Jerome Gambit: Tournament Progress

 

With 2 games to be completed in my group in the Jerome Gambit Classic #1 tournament at Chess.com, it looks like I will be joined in Round 3 by cool64chess and xulian.

All 4 other groups have completed play.

Also headed into futher play is accattone44, Eeduardo26, hamedkargarfard7, josephstalle, mconto, moisesah,  PetrosianGridlock, Seisiro_Chess, sinipete, szachmach, vkar33, and wolfverner,

I have not played anyone in that second group, previously.

I wish good chess to all of my opponents.

Jerome Gambit: Humor vs Success

How do you respond to White's sacrifice of a Bishop in the Jerome Gambit?

One defense, with a bit of humor, depends upon Black returning the Bishop with his own sacrifice.

However, being humorous does not necessarily mean successful, as the following game shows.

SedulousWay - dk1210

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

The "Counter-Jerome Defense" or the "Counter-Jerome Gambit". See "Jerome Gambit: How Bad Has It Gotten?", "Jerome Gambit: Tactical Awareness" and "Jerome Gambit: Be Careful, Look Both Ways".

For more recent examples, see "Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit (Part 3)" and "Jerome Gambit: Psychology".

Checking The Database, there are 585 games with this sacrifice. Alas, Black scores 28%.

8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 

This is the plan: to exchange Queens, and drain White's attack of its energy.

On one hand, this is sound strategy, as White will have to deal with frustrated dreams.

On the other hand, Black has gone from being ahead by a couple of pieces to being ahead by one piece to being behind by a pawn.

9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 

10.d3 d6 11.Rf1 h6 12.Nc3 Be6 13.Be3 Raf8 14.h3 Ke7 15.Kg1 

White has castled-by-hand. Black has decided to keep his King in the center, perhaps to assist his Queenside pawns. White is better, but the Bishops-of-opposite-colors threaten drawish play.

15...g5 16.Bd4 Rhg8 17.Rxf6 Rxf6 18.Bxf6+ Kxf6 19.Rf1+ Kg7

Is a bullet speed endgame easier to play than a Jerome Gambit opening?

20.Kf2 

Headed toward the center. 

20...Rf8+ 

Not so fast.

21.Ke2 Rxf1 22.Kxf1 Kf6 

23.Kf2

Again.

There was also time for 23.Nb5, although play is complicated: 23...Bxa2 24.Ke2 Bf7 25.Nxc7 a6 26.Ke3 Ke7 27.Kd4 Kd7 28.Nd5 a5 29. Ne3 b5 30. g3 Be6 31. h4 gxh4 32. gxh4 h5; the computer sees this position as almost 4 pawns better for White - but Stockfish can see ahead 30 ply.

23...Ke5 24.Ke3 c5 25.Ne2 

Offering a pawn. How do you assess that in the remainder of time you have left, if you started with only 1 minute?

25...Bxa2 

Unwise. Better was central play with 25...d5.

26.b3 a5 

Hoping to rescue the Bishop. Not much better was 26...Bb1 27.Kd2 h5 28.Kc1 Ba2 29.Kb2 Bxb3 30.cxb3. 

27.Nc3 Bxb3 28.cxb3 h5 29.g4 h4 

Locking up the Kingside does not change things.

30.Nb5 d5 31.exd5 Kxd5 32. Nc3+ Ke5 

33.Ne4 

Black has too many weaknesses.

33...Kd5 34.Nxg5 b5 35.Nf3 c4 36.dxc4+ bxc4 37.bxc4+ Kxc4 

Piece placement now helps White win the pawn race.

38.g5 a4 

Black might have tried to enlist the clock to his side by stretching things out (unless he was behind in time): 38...Kd5 39.Nd4 Ke5 40.Nc6+ Kd6 41.g6 Ke6 42.Nxa5 Ke7 43.Kf4 Kf6 44.g7 Kxg7 45.Nc6 Kg6 46.Nd4 Kh5 47.Nf5 Kg6 48.Nxh4+ Kf7 49.Kg5 Kg7 50.Nf5+ Kf7 51.Kh4 Kf6 52.Kg4 Kg6 53.h4 Kf6 54.h5. Even though the lone remaining pawn is a Rook pawn, the Knight will help it advance and promote.

39.g6 a3 40.g7 a2 41.g8=Q+ Black resigned

White's x-ray attack will win the passed pawn, just in time.

Jerome Gambit: Maybe Not This Time

Regarding the following game, I had to look up "sedulous": (of a person or action) showing dedication and diligence.

Dedication, maybe so; diligence, maybe not this time.

