Jerome Gambit: Attack? Counter-Attack?

Here is another game from the Jerome Gambit Classic #1 tournament at Chess.com.

perrypawnpusher - eliadr

Jerome Gambit Classic #1 Chess.com, 2024

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Bxf7+ 

4...Kf8 

According to The Database, in the 846 games where Black did not take the Bishop, he scored 37%. Stockfish 16 assesses White as about 2 pawns better.

Black has another way to decline, as I have seen: 4...Ke7 5.Bb3 (or 5.Bc4 perrypawnpusher - walkinthespirit, 12 0 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 34) 5...Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 (6...Na5 perrypawnpusher - walkinthespirit, 12 0 blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 24) 7.h3 Re8 8.d3 Kf8 9.O-O Be6 10.Bg5 White won on time, perrypawnpusher - PrestonRFD, Italian Game Classic, Chess.com, 2019 (1-0, 10). 

5.Bb3 Nf6 

Or 5...h6 as in perrypawnpusher - ibeje, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 46)

6.Nc3 

Or 6.d3 White won on time, perrypawnpusher - LithuaniaS, Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com 2024/ 

6... d6 7.d3 Bg4 

Not quite as strong is 7...Nd4 as in perrypawnpusher - grammers123, Giuoco Piano Game, Chess.com, 2022 (1-0, 51).

8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 a6 10.Bg5 

Putting pressure on the familiar target, the Knight at f6.

After the game, the computer had a preference for 10.Be3 or 10.Ne2.

10...Nd4 11.Qd1 h6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Nd5 Qh4 

Black has attacking intentions, himself.

14.O-O Nxb3 15.axb3 g5 

This is over-playing his hand, however. White, too, can attack. (Counter-attack?)

16.Qf3+ Ke8 

You know things are bad when, after the game, the best that Stockfish could come up with was 16...Qf4, offering the Queen.

17.Qf6 Kd7 

Black has no interest in seeing the enemy Queen out-duel his two Rooks: 17...Rh7 18.Qg6+ Rf7 19.Qg8+ Rf8 20.Qe6+ Kd8 21.Qe7+ Kc8 22.Qxf8+ Kd7 23.Qxa8. 

However, now checkmate follows.

18.Qe7+ Kc6 19.Qxc7+ Kb5 20.c4 checkmate