Jerome Gambit: A Closer Look

The other day I was looking at the Jerome Gambit game CassomaD4 - covich, lichess.org, 2025 (1–0, 26), and began to ponder the value of White castling before playing Bxf7+.

Fortunately, I had given the question some thought previously in this blog. 

First, I looked at "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 4)"

So we have 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.0-0, which has more going for it than is generally realized.

International Master Tim Harding, writing in his "Kibitzer" column at ChessCafe, noted 

4 0-0 is not a move you will see played by experienced players; it is simply not direct enough.

International Master Jan Pinski, in Italian Game and Evans Gambit, was even more dismissive

4.0-0 is completely toothless, and Black can do as he pleases.

Perhaps the second player will be so lulled by the move that he will play 4...Bc5, when 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 transforms the game into a "modern" Jerome Gambit variation (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6)? In this line, the updated New Year's Database has 548 games. White scores 39%.

Bringing those statistics up to date, The Database [the updated New Year's Database] now has 3,181 games with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6, with White scoring 42%.

Then there is the post Chess Brawl

Facing the Two Knights Defence [1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.0-0], White offers his opponent the chance to play the Boden Kieseritzky Gambit with 4...Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3, etc. The Database has games with GeniusPawn playing this line, going back to 2000.

4...Bc5

Black declines, but then faces a Jerome-ish response. 

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 

This unusual position has only occurred 4 times in The Database, a collection of over 24,500 games.

It is as if White were playing Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's original intention, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5 and then decided, before playing 6.d4 and risking 6...Qh4 (see "Danger? He laughs at danger!"), that he would first 0-0, allowing Black to insert ...Nf6... 

Again, current statistics from The Database on 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5, show 840 games, with White scoring 50%.

Then, there is Strike First!

It is worth taking a minute to go back to the post "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 4)"

4...Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

5...Kxf7

White has transposed to a "modern" variation of the Jerome Gambit [i.e. not 5.Nxe5+], 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.0-0 Nf6. Bill has 11 examples in The Database, all wins. He decides to throw Nxe5+ in, anyhow.

6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 

It is the pawns (White has two extra) vs the pieces (Black, temporarily, has two more), a typical Jerome Gambit imbalance. Bean counters look elsewhere.

More related games can be added with the post Okay With the Delay

This reasonable move [4.0-0] was looked at in "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 4)".

Bill has also played 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 as in Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com 2010 (0-1, 25); Wall,B - Roberts, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17); Wall,B - DarkKnight, Cocoa Beach, FL 2012 (1-0, 23); Wall,B - Guest1459913, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 38);  Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS 2011 (1-0, 22); Wall,B - Guest1872464, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 30).

Of course, Philidor1792 has played 4.Bxf7+ here, any way, in 3-minute games.

4...Bc5

Or 4...Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ as in Wall, B - NTLZ, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 42).

Now there is a chance for a Delayed Jerome Gambit.

5.Bxf7+ 

So, maybe there is something worth looking at in 4.0-0, after all - especially since I have already looked at it, a bit.

Jerome Gambit: Willie Sutton Again

Here is a recent Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7) game by Bill Wall.

Why does Bill play the Jerome?

I have quoted Willie Sutton before: When he was asked why he robbed banks, he said, “Because that's where the money is.”

Why does Bill play the Jerome Gambit? 

Because that is where the points are. In over 1,150 Jerome Gambit games in The Database, he has scored 94%.

Wall, Bill - Kumar

internet, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 

5.Nc3 

Delaying the second Jerome sacrifice.

5...h6 

Transposing to a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

White gains more from his 5th move than Black gains from his.

