Jerome Gambit: A Pawn and Its Companions

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game is an example of how a pawn, with help from companions, can become the focus of play - and how the pawn can boost a companion into a winning role.

Portmany - Merlinbm

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8  

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qf6 9.O-O Ne7 10.Nc3 c6 11.d3 h6 

Black would like to keep enemy pieces off of the g5 square. This kind of move, however, always contains a possible danger of weakening the Kingside.

It is as if the h6 pawn is calling out to its companion on the other side. 

12.Be3 Bb6 13.Bxb6 axb6 14.d4 Ng6  

I suspect that White would have met 14...Qxd4 with 15.Rad1.

15.Rfe1 Bd7 16.e5 dxe517.dxe5 Qe6 

Black's Queen hurries to blockade White's passed pawn, but Her Majesty turns out to be less effective than anticipated, because the pawn has more dangers than just the threat to advance.

18.Rad1 Rd8 19.Rd6 

Strong outpost.

19...Qf7 20.Rxg6 

The x-ray attack on the Black Queen has won a piece for White.

White's e-pawn remains a threat to advance.

Black resigned