Jerome Gambit: Again, Half a Defense

Sometimes it's just too easy to play the Jerome Gambit.

Often the quickest games are the ones that show the defender demonstrating a "scientific" idea - but only part-way. As we have seen many times on this blog, half a defense can be worse than no defense at all.

Still, White must find the right continuation.

Wall, Bill - Guest4377728
PlayChess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 

8.O-O h6

Black keeps his advantage after this move, but it seems overly cautious, and weakens the light squares around the King.

9.f4 c5 

Who hasn't heard the advice, if someone attacks one of your pieces, don't automatically move it, see if you can attack a more important piece  ? You can usually "trust" this advice, as long as you fulfill the other half of the obligation "trust - but verify".

In this game, Black has missed something very important.

(Surprisingly, there are 7 other games with this position in The Database. More spurprisingly, White was only 4-3 in those games. In only 2 of those games did White find the correct plan - and he was still only 1-1.)

10.fxe5+ 

Yes. The pawn captures with check.

10...Ke6 

Black would have still had a losing game after 10...Kg6, but if he wanted to hang around a bit longer, that was the move to make. Now, the end comes swiftly.

11.Qd5+ Kd7 12.Qxd6+ Ke8 13.Rf8 checkmate

Oh, man, that's gotta hurt...

Jerome Gambit: Just Play It!

A recent game illustrates why people play the Jerome Gambit - it just moves along, with various tactical ideas and traps that are often hidden to the defender, until it's too late...

Wall, Bill - Guest5463336
PlayChess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb6 

This move seems perfectly reasonable, although 6...Bxd4 is considered the strongest response.

7.dxe5 Ne7

This is a position familiar to those who play the Jerome Gambit, in
particular (according to The Database) jfhumphrey, frizerkaHR, ndrwgn, HauntedKnight, chessmanjeff - and, of course, Bill Wall.

8.Qf3+ Ke8 

Bill has also faced 8...Kg8, e.g. 9.Qb3+ Kf8 10.O-O d5 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Bg5 c6 13.Rad1 Qd7 14.Bxe7+ Qxe7 15.exd5 cxd5 16.Nxd5 Qf7 17.Qa3+ Black resigned Wall, B-Guest6791785, PlayChess.com, 2018.

In the game position, Black is still doing fine. However, as White is still making moves, he has to come up with some kind of plan.

9.O-O Ng6 

Very good: go after the pawn at e5. Also tried: 9...Rf8 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qxh7 g5 12.Qh5+ Rf7 13.Bxg5 c6 14.Nd2 Qc7 15.Nc4 a5 16.Nd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B -WGMS, FICS, 2017. 

10.Nc3 Rf8 11.Qe2 Nxe5 

Mission accomplished. The biggest danger for Black at this point is "relaxing" too early, as the e8-h5 diagonal often brings destruction.

12.Qh5+ Rf7 

Oh, no. Suddenly worried about his Kingside, Black chooses a defense that will at least protect the g-pawn. This leaves his Knight on e5 hanging, but that is not his greatest worry.

13.Bg5 Black resigned

Never mind the Knight; White goes after the Queen.

Jerome Gambit: A Knight's Distraction

The latest Jerome Gambit game from Vlasta Fejfar comes with a reminder to all defenders: have fun, but do not allow your attention to wander, do not become distracted.

As the following game shows, Black's distraction is followed by his loss.

vlastous - JOHN LEGEND
internet, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7 

An interesting position in the 6...Ng6 variation (with the 7.Qd5+ "nudge"). I am sure that the computers are happy with Black's chances, but I have to point out that in the 20 games with this position in The Database, White has scored 80%. 

9.Qc3 

Vlasta has also played 9.O-O. See vlastous - Makaviel ,S, internet, 2017 (1-0, 21).

9...d5 10.d3 d4 11.Qc4 Ne5 

The computers like this move - but I don't. I can't count the number of times that Black has gotten in trouble in the Jerome Gambit by having one of his Knight's harass White's Queen. Even if we are only talking about the defender's attention wandering, I have to question the play.

12.Qb3 b6 13.f4 N5c6 14.f5 Bb7 15.O-O Qd6

Someone who glanced the game now might say "All Black has to do is castle and he has a crushing position." Ah, but Black can not castle, and he still has to focus and figure out a plan.

16.Bf4 Ne5 17.Na3 a6 18.Nc4 

18...N7c6 

Oh, Knights, you will be the death of me!

Black dutifully protects his Knight on e5 (on that square for the third time) from a double attack. But, he overlooks something.

19.Nxd6+ cxd6 

In a bit of irony, Black now has (only) 2 Knights for a Queen - not nearly enough. White finishes the game quickly.

20.Qe6+ Ne7 21.f6 gxf6 22.Bxe5 fxe5 23.Rf7 Kd8 24.Qxe7+ Kc8 25.Qc7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: A Bit of Strangeness

I just stumbled over a bit of strangeness, which, in the Jerome Gambit world, is saying something.

The "2014 October Giuoco Piano Jerome gambit" tournament at RedHotPawn was actually a two-game match between SeinfeldFan91 (2223) and Swiss Toni (2088).

We have seen SeinfeldFan91's games before.

