The Knight Before Christmas

 

Jerome Gambit: Tactics - Entertaining and Educational

Here we have the second, recent, Cliff Hardy game.

For more of the Australian private eye's adventures, you can use the "search" window on the right side of this blog.

Notes are by Cliff Hardy. My comments are in blue.

Hardy, Cliff - johnny_o

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

Now a game with much more time to think: 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 

So far, play has followed various games and anlyses of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome.

10...Nh6 

The idea behind this move is a bit unclear. The Knight might have gone to its regular post on f6, instead.

11.d4 Qxd4

 11...Bxd4?? would have lost the queen to 12.Bf4. 

12.Rf1

12.c3 is better. I was a bit scared he might play ...Qf2+ to get the queens off but the material would have been in parity so it would have been the better way to go. 

12...Kc6 13.Nc3 Rf8 14.Bf4 g5 

15.e5+ Kb6 

Best was 15...d5! 16.exd6+ Kd7! 

16.Nd5+ Ka5 17.Bd2+ 

17.c3! was best, with a strong attack 

17...Kb5

when he has 2 bishops for a rook but White's activity holds the balance. 

Fine for black was the counter sacrifice 17...Qxd2+! 18.Kxd2 Rxf3

The following tactical play is entertaining and educational. 

18.a4+ Kc6 19.Ne7+ Kb6 20.Qb3+ Bb4 21.Nd5+ Kc6 22.Nxb4+ Kc5 23.Be3 

23...Rxf1+ 24.Kxf1 Nf5 25.Bxd4+ 

25.Nd3+ or 25.Qd5+ both would have led to mate on the next move. 

25...Nxd4 26.Qc3+ 

Again 26.Qd5+ would have led to checkmate in one on the following move.

26...Kb6 27.Qxd4+ c5 28.Qd6+ Ka5 29.Qxc5+ b5 30.Qxb5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Cliff Hardy Goes Berserk

Long-time Readers - or at least those who have been visiting this blog for 1 1/2 years or more - will be familiar with Cliff Hardy, the Australian detective who occasionally dabbles in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

Readers of "hard boiled" detective stories know that, almost inevitably, the hero gets slugged by the bad guy, before solving the case. Shows character, I guess.

So, with that caveat, let's look at the first of two games that Cliff has sent. The notes are his. Mine are in blue.

Hardy, Cliff - Tschelowjek

3 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.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+ 

From "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter II"

An interesting line that I refer to as "Nib's Defense," which made its first appearance in the American Chess Magazine of June 1899 in a comical article lampooning a new pastime, chess by phone. 

In a constructed game the author, "R.F.," overcame continued line noises and interruptions to use the Jerome Gambit to defeat "Nibs" in a dozen moves -- erroneously claiming checkmate, by the way.

10.Kd1 Ne7 11.Qf7

According to The Database, this move is a novelty.

Stockfish 16.1 suggests 11.Qxc5+ Kxc5 12.gxh4 d5

11...Ng5 12.fxg5 

I think 12.Qc4 might be the best try here. 

12...Qg4+ 13.Ke1 

13...b6 

13...Qxe4+ 14.Kd1 Qxh1+ would have put me on life support. 

14.d3 Bb7 15.Bf4+ Kc6 16.Nc3 Rhf8 17.Qc4 

I have to make a confession here and admit that, in the attempt to gain more tournament points, I had chosen the 'berserk' option of sacrificing half my time in the pursuit of attaining more points if I were to win. So while my opponent had 3 minutes total for the game, I had only one and a half. He still had 2 minutes and 2 seconds left on his clock at this stage of the game and I had just 18 seconds left. I'm hoping that with more time I would have spotted the mate in 2 here [17.Qd5+ Nxd5 18.exd5#] but maybe I still wouldn't have even looked at it! I'm too embarrassed and heartbroken to give those 2 mating moves ?? but it would have been a nice way to have finished the game though! 

17...Rxf4 

I'd hoped to get away with a checkmate in one with 18.Qb5 but it was not to be ??

18.Qb5+ 

After 18.gxf4 I would have still had some chance to win, with threats like d4, to win the pinned bishop on c5.

18...Kd6 

With the move d3-d4 not a workable threat anymore (due to ...Bxd4), I don't have any compensation for my exposed king on e1 - which is now much more vulnerable to attack than his on d6! 

