Jerome Gambit: Not the Gutter, Again

Should White take time to grab the enemy b-pawn? Is the material worth the time or distraction?

It depends. In the following game, angelcamina says "No, thank you" and continues to work on winning the enemy King, instead.

angelcamina - bemol4ik

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

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

 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qc4 Nf6 

Or 9...Qe7 10.Nc3 Be6 11.Qb4 as in angelcamina - adrenalin87, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023 (1-0, 52)

Stockfish 16.1's recommendation is the more aggressive 9...Qg5 10.Rg1 Nh4.

10.O-O 

Or 10.Nc3 c6 (10...Qe7 11.d3 Be6 12.Qb4 b6 13.O-O a5 14.Qb5 Kf7 15.f4 Bd7 16.Qh5 Nxh5 17.f5 Ne5 18.d4 Nc4 19.b3 Qh4 20.bxc4 Rhf8 21.Nd5 Rac8 22.Rf3 Qd8 23.Rh3 Nf6 24.Bg5 Kg8 25.Bxf6 gxf6 26.Rf1 Kh8 27.Rf4 Bc6 28.Rfh4 Rf7 29.Nf4 Bxe4 30.Ng6+ Kg8 31.Nf4 Bxf5 32.Rg3+ Bg6 White resigned, angelcamina - aleb12000, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022) 11.d3 Qe7 12.O-O Be6 13.Qb4 Rb8 (13...a5 14.Qb6 Ra6 15.Qe3 Ng4 16.Qg3 h5 17.f4 Ke8 18.h3 Nf6 19.f5 Ne5 20.fxe6 h4 21.Qg6+ Kd8 22.Qf5 Kc7 23.Bf4 g6 24.Qg5 Rf8 25.Bxe5 dxe5 26.Qxe5+ Kb6 27.Na4+ Ka7 28.Qd4+ b6 29.c4 White won on time, angelcamina - Javier_Electrico, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023) 14. f4 Bd7 15. Bd2 Ke8 16. Rae1 c5 17. Qa5 a6 18. e5 dxe5 19. fxe5 Ng4 20. e6 Bc6 21. h3 N4e5 22. Bg5 Qd6 23. e7 Nxe7 24. Bxe7 Qxe7 25. d4 Black resigned, angelcamina - oldmasterimmortal, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022. 

10...Qe7 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Qb4 

12...c6 

Alternately, 12...Kf7 13.f4 Bd7 14.f5 Ne5 15.d4 Nc6 16.Qb3+ Ke8 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Nd5 Qf7 20.Nxc7+ Kd8 21.Qxf7 Kxc7 22.Qxf6 Raf8 23.Qh4 Nxd4 24.e5 dxe5 25.c3 Nc6 26.Rad1 Kb8 27.b4 Bc8 28.a4 b6 29.a5 b5 30.Qe4 Bb7 31.Rd7 Nxa5 32.Rxb7+ Nxb7 33.Qxe5+ Ka8 34.f6 Re8 35.f7 Rhg8 White resigned, angelcamina - joshuamanlangit34, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022. 

13.f4 Bd7 14.b3 

Resisting the temptation of pawn-grabbing, although 14.Qxb7 was playable. Perhaps he did not want to "sleep in the gutter"?

14...Bg4 

Protecting the b-pawn, but missing White's plan.

15.Ba3 Rd8 16.Qc4 Nd7

17.h3 Bh5 18.g4 

Going after the Bishop. Also possible was further attack on the d-pawn with 18.e5. 

18...Bxg4 19.hxg4 Qh4

Black's Queen looks aggressive, but White attacks first.

20.Bxd6+ Ke8 21.Qe6+ Ne7 22.g5 

Cutting off the Queen from defense of e7.

Black's Queen hopes to check its way to a draw, but a slip decides things.

22...Qg3+ 23.Kh1 Qh3+ 24.Qxh3 Nf5 25.Qxf5 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Wikipedia

As a companion post to the previous one (see "Jerome Gambit: I Suppose That It Had to Happen Eventually"), I checked, and found that Wikipedia still has its article on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), including the reference

External links

• Rick Kennedy. "Jerome Gambit theory and practice".
• Gary Lane. "Opening Lanes #158 - A Game of Shadows" (PDF). chesscafe.com. Archived from the original on June 12, 2012.
• Gary Lane. "Opening Lanes #159 - Trash or Treasure?" (PDF). chesscafe.com. Archived from the original on May 10, 2012.

