Jerome Gambit: Surprising the Surpriser

In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) game, if the defender was surprised by the opening he did his best, in turn, to surprise the attacker. To his misfortune, the line of play he chose was not at all a surprise to his opponent.

angelcamina - Fabio-rj

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

Black takes his chances in a sideline, instead of capturing the Knight. In a 1-minute game this might cause his opponent to use up precious seconds of thinking time - but, in this case angelcamina has been down this road before.

For the record, The Database has 453 games with this position, with  White scoring 55%.

6.Qh5+ 

Consistently played. 

Stockfish 15.1 recommends 6.Nxc6, instead, followed by the very aggressive 6...Qh4!? and White is better - but I am not surprised that the line does not show up at all in The Database. 

6...g6

A quick finish was 6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Nc4, checkmate, angelcamina - SammmDBest, lichess.org, 2021 

7.Nxg6 Bxf2+

This surprising move (best in the position) is as old as the identical games Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA, 1960 (1-0, 13) and Blackstone,J - Dommeyer,C, Campbell, CA, 1960 (1-0, 13).  

Also:

7...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.Qxc5 Qxh8 10.Qf8 checkmate, angelcamina - DenBlood, lichess.org, 2022; 

7...hxg6 8.Qxh8 Kf8 9.O-O d6 10.c3 Be6 11.d4 Bb6 12.d5 Bf7 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.Bh6+ Ke7 15.Bg5+ Nf6 16.Bxf6+ Ke6 17.Bxd8 Rxd8 18.Qxd8 Bxf2+ 19.Rxf2 d5 20.exd5+ cxd5 21.Rf6+ Ke5 22.Nd2 c5 23.Qe7+ Be6 24.Qxe6 checkmate, angelcamina - MegaBane,1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019; and

7...Nf6 8.Qh4 Nxe4 9.Qxe4+ Ne7 10.Nxh8 d6 11.Qxh7 Be6 12.O-O Qd7 13.Ng6 Nxg6 14.Qxg6+ Bf7 15.Re1+ Kf8 16.Qh6+ Kg8 17.c3 Qf5 18.d4 Bb6 19.Bg5 d5 20.Bf6 Qh7 21.Qg5+ Qg6 22.Qh4 Qh7 23.Qg3+ Qg6 24.Qxg6+ Bxg6 25.Nd2 c6 26.Re7 Bc7 27.Rae1 Bd6 28.Rd7 Bf8 29.Nf3 Rb8 30.Be7 b5 31.Bxf8 Kxf8 32.Ree7 Be8 33.Rxa7 White won on time, angelcamina - stockfishdanirealno1, lichess.org, 2021 

8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 

Black's idea, but he has overlooked something. It's bullet.

9.Nf4+ 

The Knight that blocks the check is unprotected, but the discovered check must be attended to first.

9...Kd8 10.d3 Nd4 

Looking to take back some material, but White has it all under control.

Instead, 10...d6 11.Rf1 Qd4+ 12.Be3 Qf6 13.c3 Black resigned was Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA, 1960 / Blackstone,J - Dommeyer,C, Campbell, CA, 1960.

11.Rf1 Nh6 12.Kg1 Qd6 13.Nd5 Ne6 

Recalled.

14.Qxh6 c6 15.Qh4+ Ke8 16.Nf6+ Kf7 17.Bf4 Qe7 18.Qh5+ Kg7 19.Bh6 checkmate