Jerome Gambit: The Counter-Jerome Gambit Returns

Black's psychological counter to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) changes the nature of the game, but it does not change the outcome.

It takes more than just a surprise to defeat Bill Wall - and Bill was not surprised.

Wall, Bill - Naren

SparkChess, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 

Black can now play 7...d6, Blackburne's variation, or 7...Qe7, Whistler's variation.

Instead, he opts for the Counter-Jerome Gambit.

7...Bxf2+

As mentioned in "Jerome Gambit: Still Waters Run Deep"

The "Counter-Jerome Defense" or the "Counter-Jerome Gambit". See "Jerome Gambit: How Bad Has It Gotten?", "Jerome Gambit: Tactical Awareness" and "Jerome Gambit: Be Careful, Look Both Ways".

For more recent examples, see "Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit (Part 3)" and "Jerome Gambit: Psychology".

Checking The Database, there are 638 games with this sacrifice. Alas, Black scores 30%.

8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 

The capture with the Knight is stronger than 9...Kxf6, as was seen in Wall,B - Kumar, internet, 2024 (1-0, 22).

Black has the satisfaction of having liquidated White's attack, although he is now down a pawn, instead of up a piece or two. 

10.Nc3 

Earlier Bill tried the bold 10.Kf3 and still succeeded, in Wall,B - Guest4380606, PlayChess.com, 2015 (1-0, 15). 

10...b6 

A bit better was 10...d6, seen in Wall,B - SCMJ, FICS 2020 (1-0, 24). 

11.Rf1 Ba6 12.d3 Kg7 13.Bg5 Rhf8 14.Ke2 

With the Queens off of the board, White's King is about as safe on e2 as it would be on g1. If play reaches the endgame, the position would be beneficial.

14...Ng4 

Developing either of his Rooks or protecting the d5 square with 14...d6 looks a bit better.

15.h3 Ne5 16.Nd5 c6 

Overlooking the fact that the Bishop had to retreat to b7.

17.Nc7 Bb7 18.Nxa8 Rxa8 19.Bf6+ Black resigned

Black will lose his Knight, being a Rook down.

Jerome Gambit: Getting Lost In The Shuffle

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can appear bizarre enough to the defender that sometimes basic things seem to get lost in the shuffle. 

Wall, Bill - Kiev

SparkChess, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qxc5 N8e7 8.O-O 

Or 8.Qh5 Re8 9.f4 as in Wall,B-Suku, internet, 2023 (1-0, 23). 

8...Re8 

Planning to castle-by-hand, with his Rook on the e-file.

9.Nc3 d6 10.Qh5 Kg8 

White will now attack. Black is comfortable with his position.

11.f4 Nf8 12.f5 Nc6 13.d3 

White's "Jerome pawns" advance, but I don't think he expected Black's next move.

13...Qf6 

As OMC sang, how bizarre...

I think that as Black continued to build his defense, the danger White's Queen posed got lost in the shuffle.

14.Qxe8 Black resigned

Down two pawns and the exchange, Black has had enough.

Jerome Gambit: Quite A Game

The following Jerome Gambit is quite a battle, showing knowledge of the opening by both players. It follows what is perhaps the best known Jerome Gambit, from Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884, which was a crush for the second player, but, subsequently play was found for White that indicated a draw was a more accurate outcome.

Black's innovation on his 9th move did nothing to overturn what became White's advantage.

Quite a game, given the speed of play!

Oh, and Grandmaster Andrew Tang was playing White.

penguingm1 - sutcunuri

30 seconds bullet, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 d6 

Blackburne's variation. It's complicated, but White can afford to capture the Rook. 

8.Qxh8 Qh4 

Here comes Black's counter.

9.d4 Bh3

This move is a novelty, according to The Database. Likely Black's hope is now 10.gxh3 Qxe4+ followed by 11.Qxh1. At this time control - 1/2 minute bullet - it could work.

White has also faced 9...Qxe4+ 10.Be3 Qxg2 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Rf1 Bh3 13.Nd2 Nf6 14.Bh6+ Ke8 15.Qh8+ Kf7 16.Qg7+ Ke6 17.dxc5 Rg8 18.Qxg8+ Nxg8 19.Be3 Kf7 20.cxd6 Qc6 21.dxc7 Qxc7 22.Rg1 Bf5 23.c3 Qc4 24.Nxc4 Black resigned penguingm1 - sutcunuri, lichess.org, 2020. 

10.Be3 

Only a computer like Stockfish 16.1 would prefer 10.dxc5 Qxe4+ 11.Be3 Qxg2 12.Qxh7+ Ke6 13.Nc3 (13.Kd2) 13...Nf6 14.Qxc7 Qxh1+ 15.Kd2 Qxa1 16.Bd4 dxc5 17.Qe5+ Kd7 18.Nd5 Ne4+ 19.Qxe4 cxd4 20.Qe7+, even if it was, technically, better than the move played.

