Jerome Gambit: Buggy?

Who would have guessed it?

A trip to The Bug Board, where bughouse chess is discussed, turns up a past discussion on the use of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.BXf7+) as a possible opening.

Well, sure – why not?

A Little Magic

It's always fun when the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) brings about a little magic. The following game starts off routine, moves to a middlegame that is 21st Century, and then finishes with a sparkle. I can overlook a number of blemishes along the way and appreciate the final position. 

perrypawnpusher  - pfink

blitz 10 0, FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5

My opponent plans a defensive setup using a fianchettoed Queen Bishop. This is a relatively new idea in the Jerome Gambit, one that I've seen only a few times.

One example came out of the Semi-Italian game: 3...h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+ N8e7 10.Nc3 b6 11.Qe3 Bb7 12.f4 d5 13.f5 d4 14.fxg6+ Kg8 15.Qf4 dxc3 16.Qf7 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - sarBear, blitz FICS, 2009.

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

As with my game against sarBear, I think that the 6...Ng6 defense, while one of the recognized Jerome Gambit refutations, has the slight disability of losing the Bishop at c5 – allowing White's f-pawn to advance after he castles.

7.Qd5+ Kf8

An alternative: 7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7 9.0-0 b6 10.Qe3 Rf8 11.f4 d6 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 14.Qg3 Rf7 15.Nc3 Kf8 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bc1 Bb7 18.f6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6+ gxf6 20.Bxh6+ Ke8 21.Qg7 Kd7 22.Qg4+ Ke8 23.Qg7 Nd2 24.Qxf6 Bxe4 25.Nxe4 Nxe4 26.Qh8+ Kd7 27.Qxd8+ Rxd8µ 28.Re1 Nf5 29.Rxe4 Nxh6 30.Rh4 Nf5 31.Rh7+ Kc6 32.c3 Re8 33.Kf2 a5 34.b3 Rf8 35.Ke2 Re8+ 36.Kd2 Ne3 37.Rg7 Nf1+ 38.Kd3 Nxh2 39.g4 Nf3 40.g5 Nh4 41.c4 Nf5 42.d5+ Kb7 43.Rh7 Re7 44.Rxe7 Nxe7 45.Ke4 Ng6 46.Kf5 Nh4+ 47.Kf6 Kc8 48.g6 Nxg6 49.Kxg6 Kd7 50.Kf6 c6 51.Kf7 cxd5 52.cxd5 b5 53.a3 Kc7 54.Ke7 b4 55.a4 Kb6 56.Kxd6 Ka6 57.Kc6 Ka7 58.Kc7 Ka6 59.d6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Lark, blitz FICS, 2009

8.Qxc5+ Qe7

9.Qe3 Nf6 10.d3 d6

Black by-passes the (probably better) freeing (and center-crunching) 10...d5 because he has a different idea in mind. The "hyper-modern Jerome Gambit"?

11.0-0 b6 12.f4 Bb7 13.f5

An alternative which was about equal to the text, with Black also having a bit of an advantage, was 13.Nc3, as in 13...Re8 14.Bd2 h6 15.h3 Qd7 16.Qg3 Ne7 17.e5 Nfg8 18.Rae1 Nf5 19.Qf2 Nge7 20.g4 g6 21.gxf5 gxf5 22.Re3 Rg8+ 23.Rg3 Kf7 24.Ne2 h5 25.Kh2 Rg6 26.Rfg1 Reg8 27.Nd4 dxe5 28.Rxg6 exd4 29.Rxg8 Nxg8 30.Qg3 Ne7 31.Qg7+ Ke6 32.Re1+ Kd6 33.Qe5+ Kc6 34.Qxe7 Qxe7 35.Rxe7 Kd6 36.Re5 Bc8 37.Kg3 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - hogmaster, JG3 thematic, Chessworld,  2008.

13...Ne5 14.Nc3 Rd8 15.Qg3 d5

As planned, although after the game Rybka 3 was skeptical, suggesting that the following keeps a slight advantage for Black: 15...Kf7 16.Ne2 c5 17.Bg5 Rhe8 18.Nf4 Kg8 19.Ne6 Rc8. A pretty complicated position.  

16.d4 Nf7 17.e5

This was my planned reaction to ...d6-d5. My hope was to put my "Jerome pawns" to work before Black was able to play ...c7-c5 and trouble my center.

17...Nd7

This is an error – 17...Ne8 – was better; but I think my opponent decided to return a piece for a less-complicated game.