Sigh. Bullet chess.

SedulousWay - victor_a10gr

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 d6 

Blackburne's Defense.

8.Qxh8 

Despite a scary game warning - see Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885 (0-1, 14) - this capture is playable, if White knows theory. 

8...Qh4 9.g3

The kind of thing that can happen in a 1-minute game.

This is definitely not the way Jerome Gambit goes. See "Update: Old Dog Can Still Bite".

 9...Qxe4+ 10.Kf1 

Or 10.Kd1 Bg4+ 11.f3 Bxf3#

10...Bh3+ White resigned

To add a historical perspective, let me dip further into The Database:

10...Qxh1+ 11.Ke2 Bg4+ (11...Qe4+ 12.Kd1 [12.Kf1 Qxc2 13.Qxh7+ Kf8 14.Nc3 Qd3+ 15.Kg1 Bf5 16.b3 Re8 17.Bb2 Qxd2 18.Na4 Qxf2+ 19.Kh1 Be4 checkmate, Tiny25 - Dashology, lichess.org, 2023] 12...Bg4+ 13.f3 Bxf3 checkmate, burraburra - rsiemon, FICS, 2012) 12.f3 (12.Kd3 Qf3+ [12...Re8 13.Qxh7+ Kf8 14.Nc3 Bf5+ 15.Kc4 Qc6 16.b4 b5+ 17.Kb3 Be6+ 18.Kb2 Bd4 19.Qh4 Bxc3+ 20.dxc3 Bf5 21.Bh6+ Nxh6 22.Qxh6+ Ke723.Re1+ Kd7 24.Qg7+ Kd8 25.Rxe8+ Qxe8 26.Qd4 Qe5 27.Qxa7 Qe4 28.Qb8+ Kd7 29.Qxb5+ Qc6 30.Qxc6+ Kxc6 31.a4 Kb6 32.Kb3 c6 33.Kc4 Bxc2 34.f4 Bxa4 35.Kd4 Kb5 36.h4 Bb3 37.h5 White won on time in a losing position, DjUncleSam - mertlivesthere, lichess.org, 2022; 12...Qd5+ 13.Kc3 Be6 14.b3 Nf6 15.d3 Qd4+ White resigned, TwilightSands - Lala5th, lichess.org, 2023] 13.Kc4 Be6+ 14.Kb5 a6+ 15.Ka4 Qc6+ 16.Ka5 Qb5 checkmate, imerio - Cibola, FICS, 2020) 12...Re8+ 13.Kd3 Qxf3+ 14.Kc4 Re4+ 15.d4 Qe2+ 16.Kb3 Qb5+ 17.Kc3 Bb4+ 18.Kb3 Bd2+ 19.Ka3 Qb4 checkmate, Nesseerd - AJIT, FICS, 2003.

Jerome Gambit: Blowing Open

The Jerome Pawns, the two that White gets in exchange for his piece sacrifice(s) are helpful in a number of ways.

In the following game, they advance and blow open the enemy defenses.

accattone444 - sinipete

Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

As old as Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1/2 - 1/2, 29).

6.Nxc6 bxc6 

The capture 6...dxc6 is recommended, instead, to prevent White's next move.

7.d4 Be7 8.O-O d6 

As is sometimes the case, 8...d5 is more effective. Perhaps Black was concerned that it would be answered by 9.e5 with a protected advanced passed pawn. 

9.c4 Nf6 10.Nc3 Ba6 11.b3 Kf7 

Black hopes to castle-by-hand.

Some prevention might have come from covering the light squares with 11...Qd7. 

12.f4 

Pawns vs piece, a Jerome Gambit theme.

12...g6 

Consistent with his 11th move would have been 12...Rf8 13.e5 Nd7 14.Qg4 Kg8. 

13.e5 Ne8 14.f5 

Here comes trouble.

14...gxf5

Best was 14...dxe5, but 15.fxg6+ would still rip things open. 

15.Qh5+ Kg8 

Mate in 2.

16.Qxf5 

Still forcing mate, but missing 16.e6 followed by 17.Qf7#. 

16...Nf6 17.exf6 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Keep On Keeping On.

A strong defense against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) requires White to keep the pressure on, and to keep on keeping on - until an opportunity arises to resolve the game as a win for the first player. 

angelcamina - LeoCarlos04

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Ke8 

9.c3  

This time White works on building his pawn center.

