Blunder, Sir??

I've been working through a list of my Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games, looking at the ones that I haven't posted yet – and wondering why I haven't shared them. Sometimes the reason is simple: the game is a decent crawl uphill on my part (remember, the opening is refuted) making steady, small gains – until my opponent blunders big time.

That "lesson" is probably worth sharing: if you're going to play the Jerome Gambit, it really helps to use it against someone who likes to blunder.

In the following game, I kind of just work hard enough to win.
perrypawnpusher - klixar
FICS rated blitz game 2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

A defensive idea as old as Alonzo Wheeler Jerome himself, who mentioned it in a July 1874 article in the Dubuque Chess Journal.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3
More usual is the Queen check at f4.

8...Nf6 9.Nc3 Ng4

In a blitz game it has to look good to threaten forking the enemy King and Queen, but this sally is easily parried.
10.0-0 g6 11.d3 Kg7 12.h3 Ne5 13.Kh1 Rf8 14.f4 Kh8

Black has castled by hand and retains the advantage.

15.Bd2 Nc6 16.Nd5 Be6 17.Ne3

Rybka suggests that White mix it up with 17.f5 gxf5 (17...Bxd5 18.fxg6) 18.Bg5 Qd7 19.Bf6+ Rxf6 20.Nxf6 Qg7 21.Qxg7+ Kxg7 22.exf5 Bxa2 23.Nxh7 Bd5 when Black's edge is small.

17...Rg8 18.c3 d5 19.d4

White uses his Jerome Gambit imbalance: the pawns.

19...Be7 20.e5 Bh4 21.Qf3 Qf8 22.g3 Be7 23.g4 Qf7 24.f5 gxf5 25.gxf5 Bc8

Now 26.Nxd5 or 26.e6 is the way to continue the pressure.

26.f6 Bf8 27.Nf5 Bxf5 28.Qxf5

The game is relatively even, and remains that way until...

28...Re8 29.Rae1 Nd8 30.Kh2 Ne6 31.Rg1 Rxg1 32.Rxg1a5 33.Qg4

Black lost on time