Jerome Gambit: Deadly Pin

The following game shows a deadly pin on Black's Knight at f6. It seems almost an afterthought that Black's King is hounded across the board and checkmated on the Queenside.

Once again, blitz time control, Jerome Gambit.

oaitseziom - Uzeir_Bajrami

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 Qf6 8.Rf1 g6 9.Qh3+ Ke7 10.fxe5 Qxe5 11.d3 

Black's King has remained safe, despite the excitement, and his Queen and Bishop dominate the dark squared.

It is surprising that out of 27 games in The Database, the second player has only scored 52% from this position.

Attribute that to blitz play - and the Jerome Gambit.

11...g5 

This is what I mean. Earlier, oaitseziom faced the stronger 11...d5 (8 - 8 in The Database), but still prevailed: 12.Bg5+ Ke8 13.Qf3 Qxg5 14.Qf7+ Kd8 15.Nc3 Bg4 16.Nxd5 Ne7 17.h3 Nxd5 18.Qxd5+ Qxd5 19.exd5 Re8+ 20.Kd2 Be3+ 21.Kc3 Bd7 22.Kb3 c6 23.Rf7 cxd5 24.Rxh7 d4 25.Rf1 Rc8 26.Rf6 Bg5 27.Rxg6 Bf5 28. Rd6+ Black resigned, oaitseziom - konstartyom, lichess.org, 2021. 

He was not as successful against the less powerful (but still good for Black) 11...Nf6, e.g. 12.Qh4 d5 13. Nc3 dxe4 14. Nxe4 Bf5 15. Kd1 Bxe4 16. dxe4 Rad8+ 17. Bd2 Be3 18.Rxf6 Qxf6 White resigned, oaitseziom - Theorist1234, lichess.org, 2021. 

The text move appears designed to prevent 12.Bf4, challenging the Black Queen, but it has a few flaws. Once again: blitz time control, Jerome Gambit.

12.Qh5 

Increasing pressure on the enemy King. White is better now.

A bit more intense would have been 12.Rf5.

12...Nf6 

At this point the pawn at g5 must have felt abandoned.

13.Bxg5 Rf8 

The pin at f6 is bound to bring pain.

14.Nc3 Bb4 15.Kd2 

Getting out of the way of the other Rook.

Capturing with check was and is still on the table: 15.Bxf6+ Qxf6 16.Rxf6 Rxf6. 

15...Kd8 16.Rf5 

According to plan. Also, see the note above.

16...Qe7 17.Qh4 c6 18.Raf1 

The poor Knight.

18...Kc7 19.Bxf6 Qe6 20.Be5+ Kb6 21.a3 Rxf5 

Abandoning the 8th rank means that White now technically has a mate in 14 moves - 22.Qd8+ Ka6 23.axb4 Qh6+ 24.Bf4 Qxf4+ 25.Rxf4 Rg5 26.Qc7 Rxg2+ 27.Ke3 Rg5 28.Rf1 b6 29.b5+ Rxb5 30.Nxb5 Kxb5 31.c4+ Ka4 32.Qd6 c5 33.Qf6 b5 34.Ra1+ Kb4 35.Qc3# - but the game will not last that long. 

22.Rxf5 Be7 23.Qf2+ Ka6 24.Bc7 d6 25.Ra5 checkmate