IM Gary Lane's articles have comments about the Jerome Gambit. His "Opening Lanes" were always worth a look.

It is important to note that the Wikipedia article is a look at early history of Jerome gambit - the end of the 19th century. Theory and practice have advanced quite a bit, this blog being one example.

Jerome Gambit: I Suppose That It Had to Happen, Eventually

I suppose that it had to happen, eventually.

To keep up with things Jerome, I set up a Google Alert for "Jerome Gambit". It has linked me to games, videos and articles.

Most recently, it has linked me to this blog.

What goes around, comes around, I guess.

Kennedy - The Jerome Gambit The Jerome Gambit I've been researching Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's gambit since 2001. I am always interested in receiving games and analysis: as old as 1874, when the ...
	Wincor - The Jerome Gambit The Jerome Gambit I am always interested in receiving games and analysis: as old as 1874, when the opening first was published, or as recent as today -- casual or ...

Jerome Gambit: Training Game #10

                        

Here is another Jerome Gambit game, as I have noted,

From a webpage about the Russian-language chess book, Gambit, by Natalia Ryabova ["A book about gambits as a way of playing. It covers both popular and rarely encountered gambits in tournament practice. For a wide range of chess fans." - Google translate]

NN - NN

#10 Training Game, Gambit, Ryabova

2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

The Database has 713 games with this position, with White scoring 61% - although Stockfish 16.1 (35 ply) evaluates the position as about 1 1/2 pawns better for Black.

These numbers remind me of a series of posts on this blog from over a dozen years ago. I wondered, was playing the Jerome Gambit a help or a hindrance for me? Check out "The Jerome Gambit: Helping or Hurting?", "Furthermore", "And Then", and "Still".

10.O-O 

Or 10.h4!? as in NN - NN, 2024 (1-0, 43), see "Jerome Gambit: Training Game #6". 

10...Qe8

Instead, 10...Kf7 was seen in Vazquez,A-  Carrington,W, Mexico, 2nd match, 1876 (1-0, 34). 

11.Nc3 Be6 

Or 11...Kf7, as in NN - NN, 2024 (1-0, 34), see Jerome Gambit: Training Game #5.

The position of Black's Bishop and Knight (at g6) encourages White's next move, and Black's response to that causes difficulties.

12.f4 Ng4 

Yielding to temptation, attacking the enemy Queen. The discreet 12...Ne7 was more in line with the position. 

13.Qg3 Kf7 

Hoping to castle-by-hand? Acceding to the return of a piece? There is too much enemy firepower nearby for this to be successful.

14.f5 Bc4 15.fxg6+ Kg8 16.Qxg4 Bxf1 17.Kxf1 Qxg6 18.Qxg6 hxg6 

The smoke has cleared, and White has two pieces and a pawn for a Rook.

19.Kg1 Rh5 20.d3 Rd8 21.h4

Cute, if now the incautious 21...Rxh4, then 22.Bg5 would fork both enemy Rooks.

21...Rd7 

22.Bg5 Rh7 

This Rook can't seem to stay out of trouble.

23.g3 c6 24.Kg2 Rh5 25.a4 Rf7 26.Ne2 Kf8 27.Nf4 Rh8 28.Nxg6+ Ke8 

29.Re1 

White decides upon a center pawn break (or advance).

There was nothing wrong with 29.Nxh8 - which never happens.

29...Kd7 30.e5 Rf5 31.g4 Rxg5 32.e6+ Kd8 33.hxg5 

My guess is that the clock was a factor at this point. Otherwise, why continue? White's advantage is overwhelming.

33...d5 

Just move?

White now has a forced checkmate.

34.e7+ Ke8 35.Rf1 Kd7 36.Rf8 Kc7 37.e8=Q 

37...Kb6 38.Qd8+ Ka6 39.b4 Rh2+ 

Spite check? Hoping for an eventual, unlikely stalemate??

