Attack!

The latest game I have received from Philidor 1792 is a classic attack led by White's pawns and backed up by his pieces. There are a number of ways to respond to Black's plucky gambit, but this game again puts forth the argument for 4.Bxf7+!?

Philidor 1792  - g-chessman1518
GameKnot.com, 2015

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 Ne6 7.d4 d6 8.Nd3 Nf6

Black's move looks natural, but it allows White a sharp blow. 

9.Qe2

This looks like a TN according to The Database.

Instead, 9.d5!? Nc5 10.Nxc5 dxc5 11.e5 was seen in the earlier EdoTK-Jorma, FICS, 2006 (1-0, 22). Black stops the White d-pawn advance with his next move, as he should have with his previous.

9...d5 10.e5 Ng8 11.0-0 c6 12.f4 Kd7 

Black's King runs for safety.

Houdini suggests the game would be equal after 12...g6 13.g4 Bh6 14.f5 Bxc1 15.Nxc1 Nf8. 

13.f5 Ng5 14.Bf4 Ke8 15.g4 

Philidor 1792 mentioned 15.Qh5+ as stronger.

 15...Ne4

Instead, 15...h5!? in this odd position, according to Houdini, gives Black an edge.

Now White pushes the attack and ends the game.

16.Nd2 Nxd2 17.Bxd2 Nh6 18.e6 Be7 19.g5 Bxg5 20.Qh5+ g6 21.fxg6 hxg6 22.Qxg6+ 

Black resigned

The Silicon Defense

The Dubuque Chess Journal of July 1874 contained the following:

Note: It should be understood that Mr. Jerome claims in this New Opening "only a pleasant variation of the Giuoco Piano, which may win or lose according to the skill of the players, but which is capable of affording many new positions and opportunities for heavy blows unexpectedly."

The following game from Bill Wall, with a King hunt and (with best resistance) a checkmate in 10 moves, seems to fit the bill.

Wall,B - Guest2258681 
PlayChess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 

Although not given a specific title, I have begun to call this the "Annoying Defense", although I suppose, since it is the choice of several computer chess programs, I could also call it the "Silicon Defense" - but it would still be annoying.

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Rf1 Nf6 10.Qg5 

According to The Database, this is a TN. Bill has played a half-dozen games with 10.Qh3+.

10...h6?! 

Bill suggests instead either 10...Rf8 or 10...Qd4. 

11.Qxg7 Nxe4 

Black's Plan: Open the d8-h4 diagonal for the Queen to fly to h4 and deliver check to White's King - But Bill gets his Queen to Black's King first. Better was 11...Be7. 

12.Qf7+ 

Bill points out the alternative, which seems equally effective: 12.Qg4+ Kd5 13.Qf3 (13.c4+!? Kd6 14.Qxe4) 13...Bd4. 

12...Kd6 13.Nc3

The position is about equal. Remember the old Jerome Gambit aphorism, however: when White equalizes, the first player is better.

13...Qh4+? 

Continuing with the aforementioned plan, which leads to danger. Not 13...Nxc3? 14.Rf6+; but 13...Bf2+ would give Black chances, as Bill points out: 14.Rxf2 (14.Ke2? Bg4+; 14.Kd1? Nxc3+ 15.bxc3 Bg4+) 14...Nxf2 15.b3 (15.Kxf2? Rf8)  equal game. 

14.g3

Not 14.Kd1? Bg4+. 

14...Bf2+ 

It is all difficult now, as Bill notes - as long as White continues to find the right moves: 14...Qxh2 15.Nxe4+ Kc6 16.c4; or 14...Nxc3 15.gxh4; or 14...Qg4 15.Qd5+ Ke7 16.Nxe4

15.Rxf2

Not the time to waver: 15.Kd1? Nxc3+ 16.dxc3 Bg4+; or
15.Ke2? Bg4+. 

15...Nxg3

Black throws in the "kitchen sink" as well, but calmer alternatives don't help, either: 15...Qg4 16.Nb5+ Kc5 17.Qxc7+ Kxb5 18.a4+ Kb4 19.d3; or 15...Nxc3 16.gxh4. 

White now checkmates his opponent's King. Can you weave the mating net?

16.Nb5+ Kc5 17.Qxc7+ Kxb5 18.a4+ Ka6 

Or 18...Kb4 19.Qc3#. 

19.Qd6+ b6 

Giving in faster is: 19...Ka5 20.Qc5+ Ka6 21.Qb5# 

20.Qd3+ Kb7 21.Qd5+ Kb8 

Or 21...Ka6 22.Qb5+ Kb7 23.Rf7+ etc. 

