Jerome Gambit: To the Bitter End

My opponent in the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ) game was not going to give up easily, he was determined to battle to the bitter end - 64 moves, at that. 

perrypawnpusher - ce_1

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 Nf3+ 

Here we have another strange Jerome Gambit position. Playing the White pieces, I have arrived here 26 times in my games, and have scored 88% - even though Stockfish 15.1 (40 ply) considers it about 3 1/2 pawns better for Black.

Go figure.

10.Kf1

Or 10.Kd1, as in the humorus, imaginary, game R.F. - Nibs, telephone chess, 1899. 

10...Ne7 

11.Qxc5+ 

Best, but I was not happy playing it. With Black's King out in the open, a Queen could be pretty handy - but I had been here before and knew the top move.

11...Kxc5 12.gxh4 Nxh4 

There was also 12...d5 as seen in perrypawnpusher - DaniyarManat, "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2020 (1-0, 29). 

13.Nc3 d6

Black's extra piece outweighs White's extra pawn. His King appears to be in more danger, although that may be an illusion.

14.d3 Bh3+ 15.Kf2 Nhg6 16.f5 

More to the point would be 16.Be3+.

16...Ne5 17.Kg3 

Threatening the Bishop, but Black can simply give it back for a couple of pawns.

17...Bxf5 18.exf5 Nxf5+ 19.Kg2 Nh4+ 20.Kg3 Nhf3 

A bridge too far.

Black could have returned his Knight to f5, and if 21.Kf4, then 21...Rhf8.

21.Be3+ Kc6 

Avoiding 21...Nd4 22.Ne2 Nec6 23.Nxd4 Nxd4 24.c3 but surrendering a piece.

22.d4 Nxd4 23.Bxd4 Nc4 24.b3 Na3 25.Ne4 

In a bit of a role reversal, White has an extra piece for two pawns.

25...Kd5 

Attacking two pieces, echoes of White's 20.Kg3.

26.Bxg7 

Escaping the King, with a threat on an enemy piece. However, 26.Bb2 had the same idea, and was stronger.

26...Rhg8 27.Nf6+ Kc6 28.Nxg8 Rxg8 29.Kf3 Rxg7 

Black has a pawn for the exchange.

30.Rhg1 Rf7+ 31.Ke2 Kb5 32.c3 c5 33.Raf1 Re7+ 

Black rightly refuses to exchange his active Rook.

34.Kd2 c4 35.Rf5+ Kc6 36. Ra5 Nb5 37. bxc4 Nc7 38. Rxa7 Rf7 

39.Rg2 Na6 40.Ra8 Nc5 41.Re8 Na4 42.Ree2 Nb2 43.Re4 d5

My opponent had the right idea: exchange off pawns, and work to reach a Rook plus Knight vs Rook endgame, because it is very drawish.

44.cxd5+ Kxd5 45.Rd4+ Kc5 46.Rg5+ Kc6 47.Kc2 Rf2+ 48.Rd2 Rxd2+ 49.Kxd2 Nc4+ 

Stockfish 15.1 evaluates the position as better than the equivalent of two pieces for White, but it sure didn't feel that way at the time.

Still, I had a plan.

50.Kc1 Nd6 51.Rh5 Ne4 52.Kc2 b5 53.Rxh7 Ng5 54.Rh5 Nf3

55.Kb3 

Going after Black's remaining pawn, but there was time for 55.h4.

55...Nd2+ 56.Kb4 Nf3 57.Rc5+ Kd6 58.Kxb5 Nxh2 59.a4 

59...Ng4 60.a5 Ne5 61.Rxe5 

Of course.

61...Kxe5 62.a6 Kd6 63.a7 Kc7 64.a8=Q

Black resigned