Jerome Gambit: One More Mystery Game

While I am still a bit surprised that I overlooked posting one Jerome Gambit loss from my ongoing Chess.com tournament (see the previous "Jerome Gambit: Very Serious Business") the fact that I also did not share the following game is less of a mystery: I got outplayed in a line that I really don't have a fix for. If an opponent in the tournament wanted to look up the game, that was one thing; but I was not ready to share my gloom and doom (and ideas) on this blog, as a "suggestion" of what to play. (As I have written before, I share a whole lot, but  not everything here.)

perrypawnpusher - Altotemmi
Giuoco Piano Thematic Tournament
Chess.com, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qxe5+

I have scored 11 -1 with the alternative 10.Qf3. Alonzo Wheeler Jerome was  3 - 2 with one incomplete game. 

10...Kxe5

11.b4 Bd4 

11...Bb6 was seen in perrypawnpusher - djdave28, Chess.com Italian Game Tournament, 2014 (1-0, 22).

12.c3 Bb6 13.d4+ Ke6 

Prudent. The risks of 13...Kxe4 were shown in perrypawnpusher - djdave28, Italian Game tourney, Chess.com, 2015 (1-0, 32).

White will have to work hard to make something of his position, or he will find himself missing the power of his Queen.

As the game went, I was outplayed by my opponent.

14.O-O Nf6 15.Nd2 d6 16.Bb2 Bd7 17.Rae1 Be8 

18.e5 dxe5 19.Rxe5+ Kd7 20.Rfe1 Rd8 21.Nc4 Bg6 22.Nxb6+ axb6 23.Re7+ Kc8 24.Rxg7 Rd7 25.Ree7 Rxe7 26.Rxe7 Re8 27.Rxe8+ Nxe8 

White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece, and perhaps that might be enough to split the point against a weaker opponent, or in a blitz game; but not in this game.

28.Kf2 Kd7 29.Ke3 Ke6 30.c4 Nd6 31.d5+ Kd7 32.Kd4 Nf5+ 33.Ke5 Ne3 34.Kd4 Nxg2 

35.c5

Instead, Stockfish 7 after the game recommended 35.Bc1 Bb1 36.a4 Nh4 37.c5 Nf5+ 38.Ke5 bxc5 39.bxc5 Ne7 40.Bg5 Ba2 41.Bxe7 Kxe7 42.a5 Bc4 43.Kd4 Bf1 44.Ke5 Kd7 45.Kd4 Be2 46.Ke3 Bc4 47.Kd4 Bf1 48.Ke5 Ba6 49.Kd4 Ke7 50.Ke5 Be2 and although Black still has the advantage, it does not look like either player is making any progress.

35...b5 36.Bc1 Nh4 37.Bf4 Nf5+ 38.Ke5 Ne7 39.a3 Bf7 

40.d6

After the game Stockfish 7 took issue with this, suggesting a line that is not quite so much better for Black: 40.c6+ bxc6 41.dxc6+ Kxc6 42.Ke4 Bg6+ 43.Ke5 Nc8 44.Kd4 Nd6 45.Bg5 Bb1 46.Bd8 Ne4 47.Ke3 Kd7 48.Bh4 Nd6 49.Kd2 Kc6 50.Bd8 Nf7 51.Bh4 Bg6 52.Kc3 Kd5 53.Kb3 Nd6 54.Kc3 Bf7 55.Bd8 c6

40...cxd6+ 41.cxd6 Nd5 42.Bd2 Nb6 43.Bc1 Nc4+ 44.Ke4 Kxd6 45.Kd4 Kc6 46.Ke4 Bg6+ 47.Kd4 Nd6 48.Bf4 Nc4 49.Bc1 h5 50.h4 b6 51.Kc3 Kd5 White resigned

Whew! I am reminded of the silly phrase "trampled to death by a herd of turtles." Nice work by my opponent!