22.Qxe5+ Kb7 23.Rf7+ Black resigned

Why 2k?

Why, indeed?

Today jeromegambit.blogspot.com hits 2,000 posts.

That's a lot of focus on "Jerome's Double Gambit" and related subjects.

Many, many thanks for those who have contributed - and continue to contribute - games and analysis.

With my focus on completing All or Nothing! The Jerome Gambit, I still have plenty of time for the blog that started it all, and the chess friends who have kept me company along the way.

I have tried a new layout, simpler and more direct.

As the Grateful Dead have noted, in another context, of course, What a long, strange trip it's been!

Familiar Territory

If you play the Jerome Gambit often, as HauntedKnight does, some lines become as familiar as one's own neighborhood.

HauntedKnight - galpone 
blitz, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6 

When I was playing over this game, I saw Black's move and chuckled. HauntedKnight practially owns this line.

7.dxe5 Bxe5 

7...Bc5 8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+ d6 10.exd6 cxd6 11.Qd4 Nf6 12.Bg5 Qe7 13.0-0 Kf7 14.Nc3 Qe6 15.Rfe1 Nd7 16.b3 Ne5 17.Re3 Re8 18.Bf4 Ng4 19.Rg3 Nf6 20.Qxd6 Qxd6 21.Bxd6 Kg8 22.e5 Nh5 23.Rg5 Nf4 24.e6 Nxe6 25.Re5 Bd7 26.Rae1 Kf7 27.g3 Rec8 28.h4 Rxc3 29.R1e2 Bb5 30.Rd2 Rd8 31.Rxb5 b6 32.Bf4 Rxd2 33.Bxd2 Rxc2 34.Be3 Rxa2 35.Rf5+ Kg6 36.Re5 Kf6 37.Rd5 Rb2 38.Rd7 a5 39.Rd6 Rxb3 40.Bxb6 Ke7 41.Rc6 Kd7 42.Rc1 Rxb6 43.Ra1 Ra6 44.f4 a4 45.f5 Nc5 46.g4 a3 47.g5 a2 48.h5 Nb3 49.Rd1+ Ke7 50.Re1+ Kf7 51.g6+ hxg6 52.hxg6+ Kf6 53.Re6+ Rxe6 54.fxe6 Kxe6 55.Kf2 a1Q 56.Ke3 Qd4+ 57.Kf3 Nd2+ 58.Ke2 Ke5 59.Kd1 Nb3+ 60.Ke2 Ke4 61.Ke1 Kf3 White forfeited, HauntedKnight - krausepeter, FICS, 2011. 

8.Qh5+ 

Or 8.Qd5+.

