Jerome Gambit: I'm Really Getting Too Old For This Fast Stuff... (Part 1)

After participating as a subject in the latest round of an ongoing study on dementia - you would think that my devotion to the Jerome Gambit would settle the matter, preemptively - I was restless and decided what I really needed to do was play a 5-minute online game of chess. 

Against a computer program.

Although I did not realize it at the time.

[Insert your own joke here.]

All of the comments by Stockfish came after the game was completed.

perrypawnpusher - guestM

5 1 blitz, FICS, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

I have played it 71 times, scoring 77%.

Not bad, but in the regular Jerome gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - which I have played 436 times - I have scored 81%.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 

9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd3 Re8 

I have also faced 10...Be6 in and perrypawnpusher - hklett, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1 - 0, 18) and perrypawnpusher - obmanovichhh, 14 0 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 34) 

11. O-O Kg8 

Looking over things afterward, it is clear that the computer is doing well, especially since it is unlikely that the "refuted" Jerome Gambit would be deeply covered in its opening "book". 

There is bound to be a reckoning ahead, however.

The issue is not one for the strong contemporary chess programs (e.g. Fritz, Houdini, Komodo, Rybka, Stockfish), but with some of the simpler programs there is the problem that they still play consistently well - so much so that in order to make it "fun" to play against them by the average chess player, they need to be handicapped in some way. For a discussion, see the posts "Artificial Ignorance (Parts 1 and 2)"

Also see Part 2 of this topic, referencing the Maia Chess project.

Meanwhile, instead of the text, I have also seen 11...Nb4 in perrypawnpusher - abczyx, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39) and 11...a6 in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, 6 12 blitz FICS, 2010 (1-0, 46). 

12.b3 Nb4 

This is what I mean.

Instead, after 12...d5 13.e5 (if 13.exd5, then 13...Nb4) d4 14. Ne2 Nd5 15. Ng3 Qd7 16. Bd2 Qf7 17.Rae1 Bd7 Black would be better.

13.Qe2 

Sloppy. 13.Qc4+ would lead to the win of the Knight and an even game. 

13...Bg4 

guestM continues to play "kick the Queen", overlooking the consistent and better 13...d5.

14.Qc4+ 

Given a second chance, I grabbed it.

14...Be6 

Again, the move was 14...d5

15.Qxb4 

Thanks to the slipup, I was suddenly better. 

Of course, in a 5-minute game, lots of things happen "suddenly".

15...c5 

On principle, I do not think that grabbing the b-pawn now is a good idea. See "Jerome Gambit: He Who Takes the Queen's Knight Pawn..." and "Jerome: Risking the Gutter".

16.Qa3 

Stockfish 16 disagrees with me, based on concrete analysis: 16.Qxb7 Rb8 17.Qa6 Bc8 18.Qd3 Bb7 19.Bb2 Nxe4 20.Rae1 Nxc3 21.Qxc3 Qd7 and White is better. 

16...a6 17.Be3 b5 18.Qc1 b4 19. Ne2 Nxe4 

I am used to having the annoying pawns that advance and create disturbances - not facing them.

20.Ng3 Nxg3 21.hxg3 Bg4 22.Qd2 Qf6 23.Rad1 

An oversight that should have cost me the game. The Rook was better  placed at e1.

Blitz requires faster brain calculations than I am usually able to produce. 

You could say that both guestM an I were having "cognitive issues".

23...Rad8 

This had to be the kind of glitch seen on move 12.

24.Qd5+ 

Simply moving the Rook on d1 was the right idea. 

Instead, I was in a bit of a panic, rewriting the old reflection to be "panic sees check, panic gives check" ("panic" instead of "patzer").

24...Kh8 

Undeserved good fortune for me. The Queen should have blocked at either e6 or f7.

25.Rd2 

Throwing a piece away.

25...Rxe3 

At this point I was sincerely regretting my commitment to share every Jerome Gambit I played, win, lose or draw...

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Invisible Lines of Play

With an infinite time control, players would probably still not see "everything", but as the time control became shorter and shorter, things would begin to disappear, to drop over the event horizon. 

Blitz games feature a whole lot of invisible lines of play - invisible to one or both of the players; perhaps still visible to those who play over the games.

Scbmine - sevags

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

This is the main alternative to 6.Qh5+.

6...Qh4 

The strongest response, going back to Sorensen - X, Denmark, 1884, (1-0, 27) and which I have referred to as a "pie-in-the-face variation".

