Jerome Gambit: Complications Galore

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) produces complications easily. This can appeal to the tactical maniacs of the world - even to grandmasters who want to enter the chaos in a blitz game against a weaker opponent.

It can also be frustrating to a commentator who looks at the moves of a game and thinks "That is just fine", only to be schooled by a computer that sometimes argues the opposite.

As always, it is important to keep in mind that the following game is played at blitz speed, and this affects how deeply a player can examine any position or move.

abyputera - JIUYAN

6 5 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Kc6 

Ah, yes, the "sillycon defense", introduced by a computer chess program. It is stronger than it looks. 

9.Qxe5  d5 

To open lines and help development. He is not afraid of 10.Qxg7, as that pawn grab can be well met by 10...Nf6 or 10...Qh4+ or 10...Qe7.

10.d4 Bb6

Also seen: 10...Bf8 11.c4 Nf6 12.cxd5+ Kb6 13.Nc3 a6 14.Qg5 Ka7 15.O-O c6 16.e5 Nxd5 17.Qxd8 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Rb8 19.Rb1 Ka8 20.Be3 Bb4 21.Qb6 Bxc3 22.d5 c5 23.Bxc5 Black resigned, penguingim1 - sutcunuri, lichess.org, 2020. 

Stockfish 14.1 sees the text move as leading to an even game, and instead recommends 10...Nf6!? which appeared (by transposition) in Jinakubwa - jhondrak, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021 (0-1, 17):1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Kc6 9.Qxe5 Nf6 10.d4 d5 11.dxc5 Re8 12.Qc3 Nxe4 13.Qxg7 Qh4+ 14.Kd1 Nf2+ 15.Kd2 Qxf4+ 16.Kc3 Qc4+ 17.Kd2 Re2 checkmate

11.Nc3 

This move develops a piece and hits the center. I was shocked to see that the computer recommended, instead, 11.c4!? to keep the balance. With all those pawns, it almost looks like Stockfish understands the Jerome Gambit - for a moment, at least.

11...Ba5 

Pinning the Knight, taking pressure off of the center.

Also missing the more powerful 11...Nf6 which threatens to bring a Rook to e8, with problems for White along the e-file. 

12.exd5+ Kb6 13.Bd2 

There was also the sharp 13.b4 Bxb4 14.Rb1 a5 15.a3 etc.

13...Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qe7 

Black feels uneasy about his King, and offers a Queen exchange.

15.Rb1+ Ka6 16.O-O Qxe5 17.dxe5 

White straightens out some of his pawns. The computer prefers 17.fxe5, perhaps because it opens the f-file for his Rook. In any event, after 17...Ne7 18.c4 Nf5 19.c3 Re8 White's pawns make a formidible block.

17...Ne7 18.c4 b6 19.Bb4 Nf5 20.c5 bxc5 21.Bxc5 Bb7 

White's center pawns look healthy.

Black's development has improved.

Do White's 3 extra pawns outweigh Black's extra piece?

Don't let me distract you: White now has a checkmate in 4.

(But you saw that, didn't you?)

22.c4 

More attention to his pawns. Instead: 22.Rf3 Ne3 23.Rxe3 Bc6 24.dxc6 g6 25.Ra3 checkmate. 

It takes a few moves, but White soon "gets" it.

22...Bc8 23.Rb3 Bd7 24.e6 Be8 25.Rfb1 Bg6 26.Ra3 checkmate