Previously he played 9.O-O Bd6 10.Qe3 Nf6 11.Nc3 Bb4 12.d3 Bxc3 13.bxc3 d6 14.Ba3 Kf7 15.f4 Re8 16.e5 Nd5 17.Qd4 Qe6 18.c4 Ne7 19.Rae1 Nc6 20.Qf2 Qf5 21.exd6 Rxe1 22.Rxe1 cxd6 23.Bxd6 Be6 24.h3 h5 25.c5 Re8 26.Qf3 g6 27.c3 Bd5 28.Rxe8 Bxf3 29.gxf3 Kxe8 30.Be5 Qxd3 31.Kg2 Qc2+ 32.Kg3 Qxa2 33.Kh4 Kf7 34.Kg5 Qb3 35.Kh6 Qc4 36.Kg5 Qxc5 37.Kh4 Qc4 38.Kg3 a5 39.Kh4 a4 40.Kg5 a3 41.Kh6 a2 42.Kh7 a1=Q White resigned, angelcamina - almostagm, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020; and the interesting

9.Qxc7 Bxf2+ in angelcamina - mistrustful, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021 (1-0, 23). 

9...Nh6 

With the plan to bring the Rook to the f-file to harass the enemy Queen.

10.d4 Rf8 11.Qg3 Bb6

Black's great lead in piece development means that White has to be careful.

12.Bxh6 gxh6 13.O-O Qxe4 14.Nd2 Qf4 

To exchange off White's strongest piece, which will get little rest.

15.Rae1+ Kd8 16.Qh3 d5 17.Qd3 Bf5 18.Qe2 c6 

Black's two Bishops out-shine White's Knight. 

His problem is his unsafe King - which would have been better protected by 18...Qd6. 

White sees his opportunity and quickly takes advantage of it.

19.Qe7+ Kc8 20.Qxf8+ Kc7 21.Re7+ Kd6 22.Qf6+ Be6 23.Qxe6 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: To the Bitter End

My opponent in the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) game was not going to give up easily, he was determined to battle to the bitter end - 64 moves, at that. 

perrypawnpusher - ce_1

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+ 

Here we have another strange Jerome Gambit position. Playing the White pieces, I have arrived here 26 times in my games, and have scored 88% - even though Stockfish 15.1 (40 ply) considers it about 3 1/2 pawns better for Black.

Go figure.

10.Kf1

Or 10.Kd1, as in the humorus, imaginary, game R.F. - Nibs, telephone chess, 1899. 

10...Ne7 

11.Qxc5+ 

Best, but I was not happy playing it. With Black's King out in the open, a Queen could be pretty handy - but I had been here before and knew the top move.

11...Kxc5 12.gxh4 Nxh4 

There was also 12...d5 as seen in perrypawnpusher - DaniyarManat, "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2020 (1-0, 29). 

13.Nc3 d6

Black's extra piece outweighs White's extra pawn. His King appears to be in more danger, although that may be an illusion.

14.d3 Bh3+ 15.Kf2 Nhg6 16.f5 

More to the point would be 16.Be3+.

16...Ne5 17.Kg3 

Threatening the Bishop, but Black can simply give it back for a couple of pawns.

17...Bxf5 18.exf5 Nxf5+ 19.Kg2 Nh4+ 20.Kg3 Nhf3 

A bridge too far.

Black could have returned his Knight to f5, and if 21.Kf4, then 21...Rhf8.

21.Be3+ Kc6 

Avoiding 21...Nd4 22.Ne2 Nec6 23.Nxd4 Nxd4 24.c3 but surrendering a piece.

22.d4 Nxd4 23.Bxd4 Nc4 24.b3 Na3 25.Ne4 

In a bit of a role reversal, White has an extra piece for two pawns.

25...Kd5 

Attacking two pieces, echoes of White's 20.Kg3.

26.Bxg7 

Escaping the King, with a threat on an enemy piece. However, 26.Bb2 had the same idea, and was stronger.

26...Rhg8 27.Nf6+ Kc6 28.Nxg8 Rxg8 29.Kf3 Rxg7 

Black has a pawn for the exchange.

30.Rhg1 Rf7+ 31.Ke2 Kb5 32.c3 c5 33.Raf1 Re7+ 

Black rightly refuses to exchange his active Rook.

34.Kd2 c4 35.Rf5+ Kc6 36. Ra5 Nb5 37. bxc4 Nc7 38. Rxa7 Rf7 

39.Rg2 Na6 40.Ra8 Nc5 41.Re8 Na4 42.Ree2 Nb2 43.Re4 d5

My opponent had the right idea: exchange off pawns, and work to reach a Rook plus Knight vs Rook endgame, because it is very drawish.