10...Re8 11.dxc5 Nf6 

Black traps the Queen. White could respond to 11...Bxg2 and 11...Rxe4 with 12.Qc3. 

12.Qxe8+ 

White will get a Rook and a Bishop for his Queen. Despite the pyrotechnics, his King will be safe in the center.

12...Kxe8 13.gxh3 Qxe4 14.Rg1 Qxc2 15.Nd2 dxc5 

16.Rg5 b6 17.Rd1 Qxb2 18.Nf3 Qxa2 

Black's attack has run its course. It is now White's turn.

19.Re5+ Kf7 20.Ng5+ Kg7 21.Re7+ Kg8 22.Rd8+ Black resigned

It is checkmate next move.

Jerome Gambit: Light-Hearted

 

Chessfriend Yury V. Bukayev pointed out to me that although I had mentioned in the previous post (see "Jerome Gambit: Who Is The Strongest?") that Grandmaster Andrew Tang was one of the top players to use the Jerome Gambit, I had only published one of his games on this blog - see "Jerome Gambit: Terminal Oversight". Fitting title, right?

To remedy that oversight, I will start out with a light-hearted example, with the Grandmaster playing Black in a bullet game.

NN - penguingm1

0 15 bullet, GM penguingim1 Arena, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Ng5+ 

The infamous Face Palm Variation. It happens at this speed, even when White is rated in the mid 1800s. 

5...Qxg5 6.O-O Qg6 7.d4 d6 

Black offers the return of material, for development.

8.dxc5 Bh3 9.g3 

After 9.Qf3+ Nf6 10.Qxh3 Qxe4 White would have a slight edge.

9...Qxe4 10.Nc3 Qg2 checkmate

Ouch.

Jerome Gambit: Who Is The Strongest?

Who is the strongest player to use the Jerome Gambit regularly?

If we define "regularly" as having played 10 games or more, and if we exclude computer programs - Stockfish, Lc0, Shredder, Yace Paderborn, Houdini, Fritz, Hiarcs, and Crafty - we have to acknowledge Grandmasters Hikaru Nakamura and Aman Hambleton.

There is also Grandmaster Andrew Tang, playing as penguinGIM1, who has scored 14-2.

Many of their games can be seen as casual, sometimes played against those who visit their chess sites, it is important to realize that they could have chosen any number of openings, but decided, for whatever reason (amusement comes to mind), to essay Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's creation.

Jerome Gambit: Flag Down

Things happen quickly in a bullet game, especially a Jerome Gambit bullet game.

The following game shows quick play, where White gains the advantage, slips, and then keeps things level until analyzing the tactical nature of positions leads to his opponent flagging. 

feritTurkey - RussellFrege

2 1 bullet, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

See the posts "The Abrahams Jerome Gambit (Part I and II)".

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5 Qe7 

There are 30 games with this position in The Database, with White scoring 75%. 

It turns out that Black placing his Queen on e7, very strong in the Jerome Gambit proper (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7) is not as effective here - in fact, White has the advantage.

6.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 7.Ne2 Qxg2 8.Qxh7+ Kf8 

Or 8...Kf6 9.Rf1 Bxf2+ 10.Rxf2+ Black resigned, feritTurkey - Gonzalo-06, lichess.org, 2022. 

9.Rf1 

This move is best, although we have also seen

9.Rg1 Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 d6 11.c3 (11.d4 Black resigned, feritTurkey - dhaoui, lichess.org, 2023) 11...Be6 12.Rxg6 Qf1+ 13.Kc2 Bf5+ 14.d3 Qxe2+ 15.Bd2 Bxg6 16.Qxg6 Nc6 17.Qf5+ Ke7 18.Qe4+ Qxe4 19.dxe4 Nf6 20.Bg5 Bg1 21.Bxf6+ Kxf6 22.Nd2 Bxh2 23.Rf1+ Ke5 24.Nc4+ Kxe4 25.Re1+ Kd5 26.b3 b5 27.Ne3+ Ke4 28.Ng4+ Kf3 29.Nxh2+ Kg2 30.Ng4 Black resigned feritTurkey - Pisaevic, lichess.org, 2022; and

9.d4 Qxh1+ 10.Kd2 Qd5 11.Ke1 Qh1+ 12.Kd2 Qd5 13.Ke1 Be7 14.Bh6+ Ke8 15.Qxg6+ Qf7 16.Qe4 d6 17.Nbc3 Bf5 18.Qxb7 Nxh6 19.Qxa8 Kd7 20.Qxb8 Bxc2 21.Qb5+ c6 22.Qb7+ Ke6 23.d5+ cxd5 24.Nd4+ Ke5 25.Nxc2 Bh4 26.Qxa7 Qxa7 27.Ne2 Qxf2+ 28.Kd2 Nf5 29.Kc3 Qxe2 30.Re1 d4+ 31.Kb3 Bxe1 32.Nxe1 Qxe1 33.a3 Qh4 Whiter resigned, feritTurkey - Ivanchik86, lichess.org, 2022 

9...d6 10.d4 Bh3 

This attack looks scary for White's King, but he will survive.

