Jerome Gambit: Peeking Through the Palm

Yesterday's post was skeptical regarding the "Face palm" variation, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+.

A look at The Database, however, shows 622 games with the line, so there has to be something attractive about it.

I think that White may be counting on Black responding very quickly in a bullet or blitz game.

Jerry315 - HEM2808

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+ 

White threatens Black's King. Scary.

5...Qxg5 

Okay... The Database has 455 games with this position, with White scoring 16%/

6.d4 

White attacks both the Bishop and the Queen. What if Black's focus is on the center? Will he deal with the lesser of the two threats? 

Here are some game examples.

6...Nxd4 

Or 6...Bxd4 7.Bxg5 Black resigned, KAVUA - wojowhiskey, standard, FICS, 2013 7...Bxb2 (7...h6 8.Qf3+ Nf6 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Qh5+ Kg7 11.Nd2 Bxb2 12.Rb1 Bd4 13.Nf3 Bb6 14.Nh4 d6 15.Qg6+ Kf8 16.Qxf6+ Kg8 17.Ng6 Black resigned, SPOKLECHAT - anzali, FICS, 2020) 8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.O-O Bxa1 10.f4 Nge7 11.fxe5+ Ke8 12.Qf7+ Kd8 13.Qf8+ Rxf8 14.Rxf8 checkmate, drewski02 - dperez22, Chess.com, 2021. 

7.Bxg5 

Here White resigned in Longandsons - criton, standard, FICS, 2010 

7...Bb4+ 

Or 7...Nf6 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.Qh5+ Kg7 10.Qd1 d5 11.exd5 Bf5 12.O-O Nxc2 13.Nc3 Nxa1 14.Qxa1 a6 15.Kh1 Rad8 16.f3 Rd6 17.g4 Bg6 18.Ne4 Bxe4 19.fxe4 h5 20.Qd1 hxg4 21.Qxg4+ Kf7 22.a3 Be3 23.Re1 Bf4 24.Re2 Rdd8 25.Qe6+ Kg7 26.Rg2+ Bg5 27.Qe7+ Kg6 28.Rc2 Rc8 29.Rxc7 Rxc7 30.Qxc7 Bf4 31.Qxb7 Rxh2+ 32.Kg1 Re2 33.Qxa6 Rxb2 34.d6 Rd2 35.Qa7 f5 36.exf5+ Kxf5 37.Qf7+ Ke4 38.d7 Ke3 39.Qb3+ Rd3 40.Qb6+ Ke2 41.Qf2+ Kd1 42.Qf1+ Kc2 43.Qe2+ Kc3 44.Qe1+ Kb2 45.Qe2+ Kc3 46.Qe1+ Kc2 47.Qe2+ Kc3 48.Qe1+ Kc2 49.Qe2+ Game drawn by repetition, chesssfire - reali, FICS, 2004;

Or 7...d6 8.c3 Ne6 9.Qf3+ Nf6 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Qh5+ Ke7 12.b4 Nf4 13.Qd1 Bb6 14.h3 h5 15.Nd2 Nd3+ 16.Kf1 Nxf2 17.Qc2 Nxh1 18.a4 Ng3+ 19.Ke1 a5 20.Nc4 axb4 21.Nxb6 cxb6 22.cxb4 Bd7 23.a5 bxa5 24.Rxa5 Rac8 25.Qf2 Nxe4 26.Qh4 Rc1+ 27.Ke2 Rhc8 28.Qxh5 R8c2+ 29.Ke3 Re1+ 30.Kd3 Rd2+ 31.Kc4 b5+ 32.Kb3 Be6+ 33.Ka3 Re3 checkmate, juuei - ficsserver, FICS, 2013 

8.c3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Black resigned

What do you think? At the right time, against the right opponent, with the right time control - might you give it a try?