19.gxf4 Qxf4 20.Ne2 Qf2+ 21.Kd1 Qf3 22.Re1 Bf2 23.Qc4 Bxe1

24.e5+ Kxe5 25.Kxe1 c5 26.Kd2 Nd5 27.Qc3+ 

I only had 1 second left on the clock here but I was dead lost down a piece anyway. 

27...Nxc3 28.Nxc3 Qf4+ 29.Ke2 d5 30.Ke1 d4 

Black won on time

 

Jerome Gambit: Iconic 9-Move Checkmate

From an earlier post on this blog, "Jerome Gambit: Iconic 9-move Checkmate"

There has been a flurry, recently, of Jerome Gambit treatments of the Two Knights Defense. By now [July 21, 2020], the iconic 9-move checkmate from the following game has become well known.

Well, the following game - in today's post - is the 200th such example in The Database.

Maybe more people need to read this blog.

deusmach - jaeselector

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights defense.

4.Bxf7+ 

Again, from "Jerome Gambit: Iconic 9-move Checkmate"

I have been calling this the "impatient Jerome Gambit" because White does not wait for ...Bc5 before sacrificing his Bishop.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

White has two pawns for two pieces. That is not much, but he can be happy that the enemy King is misplaced.

6...Nc6 7.e5 Nd5 8.Qf3+ 

8...Kg8 

Blitz happens.

Instead, returning material wins - 8...Nf6 9.Be3 d6 10.exf6 Qxf6 11.Qe2 Nxd4 12.Qc4+ Ne6 13.Nc3 c6 14.O-O-O d5 

9.Qxd5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: It Can Sometimes Be Forgotten

With all of the excitment that can explode on the chessboard as a result of playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), it can sometimes be forgotten that the game can end in a draw. 

Here are a few recent examples.

udithemperor - a1mustafa_1, lichess.org, 2025

Tracy824 - Ay63scachi, lichess.org, 2025

Dagummmmmm11111 - WordedTruths, lichess.org, 2025

 

MrFiore - gospod_losos, lichess.org, 2025

RichardThomas - Shalow_Blue, lichess.org, 2025

Jerome Gambit: The Speed of the Game Propels Both Players

Jerome Gambit games played with the time control of one minute, no increment, leave me slack-jawed. I don't know how the players do it.

With 1,038 games in The Database angelcamina has scored 62% playing Jeromes at that time control. 

Impressive.

angelcamina - eastern_routine

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 

Or 6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4 checkmate, angelcamina - SammmDBest, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021

7.Nxg6 Qf6  

Often in the Jerome Gambit, Black's Queen goes to f6 to help with the defense and even prepare for a counter-attack. In this case, however, Her Majesty is misplaced.

Insufficient is 7...hxg6, e.g. 8.Qxh8 Kf8 9.O-O d6 10.c3 Be6 11.d4 Bb6 12.d5 Bf7 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.Bh6+ Ke7 15.Bg5+ Nf6 16.Bxf6+ Ke6 17.Bxd8 Rxd8 18.Qxd8 Bxf2+ 19.Rxf2 d5 20.exd5+ cxd5 21.Rf6+ Ke5 22.Nd2 c5 23.Qe7+ Be6 24.Qxe6 checkmate, angelcamina - MegaBanem,1 0 bullet lichess.org, 2019;

While 7...Nf6 is a better choice, but not always successful 8.Qh4 Nxe4 9.Qxe4+ Ne7 10.Nxh8 d6 11.Qxh7 Be6 12.O-O Qd7 13.Ng6 Nxg6 14.Qxg6+ Bf7 15.Re1+ Kf8 16.Qh6+ Kg8 17.c3 Qf5 18.d4 Bb6 19.Bg5 d5 20.Bf6 Qh7 21.Qg5+ Qg6 22.Qh4 Qh7 23.Qg3+ Qg6 24.Qxg6+ Bxg6 25.Nd2 c6 26.Re7 Bc7 27.Rae1 Bd6 28.Rd7 Bf8 29.Nf3 Rb8 30.Be7 b5 31.Bxf8 Kxf8 32.Ree7 Be8 33.Rxa7 White won on time, angelcamina - stockfishdanirealno1, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021) 

angelcamina faced the strongest counter, 7...Bxf2+ (going back to Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA 1960 and Blackstone - Dommeyer, skittles game, California, USA 1960 ) in angelcamina - boarnara, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023 (1-0, 10); angelcamina - Fabior-rj, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023 (1-0, 19); and angelcamina - PinkPandaPresident, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023 (0-1, 45)

