Is there a book in all of this??

In June this blog will mark 2 years of daily posts on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and openings like the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+), the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.various Bc5 5.Bxf7+) and the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+).

Friends and readers have asked me if I am planning to write a book on the Jerome Gambit.

My answer is that I would love to, but not right now.

For starters, I like the blog format. It keeps me regularly in touch with the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde and chessplayers around the world. It has a flexibility that fits my time and temperment.

Also, I would like to be certain that if FIDE Master Stefan Bücker decides to publish my Jerome Gambit article in his fantastic magazine, Kaissiber, that it contains my best efforts, bar none.

However, if I ever do write a book on the Jerome Gambit, I know exactly what I will call it: Playing and (Sometimes) Winning with the Worst Chess Opening in the World!






graphic by Jeff Bucchino, The Wizard of Draws

One... last... trick...

Sometimes when I'm playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) things do not go as I have planned (or hoped).

In those cases, there are still chances that my opponent will fall for a trick or a trap – or just plain fall, for that matter. It is my job to keep things, er, interesting, until something finally goes my way.

perrypawnpusher - BishopChris
blitz FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

According to the New Year's Database, Black's most popular response to the Queen check (see "Perhaps the best chess advice that I ever read...").

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

Black is comfortably better.

10.f4 Kf7 11.O-O Re8

It is up to the "Jerome Pawns" to cause mischief before Black gets his King castled-by-hand.

12.Nc3 d5

I've faced this threat of a pawn fork at d4 a couple of times before (see perrypawnpusher - tejeshwar, blitz FICS 2009 and perrypawnpusher - sarBear, blitz FICS, 2009) and am not comfortable with it.

13.f5 Ne5 14.d4

My plan was to use the pawn at d4 to support my e-pawn when it got to e5. It never quite happened that way.

After the game Rybka suggested 14. exd5 Nxd5 15. Nxd5 Qxd5 16. d3, leaving White with a ways to go to achieve equality. 

14...Nc4 15.Qh3

One or two free tempos are all that White needs to get things under control, but that doesn't seem likely.

15...dxe4 16.Bg5 Qxd4+ 17.Kh1 Nd2

This complicates things for Black. It was better to tuck his King into safety with 17...Kg8.

18.Bxf6

Confidently pressing the "attack", I produce... a useless move.

18...Kxf6

 19.Qxh7 Nxf1

Down a Rook and a Bishop, I was looking for just about anything to throw at my opponent. All I had left was pretending that everything was under control, that I knew what I was doing...

20.Qg6+ Ke7 21.Rd1

This should not work. But it is annoying. My opponent began to wonder why I didn't recapture the Knight, and decided to put an end to my attacking "threats". 

After the game Rybka gave my best chance, if still losing, as 21.f6+ gxf6 22.Qg7+ Ke6 23.Nb5 Qd7 24.Nxc7+ Ke5 25.Qg6 Qxc7 26.Qxe8+ Kd4 27.c3+ Kc4 28.Rxf1

analysis diagram







21...Qf6

An interesting psychological point. It is as if Black overlooked the fact that Knights can move backward (21... Nd2).

22.Nd5+ Black resigned

The problem is that White has both mate threats and threats to win more material – after capturing Black's Queen.

Not As Scary As It Looks

Have you ever played what you thought was a smashing attack – only to discover, upon closer inspection, that it wasn't nearly as sound as you (and your opponent) imagined? If you play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – of course you have.

perrypawnpusher  - Philidork
blitz FICS, 2010

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

5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, one of those lines known to me personally as the Why-Am-I-Still-Playing-This Opening??

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

This seems to be the most popular defense, although 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 was stronger.

