Chessfriend Roger sent another one of his interesting internet Jerome Gambits. Playing over the game, I was fascinated by White's "self-inflicted" backward pawn at e4 - and, apparently, Black was, too, as he quickly jumped a Knight into the created "hole". Ah, but we should have been watching the advancing f-pawn, which spearheaded an attack which crashed on through. A very interesting lesson! RK -KM Internet, 2016 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
Black looks comfortable. He needs to find a way to develop his Bishop, and then the Queenside Rook. Too many times the Jerome Gambit defender finds himself down those two pieces, as they remain out of action and unable to help meet an attack. Fair warning! 13.Qg3 Qe8 14.f5 Ne5
Who can argue with that wonderful Knight on e5? Fine, let him have his day of glory, but pay attention to what else is going on. 15.f6 N7g6 16.Nd5 Qd7
Not the best defensive move. Also, see the note to move 12. 17.fxg7 Kxg7 18.Rxf8 Kxf8 19.Rf1+ Nf7 20.Bh6+ Ke8
It looks like Black has missed the fact that this move will lose his Queen, but if the King had gone to g8 the Queen would soon be lost, anyhow - and the King checkmated, to boot. 21.Nf6+ Kd8 22.Nxd7 Bxd7 23.Rxf7 Black resigned
In the Jerome Gambit White gives up a piece or two for a couple of pawns. Often he must rely on those pawns for active play against his opponent. In the following game the play first seems less-than-active, but that eventually changes, much to Black's misfortune. IgorSolonicin -prokaznik 4 5 blitz, lichess.org, 2016 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
Steinitz said that the player with the advantage must attack, or risk losing that advantage. White prepares to face that attack, relying on solid "Jerome pawns" instead of planning an attack of his own with f2-f4. 10...Kf7 11.O-O Equally good is 11.d4 as inWall,B - Guest3544144, PlayChess.com, 2013(1-0, 35) 11...Rf8 Or 11...Re8 12.h3 Kg8 13.d4 Be6 14.d5 Bd7 15.Nc3 a6 16.Qg5 Bb5 17.Re1 Bd7 18.Qg3 Ne5 19.Qf2 Ng6 20.Bg5 Rf8 21.e5 dxe5 22.Rxe5 h6 23.Ne4 hxg5 24.Rxg5 Nxe4 25.Rxg6 Qg5 26.Rxg5 Nxf2 27.Kxf2 Bf5 28.Re1 g6 29.Re7 Rf7 30.Rxc7 Kg7 31.d6 Rxc7 32.dxc7 Rc8 33.g4 Rxc7 34.gxf5 Rxc2+ 35.Kg3 Kf6 36.Rxg6+ Kxf5 37.Rg7 Ke5 38.Rxb7 Kd4 39.Rb3 Rc3 40.Rxc3 Black forfeited on time, Alekarpo - ImKindOfAlright, lichess.org, 2016. Also, 11...Be6 was seen inWall,B - Guest1105387, PlayChess.com, 2014(1-0, 30). 12.Qb3+ d5 13.d4 Kg8 14.e5
After a tough loss with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in the ongoing Giuoco Piano thematic tournament at Chess.com - outplayed by an opponent 200 or 300 rating points above me (not the usual "Jerome Gambit odds") - I like to play through games like the following one, where White seems to always come up with something, even in the most dire of circumstances, and in a three minute game, too! RobertoRufino - laumassambani 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2016 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.d4 exd4 6.Ng5+ I never understand how people get away with Ng5+ in the Jerome. Probably I should find out. 6...Kf8 7. Qf3+ Qf6 8.Qg3 d6