Jerome Gambit: Drawing Conclusions

How do you get a draw with the Jerome Gambit?

How do you get a draw against the Jerome Gambit?

Are they the same question?

When I submitted the following game to Stockfish 8 for a "blunder check" analysis (set for two minutes a move) it came back with no suggestions - after the Jerome Gambit setup - until move 22! 

Wall, Bill - Guest640699
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.a3 

White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece and he plays - this? (It is a novelty, according to The Database.)

This is another example of the psychological strategies Bill Wall will inject into his Jerome Gambit games. He will eventually have 2 pawns for the piece, then 3 pawns, then 4 pawns - each weighing against Black's sense that, somehow, he must be winning (but how?).

8...Nf6 9.Nc3 Be6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.O-O Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand and developed his minor pieces.

I wonder what would have happened had he offered a draw right now?

13.Bd2 Qd7 14.Rae1 Re7 15.b3 Rae8 

Black is prepared for a break on the e-file, so White moves his attentions over to the Kingside.

16.f5 Bf7 17.Bg5 Kh8 18.Qh3 Ne5 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Qh6 Bg8 21.Qxf6+ Rg7 

22.Qh6 Qf7 

Now was the time to counter White's wing attack with a hit in the center  - 22...d5.

The text still leaves Black better, but his advantage is slipping.

23.Rf4 Rf8  24.Nd5 c6 

Stockfish 8 prefers 24...Rg4 25.Rxg4 Nxg4 26.Qg5 Qg7 27.Qxg7+ Kxg7 28.Nxc7 Rc8 29.Nb5 Rxc2 30.Nxd6 Bxb3 31.Nxb7 Ba4 32.h3 Ne5 33.Rd1 Bc6 34.Na5 Ba8 35.Rd6 Kf7 36.Re6 Nd3 37.Rh6 Bxe4 38.Rxh7+ Kf6 39.Rxa7 Rxg2+ and sees Black still as better, but after all those exchanges (and with White having 3 pawns for the piece) it looks rather drawish to me.

25.Qxd6 cxd5 26.Qxe5 dxe4 27.Rexe4 h6 28.f6 Rg6
29.Re2 Qd5 

30.Qc3 

White has 3 pawns for the piece now, and with pawn majorities on both sides of the board and the annoying pawn at f6, he is not ready to exchange Queens.

30...Kh7 31.Qc7+ Bf7 32. Ref2 Re8 33. h3 Re1+ 34. Kh2 Rf1 

Black's pressure on g2 is a danger White must constantly monitor. Black's move here is creative, and he has another one coming up, but White will not be fooled. 

35.c4 Rxf2

Nice. If White now takes Black's Queen, he will be checkmated.

36.Rxf2 Qe6 37.Qxb7 Rxf6 38.Rxf6 Qe5+ 39.Kg1 Qxf6 

It looks like both players are at risk of a draw at this point.

40.Qxa7 Qa1+ 41.Kh2 Qe5+ 42.Kg1 Qa1+ 43.Kh2 Qe5+ drawn