Ooops...

I usually initiate challenges at the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS) but for the following game my opponent suggested first that we play. There was a 250 point rating gap between us, so I figured that I would even things out a bit by giving him "Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) odds."

The opening line was topical, which is why I present the game; but the notes will be minimal, as it turned out to be a serious mis-match.


perrypawnpusher - rodrigojalpa
blitz 2 12, FICS 2008


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

An odd idea looked at in an earlier post. See "You, too, can add to Jerome Gambit theory..."

6.Nxc6

Louis Morin played an alternative twice online: 6.Qh5+ Black resigns, guest 289 - guest 5120, ICC 2 12, 2004 and 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 8.Qxc5 hxg6 9.d3 d6 10.Qc3 Rf8 11.Bg5 Be6 12.Nd2 a5 13.0-0 Nb4 14.a3 Na6 15.Rae1 c6 16.e5 dxe5 17.Qxe5 Nc7 18.Ne4 Ra6 19.Nxf6+ Kf7 20.Nh7 Re8 21.Bxd8 Rxd8 22.Qxc7+ Black resigns, guest2036 - guest612, ICC 2001.

6...bxc6

This routine move simply leaves White a couple of pawns up. More inspired was 6...Bxf2+ 7.Kxf2 Qf6+ 8.Kg1 Qxc6 when Black is down only one pawn.

The best choice for Black seems to be 6...Qh4, which seems to leave the game equal after 7.d4 Qxe4+ (or 7...Bb6 8.Nb4 Qxe4+) 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Bb6 10.Nb4 Bxd4. This is not exactly a "refutation" of the Jerome Gambit (a Jerome refutation should show Black's winning advantage), but it is a straight-forward transition to a quiet, even game, should that be Black's desire.

7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5 d6

There was a pawn to be had now with 9.Qxc7 Bd7, but I decided to consolidate my game.

9.Qe3 Nf6

The rest of the game is not pretty, and in another 10 moves you can start counting the checkmates that I missed, but I'd rather draw the curtain here.

10.Nc3 Ng4 11.Qg3 Ne5 12.d4 Nc4 13.b3 Na3 14.Bxa3 Ba6 15.0-0-0 Rb8 16.e5 Rf8 17.exd6 cxd6 18.Rhe1+ Kd7 19.Qxd6+ Kc8 20.Qxc6+ Qc7 21.Qxa6+ Kd7 22.Qe6+ Kd8 23.Bxf8 Qxh2 24.Qc6 Qxg2  25.Re8 Black resigns