7.dxc5 

Frequently played, getting rid of the attacking enemy Bishop. Not as many players choose 7.O-O, "castling into it", Stockfish's preference.

7...Qxe4+ 8.Be3 Ng4 

Black adds another threat, ganging up on the Bishop at e3 while maintaining his threat to the pawn at g2.

White's response is best, even if it still leaves him with the worse game.

9.O-O Nxe3 10.fxe3+ Nf6 11.Nc3 Qxe3+ 12.Kh1 

The excitement has died down, and Black has an extra piece. After he captures at c5, he will have an extra pawn as well.

With his next move, however, he begins to lose the thread of the game.

White is nowhere near willing to surrender.

12...c6

What is wrong with this?

It helps White jump start his development and counter-attack.

13.Qh5+ Kf8 

A bit safer was 13...Kg8.

Now White is better.

14.Rae1 

The Rooks look scary on the e- and f-files, but this move is an oversight. (Temporizing with 14.Qh4 was better.)

As happens in a blitz game, however, it goes unnoticed by either player.

14...Qd4

A doubly painful move.

First, it allows 15.Re8# or 15.Qe8#.

Secondly, it overlooks that the White Rook can be taken: 14...Qxe1 15.Rxe1 Nxh5 and he would be up a Rook and a Bishop.

15.Ne4 

Still winning.

15...d6 16.Nxf6 g6 17.Nxh7+ Black resigned

Black is powerless in the face of his opponent's firepower - something that he did not forsee 10, or even 5, moves ago.

Jerome Gambit: Baffling

From the What's Up in Chess? Chess News and Chess Gems website comes the entry "What to do against BAFFLING Chess openings" which teases

Facing off against a player who plays fifty 30+0 games a day is a tall task. What kind of person plays fifty classical games everyday?

It turns out, the answer is, in part, Someone who plays the Jerome Gambit, of course.

Here is the game that is presented, with my addition of comments and diagrams. It is an entertaining battle to the bitter end.

Trage2000 - mikethedoge

30 0 classical, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

This position is as old as analysis presented by Jerome in the April 1874 issue of the Dubuque Ches Journal.

6.Qh5 

The Banks Variation.

6...Qf6 

Stockfish prefers this Queen to be on e7, at which point it recommends that the other Queen retreat to f3.

7.Nxd7+ Bxd7 8.Qxc5+ Nge7 9.d3 Qe5 

White is a bit better, with 3 pawns for the piece (and a safer King).

10.Qxe5 Nxe5 11.Bf4 N7g6 12.Bg3 c6 

13.Na3 Ke7 14.h4 h5 15.Bxe5 Nxe5 16.O-O-O 

Likely 16.d4 was better.

16...Rhf8 17.f3 b5 18.Rde1 Ng6 19.d4 Rf4 20.d5 cxd5 21.exd5+ Kd6 

22.Re4 

A tactical slip both players overlook. Now Black can simply exchange Rooks ad then capture the h-pawn.

22...Rf5 23.Rd4 

Better 23.Nxb5+.

23...Rxd5 24.Rxd5+ Kxd5 

25.g3 Kc6 26.Rd1 Re8 27.Nxb5 Kxb5 28.Rxd7 Re7 29.Rd6 Ne5 30.f4 Nc4 31.Rd5+ Kc6 32.Rd1 Re3 

Black's pieces have out-duelled the pawns.

33.b3 Nd6 34.Rg1 Ne4 35.g4 hxg4 36.Rxg4 Rg3 37.Rxg3 Nxg3 38.Kd2 Kc5 39.c3 Kd5 40.Ke3 Nf5+ 

White can afford to let the h-pawn go. He would do better with his King closer to his Queenside pawns.

As the game goes, the Kingside is liquidated, giving Black all the play on the Queenside. Still, things remain even.

41.Kf3 Nxh4+ 42.Kg4 Ng2 43.Kg5 Ne3 44.Kg6 Ke4 45.Kxg7 Kxf4 46.Kf6 Ke4

47.c4 Nxc4 

One way to split the point.

48.bxc4 Kd4 49.Ke6 Kxc4 

The fact that the remaning pawns are Rook pawns helps make the position so drawish. Yet, Black persists.

50.Kd6 a5 51.Kc6 a4 

Do you know your endgame? What move must White play now?

