Don't Blame the Jerome Gambit (Part 2)

Yesterday's game featured White reaching a fine Jerome Gambit position out of the opening, only to miss all of the attacking splendor that he had available. Sad.

In today's game, Black understimates the danger that he faces and quickly goes from two pieces up to two pawns down. Instead of my usual, conservative, "consolidate at all costs" approach, I decided to attack violently.

And it would have worked, too, if I hadn't hung my Queen.

Again: don't blame the Jerome Gambit for this "0-1".

perrypawnpusher - chingching
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6

A rare, usually careless (see the "Halo Effect" theme) response that takes Black quickly from a won game to nearly lost one. It is not an "instant victory", but it should be close. 

7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qd5+ Ke8 10.Qxc5 d6 11.Qe3 Nf6

The Queen checks were covered in the notes to my recent games against badhorsey (1-0, 30) and navarrra (1-0, 26). Her Majesty has now returned home safely, two pawns to the better.

12.Nc3 Kf7 13.0-0 Re8 14.d3 c6 15.f4 Ng4

Completing castling-by-hand with 15...Kg8 or striking the center with 15...d5 were better ideas than the off-task, but irresistible, strike at the White Queen.

16.Qg3 Kg8 17.Bd2 d5 18.Rae1 Qb6+

This move caught me by surprise. It is actually a time-waster: compare White's Bishop and Rooks to Black's Bishop and Rooks and ask should Black be taking his Queen away from the action to win a pawn or two?

The similarity to the wandering enemy Queens in my games against irak (1-0, 33) and jgknight (1/2-1/2, 49) encouraged me.

19.Kh1 Qxb2 20.f5 Qxc2

21.Qxg4

Unnecessarily acrificing the Bishop at d2 because I believed that I had a "killer" followup move.

After the game, Houdini suggested the prudent 21.Nb1, instead, as White actually has time to protect his Queenside minor pieces because the Black Knight on g4 isn't going anywhere: after 21...Nf6 White would play 22.e5 and Black's "best" would be to hang his horsie out to dry again with 22...Nh5 23.Qf3.

Houdini's suggestion of 21.Nb1 Rf8 22.Rc1 allows Black to complete his Queenside meal with 22...Qxa2, but after 23.Qxg4 White will go a piece up and soon position his Bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal and advance his "Jerome pawns" with a winning attack on the King.

21...Qxd2

Now, the rather pathetic 22.Ne2 would preserve whatever was left of White's initiative, giving him a small edge at the very best, due to Black's delayed development.

22.f6

Well, at least I could say that the odds were with me: Black has 41 possible responses, and 40 of them lose, almost all of them very quickly.

22...Bxg4

Of course, that one remaining move wins my Queen...

I played on a bit longer and recovered some material, but there was no way that I was going to survive being down a Rook for a Queen.

23.f7+ Kf8 24.fxe8Q+ Kxe8 25.exd5+ Kd7 26.dxc6+ Kxc6 27.Ne4 Qxd3 28.Rc1+ Kb6 29.Rb1+ Ka5 30.Nf2 Qc4 31.Rfc1 Qd4 32.Nxg4 Qxg4 33.Rc3 b5 34.Ra3+ Kb6 35.Rab3 a6 36.Rd3 Rc8 White resigned

My opponent finished up nicely and deserved his comeback win.

Again, don't blame my loss on the Jerome Gambit!