The games:

SeinfeldFan91 - Swiss Toni
October Giuoco Piano Jerome gambit tournament, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Black resigned

Swiss Toni - SeinfeldFan91 - Swiss Toni
October Giuoco Piano Jerome gambit tournament, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 White resigned

I guess I understand why I couldn't find these games in The Database.

Jerome Gambit: Clobbering Time

Here is another Cliff Hardy game, a bit of magic in a minute (with no increment).

Wow.

Notes are by Cliff.

Cliff Hardy - NN

1 0, lichess.org, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qe7 9.Qe3

Another interesing juncture. I have a feeling Vlahov likes 9.Qxe7+ here (why not have 6 White checks in a row instead of just 5?) and the 2 moves are fairly close to each other in how strong they are. But I think I prefer to keep the queens on, partly as Black's pieces restrict him and can tend to get in each other's way.

9...d6

Black has a slight advantage with this move but Stockfish claims that 9...d5! gives Black a winning advantage.

10.0-0 Nf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.f4 Bd7?

A bit innocuous - 12...d5! 13.d3 would have kept a slight advantage for Black.

13.f5?!

Pushing the Jerome pawns too early can be a mistake as it can make Black's defensive task easier if he blockades them correctly. 13.d4! would have kept a comfortable advantage for White and if then 13...Re8, White ignores the attack on the e-pawn with 14.f5! Nh4 15.Qf4, when the White attack continues to roll along nicely.

13...Ne5 14.d4 Nc4?

Surprisingly a big error. After this, White was building up a big initiative but after 14...Nf7!, Black would have retained a slight advantage as he would have then been well placed to hold up the Jerome pawns from advancing.

15.Qd3 Nb6

The knight on c4 retards White from playing e5, so Black must strive to not retreat from there. After 15...b5 16.b3 though, White is still poised to blast through the centre.

16.Bg5 Re8 17.Rae1 

White is ready to start clobbering.

17...Qf7 18.e5 dxe5?!

Makes things worse but Black is losing anyway.

19.dxe5 Nfd5 20.e6 Black resigned.

Stockfish surprisingly rates this as highly as +8.4 for White and I must admit I don't really quite understand it, though White has a clear development advantage and will have a material advantage as well after he captures on d7.

Jerome Gambit: Another Cliff Hardy Blindfold Game

Strong players usually play strong chess, even when playing at fast time controls - or without sight of the board. Especially, too, when they play unusual openings, such as the Jerome Gambit.

Here is a game from Australia's Cliff Hardy, with his own, very educational, notes.

Enjoy!

A couple of recent Jerome Gambits I thought were interesting though they were a bit one-sided and unfortunately, I wasn't playing sensible normal games again - one game I play blindfolded and the other is a lightning game.

Cliff Hardy (blindfolded) - NN

10 0, lichess.org, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

A strong but risky defence.

7.Qf5+

My preferred move but don't know how you feel about this or 7.f4.

7...Kd6 8.f4 Ne7??

Now White has a winning advantage but 8...Qf6 is one way of keeping a very strong position for Black.

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.Nc3??

Doesn't look like a blunder but Stockfish claims this gives Black a winning advantage. It likes 10.Qc3!, intending 11.b4 or 11.d4, with a strong attack. 10.d4? is also surprisingly a blunder, after 10...d6, with a winning position for Black.

10...Rf8??

Now White has a winning advantage again. After 10...d6 11.Qh5 b6!, Black has a winning advantage, as his king can escape by b7 if necessary.

11.d4 d6 12.Qh5 Bxd4??

Unfortunately without having created an escape square with ...b6, this move now loses rather abruptly. However, against 12...g6 White has 13.Qe2! (threatening the checkmate that happened in the game), with a winning advantage anyway.

13.Qb5 mate

Jerome Gambit: An Old Friend

The following Jerome Gambit game has an old "friend" - a defensive counter-attacking move that falls to a simple shot by the attacker. It is always good to have this idea in mind, as it can lead to instant happiness.

Wall, Bill - Guest901255
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian opening.

4.O-O Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bxf7+ 

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

This is a familiar opening; The Database says Bill is 23 - 0 against it.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 

A familiar placement of pieces. White hopes to make use of the tempo granted by Black's ...h6.

10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Rf8 12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 Bd7 14.Rf3 Nb4 

An old friend: Why not harass the enemy Queen? (Black would do better to continue with 14...Be6.)

15.Qc4+ 

Oh, yeah, that's right...

15...d5 16.Qxb4 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Nxe4 18.Qxe4 Bc6 19.Qe6+ Kh8

White has recovered his sacrificed piece and is a pawn up, with better development. The Bishops-of-opposite-colors whisper of the possibility of a drawn endgame, but they offer interesting tactical ideas in the middle game.

20.Rd3 Qf6 21.Qxf6 Rxf6 22.Re7 

It is clear that g7 is going to come under attack.

22...Rc8

Challenging White's Rook with 22...Re8 would lead to 23.Rxe8+ Bxe8 but also 24.Rd8, but that was the right way to go. 

23.Rg3 Bd5 24.Rgxg7 Be4 25.Bc3 Black resigned

White has an attack that will lead to checkmate. The best defense, 25...Rg8, has an air of futility after 26.Bxf6.