Still Playing That Opening?

I keep playing this Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) variant – and keep not liking it.

Why?  I'm 5-0-2 with it, which is respectable. Oh – I'm only 5-4-0 in the lines with ...h6 and 0-0 added (which should benefit White).

Maybe that's it??   

More likely it's because I need more "help" than usual from my opponents in this line in order to be successful.

perrypawnpusher  - HGBoone
blitz FICS, 2010

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

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

7...Bxd4

Someday I'm going to face the line recommended by Rybka after the game: 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.Ne2 c6 10.f4 Bc7 11.e5 Ne4 12.0-0 d5 13.Be3 Re8 14.Nd4 Kg8 15.Rc1 g5

analysis diagram







This doesn't look comfortable for White.

8.Qxd4 Qe7

Well, this is no bed of roses, either, White having a pawn for his sacrified piece. What's a Gemeinde member to do?

9.f4

An alternative was 9.Bg5 Re8 10.Nd5 Qd6 11.0-0-0 Nxd5 12.exd5 Qg6 13.Qf4+ Kg8 14.Rde1 d6 15.h3 Rf8 16.Qe3 Bf5 17.f4 Nc4 18.Qc3 Nb6 19.Qxc7 Rac8 20.Qxb7 Rxc2+ 21.Kd1 Qh5+ 22.g4 Qf7 23.Qxf7+ Rxf7 24.gxf5 Rxb2 25.Rhg1 h6 26.Bxh6 Kh7 27.Bg5 Rxf5 28.Kc1 Rxa2 29.Re6 Rxd5 30.Re7 Ra1+ 31.Kb2 Rxg1 32.Bf6 Rg3 33.h4 Rd2+ 34.Kc1 Rh2 35.Bd4 Nd5 36.Re1 Nxf4 37.Be3 Nd3+ White resigned, Alby - roosje, FICS, 2000

9...Nc6 10.Qd3

After the game Rybka recommended, instead, 10.Qc4+, but after 10...d5 11.Nxd5 Qxe4+ 12.Qxe4 Nxe4 it is hard to get excited about White's position.

10...d6 11.0-0 Bg4

Black plans on returning the piece for a couple of pawns.

12.h3 Bh5 13.g4 Bxg4 14.hxg4 Nxg4

15.Qg3 h5 16.Bd2 Raf8 17.Rae1 Ke8

Each side is gathering its forces. Black is better, but his King remains a target, and the position is not simple.

18.Nd5 Qd7 19.Bc3 Rhg8

Getting the Rook off of the a1-h8 diagonal that the White Bishop just moved onto. Moving the King out of the center, instead, with Ke8-d8-c8 was probably a bit better.

20.e5

After the game Rybka preferred a long-winded line leading to a draw: 20.Qh4 Nf6 21.Kf2 Qf7 22.Nxf6+ gxf6 23.Rh1 Qxa2 24.Qxh5+ Rf7 25.Bxf6 Qc4 26.c3 Qd3 27.Reg1 Rxg1 28.Rxg1 Qd2+ 29.Kf3 Qd3+ 30.Kf2 Qd2+ etc, drawn by repetition.

analysis diagram







20...dxe5 21.Rd1

The move 20.e5 was a mis-calculation that I caught and tried to correct with 21.Rd1. Of course, it is possible to mis-understand my moves, and look at 20.e5 as a tricky sacrifice of a pawn, to open up lines toward the enemy King...

...In which case, that might cause a certain amount of (unnecessary) anxiety, and even provoke a quick defensive move that has a flaw in it.

21...Qe6

Ouch.

Rybka shows that Black can weave his way through the complications to a better endgame, although from a practical point of view, White may have drawing chances there (Bishop vs Knight, useful King placement): 21...Ne7 22.Ne3 Qe6 23.Nxg4 exf4 24.Rxf4 Rxf4 25.Qxf4 Qxg4+ 26.Qxg4 hxg4 27.Rd4 g3 28.Rd3 Nf5 29.Be5 Ke7 30.Bxc7 Rc8 31.Rc3 Kd7

analysis diagram







22.Nxc7+ Kf7 23.Nxe6

23...Kxe6 24.fxe5 Rxf1+ 25.Rxf1 Ncxe5 26.Bxe5 Nxe5 27.Re1

Black resigned