The Jerome Gambit: Where are all these Jeromes coming from??

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Where are all these Jeromes coming from??

Not that I'm complaining or anything, but it seems that I'm facing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) more these days, which puts me in a bit of an awkward spot...

kavakava - perrypawnpusher
FICS rated blitz game 10 5, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.c3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7

Transposing into a "modern" (not including Nxe5 for White) version of the Jerome Gambit - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3 Nf6. I have about three dozen examples of the c2-c3 line in my database, including my game against Kevin the Fruitbat (see "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chaper XII").
6.Ng5+

The problem with this variation is that while White can be annoying, he needs a whole lot of cooperation before he can become dangerous – which can be said, I guess, about the Jerome Gambit in general.

6...Kf8 7.Qb3 Qe7

In defending against the mate threat I overlooked the tactical shot 7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Ng4+ 9.Ke2 Qxg5 netting a pawn.

8.0-0 h6 9.Nf3 Qf7

Safe enough was 9...Nxe4, but I figured that I had enough material to win – I wanted to get to a simpler position where I could begin to make use of it. A Queen exchange would have been a good start.

10.Qd1 d6 11.b4 Bb6 12.a4 a6 13.Nh4 Nxe4

14.d4 exd4 15.Qd3 d5 16.Be3

16...dxe3

Falling into White's "trap" and winning two pieces for the Rook. More precise was 16...Ne5

17.fxe3 Nf6 18.Ng6+ Kg8 19.Nxh8 Kxh8

Black now has three pieces for the Rook, and his King is out of the way. For the next dozen or so moves, we mostly shift pieces.

20.Kh1 Qe7 21.Nd2 Qxe3 22.Qc2 Bd7 23.Rae1 Qg5 24.Nf3 Qf5 25.Qe2 Re8 26.Qd2 Rxe1 27.Qxe1 Qe4 28.Qg3 a5 29.Nh4 Qg4 30.Ng6+ Kg8 31.Qd3 axb4 32.cxb4 Qe4 33.Qg3 d4