No Getting Around This Wall

Here is the latest Jerome Gambit game from Bill Wall. It is another example of an opponent deciding, if you want me to play that, I won't! As usual, this means that Black exchanges a theoretically won game for one where he is immediately worse...

 Wall,B - Buster
Chess.com, 2011

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

4...Kf8


Declining the Bishop. Buster has already shown in an earlier game against the same opponent (see "The Anti-Bill Wall Gambit") that he has his own ideas about the Jerome Gambit, and they do not include cooperating with White's plans.

5.Qe2

A move that Richard Moody, with his interest in early Queen creeper moves, would fully enjoy.

5...Qf6

The only other example that I have with 4...Kf8 5.Qe2 in The Database continued: 5...d6 6.Nc3 Bg4 7.Bd5 Nd4 8.Qd1 c6 9.0-0 Bxf3 10.gxf3 Qh4 11.d3 Nf6 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.a3 Kf7 14.b4 Bb6 15.Na4 Qh3 16.c3 Nxf3+ 17.Kh1 Qxh2 checkmate, hinders - pvm, FICS, 2001.

6.Bb3 Nd4

Black has only a tempo (and a misplaced King) for his lost pawn. The text does not look like an efficient use of that "compensation".

7.Nxd4 Bxd4 8.0-0 d6 9.c3 Bb6 10.d3

10...Ke7

Black appears nervous about having his King and Queen on the same file as White's Rook, but expending a tempo to put his monarch further into the center only encourages White to offer a pawn to open lines of attack.

11.d4 Nh6

Black wants no part of something like the pawn grab 11...exd4 12.cxd4 Bxd4 13.Nc3 which could only go horribly wrong after a second helping of pawn: 13...Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qxc3 15.Bb2 and White's position looks like a Danish Gambiteer's dream. 

12.dxe5 Qxe5

Keeping the d-file closed at the cost of having his Kingside pawns broken up.

13.Bxh6 gxh6

14.Nd2 h5 15.Nc4 Bg4 16.Qd3 Qc5 17.e5

17...Raf8

Black's pieces are developed, with pressure on the White King, but it is too late.

18.exd6+ cxd6 19.Rae1+ Kd8 20.Nxd6

This is more than just another pawn captured: it is another line opened against the enemy King.

20...Kc7 21.Re7+ Kb8 22.Rxb7+ Ka8 23.Qe4 Rxf2 24.Rxb6+ Black resigned