Jerome Gambit: This Is How It's Done

I just received another selection of games from Bill Wall.

The following game of his will be of interest to those who play the Jerome Gambit and who want to be aware of every finish-quickly variation. 

Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6

This move follows the "psychology" of "If you want me to take the Knight, then I won't take the Knight", but it is simply not a good move. It is relatively rare: The Database has 24 games, with White scoring 65%.

Still, it is worth knowing the followup, as this "defense" has shown up in the games of Jerome Gambit regulars: blackburne, MrJoker, Petasluk, stretto, UNPREDICTABLE, and ZahariSokolov. I have faced it a couple of times and come away with wins.

In fact, I have posted a disproportionate number of times on the line - although, in fairness, they were all interesting posts, going back to "You, too, can add to Jerome Gambit theory" and including "A Strange, But Intriguing Path, Parts 1, 2, & 3" and "Still Strange, Still Intriguing Parts 1, 2, 3 & 4." The most recent post on the line is "We Know What We're Doing (Sort of)".

6.Qg4+ 

This is the move for White.

6...Kxe5 7.d4+ Kxd4

Wow. And that's that, folks...

Best, instead, was 7...Bxd4 8.Bf4+ Kf6 9.Bg5+ Kf7 10.Bxd8 and although Black has 3 pieces for his Queen, it is not enough.

8.Be3+ Kc4 9.Qe2+ Kb4 10.Bd2+ Ka4 11.b3 checkmate