Jerome Gambit: Appearance and Reality

Black's slip on move 13 in the following Jerome Gambit does not look very significant, but it shows that the defender does not have as good a grasp of the position as the attacker does. A few more slips, and Black's game comes crashing down.

Wall, Bill - Guest100198
PlayChess, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 

8.O-O Nc6 9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qe2 Kg7 

If Black were not convinced that he is winning - the extra piece! - he can now smile happily to himself as White's Queen is driven from pillar to post.

12.Nc3 a6 13.f4 Nge7 

I was flabbergasted to see that Stockfish 8 gave White a slight edge after this move, preferring 13...Qf6.

How can that be? It turns out that the position has hidden complications, and Black should have restrained White's f-pawn.

14.f5 gxf5 15.exf5 

Exposing Black's Bishop to attack, encouraging his response.

15...Bxf5 16.Rxf5 Nxf5 17.Qg4+ Kf7 

Now it looks like White will be down the exchange after 18.Qxf5+, but Bill has seen further.

18.Bg5 Qd7 19.Rf1 Ncd4 

This looks like an oversight due to shortage of time.

The Knight at f5 needs further protection, but the defender should have gone to e7. The play would then continue to be complicated, with White for choice, i.e. 19...Nce7 20.Bxe7 Kxe7 21.Qg5+ Ke8 22.Nd5 Qg7 23.Re1+ Kd7 24.Qxf5+ Kd8 25.Re7 Qxe7 26.Nxe7 Kxe7 . Black's uneasy King gives White's Queen chances to pick up materaial against the two Rooks.

20.Qxd4 Rhf8

Recruiting support for the Knight. 

21.Qg4 Ke8 

Relieving the double pin on the Knight, but there is nothing but misery ahead. The position is too complicated and too deadly to survive.

22.Qe4+ 

 22...Ne7 

The action moves over to the e-file. If Black's King tried to slip out with  22...Kf7, instead, White could collect a piece with 23.Rxf5+ and after 23...Kg8 play the threatening 24.Bf6, which will net him a further exchange.

23.Re1 Rf7 24.Nd5 Kf8 25.Nxe7 Re8 

Black tries a pin of his own, but the game is over.

26.Bh6+ Rg7 27.Rf1+ Black resigned

It is checkmate the next move.