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 or Jerome Gamble? (Part 2)

 

[continued from the previous post, ]

[This is a continuation of one of the articles from the "Unorthodox Openings Newsletter" (UON-17, January - April 2007), mentioned in an earlier blog post. BTW, the article that I hoped for the magazine Kaissiber never appeared.]

Here are a couple of blitz games I [Rick] played on the internet. The first is a pure Jerome Gambit game; the second is out of the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. I had been smashed a few times by a player weaker than me, and he finally dissed me by suggesting I'd fall for the BSG -- so I Jerome-ized it, and he made the blunder.

perrypawnpusher (1446) - WHITE-KING (1365) [C50] 

ICC 2 12 Internet Chess Club, 14.06.2004 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 N8e7 8.0-0 Rf8 9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd5+ Ke8 11.d3 Nge7 12.Qg5 Rf7 13.Nc3 h6 14.Qh5 Kf8 15.f5 Ne5 16.d4 N5c6 17.d5 Ne5 18.f6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6+ gxf6 20.Qxh6+ Kf7 21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.Bh6+ Ke8 23.Qh8+ Kf7 24.Qg7+ Ke8 25.Qf8# Black checkmated 1-0 

perrypawnpusher (1390) - patitolo (960) [C50] 

FICS rated blitz game 6 12 FICS, San Jose, California US, 10.06.2005 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8? 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 8.Qe5+ Qe7?? 9.Nxe7 Bxe7 10.Qxd4 d6 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Nd5 c5 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Qxf6 Rf8 15.Qxe6+ Kd8 16.Qxd6+ Ke8 17.d3 Rd8 18.Qe6# Black checkmated 1-0 

Stefan Bucker has a historical article that I've written about the Jerome, and he's said he wants to publish it in Kaissiber -- but another issue is out this month, and I think it's been put off again. Lev Gutman has been writing a wonderful series on the Max Lange Attack and other gambits in the Italian Game, and I guess I have to wait until he scrapes the bottom of the barrel before he gets to the Jerome. :-) Rick 

Selected Games from a Jerome-Forced Computer Chess Match - Sept 28 2006 

[White "Colossus"] [Black "Spike1.2 [003]"] [Result "0-1"] 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7 Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5 Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3 Kf7 10.Qh5 Kf8 11.Qxe5 Bd6 12.O-O Nf6 13.Qg5 h6 14.Qh4 g5 15.Qe1 Be5 16.c3 c5 17.b4 c4 18.Qe2 Be6 19. Na3 Qd3 20. Qxd3 cxd3 21.Bb2 Kg7 22.Rae1 a5 23.bxa5 Rxa5 24.Kh1 Rha8 25.Rf3 Rxa3 26.Bxa3 Rxa3 27.Rxd3 Rxa2 28.g3 Kf8 29.Rd1 Bb3 30.Re1 b5 31.h3 Bc4 32.Rf3 Rxd2 33.Kg1 Ke7 34.g4 h5 35.Ra1 hxg4 36.hxg4 Nxg4 37.Ra7 Kd6 38.Ra6 Kc5 39.Ra1 b4 40.Rc1 bxc3 41.Rf5 Kb4 42.Rb1 Ka3 43.Rf2 Rxf2 0-1 

[White "Rybka v1.0 Beta.w32"] [Black "Colossus"] [Result "0-1"] 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7 Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5 Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d4 Bxd4 10.Qd3 Bb6 11.O-O Kf7 12.Nc3 Be6 13.a4 Rf8 14.a5 Bc5 15.Bg5 c6 16.Ne2 h6 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Qxe3 Qd7 19.Rfd1 Kg8 20.f3 c5 21.Nf4 Bf7 22.Qc3 Qe7 23.a6 b5 24.Qd2 Rad8 25.Ra5 d5 26.e5 Qxe5 27.Rxb5 Rb8 28.Rxc5 Qxb2 29.Kh1 Qb6 30.Rc3 Qxa6 31.Qe3 Qb6 32.Qd3 Qb4 33.Ne2 a5 34.Nd4 Bg6 35.Qd2 Rfc8 36.Rxc8 Rxc8 37.c3 Rxc3 38.Ne2 Rd3 39.Qc2 Rxd1 40.Qxd1 a4 41.Nc1 a3 42.Qg1Qb1 43.g4 d4 44.g5 d3 45.Nxd3 Qxd3 46.Kg2 Qe2 47.Qf2 White resigns 0-1 

[White "Colossus"] [Black "Rybka v1.0 Beta.w32"] [Result "0-1"] 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7 Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5 Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3 Ke7 10.Qg3 Kf7 11.Qxe5 Qh4 12.g3 Qe7 13.Rf1 Kg6 14.Qxe7 Nxe7 15.c3 Bh3 16.Rf4 Bd6 17.Rh4 Bd7 18.d4 Rae8 19.e5 Nd5 20.a3 Be7 21.Re4 Bf5 22.Re2 Bd3 23.Rg2 Rhf8 24.Bf4 c5 25.Nd2 Kh5 26.Rc1 Nxf4 27.gxf4 Rxf4 28.Kd1 Rg4 29.Rxg4 Kxg4 30.b4 Rf8 31.bxc5 Rf2 32.h3 Kxh3 33.Rb1 Bxb1 34.Nxb1 Rf1 35.Kc2 Rxb1 36.Kxb1 h5 37.d5 Bxc5 38.d6 Kg4 39.Kc2 h4 40.Kd3 h3 41.Kc4 b6 42.d7 Be7 White resigns 0-1

