Jerome Gambit: As You Might Guess...

It has been a while since I have played anything other than 3-days-per-move chess, and since I was hoping to start attending the local chess club, I decided it was time to go online and practice a bit.

As you might guess, my first game was a Jerome Gambit...

perrypawnpusher - GuestMHGG

10 0 blitz, FICS, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf6  

Heedless of worry.

8.d4 

Rusty. The strongest move here is 8.f4, and although The Database shows White ahead, 8 - 7- 1, Stockfish 15 clearly sees Black as better.

The fact that I have played the move 8.d4 three times previously - admittedly, all wins: perrypawnpusher - whitepandora, 3 10 blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 41); perrypawnpusher - tjaksi, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 16); and perrypawnpusher - alvarzr, 2 12 blitz,, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 21) - shows that I am slow to learn.

8...N8e7 

The attraction of 8.d4 is that the two best responses take a bit of thought: 8...Bb4+ 9.c3 Ke7 and 8...Ke7 directly. 

Oh, well.

9.Bg5 checkmate

A Jerome Gambit Book??

 

Certainly, I have toyed with the idea, almost from the beginning.

"Is there a book in all of this??" I wondered, before this blog was even 2 years old. (It is now 15.) 

The post "Jerome Gambit Book", 4 1/2 years after that, showed that I had not given up on the idea.

I even trialed first steps with "Jerome Gambit for Dummies 2.0 (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6)" about a year ago.

What happened to "Jerome Gambit for Dummies 1.0"? you might ask.

Well, those posts - Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 actually appeared in early 2009, but they prompted a rather prompt response - see "Real - and Un-Real" -

Is this book available in Europe?

Certainly not way back then.

Or even now.

But a book, something like chessfriend Bill Wall's 500 King's Gambit Miniatures, perhaps? 

A quick look at The Database shows almost 85,000 games. That would take a lot of winnowing (cutting 99%) to come up with 500 Jerome Gambits. Gulp.

Even if I focused solely upon the move order 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ (leaving out Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambits, Semi-Italian Jerome Gambits, and Italian Four Knights' Jerome Gambits, among others, and ignoring all of the Declineds) - I would still have over 29,000 games to sift and sort.

If I chose games of 25 moves or less from The Database, that would still be over 800 games.

Ah, but what if I limited myself to games in The Database where one player was rated 2500 or higher? Turns out, that would still leave me with about 400 games.

And there are over 100 Jerome Gambit games in The Database where both players are rated 2500 or higher.

Nonetheless, I do plan on working on a Jerome Gambit book. I even have a title picked out, All or Nothing! The Jerome Gambit, in honor of the legendary openings explorer, Chaim Schmendrik.

Jerome Gambit: Atrocious or Merely Terrifying

 

Martin V has posted a collection of  short YouTube videos, some with a chess theme mostly focused on presenting and naming openings.

There is "Mr. Incredible Becoming Uncanny at Chess", although more relevant to this blog is the implication that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is not so much atrocious - "Most ATROCIOUS Chess Gambits - Mr Incredible becoming Uncanny" - as it is terrifying - "Mr Incredible Becoming Uncanny - Most Terrifying Chess Gambits" (i.e. the Jerome is mentioned in the latter video).

Of course, other openings show up in the videos, too. There is enough uncanny-ness to go around.

It is nice to receive recognition, even if it is with a smile.

Jerome Gambit: When You Play Quickly

When you play quickly, it is easy to overlook something...

LaylaBullette - MI_maalmi_khalil

3 0 bliz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.d4 

Opening lines... forking Black's Bishop and Queen...

10...Bxd4 11.Bf4 

Oh, and threatening to pin and win the Queen... Drat!

The rest is kind of easy, at any speed.

11...Qxf4 12.Qxf4+ Be5 13.Qd2+ Ke7 14.Nc3 c6 15.O-O-O d6 16.Rhf1 Nf6 17.Qg5 Re8 18.Qxg7+ Ke6 19.Ne2 Nxe4 20.Qf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Wandering the Internet

 

Wandering the internet I discovered Doug Barlow's OCF Chess website,

OCF Chess is an online chess community dedicated to helping players of all levels reach their full potential. Our blog features tips and tutorials from experienced players, offering advice on a range of topics from basic openings to advanced endgames. 

