Nothing Going On

One of the fun things about an offbeat opening like the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is that a game can move along like nothing is going on, lulling one or both players into a sense of calm – and then something unexpected happens.


MAILMANUK - IFDThor
blitz, FICS, 2002

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

4...Kxf7 5.d4 exd4 6.Ng5+ Kg6 7.h4

Black is rated about 350 points above his opponent. He is not particularly alarmed at defending against the Jerome Gambit. He is not distressed by the slightly unusual 5.d4, or the more unusual 6.Ng5+, or the innovative 7.h4. He simply whips out a "Swiss army knife" style defensive move, and ends the game.

7...Qf6 8.h5+ Kh6 9.Nf7 checkmate