The Return of Jerome Gambit for Dummies (Part 6)

Referring to 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ as "The Jerome Gamble", Gary K. Gifford put his finger on the uncertainty and the risk of loss vs risk of gain in this particular opening.

Quite possibly Gifford would refer to the subsequent line 4...Kxf7 5.d4 as the "Jerome Gamble Gamble".

Once again looking for the "essence" of the Jerome Gambit, or at least an insight into how it "works" (as I have been doing in the "Return" series), I ran into an 8-move game that utilized that gambling center pawn sacrifice.

EstonianBear - Lesic
blitz, FICS, 2002

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.d4

White's second "gamble" in the classical "Jerome Gamble" line comes when he plays 5.Nxe5+. In this modern "Jerome Gamble" line, White's second "gamble", instead, is 5.d4.

This move has several points (starting with not sacrificing a second piece), not the least of which is making the move Nf3-g5 possible without risking the Knight's capture – see "The Return of Jerome Gambit for Dummies (Part 2)".

This position shows up about 1,540 times in The Database (scoring 38%), the most recent time being in the game Bill Wall - Guest1366999, Playchess.com, 2011 (1-0).

5...Nxd4

Of Black's 3 possible captures of the d-pawn, taking with the Knight seems least strong. Currently, The Database shows White scoring 27% against 5...Bxd4, 36% against 5...exd4, and 45% against 5...Nxd4.

6.Nxe5+ Kf8 7.Qh5

Continuing to go for the jugular. Robots might recommend the pedestrian 7.Be3, instead.

7...g6 8.Nxg6+ Black resigned

For some reason this got me thinking about the old song Little Ole' Man, sung by Bill Cosby, which I heard about 45 years ago.

A little ole' man was sittin' on a step

And a tear trickled own his cheek.
I said "What's the matter?"
He said "A train just ran over me."
I said "Hmm. How often does this happen?"
He said "Everyday about this time."
I said "Well, why do you just sit out here then?"
He said "Cause I cannot believe that this happened."
I said "Reach out, take my hand, you'll understand."
Baby, everything is alright, uptight, outta sight. Baby, everything is alright, uptight, outta sight.

Little ole' man was sittin' on the step, same ole' man.
And a tear trickled down his cheek.
I said "What's the matter?"
He said "A herd of elephants just stampeded over me."
I said "Hmm" same "Hmm."
I said "How often does this happen?"
He said "Everyday, a half hour after the train runs over me."
I said "Reach out, take my hand, you'll understand."
Baby, everything is alright, uptight, outta sight. Baby, everything is alright, uptight, outta sight.

Little ole' man sittin' on a step, same ole' man.
A tear trickled down his cheek.
I said "Hey, how ya doin' after that train ran over ya?"
He said "WHAT train?"
I said "The train that ran over ya a half hour before the elephants stampeded over ya."
He said "What elephants?"
I said "Hmm" same "Hmm."
He says "You're a young boy."
Says "Ya got a lot to learn."
He says "Reach out, take my hand, you'll understand."
Baby, everything is alright, uptight, outta sight. Baby, everything is alright, uptight, outta sight