Jerome Gambit: Against, Still

Here we have another win in the Jerome Classic #1 tournament at Chess.com - again, against the Jerome.

Most of my remaining games will test whether I can win with the Jerome, but they remain for another day.

vkar33 - perrypawnpusher

Jerome Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.c3 Nf6 

Or 5...d6 as in Kevin the fruitbat - Sir Osis of the Liver, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (0-1, 36), or 5... Qf6 as in Kevin the fruitbat - Temmo, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (0-1, 16). 

6.b4 

An interesting path.

I have also encountered 6.d3 as in Gary_Seven - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic, ChessWorld.net 2008 (0-1, 30); ecimsa - perrypawnpusher, blitz, FICS, 2009 (0-1, 32); and xulian - perrypawnpusher, Chess.com, 2024 (0-1, 23). 

There was also 6.Qb3+ as in Kevin the fruitbat - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic, ChessWorld.net 2008 (0-1, 39).

6...Bb6 7.d3 Rf8 8.b5 Na5 9.Nxe5+ Kg8 

White's charging b-pawn and his marauding Knight have won him a pawn, but Black's King is as safe as if he had castled, and Black still has an extra piece for White's two extra pawns.

10.O-O d5 11.Ba3 

There is the interesting encounter from a computer vs computer tournament: 11.Nd2 Qe8 12.d4 Qxb5 13.Ba3 Re8 14.Rb1 Qa6 15.exd5 Nxd5 16.Qf3 Be6 17.c4 Nf6 18.c5 Bxa2 19.Ra1 Nb3 20.Nxb3 Qxa3 21.Rfb1 Bxc5 22.Qe2 Qa6 23.Qxa6 bxa6 24.Rxa2 Bxd4 25.Nxd4 Rxe5 26.Rxa6 c5 27.Ra5 Ng4 28.Nc6 Re2 29.Rf1 Rc2 30.h3 Nf6 31.Rfa1 Kf7 32.Rxa7+ Rxa7 33.Rxa7+ Kg6 34.Ne7+ Kg5 35.Ng8 Kg6 36.Ne7+ Kg5 37.Ng8 Rc1+ 38.Kh2 Kg6 39.Ne7+ Kh5 40.f4 Rc2 41.Nf5 Kg6 42.Nxg7 Nd5 43.f5+ Kf6 44.Ne8+ Kxf5 45.Rxh7 Nf4 46.Rf7+ Kg5 47.Rg7+ Kf5 48.Nd6+ Ke6 49.Nb5 Rb2 50.Na3 Ra2 51.Nc4 Kd5 52.Nb6+ Kd4 53.Rg4 Ke4 54.h4 Rb2 55.Na4 Rc2 56.h5 Kf5 57.Rxf4+ Kxf4 58.h6 Rd2 59.Nxc5 Rd6 60.h7 Rh6+ 61.Kg1 Rxh7 62.Kf2 Re7 63.g3+ Kg4 64.Nd3 Rf7+ 65.Nf4 Rd7 66.Ne2 Rd3 67.Ke1 draw, Hiarcs 9 - Shredder 6.02, The Jeroen Experience, 2003.

11...Re8 12.Nf3 dxe4 13.dxe4 Qxd1 14.Rxd1 Nxe4 

The same formula: when ahead, exchange pieces.

15. Nd4 Nc4 16. Bc1 Ncd6 17. a4 Ba5 18. Bd2 Nxd2 White resigned

Realizing that 19.Nxd2 (19.Rxe2? Re1#) Bxc3 20.N2b3 Bxa1 21.Nxa1 was a Rook-down position with no compensation.