Jerome Gambit: Until He Falls

In a Jerome Gambit game played at bullet speed - 1 minute, no increment - it is necessary to focus on the tactical basics, and continue to push your opponent until he falls. Even in complicated positions, even with not-perfect moves: push, push, push!

angelcamina - Destroyu

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qf6 

This saves the Rook but surrenders the Bishop. That might have been Black's plan - especially in bullet - but it immediately gives White better prospects.

8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 

Also seen recently:

9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qxb7 Black resigned, s34nuk - Carborundissimo, 2 1 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; and

9.Qc4+ Be6 10.Qc3 Qh4 11.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 12.Kf1 Bc4+ 13.d3 Bxd3+ 14.cxd3 Qxd3+ 15.Ke1 Re8+ 16.Be3 Rxe3+ 17.fxe3 Qxe3+ 18.Kf1 Qc1+ 19.Kf2 Qxh1 20.Qxh7+ Kf8 21.Qxg6 Qc1 22.Nc3 Qxa1 23.Qf5+ Ke8 24.Qg6+ Kd7 25.Qxg8 Qxb2+ 26.Kg3 Qxc3+ 27.Kh4 Qd4+ 28.g4 Qf2+ 29.Kh5 Qc5+ 30.g5 d5 31.Qg7+ Kc6 32.g6 d4+ Black won on time, ianfencer - thepaperboy, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020.

9...Be6 10.O-O Ne7 11.Nc3 Nc6 

12.d4 

Could be a small oversight, but, in a bullet game, it's only the big ones that count.

12...Nxd4 13.f4 Nxc2 14.Qe2 Nxa1 

Okay, but will the Knight return to play, or will his inactivity make it as if he had only won the exchange, not an uncompensated Rook.

15.Be3 Nb3 

Give me liberty, or give me death!

But there is more to the picture.

16.axb3 

The position is devilishly complicated, and the alternative, 16.f5, was the strongest move. Then 16...gf5 17.exf5 Bd7 18.Qc4+ Kf8 19.Nd5!? Qe5 20.Qxb3 leads to a position where the danger to Black's King seriously outweighs the sacrificed exchange.

16...Bxb3 17.e5 

With more time, White would have discovered, to his delight, that Black's Bishop is a lost soul, and that after 17.Qb5!? Be6 18.f5 gxf5 19.exf5 it still struggles to find safety, e.g. 19...Ba2 20.Qa4.

17...Qe6 18.f5 

Open lines!

18...gxf5 19.Qh5+ Qg6 20.Rxf5+ Kg7 

Things do downhill after this.

21.Rg5 Bf7 22.Rxg6+ Bxg6 23.Bh6+ Kf7 24.Qf3+ Ke6 25.Qf6+ Kd7 26.e6+ Kc6 27.Qf3+ Kb6 28.Be3+ c5 29.Qd5 Rhe8 30.Qxd6+ Ka5 31.Qxc5+ Ka6 32.Qb5 checkmate