Jerome Gambit: Well Over

Sometimes a game is over, long before it is over.

Only a blunder would change the outcome.

However, in 1-minute chess games between club players, blunders sometimes occur, so playing on often occurs.

angelcamina - gazorpazorpfield161

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kf8 

Declining the Bishop, perhaps for psychological reasons ("If you want me to take the piece, then I don't want it"), but causing a swing in computer evaluations from Black being ahead by about 3 1/2 pawns to being behind by about 2 1/2 pawns.

Perhaps gazorpazorpfield161 was hoping to surprise or upset his opponent, but The Database shows that angelcamina is a Jerome Gambit veteran with 260 games, scoring 86%.

The moral of the story: Take the piece.

5.Nxe5 

As I pointed out in the earlier post, "Jerome Gambit: Too Many Decisions Too Quickly"

White could simply retreat the Bishop with 5.Bc4 or 5.Bb3, or exchange it with 5.Bxg8. Perhaps that is what Black expected.

Instead, [White] decides to complicate things further. It's all part of the plan.

Although this line makes up only about 2% of the games in The Database, it has held a fascination for me, as I have posted on it a number of times, including "Jerome Gambit: First Steps (Part 5)", "Jerome Gambit: Keep It Simple", "JeromeGambit: It Is Supposed To Be Uncomplicated" and "Jerome Gambit: Ignore Me, Stay Aware".

5...Nxe5 6.Bxg8 Bxf2+ 

I checked at lichess.org and found other games where gazorpazorpfield161 faced the Jerome Gambit - 15 times, scoring 47% - but this move appears to be an inspiration for just this game.

Angelcamina also faced 6...Rxg8 7.Qh5 Qf6 8.O-O d6 9.c3 Bg4 10.Qxh7 Nf3+ 11.gxf3 Bxf3 12.d4 Qg5+ 13.Bxg5 Bxd4 14.cxd4 Re8 15.Nc3 Bg4 16.f4 Re6 17.f5 Re8 18.f6 Be2  19.fxg7 checkmate, angelcamina - chessgenius71, lichess.org, 2022.

7.Kxf2 Qf6+ 8.Ke2 Rxg8 

If the King had captured the Bishop, the game would have been strange, but roughly even.

The Rook capture pretty much ends things, as Black will lose his Queen - and a Knight in the process.

That said, it is perfectly reasonable to play the game out, given the time control. Accidents can happen.

9.Rf1 Nf3 10.Rxf3 Qxf3+ 11.gxf3 d6 12.d4 Ke7 13.Bg5+ Kd7 14.c4 h6 15.Be3 g5 16.Nc3 Kd8 17.e5 dxe5 18.dxe5+ Ke7 19.Nd5+ Ke8 20.Nf6+ Kf7 21.Qd5+ Be6 22.Qxb7 Rab8 23.Qxc7+ Kg6 24.Nxg8 Rxb2+ 25.Kd3 Bf5+ 26.Kd4 Kh5 27.Nf6+ Kh4 28.e6 Bxe6 29.Qg3 checkmate