Jerome Gambit: Might As Well Jump

 I just found a new metaphor for playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), from a Q&A on the Science ABC website:

Can You Survive If You Jump In A Free-Falling Elevator Just As It Hits The Ground?

No. Jumping just as a free-falling elevator hits the ground will not save you. From, say, the 20th floor an elevator slams into the ground at roughly 30 m/s (≈108 km/h); even an Olympic-level vertical jump can only subtract about 4 m/s from your downward speed (a 15% reduction in velocity and roughly 27% in kinetic energy). You would also have to time it to within milliseconds while disoriented and weightless, which is essentially impossible. 

Similarly, playing the Jerome and counting on being able to "jump" at the last moment seems "impossible" - but players do it, successfully, every day.

For example, ryuugu-rena, playing White, below, has almost 1,600 games in The Database, scoring 58%.

ryuugu-rena - arjunsrikanth100

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

This position was looked at by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in the July 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal.

Black (who is better) indicates that he has material to return - and a King to protect.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qf4+ Nf6 

ryuugu-rena has aso seen 8...Qf6 9.d3 [best]

And 9.Qg3 Nh6 (9...h6 10.Nc3 Be6 11.O-O c6 12.d3 Ne7 13.Be3 Bb6 14.Qxd6 Rd8 15.Qg3 g5 16.Bxb6 axb6 17.f4 Kg7 18.e5 Qg6 19.Ne4 g4 20.Qf2 c5 21.Ng3 Nf5 22.b3 h5 23.Rad1 h4 24.Nxf5+ Qxf5 25.d4 cxd4 26.Rxd4 Rxd4 27.Qxd4 Qxc2 28.Qxb6 Qc6 29.Qf2 h3 30.f5 Bxf5 31.g3 Be4 32.Qf7+ Kh6 33.Rf6+ Qxf6 34.Qxf6+ Kh7 35.e6 Rc8 36.Qh4+ Kg7 37.Qxg4+ Bg6 38.Qd4+ Kf8 39.Qh8+ Ke7 40.Qxc8 Bf5 41.Qxb7+ Kxe6 42.Qc8+ Ke5 43.Qxf5+ Kxf5 44.a4 Ke5 45.a5 Kd5 46.b4 Kc6 47.g4 Kb5 48.g5 Kxb4 49.a6 Black resigned, ryuugu-rena - ArTuR-GmB, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022) 10.O-O Kf7 11.Nc3 c6 12.d3 Rf8 13.e5 dxe5 14.Ne4 Qe7 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.Qf3+ Kg8 17.Qh5 Bb6 18.Qxh6 Bf5 19.Ng3 Rf6 20.Qg5+ Bg6 21.Nh5 Rf7 22.Qg3 Kh8 23.Qg4 Raf8 24.Ng3 Rxf2 25.Kh1 Rxf1+ 26.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 27.Nxf1 Qc5 28.Qc8+ Kg7 29.Qxb7+ Kh6 30.d4 Qxd4 31.Ne3 Qxe3 32.Qxb6 Qxb6 33.c3 Qxb2 34.a3 Qc1 checkmate, ryuugu-rena - simonafude, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021; 

And 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.c3 Nxe4 11.d4 Bb6 12.O-O Kf7 13.f3 Nf6 14.Bg5 Bf5 15.Nd2 Rhe8 16.g4 Bg6 17.f4 Bd3 18.Rf3 Bb5 19.c4 Bxd4+ 20.Kg2 Bc6 21.Ne4 Nxe4 White resigned, ryuugu-rena - Mujikt, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022 

9...Qxf4 10.Bxf4 Nf6 11.Nc3 a6 12.O-O-O Bd7 13.d4 Bb6 14.e5 Nh5 15.Bg3 Nxg3 16.fxg3 Ke7 17.Nd5+ Kd8 18.Rhe1 dxe5 19.dxe5 Ba7 20.e6 Bc6 21.Nb6+ Ke7 22.Nxa8 Rxa8 23.Kb1 Rf8 24.a3 b5 25.Rd2 Bb6 26.Rd3 Rf2 27.h4 Rxg2 28.Rc3 Bd5 29.Rd3 c6 30. b3 Black resigned, ryuugu-rena - ManchesterUnitedFc, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021 

