All's Well

The saying "all's well that ends well" is doubly relevant to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) player. On one hand, it is a reminder that the "ugly" beginning of a game is not as important as the beautiful (winning) end of play. 

Also, a knowledge of endgame play, in the case of the following game, specifically that of pawns vs piece play, is very helpful. 

Philidor1792 - guest2052
Internet online game, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

A venerable defense, but one often mistreated by White, anyway.

7.Qxe5 d6 

Previous games from Philidor1792 have seen 7...Qe7 

8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.d3 Qxf4 10.Bxf4 Nf6 

Ask your computer, and it will say that Black is better. Watch the game, and you will see that White knows better how to handle his "Jerome pawns" than Black knows how to handle his extra piece. Comfort and experience count for a lot.

11.c3 h6 12.Nd2 g5 13.Bg3 Nh5 14.d4 Bb6 15.Nc4 Nxg3 16.hxg3 Kg7 

Black has steadfastly worked to gain the Bishop pair. (A computer assessment, however, is likely to say that in doing so he has dropped 1/2 of a pawn's worth of advantage. At least, that's Fritz 8's opinion.)

17.f3 Be6 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.a3 h5 20.Kf2 h4 21.gxh4 Rxh4 22.Rxh4 gxh4 23.Rh1 Rh8 

The next few moves are not "best" for either player, but they illustrate the interplay of each side's advantage.

24.f4 Bg4 25.f5 Kf6 26.Ke3 d5 27.Kf4 Be2 28.e5+ Kg7 

Which side would you like to play?

White may have a small edge, but the game should be drawn with "best play" by both sides, as they say. Of course, that is also said about the game's starting position.

29.g4 hxg3 30.Rxh8 g2 31.Rh3 g1Q 32.Rg3+ Qxg3+ 33.Kxg3 Kh6 

34.Kf4 Bh5 35.e6 Kg7 36.Ke5 

This looks dangerous for Black, but his defense will hold if he can a) get his King in front of the passed pawns, while b) keeping White's King from coming out from behind the passed pawns. Black's Bishop can move back and forth, when necessary, burning tempos.

36...c6

Black would do better protecting his d-pawn with the Bishop, i.e. 36...Bf3. It is difficult to see what White can then do to win. Of course, there is 37.f6+ Kf8 38.Kf4 Be2 39.Kf5 but 39...Bd3+ 40.Kg5 Be4 seems to hold.

The text gives White's King an entry to the Queenside, where it can create havoc, taking the spotlight off of the pawns vs piece debate. Or, the King can make use of his entry to help the pawns, which was Philidor1792's choice.

37.f6+ Kg6 38.f7 Kg7 39.Kd6 Bg6 40.Ke7 Black resigned