The Jerome Gambit: Shaky

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Shaky

I suppose I should take a break from playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), calm myself, do some more analysis of the opening and study to improve my game, especially tactics – but I can't stay away. If I give my favorite opening my best play, it usually returns the full point to me...

perrypawnpusher - apinheiro
blitz, FICS, 2010

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6

Without ...h6 and 0-0, this would be the beginning of either the Blackburne or Whistler defense. As it is, stronger than the text would be 7...Ke6.

8.Qxe5

Black's responses to this capture have been reviewed in the recent "Zombie Chess" and older "I think I have a win, but it will take time..."

8...Bd6

A couple of days before this game I faced the same (not-so-good) Bishop move in a regular Jerome Gambit (without ...h6 and 0-0) against Sirenus. The updated New Year's Database does not have an example of 8...Bd6 in the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit – until now.

9.Qxh8 Qf6 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6

White is the exchange and a couple of pawns ahead. I should win – once I get past feeling shaky. (See "Crushed" and "A Severe Challenge" not to mention that my only win since was when my opponent resigned in a better position, "Worth the time?".)

11.d3 Be5 12.Bxh6

What is this? I'd like to pretend that it is a fancy sacrifice of the exchange, but it's simply a mistake – or it would have been, if my opponent had noticed, or if he hadn't been suspicious of my intent.

12...Ng4

Forcing me to fix my mistake at the cost of returning a pawn. Instead, Black had 12...Bxb2 13.Nd2 Bxa1 14.Rxa1 d5, when he would have recovered the exchange. He would still be worse, but not as desperate.

13.Bc1 Bxh2+ 14.Kh1 Be5 15.f4 Bd4 16.c3 Be3 17.Bxe3 Nxe3