18.e6 Nf6 19.exf7 Qxf7

At first glance this does not look too bad for Black: he is down a pawn, but the open e-file suggests that the major pieces (Rooks and Queens) might be exchanged there, and the possible outpost for the Black Knight at e4 suggests an exchange as well; leaving a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame that could be draw-able.

Black can hope.

20.Bg5 h6 21.Bxf6 Qxf6

Keeping his Kingside pawns intact, although 21...gxf6 was stronger, as now White can grab the c7-pawn.

22.Qe5

Mostly a bluff, as I didn't think my opponent wanted me to have a passed, protected pawn at e5 in an ending. Pulling my Queen Rook over to the e-file was a better move for me.

Pfink should have swapped Queens.

22...Qf7 23.f6

Looks scary...

23...Re8 

A costly slip. 23...g6 was necessary, if uncomfortable, because Black's "Jerome Rook" is still stuck in the corner.

24.fxg7+ Kg8 25.gxh8Q checkmate

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, the Wizard of Draws

Eyeblink Chess: Soar

Of course, part of the fun of playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and related lines is that there is often a quick win (see "Eyeblink Chess: Crash" for the alternative) awaiting the attacker (with occasional help from the defender, of course).

PeoKratoR - kirki

blitz FICS, 2000
1.Nc3 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.e4 Nf6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kf8 6.Bc4 Black resigned


Darrenshome - gleyhorizon
blitz FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Ke7 5.Bxg8 Nxf3+ 6.Qxf3 Qe8 7.Bb3 Black resigned


UNPREDICTABLE  - Sanomis
blitz FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.Qh5+ Black resigned


GOH  - imre
blitz FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 h6 4.d4 Nxd4 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Nxe5 Ne6 7.Nc3 d6 8.Nd5 checkmate


hinders  - hober
blitz FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Qe2 d6 7.Qc4+ Be6 8.Ng5+ Black resigned


thin  - rusalka
blitz FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d3 Nge7 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Ng5+ Kg8 7.Qf3 d6 8.Qf7 checkmate


Cherokee - Gepetto
FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.Qg4+ Kxe5 7.f4+ Kxe4 8.Nc3 checkmate


(By the way, the character in the graphic is Perry the Platypus, a nice name in my opinion – but then, I'm perrypawnpusher, and I play the Jerome Gambit, the duck-billed platypus of chess.)

Eyeblink Chess: Crash

It can be an exciting challenge to be successful with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), even when it is played well.

To play the opening poorly is an invitation to disaster. It also seems to be a betrayal of the opening itself. Witness:

Arcetri - dworm
blitz FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+ Qxg5 6.d3 White resigned


ocho - Aquanaut
blitz FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+ Qxg5 6.d3 Qxg2 White resigned


xxkrsevenxx - mscp
blitz FICS, 2001
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+ Qxg5 6.d4 Qxg2 White resigned


akhnaten - fafner
blitz FICS, 1999
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 Nf6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Nxh5 White resigned


BillieBob - SuperCanuck
blitz FICS, 2000
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d3 Qf8 6.Ng5+ Kg6 7.h4 Qxf2 checkmate


Superpippo - kostik
blitz FICS, 2001
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+ Qxg5 6.d4 Qxg2 7.Qh5+ g6 White resigned


Relax, readers. This blog, and the support of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde will help you avoid such crashes.

Frustration is the Grandmother of Invention

If necessity is the mother of invention, as it is said, then certainly frustration must be the grandmother of invention.

In the following game I wanted nothing more than a normal Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) or something similar, like the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+) or the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+).

What I got, instead, was an odd and frustrating transposition to Damiano's Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6). I'd played against the line a number of times before, but this time I decided to try something new (to me). 

perrypawnpusher  - emoh
blitz FICS, 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 f6

This position can arise out of the Damiano Defense with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6 3.Bc4 Nc6. White has the usual advantage of better development and a safer King.

4.d4 Nxd4

In a few earlier games I had dispatched my opponents quickly:

4...Nh6 5.dxe5 fxe5 6.Bxh6 gxh6 7.Nxe5 Nxe5 8.Qh5+ Nf7 9.Qxf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - nenettelatour, FICS, 2009;

4...Na5 5.Nxe5 Nxc4 6.Nxc4 Qe7 7.Nc3 Qb4 8.Ne3 d6 9.Ned5 Qa5 10.b4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - santor, FICS, 2009;

4...exd4 5.Nxd4 Nxd4 6.Qxd4 b6 (6...c5 7.Qd5 Ne7 8.Qf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - cgoodwin, FICS, 2008) 7.Qd5 c6 8.Qf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - eddyfactor, FICS, 2009.

