Jerome Gambit: Take the Money and Run (Part 1)

I admire chess players who can use the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) to whip up a crushing sacrificial attack on the enemy King, leading to checkmate (or the oponent's resignation).

Too often, I face opponents who return material (willingly or otherwise) and leave me to grind out a pawn-up endgame.

I suppose I could give the somewhat boring situtation an exciting name like "Take the Money and Run", although it sometimes feels more like "Hang Onto That Penny For Dear Life".

Take a look.

perrypawnpusher - GuestTYQD

4 12 blitz, FICS, 2023

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

This position appears in Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's analysis in the July 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal. 

Jerome played 6...Kf8 twice - successfully - in correspondence games against Dan Jaeger in 1880.

I have faced the line 43 times, scoring 74%.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 

White has two pawns to battle against Black's extra piece.

In turn, Black's King is more vulnerable, especially to the prospect of those pawns advancing.

Although 9...Nf6 has been the most popular choice of my opponents, I have also faced 8...Qf6, 8...Qe7, and 8...Be6.

9.d3 h6 10.O-O Bg4 

A creative move, taking advantage of the fact that White's pinned f-pawn can not advance and chase the Bishop away.

11.Be3 

The Database has games with the equally reasonable 11.h6 (to harass the Bishop), 11.Nc3 (development) and 11.Kh1 (to prepare to advance the f-pawn).

11...Bb6 12.Nc3 

Of course, 12.f4 was also possible.

12...h5 

This move is smart - and aggressive. An ideal move for blitz.

It was a surprise to me.

After the game, I learned that 12...h5 was the top choice of Stockfish 15.1 (30 ply), to take advantage of the somewhat awkward position of White's Queen.

I used up time thinking things through: Bg5 would be a nice pin (possibily backed up by Nd5), as Black would no longer be able to kick the Bishop with ...h6 and White could reposition his Queen to f4, if need b; f2-f4 would be useful and thematic, but first the enemy's Bishop's pressure along the a7-g1 diagonal has to be dealt with...

So, what did I do? 

13.h3

Yes, move a pawn...

13...h4 14.Qh2 

The Queen would be less awkwardly placed at f4.

14...Be6 

15.d4 Ba5 

At first glance it looked like my opponent would prefer to exchange his dark square Bishop for my Knight, not my own Bishop.

16.Bg5 Qd7 

Breaking the pin.

17.Qf4 Ke7 

Stepping out of one pin and into another. Just like that, White is now better. 

[to be continued]