Jerome Gambit: Welcome to the Jungle

Some lines in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) are clearer than others. Some are a vast jungle.

In the following game both players wander through a difficult and dangerous variation where one misplay can be disastrous.

Schauspielerr - Boxberg666

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4  Qh4+ 9.g3 Nf3+ 

Here we have the "Nibs" defense or variation. It dates back to at least 1899 and is not the kind of thing that a player usually just stumbles into. Yet I have not found any other games with the line featuring either Schauspielerr or Boxberg666.

There is a significant amount of information on "His Nibs" in the blog posts "Entering the Maze (Parts 1, 2 & 3)". It is well worth checking out.

I have done well with White in the line, and The Database shows 144 games with White scoring 59%, but this has to do, in part, with familiarity with the play, as Stockfish 15 (25 ply) asseses Black as being almost a Rook better!

10.Kf1 

The computer sees little difference between the text move and 10.Kd1. The Database, however, has 35 games with 10.Kf1 (White scores 76%) and 86 games with 10.Kd1 (White scores 65%).

The inference to be drawn from both evaluations is that White should definitely avoid 10.Ke2.

10...Ne7 11.e5+ 

A practical choice, although the silicon choice is 11.Qxc5+. 

11...Kc6 12.Qe4+ Kb6

Missing the tricky escape path: 12...d5 13.exd6+ Nd5 14.gxh4 Bh3+!? when Black's extra pieces will best White's extra Queen. 

13.gxh4 Nxh4 

The situation has changed. Black's King is in greater danger, as his opponent shows.

14.d4 d5 15.dxc5+ Kxc5 16.Be3+ Kc6 17.Qa4+ b5 18.Qb4 Nhf5

19.Qc5+ Kd7 20.Nc3 b4 21.Nxd5 Ba6+ 22.Kf2 Nxe3 23. Qxe7+ Kc6 24. Nxb4+Kb5 26.Nxa6 Kxa6 27.Rad1 Black resigned

No exit.