Jerome Gambit: Recalling Damiano's Defense

Most chess players are familiar with Damiano's Defense 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6, often played by those just discovering opening theory. The proper response is the Knight sacrifice 3.Nxe5, when 3...fxe5 (3...Qe7!? is probably best) 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5+ leads to a clear advantage to White.

The same sacrificial motif shows up in the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), much to White's dismay.

MocheFromage - TheJeromeGambit

casual blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qc3 

This Queen move is seen in 241 games in The Database, scoring 42%. This is compared with 8.Qf4+ (309 games, scoring 48%) and 8.Qg3 (763 games, scoring 48%). 

8... Nf6 9.f3 

Shoring up the e-pawn, although 9.d3 was more solid (and safer), and 9.d4 Bb6 10.f3 was a better way to get the f-pawn in action. 

9...Nxe4 

The problem, as in the Damiano Defense mentioned above.

10.fxe4 Qh4+ 11.g3 

This allows checkmate, which at least shortens White's suffering. Neither 11.Qg3 Qxe4+ 12.Qe3 Bxe3 nor 11.Kc1 Bg4+ 12.Qf3+ Bxf3+ is tolerable.

11...Qxe4+ 12.Kf1 Qxh1+ 

Black has it all figured out. If he were in a hurry, he had 12...Bh3#.

13.Ke2 Bg4+ 14.Kd3 Qd5+ 15.Qd4 Qxd4 checkmate

Painful lesson: play 9.d3, not 9.f3.