Jerome Gambit: Drilling Down (16)

Hiarcs 8 and Revved Up are at it again, in a confusing "discussion" of the 6...Ng6 variation of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). Black starts out with the typical advantage that the Jerome gives him (although not as much as in other variations) and then it seems to melt, move by move, like an icicle in the sun...


Hiarcs 8 - RevvedUp
blitz 2 12, 2006

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Be6

10.f4 N6e7 11.0-0 Nf6
RevvedUp prefers this quieter move to Hiarc 8's choice in the last game of ...d5 (see "Jerome Gambit: Drilling Down (15)").

12.f5 Bf7 13.b3 Nc6 14.Bb2
Hiarcs 8 has adopted an interesting positional approach to the position that looks effective for White, even though Black may still retain a bit of his advantage.

14...Ke7
A provocative move, aiming to free the Rook at h8. An alternative was ...h5 at some point, using the piece on its home file.
15.d4 Re8 16.e5
16...dxe5

In this razor-sharp position, allowing 17.e6 could hardly have seemed like a good idea at the time, but it looks like Black can keep the game even with some decisive play, returning his extra piece: 16...Kf8 17.e6 Qe7 18.d5 Nxd5 19.Qf3 Nf6 20.exf7 Qe3+ 21.Qxe3 Rxd3 22.Nd2 Kxf7.
17.dxe5 Nd5
A tactical oversight
18.Qc5+ Kd7 19.e6+ Bxe6 20.fxe6+ Kxe6 21.Nc3 Nxc3
Black's King is in grave danger.

22.Bxc3 Qh4 23.Qf5+ Ke7 24.Rfe1+ Kd6 25.Rad1+ Nd4 26.Bb4+ Kc6 27.Qc5+ Kd7 28.Rxd4+ Black resigns

Hiarc 8's middle game play, while "quiet", bears further investigation.