Jerome Gambit: Another Day at Work

Sometimes a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game moves right along to a solid conclusion, just like a day at work.

Etus11 - perrypawnpusher

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.d4 exd4 

5...Bxd4 was seen in eliadr - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024 (0-1, 18) and  FurkanFexsv - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024 (0-1, 9). 

6.Bg5 

Instead, 6.c3 was consistent. Then, 6...dxc3 would be met by 7.Qd5+. The best response would be 6...Bb6, when 7.cxd4 would bring about a position that shows up in The Database 6 times, with White winning 5 times.

I have also faced 6.Qd3 in Temmo - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit 3, ChessWorld.net 2008 (0-1, 32). 

6...Qe8 7.Qe2 

Simpler and stronger was 7.O-O. 

7...d5 

8.Nh4 Qxe4 9. Qxe4 dxe4 10.O-O Nf6 

Black leads in material and development and has a powerful pawn center.

White can fight back, to some extent.

11.Nd2 Bd7 

Giving back a pawn to continue development. Better was 11...Re8. 

12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nxe4 Bb6 14.Rad1 

14...Rad8 15.Rd3 Rhe8 16.Ng3 Ne5 17.Rd2 c5 

Black slowly builds.

18.f4 Nc4 19.Rd3 Nxb2 20. Rdf3 c4 21.f5 

Black's advanced pawns are ready to take over.

21...d3+ 22.Kh1 d2 23.h3 d1=Q 24.Rxd1 Nxd1 

The Black d-pawn cost White a Rook.

But the c-pawn remains.

25.c3 Re1+ 26.Rf1 Rxf1+ 27.Nxf1 Nxc3 

Freeing the c-pawn.

28.Kh2 Nxa2 29.Nd2 c3 30.Nb3 c2 31.Kg3 c1=Q 

 This Queen will not last, either, but, again, it will cost White a piece.

32.Nxc1 Nxc1 33.Kf3 Bc6+ 34.Kf4 

34...Rg8 

I wish that I had found 34...Ne2+ 35.Kg4 Rd4+ 36.Kh5 Ng3+ 37.Kh6 Rxh4 checkmate.

It didn't matter.

35.Ng6 hxg6 36.fxg6+ Rxg6 37.g4 Ne2+ 38.Kf5 Rg5 checkmate 

I suspect that one reason my opponent fought to the bitter end is that he is in a battle for third place in our group in the tournament, and only three players from a group will advance to the next round. Every point and half point counts.