Attitude

When playing a gambit, especially an unsound one like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), attitude can be very important. Feeling confident, even when playing a bluff, is essential.

In the game below, for example, sent to me from a Jerome Gambit player in Russia, White seems to have ice water in his veins...

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6 8.f4

8...Nc6 9.e5 Bb4 10.0-0 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Nd5

12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qf3 Nb6 14.f5 Kg7 15.Bh6+

15...Kxh6 16.f6 g5 17.Qf5 Qe8 18.Rf3 g4 19.Qxg4 Qh5 20.Qg7 checkmate

Graphic by Jeff Bucchino. The WizardOfDraws