44.cxd5+ Kxd5 45.Rd4+ Kc5 46.Rg5+ Kc6 47.Kc2 Rf2+ 48.Rd2 Rxd2+ 49.Kxd2 Nc4+ 

Stockfish 15.1 evaluates the position as better than the equivalent of two pieces for White, but it sure didn't feel that way at the time.

Still, I had a plan.

50.Kc1 Nd6 51.Rh5 Ne4 52.Kc2 b5 53.Rxh7 Ng5 54.Rh5 Nf3

55.Kb3 

Going after Black's remaining pawn, but there was time for 55.h4.

55...Nd2+ 56.Kb4 Nf3 57.Rc5+ Kd6 58.Kxb5 Nxh2 59.a4 

59...Ng4 60.a5 Ne5 61.Rxe5 

Of course.

61...Kxe5 62.a6 Kd6 63.a7 Kc7 64.a8=Q

Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Trying to Stay Out of the Weeds

In the following game I tried not to get bogged down in the sidelines and pushed ahead, looking for a lasting advantage. Black's occassional inaccuracies helped me move along.

perrypawnpusher - carzair

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6 

A slip.

A dozen years ago I wrote in the post"Ghost of Compensation"

This is an example of the defender relaxing a bit too soon. Certainly he should feel confident, as he is two pieces ahead. He has every reason to believe that White, having played foolishly, will continue in his bizarre ways. Yet, a bit of care in analyzing the position would have shown that the attacker can now regain significant material.

According to The Database, 6...Kf6 has been played 349 times, with White scoring 77%.

Alternatives were 6...Kf8 (White scoring 48%), 6...Ke6 ( White scoring 56%), and 6...g6 (White scoring 71%).

7.Qf5+ 

Instead, 7.d4 is either a case of over-thinking or under-thinking. Clearly, White threatens two pieces and also the skewer of Black's Queen to her King, with 8.Bg5.

Of course, as the game we are looking at shows, 7.Qf5+ leads to the win of two pieces, not just threats.

Surprisingly, The Database has 23 games with 7.d4, with White scoring 87%. How can that be?

Well, on average, White in those games was rated 120 points higher than his opponent, which suggests that he had the expectation of 2/3 winning chances.

Black could have defended with 7...Bb4+ 8.c3 Nd3+ (8.Nc3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nf7 giving back a piece after 10.e5+ Ke7 11.Bg5+ Nf6 12.exf6+ gxf6) 9.Kd2 d5!? threatening to out-bizarre White, since 10.e5+ Ke6 11.Kxe3 Be7 probably would leave Black better. (It is not surprising that The Database has no game examples of 9...d5.) 

Also: It's the Jerome Gambit. Stuff happens.

And, of course, there is perrypawnpusher - Tensecterror, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 45).

7...Ke7 8.Qxe5+ 

8...Kf7 

There is not much difference in 8...Kf8, as in perrypawnpusher - badhorsey, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 30) and  perrypawnpusher - buddybuckets-dog (c), Chess.com 2023 (1-0, 32). 

9.Qd5+ 

Or 9.Qxc5 directly, as in bloodlet - perrypawnpusher, 3 12 blitz, FICS, 2007 (unfinished, 13) and perrypawnpusher - anelante, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 22).

9...Ke8 

Not 9...Kg6 as in perrypawnpusher - Navarrra, blitz, FICS, 2011, (1-0, 26). 

10.Qxc5 b6 

Or 10...d6 as in perrypawnpusher - chingching, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 36) or 10...Qe7 in perrypawnpusher - Leontes, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 11). 

11.Qe3 Nf6 12.d4 Ng4 

Not long ago (see "Jerome Gambit: Assumed, Not Easily Seen"), I fussed about this move and ...Nb4; some times they achieve little.

13.Qg3 d5 14.e5 Rf8 15.O-O c5 16.c3 cxd4 17.cxd4 Qe7 

White needs to work on his piece development, although his King is safe and he has two extra pawns.

18.Nc3 Qb7 

Creative.

19.h3 Nh6 20.Bxh6 gxh6 

Add better pawn structure to White's list.

21.Qh4 Qg7 22.Qh5+ Rf7 

Not the best piece to block the check. 

23.e6 Qg6 

If 23...Bxe6 then 24.Rae1 Qxd4 (24...Qf6 25.Qxd5 Rd8 26.Rxe6+) 25.Rxe6+. 

24.exf7+ Kxf7 

Not the position completely unravels.

25.Qxd5+ Be6 26.Qxa8 Qc2 27.Qf3+ Ke7 28.Rfe1 Qg6 29.d5 Black resigned.