8.Nxh8+ Kd8 

Also 8...Ke7 9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qe3 Qxh8 11.O-O Be6 12.c3 Rf8 13.d4 Kd8 14.d5 Bxd5 15.exd5 Re8 16.Qg5+ Nge7 17.dxc6 bxc6 18.Na3 Rg8 19.Qh4 Qg7 20.g3 Kd7 21.Qh3+ Kd8 22.Bh6 Qg6 23.Rae1 Nd5 24.Qh4+ Nf6 25.Re6 Qd3 26.Rxf6 Kc8 27.Rf8+ Rxf8 28.Bxf8 Kb7 29.Bxd6 cxd6 30.Qb4+ Kc7 31.Qc4 Qg6 32.Re1 Qg7 33.Qa6 Kd7 34.Qb7+ Kd8 35.Qxg7 Kc8 36.Re7 Black resigned, angelcamina - Hajile07, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020; and

8...Kf8 9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qc3 Nd4 11.O-O Qxh8 12.d3 Qg7 13.f4 Ne2+ 14.Kh1 Nxc3 15.Nxc3 h5 16.f5 h4 17.Rf3 Bd7 18.g3 Qh7 19.Bg5 hxg3 20.Rxg3 Nh6 21.Rag1 Nf7 22.Be3 Ke7 23.Rg7 Qh3 24.Nd5+ Kf8 25.Rg8 checkmate, angelcamina - karimov1, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022. 

9.d4 

You know that things are going well for you when you can also play 9.O-O and still win quickly 9...Qxh8 10.Qxc5 Qf6 11.d4 d6 12.Qh5 Nxd4 13.Bg5 Ne2+ 14.Kh1 Nf4 15.Bxf6+ Kd7 Black resigned, angelcamina - KC3000, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019; 

and, even better 9.Qxc5 Qxh8 10.Qf8 checkmate, angelcamina - DenBlood, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022. 

9...Bxd4 

Instead, 9...Be7 would save his Queen, but not the game.

10.Bg5 Bxb2 11.Bxf6+ Nxf6 12.e5 

The kind of thing that sometimes happens in a bullet game - and the kind of oversight I seldom see angelcamina make.

12...Bxe5 

Likewise.

13.Nf7+ Ke8 14.Nxe5+ 

Again. Twice in a game? Unprecedented.

14...Ke7 

The speed of the game propels both players.

15.Nxc6+ dxc6 16.O-O Black resigned

White has sufficient material (and good fortune) to win, even after 16...Nxh5.

Jerome Gambit: Golden Kings Chess Coaching Academy

                                                      

In my most recent exploration of the internet, I encountered the Sri Lankan Chess site

දිනන ගේම් වල මේ වැරදි කරන්න එපා | Italian Game – Jerome Gambit | Sinhala Chess Lesson | චෙස් පාඩම්

presented by C.S. Kumarawadu, National Instructor (FIDE), of the Golden Kings Chess Coaching Academy.

The Golden Kings Chess Coaching Academy site has videos on chess openings, middlegames, and endgames, all well presented.

My knowledge of language is limited to my native English; I speak French like a Spanish cow; and I fumble through American Sign Language. Still, although I could make out maybe one fourth of Mr. Kumarawadu's commentary, I enjoyed the Jerome Gambit video for its visual aspects.

As an aside, when I first began watching Jerome Gambit videos, it seemed that everyone wanted to illustrate the opening with the game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.O-O Nf6 10.c3 Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qxh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxe4#

Lately, however, I have begun to see (as in this video) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Nc6 8.Qxc5 Qe7 9.Qd5+ Kf6 10.Qf5# - a game that The Database identifies as blackburne - karmmark, Jerome Gambit thematic tournament, ChessWorld.net, 2007.

No, the game was not played by the gost of The Black Death, it was played by chessfriend Pete Banks, who used the handle "blackburne" for his online contributions, including to this site.