Abrahams Jerome Gambit: dziuba

                                                                                                                     

I was going to put together all the Abrahams Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+) games of the online player dziuba, a specialist, but it turns out that The Database has over 1,100 of his games. 🙌 

So here is one good game, with others in the notes.

dziuba - jai_pas_le_temps

60 0 lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5 

5...Bxf2+ 

How to balance things.

6.Kxf2 Qf6+ 

A stronger response was seen: 6...Nf6 7.Nf3 Ng4+ 8.Kg1 Nxe5 9.Nxe5+ (9.Ng5+ Kf6 10.d4 h6 11.dxe5+ Kxe5 12.Nf7+ Ke6 13.Nxd8+ Rxd8 14.Bxh6 Rf8 15.Bxf8 Kf7 16.Ba3 d6 17.Nc3 c5 18.Nd5 b6 19.Nc7 Nc6 20.Nxa8 Nd4 21.Nc7 Nxc2 22.Rf1+ Ke7 23.Nd5+ Ke6 24.b4 Bb7 25.bxc5 Bxd5 26.exd5+ Kd7 27.c6+ Kc7 28.Rf7+ Kc8 29.Bxd6 b5 30.Rxa7 Kd8 31.Ra8 checkmate, dziuba - moaffaq, lichess.org, 2021) 9...Ke6 10.d4 Qh4 11.Nd2 Qe1+ 12.Nf1 Rf8 13.Nf3 Nc6 14.d5+ Kd6 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Bf4+ Rxf4 17.Rxe1 Ke6 18.Nd4+ Ke5 19.Nf3+ Kf6 20.Nd4 c5 21.Nb3 Bb7 22.Nxc5 Bc6 23.Nd3 Rg4 24.h3 Rh4 25.g3 Rh6 26.Ne3 g5 27.Ng4+ Kg6 28.Nxh6 Kxh6 29.h4 Kg6 30.hxg5 Kg7 31.Rxh7+ Kxh7 32.g6+ Kxg6 33.Nf4+ Kg5 34.Nd5 Kg4 35.Ne7 Bxe4 36.Ng6 Bf3 37.Nf4 Black resigned,  dziuba - T4K345347, lichess.org, 2023; or

Not so strong was 6...Qh4+ 7.g3 Qf6+ 8.Nf3 Qxe5 9.Nxe5+ Ke6 10.d4 Nf6 11.Bg5 Nxe4+ 12.Kg2 Nxg5 13.Nc3 d6 14.Nc4 b5 15.Nxb5 Ba6 16.Nxc7+ Kd7 17.Nxa8 Bxc4 18.b3 Bd5+ 19.Kf2 Bxa8 20.Rhe1 Rf8+ 21.Ke3 Nc6 22.d5 Nb4 23.Re2 Nxd5+ 24.Kd4 Nb4 25.c4 Re8 26.Rxe8 Kxe8 27.Re1+ Kd7 28.Rf1 Bg2 29.Rf6 Nxa2 30.Rf2 Bb7 31.Rxa2 a6 32.Ra5 Nf3+ 33.Kc3 Nxh2 34.Rg5 Nf3 35.Rg4 Ne5 36.Rf4 Ba8 37.Rd4 Nc6 38.Rf4 h5 39.Rf7+ Ke6 40.Rc7 Ne5 41.Rc8 Bb7 42.Rb8 Bc8 43.Rxc8 Nf3 44.Re8+ Kf5 45.Re3 Kg4 46.Rd3 Black resigned, dziuba - thomasfreire, lichess.org, 2021