52.Kb6 

White needed to chase Black's King in front of his own pawn, and trap him there e.g. 52.Kd6 Kc3 53.Kd5 a3 54.Ke4 Kb2 55.Kd3 Kxa2 56.Kc2.

52...a3 53.Ka5 Kc3 54.Ka4 Kb2 55.Kb4 Kxa2 

The difference from the above analysis is that Black's King can now get out of the way of his pawn.

56.Kc3 Kb1 57.Kb3 a2 White resigned

Wow.

Jerome Gambit: White Queen, Black Queen

Here is another game by ryuugu-rena. That is not surprising.  He has 682 games in The Database, scoring 56%.

Here, his Queen sets the tempo. The defender's Queen can not keep up.

ryuugu-rena - Arusha

10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

Black does not want to give up the Knight.

7.f4 g6 

Arusha has faced the Jerome before (9 games in all), and it has not been kind to him.

In this position, it is so tempting to kick the Queen.

8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxh8 

Capturing the Rook at h8 is thematic against a number of defenses, including Blackburne's and Whistler's. See the post "Jerome Gambit: What About the Rook?"

In this position, White's Queen can escape, and Black's Queen's counter-attack (see below) is not sufficient.

White can also settle for a smaller material gain: 9.Qxc5 Qh4+ (9...d6 10.Qc3 Bg4 11.Qxh8 Qe7 12.Qd4 Nf6 13.O-O h5 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 Black resigned, ryuugu-rena -Omr1984m, 3 0 blitz lichess.org, 2023) 10.g3 Qg4 11.Qd5+ Ke8 12.Qe5+ Qe6 13.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 14.Kf2 Qxh1 15.Qe5+? (15.Qxg8+) 15...Ne7?! (15...Kf8) 16.Nc3 (16.Qh8+) 16...Qxh2+ 17.Kf3 Qh1+ 18.Ke3 d6 19.Qh8+ Kd7 20.Qg7 Qg1+ 21.Kd3 Qxg3+ 22.Kc4 Qxf4+ 23.Kb3 Ke8?! 24.d3? (24.Qxe7+ Kxe7 25.Nd5+) 24...Qf5? (24...Qf7+) 25.Qh8+ Qf8 26.Qxh7 Be6+ 27.Ka3 c6?! 28.Bg5 Bf5? 29.Re1 b5 30.Rxe7+ Kd8 31.Rf7+ Ke8 32.Rxf8+ Kxf8 33.Qh8+ Kf7 34.Qxa8 c5 35.Qxa7+ Ke6 36.Nxb5 (36.Qe7#) 36...d5 37.Qb6+ (37.Qe7#) 37...Ke5 38.Qxc5 (38.Qd6#) 38...Be6 39.Nc7 (39.Qd6+ Kf5 40.Qf4#) 39...Bf5 40.Qxd5 checkmate, ryuugu-rena - YaSanya047, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023) 

9...Kf8 

Or 9...Qh4+ 10.g3 Qh5 11.c3? (11.Qe5) 11...b6? (11...Qf3) 12.d4? (12.Qe5) 12...Ba6 13.Kf2 Bd6?! (13...Qe2+ 14.Kg1 Qf1#) 14.Re1 Qxh2+ 15.Kf3 Qh5+ 16.Ke3 Bb7 17.g4 Qh3+ 18.Kd2 Qh2+ 19.Re2 Bxf4+ 20.Kd1 Qh1+ 21.Re1 Qf3+ 22.Re2 Qf1+ 23.Re1 Qf3+ 24.Re2 Bxc1 25.Qxh7+ Kf6?! (25...Kf8) 26.e5+?! (26.Nd2) 26...Kg5 27.Qxd7? (27.Nd2) 27...Qf1+ 28.Re1 Bf3+ 29.Kc2 Qxe1 30.Kb3 Bd1+ 31.Ka3 Bxb2+ 32.Kxb2 Qe2+ 33.Ka3 Qc2 34.Qb5 a6 35.e6+ White won on time, ryuugu-rena - daniel_jason, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023 

10.d4 Be7 

White's "Jerome pawns" are impressive. With the material advantage of the exchange and two pawns - plus a safer King - he is clearly better.

11.Qxh7 d6 12.Qxg6 Be6 13.O-O Bf7 

The reinforcements arrive too late.

14.Qg3 Nf6 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Nh5 17.Qf3 Qxd4+ 18.Be3 Black resigned

Black's Queen can not hold things together, for example 18...Qc4 19.Nd2 Qe6 20.Qxh5.

