Jerome Gambit: Gift Horses

There is the old saying "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth".

That doesn't always apply well to sacrifices in chess, especially those in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

Black can accept the sacrifice of a Bishop, and then Knight - if he knows what he is doing.

Likewise, White can survive the return of some of that material - in fact, he should. Being skeptical can leave him short-handed.

Unless it doesn't...

Consider the following blitz game.

Cruse1 - EfeKoralay

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+

See "Jerome Gambit: LPDO Lesson"

This is known as the "Counter-Jerome Defense" or the "Counter-Jerome Gambit". It is one part psychology - If you are going to sacrifice a piece to disturb my King, then I am going to sacrifice a piece to disturb your King - and one part side-step from the main lines of the Jerome; for the price of a pawn, Black exchanges Queens and turns White's hopes of a smashing, crashing attack into a tedious task.

8.Kd1

White refuses the return gift, but this is a mistake - see "Jerome Gambit: Secret No More" and "Jerome Gambit: Wild".

The Database has 15 games with 8.Kd1, with White scoring 7 - 8, which is surprising and optimistic, as Stockfish 15 rates Black as more than a Rook better.

After the alternative 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6 Nxf6 10.Rf1!? Nxe4 11.Kg1+ White will maintain the initiative and have a better game.

8...Qf6 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 

The Queens have been swapped, White's King has been displaced, and Black has a lead in development and an extra piece for White's extra pawn. It is not surprising to find 370 games with the Counter-Jerome in The Database. 

10.e5 d6 

This is an offer of a gift horse that White should have examined more closely.  

11.exf6 Bg4 checkmate

Ow.

This game is another stark warning, like the recent "Jerome Gambit: I Should Have Stood In Bed", that White cannot play on automatic pilot.

It serves as a ripost to the notion that if White mis-plays the attack, he loses the initiative, while if Black mis-plays the defense, he loses the game. Keep in mind the mythical book All or Nothing! The Jerome Gambit by Chaim Schmendrik.