Jerome Gambit: It Can Take A While (Part 1)

Looking for a quick win with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), I succumbed to the opportunity to take on another bot at Chess.com. For some reason, it was rated about 40 points higher than me.

What I learned (again) from the game is that it can be a bit tedious to grind out a win with the Jerome - as opposed to the usual smash and crash tactics.

Comments by the bot are in blue.

By the way, I am not sure if the historical Caligula played chess, or, if he did, how he played. According to Wikipedia

For the early part of his reign, he is said to have been "good, generous, fair and community-spirited", but increasingly self-indulgent, cruel, sadistic, extravagant... thereafter; an insane, murderous tyrant who demanded and received worship as a living god, humiliated his Senate, and planned to make his horse a consul.

 Strange character. The Chess.com site warned

Caligula doesn’t care about being liked, as long as he rules over his enemies. Think you can handle his brutish trash-talk? 

perrypawpusher - Caligula bot

Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5

The more you win, the more we scare those fools.

2.Nf3 Nc6 

Beat me, and you will be feared more than one thousand Ceasars! 

3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+  

I am one and all. We are the same.

I am he as you are he as you are me

And we are all together

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+

Hadrian, hide behind your wall! 

5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+

Just stay out of my way...or you'll pay! LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY. 

6...Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4

Strike me as if it is the end! 

I wasn't yet ready to play 8.Na3 again, as I did in perrypawnpusher - Klewnom, Italian Game tournament, Chess.com, 2023 (0-1, 22).

8...Nc4 

This is an odd move (favored by a couple other bots that I have played) in response to White's threat to win a piece. Black should have resigned itself to seeing the Knight disappear, either with 8.Qf6 or 8.Kc6.

9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ Nd6 11.e5 

11...Nh6 

I've picked boogers that were tougher than you. 

😝

Stronger was 11...Nf6, as in kennedy - Chess Challenger 7, 2008, (1-0, 20). 

Instead, 11...h5?! heralded an adventure that the Chess.com computer granted many ?! comments, a few ? notes, a distinctive ??, and one lone ! -  perrypawnpusher - GrandpaGambitBot. Chess.com 2023 (1/2-1/2, 44).

12.exd6+ cxd6

I will strike as if you are my enemy. You must learn.

13.Qg5+ Kf7 14.Qxd8

Cleopatra is shaking. 

It was stronger to leave the Queens on the board with 14.Qd5+, but I was already thinking that I could grind out a win from a pawn-up position. Next to taking poisoned pawns, this is another of my chess weaknesses.

14...Rxd8 

Cleopatra is next.

15.O-O Ke6 

The position has gotten clearer. I need to develop pieces, and challenge the notion that Black's King is well-placed, instead of in danger.

16.Nc3 

Go easy on you? GO EASY ON YOU!? Ahahahahahaha. 

16...a6 

To keep White's Knight out of b5, where it would threaten a fork at c7, as well as the pawn at d6. 

17.d4 Nf5

Let them hate us, as long as they fear us.

18.d5+ Kf7 

19.Bd2 

This quiet move is okay, freeing the Queen's Rook, although it was also possible to start things on the Kingside with 19.g4 Nh6 20.h3. 

19...Re8

Taking the e-file, but it can not be held.

20.Rae1 

Probably 20.g4 Nd4 21.Rae1 was better.

20...Nd4 21.Rxe8 Kxe8 22.Ne4 

22...Nxc2 23.Nxd6+ Ke7

They think they are better. Caligula transcends all.

24.Nf5+ 

Resisting the urge to exchange with 24.Nxc8?, which would only diminish my development and help Black improve the same.

24...Kf6 25.Ne3 

Prompting another exchange, although 25.Ng3 or 25.g4 would have helped more.

25... Nxe3 26.Bxe3 Kf5 

[to be continued]