Jerome Gambit: Thus Endeth the Round...

Thus endeth another unfortunate game, in a rather unfortunate tournament round.

perrypawnpusher - egornikol

"Giuoco Fun", Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

This move first appeared in Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's analysis in the July 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal, in the article about the third variation of "Jerome's Double Opening".

The first game that I have with this position in The Database is that of Jerome defending against his own opening, against Daniel Jaeger. See "Jerome Gambit / Jerome Defense".

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Qe7 

According to The Database, I had scored 4 - 0 in games with this line. Such is the value of surprise and unorthodoxy: Stockfish 16.1 (30 ply) evaluates the position as being a bit over two pawns better for Black.

9.d3 Nf6 10.O-O Bd7 

Black's game looks remarkably healthy, despite his misplaced King. 

It is interesting to note some of the online players who have reached this position with the White pieces (albeit at blitz or bullet time controls): Mwafakalhaswa (1957), rahaf2018 (2065), Deniack (2108), DutchLiLi (2133), and TePart0 (2395). 

11.Bg5 

My opponent wisely sees one weakness of this move, compared to 11.Nc3 or 11.Be3.

11...Qe5 12.Qxe5 dxe5 13.Nc3 c6 

White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece, but Black's two Bishops are strong, and his King is not in danger.

14.Na4 

Going after the "minor exchange", or chasing the enemy Bishop off of the a7-b1 diagonal in order to allow f2-f4.

14...Bd6 15.f4 b5 16.Nc3 h6 

17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.f5 

Deciding on a "come and get me" strategy. Sad.

18...Kf7 19.Rf3 

Planning an artificial defense, instead of the simpler 19.g3.

19...Rag8 20.Rg3 Rxg3 21.hxg3 Bc5+ 

As the saying goes, Now that you've got what you want, do you really want what you've got?

At this point, my only chance was a blunder by my opponent. Wasn't going to happen.

22.Kh2 Rg8 23.Kh3 Be3 24.Rf1 a5 25.g4 Ke7 26.Nd1 Bg5 27.b3 Be8 28.Nf2 Kd6 White resigned

Will Black's King break through on the Queenside? Will his Rook break through on the Kingside?

I decided not to hang around and find out.

On to the next Italian Game tournament!