Tactical Play

Tactical chess play is the theme of the Jerome Gambit and Jerome-related opening, as the following game (and its notes) can testify.

pare - guest_5736

standard, Chesstempo.com, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nf6 

I was wondering about this Bishop's Opening / Petroff Defense line a decade ago in "Turn About Is Fair Play". Who is trying to out-think whom?

4.Bxf7+ 

It was easy to label this opening "Not Quite the Jerome Gambit" a baker's dozen years ago. 

It also brings to mind the Jerome-Knight Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Brave or risky? Certainly 5...Kg8 was more circumspect.

6.d4 

The Database has 92 games with this position. White scores 69%.

6...Bb6 

Also seen by pare was 6...Bd6, which I present with some light notes: 7.d5+ (7.O-O!? Bxe5 8.dxe5 Kxe5 9.f4+ Ke6 10.f5+ Kf7 11.e5 +-) 7...Kxe5 8.Bf4+ (8.f4+!? Kxe4 9.Qd3#) 8...Kxe4 (8...Kxf4!) 9.O-O (9.Bxd6) 9...Kxf4 (9...Bxf4!?) 10.Qf3+ Ke5 (10...Kg5!?) 11.Re1+ Kd4 12.Qd3+ (12.Na3!? Kc5 13.Qc3+ Kb6 14.Qb3+ Bb4 15.Qxb4+ Ka6 16.Qb5#) 12...Kc5 13.b4+? (13.Nc3!?) 13...Kb6 14.Nc3 a6 15.Qd4+ c5 16.bxc5+ Bxc5 17.Na4+ Kb5 (17...Ka7!?) 18.Rab1+ Ka5 19.Qxc5+ b5 20.Qc3+ Kxa4 21.Rb4+ (21.Qb4#) 21...Ka5 22.Qa3+? (22.Rxb5+ Kxb5 23.Rb1+ Ka4 24.Qb4#) 22...Kb6 23.Qe3+ Ka5? (23...Kb7 -+) 24.d6 (24.Qd4 +-) 24...Nd5 25.Qa3+ Kb6 26.c4 Nxb4 27.Qxb4 Nc6 28.c5+ Kb7 29.Qe4 Qa5 30.h3 Qxa2 31.Qg4 g6 32.Qg5 Rf8 33.Rf1 a5 34.Qh6 Rf7 35.f4 Ka6 36.f5 Rxf5 37.Rxf5 Qb1+ 38.Kh2 Qxf5 39.Kh1 Qxc5 40.Qxh7 Qxd6 41.Qh6 Bb7 42.Qe3 Nd4 43.Qd3 Qd5 44.Qxg6+ Bc6 45.Qb1 Re8 46.Qg6 Re1+ 47.Kh2 Qe5+ 48.g3 Nf3+ 49.Kg2 Nh4+ 50.Kf2 Nxg6 White resigned, pare - guest_4641, Chesstempo.com, 2022. 

7.d5+ Ke7

Dangerous is 7...Kxe5 8.Nc3 (8.Qf3!? Nxe4 (8...Bxf2+ 9.Qxf2 Nxe4 10.Qe2 Kxd5 11.Qd3+ Kc6 12.Nc3 a6 13.Qd5+ Kb6 14.Be3+ c5 15.Nxe4 Ka7 16.O-O +-) 9.Bf4+ Kxd5 10.Nc3+ Ke6 11.Nxe4 +-) 8...Nxe4 (8...Qf8!? 9.O-O Kd6 10.e5+ Ke7 11.exf6+ gxf6 12.d6+ Kd8 13.Bf4 +-) 9.Qh5+ Kd6 10.Nxe4+ Ke7 11.Bg5+ Kf8 12.Bxd8 g6 13.Qh6+ Ke8 14.Bf6 Rf8 15.O-O d6 16.Qxh7 Bf5 17.Qe7 checkmate, harryanichkin - mariancelo, FICS, 2016 

8.Bg5

Another game continued 8.O-O Nxe4 (8...d6!? 9.Nc4 Bc5 10.Nc3 Re8 11.Na4 b5 12.Nxc5 bxc4 13.Na4 Nbd7 -+) 9.Qh5 (9. Nc3!?) 9...Nf6 (9...Qf8!? =) 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Nc4+ Kc5 12.b3 (12.Be3+!? Kxc4 13.Na3+ Kb4 14.Bd2+ Kc5 15.b4+ Kd4 16.Be3+ Ke4 17.Rae1 Bxe3 18.Rxe3+ Kf5 19.Rf3+ Ke5 20.Re1+ Ne4 21.Qf5+ Kd6 22.Nc4+ Ke7 23.Qxe4#) 12...a6 13.Be3+ Kb5 14.a4+ Kb4 15.Bd2+ Kc5 16.Nba3 Qf8 17.b4+ Kd4 18.Be3+ Ke4 19.f3+ Kf5 20.g4 checkmate thmavz - LorenzoDV, FICS, 2015

Consider 8.d6+ cxd6 9.Nc4 Bc5 10.Bf4 Qg8 11.Bxd6+ Bxd6 12.Qxd6+ Kd8 13.Nbd2 Qe6 with an edge to Black. 

8...Bd4 

A slip amidst the excitment.

9.Qxd4 Black resigned