Jerome Gambit: Down the Rabbit Hole, Again (Part 4)

[continued from the previous post]

Deacon, Frederic - Steinitz, William
match, London,1862

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 

The Evans Gambit.

4...Bb6

Declined.

5.b5

While not popular in modern play, this move is, nonetheless, quite direct, and leads to a tactical melee.

5...Na5 6.Nxe5 

There is at least a slight similarity to the play after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 (hoping for the Jerome Gambit) Na5 4.Nxe5 (the "serious" recommendation, instead of Jerome-izing the game with 4.Bxf7+).

6...Bd4

This looks like Steinitz's invention. Opening books at the time recommended either 6...Qf6 or 6...Nh6, when Black might (or might not) have an edge. Today, Komodo 10 shows a preference (32 ply deep) for the Blackburne Shilling Gambit-ish 6...Qg5.

7.Bxf7+ 

Stronger was 7.Nxf7. Now Black slowly outplays his opponent.

7...Kf8 8.Ba3+ d6 9.Bxg8 Kxg8 10.c3 Bxe5 11.d4 Bf6

Black has a piece for two pawns, and can continue to pull his game together.

12.Nd2 Be6 13.Qe2 Qe8 14.O-O Qf7 

15.d5 Bd7 16.Rac1 Re8 17.Qd3 b6 18.f4 Nb7 19.Nf3 h6

Komodo doesn't like this last move, suggesting that it can be answered by 20.e5, with advantage to White. It is fine with 19...Qg6 20.Rce1 h6, (advantage Black) which the game transposes into. 

20.Rce1 Qg6 21.f5 Qf7 22.g4 Kh7 23.h4 g5 24.hxg5 Bxg5 

Taking the Bishop off of the a1-h8 diagonal is a mistake, as White immediatly shows. 

25.e5 Qg8

This does not stop the pawns from advancing, "Jerome pawn" style, as part of a mating attack.

26.e6 Bc8 27.f6+ Qg6 28.Nxg5+ hxg5 29.Rf5 Nd8 30.Re2 Nf7 31.Rxg5 Rhg8 32.Rh2+ Nh6 33.Rgh5 Kh8 34.Rxh6+ Qxh6 35.Rxh6 checkmate

Verdict: interesting game, snappy conclusion - but, all told, not likely to be mistaken as a Jerome Gambit game.

[to be continued]