Stepping Out of the Ring (temporarily)

I'm always up for a Jerome Gambit, if my opponent allows it.

Well - almost always. Sometimes my patience falters.

But that doesn't mean that I can't still play cheesy chess.

perrypawnpusher  - kanidonara
blitz, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

Side-stepping the Jerome Gambit for the Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0

Hoping for 4...Bc5 and a chance at the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

4...Nf6 5.Nc3

Okay. Looking for 5...Bc5 and the ability to play the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...a6 

My opponent holds off on his ...Bc5. I've fussed about this before, in "Are We There Yet?"

6.d4

Giving up on the Jerome Gambit.

Previously I prevaricated with 6.a3 and then my opponents allowed me my wish by playing ...Bc5: perrypawnpusher - cinamon, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28); and perrypawnpusher - Olito, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 35).

I also "passed" with 6.d3, getting a chance to sacrifice my Bishop as well, in perrypawnpusher - tschup, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 18)

Bill Wall played 6.a4 and scored with 6...Bd6 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qe2 Re8 9.Qc4+ Kf8 10.Nh4 Ne7 11.d3 b6 12.f4 a5 13.fxe5 Bxe5 14.d4 d5 15.exd5 Bd6 16.Bxh6 gxh6 17.Rxf6+ Kg7 18.Raf1 Ba6 19.Nb5 Be5 20.dxe5 Qxd5 21.Qg4+ Kh7 22.Rf7+ Kh8 23.Qg7 checkmate, Wall,B - Kamyar,K, Chess.com, 2011.

6...exd4 7.Nxd4 Bc5 

8.Be3

I suppose that I could have still tried 8.Bxf7+, (although there are no examples in The Database) but I wanted to play this not-very-deep "trappy" move, as it was easy to guess my opponent's routine response.

8...0-0

Routine, but trouble.

9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Bxc5

My opponent resigned a few moves later.

Here are a couple of similar examples, by long-time Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member PlatinumKnight.

PlatinumKnight - strawks
blitz, FICS, 2005
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bxc5 Nxe4 9.Bxf7+ Kxf7 10.Qf3+ Nf6 11.Bd4 Qe7+ 12.Kd1 Re8 13.Qb3+ d5 14.Nd2 Qe2+ 15.Kc1 Qe1+ 16.Rxe1 Rxe1 checkmate

PlatinumKnight - warehouse
blitz, FICS, 2005
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Nxc6 Bxe3 9.Nxd8+ Rxd8 10.0-0 Bg5 11.e5 Ng8 12.Qf3+ Ke6 13.Re1 c6 14.Nc3 b5 15.Ne4 Ne7 16.Nxg5+ hxg5 17.Qg4+ Kd5 18.Qxg5 g6 19.Rad1+ Kc5 20.e6+ Kb6 21.Qxe7 a5 22.Qxd8+ Kc5 23.e7 Bb7 24.Qxd7 Bc8 25.Qc7 Bf5 26.Re5+ Kb4 27.c3+ Ka4 28.Qxc6 Rb8 29.Rd4 checkmate