Jerome Gambit: More Cliff Hardy

 

Here is another recent Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) bullet game by the mysterious Cliff Hardy. 

The notes are by Hardy. I have added diagrams.

Cliff Hardy (2453) - NN (2369), 

1 0 bullet, Lichess, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qe7 9.Qe3 Nf6

[This position appears in 103 games in The Database. White scores 68% - Rick]

10.Nc3 d5 11.d3 dxe4 12.dxe4 Be6 13.0-0 h5

14.f4?

14.h3 -++, to stop ...Ng4, would have been wiser, before pushing the feared Jerome f-pawn.

14....Bf7 15.e5 Re8??

15...Ng4 -++ would have been better.

16.Qg3?? -++

Since Black's rook has left the a-pawn unguarded, taking the little guy with 16.Qxa7 would have left White with a slight advantage.

16....Nd7? -++

16...Ng4 -++ would have been a more active posting for the knight.

17.Be3 h4 18.Qf2 Kg8 

19.Rae1 c6 20.Bd4 Nb6?? ++-

20...c5 -++ would have pushed White back on the defensive, whereas now the f-pawn runs riot.

21.f5 Nf8 22.f6 Qe6 

23.Ne4?? ++-

23.fxg7! Kxg7 24.Qxf7+!? Kxf7 25.e6+! Kg6 26.Rxf7 ++- would have led to a much stronger position for White.

23....Rh5??

23...g6 ++- would have kept the kingside closed and given Black better chances of hanging on.

24.fxg7 Ng6?!

24...Nh7 would have covered f6, although then after 25.Qxf7+!? Qxf7 26.Rxf7 Kxf7 27.Nd6+ Kxg7 28.Nxe8+ ++-, White's material lead and powerful e-pawn would have still yielded a dominant advantage.

25.Nf6+ Kxg7 26.Nxh5+ and Black resigned.