Jerome Gambit: Dancing on the Knife's Edge Again

When playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), I would rather not face Whistler's Defense (7...Qe7) and I particularly would stay away from taking the Rook at h8, as it is definitely poisoned.

However, just as the Jerome is playable under blitz time controls, so too are risky lines that enter complications that the defender is not ready to deal with - even those that involve poisoned Rooks.

Danijel265 - scoopadebop

3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2021

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

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

Whistler's Defense.

8.Qxh8 

This is usually considered dangerous.

8...Qxe4+ 

This is why.

9.Kf1 Qc4+ 

Black has the right idea, to focus on the enemy King, but there is one task he needed to deal with first - safeguard his own King. One line: 9...Qh4 (attacking f2, while defending h7) 10.g3 Qh3+ 11.Ke1 Qe6+ 12.Kf1 Nf6. Now White's Queen is trapped and vulnerable to ...b6 followed by ...Bb7.

White takes advantage of the moment's opportunity.

10.d3 Qxc2 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Bh6+ 

A nice idea to keep in mind, developing a piece, exchanging off a defender, keeping control of the situation with checks.

12...Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Ke8 

14.Qxg6+ Ke7 15.Qe4+ Kd6 16.Nc3 

Overlooking something, but, remember, this was a 3-minute game. One more check would have settled things: 16.Qg6 + Ke7 (all others allow mate) 17.Nd2 (the Knight is expendible because 17...Qxd2 18.Re1+ wins the Queen) and Black's King faces great danger.

16...Qxf2 checkmate

Ouch.