Jerome Gambit: Modern 5.c3, Another Route?

 

We have been looking at the "modern" Jerome Gambit variation, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3.

If a player wanted to explore this line, it would be equally possible to pursue this position through regular Giuoco Piano lines: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 and now 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7.

The value of this approach is that Black has played ...Nf6 - in the Jerome Gambit line, it would be 5...Nf6.

Stockfish 14.1 evaluates 5...Nf6 as being about 2 1/2 pawns worse than the best response 5...d5. Komodo 12.1.1 is more moderate, but still sees 5...d5 as about 1/2 pawn better than 5...Nf6.

This is borne out by The Database, where there are 1,466 games with both Giuoco Piano line and Jerome Gambit line ending up with ...Nf6. White scores 44%. This compares with 76 games in The Database, where White scores only 24% against ...d5.