Jerome Gambit: Follow the Yellow Brick Road

The following game wanders off the Yellow Brick Road that leads to the Jerome Gambit - but only for a short time. Upon its return, White proves himself enough of a wizard to collect the full point in under ten moves.

BenSomeone - DanielMaeng

2 1 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nxe5 

This reminds me of Chicago Gambit, (also known as the Irish Gambit or the Razzle Dazzle Gambit) - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nxe5 -  and the Halloween Gambit (also known as the Müller–Schulze Gambit or the Leipzig Gambit) - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5.

I was surprised to find over 200 games with 4.Nxe5 in The Database.

4...Nxe5

Now Komodo 11 recommends either 5.Be2 Ng6 6.d4 Bb6 or 5.d4 Bb4+ 6.c3 Nxc4 7.cxb4 d5.

5.Bxf7+ 

The Database has 18 previous examples, with White scoring 10 - 8. Only four of those games featured the best response, 5...Nxf7 - Black has two pieces for two pawns, and his King can castle to safety in a few moves -  and, somewhat surprisingly, White scored 2 - 2.

5...Kxf7 

Suddenly, White is on the safe path of the Jerome Gambit.

6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qxc5 b6

Seen in five previous games; tempting, but losing.

8.Qd5+

Recently seen, but not as accurate: 8.Qf5+ Nf6 9.e5 d6 10.e6+ Kg8 11.d3 Nh4 12.Qg5 Nf5 13.Qxf5 Qe7 14.0–0 Bxe6 15.Qf4 Nh5 16.Qf3 Rf8 17.Qe3 Nf4 18.Qe4 d5 19.Qe5 Nxg2 20.Kxg2 Rf5 21.Qe3 Kf7 22.Re1 Qh4 23.Qxe6+ Kf8 24.Qe8 checkmate, Akash_12345 - S_P_Kushwaha, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 

8...Ke8 9.Qxa8 Black resigned

White is up two pawns and the exchange.