Jerome Gambit: Thicket of Problems

In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, White makes his way through a thicket of problems to a clearing where he is better - only to succumb to what looks like a time pressure slip. Of course, a 5-minute blitz game is constant time pressure, and it is easy to miss the subtleties that arise. Play over the game, and see for yourself.

PikaPwn - Bromberry

5 0 blitz, Chess.com 2020

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qf6 

This position is a pretty good example of the options that Black has on defense - he ignores the attack on two pieces, and develops a third. He could have similarly played 6...Qh4.

7.dxc5 Ne7  8.O-O Rf8 9.f4 N5c6 10.e5 Qf5 11.Nc3 Kg8  

Black has a piece for two pawns, has better development, and has castled-by-hand.

White's pawns clamp down on the d6 pawn and give some counterplay.

12.Nd5 

Another way to attack c7, one that does not risk the exchange of Knights, is 12.Nb5.

12...Nxd5 13.Qxd5+ Kh8 14.c3 d6 15.cxd6 Be6 16.Qb5 cxd6 17.Qxb7 

White has been tearing up Black's pawns, but there is danger associated with this capture.

17...Nxe5 

Possible because the Knight cannot be captured without allowing checkmate.

18.Be3 a5  

Perhaps planning 19...Rfb8, harassing the Queen, but missing the fact that the capture of the Knight is now on.

19.fxe5 Qd3 20.Rxf8+ Rxf8 21.Bd4 

The position features Bishops of opposite colors. Will that matter? It will, if the heavy pieces come off the board, when an extra pawn or two for White will not prevent the possibility of a draw. However, with heavy pieces on the board, the player who can attack has the advantage.  

21...Bc4 22.h3 dxe5 23.Bxe5 

White threatens checkmate at g7. In blitz, direct threats are good. Had he more time, however, he might have opted for 23.Bc5, when the game might have devolved into a draw, e.g. 23...Rf1+ 24. Rxf1 Qxf1+ 25. Kh2 Qf4+ 26. Kh1 Bxa2 27. Qa8+ Bg8 28. Qxa5 Qc1+ 29. Bg1 Qxb2 30. Qxe5 h6 31. Bd4 Qb1+ 32. Kh2 Qg6 - the extra pawn is probably not enough to win.

23...Rf1+ 

Black jumps too quickly, because he is thinking of his own chances for checkmate. There was a piece to be won with 23...Qe3+ 24. Kh1 Qxe5. 

24.Rxf1 

This move is okay, but how would Black have answered 24.Kh2 - ? It would have cost a lot of material.

24...Qxf1+ 25.Kh2 Qf7 26.Qc8+ Qg8 

27.Qg4 

Exchanging Queens would have led to a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, which might have been a win for White, although it would take some work.

27...Be6 

This overlooks a tactic. He probably should have gone ahead with 27...Bxa2. 

28.Qa4 

There was, instead, 28.Bxg7+ Qxg7 29. Qxe6 winning a pawn, but time was short and there was no reason to complicate.

28...Bxa2 

29.Qxa2 

An unfortunate oversight. Grabbing the pawn was more likely to win. Now White's only chance lies with the clock.

29...Qxa2 30.b4 axb4 31.cxb4 Qd5 32.Bc7 Kg8 33.Ba5 Kf7 34.Kg1 Ke6 35.Kf2 Kf5 36.Kg3 g5 37.Kh2 Qe5+ 38.Kh1 Kf4 39.Bd8 Kg3 40.b5 Qe1 checkmate