Not all of the games went that smoothly, however, as my opponents put up more resistance, and some of the games actually threatened to be boring:

4...d6 5.0–0 exd4 (5...Bg4 6.dxe5 (6.d5 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 Nd4 8.Qd1 a6 9.c3 Nb5 10.Bxb5+ axb5 11.Qd3 Qd7 12.Na3 c6 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.Rd1 Be7 15.Be3 Nh6 16.Bc5 Nf7 17.Nc2 0–0–0 18.Bb6 Rde8 19.a4 Qb7 20.a5 Nd8 21.a6 Qxb6 22.a7 Ne6 23.a8Q+ Kd7 24.Qa7+ Qxa7 25.Rxa7+ Nc7 26.Nb4 Rc8 27.Na6 Rhd8 28.Rxc7+ Rxc7 29.Nxc7 Kxc7 30.Ra1 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - fiddlinggeorge, FICS, 2007) 6...fxe5 7.Nc3 Nd4 8.Be2 Nxe2+ 9.Qxe2 Nf6 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.h3 Be6 13.Nd5 c6 14.Nxf6+ gxf6 15.Rad1 b5 16.Qd3 Ke7 17.c3 Bc4 White resigned, perrypawnpusher - rassmus, FICS, 2009) 6.Nxd4 Nge7 7.Nc3 Ne5 8.Bb3 b6 9.f4 N5g6 10.f5 Ne5 11.Qh5+ g6 12.fxg6 N7xg6 13.Nd5 Ba6 14.Nxf6+ Ke7 15.Nf5+ Kxf6 16.Bg5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - TheWiking, FICS, 2009;

5...a6 6.Nc3 b5 7.Bxg8 Rxg8 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxh7 Rg7 10.Qh4 Nxd4 11.0–0 Nxc2 12.Rb1 f5 13.Qxd8+ Kxd8 14.exf5 gxf5 15.Bh6 Rg8 16.Bxf8 Rxf8 17.Rbc1 Nd4 18.Rfd1 c5 19.Nd5 Ne2+ White resigned, perrypawnpusher - mrau, FICS, 2008;

5...Na5 6.Bxg8 Rxg8 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxh7 Rg7 9.Qh4 g5 10.Qh5+ Ke7 11.Nf5+ Ke6 12.Nxg7+ Kd6 13.Nf5+ Ke6 14.Nc3 c6 15.0–0 b5 16.Be3 Bb7 17.Nd4+ Ke7 18.Nf5+ Ke6 19.Qg6 d5 20.Qg8+ Kd7 21.exd5 cxd5 22.Nxd5 Bxd5 23.Qxd5+ Kc7 24.Rfd1 Bd6 25.Qf7+ Kc6 26.Nxd6 Qh8 27.b4 Nc4 28.Nxc4 bxc4 29.a4 Qh6 30.Qxc4+ Kb7 31.b5 Rc8 32.Qe4+ Kb8 33.a5 Rh8 34.b6 Qxh2+ 35.Kf1 Qh1+ 36.Ke2 Qh5+ 37.f3 axb6 38.axb6 Qh2 39.Kf2 Qh4+ 40.Qxh4 gxh4 41.Kg1 Rh7 42.Kh2 Kb7 43.c4 Rh5 44.c5 Re5 45.Bg1 Re2 46.Rf1 h3 White forfeited on time, perrypawnpusher - shahss, FICS, 2007

Time for some creativity!

5.Nxe5 fxe5 6.Qh5+

Not quite a Jerome (you have to love that Bishop on c4), but almost as exciting.

6...Ke7

I don't have many games with the 5.Nxe5 line in my database, but the ones that I have suggest that 6...g6 is the correct move.

