One Little Pawn

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is one of those attack-or-die kind of openings (which too often becomes an attack-and-die affair). If the attack is countered, White may not have much left for his effort and valor.

perrypawnpusher - irhall
blitz 4 10, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

I've seen this position 20 times, scoring 75% (14-4-2). That's not bad, but it's about 10% below my total Jerome and Jerome-ish score.

10.0-0 Ne5

Transferring the Knight closer to my Kingside, where it will annoy my Queen. It was better to castle-by-hand with 10...Kf7, ...Re8 and ...Kf8.

11.d4

Probably better than 11.f4 as in perrypawnpusher - mikelars, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 26), and perrypawnpusher - Kotimatka, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 19).

11...Neg4 12.Qf3

White had an even game and went on to win with the slightly better 12.Qb3 b6 13.h3 Nh6 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Nfg8 16.Qf3 Be6 17.Rd1 Qc8 18.Nc3 Ne7 19.Nb5 Rf8 20.Qxa8 Kf7 21.Qxc8 Rxc8 22.Bxh6 gxh6 23.Nxa7 Rg8 24.Kh2 Nf5 25.g4 Ne7 26.Nb5 h5 27.Nxc7 hxg4 28.Rd6 Bf5 29.Rf6+ Kg7 30.hxg4 Bg6 31.Rd1 Bxc2 32.Rd7 Black resigned, Ghandybh - Noel1942, Chess.com, 2009.

12...Bd7

13.h3 Nh6 14.Bxh6 gxh6

The Knight's adventures are at an end.

15.Nc3 Qe7

White has an even game, but no more than that. It was important for Black to get something going before the first player can take advantage of Black's open Kingside. Both 15...Rg8 and 15...Bc6 come to mind. 

16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 Bc6

Black protects his Queenside, gives his Bishop better development, and returns the gambit piece.

18.Qxf6 Qxf6 19.exf6 Rg8

It seems that for all his attacking efforts, White has achieved only one little pawn on f6, something that Black can blockade with his King and then capture. He does have a winning endgame advantage on the Kingside, but he faces a coordinated defense from Black's Bishop and Rook.

20.Rfe1+ Kd8

Suddenly, the future looked brighter for me.

After 20...Kf7 21.Ne4 Rae8 22.Ng3 Kxf6 Black can fight on. 

21.g3

It turns out that this defensive move is not necessary: White can play instead 21.Rad1+ Kc8 22.Nd5

21...Rg6

Picking on the poor defenseless little pawn. After the game Rybka suggested, instead, 21...Rf8, although White still has the familiar 22.Rad1+ Kc8 23.Nd5 with advantage.

22.Rad1+ Kc8 23.f7

23...Rf6

Capitulating, but 23...b6  can be met by either 24.Rd8+, 24.Re8+ or 24.f8/Q+.

24.Re8+ Bxe8 25.fxe8Q checkmate