The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), played at club level, is full of psychology. Imagine the chess tyro facing "Jerome's Double Gambit" and immediately bemoaning, "I thought I knew the Italian Game, but this is a line I overlooked!" Even if he realizes that the opening is a bit sketchy, he might still rationalize "It must be good for something; nobody would sacrifice two pieces for nothing!"
Of course, Black has his own psychological ploys, as the following game shows.
alxaraya - raffa
3 0 blitz, FICS, 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kf8
The Jerome Gambit declined.
Black reasons, "If White wants me to take the Bishop, I won't take the Bishop!"
The computers chuckle: Black trades a won game for a lost game.
5.Bxg8 Rxg8
White's Bishop has disappeared. The first player is a pawn up - perhaps, with a safer King.
6.Nxe5
White is obviously looking for 6...Nxe5, when 7.d4 would follow.
6...Bxf2+
"If sacrificing a Bishop to displace my King is a good idea, maybe I should do the same to you," thinks Black.
There are only two other examples of this move in The Database.
Of course, either 6...Nxe5 or 6...Qe7 were playable.
7.Kxf2 Nxe5
8.Rf1
Looking to castle-by-hand. There was also the wild 8.d4 Qf6+ 9.Ke1 Qh4+ 10.Kd2 Ng4 11.Qf3+ Ke8 12.Rf1 Nf6 13.Nc3 c6 14.Kd3 d6 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Bg4 17.Qf4 Rd8+ 18.Ke3 Nd5+ 19.Nxd5 Rxd5 20.Qf7+ Kd8 21.Qxg8+ Kc7 22.Qxg7+ Kb6 23.Bd2 Be6 24.Rad1 Qd4+ 25.Kf3 Qh4 26.Be3+ Ka6 27.g3 Qxh2 28.c4 Qh5+ 29.g4 Qh3+ 30.Kf2 Qh2+ 31.Ke1 Qh4+ 32.Bf2 Rxd1+ 33.Kxd1 Qh3 Black resigned, MrJoker - ThePawnSnatcher, Internet Chess Club, 2011.
8...Qh4+
This move is aggressive, but also falls to the criticism often seen of the Jerome Gambit: Don't bring your Queen out too early! Perhaps Black figured that his opponent would appreciate the idea.
The defender folded in an earlier game, with 8...Ke7 9.d4 Ng6 10.Bg5+ Black resigned, MrJoker - Macuta, Internet Chess Club, 2011.
9.Kg1+ Ke7
Black's lead in development does not make up for his lost pawn and his unsafe King.
10.d4 Ng4 11.h3 Nf6 12.e5 Nd5 13.c4 Nb6
14.b3
Solid, protecting the c-pawn and opening lines for the Bishop.
If you want an oddball, stronger move, take a look at 14.Rf4!?, attacking Black's misplaced Queen. Of course, 14...Qg3, now, loses Her Majesty to 15.Rg4. White's real idea is revealed after 14...Qh6 15.Re7+! when 15...Kxe7 16.Bxh6 cannot be answered by 16...gxh6 because 17.c5 or 17.Qf3+ would be too strong; while 16.Kg6 Bd2 is just better for White.
14...d6 15.exd6+ Kxd6 16.c5+ Kc6 17.cxb6 Kxb6
18.Na3 Be6 19.Nc4+ Kc6 20.Ne5+ Kd6 21.Ba3+ c5 22.Bxc5+ Black resigned
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