 [White "Rybka"] [Black "Spike1.2 [003]"] [Result "0-1"] 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7 Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5 Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3 Kf7 10.Qh5 Kf8 11.Rf1 Nf6 12.Qxe5 Bd4 13.Qb5 a6 14.Qe2 Ke8 15.h3 Ng4 16.c3 Qh4 17.Kd1 Nf2 18.Kc2 Ba7 19.d3 Rf8 20.Be3 Bxe3 21.Qxe3 Qf4 22.Qxf4 Rxf4 23.Nd2 g5 24.Rae1 Be6 25.Re3 g4 26.Re2 g3 27.Re3 Rd8 28.Rxg3 Rd7 29.Re1 Rdf7 30.Nf3 Nxh3 31.Ne5 Rf2 32.Kb1 Nf4 33.Nxf7 Bxf7 34.Ree3 h5 35.Rgf3 Nxg2 36.Rxf2 Nxe3 37.d4 Ke7 38.Rf3 Ng2 39.Rf2 Nh4 40.d5 Ng6 41.Kc2 Ne5 42.Rf5 Nc4 43.Rf2 Nd6 44.Kd3 Bg6 45.Rf4 Nxe4 46.Rxe4 Kd6 47.Kd4 Bxe4 48.Kxe4 b5 49.Kd4 h4 50.Ke4 h3 51.Kf3 Kxd5 52.Kg3 Ke4 53.Kxh3 Kd3 54.Kg2 Kc2 55.b4 Kxc3 56.Kf3 Kxb4 White resigns 0-1

[White "Spike1.2 [003]"] [Black "Colossus"] [Result "0-1"] 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7 Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5 Ke6 7.Qf5 Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5 Qxe5 10.Qxe5 Kxe5 11.d3 Ke6 12.Nc3 Nf6 13.Nb5 Ne8 14.Rf1 c6 15.Nc3 Rf8 16.Rxf8 Bxf8 17.Bf4 Nf6 18.Ne2 c5 19.e5 Nd5 20.d4 Be7 21.c4 Nxf4 22.Nxf4 Kf5 23.Nh5 g6 24.Ng3 Ke6 25.Kd2 b5 26.Ne4 bxc4 27.Kc3 Rb8 28.Rd1 Ba6 29.h4 Rf8 30.Ng5 Bxg5 31.hxg5 Rf5 32.Rh1 Rxg5 33.Rxh7 Rg3 34.Kb4 Rxg2 35.Kc3 Bb5 36.Rh8 0-1 

[White "Spike1.2 [003]"] [Black "Fritz 6.0"] [Result "0-1"] 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7 Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5 Ke6 7.Qf5 Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5 Qxe5 10.Qxe5 Kxe5 11.b4 Bd4 12.c3 Bb6 13.d4 Kxe4 14.Nd2 Kf5 15.O-O Ke6 16.a4 a5 17.b5 Nf6 18.Ba3 Re8 19.Rae1 Kf7 20.Rxe8 Kxe8 21.Re1 Kf7 22.Nc4 Nd5 23.Rf1 Ke6 24.Re1 Kf6 25.Rf1 Kg5 26.Bc1 Kh4 27.Rf5 Nxc3 28.Be3 Bxd4 29.Bxd4 Ne2 30.Kf2 Nxd4 31.Rf4 Kg5 32.Rxd4 b6 33.Ne3 Ra7 34.Rc4 Kf6 35.Nd5 Ke5 36.Nxb6 cxb6 37.Rxc8 d5 38.Rh8 h6 39.Rb8 Rf7 40.Ke3 Rf6 41.h3 h5 42.Rh8 Rh6 43.Re8 Re6 44.Rc8 Kd6 45.Kd3 h4 46.Rc2 Re4 47.Rc6 Ke5 48.Rxb6 Rxa4 49.Ra6 Ra2 50.b6 Rxg2 51.Rxa5 Rb2 52.Ra6 g5 53.Kc3 Rb5 54.Kc2 g4 55.hxg4 Kf4 56.Ra4 Kg5 57.Rd4 h3 58.Rd2 Rxb6 59.Rxd5 Kh4 60.Rd2 Rf6 61.g5 Kxg5 62.Rd5 Kg4 63.Rd1 h2 64.Kb3 Rf4 65.Ka2 Rf3 66.Rc1 Kh3 67.Rc8 Kg2 68.Rg8 Rg3 69.Rh8 h1=Q 70.Rxh1 Kxh1 71.Kb2 Kg2 72.Kc2 Kf1 73.Kd2 Rh3 74.Kc1 Ke2 75.Kc2 Rd3 0-1 White resigns 

Computer Match, Concluding Comment 

There are other games, and Black won every game except one. “Ah Ha!” Someone cries. “So white did win a game! Why not tell us about it?” The one win as white was in a game Ten Pro versus Fritz 6.0. However, the Fritz loss was due to the fact that I was forcing the program to move from infinite analysis mode approximately once every 5 seconds by hitting the key. It turns out that it was the “move now” force that resulted in a bad move. I put that position into Fritz again [after the game] and cannot get it to repeat that error. So it was pretty much a glitch… i.e., happening to force a move that was being analyzed, but a move that would not be intentionally played. With the new move substituted, Fritz wins as black, as expected. 

