Old and Feeble

I have gone through difficult stretches with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) before, but the current one has been making me feel old and feeble.

Take a look.

perrypawnpusher - ojot
blitz, FICS, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Kf8

I faced a similar error in a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit against acwizard last year (1-0, 18) and against tensecterror earlier this year (1-0, 39). I was surprised to find today's Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit to be the only example in The Database, with my opponent's move.

8.Ng6+ Kg8 9.Nxh8 Kxh8

White has a Rook and two pawns for two pieces. Black's King is safe and he has better development. The game seems about equal.

This may well be part of Black's plan: no advantage, but no surprises, either.

10.d3 d6 11.Be3 Bb4 12.f4 

A thematic move, but the first indication of trouble: I was un-protecting my Bishop without giving thought to how to re-protect it. More enlightened was 12.Nd5.

12...Ng4 13.Qf3

Horrible. Of course, 13.Nd5 was the right idea, with still an even game.

13...Nxe3 14.Qxe3 Bc5 15.d4 Bxd4 White resigned

(Later on in the evening, I went back online at FICS, and again challenged my opponent with White. He decided to avoid the Jerome Gambit, and instead played the Philidor Defense. I won, but it wasn't any fun.)