Jerome Gambit: Strategy, Tactic

I continue to be amazed that anyone can play chess at 1-minute bullet speed, and even more amazed that they could win regularly.

(I have never played bullet, but I am sure that a typical game for me would go 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 White lost on time.)

Although analysis of moves is, of necessity, not very deep in bullet, the games can often serve as lessons for play, even in the Jerome Gambit.

Alex_Ignatev - cianfits

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6 

This game is a reminder that anyone playing the Jerome Gambit should be familiar with this mis-step by Black and have a proper response handy to deal with it.

7.f4 

About this move, there is good news and there is bad news.

The good news is that according to The Database, White scores 78% in games with this move. 

The bad news is that White is moving away from a line that immediately returns his sacrificed pieces: 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+. 

Black can now withdraw his Knight with 7...Nc6 and claim an advantage.

Instead he plays a move that supports the attacked Bishop by placing his Queen, thematically, on e7.

7...Qe7 

These things happen in bullet games: knowing the attendant strategy, overlooking the related tactic.

8.fxe5+ 

It is Game Over after 8.Qf5#. 

Another, related game: 8.Rf1 Ng6 9.e5+ (9.Qf5#) 9...Kf7 10.f5 Nf6 11.fxg6+ Kg8 12.Kd1 Nxh5, White resigned, BahatiTheGrandmaster - Mammaen-din, lichess.org, 2021. 

8...Qxe5 

9.Qxe5+ 

White heads for a familiar position. Perhaps he did not want to risk 9.Rf1+ Ke6 10.Qg4+ Ke7 11.Rf5 Qxh2 12.Qxg7+ Ke8 13.d4 Be7 14.Qxh8 Bh4+ 15.Kf1 Qh1+ 16.Ke2 Qxg2+ 17.Kd3 where White is better, but not at all comfortable.

9...Kxe5 

This position is frequently reached by the move order 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 Qf6 8.Qxe5+ Qxe5 9.fxe5 Kxe5 

10.b4 Bd6 

The Bishop can retreat however it wants. Taking the pawn, however, falls to 11.Bb2+ as in the game.

11.Bb2+ Ke6 12.Bxg7 

12...Ne7 

After 12...Be5 13.Bxh8 Bxh8 14.c3 White would have a Rook and two pawns for Black's Bishop pair. Black would likely be better.

13.Bxh8 Black resigned

In 1-minute games you can sometimes count on your opponent's clock to help you out of a difficult situation - but not this time.