Jerome Gambit: Finally, the Idea Worked

Many of my Jerome Gambit games (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) have followed an uninspired pattern of sacrificing material, recovering the material, and winning in the endgame.

The following one is an exception. I like to think that Alonzo Wheeler Jerome would have been happy with the way that the game ended.

xulian - perrypawnpusher

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.c3 

White chose a more "modern" approach to the Jerome Gambit, rather than the "classical" 5.Nxe5+. Earlier chess engines preferred this approach (sacrificing one piece is enough), but current ones, like Stockfish 15.1, assess 5.Nxe5+ as about a pawn stronger than 5.c3.

5...Nf6 6.d3 Bb6 

Instead, Black castled-by-hand with 6...Rf8 7.O-O Kg8 in ecimsa - perrypawnpusher, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 32). 

7.O-O 

Queens came off the board after 7.Qb3+ d5 8. exd5 Qxd5 9. Qxd5+ Nxd5 in Gary_Seven - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic tournament, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (0-1, 30). 

7...Rf8 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 Kg8 d6 11.Qc2 Bg4 12.h3 Be6 

With a piece for a pawn, I was content to play a slow game, along with my opponent. He did not have full compensation for his sacrifices.

13.b3 Qd7 

The ghost of an idea forms.

14.Bg3 Nh5 15.Bh2 Nf4 16.Bxf4 Rxf4 

Storm clouds gathered...

17.Rad1 

Thinking about d3-d4.

17...Bxh3

I have made this sacrifice in a number of games over the years (none of them Jeromes) and it has never worked. In the current game, I was helped by the fact that Black was already better.

18.gxh3 

It is hard to be critical of this move, as the alternatives, 18.Ne1 or 18.g3 or 18.d4 still would maintain Black's advantage.

Still, I now had my chance.

18...Qxh3 19.Nh2 Rh4 20.Ndf3 Qg3+ 21.Kh1 Qxf3+ 22.Kg1 Qg3+ 23.Kh1 Qxh2 checkmate