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Can't Win For Losing

Playing over the following game, and considering Black's play, I was reminded of Pleasant Joseph's lament, who recorded in "Bad Luck Blues" in 1947, 

If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all.

Lucky for Readers, I have covered this line of play for almost a decade and a half.

Edwinpaderes - dan-p

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

White has ideas of his own.

It is hard not to mention that a dozen years ago I was able to get Grandmaster Lev Albert's thoughts on the line, in Chess Life. See the post "Ad Ridiculum".

4...Ke7 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit Declined. See "Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit Declined", "BSJGD: It's Complicated", and "BSJGD: Embrace the Chaos"

Some thoughts from earlier posts:

"Idées Fixes et Manqués"

I have met this move before (see "Jedi Mind Tricks", "Jedi Mind Tricks / Rematch", "Sith Still and Don't Move", "Never Mind" and "Platinum Mind Tricks"), and whatever advantages it has are slight and purely psychological.

 "Lots of Practice, Some Theory"

I have not promoted declining the gambit, in fact I have referred to it as intending some kind of "Jedi mind trick", but I note that steveod has played several games with 4...Ke7:

5.Nxe5 d6 6.Nc3 (6.Bxg8 dxe5 7.d3 Rxg8 8.Bg5+ Black resigned, frizerkaHR - steveod, FICS, 2012) dxe5 7.Qh5 Nc6 8.Nd5+ Kd6 9.f4 Nf6 10.Qg5 h6 11.fxe5+ Nxe5 12.Qe3 Nxf7 13.e5+ Nxe5 14.d4 Nxd5 15.Qxe5+ Kc6 16.c4 Bd6 17.cxd5+ Kb6 18.Qxg7 Qe7+ 19.Qxe7 Bxe7 20.Rf1 Rf8 21.Be3 Rxf1+ 22.Kxf1 Bd7 23.d6 Bb5+ 24.Kg1 Bxd6 25.Rc1 c6 26.b3 a5 27.a4 Bd3 28.d5+ Kc7 29.Rc3 Be4 30.dxc6 Bxc6 White forfeited on time, AndrejRussia - steveod, FICS, 2014;

5.Nxd4 Kxf7 (5...exd4 6.Bxg8 Rxg8 7.d3 Ke8 8.c3 dxc3 9.Nxc3 c6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qxh7 Rg7 12.Qh6 Qf6 13.Bg5 Qd4 14.0-0 d6 15.Be3 Qb4 16.Rab1 Be6 17.d4 Kd7 18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5 Kc7 20.Bg5 Bf5 21.Bf6 Rf7 22.Rbc1 Bxh6 23.Nd5+ Kb8 24.Nxb4 Bxc1 25.Rxc1 Rd7 26.h3 a5 27.Nc2 Bxc2 28.Rxc2 b5 29.Rxc6 Kb7 30.Rc5 Kb6 31.Rc3 b4 32.Rg3 Rg8 33.e6 Rd6 34.f4 Rxe6 35.Be5 g5 36.Bd4+ Kb5 37.f5 Re4 38.Bf6 Rf4 39.h4 Rxf5 40.hxg5 Rxf6 41.gxf6 Rxg3 42.f7 Rd3 43.f8Q Rd1+ 44.Kh2 Rd5 45.Qb8+ Kc4 46.b3+ Kd4 47.Qf4+ Kc5 48.Qc4+ Kd6 49.g3 Rd2+ 50.Kh3 Rxa2 51.g4 a4 52.Qxb4+ Kd5 53.bxa4 Re2 54.Qb5+ Kd6 55.Qxe2 Black resigned, roosmanla - steveod, FICS, 2008) 6.Nf3 d6 7.c3 h6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Be6 10.d5 Bd7 11.Nc3 g5 12.Qd4 Bg7 13.Qd3 a6 14.Be3 Qe7 15.Bd4 Bxd4 16.Qxd4 Nf6 17.0-0 Rae8 18.Rfe1 g4 19.Nd2 Nh5 20.Re2 Rhg8 21.g3 Qf6 22.Qxf6+ Nxf6 23.Rae1 Rg5 24.f4 gxf3 25.Nxf3 Rg4 26.e5 Nxd5 27.Nxd5 c6 28.Nf4 Be6 29.Nxe6 Rxe6 30.exd6 Rxd6 31.Re7+ Kf6 32.Rxb7 Rd3 33.Kg2 Rb4 34.Rxb4 Black resigned, bushytail - steveod, FICS, 2010; and

5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d3 h6 7.Nxe5 d6 8.Nf3 Bg4 9.Nbd2 Kd7 10.b3 Qg5 11.Bb2 Bxf3 12.Nxf3 Qxg2 13.Rf1 Nxf3+ 14.Ke2 Nxh2 15.Re1 Qf3+ 16.Kd2 Qxf2+ 17.Re2 Qf4+ 18.Re3 Nf1+ 19.Qxf1 Qxf1 20.Rxf1 Be7 21.Kc1 Bg5 22.Rfe1 Raf8 23.Kb1 Bxe3 24.Rxe3 Rf1+ 25.Bc1 g5 26.e5 h5 27.e6+ Ke7 28.d4 c6 29.Kb2 g4 30.b4 h4 31.Re4 h3 32.Be3 h2 33.Bf4 h1Q White resigned, EstonianBear - steveod, FICS, 2002.