40.Kxh2 b5 41.Qc8+ Kb6 42.a5 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Black Overlooks Something

Tactical awareness is paramount in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

When the defender makes a slip, the attacker must pounce.

Amir_hou_Ma - olgaKIRILL2016

10 5 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 

The Paulsen variation - creative, surprising, and favoring White. The Database has 47 games with this line. White scores 72%

6.Nxc6+ 

White exchanges his Knight, with check. 

Stockfish 16.1 suggests, instead, 6.Qh5 Bxf2+ 7.Kxf2 Qf8+ 8.Nf3 Nf6 

6...dxc6 

7.O-O Nf6 8.e5 Nd5 

This looks reasonable and standard, but Black overlooks something.

9.d4 Bb6 10.Bg5+ Black resigned

Skewer.

Jerome Gambit: 2600+ vs 2600+

Both players in the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) are rated 2600+.

Didici12 - oxudchess

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 

This counter-attack goes back at least to Sorensen - X, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27).

7.O-O d6

Black prefers to focus on development, instead of grabbing a pawn with 7...Qxe4, although the capture is a bit better. 

8.dxc5 Nf6 9.cxd6 Rd8

Black casually goes about his game.

10.f4 Rxd6 11.Qe2 

An earlier computer vs computer game continued 11.Qe1 Qxe1 12.Rxe1 Nc6 13.e5 Re6 14.Rd1 Ne4 15.Re1 Nd6 16.Na3 Nf5 17.Kf2 Rg6 18.Rg1 Nfe7 19.h3 Be6 20.g4 Rf8 21.Be3 a5 22.Ke2 Rh6 23.f5 Rxh3 24.fxe6+ Kxe6 25.Rh1 Rff3 26.Rxh3 Rxh3 27.Nb5 Nxe5 28.Nxc7+ Kd7 29.Nb5 Nd5 30.Bg1 Nxg4 31.Rd1 Ke6 32.Nd4+ Kf7 33.Rf1+ Ngf6 34.Nf5 Nh5 35.Kd1 Ke6 36.Nd4+ Kd6 37.Nf5+ Ke6 38.Nd4+ Ke5 39.Re1+ Kd6 40.c4 Ne7 41.Kc2 Nc6 42.Nb5+ Kd7 43.Rd1+Kc8 44.Bb6 Nb4+ 45.Kb1 Rd3 46.Rh1 Ng3 47.Re1 a4 48.a3 Nc6 49.Nc3 Rf3 50.Ka2 h5 51.Nxa4 g5 52.Re8+ Kd7 53.Rh8 Kd6 54.Rh6+ Ke5 55.Nc5 Rf7 56.Nxb7 Rxb7 57.Rxc6 Nf5 58.a4 Rg7 59.a5 Rg8 60.b4 g4 61.Bc7+ Kd4 62.b5 Ne7 63.Bb6+ Kc3 64.Rc7 Nf5 65.a6 g3 66.a7 h4 67.Ba5+ Kc2 68.b6 Nd6 69.c5 Nb5 70.Rg7 Re8 71.Bb4 Nxa7 72.Rxa7 h3 73.c6 h2 74.Rh7 Kd1 75.Bd6 Re7 76.Rh3 Re2+ 77.Kb1 Re1 78.b7 h1=Q 79.Rxh1 Rxh1 80.Bxg3 Ke2+ 81.Kb2 Rg1 82.c7 Kf1 83.c8=Q Kg2 84.Qg4 Rc1 85.Kxc1 Kg1 86.Qe2 Kh1 87.Qh2 checkmate, HIARCS 11.1 UCI - Deep Shredder 10 UCI, jeromegambit, 2008. 

11...Bg4 

Black adds yet another piece to the attack. But is g4 the right square?

12.Qb5 

White's Queen abandons the Kingside defense for counter-attack on the Queenside. It looks risky.

12...Nc6 13.Qxb7 Rb8

The tactics are heating up. Stockfish 16.1 recommends 13...Be2 14.Qxc7+ Rd7 15.Qxc6 Bxf1 16.Bd2 (not 16.Qxa8 Ng4 and mate in 4) Re8 17.e5 Re6 18.Qf3 Ba6 

14.Qxc7+ Rd7 15.Qxc6 Be2 16.Nc3 Bxf1 17.Kxf1 Qxh2 

White has three pawns for the exchange.

