I was quite excited. Playing mostly under the handle "MrJoker", largely blitz games at the Internet Chess Club (ICC), Morin has about 350 Jerome Gambit games in The Database. His communications, games and analysis show up in many places in this blog.
Still, one of the games M. Crépault sent me was one that I had never seen before - an over-the-board Jerome Gambit (he has played at least a half-dozen) in a serious tournament. I think it was his first.
The following game was played a couple of months before this blog began.
Morin, Louis - Piche, Justin
Montreal, Canada, 2008
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 Nf6
10.d3
Ten years later, Morin played 10.0-0 against Weston, a move that may be ever so slightly better, born of experience. In most lines of Jerome Gambit play, White will want to castle, while it is not clear if he will play d2-d3 or d2-d4; and if he wants to play f2-f4, that, too, is done more safely after 0-0.
10...Ng4
It's never too early to harass White's Queen. The move is not a mistake, but more relevant would be 10...Kf7, planning to castle-by-hand.
11.Qg5
White is rated significantly above his opponent, and so makes the choice Jerome Gambiteers sometimes do: simplify, and take the pawns against the piece, because in club/amateur games, that can be a lot easier to play.
11...Qxg5 12.Bxg5 h6 13.Bd2 Rf8 14.O-O
White doesn't have much, yet - in fact, Black has a small advantage - but his plan is simple: develop and advance the "Jerome pawns".
14...Nf4 15.Nc3 Be6 16.Rae1
Komodo 10 prefers 16.d4 Bc4 17.Rfd1 Ng6 18.f3 Ng6
16...Kd7 17.b3
Preparing for d3-d4 without letting an enemy Bishop or Knight come to c4.
17...c5 18.Bxf4 Rxf4 19.Ne2 Rf6 20.h3 Ne5
I think I hear someone in the back seat of the car asking "Are we there yet?"
21.f4 Nc6 22.c3 b5 23.g4
Aggressive, but 23.d4 cxd4 24.cxd4 might have been better.
23...a5
24.Ng3 g6 25.e5 dxe5 26.Ne4
A nice intermezzo move. Probably it is time for d3-d4 next move.
26...Rf7 27.Nxc5+ Ke7 28.Nxe6 Kxe6 29.d4 Raf8
30.Rd1
Letting the tension out of the position. White should have tried 30.c4 bxc4 31.bxc4 Kd7 32.d5 Nb4 33.Rxe5, when he would have 3 pawns for the piece.
30...exd4 31.cxd4 Kd5 32.f5 gxf5 33.Rf4 fxg4 34.Rxg4 Rf4
35.Rg6 R8f6 36.Rg8 Rxd4 37.Rxd4+ Kxd4 38.Rg3 Rf5 39.Rg6 Rg5+ 40.Rxg5 White resigned
Not many strong players risk ratings and reputation to play the Jerome Gambit over-the-board. Hats off to Louis Morin.
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