Jerome Gambit: Attack the King vs Grind Your Opponent Down

 

Given the wild nature of the Jerome Gambit, it can be expected that attackers are looking to checkmate the enemy King as soon as possible.

True, but sometimes along the way, White gains enough material - via attack, or by the defender giving back some to blunt the attack - that reducing the game to a clearly won endgame is also quite nice.

The following game is a good example.

SUPREMEAPAP - NN

3 2 blitz, Chess.com, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4..Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ 

Nice, SUPREMEAPAP applies the "Nudge" instead of the immediate capture of the Bishop, to send the enemy King to the back rank where it can possibly interfere with the development of his King's Rook. 

Sure, White uses up an extra tempo, but when Black plays ...Kf7, so will he.

7... Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3

From an historical perspective, we can give the alternate move, 9.Qc3, played in Jerome,A - Brownson,O, Iowa 1875 (1 - 0, 28).

9...Nf6 10.d3 

This is stronger than 10.d4, seen in the early Charlick,H - Mann,J, correspondence, Australia 1881 (1-0, 72) 

10...Qe7 11.O-O Kf7 

Black plans to castle-by-hand.

12.f4 Re8 13.f5 Ne5 14.Qh3 Kf8 

The defender still has to be careful, as the action is going to take place on the Kingside.

15.Bg5 g6 

This is a 3-part move: it allows Black's Queen to protect the pawn at h7 and it attacks White's pawn at f5.

The third part? Unfortunately, it weakens the Kings' protection and spurs White's attack.

Less consequential would have been 15...h6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Nc3 c6 18.Rae1 

16.Qh6+ Qg7 17.Qh4 Kf7 18.fxg6+ hxg6 

19.Rxf6+

Also possible was 19.Bxf6, but the text lands with psychological impact.

19...Kg8 20.Nd2 Re6 21.Raf1 Rxf6 22.Bxf6 Qh7 

Exchanging Queens will help on defense.

23.Qxh7+ 

White reduces things to a won endgame.

23...Kxh7 24.Bxe5 dxe5 25.Nc4 Bd7 26.Rf7+ Black resigned

Behind the exchange and two pawns, Black slips and alows the win of his Bishop.

Keep Up the Pressure

                              

The following game is another from SUPREMEAPAP, providing another lesson for club players.

SUPREMEAPAP- NN

3 2 blitz, Chess.com, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 

The Hungarian Defense, one way to avoid facing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). However...

4.O-O 

It is good to revisit 4.d4 Nxd4 5.Bxf7+ from the game LarryC - wetvader, 45 15 ICC 2007 (1-0, 28), presented in "Here, Have Another..." Yes, LarryC is Grandmaster Larry Christiansen

4...Nf6 

Now, White sacrifices.

5.Bxf7+ 

It is interesting to review three alternate choices from over 170 years ago - 

5.Nc3 d6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 Nxd4 8.Qxd4 O-O 9.h3 b6 10.Be3 Bb7 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qxe5 Bd6 13.Qg5 Ne4 14.Nxe4 Bxe4 15.Qg4 Bxc2 16.Bd4 Bg6 17.Bc3 Qc8 18.Qd4 Black resigned, Mahescandra - Cochrane, Kolkata, 1853;

5.d3 O-O 6.c3 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.h3 Kh8 9.Re1 f6 10.d4 Nb6 11.Bb3 exd4 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.cxd4 Bf5 14.Nc3 c6 15.Be3 Bb4 16.Qf3 Qd7 17.Red1 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Nd5 19.c4 Nc3 20.Re1 Be4 21.Qg3 Bg6 22.Rac1 Ne4 23.Qh4 Rae8 24.c5 f5 25.f3 Nf6 26.Bg5 Nd5 27.Bf4 Nb4 28.Bd6 Nd3 29.Rxe8 Rxe8 30.Rd1 Nb4 31.Re1 Bf7 32.Rxe8+ Qxe8 33.Bxf7 Qxf7 34.Qd8+ Qg8 35.Qc7 h6 36.Be5 Nd3 37.Qxb7 Nxe5 38.dxe5 Qxa2 39.Qc8+ Kh7 40.Qxf5+ Kh8 41.e6 Qe2 42.Qf7 Qc4 43.Qf8+ Kh7 44.Qf5+ g6 45.Qf7+ Kh8 46.Qf8+ Kh7 47.e7 Qxc5+ 48.Kh2 Qd6+ 49.f4 Black resigned, Cochrane,J - Mahescandra, Kolkata, 1855; and

5.d4 Nxe4 6.dxe5 O-O 7.Re1 Nc5 8.c3 Ne6 9.b4 a6 10.a4 d6 11.exd6 Bxd6 12.Na3 Qf6 13.Qd3 Nxb4 14.cxb4 Qxa1 15.Bg5 Qxe1+ 16.Nxe1 Nxg5 17.Nac2 Be6 18.h4 Bxc4 19.Qxc4 Ne6 20.Qd5 Rab8 21.g3 Rfd8 22.Qf5 c5 23.bxc5 Nxc5 24.Nf3 h6 25.a5 b5 26.Nb4 Re8 27.Qd5 Rbd8 28.Qc6 Bf8 29.Kg2 Re6 30.Qc7 Rd7 31.Qc8 Rd1 32.Nc6 Rd3 33.Nfd4 Re1 34.Nf5 Rd7 35.Nce7+ Rdxe7 36.Nxe7+ Rxe7 37.Qxc5 Re6 38.Qc8 g6 39.f4 b4 40.Qb7 Kg7 41.g4 Rf6 42.g5 Rxf4 43.Qxa6 hxg5 44.hxg5 b3 45.Kg3 b2 46.Kxf4 b1=Q 47.Qf6+ Kg8 White resigned, Mahescandra - Cochrane,J, Kolkata 1855.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Ng6 8.e5 

White keeps the pressure on.

8...Nd5 

Here we go.

Black is still better, but he has missed the strongest defense, 8...Re8 9.exf6 Bxf6 10.Nc3 Kg8 returning some material and taking his King to safety.

9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Qxd5 Rf8 

Black's situation is something like wearing a tight, uncomfortable suit - and having everyone say how good it looks on him.

Stockfish 17.1 evaluates the second player as almost 3 pawns more attractive. That is okay for White - It ain't over 'til it's over
as Yogi Berra used to say.

11.f4 c6 12.Qe4 

Keep up the pressure, until your opponent cracks.

12...h6

Crack.

Instead, 12...d5 and 12...d6 come to mind.

13.Qxg6+ Black resigned

After 13...Rf7, White can work with her "Jerome pawns" with 14.f5, or add some development with 14.Nc3 or 14.Be3.

Worth Remembering

I recently received several games from SAUPREMEAPAP.

Let's take a look at a golden oldie - Jerome Gambit players, please take note: it is worth remembering this line of play.

SAUPREMEAPAP - NN

3 2 blitz, Chess.com, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights defense.

4.Bxf7+ 

According to The Database, this line goes back at least as far as Dr. Draper - AW Child, Belfast - Dublin match, 1891 (0-1, 20)

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Ng6 7.e5 Nd5 8.Qf3+ Kg8 9.Qxd5 checkmate

According to The Database, this position has occured 237 times.

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