Jerome Gambit: Choices, Choices, Choices

There are many reasons to not take the Jerome Gambit seriously. However, if a lackadaisical approach to defense goes too far, Black can find himself making a series of ineffective move choices, quickly dropping the full point. 

tickally - thereluctant

15 15 classical, lichess.org, 2019

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

According to The Database, adding the White Knight at c3 and the Black Knight at f6 decreases White's chances: 24,524 games with the regular Jerome Gambit order, scoring 50% vs 2,985 games with the Four Knights order, scoring 39%.

Something for defenders to remember.

5...Kxf7 6.d4 

White wants open lines right away, so he veers from the more Jerome-ish 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4. He seems to be a believer in the philosophy Give your opponent a choice, and he is likely to make the wrong one.

6...Nxd4 

He would have posed more problems with the routine 6...exd4.

7.Nxe5+ Ke7 

Possibly thinking ahead to castling-by-hand with ...Re8 or ...Rf8 followed by ...Kf7 and ...Kg8. The move further whittles down Black's advantage to slim.

8.Nd5+ 

Preparing to give Black more chances to harm himself.

Instead, the tricky 8.b4 was for choice, with a chance for White to even the game. Stockfish 15 points out that 8...Bb6 9.Nc4 Nc6 10.b5 Bd4 (10...Nb8 11.e5 Ng8 12.Bg5+) d6 11. Bb2 d5 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5+ Qxd5 14. bxc6 is even, as is 8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4.

The computer's response to 8.b4 is 8...d6, when 9.Nc4 Bxb4 10. Qxd4 Re8 11. Bb2 Kf8 12. O-O-O Qe7 13. Rhe1 Bc5 14. Qd3 Be6 15.Ne3 c6 16. f4 Kg8 would still be a bit better for Black.

8...Nxd5 9.exd5 

9...Re8 

Placing his Rook on the deadly e-file and preparing for ...Kf8, but overlooking White's main threat.

10.Bg5+ Kf8 11.Bxd8 Rxe5+ 12.Kf1 Black resigned