7.Qxf6+ Nxf6 

8.e5 

White would do better with 8.d3 or 8.Nc3. Previously he has played

8.Nf3 Nxe4+ 9.Ke3 Nc5 10.Rf1 Rf8 11.Ne5+ Ke7 12.Rxf8 Kxf8 13.d4 d6 14.dxc5 dxe5 15.Ke4 Bf5+ 16.Kxe5 Nd7+ 17.Kd5 Ke8 18.Bg5 c6+ 19.Kd6 Kf7 20.Nc3 Nf6 21.Bxf6 Rd8+ 22.Bxd8 Bxc2 23.Rf1+ Kg7 24.Bf6+ Kh6 25.Bd4 Bd3 26.Rf8 Bf5 27.h3 g5 28.Rxf5 Kg6 29.g4 h5 30.Rf6+ Kg7 31.Re6+ Kf7 32.Re7+ Kf8 33.Rxb7 a5 34.Ra7 a4 35.Rxa4 Kf7 36.Ra7+ Kg6 37.Kxc6 hxg4 38.Kb6 gxh3 39.c6 Kh5 40.c7 h2 41.c8=Q h1=Q 42.Qh8+ Kg4 43.Qxh1 Kf5 44.Rf7+ Kg6 White lost on time, dziuba - Dellg, lichess.org, 2023 

8...Ng4+ 9.Kf3

About the same strength as 9.Kf1 Nxe5 10.d4 Nec6 11.Bh6 d5 12.c3 b6 13.Nd2 Re8 14.Ngf3 Ba6+ 15.Kf2 Nd7 16.Rhe1 Nf6 17.Ng5+ Kg8 18.Ne6 Ng4+ 19.Kg3 Nxh6 20.Nxc7 Rxe1 21.Rxe1 Rc8 22.Nxa6 Nf5+ 23.Kf2 h5 24.Nf3 Rf8 25.Kg1 Kh7 26.Ng5+ Kh6 27.Ne6 Re8 28.Nac7 Re7 29.b4 Nd8 30.Kf2 Nxe6 31.Rxe6 Rxc7 32.h3 Rxc3 33.g4 Nxd4 34.Rd6 Rc2+ 35.Ke3 Nb5 36.Rxd5 a6 37.g5+ Kg7 38.Rd7+ Kg8 39.Rb7 Rxa2 40.Rxb6 Kf7 41.Rf6+ Kg7 42.Kd3 Ra3+ 43.Kc4 Rxh3 44.Rxa6 Nd6+ 45.Rxd6 Rg3 46.b5 Black resigned, dziuba - Yusufah, lichess.org, 2021 

9...d6 10.exd6 cxd6 11.Ne2 Rf8 12.g3 

White believes his King will be safer on g2. Stockfish 17.1 disagrees, suggesting 12.d3 Rf8+ 13.Kg3. 

Black is now better.

Remember, though, this is a 1-minute game, and deep analysis is not likely. 

12...Kg7+ 13.Kg2 Nc6 

Black misses the hole in White's analysis: 13...Re2+ 14.Kg1 Rxe2 would win a piece. 

14.d3 Be6 

Still missing

15.Nf4 Bd7 16.Nc3 Nce5 

17.Ncd5 

White would do better kicking the enemy Knights around, gaining more control over the board: 17.h3 Nf6 18.d4 Nc6 19.d5

17...Bc6 18.c4 Bxd5+ 19.cxd5 g5 

Better 19...Rac8.

20.Ne6+ 

The only move, winning the exchange.

20...Kg6 21.Nxf8+ Rxf8 

22.Bd2 

This has got to be due to the clock, as it allows the pretty 22...Rf2+ 23.Kh3 Ne3!? 24.Bxe3 g4+ 25.Kh4 h5 followed by 26...Nf3 checkmate.

22...h6 

The clock ticks both ways: now White has chances.

23.Bc3 

This would be a good idea, if it weren't for... you know. 

Instead, 23.Rhf1, getting rid of the threats to f2, even at the cost of two pawns, was right, i.e. 23...Rxf1 24.Rxf1 Nxd3 25.h3 Nf6 26.Bc3 Nxd5 and White's exchange outweighs Black's extra pawn.

23...Ne3+ 

This is good enough for a draw, after White responds with 24.Kg1, if the players want to grind it out.

24.Kh3 g4+ 25.Kh4 

And now?

25...h5 26.Bxe5 dxe5 27.Rhe1 Nf5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Epic Checkmate Video

 

I have occasionally complained that the only Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game that most chess players are familiar with is Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885 (0-1, 14).

