I am playing my last game in the first round of the current Italian Game tournament at chess.com. To date I have scored 5/7 -- including 2/3 with the Jerome Gambit -- and need only a draw (with White) to move on to the next round of play.
Alas, my opponent was not interested in allowing the Jerome Gambit, opting for the Two Knights Defense instead: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6.
Still, I was able to maneuver things so that, after 4.d4 Nxe4 5.dxe5 d6 I was able to play the Jerome-ish 6.Bxf7+, when, after 6...Kxf7 7.Qd5+ Be6 8.Qxe4 I will be ahead material, and Black's King will be displaced. (The game continues.)
That is not quite the same thing as being in the Jerome Gambit after 8 moves (there I would be "objectively" lost) but it may be good enough to move me into the next round of play, where I can try my luck at playing a few more Jeromes.
When I write about "Jerome pawns" I usually refer to two or three linked White center pawns in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) that advance to cramp Black's game, form the front of an attack, or encourage the defender to return the sacrificed piece.
The following game, however, highlights a hungry, hungry "Jerome pawn" that makes its way to promotion - While Black's Bishop tries its hardest to produce a distraction.
Shishkin,A - Makoyedov,A
vk.com, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.0-0 d6 6.h3
White calmly castles and protects his Kingside in this "modern" variation of the Jerome.
6...h5
Black has violent intentions, however.
7.c3 Be6
...And an occasional inattention.
8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Bb6 10.d5
10...Bxh3
This Bishop will chew up White's Kingside while White's pawn chews up Black's Queenside. The outcomes are different, however.
11.dxc6 Bxg2 12.cxb7 Bxf1 13.Qd5+
Support for the pawn is critical.
13...Ke7 14.bxa8Q Bxf2+ 15.Kxf2 Black resigned
ScottWeatherill - Hanjh
standard game, FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3
A topical line of play, generally continuing 6...Kxe5 7.cxd4 with a complex game.
6...Qg5
Instead, Black plays the thematic move from the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, usually seen at move 4 : 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5?! Qg5!?.
Is Black's threat to g2 real? White doesn't think so! Perhaps he has read "Reeling Sequel" and "Still A Bad Idea". (You're welcome.)
7.cxd4 Qxg2 8.Qb3+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Qd5+ Ke7 11.Qf7+ Kd6 12.Nc4+ Black resigned
Searching the web, again, for Jerome Gambit games (see "Evergreen?" for a recent example) I encountered the following game in a list of miniatures at ChessManiac.com
Wall,B - Socolate
FICS, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Ng6
8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Bg5 b6
An error.
Tactical alertness is a tool that should be in the box of every Jerome Gambit player, as Bill quickly demonstrates.
10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Qd5+ Qe6 12.Qxa8 Black resigned
