Jerome Gambit: "Bxf7+ Is A Blunder"

 

I found the graphic, above, in Aleksander Merkoulov's Post (Chess.com Club - Learn, Play, Grow) at Facebook.

The discussion it initiates is important to those who play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - something I addressed at least as early as "But – Is this stuff playable?? (Part I)"

Of course not.

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has many refutations.

I'm glad that's settled.

Maybe a more useful question would be --
Under what conditions might the Jerome Gambit be playable?

In casual or blitz games among "average" players , perhaps -- when Grandmaster Nigel Davies' words from his Gambiteer I (2007) are relevant:

Having examined literally thousands of club players’ games over the years, I have noticed several things:
1) The player with the more active pieces tends to win.
2) A pawn or even several pawns is rarely a decisive advantage.
3) Nobody knows much theory.
4) When faced with aggressive play, the usual reaction is to cower.

This is not an abstract idea for me. According to The Database, I have played the Jerome Gambit 489 times, scoring 82%.

Then, again, Bill Wall has played it 972 times, scoring 93%.

So, the question is, as above, "Under what conditions might the Jerome Gambit be playable?"

Jerome Gambit: The Confusion Sacrifice

Taking a trip back in time - 17 years - to the post "Sac a pawn, or a piece, or a..." I would like to quote, at length...

Why, oh why, do people play such a scary thing as the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+)?

I play the opening myself, and I still ask that question. I found one kind of answer in a recent Chess Cafe book review by Steve Goldberg. He was writing about Timothy Taylor's new Pawn Sacrifice! (Everyman Chess, 2008)

Of course, in the Jerome Gambit White sacrifices more than a pawn, but often his two-pawns-for-a-piece material disadvantage is on the same level of loss.

Chapter 12, titled "Confusion," represents an interesting use of pawn sacrifices. Taylor explains, "Sometimes your opponent is just too smug. You look across the board, and there he is, wearing his Andy Warhol t-shirt, dreamily calm in the midst of his prepared variation/middlegame he’s crushed GMs with/grinding ending, and he just knows he’s going to win, and you’re just going to have to sit there and suffer, and he’s going to enjoy it."

Taylor’s advice is to "rip the gauzy comfort zone right off his smiling face! What do you do? You sacrifice a pawn for no other reason than to confuse your opponent! He says to himself, ‘That can’t be good!’ Then he thinks: ‘But why did he do it? – there must be some idea!’ Then, ‘I can refute this, but I have to leave my beloved comfort zone! Ohhhhh no!’"

Five games are presented in this chapter, and four of these "go from objectively lost, to confused, to winning." Fritz doesn’t approve any of these sacrifices, but Taylor states, "The confusion sacrifice is a very effective weapon against humans … The next time you have a bad position, or a position you simply don’t like, cheer yourself up! Sac a pawn just for confusion, then watch your opponent flounder! You will win many more games this way than if you drearily and unhappily defend."

Jerome Gambit: Reality vs Imagination

In all of the Jerome Gambit and Jerome-like lines of play that I can think of, accepting the first offered piece - and, often, accepting the second one - is "objectively" better for Black.

Yet, some defenders decline. (About 3% with the Abrahams Jerome Gambit; the same for the main line Jerome Gambit.) 

Likely, they are thinking that the benefit of taking the attacker out of his regular opening moves is more important than taking the offered material.

This kind of imagination can crash into the reality of the chess board.

maestro_rabbittry01 - Daps247

10 0 rapid, lichess.org2025

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

As I wrote in "Slips in the Polerio / Abrahams Jerome Gambit"

Mentioned by Polerio in the 16th century (see "Jerome Gambit: Early Sources") and Abrahams in the 20th century (see " 'Tis A Puzzlement..." and "The Abrahams Jerome Gambit [Parts I & II]"), this relative / ancestor of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) has shown up in interesting places (see Yury V. Bukayev's "Jerome Gambit: Morphy vs the Mefistopheles" for his take on the Polerio Knightless Jerome Gambit) and can feature play both similar to and different from the Jerome.

