And then, what?

In the following game, Bill Wall's opponent plays one of the I-don't-know-how-many refutations of the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). Then, it is as if he looked up in surprise, wondering What? Are you still here?

Wall,B - Marani,G
Chess.com, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+

This check is the start of a rather nasty refutation of the Jerome, involving a Queen sacrifice and all sorts of tactics. Luckily for the Gemeinde, it is largely unknown outside of this blog.

The earliest example I have seen was in a humorously annotated game of "telephone chess" in the American Chess Magazine of June, 1899.

It should be noted that ...Qf6, without the check on White's King, was suggested by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in his first article on the gambit, "New Chess Opening" in the April 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal.

9.g3 Qf6

Continuing in the funny vein, the first example I have seen of this Queen retreat was in a game played by a computer against Jack Young (of "Bozo's Chess Emporium" fame), mentioned in his "Meet Jerome" article in Randspringer #6, 1990 - 1991. It "defused the attack."

10.Qh5 g6

I can imagine Black looking up and saying, to White and his Queen, "Are you still here? Begone!" 

11.Qe2

The Queen retreats, properly admonished.

It turns out that Black must lose a piece, anyhow. He decides to do so by tip-toeing his King away.

11...Ke7 12.fxe5 Qxe5 13.c3 Qe6 14.d4 Bb6

White has only a pawn for his sacrificed piece, but he has some compensation in Black's unsafe King and lagging development, as well as in White's pawn center.

If Black is feeling annoyed, that would be compensation, too.

15.Bg5+ Ke8 16.0-0 h6 17.Qf2

Here is another indication that things are not going as Black has planned. The Bishop does not have to retreat, as White is threatening 18.Qf8 mate.

17...Ne7 18.Bxh6 d5

The Bishop can not be captured for the same reason.

19.Nd2 dxe4

Of course, 19...Rxh6 loses the Rook to 20.Qf8+ Kd7 21.Qxh6.

It turns out that Black's only chance to hold onto his edge in the game was 19...Qg8, not the easiest move to find.

20.Nxe4!

It is great to be able to play this kind of move.

20.Qxe4?? 21.Qf7+ Kd7 22.Rae1 Qd5 23.Rxe7+ Kc6 24.Rf6+ Kb5 25.Qxd5+ Ka6 26.Qc4+ Ka5 27.Qb4+ Ka6 28.Qa4 checkmate