There is a lot of interesting, educational and entertaining content on the site - how could you possibly scroll past the entertaining but bogus "The Chess Battle of the 20th Century: Hitler vs Lenin" for example ? - so of course I settled quickly on "Exploring the Jerome Gambit: A Risky but Fun Opening".

A critical eye is necessary, however.

The opening starts with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4?! exd4 5.O-O Nf6 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4.

Actually, that line begins as the Italian Gambit (you might enjoy Jude Acers and George Laven's The Italian Gambit (and) A Guiding Repertoire for White - E4!) before moving on to the Max Lange Attack.

Similarly

This opening starts with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4, where White sacrifices a pawn to gain control of the center and open lines for their pieces.

That line is actually the venerable Evans Gambit.

The Jerome Gambit is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5.

The section "Is The Jerome Gambit Any Good?" is honest

[W]hile the Jerome Gambit can be a fun and interesting opening to play, it is not recommended for serious competitive play where sound strategic choices are crucial for success 

but occasionally off the mark

The Jerome Gambit is a chess opening that involves sacrificing a pawn in order to gain a strategic advantage.

Not just a pawn.

This is corrected in "Is The Jerome Gambit Sound?"

While it may lead to some interesting and exciting games, the sacrifice of two pieces is rarely justified and can put White at a significant disadvantage.

There is an interesting diagram of a position that could have come from Jerome Gambit games Fixxxxxer - Killuminati6933, blitz, lichess.org, 2022 (1-0, 11) or Wolfpack1051 - DragonBen, bullet, lichess.org, 2022 (1-0, 45) where Black has varied with the TN 8...Bd4 (instead of the stronger 8...d5) and White now has the crushing 9.Qd5+ (You saw that, right?)

The "Jerome's Double Opening" was introduced to the chess world in "New Chess Opening" in the April 1874 Dubuque Chess Journal.

The Conclusion of "Exploring the Jerome Gambit: A Risky but Fun Opening" is the same as mine

for those who enjoy experimenting and are looking for a bit of fun, the Jerome Gambit can be a great option to try out in casual or blitz games.

Thank you, Mr. Barlow. 

Jerome Gambit: Drawing Conclusions

Not every Jerome Gambit game ends in flames in the opening, or in ashes in the middle game; some make it to the ending.

Not all are wins; some are draws.

Here are a few final positions, to illustrate. There are lessons to be learned. (If you note any strangeness, remember: we are talking about the Jerome Gambit here.)

Thanks to lichess.org player Arman-Avdalyan, whose game examples are used.

Arman-Avdalyan - G0dsL0nelyMan, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

Both players have fought to the end, and things are as drawish as possible.

Arman-Avdalyan - Smellhead, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

Black is a piece ahead, but without anything else the game is still drawn.

Arman-Avdalyan - vlad_00, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

Stalemate yields a draw for the first player.

Arman-Avdalyan - victor_a10grm, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

Here, Black benefits from stalemate.

Arman-Ajvan93, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

Stalemate frustrates Black's aggressive intentions.

Arman-Avdalyan - BruceLeecubano, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

Again, stalemate frustrates Black's aggressive intentions.

Arman-Avdalyan - Lopuh99, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

Black has winning material, but no time left on the clock. As White does not have sufficient mating material, the game is drawn.

Jerome Gambit: Quick Win, Nice Finish

Winning a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game can be a lot of fun.