Meanwhile, back at the game...

5.Nxe5 d6 

Kick the Knight that protects the Bishop.

6.Bxg8 dxe5 7.Bc4 

Black may have psyched himself into a corner: If you want the Giuoco Piano, you can't have it; If you want me to take the Bishop, I won't take it... 

White is ahead by two pawns, and his King is safer.

7...Bg4 

dan-p has another trick up his sleeve: if White now takes the Bishop with 8.Qxg4, there is the Knight fork 8...Nxc2+, winning the Rook!

Only there is a problem with this line, as after 9.Kd1 Nxa1 White has 10.Qe6 checkmate.

8.f3  

White is comfortably ahead, he does not need complications. This is a 5-minute blitz game.

8...Be6 9.Bxe6 Kxe6 10.c3 Nc6 11.Qb3+ Kd7 12.Qxb7 

Okay, he goes for slight complications, ignoring the ancient wisdom "He who takes the Queen's Knight pawn sleeps in the gutter".

If necessary, White's Queen can retreat behind some solid pawns - and Black's King is still more poorly placed.

12...Rb8 13.Qa6 Qf6 14.O-O Nd4 15.Qxf6 g6 

More misfortune. I am sure this is a mouse slip for the intended 15...gxf6.

16.cxd4 Black resigned

BSJG: No Shelter

The following game sees Black defending well in his Blackburne Shilling Gambit, until suddenly the Kingside opens up and his King can find no shelter.

I blame Jerome.

klfoerster - zakiabdelli

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. White can now play 4.Nxe4 or 4.d3 or 4.O-O, but he also has a Jerome response. 

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.c3 

This is one of White's two main responses, the other being the Jerome-ish immediate Qh5+.

6...Nc6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Nxg6 Nf6 9.Qh4 Rg8 10.Nxf8 Rxf8 

Up to this point klfoerster and zakiabdelli have been playing like they were both familiar with the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit - indeed, according to The Database, klfoerster played a couple of games with that opening in 2022. I have not found any earlier efforts by zakiabdelli. (I guess players rated 2200 and 2100 look like they know what they are doing.)

Here, though, the routine 10...Kxf8 or the interesting 10...Qe7 might have changed things from an edge for Black to an edge for White.

11.O-O d6

Black keeps an eye on the enemy e-pawn and hopes to imede its advance. He might have done a little better with 11...Ne7. 

12.d4 Ng4 

So far we have seen moves that Stockfish 15.1 might improve upon, slightly.

This move allows too much pressure on f6. Better would have been 12...Ne7. 

13.Qh5+ Rf7 14.Bg5 Qd7 15.f3 

Things have gotten messy for Black. Not only is his Knight in danger, his Queen blocks his Bishop which hems in his Rook - a problem for defense that we have seen a number of times before.

15...Nxh2 16.Qxh2 Rg7 17.Qh5+ 

On revient toujours a sa premier amour.

17...Rg6 18.f4 Kf8 19.f5 Rg8 20.Bh6+ Ke7 21.f6+ Ke6 22.Qd5 checkmate

BSHG: Know Your Defense

In the following game, White is more familiar with the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit than Black is with the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. The result is predictable.

Mbokharie - saeedhashem1988

10 5 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Or 5...Ke7 6.c3 Ne6 7.d4 d6 8.Nf3 Nf6 9.d5 Nc5 10.Bg5 Ncxe4 11.Bxf6+ gxf6 12.O-O Bf5 13.Re1 Kd7 14.Nd4 Bg6 15.Qg4+ f5 16.Nxf5 Nf6 17.Qh3 c6 18.Ng7+ Kc7 19.Ne6+ Kb6 20.Nxd8 Rxd8 21.Qe3+ c5 22.Na3 a6 23.Nc4+ Ka7 24.b4 b5 25.Na5 Nxd5 26.Qf3 Rd7 27.Qxd5 Bg7 28.bxc5 Bf7 29.Qd2 d5 30.c6 Rc7 31.Qe3+ Black resigned, Mbokharie - baba_jdw78, lichess.org, 2023; or 

5...Ke8 6.c3 Nc6 (6...Ne6 7.d4 Qf6 8.O-O d6 9.Qa4+ Ke7 10.f4 c6 11.Nf3 b5 12.Qc2 Ba6 13.e5 Qf7 14.exd6+ Kd7 15.f5 Nd8 16.Ne5+ Kc8 17.Nxf7 Nxf7 18.Qe4 Bxd6 19.Qxc6+ Kb8 20.Qxa6 Ne7 21.Qxb5+ Kc7 22.Qa5+ Kd7 23.Nd2 g6 24.fxg6 hxg6 25.h3 Ng5 26.Nc4 Nf5 27.Nxd6 Kxd6 28.Bxg5 Black resigned, Mbokharie - sohaib75, lichess.org, 2023) 7.Qh5+ Ke7 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc5 10.Qd5 checkmate, Mbokharie - saeedhashem1988, lichess.org, 2023. 