6...g6 7.Qxe5+ Qe7 (7...Ne6 8.Bxe6 dxe6 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Bg5 Bg7 11.Nc3 0-0 12.Rad1 Qe7 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Bxe7 Bxe5 15.Bxf8 Nf4 16.Rd8 Ne2+ 17.Kh1 b6 18.Bd6+ Kf7 19.Bxe5 Bb7 20.Rxa8 Bxa8 21.Re1 Bxe4 22.Rxe2 Bd5 23.b3 c5 24.c4 Bc6 25.Rd2 a6 26.Rd6 Bb7 27.Rd7+ Black resigned, attasantotjia - epprecht, net-chess, 2007) 8.Qxd4 Bg7 9.Qe3 (9.Qd5 c6 10.Qg5 Qxe4+ 11.Be2 Bf6 12.Qe3 Qxe3 13.fxe3 d5 14.c3 Ne7 15.0-0 0-0 16.Nd2 Bf5 17.Nf3 a6 18.Nd4 Bxd4 19.exd4 Rae8 20.Bh6 Rf7 21.Rae1 Nc8 22.b3 Rfe7 23.Kf2 Nd6 24.c4 Ne4+ 25.Kg1 Nc3 26.g4 Nxe2+ 27.Rxe2 Rxe2 28.gxf5 Rxa2 29.fxg6 hxg6 30.h4 Kh7 31.Bg5 Ree2 32.Rf7+ Kg8 33.Rf1 Rg2+ White resigned, gphillips - epprecht, net-chess, 2006) 9...Nf6 10.0-0 Nxe4 11.Kh1 c5 12.Re1 Black timed out, gdraper - erikmussche, net-chess, 2006.

7.Qxe5+

This move is already a bit too routine. Since White's dark-squared Bishop is immediately available to deliver a deadly check on g5, White should eliminate the one piece that can get in the way, the Knight, with 7.Bxg8. Black loses his Queen after the recapture 7...Rxg8 8.Bg5+, so he must try something like 7...Kd6 instead.

White then has the tricky 8.Na3, which is a good move to remember. If 8...Rxg8 then White plays 9.Qf7 with mate threats, picking up the Rook after 9...Ne6 (9...Rh8 10.Nc4+ Kc5 11.Qd5+ Kb4 12.c3+ Ka4 13.Qa5 checkmate) 10.Qxg8.

Also seen was 7.Qf7+, although it transposed to the 7.Qxe5+ line: 7...Kd6 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Qxe5+ Ne6 10.Bg5+ Nf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.0-0-0 d6 13.Qg3 Nxg5 14.Qxg5 h6 15.Qg6 Kd7 16.e5 Be7 17.exf6 Bxf6 18.Qf7+ Qe7 19.Rhe1 Qxf7 20.Bxf7 Rf8 21.Be6+ Kd8 22.Rxd6+ Kc7 23.Rd3 Bxe6 24.Rxe6 Rae8 25.Rxe8 Rxe8 26.Kd1 Rd8 27.Rxd8 Kxd8 28.Kd2 Bxc3+ 29.Kxc3 Kd7 30.Kd4 Kd6 31.f4 c5+ 32.Ke4 b6 33.c4 Ke6 34.f5+ Kd6 35.g4 a6 36.a4 a5 37.h4 Ke7 38.Ke5 Kd7 39.g5 hxg5 40.hxg5 Ke7 41.g6 Kd7 42.f6 gxf6+ 43.Kxf6 Ke8 44.g7 Black resigned, kode - epprecht, net-chess, 2007.

7...Ne6 8.Bg5+ Nf6

As you can see, the next time I play this line I'm going to have lots of new ideas to try out. In this game, however, I had only one pawn for my sacrificed piece, so I needed to make my lead in development count.

9.Nc3 h6 10.Nd5+ Kf7 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Qh5+

12...Kg7 13.Qg4+

More adventurous was 13.0-0-0, with compensation. The text gives White the option of a draw through repetition of position (checking the King), unless Black wants to risk more by varying.

 13...Ng5 

14.f4

Again, too routine, too much like the "real" Jerome Gambit. As White can castle Queenside, he should hit the Knight with his h-pawn.

14...d6

15.Qg3 c6 16.Ne3 Qa5+ 17.c3 Qb6

Black loosens up White's King's possible shelter. Still, next move White should 0-0-0. 

18...hxg5 19.0-0 Qxb2

According to plan, but it leaves the King open to a sudden tactic.

20.Qf3

Instead, look at 20.Rab1 Qa3 21.e5.

analysis diagram





White blows up Black's King's shelter. Just a couple of possible variations: 21...dxe5 22.Rxf6 Kxf6 23.Rf1+Ke7 24.Qxe7+ or 21...Qc5 22.Rxf6 Qxe5 23.Rf7+ Kh6 24.Rbxb7.