Bill has also seen 5...d6 6.O-O (6.d3 h6 7.Na4 Bb4+ 8.c3 Ba5 9.O-O Nf6 10.h3 b5 11.Qb3+ d5 12.Qxb5 Qd6 13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Qxc6 Qxc6 15.Nxe5+ Ke6 16.Nxc6 Bb6 17.Bf4 Nd5 18.Rfe1+ Kf5 19.Re5+ Kxf4 20.g3+ Kf3 21.Nxb6 axb6 22.Nd4 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest190971, PlayChess.com 2020) 6...Bg4 7.d3 Nd4 8.Nxe5+ dxe5 9.Qxg4 Nf6 10.Qd1 c6 11.Na4 Bd6 12.Be3 Ne6 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.Nc3 Rad8 15.Ne2 Rhf8 16.Qc3 Kg8 17.Qb3 Rde8 18.Bxa7 Kh8 19.Be3 Ng4 20.Bb6 Qb8 21.h3 Nf6 22.Ng3 Nd4 23.Qc4 Nd7 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Qxd4 c5 26.Qa4 Rd8 27.Nf5 Nb6 28.Qb5 Qc7 29.Ne3 Qc6 30.Qxc6 bxc6 31.a4 Ra8 32.a5 Nd7 33.Nc4 Be7 34.e5 Rfb8 35.b3 h6 36.f4 Bd8 37.a6 Nb6 38.Na5 Rxa6 39.Nxc6 Rxa1 40.Rxa1 Rc8 41.Nxd8 Rxd8 42.Ra5 Ra8 43.Rxc5 Ra2 44.c4 Rd2 45.e6 Rxd3 46.e7 Re3 47.Re5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Rahman,N, Chess.com 2010; or

5...Nf6 6.Qe2 (6.d3 Re8 7.Bg5 d6 8.O-O Nd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.Nd5 Be6 11.c3 Bxd5 12.cxd4 Bc6 13.d5 Bd7 14.f4 Kg8 15.Qb3 Qc8 16.fxe5 Rxe5 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Rxf6 b6 19.Raf1 Qb7 20.Rf7 Bg4 21.Qc2 Rc8 22.Qf2 Qb8 23.Qf6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Benjamin, internet, 2023) 6...Rf8 (6...d6 7.Na4 Nb4 8.Qc4+ Ke8 9.a3 b6 10.axb4 Bxb4 11.Qxb4 Bg4 12.Nc3 c6 13.d4 d5 14.Nxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest153817, PlayChess.com 2018) 7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4 Qe7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4 12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2 14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 17.Qf7 checkmate, Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010. 

6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6

Bill has also faced 7...Ng6 8.Qd5+ Kf8 (8...Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qa3 N8e7 11.O-O Nh4 12.d4 Neg6 13.f4 Rf8 14.Be3 Bg4 15.Qb3 Rb8 16.f5 Ne7 17.Bf2 Nexf5 18.exf5 Nxf5 19.Rae1+ Kd7 20.Qe6+ Kc6 21.d5 checkmate, Wall,B - Mbgmx, Chess.com 2010) 9.Qxc5+ N8e7 10.f4 d6 11.Qf2 Nc6 12.d4 Qh4 13.g3 Qh3 14.f5 Nge7 15.f6 Nf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Nd5 Rhf8 19.Nf4 Rae8+ 20.Be3 Qg4 21.h3 Qg5 22.O-O-O Nb4 23.Qd2 Qxg3 24.Nh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Jllib976, Chess.com 2010.

8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.b4 Bb6 

Or 9...Bxb4 10.Nb5+ Kc6 11.Nxd4+ Kd6 12.Nb5+ Kc6 13.Qxe5 d6 14.Nd4+ Kd7 15.Qe6 checkmate as in Wall,B - My10, 2017.

10.f4 Qf6 

Sometimes Black's Queen belongs on f6, sometimes not.

Today, not.

11.fxe5+ Qxe5 12.Nb5+ Black resigned

Black's Queen is about to be robbed of her support.

Jerome Gambit: Easy Does It

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is largely known for its wild "Bashi-Bazouk" style of attack. However, in the following game, Bill Wall, with over 950 games in The Database, shows he can play the Jerome slow and easy, as well.


Wall, Bill - Guest190971
PlayChess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nc3 

This is one of the "modern" Jerome Gambit variations. The "classical" lines continue with 5.Nxe5.