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Queen or King?

In the following rapid game, Black is soon faced with an impossible choice.

ryuugu-rena - juen1234

10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

Named the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, although I have not been able to find a Joseph Henry Blackburne game with this line.

4.Bxf7+ 

Named the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, although I have not been able to find an Alonzo Wheeler Jerome game with this line.

The Database has 7, 496 games with this position, with White scoring 57%.

ryuugu-rena has done a bit better: in 65 games, he has scored 65%.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Bypassing the somewhat more popular 5...Ke8, this time.

The Database has 3,001 games with 5...Ke8, with White scoring 59%. 

Again, ryuugu-rena has done better: in his 24 games with 5...Ke8, he has scored 67%.

As for the text move, 5...Ke6, The Database has 2,133 games with White scoring 54%.

ryuugu-rena has played 5...Ke6 18 times, scoring 64%.

6.f4 

This move loosens White's Kingside.

Instead, Stockfish 15.1 recommends (30 ply) 6.c3 Nc6 7.d4 Nxe5 8.dxe5 d6 9.Qb3+ with an edge for Black. 

6...Bd6 

Hoping to eject the enemy Knight, but it is a costly mistake.

Taking advantage of White's last move would have been 6...Qh4+ 7.g3 Qh3 8.Nf3 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 Kf7 (Stockfish 15.1, 30 ply) when the first player would not have compensation in terms of attack for his piece-for-2-pawns sacrifice.

7.Qg4+ Ke7 

Alas, 7...Kf6 would lose his Queen to 8.Qg5+ Ke6 9.Qxd8. 

However, this move loses his King.

8.Qxg7+ Ke6 9.Qf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Wrong Turn

Sometimes in a chess game, you make the wrong turn. It happens.

It doesn't mean much, even strong players do it - not as often as weak players like me, mind you, but still...

White's 6th move in the following game is one such occurance. It is possible to come up with a number of possible explanations - including "blitz game" - but there is no need.

Wrong turn. A lesson worth repeating - see the earlier "Jerome Gambit: Attacking / Defending".

Parsadan - Petertromso

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.f4

The lichess.org database has 270 games with this position. White scores 30%. That is not an endorsement.

By comparison, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, in over 644,000 games at the same site, White scores 48%.

6...Qh4+ 

You can't play 6.f4 without expecting this Queen check, and having some kind of response prepared.

Nonetheless, The Database has several alternatives

6...Ng6 7.d4 Bb6 8.e5 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qh3 10.Be3 N8e7 11.Qd2 Nd5 12.Bf2 Qg2 13.Rg1 Qxh2 14.Nc3 Rf8? 15.Nxd5 c6 16.Ne3 Re8?! 17.O-O-O d5? 18.Rh1 Qxh1 19.Rxh1 Nf8 20.f5 g6 21.fxg6+ hxg6 22.c3 Bf5 23.Nxf5 gxf5 24.Qf4 Ke6 25.Rh6+ Kd7 26.Qxf5+ Kc7 27.Be3 Rad8 28.Bf4 Kb8 29.e6+ Bc7 30.Bg5 Rd6 31.Qf7 Rdxe6 32.Rxe6 Nxe6 33.Qxe8+ Bd8 34.Bxd8 a6 35.Qxe6 Ka7 36.g4 Black resigned, Darthnik - GregOakPark, 10 0 blitz, FICS 2011;

6...Nc6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Nf6 11.O-O Qe7 12.d3 Bd7 13.Bd2 Rf8 14.Nc3 Kf7 15.Rae1 Kg8 16.e5 Nh5? 17.e6 Be8 18.d4? Ng7  19.d5 Nd8? 20.g4 c6 21.Qg3 b5 22.a3?! a5 23.b4?1 axb4 24.axb4 Qa7+?! 25.Be3 Qe7 26.Bd4 Ra3 27.Bxg7?! Kxg7 28.f5?! gxf5 29.gxf5+ Kh8 30.Kh1 Rg8? 31.Qe3? Qf6? 32.Ne4 Rxe3 33.Nxf6 Rxe1 34.Rxe1 Rf8 35.e7 Black resigned, Petasluk - Jirayu 5 0 blitz, FICS, 2012; and

6...Qf6 7.d4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5? 9.Rf1 Black resigned, vkmehta - herooftheday, 5 0 Blitz, FICS, 2012. 