9.O-O 

Or 9.Nc3 a5 10.O-O Be6 11.d3 Ke7 12.Be3 Bb4 13.Nd5+ Nxd5 14.exd5 Bxd5 15.Qg3 Kd7 16.c4 Bc6 17.Qxg7+ Kc8 18.a3 Rg8 19.Qxg8 Qxg8 20.f3 Bc5 21.d4 Ba7 22.b4 Qxc4 23.bxa5 Bxd4 24.Bxd4 Qxd4+ 25.Kh1 Kd7 26.Rad1 Qa4 White resigned, ryuugu-rena - Florian_Allgeier, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021 

9...Kf7 10.c3 

10...g5 

Black offers a pawn to open a file against the enemy King.

This is a sharp move, and quite playable in a 3-minute game.

ryuugu-rena has also faced 10...Rf8. The game continued 11.d4 Bb6 12.e5 dxe5 13.dxe5 Kg8 14.exf6 Rxf6 15.Qc4+ Be6 16.Bg5 Bxc4 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Nd2 Bxf1 19.Rxf1 Re8 20.Ne4 Rxe4 21.Rd1 Qxf2+ 22.Kh1 Re1+ 23.Rxe1 Qxe1 checkmate, ryuugu-rena - Mazaness-Hacker, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

11.Qxg5 

White takes up the offer.

Stockfish 16.1 prefers 11.Qg3 Nh5 12.Qf3+ Kg6 13.Qd1 Rf8 14.d4 Bb6, and the White Queen has quietly returned to her throne, while Black maintains his advantage.

11...Rg8 

The idea. White's Queen is going to be harassed.

12.Qf4 Rg4 13.Qf3 Rxe4 14.d4 Bg4 15.Qg3 

Black has a piece for two pawns, plus the "two Bishops".

Most of his pieces are on the battlefield, while most of White's pieces are still at home.

15...Bb6 

With apologies to the faint-hearted, it is timely to quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, "When you strike at a king, you must kill him".

Black has been hammering his opponent, but, now, suddenly, he retreats a  piece from the field.

The game could have continued 15...Be2 16.f3 Re6 17.Re1 Bb6 18.Bg5 h6 19.Bxh6 Qg8 with advantage to the second player.

16.f3 Nh5 

This move looks crushing, but, speeds up his loss. Better was 16...Re6, but after 17.fxg4 things would still look grim for him. 

17.fxe4+ Kg6 18.Qxg4+

Black resigned

Checkmate will follow.

Jerome Gambit: Homer Shakes His Head Vigorously (Part 2)

                                                         

[continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - henrymehta

Wal2010's 3rd Thematic, Chess.com, 2026

                               

White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece, and has some hope for 

a compensating attack against Black's somewhat exposed King.

9.Qc4+

Or 9.Qd3 as in perrypawnpusher - anandh, blitz, FICS 2011 (0-1, 11); perrypawnpusher - Duir, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 42); and perrypawnpusher - bartab, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 19).

9...Ke8

Or 9...Ke7 as in perrypawnpusher - Avious, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 40)

Or 9...d5, the strongest response, as in perrypawnpusher - GladiadorAguila, Play The Italian Game III, Chess.com. 2023 (0-1, 31)

10.0-0 d6 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 Ne5 

I am usually happy to see the defender's Knight come to e5, as I usually can boot it with a well-timed f2-f4.

13.Qe2 

After the game, Stockfish 16.1 (30 ply) recommended 13.Qb3 giving the line of play 13...c6 14.f4 Ng6 15.Bxf6 gxf6, breaking up Black's Kingside pawns.

The idea was that if the defender captured on f6 with his Queen, then 16.e5 would give White some play.

13...Be6 14.b3 

I worried about my opponent responding to my planned 14.f4 with 14...Bc4. Post-mortem computer analysis focused on giving up the exchange with 15.Qe1 Bxf1 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.Qxf1 which does not look appealing.

