Jerome Gambit: More GMHikaruOnTwitch

In the following 3 0 blitz Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, it is interesting to see Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura (see "Jerome Gambit: GM Hikaru Nakamura Again") take on a complicated line (that I really don't have a fix for, yet). That's the way it goes with the Jerome - sometimes you don't always need a "fix", you just need to outplay your opponent in a line that you are more familiar with - while the clocks are ticking.

GMHikaruOnTwitch - Mrkooshaj

3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qxe5+ Kxe5 

11.b4 

The most dynamic try. It is always useful to visit the post "Jerome Gambit: Article" (this analytical article by Yury V. Bukayev was published before the blitz game Nakamura - Kollars, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020 was played) for related ideas. 

Also seen in the arena was the more sedate 11.d3, i.e. 11...d5 12.c3 Bb6 13.exd5 (13.d4+ Kxe4? 14.Rf1 +/=) 13...Kxd5 14.d4 c5 15.dxc5 Bxc5 16.Nd2 Bg4 17.h3 Re8+ 18.Kf1 Be2+ 19.Ke1 Bh5+ 20.Kf1 Nh6 21.g4 Rhf8+ 22.Kg2 Re2+ 23.Kg3 Bf2+ 24.Kg2 Bh4+ 25.Kg1 Re1+ 26.Kh2 Rf2 checkmate, Damwon - GMHikaruOnTwitch, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com 2021. 

11...Bd4 

Taking the pawn is not a good idea, 11...Bxb4 12.Bb2+ Kxe4 13.Bxg7 Ne7 14.Bxh8 d6 15.O-O Kd5 16.a3 Bc5+ 17.d4 Kc6 18.dxc5 Kxc5 19.Nc3 Kc6 20.Rf7 Nd5 21.Nxd5 Kxd5 22.Rf8 b6 23.Re1 Bb7 24.Rxa8 Bxa8 25.Re7 Kc6 26.Rxh7 Bb7 27.Rh4 Kd7 28.Rh7+ Kc6 29.h4 d5 30.h5 Kd6 31.h6 c5 32.Rxb7 Black resigned, GMHikaruOnTwitch - Thechesskid2021, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2021. 

The alternative 11...Bb6 can go two ways after 12.Bb2+. As we have seen above, 12...Kxe4 is a mistake thst would be met by 13.Bxg7, while12...Bd4 13.c3 Bb6 leaves White two tempii up on the 11...Bb6 line, although it is not clear that placing his Bishop on b2 is helpful.  

The relaxed 11...Bf8 only appears once in The Database, but is certainly playable, as in BoomBoomTNT - YT-123456789010chess, Chess.com, 2020 (1-0, 21). 

12.c3 Bb6 13.d4+ 

Instead, 13.d3 was the choice in a couple of older computer vs computer games - Zarkov 4.70 - DrunkenMaster 1.2/PC Intel Pentium 4 630 3000 1, 2009 (1/2 - 1/2, 94) and Matacz CCT7 - Imp 0.74b, CCT7, 2005, (0-1, 55). 

13...Kxe4 

The capture is playable, although retreating the King is the safest strategy, eg. 13...Ke6 14.0-0 d6 15.Nd2 Bd7 16.Nf3 h6 17.Bd2 Nf6 18.Rae1 Bb5 19.Rf2 Ng4 20.e5 Nxf2 21.exd6+ Kxd6 22.Bf4+ Kd5 23.Re5+ Kc4 24.Kxf2 Rae8 25.Nd2+ Kxc3 26.Rxb5 Rhf8 27.Kg3 Rxf4 28.Kxf4 Kxd2 29.Re5 Rf8+ 30.Ke4 Rf2 31.g3 Rxh2 32.Re6 Re2+ 33.Kd5 Rxe6 34.Kxe6 Bxd4 White resigned, simonsah2004 - GMHikaruOnTwitch, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com 2021.

14.Nd2+ 

Going after the King right away.

Interestigly enough, the grandmaster's opponent, in another game, tried the somewhat stronger 14.O-O Nf6 15.Bg5 d6 16.Nd2+ Kd3 17.Rf3+ Kc2 18.Nc4 Black resigned, Mrkooshaj - GMHikaruOnTwitch, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2021. That was Nakamura's only loss against the Jerome. 

14... Kf5 15.O-O+ Kg6 16.Nf3 d6 

Black's King has escaped homeward, but he needs to continue to be careful.

17.Nh4+ Kh5 

Black is not intimidated.

18.Rf7 Kxh4 19.Rxg7 h6 20.Be3 Nf6 21.Rf1 Ng4 

22.Bd2 Be6 23.Rf4 Rhf8 24.Re4 Bf5

Precisely the blunder he had been expecting.

25.Be1+ Kh5 26.h3 Nf6 

Black refuses to admit that the game has evened up, as 26...Rae8 27.hxg4+ Bxg4 28.Rgxg4 would show.

In doing so, he overlooks White's reply.

27.Rh4 checkmate