"All" you have to do to defeat the Jerome Gambit is: pay attention, then pay some more attention, and then continue to pay attention... Don't lose focus, though, especially in a bullet game.
angelcamina - ELVerdugo
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 Nc6
9.Qc4+ d5 10.exd5 Ne5 11.Qf4 Qd6 12.O-O Re8 13.Be3 Kg8
Okay. Black has a piece for two pawns, and he has castled-by-hand.
14.Bd4 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Qxd5 16.Bxe5 Rxe5
Black's game is rock solid. What could go wrong? Ah, but, remember, the time control is one minute, no increment. Anything can happen.
17.Rad1 Qe6
Careless, and therefore, painful. Focused play was 17...Qb5.
18.Rd8+ Qe8 19.Rxe8+ Rxe8 20.Qxc7 Be6
Now the advantage is to White, if he can bring it home.
21.b3 Bd5 22.c4 Bc6 23.f3 Rac8 24.Qa5 Rcd8 25.Re1 Rf8 26.Re7 Rd6 27.Qc3 Rff6 28.Qe3 Rd1+ 29.Kf2 Rdd6 30.h4 Be8 31.g4 Bg6 32.Kg3 Rf8 33.h5
Black resigned
I remember a trend, years ago, in some of the science fiction that I was reading. Travel by space ship "at the speed of light" became so routine that something faster was needed. I then began to read about travelling "at the speed of thought". That seemed really fast.
So many Jerome Gambit bullet games (one minute time limit, no increment) seem to travel at that speed of thought. Players have to think fast - or else.
angelcamina - puffy04
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
Black started out with the Petroff Defense, and then moved along to the Four Knights opening, hoping to keep things solid and calm. However, this transition to the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit quickly upset his equilibrium.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bb4
This kind of move you would think should work: Black's Bishop escapes danger and pins White's only developed piece; while the second player remains two pieces up. The only problem is that it surrenders most of Black's advantage. Better was 7...Bd6.
8.dxe5 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3
9...Nxe4
The kind of move that comes to mind when there are "free pawns" on the board, but angelcamina shows that nothing is free. After 9...Re8 10.exf6 Rxe4+ 11.Be3 Qxf6 12.0-0 d6 Black would still have an edge.
10.Qf3+
Even stronger was 10.Qd5+, followed by picking up the Knight. This double attack shows up in a number of Jerome Gambit lines.
10...Nf6 11.exf6 gxf6 12.O-O d6
A glance at this position, a moment's thought, would suggest that Black has bought peace and equality with his return of material. (Look at White's pawn structure.) However, White quickly shows that this is not true. (Always remember the warning: When White has equalized in the Jerome Gambit, he has the avantage.)
13.Qh5+ Kf8 14.Bh6+ Kg8 15.Rfe1 Bf5
It looks like Black wants to put this Bishop on g6, to guard against the threatened check by White's Rook, on g3 - but he overlooks that the piece is unprotected.
16.Qxf5 Kf7 17.Qh5+ Kg8 18.Re2
This looks like a mouse slip - the Rook was heading to e3, and then on to g3, ending the game. No matter. (White also had 18.Qd5#, but he can checkmate as he pleases.)
18...Rc8 19.Qg4+ Kf7 20.Qg7 checkmate
One of the reasons that many of us play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is that it is so outrageous, our opponents can't help but underestimate its dangers - and, too often, they quickly tumble into the abyss.
Check out this recent game by Bill Wall.
Wall, Bill - Guest9006209
PlayChess.com, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6
Black is up 2 pieces, and generously decides to give one back, pocketing a pawn for himself in the process.
I think Bill is 14 - 0 in games from this position. It's not a guaranteed win for White, but Black is going to have to do some serious analysis to survive.
7.dxe5 Bxe5
And, there you have it, figures Black. He would have done better to put the Bishop on e7.
8.Qd5+
Also, 8.Qh5+ works, and Bill has a couple of wins to show it.
8...Kf6
Hang onto the Bishop. Bring the Knight to e7 to chase away the Queen. I got this...
9.f4 Bxf4
All right, take the Bishop. I'm still even in material.
10.Bxf4 d6 11.Bg5+ Black resigned
Yikes.
