Jerome Gambit: Don't Go There

 

The above position arises when White, in a variation of the Jerome Gambit, allows his Queen to yield to temptation and deliver a check from the back rank. 

The warning against such a thing, with an explanation, is given in "Jerome Gambit: Developing (Part 1)"

Why a warning?

The Database shows 48 games with the line, with White scoring 31%  (14 - 32 - 1).

Frankly, I am surprised that I don't have a game in that pile.

Some players are willing to brave the line, however - once. For example, Babypawnmonster, with 69 games in The Database, scoring 57%, gave it a try.

Babypawnmonster - henbra

10 0 rapid, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Qf6 8.Qe8+ 

                                   

8...Qe7 

The superficial attraction of 8.Qe8+ is that it looks like Black will need to find an alternative to the check-block 8...Ne7, because that would lose a Rook.

This is an illusion, as the Knight move is the strongest for Black -

8...Ne7 9.f5+ (9.Qxh8 Qh4+ 10.g3 [10.Kd1 Qg4+ 11.Ke1

Qxg2 12.Rf1 Nf3+ 13.Rxf3 Qxf3] 10...Qg4 11.Rf1 Nf3+ 12.Rxf3 Qxf3 13.f5+ Kf7 14.d4 [14.d3 Nxf5 checkmates] 14...Qxe4+ 15.Kd1 Qxd4+ 16.Bd2 Qg1+ 17.Be1 Bf2 18.c3 d5 19.Qxc8 [19.g4 Qxe1+ checkmates] 19...Qxe1+ 20.Kc2 Rxc8) 9...Kd6 10.Qh5 (10.Qxh8 Qh4+ 11.Kd1 Qg4+ 12.Ke1 Qxg2 13.Rf1 Qxe4+ 14.Kd1 Qg4+ 15.Ke1 Qh4+ [15...Nf3+ 16.Rxf3 Qxf3 17.d4 Qe4+ 18.Kd1 Qxd4+ 19.Nd2 Qg4+ 20.Ke1 Nxf5] 16.Kd1 Qg4+ 17.Ke1 b6) 

Still, in the game, Black's 8...Qe7 is good and continues his advantage.

9.f5+ Kf6 10.Qh5 d5 11.d4 Bxd4 

Oh, my!

It is necessary to remain alert to tactics, even in a winning position. Play should go something like 11...g6 12.Bg5+ Kg7 13.Qh4 Nf6 14.dxc5 and Black is doing well. 

12.Bg5 checkmate

Another example of "the equalizing injustice of chess" (Edward Lasker, 1913).

More of Tim Harding

 

Having mentioned Tim Harding in the earlier  post, "Family Resemblance" - looking at openings related to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - I would like to share a bit more about his writing.

Tim Harding, Bishop's Opening, (1973)

After 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nxe4 Harding wrote

The possibility of 3...NxP [3...Nxe4] was recognized by such early nineteenth cenury theoreticians as Jaenisch and Staunton, who belieed however that White simply go the advantage by 4.BxP+ [4.Bxf7+], disturbing Black's king position at no material cost. But Morphy was to show that this sort of position is ooften favourable to the second player (e.g. the famous Meek - Morphy game in the Scotch Gambit) since he is left with central control and the two bishops and can usually perform a slow castliing. This lesson was slow to be learned, however, 4.BxP+ still being seen some 30 - 40 years after Morphy's retirement.

Tim Harding, Vienna Game, (1976)

Of 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 (or 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nxe4)

Harding wrote

the violence in the play was such that "a game between Dracula and the Frankenstein Monster would not seem out of place."

The name of the variation stayed, as you can see in the image, above, of Eric Schiller's Frankenstein-Dracula Variation (1999).

Written about the line related to the Jerome Gambit, note the move evaluations

T. D. Harding, G.S. Botterill, The Italian Game (1977)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 NxP!? 5.BxP+?

From which we might conclude that the line is exciting, but not sound. Truly does sound like a Jerome Gambit relative!

