Jerome Gambit: Book (Part 1)

 

Bill Wall, whose games and comments have graced many posts on this blog, recently informed me of a book on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) at archive.org.

It is a 61-page tome, in PDF form.

It is also a bit of a head-scratcher. 

The cover indicates the book is by "Chess Notes", although the first of that name that comes to mind is Edward Winter's "Chess Notes" - and I seriously doubt that this is Winter's work. I have emailed him about this, and will share his response. 

Many of the notes to the games within are by "Kitty Kat", otherwise unidentified. A Chess.com robot entity? I don't know.

Fortunately, none of my games are included, but it is odd that none of Bill's games are included, either.

There are games that do not appear in The Database, so I will have to update it.

One game given in the notes is a bit of a puzzler: 

So,W-Delmonico, N Eljanov Memorial final 6th 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5  4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5  6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6  9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3 Kc6  12.Nc3 d6 13.h3 Qh5 14.Qg3 Be6 15.Ne2 Raf8 16.Nf4 Qe5 17.Qxg7  Bf5 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.Qxe5 dxe5 20.exd5+ Kxd5 (23)

The same moves appear in The Database, in 

Jerome,Alonzo W. - Charles,S.A., correspondence, 1881

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3 Kc6 12.Nc3 d6 13.h3 Qh5 14.Qg3 Be6 15.Ne2 Raf8 16.Nf4 Qe5 17.Qxg7 Bf5 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.Qxe5 dxe5 20.exd5+ Kxd5 21.Bh6 Rf7 22.g4 Be6 23.O-O-O Rf3

I suppose I should check with Wesley So about his Jerome Gambit adventures.

A deeper look into the book will follow.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Video and Burning Bridges

 Wow.

I just bumped into a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) video ("Chess Openings #15 - Jerome Gambit") by @Chess_Thugs, who has a number of chess video on YouTube.

It is relevant to this blog to consider the following assessment.

The Jerome Gambit is a gambit not of a pawn, but of the entire game. This opening was probably born because some trash 700 ELO player confused the fried liver with this and tried it anyway. Although it seems like white will get the piece back and enjoy a bad but existing attack, black can simply protect the piece with his king and refused [sic] to give it away. 

It is true, that the Jerome is not a gambit of a pawn, but, rather two pieces, one of which White sometimes can claw back.

I do very much like the opinion that the opening is actually a gambit "of the entire game". Playing the Jerome Gambit requires you to be all in, even if it means burning your bridges behind you, as there is no going back.

While I do not know exactly how strong Alonzo Wheeler Jerome (after whom the gambit is named) was (see "How Strong A Player Was Giovanni Tonetti?") it is clear from his games and analyses that he was rated higher than 700 (although the ELO system was not in existance back then).

It is hard to not share Chess Grand Monkey's online look at various ratings (check it out!), including "How good is a 700 chess rating?" and the following diagram

How good is a 700 chess rating?

An elo rating of 700 in chess means that you kind of know what you’re doing! You’re still considered a new player, but you do know all the chess rules. And you probably recognize some opnings already. But there’s a lot of room for improvement!

Chess rating (elo)	Level	How you play
< 800	Novice	You hang your queen 4 times per game
800 – 1099	Beginner	You play pretty well and then you blunder your queen You know only 2 openings.
1100 – 1399	Intermediate	You can play all the common openings, but you blunder forks when you get tired.
1400 – 1699	Advanced intermediate	You don’t blunder pieces away anymore. Ifyou lose it’s because you played inaccurately and you lost a pawn.
1700 – 1999	Advanced	People need to come at you with very challenging positions if they want you to make an inaccuracy.
2000 – 2299	Expert	You hold your own in almost any position. Your biggest enemies are stress and fatigue.

Table: what your chess elo rating really means (based on ratings on Chess.com)

Again, I enjoy @Chess_Thugs' comment that the Jerome Gambit leads to "a bad but existing attack", he is a bit inaccurate when asserting

...[B]lack can simply protect the piece with his king and refused [sic] to give it away. 

in light of the main line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4, when Black's best move, according to Stockfish 16.1, is to have his King step away from defending the beleagured Knight, with 8...Kc6, giving it away. 

All-in-all, I appreciate the criticism, as it forces me to examine and re-examine my favorite opening.

Just Make Good Moves

The following blitz game, sent to me by SUPREMEAPAP, is wild.

I remember, years ago, reading that a Master shared that he doesn't bother with deep analysis when playing against a much weaker opponent, he just makes good moves and waits for the mistakes to come. 

SUPREMEAPAP - NN

3 2 blitz, Chess.com, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Bxf7+ 

Most recently seen in the post "Keep Things Complicated"

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Nxe4 

With aggression in mind. Milder was 6...Ng6.

7.dxe5 Qh4 

Black's Queen move looks scary, especially in a 3-minute game. Still, 7...d5 was for choice. 

8.Qf3+ 

Is this move good? Is it bad? Does it matter?

Sometimes, when you get an idea in your head, you play it.

An alternative is 8.g3 Qe7 9.Qd5+ Qe6 10.Qxe4 d5.

