Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Junk Beats Junk

I try as often as possible to aim toward the Giuoco Piano in the opening, so that I can surprise my opponents with the Jerome Gambit. Occasionally, I meet a defender who wants to surprise me with the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. I usually surprise him with the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit - and, quite often, my junk opening beats his junk opening.

perrypawnpusher - bandiahegyrol
2 12 blitz, FICS, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. Black wants to see 4.Nxe5?!, so he can respond with 4...Qg5!?. It may be true that White would still have a slight edge after 5.Bxf7+, but Black would be playing the kind of wacky, unbalanced game that he was seeking.

Of course, White can pursue a safe advantage with 4.Nxd4, 4.0-0, 4.Nc3, 4.c3, 4.d3 - and probably even 4.a3 and 4.h3, if Stockfish 10 is to be believed.

I prefer "Jerome-izing" the game, however, even if it should only lead to an even position. 

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. The Database has 6,091 games with this move, with White scoring 56%. (Fair enough, but I have played the line in 44 games, and have scored 92%.)

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

6.Qh5+ Ke7 

This is one of the reasons that I play the Queen check, although the strongest response is 6...g6, when Black seems to cede the exchange after 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxh8 - which is why some players avoid (or miss) the line in blitz. See "Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Black Runs Out of Energy" for some examination.

For the record, The Database has 339 games which reach the position after 6...Ke7. Pay attention, students: White has a forced checkmate!

7.Qf7+ 

Only 178 games (53% of the games that reached 6...Ke7) in The Database include this move.

7...Kd6 8.Nc4+ 

Only 94 games (53% of the games that reached 7...Kd6) in The Database include this move. (Even so, White lost from this position - a checkmate of Black in 3 moves - 4 times.)

8...Kc6 

Or 8...Kc5 9.Qd5+ Kb4 10.a3 Ka4 11.Nc3#

9.Qd5 checkmate