Jerome Gambit: Humor vs Success

How do you respond to White's sacrifice of a Bishop in the Jerome Gambit?

One defense, with a bit of humor, depends upon Black returning the Bishop with his own sacrifice.

However, being humorous does not necessarily mean successful, as the following game shows.

SedulousWay - dk1210

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 

The "Counter-Jerome Defense" or the "Counter-Jerome Gambit". See "Jerome Gambit: How Bad Has It Gotten?", "Jerome Gambit: Tactical Awareness" and "Jerome Gambit: Be Careful, Look Both Ways".

For more recent examples, see "Nobody Expects the Jerome Gambit (Part 3)" and "Jerome Gambit: Psychology".

Checking The Database, there are 585 games with this sacrifice. Alas, Black scores 28%.

8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 

This is the plan: to exchange Queens, and drain White's attack of its energy.

On one hand, this is sound strategy, as White will have to deal with frustrated dreams.

On the other hand, Black has gone from being ahead by a couple of pieces to being ahead by one piece to being behind by a pawn.

9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 

10.d3 d6 11.Rf1 h6 12.Nc3 Be6 13.Be3 Raf8 14.h3 Ke7 15.Kg1 

White has castled-by-hand. Black has decided to keep his King in the center, perhaps to assist his Queenside pawns. White is better, but the Bishops-of-opposite-colors threaten drawish play.

15...g5 16.Bd4 Rhg8 17.Rxf6 Rxf6 18.Bxf6+ Kxf6 19.Rf1+ Kg7

Is a bullet speed endgame easier to play than a Jerome Gambit opening?

20.Kf2 

Headed toward the center. 

20...Rf8+ 

Not so fast.

21.Ke2 Rxf1 22.Kxf1 Kf6 

23.Kf2

Again.

There was also time for 23.Nb5, although play is complicated: 23...Bxa2 24.Ke2 Bf7 25.Nxc7 a6 26.Ke3 Ke7 27.Kd4 Kd7 28.Nd5 a5 29. Ne3 b5 30. g3 Be6 31. h4 gxh4 32. gxh4 h5; the computer sees this position as almost 4 pawns better for White - but Stockfish can see ahead 30 ply.

23...Ke5 24.Ke3 c5 25.Ne2 

Offering a pawn. How do you assess that in the remainder of time you have left, if you started with only 1 minute?

25...Bxa2 

Unwise. Better was central play with 25...d5.

26.b3 a5 

Hoping to rescue the Bishop. Not much better was 26...Bb1 27.Kd2 h5 28.Kc1 Ba2 29.Kb2 Bxb3 30.cxb3. 

27.Nc3 Bxb3 28.cxb3 h5 29.g4 h4 

Locking up the Kingside does not change things.

30.Nb5 d5 31.exd5 Kxd5 32. Nc3+ Ke5 

33.Ne4 

Black has too many weaknesses.

33...Kd5 34.Nxg5 b5 35.Nf3 c4 36.dxc4+ bxc4 37.bxc4+ Kxc4 

Piece placement now helps White win the pawn race.

38.g5 a4 

Black might have tried to enlist the clock to his side by stretching things out (unless he was behind in time): 38...Kd5 39.Nd4 Ke5 40.Nc6+ Kd6 41.g6 Ke6 42.Nxa5 Ke7 43.Kf4 Kf6 44.g7 Kxg7 45.Nc6 Kg6 46.Nd4 Kh5 47.Nf5 Kg6 48.Nxh4+ Kf7 49.Kg5 Kg7 50.Nf5+ Kf7 51.Kh4 Kf6 52.Kg4 Kg6 53.h4 Kf6 54.h5. Even though the lone remaining pawn is a Rook pawn, the Knight will help it advance and promote.

39.g6 a3 40.g7 a2 41.g8=Q+ Black resigned

White's x-ray attack will win the passed pawn, just in time.