Does the Jerome Gambit Have Anything to Teach?

A friend of mine taught his daughter to open every game of chess with 1.Nf3, 2.g3, 3.Bg2 and 4.O-O. That way, in four moves she would have developed some pieces and safe-guarded her King.

I remember early in my chess play, I would essay 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 and then offer to split the point, as "everyone knows" that the Four Knights Game is a draw.

What, then, of the subject of this blog? Does the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) have anything to teach new players about chess?

Recently I reviewed a number of games by someone relatively new to Caissa's creation, who was also interested in Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's contraption. One game, in particular, addressed that question and inspired this blog post.

3l0Zer0 - HambaAllah1203

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Bc4 

Both players focus on getting out their pieces. 

We can leave a discussion of the "fork trick" for another day.

4...Nd4 

An aggressive move, but one that abandons further piece development.

I would prefer to see 4...Bc5, if only because White could then play the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit with 5.Bxf7+!? 

5.Bxf7+ 

Not the "best" move, "objectively" - that would be 5.Nxe5, taking the now-unprotected pawn and threatening mischief on the f7 square - but a fine practical move, given the situation.

The Database has only 7 earlier games with 5.Bxf7+ - all of them wins by White. 

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8 

Black's King is now stuck in the center, like in the Jerome Gambit.

7.Nd5 

White's Knight takes an advanced outpost, but repeats Black's Knight's mis-step.

Next time we will probably see 7.O-O or 7.d3. Why? Because Black is still, technically, better, with a Bishop for two pawns, which means that White benefits from safeguarding her King or preparing for further piece development.

7...d6 

I am sure that my grandson, Cole, would play 7...Nxe4 and say "Look at those four Knights!". 

8.Nxf6+

White stirs in a little surprise by not moving her attacked Knight on e5.

She also relies on a bit of chess wisdom - it is not wise to move the Queen early in the game - to encourage her opponent to play the wrong move.

8...gxf6 

The alternative, capturing with the Queen, 8...Qxf6, is the right idea. 

The text is bad for Black, as 3l0Zer0 immediately shows.

The light squares leading to Black's King are calling to White's Queen, just like in the Jerome Gambit.

9.Qh5+ Ke7 10.Qf7 checkmate

Very nice!