Jerome Gambit: Danger on the f-File

White's Bishop sacrifice in the Jerome Gambit brings the enemy King to the f-file. Often, Black's defense brings his Queen there. After White castles - the f-file can become a dangerous place, as the following game shows.

Wall, Bill - Guest744598
PlayChess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's Defense, named for Lt. G. N. Whistler, secretary of the Lexington, Kentucky Chess Club, who played a correspondence match using the line against Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, in 1876.

8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.Qg3 Bd6 10.f4

A small improvement over 10.Qc3, seen in Wall,B - Guest3289310, PlayChess.com, 2012:  10...Qxc3 11.Nxc3 Be5 12.O-O Bxc3 13.bxc3 d6 14.d4 Ne7 15.f4 Rf8 16.d5 Kg8 17.Re1 Bd7 18.c4 Rae8 19.Rb1 b6 20.e5 dxe5 21.fxe5 Nc8 22.e6 Ba4 23.Re2 Nd6 24.Rb4 b5 25.c5 Nc4 26.g4 a5 27.Rb3 Bxb3 28.cxb3 Rf3 29.bxc4 bxc4 30.d6 cxd6 31.cxd6 Rd3 32.d7 Ra8 33.Rd2 Kf8 34.Rxd3 cxd3 35.Ba3+ Kg8 36.e7 Kf7 37.d8=Q Rxd8 38.exd8=Q Black resigned.

10...Bxf4

This  pawn grab is not as good as Bill's suggestion, 10...Bc5. 

11.Qb3+ Qe6 

Better, 11...d5. 

12.O-O 

12...Qxb3 13.Rxf4+ Kg7 14.axb3 d6 

15.d4 Ne7 16.Nc3 Bd7 17.Be3 a6  

Black safeguards his a-pawn before moving his Rook. However, this gives up a vital tempo that turns over the f-file to White.

18.Raf1 Rhe8 

Normally, Black could challenge the file, say, with 18...Rhf8, but here it would be met by 19.Rxf8 Rxf8 20.Bh6+ followed by 21.Rxf8.

19.Rf7+ Kh8 20.Bg5 Nc6 21.Bf6+ Kg8 22.Rxd7 

Black resigned

If he challenges along the f-file, he is liable to run into the notorious chess "windmill", giving up material - 22...Rf8 23.Rg7+ Kh8 24.Rxc7+ Kg8 25.Rg7+ Kh8 26.Rxb7+ Kg8 27.Rg7+ Kh8 28.Rc7+ Rxf6 29.Rxf6 Nb4 30.Rff7, when checkmate is coming.


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