Sometimes everything seems to go your way in a Jerome Gambit bullet (one minute, no increment) game. Check out the following online game from angelcamina
angelcamina - MaynakmasteR
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6
Interesting. Does Black plan to play the Blackburne Defense (7...d6), or the Whistler Defense (7...Qe7)?
7.Qxe5 Qf6
Ooops. Neither. Black is probably unfamiliar with the Jerome Gambit, and plays a move that protects his Rook - and even offers to exchange Queens.
8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Ne7 10.O-O Rg8 11.f4 g5
Aggressive - key to bullet game success - but White has seen further.
12.fxg5 Nf5 13.exf5 Qxg5 14.Qxg5 Rxg5
White is up a piece and some pawns. He just has to bring the game home. His opponent helps.
15.d4 Bxf5 16.Bxg5 Kg6 17.Bd2 Bxc2 18.Nc3 Re8 19.Rae1 Bd3 20.Rxe8 Bxf1 21.Kxf1 Kf7 22.Re2 Kg6
Now, don't let the clock trip you up!
23.d5 Kf6 24.Re6+ Kf7 25.g4 c6 26.Re2 cxd5 27.Nxd5 Kg6 28.h4 Kg7 29.Re7+ Kf8 30.Rxb7 h6 31.g5 hxg5 32.h5 Kg8 33.h6 Kf8 34.h7 Black resigned
I ran across a copy of GM Lev Alburt's "Back to Basics" column in Chess Life, titled "How to Trick the Trickster", featuring my Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+) blitz game against PunisherABD, on FICS.
I want to quote from GM Alburt, as it could be applied to the Jerome Gambit, as well.
When is it OK to use traps that may be somewhat unsound? First, the potential punishment your well-prepared opponent can mete out to you should be relatively mild, while your reward (should he fall into your trap) should be much bigger. Two, at least three out of ten (30%) of your current opponents should go wrong! (When you are faced with the unenviable task of repeatedly defending a worse position rather than enjoying the fruits of your cleverness, it's time to quit. You've outgrown this particular trap.)
From my students' experience, the trap below (3...Nd4) works well up to the 1400 level. (Even higher in blitz: your opponent might be able to recall/find the right way, but it may cost him too much time for his comfort.)
Something to think about.
I have posted my Jerome Gambit win against Al-der in the "Italian Game Classic" at Chess.com.
Something about the game may have tickled his imagination, as I just noticed that he is now playing the Jerome in the tournament, against PrestonRFD. (I will have to ask if he has played the opening before.)
I wish him good luck - and hope he hasn't spoiled my chances to play 4.Bxf7+ against PrestonRFD, when I have the white pieces against him.😃
Recently there was a discussion at Chess.com, about a Jerome Gambit-related line, that caught my eye. It "corrects" one of my recommendations, so it is very much worth sharing with Readers.
NUKE had questions about the defense 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5?!, specifically about the response 4.Bxf7+. Being of scientific mind, he set up a game between Stockfish 10 and itself, giving each side an hour, using the ECO opening book from droidfish.
Stockfish 10 - Stockfish 10
1 hour game, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5
Objectively best for White, here, as I have pointed out many times on this blog, is to capture the pawn that Black has un-protected: 4.Nxe5. Black can gain the "minor exchange" with 4...Nxc4 5.Nxc4, but even after something like 5...d5 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Ne3 he does not have compensation for the sacrificed material.
More fun, however, especially in club play, is the Jerome-ish 4.Bxf7+, which I prefer, and which is what NUKE asked Stockfish 10 to explore.
4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7
6.d4 Qe8 7.O-O Kd8
If this is "best" play for Black, I wonder how easy it would be for him to discover it?
8.Nc3 d6 9.Nf3 Be7 10.Re1 Bg4 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Nc6 13.e5 Qf8 14.Qe4 dxe5 15.dxe5 Kc8
16.Qc4 Bb4 17.Rd1 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Nge7 19.Bf4 a6 20.e6 b5 21.Qe4 Qf5 22.Qxf5 Nxf5
23.g4 Nfe7 24.Rd7 Ra7 25.Be3 Ra8 26.Bf4 Ra7 27.Be3 Ra8 drawn
Fascinating.
