Jerome Gambit: Don't Take The Rook

Currently, most of my Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) games are played in Italian Game or Guioco Piano tournaments at Chess.com.

Occasionally, I am challenged by someone who is interested in taking or facing the Jerome.

The following game revolves around one piece of advice: If you are playing the Jerome Gambit against Whistler's Defense, don't take the Rook.

I did not out-play my opponent, he simply stepped in a bear trap.

I know that Jerome Gambit superstars like angelcamina, chessmanjeff, DutchLiLi, mwfakalhaswa, shugart, UNPREDICTABLE, Bill Wall, ZahariSokolov and even Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, himself, have taken the Rook and survived - but I recommend against it.

Here's why.

F0nix - perrypawnpusher

3d/move, 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, named after Lt. G. N. Whistler, secretary of the Lexington, Kentucky Chess Club, who played the defense - successfully - against Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in a correspondence match in 1876. 

Don't. Take. The. Rook.

Either 8.Qf4+ or 8.Qxe7+ could lead to tedious, but more promising play.

8.Qxh8 

8...Qxe4+ 9.Kd1 Qxg2 10.Qxh7+ Kf8 11.Re1 

After the game, the Chess.com computer grumbled that this move was an "inaccuracy", but at this point it really doesn't matter. Black's King is relatively safe, White's King, not so much.

11...d5 12.Qh4 

Instead, 12.d4 Bg4+ 13.Kd2 Qxf2+ 14.Re2 Qxe2+ 15.Kc3 Qc4+ 16.Kd2 Qxd4+ 17.Ke1 Qd1 checkmate was blackburne - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit thematic tournament, ChessWorld.net, 2008. 

12...Bg4+ 13.Re2 Qf1 checkmate