18.Be3 Rbd8 19.e5 Ng4

Look at 19...Qh1+ 20.Bg1 Rd4 21.Qf3 Nh5 22.Ne2 Rd2 23.Re1 Kg8 24.b4 h6 25.b5 Rf8 26.e6 Re8 27.a4 Rxc2 28.f5 Kh8 29.Ra1

20.e6+

20...Kg8 21.exd7 Nxe3+ 22.Ke2 Qxf4 

23.Qe6+ Kf8 24.Qxe3 Black resigned

After the exchange of Queens, White's advanced d-pawn will fall, but he will remain a piece and a pawn ahead.

Jerome Gambit: Ten Move Checkmate

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game is a 10-move win, by checkmate.

It is another light-hearted answer to the question Why play the Jerome?

Tracy824 - tosten

5 0 blits, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

White will win back one of his sacrificed pieces, but if Black can find his way through the complications, he will gather in the full point.

7.f4 Qf6 8.Rf1 

The Database has almost 300 games with this move, with White scoring 63%.

8...d6 

Best.

Tracy824 has also faced 8...g6: 9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.fxe5 Qxe5 11.d3 d5 12.Qh4+ Nf6 (12...Ke8 13.Bf4 Qxb2 14.Bxc7 Ne7 15.Qf4 Be6 16.Be5 Bb4+ 17.Kd1 d4 18.Bxh8 Qxa1 19.Qf8+ Kd7 20.Qxa8 Qxb1+ 21.Ke2 Bg4+ 22.Kf2 Qxc2+ 23.Kg1 Kc7 24.Bxd4 Bc5 25.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 26.Kh1 Be2 27.Rg1 Bxd3 28.Qf8 Bxe4 29.Qf4+ Qd6 30.Qxe4 Nf5 31.Rc1+ Kb6 32.Qb1+ Ka6 33.Qb3 b6 34.Qc4+ Ka5 35.a4 a6 36.Qc3+ Qb4 37.Qe5+ b5 38.axb5 axb5 39.Ra1+ Kb6 40.Qe6+ Qd6 41.Qb3 Nd4 42.Qe3 Qc5 43.Re1 b4 44.h3 Nc2 45.Qe6+ Kb5 46.Re5 Nd4 47.Rxc5+ Kxc5 48.Qe7+ Kc4 49.Qxh7 b3 50.Qxg6 b2 51.Qb1 Black resigned, Tracy824 - tosten, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024) 13.Nc3 c6 14.Bg5 Rf8 15.O-O-O d4 16.Ne2 Be6 17.b3 Ba3+ 18.Kb1 a5 19.c3 dxc3 20.d4 Qb5 21.Bxf6+ Kd7 22.Nxc3 Qb4 23.Kc2 a4 24.d5 axb3+ 25.axb3 cxd5 26.exd5 Bf5+ 27.Rxf5 Qxh4 28.Bxh4 Rxf5 29.Bg3 Bb4 30.Na4 Rc8+ 31.Kb2 Ke7 32.d6+ Ke6 33.d7 Rd8 34.Nc3 Bxc3+ 35.Kxc3 Rxd7 36.Re1+ Kf6 37.Re8 h5 38.Rh8 Rc5+ 39.Kb4 Rc2 40.Re8 Rxg2 41.Be5+ Kf7 42.Rh8 Rg4+ 43.Ka3 Rd3 44.Rh7+ Ke6 45.Bg3 Rd7 46.Rh8 b5 47.Re8+ Kd5 48.Re5+ Kc6 49.Re2 Ra7+ 50.Kb2 h4 51.Rc2+ Kd5 52.Bf2 Rb7 53.Rc5+ Kd6 54.Rc2 h3 55.Bg3+ Kd5 56.Rd2+ Ke4 57.Rf2 b4 58.Rc2 g5 59.Rc4+ Kf3 60.Rc5 Rxg3 61.hxg3 h2 62.Rxg5 h1=Q 63.Rf5+ Ke4 64.Rf4+ Ke3 65.Rc4 Qg2+ 66.Rc2 Qe4 67.Rc4 Qe5+ 68.Kb1 Ra7 69.Kc2 Ra2+ 70.Kd1 Qa1+ 71.Rc1 Rd2+ 72.Ke1 Qxc1 checkmate, Tracy824 - tosten, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

9.fxe5 

There is only one good response to the discovered attack by White's Rook.

