Jerome Gambit: Having A Feel

Having a "feel" for the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) saves a lot of time, especially in positions that need close examination to understand - but, in games where there is no time for close examination.

In the following game, Black seems to have side-stepped a handful of dangers, only to fall into a tactical mess.

angelcamina - yisustorres19
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019

1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Re8 9.O-O d6 

Black is doing well. He can castle-by-hand and then make plans for the future. But - quickly. He has only one minute for the game. 

10.f4 c5 11.Qe3 Nc4 12.Qd3 Nb6 

13.e5 dxe5

Stockfish 10, which probably plays quite well at the 1 0 time control, suggests, instead, the tactical exhanges 13...Ng4 14.Nb5 dxe5 15.fxe5+ Kg8 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.Nc7 Bd7 18.e6 Rac8 19.Bg5 Nf6 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.e7 Re8 22.Nxe8 Rxe8 23.Rxf6 Rxe7 when Black will have two pieces for a Rook and a pawn, and, perhaps, an edge in the game. 

14.Qxd8 Rxd8 15.fxe5 Nbd5 

16.Nxd5 Rxd5 17.exf6 g6 

Black has given back his extra piece, and seems to be heading toward a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame.

18.Be3 Bf5 19.c3 b6 20.Rae1 Re8 21.Bg5 

So far, so good. White's f-pawn is adequately blockaded.

21...Bd3 

What's not to like about this move? It attacks White's Rook at f1, while simultaneously attacking the unprotected Bishop at g5. However, it was not possible to examine closely and see that it blows up Black's game, not White's. 

22.Rxe8 

Ouch. The Black King is stuck at f7, blockading the pawn.

22...Bxf1 

Best was giving up the exchange with 22...Rxg5 23.Re7+ Kf8 24.Rd1. Checkmate now follows.

23. Re7+ Kf8 24. Bh6+ Kg8 25. f7+ Kh8 26. Re8 checkmate