Jerome Gambit: Pawns Lead the Way

The Jerome Gambit features a battle between White's extra pawns and Black's extra piece (or pieces). In the following game, the pawns quickly put the enemy monarch is great danger - and, ultimately, checkmate.

ahmad975 - Franta52

20 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Bf2+ 

The Anti-Bill Wall Gambit, also seen in "Jerome Gambit: A Cautionary Tale" and "Jerome Gambit: Another Reason".

Black returns a piece to disrupt White's plans and endanger his King.

8.Kxf2 Nf7 

Also seen 

8...g6 9.Qxe5+ Kf7 10.Qxh8 Qh4+ 11.g3 White won Wall,B - Buster, Chess.com, 2010; and

8...Ng6 9.f5+ Kd6 10.fxg6 Qf6+ 11.Qf3 Qd4+ 12.Ke2 b6 13.Nc3 hxg6 14.Nb5+ Black resigned,Wall,B - Equa, Chess.com, 2010. 

9.d4 g6 10.f5+ Kd6 11.Bf4+ Kc6

Black's King had chances to retreat to e7, where he would have been safer.

Capture the pawn on g6, or go after the King? White has to decide.

12.d5+

This works. A bit wilder was 12.fxg6, threatening both checkmate and f6-f7 which will win the Rook at h8. Black can try 12...d5 but either 13.exd5+ or 13.Qxd5+ are strong responses.

The dueling threats are enough to gather in the full point.

12...Kb6 13.fxg6 Nd6 14.g7

14...Nf6 15.Be3+ c5 16.dxc6+ Kxc6 17.Qc5 checkmate