A Whole Lot of Information

As the number of posts on this blog approaches 1,900, I realize that I do not remember everything that I have written here.

Take the following game - a "modern" Jerome Gambit variation, so-called because the analyses and games of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome (late 19th century, early 20th century) featured the "classical" move 5.Nxe5, as opposed to the choices of many modern (especially internet) players, which include 5.Nc3, 5.c3, 5.d3 and, as in the following game, 5.d4.

I was not familiar with the line of play when I worked through the game, but it turns out that this blog whole lot of information about it.  

VLDHDZ - KlassAct
standard, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.d4

I almost always play 5.Nxe5+, so it surprised me to discover that there are about 1,800 games in The Database with this move. White scores 38%.

This is in contrast with the over 5,100 games with the "classical" line where White scores 53% - if you combine the results of Nxe5+ with or without the additional development of White's and Black's other Knight (i.e. Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit) .

A look at the move 5.d4 can be seen in "A Closer Look at the Big Picture (Part 3)" and the related, historical "Brilliant But Not Sound". 

5...Be7

This is an interesting, but relatively rare response.

More often seen is 5...exd4,  and I have a number of references for Readers: "Play 'em Like You got 'em", "Quick As A Flash", "Nothing Going On", "Still Nothing Going On", "Return of Jerome Gambit for Dummies (Part 6)", "Return of Jerome Gambit for Dummies (Part 7)" and "Utterly Fascinating".

Black also has 5...Bxd4, looked at in "Losing a Half Point / Fog of War" and "Still An Interesting Game".

Finally, there is the not-recommended 5...Nxd4, as seen in "Good to the End", "One More Thing", and "Do Not Wander Too Far From Home".

Similarities to the Italian Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4 - best covered in The Italian Gambit (and) A Guiding Repertoire For White - E4! (2006), by Jude Acers and George Laven - are clear.

6.d5 Nd4 

Probably better is the retreat 6...Nb8, when the game is about even after 7.Nxe5+ Kf8.

7.Nxe5+ Ke8 

8.Qxd4 Bf6 9.Bf4 d6 10.Qa4+ Black resigned

White's Queen escapes from the pin, and when the White Knight withdraws, the first player will be up a couple of pawns with a safer King.