Jerome Gambit: You Lose Some, You Win One (Part 1)

The fifth round of the "Giuoco Piano Game" tournament at Chess.com did not go well for me. One of the 4 finalists, I lost 4 games, drew one, and won one. Perhaps I will come in third place.

Admittedly, two of those losses (see "Jerome Gambit: Not the Way to Attack" and "Jerome Gambit: A Bit Awkward") were Jerome Gambits that I played with White, but the final game was a win.

Things were complicated right up to the end. Luckily, I did not know that.

perrypawpusher - xyz7

"Giuoco Piano Game" tournament, Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

The good old Jerome Gambit. 

The Database informs me that in the 377 games that I have played White with this opening, I have scored 82%.

In the 14 games that I have played Black, defending against the Jerome Gambit, I have scored 86%.

I guess knowledge and experience count for something.

The Database contains a bit of a mystery, an uncompleted game of mine bloodlet - perrypawnpusher, 3 12 blitz FICS, 2007 : 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf6 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Nf6 11.O-O Rf8 12.d4 Kg8 13.Nc3 Qe7. White is clearly better.

I do not remember how the game against bloodlet continued. I checked the 2007 version of The Database (it was much smaller back then), which showed the game with those same 13 moves.

On top of it, a search of the FICS online games database  did not turn up the game at all. 

According to the FICS playing site, the last time bloodlet was there was December 2007, so - no chance to contact and verify through there.

Back to the game.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ 

This "nudge" is designed to move the enemy King to the back line to interfere with castling-by-hand. Stockfish 15.1 at 32 ply sees it as about a pawn better than the direct 7.Qxc5.

7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.O-O Bd7

This position has occurred in The Database a couple dozen of times, the first two time being in the games perrypawnpusher - peroneal, 10 0 blitz FICS, 2009 (1/2 - 1/2, 56) and perrypawnpusher - charlyeliot, 140 blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 60)

11.f4 Qe7 

11...Bb5 was seen in the aforementioned perrypawnpusher - charlyeliot, FICS freechess.org 2013. 

12.Nc3 Kd8 

This move is new in The Database.

The alternative 12...Bc6 was seen in perrypawnpusher - peroneal, 10 0 blitz, FICS, 2009. 

The game is about in balance. Black is better developed and has the extra piece; White has two extra pawns. Black's King is uneasily placed, but getting off of the same file as his Queen was a good idea. White's King is safely castled 

[to be continued]