20...Be7

21.Nf5+

This produces an even game, whereas tactics like in the previous analysis would give White a decent attack: 21.Rab1 Qa3 22.Be6 Qc5 23.Bxc8 b6 24.Bh3.

21...Kf8

A mistake in a complicated position.

22.Nxe7 Kxe7 23.Qxf6+ Kd7 24.Qxh8 Kc7

25.Rf7+ Kb6 26.Qd4+ Ka5 27.Rd1 Bg4

28.Bb3 Bxd1 29.Qb4+ Ka6 30.Bc4+

There goes the Queen.

30...b5 31.Qxb2 bxc4 32.Qa3+ Kb6 33.Qb4+ Ka6 34.Qb7+ Black resigned

Success!

I'm old enough to still have a slide rule, which I used for calculations in high school chemistry class. My cradle wasn't a wi-fi hot spot, and the first mouse that I knew of was Micky, not wireless.

Still, my plan for downloading a ton of games (see "Digging for Gold") and sharing a selection of them – a PGN database of Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+), and Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0/4.Nc3/4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+) games – with Readers (see "Sharing the Wealth") is a step closer: by the time you read this post, I will have succeeded in gathering the 100,000,000 games from FICS, in about 120 compressed files (which should take care of the file size problem for my chess database).

Selecting out the meaningful games may still take a while, but I should make my deadline of 01/01/10.

Sharing the Wealth

Throughout December I will be compiling a PGN database of Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+), and Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0/4.Nc3/4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+) games to share with the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde (and interested others) – on the first of the year, to start 2010 off right!

I have started with a selection of games from my own database, many of which have not been seen on these blog pages. So far the file has almost 3,000 games – I hope to add more as the days go on (see "Digging for Gold").

Digging for Gold

I'm always looking for Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and Jerome Gambit-related games.

Since I play much of my chess at FICS, I often go to their online database to search for games. My request for games identified as "C50" in the ECO system usually returns 200 games (the maximum in a search) from the day in question.

I can use my ChessBase8 to filter games that are likely to interest me, doing a position search (Kings and Queens on their home squares, the White Bishop on f7). I can do another search on players who used the Jerome in that previous search, to see if I've found an unknown member of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde. 

I recently found over 170 Jerome Gambit games from one player, a pleasant discovery.

Recently Marcel Van Kervinck used his computer to pull 100 million games off of the FICS site. I haven't yet figured out how to handle a PGN file that size (supposedly my ChessBase program can handle files of "only" 40 million games), though.

At about the same time I discovered that Joshua Shriver had collected over 4 million FICS games, which were later refined and put on Josh's website. I happily searched those files for Jerome Gambit gold...

Right now, I'm wondering if there are other online chess-playing sites that would have large numbers of games that I could search as well.  

Readers are welcome to send in suggestions. (Of course, if you want to send in the games, that would be okay, too.)

The Greatest Ever Chess Opening Ideas

I've read through International Master Christoph Scheerer's The Greatest Ever Chess Opening Ideas (Everyman Chess, 2008) and for the life of me I can't find the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) covered, or even referred to.

Imagine that.

I guess I'll have to wait and see if Scheerer writes a sequel, The Most Notorious Chess Opening Ideas Ever, and see if the Jerome Gambit gets any mention there.

Every Game An Exploration, Every Move A Discovery

While I was planning what I thought would be a routine Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) treatment of the semi-Italian Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6), my opponent was working to achieve a defensive formation that he had found in the past to be successful against a handful of White piece setups. As a result, we created something new and interesting.

perrypawnpusher  - sarBear
blitz FICS, 2009

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

4.0-0

Although I am still not sure that this is the best "waiting" move (as opposed to 4.Nc3) I keep playing it.

4...Bc5 5.Bxf7+

For the record, after the game I asked Rybka to "blundercheck" (at 5 minutes per move) and this is what it suggested that I play, instead of the sacrifice: 5.c3 d6 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Bb6 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.h3 0-0 10.Re1 a6 11.Bf4 Na5 12.Bf1 White has a slight advantage.

analysis diagram

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6

Here, again, there is a choice of moves, and I think that the one played is not best, as it allows me to capture the Black Bishop on c5, which in turn releases the pin on my f-pawn without me having to spend a move with my King to do so. 

8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+ N8e7

This is a new move (9...d6 is more usual), and part of  sarBear's defensive formation.

10.Nc3 b6 11.Qe3

After the game Rybka suggested 11.Qh5 as better, but I don't think it fits in with what I'm trying to do.

