A defender unfamiliar with the Jerome Gambit might search for some opening ideas from elsewhere, and try to apply them to the defense. That is a useful practice, and sometimes it works - but not in the following game.
Wall, Bill - Euphron
FICS, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6
I sometimes wonder when Black plays this move, if he is remembering the Fork Trick, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4 Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Bd3 dxe4 7.Bxe4.
Still, there is a problem applying the logic of that opening line to the Jerome Gambit. The straight-forward 6...Bxd4 was simpler and stronger.
7.dxe5 Bxe5
The piece was safer on e7 or even f8. That is one of the interesting Jerome Gambit wrinkles.
8.Qh5+
There are 64 games in The Database with this move. White scores a solid 67%. (Bill: 100%)
For comparison, there are 69 games with 8.Qd5+. White scores 76%. (Bill: 100%)
8...Kf8
Black's King backs away from the action. "Stronger" (it may not feel that way for someone new to the Jerome Gambit) was 8...Ke6, but White still got plenty of play in Wall,B - Nikelin, lichess.org, 2017, (1-0, 14)
Also dealt with harshly was 8...g6, e.g. 9.Qxe5 Nf6 10.Bg5 Re8 11.Qf4 b6 12.e5 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016.
9.Qxe5 d6 10.Qf4+Qf6 11.Nc3
White is a pawn up, and doesn't mind exchanging Queens. If Black initiates the swap, the recapture will help White's development. The first player certainly has no need to enter complications.
11...c6
This keeps White's Knight out of d6, but weakens the d6 pawn, and this will have an effect on the rest of the play in the game.
12.O-O Bd7 13.Qg3 Nh6 14.Bf4 Nf7 15.h4
White's h-pawn plays more in the coming action than Black's h-Rook.
15...Re8 16.Rad1 Ne5 17.Bg5 Qe6 18.f4 Nf7
19.f5 Qe5 20.Bf4 Qc5+ 21.Kh1 Bc8
Making room for the Rook to slide over to d8 and protect the pawn on d6. Too late.
22.f6 g6 23.Bxd6+ Nxd6 24.Rxd6 Black resigned
White is only 2 pawns up, but they are the mighty "Jerome pawns", and their advance will cause destruction.
The second round of the Italian Game Classic tournament at chess.com has started. I am in Group 5, along with FedeMamut, stur_lindberg and PDX84.
To start, I have White against FedeMamut and PDX84 - and have been fortunate to be able to play 2 Jerome Gambits.
As always, I will keep you informed of my progress, win, lose or draw.
Sometimes the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) will lead to tactical mayhem by White, and it is relatively easy - if still educational - for the observer to anticipate the line of play. Sometimes, however - as in the following game - the Jerome Gambiteer develops a strong attacking position, and he has to work out a series of moves to gather in the full point; then, the educational value of the game is even greater.
Wall, Bill - Anonymous
lichess.org, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8
I expected a rash of 5...Kf8 games after the post "Jerome Gambit: Success at Last (Sort of)" which featured a game where Bill surrendered a draw in the line - after 15 straight wins.
6.Nxc6
No more experimenting - Bill had tried 6.0-0 in his last game with the line, and, after 6...Nf6, continued with 7.Nd3. The text is probably strongest.
6...dxc6 7.O-O Qf6
White has only scored 50% against this move, according to The Database - if you ignore Bill's two wins, against no losses, that is.
8.Nc3 Be6
Or 8...Bd6 9.d4 h6 10.e5 Bxe5 11.dxe5 Qxe5 12.Re1 Qg5 13.Bxg5 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016,
9.d3 Ne7
Instead, 9...Rd8 let Black keep an edge, in Wall,B - Guest4658155, PlayChess.com, 2019 (1-0, 29).
10.Be3 Bb6 11.Qd2 h6 12.Rae1 Kg8 13.f4 Kh7
14.f5 Bd7
As will become clear, the Bishop was safer retreating to c8. Black has just connected his Rooks, however, and does not want to interfere.
15.e5 Bxe3+ 16.Rxe3
The position is complicated, and it is not a surprise that Black does not find a defense. The Black Queen may be relativelyt safest after 16...Qh4, but 17.e6 then threatens the Bishop, and White will build his attack when he can play f5-f6 and Ne4.
16...Qg5 17.Ne4
The Queen is trapped.
17...Qh5 18.Rh3 Qe8
Her Majesty has escaped, but His Majesty is doomed.
19.Nf6+ gxf6 20.Qxh6+ Kg8 21.Qxh8+ Kf7 22.Rh7 checkmate