3...Kf8 

Again, for an earlier look, see I'll Do The Thin'in' Around Here... 

The Abrahams Jerome Gambit Declined, which "objectively" turns Black's better game into a better game for White - especially after 4.Bc4 or 4.Bb3.

4.Bb3 Qf6 5.Nf3 d6 6.h3 Nc6 7.c3 Nge7 8.O-O

White has an extra pawn and a safer King.

8...Ng6

This development of the Knight is a bit awkward, although, perhaps it plans to go to f4 as a spearhead of an attack on the enemy King.. The anticipation move 8...Bb6 probably was the way to go.

9.d4 Bb6

This move does not pair well with his previous move. Can you see why?

10.Bg5 Black resigns

Black's Queen is "checkmated".

Jerome Gambit: It Only Takes One Slip

One attraction of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) for club players is that it might only take one slip for the defender to fall into significant danger.

The following game is an excellent example. Instead of looking more deeply into the position at move 8, Black saves time and relies on a remembered chess maxim - which, in this case, leads to disaster.

AyltsMe - Huy0404

10 5 rapid, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 g6

Black remembers the old piece of advice: If your piece is attacked, you might not have to move it away, if you can attack one of your oppoent's more valuable pieces.

In this case, however, the advice fails. In an instance, the game goes from (theoretically) "Won for Black" to "Won for White".

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 

Can White now afford to capture Black's Rook?

Years ago, I faced that question, in  perrypawnpusher - spontex, 8 8 blitz, FICS, 2009 (1/2-1/2, 59), and played 10.Qd5+, going for a non-existant checkmate. It was better to simply take the Rook

I corrected the mistake in  perrypawnpusher - vermifugo, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 38).

10.Qxh8 

10...Qh4+ 

Black responds sharply, as he must.

Stockfish 16.1 suggests 10...b6 or 10...b5, with the idea of Black's King retreating to b7; but the text move appears more human.

11.g3 Qh3 12.Qxg8 Qg2 

Black's Queen hopes to duplicate the infliction of mayhem, but events overtake the defender.

13.Qd5+ Kb6 14.Rf1 d6 15.Qb3+ Kc6 16.Nc3 Bg4 17.Qb5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: From Over 20 Years Ago (Part 2)

 

In yesterday's post, I presented James F. Holwell's (chessteacher ) suggestion in a long-ago Yahoo.com Chess_Improvement discusstion that in the Jerome Gambit line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ke6  that 7.c4 was "very strong".

I was surprised to find that there were no 7.c4 games in The Database (containing almost 116,000 Jerome Gambit and Jerome-related games).

A quick trip to lichess.org turned up 7 games of various time controls and player strengths -

MohamedAliMD - Trichom

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c4 Ne7 8.O-O N7g6 9.Nc3 d6 10.Kh1 Qh4 11.Qe2 Rf8 12.Nd5 Kd7 13.f4 Ng4 14.g3 Qh5 15.b4 Bd4 16.Rb1 c6 17.Ne3 Nxe3 18.dxe3 Bf6 19.Qxh5 1-0

GokhanP - NeightE

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c4 Qf6 8.O-O g6 9.Qh3+ Kf7 10.Rd1 d5 11.d4 Bxh3 12.dxe5 Qxe5 13.Rxd5 Qxe4 14.Rxc5 Qxg2# 0-1

sammyobb  - RayDonovan23

10 5 rapid, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c4 Nf6 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.f4 Nd3+ 10.Kd1 Nxc1 11.Qe5+ Kc6 12.Kxc1 b6 13.d4 Bf8 14.Qb5+ Kb7 15.e5 Ne4 16.Qd5+ Kb8 17.Qxe4 Bb7 18.Qc2 Qh4 19.Nd2 Qxf4 20.d5 Bc5 21.Kb1 Qxe5 22.Nb3 d6 23.a4 Bc8 24.Qd2 Bf5+ 25.Ka2 Kb7 26.a5 a6 27.Rhe1 Qxh2 28.Re7 Rhg8 29.axb6 Bxb6 30.Na5+ Ka7 31.Nc6+ Kb7 32.Qb4 Kc8 33.Rf7 g6 34.Ne7+ Kb7 35.Nxg8 Rxg8 36.Qxd6 Qxd6 37.Rxh7 Qb4 38.b3 Re8 0-1