14...g5 15.Bg3 h5 

Wow.

It was now time for me to exchange off my threatened Bishop, but I thought that I could hold off for a move.

16.Rad1 Qe7 Nd5 

There is nothing to this, as henrymehta shows.

18.exd5 Bg4 

Looking at this Bishop sortie a few moves earlier, I told myself I can just block it with my pawn, and I didn't give it a second thought.

Of course, when my opponent actually played the move, I looked closer, and gasped.

Sure, it was now possible to give up the exchange with 19.Qb5+ c6 20.Qb4 Bxd1, but after 21.Qxd1 I would be down a Rook for a pawn.

So I moved, expecting the worst.

19.f3 Nxf3+

Excellent.

My opponent had played too strongly for me to try to continue with 20.gxf3 Qe2 21.Rde1 Bxf3 22.Rxf3 Qxe1+ 23.Bxe1 entering the endgame down the exchange and a pawn and hoping for a swindle.

White resigned

Many years ago, a friend of my mother asked, in all sincerity, "If you are so smart, why aren't you...?" She caught herself, embarassed.

"Rich?" asked my mother.

Her friend nodded, and they both had a laugh.

So: If I am so smart when it comes to the Jerome Gambit, why couldn't I last at least 20 moves in this game?

I can only laugh.

Jerome Gambit: Homer Shakes His Head Vigorously (Part 1)

A few days ago, I posted on this blog "Homer Nods". 

Along that line of thought, today's post is fairly titled "Homer Shakes His Head Vigorously".

That said, I must compliment my opponent for his sharp, final move (and forget, as soon as possible, that he is rated 300 points less than me). 

perrypawnpusher - henrymehta

Wal2010's 3rd Thematic, Chess.com, 2026

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

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

According to The Database, I have played the line 78 times, scoring 74%. Petty successful for a "refuted opening" - but not this time.

4...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 

7...Bxd4 

Or 

7...d6, as in perrypawnpusher - OudeKwakkelaar, blitz, FICS 2011 (1/2-1/2, 62); or

7...Bd6, as in perrypawnpusher - joseluislopez, blitz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 55); perrypawnpusher - lixuanxuan, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 22); perrypawnpusher - LttlePrince, Italian Game Classic, Chess.com, 2020 (0-1, 29); and perrypawnpusher - andrewLLL, Italian Game Battlefield, Chess.com 2020 (1-0, 18); or

7...Bb4, as in perrypawnpusher - kezientz, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 9); perrypawnpusher - Abatwa, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 17); perrypawnpusher - Gibarian, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 33); perrypawnpusher - obmanovichhh, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39); perrypawnpusher - Aerandir, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); perrypawnpusher - LydenChess, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 15); and perrypawnpusher - SSGSSGSSG, blitz, FICS, 2018 (1-0, 20);  or

7...Neg4 as in perrypawnpusher - xxfred, blitz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 28); or

7...Re8 as in perrypawnpusher - hklett, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 31) and perrypawnpusher - strandskatan, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 38); or

7...Ng6 as in perrypawnpusher - aksakal, blitz, FICS, 2017 (1-0, 17); or

7...Nc6 as in perrypawnpusher - hudders, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 13); or 

7...Nd3+ as in perrypawnpusher - genericme, blitz, FICS, 2015 (1-0, 22); or

7...Nf3+ as in perrypawnpusher - wertu, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 20) and perrypawnpusher - catmandu, blitz, FICS, 2014 (0-1, 12); 

Are you still with me?

Good.

Because there is more.

8.Qxd4 Nc6 

Or 8...Re8 as in perrypawnpusher - hklett, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 20); perrypawnpusher - KaZC, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2-1/2, 61); perrypawnpusher - Fazmeister, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 36); perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Italian Game, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 34); perrypawnpusher - spince, blitz, FICS, 2014 (0-1, 41);   perrypawnpusher - andrewLLL, Italian Game Battlefield, Chess.com, 2020 (1-0, 39);

Or 8...Qe7 as in perrypawnpusher - BigKalamar, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 49) and perrypawnpusher - OudeKwakkelaar, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 16).

