Jerome Gambit: Occasionally, Think Like A Computer

White plays a solid game in the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). I have shared some notes from some chess engines, but it doesn't always seem to help much to be able to think like a computer.

Bohan_G - improvementishard

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

This line is not as forcing as 6.Qh5+, but it allows Black, unguided, to wander further into difficulties.

6...Bd6 

The simplest response is to give back a piece immediately with 6...Bxd4. A complicated, but promising response, is 6...Qh4!?

The text leads to an even game. That has to be a concession, given that Black was up a couple of pieces not too long ago.

7.dxe5 Bxe5 

Stockfish 14 suggests 7...Bb4+ 8.Bd2 Bxd2+. Komodo 12 recommends the novelty (according to The Database) 7...Bf8.

Of course the computer chess programs come up with their suggestions in a matter of minutes. Good for them. Humans take a bit more time - but this is a blitz game, so time is at a premium.

8.Qh5+ 

White forks the enemy King and Bishop and wins the piece. He could also have tried the other check, 8.Qd5+ Kf6 9.f4 with a similar result.

8...Kf8 9.Qxe5 d6 

White is up a pawn and has the safer king. He should castle, develop his pieces, and see how the game goes.

10.Qg3 Nf6 11.Nc3 Be6 12.O-O Kf7 13.Be3 Rf8 14.Rfd1 Kg8

Black has castled-by-hand, although he lags in development.

It is hard to believe that the computer sees him as a piece behind, but Stockfish 14 gives the following quiet line 15.b3 Qe7 16.Rd3 Rae8 17.Re1 Qf7 18.Qf4 Qe7 19.Qh4 Qf7 20.f3 b6 21.Qf4 h6 22.Bd4 Qg6 23.Qg3 Qf7 24.Qf2 Kh7 25.Bxf6 Qxf6 26.Rf1 a5 27.f4 Bc8 28.Nd5 Qf7 and assesses White as over 3 pawns ahead.

I don't get it.

15.e5

This is the expected followup to White's 14.Rfd1, taking advantage of the fact that Black's d-pawn is pinned. However, if you think like a computer, you can find a flaw.

15...Ng4 

Attacking the e-pawn, but the right Knight jump was 15...Nh5, which leads to a long, forced series of moves: 16.Bg5 Nxg3 17.Bxd8 Raxd8 18.hxg3 dxe5 19.Rxd8 Rxd8 20.Re1 Bf5 21.Rxe5 Bxc2 22.Re7 Rc8 23.Nd5 Bg6 24.Nxc7 Kf8 25.Rd7 Bf5 26.Rd5 g6 27.Rc5 b6 28.Rc3 Rd8 29.f3 Rd1+ 30.Kh2 Rd2 31.Ra3 a5 32.Rb3 Rc2 33.Na6 Rc6 34.Nb8 Rd6 35.Rc3 h5.

That is a very long series of moves, but it illustrates how much work can go into a line, and still not get anywhere.

16.exd6 cxd6 17.Rxd6 Qc8 18.Rad1 Nxe3 19.Qxe3 Bf7 

20.Nd5 Re8 

Black sees the threatened fork of his King and Queen, and rushes his Rook over to the e-file to deal with it - he thinks.

21.Ne7+ 

This wins the exchange and threatens a whole lot more.

21...Rxe7 22.Qxe7 h6 23.Rd8+ Qxd8 24.Rxd8+ Rxd8 25.Qxd8+ Black resigned