Plus ça change

 

Before we return to the strangeness that is the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), as in the previous post I would like to share an opening line in which the players - temporarily - lose their way...

Sukandar, Irine Kharisma - Yanjindulan, Dolgorsuren

26th Women's Olympiad, Shenzhen, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nb8 

This looks like a pre-arranged pleasantrie - now after 4.Nxe5 Stockfish 15.1 ranks White as a piece better.

4.Bf1 

Fair enough.

4...Nc6 5.Bc4 

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

5...Bc5 

Back to business. 

And White proceeded to out-play her opponent for the win:

6.c3 Nf6 7.d3 O-O 8.Bg5 Be7 9.Nbd2 d6 10.Bb3 h6 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.Nf1 Ne7 13.Ne3 Ng6 14.O-O c6 15.d4 Qc7 16.Re1 Re8 17.d5 c5 18.g3 Ne7 19.h4 Qd7 20.Bc2 g6 21.Nh2 Bg7 22.a4 Rf8 23.h5 Qh3 24.Nc4 Qd7 25.a5 f5 26.hxg6 f4 27.Qh5 Rf6 28.gxf4 Rxf4 29.Re3 Rf6 30.Rg3 Qe8 31.Nf3 Bd7 32.Nh4 Qf8 33.Ne3 Rxf2 34.Nhf5 Nxf5 35.exf5 Rf4 36.Ng2 Bxf5 37.Nxf4 exf4 38.Bxf5 fxg3 39.Be6+ Kh8 40.Rf1 Qe7 41.Rf7 Qg5 42.Qxg5 hxg5 43.Rxb7 Rf8 44.Rxa7 Rf6 45.a6 Rxg6 46.Ra8+ Black resigned

I am surprised that I have not (yet) found a Jerome Gambit game that started in the same way.