Jerome Gambit: Another Day in the Life of the Jerome Gambit

Not familiar with the Jerome Gambit, Black gets himself in trouble, early. However, his biggest problem proves to be the clock, which interferes with his endgame play and eventually delivers the full point to White.

Hats off to BaltyBalty88 for cool play at under 3 seconds per move.

BaltyBalty88 - 2AshtonIsChilling

3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

This move can lead to either the Blackburne or Whistler defense.

It can also indicate that Black has thought only as far as blocking the Queen check, and will be figuring things out from there.

7.Qxe5 d6 

Blackburne's defense, showcased in Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885 (0-1, 14), every Jerome Gambit player's nightmare.

8.Qxh8 

Despite the Amateur's demise after grabbing Blackburne's Rook, later analysis has shown that White can do so, and survive - see "Tidying Up - Or Messing Up?" for one example.

8...Qf8 

Is Black's Queen headed to g7? His best chance, with White still better, was 8...Qh4.

9.Qxh7+ 

Black's compensation for the Rook - trapping the Queen - has evaporated.

9...Ke8 10.Qxg6+ Qf7 11.Qxf7+ Kxf7 

White is up the exchange and 4 pawns. His biggest enemy now is the clock, as this is a 3-minute game.

Fortunately, his next moves come easily.

12.O-O Nf6 13.d3 Be6 14.Bg5 Rg8 15.Bxf6 Kxf6 16.Nc3 Bh3 

This threat can be disposed of by giving back the exchange, 17.g3 Bxf1 18.Kxf1, because of the extra pawns. White is happy to ignore the pressure on his g2 pawn, and keep things moving.

17.Ne2 Rxg2+ 18.Kh1 d5 19.Nf4 

19...Rxf2 20.Rxf2 Bxf2 21.Nxh3 Bd4 

The extra Rook is plenty.

22.Rf1+ Ke5 23.exd5 Kxd5 24.Rf5+ Kd6 25.c3 Be3 

26.Ra5 b6 27.Rxa7 Bc1 28.b3 Bb2 29.c4 Bd4 

30.Ng5 b5 31.Nf3 

This looks like a time slip, and things are about to get a little sloppy, but White prevails.

31...Bxa7 32.cxb5 Kc5 33.h4 Kxb5 34.h5 Be3 35.Kg2 Kb4 

36.h6 

Things are getting frantic. White's plan could be to move his King to the center to protect the d- and b- (and maybe a-) pawns, then have his Knight escort the h-pawn forward, which will result in Black having to sacrifice his Bishop. (Easy for me, sitting at my desk with all the time in the world, to figure out.)

 36...Bxh6 

The game is now even, thanks to Black's well-placed King. But the clock will continue to mess things up.

37.d4 Bf8 38.Ne1 Kc3 39.a4 

39...Kxb3 

This is a grave error, as it fails to control the a-pawn. Instead, 39...Bb4 would keep things in balance. 

40.a5 c5 41.dxc5 

In turn, White allows the Bishop to get back in the game of stopping the a-pawn. Instead, 41.a6 and White's pawn proves faster.

41...Bxc5 42.a6 

42...Kb4 

Oh, dear. How much different 42...Kc4 would be, the well-earned draw. To his credit, White notices.

 43.Nd3+ Kb5 44.Nxc5 Kxc5 45.a7 

There is nothing that Black can do.

45...Kb6 46.a8=Q Kc5 47.Qh8 Kb6 48.Qh3 Kc6 49.Kf3 Kb5 50.Ke3 Kc6 51.Ke4 Kc5 52.Qe3+ Kd6 53.Qd3+ Kc6 54.Qd5+ Kb6 55.Ke5 Kc7 56.Qd6+ Kb7 57.Ke6 Kc8 58.Kd5 Kb7 59.Kc5 Kc8 60.Qd5 Kc7 61.Kb5 Kc8 62.Kb6 Kb8 63.Qd7 Ka8 64.Qa7 checkmate