Jerome Gambit: Instead, He Could Have Done Something Boring

The following Jerome Gambit game reaches a point where the defender has a choice of moves, and chooses something active.

As Bill Wall shows, perhaps he should have chosen something largely inactive, instead.

Wall, Bill - Raol

internet, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 Qe7 9.Qe3 Nf6 

There are 180 examples of games reaching this position in The Database.

Also 9...d5 10.Nc3 dxe4 11.Nxe4 Nf6 12.d3 Ne5 13.O-O Nfg4 14.Qe2 Bf5 15.Bg5 Qd7 16.h3 h6 17.Nc5 Qc6 18.hxg4 hxg5 19.Qxe5+ Be6 20.Nxe6 Kd7 21.Qxg7+ Kxe6 22.Rfe1+ Kd5 23.Qe5 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest497592, PlayChess.com, 2012.

10.Nc3 c6 

Or 10...d6 11.O-O Ng4 (11...Be6 12.f4 Ng4 13.Qg3 Qh4 14.Qxh4 Nxh4 15.g3 Nf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.Re1+ Kd7 18.d3 Rae8 19.Bd2 c6 20. h3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Hirami,Z, Chess.com, 2011) 12.Qg3 Qe5 13.Nd5 Qxg3 14.fxg3 Kd7 15.Rf7+ Black resigned, Wall,B - CKSP, FICS, 2010; or 

10...Kf7 11.O-O Re8 12.d3 d5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Qxe3 15.fxe3+ Kg8 16.e4 Bg4 17. Be3 a6 18. Rf2 Rad8 19. h3 Bd7 20. Raf1 c6 21.Bb6 Rc8 22.d6 Be6 23.d4 Nf8 24.g4 Bc4 25.Rxf8+ Rxf8 26.Rxf8+ Rxf8 27.d7 Bxa2 28.e5 Kf7 29.d8=Q Rxd8 30.Bxd8 Ke6 31.Kf2 Bb1 32.c3 Ba2 33.Kf3 Kd5 34.Kf4 Ke6 35.Kg5 Kf7 36.h4 Bb1 37.h5 h6+ 38.Kh4 g6 39.hxg6+ Kxg6 40.e6 Ba2 41.e7 Bf7 42.c4 Kf6 43.e8=Q+ Black resigned, Wall,B - CKFM, FICS, 2012. 

11.f4 d5 12.d3 Ng4 

It is often quite tempting to attack the White Queen in the Jerome Gambit. Instead, he could have done something boring like moving his King to the f7 square, right away or after ...dxe4.

13.Qd4 Nh4 14.O-O Bd7 15.Bd2 Kd8 

Perhaps the King will be safer on the Queenside?

As it turns out, no.

16.h3 Nh6 17.g4 Bxg4 18.hxg4 Nxg4 

Black has returned the sacrificed material for some pawns.

White is still better.

19.Rae1 Qd6 

He zigged instead of zagging. Better: 19...Qf6.

20.Qxg7 Qf8 

Now things get messy on both sides of the board.

21.Qxb7 Rc8 22.Nxd5 

The Knight can not be taken, but defense is not possible, anyhow.

22...Rg8 23.Ba5+ 

The point of the Knight offer.

23...Ke8 24.Qxc8+

Black resigned

Black's King is in too much danger.