8...g6 

8...Ke6 9.Qf5+ (9.Bg5 Bf6 10.Qg4+ Kf7 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Nc3 d6 13.Qe2 Ne7 14.Qc4+ Be6 15.Qxc7 Rab8 16.Qxd6 Rhd8 17.Qg3 Qg6 18.Qf3+ Kg8 19.0-0 Qg4 20.Qe3 Ng6 21.g3 b6 22.f3 Qh5 23.Rf2 Rf8 24.Rd1 Rbc8 25.Rd6 Bh3 26.f4 Rcd8 27.e5 Rfe8 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.Rd2 Rxd2 30.Qxd2 Qf3 31.Qd8+ Nf8 32.Qd5+ Qxd5 33.Nxd5 Be6 34.Nc3 Nd7 35.a3 Bf5 36.Nb5 a6 37.Nd4 Be4 38.c3 Nc5 39.h4 Na4 40.b4 Nxc3 41.Kf2 Nb1 42.a4 Nc3 43.a5 bxa5 44.bxa5 Nd5 45.e6 Kf8 46.g4 Ke7 47.f5 Nf6 48.Kg3 Bd3 49.Nc6+ Ke8 50.g5 Nh5+ 51.Kg4 Be2+ 52.Kh3 Nf4+ 53.Kg3 Nh5+ 54.Kf2 Bd3 55.Kf3 Bxf5 56.e7 Bd7 57.Ne5 Kxe7 58.g6 hxg6 59.Nxg6+ Kf6 60.Nf8 Ke7 61.Nh7 Nf6 62.Ng5 Nd5 63.Ke4 Nc3+ 64.Kd4 Black forfeited on time, HauntedKnight - evgehy, FICS, 2011) 9...Kd6 10.Nc3 a)10.Bf4 Qe7 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.0-0-0+ Kc6 13.Bxe5 Qe6 14.Bxf6 Qxf5 15.exf5 gxf6 16.g4 b6 17.Rhe1 Ba6 18.a4 Rhe8 19.Rxe8 Rxe8 20.h4 Re5 21.b4 Bc4 22.f4 Re3 23.Kb2 d6 24.g5 fxg5 25.fxg5 Rh3 26.Rd4 d5 27.f6 Rf3 28.b5+ Kd6 29.Rd2 c5 30.Rh2 Ke5 31.Rg2 d4 32.Nd1 Kf5 33.h5 Rh3 34.h6 Kg6 35.Nf2 Re3 36.Ng4 Re2 37.Rg3 d3 38.Ne3 Rxc2+ 39.Nxc2 dxc2 40.Kxc2 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - Verner, FICS, 2014; b)10.c4 Qf6 11.Qg4 (b)11.Qxf6+ Nxf6 12.Nd2 Re8 13.0-0 c5 14.Rb1 Bd4 15.Re1 Ng4 16.Re2 Rf8 17.Nf3 Kc6 18.h3 Ne5 19.Nxe5+ Bxe5 20.b4 b6 21.bxc5 Kxc5 22.Ba3+ Kxc4 23.Bxf8 Ba6 24.Rc2+ Kd4 25.Rb4+ Kd3 26.Rc1 Rxf8 27.f3 Kd2 28.Rcb1 Rc8 29.Kf2 Bd4+ 30.Kg3 Bc5 31.R4b2+ Kc3 32.Rb3+ Kd4 33.Rd1+ Ke5 34.Rxd7 Kf6 35.Rxa7 b5 36.Rxa6+ Kf7 37.Rxb5 Be7 38.Ra7 Re8 39.Rf5+ Kg6 40.Ra6+ Bf6 41.h4 h5 42.Kf4 Kf7 43.e5 Rxe5 44.Rxe5 Bxe5+ 45.Kxe5 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - COHGNH, FICS, 2013; b)11.c5+ Kxc5 12.Be3+ Kd6 13.Qg4 Nh6 14.Qd1+ Ke7 15.Nd2 Rf8 16.0-0 d6 17.Rb1 Be6 18.Nf3 Rad8 19.Bg5 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - oldway, FICS, 2011) 11...Nh6 12.Qd1+ Ke7 13.h4 d6 14.Bg5 Bxb2 15.Bxf6+ Bxf6 16.Nd2 Bxa1 17.Qxa1 Kf8 18.0-0 Be6 19.a4 Rg8 20.a5 Ke7 21.a6 b6 22.f4 Raf8 23.f5 Bf7 24.Re1 Ng4 25.Nf3 Bxc4 26.Qc3 b5 27.e5 dxe5 28.Rxe5+ Nxe5 29.Qxe5+ Kd7 30.Nd4 Re8 31.Qc5 Re1+ 32.Kh2 Ra1 33.Qc6+ Kc8 34.Qb7+ Kd7 35.Qxa7 Ra4 36.Qb7 Rc8 37.a7 g6 38.Nxb5 Bxb5 39.Qxb5+ Kd8 40.Qxa4 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - sonofdukenukem, FICS, 2014; c)10.0-0 Qf6 11.Rd1+ Ke7 12.Bg5 d6 13.Bxf6+ Nxf6 14.Qf3 Bg4 15.Qd3 Bxd1 16.Qxd1 Nxe4 17.c3 Raf8 18.f3 Nf6 19.Nd2 Nd7 20.Nc4 Bf6 21.Qb3 b6 22.Ne3 Nc5 23.Nf5+ Kd8 24.Qd5 Kd7 25.Rd1 Re8 26.g4 Re5 27.Qf7+ Kc6 28.Qc4 Kb7 29.a4 Rhe8 30.b4 Nxa4 31.Rxd6 Re1+ 32.Kf2 R8e2+ 33.Kg3 Be5+ 34.f4 Bxd6 35.Nxd6+ cxd6 36.b5 Nc5 37.Qd5+ Kb8 38.Qxd6+ Kc8 39.Qc6+ Kd8 40.Qa8+ Ke7 41.Qxa7+ Nd7 42.Qc7 Rg1+ 43.Kf3 Ree1 44.g5 Rgf1+ 45.Kg4 Black forfeited on time, HauntedKnight - Amazon, FICS, 2014; d)10.Bg5 Nf6 11.Nc3 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Qe7 13.Rd1+ Kc6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Qd5+ Kb6 16.Rb1+ Ka6 17.Qb5 checkmate, HauntedKnight - xtforce, FICS, 2014; e)10.Be3 Qf6 11.Nc3 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Qxc3+ 13.Bd2 Qxa1+ 14.Ke2 Qe5 15.Bf4 Nf6 16.Bxe5+ Ke7 17.Bxf6+ gxf6 18.Re1 d6 19.Qb5 Rg8 20.Kf1 Bh3 21.gxh3 Rab8 22.e5 fxe5 23.a4 Rg6 24.Qc4 Rc8 25.Qh4+ Ke6 26.Qxh7 Rcg8 27.Qxc7 R8g7 28.Qc4+ Kd7 29.Qb5+ Kc7 30.Re4 d5 31.Qxd5 Rd6 32.Rc4+ Kb8 33.Qxd6+ Ka8 34.Rc8 checkmate,  HauntedKnight - javlacalle, FICS, 2013; f)10.Bd2 Qf6 11.Qh3 (f)11.Bb4+ Kc6 12.Qh3 Bxb2 13.c3 Bxa1 14.0-0 b6 15.Rd1 d6 16.Qd3 Ne7 17.Na3 Bb2 18.Nc2 a5 19.Nd4+ Kb7 20.Bxd6 Qxd6 21.Rb1 Ba3 22.Qb5 Qc5 23.Qb3 a4 24.Qc2 Nc6 25.Nf3 Bg4 26.Nd2 Ne5 27.h3 Be6 28.Kf1 Bc4+ 29.Kg1 Bd3 30.Rxb6+ cxb6 31.Qd1 Qxc3 32.Nf3 Nxf3+ 33.Qxf3 Qe1+ 34.Kh2 Qxe4 35.Qf7+ Ka6 36.f3 Bd6+ 37.g3 Qe2+ 38.Kg1 Bc5+ 39.Kh1 Qf1+ 40.Kh2 Qf2+ 41.Kh1 Qg1 checkmate, HauntedKnight - AXTbIPKA, FICS, 2011) 11...Ke7 12.Qg4 d6 13.Qe2 h5 14.h4 Bg4 15.f3 Be6 16.Bg5 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - Beg, FICS, 2012; 10...Bxc3+ (10...a6 11.Bf4 Qf6 12.Bxe5+ Qxe5 13.0-0-0+ Black resigned, HauntedKnight - bozidaranas, FICS, 2013) 11.bxc3 Qf6 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Bg5 c6 14.Bxf6+ Nxf6 15.Qe5+ Kf7 16.0-0 d5 17.exd5 Re8 18.Qc7+ Re7 19.Qf4 cxd5 20.h3 Kg8 21.c4 dxc4 22.Qxc4+ Be6 23.Qc5 Nd5 24.c4 Rc7 25.Qd6 Rc6 26.Qb4 Nxb4 27.Rab1 Nxa2 28.Rxb7 Bxc4 29.Re1 Bd5 30.Rd7 Rc5 31.Ree7 Bc6 32.Rxg7+ Kf8 33.Rdf7+ Ke8 34.Rxh7 Re5 35.Rc7 Re1+ 36.Kh2 Black forfeited on time, HauntedKnight - Dpouchy, FICS,2014; 
8...Kf8 9.Qxe5 Nf6 (9...d6 10.Qf4+ Nf6 11.0-0 b6 12.Nc3 c6 13.Be3 Rg8 14.Rad1 d5 15.exd5 cxd5 16.Nxd5 Bb7 17.Nxf6 Qxf6 18.Qc7 Qg6 19.Qxb7 Re8 20.Qf3+ Ke7 21.Rfe1 Rgf8, Black resigned, HauntedKnight - PAMpamPAM, FICS, 2013; 9...Qe7 10.Qf4+ Nf6 11.0-0 Qxe4 12.Qxc7 Nd5 13.Qd8+ Kf7 14.Qxh8 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - Puckster, FICS, 2012) 10.Bg5 d6 11.Qb5 c6 12.Qb4 a5 13.Qd4 c5 14.Qd3 b6 15.Nc3 Be6 16.0-0-0 Kf7 17.Qxd6 h6 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qf4 Qb8 20.Qh4 b5 21.Qh5+ Kf8 22.Qxc5+ Kf7 23.g3 b4 24.Nb5 Rc8 25.Nd6+ Kg6 26.Nxc8 Bxc8 27.f4 a4 28.f5+ Kf7 29.Qd5+ Kg7 30.g4 b3 31.Kb1 bxa2+ 32.Kxa2 a3 33.b3 Ra7 34.Qc5 Qe5 35.Qd4 Qa5 36.c3 Rd7 37.Qxd7+ Bxd7 38.Rxd7+ Kf8 39.Rhd1 Qxc3 40.Kxa3 Qa5+ 41.Kb2 Qe5+ 42.Kc2 Qxe4+ 43.Kd2 Qxg4 44.Ke3 Qxf5 45.Rd8+ Kg7 46.Rg1+ Kh7 White forfeited on time, HauntedKnight - Thalidomide, FICS, 2014. 

