Jerome Gambit: Blowing Open

The Jerome Pawns, the two that White gets in exchange for his piece sacrifice(s) are helpful in a number of ways.

In the following game, they advance and blow open the enemy defenses.

accattone444 - sinipete

Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

As old as Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1/2 - 1/2, 29).

6.Nxc6 bxc6 

The capture 6...dxc6 is recommended, instead, to prevent White's next move.

7.d4 Be7 8.O-O d6 

As is sometimes the case, 8...d5 is more effective. Perhaps Black was concerned that it would be answered by 9.e5 with a protected advanced passed pawn. 

9.c4 Nf6 10.Nc3 Ba6 11.b3 Kf7 

Black hopes to castle-by-hand.

Some prevention might have come from covering the light squares with 11...Qd7. 

12.f4 

Pawns vs piece, a Jerome Gambit theme.

12...g6 

Consistent with his 11th move would have been 12...Rf8 13.e5 Nd7 14.Qg4 Kg8. 

13.e5 Ne8 14.f5 

Here comes trouble.

14...gxf5

Best was 14...dxe5, but 15.fxg6+ would still rip things open. 

15.Qh5+ Kg8 

Mate in 2.

16.Qxf5 

Still forcing mate, but missing 16.e6 followed by 17.Qf7#. 

16...Nf6 17.exf6 Black resigned