Jerome Gambit: Ouch

Part of the enjoyment of playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is delivering a painful move that ends the game.

The following game is a good example.

Neffets23 - Evgeny2306

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ 

Giving the enemy King a "nudge". See " 'A Push for "a Nudge' ".

Why? To drive the monarch to the back rank, to interfere with the development of his Rook. And - to give him a chance for a mis-step.

7...Kf6

Black is still better, but this carries more risk than 7...Kf8 or 7...Ke8.

8.f4

Giving the defender something to think about: Why didn't White just grab the Bishop?

As Yury V. Bukayev points out, the move is a trap which provokes 8...Be7?? 9.Qf5#, 8...Qe7?? 9.Qf5#, 8...N8e7?! 9.e5+ Kf5 10.g4+! (10.Qf7+!? Kg4 11.h3+!? or 11.Qb3 with attack) ...Kxg4 11.Qg2+ with a very strong attack.

8...d6  

Black protects the Bishop. 

It is interesting that Stockfish 15.1 (at 37 ply) suggests as it's top move that Black ignore that piece and instead take care of his other developed piece, 8...N6e7, even at the cost of 9.Qxc5.

Other moves that still give Black the edge are 8...Qf8 (although 9.Qf5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ still drops a piece) and 8...Bf2+ (likewise).

9.Qg5+ 

Ouch.

Black resigned

Was that too soon? Four months later we saw: DrunkenNickMKunz - RRR_777, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2022: 9...Kf7 10.Qxd8 Nxf4 11.Rf1 Nf6 12.Qxh8? Nxg2+ 13.Kd1 Bg4+ 14.Rf3 Bxf3 checkmate

Again, Ouch.