Jerome Gambit: Attack on the King

 

The Jerome Gambit delivers an attack on the King and a win under 20 moves.

perrypawnpusher - wolfwerner

Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 d6 

Black opts for Blackburne's defense.

8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.d4 

This move was suggested by J.B. and E.M. Munoz's Brooklyn Chess Chronicle, August 15, 1885, referring to the game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885. Instead of castling on move 9

He should have attempted to free his pieces by P-Q4 before  castling

I admit that I have played - and mostly gotten away with - 9.0–0, instead, on occasion: perrypawnpusher - MiloBot, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 24); perrypawnpusher  -LtPoultry, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 12);  perrypawnpusher - MrScrumps, blitz, FICS 2011 (0-1, 11); perrypawnpusher - Carville, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22); perrypawnpusher - lfcanales, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 15); and perrypawnpusher - torrefish, Chess.com, 2022 (1-0, 14). 

9...Qxe4+ 

The text is tempting, but probably not best.

It can be scary or White, but it can be dealt with.

I have also faced 9...Nf6 (the computer's choice) in perrypawnpusher - marvinni, Chess.com 2022 (1-0, 17); and 9...Bb4+ (the computer's next choice) in perrypawnpusher - bakker, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 33). 

10.Be3 Nf6 11.Nd2 Qxg2 12.0–0–0 

White is the exchange up, and his King is safer. 

12...Bb4 

This is an improvement over 12...b6, seen in perrypawnpusher - DocBrowne, Giuoco Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2021 (1-0, 19).

13.Bh6 

After the game was over, I consulted with Stockfish 15.1 and had to laugh. My move is not in the top 10 moves evaluated by the computer!

I chose it because I wanted to attack the King. I guess I got away with it.

13...Nh5 

This move guards the f6 and g7 squares, but that is not enough.

14.Qf8+ Ke6 

On the road to checkmate.

15.Rhe1+ Kd7 

Stepping into it. The King could survive a bit longer with 15...Kd5, but still be mated.

16.Qe8 checkmate