opening theory: each opening can be broken in a game as a result of practical mistakes of a player. But this name plays no role for us, just this very high appraisal of 4.Bxf7+ for beginners’ practice is important for our consideration.

Before writing of my Part 1 of this analytical research (please, look at it: it’s a blog post of October 16, 2022) it was enough difficult for me to prove this Hikaru Nakamura’s appraisal, for a large per cent of cases. It was necessary to choose a certain control of time for beginners’ games, and I have chosen an unlimited one. And in the Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 of this research I have made some clear proofs of this Mr. Nakamura’s appraisal and some “not absolutely clear proofs” of it. We shouldn’t forget that the word ‘unbreakable’ includes a draw, not only a win. 

And here is my new invented trap - no.13 - which is based on a similar ‘natural’ reaction of a beginner. 

 

Trap 13. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 (Black defends his pieces, it is a typical response for an unlimited game.) 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Bf4 AN (It’s the 1st part of my new and primitive trap against beginners.) 9…Bxb2 (It’s a typical and a nice reaction for everyone. Black has a winning advantage.) 10.c3 (It’s the 2nd part of this trap against beginners. They desire to make 10…Bxa1, and they start to celebrate their future win without thinking about plans of “the silly unknown opponent”.) 10…Bxa1?? 11.Qxe5+! White wins. The fastest way to win here after 11...Kc6 is 12.Na3! d5 13.exd5+ Kb6 14.0-0 with the following Rf1-b1.

 

That is why White will get here also a very large per cent of identical successful results against beginners (especially children-beginners).  

It maybe, the invention of my traps 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and my approaches (Part 1, Part 2) will cause Mr. Nakamura’s and Mr. Rozman’s wish to replace the standard system of JG into their top tier ‘Legendary’ (on ‘GMHikaru’ YouTube channel).

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.]

Jerome Gambit: "Too Creative"

The wrong defense to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) makes White's attack look very good.

The following game is a fun example.

Tracy824 - Alex3959

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Ng6 

About this Knight retreat in "Jerome Gambit: Pillar to Post"

Some reflections -

from "Superpippo!"

This move, despite the soundness of the basic idea – save one piece and return another – is too "creative" and leads to an even game. With a regular opening, having Black reach equality this early is an accomplishment for the second player, but in the Jerome Gambit – where White spots his opponent two pieces – it is a sign that something has already gone wrong for Black. 

from "Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's Dream"

The kind of move - withdrawing a piece from attack - that someone unfamiliar with the Jerome Gambit might make quickly. (Best was 7...Qf6). 

My guess is that at this point Bill [Wall,B - Guest1157782, playchess.com, 2013 (1-0, 20)] got out his psychic micrometer, measured the apparent depth of his opponent's experience with (or understanding of) the opening, and chose a line of play that was most efficacious against an unschooled or uneasy opponent. 

from "Jerome Gambit: The Way It Is"

With more time to consider - the whole point of playing the Jerome Gambit... is that Black does not have much time to consider - Black would have found the less sensible (but stronger) 7...d6, 7...Nd3, 7...Qf6 or 7...d5.

8.f5+ 

This move appears in 55 games in The Database. White scores 69%.

The alternative, 8.Qxc5, appears in 54 games. White scores 79%. 

Stockfish 16.1 asseses Black about 1 1/4 pawns better in the first case, and about even in the second.

8...Kd6

Tracy824 has also faced

8...Kf6 9.fxg6 Nh6 10.Qxc5 hxg6 11.O-O+ Ke6 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Qe5 checkmate, Tracy824 - muchtarpcw, lichess.org, 2025; and 

8...Ke7 9.fxg6 d6 10.d4 (10.d3 Nf6 11.Bg5 hxg6 12.Qf3 Rh5 13.h4 Bd4 14.c3 Bb6 15.Nd2 Kf7 16.O-O-O Qd7 17.d4 Qa4 18.Rhf1 Bg4 19.Qxg4 Qxa2 20.e5 dxe5 21.dxe5 Black resigned,Tracy824 - Ankushmajumdaar, lichess.org, 2024) 10...Bxd4 11.gxh7 Nf6 12.Bg5 Bxb2 13.O-O Bxa1 14.c3 Be6 15.Kh1 b5 16.Qh4 Qf8 17.Nd2 Bxc3 18.Nf3 a5 19.Rc1 b4 20.a3 Kd7 21.e5 Rxh7 22.Qf2 Ng4 23.Qe2 Nxh2 24.Nxh2 Bxe5 25.Qb5+ Kc8 26.Qc6 Rxh2+ 27.Kg1 Ra7 28.Be3 Rb7 29.Qa6 Bd5 30.Qa8+ Rb8 31.Qxd5 Qh8 32.Qe6+ Kd8 33.Bg5+ Bf6 34.Bxf6+ gxf6 35.Rf1 Rh1+ 36.Kf2 Rxf1+ 37.Kxf1 bxa3 38.Qa2 Black resigned, Tracy824 - Poggss, lichess.org, 2025 

9.fxg6 Bd4 

Black's move is unexpected - reinforcing the Kingside side of the a1-h8 diagonal? 

Tracy824 also faced 9...Qf6 10.Qd5+ Ke7 11.Qxc5+ d6 12.Qf2 Qxf2+ 13.Kxf2 hxg6 14.d3 Nf6 15.Bg5 b6 16.Nc3 Bb7 17.h3 Rhf8 18.Ke3 Kd7 19.Rhf1 Nh7 20.a4 Rxf1 21.Rxf1 Nxg5 22.h4 Ne6 23.d4 Rf8 24.Re1 g5 25.d5 Nf4 26.Kd2 Nxg2 27.Rg1 Nxh4 28.Rxg5 Nf3+ 29.Ke3 Nxg5 White resigned, Tracy824 - Tom0408, lichess.org, 2025 

Probably best was 9...Nf6.

10.Qd5+ Black resigned

 

Jerome Gambit: Creative and Cool, Again

The lichess.org player rincincinzio has 400 games in The Database. 

Here is one of them.

rincincinzio - jayamie

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Nd3+ 

I like, play, and score well with the Jerome Gambit - 82%.

Still, I like this move. Black must have played it with a smile on his face.

This has been touched upon in an earlier post, "Jerome Gambit: For You or Against You"

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.

The numbers, today, from The Database: 73 games with this position, White scores 64% - despite the fact that Stockfish 16.1 evaluates the position (32 ply) as 2 3/4 pawns better - for Black.

Jerome Gambit. 

8.cxd3 Be7 

What to do about the Bishop? It could have retreated to b6, or even f8. Or Black could have hit the center (best) with 8...d5. 

Instead, it blocks the King's retreat.

In a 1-minute bullet game, this kind of thing can happen.

9.Qf5+ Kd6 10.Qd5 checkmate