Jerome Gambit: What Happens When...?

What happens when you give a much stronger player "Jerome Gambit odds"? 

I recently found out, and it wasn't pretty.

Still, it was educational, and I plan to pore over the game and learn from it.

In the meantime, I might save my special opening for  less powerful opponents.

perrypawnpusher - Seal Island Puffin

Italian Game tournament, Chess.com, 2024

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qf4+ 

Fifteen years ago, I tried 8.Qc3 in perrypawnpusher - Raankh, 2 12 blitz. blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 22). 

I have also played 8.Qg3, scoring 15 - 5 - 1 most recently in perrypawnpusher - aansmar, Italian Game tournament, Chess.com, 2024 (1/2 - 1/2, 22).

8...Nf6 9.0-0

Here Black lost on time in perrypawnpusher - Capt.Mandrake, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic tournament, ChessWorld.net, 2008.

9...Qe7

Black has the standard piece-for-two-pawns advantage.

10.d3 Kf7 11.Nc3 Rf8 12.Be3 

Deviating from two earlier games where I played 12.Nd5 -  perrypawnpusher - frencheng, 10 5 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2 - 1/2, 31)  and perrypawnpusher - jonathankochems, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39).

12...Bb6 13.Nd5 

Preparing to win the "minor exchange", but that, alone, will not be enough.

13...Qd8 14.Nxb6 axb6 15.Qg3 

The Queen seems to get in the way of my pawns here. Probably 15.Qh4 would have been better.

15...Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand and presents no easy targets.

I was now able to get my "Jerome pawns" moving, but that was not enough, either.

16.f4 d5 17.e5 Ne8 18.d4 

Too slow. Better 18...Qf3 or 18...Qf2.

18...Bf5 19.c3 g6 20.h3 

Hoping to eventually get my Kingside pawns in motion with g2-g4, but that never happens. 

My opponent always seemed to be a step or two ahead of me - not surprising, as he was rated 450 points above me.

20...Ng7 21.Qf2 h5 22.Kh2 h4 23.g4 hxg3+ 24.Qxg3 Kf7 25.Rf2 Rh8 White resigned

My Kingside was a jumble.

Hmm... I don't know if I have ever played the Jerome Gambit against an opponent rated that much higher rated than me.

Oh, wait, back in 2007, I lost my first Jerome Gambit game to MsD, who was rated 461 points higher than me.