Jerome Gambit: Hot Rod Lincoln (Part 1)

My dad said "Son, you're going to drive me to drinkin'

If you don't stop driving that hot rod Lincoln"

 

A loss in my latest Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game brings me to a record of  3 - 3 with the opening in the second round of the "Piano piano" tournament at Chess.com (with an additional 2 - 0 due to time forfeits).

I still had chances, until, embarassingly, I suddenly dropped a Rook. "Unforced error", they would say in tennis.

perrypawnpusher - PasayDefence

3d/move, Piano Piano, Chess.com, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

The Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit, played successfully by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in two correspondence games with Daniel Jaeger in 1880.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6  

Black adds a lead in development to his piece-for-two-pawns material advantage. However, my record when facing this position was 9 - 2.

9.O-O 

This is something new for me. Previously I had played 9.d3 or 9.Nc3.

I am not sure why I chose the text move. I suspect that I thought that I would get something after 9...Nxe4 10.Qf4+, but there really was not anything for White in that line.  

9...Kf7 

According to The Database, this thematic move (making way to castle-by-hand) is a novelty, but it will quickly transpose to other lines.

10.d3 Rf8 

I had not been in this position before, but it is not encouraging that The Database shows 15 games, with White scoring 3 - 11 - 1. I think that one of the reasons for Black's success is his Bishop at c5 that aims at White's Kingside and prevents f2-f4.

11.Be3 Bxe3 12.Qxe3 Kg8 

White will be able to advance his f-pawn now, but with Black's King safely tucked away, it will take some work to bring the usual Jerome Gambit attack.

13.f4 Ng4 14.Qg3 c6 15.Nc3 

Overlooking Black's next move and the idea behind it. Better was 15.Nd2, with the plan to transfer the Knight to the Kingside, even after 15...Qb6+ 16.Kh1 Qxb2 17.Rab1 Qd4  

15...Qb6+ 16.d4 

For some reason I thought that if I offered the d-pawn, my opponent would prefer the b-pawn.

16...Qxb2 

After the game, Stockfish 14 assessed Black as being 2 2/3 pawns better here. White's chances will be in harnessing his central pawns, and maybe his Kingside pawns, too, and developing some threats before Black's Knight and Queen get back into position to defend.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: IM Eric Rosen's Video

 

Yury Bukayev informed me that IM Eric Rosen's new YouTube video, titled "Winning as Quickly as Possible with TRICKY Gambits" contains a new Jerome Gambit miniature.

IM Rosen tries the Jerome "just for the LOLs" and wins before he even realizes it. 

Just like the Jerome.

Jerome Gambit: I highly recommend it

If you have spent any time looking for or looking at chess videos, you most likely have encountered those created by Kevin at thechesswebsite.com. They are all fun and worth a look.

I have previously recommended the Jerome Gambit video. It takes a nice, encouraging approach to our favorite opening.

Recently the site came out with a video on the "Top 8 Chess Gambits". It is no surprise that the Jerome Gambit ranked #4, with the comment about the opening, "I highly recommend it".

JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 8)

 

JG: The New in Its Opening Theory, in Its Psychology (Part 8)

(by Yury V. Bukayev)

As a further development of my Part 2 (the post of October, 16, 2020 on Rick Kennedy’s blog), this continuation of my theoretical research on the standard line of the Jerome gambit (JG) is about another White’s good way after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qh3+! Ke7 8.Qc3!? Bxf2+!? 9.Kxf2!? Qf8+. Thus, White can play 10.Ke1!? N [This my new invention allows to prevent a rapid counter attack: there will be no Black’s rapid check from the square g4.] 10…Qf4 11.Qb4+ [The ways 11.Qa3+ d6 12.Nc3! and 11.Qc5+ Kd8 12.Nc3! d6 13.Qb5 are good too.] 11…d6 12.Nc3!. It maybe, it’s the strongest White’s way after 7…Ke7. White’s main threat is here 13.Nd5, but White has else threats: 13.d4, 13.d3.

For example, after 12…c6 White can get a strong attack: 13.d4 [13.d3 is possible too.] 13…Qh4+ 14.g3 Nf3+ 15.Kf2 Qf6! 16.e5! Nxe5+ 17.Bf4! Nf7 [17…Ng6? 18.Ne4!] 18.Rhe1+ [18.Rae1+ and 18.Ne4 are possible too.] 18…Kd7 19.Ne4!. Black has an extra Knight, but White stands better.

Here we start to think that Black’s counter attack 8…Bxf2+!? isn’t ultra-strong theoretically, it maybe, but it isn’t clear yet. In any case, here White keeps very good practical chances to fight, and it’s a very strong argument for your cautious opponent to prefer 7…Kf7 8.Qh5+ to 7…Ke7.

Of course, the Natural star Jerome gambit deferred (the strong deferred line of JG) will be much more attractive for a lot of experts of the modern chess opening theory than the standard line of JG, but the defence 6…Ke6 after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ requires their new attention and large revision already now, we can understand.

Jerome Gambit: Don't Take The Rook

Currently, most of my Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games are played in Italian Game or Guioco Piano tournaments at Chess.com.

Occasionally, I am challenged by someone who is interested in taking or facing the Jerome.

The following game revolves around one piece of advice: If you are playing the Jerome Gambit against Whistler's Defense, don't take the Rook.

I did not out-play my opponent, he simply stepped in a bear trap.

I know that Jerome Gambit superstars like angelcamina, chessmanjeff, DutchLiLi, mwfakalhaswa, shugart, UNPREDICTABLE, Bill Wall, ZahariSokolov and even Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, himself, have taken the Rook and survived - but I recommend against it.