That's enough, for now. If you have been clicking on even a few of the links above, you've probably learned a lot about the Jerome Gambit - and had enough of this post.

[to be continued]

Jerome Gambit: Alert! Alert!

 

I make use of Google Alert to inform me when it finds "Jerome Gambit" in its searches on the internet.

Alert has been helpful, until a few days ago, when every relevant link to online sites that it found directed me back - to this blog. 

It's nice being discovered, but I already knew about me.

Jerome Gambit: Closed and Open

Closed/Open Positions

The Jerome Gambit can break the position wide open - but it also can be played in a closed manner, close-to-the-vest.

In the following game, Bill Wall keeps things closed, until it is beneficial to open the game.

Wall, Bill - Salma

SparkChess, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8. Qxc5 d6 9. Qe3 Nf6

Here we have a standard Jerome gambit position.

Bill has reached it in 17 of his games, scoring 94%.

10.O-O Kf7 11.d4 Re8 12.Nc3 b6 13.f4 Bb7 

Black has taken a hypermodern approach to defending against the Jerome Gambit.

Currently, his extra piece outweighs White's two extra pawns.

We have seen ideas like this before, for example in "Hypermodern Defense", "Jerome Gambit: Juggling Tactics", "Things are looking up" and "Jerome Gambit: For the Defense".

14.f5 Ne7 15.Qf3 Kg8 16.Bg5 Rf8 

Black's pieces brace for the assault.

White can open a file, or lock things down and move slowly.

17.Rad1 Qe8 18.d5 

Lock down, it is.

For now.

18...Qh5 

At first glance, this looks like a dual threat: Exchange Queens (which benefits Black, with the extra piece) or prepare an attack (with ...Ng4).

Unfortunately the move played, was actually a losing choice.

19.Qxh5 Nxh5 20.Bxe7 

Capturing the Knight means White is now two pawns ahead.

20...Rf7 

21.g4 

It was also possible to withdraw the Bishop to h4.

21...Rxe7 22.gxh5 Rf8 23.Rf3 Ba6 24.Rg3 b5 25.Rd4 c5 

Overlooking White's response.

26.dxc6 ep

The defender has too many threats to deal with: White's passed pawn at c6, White's threat to bring his Knight to d5, and a stifled Bishop outnumbered on the Queenside, to mention 3.

Black resigned

Homer Nods

Yury V. Bukayev pointed me to the following online 5-minute blitz game, featuring Magnus Carlsen, Volen Dyulgerov (known online as Witty Alien), and a timely Bxf7+ by White.

Carlsen, Magnus - Dyulgerov, Volen

5 0 blitz, Chess Club Showdown, Chess.com 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4 

Transposing to the Center Game.

4...Nc6 5.Qe3 Bb4 6.Bd2 O-O 7.O-O-O Re8 

Black's move was first played by Henry Bird

8.Qf4 

This idea was introduced by Judit Polgar

As mentioned: 8.f3 d5 9.Be1 d4 10.Qf2 Qe7 11.Nb5 Bc5 12.Qg3 Bb6 13.Ne2 Nh5 14.Qh4 Qe5 15.Na3 Be6 16.Kb1 Nf6 17.Nc1 Qc5 18.g4 Qe7 19.Qg3 Bc5 20.Nc4 b5 21.Na5 Nxa5 22.Bxa5 c6 23.h4 Nd7 24.g5 Nb6 25.b3 Rab8 26.Bxb6 axb6 27.h5 Ra8 28.Bd3 Ba3 29.h6 Bxc1 30.Kxc1 Bxb3 31.hxg7 Qa3+ 32.Kd2 Bxc2 33.Ke2 Bxd1+ 34.Rxd1 Qxa2+ 35.Kf1 Qb3 36.Ke1 Qc3+ 37.Kf1 Ra2 38.f4 Rd2 39.Rxd2 Qxd2 40.e5 Ra8 White resigned, Fleissig,B - Bird,H, Vienna, 1882; 

