Jerome Gambit Rematch

After our recent game, it is possible that my opponent looked up the Jerome Gambit (maybe even on this site), because when we battled again he was prepared with one of Black's strongest refutations. (Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster.)

perrypawnpusher - alvarzr
blitz, FICS, 2014

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

Our two previous games have featured 6...Ng6 - perrypawnpusher - alvarzr, blitz, FICS, 2013 (0-1, 59) and perrypawnpusher - alvarzr, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 21).

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's Defense. More deadly than Blackburne's Defense. I have a win and a draw against it so far, and have used it once to bring serious pain to a friend.

8.Qf4+

After 8.Qxh8? Qxe4+ White was quickly smashed in Jerome,A - Whistler,G, correspondence, 1876 (0-1, 15).

8...Qf6

Instead, 8...Kg7 was seen in perrypawnpusher - tmarkst, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 43). The text is slightly better.

9.Qg3 d6 

Instead, Black's choice was 9...Ne7 in perrypawnpusher - Yaku, blitz, FICS, 2011 (½-½, 26).

Having avoided immediate destruction, I now had to put together a plan to work toward equalizing. 

10.Nc3 Be6 11.0-0 Ne7 12.d3 Kg7 

Black is developing and has castled by hand. 

13.Bg5 Qf8 14.Be3 

After the game, Houdini suggested that 14.e5!? was playable.

14...Bb6 15.f4 Bxe3+ 16.Qxe3 Nc6 

17.d4 Qe7 

Too casual - but he gets away with it.

18.d5 Nb4 19.Qe2 

Of course, the proper treatment for such a wandering Knight is 19.Qd4+. I am embarrassed to have missed that fork, as I've picked up a handful of spare pieces from b4 when my Queen has moved from d3 to check along the a2-g8 diagonal - admittedly, in a different variation of the Jerome Gambit, but there should be some transfer of learning.

19...Bd7 20.a3 Na6 21.e5 dxe5 22.fxe5 Bf5 23.Rae1 Nc5 

Comparing this position with that after move 9 (third diagram) I feel a bit like Harry Houdini having escaped a straight jacket.

24.e6 Rad8 

Feeling he has enough pressure against my e-pawn, Black decides to lean on the d-pawn as well. He probably should have considered 24...Rhf8 instead. 

25.Qe5+ Qf6 26.Qxc7+ Nd7 27.exd7 Rxd7

28.Qe5 Qxe5 29.Rxe5 Bxc2 30.Rfe1 Rhd8 31.Re7+ Kh6 32.Rxd7 Rxd7 33.Re2 Bb3 34.Rd2 a6 

The game has settled down, and White has an extra pawn - but not for long. It seemed clear to me that a King march would bring home the full point, so I sent my monarch off to war.

35.Kf2 Kg7 36.Ke3 Kf6 37.Kd4 b5 38.Kc5 Ke5 39.Kb6 Bxd5 40.Rxd5+ Rxd5 41.Nxd5 Kxd5 

42.Kxa6 Kc6 43.b3 h5 44.a4 bxa4 45.bxa4 g5 46.a5 g4 47.g3 Kc5 48.Kb7 Kb5 49.a6 Black resigned