6.c3 Qg5 

This is the thematic move for the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, but better in this position was 6...Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Ke6 8.d5+ Kd6 9.d4 Qh4 10.Nc3 c6 11.e5+ Kc7 12.d6+ Bxd6 13.exd6+ Kxd6 14.O-O Nf6 15.Qf3 Kc7 16.Bf4+ d6 17.Bg3 Qg4 18.Qxg4 Nxg4 19.Ne4 Rd8 20.Rac1 Bf5 21.Nc3 Rac8 22.Nb5+ Kb8 23.Nxd6 Rxd6 24.Bxd6+ Ka8 25.Rfe1 Nf6 26.Re7 Be4 27.Rxg7 Bd5 28.Be5 Ne4 29.Rxh7 Bxa2 30.f3 Ng5 31.Rh8 Rxh8 32.Bxh8 Ne6 33.Re1 Kb8 34.Re5 Kc8 35.Rf5 Kc7 36.Be5+ Kb6 37.h4 a5 38.h5 Bb1 39.Rf6 Ng5 40.h6 a4 41.d5 Bd3 42.dxc6 bxc6 43.Rd6 Bf5 44.Bf4 Ne6 45.Be3+ Kc7 46.Rd2 Nf8 47.g4 Bh7 48.Bc5 Ng6 49.Rd6 Nh4 50.Kf2 Ng6 51.g5 Kb7 52.Rd7+ Black resigned, Mbokharie - baba_jdw78, lichess.org, 2023 

7.cxd4 Qxg2 8.Qb3+ Kd6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd8 11.Qxf8 checkmate

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Strange Is Not Always Good

One of the attractions of the family of Jerome Gambit openings is that the game quickly moves to strange positions which benefit those familiar with them, and burdens those who are not. 

Players must be careful, however - some good positions are strange, but not all strange positions are good.

NasufRexhepi - Scorpion_Negro

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. 

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 6.c3 d6 7.cxd4 dxe5 8.dxe5 Qd3 

This curious position is considered equal by Stockfish 15.1 at 42 ply depth of evaluation. Nonetheless, White scored only 1 - 4 in previous games according to The Database.

9.Nc3 

Recommended is 9.Qe2 Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 c5 (10...Be6 11.d4 c6 12.f4 Rd8 13.Ke3 Ke8 14.Nc3 Bb4 15.f5 Bc4 16.Bd2 c5 17.d5 Nh6 18.Kf4 g5+ 19.Kxg5 Nf7+ 20.Kf4 Bxd5 21.exd5 Bxc3 22.Bxc3 Rxd5 23.e6 Rf8 24.exf7+ Rxf7 25.Rhe1+ Kd7 26.g4 h5 27.h3 Rd3 28.Rad1 Black resigned, Kuskus - omarrafi, FICS, 2009) 11.d3 Kf7 12.Be3 Ne7 (12...b6 13.f4 g6 14.a4  Ne7 15.a5 Rb8 16.axb6 axb6 17.Nc3 Nc6 18.Nd5 Bg4+ 19.Kd2 Bg7 20.b4 Rhd8 21.b5 Ne7 22.Ra7 Rd7 23.Rha1 Rbb7 24.Rxb7 Rxb7 25.Ra6 Nc8 26.Bf2 Be6 27.Ra8 Ne7 28.Ne3 Bh6 29.g3 Rd7 30.Ke2 Rb7 31.Be1 Bd7 32.Nc4 Nc8 33.Kf3 Be6 34.g4 Rd7 35.Ke3 Rc7 36.h3 Bxc4 37.dxc4 Ra7 38.Rxc8 Ra3+ 39.Ke2 Bxf4 40.Rc6 Bxe5 41.Rxb6 Rxh3 42.Rb7+ Ke6 43.Rg7 Bxg7 White resigned, ElSrEdwardHyde - Zloy_Grisha2006goda, lichess.org, 2021) 13.Bxc5 Ng6 14. Rc1 Nf4+ 15.Kd2 Bxc5 16.Rxc5 =

