Jerome Gambit: Game of the Year?

Of course, when it comes to selecting Jerome Gambit games, it is always pleasant to find one that shows a powerful attack. In the following game, Black is quite willing to mix it up with his opponent. White, however, has more sacrifices in store, and the board quickly erupts in flames. Certainly this battle bids for Jerome Gambit game of the year!

Wall, Bill - Bojovic, Dejan
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qe7 

Protecting the Knight, while establishing a veiled threat against the e-pawn and the King behind it.

8.O-O Nf6

An improvement over 8...c5 9.Qd5+ Qe6 10.Qxc5 Ne7 11.f4 d6 12.fxe5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Anonymous, lichess.org, 2016.

9.Nc3 Nc6 

Probably better than 9...c6 10.f4 Ng6 11.e5 Ng4 12.h3 Nh6 13.f5 Nh4 14.f6 gxf6 15.exf6 Nf3+ 16.Rxf3 Qe6 17.Bxh6 Rg8 18.Qd3 d5 19.Qxh7+ Ke8 20.f7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest2327120, PlayChess.com, 2014. 

10.Qd3 Nb4 11.Qc4+ Kf8 

Black would have done better to complicate things with 11...d5 12.exd5 Nxc2. 

12.e5 Nh5 

Black's Knights do not impress.

Stockfish 8, which always seems to keep an eye out for the draw, recommends 12...Ne8 13.Qf4+ Kg8 14.Qc4+ Kf8 and repetition. I can't see Bill wanting to wrap things up so quickly - at the cost of surrendering a half point.

13.f4

Protecting the e-pawn and considering possible pawn advances. Also available was the fork of the two Knights, 13.Qg4.

13...Nxc2 

The Rook on a1 looks like a good target, but this adventure will not turn out well. 

14.Nd5 Qe6 15.Qxc7 

It is not easy to see that 15.f5 is playable, as after 15...Qc6 16.Qe4 Black would have 16...Nxa1. However, White would have complex but strong play after either 17.Bg5!? or 17.f6.

White's choice in the game is practical, and still offers the Rook sacrifice. Black would now do better to decline it with 15...Qxd5 16.Qxc2 d6 17.Be3 Qf7 18.Rad1 Bf5 although White would be at least even in a complicated position.

15...Nxa1 16.f5 

Bill's idea - offer more material!

16...Qxd5

The only move that avoids checkmate. Wow.

17.Qd8+ Kf7 18.e6+ dxe6 19.fxe6+ Kxe6 

20.Re1+ Qe5 21.Rxe5+ Kxe5 22.Qxh8 Nc2 23.Qe8+ Black resigned

For the moment Black has two Knights and a Rook for his Queen, but he is going to drop the piece on h5 right away. The placement of his King, and the agility of the enemy Queen guarantee that another piece, as well as a few pawns, will also disappear soon after.