simonpedroaedo - findyourownself

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c4 Nd3+ 8.Ke2 Nf4+ 0-1

lazernicky - TTnnyy

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c4 Qf6 8.O-O d6 9.b4 Bd4 10.Nc3 Ne7 11.Rb1 Nd3 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.Qxd5+ Ke7 14.Bb2 Nxb2 15.e5 Bxe5 16.f4 Bd4+ 17.Kh1 c6 18.Rbe1+ Kd7 19.f5 cxd5 0-1

behlul_ken - PatriKarp

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Bxf7+ Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ke6 7. c4 Nd3+ 8. Ke2 Nxc1+ 9. Kd1 Nd3 10. Nc3 Nxf2+ 11. Kc2 Nxh1 12. Rxh1 Nf6 13. Qxc5 d6 14. Qf5+ Ke7 15. Nd5+ Nxd5 16. Qg5+ Nf6 17. Rf1 Rf8 18. e5 dxe5 19. Rf5 Bxf5+ 20. Qxf5 Qd7 21. Qxe5+ Qe6 22. Qxc7+ Nd7 23. Qc5+ 0-1

Mosotho1 - mehdiafrica

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.c4 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Kg1 g6 10.Qe2 Nh6 11.d4 Nef7 12.d5+ Ke7 13.Nc3 d6 14.Be3 Bg4 15.Qd2 Bd7 16.Bxh6 Nxh6 17.Qxh6 Rhf8 18.Qd2 c6 19.h3 cxd5 20.exd5 Qf5 21.g3 Kd8 22.Kg2 Qf3+ 23.Kh2 Qh5 24.Rhf1 Qxh3+ 25.Kg1 Qxg3+ 26.Qg2 Qe3+ 27. Kh1 Rxf1+ 28.Rxf1 Kc7 29.Rf7 Qe1+ 30.Qg1 Qh4+ 31.Qh2 Qe1+ 32.Kg2 Qe2+ 33.Nxe2 Kb6 34.Rxd7 Re8 35.Qxd6+ 1-0

Jerome Gambit: From Over 20 Years Ago (Part 1)

I found the following Yahoo.com Chess_Improvement messages from over 20 years ago - before the start of this blog - tucked in one of my databases... 

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Chess_Improvement/message/1885    

From: "James F. Holwell" <chessteacher@y...>   

Date:  Sat Jun 19, 2004  3:28 pm  

Subject:  The Jerome Gambit ! ?    

...Here is something for you and the rest of the group to deal with...

  Is White's sacrifice of a BISHOP at move FOUR correct?

See this -- Set up your chess pieces, this is not a computer exercise. Just do it, trust me.    

In a game on CowPlay, your chessteacher played 16. ...Ne7 and went down in  flames. If anyone is interested in how White actually dealt the fatal blow,  here is a link to the game:  http://www.cowplay.com/index.php?cmd=viewchessgame&id=7365 

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Bxf7+ 

This is the Jerome Gambit. Can White get a winning attack in return for the brave Bishop?

Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ke6 7. Qh3+ $1 

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/chess_analysis/message/1798  From:  "Clint" <hp2guns@y...>   

Date:  Mon Jun 21, 2004  2:34 pm   

Subject:  jerome gambit    

give me black anytime after 7. Qh3+ Ke7. This might be a cute attack against a new player who panics, but whites attack peters  out. Interesting for white is 7.c4. I will look into this line some  when i have more time, just wanted to say hi to the group, thanks to the owner. I was looking for a club like this to help me return to  otb chess after a long layoff. 

(7. c4) 7... Kd6 Clearly White's 7th move is very strong, and we are wondering if the black king should be scurrying back to f7. 