So I was very pleased to run across AZT Games' video, "Epic Checkmate! Jerome vs NN" which presents an early game ("Off-hand game, played over the board, March 1, 1876, between AWJ and another amateur") won by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, using his own gambit.

(Also, see the post "A sparkling variation to the tired Piano game".)

Noa Gambit: Bring the Heat

In the following game, White pursues his winning goal. Black counters, and counters, and counters... until his flag falls.

angelcamina - CATCHESS11

1 0 bullet, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6

The Two Knights Defense.

4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ 

The Noa Gambit, otherwise known as the Monck Gambit, otherwise known as the Open Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. 

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5

7.Neg5+ Kg8 8.d4 e4 9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 Be7 

11.h4 

There are no games in The Database with 11.O-O!? but with 11...Bxg5 12.Bxg5 Qxg5 13.Qxd5+ Kf8 14.f4!? White would have compensation for his sacrificed material.

11...c6 12.Qh5 Qf8 13.e6  

Keeping the pressure on.

13...h6 

For the record: 13...Bxg5 14.hxg5 Bxe6 15.Be3 [15.Qh4 Re8 16.c3 d4 17.cxd4 Bc4 18.b3 e3 19.Bxe3 Qb4+ 20.Kd1 Qc3 21.Rc1 Qd3+ 22.Bd2 Qe2+ 23.Kc2 Qd3+ 24.Kd1 draw] Qb4+ 16.c3 Qxb2 17.O-O Qxc3 18.Rab1 Qxc3 19.Rbc1 Qe5 20.Rxc6 h6 21.Bd4 Qxd4 22.Rxe6 hxg5 23.Re8+ Rxe8 24.Qxe8+ Kh7 25.Qh5+ Kg8 26.Qe8+ draw 

14.Nf7 Rh7 15.Qg6 

15...Bxe6 16.Nxh6+ Kh8 17.Qxe6 gxh6 18.Be3 

18...Re8 

Missing 18...Bf6, which would keep the game in balance.

19.Bd4+  White won on time

White has a winning position, e.g. 19...Rg7 20.Qxh6+ Kg8 21.Qxg7+ Kxg7 22.Bxg7 Kxg7

An Early (and Overlooked) Abrahams Jerome Gambit

In looking through this blog, and the related database ("The Database") I was surprised that I have not presented the earliest example that I have of 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+, the Abrahams Jerome Gambit, played by longtime chessfriend Pete Banks.

According to Wikipedia

Abrahams was the author of several chess books, including Teach Yourself Chess (1948), The Chess Mind (1951), Handbook of Chess (1960), Technique in Chess (1961), Test Your Chess (1963), The Pan Book of Chess (1966), Not Only Chess (1974), and Brilliancies in Chess (1977).

Further, he published books on legal, philosophical and political issues

Law Relating to Hire Purchase (1939), Ugly Angel (1940), Retribution (1941), Day of Reckoning (1943), World Turns Left (1943), Conscience Makes Heroes (1945), Lunatics and Lawyers (1951), Law for Writers and Journalists (1958), According to the Evidence (1958), The Legal Mind (1954), Police Questioning: The Judges' Rules (1964), Trade Unions and the Law (1968), and Morality and the Law (1971)

 

Banks, Pete - Brown, A.

Halesowen CC Summer tournament, 1994

Pete noted: Not a graded game, but semi-serious, as it is played for a trophy. My opponent was weaker than me, so I risked the 'Abrahams-Jerome'. 

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

Not waiting for Nf3 and ...Nc6.

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Kf8 

Correct.

5.Qxe5 d6 6.Qf4+ Nf6 7.d3 Nc6 8.Nf3 

8...Nd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.c3 Be5 

It is tempting to threaten the enemy Queen, but the Bishop risks being trapped and captured. Simply the retreat, 10...Bb6, was the way to go. 

11.Qh4 Ke8 

Black wants to bring his Rook to f8, but his King would be a bit safer after 11...Kf7, and later bring his Rook to e8 (or f8).

12.Bg5 

This game was played over 30 years ago, when the analysis of the Jerome Gambit was much thinner - including the fact that this blog had not yet started.

