Jerome Gambit: However

Regarding yesterday's post ("Jerome Gambit: Unless"), which contrasted two different pawn captures in the Jerome Gambit after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.Nxc6 

6...dxc6

 

6...bxc6

I expressed a preference for 6...dxc6 for Black, because the open Queen file would provide pressure against the possible 7.d4 for White - which the capture "towards the center" with 6...bxc6 would allow. 

It turns out that Stockfish 15, at 40 ply, prefers 6...dxc6 for Black by only about 1/7th of a pawn, that's all.

On the other hand, The Database has 52 games with 6...bxc6, where Black scores 46%, which is better than when Black plays 6...dxc6 in 152 games and scores only 41%.

This appears to be another one of those cases where the complexity (or messiness) of the Jerome Gambit outweighs an "objective" assessment (as represented by the computer).

Play what you are comfortable with.