Jerome Gambit: Casual Play

One of the biggest criticisms of the Jerome Gambit is its early Queen play by White. In the following game, White is able to use his Queen to win back material - and then has her wander around, apparently doing little. Yet this "casual" play by White seems to inspire equally "casual" play by Black - with deadly consequences.

Wall, Bill - Guest1018320
PlayChess.com, 2017

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6

FYI, Bill is 15-0 against this line. It is playable, but it is not a "refutation" of the Jerome Gambit.

7.dxe5 Bxe5

Best is 7...Bb4+ with a slight edge to Black.

8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.Qxe5 d6 10.Qa5

Bill's Queen likes to wander:

10.Qd4 Nf6 11.O-O c5 12.Qd3 Bd7 13.Bf4 a6 14.Bxd6+ Kf7 15.e5 Bb5 16.c4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest5856753, PlayChess.com, 2016; and

10.Qb5 Nf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.Qd3 Be6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 g5 15.Bg3 Ke7 16.O-O-O Ne8 17.f4 g4 18.Bh4+ Nf6 19.e5 dxe5 20.Qg6 Qf8 21.fxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016.

By the way, please note: White has recovered his sacrificed material and is a pawn ahead. He is in no hurry to "force" things, but, instead, allows Black to come up with "something".

10...b6 11.Qb5 a5 12.Nc3 Ba6

To prevent White from castling Kingside.

13.Qf5+ Qf6 14.Qh3 Ne7 15.Be3 Bc4 16.O-O-O

No hurry. No hurry. 

16...Be6 17.Qg3 h6 18.f4 g5

Opening the f-file when the Black Queen is in front of her King should be inherently risky, but this move also opens up the a1-h8 diagonal, where the Queen is in front of one of her Rooks.

19.Bd4 Qxf4+ 20.Qxf4+ gxf4 21.Bxh8 Black resigned