Jerome Gambit: Mischief

Trankuilizer, rated 2542 at lichess.org, has 71 games in The Database. He scores 93%, which is mighty impressive.

In the following game he brings his tactical skills to a Jerome Gambit alternative and produces a miniature of 10 moves. 

Trankuilizer - arsenalfanrichi

3 2 blitz, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights Defense. I have wrestled with how Jerome Gambit players should react. See the posts "Jerome Gambit: Chaos in a Two Knights (Parts 1, 2, & 3)" and "Jerome Gambit: Facing Up to 4.Bxf7+ in the Two Knights (Parts 1, 2, & 3)" as examples.

4.Bxf7+ 

I have referred to this as an "impatient Jerome Gambit", as White sacrifices before Black has played ...Bc5. See "Jerome Gambit: Jerome-Knight Gambit".

When I started collecting Jerome and Jerome-ish games, I did not include 3...Nf6 4.Bxf7+ games, but over the last few years I have tried to make up for this shortfall, and The Database currenly contains 770 game examples. 

4...Kxf7 5.d4 

Once again we see that in gambit games played at blitz speed, pawns don't often matter as much as opened lines for attack. 

5...Bd6 

I find it fitting that the earliest game with this unusual move in The Database was played with the White pieces by the "King of Bxf7+", viejoasquerosos, at RedHotPawn.com, in 2006.

6.c3 Re8 

Black continues to show no interest in White's pawn at e4. He looks like he is ready to castle-by-hand.

7.Ng5+ Kg6 

A risky change of plans? Instead, 7...Kf8 kept his advantage. 

8.Qf3 

The Queen has mischief in mind.

8...Ne7 

Black realizes that all sorts of danger is headed toward f5, so he protects the square.

Komodo 13.02 suggests a more violent solution: 8...Nxd4 9.cxd4 Bb4+ 10.Nc3 d5 - yes, the fact that Black's Bishop blocked his pawn which blocks his other Bishop again plagues the defender. White's attack will focus on the misplaced enemy King.  

9.g4 h6 

Chase the Knight away, and everything will be better.

10.Qf5+ Black resigned

Wonderful!

If 10...Nxf5 then 11.exf5 checkmate.