Jerome Gambit: Often A Lot of Fun

One thing I like about Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games is that they often appear to be a lot of fun.

The following game, while not a Jerome proper, was clearly inspired by the Gambit. I suspect that for the winner it was plenty of fun.

cinna banana - NN

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 b6 2.Nf3 Bb7

Owen's Defense.

3.Bc4 

An offer of a pawn, best declined.

3...Bxe4 4.Bxf7+ 

Logical. Komodo 11 likes it, too.

4...Kxf7 5.Ne5+

Instead, 5...Ng5+ would fork the King and Bishop, and win back the sacrificed piede - but White is thinking about checkmate.

5...Ke8 6.Qh5+ Bg6 

Black's best defense was to block the check with 6...g6.

7.Nxg6 Qc8 

Giving the King some breathing room. In such positions it is always wise to examine a move like 7...Nf6, which would prove more helpful in the current situation. Now the game is pretty much over.

8.Nxh8+ Kd8 

9.Qf7

This is a blitz game. This move wins. When White goes over his moves, afterwards, he will find an idea worth remembering: 9.Nf7+ Ke8 10.Nd6+ Kd8 11.Qe8# 

9...Nf6 10.Qxf8+ Ne8 11.Nf7 checkmate

Very nice. And funny.