5...d6 

Bill has also seen:

5...Nf6 6.Qe2 d6 (6...Rf8 7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4 Qe7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4 12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2 14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 17.Qf7 Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010) 7. Na4 Nb4 8. Qc4+ Ke8 9.a3 b6 10.axb4 Bxb4 11.Qxb4 Bg4 12.Nc3 c6 13.d4 d5 14.Nxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest153817, PlayChess.com, 2018; and

5...h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 (8...Kf8 9.Qxc5+ N8e7 10.f4 d6 11.Qf2 Nc6 12.d4 Qh4 13.g3 Qh3 14.f5 Nge7 15.f6 Nf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Nd5 Rhf8 19.Nf4 Rae8+ 20.Be3 Qg4 21.h3 Qg5 22.O-O-O Nb4 23.Qd2 Qxg3 24.Nh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Jllib976, Chess.com 2010) 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qa3 N8e7 11.O-O Nh4 12.d4 Neg6 13.f4 Rf8 14.Be3 Bg4 15.Qb3 Rb8 16.f5 Ne7 17.Bf2 Nexf5 18.exf5 Nxf5 19.Rae1+ Kd7 20.Qe6+ Kc6 21.d5 checkmate, Wall,B - Mbgmx, Chess.com 2010 

6.d3 

Or 6.O-O Bg4 7.d3 Nd4 8.Nxe5+ dxe5 9.Qxg4 Nf6 10.Qd1 c6 11.Na4 Bd6 12.Be3 Ne6 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.Nc3 Rad8 15.Ne2 Rhf8 16.Qc3 Kg8 17.Qb3 Rde8 18.Bxa7 Kh8 19.Be3 Ng4 20.Bb6 Qb8 21.h3 Nf6 22.Ng3 Nd4 23.Qc4 Nd7 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Qxd4 c5 26.Qa4 Rd8 27.Nf5 Nb6 28.Qb5 Qc7 29.Ne3 Qc6 30.Qxc6 bxc6 31.a4 Ra8 32.a5 Nd7 33.Nc4 Be7 34.e5 Rfb8 35.b3 h6 36.f4 Bd8 37.a6 Nb6 38.Na5 Rxa6 39.Nxc6 Rxa1 40.Rxa1 Rc8 41.Nxd8 Rxd8 42.Ra5 Ra8 43.Rxc5 Ra2 44.c4 Rd2 45.e6 Rxd3 46.e7 Re3 47.Re5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Rahman,N, Chess.com  2010 

6...h6 7.Na4 Bb4+ 8.c3 Ba5 9.O-O Nf6 

10.h3 b5 

Black believes he has trapped White's offside Knight. He is mistaken. In his attempt to hold things together, he surrenders his advantage. 

11.Qb3+ d5 

Bill suggests 11...Kg6 12.Qxb5 Qe8 and White has grabbed the pawn, but he still has work to do.

12.Qxb5 Qd6 

This move doesn't work. Why not?

13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Qxc6 Qxc6 15.Nxe5+ Ke6 16.Nxc6 Bb6

White is now ahead 3 pawns, and Black's Bishop pair and slightly better development are not adequate compensation.

17.Bf4 Nd5 18.Rfe1+ Kf5 19.Re5+ 

This looks like a simple attempt to exchange his Bishop for the Knight, but it is more than that.

19...Kxf4 20.g3+ Kf3 21.Nxb6 axb6 22.Nd4 checkmate

Very nice.


graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

At Long Last, A Jerome Gambit

!

The following game (with interesting lessons) is one that I have referred to a number of times on this blog, but never presented it in full, or with notes. I am only 6 years late, but, here we go...

Wall, Bill - Roberts, Conner
Chess.com, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nc3

Bill chooses one of the "modern" Jerome Gambit lines. As far as I can tell, in the days of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, the "classical" 5.Nxe5 was always played.

