Jerome Gambit: Small Questions

While playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), Bill Wall, with his moves, asks small questions of his opponents, the answers of which can lead the defender further and further away from the safest path. At the very least, time must be used to select among alternatives - time which might be needed later on in the game, and the absence of which can lead to error. 

Wall, Bill - Alikramer

internet, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

Which piece to save, now?

It is ironic that the strongest response is Neither, in the form of 6...Qh4!?

Retreating either the Bishop or the Knight still leaves Black better, but they are not his best try.

In the game at hand, Black does not fuss over choices, he gives the Bishop up directly.

6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.Qd5+ 

The question now is Block with the Bishop and surrender the b-pawn?

Bill has scored a solid 9 - 4 - 3 with this move. 

8...Ke8 

Against 8...Be6, offering the pawn, Bill has scored 4 - 2 - 1, including the games Wall,B - Guest774156, PlayChess.com 2016 (0-1,26);  Wall,B - Javier, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 36); and Wall,B - Guest3335651, PlayChess.com, 2017 (1-0, 23) 

He has also faced 8...Ke7 in Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 20) and 8...Kf8 in Wall,B - Guest344942, PlayChess.com 2013(1-0, 20)

9.O-O 

Or 9.Nc3 as in Wall,B - Guest3467690, PlayChess.com 2017 (1-0, 38) or 9.f4 as in Wall,B - Guest584771, PlayChess.com 2017 (1/2-1/2, 30). 

9...Nf6 10.Qb3 b6 

Here is another way to deal with the pawn and the Bishop: fianchetto.

Or 10...Qd7, seen in Wall,B - Tankins, PlayChess.com 2016, (1-0, 41) 

11.f4 

Or 11.Nc3 in Wall,B - Guest_5402, ChessTempo.com, 2018, (1-0, 23) 

11...Ng6 12.f5 Ne5 13.Bf4 Qe7 14.Nc3 Bb7 

The problem of the Bishop has been solved. Black's lead in development and his pressure on the White e-pawn give him the advantage.

15.Rfe1 Nc6 16.Rad1 Rd8 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 

Yikes! The Queen is pinned to the King!

Time for cool heads to prevail. After the block 18...Ne5 White can work to gain the exchange, but after 19.Qg3 Kd7 20.Bg5 Qf7 21.Bxd8 Kxd8 Black is still okay.

For some reason - time? - Black misses this.

18...Qxe1+ 

Unnecessary and turning the game over to White.

19.Rxe1+ Kd7 20.dxc6+ Kxc6 

The sad realization is that the comparatively stronger alternative, 20...Kc8, surrenders another piece with 21.cxb7+ Kxb7.

Now there is a forced checkmate.

21.Qc4+ Kd7 22.Re7+ Kxe7 23.Qe6+ Kf8 24.f6 Re8 25.fxg7+ Kxg7 26.Bh6 checkmate