9...Qe7 

The proper response is 9...Qg6 -

10.Qxg6+ 

10.Qh3+ Ke7 11.Qf3 Nh6 12.exd6+ cxd6 13.c3 Bg4 14.Qg3 Rhf8 15.d4 Rxf1+ 16.Kxf1 Rf8+ 17.Ke1 Qxe4+ 18.Be3 Qd3 19.Bg5+ Kd7 20.Qxd3 Bb6 21.Qxh7 Re8+ 22.Kd2 Re2+ 23.Kd3 Nf5 24.Qxf5+ Bxf5+ 25.Kxe2 Bd8 26.Nd2 Bxg5 27.Nf3 Bf6 28.Rf1 Bg6 29.Nd2 Ke7 30.Ne4 Bh5+ 31.Kd3 Bg6 32.Ke3 Bg5+ 33.Kf3 Bc1 34.Rxc1 Bf5 35.Rf1 Be6 36.Ng5 Bd7 37.Ke4 Kd8 38.Rf8+ Kc7 39.Rf7 Kb6 White resigned, DutchLiLi - Nicus, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022; 

10.Qf5+ Qxf5 11.exf5+ Kxe5 12.c3 Kf6 13.d4 Bb6 14.g4 h6 15.Bf4 Bd7 16.Kd2 g5 17.fxg6 Kxg6 18.Na3 Nf6 19.Rae1 Rae8 20.Nc4 Rxe1 21.Rxe1 Re8 22.Rf1 Nxg4 23.h3 Nf6 24.Ne3 Ne4+ 25.Kd3 Bxh3 26.Rh1 Nf2+ 27.Ke2 Nxh1 White resigned, Petasluk - Caarreeyy, 5 0 blitz, FICS, 2017; 10.Qe2 Ne7 11.d4 Bb4+ 12.c3 Ba5 13.Rf3 dxe5 14.Rg3 Qf7 15.Qc4+ Kf6 16.dxe5+ Black resigned, ninadrsane - anakmedan2555, 10 0 blitz, lichess.com 2015 

10...hxg6 11.exd6 Bxd6 12.d4 Bxh2 13.Be3 Bg3+ 14.Ke2 Nf6 15.Nd2 Bd7 16.Rf3 Nh5 17.Raf1 Rae8 18.d5+ Kd6 19.Nc4+ Ke7 20.Rf7+ Kd8 21.Bg5+ Kc8 22.Kd3 Bb5 23.b3 Re5 24.Be3 Bxc4+ 25.bxc4 Rhe8 26.Rf8 Kd7 27.Bxa7 Rxe4 28.c5 R4e7 29.R8f3 Ra8 30.c6+ bxc6 31.dxc6+ Kxc6 32.Bd4 Rxa2 33.c3 Rxg2 34.Ra1 Rd7 35.Ra6+ Kb7 36.Ra7+ Kc6 37.Kc4 Nf6 38.Ra6+ Kb7 39.Ra7+ Kc6 40.Rf1 Rd5 41.Rfa1 Rf5 42.R1a6+ Kd7 43.Bxf6 Kc8 44.Bd4 Be5 45.Ra8+ Black resigned, Tracy824 - Dimian1979, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

Whew! To summarize, after 9...Qg6, White's best move is 10.Qe2.

Oh, and of course, after 9.fxe5, as in the game, Black can not recapture with 9...Qxe5 because of  10.Qf7 checkmate. 

But 9...Qe7 leads to a quick end.

10.Qf5 checkmate

Regular readers of this blog may notice that this checkmate appears familiar. Indeed, it is similar to the end of Idusha2010 - Egor_Shtanko. 30 0, lichess.org, 2022.