Jerome Gambit: Against

I am not always comfortable playing against the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), but in a Jerome Gambit thematic tournament, where I have the black pieces half of the time, it can't be helped.

Also, if I want to advance to the next round and play more Jeromes, that means I have to defeat a number of them along the way.

The following game is from the tournament's fourth round.

moisesah - perrypawnpusher

Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's early preference, before turning to 6.Qh5+.

6...Qh4 

First seen in Sorensen - X, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27)

7.dxc5 

It might not have seemed safer to my opponent to go ahead and castle. I have to say that my experience in games with 7.O-O has not been overwhelmingly positive for that move:  Sir Osis of the Liver - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit 3 thematic, ChessWorld.net, 2008 (0-1, 38) and perrypawnpusher - 4xel, Chess.com 2017 (1/2 - 1/2, 29).

Still, things are about to get uncomfortable for White's King.

7...Qxe4+ 8.Be3 

Instead, 8.Kf1 was a different idea for defense, as occured in hamadkargarfard7 - perrypawnpusher, Jerome Gambit Classic #1 2024 (0-1, 17).  

8...Qxg2 9.Rf1 Nf3+ 10.Ke2 Nxh2 11.Rg1 Qf3+ 12.Kd2 Qxd1+ 13.Kxd1 

We have reached a Queenless middlegame where Black has an extra piece and an extra pawn. The pieces begin to dance around, but this imbalance does not change.

13...Nf6 14.Nc3 d5 15.Ne2 Bg4 16.Rg2 Nf3 17.c3 Bf5 18.Ng3 

At first glance it may look like White has improved on his development, at no cost to King safety. This is true - but he has just put his Rook at risk.

18...Bh3 19.Rg1 Nxg1 20.Kc2 Nf3 

I cannot fault my opponent for  playing on, given my propensity to grasp a blunder out of thin air...

21.a4 h5 

There is an old saying from the Manhattan Chess Club, that Black pawns move faster than White ones. (Gravity?)

22.Ne2 Bf5+ 23.Kb3 h4 24.Nf4 g5 25.Ne2 h3 26.Ng3 Be4 27.Bd4 Nxd4+ 28.cxd4 h2 White resigned

The h-pawn will not promote, but it will tie down White's already outnumbered forces. There were other games more worthy of my opponent's attention.