Jerome Gambit: In the Meantime

White waiting for the second round to begin in the "Italian Battleground" tournament at Chess.com, (1 game to go now in Group 3, although it will determine the final player to advance to the second round), I decided to join the "Let's Play The Italian Game" tournament on that site, as well: 15 players, split into 5 groups of 3, the winner of each trio advances. I have played 3 games so far - one of them a Jerome Gambit (yay!). (I won a game with Black, and another game with White that I was unable to transform a Two Knights into an Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.) 

I also wandered over online to FICS, and was able to snag a blitz game - against an opponent who was probably having a bad day. Still, the game had a bright moment for me - because I remembered the recent post here, "Jerome Gambit Secrets #5"!

perrypawnpusher - juliebabe
6 12 blitz, FICS, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ne7

Black hits back against the White Queen - in this situation, it is not enough.

In "Jerome Gambit Secrets #5" I noted

When I posted the game on this blog, back then, I recommended, instead [of 8...Ne7], 8...Qh4!?, which  had been played a number of times before - as early as a supposed 1899 telephone game - and which continued to be played, year after year. (So: 8...Qh4 isn't much of a "secret".)

The odd thing is, when I was reviewing the current game I had Stockfish 9 do a "blunder check", and it recommended that Black's King simply walk away with 8...Kc6!?, allowing 9.Qxe5, but giving Black a won game. The Database has 3 games with this suggestion, all wins for Black. (I can't decide if keeping the 8...Kc6 secret from the "Secret" was intentional or sloppiness.)

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.Qc3

It would be hard to forget this move after playing over Hardy, C. - NN, 10 0 blindfold, lichess.org, 2018 (1-0, 13) - " 10.Qc3!, intending 11.b4 or 11.d4, with a strong attack".

10...d6

Nine years ago I played a game that continued 10...Qf8 11.d4 Qf6 12.Qxc5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - nicolasalk, blitz, FICS, 2009, but it had slipped my mind. 

11.d4 Kd7 12.dxc5 dxc5 13.O-O b6

The distractions of the Jerome Gambit are too much. It does not help that the computer considers as best even more King wandering, i.e. 13...Kc6 14. Qf3 Kb6 although Black would still be lost.

14.Rd1+ Ke8 15.Rxd8+ Kxd8 Black resigned