Jerome Gambit: Extra Tempo

The following hyper bullet (30 seconds on the clock for the entire game) Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) humorously raises the question as to whether an extra tempo helps or hurts an attacking or defending player.

I think I know the answer, but it doesn't include "always".

curtisasral - BestPositionIs69

1/2 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

Refusing the second sacrificed piece in this way (i.e. placing the King on the e8-h5 diagonal) is not a good idea. There are 151 examples in The Database. White scores 72%.

Instead, the more popular - and relatively stronger - choice is 5...Kf8. There are 499 examples in The Database. White scores 57%.

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nd4

 At this point it is relevant to mention the related game arunmech - gemasamol, 15 0 standard, FICS, 2016: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bd5 Nd4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Nxg6 -- Here we have the same position as above, only it is Black's move.

How does he use the move? 8...Nxc2+?! This fork appears in several lines in the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, and chasing after the Rook on a1 is often a poor idea, a distraction. 9.Kd1 Nf6 10.Qe5+ Kf7 11.Nxh8+ Qxh8 12.Qd5+? (White hung his Queen in what might have been a mouse slip, if he intended 12.Qxc5+ and then 13.Qxc2, and then at the last fraction of a second realized that capturing the Bishop didn't give check, but another move would...) White resigned

8.Ne5+ Black resigned 

Sometimes it happens this way.

Stronger was 8.Nxh8+, because after 8...Ke7 9.Qxh7+ Ke6 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Qd5+ Ke7 12.Qxc5+ d6 13.Qxd4 White finds himself significantly ahead in material.

Black's resignation was appropriate, though, as also collects material with 8...Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Qd5+ Ke7 11.Qxc5+ d6 12.Qxd4 Nf6 (12...dxe5 loses to 13.Qxe5+ and 13.Qh8) 13.Nf3.