Here's why.

F0nix - perrypawnpusher

3d/move, Chess.com, 2021

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

 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's Defense, named after Lt. G. N. Whistler, secretary of the Lexington, Kentucky Chess Club, who played the defense - successfully - against Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in a correspondence match in 1876. 

Don't. Take. The. Rook.

Either 8.Qf4+ or 8.Qxe7+ could lead to tedious, but more promising play.

8.Qxh8 

8...Qxe4+ 9.Kd1 Qxg2 10.Qxh7+ Kf8 11.Re1 

After the game, the Chess.com computer grumbled that this move was an "inaccuracy", but at this point it really doesn't matter. Black's King is relatively safe, White's King, not so much.

11...d5 12.Qh4 

Instead, 12.d4 Bg4+ 13.Kd2 Qxf2+ 14.Re2 Qxe2+ 15.Kc3 Qc4+ 16.Kd2 Qxd4+ 17.Ke1 Qd1 checkmate was blackburne - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit thematic tournament, ChessWorld.net, 2008. 

12...Bg4+ 13.Re2 Qf1 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: When is a Won Game Won? (Part 3)

 

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - Kugich

3d/move, "Piano Piano" tournament

Chess.com, 2021

At this point in the game I was concerned that my opponent might focus a Rook and a Bishop on my pawn at g2, requiring me to guard it with my Queen. I would be willing to make the exchange of pieces if I had swapped off the "extra" Rook, and if I had grabbed enough pawns to make the resulting King plus pawns vs King plus pawns endgame a favorable one. That became my plan.

24...Bf5 24.Qa5 Bg6 25.Qxc7+ Kg8 

26.Qc4+ 

26.Qxd6 was okay, but I didn't want to see 26...Rad8 with pressure on my d-pawn.

26...Bf7 27.Qd3 Bg6 28.Qd2 h5 29.Re1 Rxe1+ 30.Qxe1 Re8 

I would be comfortable with a pawn or two more.

31.Qb4 Re7 32.Qxd6 Re1+ 33.Kh2 Re2 

The enemy Rook is in place.

34.Qb8+ Kg7 35.Qxb7+ Kh6 36.c3 

I was concerned that if I grabbed one more pawn with 36.Qxa7, that would allow 36...Be4, with the double attack at g2. After the game, however, Komodo 12 pointed out that 37.Qa6+ would then lead to checkmate in 17 moves.

36...h4 

Further planning to hold back White's g-pawn. Of course, not 36...Be4 because of 37.Qa6+ Kg5 38.Qxe2, winning the Rook.

37.Qf3 

Bringing the Queen closer to the point of defense, g2. Also, I had noticed something odd about the position. 

37...Rxb2 38.d5 

It turns out that Black does not have an effective way to stop the advancing passed pawn. He must be careful, in his attempts, that he doesn't allow White's Queen to attack a loose piece and check the King at the same time.

At this point, my opponent allowed his clock to run down, and 

White won on time

Jerome Gambit: When is a Won Game Won? (Part 2)

 

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - Kugich

3d/move, "Piano Piano" tournament

Chess.com, 2021

The position becomes more complicated, as it moves into the middlegame. I was fortunate to be on familiar ground until move 20 - just like a "real" chess opening!

13...Neg4

Attacking White's Queen is a logical idea, although 13...Nc6, as in perrypawnpusher - Heler, "Giuoco Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2015 (1-0, 33);  perrypawnpusher - apurv83,"Giuoco Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2015 (1-0, 29); perrypawnpusher - Hywel2, "Italian Game" tournament, Chess.com, 2015 (0-1, 44); and perrypawnpusher - Bossferreira, "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2020 (1-0, 33), is probably better. Possibily 13...Ned7, a novelty according to The Database, is best.

14.Qb3+ Kf8 15.h3 Nh6 

A little bit of Jerome Gambit history helps here. The text move leads to an even game. Instead, 15...Rxe4, from Vazquez,A - Carrington,W, Mexico, 2nd match, 1876 (1-0, 34), gives Black about a half-pawn edge. The novelty, according to The Database, 16.Nc3, improves - according to Stockfish 14 - on the Mexican champion's 16.hxg4, although it drops the d-pawn.

16.Bxh6 gxh6 17.Nd2 

This is a critical position for the line, and the fifth time I have been here. All but one of my opponents grabbed the e-pawn. Black tried 17...b6 in perrypawnpusher - sincondrosis, "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com 2020 (1-0, 31), and I got my Queen back into play with 18.Qe3, with a slight edge.

17...Nxe4 18.f6 Nxd2

Black recognized the danger of the advanced f-pawn and played 18...Be6, instead, to impede it in perrypawnpusher - TobiasBrunner, "Let's Play the Italian Game" tournament, Chess.com, 2018 (1-0, 32).

Instead, Black grabbed the f-pawn with 18...Nxf6 in perrypawnpusher - warwar, "The Italian Battleground" tournament, Chess.com, 2018 (1-0, 39).

The Knight at d2, however, was a bigger prize and tempting enough to be captured. That is a mistake, however.

19.Qg3 

19...Qd7 

perrypawnpusher - BunnyWarrior, "Guioco Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2016 (1-0, 20) punished greed immediately with 19...Nxf1 20.Qg7 checkmate.

20.f7 Qxf7 21.Rxf7+ Kxf7 22.Qf4+ Kg7  23.Qxd2 

White has a Queen for a Rook and a Bishop, a winning advantage. The question is, how to bring home that win?

[to be continued]