8. O-O Qf8 9. c3 Bb6 

The chessstudent should be making notes of moves that he or she would like to have considered. We are all looking for ways to improve Black's defense, and we are also looking at ways to make White's attack even stronger.  It would seem that Back should have winning chances, IF he she can repel the attack and remain with a material advantage. 

10. d4 Ng6 11. Bg5 c6 12. Qg3+ Ke6 13. Na3 Nf6 14. Nc4 Kf7 15. e5 Ne8 16. f4 Ne7 

In a game on CowPlay, your chessteacher played 16. ...Ne7 and went down in flames. If anyone is interested in how White actually dealt the fatal blow, here is a link to the game: http://www.cowplay.com/index.php?cmd=viewchessgame&id=7365 

16... d5 $5 17. Nxb6 axb6 18. f5 Nxe5 19. dxe5 h6) *

I have to admit that I have zero games with the "very strong" 7.c4 in The Database. Something to look into.

Jerome Gambit: Dodgy Defense

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game illustrates an interesting defense.

It also provides a warning to players to be careful not to lose their focus as they play, lest unfortunate events ensue.

joker0909 - GioPika70

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qh4 

As I wrote in "Jerome Gambit: Not So Fast"

In this position, Black usually sacrifices his Rook with either 7...d6, Blackburne's defense, or 7...Qe7, Whistler's defense.

Here, however, Black offers a finesse: after 8.Qxh8, then 8...Qxe4+ would transpose to the strong attack that comes out of  Whistler's defense, without having offered or allowed the exchange of Queens that could happen in the ordinary Whistler, i.e. 8.Qxe7+.

I am tempted to call this the "DodgyGong defense", based on the early game perrypawnpusher - DodgyGong, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 34).

8.Qxc5 Qxe4+ 9.Kd1 

White's King steps aside, planning to bring his Rook to the e-file.

Stockfish 17.1 prefers 9.Kf1, protecting the g-pawn. 

It is a small sample, but The Database shows in previous games that 9.Kd1 scored 2 - 2,  While 9.Kf1 scored 4 - 1. YMMV.

9...d6 

Missing an opportunity to play 9...Qg4+ 10.f3 Qxg2, or 9...Qxg2, directly, both times keeping the game even, because of drawing chances.

10.Qxc7+ Ne7 

White now has the opportunity to stymie Black's threats along the a8-h1 file and the d1-h5 file, with 11.f3. Further play would allow the first player to keep an edge: 11...Bg4 12.Rf1 (reinforcing the pawn at f3) Rhc8 13.Nc3 Qxc2+ (a small combination that wins a pawn) 14.Kxc2 Bf5+ 15.d3 Rxc7 and White is better.

In a 3-minute blitz game, that can be missed. 

11.Re1 Qxg2 

Instead, 11...Bg4+ 12.f3 Bxf3+ 13.gxf3 Qxf3+ 14.Re2 Qf1+ 15.Re1 Qf3+ etc, draws by repetition.

12.Qxe7+ 

Does it matter which piece captures at e7?

If you are a computer, it does: 12.Rxe7+ Kf6 13.Rf7+ Kg5 14.d3+ Kg4 15.f3+ Qxf3+ 16.Rxf3 h6 17.Rg3+ Kh5 18.Qf7 Bg4+ 19.Rxg4 Kxg4 20.Qf4+ Kh5 21.Qf3+ Kh4 22.Qg3+ Kh5 23.Qh3 checkmate

Egads.

Of course, after the text move, White is better. 

12...Kg8 13.Qe8+ Kg7 14.Re7+ Kh6 

15.Qf7 

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Adding a piece to the attack was the way: 15.d3+ g5 16.Re6+ Bxe6 (16...Kg7 17.Qe7+ Kg8 18.Qd8+ Kg7 19.Qf6+ Kg8 20.Re8#) 17.Qxe6+ Kh5 18.Be3 Rae8 19.Qf7+ Kh6 20.h4, when Black's checks will be ineffective.

15...Bg4+ 16.Ke1 Qg1 checkmate