Jerome Gambit: Getting More Right This Time (Part 1)

The following game, a rematch in the fourth round of the "Italian Game Battlefield" tournament at Chess.com, was another (see "Jerome Gambit: His Trap Was Part of My Trap") Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. Much to my relief, after my exhausting struggle against Tacotopia (see "Jerome Gambit: Overthinking?" Parts 1 & 2), I was able to find the win of the exchange and use it to win the endgame.

perrypawnpusher - andrewLLL

Italian Game Battlefield tournament, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

7...Bxd4

Previously, andrewLLL had played 7...Bd6 against me. According to The Database, I was 1 - 2 - 0 (33%) against 7...Bd6 before that game.

Komodo 10 sees 7...Bd6 as slightly stronger than 7...Bxd4. Against 7...Bxd4, I was 15 - 7 - 1 (67%).

All in all, I was happy to see the text move.

8.Qxd4 d6 

The strongest response. I have also seen

8...Qe7 in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 27), perrypawnpusher - BigKalamar, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 49), and perrypawnpusher - OudeKwakkelaar, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 16); and

8...Re8 in perrypawnpusher - hklett, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 20), perrypawnpusher - KaZC, FICS, 2010 (1/2 - 1/2, 61),  perrypawnpusher - Fazmeister, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 36),  perrypawnpusher - JoseSoza, Chess.com, 2012 (0-1, 34), and perrypawnpusher - spince, blitz, FICS, 2014 (0-1, 41),

9.O-O 

Stronger than 9.Bg5 in perrypawnpusher - wuolong, Italian Game tournament, Chess.com, 2013 (1-0, 15).

9...Re8 10.Bg5 Be6

This move is not a mistake, but I am always happy to be able to advance my f-pawn and cause the Bishop to move again.

11.f4 Nc6 12.Qd3 Qd7 

This move doesn't look right, however. Although this game was played at a 3 days / move time control, it is possible that my opponent was using the Chess.com app on his phone, and mis-keyed the move (instead of, say, 12...Qe7) and quickly but mistakenly sent it. Just a guess - I have done that before, myself.

Better was 12...Kg8, castling-by-hand.

13.f5 Bxf5

After the game, Komodo 10 recommended 13...Bxa2 instead.

14.Rxf5 

With plans to put pressure on the Knight at f6, taking advantage of the pin to the enemy King. This is stronger than 14.exf5, which might be what my opponent expected, and which would have left me with only a slight - if any - edge.

14...Re5 15.Raf1 Rxf5 16.Rxf5 Ne7 

Material is even, although White's pressure - especially along the f-file - should allow him to win a pawn. White's isolated e-pawn participates in the attack, which would not have been the case, had the pawn captured on move 14.

[to be continued]