White starts off with an unusual opening (the Jerome Gambit) only to face an unusual defense (the Jerome Defense) - which he counters with an unsual line; which, for Bill Wall, brings about the usual result.
Wall, Bill -XYSL
FICS, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.Nd3
Sure. Why not? Unusual ideas, even in an unusual opening, can be upsetting for the opponent.
The Database has 273 games with the move 5...Kf8; White scores 55%. Only 7% of those games - 20 - have the interesting, and reasonable, 6.Nd3, with White scoring 78%. It is a favorite of Petasluk, who has scored 12 - 4 - 1.
It is to be noted that The Database has 102 games with the recommended 6.Nxc6, with White scoring 58%.
6...Be7
White's creativity pays benefits immediately. The stronger 6...Bb6, as in Wall,B - Tim93612, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 36), kept the Bishop more active.
7.Nc3 d6 8.Nf4 Bg5 9.d4 Bxf4
Black moves his Bishop 4 times, excchanging it off for the Knight that has moved 4 times.
10.Bxf4 Nge7
White has only 2 pawns for his sacrificed piece, but has probably equalized. His development is to be preferred.
11.O-O Ng6 12.Be3 Qf6
There are many games where Black's Queen comes to f6, with a positive impact - but I don't think many of them feature Black's King on the f-file, when White can get in f2-f4. Too, White is in position to harass the enemy Queen with Nd5. Storm clouds are gathering.
13.f4 Ke8 14.Nd5 Qf7 15.f5 Nge7
Too casual. Necessary was 15...Nf8.
16.Nxc7+ Kd7 17.Nxa8 b6
The plan is to get the Bishop to b7, and win the Knight at a8, but it is all too late.
18.d5 Ne5 19.Qd4 Bb7 20.Qa4+
20...Kc8 21.Qxa7 Nxd5 22.exd5 Bxd5 23.Nxb6+ Kd8 24.Bg5+ Ke8 25.Qb8 checkmate
Part of the humor of the following game is that it starts out in a line that White has plenty of experience with, but, in an eyeblink (at move 8) it moves into uncharted territory. The player who is more familiar with the opening is the one who survives.
Wall, Bill - Guevad
ChessTempo.com, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6
Bill is 23 - 0 from this position. This reflects his experience, of course, but also suggests that the game move is not best. The simple 6...Bxd4 was fine.
7.dxe5 Be7 8.Qf3+
Despite Bill's familiarity with this Jerome Gambit variation, the text is a novelty. Creativity, even in routine situations.
8...Ke8 9.O-O Bg5
Black wants to swap off his troubled Bishop, activating his Queen in the recapture. What could be wrong with that? What typical Jerome Gambit tactic has the defender overlooked?
10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qxg5 Qxg5 12.Bxg5 h6 13.Be3 b6 14.c4 Bb7 15.Nc3 Ne7 16.f4 Nc6
White has recovered his sacrificed piece, and is ahead 2 pawns. He is in no hurry, but eventually his "Jerome pawns" will become restless, after his pieces have moved into position.
17.b3 Nb4 18.Rf2 c5 19.Rd1 Rf8 20.Nb5 Kd8 21.f5 Bxe4 22.f6
g5 23.e6 Black resigned
Oh, dear. Stockfish 10 suggests here that the only move to avoid falling into checkmate would be 23...d5, which would, of course, lead to 24.cxd5, and White's 3, connected, passed "Jerome pawns" would be a nightmare. (As if the alternative, 24.e7+, would not be enough to cause Black to turn over his King.)
Sometimes the Jerome Gambit plays out like a "regular" (i.e. non-refuted) opening. Little mis-steps by Black can lead, in due course, to a painful ending. Bill demonstrates, in the following game.
Wall, Bill - Guest7665109
PlayChess.com, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qd5+ Ke8
Black does not want to offer his b-pawn with 8...Be6. Perhaps he should have.
9.d4 N8e7 10.Qb3 Bd7
Now he is willing, but Bill declines.
11.O-O b6
Overly cautious; it is still not a good idea for White to grab the b-pawn. On the other hand, White gets time to work on his "Jerome pawn" center.
12.f4 Nc6 13.f5
13...Nh4
Perhaps the Knight needed to go to e7? It was possible to grab the pawn with 13...Nxd3, but after 14.Qd3 Ne6 15.exf6 gxf6 White would be a bit better.
14.Qg3 Qf6 15.Nc3 Qxd4+
How can grabbing a free pawn - with check - be an error? Watch, and see.
16.Be3 Qf6 17.Nd5
A Knight on d5 is one attacking theme in the Jerome Gambit. The Black Queen is attacked, but it protects the Knight. Ouch.
17...Qe5 18.Qxh4 Rc8 19.f6
19...gxf6 20.Nxf6+ Kd8 21.Ng4+ Qe7 22.Bg5 Black resigned
In the following game, Black is defending well - until. That can happen in a Jerome Gambit.
angelcamina - kamosik
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 N8e7
10.O-O Rf8 11.f4 Nc6 12.d4 Bd7 13.f5 Nge7
Black's pieces huddle around his King, providing protection. Suddenly, his Rook pawns undo all the work.
14.Nc3 h6 15.Qf3 a6
16.Qh5+ Rf7 17.f6 g6 18.Qxh6 Ng8 19.Qh8 Kf8 20.Bh6+ Black resigned
Checkmate is coming.