5...Nf6

A few games with different responses, to study:

5...d6 6.O-O Bg4 7.d3 Nd4 8.Nxe5+ dxe5 9.Qxg4 Nf6 10.Qd1 c6 11.Na4 Bd6 12.Be3 Ne6 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.Nc3 Rad8 15.Ne2 Rhf8 16.Qc3 Kg8 17.Qb3 Rde8 18.Bxa7 Kh8 19.Be3 Ng4 20.Bb6 Qb8 21.h3 Nf6 22.Ng3 Nd4 23.Qc4 Nd7 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Qxd4 c5 26.Qa4 Rd8 27.Nf5 Nb6 28.Qb5 Qc7 29.Ne3 Qc6 30.Qxc6 bxc6 31.a4 Ra8 32.a5 Nd7 33.Nc4 Be7 34.e5 Rfb8 35.b3 h6 36.f4 Bd8 37.a6 Nb6 38.Na5 Rxa6 39.Nxc6 Rxa1 40.Rxa1 Rc8 41.Nxd8 Rxd8 42.Ra5 Ra8 43.Rxc5 Ra2 44.c4 Rd2 45.e6 Rxd3 46.e7 Re3 47.Re5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Rahman,N, Chess.com,  2010; and 

5...h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 (8...Kf8 9.Qxc5+ N8e7 10.f4 d6 11.Qf2 Nc6 12.d4 Qh4 13.g3 Qh3 14.f5 Nge7 15.f6 Nf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Nd5 Rhf8 19.Nf4 Rae8+ 20.Be3 Qg4 21.h3 Qg5 22.O-O-O Nb4 23.Qd2 Qxg3 24.Nh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Jllib976, Chess.com, 2010) 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qa3 N8e7 11.O-O Nh4 12.d4 Neg6 13.f4 Rf8 14.Be3 Bg4 15.Qb3 Rb8 16.f5 Ne7 17.Bf2 Nexf5 18.exf5 Nxf5 19.Rae1+ Kd7 20.Qe6+ Kc6 21.d5 checkmate, Wall,B - Mbgmxm, Chess.com, 2010.

6.Qe2

Here Black's brain should be screaming "Why Did He Play That Move?" I guess it wasn't. After all, he was playing against a ridiculous opening, and it was easy to feel comfortable and conficent and slow down his effort...

6...Rf8

To be fair, this move is often part of castling-by-hand to give Black's King needed safety. However, it is not well-timed.

7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9. Qc4 Qe7 

10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4

Black is down a pawn, so, of course, he plays to get one back, and there seems to be one available (with White's King uncastled on the same file as Black's Queen!) but in this case he seems to have been affected by the "negative halo effect"

When people notice a good trait in a person, they often assume other positives. With the Jerome Gambit  often a negative "halo effect" occurs – if the early moves are bad, many of the other ones must be bad, too.

No, Bill did not leave the e-pawn hanging.

12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2

Black decides to go out in a blaze of glory.

14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 

Threatening checkmate!

17.Qf7 checkmate

Shared Difficulty

I have always found the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit to be one of the more difficult variations in the Jerome. This is probably due to the additional development which, among other things, restricts my Queen from making wild advances.

Even Bill Wall has experienced relative "difficulty", scoring only 91% in his games with the line. The following game is quite a rarity.

Wall, Bill - Guest343560
PlayChess.com, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

5...Kxf7 6.Qe2

Also seen are 6.d4 and 6.Nxe5+.

6...d5

Other moves have allowed Bill to utilize his Queen on a different diagonal, e.g. 6...Rf8, which led to 7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4 Qe7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4 12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2 14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 17.Qf7 checkmate Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010. See also Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22); Wall, Bill - NFNZ, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); and Wall,B - Guest1872464, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 30).

Or 6...d6 7.Qc4+ as in Wall,B - Guest1459913, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 38).

