Jerome Gambit: Three Way Tactical Battle

The following game, a 1-minute, no increment example of the Noa Gambit, otherwise known as the Monck Gambit, otherwise known as the Open Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, quickly becomes what appears to be a tactical battle among White, Black, and the clock. The game is entertaining, but, please, don't ask me to explain it all; I have shared some of Stockfish 10's ideas, but I think they mostly make things more complicated. 

The end of the game reminds me of the story of two guys who are walking in the forest, when they are suddenly discovered by a large animal. One of the guys opens his backpack, takes out his running shoes, and begins to put them on. "What do you think you are doing?" his companion asks. "You will never outrun that animal." "I don't have to outrun the animal," said the first guy, "I only have to outrun you."

In the following game, the time clock is the animal.  

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

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Nc3 e4 8.Ng1 Bc5 

It is hard to believe that White volunteered for this position. The best that can be said is that he did not sacrifice 2 pieces to get there, which often happens in a Jerome Gambit.

9.d4 Bxd4 10.Nge2 Bb6 11.O-O Rf8 12.Nxd5 Kg8 

White has castled. Black has castled-by-hand. The game is just about balanced, and whoever comes up with some good ideas - quickly - will gain the advantage.

13.Nxb6 axb6 14.Qe1 Ne5 15.Qc3 Qf6 16.Bf4 Ng4 17.Qxf6 Nxf6 18.Bxc7 Bg4 19.Ng3 Rac8 

20.Bxb6 Rxc2 21.Bd4 Rd8 22.Bc3 b5 23.a3 Rd3 24.h3 Be6 25.Rad1 

Okay, Readers. The players have 1 or 2 seconds to find each move. What would you play here?

25...Bb3

It is not immediately clear, but 25...Bc4, protecting the Rook at d3 against the threat Nxe4, would be better.

The complications begin to pile up.

26.Rxd3

Now, 26.Nxe4 would work, but you would have to see - in a second or two - that 26...Rcxc3 27.Nxc3 Bxd1 28.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 29.Nxd1 would be the outcome, leaving White up a couple of pawns in a technical endgame. (I think White had 15 seconds left on his clock!)

26...exd3

27.Rd1 

Immediately targeting the passed d-pawn.

Strongest, though, if still losing, for White, was 27.Nf5 Nd5 28.Ba5 Rxb2 29.Nd4 Ba4 30.Nf3 b4!? which is a nifty line that you could work out if you were playing correspondence - not bullet - chess.

27...Bc4

Black, in turn, misses the killer 27...Rxc3. (It looks like he had 7 seconds left on his clock.)

28.Ne4 

Stockfish 10 suggests 28.Bd4!?, with the idea that 28...Nd5 29.Kh2  Nf4 30.Ne4 Bb3 31.Nd2 Rxb2 32.Bxb2 Bxd1 33.f3 Kf7 gives White a defense against the passer, with an even game. But even Stockfish took longer than a second to find that line.

28...Nd5

Black did not trust - or did not find - 28...Nxe4.

29.Nd2 Nxc3 30.Nxc4 

Bypassing the ordinary recapture, 30.bxc3, although the game would be equal if he could find 30...Rxc3 31.a4!?. (10 seconds left on the clock.)

30...Rxb2 

This has to be the clock (5 seconds left), as Black bypasses the win of a Rook (31...Nxd1) in order to lose one. But the game is not over yet!

31.Rxd3 

Oh, no, same problem.

31...Nd1 

Instead, 31...Ne2+, safeguarding the Knight - with check - would allow him to then grab the Rook.

32.Kh2

White sees the Knight threat. But not the Rook.

32...Rc2

33.Rd8+ Kf7 34.Ne3 Nxe3 35.fxe3 Rf2 36.Rd7+ Kg6 37.Ra7 Black lost on time (in a roughly equal position)

Amazing game. I had to relax after simply playing it over...