Jerome Gambit: Comparing

Sometimes you can get a sense of which player is doing better in a chess game by comparing respective pieces. The most dramatic comparison is King safety - often one side's King is in grave danger, and it is clear that the other side stands better.

The following game illustrates another comparison.

Wall, Bill - Faust

internet, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qf6 9.Nc3 Be6 

I was surprised to see that there are only 7 games in The Database with this position. White scores 5 - 2, although Stockfish 15 evaluates Black as about 2 1/2 pawns better.

10.d3 a6 11.O-O Ne7 12.Be3 Ba7

I have seen this kind of retreat in different (non-Jerome) Giuoco Piano games, but it feels a bit artificial here.

13.f4 Qg6 14.Qf3 Bf7 15.Bxa7 Rxa7 

Awkward.

16.Rae1

The position is even. Compare the active placement of White's Rooks versus the uninvolved placement of Black's Rooks. 

16...c6

Bill recommends 16...Qh5 instead.

17.f5 Qf6 18.e5 

A nice clearance sacrifice.

18...dxe5 19.Ne4 Qh6 20.f6 

20...gxf6 21.Nxf6 Qg7  

The fire power of the Rooks is deadly.

Black could try to clog things with 21...Qf4, but White is not going to fall for 22.Qxf4 exf4 23.Rxf4 b5!? when one Rook returns to battle and Black's King eyes escape to g7. 

Instead, 21...Qf4 22.Qh3 keeps White in charge, e.g. 22...Qd4+ 23. Kh1 Ng6 24.Qh6+ Ke7 25.Qg7 Raa8 26.c3 Qd8 27.Ne4 Qf8 28.Qf6+ Ke8 29.Nd6+ Kd7 30.Nxf7 Rg8 31.Nxe5+ Nxe5 32.Qxe5 Re8 33.Rxf8 Rxe5. 

22.Rxe5 

Again, compare the Rooks.

22...Nd5 23.Nxd5 cxd5 24.Qxd5 Black resigned

And again.