The Spectre of the Jerome Gambit (Part 1)

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game might just as well be titled "How do we make this checkmate work?" 

White persists in his efforts and eventually reaches his goal of checkmating the enemy King. (I add some of my own efforts in the notes.)

There is something else going on, however, besides the observable attack.

For most club players, it is easier to attack than defend; and that works in the Jerome Gambit's favor, as its whole idea is attack.

The essence of a gambit is that White (in this case) gives up material for something. We refer to the Jerome Gambit, not the Jerome Blunder (although some might prefer that name, and the editor of the American Chess Journal referred to it in 1877 as Jerome's Absurdity). The defender struggles to make sense out of an opening that isn't familiar - but White wouldn't sacrifice pieces for nothing, would he?

Also, most club players have been exposed to "Checkmate in X moves" problems, but they have rarely faced "Black to move and escape the mating net" challenges. They learn how to attack, but they also learn that a King out in the open is one that will perish.

So, being attacked can be unsettling, and for a club player it may very well lead to a distracted or diminished mental state.

All of which addresses the point that sometimes the Jerome Gambit wins when it "objectively" shouldn't. 

EdnaDrown - n3wes

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

How does Black react, Yikes or Yay ?

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

Is Black knowingly playing one of the strong defenses against the Jerome Gambit, or is he foolishly trying to hang onto all of his gained material?

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.Nc3 

This move is not as forcing as 8.f4, but it indicates that White is going to go after the enemy King in a different way.

8...Qf6 9.Nb5+ 

Okay, you might know that this move has scored only 11% in 28 games (The Database knows), but I am not so sure that n3wes knows. He sees bad news coming, and prudently takes appropriate steps.

9...Kc6 10.a4 Qxf5 11.exf5 Nf6 

So far, Black had made progress with his defense, notably exchanging Queens and developing his pieces. His King is still exposed, and he will have to do something about that.

12.d4 Bb4+ 13.c3 Nd3+ 14.Ke2 Nxc1+ 15.Raxc1 Bd6 

Materially, Black has the two Bishops for a couple of pawns. His problems are not over, however.

His position has the ominous chain: a Bishop that blocks a pawn that blocks a Bishop that hems in a Rook; a typical danger when facing the Jerome Gambit.

Also, his King remains exposed.

There is still a lot of action to come (although some of it will be in the notes).

[to be continued]