Jerome Gambit: Mis-Match

In a tournament with 250 players, there are bound to be rating mis-matches, especially in the early rounds.

That is pretty much the story of the following game. I like to think, though, that the Jerome Gambit helped add some confusion to my opponent's task.

perrypawnpusher - m2mkiss

"Giuoco Fun" tournament, Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

6.Qh5+ 

Not the strongest move, but I was hoping for complications.

Instead, 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5 as in perrypawnpusher - rodrigojalpa, blitz, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 25). 

6...g6 

Long ago:

6...Kf8 7.Qf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - platel, blitz, FICS, 2011;

6...Ke7 7.Qf7+! Kd6 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Nxc6+ Kf6 10.Qf5 checkmate, Kennedy - WeakDelphi, blitz 2 12, 2008 .

7.Nxg6 Qf6 

Stockfish 16 likes 7...Bxf2+, a move that is as old as Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA 1960. 

8.Nxh8+ Ke7 

Or 8...Kd8 9.Qxc5 Qxh8 10.Qf8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - schachix, 5 3 blitz, FICS, 2013.

9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qc3 

At this point I was happy to exchange Queens. 

10...Ne5 11.Qxc7+ Bd7 12.Nc3 Qxh8 

White is up the exchange and 4 pawns. It is time to finish off the enemy King.

13.f4 Nc6 14.Nd5+ Ke8 15.Qxd6 Qg7 

Another day, another time, going after White's Rook at h1 might be a good idea. Right now, there is not enough time.

16.Nc7+ Kd8 17.Ne6+ Kc8 18.Qc7 checkmate