Consistent would have been 12.d4 Nd7 13.Qxd8+ Kxd8 14.dxe5 Nxe5. 

12...Rf8 

The proper way to protect the Knight was 12...Kf7, possibly in conjunction with 13...h6; the old You attack my piece, I will attack your piece.

13.f4 

The Bishop is trapped and will be won, but Black has play against White's Bishop, too. The first player should have considered 13.d4 when 13...h6 can be answerd by the retreat 14.Bd2.

13...h6 

14.fxe5 hxg5 15.Qxg5 dxe5 16.Qxe5+ Kf7 

17.O-O 

Taking liberties. He should have protected the d-pawn with 17.Qg3 Kg8 and then 18.O-O.

However, he gets away with it.

17...Re8 

Attacking the enemy Queen is attractive. 

18.Qh5+ Kg8 19.Qg6 c6 

Everyone has forgotten about the big, fat, juicy d-pawn.

Pete now takes advantage of Black's over-loaded Queen.

20.Rxf6 Rf8 

Peaceful. He might have tried 20...Rxe4!? 21.Nd2!? Qxf6 22.Qxf6 gxf6 23.Nxe4 gaining a pawn (but remaining 2 down).

21.Rxf8+ Kxf8 22.d4 Qh4 

Black will not give up easily.

It must be remembered that not every Jerome Gambit leads to rock-em, sock-em checkmating attack. Sometimes White is just better, and has to work out the details.

23.Nd2 c5 

Neglecting his King. Now, more of the details are clear.

24.Rf1+ Kg8 25.Nf3 Qg4 

Exchanging Queens will decrease some of the pressure, but Pete will have none of it.

26.Ng5 Qd7 27.Qh7 checkmate

The Pseudo-Traxler Bukayev Romantic Attack Which Is Stronger Than the Traxler Attack

 

                                                       

                           The Pseudo-Traxler Bukayev Romantic Attack

                         Which Is Stronger Than the Traxler Attack                                     

                                                              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 Traxler attack (C57) in the Italian opening and looking at the Rossolimo variation (B30) in the Sicilian opening. We remember, Mr. Traxler has discovered his attack with 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+! 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+! after his looking at the Jerome gambit, so the Jerome gambit is a "grandfather" of this my invention.

Thus, here is my new attack:

 

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e5!? (this is a popular modern defence in the Rossolimo variation) 4.b4?! AN (this new sort of the Wing gambit can be enjoyed by a lot of Sicilian Wing gambit lovers in the Internet) 4...cxb4 5.a3 a6 6.Bc4!? Nf6 7.Ng5 Bc5?! (let me name it as 'Pseudo-Traxler Bukayev Romantic Attack'). 

Why is the probability of Black's choice of 7...Bc5 higher than one of 7...d5! (which is stronger, in fact)? After 7...d5 8.exd5! Black sees that the main Two Knights defence plan ...Nc6-a5 can't "save" the diagonal a2-g8 because the square a2 is free here, so White retreats Bc4-a2! The position is very sharp, and Black's knowledge and understanding of "side" Two Knights defence variations against 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 are not enough usually. Black sees a more risk for himself here (7...d5 8.exd5!) than in the case of 7...Bc5, because this new Traxler-ish attack is clearly stronger than the Traxler attack and because its all ideas seem to be clear for an attacker.

The strongest way for White is analogous to the Traxler attack - 

 

8.Bxf7+!  ,

 

and after the analogous response

 

8...Ke7!

 

Black has enough good counter-play, the position is very sharp, is near to even game.

 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.]

_____________________________________

A Short Abrahams Jerome Gambit

Players familiar with the Jerome Gambit should also become familiar with the Abrahams Jerome Gambit, as there are many chances to strike and win quickly.

rajasthan - adriancapetown

10 0 blitz, FICS, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

The Abrahams Jerome Gambit

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ 

One of the benefits of playing the Abrahams, as opposed to the regular Jerome (with Nf6 and ...Nc6), is that Black really has only one response to this check that keeps his advantage.

Fast time controls, or the element of surprse, can magnify this situation.

