An Odd Line in an Odd Line

One of the modern members of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) Gemeinde, Louis Morin, played White in the following game. It's a simple equation: Jerome Gambit + blitz = anything can happen.

guest1200 - satmonger
ICC 2 12, 2001
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7


Quite unusual: given the choice of four refutations (5...Kf8, 5...Ke6, 5...Ng6 and 5...g6) Black choses a move instead that gives White the advantage.

6.Qh5 Qf8


It is rare that counter-sacrificing the Bishop at f2 is a good move for the second player (see "Jerome Gambit Strikes in Denmark!"), but here it was his best choice: 6...Bxf2+ 7.Kxf2 Qf8+ 8.Nf3 Nf6 with advantage to White, according to Rybka.

7.0-0

With 7.Nxc6+ bxc6 8.Qxc5+ White would have been happily two pawns ahead.

7...d6 8.Ng6+ hxg6 9.Qxh8


9...Nd4 10.Na3 Ne2+ 11.Kh1 Be6 12.d4 Bxd4 13.f4


Aggressive, but risky, as Black's pieces are beginning to swarm and White's Queen risks entrapment.

13...Qf6 14.Nb5 Bb6

White's Knight sortie is a distraction, and helps bring the game back into balance.

15.Bd2 a6 16.Nc3 Nxc3 17.Bxc3 Bd4


After 17...Qf7 the game would have been roughly equal. But this gives White a chance.

18.e5 dxe5 19.fxe5 Qxe5 20.Bxd4 Qxd4 21.c3 Qe5 22.Rae1 Qd5


Now Black's game collapses. He had to try the tactical 22...Rf8, although that allows White to spring his Queen and win material: 23.Qh4+ g5 24.Qb4+ Qd6 25.Qxd6+ Kxd6 26.Rxf8,

23.Qxg7+ Kd6 24.Rd1 Qxd1 25.Rxd1+ Kc6 26.Qxg6 Black resigns