9...b6 

Or 9...Be6 10.b3 (10.Qh5 Nh6 11.Qg5+ Kd7 12.f3 Rg8 13.Ne2 Nf7 14.Qg3 Re8 15.Nf4 Qc2 16.Nxe6 Rxe6 17.d4 Bb4+ 18.Bd2 Qxd2+ 19.Kf1 Qxb2 20.Rd1 Qc2 21.Ra1 Qd3+ 22.Kf2 Qxd4+ 23.Kf1 Qxa1+ White resigned, wera - ubagas, FICS, 2017; 10.f4 g6 11.g4 Kd8 12.Rf1 Be7 13.g5 Bc5 14.Rf3 Qd4 15.Re3 h6 16.Qc2 Qb4 17.a3 Qb3 18.Rd3+ Kc8 19.Qxb3 Bxb3 20.Rh3 Be6 21.Rh4 Kd7 22.b4 Bb6 23.Bb2 Ne7 24.gxh6 g5 25.Rh5 gxf4 26.h7 f3 27.d4 f2+ 28.Kf1 Bc4+ 29.Kxf2 Bxd4+ 30.Ke1 Raf8 31.Rd1 Nc6 32.Rf5 Rxf5 33.exf5 Kc8 34.b5 Nxe5 35.Rxd4 Nf3+ 36.Kf2 Nxd4 37.Ne4 Rxh7 38.Bxd4 Rxh2+ 39.Kf3 Rh3+ 40.Kf4 Rxa3 41.f6 b6 42.Nd2 Bd5 43.Ke5 Bf7 44.Ne4 Ra5 White resigned, Wall,B - Guest653285, PlayChess.com, 2017) 10...Ke8 11.Qh5+ g6 12.Qh4 Be7 13.Qf4 Bb4 14.Qe3 Qxe3+ 15.fxe3 Bxc3 16.dxc3 Bd7 17.O-O Bc6 18.Bb2 Ne7 19.Rf4 g5 20.Rg4 h6 21.c4 Rf8 22.h4 Rg8 23.Rf1 Rg6 24.Rf6 Rd8 25.Bd4 b6 26.h5 Rxf6 27.exf6 Nc8 28.e5 Kf7 29.b4 Bd7 30.Rg3 c6 31.Rf3 Be6 32.c5 Bxa2 33.Rf2 Bc4 34.Rc2 Bd5 35.Rc1 Rd7 36.Kf2 Rb7 37.cxb6 axb6 38.Ra1 Ra7 39.Rxa7+ Nxa7 40.Bxb6 Nb5 41.g3 Nc3 42.Bc7 Ne4+ 43.Kg1 Ke6 44.Kh2 Kf5 45.Kh3 Nf2+ 46.Kh2 Kg4 47.Kg1 Nd3 48.Bd6 Kxh5 49.e4 Be6 50.Kg2 Kg4 51.Bf8 h5 52.Bd6 h4 53.gxh4 gxh4 54.Kh2 h3 55.Be7 Nxe5 56.Bd6 Nf3+ 57.Kh1 Kg5 58.Bc7 Kxf6 59.Bd6 Bc4 White resigned, leikeze18 - game_1_06, GameKnot.com, 2014 

10.b3 Kf7 11.Bb2 Ne7 12.Qh5+ 

White reminds his opponent that his King is at risk, too.

12...g6 13.Qg5 

Apologies to Stockfish, but White was not going to follow its suggestion of exchanging Queens with 13.Qe2 Ba6 14.Qxd3 Bxd3, even if he liked the wily 15.e6+.

13...Bg7 14.O-O-O Re8 15.f4  

It looks like White has his attack on the King rolling, but this move actually overlooks something. It is not easy to see that he needed to play 15.Rhe1, preparing the sacrifice of the exchange after 15...Nf5, i.e. 16.Re3 Nxe3 17.dxe3, although Black would still be better.

15...Nf5 

A nifty move, given that capturing the Knight with 16.exf5 would lead to 16...Bxf5 and Black's checkmate threats could only be bought off with the surrender of material. (It is telling that Stockfish sees 16.exf6 as White's "best" line.)

White's game begins to crumble.

16.Nd5 h6 17.Nb4 Qxe4 18.Qg4 Qxb4 19.h4 Nd4 20.Qg3 Ne2+

White resigned

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Tactical Finish

You can play the most sound, or the least reputable openings, but sometimes it just comes down to tactics.

Longtime blog contributor angelcamina shows how it is done.

angelcamina - Mitay93

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. 

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6  

Not 6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4+ Kc6 9.Qd5 checkmate, angelcamina - umutkaraca09, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019. 

7.Nxg6 hxg6 

Instead, 7... Nxc2+ should only lead to an even game 8.Kd1 Nxa1 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.d4 Kc6 12.Qd5+ Kb6 13.Nc3 c6 14.Qb3+ Kc7 15.Bf4+ d6 16.Qf7+ Ne7 17.e5 d5 18.e6+ Kb6 19.Na4+ Ka5 20.b3 b5 21.Bd2+ Ka6 22.Nc5+ Kb6 23.Qf4 Ng6 24.Qe3 Nxh8 25.Qc3 Bxc5 26.Qa5+ Kb7 27.Qxd8 Bb6 28.Qe7+ Ka6 29.Qxh7 Bb7 30.e7 Black resigned, angelcamina - eloali, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019.

The counter-attack 7...Nf6 is not enough, e.g. 8.Qe5+ Ne6 9.Nxh8 Bg7 10.Qf5 Bxh8 11.e5 Nd5 12.Qxh7 Bxe5 13.Qg8+ Nf8 14.f4 Nxf4 15.O-O Ne2+ 16.Kh1 Qe7 17.d4 Bxd4 18.Bg5 Ng3+ 19.hxg3 White won on time, angelcamina - Skhokho1507, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019.

