Jerome Gambit: Bored to Death

I have a bad habit of taking a dynamic chess position and reducing it to something that I can easily understand - at the same time, taking the game closer and closer to a draw.

In the following game, I transformed the red hot Jerome Gambit to a cold bowl of oatmeal.

Lucky for me, my opponent seems to have gotten bored with things, and his endgame slip gave me a rather undeserved win.

perrypawnpusher - SPK_316

Giuoco Fun, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Qf6 

Here is one of those situations that you find often in the Jerome Gambit. Stockfish 15.1 evaluates the position (31 ply) as about 1 pawn better for Black.

However, with 68 games with this position in The Database, White scores 75%.

10.O-O 

Or 10.Nc3 as in perrypawnpusher - pitrisko, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 28) and perrypawnpusher - strobane, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 68).

10...N8e7 

I have also seen 10...Bh3, an attacking idea that didn't work, in perrypawnpusher-TJPOT, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 48). 

11.f4 Bd7 12.d4 

This is a little more patient than my 12.f5 in perrypawnpusher-LeiCar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 25). 

12...Nc6 13.e5 

After the game, the compuer recommended 13.d5, then 14.Nc3 then 15.Bd2.

13...dxe5 14.fxe5 Qe6 15.Nc3 

15...Nb4 

Black eyes the "hole" at d5 and aims to place his Knight there.

16.Qe2 Rf8 17.Be3 Nd5 

Mission accomplished.

18.Ne4 

After the game, Stockfish 16.1 had an interesting recommendation, a long line of play which showcases the power of the "Jerome pawns" and which leads to a balanced position: 18.Rxf8+ Nxf8 19.Nxd5 Qxd5 20.c4 Qe4 21.Rf1 Ng6 22.Qf2 Be6 23.d5 Bg8 24.b3 Qxe5 25.Bd4 Qh5 26.Bxg7 Kd7 27.h3 Ne7 28.Bf8 Qg6 29.Qc5 Re8 30.Qb5+ Kd8 31.Qxb7 Qb6+ 32.Qxb6 axb6 33.Bxe7+ Rxe7. 

It is not at all likely that I would have worked all that out myself, but I give it as an example of the computer demonstrating some "understanding" of the kind of play that can come from the Jerome Gambit.

18...Nxe3 19.Qxe3 Ne7 20.Nc5 Qd5 

Now Black's Queen occupies d5, but it will not be as comfortable a stay.

21.Rxf8+ Kxf8 22.c4 Qc6 23.d5 Nxd5 

Not a happy choice, but returning the piece for two pawns is probably the best idea here.

24.cxd5  Qxd5

25.Qf3+ 

My idea here was to have my g-pawn "graduate" to the f-file and provide support for my passed pawn at e5. 

Instead, after the game Stockfish 16.1 preferred the instructional: 25.Nxd7+ Qxd7 26.e6 Qe7 27.Rf1+ Kg8 28.Rf7 Qd6 29.Qc3 Qd1+ 30.Kf2 Qg4 31.h3 Qg6 32.Qxc7 h6 33.Qd7 a5 34.Kg1 Kh7 35.a4 b6 36.Rf3 Qe8 37.Qd6 Qd8 38.Qe5 Ra7 39.Qf5+ Kg8 40.Rd3 Qe7 41.Rd7 Rxd7 42.exd7 Qd6

25...Qxf3 26.Nxd7+ Ke7 27.gxf3 Kxd7 28.Kf2 Ke6 29.f4 Rd8 

My tendency to simplify things has gotten me this, at best, equal position, where Black's King and Rook are better placed.

30.Re1 Rd2+ 31.Re2 Rxe2+ 32.Kxe2 c5 33.h4 

33...Kf5 

The Black King can not stray too far, as it must keep the pawn at e5 under control. One idea is to advance his Queenside pawn majority, and then advance his Kingside pawns; the resulting position would be even.

34.Kd3 Kxf4 

An unfortunate slip.

35.e6 Kf5 36.e7 Black resigned