Stockfish 16's recommendation, 6...d5 7.d4 Bg4 has not been played.

7.g3 Qg4 

Things look bad for White. And they are. Kind of like in the typical slasher movie where someone is lost, and decides to seek shelter in that abandoned farm house...

Instead, 7...Qh3 was played in a somewhat mysterious game in The Database, NN - NN, 2022: 8.fxe5 Qg2 9.Rf1+ Ke7 10.d4  Bb6 11.c3 Nh6 12.Bxh6 gxh6 13.Nd2 Qxh2 14.Qf3 Ke8 15.Qf7+ Kd8 16.Qf6+ Ke8 17.Qxh8+ Ke7 18.Qxh7+ Ke6 19.Qf7 checkmate

 Also, 7...Qf6 was played successfully in Parsadan - ArturBondarenko–1984, lichess.org, 2021 (0-1, 20) and gp_adriano44 - tofalis, lichess.org, 2023 (0-1, 17).

8.fxe5 

Exchanging Queens gives only the illusion of safety. 

8...Qxe4+ 9.Kf1 Qxh1+ White resigned

Oh, bother...

Jerome Gambit: Again, the "Jerome Pawns"

It can be great fun to use the crashing, smashing style of Jerome Gambit attacking to produce a checkmate.

Sometimes, though, as we have seen, the compensation received for the sacrifices - the "Jerome pawns" - have their place in winning the game.

A recent game of mine is a good example.

perrypawnpusher - Steadfast61

3d/move "Giuoco Fun" tournament, Chess.com

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Ke7

Backing away (instead of the correct 7...Kd6) is not the answer.

There are 248 games in The Database with this move. White scores 77%. (I have personally scored 88% in 8 games.)

Stockfish 15.1 rates White as more than a piece better.

8.Qxe5+ Kf8 

Or 8...Kf7 in the incomplete game, bloodlet - perrypawnpusher, 3 12 blitz, FICS, 2007 - the earliest time that I faced the Jerome Gambit myself. I am 22 - 5 - 2 against the opening.

9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qe3 Nf6 

11.O-O Kf7 

Preparing to castle-by-hand.

Or 11...Qe7 as seen in perrypawnpusher - badhorsey, 5 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 30). 

12.d4 Re8 13.Nc3 c6 14.Qf4 Kg8 

White has a 2-pawn advantage, not the usual 2-pawns-for-a-piece. That is what Black's King retreat on move 7 cost.

15.f3 a5 

I don't understand this move. It reminds me of my early Fidelity "Chess Challenger 7" dedicated chess computer; whenever it wasn't sure what move to make - especially when it assessed its King adequately safe (even in the middle of the board, if surrounded by pieces) - it would throw forward a Rook pawn.

16.Qg3 

I was stuck for ideas on how to move. Perhaps 16.Ne2 followed by 17.Ng3, withdrawing the Queen, if need be, to e3, was a better idea.

16...Kh8 17.Bg5 Rg8 

Black's intentions are clear enough. Besides its defensive elements, his move indicates that he will answer Bxf6 with ...gxf6, opening the g-file for his attacking Rook.

White needs to be patient. He can afford to be.

18.Rad1 Qf8 19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Nh5 

From here, things get messier.

21.Qh4 g6 22.g4 Qc5+ 

What else?

23.Kh1 Be6 

Alas, taking the e-pawn would lose the Queen. 

24.gxh5 gxh5 

At this point, White has a forced checkmate. I couldn't see it, but I could feel it.

In addition, the "Jerome pawns" might become a factor.

25.Bf6+ Rg7 26.Rg1 Rag8 27.Rxg7 Rxg7 

28.Qd4 

Lazy. Instead, it was not hard to figure out: 28.Rd8+ Qf8 29.Rxf8+ Bg8 30.Bxg7+ Kxg7 31.Qf6 checkmate.

28... Qxd4 29. Rxd4 h6 30. Rh4 Bf7 

There is not going to be a checkmate, but there does not have to be.

31.f4 b5 32.f5 b4 33.Ne4 Bd5 34.e6 Kg8 35.Bxg7 Kxg7 

36.f6+ 

The pawn is protected by the pinned Knight.

36...Kf8 37.e7+ Kf7  38.Kg1 Black resigned

White's Knight is no longer pinned, so it can help the advanced "Jerome pawns". Exchanging the Bishop for the Knight is no solution, as White has that extra Rook to help the pawns promote.