Jerome Gambit: Plenty of Ways to Block Development

The classic development problem for Black in the Jerome Gambit is to have his d-pawn stay unmoved, which blocks in the light-squared Bishop, which keeps a Rook at home. The following game shows an interesting variant: a Knight retreats to the back row, un-developing, keeping the Rook out of play. The result is an exciting sacrificial attack on Black's King. The defender can return material, but the imbalance that would result would favor White - enough so that Black resigned.

Wall, Bill - Number555777
lichess.org, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Nc6 8.Qd3 

A novelty, according to The Database, which is a bit of a surprise. 

Bill has played a couple of other Queen moves:

8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.Qc4 d6 11.O-O Ne5 12.Qb3 c6 13.f4 Nf7 14.Be3 Qe7 15.Rae1 Be6 16.Qb4 a5 17.Qd4 Ng4 18.Bc1 c5 19.Qd3 h5 20.h3 Ngh6 21.f5 Bd7 22.Nd5 Qd8 23.f6 g6 24.Ne7 Ne5 25.Qxd6 Nhf7 26.Qxc5 b6 27.Qd5 Be8 28.Bf4 Qxd5 29.exd5 Bb5 30.Rf2 Nd7 31.Nxg6+ Kg8 32.Nxh8 Kxh8 33.Re7 Kg8 34.Be3 Rc8 35.b3 Nde5 36.Bxb6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest7503555, PlayChess.com, 2017; and

8.Qc4+ Ke8 (8...Kf8 9.O-O Qf6 10.Nc3 Qd4 11.Qe2 Nge7 12.Nb5 Qb6 13.Be3 Qa5 14.c4 a6 15.Bd2 Qb6 16.Qf3+ Kg8 17.Qb3 axb5 18.c5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest526975, PlayChess.com, 2016) 9.O-O d6 10.Nc3 Qe7 11.Re1 Ne5 12.Qd4 c5 13.Qd2 Nf6 14.f4 Nc4 15.Qe2 Be6 16.e5 Bg4 17.Qxc4 Black resigned, Wall,B-Kas55, lichess.org, 2016.

8...Nf6 9.Nc3 d6 10.O-O h6 11.f4 Re8 12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 a6

Black has wisely safeguarded his King by castling-by-hand. The moves of his a- and h-pawns, however, all in the name of defense, could eventually prove troublesome if development becomes an issue.

For now, the defender still has the better position.

14.Nd5 Be6 15.Bc3 Bxd5 16.exd5 Nb8 

How suddenly things change! The retreat allows White to attack. 

17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.Qxh6+ Kg8 20.Qg6+ Kf8 21.Re5 

Very nice! When your opponent can play a move like this, you know you are in deep trouble.

21...dxe5

Or 21...Rxe5 22.fxe5 dxe5 23.Rxf6+ Qxf6 24.Qxf6+ Ke8 25.Qxe5+, etc as the Queen dominates the opponent's two pieces; or 21...Qe7 22.Rxe7 Rxe7 23.Rf3 and the other Rook penetrates. 

22.fxe5 Nd7 23.exf6 Black resigned

Black will have to give up Knight and Queen for White's Rook, and then White's Queen plus three extra pawns should outplay Black's two Rooks.