Jerome Gambit: Drilling Down (22)

Here we have another Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) where the human makes a bit of a monkey out of the computer, by again taking advantage of its willingness to draw when in a worse position.

The line played is worth a look: if Crafty 19.19 takes a draw with the White pieces, is that good or bad for Jerome players? Or does it just put the kabosh on the 7...d6 variation?
Crafty 19.19 - RevvedUp
blitz 2 12, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6


7.f4 d6

This line goes back to D'Aumiller - A.P., Livorno, 1878 (see "Bright Ideas From Silicon" and "My Jerome Gambit Database"), and has been popular with computers at least since the Fisher-Kirshner - Knightstalker match of 1993 (see "A Few Words With... Micah Fisher-Kirshner"). Black returns a piece, keeping an advantage. However, White panics and immediately seeks to split the point by repeating the position; and Black, rated 1,000 points lower, is quite willing to oblige.



8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Kd6 10.Qd3+ Ke7 11.Qg3 Kd6 12.Qd3+ Ke7 13.Qg3 Kd6 14.Qd3+ Draw

I am reminded of Geoff Chandler's humorous comment about his Jerome Gambit game (see "Stuff happens...") that the Jerome Gambit is a forced draw...