I was feeling a bit cranky when I began to put this post together, so I decided upon a Jerome Gambit game that features a "TL", that is, a "TN" (theoretical novelty) that turned out to be a "theoretical lemon" as White was rudely overrun by his opponent.
Tadayoshi - AMITAF
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 d6 8.f4
Black's last move shows an indifference as to which piece White captures. (White should choose one.)
White, in turn, leaves his capture options open and adds another "Jerome pawn" to the mix. This is risky, as Black demonstrates that pawn advances can leave weaknesses in their wake.
8...Bg4 9.Qd2 Nc4 10.Qd3 d5
11.b3
Going after the annoying Knight, and perhaps even anticipating his 13th move, but needed to try the straight-forward 11.dxc5, even though it would still leave him worse.
11...Bb4
A deadly pin.
12.bxc4 Nxe4 13.Bb2 Qh4+ 14.g3 Qh3
15.Rf1 Rhe8 16.Qxe4 Rxe4+ 17.Kd2 Rxd4+ 18.Kc1 Qxf1+ White resigned
Ouch.
Black's seventh move in the following game appears almost 50 times in The Database, with the outcome overwhelmingly in White's favor. Still, after eleven moves, it is hard to see the game as an "easy" win for the first player; after all, Black can come up with some counter-play, can't he?
Tadayoshi - SkyMeadow
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4
Not best, but it doesn't lose.
8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Qd5+ Ke8 10.Qxe4 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Qe7
White is a pawn ahead, but it is an isolated, doubled pawn. Certainly Black can think up an idea to work against White's shattered Queenside.
12.0-0 Qa3 13.Bxa3 Black resigned
Okay, maybe another idea.
