Jerome Gambit: Provocation Has It's Downside

In the following game, Black urges White to respond, but he can not deal with the consequences.

Wall, Bill - Jojop

sparkchess, 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 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.f3 

This reinforcement of the e-pawn was most recently seen in EdnaDrown - hechQ, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2021 (1-0, 21).

10...Qe7

Bill also faced 10...Kf7 in Wall, B - Guest3544144, PlayChess.com, 2013 (1-0, 35) and  Wall,B - Guest1105387, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 30); and 10...Be6 in Wall,B - Guest564723, PlayChess.com, 2019 (1-0, 29). 

Stockfish 16.1 suggests 10...d5.

11.Nc3 Ne5

Provocation? 

12.O-O h5 13.d4 Nf7 

Black's defense looks solid, but White probably has a slight edge - Black's King cannot castle, and it will take time to move to safety.

14.f4 Bd7 15.Bd2 Kf8 

Just in time.

16.e5 dxe5 

Instead, 16...Ng4 17.Qd3 c6 18.Rae1 Re8 19.e6 Qh4 and the battle rages on. 

17.fxe5 Ng4 18.Qd3 

The open f-file for White's Rook makes the difference from the note to Black's 16th move.

18...a6 

Preparing for 19...Bb5, skewering White's Queen, but this gives time for the attack. The defensive 18...Be6 was needed.

19.Nd5 Qe6 20.Nxc7 Black resigned