8...d6 9.Bg5

Or the alternative: 9.0-0 Re8 10.f4 (10.Bg5 Kg8 11.f4 Nc6 12.Qd3 Nb4 13.Qc4+ Be6 14.Qxb4 b6 15.Rae1 c5 16.Qb5 d5 17.e5 d4 18.exf6 a6 19.Qc6 Bd7 20.Qd5+ Kh8 21.fxg7+ Kxg7 22.Bxd8 Black resigned, Wall - Foman, Chess.com, 2010) 10...Nc6 11.Qd3 Kg8 12.Bd2 a6 13.Rae1 Kh8 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Rxe1 16.Rxe1 Na7 17.Qe4 Bg4 18.h3 Bh5 19.g4 Bf7 20.Bc3 Qe8 21.Qf5 Qf8 22.Qd7 Nb5 23.Re7 Nxc3 24.Rxf7 Qe8 25.Qxe8+ Rxe8 26.bxc3 Kg8 27.Rxc7 b5 28.Kf2 Re4 29.f5 Ra4 30.Rd7 Rxa2 31.Rxd6 Rxc2+ 32.Ke3 Rxc3+ 33.Kd4 Rc4+ 34.Kd3 Rc5 35.Rxa6 Rxd5+ 36.Ke3 Rd1 37.Rb6 Rb1 38.Kd4 Kf7 39.g5 Kg8 40.g6 Rd1+ 41.Ke5 Re1+ 42.Kf4 Re8 43.Rxb5 hxg6 44.fxg6 Rf8+ 45.Rf5 Rxf5+ 46.Kxf5 Kf8 47.Ke6 Kg8 48.Ke7 Kh8 49.h4 Kg8 50.h5 Kh8 51.Ke6 Kg8 52.Kf5 Kh8 53.Kg5 Kg8 54.Kf5 Kh8 55.Ke5 Kg8 56.Ke6 Kh8 57.Kd7 Kg8 58.Ke7 Kh8 59.h6 Kg8 60.h7+ Kh8 61.Kf8 Game drawn by stalemate, perrypawnpusher - KaZC, blitz FICS, 2010.

This position is of historical interest, as it appeared in two games in a Jerome Gambit correspondence chess match between Alonzo Wheeler Jerome and S.A. Charles, presented in an article by Charles in Brentano's Chess Monthly, October 1881.

The move order in those games was 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Bg5.

9...Nc6

Or 9...h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.0-0-0 Be6 12.Kb1 Nc4

analysis diagram





"so far from an unfinished game between Mr. Jerome and the writer, the following seems a possible continuation 13.Qd3 b5 14.f4 Nxb2 15.Kxb2 b4 and wins." Jerome - Charles, correspondence, 1881;

analysis diagram





Also possible was 9...Bh3 10.0-0-0 Bxg2 11.f4 h6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Rhg1 Bh3 14.fxe5 "better game [for White]. from a game between Mr. Jerome and the writer"

10.Qd3

10...Re8 11.0-0 Kg8

12.Nd5 Re6 13.Nxf6+

Part of a "plan of attack," but 13.f4 followed by 14.e5 was more sensible.

13...gxf6 14.Bh6

14...Ne5

After I played my 14th move, I suddenly wondered, what if Black plays 14...f5...? The answer is, of course, that White's "attack" crumbles.

The move played by Philidork shows that he sees my plan to check along the g-file, and he hastens to cover up.

15.Qg3+ Ng6

Now White can achieve an even game with the straight-forward 16.f4 Rxe4 17.f5.

16.h4 Kh8

White "attacks" with the h-pawn, which can be stopped by the simple 16...Re5.

17.h5

Unfortunately, my opponent was taken in by all of this and resigned here.

True, if the Knight moves, White can checkmate at g7. But Black is a piece ahead, so he can afford to defend with 17...Qg8 – when all I would have after 18.hxg6 Qxg6 was an even game.

Looking back, the situation was not as scary as it looked.

Just Another Walk in the Park

Here we have another example of that odd cousin of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. I've begun to "just play it" with no more concern than a walk in the park.

perrypawnpusher - Avious
blitz FICS, 2010

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

The Italian Four Knights Game.

5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

The updated New Year's Database has almost 200 games with this position, with White scoring 46%. (I guess my 3 wins and 2 draws helped.)

7...Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6

This position – with 0-0 and ...h7-h6 added – has appeared twice in my games: perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz FICS 2010 (0-1, 26 ); and perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz FICS 1010 (0-1, 19).