9.Qxe5 d6 

9...Nf6 10.Bg5 Re8 11.Qf4 (11.Qa5 Rxe4+ 12.Kd1 Qe7 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qd5+ Re6 15.f3 Kg7 16.Nc3 Rd6 17.Qxd6 Qxd6+ 18.Ke2 Qe5+ 19.Kf2 d5 20.Rhe1 Qd4+ 21.Kf1 Bf5 22.Re7+ Kh6 23.Rxc7 Re8 24.Rxb7 Bxc2 25.Nb5 Bd3 checkmate, HauntedKnight - deri, FICS, 2011) 11...d6 12.0-0 Bd7 13.Nc3 Bc6 14.Rfe1 Kg7 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.b4 Qe5 17.Qh4 Qxc3 18.Qh6+ Kg8 19.Re3 Ng4 20.Rxc3 Nxh6 21.Bxh6 Rxe4 22.b5 Rae8 23.Be3 Bxb5 24.Rxc7 Bc6 25.Rxd6 Rg4 26.g3 Ra4 27.Rf6 Rxa2 28.h4 Ra1+ White resigned, HauntedKnight - knightt, FICS, 2014; 

9...Qe7 10.Qxh8 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - Waltlarr, FICS, 2014.

10.Qxh8 Be6 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Qxg6 Bf7 13.Bh6+ Nxh6 14.Qxh6+ Ke7 

15.Nc3 c5 16.Qg5+ Kd7 17.Qxd8+ Rxd8 18.0-0-0 Black resigned

Going All Joseph Henry Blackburne

In the following game, HauntedKnight, a long-time Jerome Gambiteer who has almost 350 games in The Database, going back to 2004, runs into a player who wants to go all Joseph Henry Blackburne all over him.

True, yerupula gets his Queen sacrifice and nifty checkmate -- but, well, that's only part of the story.

HauntedKnight - yerupula
standard, FICS, 2014

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.Qd5+ Be6 9.Qxb7 Nf6 

White has grabbed Black's b-pawn, at the risk of being under-developed and having his Queen offside.

10.O-O Nfg4

Black gets about moving his pieces into attacking position. Previously HauntedKnight faced 10...Qc8, with play on the Queenside, HauntedKnight - ByTheCliff, FICS, 2012 (0-1,26)

11.Nc3

It is time for White to look toward defense, as things are already turning tactical. For example, kicking the advanced Knight with 11.h3 is a good idea, although he needs to be ready for 11...Bc4!?(11...Nf6 12.f4 Ned7 has too much "retreat" in it). White should hold steady, and after 12.hxg4 Qd7 13.Qb4 Bxf1 14.Kxf1 Qxg4 15.f3 he has slowed down his opponent's harsh ideas, at least for the moment.

11...Qh4

This move is scary, but 11...Bc4!? is even scarier.

12.h3 

The truth is that Black's bold Queen advance leaves his own King at risk, allowing White to balance the situation with 12.Qxc7+ followed by the defending Bf4, exchanging Queens if possible (i.e. 12...Qe7 13.Qxe7+).

White's move in the game says "Hit me!" - and Black does.

12...Nf3+! 13.Kh1 Qxf2 

The promised Queen sacrifice -- but does it work??

Can you see why not? (Instead, 13...Nxf2+ wins without question.)

14.Rxf2

Our chessfriend will be haunted by this position for a while, once he realizes that 14.Be3! turns the tables, defending completely and giving White the better game. Check it out.

14...Nxf2 checkmate

A sweet final position.

Complexity In The Notes.

ZahariSokolov has played some very interesting Jerome Gambits at FICS lately. The following games shows off one of the aspects of the Jerome - that even the "winning" lines for Black are tricky for the second player, as are the "losing" lines for White.

So much of the complexity this time is in the notes.

ZahariSokolov - GhengusFungus
standard, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nf3+

This rogue knight move marks the "Norton Variation", as opposed to one move later - 8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+!? - which would lead to a very sharp and complicated Queen sacrifice that wins for Black.

Nonetheless, The Database has 9 games with the Norton line, and White wins 8 of them. There are 44 games with the Queen check line, and White wins half of them.

Perhaps GhengusFungus was unfamiliar with the Queen sac, or he found the Knight move to be disturbing enough.

