Jerome Gambit: Finish Quickly

There are so many ways for those who defend against the Jerome Gambit to wander off of the main lines. In the following game, the attacker strikes quickly, before his opponent has any more ideas.

Wall, Bill - Guest2021162
PlayChess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Ke7 

Ah, yes. As I noted in the game ZahariSokolov - mmamaju
standard, FICS, 2015 (0-1, 44) - See"Jerome Gambit: Chaos Rules")

Here we have the "Jerome Gambit, Paulsen Variation", otherwise known as "An Odd Line in an Odd Line". It is more of a psychological ploy than a solid defense...

It is a rare line - there are only 13 examples in The Database, with White scoring 77 percent - but it is worth knowing the best response, if only, like in the current game, you want to finish quickly.

6.Qh5

Brute threat.

6...Nf6

Okay, it turns out that Black is not messing with his opponent's head, he's lost in an opening that he was not prepared for.

Komodo 10 suggests that the defender's only hope is 6...Bxf2+ 7.Kxf2 Qf8+ when White can settle for a somewhat boring pawn-up Queenless middlegame: 8.Kg1 Nd4 9.Nf3 Nxf3+ (if 9...Nxc2, then 10.Qc5+ will win the Knight) 10.Qxf3 Qxf3 11.gxf3 Nf6.

On the other hand, perhaps a Jerome Gambiteer, seeking a wild attacking game, would be upset by a boring, pawn-up Queenless middlegame? Perhaps, with the right opponent, at the right time, Black might do well to try...

7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4 checkmate