Or 6...h6 7.Qc4+ d5 8.Qxc5 as in Wall,B - DarkKnight, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 23),

7.exd5

Better was 7.Nxd5, as in Wall, Bill - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25) 

7...Nd4 

This is an improvement over 7...Nxd5 8.Qc4 Nce7 9.Nxe5+ Ke6 10.Qxc5 Kxe5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.c4 b6 13.d4+ Ke4 14.Qc6 Be6 15.Qxe6+ Kxd4 16.cxd5 Qxd5 17.Be3+ Kc4 18.Rc1+ Kb5 19.Qxd5+ c5 20.O-O Rhd8 21.Qc4+ Kc6 22.b4 Kb7 23.Qd5+ Ka6 24.Qc6 Rac8 25.Qa4+ Kb7 26.Rfd1 Rxd1+ 27.Rxd1 cxb4 28.Qxb4 Rc7 29.Qb5 h6 30.Rd7 Rxd7 31.Qxd7+ Ka6 32.Bd2 g5 33.a4 g4 34.Qb5+ Kb7 35.Bxh6 a6 36.Qd7+ Kb8 37.Bf4+ Ka8 38.Qc7 b5 39.Qb8 checkmate, papernoose - jsit, FICS, 2004. 

8.Nxe5+ Kg8 9.Qc4 Qd6 10.O-O a6 11.Nd3 Ba7 12.Rb1 Bf5

Black is developing, while White struggles to get his pieces coordinated. An attack on White's King combined with an attack on his Queen brings the game to a quick conclusion.

13.a3 Ng4 14.g3 Nxh2 15.Kxh2 b5 White resigned

Okay With The Delay

Lately, not a lot of opponents have answered 3...Bc5, which would give Bill Wall a chance to play the Jerome Gambit. In the following game he shows some patience, and it turns out that he is okay with the delay.

Wall,B - Marz
PlayChess.com, 31.08.2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights Defense.

4.0-0

This reasonable move was looked at in "Jerome Gambit vs Two Knights Defense (Part 4)".

Bill has also played 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 as in Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com 2010 (0-1, 25); Wall,B - Roberts, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17); Wall,B - DarkKnight, Cocoa Beach, FL 2012 (1-0, 23); Wall,B - Guest1459913, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 38);  Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS 2011 (1-0, 22); Wall,B - Guest1872464, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 30).

Of course, Philidor1792 has played 4.Bxf7+ here, any way, in 3-minute games.

4...Bc5

Or 4...Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ as in Wall, B - NTLZ, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 42).

Now there is a chance for a Delayed Jerome Gambit.

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6 

This kind of retreat is seen by White in response to the "fork trick" in the Italian Four Knights Game. Here 7...d6 improves.

8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.f4 Nxe4

Looking for more trouble. Instead, 9...Bd6 10.e5 Bc5+ 11.Kh1 d5 12.exf6 gxf6 when White has an edge.

10.fxe5+ Nf6

Defense with 10...Ke8 is best, but after 11.Qg4 Qe7 12.Qxe4 White is a piece up.

11.exf6 g6 

Now the Jerome Gambiteer finishes with style.

12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Bh6+ Ke8 14.f7+ Ke7 15.Qe5 checkmate

The What??

I know, I know, it baffles me, too, but some players continue to underestimate the Jerome Gambit - to their own discomfort and demise. While some people would never play the Jerome Gambit, they can be at risk against someone who plays it, and plays it, and plays it...

Wall,B - Guest1872464
PlayChess.com, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, which can also be reached from the regular Jerome move order: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 Nf6.

6.Qe2 

A favorite move of Bill, and an idea as old as Ruy Lopez, who proposed it in the Bishop's Opening - 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qe2 - in 1561.

Black overlooks the move's intention, and suddenly White is OK.

6...Rf8?! 

More solid for Black was 6...d6 7.Qc4+ (7.0-0, Wall,B - Darkmoonstone, Chess.com, 2011, [1-0, 29]) as in Wall,B - Guest1459913, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 38); or

6...h6 7.Qc4+ as in Wall,B - DarkKnight, Cocoa Beach, FL 2012 (1-0, 23); or the direct

6...d5 as in Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25). 

7.Qc4+ d5 

Black tried 7...Ke8 in Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0,17) and Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22). 

8.Qxc5 dxe4 

Or 8...d4 as in Wall,B - NFNZ, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15). 