9. gxf3 

I was able to get away with the erroronious 9.Kf1? twice, in blitz games,  perrypawnpusher - igormsp, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 13) and perrypawnpusher - rheapennata, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 12); but long ago, at a slower pace, the Gambit's creator was not Jerome,A - Norton,D, Correspondence 1876 (0-1, 42).

9... Qh4+ 10.Kd1

Again, this is the correct square for the King, although two games in The Database show White winning after 10.Ke2? Young,J - "Chess Challenger 10" Computer, 1979 (1-0,18) and gibonacci - jschulte, GameKnot.com ,5d/move, 2007 (1-0, 48). 

10... Qe7 

In "Vortex" I wrote

White's best chance is 11.Qe5+ Kc6 12.b4!? when White can probably eke out a draw, whether or not the pawn is captured, but the play is very difficult.

That is a fair assessment of this Norton variation: a very complicated game, but a draw, with a lot of hard work by White.

Two games show White successful after 10...Ne7!?: CFBBlind -Quandary, FICS, 2001 (1-0, 18) and perrypawnpusher - sjeijk, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0,19); while White had a draw against 10...Qf2 - until he was given more in perrypawnpusher - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (1-0,19).

How did Black deal with all these complications? Apparently he relaxed too soon. 

11. Qd5 Black checkmate

Updated

I have updated The Database with games from FICS (Free Internet Chess Server) through 2014. It now contains over 39,000 games.

The basic Jerome Gambit position, after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, appears in about 11,600 games. White scores 45%

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+, appears  2,300 times. White scores 38%.

Interestingly, the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 h6 5.0-0 Bc5 6.Bxf7+, appears only 120 times, but White scores 65%. Note the "power" (or lack of) ...h6.

This is reflected in the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+, appearing in about 160 games, where White scores  66%. Interestingly, with 4.Nc3, in about 130 games, White scores only 54%.

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+, appears in about 5,000 games, with White scoring 56%.

Recent examples of the Abrahams Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+, have been added. There are a little over 2,500 examples, and White scores 50%.

Because the line continues to show up, and is worth knowing, the nameless 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5 4.Bxf7+  appears in The Database 2150 times, with White scoring  72%.

There is also a large selection of Jerome-ish lines, featuring, for example, an early Bxf7+ by White. Some Reversed Jerome Gambit games have been included, as well.

RHP JG Tourney Round 1 Games (4)

In the ongoing RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit thematic tournament, a couple of kinds of players need to be mentioned: those who join because the opening looks new and interesting or challenging or fun; and those who join because they have some knowledge of the opening, and want to test their understanding against others.

Although SeinfeldFan91 does not appear to have experience in the Jerome Gambit, according to The Database, he again shows an understanding of the opening beyond that of his experienced opponent, winning his mini-match with rigidwithfear, 2-0.

SeinfeldFan91 - rigidwithfear
Giuoco Piano Jerome gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+

It is worth mentioning that Bill Wall has played this move with success on a number of occasions.

8...Be6 9.Qxb7 Nf6 10.d3 Qd7 11.Nc3 Rhb8 12.Qa6 Kg8

Finally departing from Siggus - metalshredder, standard, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 39) which had the equally playable 12...Rb6. In both cases, Black has the advantage.

13.O-O Nh4

This move and Black's next are not the best way to start the Kingside attack, as it allows the "Jerome pawns" to come to White's rescue.

14.f4 Bg4 15.f5 Nxf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.Qa3 Bg6

Black has returned his extra piece, and now White has a pawn edge. Now SeinfeldFan91 proceeds to outplay his opponent.

18.Bg5 Rf8 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Nd5 f5 21.Qc3 Qf7 22.Qc6 Rae8 23.Rf2 Rec8 24.Re1 Qg7 25.Ne7 Black resigned

Swiss Toni, Marko Krale, jecidi (Group 1), and Red House and SeinfeldFan91 (Group 2) have advanced to Round 2.

RHP JG Tourney Round 1 Games (3)

In the ongoing RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit thematic tournament , a couple of kinds of players need to be mentioned: those who join because the opening looks new and interesting or challenging or fun; and those who join because they have some knowledge of the opening, and want to test their understanding against others.

The following game features a player who has Jerome Gambit experience - but it was not enough to prevent his opponent from evening their mini-match (see jecidi - Red House, Giuoco Piano Jerome gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2014).

Red House - jecidi
Giuoco Piano Jerome gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2014

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

4...Kxf7 5.d3

A "modern" Jerome Gambit - no 5.Nxe5+. It must be said, though, that the move would be increasingly playable on White's next two moves.

5...h6 6.O-O a6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Na4 Ba7 9.c3 Rf8

Planning to castle-by-hand, but 9...b5 is stronger.

