On the Sidelines

Many lines in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) feature the premature development of White's Queen. Black must deal with this, often by exchanging Queens, or find his King at risk.

The following game turns this dilemma on its head, however: White does not move his Queen early; Black develops his own Queen, anyhow, but is unable to exchange it; White forces the exchange of Queens himself; and then White goes on to create a checkmate attack, anyhow.

Wall,B - Caynaboos
FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3

7...Bxc3+

A straightforward way to return the piece while keeping the initiative. The strongest reply, as we have seen before, is the snarky 7...Qh4, as in Teterow - geneve, lightning, FICS 2011 (1-0, 19).

8.Nxc3 Nc6 9.0-0 Qf6

The move ...Qf6 can frequently be strong against the Jerome Gambit, but mostly as a threat to exchange Queens and extinguish White's attacking chances. In this case, the more pedestrian 9...d6 might have been stronger.

Interestingly enough, White forces the exchange of Queens himself a few moves later.

10.e5 Qg6 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Nb5 Kd8

13.Qf8+ Qe8 14.Qxe8+ Kxe8 15.Nxc7+ Ke7 16.Nxa8 Nxd4 17.Bg5+ Ke6

White is the exchange and a pawn ahead, but the significant advantage that he has is in his development: even without Queens on the board he can whip up an attack on the enemy King.

18.Nc7+ Kxe5 19.Rae1+ Kd6 20.Bf4+ Kc6 21.Rc1+ Kb6 22.Nd5+ Kb5 23.Rxc8 Ne6

 24.a4+ Kxa4 25.Ra1+ Kb3 26.Be5 Black lost on time

Mate was unavoidable.