The Jerome Gambit: Foiled Again!

What follows is a pretty standard Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit as played by Bill Wall, where things become quite unlucky for Black at move 13, and the second player's game seems to spiral down out of sight after that.

Wall,B - Snoopy
Chess.com, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+

Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

I find it fascinating that Rybka, on "blunder check" at 5 minutes per move, suggested: 6.Na4 Be7 7.d3 0-0 8.h3 a6 9.Nc3 Bc5 10.Nd5 d6 as being slightly better for White.

analysis diagram

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4

8...d6

The current game is the only example of this move in the updated New Year's Database, but there are a number of games from the Four Knights move order (without the Semi-Italian ...h6 and 0-0).

9.dxc5 dxc5 10.Qe2 Bg4

Similar to the move in perrypawnpusher - foreverblackman, blitz FICS, 2010: Black gets his Bishop over to where the action is, causing White to play the inconvenient f2-f3, and perhaps planning to return the gambitted piece for a pawn.

11.f3 Bh5 12.g4 Bg6 13.f4

This move is thematic (i.e. advance of the "Jerome pawns") but leads to a very complicated position. Black can – and probably should – play 13...Nexg4, capturing a pawn, even though he will lose the Knight eventually.

Rybka suggests 13...Nexg4 14.Qc4+ (to avoid the exchange of Queens which would occur after 14.h3 Qd4+) Ke8 15.Rd1 Qe7 16.h3 Rd8 17.Re1 Ne5 18.fxe5 Qxe5 and it looks as if Black is better on material, development and King safety – although there are many ways either player can go wrong.

analysis diagram

13...Nc6

Certainly this is a reasonable move, but White's game now gathers momentum.

14.e5 Nd5

Black still has a piece to give back, and Rybka suggest that he do so with: 14...Kg8 15.exf6 Qxf6 16.f5 Bf7 17.Be3 Re8 18.Rad1 Kh7 19.Rf4 b6 when White's edge is minimal.