Jerome Gambit: Help Arrives in Time

The Jerome Gambit can complicate a game to the point where the clock can be a factor - even in a game where the time control was 1 day per move.

This time, once again, the clock became an ally.

perrypawnpusher - cool64chess

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qh4+ 9.g3 Qf6 

Stockfish 15.1 (35 ply) sees little difference between this check-and-retreat maneuver by Black's Queen and the simple 8.Qf6 - 2/100th of a pawn.

The Database shows the direct 8.Qf6 to be more popular than 8.Qh4+ g3 9.Qf6 - 441 games vs 62 games - but both score 57%.

10.fxe5+ 

The diversion 10.Qh5 did not work out well for me in perrypawnpusher - 1zscha2014, GameKnot.com, 2014 (0-1, 32) 

10...Qxe5 11.Qxe5+ 

Stockfish 15.1 frowns on 11.Qf3, and I have had mixed success with it:  perrypawnpusher - jeffgazet, blitz, FICS, San Jose, California US 2010}(1-0, 31)  perrypawnpusher - Buddy_Thompson, Chess.com, 2014 (0-1, 27)  perrypawnpusher - Coach Mae, Chess.com, 2023 (1-0, 30).

The Database has similar results: 31 games, White scores 66%.  

11...Kxe5 12.b4 Bd4 

I have faced 12...Bf8 in perrypawnpusher - Kevin the fruitbat, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic, Chessworld.net, 2008 (1-0, 38)

13.c3 Bb6 

14.d4+ Ke6 15.Bb2 d6 16.Nd2 Nf6 17.O-O Bd7 

With an extra piece for a pawn, Black is still better, even with his uneasy King.

Once again, the "Jerome Pawns" will have to step up fpr White.

18.Rae1 Raf8 19.c4 c6 20.Kg2 Ke7 21.Nf3 Kd8 

Black's response has been to retreat his King to safety.

22.c5 

A little sharper was 22.e5. 

22...dxc5 23.dxc5 Bc7 24.e5 Nd5 25.e6 Rxf3 

26.Rxf3 

The computer prefers 26.Kxf3 but I am not quite sure why.

26...Re8 27.Bxg7 Bxe6 28.a3 

Unfortunately for my opponent - perhaps the outside world intruded - here White won on time.