Jerome Gambit: Worth A Scold?

When Bill Wall sent me his latest batch of Jerome Gambit games he mentioned in passing that one opponent had been irate at having to face such a horrible opening, and pointed it out in a message afterwards - clearly it was something Bill should never play, that Bill would lose with should he play it against World Champion Magnus Carlsen, etc. Bill never identified the opponent or the game to me, but if I were to guess, I would choose the following contest. Black starts off using the advantage that the defender always has against the Jerome Gambit, and develops a decent attack - until one suspicious move (which doesn't look that bad) suddenly reverses the game; and even when Black resigns, it takes some work to understand why.   

Wall, Bill - Youi
lichess.org, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qe7

A perfectly reasonable defense. Black is going to lose a piece any way, so he focuses on development, not un-development.

7.dxc5 Qxc5 8.O-O Nf6 9.Be3 Qd6

Excellent psychology. Black offers to exchange Queens to reduce chances of attack by White. He even tosses in the attraction of giving Black doubled d-pawns, limiting the development of his light-squared Bishop.

Bill has seen altarnatives:

9...Qc6 10.Nc3 d6 11.Bd4 Re8 12.f4 Ned7 13.Re1 b5 14.a4 bxa4 15.b4 a6 16.Rxa4 Bb7 17.Ra5 Nxe4 18.Qh5+ Kg8 19.b5 Qc4 20.Ra4 Qf7 21.Qxf7+ Kxf7 22.Nxe4 Rxe4 23.Rxe4 Bxe4 24.Rxa6 Kg6 25.c3 Bb7 26.Rxa8 Bxa8 27.h4 Bd5 28.g4 Bc4 29.f5+ Kf7 30.Kf2 Bxb5 White resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016; and

9...Qb5 10.Nc3 Qxb2 11.Bd4 d6 12.Nd5 Qa3 13.Nxc7 Rb8 14.Nb5 Qa6 15.Bxa7 Bd7 16.Nxd6+ Ke6 17.Bxb8 Rxb8 18.Nf5 g6 19.Ne3 Bc6 20.Qd4 Bxe4 21.f3 Bc6 22.Rae1 Qa3 23.Nc4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest3992982, PlayChess.com, 2015.

10.Bd4

No, thank you.

10...Re8 11.Nc3 c5 12.Nb5

Looking to cause mischief on the d6 square.

12...Qc6 13.Bxe5 Rxe5 14.Nd6+ Kg8 

15.f4 Re6 16.e5 Ne8 17.Nc4 b5 18.f5 Bb7 19.Rf2 Rh6

Black persists in his attack. What can White do?

20.Na5 Qd5 21.Qe2 Nc7

He can continue to present Black with threats and complications until Black slips. Like here. Bill uses his x-ray vision and comes up with a solution.

22.Rd1 Qxa2

The strongest defense was 22...Qe4, but after 23.Rxd7 Qxe2 24.Rxe2 Bc8 25.Rxc7 Bxf5 White would be better.

23.Nxb7 Qxb2 24.Nxc5 Black resigned

Wow.

A quick look shows that White will win the pawn at d7, but is that enough to cause resignation?

A longer look will show that f5-f6 is a strong attacking threat, and that White's "Jerome pawns" are much more of a threat than Black's Queenside pawns.