10.Re1 d6 11.b4 Kg8

Mission accomplished.

12.Be3 Bd7 13.d4 exd4 14.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.Bd4 Bxd4 16.cxd4 Re8

17.Nc3 c6 18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5 Nh7 20.f4 Bf5 21.Qf3 Qd4 22.Kh1 Qxb4

The "Jerome pawns" are not adequate compensation for the sacrificed piece.

23.a3 Qe7 24.Ne4 Bxe4 25.Rxe4 Nf8 26.a4 Rad8 27.h3 Ne6 28.f5 Ng5 29.Qe2 Nxe4 30.Qxe4 Qxe5 31.Qc4 Qd5 32.Qf4 Qe5 33.Qg4 Qxa1 White resigned

Joseph Henry Blackburne A Chess Biography

It can be argued that Joseph Henry Blackburne did as much as almost any other chessplayer, besides Alonzo Wheeler Jerome himself, to inform chessplayers about the Jerome Gambit - by publishing his sacrificial crush against it. (See "Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit!")

Now Tim Harding, author of many fine chess books (I have 20 of them, plus his CD collection of correspondence games), has completed his biography of  the swash-buckling J.H. Blackburne (with over 1,000 of his games), for McFarland. I quote from the publisher's website:

About the Book
During a career spanning more than 50 years, J.H. Blackburne (1841–1924) won the British Chess Championship and several international tournaments, at his peak becoming one of the world’s top three chess masters. A professional player who derived his livelihood from annual tours of chess clubs in England and other countries, entertaining and teaching amateur players, he astonished his contemporaries by the ease with which he played the game without sight of the chessboard. At 21, he set a world record for such exhibitions, competing against 12 club players simultaneously, and he continued to perform “blindfold” into his sixties.

This first comprehensive biography of Britain’s greatest chess player of the early 20th century presents more than 1,000 of Blackburne’s games chronologically, including all his surviving games from serious competition, annotated in varying detail. Many are masterpieces containing beautiful combinations and instructive endgame play. Blackburne’s unusual family and social background are fully explored.

About the Author(s)
Tim Harding played for Ireland at the 1984 FIDE chess olympiad in Thessaloniki, and is a Senior International Master of correspondence chess. A well-known writer on many aspects of chess, he was editor of Chess Mail magazine from 1996 to 2005. Since 1996 he has contributed the monthly articles in "The Kibitzer" series at www.chesscafe.com. He lives in Dublin, Ireland.  

Blackburne's games against other masters are interesting and educational in their own right, but his exhibition games against amateurs are scintillating mini-lessons in aggression (and downright fun to play over). Not for nothing was he nicknamed "The Black Death"!

The book will be published in the spring or summer of 2015, but is available for pre-order from either the publisher McFarland or Amazon.

I have already ordered a copy.

All's Well That Ends Well

The following game shows Philidor 1792 giving the "Jerome treatment" to the Berlin Defense of the Bishop Opening... The final position is worth bringing in a not-exactly-Jerome-Gambit line.

Philidor 1792 - guest63
3 0 blitz,www.peshka.me, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Bxf7+

3...Kxf7 4.Qe2 d5

Alternatives:
4...d6 5.Nf3 h6 6.c3 Bg4 7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qb5+ Nc6 9.Qxb7 Ne7 10.Qb5+ c6 11.Qe2 g5 12.d4 Ng6 13.Nbd2 Bg7 14.O-O Kf7 15.Qc4+ d5 16.Qxc6 dxe4 17.Nxe5+ Nxe5 18.dxe5 Nd7 19.Qxe4 Bxe5 20.Qxg4 Qf6 21.Qxd7+ Kg6 22.Nf3 g4 23.Qxg4+ Kf7 24.Qh5+ Ke7 25.Nxe5 Rhf8 26.Ng6+ Black resigned, Philidor1792 - Stranger, Chess-samara.ru. 2014;

4...Bc5 5.Qc4+ d5 6.Qxc5 Na6 7.Qe3 Nxe4 8.Nf3 Qf6 9.d3 Nd6 10.Nxe5+ Kg8 11.Nc3 Nb4 12.Kd1 Be6 13.a3 Nc6 14.Re1 d4 15.Qe2 dxc3 16.Nxc6 cxb2 17.Bxb2 Qxb2 18.Qxe6+ Kf8 19.Qe7+ Kg8 20.Qe6+ Kf8 21.Qe5 Qxe5 22.Nxe5 Re8 23.Rb1 b6 24.Rb4 Re6 25.Rf4+ Ke7 26.d4 Rd8 27.d5 Nb5 28.Nc6+ Black resigned, Philidor 1792 - guest52, www.peshka.me, 2014.

