Jerome Gambit: First Steps (Part 6)

It looks like we are taking some time getting to discussing the main lines of the Jerome Gambit, but when we are considering an attack that benefits from surprise and disorientation - What is this opening? What do I do next? - it is a good idea to reduce those aspects in the attacker's game.

So, what if Black declines the second sacrifice? After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8.

Jerome Gambiteers should become somewhat familiar with this line because of the surprise factor, but also because there are some tricky moves ahead. (I touched on this in detail in a series of posts about a decade ago.)

The alternative King retreat, 5...Ke7, is properly met by 6.Qh5, when Black must give up his uneasy Bishop with 6...Bxf2+ and it can be argued that after 7.Kxf2 White's King is closer to safety and he is a pawn ahead.

Somewhat more reasonable is 5...Ke8, but 6.Nxc6 already forces Black to be creative with 6...Qh4, (since capturing the White Knight is strongly met by 7.Qh5+) although White's King can weather the attention after 7.d4 Qxe4+ (retreating the Bishop, instead, allows White to retreat his Knight). There is a straight-forward, even game to be had with 8.Qe2, followed by an exchange of Queens; or a bit rockier one after 8.Be3 Qxg2 9.Qh5+ Kf8 10.Ne5 Bb4+ 11.c3 Qxh1+ 12.Kd2, when Stockfish 13 gives White a small edge, even though he is down a piece for a pawn. (Note to self: examine line further.)

After the diagram above, an attempt to transpose to main Jerome Gambit lines with 6.Qh5 would be well met by 6...Qf6; a better chance would be 6.0-0, to meet a possible 6...Nxe5 with 7.d4.

Strongest would be the consistent 6.Nxc6, when Black would be better after either capture, and would be worse after 6...Qh4 7.Qf3+ Nf6 8.d4, whether he forced the Queen exchange with 8...Qxe4+ or retreated his Bishop (when White's Knight could retreat) or captured White's Knight (when White would capture his Bishop).

Whew.

The fact is that 5...Kf8 is one of the "refutations" of the Jerome Gambit that you may have heard about, which means that if your opponent is as strong as you (or stronger), is reasonably familiar with the opening, and the time control you are playing at is slow enough - your level of risk in the game will be correspondingly higher.

It is always helpful to check out the practical side of things. The Database reports that White scored 57% in games with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8, and that the scoring percentage went up to 59% after 6.Nxc6. That's playable.