Then, the other day, an opponent played it against me.
perrypawnpusher - sjeijk
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
In my experience this move is played either by a novice who doesn't know the Jerome Gambit and who thinks only about hanging onto his extra material (something the gambiteer can cheer); or by someone who is familiar with the Jerome Gambit and who has planned a particular defense (something the gambiteer can be wary of).
Which is it in this case?
7.Qf5+
Let's find out!
7...Kd6 8.f4 Nf3+
Wow!
The American Chess Journal of September, 1876 noted "A new departure... 8...Qf6 is the usual play."
It then added laconically "The text move prevents White from castling." Returning a piece is certainly one way to accomplish that goal.
9.gxf3
In what might be the original game for this variation, Alonzo Wheeler Jerome played the outrageous 9.Kf1!? in an 1876 correspondence game against D.P. Norton and lost in 42 moves. The move, the line, the game all deserve a post or two themselves, especially since the American Chess Journal suggested that the alternative "9.Kd1 seems better".
D.P. Norton, by the way, also in 1876, played what I refer to as "Whistler's Defense" in another game against Jerome: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7!. White was fortunate to draw the game.
Since Lt. G. N. Whistler played a number of correspondence games with that defense against Jerome in 1876, I have given his name priority for the line.
9... Qh4+ 10.Kd1
White can capture the offered Knight, on move 9 (in fact, he should) but he is going to be falling down a vortex of unclear play, right along with his opponent...
At this point 10.Kf1 leads to immediate checkmate and 10.Ke2 leads to great torment after 10...Qf2+11.Kd3 Qxf3+ 12.Kc4 b5+ 13.Kxb5
analysis diagram
Here the exciting game gibonacci - jschulte, GameKnot.com, 2007 continued 13...a6+ (Stronger was 13...Rb8+ 14.Ka5 Ne7) 14.Kc4 Nf6 (the tricky 14...Bf2 was necessary to avoid a draw, or, in the case of this game, a loss for Black) 15.Qxc5+ Ke6 16.Re1 Qxf4 and White had consolidated his position, although it took him until move 48 to reel in the win. Bravo!
10... Ne7
The American Chess Journal suggested 10...Qf2 concluding "and Black has the better position." This was proven to be incorrect in the game perrypawnpusher - Sir Osis of the Liver, JG thematic, ChessWorld, 2008 where White demonstrated a draw by repetition, but Black, trying to avoid that, allowed himself to be checkmated.
11.e5+
Tempting, but wrong.
White's best chance is 11.Qe5+ Kc6 12.b4!? when White can probably eke out a draw, whether or not the pawn is captured, but the play is very difficult.
That is a fair assessment of this Norton variation: a very complicated game, but a draw, with a lot of hard work by White.
Is that a better choice than some of the known refutations of the Jerome Gambit? That all depends on the kind of game that the defender is most comfortable with.
11...Kc6 12.Qe4+ Nd5
Here is Black's slip.
Instead, 12...d5 13.exd6+ Kxd6 allows Black's light-squared Bishop to aid in the defense, and gives Black's King an addition route to escape, if he needs it, through the d7 square.
An up-and-down game, eventually won by White, followed 12...Kb6 13.Nc3 d6 14.Na4+ Kb5 15.d4 Bf5 16.Qxb7+ Kxa4 17.Qa6+ Kb4 18.a3 checkmate, CFBBlind - Quandary, FICS, 2001.
13.Nc3 Qxf4
Not best, but the game is lost, anyway, after alternatives.
14.Qxd5+ Kb6 15.Qb3+ Kc6
White now has a mate-in-one, but I was nervous enough to miss it the first time.
16.Qd5+ Kb6 17.Qb3+ Bb4
At this point my opponent saw 17... Kc6 18. Qb5 checkmate, and varied, losing his Queen.
18.Nd5+ Kb5 19.Nxf4 Black resigned
An unfortunate end for an opponent who really seems to have prepared for the Jerome Gambit!
Interestingly enough, I cannot find sjeijk's name in The Database, either with the White pieces or the Black pieces.