Also insufficient: 7...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.e5 Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Qxf2 11.Qf7+ Kd8 12.Qxf2 Black resigned, angelcamina - felix_paton, 1 0, bullet, lichess.org, 2019.

8.Qxh8 Nf6 

Possibly a mouse slip: 8...Ke7 9.Qxd4 Ke8 10.O-O Be7 11.f4 Nf6 12.e5 Ng4 13.f5 b6 14.Qxg4 gxf5 15.Qg6+ Kf8 16.Rxf5+ Bf6 17.Rxf6+ Ke7 18.Rf7+ Ke8 19.Qg8 checkmate, angelcamina - aldiardiansyah, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 

9.O-O

Better than 9.Kd1 d5 10.e5 Nd7 11.c3 Nc6 12.e6 Nf6 13.Re1 Qe7 14.d3 b6 15.Bg5 Bb7 16.Bxf6 Qd6 17.e7 Nxe7 18. Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Rxe7+ Kxe7 20.Qe5+ Kd7 21.Kc2 Bd6 22.Qg7+ Kc6 23.Nd2 d4 24.cxd4 Rf8 25.f3 Rf5  26.Ne4 Rd5 27.Nxd6 Rxd6 28.Rc1 Ba6 29.Kd2+ Kb7 30.Qxc7+ White won on time, angelcamina - shahramkhoshseffat, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019) 

9...Nxc2 

White can afford to offer the Rook.

10.e5 Nd5 11.d4 Nxa1 12.Bh6 Qe7 

13.Nd2

The correct Knight move was 13.Nc3, but at bullet speed there are plenty of slips ahead for both sides.

13...Nc2 14.Ne4 Nxd4 15.f4 Nf5 16.Bg5 

A core bullet recommendation: When in doubt, make a threat.

16...Qf7 17.Rd1 c6 18.Rxd5 

Why is White doing this?

18...cxd5 19.Nf6+ Kd8 20.Nxd5+ Ke8 21.Nc7 checkmate

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: And That's That

In a one-minute game, things happen quickly.

In the following game Black misses the proper defensive line on move 6, and that's that...

angelcamina - peteza

1 0 bullet, lichess.org. 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ Ke7 

Black needed to play 6...g6. The game would then be somewhat in his favor after the wild continuation 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxg8 Qg5.

Instead, now he will be checkmated.

7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4+ Kc5 

Or 8...Kc6 9.Qd5 checkmate, angelcamina - deep140, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021. 

9.Qd5+ Kb4 10.c3+ Ka4 11.b3+ 

Or 11.Qa5 checkmate, angelcamina - Vpkl, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org 2022. 

11...Nxb3 12.axb3+ Kxb3 13.Ne3 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: A Slip on Defense

We see this again and again: Make a slip on attack and you lose the attack; make a slip on defense and  you lose the game.

This time we see mbokhari, with 877 games in The Database, deliver the bad news.

mbokhari - ayaz44jamali

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022.

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.c3 Nc6 

This retreat shows up in 147 games in The Database. White scores 60%. This can be compared with the more solid 6...Ne6, which appears in 272 games, with White scoring 51%.

I was shocked by Stockfish 15's 3rd-best suggestion of 6...Nc2?!. A check with The Database shows that it actually has been played 3 times by Fazmeister, about a decade ago on FICS. He won 1 of those games.

7.Qh5+ 

This straight agression is a bit better than 7.Nxc6 e.g. 7...dxc6 8.d4 c5?! 9.d5 (9.Qh5+!?) 9...c6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qe5+ Ne7? (11...Kf7 12.Qxh8 h6 13.Qe5 = ) 12.Qxh8 cxd5 13.Bh6 dxe4 14.Qxf8+ Kd7 15.Qxd8+ Kxd8 16.Bg5 Bf5 17.Nd2 Kd7 18.Bxe7 Kxe7 19.O-O-O Rd8 20.Nc4 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 b6 22.Ne3 h6 23.Nxf5+ gxf5 24.Rd5 h5 25.Rxf5 a6 26.Rxh5 b5 27.Rxc5 b4 28.cxb4 a5 29.bxa5 e3 30.fxe3 Ke6 31.e4 Kf6 32.Rd5 Kg6 33.a6 Kf7 34.a7 Ke6 35.a8=Q Kf7 36.Qb7+ Kg6 37.Qc6+ Kf7 38.Rd7+ Ke8 39.Qc8 checkmate, mbokhari - Manikanth20, lichess.org, 2021. 

