Jerome Gambit: Focus on the Enemy King

While it can be fun to toss pieces here and there in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) it is always good to remember that the focus is most often on the enemy King, as Bill Wall resolutely demonstrates in the following game. 

Wall, Bill - MasterVBG

Internet, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

As I recently mentioned in the post "Jerome Gambit: Pawns Take Their Place"

The move appears to be the "people's choice", however, according to The Database: 6...Ng6  is played 45% of the time; 6...Ke6 is played 24% of the time; 6...Kf8 is played 16% of the time; and 6...g6 is played 13% of the time...

Of the 4 top moves, Stockfish 15.1 (31 ply) rates 6...Ke6 as about 1/4 of a pawn better as 6...Kf8, which Stockfish sees as about 3/4 of a pawn better than 6...g6, which is seen as about a pawn better than 6...Ng6.

So, top choice but 4th place in strength. This helps the Jerome Gambit player.

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qe7 

Black applies pressure to the e-pawn (although he always has to be mindful that the Queen and King are on the same file).

White has a number of responses that are of about equal strength.

10.O-O 

Bill has also played the related

10.Nc3 Nf6 11.O-O in Wall,B - Guest3312852, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 26); and 

10.d3 Nf6 11.O-O in Wall,B - Guest701131, PlayChess.com, 2019 (1-0, 20) and Wall,B - Guest1144561, Internet, 2021 (1-0, 27).

10...Be6 

Black always has to be careful about this move when it is paired with having a Knight on g6, because of the threat of a pawn fork.

11.f4 c5 

An oversight, or the defender's plan to return material?

12.f5 Bxf5 13.Rxf5 Ne5 14.Qe1 Nf6 15.d3 h6 16.Nc3 Rf8 

Black is down only a pawn and he is ahead in development, but his King is still at risk.

White now opens the center. 

17.Be3 Kd7 18.d4 cxd4 19.Bxd4 Neg4

It is not clear what Black's plan is here. The move costs time, which White takes advantage of. In fact, Bill gives the move a "??" and then proceeds to show why.

20.h3 Ne5 21.Bxe5 dxe5 22.Rd1+ Ke8 23.Qg3 Qc5+ 24.Kh2 Nxe4 

This looks like a tactical shot, attacking the White Queen while uncovering an attack on the Rook. White can now try 25.Qf3 Rxf5 26.Qxf5 Nf6, but he has something better. 

25.Qg6+ Ke7 26.Qxg7+ Ke6 27.Qd7 checkmate