11...Bb7

The fianchetto of the Queenside Bishop for Black in Jerome Gambit and Jerome-ish games is relatively modern – examples that I have are 21st Century ones.

I have faced something similar in one of my games, but, as usual, one of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde (in this case, Louis Morin) had earlier contact. 

perrypawnpusher - hogmaster, JG3 thematic chessworld, 2008: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.0–0 b6 11.f4 Bb7

guest1730 - guest1656, ICC, 2001: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7 9.0–0 b6 10.Qe3 Bb7




12.f4 d5

This is Black's idea, to delay castling-by-hand (generally an early anti-Jerome strategy) and hit hard at the center.

13.f5

Of course, my idea was if 13...Ne5 then 14.d4 Nf7 15.e5 when White's "Jerome pawns" are advanced and Black's light-squared Bishop is misplaced. 

13...d4

I think that my opponent was excited about this move, which may explain his upcoming error. Whenever Black is pleased to have reached equality in a Jerome-style game, given that he started out with a couple of extra pieces, something strange is going on.

14.fxg6+ Kg8

Rybka prefers keeping the King in the center with 14...Ke8, something that at first glance seems counter-intuitive. The idea, of course, is to develop the imprisoned Rook from h8 to the deadly f-file, such as: 15.Qf3 dxc3 16.Qxc3 Rf8

15.Qf4

I admit that this was a gamble, that I was pretty sure that sarBear wanted his piece back. The correct continuation according to Rybka was 15.Qd3 Nxg6 16.Nd5 with advantage to White. Surely then there would be a lot of play left in the position.

15...dxc3

Black's one move to avoid disaster was 15...Nxg6. It was a move worth finding, as 16.Qg4 dxc3 17.Qxg6 cxd2 would force White to take the perpetual with 18.Qe6+ Kh7 19.Qf5+ Kg8 etc.

16.Qf7 checkmate

Folly

Remember the quote that the winner in a chess game is the player who makes the next-to-last mistake ? This always seemed hedged a bit by Bronstein's equally wry suggestion that three little mistakes make one big mistake.

In any event, as I indicated in "No Letdown", I believe that when it comes to playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), if my opponent makes a series of small mistakes, and I make a series of smaller mistakes, then eventually I should catch up...

Still, it took a while for me to be at peace with the following game.

perrypawnpusher - lourotors
blitz FICS, 2009

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

The King can also go to e6. See "Crime and Punisher".

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6

7...Nxc2+

As in perrypawnpusher - tiagorom, blitz FICS, 2009, although that game actually took place after this one.

More frequently, Black captures the Knight: 7...hxg6 8.Qxg6+ (8.Qxh8 Nh6 9.Qxd4 Qg5 10.0-0 Bc5 11.Qh8+ Ke7 12.d4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - tampajake, FICS, 2009) 8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Ke8 10.Qe5+ Qe7 11.Qxd4 Bg7 12.Qc4 Kd8 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.0-0 c6 15.d4 d5 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 cxd5 18.Qxd5+ Qd7 19.Bg5+ Kc7 20.Qc5+ Qc6 21.Qxc6+ bxc6 22.c3 Rb8 23.b3 Rh5 24.Bf4+ Kb7 25.Bxb8 Kxb8 26.Rae1 Ba6 27.Re8+ Kc7 28.Rfe1 Bh6 29.R8e5 Rxe5 30.Rxe5 Bd2 31.c4 Bc3 32.Re4 Bb7 33.d5 cxd5 34.cxd5 Bxd5 35.Re7+ Kb6 36.h4 Bf6 37.Rd7 Be6 38.Rd6+ Kc7 39.Rxe6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - adamzzzz, blitz FICS, 2009.

I've also seen 7...Nf6 8.Qe5+ Ne6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - fintrade, blitz FICS, 2009 (8...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.Qe7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - patitolo, blitz FICS, 2005)

8.Kd1 Nf6

This may work in analogous situations, but not here: best was 8...hxg6 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 and the position is unclear after 10.d3 or 10.Kxc2. 

9.Qe5+ Be7 10.Nxh8

Squandering an advantage, when the simple 10.Nxe7 Qxe7 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 12.Kxc2 was available.

White's Knight will be stuck in the corner, just as Black's will in the opposite corner, but the second player will come out a piece ahead.

