Jerome Gambit: Do Not Attempt At Home

 

Often when a dangerous act is performed on televison, there is the disclaimer "This stunt is performed by a trained professional. Do not try this at home!"

I am used to Bill Wall playing experimental moves in the Jerome Gambit - even daring danger to try to touch him - but he can claim enough skill to get away with such things.

 
Wall, Bill - Twister

SparkChess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 N8e7 9.O-O d6 10.Qh5 

White plans to keep his Queen active on the Kingside, instead of having her retreat to e3.

10...Rf8 

Bill has also seen 10...Be6 11.f4 Bf7 12.Qb5+ Kf8 13.Qxb7 Kg8 14.Nc3 Bc4 15.d3 Be6 16.f5 Nxf5 17.exf5 Black resigned, in Wall,B - Guest567544,PlayChess.com, 2013. 

11.Qxh7 

This pawn grab is risky. The psychological impact of it may have distracted the defender.

11...Bg4 

It might be difficult to see the way forward that Stockfish 16.1 recommends, as it involves an exchange of Queens that seems to assist Black's efforts: 11...Ng4 12.Qh4 Neg6 13.Qxd8+ Kxd8 and the computer sees the second player as being about 2 1/4 pawns better, even though White has 3 pawns for his sacrificed piece.

12.Qxg7 

Bill follows the dictum, It is only a mistake if your opponent punishes you for it.

12...Rg8 13.Qh6 Qd7 

Black has 5 pieces developed to White's 2 - yet the computer assesses him to be only about 1/2 pawn better. Of course, White has 4 pawns for his sacrificed piece.

14.f3 Be6 15.Nc3 Qc6 16. d4 d5

Bill questions this move, and recommends 16...Qb6 instead. 

17.Bg5 dxe4 18.Nxe4 

Things are getting messy on the Kingside. Is White's Queen safe? Is Black's Rook safe?

18...Rh8 

After 18...Nf5, 19.Qh7 is good for White, but it is tricky. 

19.Qg7 

19...Rg8 

Harassing the Queen, but overlooking a couple of things.

20.Nf6+ Kd8 21.Nxg8 Kd7 22.Nxe7 Black resigned

It looks like the risks that White took were amply rewarded.