Jerome Gambit: Yet Again, I Would Prefer Not To

The Jerome Gambit brings along with its sacrifices a certain amount of psychology - many defenders are surprised and/or shocked at the brutal and crude attack (What did I overlook in my opening preparation?).

Some defenders choose a defense along similar grounds: if White wants me to take the piece, I won't. I don't this is a strong approach for Black, but it certainly changes White's situation and goals. As we saw in the previous game, suddenly it is Black who is the gambiteer, and White who needs to adjust.

Wall, Bill - Guest5240605
PlayChess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kf8

So: no Bashi-Bazouk attack. As I wrote, previously

I was surprised to see 312 games with this position in The Database. I was even more surprised to see that White scores only 56%. Still, that is an improvement over the results for the main line 4...Kxf7 - 14,373 games in The Database, where White scores 46%. 

At the same time, it is useful to point out Bill Wall's statistics on the matter: for 4...Kxf7, Bill has 509 games, scoring 92%. It only gets better for 4...Kf8, with 6 games and White scoring 100%.

It is probably fair to add: I have only faced 4...Kf8 once, and I lost.

5.Bd5

White retreats his Bishop. Some day, I should look at games in The Database where White leaves the piece on f7, and pursues the attack as if the sacrifice had been accepted.

5...Qf6

More development, and preventing d2-d4. "How do you like being the defender, Mr. Jerome Gambiteer?" Black hurls.

6.O-O d6 7.c3 Bg4 8.b4 Bb6 9.Na3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Qxf3 11.gxf3 Rb8 

A lot has happened. White still retains his 1 pawn advantage, but it is a doubled on on f3. Neither side has an attack - but only one has the advantage, and he knows how to use it.

12.Nc4 Nf6 13.a4 a6 14.b5 Nxd5 15.bxc6 Nf6 

We have seen an interesting skirmish on the Queenside, and I was surprised not to see White go for the Knight-for-Bishop exchange at b6. That is because Bill has a different idea, based on the location of Black's King.

16.Ba3 bxc6

It was a bit better to unpin the d-pawn immediately with 16...Kf7.

17.Nxe5 c5 

Blocking the diagonal of the White Bishop, and thus activating the pawn threat against the White Knight. However, this leads to both strategic (the Bishop is stifled) and tactical issues.

18.Nc6 Ra8 19.a5 

When we talk about annoying "Jerome pawns", we usually overlook the a-pawn. But, for today, a little applause.

19...Ba7 20.e5

Here you go.

20...dxe5 21.Nxa7 Kf7 

A sad necessity, for it 21...Rxa7, then 22.Bxc5+, picking up the Rook on the next move.

Now, White gets to play on with an extra piece, first consolidating his position. 

 22.Nc6 Rhe8 23.Bxc5 Kg8 24.d4 exd4 25.cxd4 Nd5 26.Rfe1 Rec8

 Black does not want to exchange Rooks and move a step closer to a bad endgame, but this move is unfortunate. The Knight fork on e7 is a constant threat.

27.Re5 Rd8 

Retreating the Knight falls to 28.Ne7+.

28.Rxd5 

Same idea.

28...Rxd5 29.Ne7+ Kf7 30.Nxd5 Black resigned

So: even in the Jerome Gambit Declined, there are tactics to beware of!