10...Nxa1 11.d4

It might have been a bit better to go after the enemy Knight immediately with 11.b3, intending Qxa1.

11...d6 12.Qg3

12...Kd7

The King moves to allow the Queen to attack the Knight. Rybka suggested after the game 12...c5 13.d5 Bg4+ 14.Ke1 with a winning advantage for Black. The c-pawn acts as a shield against checks by the White Queen (see the following note) and the Bishop check moves the enemy King away from the Knight's escape square, c2.

13.Nf7

It was time to sue for peace with 13.Qh3+ Ke8 (or 13...Kc6 14.Qc3+, etc.) 14.Qg3. Of course, if Black then plays 14...c5 (or any other number of moves) instead of repeating the position, he is still comfortably ahead.

13...Qf8 14.Ng5 Nh5

Quite unexpectedly, White's Knight has been allowed to escape, and this move loses a piece.

The fact is that the position is quite complicated, as Rybka's post mortem analysis indicates: 14...h6 15.Nh3 Qf7 (hoping to safe the Knight at a1)16.Nc3 b5 17.Nf4 Qc4 18.Qd3 Ng4 (taking aim at White's other Rook) 19.Qxc4 bxc4 20.Nh3 Rb8 21.f3 Nf6 22.Nf4 Ng8 23.Nfd5 which is evaluated as slightly better for Black. The cramp on his Queenside limits White's play.

15.Qg4+ Kd8 16.Qxh5 Qxf2

17.Qe2

I should have simplified with 17.Nf7+ Kd7 18.Qf5+, forcing the exchange of Queens.

17...Qh4

In turn, my opponent missed 17...Qxd4+ which keeps the pot boiling.

This is feeling like the typical Jerome Gambit family game: I'm staying in the game with help from my opponent – a dangerous way to live.

18.Nf3 Qh5 19.Nc3 Bg4

20.b3 d5 21.Nxd5 Bd6 22.Bg5+ Kc8 23.Kd2

Hoping to gather in the Knight at a1, at last, but Black can now play 23...Bxf3 24.Qxf3 Qxg5+ recovering a piece. He will eventually have to give it back with ...Na1xb3, but White's advantage will be made smaller.

23...c6 24.Rxa1

Understandable, as the enemy Knight has been sitting in the corner for over a dozen moves. I also thought that the open file would give me attacking chances against Black's King. It does, although 24.Bf4 was probably more straight forward.

24...cxd5 25.Rc1+ Kd7

White now has a mate in 7 (a better, but still losing choice for Black was 25...Kb8) but of course, it won't play itself.

26.e5

This move is inadequate, as, for starters, it allows 26...Bxf3+ and Black can work his way to a draw.

It also misses 26.Qb5+ Ke6 27.Qxd5+ Kd7 28.Qb5+ Ke6 29.Rc7 Bf4+ 30.Kc2 Kd6 31.Qc5+ Ke6 32.Qe7 mate

analysis diagram





26...Bb4+ 27.Kc2 Rc8+

Black, in turn, wants to use the c-file for attack. It shouldn't work. It does.

28.Kb2 Rxc1 29.Kxc1

It was time for the stranded Bishop to come home with 29.Bxc1. Now it will be lost.

29...Bxf3 30.gxf3

Well beyond my sight was Rybka's suggestion 30.e6+, which would have allowed White to draw after 30...Kc6 31.Qc2+ Kd6 32.Bf4+ Kxe6 33.Qc8+ Kf7 34.gxf3 Qxf3 35.Qxb7+

30...Qxg5+ 31.Kc2

 Sigh. Another pawns vs Bishop endgame, this time with Queens instead of Rooks (see my game against CorH).

33.f4 31...Qg6+ 32.Kb2 Qb6

This hurries the loss, although Rybka's analysis is ultimately just as painful: 33.Qd3 Be7 34.f4 Qh6 35.Qg3 Qg6 36.Qh3+ Kc7 37.f5 Qg1 38.Qc3+ Kb8 39.f6 Qf2+ 40.Kc1 Ba3+ 41.Kd1 Qxh2 42.b4 Qxa2 43.e6 Qb1+ 44.Ke2 Qe4+ 45.Kd1 Qh1+ 46.Ke2 Qg2+ 47.Kd1 Qf1+.

33...Qxd4+ 34.Kb1 Ba3 35.Qg4+ Kc6 36.Qc8+

Resignation would have been okay, instead.

36...Kb6 37.Qc2 Qg1+ White resigned