Jerome Gambit: HauntedKnight and DrMarlonsky

One reason that I chose the following game to share can be found in the notes - a game by HauntedKnight at FICS.

The Database shows that HauntedKnight has 839 Jerome and Jerome-ish games (scoring 55%), the earliest being from 2003 (which was a year earlier than I started playing the Jerome Gambit).

My first mention of HauntedKnight on this blog was the post Serious About Silliness from a dozen years ago.

But - back to the game at hand. DrMarlonsky has a lot of games in The Database, as well.

DrMarlonsky - ourleo

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights Defense.

4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

After the Bishop is captured, this will be a transposition from the ordinary Jerome Gambit move order: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.O-O Nf6

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6 

On the surface, Black's Bishop retreat looks correct, as it will return a piece (Black has 2 extra) and get a pawn for it.

A closer look would suggest the straight-forward 7...Bxd4 and the practical 7...d5 are stronger. 

The advantage now goes to White.

With all of this it is important to remember that this is as 1-minute game, and thinking time is at a premium. Also, experience is significant: DrMarlonsky has over 1,200 games in The Database (scoring 57%); ourleo has 1.

8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.f4 Bxb2 

This time, instead of returning the piece for a pawn, the retreat 9...Bd6 was correct. 

10.Bxb2 Re8 

Black would like to castle-by-hand, but he never gets to.

An alternative: 10...d6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Nd2 (12.e5) 12...Qd4+ 13.Kh1 Rf8 14.Qh5+ Kg8 15.Nf3? (15.Rad1) 15...Qxe4 16.Ng5 Qg6 17.Qe2 b6 18.Qc4+ Kh8 19.Qxc7 Ba6 20.Rf2 Rac8?! 21.Qxd6? Qxd6 White resigned, HauntedKnight - castleden, 6 0 blitz, FICS 2010.

11.e5 Ng8 

Stockfish 15.1 suggests that Black might as well castle and forfeit his Knight - a sad state of affairs.

Also seen: 11...Nd5 12.Qxd5+ Kf8 13.Nc3 d6 14.Rae1 Be6 15.Qxb7 Rb8 16.Qxa7 Rxb2 17.exd6 (17.Rf2) 17...Qxd6 18.Ne4 (18.f5) 18...Qd4+? 19.Kh1? Qxa7 20.f5 Bd5 21.f6 Bxe4 22.fxg7+ Kxg7 23.Re3 Bxg2+ 24.Kxg2 Qxe3 25.Rf3 Rxc2+ White resigned, jdpz - afowlkes, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019) 

12.f5 

The "Jerome pawns" stare down the enemy King. 

Now all they need is a little help from their Queen.

12...d6 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qxh7+ Kf8 15.e6 Qe7 16.Qxg6 Nf6 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Qxf6+ Black resigned