4...Nc6 5.Nf3 h6 6.c3 d6 7.h3 (7.b4 a6 8.h3 g5 9.a3 Qe8 10.Bb2 Bg7 11.d3 Rf8 12.Nbd2 Kg8 13.O-O-O b5 14.d4 Bd7 15.c4 exd4 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 c5 18.Bc3 cxb4 19.axb4 Rc8 20.f3 a5 21.bxa5 b4 22.Bxb4 Be6 23.Bxd6 Qa4 24.Bxf8 Bxc4 25.Nxc4 Rxc4+ 26.Kb1 Bxf8 27.Qa2 Qb5+ 28.Ka1 Kh8 29.Rb1 Qe5+ 30.Rb2 Bg7 31.Qxc4 Nd5 32.Qc8+ Kh7 33.Qf5+ Qxf5 34.exf5 Nb4 35.Kb1 Black resigned,  Philidor 1792 - guest83, www.bereg.ru, 2014) 7...Be6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 d5 10.e5 Ne4 11.O-O Be7 12.Nc3 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Rf8 14.Qb5 Rb8 15.Nh2 Kg8 16.f4 a6 17.Qb3 Na5 18.Qd1 Nc4 19.g4 g6 20.Qd3 Kg7 21.f5 gxf5 22.gxf5 Bxf5 23.Rxf5 Qd7 24.Rxf8 Rxf8 25.Ng4 Bg5 26.Bxg5 hxg5 27.Nf6 Rxf6 28.exf6+ Kxf6 29.Rf1+ Kg7 30.Qf5 Qxf5 31.Rxf5 Kg6 32.Rxd5 Nb6 33.Re5 Kf6 34.Kg2 Na4 35.c4 Nc3 36.a3 Nb1 37.a4 Nd2 38.Rc5 c6 39.d5 Nb3 40.dxc6 Nxc5 41.c7 Black resigned, Philidor 1792 - guest164, www.peshka.me, 2014

5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Nc3 Nd4 7.Nxe5+ Kg8 

Black has a piece for two pawns, but must continue to monitor the safety of his King.

8.Qd3 dxe4 9.Qc4+ Be6 10.Qa4 Qd6 11.Nc4 Nxc2+ 12. Kd1 Bxc4

This is a slip, as White will recapture with check.

13.Qxc4+ Nd5 14.Nxd5 h6 15.Nf6 checkmate

Ouch!

Method In't

Playing the Jerome Gambit - or any other opening, as far as I am concerned - in bullet (1 minute, no increment) chess is madness; but, as the following game from lichess.org shows, as was said by Hamlet, "Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't"

obamaGANDON - JAVAD76
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7

Listed in lichess as "Bishop's Opening, Jerome Gambit" but referred to on this site as the "Abrahams Jerome Gambit". For a recent discussion, see "Alert!"

4.Qh5+ g6 

One advantage for the attacker in bullet chess is if the defender does not know the best opening moves, the game can be over very quickly due to an early blunder. Here, for example, Black's best move is 4...Kf8, with an advantage.

On the other hand, this is a bullet game, and anything can happen.

5.Qxe5 d6

The only other game that I have with this line in The Database  continued 5...Qe7 6.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 7.Ne2 Qxg2 8.Qxh7+ Kf8 9.Rf1 d6 10.d4 Bxd4 11.Nxd4 Qe4+ 12.Ne2 Bg4 13.Nbc3 Qxc2 14.Bh6+ Nxh6 15.Qxh6+ Kg8 16.Qxg6+ Qxg6 17.Rg1 Nd7 18.h3 Re8 19.Rxg4 Kf7 20.Rxg6 Kxg6 21.Nd5 Ne5 22.Nxc7 b5 23.Nxb5 a5 24.Nxd6 Re6 25.Nf4+ Black resigned, burraburra - grechy, FICS, 2011. 

Best, according to Houdini, is 5...Bxf2+ (getting a pawn for the endangered piece) 6.Kxf2 Nf6 when White has an edge, a pawn up.

With the text, Black may be remembering the Blackburne Defense to the regular Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6) but the Rook sacrifice does not work here.

Up the exchange and two pawns, White "only" has to make normal moves and watch his clock.

6.Qxh8 Be6 7.Nf3 d5 8.Qxh7+ Kf8 9.Qxg6 Bf7 10.Qf5 Nh6 11.Qf4 Ng8 12.exd5 c6 13.0-0 cxd5 14.Ne5 Black forfeited on time