See "The Abrahams Jerome Gambit (Part I)" and "The Abrahams Jerome Gambit (Part II)"

4...Ke6 

Objectively - say, evauation by Stockfish 17.1 (30 ply) - this move gives Black an edge of about 1/3 pawn. 

5.Nf3 

Giving the possibility of transposing to the Jerome Gambit, proper.

More in tune with the Abrahams Jerome Gambit is 5.Qf5+ Kd6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.b4, with that edge mentioned above. 

5...Qf6 

In defending against any Jerome Gambit, ...Qf6 often comes into the discussion - sometimes it is helpful, sometimes it is not.

In this case, it is not. Black should support the e-pawn with 5...d6.

6.Qe8+ 

rajasthan knows his Jerome Gambits - there are lines in the regular Jerome (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Qf6 8.Qe8+) where this move does not work. 

However, in this case, The Database has 53 games with this position. White scores 72%.

6...Be7 

Decisions, decisions, decisions. 

If 6...Ne7 then 7.Qxh8 

If 6...Qe7 7.Qxc8 

As I quoted in "Jerome Gambit: Success Is Just Around the Corner... (Part 1)"

 As Oliver Hardy used to say to Stan Laurel, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into."

7.Qxc8 Bd8 8.Qxb7 Qf4 

Here, Black forfeited by disconnection

Jerome Gambit: The Primacy of Check

When the King is in check, the player must put every thing else aside and block the check, move out of the check, or capture the attacking piece. Double check reduces the King's options to just moving away.

Checks must be attended to first, as the following game shows.

vagel - ssshhhilov

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

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 Nf6 

So far, as in Jerome - Shinkman, Iowa, 1876 (1/2-1/2, 42).

9.Bg5 Re8 

vagel has also seen 9...c5 10.Qc3 Qc7 11.f4 Nxe4 12.fxe5+ Ke6 13.Qb3+ d5 14.Nc3 Nd2 15.Qxd5 checkmate, vagel - Jairoton, lichess.org, 2023; and 

9... Rf8 10. f4 Nc6 11.Qe3 (11.Qd3 h6 12.Bh4 Kg8 13.Nc3 Be6 14.Rae1 d5 15.e5 d4 16.exf6 dxc3 17.f7+ Rxf7 18.Bxd8 Black resigned, vagel - annbrykova, lichess.org, 2024) 11...h6 12.Bh4 Qe7 13.Nc3 b6 14.Nd5 Qd7 15.Nxf6 gxf6 16.e5 dxe5 17.fxe5 Nxe5 18.Qxe5 Kg8 19.Bxf6 Bb7 20.Qg3+ Kh7 21.Rad1 Qc6 22.Qg7#, vagel - glcnckss, lichess.org, 2024. 

Stockfish 17.1 suggests 9...h6. 

10.f4 Nc6 11.Qc4+ 

White plans mischief - the kind you can see in 5-minute games - if Black blocks this check with his Bishop.

11...Be6 12.Qd3 h6 13.Bh4 

Black has defended well, and need only castle-by-hand with 13...Kg8 to cement his advantage.

13...Qd7 

Casually developing another piece, missing the fact that he is now blocking his Bishop. In a 5-minute game, players can move quickly and miss something. 

14.e5 

The same can be said for White. Perhaps he figured that he would have time for 14.f5 on his next move, but 14...Ne5 15.fxe6+ (the check is important and must be attended to) Qxe6 16.Qb5 is only even. 

He needed to play f4-f5. Lucky for him, he has another chance.

14...Nd5  15.f5

Things are beginning to look a little worrisome for Black, but he needs to take a deep breath, find 15...Kg8, and accept the fact that after the further 16.fxe6 Qxe6 16.exd6 Qxd6 the game will be level.

15...Nxe5 

One bit of practical chess advice is If your opponent attacks your piece, attack one of his that is of greater value.

Here, White attacks the Black Bishop, so Black, in turn, attacks the White Queen - overlooking the primacy of check.

16.fxe6+ 

This capture comes with double check, and the King has only two choices as to where to go

16...Kxe6 

He could have forfeited his Queen with 16... Kg8, instead. 

The text foreits his King.

17.Qf5 checkmate