9.Nxe5+ Nxe5 10.Qxe5 Re8 11.Qf4 Kg8 12.0-0 c6 

13.b3 Bg4 

An aggressive and thought-out move, but Bill suggests instead 13...Be6. 

14.Bb2 Bh5 15.Rae1 

Threatening 16.Nxe4. 

15...Bg6 16.Qg5 Nd5 17.Qg3 Rc8?

Alternatives: 17...Nb4 18.Nxe4 Nxc2 19.Qc3 Qd4; or 17...Qd7. 

18.Nxe4 Qd7 

Not 18...Bxe4?? 19.Qxg7#. 

19.Nd6 Rxe1 20.Rxe1 Rf8 21.d3 Nb4 22.a3 Nxc2?

Black cuts his material imbalance to one pawn, at the risk of trapping his Knight. More solid was 22...Nd5. 

23.Re2 Bxd3? 

Black might have tried 23...Rd8 as after 24.Rxc2? (correct would be 24.Qe5) 24...Qxd6 25.Qxd6 Rxd6 26.Rd2 Rxd3 the game would be even. 

24.Qxd3 Rd8 25.Qc4+ Kh8 26.Rd2 

An alternative was 26.Qf7 Qxf7 27.Nxf7+ Kg8 28.Nxd8. 

26...Qe7 27.Nf7+ Kg8 28.Rxd8+ Qxd8 29.Nxd8+ Kh8 30.Qf7 Black resigned

Mate is unavoidable.

And then what...?

As a therapist in my "day job" I often have the opportunity to help my clients expand their understanding of consequences of behaviors by asking them to look further: "And then what...?"

In the following game Black does a good job of defusing the primar threat behind White's 6th move, but he then becomes lax at just about the time he should have asked himself "And then what...?"

Wall,B - Guest1459913
Playchess.com, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

5...Kxf7 6.Qe2 

A quiet move that you can find in a number of Bill's Jerome Gambit games.

6...d6 

Dodging the misfortunes of 6...h6 7.Qc4+ in Wall,B - DarkKnight, Cocoa Beach, FL 2012 (1-0, 23); 6...Rf8 7.Qc4+ in Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 17), Wall,B - Hamilton,E, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22) and Wall,B - NFNZ, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15). 

An alternate was 6...d5 as in the rare Wall,B - Samvazpr, Chess.com, 2010 (0-1, 25) 

7.Qc4+ Be6? 

You can almost read Black's mind: I took care of that move with 6...d6. Now I strike back by attacking the Queen with my Bishop!

8.Ng5+ 

Oh, well, yes, there is that...

8...Kg6 9.Nxe6 Qd7 

10.f4

Threatening 11.f5+ Kf7 12.Nxc5+, winning the Queen.

10...h6 11.fxe5 Nxe5 12.Nxc5 Nxc4 13.Nxd7 Nxd7 14.d3 Nce5 15.0-0 c6 

Players like myself (and perhaps Guest1459913) are often relieved, if not downright hopeful, when we find ourselves facing a strong player like Bill, being "only" a pawn down - with Queens off of the board, to boot.

This is usually an error in thinking: strong players can wield that extra pawn the way ordinary players wield an extra piece.

16.h4 Rhf8 17.Bd2 Kh5 18.Ne2 Kxh4 19.Nd4 g5 20.Nf5+ Kh5 21.Nxd6 b6 

In case anyone is paying attention, White now has a protected passed pawn.

22.d4 Ng4 23.Nf5 Kg6? 24.Ne7+ Kh5 

25.Nxc6 

This wins another pawn, although Bill points out that 25.Rf3! was stronger.

25...Ndf6 26.Bb4 Rfc8 27.Ne7 Rxc2? 28.Rf3

Threatening 29.Rh3 mate 

28...Ne3 29.Rxe3 Rxb2 30.Rh3+ Kg4 31.Rf1 Nxe4 32.Nd5 Re2 33.Ne3+ Rxe3 34.Rxe3 Ng3 35.Rff3 Nh5 36.Bd6 Rd8 37.Re4+ Nf4 38.Bxf4 Black resigned