Jerome Gambit: Great Minds Think Alike

 

I do not know if chessriddler at lichess.org reads this blog, or if it is a case of "great minds thinking alike" - chessriddler and Yury V. Bukayev, that is - but the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game shows an interesting additional pawn offer leading to a strengthening of White's attack; a line explored and published here on the 24th of August, 2020 - 3 years ago, that was 4 days before the first of Jerome gambit games H.Nakamura - D.Kollars was played.

chessriddler - Ay63scachi

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.b4

This was most recently looked at in "Jerome Gambit: Puzzle Pieces (Part 1)", with the significant paragraph 

This move had not received any analysis until Yury V. Bukayev considered it in "Jerome Gambit: Article". It is quite likely that a number of players were influenced by his work, as shown in the games below.

8...Bxb4 9.f4 

Championed by Bukayev.

9...Qf6

Sometimes Black's Queen comes to f6 with positive impact; sometimes she arrives and it is harmful.

This time, the latter.

The move to make was 9...Ke7, as Bukayev noted.

10.fxe5+ Qxe5 11.Qxe5+ Kxe5 12.Bb2+ Kxe4 

Also 12...Ke6 13.Bxg7 Nf6 14.Bxh8 d6 15.Bxf6 Kxf6 16.c3 Bc5 17.d4 Bb6 18.O-O+ Kg6 19.a4 a5 20.Nd2 Be6 21.Rf3 Re8 22.Raf1 Re7 23.Rf6+ Kg7 24.h4 Bd7 25.h5 h6 26.Rg6+ Kh7 27.Rff6 Bxa4 28.Rxh6+ Kg7 29.Rfg6+ Kf7 30.Rh7+ Ke8 31.Rg8+ Kd7 32.Rxe7+ Kxe7 33.h6 c5 34.h7 cxd4 35.h8=Q dxc3+ 36.Kh2 cxd2 37.Rg7+ Ke6 38.Qh5 d1=Q 39.Qf5 checkmate, chessriddler -dambo78, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023.

 13.Bxg7 Ne7 14.Bxh8 

White is ahead by the exchange. It is no clear that the "development" of Black's King is adequate compensation.

14...d5 15.O-O 

White knows that he is ahead. No immdiate need for adventures, time to safeguard his King.

15...Be6 

A routine move, likewise - threatening the enemy Bishop - but overlooking the threat buried in White's last move. 

16.Nc3+ Bxc3 17.dxc3 

Showing that White has a sense of humor. He could have played 17.Rae1 checkmate, but, instead, he offers a piece. 

17...Rxh8 18.Rae1 checkmate