Jerome's Double Gamble

Today's post's title plays on an early name for our opening, once referred to as "Jerome's Double Gambit."

As far back as the post "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter IV" I mentioned that Unorthodox Openings Newsletter editor Gary K. Gifford had rightly classified our opening - "Jerome Gambit, or Jerome Gamble?" (UON #17).

Even earlier, in "But - is this stuff playable?" Part I and Part II, I had given an unqualified "no" and a qualified "yes" as answers to my question.

Maybe a more useful question would be -- "Under what conditions might the Jerome Gambit be playable?" ...[A]t the right time (and time control), with the right opponent, playing in the right mood – perhaps the Jerome Gambit is a bit playable...

In the following game, Bill Wall gives it his best shot, but seems to be facing the wrong opponent at the wrong time...

Bill has included a few suggestions.

Wall,B - Guest874250
PlayChess.com, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3

Instead, 8.Qf4+ would be met by 8...Qf6. 

8...Nf6 

Possibly a bit stronger than the alternatives, 8...d5, which was seen in Wall,B - GoldCoinCollector, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17); Wall,B - Thieveyen, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 61); Wall,B - GuestZCLK, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); and Wall,B - bfcace, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 25); and 8...Qe7 from Banks,P - Dunne,D, Worcestershire v Derbyshire, 2010 (1-0, 35).

9.Nc3

Likewise, Bill has played 9.d3, as in Wall,B - Badbeat994, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 48); and Wall,B - Milsrilion, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 50).

9...Kf7

Black tried 9...Nh5 in Wall,B - Ahmadi,S, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 59), but that move, alone (about equal to the text) was not responsible for the game's outcome.

10.0-0

Or 10.d3.

10...Rf8 11.d3

Another idea was 11.Qh4 Kg8. 

11...Be6 

Or 11...Kg8 as in perrypawnpusher - truuf, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 32).

12.Be3

Possibly 12.Kh1 Kg8 13.f4; or 12.Ne2 Nh5 13.Qf3+ Kg6 14.Nf4+ Nxf4 15.Bxf4 Qf6. 

12...Nh5

If 12...Bxe3 then 13.Qxe3.

13.Qf3+

Or 13.Qg5 Qxg5 14.Bxg5 Kg8.

13...Kg6 14.Qe2

Possibly 14.Qd1 Bxe3 15.fxe3 Qg5. 

14...Nf4 15.Bxf4 

If 15.Qd2, then 15...Qg5; but not 15.Qf3? because of 15...Nh3+. 

15...Rxf4

16.g3

Ideas: 16.Qd2 Qf6; or 16.e5 Bg4; or 16.Na4 Qg5.

16...Rf7 17.e5

Or 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.exd5 Qf6; or 17.h4 Bh3 18.Rfe1? Rxf2.

17...dxe5 18.Qxe5

Attacking both bishops.

18...Qd6 

19.Qe4+

More attractive than trading Queens with either 19.Qxd6 cxd6 20.Kg2 Bd4; or 19.Rae1 Bf5.

19...Bf5

Better for White was either 19...Kh6 20.Rae1 or 19...Kf6 20.Qxb7 

20.Qxb7

Or 20.Qg2 Re8 

20...Re8 21.Qg2

White's choices are becoming limited, e.g. 21.Qb5 Re5 22.Qb7 c6; or 21.g4 Bxg4 22.Qg2 h5; or 21.Na4 Bh3 22.Nxc5 Qxc5. 

21...Bg4 22.Ne4 

Or 22.h3 Bf3 23.Qh2 Bc6. 

22...Qe5 

23.Rae1

Alternatives: 23.Rab1 Qh5 24.Nxc5 Bf3; 23.c3 Qh5; 23.Nxc5 Qxc5 24.c3 Bf3 25.Qh3 Be2. 

23...Bb6 

Or 23...Bf3 24.Qh3 Bb6. 

24.b4

If 24.c3 Qe6 25.d4 Bh3; if 24.b3 Qf5; not 24.Nc3? Qxe1! 25.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 26.Qf1 Rxf2 27.Qxe1 Rxc2+; if 24.c4 h5 25.b4 Bf3 26.Qh3 Bd4.

24...Qe7 25.a3

More solid than 25.h4 Qxb4; or 25.b5 Qd7 26.h4 Bh3; or 25.Rb1 Qd7.

25...Qd7 26.h4 

Instead, 26.Nc5 Bxc5 27.bxc5 Bf3 loses the Queen. 

26...Bh3 27.Qh1 

If 27.Qh2, then 27...Qg4.

27...Ref8

Or 27...Bxf1 28.Kxf1 h6.

28.Rc1

If 28.Re2 then 28...Qg4 29.Rd2 Be3

28...Qg4 29.Qh2 h6 30.c4 Bd4 31.Rcd1 Rf3 32.Rd2 R8f4 White resigned.