Jerome Gambit: Straying Away From Home And Discovering Check

In a chess game, unless you are a world champion like Wilhelm Steinitz, it is best to keep you King at home, lest he fall into danger, as in the following game.

yoyokskr - ce_1

Jerome Gambit Classic #1, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.d4 

Opening another line for his pieces.

5...exd4 6.Ng5+ 

White is eager to attack. His sole Knight will need some "cooperation", however - from his own side, and his opponent - to create a dangerous attack. 

The Database has 1,485 games with this position. White scores 37%. 

6...Kg6 

Black's King should not wander away from home. Simply 6...Ke8 was best.

The Database not indicates that White's chances have improved to 51%.

7.O-O 

 In "A Return to Pre-School") I made the point

I think if the bodacious Blackmar Diemer Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxd4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3) can be referred to as a "high school for tactics" then the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can at least be dubbed a "pre-school for tactics".

Here, White had the opportunity to set up a discovered check against the enemy King with 7.Qg4, although Black can defend with 7...Qf6 and keep an edge

7...Ne5 

I am guessing that with this Knight move, Black was hoping to entice White's f-pawn forward, so that he - Black - could take advantage of a discovered check by his Bishop.

Instead, he could have taken counter-measures against White's plan to set up a discovered check: 7...h6 8.Qg4 Qf6 and he would keep his advantage.

8.Kh1 

Taking Black at his word that the discovered check would be a problem. Yet, 8.f4 immediately was playable.

8...Nf6 9.f4 Neg4 

Oddly, the wrong Knight.

Returning a piece with 9...Nfg4 10.fxe5 Rf8 would lead to only an edge for the first player.

Now there is checkmate.

10.f5+ Kh5 11.h3 Qe7 12.Rf3 Ne3 13.Rxe3+ Kh6 14.Nf7+ Qxf7 15.Rg3+ g5 16.Rxg5 Nxe4 17.Rg8+ Nd2 18.Bxd2 checkmate