Jerome Gambit: Heavy, Heavy, Heavy

The following 3-minute game is packed with excitement. White's attack crashes through, and Black's "safe" King is the victim.

I will keep my notes light, but the players keep the mood heavy - a battle to the bitter end.

joniko - Rolandia
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+

The "nudge", suggesting that White is familiar with the Jerome Gambit, and, perhaps, this blog.

7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4

Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1-0, 28) continued 9.Qc3.

9...Nf6 10.O-O Qe7 11.f4  Nd7 12.d3 Nb6 13.Qb3 Rf8 14.Nc3 Be6 15.Qb4 Kd7 

16.f5 Bxf5

An interesting idea, returning material, but probably 16...Bg8 was better. Black clearly intends to move his King to the Queenside and attack on the Kingside. As this plan develops, White avoids f5-f6, not wanting to open things up against his own King.

17.exf5 Ne5 18.Ne4 Rae8 19.Qd4 Kc8 20.Bg5 Qd7 21.a4 Kb8 22.a5 Na8

 23. a6 b6 24.Qd5 c6 25.Qb3 

25.Qxd6+ was possible, e.g. 25...Nc7 (if 25...Qxd6 then 26.Nxd6 and Black's Rooks are uncomfortable) 26.d4. 

25...Nc7 26.d4 Nf7 27.Nc5

Flashy, but with time disappearing on both clocks, very tempting.

27...dxc5 28.dxc5 b5 

Instead, 28...Qd4+ 29.Kh1 Nxg5 30.cxb6 Qxb6 defends. 

29.Bf4 g5 30.Rad1 Qc8 31.Bd6 Nxd6 32.cxd6 Nd5 

Black's last chance was 32...Rxf5 33.dxc7+ Kxc7 with about an equal game.

33.Rxd5 cxd5 

Now White has a forced checkmate.

34.Qxb5+ Ka8 35.d7 Qb8 36.Qxd5+ Qb7 37.Qxb7 checkmate