Jerome Gambit: Hot Rod Lincoln (Part 1)

My dad said "Son, you're going to drive me to drinkin'

If you don't stop driving that hot rod Lincoln"

 

A loss in my latest Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game brings me to a record of  3 - 3 with the opening in the second round of the "Piano piano" tournament at Chess.com (with an additional 2 - 0 due to time forfeits).

I still had chances, until, embarassingly, I suddenly dropped a Rook. "Unforced error", they would say in tennis.

perrypawnpusher - PasayDefence

3d/move, Piano Piano, Chess.com, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

The Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit, played successfully by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in two correspondence games with Daniel Jaeger in 1880.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6  

Black adds a lead in development to his piece-for-two-pawns material advantage. However, my record when facing this position was 9 - 2.

9.O-O 

This is something new for me. Previously I had played 9.d3 or 9.Nc3.

I am not sure why I chose the text move. I suspect that I thought that I would get something after 9...Nxe4 10.Qf4+, but there really was not anything for White in that line.  

9...Kf7 

According to The Database, this thematic move (making way to castle-by-hand) is a novelty, but it will quickly transpose to other lines.

10.d3 Rf8 

I had not been in this position before, but it is not encouraging that The Database shows 15 games, with White scoring 3 - 11 - 1. I think that one of the reasons for Black's success is his Bishop at c5 that aims at White's Kingside and prevents f2-f4.

11.Be3 Bxe3 12.Qxe3 Kg8 

White will be able to advance his f-pawn now, but with Black's King safely tucked away, it will take some work to bring the usual Jerome Gambit attack.

13.f4 Ng4 14.Qg3 c6 15.Nc3 

Overlooking Black's next move and the idea behind it. Better was 15.Nd2, with the plan to transfer the Knight to the Kingside, even after 15...Qb6+ 16.Kh1 Qxb2 17.Rab1 Qd4  

15...Qb6+ 16.d4 

For some reason I thought that if I offered the d-pawn, my opponent would prefer the b-pawn.

16...Qxb2 

After the game, Stockfish 14 assessed Black as being 2 2/3 pawns better here. White's chances will be in harnessing his central pawns, and maybe his Kingside pawns, too, and developing some threats before Black's Knight and Queen get back into position to defend.

[to be continued]