7...Ke7  

Blitz. It happens.

mbokhari has also seen 7...g6 in several games 

8.Nxg6 Nf6 (8...hxg6 9.Qxh8 Qg5 (9...Nf6 10.d3 d6 11.Bg5 Qd7 Black resigned, mbokhari - AlisheR7292, lichess.org,  2021; 9...Nge7 10.d4 d6 11.Bg5 b6 12.Bh6 Ba6 13.Qxf8+ Kd7 14.Qxd8+ Rxd8 15.Nd2 Kc8 16.Be3 Kb8 17.c4 Nb4 18.O-O Nc2 19.Rac1 Nxe3 20.fxe3 c5 21.d5 g5 22. Rf7 Ng6 23.g3 Rf8 24.Rxf8+ Nxf8 25.Rf1 Ng6 26.b3 b5 27.Rf6 Ne5 28.Rxd6 Bb7 29.cxb5 g4 30.a4 Nf3+ 31.Nxf3 gxf3 32.Kf2 Kc7 33.Rf6 a5 34.Kxf3 Kd7 35.h4 Bc8 36.g4 Ke7 37.Rc6 Bd7 38.Rxc5 Kf6 39.Kf4 Kg6 40.e5 Kh6 41.e6 Be8 42.d6 Bg6 43.d7 Bc2 44.d8=Q Bxb3 45.h5 Black resigned, mbokhari - Atuobi_89, lichess.org, 2020; 9... Qe7 10.Qxg8 Qxe4+ 11.Kd1 Qxg2 12.Re1+ Ne7 13.d3 Qf3+ 14.Kc2 Qxf2+ 15.Bd2 d6 16.Qxg6+ Qf7 17.Qxf7+ Kxf7 18.c4 d5 19.Nc3 dxc4 20.dxc4 Bf5+ 21.Kc1 a6 22.b3 b5 23.Rf1 bxc4 24.bxc4 Rb8 25.Nd5 Nxd5 26.cxd5 Kf6 27.Bc3+ Kg5 28.Rh1 Be4 29.Rg1+ Kh4 30.Bf6+ Kh3 31.Be5 Bh6+ 32.Kd1 Bf3+ 33.Kc2 Be3 34.Rg3+ Kh4 35.Rxf3 Bg5 36.Bxc7 Rc8 37.d6 Kg4 38.Rc3 Bf6 39.Rc4+ Kf5 40.Rf1+ Ke6 41.d7 Kxd7 42.Rxf6 Rxc7 43.Rf7+ Black resigned, mbokhari - Mosa123zakhor, lichess.org, 2020) 10.O-O Nce7 11.d4 Qf6 12.Qxf6 Nxf6 13.e5 Nh7 14.Be3 d6 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Nd2 Bd7 17.Ne4 Nc6 18.a4 Kd8 19.Ng5 Kc7 20.Nxh7 Black resigned, mbokhari - Dr_OmarDawod, lichess.org, 2022) 9.Qh4 Rg8 10.Nxf8 Rxf8 (10...Qe7!?) 11.d3 Ne5 (11...Qe7?! 12.Bg5 Qf7 13.O-O d6 14.Nd2 Ne5 15.d4? Ng6 16.Qg3 Nh5 17.Qe3 Nhf4 18.Bxf4 Qxf4 19.Qxf4 Nxf4 20.Rfe1 Bd7 21.a4 Ke7 22.e5 d5 23.c4 c6 24.cxd5 cxd5 25.Nf3 Rg8 26.g3 Nd3 27.Re2 Bg4 28.Kg2 Raf8 29.Re3 Bxf3+ 30.Rxf3 Rxf3 31.Kxf3 Nxb2? (31...Rc8) 32.Rb1 Rf8+ 33.Kg2 Nd3 34.Rxb7+ Ke6 35.f4 a5 36.Rxh7 Rb8? (36...Nxf4+ 37.gxf4 Rxf4 = ) 37.Rh6+ Kf5 38.Kf3 Ne1+ 39.Ke2 Rb1? (39...Nc2) 40.Rf6+? (40.e6) 40...Ke4 41.e6 Nf3 42.e7 Rb2+ 43.Kf1 Rb1+? (43...Nxh2+) 44.Ke2 Rb2+ 45.Kd1? (45.Kf1) 45...Rd2+? (45...Kd3 46.Rc6 Rf2 47.Kc1 Re2 48.Rc7 Nxh2) 46.Kc1 Kd3 47.e8=Q Rc2+ 48.Kb1 Nd2+ 49.Ka1 Nb3+ 50.Kb1 Nd2+ 51.Ka1 Nb3+ 52.Kb1 Nd2+ Drawn, mbokhari - Ibrahim71, lichess.org, 2022) 12.O-O Nxd3?! 13.Bg5 Nxb2? (13...Qe7) 14.e5 h6 15.Bxf6 Rxf6 16.Qxf6 Qxf6 17.exf6 Kf7 18.Nd2 d6 19.Ne4 Bf5 20.f3 d5 21.g4?! (21.Rab1) 21...dxe4 22.gxf5 exf3? (22...e3) 23.Rxf3 Kxf6 24.Rb1 Nc4 25.Rxb7 c6 26.Rh7 Rg8+ 27.Kf2 Ne5 28.Rxh6+ Kg7 29.Rg3+ Kf7 30.Rxg8 Kxg8 31.Re6 Ng4+ 32.Kg3 Nxh2 Black resigned, mbokhari - Haykonarek123, lichess.org, 2022

8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc5 10.Qd5 checkmate