Jerome Gambit: How Bad Has It Gotten?

Ah, yes, Frederick Burr Opper's pair, Alphonse and Gaston, who remind me of the opening line we are going to take a look at today.

When I first encountered what would eventually be called the "Counter-Jerome Gambit", I agreed with Martin Moller that it represented "A rather unambitious line on Black's part". At that time I noted that

my database has 11 games with this line and White has won 10, the only loss coming in a mis-played Rook-and-pawn endgame.

It was even relevant to add

When NM Brian Wall played against this line, he commented "Luckily, there is an unwritten Law of Chess that states a lower rated player will trade any advantage, no matter how massive, for a certain draw against a higher rated player... Black sees an "opportunity" to trade queens and grabs it with both hands."

My general advice was, with the Queens gone and White a pawn up, that "Sometimes you just have to outplay the other guy...". 

Over time, my perspective began to shift. A year later, the line was considered "A Side Line to Watch". Later, I worried "Is this the new face of the Jerome Gambit??". Although I could calmly say about one of my games that "Nothing Happened" I eventually concluded

If you want to take the fun out of someone playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) against you, you can always count on... The Zombie Walk. That's not the official name of any of the Jerome variations, it's just a way of making the game a boring win. For White. 

Things got so bad - relatively speaking - that I began to see examples of the Counter-Jerome Gambit Declined. 

That is how we arrive at today's game.

mamen_oscar - MengalZ

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+  

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+  

The Counter-Jerome Gambit. The opposite of the complicated Blackburne Defense, 7...d6, and the challenging Whistler Defense, 7...Qe7.

The dangers are more psychological: White may become frustrated because he no longer has his smash and crash attack that the Jerome Gambit usually promises.  

8.Ke2

The Database has 9 games with this move, with White scoring 50%.

That is to be compared with 142 games with 8.Kxf2 Qf6 where White scores 80%.

For the record, Stockfish 14 prefers 8.Kxf2 Nf6 for Black, although even then White score 77% of the time (in 24 games) according to The Database.

So, Readers: The Counter-Jerome Gambit isn't that strong, please take the Bishop.

8...Qf6 

This is the kind of thing that can happen in a blitz game, where speed can be of the essence, and analysis not so deep. 

White should now simply exchange Queens, followed by capturing the Bishop, and be happy with an even game.

9.Qd5+ 

Looking for an attack. Oddly, Black's psychology has paid off after all.

9...Kg7 10.Rf1 Ne7 11.Qc4 Rf8 

Black secures his Bishop. White's compensation - two pawns - is not enough in the face of his opponent's better development and safer King.

White staggers on, like a zombie.

12.d3 d6 13.Nc3 Bg4+ 14.Kd2 Qf4 checkmate