Sound So Easy

Here is the latest Jerome Gambit that I received from Bill Wall, with the comment: It looks like an interesting game as I threw everything I could on the Kingside to expose his King.  I found a way to swap some pieces for his Queen.  I almost missed getting mated by his doubled Rooks, or at least a draw by perpetual check if I didn't find 30.h3 (I think 30.h4 draws after 30...Rg3).  After that, my Queen picks up pieces and I push a pawn to get another queen, forcing his resignation.

He always makes it sound so easy...

Wall,B - Guest1718599
playchess.com, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

From Bill:  Here is my most recent Jerome Gambit on playchess.  He played 6...Kf8?! rather than 6...Ke6, the stronger move.  I can almost say that if my opponents do not find ...Ke6, they are not going to win.  

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Nf6 

Continuing to offer the exchange of Queens with 8...Qf6, was seen in perrypawnpusher - molerat, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 23) and Wall,B - Guest340293, playchess.com, 2012 (1-0, 41) as well as elsewhere.

8...Ke8, as in perrypawnpusher - Chesssafety, Chess.com, 2012 (1-0, 25), seems riskier, but has the benefit of vacating the f-file for Black's Rook 

9.Nc3 c6 

It seems necessary to mention 9...d6, from Wall,B - Davis,A, Chess.com, 2010 (½-½, 65), as it was one of the few games where Bill "lost" even a half-point while playing the Jerome Gambit. The game is in The Database.

10.0-0 Kg8?! 

Bill recommends, instead, 10...Bd6 11.Qh4. 

The tempo surrendered by the text allows White to advance his "Jerome pawns". 

11.e5 Ne8 

Or 11...Nd5 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.d4

12.Qc4+ Kf8 13.d4 Bb6 

14.Be3 d5 

Black's pawn gets a foothold in the center, at the cost of giving White a protected, passed pawn – not a bad price, as he opens up the game for his two Bishops (one of them is "extra", too).

Readers should cue the squeaky violins in the background, as a form of foreshadowing, however. A White pawn at e5 in a Jerome Gambit game often means that a pawn storm is coming on the Kingside, and Black's King should remain aware.

15.Qd3 Be6 16.f4 g6 17.f5 

This may have come as a surprise to Black, having just played a move that was supposed to prevent it. There is no need for the second player to panic – yet – but the wall of "developed" pieces that blocks his King from escape has to be a bit unsettling.

17...gxf5 18.Ne2 Ng7 19.g4 Qd7 

Instead, 19...Ke8 20.gxf5 Nxf5 21.Rxf5 Bxf5 22.Qxf5 would leave Black up an exchange for a pawn.

The text leads to an equal game, if followed up correctly.

20.gxf5 Bxf5?! 

Better was 20...Nxf5 21.Ng3, which leads, after 21...Rg8 22.Rxf5+ Bxf5 23.Rf1 Ke7 24.Rxf5 to a similar exchange-for-a-pawn material advantage, although White would have some interesting tactical tries against the enemy King.

21.Ng3 Ke7 22.Nxf5+ Nxf5 23.Rxf5 Rhg8+ 

Black tries to show that he has the attack, but it is not so.

24.Kh1 Raf8 25.Bg5+ 

The text move is good, but Bill pointed out that better was 25.e6 which causes Black's game to unravel, for example. 25...Kxe6 26.Re1 Rxf5 27.Bg5+ Kf7 28.Re7+ Qxe7 29.Qxf5+ Ke8 30.Bxe7 Kxe7.

25...Ke8 26.e6 Qxe6 27.Re5 Qxe5 28.dxe5 Rxg5 

White's Queen is stronger than Black's Rook and Bishop, but the second player is not ready to surrender.

29.Qxh7 Rfg8 

Bill points out that this threatens 30...Rg1+ 31.Rxg1 Rxg1 mate 

30.h3 

Just so. The more "energetic" 30.h4?! would allow Black to draw with 30...Rg3!, when the checkmate threats would force White to repeat the position either with King moves or Queen checks (or both).

Now White's Queen gobbles up some pawns, which make his own footsoldiers even more dangerous.

30...R8g7 31.Qh8+ Kd7 32.Re1 Bc5 33.Qb8 Ke6 34.Qc8+ Kf7 35.Qxb7+ Kg8 36.Qxc6 Bb6 37.Qxd5+ Kh7 

38.Qe4+ Kh8 39.Rf1 Rg1+ 40.Rxg1 Rxg1+ 41.Kh2 Rg7 42.e6

42...Bc7+ 43.Kh1 Bd6 44.Qd4 Be7 45.c4 a5 46.c5 Kh7 47.c6 Rg3 48.c7 Rxh3+ 49.Kg2 Rh4 50.Qd3+ Kg7 51.Qg3+ Kf8 52.c8Q+ Black resigned