Jerome Gambit: You Lose Some, You Win One (Part 2)

 

[continued from the previous post]

perrypawpusher - xyz7

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

13.f5 

This advance is thematic. The alternative was 13.d4, likely with e4-e5 to follow.

13...Ne5 14.d4 Nc6 15.Qd3 

With the idea of advancing the e-pawn at some point, without having to exchange Queens.

15...Re8 

Black plans on resisting that pawn advance.

16.Bg5 16.h6 17.Bh4 Kc8 

Having left the dangerous e-file, the King now gets off of the d8-h4 diagonal.

18.Rae1 

The castled-on-opposite-wings kind of position appealed to me, as did the eventual chance for a center pawn break - but not now.

18...Nb4 

To attack the Queen is tempting. Often when the Queen is on e3, Black plays ...Ng4 with the same idea in mind.

19.Qc4 

After the game, I was surprised that Stockfish 15.1 recommended the retreat 19.Qd1, and even more so with its choice of the response 19...Nc6. Given the computer's apparent disdain for the Jerome Gambit in earlier game evaluations, it would have been funny to see a further recommendation of 20.Qd3, indicating that White would be happy with a draw. Instead, it suggested 20.Bg3. (The computer had earlier suggested 16.Bf4 instead of 16.Bg5).

19...d5 

A miscalculation. It is possible that Black only considered in response 20.Nxe5 Nbxd5 21.exd5 Qd5 22.Rxe8+ Bxe8 23.Re1 Bd7, when he would have an edge.

20.exd5 Qd6 

21.Bg3 

This move seemed sensible to me. There is no way that I would have figured out 21.Bxf6 Rxe1 22.Rxe1 gxf6 23.Ne4 Qf8 24.Nc5 b6 25.Nxd7 Kxd7 26.a3 winning the Knight. 

21...Qb6 22.Bxc7 

To win a pawn. After the game Stockfish recommended 22.Rxe8+ Nxe8 23.Be5, but, again, that escaped me.

22...Qxc7 23.Qxb4 a5 24.Rxe8+ Bxe8 

25.Qc5 b6 26.Qxc7+ Kxc7 

With four pawns for the Bishop, I was content with my position. 

However, after the game, the computer evaluated Black as about 1 3/4 pawn better.

Shows what I know.

[to be continued]