Jerome Gambit: There's More to It Than Just Looking Scary

If you are a chessplayer who is unfamiliar with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), you might consider it all flash and no substance, and welcome the "donation" of a couple of pieces to your game.

That kind of thinking might ward off a sense of panic while defending, but it can handicap constructing a defense.

accattone444 - shevapr

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+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 

This is a standard Jerome Gambit position, with over 1,300 examples in The Database.

8...g6 

This move is relatively rare, however. In fact, Black scores 1 - 15 - 2 with it.

It is as if the second player mutters Begone, silly Queen!

Things don't always work out that way, however.

9.Qxe5+ Kc6 10.d4 

White had 10.Qd5+ and 10.Qxh8 as alternatives. Perhaps he was feeling lucky.

10...Qf6 

Perhaps it is sometimes true that Simple problems have simple solutions, but in this case even a more complicated attempt at a solution, 10...Qh4+ 11.g3 Qh5 12.Qxh5 gxh5 13.dxc5 Nf6 would not suffice.

11.Qxc5 checkmate