Instead of 8...Nc6, Black also had 8...Re8: 9.0-0 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Kg8 12.Bd2 Nd5, b3 12...a6 13.Rae1 Kh8 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Rxe1 16.Rxe1 Na7 17.Qe4 Bg4 18.h3 Bh5 19.g4 Bf7 20.Bc3 Qe8 21.Qf5 Qf8 22.Qd7 Nb5 23.Re7 Nxc3 24.Rxf7 Qe8 25.Qxe8+ Rxe8 26.bxc3 Kg8 27.Rxc7 b5 28.Kf2 Re4 29.f5 Ra4 30.Rd7 Rxa2 31.Rxd6 Rxc2+ 32.Ke3 Rxc3+ 33.Kd4 Rc4+ 34.Kd3 Rc5 35.Rxa6 Rxd5+ 36.Ke3 Rd1 37.Rb6 Rb1 38.Kd4 Kf7 39.g5 Kg8 40.g6 Rd1+ 41.Ke5 Re1+ 42.Kf4 Re8 43.Rxb5 hxg6 44.fxg6 Rf8+ 45.Rf5 Rxf5+ 46.Kxf5 Kf8 47.Ke6 Kg8 48.Ke7 Kh8 49.h4 Kg8 50.h5 Kh8 51.Ke6 Kg8 52.Kf5 Kh8 53.Kg5 Kg8 54.Kf5 Kh8 55.Ke5 Kg8 56.Ke6 Kh8 57.Kd7 Kg8 58.Ke7 Kh8 59.h6 Kg8 60.h7+ Kh8 61.Kf8, drawn by stalemate, perrypawnpusher - KaZC, blitz FICS, 2010

9.Qc4+ Ke7

Instead, 9...d5 was a bit better.

10.0-0 Re8 11.Bg5 Kf8 12.f4 h6

This should lead to an even game, although it actually introduces a series of misplays by both sides.

After the game Rybka suggested an interesting line for Black, giving up two pieces for a Rook and coming out with a simplified position the exchange ahead: 12...d6 13.e5 Be6 14.Qb5 a6 15.Qxb7 Qd7 16.f5 Bxf5 17.Rxf5 Qxf5 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qxc6 Qxe5.

 



analysis diagram






13.Bh4

Rybka's post mortem suggestion was: 13.Nd5 Rxe4 14.Qxe4 Nxe4 15.Bxd8 Nxd8 16.Nxc7 Rb8 when White has a Rook and a Pawn for Black's Knight and Bishop; about even.

analysis diagram







13...a6

More useful was 13...d6, but Black has decided to strike out on both wings.

14.e5 b5

See "Perhaps the best chess advice that I ever read..."

15.Qd3 g5

This is over-doing it, however, and should lead to disaster. 

16.fxg5 Nxe5 17.Rxf6+

A few moves later, I wondered where my attack and advantage had gone. This move is a mistake, while 17.Qh7 would have been very strong.

17...Qxf6 18.gxf6 Nxd3 19.cxd3 Bb7

Black has the exchange for a pawn, and is better.

I couldn't believe that I had lost my way.

20.g4 Kf7 21.g5 hxg5 22.Bxg5 Rg8 23.h4

Establishing the two passed pawns. My plan looks frail, but it was the best that I could come up with.

23...d5 24.Re1 d4

Black has pawns that he wants to start moving, too. This move allows a critical tempo for me to get my Rook into the thick of things, though – something that 24...Rae8 would have prevented.

25.Re7+ Kg6 26.Ne2 Rae8

27.Nf4+ Kf5 28.f7 Rxg5+

29.hxg5 Rf8 30.g6 Kf6

31.Rxc7

After the game, Rybka pointed out that here I had a mate in 12 with 31.Re6+.

At the time I saw how to slowly improve my position, and I decided to grind things out, especially since my opponent was running low on time.

31...Bc8 32.Nd5+

32...Kg7 33.Ne7 Be6 34.Rc6 Bxa2

Readers may notice (I didn't) that this allows a creative mate in 3: 35.Nf5+ Kh8 36.g7+ Kh7 37.Rh6 #

analysis diagram







35.Rxa6

35...Bxf7 36.gxf7 Rxf7

A consequence of my un-hurried strategy, but the game is still well in hand for White.

37.Nd5 Rf3 38.Nb4 Re3 39.Kf2 Re5 40.Rd6

At this point Black lost on time.