Alternately: 8.Qg3 Rxe4 9.f3 Re8 10.Bd3 Ne5 11.Be2 d5 12.f4 Bxc3 13.Qxc3 Ne4 14.Qb3 Nxd2 15.Rxd2 Nc4 16.Rd1 Ne3 17.Rd2 c6 18.Nf3 Nxg2 19.Rg1 Nxf4 20.Bd1 Qf6 21.Rf2 Nh3 22.Rfg2 Nxg1 23.Rxg1 Qf4+ 24.Kb1 Re3 25.Re1 Rxe1 26.Nxe1 Qd2 27.Qd3 Qxe1 28.Qe2 Qxe2 White resigned, Kulkarni,R - Carlsen,M, Chess.com,  2017. 

8...Bxc3 

Or 8...d6 9.f3 Be6 10.g4 Nd7 11.Nh3 Nde5 12.Ng5 Nd4 13.Qg3 Bc4 14.Be3 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Ne2+ 16.Bxe2 Bxe2 17.Rde1 Ba6 18.h4 c5 19.h5 Nc4 20.Qf4 f6 21.Nxh7 Kxh7 22.Qf5+ Kh8 23.h6 g5 24.f4 Nxe3 25.Rxe3 gxf4 26.Rf3 Re5 27.Qxf4 Be2 28.Rf2 Bc4 29.Rd2 Qe7 30.Kb2 Re8 31.h7 b5 32.Rh6 b4 33.Rxf6 Rxe4 34.Qg5 bxc3+ 35.Kxc3 Re3+ 36.Rd3 Bxd3 37.cxd3 Qe5+ 38.Qxe5 R3xe5 39.Rxd6 Kxh7 White resigned, Polgar,J - Kasimdzhanov,R, Moscow,  2002

9.Bxc3 Nxe4 

Or 9...Rxe4 10.Qg3 d5 11.f3 Re8 12.Ne2 a5 13.Nf4 Nb4 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.a3 Bf5 16.axb4 axb4 17.Nxd5 Ra1+ 18.Kd2 Qxb2 19.Qxc7 Rxd1+ White resigned, Nepomniachtchi,I - Carlsen,M, Leuven, Belgium, 2017. 

10.Bc4 Nxc3

Or 10...Nf6 11.Nf3 d6 12.Ng5 Be6 13.Bd3 h6 14.h4 Nd5 15.Bh7+ Kh8 16.Rxd5 Bxd5 17.Be4 f6 18.Bxd5 fxg5 19.hxg5 Ne5 20.g6 Black resigned, Winawer,S - Steinitz,W, Nuremberg, 1896 

The Database has a game that continues 10...Re7 11.Bxf7+ Rxf7 12.Qxe4 Qg5+ 13.Kb1 d6 14.Nf3 Qf5 which appears even, although White later lost in 59 moves in Jahnz,L - Harshavardhan, G, Titled Tuesday, 24th June, early, Chess.com, 2025

11.Bxf7+ Kh8 12.Bxe8 Qxe8 

Somewhat better is 12...Nxa2+ 13.Kb1 Qxe8 14.Kxa2 d6 with some compensation for the sacrificed exchange. 

13.bxc3 Ne5 

Somewhat extravagant. Better is 13...d6 14.Nf3 Qg8 15.Rhe1 Bd7 although White is still on top.

14.Nf3 Nxf3 15.Qxf3 d6 16.Rhe1 Qg8 

Stockfish 16.1 (30 ply) assesses White as over 4 1/2 pawns better at this point.

17.Re7 Be6 18.Qxb7 Rb8 19.Qxc7 Bxa2 

20.Rde1? 

Homer nods.

Instead of doubling Rooks, the pawn capture, 20.Rxd6 is still winning. 

20...Rb1+ 21.Kd2 Qd5+ White resigned

White's Rook on e1 is going to be lost.

Jerome Gambit: Countering the Counter

Bill Wall is familiar with the Counter-Jerome defense, and quickly counters it.

Wall, Bill - Onix

internet, 2026

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5

7...Bxf2+ 

The Counter-Jerome defense.

