Jerome Gambit: Back To The Drawing Board (Again)

                                                             

After having to resign my last two games in the Chess.com "Giuoco Fun" tournament, I finished Round 3 with an unimpressive 3 - 3 - 2 score.

More disconcerting, I scored only 1 - 3 with the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). 

Part of my problem was a deficiency in tactics: in two of the losses, I simply dropped a piece - not in the opening, but in the middlegame. For an example, see perrypawnpusher - Wander007, Giuoco Fun, Chess.com, 2024 (0-1, 41)

In the third loss, I was simply outplayed throughout the game.

As suggested in the previous post, it is unlikely that I will progress to Round 4.

It is time to upgrade my play, and, while I am at it, re-evaluate my opening lines.

After all, I have already signed up for the 50-player "Italian Game" tournament, and, as always, I intend to play as many Jerome Gambits as possible.