Jerome Gambit: Humor and Psychological Interplay

The humor and the psychological interplay is what makes the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) a special chess opening for me.

When Black declines the first piece sacrifice, by not playing 4...Kxf7, it is as if he is saying "If you want me to take the piece, then I won't!" As we have seen  many times - most recently in "Jerome Gambit: Attack? Counter-Attack?" - this is not a strong defensive strategy.

Likewise, should Black decline the second piece sacrifice - after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ not playing 5...Nxe5 - he can hold onto his advantage with 5...Kf8, but, otherwise, his "No, thank you" will again  lead to trouble.  

But, what if Black decides to mimic his opponent, and sacrifice a piece himself? Then things become interesting, as Bill Wall shows in the following game.

Wall, Bill - Kumar

internet, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

This is the "Counter-Jerome Defense" or the "Counter-Jerome Gambit". See "Jerome Gambit: Tactical Awareness" and "Jerome Gambit: Be Careful, Look Both Ways".

For recent examples, see "Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit (Part 3)" and "Jerome Gambit: Psychology"

8.Kxf2 Qf6+

8...Qh4+ was seen in Wall,B - Guest1443273, PlayChess.com, 2012 (1-0, 36), Wall,B - Guest2115687, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 21); and  Wall,B - Guest592370, PlayChess.com, 2017: 9.g3 Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.Nc3 Qh4+ 9.Kf1 9.g3 Qf6+ 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.Nc3 d6 12.d3 Bg4 13.h3 Be6 14.Bh6 Ke8 15.Ke3 Kd7 16.Bg7 Rhf8 17.Bxf8 Rxf8 18.g4 a6 19.g5 Nh5 20.Rhf1 Re8 21.h4 c6 22.b4 d5 23.exd5 Bh3+ 24.Kd4 Bxf1 25.Rxf1 cxd5 26.Nxd5 Kd6 27.c4 Ng3 28.c5+ Kc6 29.Rf6+ Kb5 30.Nc7+ Black resigned.

9.Qxf6+ Kxf6 

With the Queens off of the board, Black's King feels safe advancing. He has paid a pawn for this privilege.

Also seen is 9...Nxf6 as in Wall, S - Guest658246, PlayChess.com 2013 (1-0, 34),  Wall,B - Guest4380606, PlayChess.com 2015 (1-0, 15) and Wall,B-SCMJ/FICS 2020 (1-0, 24).

10.Nc3 c6 11.Rf1 Kg7 12.Kg3 Ne7 13.b3 d5

Often ...d5 is helpful in defending against the Jerome Gambit, but not here, right now, because of possible problems along the a1-h8 diagonal. Better was 13... Re8. 

14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Bb2+ Kg8 16.Bxh8 Kxh8 

White has a Rook and a couple of pawns for the Bishop and Knight, but, more importantly, he has better development and the initiative.

The game will be over soon.

17.Rf7 Nc6 18.exd5 Ne5 19.Rc7 b6 20.Re1 Nd7 21.Re8+ Kg7 22.Rxd7+ Black resigned

After 22...Bxd7 23.Rxa8, the exchange-up endgame with extra pawns (two passed) is a straight-forward win.