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
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