Jerome Gambit: Happiness and Sadness

 

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and its relatives can produce very pretty games - and very ugly ones.

It can produce a lot of happiness - and a lot of sadness.

Take the following position, from the aforementioned game Habitus - amaudsylvain, lightning game, FICS, 1999 (0-1, 38), which started out as a Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+).

White has an overwhelming position; in fact, he has a mate-in-one, and it is his move.

Alas, before he could play 39.Qg6#, his flag fell, and White lost on time.

Sic transit gloria eius mundi