Jerome Gambit: Return Is Not Enough

The following game demonstrates that returning some of the material sacrificed in the Jerome Gambit is not, in itself, enough to provide a win to the defender.

ryuugu-rena - shaquill3_oatmeal

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. f4 Bf2+ 

What I call the Anti-Bill Wall Gambit, seen in "Jerome Gambit: A Cautionary Tale", "Jerome Gambit: Another Reason", and, most recently, Jerome Gambit: The Anti-Bill Wall Gambit, Return to Discussion (Part 1 & 2), leads to an equal position.

(Bill has almost 1,900 games in The Database, scoring 89%)

8.Kxf2 Ng6

This is Stockfish 17.1's 5th choice. White now has the advantage.

Two earlier games:

8...Nc6 (the computer's second choice) 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.d4 d6 11.e5 Be6 12.exd6+ Qxd6 13.Qg5+ Kf7 14.Rf1 Qxd4+ 15.Be3 Qxb2 16.Nd2 Nf6 17.Kg1 Rhd8 18.Nf3 Kg8 19.Nh4 Qxc2 20.f5 Bd5 21.Rac1 Qxa2 22.Rxc6 bxc6 23.Bd4 h6 24.Qg6 Qxg2+ 25.Nxg2 Bxg2 26.Kxg2 Rxd4 27.Re1 Rad8 28.Re6 Rd2+ 29.Kf3 R8d3+ 30.Kf4 Nd5+ 31.Ke5 Re3 checkmate, ryuugu-rena - RubenGarces, lichess.org, 2023; and 

8...Nf7 (the computer's top choice) 9.d4 Nf6 10.Qe5+ Nxe5 11.d5+ Ke7 12.fxe5 Nxe4+ 13.Ke3 Nc5 14.Kd4 Na6 15.Bg5+ Ke8 16.Bxd8 Kxd8 17.Nc3 Ke7 18.Rhf1 Rf8 19.Ne4 d6 20.exd6+ cxd6 21.Rae1 Rxf1 22.Rxf1 Bd7 23.Ng5 h6 24.Ne4 Rc8 25.c4 Nb4 26.a3 Na6 27.Rf3 Nc5 28.Ng3 Bg4 29.Rf4 Bd7 30.Nh5 g6 31.Ng7 Rg8 32.Ne6 Nxe6+ 33.dxe6 Bxe6 34.b3 Kd7 35.Kc3 Bf5 36.g4 Re8 37.gxf5 gxf5 38.Rxf5 Ke6 39.Rh5 Rh8 40.h4 Kf6 41.Rb5 b6 42.Ra5 Rh7 43.Rd5 Ke6 44.Rd3 Ke5 45.a4 h5 46.Rd5+ Ke6 47.Rg5 Rh6 48.Rxh5 a6 49.Rxh6+ Black resigned, ryuugu-rena - alex039, lichess.org, 2023

9.f5+ Kf6 

Slightly better is 9...Kf7 10.fxg6+ hxg6 11.Qxh8 Qf6+ 12.Ke2 d6 13.Rf1 Bg4+ 14.Ke1 Bf5 15.exf5 Re8+ 16.Kf2 Qxf5+ 17.Kg1 Re1 18.h3 Qxf1+ 19.Kh2 Qf4+ 20.g3 Qf2 checkmate, ryuugu-rena - BlackDissident, lichess.org, 2023 

10.fxg6 h6 

A slip, in a 3-minute game.

11.Qh4+ Black resigned

Family Resemblance

From time-to-time I cover in blog posts some openings that might be considered "relatives" to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

More than the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+), the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+), or the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 h6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bxf7+).

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+) is also one to come to mind. I first covered that line 8 years ago.

There is also the Noa or Monck Gambit, (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+), arising from the Two Knights Game.

I am not sure that I have presented what Tim Harding has called the Frankenstein Dracula Variation (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4), coming out of the Vienna opening, and that can heat up with 4.Bxf7+.

I might have to give that last one a closer look.

Jerome Gambit: Hungry Hungry Hippos

I was tempted to start this post with a quote from "Sleeping in the Gutter or Getting Away?"

