Jerome Gambit: Inspiring

One thing I like about the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is that it often inspires (for example, see "Jerome Gambit-Inspired Play" Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 ) bold, attacking play, even if it arises from slightly different openings.

The following game is fun to play over and examine. It reminds me of the quote by Mikhail Tal "You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one."

tokyoghoul - NN

Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 

The Italian Game.

4.a3 

Fascinating. Is White preparing to play a "reversed" Vienna game? The move brings to mind 1.e4 e5 2.a3, Mengarini's Opening, and Hugh E. Myers' Reversed king pawns: Mengarini's opening (1977) which looked at 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.a3.

Tokyoghoul might not have been aware that he was following in the path of Windmueller - Schallopp, blindfold simultaneous exhibition, Hamburg, 1868 (0-1, 50) - at least for 4 moves. 

4...b6 

Possibly taking White's last move as a sign of slow and peaceful intent. White 4.a3 can have its benefits for the first player, as we shall see, the benefit of 4...b6 for the defender is a bit less clear, showing up mostly in lines not played. Certainly there was little wrong with 4...Nf6.

5.Bxf7+ 

Suddenly: Jerome!

5... Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxe5 Qe7 

Wow. The game now resembles Whistler's Defense to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ne5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7), with the addition of a2-a3 for White (which might prove helpful) and ...b7-b6 for Black (which creates weaknesses).

9.Qd5+ 

Following the major rule when facing Whistler's - do not take the Rook, for 9.Qxh8 Qxe4+ creates great danger for White's King.

9...Kg7 

It is too easy (and likely incorrect) to psychologize and decide that Black's move unconsciously blocks a possible enemy Queen attack on the h8 Rook, along the a1-h8 diagonal.

Even more, the correct move, 9...Qe6 would have lost the other Rook, although Stockfish 13 likes Black after 10.Qxa8 Ne7 11.Nc3 Nc6 12.b4 Bd4 13.b5 Ba6 14.Qxh8 Bxh8 15.bxa6 Bxc3 16.dxc3 Qxe4+ 17.Be3 Qc4 18.O-O-O d6 as Black's Queen would be better at grabbing extra material than White's Rooks would be.

10.b4 

This works.

10...Ba6

This does not. 

Black could have solved some of his problems with 10...c6 11.Bb2+ Nf6. Instead, he sets another trap for White.  

11.Bb2+ 

White did a wonderful job of avoiding difficulties, this time 11.Qxa8 Nf6 12.Qxh8+ Kxh8 13.d3 Bd4 and Black's better development and two Bishops would win the day.

11...Kh6 12.Qxa8 

Yes.

This is playble now, because of White's Bishop on b2, which was possible because of 10.b4 and 4.a3. Nice.

12...Nf6 13.Qxh8 Nxe4 

13...Qxe4+ was no longer a great danger. Now White drains some of the excitment (danger) from the position.

14.Qg7+ Qxg7 15.Bxg7+ Kxg7 16.bxc5 Nxc5 

White can wrap up the game 

17.f3 Bb7 18.Kf2 h5 19.Re1 Bd5 20.Re7+ Kh6 21.Nc3 Bc6 22.Rae1

I do not understand Black and White's next couple of moves, but it does not matter: for all practical purposes, the game is already over.

22...Nd3+ 23.Ke2 Nxe1 24.Kxe1 d5 25.g4 hxg4 26.fxg4 g5 

I suspect that the clock had become a factor at this point.

27.h3

See the above note. 

27...Bb7 28.Ne2 

Black resigned

A Rook is a Rook is a Rook.

Nice game.