8.Kxf2 Nh6 

Also seen: 8...Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Kxf6 (9...Nxf6 10.Kf3 (10. Nc3 b6 (10...d6 11.d3 a6 12.Bg5 Kg7 13.Bxf6+ Kxf6 14.Nd5+ Kg7 15.Nxc7 Rb8 16.c3 Rf8+ 17.Ke3 b5 18.h4 Rf7 19.Ne8+ Kg8 20.Nxd6 Rf6 21.e5 Re6 22.d4 Bb7 23.Nxb7 Rxb7 24.Ke4 Black resigned, Wall,B - SCMJ, FICS, 2020) 11.Rf1 Ba6 12.d3 Kg7 13.Bg5 Rhf8 14.Ke2 Ng4 15.h3 Ne5 16.Nd5 c6 17.Nc7 Bb7 18.Nxa8 Rxa8 19.Bf6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Naren, SparkChess, 2024) 10...d6 11.Nc3 Bg4+ 12.Kg3 Rhe8 13.Rf1 Kg7 14.Rxf6 Kxf6 15.Kxg4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest4380606, PlayChess.com, 2015) 10.Nc3 c6 11.Rf1 Kg7 12.Kg3 Ne7 13.b3 d5 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Bb2+ Kg8 16.Bxh8 Kxh8 17.Rf7 Nc6 18.exd5 Ne5 19.Rc7 b6 20.Re1 Nd7 21.Re8+ Kg7 22. Rxd7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Kumar, internet, 2023) 

As well as 8...Nf6 9.Rf1 d6 10.Qg3 Nxe4+ 11.Kg1+ Kg7 12.Qf3 Bf5 13.g4 Qg5 14.d3 Qxg4+ 15.Qxg4 Bxg4 16.dxe4 Rae8 17.Nc3 a6 18.Nd5 Rxe4 19.b3 Bh3 20.Bb2+ Re5 21.Rfe1 Black resigned, Wall,B - Basiq, SparkChess 2024; 

And 8...Qh4+ 9. Kf1 (9.g3 Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.Nc3 d6 (11...Re8 12.d3 d6 13.Bg5 Ng4+ 14.Kg2 h6 15.Raf1+ Kg7 16.Bd2 Bd7 17.Nd5 Rac8 18.Bc3+ Kg8 19.h3 c6 20.hxg4 cxd5 21.Rxh6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest2115687, PlayChess.com, 2014 dxe4 22.Rh8 checkmate) 12.d3 Bg4 13.h3 Be6 14.Bh6 Ke8 15.Ke3 Kd7 16.Bg7 Rhf8 17.Bxf8 Rxf8 18.g4 a6 19.g5 Nh5 20.Rhf1 Re8 21.h4 c6 22.b4 d5 23.exd5 Bh3+ 24.Kd4 Bxf1 25.Rxf1 cxd5 26.Nxd5 Kd6 27.c4 Ng3 28.c5+ Kc6 29.Rf6+ Kb5 30.Nc7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest592370, PlayChess.com, 2017) 9...Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+Nxf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.e5 Nh5 13.Ne4 Ke6 14.Ng5+ Ke7 15.d4 Rf8+ 16.Ke1 h6 17.Ne4 g5 18.Bd2 b6 19.Bb4+ c5 20.Nxc5 bxc5 21.Bxc5+ Ke8 22.Bxf8 Kxf8 23.h4 g4 24.Rf1+ Kg7 25.c4 Ba6 26.b3 Rd8 27.d5 Re8 28.e6 dxe6 29.d6 Rd8 30.Rd1 Ng3 31.Rf4 h5 32.c5 Nf5 33.Ra4 Bb7 34.Rxa7 Rd7 35.Rxb7 Rxb7 36.c6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest1443273, PlayChess.com. 2012 

9.Rf1 Ng4+ 10.Kg1+ 

The check makes a difference.

10...Kg8 

The threatening Black Knight needed to return.

Now, checkmate arrives.

11.Qd5+ Kg7 12.Rf7+ Kh6 13.d4+ g5 14.h4 d6 15.Bxg5+ Black resigned