Jerome Gambit: Struggling (Part 1)

So far, I have not been very successful with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) in the second round of the "Piano Piano" tournament at Chess.com. I just recorded my second loss, against one win - and the latter wasn't much to get excited about, as it was 1-0, in 4 moves, on time.

I can not fully blame the Jerome, however. I had my chances, but was simply outplayed by my opponent in a complicated game. 

acasimon1987's finish to the game was masterful and crushing. He scored a well-deserved win.

perrypawnpusher - acasimon1987

3 d/move, "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

10.O-O Kf7 

In this ordinary Jerome Gambit position (almost 200 games with it, in The Database) Black prepares to castle-by-hand.

I have faced this position before, and scored 19 - 9 - 1. Not my best variation, but okay.

In the first round of the tournament, I faced 10...Qe7 and was also outplayed in perrypawnpusher - ZlikoM, 3d/move "Piano Piano" Chess.com, 2020 (0-1, 37). Still, my record against the move is 8 - 2 - 1.

 11.f4 Re8 12.Qb3+ 

This is a move that I mentioned in "Jerome Gambit: Enthusiast", and I shared my curiosity about it in "Jerome Gambit: Mixed Feelings (Part 1)". The goal is simply to disrupt the castling-by-hand.

Earlier in the tournament, I had tried 12.f5 in perrypawnpusher - sincondrosis, 3d/move "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2020, (1-0, 31).

Also possible is 12.d3, although after White meets 12...d5 with 13.e5, if he eventually wants his pawn on d4 it will take a second move to get it there.

12...Be6 

Black is not impressed. He offers his b-pawn. He is thinking of a Kingside attack and is happy to have the enemy Queen offside.

13.Qxb7 

This capture is risky, but, after the game Stockfish 14 ranked it as its top choice.

13...Ng4 

I do not think that this move was a bluff, and it worked quite well, but it should not have. The placement of his Bishop and Knight should have encouraged me to play f4-f5 as soon as possible.

14.g3 

This is to keep Black's Queen off of h4.

In the post mortem, Stockfish 14 recommended 14.h3 Qh4 15.f5 Kg8 16.hxg4 Qxg4 17.Nc3 (the best chance for advantage) Nf4 18.Rxf4 (sacrificing the exchange is necessary) Qxf4 19.d3 (taking the Bishop would allow 19...Rf8 and a draw) Qg3 20.Bd2 (allowing the Rook to protect the first rank, to avoid Queen checks toward a repetition and a draw) Bf7 21.Qxc7 Qe5 when the attack would be over, and White would be better.

That's complicated.

14...Rb8 15.Qxa7 Nh4 

Wow.

My opponent and I have exchanged roles. He is attacking my King, and offering the sacrifice of a piece to do so. I have been pawn-grabbing, taking my Queen out of play.

On the other hand, when analyzing afterward, Stockfish 14 gave a small advantage here to me.

What I should have been worried about was if the following line actually was better for Black: 15...Ra8 16.Qd4 c5 17.Qc3 Bc8 (aha) 18.d3 d5 (thematic) 19.Nd2 Kg8 20.Nb3 dxe4 21.dxe4 Rxe4 22.Nxc5 Qb6 23.Qb3+ Qxb3 24.axb3 Rxa1 25.Nxe4 Bf5 26.Nf2 Nxf2 27.Kxf2 Bxc2 28.Be3 Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 Bxb3. Stockfish thinks so, but I think White would have practical chances.

[to be continued]