He who captures the Queen's Knight pawn sleeps in the gutter -- a stern warning against pawn-grabbing

He who grabs the pawn, and spirits away, lives to fight another day -- a lesson from Bill Wall's Jerome Gambit 

Then, I was reminded of the children's game, "Hungry, Hungry Hippos" and thought it humorously represented the actions of Bill's Queen in gobbling up pawns.

Wall, Bill - Benjamin

internet, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ 

Bill is 17- 0 - 1 with this move - all the more interesting when you consider that Stockfish 17.1 evaluates the position as 3 1/4 pawns better for Black. 

6...Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+ 

This Queen check shows up in Bill's games, the earliest being Wall,B - Guest4395, Microsoft Internet Gaming Zone, 2001 (1/2-1/2, 17).

Black is asked about his b-pawn.

8...Be6

8 of Bill's games saw this move 

9.Qxb7 Nf6 10.Nc3 Qe7 

White has 3 pawns for his sacrificed piece.

He needs to be careful about his Queen, and he needs to respect Black's piece advantage on the Kingside.

11.O-O Ne5 

This "kick me" move challenges White in that he will have to choose: d-pawn or f-pawn?

12.d4 

Stockfish 17.1 (33 ply) agrees.

12...Neg4 

Mounting an attack.

He might consider taking advantage of the placement of the enemy Queen: 12...Rhb8 13.Qa6 Bc4 14.Qa4 Bxf1 15.dxe5 Qxe5 16.Kxf1 Qxh2 17.Qc4+ Kg6 18.Qd3 Qh1+ 19.Ke2 Kf7

13.f3 Nh6 14. Bxh6 gxh6 

15.d5 Bd7 16.Qxc7 

The Queen's pawn-grabbing makes me nervous, but Stockfish reassures that White is slightly better.

16...Rhc8 

It is time to punish Her Majesty for playing a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos, but is Black up to the task?

17.Qa5 a6 18.Rae1 Bb5 19.Rf2 Nd7 

The Knight effectively traps its own Bishop, which Bill reacts to immediately.

20. a4 Bc4 21. Nd1 Nc5 22.Ne3 Ba2 23.Ra1 

23...Kg8 

It is interesting that the computer treats Black's Bishop's excursion as a problem of tempo, i.e. 23...Bb3 24.Nf5 Qf6 25.Qb6 Rab8 26.Qxd6 Bxa4 27.Rxa4 Nxa4 28.Qd7+ Kf8 29.Qxa4 Qxb2 30.Qxa6 Qb6 31.Qxb6 Rxb6

analysis diagram

The analysis diagram shows that White would have 4 pawns (4 connected passers!) for the exchange.

24.Rxa2 Nd7 25.Nf5 Qf6 26.Qd2  Ne5 27.Qxh6

Black resigned

The second player does not have compensation for five pawns.

Jerome Gambit: Brilliant!

I was drawn to the YouTube video by ChessFam because of its title - "Brilliant Jerome Gambit Refutation!" 

How could I not be?

The video shows a game between two players, and, indeed, it features brilliant attacking play by Black.

That is to say, Black plays Henry Joseph Blackburne's defense and counter-attack, repeats his famous game against an Amateur, and grabs the full point in 14 moves!

To this Defender, I say: Keep playing that line!

To this Attacker, I say: Find a way (or several ways) to avoid such misfortune (You could start by perusing this blog. Make use of the "Search This Blog" feature on the right side.) 

Jerome Gambit: Blackburne vs Whistler

 

Some information for Defenders:

A look at The Database, for a comparison between the Blackburne defense - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5+ 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 - and the Whistler defense - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5+ 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 - when White then captures the Rook on h8 with 8.Qxh8, shows that White scores 77% with the former line, but only 51% for the latter.

Books that only show Blackburne's violent crush of the Jerome Gambit do readers a disfavor, leading defenders to a weaker line of play, desplite The Black Death's success.

The much-less-known Whistler defense should be the unbiased choice. (It is the choice of Stockfish 17.1, by a wide margin.)

Still: play what you know, what you are comfortable with, what you have had success with.

And feel free to send me your games, while you are at it.