Jerome Gambit-Inspired Play (Part 4)

A solid belief of the Jerome Gambiteer is "In complications we trust". A lot of action goes on in the following game, but Philidor 1792 again shows himself to be the master of the clock in 3-minute games. By the last move, Black has frittered away almost all of his advantage - but, more importantly, all of his time.

Philidor 1792 - guest1063
3 0 blitz, www.bereg.ru, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6

The game has transposed to a Two Knights Defense, although I have to mention the alternative: 3...Nxe4 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kg8 6.0-0 d6 7.Qe2 dxe5 8.Qc4+ Black resigned, Zulkifli, Tg - Lai, Wendy, Kuala Lumpur open, 1992. 

4.Bb3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

Now we have sort of a "postponed" Jerome Gambit, with White playing the Jerome a move down (Black has the extra ...Nf6).

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 d6

There are actually 4 other games in The Database with this position, in each case White having played d2-d3, then d3-d4.

9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd3 Re8 11.Nc3 Bf5 12.0-0 Nxe4

Much better was 12...Bxe4.

13.Qd5+ Kg6 14.Rf3 Qf6 15.Nxe4 Rxe4 16.Rg3+ Kh6

White wants to attack, and Black, as his clock ticks down, has to defend.

17.Rh3+ Bxh3 18.f5+ Kh5 19.Qxe4 Qxf5 20.Qe3 Rf8 21.Bd2 Bg4 22.h3 Bxh3 23.gxh3 Ne5 

24.Kg2 g5 25.Bc3 h6 26.Re1 Qf4 

Not the strongest, but Black is running short of time, and swapping Queens would simplify a position in which he has a 2-pawn advantage.

27.Bxe5 dxe5 28.Qxe5 Qf2+ 29.Kh1 Qf3+ 30.Kh2 Qf4+ 31.Qxf4 Rxf4 

32.Kg3 Kg6 33.Re7 Rc4 34.c3 h5 35.Re8 g4 36.hxg4 hxg4 37.Rg8+ White won on time