Winning it at bullet speed, and finishing it off with a sharp checkmate can make it even more enjoyable.

angelcamina - lq110205r

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qb5+ 

9...Qd7 10.Qb4 

angelcamina has also played

10.Qb3 Nf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.O-O Qe6 (12...Ke7 13.d4 Re8 14.f4 Kf8 15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.Qxd5 dxe5 18.Qxd7 Bxd7 19.dxe5 Bf5 20.c3 Ke7 21.b3 Rac8 22.Ba3+ Ke6 23.c4 Red8 24.h3 h5 25.Bb4 Rd3 26.Rad1 Rcd8 27.Rxd3 Rxd3 28.Kf2 Nxf4 White resigned, angelcamina - C_Maringe, lichess.org, 2022) 13.Qa3 Rf8 14.d3 Kf7 15.f4 Qd7 16.Qb3+ d5 17.e5 Ne8 18.d4  Kg8 19.f5 Rxf5 20.Rxf5 Qxf5 21.Be3 Nf4 22.Rf1 g5 23.g3 Qg4 24.Kh1 Nh3 25.Nxd5 cxd5 26.Qxd5+ Be6 27.Qd6 Nxd6 28.exd6 Bd5+ 29.Rf3 Bxf3 checkmate, angelcamina - Medinad, lichess.org, 2022; 

10.Qc4 Nf6 11.Nc3 Qe6 12.Qa4+ Bd7 13.Qb4 b6 14.O-O Rf8 15.f4 a5 16.Qd4 Ne7 17.d3 Nc6 18.Qe3 Kf7 19.b3 Kg8 20.Ba3 Kh8 21.Rae1 Rab8 22.Qh3 b5 23.Bb2 Nb4 24.Re2 Qxh3 25.gxh3 Bxh3 26.Rf3 Bg4 27.Rg3 Bxe2 28.Nxe2 Nxc2 29.e5 Nd7 30.e6 Nf6 31.h4 Rfe8 32.h5 Rxe6 33.h6 g6 34.f5 Rxe2 35.Bxf6+ Kg8 36.Bd4 Re1+ Black won on time, angelcamina - HenryLalu13, lichess.org, 2022; and

10.Qe2 Qc6 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.O-O Bg4 13.f3 Bh5 14.d4 Kd7 15.g4 Bxg4 16.fxg4 h5 17.g5 Ng4 18.h3 Raf8 19.hxg4 hxg4 20.Be3 Nh4 21.Qxg4+ Kd8 22.Rxf8+ Rxf8 23.Qxh4 Kc8 24.g6 Kb8 25.Qg4 a6 26.Rf1 Rd8 27.Rf7 Rh8 28.Qd7 Qxd7 29.Rxd7 Kc8 30.Rxg7 Rf8 31.Rf7 Rh8 32.g7 b6 33.gxh8=Q+ Kb7 34.Qg7 Kc6 35.Rxc7 checkmate, angelcamina - Trajche1980, lichess.org, 2022

10...Nf6 

An interesting alternative was 10...Qg4!? 

11.O-O Qg4 12.f3 Qd7 13.d4 Kf7 14.Nc3 Rf8 15.Qb3+ Qe6 16.d5 Qd7 17.f4 Kg8 

18.e5 dxe5 19.fxe5 Nh5 

In a 1-minute game, moves can come like reflexes, and a pawn advance in the center often chases a Knight to the rim - but in this case the correct move was the simple 19...Nxe5. 

20.Rxf8+ Kxf8 21.e6 Qd6 22.Be3 Nf6 23.Rf1 Kg8 

Black works to safeguard his King and control White's advanced "Jerome pawns".

The game is even, but White pushes on.

24.Nb5 Qe5 

Stockfish 15.1 suggests 24...Qe7 25.Nd4 Qd6 26.Nb5 Qe7 etc. draw.

By giving up the blockade, Black's Queen steps into danger.

25.Bd4 Nxd5 

The clock is the villain here. He needed to try 25...Qxd5, when 26.Bxf6 Bxe6 27.Qxd5 Bxd5 28.Nxc7 Bxg2 29.Kxg2 Rc8 30.Bxg7 Kxg7 31.Ne6+ Kg8 32.Nd4 would lead to a position where White would be a pawn up, but there would be clear drawing chances.

Now the game races to checkmate.

26.Bxe5 Nxe5 27.Qxd5 Ng6 28.e7+ Kh8 29.Rf8+ Nxf8 30.exf8=Q checkmate