8...Kg8 

See what I mean? Play something scary, and your opponent might jump. The King is in danger? Seek shelter! It is not readily apparent - and in 3-minute games, players seek out the readily apparent - that 8...Kg6 is best, and keeps Black better. 

9.g3 

White kicks the Queen, driving her back, maintaining White's advantage. Good idea, but missing 9.Qb3+ d5 10.Qxd5+ Be6 11.Qxe6 checkmate.

Again: After this move, White is still better, but... 

9...Ng5 

The old maxim, If your opponent attacks your piece, you may not need to move it, if you can, instead, attack one of your opponent's important pieces, is often helpful, especially in quick games, but following it can be risky if it misses concrete threats.

10.Qxf8+ 

If the Queen goes, she will take a piece with her; and then White can capture Black's Queen.

If she were not playing at breakneck speed, she would have seen to move her Queen with check, 10.Qb3+ d5 11.gxh4.

10...Kxf8 11.gxh4 

After Black collects the e-pawn, he will have an edge, due to pawn structure.

11...Nf3+ 12.Ke2 Nxe5 13.Bf4 d6 14.Bxe5 

Simple positions can be easier to play, and here, the stronger player expects to outplay the weaker player.

14...dxe5 15.Nc3 Ke7 16.Rad1 Ke6 17.Rhg1 g6 18.Nb5 

18...Bd7 

Ouch. Clock? Nerves?

19.Nxc7+ Kf5 20.Nxa8 Bb5+ 21.Ke3 Rxa8 

White is up the exchange and a pawn, and "only" needs to find a plan and execute it - ahead of the clock.

22.Rd5 Bc6 23.Rc5 Rd8 24.Rg5+ Kf6 25.Rgxe5 h5 26.Rg5 Rd1

27.Rc4 Re1+ 28.Kd2 Re8 29.Rf4+ Kg7 30.c3 a6 31.a3 Bb5 32.a4 Bc6 

I don't know for sure, but I suspect that White played the last 10 moves very rapidly, to accumulate some of the 2-second increments per move, to ease time pressure.

33.b3 Be4 34.Ke3 

Allowing a discovered check, but it really doesn't matter.

34...Bc2+ 35.Kd4 Bxb3 36.a5 Bd1 

And now it is time to coordinate the White Rooks and go for checkmate.

37.Rc5 Rd8+ 38.Ke3 Re8+ 39.Re4 Rf8 40.Rc7+ Kg8 41.Ree7 Bb3

42.Rg7+ Kh8 43.Rh7+ Kg8 44.Rcg7 checkmate 

Keep Things Complicated

Here is another game from SUPREMEAPAP, showing the value of keeping the game complicated - uncomfortable for the opponent.

The defender might well have asked himself - At what point did I lose control of the game?

SUPREMEAPAP - NN

3 2 blitz, Chess.com, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Bxf7+ 

Although this line of play does not seem to have a name, I have classified it as a Jerome-Knight gambit. See "Jerome-Knightmare" and, especially, "Jerome Gambit: Review of the Jerome-Knight Gambit". 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ 

A historical reference: here 5.Qe2 was played in Draper, Dr - Child, AW., Belfast - Dublin team correspondence match-2 1891-2 (0-1, 20) 

5... Nxe5 6.d4 Ng6  

White has given up two pieces for two pawns - but those pawns can become troublesome, especially in a 3-minute game.

7.e5 Nd5 

Like in the Jerome Gambit proper, White is going to win back some material, so to be considered here is 7...d5 8.exf6 Qxf6, and Black is still better.

8.Qf3+ Ke8 9.Qxd5 Ne7 

Kicking the enemy Queen, always attractive. 

10.Qe4 d5 11.Qh4 

Interesting. 11.exd6 Qxd6 would have opened Black's position a little more, not in line with White's plans or chances.

11...g6 

This weakens f6, and is immediately responded to.

12.Bg5 Qd7 13.Nc3 Bg7 14.O-O 

There was a pawn to be had with 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Qxe7+ Kxe7 16.Nxd5, but White wants to retain her Queen for attacking chances.

14...Nf5 

15.Qf4 Rf8 16.Rfe1 Qe6 17.Nb5 

17...Qe7 

Ack! In keeping the position complicated and relying upon assistance of the clock,White is rewarded with this slip.

18.Bxe7 Nxe7 19.Qd2 Kf7 20.Nxc7 Rb8 21.e6+ Kg8 

Black's King has found safety. If he can capture White's advanced Knight, he would have 3 pieces for his Queen, and maybe...

Not going to happen.

22.Qg5 Nf5 23.Nxd5 Bf6 

Okay, the clock or panic, it doesn't matter any more.

24.Nxf6+ Kg7 

25.Nd7 

Forcing another exchange and advancing his passed pawn. 

It is not necessary to realize that White has a checkmate in 13 here - it is enough to find a winning way.

25...Bxd7 26.exd7 b6 27.g4 

Relentless.

27...Nxd4 28.Re7+ Kg8 29.Qd5+ Kh8 30.Qxd4+ Kg8 31.Qg7 checkmate

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.