Retreating the Bishop did not help Black: 10... Bb6 11. Bh6+ Nxh6 12.Qxh6+ Kf7 13.Qh8 Bg4 14.Qh7+ Kf6 15.Qh8+ Kf7 16.Qh7+ Kf6 17.Rg1 Qf3 18.Qh4+ Kf5 19.Ng3+ Ke6 20.d5+ Kxd5 21.Nc3+ Kc6 22.Nge2 Bxf2+ 23.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 24.Kxf2 Bxe2 25.Nxe2 Nd7 26.Rxg6 Ne5 27.Nd4+ Kc5 28.Rg7 c6 29.Rd1 Rf8+ 30.Ke3 Nc4+ 31.Kd3 Black resigned, feritTurkey - Lotfii, lichess.org, 2024. 

11.dxc5 

A slip, but, remember that this is a bullet game. Instead, White stays on top with 11.Rg1 Qd5 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Ke8 14.Qxh3. 

11...Qxf1+ 12.Kd2 

12...Qxf2 

Pinning the Knight, which he hopes to win after 13...Bg4, but overlooking something.

13.Qxc7 

White misses 13.Qxh3 as well. 

13...Bg4 

Too late. Necessary was more development, 13...Nc6 14.Nbc3 Nf6.

Now White lets the air out of the position.

14.Qxd6+ Ne7 15.Qf4+ Qxf4+ 16.Nxf4 

Here, in a position where White has an edge, Black lost on time.

One Way to Defend Against the Jerome Gambit

How to defend against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+)?

There are several "refutations" - and I have published all of them that I know of, on this blog - but they are not all readily apparent to Black.

In the following game, Black returns some of the sacrificed material, one of the recommendations for coping with the Jerome, and then retreats a piece; but then finds that he has gotten into more danger.

TePart0 - piuslilanda

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Nf3+ 

Black has to decide how to deal with the direct threat to his Knight, and the indirect threat to his Bishop. He decides to give up the Knight this way, breaking up White's Kingside.

8.gxf3 

Or 8.Qxf3 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qe7 10.f5+ Kf7 11.Qb3+ Ke8 12.d3 Nf6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Nc3 c6 16.O-O-O Qd4 {17.Ne2 Qe3+ 18.Rd2 a5 19.Re1 a4 20.Qc3 Bd4 21.Qxd4 Qxd4 22.Nxd4 a3 23.Nf3 axb2+ 24.Kxb2 d6 25.c4 White won on time, Ekrem34 - Hassan313. lichess.org, 2022. 

7...Be7 

Taking the Bishop out of danger, although 8...Bb6 and the novelty 8...d5 were better moves.

Also seen

8...d6 9.f5+ Ke7 10.Qg5+ Kf8 11.Qxd8+ Kf7 Black resigned in Fixxxxxer - Killuminati6933, lichess.org, 2022; and

8...Bf8 9.Qf5+ Ke7 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.e5 Ng8 12.Qg5+ Ke8 13.Rg1 Qxg5 14.Rxg5 h6 15.Rg2 b6 16.d4 Bb7 17.Rf2 Bb4 18.Bd2 Ne7 19.O-O-O Bxc3 20.Bxc3 Nd5 21.Bd2 a5 22.c4 Ne7 23.d5 Nf5 24.e6 dxe6 25.dxe6 Ke7 26.Bc3 Rad8 27.Bxg7 Nxg7 28.Rg2 Rxd1+ 29.Kxd1 Nf5 30.Rg6 Rd8+ 31.Ke2 Rf8 32.Rg2 Kxe6 33.Rf2 Ke7 34.Rf1 Re8 35.Kf2 Kf7 36.Kg1 Rf8 37.Rf2 Ne3 38.Rg2 Nf5 39.Rf2 Ne3 40.Rg2 Nf5 41.Rg3 Rg8 42.Rg7+ Rxg7+ 43.Kf2 Ne3 44.Kxe3 Kf8 45.Ke2 White won on time. Wolfpack1051 - DragonBen, lichess.org, 2022. 

The text move ends the game quickly

9.Qf5+ Kd6 10.Qd5 checkmate